The BLTS Archive - Atonement
by ILuvKate

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*All of the Klingon terms are totally made up, and are not based on
anything canon*

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She was, without a doubt the most gorgeous alien to beam aboard
Voyager. Tall, slender, with shimmering blonde hair, green eyes and a
body that was every male's wet dream, and more than one female's
fantasy. Her presence electrified every single crew member who was
present in the transporter room, walking through the corridors, or on
duty on the bridge.

Kathryn Janeway was by no means immune to Aulira's attraction. The
minute she saw her, as she arrived on the bridge escorted by Tuvok,
she felt her heart give a bound and certain other portions of her
anatomy perked up and cheered, too. She struggled to maintain her
command composure. The woman was a walking pheromone. She pushed the
thoughts crowding her brain away. She was an attached woman and the
woman to whom she was attached owned her body and soul. She was used
to such sensations every time she saw her spouse, and immediately felt
guilty at feeling them the minute she laid eyes on this alien. She
hoped she'd remained sufficiently composed and that B'Elanna at the
Engineering console to her right and behind her had not noticed her
momentary reaction. It occurred to her that B'Elanna herself might be
salivating, and she sneaked a casual glance around at her spouse.

B'Elanna was sitting at her console and was not looking much of any
way at all. She keyed some touchpads on her console even as Kathryn
glanced at her and Kathryn breathed an inward sigh of relief and she
returned her attention to the Ciscorian ambassador.

"I am Kathryn Janeway," she introduced herself, standing. "Captain of
the starship Voyager." Aulira's voice was silky, seductive, and
throaty. Against her will, Kathryn felt herself falling into the abyss
again and got a firm grip on herself. The ambassador held her right
hand, bent at the wrist, upright and placed the palm of her left
against the heel of it, inclining her head.

"I bring you greetings from the Ciscorian Domain," she intoned.
Kathryn inclined her head also, trying not to notice the alien woman's
shapely breasts that were evident even under the grey tunic she wore
that hung straight down ending in a shimmering silver fringe. The
sleeves were belled, falling back to reveal a deep midnight blue satin
lining. Kathryn thought, dreamily, that it was the sexiest garment
she'd ever seen.

"We deeply appreciate your allowing us to orbit your planet so we can
take on supplies," she managed to say with some semblance of normalcy.
"May I present my First Officer, Cmdr. Chakotay?" Aulira nodded and
smiled at the dazed exec. "My Chief Engineer, B'Elanna Torres,"
Kathryn continued, turning and indicating B'Elanna, who had risen and
was standing by her console. Aulira's glance was particularly warm on
the lovely Klingon, Kathryn noticed, and shot B'Elanna a keen glance.
B'Elanna still seemed unaffected by the Ciscorian, unlike everyone
else. Kathryn introduced Paris, who seemed to be catatonic, and Harry,
who seemed likewise. Aulira acknowledged everyone graciously.

"You may send down your Away teams whenever you wish," she told
Kathryn. "Our people are standing by, ready to offer any assistance
you may need." Kathryn glanced at Chakotay.

"Please see to it, Commander," she said. He blinked and looked at her,
and then nodded hastily.

"At once, Captain," he said. "Mr. Paris, Mr. Kim, you're with me." The
three men left the bridge. Kathryn turned to Aulira.

"May I take you on a tour of our vessel?" she asked.

"I would love that," the other woman replied. "We of the Ciscorian
Domain are quite technologically advanced, but our scans of your
vessel indicated some intriguing technology." Kathryn did not see
B'Elanna's eyes narrow, as did Tuvok's, but she was not so far gone
that she did not note the significance of Aulira's remark.

"This vessel is quite advanced," she said offhandedly. "Please come
with me." As they headed for the turbolift, she sent Tuvok a
significant glance and the Security Chief nodded imperceptibly.

---

That evening a banquet was held in the Mess Hall in Aulira's honor.
Some of her diplomatic colleagues beamed to the ship to attend. Since
none of them were military, Kathryn announced that dress would be
civilian. Neelix went all out in his decorating of the Mess Hall and
the setting for the dinner was splendid. Kathryn had confided in
Aulira of Neelix's cooking abilities and Aulira had suggested that
some Ciscorian chefs come aboard and help prepare the meal. Ever
mindful that the chefs could be spies, Kathryn alerted Tuvok, who
placed security crew who were ostensibly helpers, in the kitchen.

Kathryn and B'Elanna met in their quarters that evening to dress for
the banquet. B'Elanna greeted her with a warm kiss. "I've missed
seeing you today," she said, snuggling against Kathryn who enveloped
her in an embrace. Kathryn nuzzled her ear.

"I don't suppose," she murmured, flicking her tongue against
B'Elanna's ear, "that we have time for a little quickie." B'Elanna
raised her head and looked at her.

"Aulira got you all revved up, my dear?" she inquired silkily. Kathryn
cursed the scalding color that flooded her face.

"Uh....," she faltered. B'Elanna's smile was knowing. She said
nothing, but turned and walked over to the replicator and punched
buttons. "B'Elanna...." Kathryn began uncertainly. So she hadn't
hidden her reactions to Aulira as well as she thought. "Darling, you
know that I love you above everything else in the universe, don't
you?"

"I don't have a doubt of it in the world," B'Elanna said serenely,
taking a glass of bloodwine out of the replicator. Kathryn eyed the
beverage apprehensively. B'Elanna never drank bloodwine... She jerked
in shock as B'Elanna's eyes went dead cold and she crushed the glass
she held with just a slight clench of her fingers. The dark, murky
liquid poured over her hand and wrist, soaking the sleeve of her
uniform jacket. Kathryn swallowed convulsively, staring at the carnage
of shattered glass and dripping bloodwine littering the deck. A faint
memory stirred at the back of her mind, and her breath quickened. She
raised her eyes to B'Elanna's and what she saw in her spouse's face
chilled her. The silence thickened.

"Not a doubt...in...the...world," B'Elanna repeated and turned to walk
back to the bedroom, dripping a dark trail of bloodwine spatters as
she went. Kathryn breathed shallowly through her nose. She'd made
B'Elanna angry one time before and had vowed not to repeat the
experience. She'd better watch her p's and q's tonight at the banquet
or there'd be hell to pay.

---

Kathryn was stretched on the rack of nervous apprehension at the
banquet later that evening. Between having to be gracious and
attentive to Aulira as Voyager's guest, and worrying about angering
B'Elanna further, she walked an emotional tightrope. She drank rather
more wine than was her usual habit and found the tension of the
evening lessening under the influence of the alcohol, a condition she
was to severely regret much later.

"Captain, I would dance with you, if you would do me the honor,"
Aulira said. Kathryn's heart gave a bound. That would be an orgasm in
three-four time, she thought desperately, because the more she tried
to ignore Aulira's allure, the stronger it became. She felt sweat
misting on her forehead. There was no gracious and diplomatic way she
could refuse, and there was no earthly way she could accept either.
She sent a desperate glance of appeal toward B'Elanna who stared back
at her blandly. There would be no help from that quarter, she saw. A
sudden flash of rebellious irritation swept over her. Well, then, by
God, she'd dance with the beautiful ambassador and B'Elanna be damned.

The dance was agony and ecstasy. Aulira's body molded to hers as
though they were two parts of a whole. Aulira took the lead
commandingly and Kathryn was swept away helplessly in a dance that
consumed her. Nothing existed in the universe except the sensation of
Aulira's breasts against her own, the feel of Aulira's hand at the
small of her back, the warmth of Aulira's thighs along her own.

Against her will she looked up into the Ciscorian's fathomless green
eyes. Flecked with dark gold, she saw dazedly. Like a spider caught in
a silken web, Kathryn felt herself imprisoned, captive, unable to
break free. She did not hear the music or feel the floor beneath her
feet; she only felt the sway of her body in Aulira's arms.

This would not do, she thought suddenly in an instant of lucidity. Not
only must she get a grip on herself for B'Elanna's benefit, but she
was the captain of this ship and could hardly afford to look like a
lovesick mooncalf over some alien. Her desire to maintain her command
image snapped her out of her evening-long lethargy and it was as if a
bucket of ice water had doused her.

The music ended a couple of minutes after she regained her senses and
she murmured something innocuous to Aulira, handing her off to
Chakotay and turning toward B'Elanna's seat. Which was empty.

Kathryn stared unhappily at the vacant spot where B'Elanna had only
been sitting a few minutes ago. She hoped it was just a few minutes.
She couldn't have said how long she swooned in Aulira's arms. She
gulped. She had to get out of here. She had to go find B'Elanna and
try to mend fences. She--

"Excuse me, Captain," a voice murmured at her elbow and she turned to
see a young Engineering ensign standing there.

"Yes, ensign?" she said with barely masked impatience. "What can I do
for you?" Her mind was not on the young man but on B'Elanna.

"Lt. Torres asked me to bring this to you," the boy said, holding out
a note. Kathryn all but snatched the folded paper from him.

"Thank you, Ensign," she said with tacit dismissal. He moved away and
Kathryn feverishly unfolded the note, staring at its contents,
bemused.

"Come to the holodeck," it said. That was all: a terse summons to the
holodeck. And Kathryn practically sprinted toward the door before she
caught herself back. She searched for Chakotay and Aulira and saw them
just leaving the dance floor.

"Ambassador," she said casually. "A matter has come up that needs my
attention. If you will excuse me, please?"

"Of course, Captain," Aulira replied. "I trust all is well?" Kathryn
gave a small, chilly smile.

"It will be," she said cryptically. "Excuse me." She hurried from the
Mess Hall with as much dignity as her haste would allow her. She
arrived at the holodeck and entered, stopping short in astonishment at
the sight that met her eyes.

B'Elanna, in full Klingon attire, sat in a chair on a raised dais. And
she was as coldly furious as Kathryn had ever seen her. She braced
herself. B'Elanna rose fluidly and descended from her seat and walked
toward Kathryn who stood waiting, her face resolute.

"When we expressed our vows of commitment to each other," B'Elanna
said, without preamble, "I asked you afterward to please familiarize
yourself with the Klingon culture regarding bonding and
relationships."

"I did," Kathryn responded, feeling a chill of premonition.

"I suppose I should thank Kahless and all the gods that no other
Klingons were present tonight to witness my being humiliated as you
humiliated me at that banquet," B'Elanna said.

"I am sorry, B'Elanna," Kathryn said, without dissembling, and without
excuse. "I don't know what came over me." Some faint expression--dared
Kathryn hope it was approval?--ghosted across B'Elanna's face at her
response.

"Just expressing regret about your actions hardly atones for
humiliating me in front of my friends, our friends," B'Elanna said.
Kathryn waited. "You obviously did not note the significance of my
crushing the glass of bloodwine earlier this evening in our quarters,"
B'Elanna continued. Kathryn made a helpless gesture.

"No, B'Elanna, I didn't," she said, "not fully at the time, and I'm
sorry about that, too. What can I do?"

"K'gah Tu'rahk." The flat cold words dropped like icy stones into a
pond. Kathryn felt the breath leave her body. Those words she
remembered. She remembered them all too well because of the story
accompanying them. Ironically, it involved a Klingon/human mating, but
it was a Klingon male and a human woman. The woman had cuckolded the
Klingon, and had been forced to go through K'gah Tu'rahk. It was a
terrible ritual: harsh, barbaric, arduous, to say the least. And
Kathryn saw that by her actions, she had placed herself squarely in
the penalty box. She had embarrassed and humiliated her mate in front
of others. She had made a fool of herself.

Her shoulders sagged. B'Elanna waited silently. Taking a deep breath,
Kathryn raised her eyes to dark, implacable ones. "K'gah Tu'rahk," she
said tonelessly. B'Elanna gave a short nod and took a step backward.

"Remove your clothes," she said. Woodenly, Kathryn began to remove her
clothes. The only thing in her favor was the stipulation in this
dreadful ritual that the person being punished not be killed or
seriously maimed. She steeled herself as she tossed aside her last
piece of clothing, standing naked and waiting for B'Elanna's next
instructions.

B'Elanna had turned and walked down the room and stood by some
structures and objects. "On your hands and knees, Kathryn," she said.
Kathryn got down on all fours. "Computer," B'Elanna spoke again.
"Tribunal." A line of Klingons materialized on either side of Kathryn,
alternating men and women. They all held a pain stick and Kathryn felt
her mouth go dry. B'Elanna stood, legs spread, arms akimbo. "Come to
me, Kathryn," she said.

Searing jolts of energy ripped through Kathryn's body as the holograms
applied the pain sticks to her naked body as she passed them with
torturous slowness on her hands and knees. Pain became her universe as
the sticks were applied to virtually every square inch of her body.
She refused to stop, refused to scream, refused to beg for mercy,
which was an option. By the time she reached the silent figure at the
end of the line of torture, her body was one throbbing pulsating mass
of pain. She sagged, but did not fall prostrate at B'Elanna's feet,
sweat pouring from her savaged body, her breathing rasping and harsh
in her chest. Had she been able to look up at B'Elanna, had she been
able to see, she would have seen the pools of pain that were her eyes.
B'Elanna's jaw was clenched, her face a mask. Pride surged up in her.
She had seen Klingon males scream and writhe from just one jolt of a
pain stick. Kathryn Janeway had not emitted so much as a whimper.

As the minutes passed, the effects of the pain sticks lessened and
died. The sweat dried on Kathryn's body and her breath came easier.
B'Elanna allowed a few more minutes to pass. "Stand up," she said.
Kathryn got to her feet shakily and stood waiting. "Turn around,"
B'Elanna said stolidly. Kathryn turned and faced away from her. "Bend
over and place your hands on your knees." Kathryn obeyed. The sudden
smack of leather on bare flesh was loud in the silence. Kathryn kept
her feet with an effort as B'Elanna spanked her with hard blows from
her leather-gloved hand. Still shaky from the pain sticks, Kathryn had
only the most tenuous grip on her balance, but she gritted her teeth
and took this punishment as stoically as she had the first. Just when
she thought she would pitch forward in a heap, the blows stopped. She
didn't know how much longer she could hold out without screaming or at
least sobbing.

B'Elanna walked over to Kathryn. She knew Kathryn was reaching her
limit, but her admiration for her control in the face of the
punishment she'd endured so far was increasing. "Raise your arms,
Kathryn," she instructed. Kathryn obeyed and B'Elanna tried not to
notice what that did to her lover's breasts. She tried to forget about
that dark triangle between Kathryn's legs, that apex of pleasure they
both craved....she shook herself. Damn Klingon heritage anyway.
"Computer, restraints," she growled. Shackles encircled Kathryn's
wrists and she was stretched as high as she could be and still have
her feet on the floor. Just enough to quickly become uncomfortable.

The lash was thin and supple and laid stinging tracks of agony over
her back and buttocks. Past her boundary of tolerance, Kathryn, salt
sweat stinging her eyes began to weep silently, tears and sweat mixing
in briny rivulets down her face. The moisture dribbled across her
cheeks and rolled off her shoulders to drip down her back causing the
raw welts darkening her skin to smart and sting. She was trembling as
she hung in the shackles and the backs of her thighs knotted and
spasmed painfully.

A strong arm around her waist held her as B'Elanna ordered the
shackles deleted and with a superhuman effort, Kathryn stayed upright
on jelly legs and shaking knees, her face contorted in a rictus of
determination. B'Elanna stepped away from her and walked off a few
paces, her back to Kathryn. After a few minutes, she turned.

"I now declare P'uh-zak N'ah-dahn," she intoned. "You have satisfied
all the requirements of K'gah Tu'rahk, and I have regained my honor."

"Thank you," Kathryn whispered. "And I apologi--" B'Elanna held up her
hand. "You have apologized sufficiently," she said. "Computer, end
program. Delete clothing." B'Elanna's clothes dematerialized and they
were both naked on the black and yellow grid of the holodeck. B'Elanna
raised a small object she'd been holding, evidently not holographic.
She keyed the small device and she and Kathryn vanished in a blue
flash to rematerialize in their quarters.

B'Elanna picked Kathryn up and laid her on her side on the bed. Then
she padded over to the bureau and retrieved a dermal regenerator and a
hypospray. She came back to Kathryn and sat down on the bed. She
quickly healed Kathryn's welts and laid the regenerator on the table.
Then she pressed the hypospray to the side of Kathryn's neck. In a
matter of seconds, Kathryn slept.

---

Kathryn opened her eyes and lay unmoving as she came fully awake. She
moved experimentally and found that nothing hurt. She sat up gingerly,
finding that she was still pain-free. She swung her feet over the side
of the bed and sat on the side for a minute, and then rose, going to
the closet for a robe.

B'Elanna was sitting on the couch, also in a robe, ankles crossed,
hands folded in her lap, and she seemed to be staring into middle
distance. As Kathryn came into the living room, B'Elanna seemed to
come out of a reverie and she focused on Kathryn. For a long moment,
they stared at each other across the room. To her horror, Kathryn saw
a tear slide down B'Elanna's cheek. She crossed swiftly and sat down
beside her.

"B'Elanna," she begged. "Don't! Please!" B'Elanna shook her head
wordlessly.

"Do you have any idea," she finally whispered, "what hell I went
through watching you go through that?" Kathryn nodded contritely.

"I do, dear, and I hope you can forgive me," she said.

"If you can forgi--" Kathryn placed her fingers on B'Elanna's lips,
stilling the words B'Elanna had been about to say.

"I have nothing to forgive," Kathryn said. "You are not the one to be
asking pardon."

"Can we forget this--all of this?--ever happened?" B'Elanna asked.

"Yes," Kathryn said, drawing her to her to her and kissing her deeply.
"With the greatest of pleasure. Come here."

B'Elanna needed no urging, but circled Kathryn's neck with her arms
and kissed her back passionately. They drank of each other thirstily,
hands pulling robes open and seeking breasts. Kathryn made love to
B'Elanna sweetly and tenderly, and when B'Elanna had recovered from
the exquisite orgasm with which Kathryn had gifted her, she did the
same. They lay contentedly in each other's arms.

"I love you, B'Elanna Torres," Kathryn murmured, brushing her lips
across B'Elanna's brow ridges.

"I love you, too, darling," B'Elanna responded. "I love you, too."

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Copyright 1998 ILuvKate

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The End