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“She’s quite something isn’t she.” Said Raffi
Raffi hadn’t intended to say that out loud. She just felt a need to break the silence.
Riker, who had been standing silently alongside her until that moment, followed her line of sight to Seven, and then back to Raffi.
He gave her a knowing look.
Raffi felt a level of awkwardness around Will Riker, which she reasoned was most likely one side and self-imposed. They’d both served the same Captain, and Raffi could never escape the feeling that between the two of them, she was the younger problem child. The one most likely to be in trouble and compared the the prodigal older sibling. He’d gone on to a glittering career with a successful captaincy aboard the first iteration of the Titan. A legacy, that despite her recent triumphs she felt she could never live up to. They were very different people, and perhaps Picard was their only commonality.
JL had spoken often about Riker, and the crew on the Enterprise. Raffi wondered, and not for the first time, what he had told them about her. What stories from the report card of her life had made their way back to the family chat? The stories he could have told concerned her - but worse still, what if he had told them nothing? The impact he had had on her life was monumental. Would she warrant even a sentence in his autobiography?
They’d both been standing watching Seven as she worked quickly and efficiently. The bridge crew all looked at her. Raffi could see them watching Seven, how her strength and surety influenced them. She never wavered. She was firm but compassionate. Seven seemed to understand each of her crew, and how they needed to be handled. The heat of the battle had since passed, and the adrenaline was fading. Seven was almost single-handedly keeping the momentum in the Titan’s crew. She was steadfast.
All Raffi’s filters had fallen away, and he had the unshakable urge to keep filling the silence.
“Captaincy suits her.” Said Raffi.
“It does”. Riker agreed.
Raffi felt relieved that there was a neutral topic for them to converse on. Too late did she think that perhaps talking about Seven wasn’t neutral ground.
They’d fallen back into step working alongside each other. With the world to save there was no time for personal entanglements. But now they’d stopped moving - or perhaps it was just Raffi that had stopped - Seven still had the crew to attend to. And now Raffi wasn’t sure how she fit back into any of it.
It was like that wall had slid up between them again. That strange nervous energy that had stilted their engagements when Raffi first beamed back to the Titan. While others had exchanged greetings and some welcomed (and others endured) embraces. She and Seven had stared at each other. Then there was there far too formal exchange. What Raffi wouldn’t have given to embrace Seven, or to be embraced, no matter how awkward.
Someone she had once known so well was suddenly a stranger. And until Riker had given her that knowing look, she thought she might have succeeded in hiding her emotions from her face. Years of intelligence training, and covert operations. But her heart was still the one thing she couldn’t hide from her sleeve.
Had JL told him? Or were they - was she - really that obvious?
She and Seven had talked extensively and come to a mutual decision about ending their relationship. One that was balanced and rational, but details felt like a lifetime ago for Raffi. The rational she had once agreed to abide by felt foreigh. Her memories were clouded by all that had transpired since. Their divergent paths had led them back here, together. But she had no idea of where Seven’s trail had taken her since. Perhaps it had served Seven far better than herself. She had known only heartache, and Seven’s name was now another on the list of people she loved she was living separately from.
“I always told her she’d be a natural” Raffi said. Watching as Seven addresses another young crew member with a firm hand on their shoulder.
There’s a pause, and Raffi is aware she’s being studied by someone who is weighing their next statement with calculated deliberation.
“She’s great in command. Great instincts. But I think she’s had to overcome her own trials with some people in Starfleet”
Raffi knew StarFleet had rejected Seven twenty years ago when she had applied on her arrival in the Delta Quadrant. Their inability to look beyond their prejudices was to StarFleet’s detriment and caused years of hurt for Seven. Raffi thought StarFleet were past that now. They had lobbied for Seven to join - despite her initial reticence.
The initial spell of outrage disapaits enough for her to reconsider Riker's words.
People.
Not StarFleet as a whole.
There’s something else that had been itching at the back of Raffi’s mind since she overheard it.
Hansen.
The name was so foreign she barely recognised it as referring to Seven.
Raffi tried to piece two and two together and departed on a fishing expedition.
“Captain Shaw…” Raffi didn’t need to finish her sentence.
“I don’t want to speak ill of the dead,” said Riker
Raffi nodded tacitly.
“But, It's fair to say Captain Shaw had his issues with both our former Borg.”
She’s always seen the relationship between a Captain and First Office as sacrosanct. Shaw would have had the final say over Seven’s commission. It made no sense to Raffi. Why would he do that? Why would anyone do that to Seven.
“And he was a stickler for the rule book. And I think it's fair to say, from what I've experienced Seven is fiercely loyal and won’t let a rule book stand in the way of doing the right thing.” Riker continued fondly.
“Seven’s always had a strong sense of justice.” Agreed Raffi
“Saved our asses”
“Sounds like Seven” Raffi laughs
“How is your relationship?” Riked Asked.
Raffi was disarmed by the directness of the question. She was unprepared to get some version of the talk from Riker - but perhaps the feeling of a sibling dynamic between them was mutual.
“Firmly in the past,” said Raffi. With a cal, steady voice, she barely recognised as her own. “We both had other things we needed to focus on - like Starfleet”
Raffi felt like she was reading from some prepared statement. She always did when talking about Seven with this level of detachment.
“Oh, I know a little something about putting your feelings for someone aside in order to focus on your career,” said Riker. A knowing twinkle in his eyes.
“You and Troi were stationed together for a while. Before you…”
Riker shook his head and interjected,
“After, Before. Between. There’s a long version of our story I’d happily recite, but it would have to be over a beer, or at least in a bar”
Ah, though Raffi. So he does know at least somethng about me.
“We were in each other’s lives, serving side by side, there for the big moments in each other lives.”
“Must’ve been nice”
“She even asked me to dance at her wedding.
“I don’t know if I could do that.” Raffi pauses to give it serious consideration. Then pushes the thought away as his stomach sours.
“Did you?”
“It never came to it in the end.”
“But it all ended with you together and your happily ever after” Raffi asked.
“That’s still an ongoing process. But I’ll tell you something for free. I wouldn’t give up for anything those years in the middle” said Riker.
****
Seven had made her way to check up on Raffi. After the battle had ended, the immediate danger and the crew had taken it in turns to retire and to rest and recuperate themselves. Before they needed to get work again rebuilding the world.
It was the first moment Seven was free and alone. Before heading to her quarters, Seven made her way down to the deck where Raffi had been allocated guest quarters. Seven had made sure they had suitable accommodations assigned - no bunk beds under her watch.
Although not formally assigned, Raffi felt like an extended member of her crew. It was the Captain's duty to look after the welfare of all their Crew. And even if she was only acting Captain, after all they’d been through, she wanted to check Raffi was ok. Was she taking care of herself both physically and mentally?
Perhaps it was more than just duty.
The door to Raffi’s quarters was open, and Seven slowed her steps on hearing voices as she drew close. Raffi’s and a depper male voice.
She heard Raffi’s voice say in a choked whisper “… a dear friend”
Seven had witnessed on his arrival, Worf’s disdain for physical contact, but now how willingly he now initiated an embrace with Raffi.
Raffi had that innate ability to help others she’d the discomfort and inhibitions in her presence.
Raffi seemed so small next to the Klingon.
Seven crossed her arms over her chest as she watched. She was glad someone was looking out for Raffi. Her mission coming down here was complete.
Seven slipped away, unnoticed.
****
Seven felt a tension, alone with Worf. Perhaps it was one-sided. Perhaps it was down to her insecurities and guilt that she felt like she had been weighed, measured and found wanting.
Seven wondered what Raffi had told him. About her. About their relationship. About its disolution.
She wanted to know - not just what Worf knew, but how Raffi described them - from her perspective.
What tense did she describe their relationship in?
Seven usually thrived in silences, and in any other situation, or with anyone else but Worf, perhaps she would have complied with their tacit agreement on working without the need for idle chit-chat.
But the questions she had, threatened to claw their way out, should she not voice them,
“Raffi has thrived being back in Starfleet.” Said Seven. Phrasing it with the surety of a statement, not a question.
Woft paused. Looked at her - deliberating. Then back to his console.
“Raffaella had overcome many hardships to find the path of the warrior”
What was that supposed to mean? Seven wondered. The voice in her head that said it, sounded just like Raffi.
Seven focused on one word- hardship.
She studied Worf, while she contemplated asking a follow-up question.
He turned back to Seven, as though he knew what she was thinking. And gave her a look, that said he had told her all she needed to know.
Seven disagreed.
She had faced off multiple times with the Borg. A single Klingon gave her no pause.
“What hardships?”
Worf didn’t reply immediately, but the pair were equally matched in stubbornness.
“You should ask Raffaella.”
“I will. I would. I asked you.” Seven tried to temper her frustration.
“I have already said too much”
“You barely said anything”
“I will not betray Raffaell’s confidence”
Seven could not argue with that logic. She felt chastised. She did not want to pry into anything Raffi didn’t want her to know, but she didn’t know how to ask anymore. She didn’t know where to start. She just wanted to understand.
“You said you’d gone into Battle with Lover’s countless times” Seven asked. Slightly redirecting the subject.
Worf patiently waited for the question.
Seven impatiently waited for confirmation.
“I did,” said Worf
“And that breakups on your homeworld rarely end without bloodshed”
Worf waited once more.
Seven was the one to break the silence first.
“Did you mean the process of a couple breaking up, or the end of the separation, the reconciliation would come after bloodshed? And for Klingons, I presume you weren’t talking metaphorically”
“You’re question is a philosophical one on the nature of Klingon relationships?”
Seven rolled her eyes and signed.
“What did Raffi tell you about our breakup?” Seven asks directly.
“Raffaella did not speak of your relationship to me.”
“Oh”
Seven blinked. Worf was Raffi's confidant, but then - she hadn’t warranted a mention.
“Admiral Picard has since caught me up on your situationship.”
Seven gaped.
“The man is a terrible gossip” Worf added.
Seven laughed. Though Worfs face looked stoic, she was just beginning to be able to decipher the slighted hints of mirth in his eyes. He was direct but sincere. Seven could tell why he got on with Raffi.
“I believe she would welcome your presence,” said Worf.
It was as though he could tell what, or more aptly who she was thinking about. Not that that was a difficult task.
Seven considered arguing.
****
Seven made her way to Raffi’s room for the second time in as many evenings.
The door was once again open.
Had it been closed Seven might have used the opportunity for second thoughts. To leave before knocking. To convince herself that Raffi was not there, or not receptive to visitors. Seven had defeated changelings and the Borg. She was ready to go toe to toe with a Kingon - but this she was afraid of.
Seven took a deep breath and knocked gently at the side of the Door
Raffi looked up from her PADD at the sound and beamed as she set eyes on Seven.
“Hey, you”.