Chapter One
"Status." Captain Kathryn Janeway demanded.
"They're still closing in." Ensign Harry Kim reported. "They'll be in range for a tractor beam in fifteen seconds."
Seven of Nine to Captain Janeway.
"What is it, Seven?" Kathryn responded.
We are approaching region of space that the Borg have not been able to access. I am not sure what the nebula contains, but something within it has consistently destroyed Borg technology.
"Transmit the coordinates to the helm." Kathryn ordered. "Evasive maneuvers, Mr. Paris. Avoid that tractor beam and get us into that space."
"Yes, ma'am." Tom Paris answered just before everyone swayed as he suddenly banked the ship to the side. "Altering course now."
"What if whatever's destroying the Borg destroys us as well?" Chakotay asked.
"We'll have to take that chance." The captain answered. "Seven, report to the bridge."
Yes, Captain. Seven answered.
A few minutes later, Seven of Nine, ex-Borg formerly of Tertiary Adjunct of Unimatrix Zero-One, strode onto the bridge and immediately moved to the auxiliary ops console.
"Tell me about this nebula." Kathryn ordered.
"There is not much information." Seven told her. "There is a beacon in the center of the nebula with first attracted the sphere, but there is an entity within the nebula which destroyed each sphere or cube that tried to pass through it."
"It is dangerous to anything else?" Chakotay asked.
"Unknown." The ex-Borg answered. "There are no planets for several lightyears in any direction surrounding the nebula and no species that the Borg has assimilated has knowledge of passing through it."
"We're approaching the nebula, captain." Tuvok announced.
"Take us in." She ordered. "On screen."
The sleek ship plunged into the green mist without hesitation. They watched nervously as the cube followed and Kathryn threw a look over her shoulder at her Astrometrics officer. Suddenly, both Voyager and the cube stopped mid-motion.
"Report!" Kathryn demanded, turning back to her helmsman.
"I'm not sure, Captain." Paris answered, fingers flying over the console. "All systems are operational. We just stopped for no reason."
"The Borg cube has also been stopped." Tuvok reported.
Before anyone could respond, a large swirling ball of green light formed in front of the ship. It shimmered in front of them for several minutes, and Kathryn got the distinct impression that it was studying them. Suddenly, it shot forward and enveloped the starship. Before anyone could respond, a wave a warm green light swept through the decks.
"We are being scanned." Tuvok reported. "As well as the Borg cube."
"You are not welcome here." The voice sounded as if it were all around them, but somehow the crew knew that it was not directed at them. "Leave this place or be destroyed."
"We are the Borg." Came the expected response. "You will be assimilated. Resistance is futile."
The voice chuckled. "I don't think so."
The bridge crew's eyes widened as the Borg cube suddenly began sparking with bolts of green lightning. A moment later, parts of the cube began exploding. Then, it seemed as if the mist began to converge on the disintegrating ship and the bodies that were sucked out into space. A few minutes later, there was nothing left of the Borg or the cube.
Everyone looked at each other, then turned to look at Seven. Kathryn knew that they were wondering what their crewmate had led them into. If this was a case of 'out of the frying pan, into the fire'. Before anyone could speak, however, the green light appeared in the ship again, this time in front of the Captain.
"I am Captain Kathryn Janeway of the Federation Starship Voyager." She said, rising to her feet. "We mean no harm. We were merely trying to escape the Borg. We did not know that this was your space."
"I know who you are, Kathryn Janeway." The voice spoke, this time much gentler. "I have been waiting for you for a long time."
Without warning, the light surged forward and entered the Captain. Kathryn collapsed where she stood, not hearing the shouts of her crew.
- - - BtVS - - ST:Voyager - - -
'As with all secrets, tell only who you trust.'
That was the first thing she heard as Admiral Kathryn Janeway awoke. Cautiously, she opened her eyes to stare up at a familiar ceiling that she hadn't seen in five years. She gasped and tears welled up in her eyes. They did it. They kept their promise.
"Captain?" Her view was suddenly blocked by the concerned face of the EMH doctor. "How are you feeling?"
Sitting up, Kathryn looked around the room, breathing in the scents. She had never appreciated being in Sickbay, but for now, it was the most wonderful sight she'd laid her eyes on in many years.
"Sickbay to the Bridge." The Doctor called out. "The captain is awake."
On our way. Chakotay replied.
A few minutes later, Chakotay and Tuvok entered Sickbay. "Are you all right?"
"I'm fine." Kathryn answered even as the Doctor scanned her. "What's our status?"
"After the energy being attacked you, we tried to retreat." Chakotay reported. "Unfortunately, we still can't move. There is nothing wrong with the engines or the systems, but we're completely immobile. However, we have picked up the beacon that Seven mentioned."
"Set a course for that beacon." Kathryn told him.
"Captain, we still can't move." Chakotay reminded her.
"On the contrary, Commander." Kathryn said. "That's the only direction we will be allowed to move in."
Chakotay stared at her for a moment, then looked to Tuvok, then the Doctor, then back to the captain. Kathryn barely managed not to roll her eyes. "Is there a problem, Commander?"
"Captain, that energy being electrocuted you the same way it did the Borg vessel. You were physically lifted off the deck as you were convulsing. Are you sure you're all right?"
Tuvok quirked a brow raised at Kathryn's deep sigh and she knew, despite any Vulcan denials to the contrary, that he was as close to being amused as he could become. She turned to the Doctor, indicating that he should respond instead. The EMH shrugged. "She's perfectly fine. Her body chemistry is erratic, conducive to what you've told me, but already stabilizing."
"Good." Kathryn stated, hopping off the bio-bed. "Commander, set Tom on that course and call in the senior staff. I'll explain."
Without a backward glance, Kathryn left, Tuvok at her side. Chakotay and the Doctor glanced at each other for a moment before Chakotay hurried to catch up. Twenty minutes later, the ship was moving once again and the senior staff was gathered in the conference room.
"Captain, we're not moving the ship." Tom said when she arrived on the bridge. "The engines shut down right before we started moving."
"Don't worry about it, Tom. It will be all right. Let's get started."
"The energy being is actually the entire nebula." Kathryn began. "In an alternate dimension, an enemy was wiping out a Line of Warriors, and the last remaining children of that Line needed to be moved, and it used Q to do it." She held up her hand when she saw them about to comment. "This is no game. It was waiting for me because of Q's 'glowing recommendation' that I could be trusted to bring them safely out of their stasis and find them a home."
"How can you trust this, captain?" B'Elanna asked. "We know you can't trust Q any further than you could throw him."
"I agree, but even though he may not tell everything he knows, the one thing he's never done is lied." Kathryn responded. "Besides, Q is merely being an intermediary, and that alone indicated to me just how serious this situation is. Q has never been the type to work for anyone else."
"How many children are we talking about?" Chakotay posed the next question. "And where are we going to put them?"
"I don't know, to both questions, but when I say 'children', I don't mean little kids. Most of them are in their late teens, or a little older, and there are a few that are in their late twenties to early thirties."
"How do you know all of this?" Tuvok asked.
"I was wondering who was going to ask that one." Kathryn smirked. "The energy being told me. These people have undergone genetic changes, so I want to you look them over Doctor. What made them special in their dimension is not applicable to the laws of this dimension."
"What were they before?" B'Elanna asked.
"That I wasn't told." The hesitation of her answer wasn't noticeable to most of them, but Kathryn saw Tuvok's brow rise, as well as Seven's. They would realize that, while she wasn't lying, she wasn't exactly telling the truth, either.
"Is this really wise?" Chakotay repeated B'Elanna's earlier concern. "We already know that Q can't be trusted. We don't know this entity at all. We could be pawns in some cosmic crapshoot for all we know."
"In this case, that exactly what were are, but what choice do we have?" Kathryn asked him. "We can only go to the beacon. Until we get that far, I don't have any other answers. When we get to the beacon, whatever it is, Tuvok and Seven are going with me down there. I need B'Elanna to stay with the engines, and Chakotay, I need you to stay on the bridge. Continue monitoring all systems and report any changes. Dismissed."