Lead Me Through the Fire
Part Three
Captain Janeway tugged at the hem of her dress uniform, then ran her hands down the front to smooth it out. Chin high, she examined her reflection in the window of the darkened mess hall. She looked every bit the distinguished Starfleet captain.
She had been wondering for months how she would feel when this day finally came, but she was completely calm. It had taken several sleepless nights of self-examination, but she had come to terms with Chakotay and Seven's relationship. After all, it had been her adherence to Starfleet protocol that had prevented her and Chakotay from becoming involved. He had refrained from pursuing her out of respect for her beliefs. If she felt abandoned and alone now, she had no one to blame but herself.
But she didn't blame herself. In another time, another place, things might have turned out differently... but stranded out here in the Delta Quadrant, there was no other way it could have been. And if a relationship between her and Chakotay was impossible, why shouldn't he move on and find happiness with someone else?
Even so, the reflection in the window was a lonely one. The remains of the decorations from the ceremony were strewn about the empty mess hall and it looked as empty and forlorn now as it had appeared full of life and promise only a few hours before.
She studied the image in the window for a few more long moments. She closed her eyes slowly, allowing herself one last moment of regret before she opened them again, this time looking past the reflection at the stars streaking by the window.
Wrapping her fingers around her coffee mug, taking comfort in its familiar contours and unaware that the liquid inside was long cold, she closed her eyes again and listened for the faint throbbing of the warp engines. The sound of her ship always had a way of calming her. Listening to Voyager was like meditation.
Her reverie was interrupted by the noise of Chell moving around in the galley, shutting it down for the night. During the many late nights she had spent in the mess hall staring at the stars and thinking, she had come to know the sounds well. She heard him emerge from the galley, but kept her gaze fixed on the window.
"Is there anything else I can get for you, Captain? I think there's still some Krevallan fudge cake left."
"I'm fine, thank you."
The Bolian remained where he was standing for a few seconds, then nodded. "Goodnight, Captain."
"Goodnight."
She heard the doors close behind him and let out a sigh without realizing it. She moved over to the couch and sank down into it, her hands still wrapped around her cold coffee mug. After a few minutes had passed, she heard the mess hall doors open again. She turned around, expecting to see Harry Kim. Their late night encounters in the mess hall, originally brought on by recurring insomnia, had become a somewhat regular occurrence.
Instead of her Operations officer, she saw the Doctor standing a few meters inside the doorway, watching her.
"Doctor. What can I do for you?" One side of her mouth curled up in a hint of a smile. "I assume you didn't come here looking for a midnight snack."
"I thought you might like some company."
Her eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly as she tried to unravel his meaning, but her expression softened when met with his honest, caring expression and she realized that she was not the only one on board who had watched someone she cared about move on without her. He knew. She would never admit it for her part, but he knew that too.
She smiled and patted her hand on the couch next to her. "Have a seat."
He complied, and opened his mouth as if to say something, but then thought better of it. Instead they sat in silence, watching the stars fly by.
.....
Captain's Log, Stardate 57349.4. It's been ten days since we crossed into Borg space. So far, all we've seen of the Borg are a few cubes on long range sensors. Hopefully, Mr. Kim's shield modifications will keep it that way. The lack of a reception, as it were, is making me more confident in my decision, but I mustn't let myself become complacent. This could very well be the calm before the storm... I only hope we will weather it as well as we have in the past.
Although the crew is handling this latest challenge as well as can be expected, morale has suffered since we lost our commlink with the Alpha Quadrant a few weeks ago. We still can't be certain whether this is a deliberate Borg tactic or just random interference, but having our contact with home cut off after so long has hit the crew hard. I must admit, however, not having to explain our little trek through Borg territory to Starfleet has come as somewhat of a relief.
...Computer, delete last entry.
.....
Harry Kim glanced over his shoulder as Captain Janeway, Chakotay and Tuvok entered Astrometrics. "What is it, Ensign?" she asked tersely.
"We've got company."
"I thought they hadn't shown any sign they'd noticed us."
"So did I." Harry pulled up a display on the screen. "We didn't see them until we managed to extend the sensor range."
Captain Janeway's eyes narrowed as a new set of readings appeared on the screen. "They're shadowing us."
"It certainly looks that way."
"What reason would the Borg have for following Voyager?" asked Chakotay. "I thought they didn't react until they perceived something as a threat."
"Obviously," said Seven, "they perceive Voyager as a threat regardless of our actions."
"The Borg Queen?"
Seven acknowledged the captain with a nod. "It seems likely that she is behind this behavior."
Janeway remained silent, taking in every detail of the sensor scans on the screen in front of her.
"We could change course, try and lose them," suggested Chakotay.
"That would alert them that they have been detected," said Seven. "It would be wiser to keep the advantage of surprise on our side."
Captain Janeway nodded. "I'll take any advantage we can get. Continue your scans and keep me posted." She frowned as she scrutinized the display. "I want to know what they're up to."
.....
Seven of Nine's footsteps echoed down the corridor as she walked. The hallways were empty and a strange hush hung in the air.
She saw a flash of movement out of the corner of her eye. Her pace slowed to a halt and she slowly turned around, searching for whatever it was she had seen.
The corridor was empty.
She continued walking, faster this time. She could feel eyes on her, following her as she quickened her pace.
Seven of Nine.
She froze. Her eyes darted in every direction, searching for the source of the ominous whisper.
Seven of Nine, tertiary adjunct of Unimatrix Zero One.
She turned and began running down the corridor, trying to fight off the wave of inexplicable terror washing over her. She rounded a corner and saw a Borg drone further down the hallway, examining a control panel. She immediately stopped and took several steps backward, but she had been spotted. The drone turned and began walking towards her.
She took off in the opposite direction, but as soon as she made it around the bend in the corridor she saw another drone coming towards her. She ran back again, looking for another passageway for refuge.
There were none. She was trapped.
She looked back and forth between the drones closing in on her from both sides. She backed up against the wall, her heart hammering mercilessly against her ribcage.
A pair of hands grabbed her from behind and she whipped around to find herself face to face with the Borg Queen. She struggled to free herself, but the Queen's grip on her upper arms was ironclad.
The other two drones reached them. Each took one of her arms and pulled her away from the Queen, pinning her against the opposite wall.
The Queen moved towards her, raising her arm to the level of Seven's neck.
"No," she pleaded, struggling. "No!"
The matriarch smiled and wordlessly extended her arm to its full length. Her assimilation tubules extended in a flash and punctured the tender flesh just above Seven's collar bone...
She awoke with a start and sat up. Something touched her shoulder and she whirled around, startled.
"Seven?" Chakotay was sitting up as well, his expression concerned.
"I..." She reached up and felt for puncture marks on her neck but her fingers brushed over smooth, unblemished skin. She took a long, deep breath. "It's nothing. I had a nightmare."
.....
The Borg Queen closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, absorbing the new information. After several seconds, she opened her eyes again and glared at the image of Voyager on the display screen before her.
It hadn't been enough... this time. But there would be other attempts, and eventually, she would succeed.
.....
Point, Seven of Nine. Match, Seven of Nine, recited the computer impartially.
Captain Janeway rested her hands on her knees as she caught her breath. "You've been practicing."
Seven didn't attempt to conceal her sly smile. "A little."
"More than a little."
"Perhaps my superior visual acuity and stamina are finally paying off."
The captain straightened up with a chuckle. "Another game?"
"Icheb and I are upgrading the sensor array at 1500 hours."
"Another time, then." She picked up a towel from the sidelines and mopped the back of her neck. The fourteen rounds had taken a toll on her; she certainly wasn't getting any younger. The Starfleet-issue tank top she was wearing was drenched in sweat.
They left the holodeck together and started down the hall. "We should do this more often," commented the captain. "I remember when we never went more than a week without having a game."
"I don't believe we've had a match since before Chakotay and I became involved." Captain Janeway slowed to a stop and scrutinized her companion. "Merely an observation, Captain."
Janeway smiled and resumed walking. "Of course. Well, I think it's time we got back into the habit. Rematch next week, same time?" she asked as they reached the intersection where they would part.
The bulkheads jerked violently under their feet, throwing the Captain into the wall with a loud thud. She regained her balance and hit her commbadge. "Janeway to the bridge. Report."
We are under attack by the Borg cubes that have been following us, Tuvok replied.
She fingered her shoulder. It felt like it might be dislocated. "I'm on my way." She nodded to Seven and they started towards the turbolift that would take them to the bridge.
.....
Captain's Log, Stardate 57386.5. Engineering teams have nearly finished the repairs after our first encounter with the Borg. There was a hull breach on deck 10 and considerable damage to several key systems, but fortunately there were no severe injuries among the crew aside from a few broken bones and some sprains. However, I fear this may be only be the beginning of what the Borg are capable of inflicting on us.
.....
Seven of Nine found herself walking down a familiar corridor that seemed to be leading nowhere. She had a feeling it was supposed to be taking her somewhere, but around every bend and turn it seemed to stretch out endlessly before her. There were no doors, no intersecting passageways, and the only sound was a distant noise of grinding machinery that seemed out of place in a starship corridor.
When she turned another corner, she saw a young girl with blond hair standing in the middle of the hallway.
"Hello," said Seven. "Do you know how to get out of here?"
The young girl nodded.
"Can you show me?"
She shook her head. "You have to stop them."
"Stop who?"
"Them." Without any further explanation, the child stepped forward and took Seven's hand, leading her down the corridor again.
"What's your name?"
"Annika," said the girl. "What's yours?"
"Seven."
"That's a strange name."
They continued in silence. The sound of machinery grew louder until they turned a bend and reached a set of large double doors. The young girl pulled Seven towards them and the doors slid open.
On the other side of the doors was Voyager's Main Engineering, but it was swarming with Borg drones. They were attacking consoles everywhere, smashing the displays with detached Borg limbs that they were swinging like hammers, while other drones were pulling wiring out of conduits. A large group was gathered around the warp core, the source of the noise she had heard. A large drill was set up perpendicular to the core and was slowly boring through the casing that housed the antimatter stream, throwing sparks and smoke everywhere.
"What are they doing?" asked Seven.
"Looking." She looked up at Seven. "You have to stop them."
"There are too many."
"You have to stop them," she insisted.
"How?"
The child glanced around, then beckoned her closer with her finger. Seven leaned over and Annika stood on her tiptoes until her mouth was next to Seven's ear.
"Wake up," she whispered.
Seven's eyes snapped open and she sat up with a jolt. Her heavy breathing echoed in the stillness of her quarters. She glanced at the bed next to her, but Chakotay was still sound asleep.
She shivered and lay down again, pulling the covers up to her chin and closing her eyes, though she knew she would not find sleep again tonight.
.....
The red pulsing glow of the red alert lights cast ominous shadows on the bridge.
"Report!" snapped Captain Janeway as the ship lurched under their feet again.
"I am detecting three more cubes on an intercept course," said Tuvok.
"Bridge to Engineering," she snapped. "How long until you can restore warp?"
There was a power surge in the antimatter injectors, replied B'Elanna over the comm. We're working on replacing the power manifold to get the core back online.
The bridge shuddered as one of the two cubes attacking them fired again. The console displays flickered.
"We just lost another chunk of the power grid," said Harry. "Auxiliary power is holding."
"Return fire."
"Primary phaser couplings are offline," responded Tuvok. "Switching to secondary systems."
Voyager alternated firing at its two pursuers, with little effect.
"Tom, evasive maneuvers, pattern gamma four."
"Aye, Captain."
The helmsman's deft piloting wasn't quick enough to avoid the next onslaught. Tom had to grip his console to stay in his seat as the bulkheads vibrated under the impact.
"Photon torpedoes are offline," reported Tuvok. "Shields are at 58 percent."
"Tom!"
He shook his head in frustration. "I can't outmaneuver them at this range."
Another pair of torpedoes collided with the shields protecting the saucer section, throwing the crew off balance.
"Damage report," snapped Chakotay.
"Hull breach on deck six," said Harry after a few seconds. "Fires on decks five, nine, and fourteen."
"Shields are at 47 percent," said Tuvok.
The captain turned to Ops. "Can we beam a torpedo onto one of the ships?"
Harry studied his readouts. "I can't penetrate their shields."
"Tuvok, fire at will. Tom, do your best to keep us out of their sights."
"Aye, Captain."
"Our phasers do not appear to be having an effect," reported Tuvok.
"It may be possible to modulate our transporters to match the Borg shields," said Seven.
"Their shields are encrypted on a rotating frequency," Harry replied. "We'd never be able to match long enough to get a lock."
"Try," snapped the captain.
Seven moved over to join Harry at Ops. She began scanning the Borg cube, then started experimenting with the transporters. As she worked, she found her fingers were flying over the console almost instinctively.
Harry was unable to hide his shock when he saw the readout on his display. "We're matching their frequency -- I've got a lock."
The bridge rocked under the impact of another torpedo.
"Energizing."
The cubes continued their barrage of fire. After a few seconds, an explosion was visible inside one of the cubes. A chain reaction of other blasts quickly engulfed the cube, which burst apart in a fiery inferno. The massive explosion expanded to consume the other cube, which virtually disintegrated before their eyes.
The bridge crew stood in momentary shock, disbelieving of their success. Captain Janeway turned to Ops. "Well done, both of you."
"Seven deserves the credit. I don't know how she matched their shield frequency so quickly."
The captain smiled, but Seven shifted uncomfortably.
Engineering to bridge, came B'Elanna's voice over the comm. We've restored warp.
"Your timing is impeccable, Lieutenant," said Janeway. "Good work."
"The other three cubes are not yet within weapons range," reported Tuvok
"Sounds like a good time to leave," she replied. "Mr. Paris, get us out of here -- warp 9."
.....
Seven made her way around the injured crew crowding Sickbay as her eyes scanned the room with the efficiency of a drone. When they settled on their object, she made her way across the room, glancing uneasily at the serious injuries of her crewmates. The seven years since her deassimilation had not made her any more comfortable with her own vulnerability.
The Doctor was occupied treating plasma burns on one of the Engineering crew and didn't notice her. "Doctor?"
He looked up at her, a concerned frown wrinkling his holographic forehead. "Seven. Are you injured?"
"No. I need to speak with you."
He returned to treating his patient. "I'm busy, Seven. It will have to wait."
"It's urgent."
He paused again and scrutinized her. Seven rarely exaggerated. He reluctantly set down his dermal regenerator and nodded for her to follow him to his office.
"What is it?" he asked.
"I need you to scan my cortical implant."
He frowned. "Why?"
"To determine if I am in contact with the Collective... or more to the point, if they are in contact with me."
His frown deepened, but he picked up a tricorder and began scanning her. "What prompted these suspicions?"
She stood perfectly still while he scanned her but her eyes were uneasy, roving his office. "I should not have been able to match the cube's shield modulations. Yet I knew precisely how to match their frequencies."
"Sounds like you have sharp instincts, nothing more. And let's not forget you have some experience with Borg technology."
"Some," she agreed with a hint of levity in her voice. She paused, attempting to explain herself. "It was as if I could see the algorithms controlling the shield frequency. It's the only explanation I can think of for my being able to counter them so quickly."
He studied his tricorder. "I'm not detecting anything out of the ordinary." He tried a smile. "Perhaps you're merely underestimating your abilities."
"There's more. I've been having nightmares."
"Perfectly natural, now that you're not regenerating as often. Dreaming is a part of the human sleep cycle. A necessary part, at that."
Seven didn't look reassured. "I have experienced dreams before, Doctor. These are different. They're... unsettling," she said, unable to find a better word.
"Tell me about them."
"I am frightened. I think I am being pursued."
"And?"
"That's all I can remember."
"It's very rare that you can tell you're dreaming when you're dreaming. That's what makes it such a vivid experience."
She forced a smile. "Perhaps you're right." She looked back out at the crowded Sickbay. "I'm sorry I wasted your time."
"Not at all." He touched her arm in a gesture of concern. "If you experience any more of these nightmares, come see me."
"Thank you. I will."
.....
The sea of consciousness that was the Borg Collective focused under the guidance of the Queen, bending to her direction. Her frustration fell away as a new idea emerged.
If she could not get the information she needed, then the information would have to come to her.
The seeds could soon be planted. It was only a matter of time before they were brought to fruition.
Only a matter of time.
.....
The torpedo casing was obsidian black and cold to the touch. Captain Janeway let the tingling sensation creep up her fingers, feeling the iciness seep into her veins.
Three black cylinders.
Three coffins.
Three officers who would never see Earth again.
Two Borg spheres had come out of nowhere when Voyager had dropped out of warp to make repairs in Engineering. The damage from the surprise attack had been severe. Several major systems were still offline, over two dozen crewmembers had suffered serious injuries, and three -- Lieutenant Baxter, Ensign Sharr, and Ensign Hickman -- had died.
The captain withdrew her hand and stepped back to join the rest of her senior staff.
"All hands," said Chakotay, "attention."
Four security officers stepped forward and one by one, the bodies of their fallen comrades were loaded into the torpedo shaft and committed to the black void of space.
As the crew dispersed, Captain Janeway wandered away on her own. Her eyes were drawn to the melted and deformed bulkheads in one corner of the cargo bay. The plasma fire that had killed her three officers had been in the adjoining cargo bay. A plasma conduit had ruptured, and the resulting fire had spread quickly, cutting off any avenue of escape. By the time help had arrived it was too late.
She looked up to see Tuvok join her. "This shouldn't have happened. Those conduits should have been better reinforced to withstand an attack."
"I suspect there is a great deal of damage of which we are unaware until something malfunctions."
"I was under the impression we had engineers to prevent that sort of thing," she snapped. "Find out who was responsible for maintenance of that section."
"Unless there was severe misconduct that lead to the rupture of the plasma conduit, Captain, I fail to see the logic in attempting to assign blame for what upon first examination was an unfortunate consequence of a severe attack."
"The crew needs to know that this isn't acceptable."
"I'm sure the crew are well aware that negligence is not acceptable." He watched as she paced impatiently beside him, her frustration obvious. "And may I venture to observe, Captain, that blaming one of the crew will not bring back the three officers who lost their lives in the attack. Nor, I doubt, will such efforts improve your state of mind."
"My state of mind --" she began harshly, but faltered. She took a deep, calming breath. "You're right, of course. It's just..." She sighed and massaged her temple. "This isn't good enough. The Borg have us outgunned, outnumbered, and they always seem to be three steps ahead of us."
"It would seem that our current tactics are insufficient."
"You're damn right they are." She looked towards the now empty torpedo bay. "I don't like losing people, Tuvok."
She didn't expect an answer, and he didn't give one.
"It's time we started adapting," she said finally.
.....
Captain Janeway strode into the briefing room and took her place at the head of the table without acknowledging her staff. She set down her customary cup of coffee, leaned forward with her hands on the table, and announced: "Seven and I have come up with a plan that should keep the Borg off our tails." She nodded to Seven, who pulled up an image of a Borg cube on one of the wall displays. The view delved deep into the cube, coming to a halt near the center of the vessel and focusing on a diamond-shaped structure that pulsed with a green glow. "We're going to steal one of these."
B'Elanna's eyes widened. "A Borg vinculum? You can't be serious, Captain."
Captain Janeway's expression was enough to assure everyone at the table that she was completely serious.
"Correct me if I'm wrong," said Tom, "but the last time we toyed with one of those we nearly blew up half of Engineering."
"Our target isn't the vinculum itself," replied Seven. "Just the transceiver."
"And how will a vinculum transceiver assist us in evading the Borg?" asked Tuvok.
"The vinculum connects drones to the Collective," explained Seven. "However, it also allows the Collective to pinpoint the location of every cube. If we had a vinculum transceiver and fed it input from some of our systems --"
B'Elanna snorted. "We'd save the Borg the trouble of having to look for us."
"We would appear to the Collective as a Borg vessel."
"How do you propose we obtain this transceiver?" asked Tuvok.
"We're going to take it," replied the captain.
He raised an eyebrow. "Naturally."
"Could we get a vinculum from the wreckage of a cube?" asked B'Elanna.
"The vinculum would likely be very badly damaged," said Seven. "It will be easier to modify a transceiver taken from a functioning cube."
"Just not as easy to get," observed Harry.
"We have identified a potential target," said Seven. She pulled up a map of the sector on a display. A flashing dot indicated a Borg cube. "A class 4 survey cube."
"It looks like there are other cubes in the vicinity," observed Chakotay. "We don't want them calling for help."
"If we intercept them here," she said, indicating an area on the cube's projected course, "the other two ships will be out of range. We would be long gone before any assistance arrived."
"Won't the Borg detect us as soon as we board the cube?" asked Tom.
"What about the Hansens' stealth technology?" said Harry.
Seven shook her head. "It's likely the Borg have adapted to them."
Harry rolled his eyes. "Well, by all means let's give up, then."
"I wasn't suggesting we give up. But we won't be able to rely on our previous tactics. We'll have to come up with new methods of avoiding detection." She raised an eyebrow. "Perhaps if you contributed your expertise rather than criticizing my observations...."
The young operations officer's expression darkened. "Seven, if you've got something to say, then --"
"We'll find a way to get around the cube without being detected," interrupted Captain Janeway, her tone dictating that the discussion was at an end. "We'll also need to get within transporter range without the cube sounding the alarm."
Tom leaned forward. "Harry and I have been working on some simulations for shield modifications for the Delta Flyer. We've been calling them stealth shields."
Tuvok raised an eyebrow. "I see, Mr. Paris, that you have not lost your flare for nomenclature."
He ignored the dig. "They're based on ancient aviation technology that was used on spy planes, before we had modern sensors that could penetrate accurately through the atmosphere. We've found a way to modify our shields to absorb the energy emitted by sensor scans, making us virtually invisible."
"But so far, in our simulations we've only been able to get the shield generator to hold out for twenty minutes or so before it gets overloaded," added Harry with a resentful sideways glance at Seven. "That won't be enough time."
"I disagree," said Seven. She turned towards Captain Janeway. "We could board the cube and remove the vinculum in that time frame."
"What about overcoming resistance?" asked Harry.
"If we develop a way to remain undetected inside the cube, there shouldn't be any resistance," she retorted.
"If there's one thing we've learned dealing with the Borg, it's that something always goes wrong." He looked to Captain Janeway for support, but she didn't acknowledge him.
She remained thoughtful for several moments before she spoke. "Everything we've done so far... it isn't enough. This is our best chance to gain an advantage over the Borg, and we're going to take it. Start working on a way to avoid detection once we're inside the cube, and continue the simulations of those shield modifications. Seven, keep me informed on the movements of that cube -- I want to know if anything changes." She met the eyes of each of her staff in turn. In some she saw approval, in some grudging support, in others restrained defiance, but her expression didn't change as her gaze moved around the table. "Get it done."
.....
The chime of her ready room door brought Captain Janeway out of her deep concentration, but she called her acceptance without taking her eyes off the Borg cube schematics she was studying on her computer screen. She recognized the familiar steps as she reached for a PADD, still without breaking eye contact with the screen.
Chakotay approached her desk and handed her a PADD, not requiring her acknowledgement. "Harry and Tom's latest simulations of the shield modifications. They look promising, but they haven't managed to extend the twenty minute window yet."
She accepted the report and gave it a cursory glance before setting it down with a satisfied nod.
Chakotay remained in place. He had more to discuss with her but was determined to wait for her undivided attention. After a few moments, she became aware of his continued silence and knowing what it meant she reluctantly gave in, closing the schematic and leaning back in her chair. She fixed him with a decidedly unwelcome stare. "Go ahead."
He frowned. "Captain?"
"Go ahead. Tell me I'm wrong. That this is too risky. That we should just stand back and let the Borg pulverize my ship, injure and kill members of my crew."
His eyes narrowed at her hostility. "You're right about one thing at least: I don't think this is a good idea."
She huffed and stood up abruptly, nearly upsetting her chair. "You're not in my position," she snapped as she strode with brisk steps towards the windows. "These people's lives aren't on your shoulders."
"The hell they're not. This is my crew too, Kathryn, and don't you accuse me of not caring about their welfare. But this isn't the way to save them." He moved up to join her on the landing. "Taking risks like this isn't going to bring back the ones who've died."
"No, but it could prevent it from happening to others."
"Or it could get a lot of people hurt, or worse." She shot him a sideways glare as she stood with her arms crossed facing the window, but he plowed forward. "Kathryn, we've escaped from under the Borg Queen's thumb twice now. Do you really expect us to get away with it a third time?"
She shook her head. "We need to do this, Chakotay. We can beat them."
"That's the difference between us, Kathryn. I want to win... to survive. You want to beat them."
Her eyes narrowed. "Are you suggesting this is some kind of vendetta on my part?"
"You tell me."
She turned back to the window. After a long pause, she shook her head as if to clear her thoughts and turned back to him, her expression determined and defiant. "Tell Tom and Harry they have 72 hours until we're in range of the cube to get their shields out of the simulator and make them a reality."
He followed her with disappointed eyes as she strode past him and returned to her seat behind her desk. "Captain --"
"And inform B'Elanna we'll need five of the modified armbands once she and Seven have finished drawing up the specifications."
That gave him pause. He could read her well enough to understand the meaning of the message. "You've chosen the away team already."
She nodded, even though it wasn't a question. "I'll be leading the assault."
"Security?"
"Tuvok and Lieutenant Ayala."
"And removing the vinculum?"
"Harry." A beat. "And Seven."
He studied his boots for several seconds as he took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "Kathryn --"
"I understand your concern, but we need her, Chakotay. You know it as well as I do."
He moved to the edge of her desk and leaned over it, resting his hands on the edge. "Then let me come with you."
There was pity in her deep blue eyes but her expression remained resolute. "I need you to stay here, on Voyager."
He stood up and turned away from her, his hands on his hips. "I'll bring her back safe and sound," she said, her voice softer. "I promise."
There was something in his gaze that unnerved her when he turned back to look at her. "Don't make promises you don't know you can keep, Kathryn. Just..." He paused, and seemed to relax. "Never mind. I know you'll do your best. I don't think you have it in you to do any less."
The unexpected compliment profoundly moved her, and she was sure it showed on her face. "I will."
.....
Captain's Log, Stardate 57803.6. We are nearing the coordinates of our planned assault on the survey cube. B'Elanna and Seven have modified the Hansens' shielding armbands and they believe they will be sufficient to conceal our presence from the Borg long enough for us to complete our mission. Mr. Paris and Mr. Kim have successfully integrated their new shield modifications into Voyager's systems but this will be their first real test. I only hope it will be enough.
Tom checked his coordinates. "We'll be within transporter range in fifteen minutes, Captain."
"Any sign of other Borg activity?" asked Chakotay.
"Negative, Commander," said Tuvok. "The two cubes that were on a divergent course have now moved out of range."
Captain Janeway rose from her chair. "Janeway to away team: meet me in transporter room two."
Way ahead of you, Captain, replied Harry over the comm.
She started towards the turbolift, along with Tuvok, Seven, and Chakotay. Tuvok preceded her into the turbolift, and she could sense Seven and Chakotay half a step behind her.
"Are you sure I can't change your mind?"
She turned to answer her first officer with her usual insistence that she was going whether Starfleet captains belonged on dangerous away missions or not, but saw that he was addressing Seven. She turned away quickly so they wouldn't see her reaction, and joined Tuvok in the turbolift.
Seven reached up and clasped Chakotay's arm with a smile. Captain Janeway couldn't hear what she said, but Chakotay nodded in resignation and stepped away from her. As Seven entered the turbolift, he turned his attention to the captain.
"We'll beam you aboard as soon as we're within transporter range," he said.
"Try not to stay too close, just in case."
He nodded. "We'll beam you back at the first sign of trouble."
"Hopefully there won't be any."
They stared at each other in silence for a few seconds before he nodded again. "Good luck, Captain."
"Take care of my ship."
It was implicitly understood that she meant both in her absence and in the event that she didn't come back.
"I always do," he replied.
The turbolift doors slid shut and the small chamber hummed as it moved between decks.
When they reached the transporter room, Harry and Lieutenant Ayala were already there, checking the phaser rifles and the shielding armbands.
Harry handed the captain her phaser rifle, and her fingers clasping the familiar grip made her feel less uneasy to be about to board a Borg cube. She and her phaser rifle had been through many a scrape together and they had always both escaped intact.
Seven handed her an armband, which she strapped on before stepping onto the transporter pad.
Bridge to transporter room, said Chakotay over the comm. We'll be in range in less than a minute. Are you ready?
"Affirmative," answered Janeway. She made sure the phaser rifle was charged, then activated the armband. She checked over her shoulder and saw the rest of the away team doing the same.
"Fifteen seconds," said Ensign Lang at the controls. She smiled. "Good luck, ma'am."
"Thank you, Ensign." She nodded. "Energize."
The familiar surroundings of the transporter room dissolved into a blue sheen, and after a few seconds a dark corridor of a Borg cube resolved around them.
Captain Janeway looked around, phaser rifle at the ready, but the only sign of Borg was the metallic clanging noises echoing off the walls. "Harry?"
He checked his tricorder. "There's a junction thirty meters this way. If we take a left that should lead us to the vinculum chamber."
She started in the direction he indicated, the away team trailing her with their weapons poised and ready. The corridor was small and imposing, lit by a green glow spilling through the bulkheads from an unseen source. The metal plating creaked under their feet as they walked.
The sound of footsteps approaching caught their attention. Janeway held up her hand and backed against the wall. The rest of the team followed suit.
A single drone approached them. The captain turned and motioned for them to lower their weapons. She kept hers tightly gripped, ready to snap it upright at the first sign of danger.
The chill of the metal seeped through her uniform as the drone drew closer, its steps unhurried. She stared into its metallic ocular implant as it passed her. The drone didn't give them so much as a glance. It continued down the passageway and they quickly lost sight of it.
"It would appear that the modifications to the armbands were effective," observed Tuvok.
They started again down the corridor. They turned left at the intersection based on Harry's scans, but quickly came to a another junction, this one with three passageways jutting off in different directions. "Harry?" said the captain over her shoulder.
Harry was frowning over his tricorder. "Give me a second. I'm having trouble getting clear readings."
"To the right," said Seven.
Captain Janeway and Tuvok exchanged a glance. "I was not aware that all Borg cubes shared the same layout," he said after a moment.
"They don't."
The captain narrowed her eyes, but hoisted her phaser rifle again. "Let's go."
Seven took the lead now, instinctively weaving them through the twisted maze of intersecting corridors.
Captain Janeway fell into step beside Tuvok. "Is it just me, or does this seem too easy?" she asked softly.
"I would have expected to encounter more resistance," he agreed. "Perhaps they merely have not detected us."
"Then why does my gut tell me something is wrong?"
Before he could answer, another turn brought them to a large set of doors. "This chamber houses the vinculum," announced Seven.
The doors slid open of their own accord. The room was lit with a pulsing green glow emanating from the vinculum, poised in a metal scaffold in the centre of the room.
Captain Janeway motioned to Tuvok and Lieutenant Ayala to guard the door as Seven and Harry approached the vinculum. She tapped her commbadge as Seven and Harry began taking scans of their prize. "Janeway to Voyager."
Go ahead, responded Chakotay.
"We've located the vinculum. Harry and Seven are working on the quickest way to extract the transceiver."
Acknowledged. We've got a transporter lock on you when you're ready to get out of there.
"Good. Janeway out." She joined Harry and Seven as they examined the machinery in front of them. "Report," she ordered.
"I believe we should be able to disconnect the transceiver so that it will take the Borg a few minutes to realize it's missing."
She nodded. "Get to work."
As they turned to their work, Captain Janeway glanced around the room, swinging her phaser rifle in front of her. She couldn't shake the feeling that this all seemed too easy, but nothing about the room that housed the vinculum seemed suspicious. She smiled to herself and lowered her weapon slightly. Maybe their luck was due for a change.
.....
The alarm from Ops caught Chakotay's attention instantly. "What is it?"
B'Elanna frowned. "I just lost the transporter lock."
"Can you reestablish it?"
"I'm trying. The Borg have raised some sort of dampening field around the vinculum chamber. Our sensors can't penetrate it."
"Try. Chakotay to Janeway." The silence over the comm only confirmed his fears. "B'Elanna, keep trying to penetrate that dampening field, and get the comm back." He turned to the image of the Borg cube on the viewscreen. "We need to get them out of there."
.....
"We've bypassed the first series of security lockouts," reported Harry. "It should only take us another minute to --"
"Captain," interrupted Tuvok from the doorway.
She turned around and looked past Tuvok and Lieutenant Ayala into the hallway. Three drones were approaching the vinculum chamber. She joined the two security officers at the door.
"Keep trying to disconnect the transceiver," she ordered over her shoulder. "We'll hold them off as long as we can."
"It is possible that they have not yet detected our presence," said Tuvok as he, Ayala, and the captain trained their weapons on the approaching drones.
The trio stopped several meters away from the chamber. One of them looked the captain directly in the eye and she felt her blood run cold. "I don't think so," she muttered.
The drones started towards them again. Raising her phaser rifle to chest height, Captain Janeway took aim and fired at the centre drone. He dropped to the ground with a metallic thud.
Ayala fired at the drone on the left, striking him in the shoulder. The force of the blast spun him around, and he crashed into the wall before falling to the floor.
Tuvok took aim at the remaining drone. He fired, but the blast was absorbed by the drone's personal shielding. "They have adapted," he observed.
"Harry?" demanded the captain over her shoulder.
"We're working on it!"
Another drone stepped out of a passageway, only a few meters from the entrance to the chamber. Two more appeared further down the corridor. "Looks like we'll have to do this the old fashioned way," muttered Janeway.
The nearest drone moved for Lieutenant Ayala, who delivered a swift uppercut with the butt of his phaser rifle and sent the drone crashing into the wall behind him. As he fell to the ground, three more drones stepped out and took his place. Behind them, another seven were moving down the corridor.
Captain Janeway slammed her elbow into the jaw of the drone attacking her, then swung her phaser rifle around to connect with its temple. It fell to the ground, and she looked around at the drones swarming towards the chamber. "There's too many," she said, breathing heavily. She tapped her commbadge. "Janeway to Voyager."
No response.
"Janeway to Voyager, please respond!"
The passageway was thick with drones now. It would be impossible to fight them all.
Without warning, the drones stopped and stood frozen in place. She looked at Tuvok, who appeared as mystified as she was.
Down the corridor, the drones began to step aside, parting like water to make way for something.
The figure parting the mass of drones drew closer, and soon stepped out of the crowd to face Captain Janeway and her two officers.
The Borg Queen.
She smiled. "Captain. So good of you to join us."
.....
"B'Elanna!"
"I'm working on it!" the half-Klingon snapped back at Chakotay. "They're modulating the dampening field faster than I can compensate!"
"Something tells me this isn't a coincidence," observed Tom.
"No," agreed Chakotay. "I don't think it is."
.....
The horrifying realization ran through Captain Janeway's veins like ice water: it was a trap. A carefully conceived, elaborate trap.
And she had walked right into it.
"I suppose it was too much to ask for you to stay out of trouble," continued the Borg Queen, still smiling.
"You suppose correctly," returned the captain.
The drones had pushed them back into the vinculum chamber and now had them surrounded, separating them both from the door and from the vinculum.
"What do you want?" asked Janeway.
"Information."
She smirked. "I don't share information with Borg."
The Queen smiled. "Not from you, Captain." She looked over her shoulder. "From her."
Captain Janeway followed her gaze to see Seven pale almost imperceptibly. She turned back to her adversary. "Seven doesn't have any information that could help you."
"I disagree. I think she could be of great assistance. She's been unfortunately reluctant so far to divulge anything."
Comprehension registered on Seven's face. "You invaded my dreams," she said quietly.
"More than your dreams. We've been with you for some time, Seven."
"Why?"
"To find the information we needed."
Seven's eyes widened. "Unimatrix Zero."
"Yes," hissed the Borg Queen.
"What about them?" asked Harry.
The connection between Seven and the Collective that had been brewing in her subconscious for months was growing stronger, and she knew the answer. "Their numbers have grown. They have driven the Borg out of Unimatrix One."
"That's why you're in this part of the quadrant," said Janeway, triumph in her expression. "They've got you on the run. I guess resistance isn't futile after all."
"Their resistance will be futile," returned the Borg Queen. "They are a plague that must be purged. We will adapt, and they will be eliminated." She turned to Seven. "But in order to fight them, we require more information."
"I do not have any information about the drones liberated from Unimatrix Zero that would assist you," said Seven. "And if I did, I would not help you fight them."
The Queen narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing the ex-drone. "What if I assimilate your captain? Or young Harry here?"
Seven's eyes flickered to her crewmates for an instant before she met the Borg Queen's gaze again. "I don't know anything that can help you."
"I'm afraid I don't believe you." She raised her arm towards Seven, her fingers splayed. Seven froze and stood paralyzed before the Borg Queen.
"Seven!" said Harry.
"What are you doing to her?" demanded Captain Janeway.
The Queen smiled and inhaled deeply as she absorbed the new information she was extracting from Seven. "How fortunate that your doctor was never able to remove her cortical node."
"Let her go."
"You're unarmed and outnumbered, Captain. You're not in a position to issue orders." The Queen flicked her hand slightly, and Seven gasped, still frozen in place. She moved closer, standing inches from Seven's face which was expressionless except for the pain showing in her eyes. "Tell me what I need to know," she hissed, "and it can all end."
"She told you, she doesn't know anything!" said Harry.
The Queen's expression slowly changed, a mixture of disbelief and fury. "She doesn't, does she?" She smiled slightly. "All this time, I thought you were the key to eliminating them. But you are... irrelevant."
She flicked her wrist, then lowered her arm. Seven dropped to the ground with a sickening thud.
Captain Janeway reacted in a flash. Grabbing the arm of the drone that was standing behind her, she ducked and flipped him over her shoulder. The drone slammed into the floor, stunned.
She turned and ripped a long metal rod from the wall next to her. Before the Borg Queen had a chance to react, Janeway had her pinned against the wall, the pipe at her throat. She leaned forward, feeling the metal starting to crush the cartilage inside the Queen's neck.
"What's the matter?" she hissed. "Not used to anyone fighting back?"
Without apparent effort, the Queen lifted one arm and delivered a vicious backhand that sent the captain reeling backwards, her cheek slashed open by the implants on the back of the Queen's hand.
Tuvok and the others were fighting the drones restraining them, with limited success. Harry managed to dispatch the two nearest him, and turned back to attempting to retrieve the vinculum transceiver.
The Queen approached Captain Janeway, who was still recovering from the earlier blow. Two drones grabbed her from behind, holding her in place as the Queen raised her arm and reached for the exposed flesh of the captain's neck.
Chakotay to away team, we've got a transporter lock and we're getting you out of there.
The Borg Queen's eyes widened furiously, and she lunged for Captain Janeway. Her assimilation tubules met air as the captain dissolved in a transporter beam.
She looked around at the room, now devoid of the Voyager away team. She turned her attention to the vinculum and saw that the core had been accessed and the transceiver was missing. She could already feel the chaos beginning to spread throughout the vessel.
She narrowed her eyes. Voyager would have to pay for this.
.....
Captain Janeway gasped with relief as Voyager's transporter room materialized around her. She reached out and supported herself against the wall, still dazed from her scuffle with the Queen.
"Beam us directly to Sickbay!" Harry snapped at Ensign Lang, kneeling next to Seven's prone body.
He and Seven dematerialized, bringing the captain back to the situation at hand.
"Are you all right, ma'am?" asked Ensign Lang, eyeing the bleeding gash on her cheek with concern.
"I'm fine," she said tersely, stepping off the transporter pad. "Janeway to bridge, report."
We've gone to warp. The Borg don't appear to be pursuing us. What happened over there?
"Let's just say it didn't exactly go according to plan," she sighed, then hesitated. "Seven was injured."
There was a moment of silence. Badly?
"You'd better get to Sickbay. I'll meet you there."
.....
Captain Janeway expected to see a flurry of activity when she entered Sickbay. Instead there was an ominous hush in the air and everyone was still.
Harry and the Doctor turned when she entered, and the expressions on their faces were like a cold fist gripping her heart. She moved over to join them. "Doctor?" she asked, her voice hoarse.
He was more shaken than she had ever seen him. "I'm sorry, Captain. There's... nothing I can do."
A chilling numbness crept over her. She looked over the hologram's shoulder at the once vibrant young woman, now lying weak and helpless.
"Her Borg implants are shutting down," continued the doctor. "The damage is too severe to repair."
"What about removing the implants?" asked the captain reflexively.
"Her autonomic nervous system is completely dependent on her cortical node. When it shuts down..."
She nodded numbly.
He reached over and gently squeezed her arm. "I'm sorry, Captain."
"I'm... sure you did everything you could, Doctor."
She stepped around him and moved over to stand next to Seven. She was conscious, but appeared to be in a great deal of pain.
"Captain." She swallowed with difficulty. "Did we obtain the vinculum?"
"Yes. Harry managed to retrieve it just before we beamed out."
"I... I didn't realize that... it was a trap..."
She could feel the tears stinging her eyes. "It wasn't your fault, Seven."
She heard the Sickbay doors slide open and closed her eyes, knowing who it was. Chakotay's familiar steps echoed in the room as he hastily moved towards his wife. Kathryn stepped back, giving Seven's shoulder a final squeeze as Chakotay reached her side.
He took Seven's hand and tenderly brushed a strand of hair out of her face. "Hey," he whispered.
She smiled serenely. "Chakotay."
He looked up at the Doctor, the question no one wanted to answer in his eyes.
The EMH slowly shook his head. "I think she was waiting for you."
The shock on Chakotay's face was painful to watch. He looked back down at Seven, searching her face for something, anything, that belied the grim expressions of those around him.
"I'm sorry," she whispered to him.
He stroked her hair. "Shhh. It's all right."
"I wish... I'd been able... to see Earth with you," she whispered, short of breath.
Tears welled up in his eyes. "Don't talk like that. We're still going to see Earth. Together."
She shook her head almost imperceptibly. "I wish... we'd had more time. To know each other."
The tears rolled freely down his cheeks. He clutched her hand and pressed it to his chest as if he could keep her alive through willpower alone. "Seven... don't do this. You've got to fight."
She reached up and touched the side of his face, tracing her fingers over the base of his tattoo. "I'm not afraid," she whispered.
She let her hand fall back down to rest on her stomach. Her eyelids fluttered shut, her head rolled slightly to the side, and she lay still. Chakotay leaned over her, shedding silent tears and stroking her face, her hand still clutched tightly to his chest.
Captain Janeway seemed unaware of the tears that were running down her face, mingling with the blood flowing from the cut on her cheek. She reached behind her, steadying herself on the biobed and trying to stop the room spinning around her.
She felt the Doctor take her by the arm. She looked up at him, her eyes begging him to tell her that this wasn't happening. That he could save Seven.
"We should give him a few minutes," he said instead.
She looked over at her grieving first officer, and nodded numbly before allowing the Doctor to lead her towards his office.