Chapter 27

Locutus Reborn


On board Borg Cube Five of Twelve

August 21, 2377

11:30am

Picard awoke and expected to find himself covered with Borg implants, but when he looked in the mirror that Dr. Crusher had given him, he was amazed at the lack of any implants on his skin.

Alwyn, Galen, Blaylock, and Elric were assembled in the improvised medbay, along with Dr. Crusher. "He seems to have taken to the new implants well.," remarked Dr. Crusher.

"He should, since he'd already had some inside of him. Having freed the technology from it's programming, he'll have the chance to help us bring the other Borg up to where we need them to be."

Picard slowly sat up in bed, looked around, and asked, "Why did you save me? I'd rather die than have these implants inside of me."

Blaylock, the one who looked so similar to Picard, walked up to him and said, "Because you are needed, Jean-Luc. You are needed for this next phase of the war. We did what we had to do to save your life, and we will help you to come to terms with the new tech inside you."

"Tech," Picard asked.

Elric replied, "Long ago, the Ragendora shared their technology with a race called the Shadows, who, in turn shared it with us. They also shared similar technology with the original Borg, who have since passed on. When we were abducted by the Borg and they tried to assimilate us, our programming overrode theirs and gave us the chance we needed to turn them away from the collective."

Galen added, "Several years ago, I learned of a way to free the tech from its original programming that the Shadows provided. Originally, we were supposed to be creatures of destruction, but thanks to the Circle and the Code, we changed into a force of good. It was my discovery that help us finally achieve the break we needed from the darkness programmed within us."

Drusilla entered and also spoke up, "Thanks to them, we have become our own individuals, still linked together, but of our own minds. We have been discussing this since we ran into the technomages, and we have decided to help you in your fight. However, we need someone like you to lead us and to guide us, Picard."

Picard got off the bed and uneasily stood up, finding that his legs would support him. He could hear them, in his mind, and they were sending him a much different message than he'd received in earlier encounters with the Borg. Instead of commands, he received messages urging him to help them. He had a little trouble shutting them off, but he soon learned how to tone them down and put them in the background.

"But what will become of my ship? Who'll command the Enterprise-E?"

Days later, he was in Admiral Janeway's office. She had beamed aboard the day after Picard came to, and had others with her to fully examine him. They had concluded that he was fully capable of commanding his ship again, but the top brass were concerned that he might not fully be in control of himself. Janeway hated to be the one to do this, but it had to be done.

"I'm sorry, Jean-Luc, but Starfleet Command needs to be sure that you are fully in command of all your faculties, mental and physical. They don't have that assurance, and they have asked me for your resignation."

Picard nodded and said, "I know. I was expecting this, and dreading it. Crusher and the others had to do what they did to save my life, and I'm grateful to them for that. But to lose the Enterprise..."

"Jean-Luc, think of this as an opportunity, not a disappointment. The Borg have just evolved into something new, and they need guidance to become the force of good that they want to be. The technomages can only do so much, but they can do so much more if you join them."

"Elizabeth, we've been friends for years. I was ever so gladdened to see you and Voyager return after you were swept into the Gamma Quadrant years ago. We presumed you lost for good, but when you returned, it boosted morale in Starfleet to unprecedented heights.

"You've dealt with the Borg. You know how they operate. Who's to say that this isn't a trick on their part to turn me against the Federation?"

Janeway replied, "Because they've given us more than enough assurances of their sincerity. We've been aboard their cubes and have more intelligence on them than they could ever imagine. They want us to help them, Jean-Luc, and you can be our liaison with them.

"It's time to put aside your hatred for what the old Borg did to you, and embrace the new Borg. You can have such an influence upon them that will last them for generations."

Picard knew what his answer should be, but he didn't want to give it. However, Janeway was right, and he knew it.

"I'll do it.," he said finally.

About a week later, Picard transferred his belongings over to the cube known as Five of Twelve. The Borg, freed of the collective, were debating what to name their individual cubes, and the debates were fierce and heated at times. Oddly enough, this came as a relief to him as he beamed over from the Enterprise-E for the final time.

Inside the cube, the other Borg had been busy redesigning the place, with the help of the technomages and Starfleet. There was much more to do, he knew, and an ever-growing part of him couldn't wait to get started.

Drusilla came up beside him and asked, "Are you ready, Jean-Luc?"

Picard nodded and walked with her to the control center, the start of the greatest adventure, and challenge, of his life.