A/N thank you so much to everyone who read and or reviewed my last chapter! i promised adventure, so here it is. i apologize that this took so long, we moved homes recently so although this chapter was finished on monday, i've only now had time to post it. enjoy :) and please, reviews and advice are always welcome :)
Seven Of Nine strode purposefully to the shuttle bay, it was ten minutes to oh-600 and she wanted to be underway as soon as possible.
"Seven, you're here good. All we need now is Mr. Kim and we'll be ready to go" Janeway greeted Seven with a caring smile. The young woman smiled back at her Captain, last night's comfort not
forgotten. The shuttlebay doors opened once more.
"Here I am! Here I-oof!" Cried Harry, who in his haste had bumped into Mr. Tuvok.
" You were asked to be here at oh-600. It is 0601." The Vulcan officer replied with his usual cool tone.
"Sorry Sir." The scolded ensign mumbled.
"Well," Janeway cried with a clap of her hands, "I say its time we get underway, wouldn't you agree?"
"Yes Captain." came the unanimous reply.
The shuttle-craft had reached the nebula filled with deuterium, and the away mission was going well. Along the way, they had found several smaller
deposits of dilithium and were now almost filledto capacity with the useful alloys.
"Okay, okay I got one," Ensign Kim cried enthusiastically. "I'll bet an extra shift on the bridge that none of you will get this one! What has no eyes, no
ears, no mouth, no nose, lives, and scares what scares the Borg?"
" Is it chaos?" Suggested Seven
"Neelix's cooking?" Joked Janeway
"Is it your uncombed hair, Mr. Kim?" asked Tuvok in all seriousneess, prompting a wave of laughter from the other three people on board.
"N-no its not! Its-oh my God..." Harry's laughter ended in a horrified whisper.
"That answer cannot possibly be correct. The Borg do not believe in a deity. In fact-argh!" Seven's logical rebuttle to Harry's unintended explanation
was cut short as the shuttle craft was shaken violently, sending all four passengers to the floor.
" Red Alert. Tuvok, Seven; report!" Janeway was on top of things in an instant, taking control of the situation as their quartet was rocked by yet another explosion.
"We are under fire," Replied Tuvok calmly, "Shields at 62%" he added as a third blast rocked the ship.
"Captain," Seven cut in, "It is species 8472."
" Why would they be attacking us?!" Janeway demanded with outrage
"Perhaps they do not recognize this shuttle-craft?" Seven pointed out.
"Like hell they don't." The captain snarled, furious that the aliens would dare attack them once more. A gasp from Tuvok got the captains attention and
she turned to find him bent over, fingers pressed to his temples. Janeway ran quickly to his side. "Tuvok? What is it?"
"They are...contacting me" He gasped abruptly.
"What do they say, Tuvok?" Janeway whispered earnestly
"They have...captured...VOYAGER. They will destroy it unless-ah!" The Chief of security wore a mask of pain where his face once was, Janeway was
loathe to press him for more information, knowing it was hurting him but now not just her shuttle craft, but the entire crew of Voyage was in danger.
"Unless what, Tuvok?" She asked softly.
"Unless...we...they want to..." Tuvok dazedly murmered.
"Want to what Tuvok?!" Janeway demanded, much less patiently this time. After a brief pause Tuvok straightened up, and adressed the small crew with his usual stoic calm.
"They demand we surrender Seven Of Nine. If we do not, they will continue to attack"
"No!" Exclaimed Harry, who turned Slightly pink as the other three officers stared at him. He was spared further embarrassment when Janeway said
"My sentiments EXACTLY, Mr. Kim. We'll find another way out of this. Seven, how soon can we ready the bio-torpedos?"
"We cannot. The Sacajawea is not capable of such modifications, nor is it equipped with a replicator, which is needed to acquire the components said modifications would entail."
The ex-drones curt reply was void of fear or sadness. Janeway stared at the young woman, feeling her blood run cold as the she realized the full implications of this situation.
"I will surrender myself to species 8472" She added.
"NO!" Cried Harry, this time in unison with Janeway.
"Seven as your Captain, I absolutely forbid any such course of action. Hail Voyager, see if they're alright, and put out a distress call."
"Shall I contact the nearest Borg vessel?" Seven's inquired sarcastically. "No other species has the technology required to harm species 8472. If we do not do as they request all of voyager
will be destroyed, and they will likely take me anyway. I will not be the cause of hundreds of unnecessary deaths."
"Seven, they'll kill you! Or worse" Kim cried desperately.
"So be it, Mr. Kim. At least there is a chance the rest of you will escape." Seven calmly replied. She gazed at Mr. Tuvok who regarded her neutrally, but his Vulcan eyes hid sadness at what was
about to befall his friend. Her gaze fell to Mr. Kim who appeared to be battling tears, but still managed to give her a farewell salute. Last but not least was Captain Janeway, who enfolded the ex-drone in a warm embrace
"Seven please, there may be another way out." Janeway pleaded, knowing full well no such miracle existed. Realizing the two needed a moment, Tuvok
discreetly requested that the young bridge officer join him in the other part of the shuttlecraft
"We lack the sufficient time required" Seven replied, her confident tone betrayed by the fear in her eyes.
"Seven, I can't. I won't let them take you, they'll hurt you." Janeway said firmly, tears of fear threatening to spill from her eyes, as memories of Ensign Kim's encounter with the species ran through
her mind. The idea of her sensitive foster daughter having to withstand yet more trauma was more than Katherine could bear. Stepping away from the embrace, Seven regarded he captain and
said "We do not have a choice, as Mr. Tuvok tells me that a very respected Vulcan once said 'The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, or the one.'"
"I don't care what some long dead Vulcan has to say, dammit! He isn't here being forced to surrender his daughter to a bunch of deranged, xenophobic, purist! Seven I couldn't live with myself if
they hurt you, or worse, if I lost you." With that angry explanation, Janeway's tears began to fall and Seven knelt slightly to look her in the eye as she said,
"I understand Captain. But I could not live with myself if nearly everyone I have ever cared about lost their lives over me." Janeway stared, taken aback by the young woman's ferocity and
selflessness. Looking deeply into Seven's eyes, Katherine realised how much the young woman had grown. Lovingly she wrapped her arms around the ex-drone and squeezed fiercely. "Seven, I-"
whatever Janeway was going to say was cut short as another blast rocked the ship.
"Captain! We couldn't reach Voyager! And the Aliens are back, they won't wait much longer!" Ensign Kim cried out in a panic
"I will launch towards them in an escape pod." Seven said quietly. Janeway held her daughter fiercely, trying desperately not to cry, forcing images of Seven lying broken and being tortured as far
from her mind as she could, which unfortunately, wasn't very far at all.
She squeezed tighter, terrified of letting go of the sensitive ex-drone. "I swear to you Seven, I will do everything and anything to bring you home
safely, one way or another" she whispered fiercely. Likewise tightening her hold Seven trembled slightly, looked into the eyes of the woman that has
supported, protected, and loved her unconditionally since she left the collective, and for a moment, felt safe. Katherine Janeway, for her part, never
wanted to let the young Borg go, horrified that she was unable to protect her little girl. It was Seven who reluctantly broke the embrace.
Taking a deep breath she walked to the escape pod and began to prepare for launch.
"Captain, will you assist me?" she asked quietly. Not trusting herself to speak, Janeway walked towards the borg and knealt beside her.. "Captain?" Seven asked
"Yes, Sweetheart?" Came the tearful reply
"I love you."
"I love you too Seven, so much more than words describe." embracing her daughter once more, for what Janeway feared would be the last time. More
determined than ever to make sure no harm befell her crew and Captain, Seven quickly got into and launched the escape pod. As the pod grew nearer
to the ship, something resembling a star-shaped mouth like oping appeared on the ship and absorbed the escape pod. 'Oh God...did she even survive
that Janeway wondered. She stared at the viewscreen her heart pounding. Hoping for any sign at all that Seven survived. None came.
A moment passed, then a few more and just as Katherine began to fear the worst, the com system chirped.
"Seven Of Nine to the Sacajawea. I am on board the alien vessel, they intend to return to fluidic space. I must advise you that pursuing me could be lethal." At once Janeway replied
"Noted,Seven. But I stand by my promises. I understand the risk, but this changes nothing" But before the Captain could offer anymore reassurance the alien vessel slipped back into fluidic space. "Janeway out." She whispered, eyes once again brimming with tears.
