Evolutions I: An Act of Betrayal
Part Nine
"I can't believe I did that," Paris said as he sat in the mess hall. "I sold out Naomi, betrayed B'Elanna, and sent Seven to hell. I told her that things on Voyager were different, that I was her friend."
"I know what you mean. I don't know what possessed me to do the things I did. The captain ordered me to tamper with Seven's alcove," Kim said sadly, deciding not to mention the other things that he had done with the captain. "B'Elanna and Seven have saved all our lives more times than I can count, and this is how we repay them."
"What I did was so much worse," Samantha Wildman said, beginning to cry. "I told my own daughter than I didn't want her, that she was a mistake. I threw her out of our home, and let the captain trade her for a faster way home. She is never going to forgive me for this," Samantha Wildman sobbed.
"I was her godfather," Neelix said softly. "I promised to always take care of her, to protect her. I failed. Hell I didn't even try. We don't deserve their forgiveness, and we can't ever make it up to them."
The other three nodded their heads sadly. As Neelix looked around the mess hall he realized that they weren't the only ones that felt this way, almost everyone looked like they regretted what they had done. As Neelix thought about it he realized that no one had even explored the space station yet, they were all still on the ship, too deeply depressed by what they had done.
"Something isn't right," Neelix said, attracting the attention of the rest of the people in the mess hall. "I don't know how, but I think something has been controlling us. Its way too convenient, we all turned against them at the same time, and now we all regret it at the same time. I'm going to talk to the captain about this," Neelix stood up and began to leave the mess hall.
"Wait for us," Paris said, "you might need some help convincing the captain that something isn't right."
"I think I'm going to need all the help I can get," Neelix said as the four of them made their way to the bridge.
"How long until the upgrades are completed?" Janeway asked.
"The Socadan have informed us that it will take five more days to complete," Tuvok reported to the captain.
"Excellent, keep me informed," Janeway said, smiling.
"Captain, there is something else. I wish to know how you plan to handle the return of the hybrids to Voyager. It would be less of a security risk to simply eliminate them." Tuvok said.
"Yes, but their expertise would definitely make the trip faster, maybe even safer."
"What do you plan to do when we reach the Alpha quadrant? There is still the possibility they might find a way to prove what we have done."
"The doctor and I have discussed it further. If they say anything to Starfleet it will look like they are suffering the psychological effects of an encounter with the Borg. The rest of the crew will back up our story and destroy all the evidence pertaining to it." Janeway said smugly.
"After everything that has happened, how will you convince them to return to Voyager?" Tuvok asked.
"I have also thought about this, and I have the perfect way to do it," Janeway smirked. "Naomi Wildman is underage, according to the laws of both Starfleet and the Socadan. After the Socadan are finished with them Naomi will have to return to Voyager, and from what I know about Seven and Torres they won't just leave her here with us. They will come back to make sure nothing happens."
"How do we know that they will not attempt to escape?"
"Eventually they'll come around, they just have to realize that sometimes you have to take one for the team," Janeway optimistically.
"If you are sure, Captain," Tuvok said.
The doors of the captain's ready room opened and Neelix walked in followed by Paris, Wildman, and Kim.
"Captain, there is something we have to talk to you about," Neelix started.
"Captain, if you will excuse me, I must begin my patrol," Tuvok said as he left.
"Neelix, you were saying?" the captain asked.
"Captain, I think something happened to us, all those things we said and did to B'Elanna, Naomi and Seven, and it just doesn't make any sense. Without them we won't make it to the Alpha quadrant," Neelix said, visibly upset.
"Relax Neelix, I feel the same way, and we are going to get them back. I have already talked to the Socadan, they will release them in two more days," Janeway said, trying to calm them down.
"Captain, do you think they will ever forgive us?" Wildman asked softly.
"I'm sure everything is going to be fine, Samantha. They'll get over it eventually," Janeway said. "The only problem is they may not want to come back after everything that has happened."
"Isn't there anything we can do to change their minds?" Paris asked.
"Well, there is something we can do," Janeway said, pretending to have just thought of it. "Since Naomi is still underage we can make her come back to Voyager."
"If Naomi comes back then Seven and B'Elanna will have to come back as well," Kim said cheerfully, finishing Janeway's thought.
"Exactly," Janeway said smiling, "it's not how I wanted to do this but we need them."
"Captain, did they tell you what they were doing to them?" Samantha asked, deep concern etching her features.
"You don't have to worry," Janeway lied. "The Socadan said they were only going to do a few medical tests and take some blood samples; they should be fine."
"Seven, do you know what else they are going to do to you?" B'Elanna asked.
"I am unsure, I can only assume that they will want to verify their experiments once my body has stabilized."
As if on cue, Carkonas entered the cell carrying a data pad, followed by three other Socadan carrying phasers.
"It seems the first phase has completed with no problems," Carkonas said, smirking.
"The first phase? What the hell are you talking about?" B'Elanna said, moving Seven behind her.
"Do you truly believe that introducing Omega into a living organism could be done with just a simple hypo spray?" Carkonas asked, sneering. "I knew you humans were inferior, but I had hoped that you would at least know this much. The changes are still far from stable."
"You're going to tell me everything that you did to her," B'Elanna demanded.
"Come now, you are in no position to be making demands. I could make the situation far less comfortable for you all."
"B'Elanna only wishes to know what to expect. As you have said, you will have no use for us after Omega has stabilized," Seven said, hoping that Carkonas would not follow through with his threat.
"I am not a cruel man," Carkonas said pretentiously. "I will of course provide you with a complete report of our findings, but first we must complete the second phase."
Carkonas then began speaking to the guards. "Bring the test subject to the examination room, I want to know of all the changes that have taken place before we begin."
As the guards moved forward to pull Seven out of the cell, B'Elanna pushed them back roughly, "You're not doing anything else to Seven."
As the guards steadied their phasers on the half Klingon, Carkonas interceded. "Torres, if we do not begin phase two, Omega will de-stabilize, and your friend will die."
B'Elanna looked between the guards and Seven before finally relenting. "Alright, but if you hurt her I will kill every last one of you."
Looking into B'Elanna's eyes, Carkonas recognized she was serious. "As a show of good will Torres, I will stay here and answer all of your questions personally," Carkonas said, trying to placate the enraged women. He knew that she would not be able to follow through with her threat but a great many of his people could be injured in the process.
Seven was led out of the room by the guards, as B'Elanna stared coldly at the Socadan.
"You can start by telling me why you picked Seven first," B'Elanna stated.
"It is actually quite simple, but I am not surprised that an inferior species like yours could not figure it out. If the procedure is successful we will be performing the same procedure on our own people. If Omega can only be successfully bonded to a species with the hybrid genetic trait we must know now if it will bond with a subject in which the trait has been artificially introduced."
"Do you know what could happen to Seven in the long run?"
"We believe that Omega will adapt the subject's body so that they can deal with any environment. In addition the longer a subject is bonded with Omega the more powerful they become. In fact by the time you reach the Alpha quadrant the drone will have adapted to the point that it will be a serious force to be reckoned with."
"Seven isn't like that, she doesn't care about power."
"No one is perfect and, in my experience, absolute power corrupts absolutely every one."
"So what are you going to do when your own people become too powerful to handle? How are you going to deal with them?"
"We have prepared for that. When we transform our own people we will leave the procedure incomplete, they will be given a special serum to balance Omega. If you wish we can do the same thing to the drone, it will give your people a way to control her."
"NO, those bastards have done enough to us already. I will not let them turn Seven into a slave."
"As you wish, I will not mention the serum to your captain."
"Will Voyager let us leave?"
"That is up to you and your captain. You will be released before Voyager is ready to leave. If you wish to escape your crew, you must do it then."
As Seven entered the examination room, her attention was drawn to the bio-bed in the center of the room. It was not dissimilar to the technology that was aboard Voyager.
"My name is Callik. We are going to give you a thorough physical examination first." One of the guards said as he walked into the middle of the room.
He looked very similar to Carkonas except for the fact that he was a couple of inches taller and seemed to have more of an athletic muscled build, which was rare for his species.
"The doctor of Voyager has given you my complete medical file. This is not necessary," Seven said, hoping that they would just let her go back to B'Elanna and Naomi.
"That may be correct, but you have gone through some significant physical changes since then," Callik answered. "If you cooperate this will go much easier for the both of us," Callik said, his voice growing hard.
Seven stepped back, getting the feeling that Callik was not a man to upset.
"You will need to remove your clothing so that we can begin your examination."
Seven shakily pulled down the zipper of her bio suit and pulled off her clothing. For the first time she could recall, she was embarrassed. She did not feel comfortable exposing her body in front of these people.
"B'Elanna is the only one that should see me like this." The thought hit her like a ton of bricks. Why did she feel this way? The only conclusion she could draw was she had feeling for B'Elanna. Seven was completely shocked by the fact that she could have such strong feeling for someone she had only gotten to know over the past few days.
It took only a moment longer for her to trace how the chief engineer had resurrected this facet of her humanity. B'Elanna had always been there for her when she needed her. She was the first one to treat her as a person.
"I promise you B'Elanna," Seven murmured to herself. "If I survive this I will tell you how I feel."
"Stand up strait, feet shoulder width apart," Callik instructed. "You will also remove the metallic objects in your hair."
Seven nodded, still not looking at the man, and quickly removed her hair pins. Seven's hair cascaded down her back and framed her face softly. She wrapped her arms around her chest in a futile attempt to cover herself.
"That is not what you were told to do," Callik barked. "You will lower your arms and stand with your feet shoulder width apart," he said, now almost shouting.
Seven cringed at his tone and lowered her arms. She stood there for a few seconds as nothing happened. Seven was about to ask what was going on when she felt a warm sensation travel up and down her body. As she looked down she saw a red line slowly moving down her body. "This must how they are scanning me," Seven thought as the line finally stopped at her toes.
"The first scan is complete," Callik said evenly. "You will now lie down on your back," he said, pointing at the bio-bed.
Seven quickly walked over and lay down. She wanted to get this done as fast as possible.
The bio-bed made slight humming noises as it collected data on her physical state. "Temperature 98.9 degrees, normal for your species. Heart beat also appears normal, I see no reason why we can not continue to the next stage."
Callik then tapped his neck twice, activating his comm. "Carkonas, sir, the subject is in good health and we are ready to begin phase two."
"I am on my way," the voice of Carkonas sounded through the comm.
A few moments later Carkonas appeared at the door carrying another hypo spray. He again pressed it to Seven's neck, emptying its contents into her body.
This time instead of making Seven feel weak and tired, she was awake and more aware of her surroundings.
"Why have I not lost consciousness this time?" Seven asked curiously.
"Your body has already begun to adapt, it is only in stage one that you lose consciousness," Carkonas informed Seven.
"May I have my clothing back now?" Seven asked sitting up.
"I am afraid that we can not do that, we must also examine the dead skin cells in your clothing," Carkonas said, now almost leering at Seven's body.
"You are making me feel uncomfortable," Seven said as she wrapped her arms around her legs, attempting to cover her body.
"Yes, of course," Carkonas said, tearing his eyes away from Seven's body. "Callik, bring some clothing for the subject."
Callik turned around and began inputting information into the computer. After he was finished a light blue sanitized medical gown appeared along with a pair of underwear.
Seven quickly put on the clothing as Callik spoke. "The gown has been measured to fit you exactly, you will be issued a second one after the final stage is complete."
Seven ignored him and began examining at the gown they had given her. Completely blue, it was form-fitting and went down to her knee. The material was made of a light almost paper like material that reached to her knees.
"The clothing is acceptable," Seven said when it looked as though Callik had finished speaking.
"You may now return to your cell," Carkonas motioned for the guards to escort her back.
To Be Continued... (what no cliff hanger? And some of the stuff has been explained. I think I might be losing my touch)