Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners, particularly the characters taken from the animated series, Code Lyoko and the television series Star Trek. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
Jeremie Belpois poked at his lunch, staring sullenly into his plate. He was so engrossed in identifying and counting every crack in the surface of the plate, he never noticed when his girlfriend, Aelita Stones, sat down beside him.
"What's wrong, Jeremie, you look like you got a ninety-one on your last math test," the pink haired girl said.
"Oh, it's nothing really," Jeremie replied as he looked up from his plate at her, "it's just that I've got an appointment with the new school psychologist after lunch, and I'm not really looking forward to it."
"Why? Dr. Janeway seems like a nice enough man," Aelita replied.
"I don't know," the genius replied, "there's something not quite right about him. I can't put my finger on it, but he's not who he says he is."
"But Jeremie, the principal interviewed him and everything! I'm sure they did a complete background check. I thought I heard one of the teachers say he graduated near the top of his class at Harvard."
"Something's still not right," Jeremie said, "last week, Hervé went to see him, and he's been acting different ever since."
"Well, maybe Dr. Janeway helped Hervé grow up a little. It sure seemed that way when he told off Sissi the next day."
"That's what I'm talking about! Hervé has too big a crush on Sissi to ever tell her to get screwed by her high horse. And here's another thing, Dr. Janeway has been talking to all of the students in school, not just the troubled ones. The last psychologist they had here never did that."
"Well, maybe that's why Dr. Janeway is here, because the last one wasn't doing his job."
"I don't know," Jeremie said at last, "look, would you do me a favor? Keep an eye on me after I get done with him. If I start acting strange or different, tell the others not to go anywhere near that man."
Jeremie sat nervously outside the School Psychologist's office, waiting for his appointment. On the door, the little name plaque said, Dr. Juan Janeway, Psychologist. Dr. Janeway came to Kadic Academy three months ago, during summer break, and had immediately started interviewing the students once the term started, starting with the freshman class. It didn't seem like there was any rhyme or reason to the man's selection; he seemed to just randomly start with one student, then randomly selected the next. After Hervé's meeting with him last week, Jeremie got the note from Jim stating he was next.
The door suddenly opened, and Dr. Janeway stood before him.
"Ah, Mr. Belpois, right on time! Please come in."
Jeremie got up and joined Dr. Janeway in his office. He moved like a man on his way to the gallows.
Once inside, Dr. Janeway shut the door and motioned Jeremie to a seat in front of his desk. "Have a seat, Jeremie. I just need to wrap some paperwork up, then we can get started." The boy sat in the chair indicated, and the man went back to his desk, sat down, then began writing on some papers he had on his desk.
Dr. Janeway was a tall man, about forty years old. He had brownish hair cut short; not as short as a soldier might wear, but rather something a businessman might wear. He wrote for a few moments, then set his pen aside and put the papers in a manila folder. He then folded his hands on the desk in front of him and looked at Jeremie.
"I bet you're wondering why I asked you to come here today," Dr. Janeway said without any preamble, "and I don't blame you. So let me come straight to the point. I'm looking for something, something that doesn't belong here. I've been chasing Will O' The Wisps so far, but last week, I got a clue that you might have some idea of what I'm looking for. Now, I'll tell you up front that I'm not looking for trouble, but I am looking to forestall trouble. Have you seen anything or anyone around campus that looks unusual or out of place?"
"Yeah, you," was the genius' answer.
"You are correct in more ways than you know," Janeway replied, "but, other than me, have you noticed anything unusual? Maybe it's not here, but somewhere close by, like the park? Or what about that old factory close by?"
Jeremie's heart almost jumped out of his throat when Dr. Janeway mentioned the factory. He thought, does he know about the supercomputer? Has he been following us?
"I think I've got me a winner," Dr. Janeway said, smiling. He then raised his fist and pointed it directly at Jeremie. Suddenly, something shot out of his hand and hit Jeremie. Two tubes had extended from between Janeway's knuckles, across the desk, and into the boy's neck. Jeremie tried to cry out, but couldn't.
Don't struggle, Jeremie, came the psychologist's voice in Jeremie's head. But that was impossible, the man hadn't opened his mouth!
Everything will be all right in a moment, came the voice again, just settle down, resistance is futile. Dr. Janeway's mental voice hitched a little laugh at that last remark.
Wha... what are you doing to me? Jeremie thought back.
Interrogating your memories. I haven't got a lot of time, and I need to find out why they're here. Oh, and I think I've found it.
Suddenly, Jeremie was remembering everything about the factory, the supercomputer, Lyoko, XANA, and worst of all, his friends.
Yes, at this point in their development, they would certainly love to get their hands on a quantum computer, especially one capable of generating chronometric waves. Jeremie, listen very carefully to me. Aliens from another world, called the Borg, have landed on Earth, here in Paris. It seems like they got here about a week ago, after your last XANA attack. Now, my next question is very important: have you or any of your friends been back to the factory since that last attack?
No, Jeremie replied, and if you're reading my thoughts, you should know that.
You would think, but there are ways around this method of communication, Dr. Janeway replied, these aliens aren't that sophisticated yet, but I can't take any chances. Now, in a moment, I am going to disconnect from you. I had to inject you with something called nanoprobes in order to communicate directly with your mind. That is what I've done with the other students I've seen so far. They are none the worse for the wear, other than some adjustments to resolve some minor teenage angst issues that have been going on for way too long. But, in your case, it's a little different. The nanoprobes I used on the others deactivated and destroyed themselves after the session was over. The ones I injected you with are going to remain active for quite some time, the rest of your life as a matter of fact. I can't explain it to you now, but I promise I will when the time comes. Let's just say for now that it is vital for the survival of the human race that things be this way. And I'm going to have to tell you to do something that you won't like doing. I need you to infect your other friends with these nanoprobes; they will need the protection they provide, and they need to carry them for the rest of their lives, too. You're not going to be able to discuss this with them until it is too late and you're not going to be able to resist doing what I need for you to do. I apologize for having to take away your free will and individuality in this matter, but quite literally the fate of the galaxy depends on my doing so.
With that, Janeway withdrew the tubes he shot into Jeremie. The boy collapsed back in the chair, exhausted. After a moment, he sat up straight and asked, "just what are you anyway, Dr. Janeway?"
"Why, I'm one of the aliens," he replied with a grin.
Three of the Borg drones returned to the lower levels of the factory, carrying an unconscious woman with them. The woman was carefully undressed, her clothes set off to the side, then she was strapped down onto a table. The rest of the drones joined their comrades surrounding their first native subject, and began scanning and probing her.
"Any invasive techniques must leave no external indications," XANA said to its slaves as they prepared to assimilate her, "anything out of the ordinary will be questioned. Proceed quickly, and do not kill this subject. We must return her to the school before her absence is noticed."
Slowly, the woman awoke. She shook her head to clear it, then screamed when she saw the creatures looming over her. One of them bent down in her face and smiled.
"Resistance is futile, Suzanne Hertz," it said to her, "you will be the vanguard of a new order; true order to replace the chaos that mankind has inflicted on itself. You will be the first human to join the great migration to absolute perfection. We will add your biological distinctiveness to our own, while we impart some of our distinctiveness to you; and together, we shall achieve perfection."
The creature then stood up straight, then clamped its hand on her forehead. Another of the aliens took a long wire like object and inserted it in her nostril. Mrs. Hertz screamed again and struggled as the creature pressed the thing in further while the other aliens held her still, finally passing out when the probe pierced her sinus and entered her brain.