"I believe there is a computer terminal not far from here.", Seven stated as they scanned their surroundings. They soon walked up to the terminal she mentioned, and Seven began to type into it.
Almond examined the terminal, and felt amazed that Seven could so easily interact with it. The controls had bright colors, and was written in a language she had never seen before.
"How are you able to use a computer from a species you've never seen before?", Almond asked curiously.
"During my time as a drone I learned to decipher the computer systems of countless species. My cortical array can perform the basic translations necessary for me to understand the user interface.", Seven replied as she continued to press buttons and enter commands.
"I will attempt to establish an encrypted communications channel with Voyager, and disable the shields protecting this compound.", Seven continued.
"Seven of Nine to Voyager.", Seven said after some time. Almond held her breath, hoping for a response. She sensed that Seven of Nine was equally anxious.
"Go ahead, Seven!", the voice of Captain Janeway finally brought a sense excitement.
"We were able to escape from the worker's area in Metellis's compound, but it is still protected by shields. I believe I can disable them, but I need to do so from Metellis's office.", Seven stated.
"Are you two okay?", Janeway asked.
"I am fine. However Almond's health is deteriorating due to her working conditions. She will need medical attention when we get back."
"Is she here?"
"I'm here!", Almond chimed in.
"It's good to hear your voices.", Janeway said, "But I'm afraid I have only bad news. The worker's compound you're in is heavily armed, and Metellis studied Voyager closely enough to be able to knock out our shield generator. It is likely he also knows a good deal about our other tactical systems."
"I will try to disable their weapons as well.", Seven stated.
"We're holding position just outside of the compound's sensor range. Once you compromise the compound's systems, we'll…", static drowned out the captain's voice, and a second later the audio ceased, and the terminal switched off.
"We have been discovered.", Seven said, "This way!", Seven ran further into the corridor, with Almond following. As they rounded the corner, they stumbled as they avoided crashing into Metellis and his carefree smile.
"I must say I'm impressed. No one has managed to disable my tracking beacons before.", Metellis said as he raised a phaser toward Seven of Nine and Almond, "Not that it'll matter for you two, since…"
Metellis was cut short as he abruptly lost his train of thought. He grew visibly disorientated and struggled to keep his balance. Seven of Nine looked at Almond, whose eyes were glowing a bright purple. Seven took the opportunity to snatch Metellis's phaser, checked that it was set to stun, and pulled the trigger at the slave master.
The phaser emitted a long beep and failed to produce a stun beam.
"I believe this phaser was programed to never fire at Metellis's life sign.", Seven stated after examining the weapon, "Follow me.", she to Almond said as she took off along the hallway.
"What exactly did you do?", Seven asked as they ran.
"I used Confuse Ray on him. It was the only attack I could think of that wouldn't have maimed or killed him.", Almond replied.
"You are telepathic?"
"I can learn psychic-type moves, but I can't read minds or things like that."
"Could you have used this 'psychic-type move' when we were initially kidnapped?!", Seven asked with a slight hint of frustration.
"Yes, but he probably would still have been able to shock us with that tracking beacon! There's no predicting what a confused Pokemon… or… person would have been able to do! Plus, I don't know if it works through a force field!"
"Very well.", Seven stated, "We need to get to his office."
Rounding another corner, they reached the door to a large room. Glass windows stretched from floor to ceiling, allowing them to see the inside of the office from the hallway. At the center was a large, perfectly white table, adorned with many controls and computer panels.
"I have located the shield and weapons controls, but they are secured with a different set of command codes. I will need time to bypass them.", Seven stated as she typed furiously into a console. Outside, a commotion was building, and soon two dozen people in light gray uniforms surrounded the office, with Metellis following behind. Almond quickly leapt up onto the table and turned to face the door. Taking a deep breath, she lowered her head, and a long flame shot out from her mouth, augmenting the well-lit room with an even brighter orange glow. The crashing waves of heat emanating from her Flamethrower attack prevented the workers from entering the office.
However, Almond saw in the corner of her eye that Metellis was making his way to the doorway, with a much larger phaser rifle in his hands.
"Seven!", Almond shouted between breaths of fire, "Can you disable all of the tracking beacons?"
"How is that relevant?", Seven asked.
"Look at them!", Almond pointed her paw toward the workers, "They don't want to be here, and they definitely don't want to be fighting us!"
Seven's attention seemed to flinch for a second, before she continued typing. The symphony of beeps coming from the console filled the room, along with the dull "whoosh" of Almond's flame.
"All tracking beacons have been disabled!", Seven shouted, her voice was the knife that cut through the disjointed voices of the workers. Almond extinguished her flame as the commotion died down. The workers paused as they watched Metellis fiddle with his handheld console. When the labor delegator's commands yielded no effect, the commotion rose again, this time directed toward the tall, frail business man. Years, for some, decades of total control was abolished for that moment, as the once emotionless workers released their hate and anger at the man who had inflicted these emotions upon them. The sound of vengeful shouting and phaser fire filled the corridors, and gradually moved away from the office.
"Seven of Nine to voyager!"
"Go ahead, Seven!", the sound of Captain Janeway cut through the uproar.
"I have disabled the compound's shields and weapons. Metellis is preoccupied at the moment. Can you establish a transporter lock?"
"Stand by, we're moving into transporter range.", Janeway said over the communications channel. A few moments later, blue light filled the office as Almond and Seven of Nine disappeared.
Aboard Voyager, Almond sat on the bed in her quarters. She had tried to get some sleep but couldn't keep her eyes closed. Instead, she stared at the computer console on the far wall, focusing on the multicolored buttons and indicators. During the doctor's examination of her, it occurred to her to ask what 'tricobalt' was used for, and her heart sank to learn that it was a high-powered explosive. The thought that she had been forced to help create weapons created a dark stain on her conscience.
A door chime seized her attention.
"Come in.", she said softly, and Seven of Nine entered.
"Seven?", Almond turned to look at the visitor.
"Yes.", she replied, "When we entered the office at the worker's compound, I noticed something on Metellis's desk. I decided to take it with me."
Almond's eyes brightened as Seven held out a small, gold and white badge.
"My explorer badge!", Almond exclaimed.
"I understand that it holds significant sentimental value."
"It identifies me as an explorer at my guild, and it's one of the few things I brought with me from the Pokemon world."
"Then I'm sure you'll want it back." Seven of Nine stated as she handed it to her, "I also replicated you a new scarf. I tried to match the color and design of the one you brought from your realm."
"Thank you, Seven.", Almond said as she wrapped the scarf around her neck, and clipped her explorer badge to it.
"What was the Doctor's diagnosis of you?", Seven asked.
"He said that my lungs were damaged from breathing in smoke, but he can repair it with medication. He also said that my flame pouch should recover if I don't use it for a few days."
"That is good to hear."
"Seven?", Almond's voice suddenly turned frail and somber.
"Yes?"
"Tricobalt is an explosive, right? A weapon?"
"Yes."
"I just can't get over that fact. I helped create things designed to hurt people!"
"You were forced. Your life depended on it."
"That doesn't make me feel much better…"
Seven sat down on the bed beside Almond, "You cannot undo what you did, but you can always strive to do good from this point onward. As a former Borg drone who helped to assimilate and destroy people, I remind myself of this every day. Always have the intention of making a positive impact in the present and future, but don't ignore the past. It will help you to avoid actions that harm others."
Almond smiled weakly.
"Additionally, consider the fact that we disabled all of the workers' tracking beacons. With any luck, hundreds, even thousands could free themselves. This may even be the end of Metellis's work force."
Almond smiled again.
"Seven… Can I be truthful?"
"Of course."
"When I first met you, I was scared of you. I thought you hated me from the way you spoke, but that was before I learned about you. Your past, and how you're still learning to be human. If our time in that 'work force' has taught me anything, it's that you're so much nicer than I first thought. You're an amazing human, and an amazing friend. I'm sorry I doubted you."
Seven paused for a moment before replying, "I should be apologizing, for frightening you when you first came aboard. I am still not fully accustomed to social interaction."
Almond smiled, "You know, we have legends about humans in our world. I never really believed in them, but most of them showed humans as these evil and selfish creatures that captured Pokemon, trapped them in tiny, mystical orbs, and forced them to battle each other. Now I have proof that those legends are wrong."
Seven of Nine smiled ever so slightly, a stark deviation from her usual, neutral expression.
"I am glad that we could help to clear the name of humans.", Seven said, "I must now leave, and undergo regeneration in order to maintain my cybernetic systems. Good night, Almond."
"Good night.", Almond smiled as Seven left her quarters.
