Dissclaimer:- I do not own Star Trek Voyager or any character's associated with it, however i do own Tevy and all charcter plots concerning her character.

Chapter 2 - Half Answered Questions

"There was one species … now what were their names … oh yes the Novena, it means star children or angels in your language." Neelix informed the Captain who had come to the mess hall inquiring about their new arrival. "They are generally considered myth or legend my most species these days, as there has been no sighting of them in over a million years." He paused thinking "Well, anyway it was said that there children were born we a kind of defence mechanism, to adapt to the physical likeness of any culture that they were in"

"Like a cuckoo"

"I'm sorry captain?"

"A bird we used to have on earth, it would put its eggs into another bird's nest where it would grow undetected from the other birds own eggs until it hatched."

"Yes well in their case it was only to be used in times of need"

"Is there anything else you can tell me?"

"Well let's see according to the tales my grandmother used to tell me they were the protectors of the universe."

"Sounds like one of Tom Paris's holonovels."

Neelix laughed at the idea "Yes well unlike Captain Proton they were rumoured to possess extraordinary powers; but then something happened." He paused, his memory failing him "A war of some kind and they returned to their home that existed in another reality, disappearing from all knowledge." Neelix looked distant for a time as though he grieved over something precious thathad lost been lost to him"It is very strange that they would leave one of their children behind"

"Is it not possible that she was merely forgotten or lost in the turmoil of war"

"It's possible … but not likely. If there is one definite fact about their race it was that they treasured their children, especially girls. I suppose it was due to there long life spans but children were a rare occurrence in their species, in fact epic poems were supposed to have been written in dedication to their births."

The Captain held up her hand "Just how long exactly, do they live for?"

"I believe," sighed Neelix letting his head fall back as he dug out distant memories "that it was roughly estimated that 1 Talaxian trigorth … so that would be one earth millennium was equivalent to one year of their life."

"So your telling me that that girl, is over 1000 thousand years old"

"I would say more 17 … thousand years old"

Janeway rested on the table top for support.

"However you have to remember she will have about the same mental age of a human 17 year old, and will therefore have all thefears and concerns of any child."

"So you're telling me that I am dealing with a being of infinite knowledge and wisdom trapped inside the body of a teenager!"

As Janeway entered sickbay later that day, unsure of how exactly one should treat a teenager that been alive long before humans had even existed, she was disturbed to find an apparently empty room.

"Doctor!" she called out in concern as she cautiously moved further into the room. Rounding the corner she found her fears were unnecessary, as thedoctor and his new patientwere merely engrossed in the finer arts of golf!

"You see it's all in the hips," cried the girl as she putted another perfect shot.

Janeway stood standing in wonder at the two of them, talking without a care in the world.

"Ah Captain," cried the doctor a little embarrassed. "We were just …"

"No need to explain," excused Janeway inwardly laughing. "I just came to check up our latest arrival, she continued aware of the intense scrutiny of those large green eyes. "She has indeed changed" thought Janeway quietly to herself. However behind thosebeautiful oval eyes andfriendly smile Janeway could still perceive the guarded calculating child born of suffering, watching her intently.

"I wish to thank you for rescuing me, I know what risks that must have placed upon your crew and your ship and I am truly grateful."

Janeway observed her carefully although she believed the gratitude to be sincere she couldn't help but feel unnerved by her sudden change in temperament since yesterday.

"I am glad that you are feeling better"

"The doctor has been tutoring me on the advances of your species" the girl paused momentarily looking about the room "I am sure my cousin would be proud of how far you have come."

"There are no records of an encounter with your species with the starfleet database?" Janeway commented quietly.

"We didn't exactly make ourselves known, at the time your species believed themselves to be alone in the universe, my cousin felt that it would be inappropriate to meddle in your belief's."

"You people visited regularly" question Janeway unsettledby the notion that this species had existed undetected in their society.

"We'll me and my cousin, it was his doing really, ever since his slight slip of the hand with that meteor, he considered earth and humans his inadvertent creation. Nothing pleased him more than bearing witness to the 'ingenuity of humanity'. Tevy smiled to herself remembering his face.

"I am gratified to be thought of so highly by your species" Janeway smiled entirely aware of the subterfuge that was in play, and was determindnot to be distracted "However I am more curious todiscover how it is that you managed to retain your individuality inside the collective."

"I thought that you might ask me that" Tevy mumbled her eyes downward cast, as she struggled to find the words. Eventually she looked towards the doctor with a look of desperation to say what she could not.

"Tevy's people" the doctor began hesitantly.

"The Novena" corrected Janeway noticing the poignant stare darted towards her from beneath Tevy's veil of straight hair at these words.

"Are a telepathic race, and in some respects similar to the Borg." The doctor turned to a console displaying a detailed scan of Tevy's brain. "Her mind is able to exist on two levels, her… individuality and higher brain functions exist on the lower level, whilst her higher level is connected toa collective mind, where scientific knowledge, social customs, languages, images and any heightened emotions are constantly transmitted."

"I was assimilated on a trading colony in beta quadrant, I was mistaken as a member of the indigenous population" continued Tevy her voice heavy.

"Her mind was linked to the collective, however unaware of her mental abilities they connected into the higher tier,leaving herindividuality intact." Doctor

"You have to understand Captain, I was very young,afraid … and so entirely alone that you could never understand. To hear those voices, thousands of others all connected, so much like my own people. I did not have the strength to leave." She sighed deeply leaning upon the doctor's desk for support. "After the explosion I knew other Borg ships would come, I knew that my survival would single me out, place me under scrutiny and lead to my true assimilation. So I built the beacon."

Janeway stood silent, her mind abuzz of activity, "Well Tevy, as you have already guessed I am aware ofa vague history of your race, is there any way to contact your people?"

tTevyshook her head slowly her beautiful hair flowing around her like a sea mist. "I would not know how, as Ihave no memory of my life before the Borg."

"Well, our journey home is long, perhaps on the way we may meet with someone who knows of the whereabouts of your people, until that time I can see no other option than for you to remain on Voyager."

Taking her leave after accepting Tevy's gratitude, Janeway walked back towards the bridge, sorting through all the things that had occured in the past few days in an effortto dismiss the lingering feeling that something was not right.

Meanwhile, whilst Janeway had been occupied in sickbay Chakotay had gone down to engineering to see if B'Elanna's analysis had managed to shed any light upon the mysterious circumstances surrounding their latest arrival.

"Well I've done every kind of scan or diagnostic that there is on the fragment and all I can tell you is that it was literally torn apart by some colossal cosmic force."

"What do you think could have caused it?"

"To tell you the truth I have no idea. I have never seen anything like it in my life, for one thing it is utterly coated in a dark matter radiation."

"I am not sure I understand the significance,"

"Dark matter radiation has only been hypothesized to exist at the centre of a black hole or during the birth of a star."

Chakotay sat back mulling over everything in his mind, "When the girl was first brought here she was contaminated by the same dark matter radiation"

Torres shrugged, "That would have happened to anyone present within 3 light years of the explosion."

"But it didn't …"

B'Elanna studied his face carefully.

"The place in which the experiment took place was approximately 10 light years from any inhabited space. Don't you think it strange that all of a sudden the Borg should grow a conscience."

"Perhaps, but it could have just been coincidence, if you really want to know why don't you ask the drone, Tevy or whatever she's called"

"I already have, she claims she does not remember and the doctor believes that it is possible that her memory was damaged in the explosion."

"But you don't believe her" B'Elanna replied slowly, leaning back against a console, crossing her arms across her chest. "I just don't get it Chaotay, what reason would she have to lie? If we hadn't rescued her she would have been assimilated, there's no motive"

"Unless we haven't heard the whole story." Chakotay