Star Trek Voyager characters are the property of Paramount Pictures.

CHAPTER THIRTY NINE

REDEMPTION
Part One

Tranquil waves lapped a white shore as Kathryn and Seven walked across a sunset beach. Kathryn walked barefoot through the water's edge, holding her sandals in her right hand. She was casually dressed in denim shorts and a blue t-shirt and her now shoulder length hair was swept away from her face in a pony tail. Seven looked rather out of place beside her in a brown catsuit and heels.

"I feel... on display," Seven said as she looked away from the curious glances of by-passers. "Recognition is unsettling."

Kathryn couldn't help smile. "Perhaps if you wore a different outfit, you wouldn't be recognized as much. You no longer have to wear a catsuit all the time."

"Human fashion is more preoccupied with appearance than practicality," Seven replied. "Therefore it is inefficient."

"And a catsuit is efficient for the beach?"

"It is comfortable," Seven answered. "And a change of outfit would not change my facial structure. I would still be recognized."

"Not necessarily. People have a certain image of us. Change that image just slightly and the chances are people won't recognize us." She couldn't help tease again. "Perhaps you could become a red-head."

As Kathryn spoke, a sharp object in the sand dug into her foot, causing her to cry out. "Ouch. Something just went into my foot."

In the sand beneath her foot was a stray piece of silver metal.

"Looks like a piece of debris," Seven said, picking it up.

Kathryn looked at her foot and saw that it was bleeding quite badly. "Damn," she said. "This is what happens when you ignore your mother's warning to never walk barefoot in the sand." She ripped a piece of her t-shirt. "Keep the damn thing safe. We don't want a child to hurt on it." She tied the fabric around her foot. "That should protect it until I can get it treated."

After putting her sandals back on, she looked up at Seven. The former drone was studying the piece of debris intensely.

Kathryn questioned. "What is it?"

"This is no ordinary piece of debris," Seven stated. "It is Borg."

"Borg?"

Seven looked up at Kathryn. "And I believe it is active."

"How do you mean?"

"Not long after my skin came into contact with this object, I felt a surge of energy. In my opinion, it was caused by the sudden entry of nanoprobes into my system."

Kathryn's face paled. "If they entered your body then..."

Seven nodded. "They must also have entered yours."


Back at Griffy Manor, Kathryn established a comm link with Admiral Montgomery. Within seconds he appeared on the screen, casually dressed in brown trousers and t-shirt, and holding a glass of orange juice in his hands.

"Sorry to disturb your weekend," Kathryn replied, "but something's happened that I must report to you."

"Where are you?"

"At home."

"Meet me in Starfleet Headquarters in about five minutes. Wait outside my office."

"Yes, Sir."

As the connection terminated, Seven turned to Kathryn. "Your foot is still bleeding."

"There's no time to worry about that now," Kathryn replied. "Come on, we need to get to Starfleet Headquarters."


The white strip of fabric on Kathryn's foot was red with blood now. While she and Seven waited for Montgomery to appear, she tore off another strip of t-shirt and tied it around the wound. As she did so, Montgomery materialized.
"Admiral Janeway, Seven of Nine," he said formally. He glanced at the piece of debris and the wound on Kathryn's foot and immediately analyzed the situation.

"Admiral Montgomery," Kathryn said, "it's good of..."

"Let's not talk here," he said, opening the doors to his office. "Corridors are dangerous places."

He hurried into his office and Kathryn and Seven followed. As the doors closed behind them, Montgomery turned to them.

"It's imperative that you discuss this incident with no one."

Kathryn frowned. "I haven't even told you what's happened yet..."

"You don't need too. It's obvious."

"It is?"

"While at the beach this evening, you cut your foot on a piece of debris that Seven of Nine recognizes to be Borg and carrying active nanoprobes."

"Well observed," Seven said.

"There's more to this than observation," Kathryn surmised. "What's going on?"

Montgomery was a moment in answering. "What I'm about to tell you is top secret. You must both promise not to tell anyone."

"You have my word," Kathryn replied.

"Mine too," Seven said.

Montgomery then began. "Several years ago, it came to our attention that Borg debris in our habitat carries active Borg nanoprobes that enter a humanoid's body when they come into contact with the debris. So far, no one carrying the nanoprobes, or the "Borg virus" as we prefer to call it, has been assimilated. Therefore we believe the nanoprobes lie dormant until they are activated by the Borg Queen."

"Such a method of assimilation sounds highly implausible," Seven responded. "Never was such a method employed while I was a drone. Assimilation needs to be direct from one drone to another."

"We have considered that," Admiral Montgomery replied. "If this is atypical of the Borg, then it may have been a unique method employed directly as a result of the mission to assimilate Earth in 2063."

"That is more plausible," Seven replied. "The Borg adapt methods as is necessary. Evolution is crucial to survival."

Kathryn interrupted. "If this Borg virus has been infecting people for centuries, without any consequence, then why is this being kept as classified information?"

"For many reasons," Admiral Montgomery replied. "Firstly we do not want to cause mass hysteria. Secondly, we do not wish this knowledge to reach the Borg. Thirdly, we are in the middle of an operation to apprehend a usurper queen."

Seven questioned. "Usurper Queen?"

"I can say no more," he replied. "But this individual may approach you and entice you to join her. If she does, then report immediately to me with all she says and does."

Now Kathryn questioned. "Are you saying that a woman here on Earth wishes to become the next Borg Queen?"

Admiral Montgomery flinched. "Next? How do you know of the Royal Protocol?"

"Seven...Anneka... told me. I was curious to know how the Queen could still exist when she had been killed by Captain Picard."

"I see," he replied. "Then you will know how a successor is chosen."

"But she must be Borg," Seven interrupted. "She must be a drone who is favored by the existent Queen. This woman cannot be the Queen if she is not Borg."

"We believe she is Borg," Montgomery clarified. "We believe she has assimilated herself...or rather with some help from an EMH Mark One. We believe she has transformed her body into Borg and intends to try and become the Queen the next time the Queen is killed. She will then activate the virus that is dormant and begin to assimilate Earth."

Kathryn shivered. "I'm sure you have your reasons for these conclusions, but they seem highly implausible. What kind of woman would want to do something like this?"

"The kind of woman this woman is," Montgomery answered.

"But if you know who she is," Kathryn continued, "why not apprehend her?"

"Because we're not absolutely certain it's her. We need to be certain before we act..." He paused. "And I have said too much already. All this is highly classified. I am only telling you because of what has happened today."

"Why not tell me sooner? I have had more runs ins with the Borg than anyone at Starfleet Command and Anneka...Seven... and Icheb were both drones. We could help."

"It's precisely because of your knowledge and experience that we've kept you out of this. As far as we are aware, this individual does not know we know her plans. Bringing you in could make her suspicious. As far as she's concerned, we know only of the virus but are keeping it from the general populace to prevent hysteria."

"Wouldn't it be better to make it public knowledge so that if she does activate the virus, people will be prepared?"

"We do not believe these individuals will become drones right away. We've been researching this virus for the past several years and, while there is still so much we don't know, we don't believe assimilation will be immediate. We believe it will take at least a few hours and exhibit certain physiological changes first. Therefore, we've sent word to every doctor in the Federation to be on their guard for what we've called Xakarian flu. If a patient manifests any of the symptoms, they are to be taken into quarantine at Starfleet Medical hospital, no exceptions. Hopefully, this way we'll be able to gather together all potential drones in one place and keep knowledge of what is happening from the public."

"Is there no way of removing these nanoprobes before they are activated?" Kathryn asked.

"We're working on it. But a "cure", as we're calling it, is still a long way from being perfected."

"Doctor Photon may be able to help," Seven added. "He has had much experience of Borg physiology."

"It would raise suspicion to solicit his help."

"I don't think so," Kathryn said, "quite the contrary. He's the obvious choice. To not ask him could raise suspicion."

Montgomery considered this a moment. "That is a good point. I will recruit him." He paused. "Hopefully, we will be able to apprehend this individual before her plan comes to fruition. But she is dangerous and unpredictable. If you feel any physiological changes at all, then report to Starfleet Medical Hospital immediately. For the safety of the Federation, we must quarantine everyone who shows the symptoms, regardless of rank."

"I understand," Kathryn replied.

Montgomery looked down at Kathryn's bleeding foot. "I won't keep you any longer. You need to get your foot seen too. A regular doctor will suffice. But remember, what I've told you remains between us."

Kathryn nodded. "You have my word, Sir."


A roaring fire burnt beneath a vast black sky of stars. Arlei and Rennay sat around it, eating hot peanuts Chakotay had boiled on the fire, while he collected firewood. For weeks they had all been cooped up in Arlei's shuttle, so now they had finally reached Federation space, they had decided to spend a few days on an uninhabited planet and just unwind. It had taken them much longer than expected to escape Cardassian space. Maintaining the cloak all day and all night had consumed more power than Arlei had thought it would. They had been forced to take the cloak offline and travel only at a speed of warp 2 until they could find dilithium crystals. While they were searching for the rare mineral, they had been forced to take refuge in a nebula to avoid Cardassian ships. As a result of all this, it had taken them almost two months to reach the Cardassian border, and then a further few days to circumvent Talarian space.

Rennay was still very quiet, but had opened up more and more as the weeks went by. She didn't go into much detail about her life with the Cardassians, but had said enough for Chakotay to draw a rough picture of what had happened to her: She, and several other women who the Cardassians had found pleasing to the eye, had been taken to be used for the pleasure of leading military and political Cardassians. The selected few were subjected to medical tests to make sure they weren't carrying a disease, and then sterilized to prevent pregnancy. Those women who carried a disease were killed, as were those who later refused to attend to the "needs" of their masters. "I did it to stay alive," Rennay had said to him. "I did it in the hope that one day you would come for me." After several years of "serving" her master, he had tired of her and offloaded her to a prison. How long she'd been in prison, and where exactly she'd been held, she didn't know. But she did know it wasn't Vorlita, She said she had only been transferred there when they had caught him. It made Chakotay angry to think what they had done to her, so terribly angry, but he had tried his best not to show his feeling in front of his sister. She needed kindness and support and all the love he could give.

When enough wood was collected, Chakotay joined Arlei and Rennay at the fire. As he scooped himself some hot peanuts into a cup with a ladle, he heard Rennay begin to sing...softly, sweetly. It was a song he knew only too well. A song he and his family had often sung around a fire... He turned to look at his sister and saw that she was gazing into the flames as she sang, a smile on her face, a peace in her eyes. Her voice was so clear, so pure...just as he remembered. All he could do was listen and watch...

When the song ended, she turned to look at her brother and smiled warmly. Chakotay smiled in return, tears stinging his eyes.


TWO WEEKS LATER

Kathryn sat at her desk in her office and opened a channel to the Enterprise E. It had been a hectic couple of hours, and she had important information to relay to Captain Picard.

A few moments later, Jean Luc appeared on the screen before her, a cup and saucer in his hands.

"Admiral Janeway, good to see you."

"Jean-Luc. How'd you like a trip to Romulus?"

"With or without the rest of the fleet?"

"A diplomatic mission. We've been invited, believe it or not. Seems there's been some kind of internal political shake-up. The new praetor, someone called Shinzon, has requested a Federation envoy."

"New praetor?"

Kathryn held up her hand. "There's more. He's Reman. Believe me, we don't understand it either. You're the closest ship, so I want you to go and hear what he has to say. Get the lay of the land. If the Empire becomes unstable, it could mean trouble for the entire quadrant."

"Understood."

"We're sending you all the intelligence we have, but it's not much. I don't need to tell you to watch your back, Jean-Luc."

"Hardly."

"The Son'a, the Borg, the Romulans," Kathryn teased. "you seem to get all the easy assignments."

"Just lucky, Admiral."

"Let's hope that luck holds. Janeway out."

The transmission ended and the screen went blank.

The cup in Jean-Luc's hand had reminded her how thirsty she was, and Kathryn went over to the replicator to replicate herself a drink.

"Tea. Earl Grey."

A cup of tea materialized. As Kathryn picked it up, the computer voice sounded.

"Incoming transmission."

Kathryn returned to her desk again, thinking it was Jean-Luc questioning something...

"Accept."

The screen illuminated and Kathryn was surprised to find Neelix, not Jean-Luc, looking back at her.

"Neelix," she smiled. "This is a surprise."

"I know we're not scheduled to talk until tomorrow," he said, with a distinct excitement in his voice, "but I couldn't wait to tell you." He beamed a smile. "I'm going to be a father."

Kathryn leant forward, delighted at the news. "That's wonderful, Neelix. Congratulations."

"I can scarcely believe it, Admiral. Me, a father? Can you believe it?"

"I certainly can, Neelix. And you're going to be a great father. The best in the Delta Quadrant."

"We're having a little boy. We're going to call him Jarix."

"When will he be arriving?"

"In just under five months time." He glanced behind him. "I have to go now, Admiral, Dexa's here. Speak to you tomorrow."

"Any time, Neelix," Kathryn smiled. "And Congratulations again."

"Thank you," Neelix said happily. Then he terminated the connection.

Kathryn gazed at the blank screen for a moment, her mind engaged in thoughts of what a baby Neelix would look like. He would be adorable, without question, very cuddly and sweet...

The door chime sounded, interrupting her thoughts.

Kathryn picked up her cup of tea, took a sip, and then called out. "Come in."

The doors entered and Brenna Covington came in.

"Good day, Admiral Janeway," she said pleasantly.

Kathryn smiled. "Director Covington."

"I was just wondering if you're free for dinner tomorrow night?"

The unexpected question took Kathryn by surprise. She and Covington hardly knew each other and never socialized.

"I thought it would be good for us to get to know each other a bit better. We may be working together over the next few years."

"We may indeed," Kathryn smiled. "But, working together or not, I would love to come to dinner."

Brenna smiled in return. "My place, 7pm?"

Kathryn gave a nod. "Sounds good."


The following evening, dressed in a smart white trouser suit, Kathryn arrived on time at Brenna's house. The stone residence was more isolated than she would have imagined. It seemed to be in the middle of nowhere, no other property in sight. She rang the door bell, and then waited for Brenna to appear.

To her surprise, a red-haired man she didn't recognize answered the door instead.

"I'm sorry," Kathryn said apologetically, "I must have got the wrong place. I'm looking for Brenna Covington..."

"No," the man smiled. "You have the right place. And are right on time too!" He held out his hand to her. "I'm Brian Grady, Brenna's partner."

Kathryn felt rather foolish. She should have thought Brenna might not be living alone. "I see," she said, taking his hand. "Pleased to meet you."

The man stepped aside. "Please, come in."

Kathryn entered the house. "It was very good of..." Her words trailed as the lights suddenly went out and the room was plunged into darkness.

Then an eerie green light filled the room and Kathryn gasped in horror at what she saw before her.

Brenna Covington was standing naked in what appeared to be a Borg regeneration chamber. There were no implants on her skin, but two cables ran from her bald skull into her body, and her eyes...her eyes were changed...were cold...

"It's you," Kathryn said quietly.

The self-made Queen stepped out of the chamber.

"You sound surprised. Didn't they tell you? That Montgomery's such a fool. He thinks I don't know he knows. But I know he plans to trap me. But it's too late. I've activated the virus. As we speak, assimilation of Earth has begun."

Kathryn swallowed. "Why are you doing this? Why do you want to be Borg?"

"Because the Hive Mind is the Higher mind. It is perfection. In the Collective there is order and control. In individuality there is chaos and catastrophe. It is better for everyone to be as one. In oneness there is unity. In unity there is peace."

"In individuality there is freedom," Kathryn argued.

"No, in Collectiveness there is freedom. There is freedom from pain. There is freedom from loneliness. There is freedom from abuse. There is freedom from exploitation. There is freedom from longing. There is freedom from fear."

"Life doesn't have to be about pain, loneliness and fear," Kathryn said. "It can be about love, security and happiness."

The Queen scoffed. "Love? There is no love, Admiral. Love is a delusion, a fiction of a lonely mind. There is only hunger. There is only the craving of the mind for stimulation and the lust of the flesh for flesh. There is only a black and dark desire that consumes all reason and righteousness. Remove the hunger, remove the pain. Remove the pain, remove the loneliness. Remove the loneliness, remove the fear."

Kathryn looked at Brenna pitifully. She must only have known pain and fear and loneliness in her life to believe that was true. "Create a state of nothingness so that you feel nothing," Kathryn said firmly, but not unkindly. "Feel nothing, then you fear nothing." She looked deep into Brenna's cold eyes. "What happened to you, Brenna?"

For a moment, a fleeting moment, she saw tears well in the Queen's eyes. Then they were gone.

"Children do not always know what is best for them," she said steely. "What is pleasurable is not always beneficial. Emotion has given you pleasure. You cherish it like a child does a stolen joy. But all things are transient. What gives you pleasure now will one day give you pain."

"I've known pain," Kathryn replied. "I've also known loneliness and fear. But I have also known love and happiness. Joy can never truly be appreciated without pain. In suffering there can be growth."

"In suffering there is only torment," the Queen cried. "In suffering there is anguish and despair! There must be no suffering!"

She suddenly grabbed Kathryn and held her from behind, her arm crushing Kathryn's throat.

"Let me go..."

"You must be assimilated!"

Two finger nails on Brenna's left hand extended into Borg tubules and she put them to Kathryn's neck.

"I have the virus," Kathryn cried, trying to play for time. "There's no need too..."

But her words were wasted. Borg claws dug into Kathryn's neck and she could only scream in agony.


Gretchen was just about to cut a piece of chocolate cake for herself, Vixi and Roxa, when the living room door opened and Edward came in.

Gretchen looked up at him. "Decided to join us for the evening?"

Edward nodded. "And I've brought a couple of guests..."

He stood aside, and Chakotay entered the room with Rennay.

At the sight of Chakotay, Vixi bounced off the sofa, startling a sleeping Petal at her feet.

"Chakotay!"

She ran over to him happily and wrapped her arms around his neck as he raised her into his arms. "You're home, Chakotay, you're home..."

Petal barked, but quieted when she saw there was no threat.

Edward spoke. "I received a message from Starfleet Command just over an hour ago telling me Chakotay had returned home and was undergoing medical tests. I went in our shuttle to Starfleet Headquarters right away and waited until all procedures were complete."

"I didn't want them to contact Kathryn," Chakotay said as Vixi released her hold on his neck. "I wanted to surprise her."

"And this will be a surprise," Gretchen smiled, tears in her eyes. "A wonderful surprise..." She paused. "But she's not home at the moment. She's having dinner with a colleague."

"So Edward told me," Chakotay replied.

Edward gestured to Rennay. "This is Chakotay's sister, Rennay."

Gretchen held out her hand to the woman who looked a lot like Chakotay and had the same tattoo imprinted on her forehead. "I'm pleased to meet you, Rennay."

Rennay took her hand, smiled, but said nothing.

"Rennay's going to be staying in Bloomington for a few days," Edward added.

Gretchen turned back to Chakotay. "Did you visit your homeworld on your way home?"

"No," Chakotay replied. "We traveled home through the lower region of Cardassian space and circumvented Talarian space. I was taken prisoner by the Cardassians and that's when I was reunited with my sister. She was taken by them when they attacked my homeworld ten years ago."

Gretchen looked at Rennay sadly. "I'm so sorry. You must have been through a terrible ordeal."

Rennay made no answer, and was glad when Vixi diverted attention away from her. "I met your other sister when Kathryn took me and Mama to Trebus. She looked like you too. I liked your planet."

"Thank you," Chakotay smiled.

"Roxa and Vixi have been living here," Gretchen elaborated. "Roxa is Kathryn's housekeeper."

"But now that you're home," Roxa hastily added, "we'll find somewhere of our own..."

Vixi's face fell at that and tears welled in her eyes. She didn't want to leave. She loved living here with Kathryn, Silvie and Stevie. And now Chakotay was home, everything would be perfect...

"I won't hear of it," Chakotay said. "You're both part of the family now."

Roxa smiled and joy once more filled Vixi's eyes.

He then turned to Gretchen. "I'd like to see Silvie and Stevie."

"Of course, "Gretchen smiled. "I'll take you too them."

As Chakotay lowered Vixi to the floor, Roxa spoke. "I'll put Vixi to bed and then prepare a room for Rennay."

Vixi turned to her in protest. "But I'm not sleepy, Mama..." She wanted to go with Chakotay and Rennay to see Silvie and Stevie. "I'm really not..."

"Then you can help me prepare a room for Rennay."

Vixi sighed, realizing she was caught at every turn. "Yes, Mama."


Silvie and Stevie were fast asleep in the cot Chakotay had made for them when Gretchen showed him and Rennay into the nursery. In soft light, Chakotay looked at them from the doorway, a million emotions swirling in his heart. He slowly walked over to the cot and gazed down at his precious, beautiful, children. Silvie was dressed in a pink body suit and Stevie was dressed in a green. Tears welled in Chakotay's eyes and he studied them both carefully, absorbing every detail. He had missed them so much and for the longest time had thought he would never see them again...

Gretchen put her hand on his shoulder. "Would you like me to wake them?"

"No," Chakotay said quietly, a tear running down his cheek. "Let them sleep... I'll just look at them..."

Gretchen turned back to her grandchildren. "Grown, haven't they?"

Chakotay nodded.

"Stevie looks like you. Everyone notes the resemblance."

Rennay approached the cot and Chakotay looked up at her. She was gazing at the babies in awe.

"This is Silvesta Kolopak," Chakotay said, gesturing to his sleeping son. He then gestured to Silvie. "And your namesake, Silvia Rennay."

Rennay smiled and continued to gaze at them as silent happy tears welled in her eyes.


All was fog. Heaviness. Kathryn lay on the floor and tried to focus her blurry eyes. Her arms and legs felt like lead and noises gushed in her ears, horrible grinding noise. A green light blinded her and she heard Brenna speak.

"Soon you will be one of us."

"Don't do this," Kathryn said, her voice as weak as her body.

"Soon your mind will be one with the Collective. You will experience perfection."

"Please," Kathryn protested. "Stop what you're doing... For the sake of ..."

But she could say no more. Blackness fell before her eyes and she lost consciousness.


As soon as her room had been prepared, Rennay had retired for the night. Roxa had finally persuaded Vixi to go to bed and then, wanting to give the Janeway family some privacy, had gone herself.

"So," Gretchen said, handing Chakotay a cup of hot chocolate, "what do you think of the house?"

"Great," Chakotay replied. "I love it." He took a sip of his hot chocolate. "And I can see why it appealed to Kathryn, she loves gothic holo-novels."

"She always did," Edward added. "She's a strange bird, Katie. She was always so focussed, so disciplined, and yet a hopeless romantic. She could turn her attention from the most tedious of scientific books to Shakespeare or Wordsworth in an instant."

Chakotay was about to speak when a computerized voice spoke. "Incoming transmission."

"It's probably Kathryn," Gretchen said, getting to her feet. "She said she would tell us if she was going to be later than expected." The old woman turned to Chakotay. "You'd better move out of visual range. We don't want her to see you. It will ruin the surprise."

Chakotay put down his drink, got up, and moved out of the camera's eye.

The computer voice sounded again. "Incoming transmission."

"Acknowledge," Gretchen said.

A screen materialized above the simulated fireplace, and Admiral Paris appeared.

"Mrs Janeway," he said, his voice anxious. "I'm sorry to disturb you at this hour and occasion, but your husband said that Kathryn had gone to dinner with a colleague."

"That's right," Gretchen said. "Is something wrong?"

"That depends on who she went to dinner with. It wouldn't be Brenna Covington, by any chance, would it?"

"I think that's who she said," Gretchen replied.

Chakotay stepped into visual range. "What's going on?"

"Commander Chakotay," Admiral Paris said, relief in his voice. "I was hoping you'd be present. If Kathryn's with Covington, then she's in great danger. I can't explain everything now as it would take too long, but she's not what she seems, Covington. She wants to be the next Borg Queen and may already be just that. Dozens of people are showing signs of the early stages of assimilation, which can only mean that she's activated the Borg virus."

"Borg virus?"

"As I said, I can't explain right now. There's no time. Right now an operation is being prepared to apprehend Covington. Our people will do whatever it takes to stop her. I shouldn't even be communicating with you as this operation is top secret, but I don't want Kathryn to die. You need to get her out of there. There's a Borg shield around Covington's house. We can't penetrate it, but as a former Maquis, you may find a way..."

"Seven of Nine," Chakotay said. "She'll..."

"A team is on their way to apprehend her. They think she might be involved."

"Then we need to get her first," Chakotay replied. He turned to Gretchen. "Where is she?"

"I don't know. But she lives with her aunt."

"Open a channel..." He turned back to the screen. "Thanks for the warning, Admiral..."

Admiral Paris nodded and then terminated the connection. Gretchen immediately opened a channel to Irene's house.

In seconds, Irene appeared on the screen.

"We need to speak to Seven of Nine," Chakotay said urgently..

"If you mean Anneka," Irene answered, "I do not now wish her too..."

Seven suddenly appeared. "Commander Chakotay," she said in surprise. "You're..."

"Starfleet is on their way to apprehend you," Chakotay interrupted. "You and your aunt need to transport..."

Edward interrupted him. "This house has a transporter room..."

"Then we'll transport you," Chakotay added. "Stand by..."

As Gretchen terminated the connection, Chakotay turned to her. "There are two round gold badges on the first shelf in Kathryn's...our... bedroom. Go and get them."

Gretchen immediately did as she was told.

Chakotay then turned to Edward. "Take me to the transporter room..."


In less than two minutes, Seven and her Aunt materialized in the small transporter room of Griffy Manor.

Seven questioned. "What's going on?"

"A Borg invasion of some kind," Chakotay replied. "We don't know the details. We've just been informed that Starfleet is on their way to apprehend you, believing you might be a party to it, and that Kathryn is in danger from a Borg Queen..."

"A usurper Queen," Seven corrected.

"You know of this?"

"When I was staying here a couple of weeks ago, the Admiral cut her foot on a piece of debris as we took a walk on the beach. I recognized the debris to be Borg, and felt a surge of nanoprobes enter my body when it came into contact with my skin. We reported this to Admiral Montgomery, and were told that this debris carries a Borg virus that lies dormant until it is activated by the Borg Queen. We were further told that a human woman here on Earth has physically transformed herself into a Borg so that she can be the next Borg Queen and assimilate the planet. While they believed they knew who she was, they were not certain. Until they were, they didn't want to act. We were told the information was highly classified and not to share it."

Gretchen arrived with the frequency scatterers. "The badges."

Chakotay took them with a thank you and then quickly activated them. He then held them out to Seven and her aunt.

"Put these on."

Seven questioned again. "What are they?"

"Frequency scatterers. With those on, Starfleet won't be able to trace your lifesigns."

Seven put it on, as did Irene. She then looked up at Chakotay. "You say the Admiral is in danger. Where is she?"

"With Brenna Covington," Edward replied. "They're supposed to be having dinner."

"Then it's her," Seven concluded. "She's the usurper Queen..."

"We're told the Queen has erected a Borg shield around her location," Chakotay said. "We'll need to penetrate it to transport Kathryn to safety."

Seven went over to the transporter console and worked her fingers busily. "I cannot trace the Admiral's lifesign. But I am detecting a Borg shield at her last place of transport..."

"She self transported to Brenna's house," Gretchen said. "It has to be where she is..."

Seven continued to work. "I have penetrated the shield...scanning the premises." She paused. "I am detecting four lifesigns... two human males and two females. But I can't determine which, if either, is the Admiral. The shield is interfering with sensors and both are emitting a Borg signature." She turned to Chakotay. "If one of them is the Admiral, she has been assimilated."

Frightened tears welled in Gretchen's eyes.

Chakotay picked up two silver private communication badges from a shelf above the transporter console, and pinned one to his uniform. Then he moved to the transporter padd.

"Transport me to their co-ordinates. When I've found Kathryn, I'll put this badge on her and you can beam us both back."

"You may be killed," Seven said plainly.

"That's a chance I have to take."

"My physiology would give me better protection. It would..."

"If we lose you, there'll be no one to help us penetrate Borg defences." He pulled out his phaser. "Transport me back at my word."

"Very well," Seven relented. She worked the console and Chakotay dematerialized.


When Chakotay rematerialized, he found himself in an empty, darkened, room, the only light in the room coming from what appeared to be a vacant Borg regeneration Chamber. He looked around in the semi-darkness, and his heart stopped when he saw Kathryn lying on the floor unconscious. He hurried over to her and knelt beside her. She was deathly pale and trembling violently. There was a Borg implant resting on her cheek like an ugly silver spider, and another on her forehead. His eyes searched her body and he saw more implants on her neck and hands. With trembling fingers, he pinned the commbadge onto her suit, and then hit his own.

"Chakotay to Seven of Nine, get us out of here..."

Nothing happened.

Chakotay looked up, around... What was going on?

He hit his commbadge again.

"Chakotay to Seven...get us out of here..."

Still nothing... Then it dawned on him that the shield's frequency must have changed when it detected his transportation. He would have to wait for Seven to determine the new one...

He quickly took Kathryn's wrist and searched for her pulse. He found it, but it was weak, very weak. With tears in his eyes, he reached out and stroked her brow tenderly.

"Don't leave me now, Kathryn," he whispered, "not now..."

He kissed her hand softly and held it to his cheek. As he did so, he saw her stir beneath him. She moaned lightly and her eyes fluttered, struggling to open... Chakotay put his hand to her cheek.

"Kathryn..."

At the sound of his voice, Kathryn tried to force open her eyes, but found they were too heavy...

"Kathryn, my love..."

Kathryn's mouth moved and she spoke, her voice barely a whisper. "Chakotay?"

"That's right," he said gently.

He felt a slight pressure on his hand and he squeezed her hand in return.

"I made it home," he said tearfully. "I'm home, Kathryn..."

She smiled softly, but otherwise was still, and her hand limped in his. Chakotay squeezed it tighter. "Don't leave me now... not now..."

Kathryn made no response and Chakotay realized she was unconscious once more. He searched for her pulse again and found that it was weaker still...

He hit his commbadge again, just incase Seven had penetrated the shield. "Chakotay to Seven. Get us out of..."

His words drifted as a door before him opened and the usurper Queen came in, followed by two men. Her cold, piercing eyes, were fixed on him and he got to his feet, pointing his phaser at her.

The woman laughed. "Your weapon will do you no good here. You are outnumbered."

Chakotay saw that the two men behind her were armed, both aiming their phasers at him. The one with red hair spoke.

"Lower your weapon."

Chakotay didn't move.

"I said lower your weapon or we fire at the Admiral!"

At that, Chakotay reluctantly put away his phaser.

"You should not have come uninvited," the Queen said coldly. "You are trapped here now."

The man with brown hair stepped out from the shadows. "Shall I kill him?"

"No," the Queen replied. "He will make a fine drone. We will assimilate him."

END OF PART ONE