Welcome back, apologies for the delay. This chapter is dedicated too 100, because of her continued support and encouragement for me to update.

For a moment Kathryn stood silently in front of Tom, the thoughts running though her mind, too jumbled and fleeting for Tom to pick up on any single one. But he could tell she was trying to figure out what he was talking about. Then the thought he had been trying to hide form her for so long came unbidden in to his mind. Flashing through his memory like grains of sand running through his fingers. It could not be undone now. He new she had seen his thoughts, felt his embarrassment, and his desire. Her own reflected back almost as strong. As the image of Kathryn pushing him against a wall and pressing her lips to his own was now causing through both their memories.

Shaking her head Kathryn looked down at the tiny spot of blood on her finger where the thorn had gone in.

"Oh no." She whispered as she remembered the feeling of being drunk, light headed, and god for bid, incredibly aroused. Starting to feel somewhat dizzy, she sat down hard on the rock behind her. Clamping her hand over her mouth as a very un-admiral like giggle threatened to erupt from her mouth. Blinking her eyes, she looked up and tried to focus on her surroundings. They were however refusing to stay still. Her eyes eventually fell on Tom's form, he was standing no more than five feet away, but even that was too great a distance. She felt drawn to him, the pull almost painful in its strength. Placing both hands on the rock now and forcing herself to stand, Kathryn closed the distance between them to mere inches.

"Tom." She breathed out his name, her breath washing over him as Tom tried to fight the images in his mind. Her thoughts were threatening to overwhelm his resolve. Her hand suddenly on his arm actually made him jump backwards, the thought of her naked sweaty body beneath his, the last straw as Tom yelled out to whomever might here him.

"Enough! This isn't real, this isn't what I want, not like this." He said virtually panting for breath as Kathryn made a further move to close the distance between them.

"Stop Kathryn, listen, you are not infected, you are sat in the flyer, this is all fake, fight it Kathryn, you are the strongest woman I know, and if anyone can beat this you can." His voice was no more than a whisper, but it did stop Kathryn from reaching out to him. Tom could see a flicker of change cross her face. It was accompanied by a single thought. 'Not real'

"Yes it's an illusion." Tom said out loud, not caring now who heard them, they had to get passed this, or all would be lost.

"But you want me too I can feel it." Kathryn replied, her hand reaching for him before dropping back as Tom shook his head.

"No look deeper." He said before locking his gaze with hers. Kathryn could feel something coming from beneath the desire, something far more profound and she bulked. Moving away from him quickly she staggered back until she was once again seated on the rock.

For a moment they were both silent, both closed off from each other, locking their thoughts away before Kathryn shook her head. 'I'm ok' She thought now, loudly and clearly, so she knew Tom would here her.

"Good, now maybe we should get out of here?" He suggested with a slight smile. Kathryn stood up and joined him in moving forwards. They had no destination, and no plan, it seemed that this was going to be far harder than either of them had ever imagined.

As they walked through the barren landscape, Tom tried to keep his thoughts on the job in hand, but he could not help the anxiety that was building up inside him. 'Would you please stop worrying, you're making me nervous' Kathryn shared with him, as she silently looked over at Tom as he gave her a quick, yet somewhat false smile. 'Sorry I can't help it, maybe we need to both think about a place we can go to execute our plan.' Tom projected back as Kathryn looked around and racked her brains for a time and place where they might be able to do this. Before either of them could settle on a destination the scene changed. Kathryn looked around with utter confusion, while Tom's eyes grew wide and he subconsciously moved closer to Kathryn. 'where are we?' Kathryn asked silently as Tom heard whispers all around them. 'Do you remember when Harry and I were taken prisoner, and locked in that huge space prison?' Tom thought back as the whispers grew louder.

'Yes, oh no, we need to get out of here' Kathryn said remembering the clamp, and the effects it had had on her crew members. Her hand went to the back of her neck, but she found nothing.

"Why don't we have the clamp?" she asked out loud this time as Tom turned to her.

"I guess the queen knew we wouldn't be effected by it, as we managed to over come the last, issue." Tom replied cautiously, not wanting to bring those images back in a hurry.

"Ok so what do we do now?" Kathryn said as movement caught her eye, and she and Tom stood back to back, watching as several men came out from the bowels of the prison.

"I suggest run." Tom said quickly grabbing hold of Kathryn's hand and pulling her towards an opening in the group of prisoners that were threatening to surround them. Kathryn did not question his decision. They were unarmed and out numbered, they also had no idea if they could get hurt or killed in this reality. 'I suspect if we believe we are dead, or hurt we will be' Tom thought as he latched on to Kathryn's line of thinking, as they ducked behind some fallen boxes. 'Probably best to lay low then.' Kathryn thought back as some of the people following them moved passed. 'At least we have the advantage of not having to talk to one another, less noise.' Tom thought as Kathryn gave him a small pat on the shoulder and stood up. 'You know I am not sure this is exactly what it seems. I think the queen is using all these images to get into our minds, but cracks keep showing through.' Kathryn thought as Tom followed her down a narrow passage way, and moved behind a wall.

'Oh like what?' Tom questioned as they sat for a moment and listened.

'Well there was the time difference in the poker game, the amount of Kazon ships that attacked. From what I remember it was only two ships in the scenario we entered in, not three.' Kathryn replied as Tom nodded his head, also remembering the incident.

'And the last one?' Tom asked hesitantly as Kathryn flashed him an uncertain look.

'I'm not sure, maybe that memory being so recent, it was easier to keep pure.' Kathryn said pushing aside her most recent discovery and concertinaing on this scenario. 'I think that's our way in, when something is incorrect, or out of place, we need to latch on to it and get inside her mind.' Kathryn thought finally, before voices could be heard again in the distance.

"Maybe we should try fighting them, I mean we can't run forever." Tom spoke out loud this time, moving towards a pipe and picking it up. Testing its weight he was obviously satisfied with his weapon.

"Ok, but remember, this is not real, things may not be all they appear to be, look for the opening." Kathryn replied as she too picked up a pipe and gripped it tightly in her hand. 'What I wouldn't give for a compression phaser rifle right now.' She thought and Tom smiled, Half expecting one to appear, they were both slightly disappointed when it did not. Something else was coming though, and now the footsteps were echoing loud in both their ears.

Waiting until the five men who had been hunting them were virtually on top of them, Tom and Kathryn sprang from their hiding place and took two of the men out quickly. The other three backed off, all brandishing weapons of their own. One held a wooden bat, several nails were driven into the end of it. Another was wielding what appeared to bee a ball on the end of a chain. Tom supplied the answer for Kathryn via his thoughts. It was what used to be known as a mace. It was a deadly looking weapon, and Kathryn backed away from him slightly. The last man was carrying a knife, It must have been a foot long and wickedly sharp. It flashed in the dim light coming from beyond the passageway they had come down.

The advantage of surprise now lost Kathryn realised they had been back into what amounted to a corner. There was no room here to manoeuvre, she could not use her speed and quickness to her advantage here. Kathryn new in an out and out fight, she would loose.

"What do you want form us?" Kathryn asked, brandishing her pipe, but making no move to really use it.

"From him, nothing, from you, well its been a long time since we have seen a woman down here." The man with the knife spoke up, giving Kathryn a lurid stare, before Tom's pipe connected with his face. Thinking he would drop like a tone of bricks like the previous two, Both Kathryn and Tom were shocked when he remained upright and simply shook his head. Turning to them he smiled. It was long and slow, and there was nothing behind his eyes. Kathryn's shudder transferred to Tom, as then men started to advance on them.

Having no choice now Kathryn lashed out with her pipe. She connected with the man with the bat, but he didn't even pause in his forward movement. Tucking and rolling to the side, Kathryn ducked under his first swing. Aiming for the man's legs, she once again struck. The ripping sound was sickening, as his thigh tore open. Dodging out of the way Kathryn dived back under another swing, lashing out with the pipe again, this time she hit the man's face hard. Whipping it sideways as she quickly swung again, hoping to take him down. As she swung downwards Kathryn hesitated for a moment, seeing the man's face ripped open, not to display ripped muscles and blood, but a network of circuitry. This revelation was to be short lived, as she felt pain rip though her. Looking down at herself she found she was in fact uninjured. Her head quickly snapped over towards Tom, who was on the ground, as the man with the mace swung his weapon to hit Tom again.

"No!" Kathryn cried as she leapt high, throwing her body straight into the bulk of the man, threatening to end Tom's life. Her weight did little to him, but it did put him off balance enough for his aim to be off. Tom managed to roll out of the way and scramble up to his feet.

"Tom they aren't human, they're machines!" Kathryn yelled as she planted a kick straight into the man with the mace's chest. Tom heard her loud and clear, as he placed his hands on either side of the man with the knifes head. Twisting it until he heard his wiring start to crackle and spark under the pressure. The man dropped as Tom panted for breath, he glanced over at Kathryn, who had run her pipe straight though the man with the mace's throat, his weapon now laying non-threateningly on the floor next to his feet. Rounding on the last man Kathryn and Tom backed him into a corner. He no longer looked confident, his bat hung limp at his side as Kathryn picked up the knife and ran her finger along its sharpened edge.

"Take me to your leader." She said, as she felt Tom's smile fill her, and without looking, new it would be plastered all over his face.

They were being led through several more narrow passageways, some of them were empty, others contained more prisoners. They seemed however to be keeping their distance, the sight of one of their own, being lead at knife point, by the two new comers, was obviously keeping the rest of them from trying anything. Eventually they moved into a larger room. There were several dwellings here, ones that had obviously been reserved for the more senior members of the colony. These were more tent like, had roofs and doors. Some from what Kathryn could see even had limited furnishings. Walking up to the largest of these the man stopped and pointed inside.

"Andreas is in there." He said and bowed his head slightly as he backed away. Kathryn allowed him to go as she stepped forward. 'This could be a trap' Tom thought hastily as Kathryn pulled open the makeshift door. 'I know but it could also be an opportunity. You saw those men, they were Borg I am sure of it.' Kathryn replied without saying a word. Pulling on the door, but heeding Tom's warning they both stepped inside. What they found was no wise man sitting on a pile of dusty cushions. Or a warrior draped in the bones of those he had killed, no what they found was far worse.

Tom stepped back in shock, almost falling over the narrow railing that lined the walk way they were now stood upon.

"Well this I was not expecting." Kathryn said as she made a grab for Tom's hand to steady him.

"Now what are we supposed to do?" Tom said looking around him, totally in ore of the vastness of this structure.

"Now we take them down." Kathryn replied as she looked upon the familiar sight of the interior of a Borg cube.

TBC...

Thank you for reading XxX