Chapter 2 – Toleration

Dreams of a forest danced on the edge of his recollection. Not from his childhood, nor from his vision quests. Warm and inviting, filled with friends. A contentment he hadn't felt in a long time. Chakotay opened his eyes slowly. Captain Janeway was just leaning back in a chair that was pulled up close to the bench where he was laying, a hypospray was in her hand. She must have just used it. As his mind cleared, he recognized he was in one of the cells of Voyager's brig. The sparse and utilitarian fixtures. The stark white walls on all sides but one, and yet the force field on that final wall was deactivated and the Captain was in the cell with him. The brig's post, usually occupied by security when in use, was empty. "How are you feeling?" Janeway asked tentatively.

Chakotay cleared his throat. It felt scratchy and dry. "Still a bit groggy," he replied. "But okay, all things considered."

"You look like hell," Janeway commented.

There was something itching the back of Chakotay's neck, and so he lifted his hand up to scratch it but discovered a protrusion instead. A very minor electrical shock indicated he shouldn't mess with the device.

"A cortical monitor," Janeway explained. "So the Doctor can keep track of the two of you."

Given the circumstances of the previous day, that sounded logical. Not only to monitor their brain function, but their whereabouts within the ship. Chakotay moved and tried to sit up. All his muscles felt stiff, and he had definitely been in his uniform for far too long. What he wouldn't give for a stretch and a nice long sonic shower.

"Easy," Janeway said. She put down the hypospray and helped him sit up and then steadied him against the back wall of the cell. "You've been out for about eighteen hours." She gestured to the cortical monitor. "The Doctor has been monitoring the brain function of you and the Borg drone…"

"Annika," Chakotay interrupted.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Her name is Annika. Annika Hansen." The thought of referring to her as a Borg drone irritated him.

Janeway raised her eyebrows, and then nodded. "We know," she said, and then reached down to pick up a PADD that was on the floor beside her chair. She called up a file and examined it for a few moments and then looked back up. "She was born on stardate 25479 at the Tendara Colony. It took some digging through the Federation database, but I managed to find a single entry in the records of Deep Space Four. Her parents were unconventional and fancied themselves explorers, but wanted nothing to do with Starfleet or the Federation. Their names were last recorded at a remote outpost in the Omega sector. They refused to file a flight plan. Apparently, they aimed their small ship toward the Delta Quadrant and were never heard from again."

Chakotay had been listening intently. Pieces of the puzzle falling into place as he sorted through some memories. "I believe they were actually searching for the Borg to study them," Chakotay said. "Researchers and not necessarily explorers. At least Annika has memories of the Borg when she was a child. Her parents studying them, before being assimilated."

"They may very well have been the first humans ever assimilated by the Borg," Janeway commented.

"They were," Chakotay whispered, remembering. He flinched slightly at the memory of the tubules entering the neck. The cold shiver as the nanoprobes took control. "Species Five Six One Eight."

Janeway raised her eyebrows again. "The two of you have been getting to know each other?"

"Only as much as random memories allow," Chakotay replied and lowered his eyes when he became aware of the Captain's stare. "Assimilated at age six. The painful process of accelerated growth. Most of her life spent as a Borg drone."

"There's still a lot we don't know about her," Janeway said, her eyes worried. "But she was assimilated at such a young age. Her only experiences of being a human are those of a child, so integrating her into the crew will be challenging."

Chakotay was thoughtful for a moment. "There's a lot she doesn't know about herself," he finally mused. "But her thoughts are not that of a child."

"Of those years spent as a Borg drone then," Janeway suggested. "At any rate, we're going to have to teach her how to be human."

Chakotay shook his head. "There's more to it than that. More to her memories and experiences than that. The Borg, yes, but something else inside her. Something I can't quite remember." He then started to look about. "Where is she? I…" He appeared confused for a second, and then nodded as if just realizing something. "She's unconscious. I can sense her presence nearby though. We're still connected, but we're more individual now."

"Perhaps because she is still unconscious?"

Chakotay nodded. "That's probably it. Is she here?"

"Yes," Janeway confirmed, but again she looked worried. "She's in the next cell, recovering from surgery. I put you both in the brig after what happened in sickbay. I was going to tell you the Doctor has been monitoring your brain function and still detects the connection. He can't figure out how to disconnect you at the present time. He has removed a good deal of her Borg components, however, while the two of you were unconscious. She looks quite different now. Biologically, a woman in her early-thirties, but one who still needs to regenerate to manage her remaining Borg implants. Soon."

Chakotay rubbed his eyes and then ran his hand down his face. "Captain, I'm sorry…"

Janeway put up her hand to stop him. "There's no need to apologize."

"We weren't…" he began, but then restarted. "She wasn't going to hurt anyone. She was scared. Confused. The emotions were overwhelming."

"I couldn't take any chances Chakotay," Janeway replied. "A neurozine gas hangover can be pretty nasty. I'm sorry we put you through this, but the safety of Voyager comes first."

"It was my idea," Chakotay corrected. "To distract her while we terminated her link from the Collective."

Janeway leaned forward and frowned. She valued Chakotay's consul and advice, and was frustrated it was somewhat taken away from her. "For now, I've relieved you of duty as First Officer until we figure out what to do. I'm not sure how much we can trust her, and as a result, your judgement has been… compromised."

"I think we can trust her," Chakotay said, again trying to sift through some of her memories and impressions from the day before. "At any rate, I don't think my judgement has been impaired, but will abide by your orders."

"I'd like to believe that," Janeway said. "But I have to be candid with you. It's unclear to me how much in control you were and can be with your two minds linked the way they are." She looked about the cell. "I would hope to at least keep the two of you out of the brig," she added with a smirk.

"I think that will be manageable," Chakotay confirmed. The memory of yesterday's incident played out in his mind. How much control did he have? The Borg force field had formed about him as well as Annika. That must have been Annika's doing, for he didn't have any Borg components inside his body.

"Besides," Janeway said becoming more serious. "There's something else. Lieutenant Torres is having problems cleaning out the plasma relays. It's disrupting the antimatter reaction. She tells me, until it's fixed, we're stuck at impulse. She even requested all personnel with a level three engineering rating or higher to lend a hand."

That was surprising. Usually B'Elanna wanted to keep any extraneous people out of Engineering. "And you want Annika's help?" Chakotay asked. As he thought about it, he realized it was an excellent suggestion. She needed a purpose. A job to do for Voyager.

Janeway nodded. "Every system has been affected by the Borg in one way or another. I have two teams on the hull, stripping off the Borg armor, but it's taking time. Additionally, Tuvok detected residual transwarp signatures on long range sensors. Likely Borg vessels passed by about three days ago, so we're not out of their space quite yet."

"I'll be able to help too, somewhat, with extracting the Borg components in Engineering. I think…" Chakotay started, but then stood up quickly and looked over Captain Janeway's shoulder.

Janeway turned to see Annika standing behind her. She must have just become conscious and stepped outside her own cell. "The Borg will…" she began, but then looked at Chakotay with a confused expression, and then down at herself. "What have you done to me?"

Janeway stood up and turned to face Annika. "It was necessary," she said, trying to be soothing. "Your human immune system reasserted itself. The body armor, Borg organelles, biosynthetic glands, they were all being rejected. Your life was in danger. Since you were unconscious, I made the decision and ordered the Doctor to remove as much of the Borg technology as possible."

"What gave you the right?" Annika accused.

"I'm the Captain," Janeway shot back at the same time Chakotay was thinking it.

Annika looked back and forth between the Captain and Chakotay and then back down at herself. She wore a skin tight silver body suit and could see just a bit of naturally colored skin on her hands, with some Borg technology remaining. From Chakotay's perspective, she knew she also now had short blonde hair and only a small ocular device remaining from where an implant used to be. She looked almost human. She was ready to object more forcefully to this invasion of her privacy, but then tempered her response. Chakotay's thoughts calmed her. "I am small now. Isolated and alone," she said instead.

Chakotay laughed. "Hardly alone," he scoffed.

"I mean besides that," Annika persisted. You cannot understand what it is to be Borg. Billions of voices.

Can't I?

You should have let us die. I cannot survive outside the Collective.

Of course you can! Captain Janeway will help. I will help.

I cannot function alone.

You are not alone! Chakotay then shook his head. "Annika, let's keep speaking to each other," he said. "Use words and not thoughts. It makes it easier in keeping our minds separated."

"I concur," Annika replied sharply. She looked back down again at her new body, tempted to say something more, but then deciding against it. Chakotay picked up on it. "Perhaps we can provide Annika a proper uniform," he suggested, interpreting her thoughts. In fact, he quite agreed with her assessment of the Doctor's creation.

"The Doctor claims this material mimics the Borg exoplating that he removed. It has certain properties that will maintain her newly exposed human skin and be quite comfortable," Janeway said.

"Comfort is irrelevant," Annika replied, deciding to speak. "I believe I would prefer other clothes, or even a uniform. It would… aide in my assimilation into your collective."

That was one way of putting it. "Consider it done," Janeway said, happy to oblige Annika's wish to smooth out her integration into the crew. She clasped her hands together. "I do want you both in Engineering, but…"

"Why not just integrate the Borg technology into your systems," Annika interrupted. "They will be more efficient and return you to the Alpha Quadrant sooner, which is your desired goal."

"I'd rather get Voyager back to way it used to be," Janeway replied.

"Inefficient and slow."

"You've got it," Janeway bristled. "For now, the Doctor was insistent you regenerate as soon as possible, and then you can get to work on the warp core."

"Regenerate?"

"Your remaining Borg components. They will apparently require a few hours regeneration in a Borg alcove each day. With all the adjustments the Doctor had to make during surgery, he was adamant this be accomplished when you became conscious. The Borg alcoves are still set up and operational in cargo bay two."

"I'll take you there," Chakotay suggested.

"I know the way," Annika countered, but then thought more about it. Chakotay's presence was helpful. "But, if you insist."

"When you're fully regenerated, I want you both to report to Engineering to help Lieutenant Torres," Janeway concluded. "I trust you will behave yourselves."

"Aye Captain," Annika and Chakotay said in unison. The cortical monitors would keep track of them adequately, although there was not the overwhelming desire to escape as there was yesterday. A purpose? A function for me on Voyager? With you?

Janeway shook her head, and then seemed to remember something. "Oh, there's one more thing. It's about Kes. Her mental abilities appear to be growing exponentially. She claims to have seen the two of you in her mind during the incident in sickbay yesterday."

Chakotay and Annika exchanged a quick look. "We did feel her presence," Chakotay confirmed. "Someone… observing us from afar."

Janeway frowned as she considered this new bit of information. "Tuvok is working with her," she finally continued. "She has been asking to see you. Both of you."

"What about?" Chakotay asked.

"I don't know," Janeway replied. "I think, though, she believes there is something she can do. Perhaps she can use her new abilities to help the two of you with your… situation."

"That's wonderful."

Janeway nodded slowly. "When Tuvok is satisfied with her mental control, we'll see. There's been some… incidents." She turned towards the exit but hesitated. Something else obviously on her mind. "I don't know Chakotay. I have a strange feeling of… foreboding." Annika raised an eyebrow. The Captain undoubtedly had more thoughts on the matter she would like to share with her First Officer, but was reluctant to do so. Your judgement compromised? Janeway waved it off. "Just... let me know if there's anything else you sense from her."

"Of course Captain," Chakotay replied.

They all moved to the Brig's door and it swished open. The Captain nodded and then moved off towards the forward turbo lift and presumably the bridge while Chakotay and Annika turned in the opposite direction towards cargo bay two. They walked in silence for a time. By concentrating, they could keep their thoughts relatively separate. Similar to ignoring a nearby conversation. They made it to the cargo bay without incident, although Chakotay noticed more security than he would have suspected on duty during such a short walk. Perhaps just a coincidence. The Borg alcove glowed green in the darkened cargo bay.

"I suppose they do look a bit ominous," Annika commented to Chakotay's thought. She then turned to face Chakotay. "To be clear, I was not scared nor frightened in sickbay yesterday."

"I understand," Chakotay replied with a smile.

"Of course you understand," Annika retorted. "You know precisely how we felt and what we were thinking, and yet you chose to tell the Captain I was scared."

"That was my interpretation of what you were feeling at the time," Chakotay said. "There's no shame in it. I suppose, however, even with the same thoughts and feelings, we are still individuals and can arrive at slightly different conclusions as to their meaning."

"Or even incorrect conclusions," Annika replied still irritated. She stepped up onto the platform and then turned quickly. "I will have to be just as tolerant with you."

Chakotay sighed. "I was only thinking that this situation is unique and the two of us together will need to have healthy doses of toleration with each other. We can't react to every random thought. We'll just have to work through this until the Doctor finds a solution. Or perhaps Kes can help us as the Captain suggested."

"And what if there is no solution," Annika persisted. "What if we are to remain mentally connected forever?"

"We'll deal with it," Chakotay replied. With every minute, it seemed easier to be able to keep separate enough as to not have the connection interfere with their functioning. Even though he could sense her perspective, what she was seeing, what she was hearing, it was definitely separate from his own vision and hearing. They would deal with the consequences of their connection one step at a time. Perhaps their connection, in the short term, would aide in her relating to humanity and integration with the crew.

"I suppose it is getting easier," she agreed. "And you believe the crew will accept me."

"Of course. I'll requisition a uniform for you and have it waiting here when your regeneration cycle ends."

"That is acceptable."

"In the meantime, I'm going back to my quarters for a long sonic shower and change of uniform myself."

Annika stepped forward into the alcove and turned to face out. Before the cycle began, Annika raised an eyebrow and then looked at Chakotay intently. "An intriguing thought. The two of us? Is that what you want?"