Disclaimer: Apologies for the wait again. Real life issues. This chapter is longer to make up for that.

Unassimilated Chapter XIV

Fiff sighed to himself as he stared at the blank view screen. The other ships were still out there, but that they had made no attempt to contact Exeter seemed to tell its own story. Obviously, Moron had been far from well loved, if they didn't think that the ship would even help them with whatever it was they were doing. Koloth paced back and forth, occasionally sharing speaking glances with Fiff as he stood behind the chair Moron had once sat in. Obviously the old Klingon was also far from amused. True to the promise Fiff had made himself when he had reluctantly taken command, he, nor anyone else, had touched the chair since. It still held far too much symbolism for any of the crew to really be comfortable around.

'I still say we should burn the thing', Commander Bainbridge said, tone devoid of anything remotely ironic. 'No one in their right mind would use it now.' That, too, spoke of the difference between what had been, and what was. Never before would the first officer, still that until they made it back to Earth, have dared voice his thoughts aloud, certainly not on the bridge. The murmurs of agreement were rather telling, too.

'We can't. Its Starfleet property, maybe someone else will want it?'

'Could we arrange a little... accident?'

Fiff rolled his eye gently at this, but said nothing. The only evidence that he'd even heard them was the slight uplift to one side of his mouth. They didn't need to know that he was actually *literally* biting his tongue slightly to avoid laughing aloud.

Koloth interjected at that point. 'I do believe that it is indeed Starfleet property. And as this ship is technically under my command, I do not wish to return it in any other state than the one I found it in.'

That, being a surprisingly logical statement, and not one they could take issue with, nicely ended the argument.

xxxx

The man known as Hotaru Dietrich sighed, irritably. Though he'd managed to get a shuttlecraft out to the last reported location of Exeter, he still had a very bad feeling about what his orders were. Borg were, by and large, still the enemy, after all. That people in Starfleet expected him to evaluate two of them, as opposed to coming themselves almost reeked of a suicide mission. And yet, he'd read the flies on the pair. Slender though those files were, they were also rather fascinating. If it could be done, to resist the Borg in the way it had been reported that those two did, then he had to at least take a look. Sighing, and against his better judgement, he contacted the starship. Better to get this over with as soon as possible.

xxxx

'Ambassador Koloth? There appears to be a shuttle hailing us.'

Koloth nodded to himself. This was intriguing. It was a Starfleet shuttle, that much was obvious, but what was its purpose?

'Onscreen,' he ordered, glad again that Fifteen was elsewhere.

The inside of the shuttle was cramped, to Koloth's standards, however it was more than large enough for the thin man in the blue uniform of the science and medical corps that appeared to be it's only occupant.

'This is Ambassador Koloth, temporarily representing Starship Exeter. Identify yourself.'

'Ambassador Koloth? Yes... yes, Sir. Lieutenant Deitrich, Starfleet Medical Core, cybernetics expert. I was told you had a... situation, shall we say, aboard the ship?'

'I would not precisely term it a situation Lieutenant, but you could say that, yes. I presume you are referring to Fifteen and his companions?'

'If you mean the Borg, sir, then yes. You know them?'

'You could say that, yes. However, lieutenant, no matter their physical appearances, they are not borg.'

Lieutenant Deitrich gulped at the look on the old Klingon's face. Obviously, whether or not what he had just said was the truth, he believed it. He'd heard enough of Ambassador Koloth to realise that this made things rather more dangerous. He'd only been given a very sketchy outline of whatever it was that had gone on on the Exeter, and this was showing. He needed more information.

'Ambassador, I was sent to evaluate the beings in question, would it be possible for me to get a fuller briefing on them?'

'Not over an open com channel, Lieutenant. You never know who might be listening in. I will allow you to board this vessel, as long as you accept that any examination you make of those you came to see will only take place when there is a free moment. All of us, including Fifteen, are rather busy at present.'

Lieutenant Deitrich nodded acquiescence and the communication was cut. Even as the shuttle prepared for docking, Koloth could not bite back a sigh of impatience. Fiff wasn't going to like this development.

xxxx

Fiff had other things to worry about than the threatened Starfleet-sanctioned evaluation. They'd just been hailed, and it seemed to be rather urgent. Thankfully it was Captain Picard, so he could stay where he was, but he couldn't help be worried about just what the other man wanted. Sighing, he hit the button to switch on the communication. He had a bad feeling about this.

'Ah, Fifteen. I was hoping you'd be the one I would contact. There is a great deal of interest on the part of the other ships as to your presence. I have been the recipient of no few questions about you, you see. Exeter's lack of interference in the treaty negotiations was very noticeable, and commented on. And you see, there are records of you now, Starfleet had to know of your existence in order to send you help, which I believe they have done so.'

'They know about me, then, sir?'

'They do indeed, though I believe they are still under the impression that it is solely Ambassador Koloth in charge of the ship. They did not need to know, yet, just what the others seem to see in you. However, the time is fast approaching when they will need to. There has been a meeting requested, between themselves and you, not to mention your guardian in Ambassador Koloth, and I believe your father, Richard, as well. However, they would prefer this to be on more neutral ground than Exeter, and they have requested that you be watched over. They know you are not a typical Borg, Fifteen, however I am not too certain just how much of what they have been told they believe, and they are understandably nervous. As such, I offered the use of Enterprise for this, as it is a far more neutral venue. Besides, my own crew are understandably curious about you, too.'

Fiff blinked at this, shock on his face for a few seconds before he managed to force his features to a neutral position again. That people were willing to actually talk to him, as opposed to outright condemning him, came as quite a shock. Even if he rather suspected that most of the questions would be aimed at his father, Koloth, or both.

'Very well, Captain', Picard winced slightly as Fiff said it, though he'd known it was likely, 'if it is Starfleet's command then I'm sure we can oblige. Exeter out.'

xxxx

The conference room that had been chosen was large, but it felt very small to Fiff, as every other occupant, bar his father, Koloth and Picard, was staring at him, some of them almost accusingly. He had, by talking very fast, arranged that Sixteen would go with them, however she had preferred not to be in the room. There was a part of Fiff that wished he could join her. The weight of so many eyes was uncomfortable, especially as no one had yet said a word to him or anyone else. All they did was stare.

Finally, someone broke the silence. 'So, that's the Borg, then? Funny, he doesn't seem to behave like one, I was expecting something quite different. But as it is, he seems almost human.' The man who spoke bore the three pips of commanders rank, but no one immediately moved to gainsay him, though they had seen Fiff's wince at the words, the twitch he'd made as he tried to hold back a retort, and the sudden coldness in Picard's and Koloth's eyes both. Richard was clenching and unclenching one fist rhythmically, but, as they would later find to their detriment, no one had yet taken any real notice of him.

'That's enough, Larkin. I know you have had problems with the Borg in the past, quite a few of us have, but Fiff is not at fault for that. As far as the records and the eye witness testimonies I have read about him indicate, the assimilation never even took in the first place. He acts human, because that's what he is. And don't think I've not noticed the looks on the rest of your faces, either. Whatever he is, he's not a Borg, and I sincerely doubt that he's a threat. Do you honestly think Jean-Luc would let him anywhere near his vessel if he thought he was?' This was a rather practical looking woman, who rather than stare at Fiff, seemed to have a far more appraising look. She had been at the back of the group of senior Starfleet officers who had been staring, which is why nobody had yet noticed her.

'Thank you, Captain', Picard said, nodding to the woman with a smile, the tone, though soft, carrying throughout the room, 'for the voice of reason. No, of course Fifteen Marcus is not a typical Borg. I have met him before, as said, and is there any amongst you who can argue that I would not know a Borg when I saw one? I, more even than the rest of you, would have cause to do so, wouldn't I? Now, I'm not certain what exactly happened to Fifteen, and neither is he, however, we came here for a discussion, not accusations. And Commander Larkin, you are never to utter that sort of accusation in my presence without proof, is that understood? I believe you just proved again, if further proof was needed, just why you are still an executive officer.'

The man in question winced, but held his tongue at the criticism. If he was honest with himself, he, too, knew that was the main reason behind the fact that his rank had remained constant for over ten years.

'As this is meant as an information gathering exercise, I do believe we should treat it as such. Ambassador Koloth, just what, precisely, happened to Captain Morgan that you are now in his place?'

'Ah, well, that happens to be a matter of secrecy at present, as some of the information I am aware of could negatively affect later proceedings. Suffice it to say that Captain Morgan is under arrest, awaiting trial. If found guilty, as I am certain he will be, he will get everything that is coming to him. A man like that shouldn't be in charge of a latrine, much less a starship. I do hope he is not indicative of other officers, or I might just suggest to my superiors that it might be best to leave the lot of you to founder.' Koloth hadn't sworn, though he'd come close enough that the omissions were obvious, and no one who had met him before had ever heard him be quite so bitingly sarcastic. There were more than a few shudders amongst the group before anyone else dared voice anything.

The fact that he should really have kept his mouth shut had not impinged upon Commander Larkin, however. Fiff's face had gone curiously blank for a few seconds during Koloth's rant, and that had been more than enough to remind him of just what he assumed Fifteen to be.

'It's true then, that you have them under your protection? Surely there were people more suitable to babysit a Borg?'

Even the commander quailed under the force of Koloth's glare, and when the Ambassador spoke, every syllable tinkled with metaphorical ice.

'Captain Picard, I do believe that the Commander, on this occasion, has outstayed his welcome. Would you not agree?'

'I do indeed, Ambassador.' Picard, too, was glaring in disgust at the hapless officer, 'Commander Larkin, you are hereby relieved of duty for the foreseeable future. Please remove yourself from the room, before you provoke ambassador Koloth's ire any further, or do any more to damage interstellar relations.'

The mood noticeably shifted as the Commander left and a relieved sigh raced itself around the room. Even if there were others who did not believe that Fiff wasn't a Borg, thankfully, they were too smart to actually say anything. The comment on interstellar relations had, moreover, refreshed in everybody's minds the fact that, as he was under the protection of another, it was statistically much less likely that he could have made Koloth believe he was anything that he wasn't.

Besides, several of them had been watching his reactions, and to them, at least, it proved that he was not as he appeared.

Finally, someone did what Picard had been waiting for and actually addressed Fiff himself.

'Umm, good afternoon, Fiff, was it? I am Captain Sutton of the USS Achaean. It is a pleasure to meet you. May I ask how it was that you were not assimilated?'

'Yes, my name is Fifteen Marcus, though I go by Fiff. I'm not sure just why assimilation failed, only that I never had the link that others seem to have done.'

'You, you mean you didn't hear them at all? It left you out of the hive mind? But that's extraordinary.'

Fiff looked rather uncomfortable, and shrugged slightly, 'As said, I'm not certain why it didn't happen, though I'm rather glad that it didn't. After all, that put me in a position to save lives, as opposed to taking them.'

'If there is a way of examining what, if any, neural disciplines you might have used to resist, that might tell us how better to protect people in the future. Would you be willing to share anything that we don't yet know about the assimilation process?'

'I... I don't really remember it. I could talk to the others, to ask if they do, but... all I remember is pain.'

With a wince, that topic was shelved and the conference continued.

Richard, however, by the end of the conference, had become rather tired of some of the whispers he was overhearing regarding his son. Whilst some had seemed to accept him, others, though attempting to keep their discontent quiet, had obviously not done.

Clearing his throat after one particularly vile whisper, he spoke for the first time.

'Would those of you with uncomplimentary thoughts about my son please endeavour to keep those thoughts to yourselves?'

There were looks of shock at this...

'Richard,' Jean Luc said, carefully, 'as far as I am aware, there have been no such comments about your son made in my hearing.'

'They were whispers, Jean-Luc, but I certainly heard them.'

'Intriguing, for I do not believe anyone else did. I remember you mentioning something about a scream, however, one that no one else could hear. As this meeting has more or less concluded, might I suggest that you go down to see Doctor Crusher? She might well wish to examine Fifteen, too, under the circumstances, as he had a similar reaction. Would Sixteen object to being examined as well, just in case?'

'I do not believe so', Richard said. 'However, Jean-Luc, I'm fine. We both are.'

'I know that you are stubborn, Richard, however you need treatment. And I am still not convinced that your children do not.'

xxxx

Doctor Crusher looked, rather shocked, at the three newest occupants of her sickbay. Though she had been informed, as had all the crew, that there was a pair of beings aboard that resembled Borg, she hadn't realised to what extent that truly was. Though the male of the pair appeared to emit a faint light, he was still, as was his companion, undeniably alien. Yet there seemed to be traces still of humanity to both of them, though they looked like the enemy, their behaviours were anything but. She'd seen already the way they seemed to derive comfort from each other's presence, after all.

Besides, even had she not believed Jean-Luc's firm belief that assimilation had failed with the pair, she had met their parent before. She knew enough Marcuses to know very well indeed just how stubborn they could be at times. Fifteen looked enough like his father to almost be a mirror image, after all, and appeared to have inherited the full dose of contrariness. It was strange, how much the two were alike in attempting to escape her domain. She could almost understand the younger of the two's frustrations, however, as the doctor in Starfleet with most experience on the Borg, at least in the sector, she knew that examining Fifteen and Sixteen both was a necessity.

The doors to sickbay hissed open as she contemplated how best to do this. Looking up, she smiled to see Deanna Troi, a determined look on her face.

'Hello, Deanna, what brings you here?'

'I heard about the... guests. I think it would be best if I examined them, at least to make certain that they are no threat.'

'Has Jean-Luc sent you?'

'No, however it is my duty as ship's counsellor to ensure the mental wellbeing of all aboard this vessel, including the visitors.'

Fiff had looked up at the sound of her voice and was looking at her warily.

'What are you planning to do?'

'Only to ensure that you are no threat. It won't hurt.'

There was a pushing sensation in his head as her words faded away, the pain and feeling of wrongness growing unbearable as he fought back against the intrusion. Then suddenly it was gone. Looking down, he stared in horror at the limp form of the counsellor, then looked back up to meet Doctor Crusher's equally horrified gaze.

'I... what happened?'

'I think, Mr Marcus, that is something everybody is going to want to know. Just what did you do to her?'

'Nothing, as far as I know. Unless, was she the presence in my head?'

'Most likely, she is an Empath after all.'

Doctor Crusher's tone was wintery, yet she'd relaxed slightly on ascertaining that Deanna was merely in a deep sleep of some sort.

'I think I'm going to have to confine you for the time being, run a few more tests. This is as much for your own sake as everybody elses, however, it needs to be done.

Her findings, when she made them, ensured that everything that had happened started to make a little bit more sense.