Star Trek:

The New Generation

The Academy Years

By: Terri J. Shaw

To my loving husband,

Samuel

I love you Baby!

Chapter One

The Aftermath of Wolf 359 was more than most people could bear. Captain Jean-Luc Picard most of all, to him the battle of Wolf 359 represented the worst days of his life. As he looked over the casualty he shook his head as the grief over took him.

"It's all my fault." He muttered as his ready room door chime rang. "Come…"

"The survivor list, Sir." Commander William T. Riker said.

"Finally some good news." Picard said with a sigh.

"I don't know if you can consider it good news, Sir." Riker said. "Only 124 survived out of all of the ships."

"My god…" Picard whispered as he scanned over the names. "Terri Zajac, Isn't that the Captain of the Tolstoy's little girl?"

"Yes Sir, she was newly accepted to the Academy at 16." Riker said.

Picard frowned as he looked at the girl's medical report. "She was assimilated? During the attack?"

"Before, Sir, When the Tolstoy was on long range recon." Riker said. "Captain Zajac recovered her 6 months ago, most of her implants have been removed and she has excelled in her studies and passed the Academy Entrance exam."

"How long was she in the collective?" Picard asked.

"3 years Sir." Riker said.

"Has Doctor Crusher released her to guest quarters yet?" Picard asked.

"Yes Sir."

"Have her report here, I would like to speak with her."

"Sir?"

"Charlie Zajac was a friend of mine in the Academy, Will, I want to take care of her till she goes to the Academy." Picard said.

Riker choked back a laugh. The Captain's distaste for children had never been secret to the crew. "May I ask why, Sir?"

"I owe Charlie my life, so this is the least I can do." Picard said. "And the girl and I have a common experience that it might be helpful to share."

"You mean your time with the Borg, Sir?"

"Indeed."

"I'll let her know, sir." Riker said.

"Dismissed."

Riker turned and left the room and Picard sat down behind his desk. "Picard to Crusher." Picard said as he tapped the communications panel.

"Crusher here, Sir."

"I want the medical records of Cadet Terri Zajac sent up to my ready room immediately." Picard said.

"Aye Sir."

"Beverly…"

"Yes, Jean-Luc?"

"Why couldn't her implants be removed as easily as you removed mine?" Picard asked.

"I guess it was because she was a drone longer, they are tied into her central nervous system, if I remove them, then she would die." Crusher replied.

"Hmmm… Thank you, that will be all."

Cadet Terri Zajac took a deep breath as the turbo lift rocketed up to the bridge of the Flagship of the Federation. She couldn't understand why the Great Captain Jean-Luc Picard could possibly want to talk to her. Did he want to make sure she was still planning on attending the Academy in light of her parent's death? She pushed her red hair out of the way of her startling green eyes as the turbo lift doors opened and Commander Riker directed her to the Captain's ready room.

She looked up at Commander Riker for reassurance. He smiled before ringing the door chime.

"Come!" Picard's bisque voice came from inside the ready room, making Terri cringe before she stepped inside.

"Cadet Terri Zajac, reporting as ordered, Sir." Terri said with all the discipline her father had taught her.

"At ease, Cadet, you are not in trouble." Picard said, carefully eyeing the implants above her eye and on her neck.

Terri heaved a sigh. "Sir, may I speak freely?" She asked.

"Of Course." Picard smiled softly.

"I told Command about what happened on the Tolstoy, If I am not in trouble then why would an officer as decorated as yourself want to see me?" Terri asked.

"I see Charlie never mentioned who your godfather is." Picard said.

"You, Sir?"

"Yes, Your father asked me when you were just a baby." Picard said. "In fact that is the last time I saw you."

"Sir, with all due respect, I don't need a guardian, I was emancipated last week. If it hadn't been for the emergency of Wolf 359 I would be on a shuttle to the Academy right now. I don't need to be babysat, Sir, I need to get to the Academy so I can make the Borg pay for killing my parents."

"Hmmm…" Picard mused. "Your mother was half Klingon, am I correct?"

"Yes, Sir." Terri said.

"You might want to control your temper in the Academy." Picard said. "I am not delaying your entrance into Starfleet. I mearly want to exchange notes as it were."

"Sir?"

"You heard about what happened to me on the Borg cube, I am sure." Picard said.

"I understood you were assimilated, Sir." Terri whispered as her hand went to her temple where an implant remained.

"That is correct, when you were first bombarded with the collective consciousness how did you feel?" Picard asked.

"At first… I felt scared… then She…. The Queen… She spoke to me and told me I was special." Terri whispered. "Better than the other drones… She told me I would take her place when she eventually died."

Picard froze for a moment and stared at her. "What was your designation?"

"One of One, Secondary Adjunct of the Collective, Sir." Terri whispered.

"The Perfect drone…" Picard whispered.

"Captain?" Riker asked.

"She is the whole reason the Borg went to Wolf 359… The… The Borg Queen wants her back." Picard whispered. "She tried to use me to get to her. Number One, I want Lt. Commander Worf to escort her to Earth, She needs to be protected."

"Understood, Sir."

"Dismissed, both of you." Picard said.

Terri saluted before leaving the ready room.

"Mr. Worf!" Riker said. "Prepare a shuttle to take Cadet Zajac to Starfleet Academy on Earth."

"Understood, Sir." Worf said with a slight grin towards Terri.

"I think he likes you." Riker laughed.

"He's a bit old for me, Sir." Terri smiled politely.

"Have fun." Riker smiled