Chapter 25

I Will Go Sailing No More

"There's an old, old saying on Earth, Minster Sulu. Fool me once,

shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me."

"I know this saying it was invented in Russia."

Scotty and Chekov, Friday's Child

Humanity. Weak. Organic. Sentient. That's what the Borg taught him. About all sentient beings. Untrustworthy creatures that were duplicitous and savage. Yet, Picard trusted him blindly. Putting his faith in him. This was human sentiment. What could human sentiment do for Picard? They hurt him. Individuals hurt him. But, he was an individual no more; there was no I or me, he was one of many, many of one. Borg.

His legs were draped over the bio-bed as he fiddled with the combadge in his hand. Sentiment could never repair the damage that they caused. Why? Why did Picard offer this? Faith. Faith in him. Could he not discern that he was the enemy? An enemy against their way of life? He knew of his hate for the Collective, no not hate, a level beyond hate. Faith was unconditional, but he couldn't hear his thoughts so he could be lying or telling the truth. He didn't know, when he heard the others voices, in his being he knew that they would not betray him.

But, he was alone. One. One mind. One voice. Alone. There were no others to help, to support, or heal. He couldn't hear them. The silvery sea of brown of his orbs drifted to the ground, then closed them. His mind free of disordered thoughts. Pure focus. He went deeper into his mind, feeling ever so more lonely as he could no longer dive into the archives of the Collective. The multitude of voices whispers came and went, but distance. Calling him home like a beacon. His lullaby. Please, Please find me. He said into the dark contours of his mind. His lips mouthed the words, a silent plea, unheard.

He felt a connection wasn't with the Collective, but this connection was with another being. Picard. He would be coming. A wave of guilt came over him, guilt for a boy…Wesley Crusher…guilt for not protecting him. Nix shook the emotion off, these were not his emotions, yet it remind him of the Collective, being more than just one. He opened his eyelids slowly, the glimmer of medical tools caught his eye.

Then an echo came, not of the Collective, no… A memory. A boy's voice, 'It's a model of the same kind of a tractor beam––' They became more frequent every passing hour, an additional voice joined, older, he identified as Chief Engineer Geordi LaForge, 'So that's your science project, huh? Wes, you're really something.' Another announce like the rest, he would have ignored the rest as he let it pass though his mind like a river. 'And since the Captain let me on the Bridge––' Wesley Crusher hero worshipping the Captain, how naïve. Smiling, teeth showing and his eyes wide, setting down the device and picking up a hand held device. A voice came out it, this could be useful…

Observation Lounge

From a deep corner of his mind, a feeling grew, from an unexplored place in his mind. A memory seeping into his mind; a memory that wasn't his. A intense feeling of loneliness came over Picard. His whole chest seemed empty, yet out of this loneliness, fear came with it. Fear of no longer being many, but being only one. He could no longer conceal his pain from the world, he would have to face it. Picard said nothing as he listened,

The Chef Engineer folded his hand together as he rested them on the table, "––I've tried everything, Commander. But this Borg tech is beyond me. It would take me months just to comprehend the basics." Riker rubbed his temple, great, before leaning back in his chair.

"May I add something sir?" He turned his chair toward the Android,

"Shoot," Data took the cue, pulling up readouts on the screen above Picard.

"We may have less time than we think With the long range sensors back is the most recent sensors scan of the area, there are ten Borg Cubes in this vicinity. All searching in a grid like pattern. I predict we only have three days at the most, before we are found." Riker's face tensed, every muscle contracted, danger. Glacial whitewater of pure unbridled fear plunged down his spine.

The air froze as the conversation stilled. Whatever optimism about getting home was eroding away, they couldn't catch a break. Geordi curled back his finger, "If I had a rosetta stone, I could get warp back online" Being the optimist that he was. Silence filled the room.

"Wesley could help…" Coming from the head of the table, Picard said it barely above a whisper. His officers turned their chairs toward him; their leader hadn't spoken a word since the meeting started.

"What?"

He cleared his throat and he spoke a louder, "Wesley could help," They sat up, straightening up their shoulders, he knew exactly what their body language meant. They didn't want to touch on the subject of Wesley Crusher. It unsettled him profoundly, "He has been with the Borg for two years. He knows the Borg. He could help with–"

Worf cut in, "He is a security risk. He may try to escape–" The Captain's eyes went ablaze that made the security officer feel like a first year cadet again. He aspected more from his senior officers, he knew of their pain and he felt it first hand, but not to admit that they made a mistake it was not becoming of an officer. They lacked faith in Wesley.

His eyes narrowed, "Wesley has been hurt not only by the Borg but by us. He's a part of this crew and always be part of this crew. I know he'll help. He's frightened and alone without the Collective's guidance. You've all read Doctor Crusher's report, Nix and Wesley are the same."

Gerodi's jaw tighten, "Sir, I trust Wesley but not Nix," Picard replied in voice smooth but icy.

"Then tell me the differences between them. Please." Geordi clam up.

"Sir, there are other ways to get information out of individual that doesn't involve Nix getting out of Sickbay." Worf suggested, but he knew exactly what he was suggesting. He would not steep to the level of the Borg even if these were desperate times; he would keep his humanity intact.

"No, I'll take five armed guards with me when I go to Sickbay and they'll be with him at all times. Will that suit your concerns ?" The Klingon nodded slowly with contemplation as if trying to map out all the possible of the scenario. "Meeting adjourned." Riker stayed while the others officers left, "Something on your mind Number One?" Riker just stared out to the Nebula, then got up.

"Sir, we're not dealing with the same Wesley who came aboard the Enterprise. Can't you see that or does your faith blind you to the truth? You may suggest we're not torturing Wes, but we are, and sooner or later he's going to break. He used to hearing the collective. His mind never rested in the Collective and for him to be in this situation is going to break him," Speaking with brute honesty.

"And your lack of faith distorts your vision, Will. He's a hurt child that needs our help,"

Riker just shook his head, "Wes has been brainwash or have you forgotten that? As far I'm concern he hates us and he'll do anything to get back to the Collective. Captain my faith in Wes is just fine." Pointing at finger at him, "Yours is the one that concerns me." But the Captain just shrugged it off, before standing up.

"No, your wrong. I was getting to him. The human half. He's so hurt. Wesley needs our help. Talk to him. He needs structure. Order."

"Your starting to talk like the Borg." Cold water filled Picard's veins as his heart rate went up.

"I'm not anything like the Borg! I'm giving him a choice." Yelling at him, before realizing what he had done.

"With five armed guard? Not much of a choice once you think about it. Captain as your first officer it my duty to advise you. Take caution with Wesley. He's not the same." Before walking out. Picard pressed his combadge,

"Mr. Worf accompany me to Sickbay."

Sickbay

She been working on Nix for hours, disconnecting mircoconnectors on his armor, then putting dromoplastic grafts on his unprotected muscles. Beverly peeled off his ear implant revealing silver metal in and around his ear reminding her Fibonacci spiral like the interior of a shell. Before setting down the implant in a tray.

"You haven't spoken a word since the Captain left." She went over to grab a PADD to type in her report, "Maybe I'm just used to you talking during your physicals," Nix's brown eyes shifted, "Or talking in general." His pale skin was bleeding though his gray dead pigment, and part of his breastplate was taken off he looked like a kid playing dress up to her.

"Do you like taking my identity away?" Void of all emotions like any Borg drone, yet prideful. Underneath that pride was pain. She could tell, he was his mother and he couldn't keep anything from her. Those words made her cringe coming from her son as doubt set in her mind like sandbags. Beverly tighten her jaw. Was she? Beverly gave one last glance before heading to her office.

She stopped when seeing an army of yellow shirts behind Captain Picard with Worf following behind. Doctor Crusher handed her PADD over to a nurse, before stopping the Captain's march with her arms crossed.

"Captain, this is a hospital not a prison." Why was he here? Especially with armed guards?

"I want to talk to Nix," Her eyes widen by a fraction.

Gesturing to the guards behind him, "With five armed guards?" Her muscles seized up, no one threatening her son no matter what state he was in. Picard shrugged the comment off and made a pass at Beverly, but she blocked his path.

"Doctor Crusher we don't have time for this!"

"And I won't have you interrogating my patient."

While the two officers bickered Nix clicked a switch, demagnetizing a device that he crafted from the combadge and medical equipment parts, from underneath the bio-bed. Then click it again re-magnetize it on to his thigh, so sentients would not see what was right in front of them. The drone slide off the bio-bed and walk toward them. The guards grabbed their phasors from their holsters aiming them at the drone.

His eyes reflected the artificial light, "We can make our own decisions, Doctor Crusher. If Captain Picard wishes to interrogate this drone so be it, it will come to show how belittle your species is." Doctor Crusher turned to face the drone, "If he has a question let him ask." Smooth and cunning weaving the words to his advantage like a trained diplomat, leaving Doctor Crusher shocked.

Picard gave a steady gaze before answering, "Our warp drive isn't functioning because the Borg modifications you made are going though the systems. I'm asking for your help. We need your help in removing them." He wouldn't be like the Borg, not anything like them and he would show that to Wesley, "You don't have to if you don't want to, I won't force you to help us," From the corner of his eye, Beverly gave a smile, pleased, "Lower your weapons." The command wasn't followed as the guards looked at each other with confusion, enforcing his order, "Now!" Slowly they did.

"We will help,"

Main Engineering

Chief Engineer Geordi LaForge passed back PADDs to his subordinates and telling them orders before they scurried away to perform their duties. He looked up and shooed the crowd of Ensigns away once seeing the Captain, then walked over.

"Nix is here to help. You only have a couple of hours with him before returning to sickbay so make good use of him." Before turning and leaving with Worf.

"Well…it's looks like your my Rosetta Stone for the evening. Come with me." They headed over to another part of Engineering followed by the one security guard, the rest went to all the exits in Engineering. Nix expected as much.

"You remember Commander Data don't you?" Geordi received no answer, so he took as a yes. He lifted a panel open filled with jumbled up wires with the green hues of Borg technology underneath proliferating. LaForge unhooked the wires and put them in there place to see the Borg technology underneath, "Every time I try to get rid of this there is another in its plac––"

"You failed to disengage the autonomous regeneration sequencers. After you must disconnect the second sequencers so the first one doesn't regenerate. The second sequencer is protected by force field powered by distribution node located in the button left cor––"

"Damn, can you make this anymore complicated?" Geordi said jokingly,

"They are meant to impede resistance." Speaking in a matter of fact way, sounding arrogant to the Engineer. He heard 'resistance is futile' too many times.

Getting up, "How you and Data and go work on plasma conduits." Geordi ordered.

Data nodded, heading over to another area with Nix kept up with the android's fast pace. Nix caught crewmembers glaring at the site of him. Once they got to a quiet part of Engineering where the plasma conduits panels was held. Data pressed a few buttons focusing on his work, after a couple minutes passing between them, Data stuck up a conversation,

"I am curious about the organization structure of the Collective." Giving a brief pause to allow Nix to answer, he didn't, "Our societies are fundamentally different, forgive me, it is for lack for a better words 'alien'."

Nix gave a cold hard reply, "And you strike us as odd. An Android that wishes to be human. Don't you see that your better than them? The Collective could easily solve your human endeavor. You are right about our society, you are small trying to gasp something it does not understand. How could you? All your society knows is war, endless war: The Crusades, World War I, World War II, Cold War, Eugenics War, World War III, and that is only one planet. You have not conquered the simple pathologic agents, poverty though unseen it's disorganized with so many opinions that you become incompetent. The Collective has solved all humanity's ills. In the Collective there is no war, or disease, just one will. One vision. Every one knows their place and it does not matter what species their from; we are all equal. Yet, you still resist this way of life."

Data's eyes shifted taking in Nix's points before answering, "But we have come a long way––"

"Your still as savage and blood hungry for power since you could stand erect. Wesley Crusher is living proof of that. He was bullied merciless," Nix stopped for a moment as if being revisited by the old memory.

"However, I do see one flaw to the Collective, no one has a choice" Nix hesitated, uncertain how to answer, "You have that choice Wesley now. The choice is yours, not the Collective's." The conversation stopped as the drone has nothing to say.

His chronometric node recorded 3.36 hours had past since the conversation with the Android. He careful took out the Borg infected Enterprise equipment that pulsed in his hand like Morse Code, he just looked at it. There was a sharp pang in his chest, it was piece of home, a piece of the Collective. He felt the implant growing. Perfection. Why didn't they accept perfection?

Upon re-hooking some surviving wires, there it was, the connector that he was looking. Just where Wesley remembered it being. He gave a quick look at the Android, enthralled in his work. Good. His hand, that done so much perfecting, hovered over his handmade device, yet he didn't de-magnetized it, he hesitated.

Why did he hesitate? This should require no thought at all, the Collective was his home, but yet he was hesitant to pick the device. The Android poisoned his mind, his thoughts with sentient philosophies. Choice. He had a choice. What had choice done for him? His so called 'family' chose to abandoned him; to turn their backs on him. Choice hurt him. He would hear the sound of his lullaby; the others. The Collective was the only life that gave him purpose, perfection; where he would have the comfort and protection of thousands.

He clicked button, making it come off his thigh. His eyepiece focus in, which a human eye couldn't see, a label on a tiny circuit; Communication. Wesley served his purpose, the drone pressed the device on. Before hooking wires hiding it.

"I do believe its time for you to return to Sickbay," Nix followed Data out to main engineering where Picard stood. LaForge looked on with suspicion when Nix came over the Captain and they walked out of Engineering.

In the hall, "How was working in Engineering?" Nix kept pace with him, and just nodded off and said,

"Perfect."

All was quiet. That was to be aspected, they were out in space. The wait after the battle was the worst. A battle with the Borg. They lost many but only gained one. Every encountered with the Borg was worst than other. But this was the worst. He felt the Borg closing in, breathing down his the back of his uniform. He aspected something anything to happen. Any second, minute or hour.

Riker heard the hissing of the turbolift opening, "Data I can't believe that you. Actually agree with the Borg way of life! It's…It's…" The two went over to the science station.

"The Borg Collective does have its advantages as Nix pointed out. They have figured out many ills that plague our society." LaForge type something on the PADD, and just shook his head at his friend,

"Nix can't be trusted, Data. How many engineering teams did we lose because of him. You don't think he won't lie to us again? He would and he will. This isn't Wes and we need stop treating that drone as Wesley," Maybe it was the anger against the Borg speaking maybe it wasn't. His confusion and trickled down, and Riker didn't want this happen. They shouldn't blame Wesley for the Borg's actions nor should they isolate him, but that's what they were doing, expect Doctor Crusher and the Captain. But the human mind was after trauma, it could make even the most rational man seek revenge.

Sickbay

3:86. 3:85. 3:84. 3:83. 3:82. Mere minutes he had before his plan could commence and there wasn't a soul in Sickbay, it was gamma shift and the Enterprise crew was working nonstop to get the ship functioning again. Resistance was futile. 3:50. 3:49. 3:38. 3:37. 3:36. 3:35. Nix Calculator it perfectly. Now.

The two heat signatures moved away from the door and Nix slide off the bio-bed and moved though sickbay's confines. He switched off his heat vision reverted back to his normal grayscale vision. Wesley's inner working of the Enterprise had been helpful and he would almost had to thank him for the valuable information that served the Collective, and bettered them. It would take 3:86 minutes for gamma shift arrive, they were 25 seconds slower than the Delta shift, as he evaluated security's schedule and the fact the others assimilated a few security officers helped too. Sickbay worked on a 12 hour schedule like an emergency room and it took 2:00 minutes for the second shift to get there, he couldn't account for the Chef Medical Officer because her movements were sporadic at best. Sometimes she would work for three days straight without rest, which would worry her son, but others she just came for a couple hours. Sickbay's shifts changed for each emergency it faced; usually it followed the same Alpha, Beta, and Gamma shifts during normal circumstances.

Nix slipped into the hallway. He checked the next 300 meters on both injunctions to make sure no guards were coming. None. Good, before heading straight. 2:99. He quicken his pace to the jefferies tubes. It would take 5:00 for them to notice that he would be gone and extra 10 seconds for them to make sure he wasn't in Sickbay, but these calculations were made if the CMO was not in Sickbay. But if she did walk in, his whole time frame would be off. He had to hurry. Once he made it he started the long climb to Deck 18. 2:83. He would then take a lift to Deck 36 and make the climb to Main Engineering.

Main Engineering

The gold team worked relentlessly. With the information that the drone gave them, work was still hard in tying to the Borg junk out there as half the stuff that filled their equipment was like foreign invader, trying to grab as much land and materials as they could and they were the foot soldiers trying to hold the invaders back. Lieutenant O'Conary took out his plasma touch his anger getting the better of him. Determine just to burn the little devils out. As he lit it to the highest setting a glint caught his eye from the jefferies tubes.

The smooth voice of Ensign Garcia called from above, "You know O'Conary, before you burn this Borg swamp out. It's the left corner than take out the second sequencer go to the top right to pull the force field generator and then get the back up generator." She looked down at him with a friendly smile,

"Or does she mean top right, then bottom right then middle?" Laughing at the end. Lieutenant Morr the joker of the group, tried to find the humor in everything.

They been working for some time, though it only been five hours however it seems longer to them because the hours just dragged on. "Well, if two can't remember the sequence maybe we can get someone who knows the system. I feel like I'm playing a game of Simon."

"I got the same feel'n here, man." Agreed Morr.

"Gold team to the Bridge. Gold team to the Bridge." They all stood up dumbfounded and a bit scared too. This was like being called to the principal's office. It was their Chef who called them, LaForge. Ensign Garcia came down and just staring at the group,

"I will not be the one who explain to our Chief why're late."

"Gold team to Bridge." Their eyes widen before hurrying to get their Engineering kits, and rushing out of the Main Engineering.

Sickbay

Doctor Crusher jogged across the hallway. She wasn't in a rush, but she did want to see her son again. After several surgeries he still didn't look human, the Borg cybernetic claws still had him. The way he kept staring at her, with his black biddy eyes, reminded her like a small child just trying to deal with an agonizing pain, on the brink of breaking down and yet trying to be strong in the face of the world. She saw once before, after Jack died. Her own son flinched from her, It was like her touch hurt him. She wanted nothing more than to feel her son hug back.

She gave a nod to the guards, who gave a stern nod back to their senior officer, before going in. The homey smell of disinfectant filled her nose, everything sterile and clean; she met so many interesting people and story from the walls of Sickbay. The science department had their own love affair with their work, but her's was with the people and it was the reason she loved her job. It wasn't just about treatment of the patient, but to heal them whether it was personal or physical; that was her job. She wasn't trying to solve the mysteries of the universe, but to see it though the eyes of another culture.

Beverly went into her office to pick up the latest report, before walking out. She knew Sickbay so well that she could walk with her eyes closed though sickbay.

"Well, Nix we're going to work on your e…" Her PADD dropped, her son wasn't here. All the possibles flooded her mind,

"Security!" The two jogged in with phasors drawn, they quickly scanned the area; they got the same conclusion that the Doctor.

"Check the deck, he couldn't gone far!" How wrong they were.

Bridge

Geordi caught a glimpse of the occupants who walked out of the lift, then furrowed his brow; it was an Engineering team, the gold team. They stood in position with their Engineering kits at their sides, waiting for orders. For which got them a couple of stares, as they were not needed on the Bridge and he was confused as they were. Giving a sigh he stopped leaning on his hand and went over,

"Who ordered you to the Bridge?" The group just looked at each other with astonishment, but none of them spoke. Out of the seven, the Andorian rolled his eyes at the group and had the courage to answer the Senior officer,

"You did Sir," LaForge crossed his arms unconsciously.

"I gave no such order." Shaking his head. Riker, now sitting at usual spot, nuanced the Engineers along with the Captain.

"Doctor Crusher to Security" Her voice sounded distraught. He address the Doctor calmly.

"Yes, Doctor?"

"Nix is gone." Both senior officers shot up from their chairs automatically, when hearing Doctor Crusher's news. Worf cut the connection, before figuring out how Nix escape.

"Captain, he must have taken advantage of the shift change," LaForge pulled away from his subordinates that had his attention. Going up to Engineering display, transferring control from Main Engineering to the Bridge.

"Go to yellow alert. Mr. Worf find him." He quickly sent message to all his teams to search all decks; internal sensors were still down.

"Captain, I found him!" The Chief Engineer reported. Worf furrowed his eyebrows, "He's in Engineering. He set up a firewall around forcefield controls in 1.5 minutes with encryption codes." Before turning back to his station, typing fiercely. Pulling up a blueprint of Engineering; a little red dot flash where Nix was.

"Are sure?" Coming up followed by his First Officer. Geordi answered, "Yes, sir. The firewall has Wesley's signature all over it." Data came over, "Data try to infiltrate the firewall from the sciences, he may not aspect that." The Lt. Commander wheeled his chair away.

"Intriguing. The encryption is highly sophisticated even for Mr. Crusher's standards. I am reading several Borg algorithms however I cannot confirm." Riker gave a quick glance at the Captain, before rubbing his temple,

"I'm getting the weirdest sense of déjà vu." Continuing to work Geordi answered.

"I'm too Commander. But this time Wes is a bit older, more experienced and a whole lot smarter. Not telling what type of Borg tricks are up his sleeve. But something bothering me. He can't assimilate the whole Enterprise by himself and he knows that Engineering been routed to the Bridge, all that's down there is the isolinear chips for the computer and the board indicates they've hadn't been taken out––"

The second before the chief answered, Picard instinctively knew what he was planning; it was like they were on the same wavelength of thought. To explain this rationally he would have said it was strong intuition, but this happen twice before when Nix lead the assault on his ship. He didn't know if this was one-way, but until he knew; he would keep this to himself, "A Cube could. He's trying to contact the Collective. Worf jam all out-coming communiqués and get a security team ready. Riker, Worf with me. We're going down to Engineering. LaForge and Data get that force field down."

They went into the turbolift, "Deck 36." The door hissed shut.

Wesley's codes were complex in there simplest form, but this was beyond. Nix's was a completely different entity; there were algorithms within algorithms. Every time he thought he was close to solving he was rerouted to another system. It was protecting itself from all bridge commands and overrides. He tried to find a misconfiguration, but the firewall was tight with its programing.

On the screen he saw that Nix was bypassing the jamming signal by using higher frequency usually associated with coded messages that only a Captain to read. Thank goodness it was taking him a some time to access it.

"We better hurry and get that forcefield down or there won't be an Enterprise."

Down in the hallway of deck 36, Picard kept pace with his officers as they ran though the corridors. The heat of his stretching muscles and the exenteration of his heart that pounded like a drum against his chest, despite his age he could properly out run both Riker and Worf. They turned a corner, and went though a corridor, turned another corner and down another corridor.

Coming up beside him, Riker questioned, "Captain, what's are plan once we get down there?"

"Hopefully, Mr. LaForge will have the forcefield down."

"And if not?"

"He will listen to me and if that doesn't work…" He paused, "Blast though the glass," Riker's eyes widen, But the last time I checked he was trying to escape. He thought. However he trusted his Captain's negotiating skills.

"That glass can withstand 537 Cº, it would take three type 2 phasers set on level eight to get though that glass, sir." Informing his Captain.

"LaForge here, Captain. We got the firewall down, but you won't make it in time. He's using a higher frequency to break though the jamming signal." Spoke the invisible Engineer from the other side of the transmission.

On the Bridge, they had to do something to stop Nix from sending that transmission. But what? Then it hit him,

"Data, we're going to send a power surge,"

Typing quickly, "Done," The stations flickered before turning blackening out.

He could almost hear them. The Enterprise crew was trying to keep him from the others. It wouldn't be long now, just a few more seconds before the encryption was broken. To feel the warmth encompass his body like a well worn blanket and this time Locutus would join them in perfection. His body shuttered, the others would to get his body back in functioning order after what the Doctor Crusher did to him.

"Stop!" Cried a strong, clipped and Shakespearean voice; Captain Picard.

No, not yet. The drone thought. He got though. Nix turned and just stared into the Captain's warm gray eyes; disappointment, fear and regret, it looked as if tears were about to fall from his eyes. He was pleading for him to stop and for a second in his mind he thought about it.

He replied to his pleading, "Resistance is futile." Nix's eyes widen when a super-heated plasma danced like a dragon as it twisted from the panel branching itself as it found the closest metal object it could find. Nix. Discharging its voltages bite, sending him flying back. Electricity surged though his nervous sending them on overload with its searing heat. His head crashed into the desk; the light were like spotlights shining on him, encapsulating everything in white light, before the claws of darkness overtook him.

When the forcefield was shut off the security team jumped in, grabbing and lifting the drone off the ground. Nix quickly came to, he slammed his heels rooting them to the floor, refusing to move. He would resist.

"Father! Father! Please save me! FATHER!"

Picard tried turned away and pretend not hear Nix's desperate cries; he didn't want to hear the world, to shut it all out. As coldly as the Borg he said without even looking at Nix, "Brig," Nix's eyes fell, widening. Picard caught a glimpse. He only saw the look once before when he retook Engineering during the first year on abroad the Enterprise.

Later…

Worf walked beside his Captain, "Our position has been compromised. A partial message got though. I suggest getting out of this area quickly." Cautioning as they walked to the brig. Picard kept his focus on the end of the corridor, he looked at anyone with a stare that could kill, however his face reminded stagnant and emotionless. Hiding his emotions was a skill he mastered over the years, but an intense volcanic heat flooded every vain scalding them and his chest felt like it was going to explode with his hate; words couldn't describe it. He couldn't figure what to say to Mr. Crusher.

"Noted,"

He was pulled from his thoughts when his combadge chirped, "Riker to Captain,"

"What is it, Commander?" Coming out harsh,

There was a brief pause on the other end, "Sir, we've found a device," Picard eyes narrowed when hearing this; his anger kept escalating. Down in Engineering, Riker felt a heavy stare coming though his combadge. LaForge clicked off the device and started analyzing it; turning it over.

"It appears to be made of components of a combadge and a medical tri-coder," Knowing Captain Picard heard his report. Riker eyes shifted up; typical Wes. If you leave him with a plasma touch and tri-coder you would have a flamethrower in an hour…

From the corner of his mouth. "Riker out,"Pressing his combadge, ending the connection with his Captain.

Picard gave a heavy sigh. They turned the corner, two guards stood watch with type 3 phasor in hand they had stone faces; only their eyes on occasion to onlooker passing by. Their posture tighten when seeing Worf.

"Mr. Worf, wait outside, I want to talk to Nix alone," The Klingon nodded. Picard walked though the doors, before they shut behind him. The air stilled and the sound of his heels clicked against the cold metal floor. The guard monitoring forcefield status looked down and pretended not to see the Captain's icy stare. Captain Picard came to Nix's cell and the only thing protecting him from the drone was 340 picometer forcefield, level 5. Nix turned when feeling a deathly glare watching him.

He looked more like a child playing dress up than an actual drone as human pigment took much of his uncovered skin, there were only a few gray area, but with the armor that stretched his skin and clamped his skull made a once handsome body look ugly. The armor pieces clashed with the pale skin and the drone tried to mask his pain as it looked like the pieces were suffocating him; the more his human physiology came back, the more pained he would be. His eyes tried to keep the illusion of strength, but Picard could see though it like glass; the role were reversed, now Nix was the prisoner and he had the control. He gave a sly smile at the drone. His disgust for the Borg shine though his calm demeanor.

"I'm disappointed in you. I thought you were going to help us," Not speaking with anger.

Nix gave a smirky remark, giving a little laugh and shook his head, "You would have done the same, Locutus. To get home, where we belong. I knew you would come to us for help,"

Picard felt his blood boiling, still, still, in a cell, no in a cage. He could still have power over him it was like a complex chess game between them, and Nix could still catch him off guard.

"You lied! Not only to me, but to this crew! You dumb, stubid boy! Don't you know what you have done?! You put this ship and her crew in danger. I thought, I was getting though to you, but it appears I was wrong! I put this crew in danger to rescue, Ensign Wesley Crusher, who mean't something to us, but your not him. Your not even one-third the man Wesley was, your just a mindless drone. That's all you are. The Ensign I knew wouldn't disrespect the uniform–––"

Nix was just as harsh, but lower and more deadlier like a coiled rattlesnake "The moment the Borg Collective striped Wesley of his 'Starfleet' uniform, he wasn't your Ensign anymore. He was the Borg's…and you should have heard his screams, his suffering and begging for you to come rescue him…" Then he strike, "On the day you abandon him!" The drone gave a slight pause to catch his breath,"It. Was. Glorious. You should have been there, Locutus. I think you would have enjoy it" Smiling and giving a amusing laugh, "After all you were there at Wolf 359. 39 Federation Starships destroyed, 5,456 assimilated.5,544 killed. I wish I was there to witness it. The battle that brought so much glory to the Collective." Saying it almost in hero worship to his father, "Hearing the assimilated: the new information, the Collective silencing their resistance." Pausing, "A small part of you enjoyed it, don't deny it, father." Picard curled his fists, exactly the reaction Nix was looking for; the anger, the hate, the guilt. The drone saw the spark of agreement within in his eyes, no matter how hard he tried tried to hide it; he enjoyed it, how small it was, he enjoyed it, "You can't destroy the Borg, and no matter how hard you try, you can't. You know this in your being…" They were still connected whether it was by the Hive Mind or DNA. They were forever linked, "Captain, your still part of us and no matter how hard you think you can run. We'll always find you, its inevitable." Stating a matter of fact, "Let us go back to the Collective. You can't win this war Captain Jean-Luc Picard."

"You don't deserve that uniform." Picard said raspy. Nix turned not quite hearing it, "I said you don't deserve a uniform!"

"And why should I be concern about that? Is that all you can say? Your starting to sound like a mindless ––"

"If your going to lie to me! I aspect you to tell the truth, while on my ship. Its the foundation on which Starfleet is founded on, and if your going to lie than you don't deserve to wear that uniform. This ship is run on truth and trust––"

"Says the Captain who left Ensign Crusher to die. Seems to be contradictory, don't you agree, Father? You pride yourselves on loyalty, friendship but. It. Is. A. Lie. That you tell yourselves, every day, how long before they stab you in you in the back to serve their own ends? It won't last." Giving a brief pause, "You are all words Captain, no action,"

Picard turned away and started to walk toward the door. Realizing that Captain Picard was walking, Nix calmed down, but his anger still resided in him, "Your wrong!"

Before he stepped in the door's sensor Picard turned, coming out bitter,"About what?"

"That we have nothing in common with Wesley Crusher." Nix's eyes became sincerity, "We both want to impress you."

Picard stared at the ground in a whisper, "I know, Wes, I know."

I modeled Picard's speech off of the one in First Duty.

Question: Up to this point do you guys think Nix is a good villain? Is he a good match for Picard? You can write in your review or just PM me.