The Q Menace Part 16
Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon, and Janeway were, not surprisingly the first of the away team to
arrive. Two technicians were doing some checks of the system.
"Mr. Qui-Gon Jinn, Obi-Wan Kenobi, I'd like you to meet two of our best transporter
operators, Lieutenant Sharon Diebin and Lieutenant Enrique McGraw." The Jedi bowed a
greeting as the two technicians nodded their way.
"They'll be keeping a transporter lock on us throughout our stay."
"Captain," spoke Lieutenant Diebin, "May I remind you that in order to beam you back
the new shielding must be disabled.."
"Thank you Lieutenant, I'm well aware of that."
Just then the security team entered followed by Seven of Nine.
Janeway introduced the team. Mr. Kenobi, Mr. Jinn, this is Ensign Aaron Kepler,
Lieutenant J.G. Sarah Briggs, and Lieutenant Molly Wells. All three looked human except Obi-
Wan sensed some difference in Wells.
"Once Q transports us over there we will need to split up and search for Kathryn Jinn. For
those of you who have never seen her - her DNA pattern is on your tricorder. Seven and I will go
North. Mr. Kenobi and Lt. Wells will go East, Ensign Kepler and Lt. Briggs will go South."
"And I Captain shall take the west," spoke Qui-Gon. "I will be alright by myself, no need
to endanger another person," he said before Janeway could object.
"Very well. If you find her use your communicator to contact the other teams. All other
teams will regroup and then attempt to get the shields down. Hopefully, we will then be able to
beam out."
"Captain, what if we aren't able to knock out the shields?" asked Ensign Kepler.
"Then it's game over Kep," spoke Lt. McGraw.
"Don't worry we'll be keeping a lock on you Aaron." said Sharon.
"Janeway to Tuvok. How long until Q is supposed to transport us?" She didn't hear the
response because at that second Voyager disappeared and was replaced by the scenery of the
inside of a Borg cube.
Author's Note: Molly Wells, Sharon Diebin and Enrique McGraw were all so named to honor
various people. Sharon Diebin as you can guess is named after two chick authors - Sharon
Nuttycombe and Darth Diebin. Enrique McGraw is named after two singer whose music I love
and inspired parts of this story - Enrique "Ricky" Martin and Tim McGraw. Molly Wells is named
after my best friend Molly Wells.
The Q Menace Part 17
Obi-Wan was amazed at how fast and efficiently the away team recovered from the
sudden transport and got moving, yet it was still longer than he would have liked. He watched
impatiently while Qui-Gon strode off west. He, on the other hand was forced to wait for his
teammate.
Lieutenant Molly Wells, I wish she would hurry up - I don't know why they think I need
help. I can do this much better on my own.
"I heard that and I'm hurrying as fast as I can. Don't seem so surprised - I'm a Betazoid.
Betazoids have mental abilities. Okay all done, let's go."
Obi-Wan acknowledged her statement with a nod, turned and began walking at a fast
pace. He felt her confusion over his reaction. Well, he didn't need her help anyway.
"Hey Obi, slow down, we don't want to miss her - this isn't a race."
"My name, Lieutenant, is Obi-Wan, and we need to hurry."
"Well, it won't do us or her any good if we walk right past her."
Unfortunately she had a point.
"Look Jedi, you don't have to like me, for all I care you can hate me but if you want to
save her we have to work together and communicate okay?"
"I'm sorry I just . . ."
"Miss her? Love her?" Obi-Wan nodded.
"Believe me Jedi, I understand."
"How could you know? You don't know."
"Yes, I do," Obi-Wan sensed guilt and pain behind her words. "My family - my mother,
father, twin sister Holly, my brother Jason and his wife Natalie, all went on a cruise. I wasn't
there like I should have been because my leave had been canceled at the last minute. The Borg
captured the liner and assimilated everyone on board."
"I'm sorry," whispered Obi-Wan. There was an uncomfortably long silence.
Molly broke it, "Tell me about her."
"Huh? Who?" Obi-Wan asked.
"Kathryn, what's she like?"
"She's one of the strongest people I know. She's Master Qui-Gon's daughter, you know.
She is stubborn but usually right. She's also very happy."
"I sense that you're surprised she is."
"A Jedi life is not exactly a happy existence - it can be a very lonely and hard road."
"But she finds it fulfilling."
"Yes, she's a walking contradiction."
"How so?"
"Well, she's strong and knows much yet is almost . . . naive, childlike. She's amazing.
And I really love her."
Molly sensed the intensity of his love for this woman and knew that NOT finding her
wasn't an option.
The Q Menace Part 18
Ensign Kepler was scared out of his mind. "Hey Sarah I just don't get it, We're risking
our lives to find one woman who's already been borgified."
"Aaron, it's the Captain's orders."
"Yeah, Sarah, but it's just one woman."
"Didn't you see how worried that man umm," Briggs fumbled for the name, "Obi-Wan
looked. He really loves her."
"Yeah, well, they didn't need to bring us into it. I think it's stupid."
"Well, I think it's romantic. And I thought that guy was kinda handsome but a little too
intense for me. And you know that they didn't force the Captain to help them - no one can force
the Captain to do anything. Besides what if it were your girlfriend over there? You'd want to
rescue her."
"Well, my girlfriend is back on Earth, safe, so this situation would never happen, Besides
being here gives me the creeps."
"I know Aaron, but just thiink in 24 hours you'll be laying in your quarters reading or
doing whatever you want. The Captain will surely give us some vacay - at least a day."
"That's the only good thing about this. I'll go back, relax, read some books, holodeck and
splurge my replicator rations."
"Sounds like a plan," said Sarah, "Let's find this girl and go home."
Qui-Gon Jinn felt anger and grief for all these assimilated beings. There were hundreds of
thousands of beings trapped on just this ship.
How many more ships like this one are there? How many others have suffered as
Kathryn has? How many lives has this species destroyed? If, no, when we get Kathryn back -
what about all the others who will never see family again - husbands, wives, brothers, sisters,
mothers, children? How could one species cause so much pain and feel no regret?
Captain Kathryn Janeway watched Seven of Nine closely. Seven seemed unaffected by
the surroundings despite the fact that she had once been part of the collective, her family
assimilated when she was a child. Seven was faster and more efficient at scanning for Kathryn's
DNA than most humans would be.
"Captain, I have located what could be the same DNA signature."
"Let's go Seven." Janeway followed Seven to face a Borg. Seven began a more detailed
scan but Janeway knew the outcome before Seven finished.
"It's not her, come on Seven."
Qui-Gon was becoming frustrated with this situation. He felt as though he had looked for
hours. He had looked hopefully into hundreds of Borg faces, with no luck. The other teams had
obviously had no luck either. He turned down one of the corridors. Borg were moving about the
ship like walking zombies. He sensed the power of their collective mind. The cold logic,
relentlessness, overpowering onslaught. A Borg rounded one of the corners, mechanical side to
Qui-Gon. As it turned, Qui-Gon recognized the human side. The Borg stopped and stepped into
one of the alcoves, and closed its eyes, waiting for the regeneration cycle to begin.
Qui-Gon tapped the communicator Janeway had given him and said, "I've found her."
The Q Menace Part 19
Qui-Gon approached the Borg that was his daughter. The Borg paid absolutely no
attention to him. He reached out and placed his hand on the Borg's human side and reached out
with his mind, probing, trying to find his daughter. Since the Borg was "asleep" the presence of
the collective, while constantly there, was not as strong. His mind found nothing of his daughter
as he began to methodically search her mind, from the outside in. He felt the presence of the
Captain and ex-Borg approaching. He withdrew his mind.
"We must terminate the regeneration cycle in order to move her." Seven reached for a
control panel.
"No, wait." Qui-Gon blocked her hand. "I must try to contact my daughter, she can help
us, keep it asleep." Seven looked toward Janeway.
Janeway nodded, "We'll wait until the other teams arrive."
Qui-Gon refocused and once again delved into the Borg's mind. He felt his Padawan's
confidence in his abilities, Obi-Wan's love for Kathryn.
He searched and was on the verge of giving up when he reached the darkest corner of
Kathryn's mind. He reached out and touched an impenetrable wall - one only a Jedi could make.
He probed the wall, found no weaknesses. How can I contact her if this is in the way?
Kathryn could feel someone outside her "fort." This wasn't the same relentless force as
the Borg but was rather treading softly, almost cautiously in her mind. Should she let him in?
What if it was a trick - she would lose herself. But she was getting tired, if she didn't get help
soon she'd have to rest and when she finally collapsed so would her walls. She opened her mind
just a crack. A man stepped through slowly. It was her father. Father she mentally hugged
him. Father is it really you?
Yes, we're here on the Borg ship to take you back.
Oh Father, I'm so scared. I'm so scared. Please help me. Kathryn felt the emotions she
had been holding back begin to rush forward. She knew if she allowed herself to start feeling
them she would not be able to stop them.
Her father spoke calmly and rationally though she felt far from that. Kathryn, we're
going to try to move you back to Voyager. But I need your mind to stay open and focused on
me. We are not going to wake up the Borg as long as you can help us.
Didn't he understand - opening up her mind meant really exposing herself to the Borg.
But Father - if I open my mind then they can . . .
Trust me, please Kathryn. I'll be with you. She hesitated - what if this was really a
trap. She felt so lost. Father, I feel so alone - I'm so scared. Help me but don't make me do
this. She felt hysteria begin to take its hold on her.
Kathryn please, let me help you? she felt her father's sincerity, his love for her, his
desire to help her to freedom - and agreed.
She opened her mind, dropping the barrier, depending, trusting in her father. She heard
the Borg, not as she had observing them but as a part of her - like a consuming parasite. Yet,
still, it was controllable. Her father was talking to the others but was also still with her -
protecting her.
Qui-Gon backed his mind out enough to speak to the others. Briggs and Kepler were
already there. Obi-Wan and Wells were just arriving.
"We can move her now without waking up the Borg part."
"You're in touch with her?" asked Janeway.
"Yes, Can you get those shields down Captain?"
"I think so. Kepler, Briggs, Wells, phasers. Fire at those little power nodes up there."
Janeway aimed her own phaser. They began taking out the nodes. The Borg reacted instantly.
One stepped out of its alcove and grabbed Kepler. Kepler paniced but could not stop the Borg
from assimilating him. Briggs had rushed to rescue him and found that she was cut off from the
rest of the away team. Instinct and fear began to kick in. Sarah Briggs heard Kepler scream for
help. She pressed a few buttons, setting the phaser to overload.
Janeway heard rather than saw the explosion - a phaser on overload. Briggs and Kepler!!!
"Janeway to Briggs."
"Janeway to Kepler."
Obi-Wan grabbed her arm, "They're dead, we have to get out of here." Obi-Wan drew his
lightsaber and hesitated for a moment sensing Qui-Gon's distress.
Kathryn felt the Borg that was in her body awaken. She couldn't erect the wall again and
her defenses were totally ineffective.
Father she screamed. Help me She then lost the last bit of herself that she had
managed to keep safe for so long - the Borg overcame her.
Qui-Gon was trapped in Kathryn's mind. It was as if he had been in a calm sea that
suddenly had turned into a raging ocean. No land in sight, nor any sign of Kathryn either. He
urgently called to Obi-Wan Get us out of here! praying that his Padawan would hear. If he
could not get away from this ship soon and get out of Kathryn's mind he might succumb to it as
Kathryn appeared to have. If they could just get away from it . . . everything could be alright
again . . .
Obi-Wan heard his Master's urgent call and using his already lit saber he slashed through
as much machinery and Borg as he could. He paused for a moment but before he could resume
his desperate attempt to disrupt the shields he felt the sensation of the transporter as Voyager
beamed them out.
The doctor was waiting for them. He sedated Kathryn with a weird looking instrument
and she slumped to the floor. With her under, Qui-Gon was able to pull his mind out. The
waiting medical team loaded her onto a gurney of sorts and proceeded to carry her with the rest
of the away team following close behind. At the door of the sickbay the team carried Kathryn on
in but the doctor stopped and spoke, "It would be best if none of you were in there."
"I'm staying, Doctor." stated Qui-Gon.
"Oh, of course my statement doesn't apply to you." The doctor assented.
"I'm staying too." spoke Obi-Wan.
"No, Padawan, your help will be needed on the bridge with the Borg."
"But Master . . ."
"No," said Qui-Gon abruptly.
Obi-Wan reluctantly nodded and turned. Wells put her arm around Obi-Wan and said,
"Come on let's go."
"Doctor?" asked Janeway.
"Captain, I'll do my best."
Janeway nodded, turned and headed for the bridge.
Author's Note: There is absolutely zero romantic attraction between Molly Wells and Obi-Wan.
Sorry Molly. But just think - you do get to hug and comfort the guy. Molly Wells' function is to
be almost a counselor to Obi-Wan. I figured some of you would read way into this. In addition
I'd also like to add the note that Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan have a father/son type relationship. This
story is NOT slashy. Please don't read that far into it - that's disgusting!!!!! This story is
however rated PG-13 by Molly's recommendation for thematic elements - angst etc. I do not
have nor do I ever intend to have any sex or profanity in my stories. Violence, while not good
appears to be a necessary evil in a fanfic writer's life. I'm not putting down people who do put
this stuff in their stories - I do read some of those - but they will not be in mine. These were
things I felt should be mentioned for one reason or another. I do have to admit - it can be hard to
write a story without profanity because of what the characters would really say. I appreciate the
fact that you continue to read my story. Do give me feedback. Feedback does make it easier for
the author to write more. Several feedbacks I've received have either given me ideas or inspired
me to write or post another section. By the way, any resemblance to another story is purely
coincidental. I wrote these about two weeks ago - just haven't typed them. I have an unfortunate
knack for writing a story and then finding other fanfics that are the same or very similar. I will try
to finish this story before summer's up. But even if I don't I had already made the committment
to finish this story - no matter how long it takes.
I'm thinking of having a prequel, you know making another Kathryn Jinn story - before
this one - maybe including Xantos What do you think?