Four
She had washed and dressed and Voyager's computer had transported her directly to the astrometrics lab.
It was the start of the gamma shift and a tall figure stood alone in the huge, dim, and quiet room.
Kathryn's uniform felt looser than normal and she wobbled slightly on her heels.
It was pleasant to have left sickbay but upon materialising in the new location she had felt a sudden, sharp anxiety.
Her wide eyes had moved down and away from the lone figure who stood perfectly still a short distance in front of her.
It was the shadow of a woman whose life had long since been extinguished.
Kathryn's eyes froze, unfocused somewhere in the darkness behind and beyond the figure.
No, she berated herself, it wasn't Jeri. It was Seven.
She didn't need to be afraid.
Blood left her limbs and rushed to her chest. She felt her throat constrict as her eyes flashed, panic-stricken through the darkness of the unsettlingly uncluttered facility.
She felt so exposed. So foolish.
Afraid to approach a figure who had been a partner and a most intimate friend, she kept her distance from Seven.
Seven didn't move.
Kathryn scowled at herself.
Ashamed at her own irrationality, her distress was soon replaced by anger.
She breathed in and stepped forwards.
Seven turned and watched the captain step towards the display platform steps. Kathryn quietly sat down, and after a moment, the astrometrics officer came forward to join her.
Kathryn closed her eyes and curling away from Seven, she felt Kate weep inside her.
She couldn't help it. She had to fight to control the grieving and frightened mourner inside her.
Seven hesitated before wrapping her arms tightly around Kathryn.
The Captain whimpered and trembled, and quickly began to splutter out tears.
She was devastated.
She clutched the younger woman's arms around her and struggled against her feelings.
Jeri had died many years ago but Seven still lived, she told herself.
Amongst her tears and her trauma there was still hope.
"... It's ok, Kathryn... Everything is going to be ok..." soothed Seven.
The Captain smiled, her fingernails sinking into Seven's forearms as she gripped tightly to the woman she did not want to lose twice.
Seven hung onto the captain and felt an overwhelming sense of sadness.
In 2001, Kate Mulgrew had died aged 46 from pneumonia.
Following the suicide of her young partner, Mulgrew had left Los Angeles, and returned with her son's to her homestate of Iowa.
Her mental and physical health had slowly deteriorated over several years of loneliness and depression.
Seven's brow furrowed and she focused her thoughts.
Their story would not be the tragedy which was Kate and Jeri's.
She held Kathryn softly as the captain slowly calmed.
Perhaps they would be able to find answers to this mystery.
In the meantime, they would love and protect each other for as long as they could.
To be continued...