Meanwhile, Dr. Bic was giving Kai a thorough physiological examination,
while the Emergency Medical Hologram was tending to Maggie's Borg
implants.
'Fascinating...absolutely fascinating,' the Doctor interjected while
looking over the results of the bioscan.
'I'm glad you approve, Doctor,' Kai replied, emotionless, as always.
'Now, you say you've been dead for over 2000 years, but that's only half
the truth.'
'I don't understand...'
'When your body was overhauled to accomodate your positronic implants,
they needed to--if you will--jump start some of the cells in your
surrounding tissue as to anchor them in.'
'What you're trying to say, Doctor, is that part of me is still
biologically alive?' Kai probed.
'Well...around here, the definiton of what it means to be 'alive' is
probably a bit more fuzzy than where you are from. But, according to all
definitions, I would have to say yes.
'Mind you, the live cells are only barely so, as your immune system had
to be suppressed when the implantation was done, so your body wouldn't
reject your new 'parts'.'
'With all due respect, Doctor. Where exactly are you going with this?'
'Where I'm going, Kai, is that because you still possess living DNA
samples, it would be possible to rebuild your entire organic structure
with the use of nanoprobe technology. In essence, it could make you once
again a fully-functioning, live organic being.'
'Hellooo, Dr. Bic! All done! My nanoprobes are now in prime working
order,' Maggie announced, entering from the adjoining room.
'Is that what was done for her?' Kai inquired, concerned that nanoprobes
would give him the same degree of trouble.
'Is what what was done for me?' Maggie asked, a look of puzzlement
creeping across her face as her eyes passed from Kai to Erika.
'Nanoprobe organic tissue regeneration,' Erika replied.
'Oh, no Kai!' Maggie responded, giggling somewhat. 'Almost 30 years ago,
I was assimilated against my will into a group of cybernetic humanoids
who call themselves the Borg. It was their way--to seek perfection by
combining the organic with the synthetic, and by assimilating as many
members of as many cultures as possible into their collective.'
'Would not increasing the size of their collective decrease its
efficiency?' Kai probed.
'Quite the contrary, each new individual assimilated would bring his or
her biological and technological distinctiveness to the whole. That was
the whole point to assimilation.'
*How did you ever get out?* Kai asked her telepathically.
*Nine years ago, an encephalitis-type disease broke out among the Borg,
brought in by a previously undiscovered species that was stricken with
it. Collectives, en masse, began to die out, until they made an
agreement with Starfleet that no more forced assimilation would occur
among Federation peoples in return for a cure. When a team from
Starfleet Medical arrived, it found the only way they could administer
the cure was through severing everyone's link to the collective. Many
former drones, such as myself, recovered our memories and wished to
leave the collective, thereby retaining our individuality.*
*So some actually chose to remain drones?*
*Yes, definitely,* Maggie continued, *For some, especially those who
have spent a greater portion of their lifetimes in the Collective, when
made individuals again have absolutely no idea what to do with
themselves. There have been cases where former drones have starved to
death because since they have for so long depended on the collective for
their needs, they have forgotten what it means to live as individuals.*
*But you said they were potentially dangerous. Would it not be more
logical to kill them off?*
*Kai, the Federation holds a high regard for ALL life, including that of
our enemies. Anyway, since we administered the cure, the Borg has been a
solid ally to the Federation. In our dealings with His Shadow's forces,
I'm sure their help will be most invaluable.*
*I am...not alive,* Kai affirmed, as much regret as possible in his
voice for one who claims to feel nothing.
*That's where you're wrong, Kai. Extremely wrong,* Maggie responded, her
face lit up with a smile, her blue eyes sparkling with empathic
enthusiasm.
Kai thought for a minute...This 'Maggie' was a very special person.
Although they had barely just met, she was able to probe his thoughts,
reach into his very psyche, and even make emotions surface he thought
long since dead.
'Alrighty,' Dr. Bic suddenly interrupted, 'Enough with the tele- talk.
Dr. McCoy, if you would assist me, I'd like to take a sample of Mr.
Kai's protoblood and run a chemical analysis on it.'
'You are a doctor?' Kai asked Maggie.
'That's why I wear the blue uniform, son.'
*You are definitely well suited to the task, Maggie--if I may call you
that. You possess such empathy, and a very enthusiastic spirit.*
*Thank you, Kai. I appreciate that. And yes, you may call me Maggie, but
while I'm in command, I'd prefer Admiral McCoy...and for you, Lieutenant
Commander Kai?*
*Lieutenant Commander?*
*I'm offering you an officer's commission in Starfleet. And I'd like you
to serve as my auxiliary first officer when we finally engage His
Shadow's forces...since you've had combat experience against them and
all. Of course, you have every right to refuse...*
*I shall think about it...Maggie* a ghost of a smile played upon his
lips.
'Erika, let's get that protoblood sample,' Maggie announced, not moving
her smiling gaze from Kai's face.
A few minutes later, Maggie was examining a slide containing a small
drop of protoblood under a microscope.
'Computer,' she suddenly announced, 'Run a complete chemical scan on
this compound and display the results onscreen.'
'Aha!' she interjected, observing the complex chemical diagram on her
computer console.
'What is it?' Erika asked, moving to look over the Admiral's shoulder.
'Silicon, copper-sulfate, sodium-chloride, an unknown that shouldn't be
too difficult to identify and duplicate--it appears similar in
composition to Beryllium, but slightly radioactive, and trace amounts of
Aluminum.'
'Nurse!' Erika called to a young Trill woman on the other end of
sickbay. 'Bring this slide down to Cybernetics and ask them to duplicate
about three liters of it for me. Oh, and have them leave out as much
Aluminum as possible.'
'Yes, doctor,' the nurse replied as she left sickbay, slide in hand.
'Doctor, why did you ask her to leave out the Aluminum?' Kai asked.
'It has been suggested that Aluminum may have an impact on the brain's
ability to create new memories and retrieve old ones. Did the people who
reanimated you have any reason for you to forget who you were while you
were biologically alive?'
'Yes. They reanimated my body to use me as an assassin. I was a mindless
drone, with one purpose to kill whoever His Shadow asked me to. I had no
need for memory retention.'
'I feel that now your memory processes in fully functioning order would
be more than invaluable to you,' Dr. Bic responded.
'Thank you Doctor. I appreciate that.'
'You know, Erika,' Maggie suddenly began, looking up at the monitor
above Kai's biobed,'I just don't understand what the evolutionary
significance is of having the heart in the absolute center of the chest.
That is where the original heart was, wasn't it?'
'Yes, Maggie. Here's the common cartoid artery running right into it,'
Erika pointed out to her.
'Where is the heart on members of your species, Maggie?' Kai inquired.
'Well...El-Aurians actually have two of them. One here,' she said,
pointing to the upper left of her chest, 'and one here,' this time
pointing to the lower right. 'Since we live for 800 years, we have
redundant hearts that alternate in use. While one functions, the other
regenerates, so that when one fails--for whatever reason--the other
automatically takes over its function.'
'And in Vulcans, Doctor Bic?'
'Right here,' Erika pointed to the upper right side of her chest.
'Fascinating.'
'Since you both are all done here, perhaps you'd like to give Kai a tour
of the ship, Admiral? I've got some work I'd like to get done before we
dock.'
'Right. We've probably entered orbit already, and the folks at Spacedock
are going to start wondering why we're just floating around up here.
I'll see you later, Erika.'
'Bye Maggie. And it was very nice meeting you, Kai,' Dr. Bic smiled.
'Likewise, Doctor. And thank you very much for your help.'
'Not at all.'
'All right, Mr. Kai. Ready to see the Narendra III?' Maggie went on as
the two left sickbay.
while the Emergency Medical Hologram was tending to Maggie's Borg
implants.
'Fascinating...absolutely fascinating,' the Doctor interjected while
looking over the results of the bioscan.
'I'm glad you approve, Doctor,' Kai replied, emotionless, as always.
'Now, you say you've been dead for over 2000 years, but that's only half
the truth.'
'I don't understand...'
'When your body was overhauled to accomodate your positronic implants,
they needed to--if you will--jump start some of the cells in your
surrounding tissue as to anchor them in.'
'What you're trying to say, Doctor, is that part of me is still
biologically alive?' Kai probed.
'Well...around here, the definiton of what it means to be 'alive' is
probably a bit more fuzzy than where you are from. But, according to all
definitions, I would have to say yes.
'Mind you, the live cells are only barely so, as your immune system had
to be suppressed when the implantation was done, so your body wouldn't
reject your new 'parts'.'
'With all due respect, Doctor. Where exactly are you going with this?'
'Where I'm going, Kai, is that because you still possess living DNA
samples, it would be possible to rebuild your entire organic structure
with the use of nanoprobe technology. In essence, it could make you once
again a fully-functioning, live organic being.'
'Hellooo, Dr. Bic! All done! My nanoprobes are now in prime working
order,' Maggie announced, entering from the adjoining room.
'Is that what was done for her?' Kai inquired, concerned that nanoprobes
would give him the same degree of trouble.
'Is what what was done for me?' Maggie asked, a look of puzzlement
creeping across her face as her eyes passed from Kai to Erika.
'Nanoprobe organic tissue regeneration,' Erika replied.
'Oh, no Kai!' Maggie responded, giggling somewhat. 'Almost 30 years ago,
I was assimilated against my will into a group of cybernetic humanoids
who call themselves the Borg. It was their way--to seek perfection by
combining the organic with the synthetic, and by assimilating as many
members of as many cultures as possible into their collective.'
'Would not increasing the size of their collective decrease its
efficiency?' Kai probed.
'Quite the contrary, each new individual assimilated would bring his or
her biological and technological distinctiveness to the whole. That was
the whole point to assimilation.'
*How did you ever get out?* Kai asked her telepathically.
*Nine years ago, an encephalitis-type disease broke out among the Borg,
brought in by a previously undiscovered species that was stricken with
it. Collectives, en masse, began to die out, until they made an
agreement with Starfleet that no more forced assimilation would occur
among Federation peoples in return for a cure. When a team from
Starfleet Medical arrived, it found the only way they could administer
the cure was through severing everyone's link to the collective. Many
former drones, such as myself, recovered our memories and wished to
leave the collective, thereby retaining our individuality.*
*So some actually chose to remain drones?*
*Yes, definitely,* Maggie continued, *For some, especially those who
have spent a greater portion of their lifetimes in the Collective, when
made individuals again have absolutely no idea what to do with
themselves. There have been cases where former drones have starved to
death because since they have for so long depended on the collective for
their needs, they have forgotten what it means to live as individuals.*
*But you said they were potentially dangerous. Would it not be more
logical to kill them off?*
*Kai, the Federation holds a high regard for ALL life, including that of
our enemies. Anyway, since we administered the cure, the Borg has been a
solid ally to the Federation. In our dealings with His Shadow's forces,
I'm sure their help will be most invaluable.*
*I am...not alive,* Kai affirmed, as much regret as possible in his
voice for one who claims to feel nothing.
*That's where you're wrong, Kai. Extremely wrong,* Maggie responded, her
face lit up with a smile, her blue eyes sparkling with empathic
enthusiasm.
Kai thought for a minute...This 'Maggie' was a very special person.
Although they had barely just met, she was able to probe his thoughts,
reach into his very psyche, and even make emotions surface he thought
long since dead.
'Alrighty,' Dr. Bic suddenly interrupted, 'Enough with the tele- talk.
Dr. McCoy, if you would assist me, I'd like to take a sample of Mr.
Kai's protoblood and run a chemical analysis on it.'
'You are a doctor?' Kai asked Maggie.
'That's why I wear the blue uniform, son.'
*You are definitely well suited to the task, Maggie--if I may call you
that. You possess such empathy, and a very enthusiastic spirit.*
*Thank you, Kai. I appreciate that. And yes, you may call me Maggie, but
while I'm in command, I'd prefer Admiral McCoy...and for you, Lieutenant
Commander Kai?*
*Lieutenant Commander?*
*I'm offering you an officer's commission in Starfleet. And I'd like you
to serve as my auxiliary first officer when we finally engage His
Shadow's forces...since you've had combat experience against them and
all. Of course, you have every right to refuse...*
*I shall think about it...Maggie* a ghost of a smile played upon his
lips.
'Erika, let's get that protoblood sample,' Maggie announced, not moving
her smiling gaze from Kai's face.
A few minutes later, Maggie was examining a slide containing a small
drop of protoblood under a microscope.
'Computer,' she suddenly announced, 'Run a complete chemical scan on
this compound and display the results onscreen.'
'Aha!' she interjected, observing the complex chemical diagram on her
computer console.
'What is it?' Erika asked, moving to look over the Admiral's shoulder.
'Silicon, copper-sulfate, sodium-chloride, an unknown that shouldn't be
too difficult to identify and duplicate--it appears similar in
composition to Beryllium, but slightly radioactive, and trace amounts of
Aluminum.'
'Nurse!' Erika called to a young Trill woman on the other end of
sickbay. 'Bring this slide down to Cybernetics and ask them to duplicate
about three liters of it for me. Oh, and have them leave out as much
Aluminum as possible.'
'Yes, doctor,' the nurse replied as she left sickbay, slide in hand.
'Doctor, why did you ask her to leave out the Aluminum?' Kai asked.
'It has been suggested that Aluminum may have an impact on the brain's
ability to create new memories and retrieve old ones. Did the people who
reanimated you have any reason for you to forget who you were while you
were biologically alive?'
'Yes. They reanimated my body to use me as an assassin. I was a mindless
drone, with one purpose to kill whoever His Shadow asked me to. I had no
need for memory retention.'
'I feel that now your memory processes in fully functioning order would
be more than invaluable to you,' Dr. Bic responded.
'Thank you Doctor. I appreciate that.'
'You know, Erika,' Maggie suddenly began, looking up at the monitor
above Kai's biobed,'I just don't understand what the evolutionary
significance is of having the heart in the absolute center of the chest.
That is where the original heart was, wasn't it?'
'Yes, Maggie. Here's the common cartoid artery running right into it,'
Erika pointed out to her.
'Where is the heart on members of your species, Maggie?' Kai inquired.
'Well...El-Aurians actually have two of them. One here,' she said,
pointing to the upper left of her chest, 'and one here,' this time
pointing to the lower right. 'Since we live for 800 years, we have
redundant hearts that alternate in use. While one functions, the other
regenerates, so that when one fails--for whatever reason--the other
automatically takes over its function.'
'And in Vulcans, Doctor Bic?'
'Right here,' Erika pointed to the upper right side of her chest.
'Fascinating.'
'Since you both are all done here, perhaps you'd like to give Kai a tour
of the ship, Admiral? I've got some work I'd like to get done before we
dock.'
'Right. We've probably entered orbit already, and the folks at Spacedock
are going to start wondering why we're just floating around up here.
I'll see you later, Erika.'
'Bye Maggie. And it was very nice meeting you, Kai,' Dr. Bic smiled.
'Likewise, Doctor. And thank you very much for your help.'
'Not at all.'
'All right, Mr. Kai. Ready to see the Narendra III?' Maggie went on as
the two left sickbay.