Chapter Eleven

A week has passed since Janeway heard Seven of Nine speak the name she'd gone by so long ago...Katie. There were only two people in her life to whom she'd granted permission to call her that, her father and Annika. Not even her two fiancés had been allowed to use that name. After Annika's disappearance, hearing the nickname became too painful. Her father must've sensed it because, after the Hansens vanished, he too stopped calling her Katie. Though he would still slip up occasionally, he tried his best to respect her silent wishes.

It had taken an out of character, violent outburst to convince Mark not to use that name. Mark had never understood her adamant dislike of the name, had assumed it was because of her father, although he considered it silly to still be so attached to that sentiment. However, after the split lip and the black eye, Mark learned not to use that name again.

Justin, sweet, loving, smart Justin, didn't need convincing. Although Katherine had never told him why, he accepted without question that the nickname was off limits. He'd always called her Katherine or Kat.

But, hearing that name again, coming from the one person she'd never thought would ever utter it again had warmed a place in Janeway's heart that had been cold for too long.

It was an uneventful, quiet week in space. Despite an overwhelming urge to, Janeway refrained from overloading Seven of Nine with information about her human identity. Janeway had never been accused of being a very patient person by anyone who knew her after she'd become an Ensign. But with Annika she'd always been patient, and she would be again.

Kes's words came back to tease her at random moments throughout that week. "You've been given a second chance..." Janeway knew Kes had been right and she also knew her heart wouldn't survive if she blew her second chance because she was too impatient.

However, the jealousy she felt when Chakotay had told her that Seven of Nine has asked to see him, with a smug look on his face, told another story.

Seven of Nine's POV

A week spent alone, confined to this Cargo Bay, was not easy for me. Words kept flashing in my head, words I had no context for:holodeck, Katie, red, camping, Voldemort, wizard, McDonalds, park, Anastasia, Erised. These words mean nothing to me yet they flash through my head on a loop, as if daring me to figure out why. Two words already revealed part of their meaning to me, red and Katie. I told Captain Janeway of them a week ago but she's not come by to talk about them. It is absurd but, somehow I thought she'd be able to explain them. I realize now I was in error.

Being isolated here is a huge change from what I am accustomed to, I do not like it. The Doctor is the only person who comes to see me and he only arrives to examine me. I asked him though, how I could be allowed to help on the ship. He was silent for a while then answered that Commander Chakotay was in charge of the duty assignments. Once the Doctor left, I sent Commander Chakotay a message asking to see him. I would've preferred to speak to Captain Janeway, but it was obvious she wasn't who I needed to ask about this.

When Chakotay arrived, I made my request to help out in Engineering. He said he would do what he could. Then he left. I waited. An hour later, I was told to report to the Captain's Ready Room. A meeting with the Captain sounded... interesting given that we've not spoken in a week.

Seven of Nine entered the Captain's ready room and stood quietly. "You sent for me captain?"

Janeway stood on the upper level of the room. She'd been looking out at the stars, waiting for Seven of Nine's arrival and trying to prepare herself for seeing her again.

Janeway turned to face Seven of Nine as she replied, "Yes. Seven of Nine, you told me you wouldn't make any more attempts to contact the Borg. And I want to believe that's true." Janeway leaned on the railing separating the upper and lower parts of the room. It cost her dearly to have to question Seven of Nine's sincerity but she knew she had no other choice.

"I assure you it is." Seven of Nine spoke firmly, the truth of her words reflected in her tone.

"I've decided not to post a security detail while you're in Engineering," it hurt Janeway to have to be this way, "but you have to realize there are rules. You'll be expected to follow our protocols. You'll report directly to Lieutenant Torres and obey any order she gives you."

Any order? "I understand." There was no other answer to give.

Janeway walked to her desk as a new thought formed. She would have to be careful here. "One more thing, your designation, 'Seven of Nine', is a bit cumbersome." It's a mouthful that always reminds me of what you and I lost. "Wouldn't you prefer to be called by your given name, Annika?"

There was something about hearing her human name again in Janeway's voice that sent Seven of Nine's mind running in fear. Remembering was too hard right now. She clung to the familiar. "I have been Seven of Nine for as long as I can remember."

There's the rub, when you do remember being Annika, what then? Janeway wondered, aloud she said, "All right, but maybe we could streamline it a little." Janeway wasn't going to let this go. There had to be a middle ground. "How would you feel about...'Seven'?"

Seven of Nine thought about it. Captain Janeway seemed determined to alter her designation, something about 'Seven of Nine' was bothering the Captain. She knew she wasn't ready to go by 'Annika' but she could compromise this much, after all there was little logic in being called 'Seven of Nine' when the 'nine' were no longer there. "Imprecise...but acceptable."

Before Janeway could respond, Tuvok called her to the bridge. Janeway walked past Seven on her way to the Bridge, unable to stop the smile from escaping as she looked at Seven. She realized that baby steps were still steps and she'd take as many as she had to, to reach her ultimate goal.

Seven watched as Captain Janeway left the room. Something about that smile unnerved her but, she was still Borg enough to hide it, though human enough to be intrigued by it as she followed the Captain onto the Bridge. Seven stood on the bridge as the view screen displayed an unusual looking alien. Seven's Borg memory recognized him as a member of Species 7924, the Caatati.

Soon after the view screen cut off, Janeway turned to face seven, "Seven, report to Engineering and begin working with Lieutenant Torres."

"Yes Captain."

Seven left the Bridge, wondering why the Captain sounded as if she were sorry about something.

In Engineering, Seven was assigned to set the parameters for a tachyon burst. She was working on that when Lieutenant Torres came to stand beside her.

Seven could sense the hostility just under the surface as she curiously asked, "tell me something, when you hear about people like the Caatati, do you have any feelings of remorse?"

Seven thought about it, searched her emotional sensors, then answered, "No."

Expecting a longer answer, B'Lanna's hostility found a crack in her curiosity and leaked out, "that's it? Just 'no'?"

Giving nothing away Seven asked, "What further answer do you require?"

"Oh maybe some kind of acknowledgement of the billions of lives you helped destroy...a justification for what you did...maybe... a sense of guilt." She knew she was being a bit unfair but B'Lanna didn't care. Today was one of the worst days of her life and she really didn't want the Borg in her Engine Room. B'Lanna was fishing for a fight.

"Guilt is irrelevant." It solves nothing, helps no one, it is unproductive.

"Heartwarming."

Seven realized if she stayed, she'd lose control of her sudden desire to snap Lieutenant Torres' neck for her attitude and that would not be a good thing, so she fell back on a neutral topic, work. "I've set the parameters for the tachyon burst we'll need to create a transwarp conduit. It will be several hours before the main deflector can be modified. I think it would be best if I waited in my alcove." In this instance, retreat was favorable to imprisonment in the Brig for attempted murder.

Seeing she wasn't going to get a fight out of the Borg, B'Lanna chose to get her out of Engineering instead. "I think you're right." The hostility was plain as day then.

Seven turned then and left Engineering, she headed for Cargo Bay 2 and when she go there she stepped into her alcove and sought the oblivion of regeneration to escape the traces of guilt she'd started to feel after her conversation with Lieutenant Torres.

Later, walking towards Engineering with Lieutenant Tom Paris, Seven couldn't help but notice that he had an air of immaturity about him that made him somewhat endearing. They had just turned a corner when Seven heard someone behind them ask, "What species is that?"

Seven heard Lieutenant Tuvok's deep voice reply, "She is a human who lived as Borg."

It was then she knew they were talking about her.

"Borg!" Seven turned and saw the Caatati male trying to get closer, shouting, "where's my wife? Where are my children?" Seven noticed Tuvok was holding the Caatati by the arm while Lieutenant Paris had gallantly stepped in front of her as if to shield her from the alien. "What did you do with them after you took them? What did you do with my family?"

Lieutenant Tuvok was now physically pulling the Caatati back as Lieutenant Paris pushed him towards Tuvok."Mr. Paris, please proceed."

Lieutenant Paris gently grabbed Seven's arm and led her back towards Engineering. The Caatati could still be heard ranting in the distance.

Tom Paris felt the need to apologize for the outburst, "sorry about that."

"About what?" Seven was genuinely confused.

"Well the way he reacted to you." Tom said, as if it should be obvious.

"He didn't injure me."

"Good."

Seven felt the need to clarify the situation so she stopped walking and looked Lieutenant Paris in the eye, "there are many people on this ship who have similar feelings toward me."

"I'm afraid you're right. Does that bother you?"

"No." It really didn't. The only person on the ship whose opinion mattered to Seven was Captain Janeway, though the reasons for that still weren't very clear.

"Well, I'm not one of those people. We all have a past. What matters is now."

Now, he'd lost her. "I am uncertain what you're trying to say."

Tom tried a more direct response, "just that, if there's any way that I can help you adjust to your life here on Voyager, please ask me." Contrary to how that might've sounded, Tom was only offering friendship, B'Lanna was more than enough of a handful for him.

Seven studied Lieutenant Paris' face for a moment before, "I will remember your offer."

Tom just nodded before he started walking again towards Engineering. Seven watched him go, thinking that Lieutenant Paris was an interesting human, before following him to Engineering.

Janeway was in her ready room following the accident in Engineering that had resulted in ejecting the Warp Core and then sending Tom and B'Lanna after it in a shuttle. Janeway was wondering what had gone wrong and also dreading the impending investigation. She was reluctant to cast doubt on Seven, convinced that any words of accusation might cause set backs in Seven's progress so far.

Janeway's thoughts naturally led to the topic that had been occupying her mind more and more these days: Annika. Not the woman she'd become but the child that called her Katie and was starting to really open up around her. Janeway often wondered how her own life might've been different if she'd been around and Annika had been left in her care. Knowing now what her fate had been, Janeway would've gladly given up the training mission to stay on Earth and spare Annika the pain of assimilation.

But life doesn't work that way, does it? Janeway thought. Looking back on it all, if Annika had stayed on Earth with Janeway, Katherine would probably never have left Earth either. She would've stuck to planet-bound science and settled down on Earth, more than likely getting herself or her mother assigned as Annika's legal guardian. However, it did no one any good to dwell on what might've been when the present is all there was to work with.

When Janeway could no longer delay it, she called Seven into her ready room to question her about the accident in Engineering as per Starfleet protocol.

Janeway replicated coffee and fine china cups in an attempt to downplay the severity of what she'd have to ask Seven.

The chime on her door announced Seven's arrival and Janeway granted her access. Seven entered and walked to Janeway's desk as Janeway stood and motioned to the upper level of the room.

"Would you like tea or coffee?" Janeway offered, trying to be polite, and put off the conversation she knew they were going to have to have.

Seven, not sure why she had been called to Janeway's office, answered stiffly, "I have no need to ingest liquids. I still receive energy from the Borg alcove."

Janeway took the opening to stall, "my understanding is that you're almost ready to begin eating food."

Seven gave a tiny nod, "that is what the Doctor says." A pause then, "Why have you asked me here?"

Right to the point. Janeway explained about the investigation and asked if Seven could explain what happened. Seven explained what they had done. When Janeway asked, without looking her in the eye, "did you at any time access deflector control?"

Seven knew that, contrary to what she'd hoped, Janeway was just like the others on the ship. "You believe I'm responsible for the accident, that I deliberately sabotaged the ship. You're like the others. You see me as a threat."

The words cut right to Janeway's heart. She knew without question that she would always trust Annika unconditionally. However, Janeway was not blind to the fact that the person standing before her wasn't entirely Annika. The years spent as a Borg had altered her young friend to the point where Janeway couldn't afford to trust blindly.

"I won't lie to you. Part of me is suspicious. We've dealt with tachyon fields before and never had this kind of problem."

Seven felt the need to explain, "Captain, I am unaccustomed to deception. Among the Borg it was impossible. There were no lies, no secrets, and I assure you I had nothing to do with the accident in Engineering." Seven's voice was firm and clear in her sincerity. Janeway had no option but to believe her.

Janeway sat down on her couch and looked up at Seven and smiled, "I believe you. Thank you."

Caught off guard Seven could only reply, "I am finding it a difficult challenge to integrate into this group. It is full of complex social structures that are unfamiliar to me. Compared to the Borg, this crew is inefficient, and contentious." Seven paused to take a breath before, "but it is capable of...surprising acts of compassion." Seven reflected back to Lieutenant Paris' offer of assistance and Janeway's own acts of compassion when dealing with both the Caatati and herself.

Janeway smiled, "Unexpected acts of kindness are common among our group. That's one of the ways we define ourselves."

Seven took that in, wondering if Janeway's acts of kindness towards her were nothing more than an automatic response to a being in 'distress' or if there was something more to it. "Is there anything more?"

"Yes," Janeway seized the opportunity to keep Seven in the room longer, "we still have to find out what caused the tachyon leak. Tell me what you remember about the power fluctuations in the propulsion system."

Janeway walked to her desk holding a working padd, Seven followed and they began working out what might've happened to cause the accident. Janeway smiled herself as she glanced at Seven, standing a few feet away from her desk going over the sensor logs for the accident. Oftentimes, when Janeway looked at Seven, she would see Annika standing there. Janeway wondered how long it would be before Seven's memories of being Annika were unlocked...if they ever would be.

After a few moments of working, Seven spoke, "Captain, I believe I've found the cause of the accident," Seven moved closer to hand Janeway the padd she'd been working on, "erratic fluctuations in the ship's warp power. When tachyon levels rose to a resonant frequency, core pressure increased." Janeway stood up from her desk, studying the padd while also listening to Seven's explanation.

"Then it was an accident." The relief in Janeway's voice was barely perceptible but Seven heard it nonetheless. Before she could respond, however, the door chime rang and Janeway turned to have the door, "come in."

Chakotay entered and informed Janeway that the ship's sensors had picked up a carrier wave with a Starfleet signature. Realizing that it would be Tom and B'Lanna and that their failure to respond to hails could indicate trouble, Janeway was in the middle of giving the order to go after the signal when Tuvok called her to the bridge.

Janeway, Seven and Chakotay left the ready room and entered the Bridge. The Caatati were back in force and hailing Voyager.

"On screen." Janeway wondered silently what they could want now.

The Caatati they'd been speaking with came on the screen, appearing to be the same nice guy in need he'd first presented himself as, "Hello Captain."

"You've brought some friends." Janeway's irritation was barely noticeable but still there.

"Needy friends. We're hoping you'll offer us more supplies." The alien's tone implied that is wasn't a request per say. He'd seen an easy mark and was going to squeeze everything he could out of this ship. He also had something they'd want back.

"I made it clear last time that we couldn't possibly provide you with enough for all your ships." Janeway was getting sick and tired of this alien and his "needs".

"And I had to accept that because your ship is more powerful than ours, but the situation has changed, hasn't it?" The Caatati was playing his Ace now. "You seem to be at a disadvantage now. We have your warp core. You can't escape. I'm hoping that will make you more generous." The smugness of his tone was pissing Janeway off now.

"We've given you everything we can spare. Return the core and we'll be on our way." She was going to give this alien one last chance to be smart before she lost her control and ordered Tuvok to blow them out of the sky.

The alien didn't seem to get it, "One of our ships might not seem threatening to you, but I assure you 27 can inflict considerable damage. We are desperate. Prepare to send us food, weapons, and your entire supply of thorium. And that Borg you're protecting—--we want her too. There are many who would enjoy a chance to repay one of them for what they did to us."

Janeway looked over at Seven, there was no way in hell she was ever going to hand Seven over to anyone else. She'd destroy the entire remaining Caatati race before she complied with that little demand. Seven merely looked at Janeway, preparing herself for the order she was sure Janeway would give that would send her to the Caatati to meet her fate. A part of Seven would comply, if it meant that the crew of this ship was spared damage. However, a small part of her was reluctant to leave Voyager...and Captain Janeway.

Chakotay broke the silence left behind by the termination of the communication link with the Caatati. "Our weapons are more powerful than theirs, I say we fight."

Harry Kim spoke up, "Maybe if we give them something."

Janeway asked, "like what? I can't imagine what would satisfy them now."

Seven spoke up, knowing what needed to be done and knowing that no one else was going to suggest it, not in front of the Captain at any rate, "I will go. They asked for me. If I surrender myself, perhaps they will let you leave."

Hell no... not in a million years!! "That's very generous, but I will not turn you over to them."

"I was only offering to do what would be best for this group."

Janeway walked closer to Seven, her mind telling her this is Annika we can't let her go now! "You're a part of this group now and we're going to protect you." The Caatati can't have you...not now not ever! Janeway turned to her Bridge crew. "It's time to stop talking about this. Tom and B'Lanna are in trouble and we have to find them. Tuvok, what's the status of our weapons array?" Janeway walked around Seven to face her Security and Tactical Chief.

The Vulcan, giving nothing away as usual simply stated, "Weapons are at the ready, Captain, but our shield strength is extremely low."

Janeway thought for a second, "We'll have to shut down nonessential systems. Reroute power to the shields. We're going to fight."

As Janeway walked past her, Seven offered another solution, "That might not be necessary." Janeway turned to look at her, "Caatati technology is dependent on thorium isotopes. If they had enough they could become self-sustaining."

Again, Harry Kim just had to open his mouth, "But we don't have that much thorium to give them."

Seven directed her comments to Captain Janeway despite Ensign Kim's statement. "When the Borg assimilated the Caatati, the survivors lost their ability to replicate the isotopes. But I have retained that knowledge. I could design an energy matrix that would produce thorium in large quantities."

Chakotay couldn't help but ask, "If you've had this knowledge all along, why didn't you say so?"

Seven paused, thinking of how to express her thoughts, "I am not accustomed to thinking that way. Borg do not consider giving technology away, only assimilating it."

Janeway, curious, asked, "and what do you suppose made you consider it now?"

That gave Seven pause. She thought about that for a bit, "I am not certain."

"Maybe...it was just an unexpected act of kindness." Janeway used the expression she'd used before in her ready room, hoping that Seven would realize the meaning behind that statement...that Seven was already becoming more and more human. "Work with Vorik to build the energy matrix, while I convince the Caatati there's a better way out of this."

As Janeway and Chakotay took their seats on the Bridge, Seven turned to head to Engineering, pausing before she did as the implications of Janeway's comment on unexpected acts of kindness sank in. Seven filed that bit of information away for examination at a later date.

Seven and Janeway were with the Caatati alien explaining the energy matrix and how it would help his people. Once satisfied, the Caatati began to leave the room.

"Thank you." Said the Caatati as he left the room.

Before he got very far Seven answered, "you're welcome."

The Caatati left and Seven merely looked over at Janeway. Silence reigned as the two looked at each other for a few seconds before Seven left the room. Janeway leaned on the table in front of her and just smiled. Things were looking up. Little by little Janeway saw Seven taking baby steps towards humanity, but just then, she'd seen Annika looking out at her from behind Seven's human eye. For just a brief moment, Janeway had seen a flash of the spark that had been such a part of Annika's eyes whenever they were together in the past. It had given Janeway a much needed shot of hope that her goal of bringing Annika back was attainable. Janeway allowed herself a few moments to indulge in that feeling before she got back to the task at hand, getting the Warp core back online and going after Tom and B'Lanna.

As she walked out of that room, Janeway couldn't help but smile as she thought about what it would mean to have Annika back in her life.

TBC...