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"Is it okay if I join you?"
Seven had been lost in thought. She looked round to see Raffi Musiker, one of Picard's companions on board La Sirena. Seven nodded at Raffi, who sat down beside her on the rock outcrop. The two of them looked out over the dusty Coppelius landscape.
"I'm so sorry about Picard," said Seven quickly, then felt embarrassed for blurting the words out when Raffi had not even raised the subject.
Raffi shut her eyes and gave a little nod. "I'll be okay." she said "It's been rough, but I'll be okay."
"He was a good man."
"The best."
"Doctor Soong seems quite hopeful about being able to save his consciousness."
Raffi nodded, then after a little pause, said "I never had a chance to say thank you."
"What for?"
"For helping us out at Freecloud. I mean, I know you had your own business there that happened to coincide with ours, but it was obvious you didn't really need us tagging along. And we couldn't have done it without you."
"It was nothing." replied Seven. "Besides, I'm a Fenris Ranger. We help people who need it."
"I guess What I mean is..." said Raffi "It's nice to know that there are still people out there doing good for the sake of good. You know, when you've put your trust in people and they let you down, it's good to be reminded not everyone is like that."
"I know exactly how that feels." said Seven. "That's why I do what I do."
"Heh, kinda puts me to shame. All I've done is run away from the past."
Seven shook her head. "We all do what we can."
Thy sat in silence for a few moments. The sun was casting long shadows over the valley below. Seven found herself studying Raffi's face in profile, and realising for the first time that she found the other woman quite attractive. Not wishing to be caught staring, she turned her attention back to the landscape. The silence suddenly felt heavy.
"It's a lovely view, isn't it?" said Seven eventually. Even after 25 years of being de-assimilated, she found small talk pointless, but she was not above pointing out beauty when she saw it. In fact, appreciating a sunset or a sonata gave her a satisfying sense of completeness, appealing to both her human aesthetics and the Borg desire for perfection.
"It's nice." Raffi shrugged. "But it reminds me a little too much of home."
"You don't wish to be reminded of home?" asked Seven.
"Not right now." Raffi replied "I've spent the last ten years living on my own in an empty chunk of desert called Vasquez Rocks. It suited me at the time I guess. I didn't really want to see other people or be seen by them. Not the happiest years of my life."
"And now you feel differently?" asked Seven.
"Perhaps" said Raffi.
"Perhaps it's time to find yourself a new home." said Seven.
Raffi did not respond. Then, after a few moments, she said "I'll tell you one way this place is different. There are no flowers at Vasquez Rocks."
"None at all?" asked Seven.
"Well," Raffi sighed. "I grow snakeleaf at my cabin. Have to water it every goddamn day to stop it from shriveling. But there are no wildflowers, like the ones down there." She pointed towards some bright amber-coloured blooms that grew in clusters here and there along the valley.
"That's a pity" said Seven.
The two women watched as the sun sank towards the horizon, and the planet's twin red moons came into view.
*********
"Ah yes, the flowers" said Doctor Soong. It was the following morning, and Seven had gone to see the scientist in his laboratory. "Quite artificial of course," the Doctor continued. "No native flowers on Coppelius, and I doubt you'd get many off-world species to take root here. I designed them - or I should say we designed them; they were mostly a pet project of Saga..." He trailed off at the mention of the recently deceased android, then swiftly collected himself. "We designed them to thrive on very little water. Apart from that they function much like flowering plants the galaxy over. They even pollinate, with a little help from our colony of synthetic bees. Most of the ones you see out there now are in fact the offspring of the original creations. And the scent they give off is... quite heavenly."
"Fascinating." said Seven. Dr Soong's cat, itself another synthetic lifeform, had jumped up from a patch of sunlight by the window, and was now rubbing its furry flank against Seven's ankles.
"Hmm, Spot II seems to like you" observed Doctor Soong.
"Yes, he does..." In all her years post-assimilation Seven had never gotten to spend that much time around animals, not even household pets. What was that technique Elnor had mentioned? Somewhat hesitantly, she bent down and stroked the creature between its ears, and was rewarded with a quiet purring. "These flowers," she said, straightening up again "Would it be permissible to... pick them?"
"Pick them?" echoed the doctor, as if considering it for the first time.
"Not all of them," Seven clarified "Just a few. Enough to give to someone... as a gift."
Doctor Soong shrugged. "Well, I don't see why not. There are certainly plenty of them. And of course as they're synthetic and they don't need much water, they wouldn't die. If you leave the root nodes attached you could even take them away and replant them wherever you like..." He paused, tilting his head as if focusing on some invisible point in the corner of the room. "Yes... I think Saga would have liked that."
Seven nodded. "Thank you" she said. She leant down to give Spot II another little stroke, then turned and left the room.
"You're welcome" said Doctor Soong quietly. The cat padded back to its place in the sun.
*********
"Is it okay if I join you?"
Seven had found Raffi sat on one of the white stone benches in the courtyard adjoining the lab, studying a handheld holographic display. She looked round and smiled warmly, setting Seven's pulse racing. "Sure" said Raffi.
"You're not... busy?" Seven asked.
"Nah," Raffi replied. "Just catching up on a little galactic politics, you know? Staying in the loop."
Seven nodded, trying to keep her cool. She had faced countless deadly enemies over the years, but nothing tested her nerves quite like facing a potential lover. The bunch of flowers, clasped behind her back, suddenly felt enormous. She had replicated a sheet of crepe paper to wrap them in, in a shade of dark olive green she had seen Raffi wearing.
"Do you wanna sit?" asked Raffi, shifting up on the bench a little to make room.
Seven nodded mutely again, and sat down next to Raffi, trying to keep the flowers hidden. Fortunately there was no-one else around to witness her awkwardness.
Raffi's attention had turned back towards the display. "Trying to trace the movements of Ferengi arms dealers," she said. "There's trouble brewing somewhere in the quadrant."
"Ferengi arms dealers have become a lot harder to track down since Nagus Rom revoked their licenses," remarked Seven.
"I dare say you've managed to track down one or two in your time as a ranger," said Raffi.
Seven nodded. "I'd be happy to share with you what I know."
"Thanks" Raffi smiled again. "Anyway," she said, quickly stabbing a point in the air to close down the display "This isn't exactly the happiest topic of conversation. Why don't you tell me what it is you've got hidden behind your back?"
Seven could feel her face beginning to flush. There was nothing else for it now. She revealed the flowers and offered them to Raffi. "These are for you" she said.
"Seven!" exclaimed Raffi, taking the flowers. "These are wonderful... they're the ones from the valley, aren't they?"
"Yes," said Seven, relieved that the presentation had been well-received. "They have a nice scent too".
Raffi pressed her nose to the nearest bloom. "Certainly smell a lot better than Snakeleaf blossom!" she chuckled. "I don't know what to say... thank you!"
"I should point out," said Seven "They are synthetic. Created by Doctor Soong and Saga. I hope that doesn't spoil your enjoyment of them."
"Oh Seven," Raffi waved a hand casually "If the past week has taught me anything its that synthetic life is just as real as any other. So long as these flowers don't try to take over the galaxy, I think we're fine!" she gave a wry laugh "Sorry, bad joke."
Seven smiled, relieved. She was herself not a wholly biological person. If Raffi could accept synthetic flowers, perhaps she could love Seven, borg implants and all. Seven's heart began to beat faster. She tried to hide her nerves by talking. "They'll grow like any other flower, maybe even a little better," she said "You know, I was thinking perhaps you could take them home... add a little colour to Vasquez rocks. Of course, that's if you want to go back there, I mean... I'm sure there are plenty of other places in the quadrant where..."
Seven trailed off. Raffi was beaming at her, tears starting to bud in the corners of her eyes. "Seven," she said breathlessly "This is the most thoughtful anyone has been towards me in years." She laid the flowers down carefully on her lap and reached her hand out towards Seven's. Their fingers touched and laced together. "Thank you" whispered Raffi, rubbing her thumb gently across Seven's palm. Seven, her heart pounding in her chest, leant forward. Raffi did the same, and their lips met.
As Seven and Raffi kissed, a single bee swooped down and buzzed an erratic path around their heads before settling on one of the amber flowers. It disappeared into the petals for a second or two then emerged again, its legs covered in tiny grains of pollen. Its wings whirred into life, and it took off towards the valley.