Talked to my honey-pot last night for a bit on Skype's milchan. He's so tanned and it's so damned hot over there. He's road-running and having a ball or so he says. He looks tired and worried and that means I'm worried. Even Alexander knew better than to get involved with the Afghans. Damn politicians. Anyhooooo...

Thank you all for your encouragement. Like I said, it's finished although there may be a change depending upon responses but that's like 17 chapters away so don't worry about reader participation.

Reparata

Taken Chapter 4

Seven of Nine explained that the Voyager followed a 4-shift ship-day and that Alpha shift was the first with Gamma shift the last. It was Gamma shift and most of the crew were in quarters asleep and that explained why the ship seemed deserted.

"Dr. Sheldon Cooper, there are 184 officers and crew aboard Voyager although that may change if you decide to remain on board. Have you given thought to your predicament?"

"I've hardly had a moment to do much other than take in all the wondrous technology and the ship itself. Other than the Captain and Leonard, you're the only person I've had any interaction with and I'm sorry for misconstruing things in your cargo bay. And please, 'Dr. Sheldon Cooper' is such a mouthful, I answer to 'Sheldon' or 'Shel', Bor – I mean, Seven of Nine. I must stop referring to you as 'Borg' even though that was what you told me your name was. 'I am Borg', you stated firmly and clearly."

Seven noted that he referred to her as a 'person' and she wondered if he really understood what the doctor had inferred when he explained the existence and methodology of the Borg. And who was 'Leonard'?

"Sheldon, yes, easier and I don't believe the ship's complement includes a 'Sheldon'. Who is 'Leonard'?"

They were almost to the mess deck and Seven had slowed their pace to allow him to answer her questions without anyone overhearing the answers. Borg were a paranoid lot and she wanted unique information should it become necessary to employ it.

"The EMH. He explained that he didn't have a personal designation and so I gave him one. 'Leonard' is – was – my best friend before I was harvested." It was slowly dawning on him that there was no way back to his own time and that Voyager was his new home barring the revelation that they had time travel in the 26th Century.

"Interesting. He will be insufferably pleased with himself, you know. He is always right and even when he isn't, he twists circumstances to explain his 'error' so that the fault is not his."

Sheldon blushed when he remembered the Physics Bowl and the cricket incidents. He and the EMH had more in common than he had with others.

"So, Seven of Nine, what do you do here on Voyager? Someone with your unique perspective and scientific knowledge and familiarity with cybernetics must be in high demand."

"I developed the Astrometrics function and that is where I perform daily tasks as well as assist where my talents are needed. As you can imagine, my presence among the crew is not exactly 'comforting'. It is in the area immediately adjacent to my cargo bay quarters."

"Would you have the time to explain what you do? My friend Rajeesh Koothrappalli was an Astrophysicist but I regret not learning more about what he did."

"That would be acceptable. I must be on duty in 97 minutes and if you hurry consuming Neelix' offerings and find appropriate clothing, I will have sufficient time to introduce you to the fundamentals of Astrometrics."

"I couldn't help but notice that your attire is radically different from the others. Why aren't you wearing a uniform like the others?"

"I require augmentation that is present in my Borg skin-suit. The EMH told me he was developing something that would be less visually disconcerting to the crew."

"If it meets your needs, Seven of Nine, then to hell with the sensitivities of others. At least your gluteus maximii are encased, unlike mine, as you so correctly pointed out. This coverall has seen better days. I must have torn it in my haste to assume the proper ambush position." He remembered Penny once telling him that he was getting a little thread-bare on the backside.

Seven said nothing further and Sheldon wisely assumed she courted no further inquiries. He found it much easier to deal with Leonard and Seven of Nine than 'normal' people since they spoke clearly, succinctly and employed logic as opposed to emotion. Not having facial expressions to deal with also made life easier. He didn't have to wonder what the 'pinched look' Penny almost always had after being with Leonard meant, for example. Yes, definitely easier.

The plain black coverall that Sheldon wore now was both utilitarian and comfortable as were the boots that he'd been issued to replace his sneakers. It was a perfect fit and Seven of Nine had shown him how to 'recycle' it and retrieve a new pair daily. He mentally checked off 'clothing' on his list of requirements.

When they entered the mess hall, Seven of Nine turned and said, "Tom Paris and B'elanna Torres are at that far table, Dr. Cooper. I shall see you in Astrometrics. Enjoy your breakfast." She was suddenly ill at ease and he wasn't comfortable with facing new people alone.

"You are uncomfortable around those two? Then we shall not sit with them. I'd rather eat undisturbed by what I am sure will be questions that will interrupt my meal and delay us touring Astrometrics. Please, Seven of Nine, I'd rather have your company."

"I will…comply. Our ship's cook is a Tellaxian and is quite garrulous. No doubt he will talk your hand off, Sheldon."

"Ear, Seven of Nine. The phrase is 'talk your ear off' although I've never quite gotten the hand of slang. Or sarcasm, either. Thank you for your warning."

Warned or not, Sheldon felt himself grow light headed when Neelix, 'the last of his race', grabbed his hand and pumped it up and down and side to side. "Greetings, Dr. Cooper, and welcome to Voyager. Would you like to try my Gorth soup for breakfast?"

Sheldon never shook hands and to actually be touched by someone who remotely resembled a bipedal fish and felt almost as bad was truly disconcerting. Seven of Nine stepped in on his behalf.

"Neelix, Dr. Cooper will try the Gorth soup if it not harmful to humans as was your C'parcian gruel. Half of Delta shift was in sick bay if you remember."

"I assure you that the Doctor himself analyzed the ingredients and pronounced them compatible with the human digestive system. I'll bring a bowl out to your table." He didn't bother to ask the young woman for her order. She rarely ate anything from his kitchen, preferring Replicator rations.

They were barely seated when Neelix brought Sheldon his soup and utensils and then hovered over him peppering him with questions.

The first spoonful of the soup was – interesting. And spicy. Beads of sweat began to form on his upper lip and forehead and he tried to remember the last time he'd tasted –

"Well, what have we here? Have the Borg sent us another drone or have you assembled a little companion from your spare parts as a substitute for your precious collective."

Torres hated Seven of Nine because she hated the Borg. Seven was Borg and therefore she hated her. It was a simple thing to the half-Klingon. She ignored her companion's attempts to pull her away from the couple seated at the table.

Sheldon was seated across from his blonde guide and saw a flicker of anguish cross her features before she schooled them. Neelix was prattling on about their new 'crewmember' but Sheldon was focused on Seven. He knew ridicule and cruelty. This was obviously a common occurrence for Seven and he felt the need to intercede on her behalf and so he stood, glaring down at the smaller Torres.

"I would have thought that in 500 years things might have changed, Seven of Nine. I think we should be on our way to Astrometrics." He wanted her to know that he shared and understood her discomfort. The being insulting her reminded him of Leslie Winkle.

"Neelix, the soup was delicious. I've rarely tasted 'chili' this good since leaving Texas. You might want to add a bit more chili powder to raise it to '4-alarm' levels, but otherwise, it was very good. I'll have to show you how to make corn bread to go with it. Let's go, Seven."

"Running away, G'rack?" Something clicked in Sheldon's mind and he reeled with the possible implications of his discovery. This Torres woman had just referred to him by the Klingon name for a rat-like pest found on the Klingon home world – but that was in fiction…

"Hab Sosil' Quch! You don't even know me and yet you insult me without the customary introduction of your name and your lineage. You are beneath us and certainly more G'rack-like than I. NaDevvo' ylghoS!"

B'elanna paled at the insult but also knew that she'd stepped on it big-time. This human spoke Klingon with ease and an obvious sense of history. There was more to this than she knew and she hated being out-insulted. It was her father not her mother that had a smooth forehead. She bit her tongue rather than apologize and turned to her companion and simply smirked and then left the mess hall.

Neelix was all a-twitter at Sheldon's smack-down of the Chief Engineer. Her tone had been insulting and he always felt that she looked down on others. He was glad he'd been a witness to what happened else he would never have believed it.

Rather than grateful, Seven was suddenly wary of Sheldon. He was from the past, pre-First Contact, and yet he knew enough about Klingons to speak their language and traditions, and to safely deliver a deadly insult!

Sheldon caught the shrewd look Seven gave him and cursed himself for opening his mouth. There was something not right here. Had he finally lost his mind? Was he imagining all of this?

"If you are finished, Dr. Cooper, perhaps we could move along? I have my duties to attend to and they don't include 'tour guide'." Her tone was waspish and again he thought of Leslie Winkle but just nodded and followed the blonde woman out into the corridor.

He hurried to catch up with her. She seemed vexed by something but if there was one thing Penny had taught him it was that women were to be avoided during this time of the month although he had no idea if Borg even had monthly cycles given their propensity for efficiency aided by technology. He was, however, silent on the question deeming it unworthy of his fledgling relationship with Seven of Nine.

Seven's thoughts were chaotic. She'd been presented with a being from Earth's pre-contact society and yet he had a working knowledge of Klingon culture and language. This was a mystery and the Borg culture did not embrace mysteries lightly.

A similar argument was being presented to Captain Janeway even as Sheldon and Seven walked to the Astrometrics lab.

"B'elanna, it's not that I don't believe that you believe you heard him speak in Klingon but…really, Dr. Cooper is from 2012. I saw him materialize from the Harvester Probe's buffer myself. The computer correctly summarized his personal history and believe me, the affect on him was no act. No. I will not have him put in quarantine just because you think he spoke to you in Klingon. It's just not possible and I think your enmity towards Seven of Nine is at the root of it."

"I'm not imagining it. He insulted me and then called me out in the traditional manner for being rude and he did so…just like a Klingon warrior would. It was very intimidating. I'm telling you, Captain, he's not who he says he is…"

After much discussion, Tuvok volunteered to meet with Sheldon Cooper and determine what he could of the validity of the man's tale. Personally, he was of the opinion that anyone who associated as freely as this Dr. Cooper did with Seven of Nine knew nothing of the Borg and their assimilation campaigns. He and Chakotay had been on an away mission when the Harvester Probe was recovered. As security chief, he felt it was his duty to the ship and crew to determine if the visitor posed a risk.

"Computer, what is the location of Dr. Sheldon Cooper?" Tuvok inquired of the computer.

"Unknown." Janeway frowned and remembered that he hadn't been issued a com badge yet. "Computer, locate Seven of Nine."

"Seven of Nine is in Astrometrics." Janeway raised an eyebrow and Tuvok left for Astrometrics.

Astrometrics

"And that is how we determine our precise progress towards Earth. My duties include mapping the systems and phenomena around us as we make our way to Earth. It is an exacting task requiring the utmost in precision. I also control Voyager's deep space communications although no one seems to be on the other end."

"How far is Voyager from Earth?" He wanted to see his home, even 500 years later than when he left.

"Approximately 66.8 terrestrial years at current warp speed. However, that number is constantly in flux since Voyager is a deep space exploration vehicle and the captain insists on various detours to view interesting anomalies. We also search for systems that show signs of sentient life so that we may trade for raw materials."

They are interrupted by the arrival of Commander Tuvok who starts to speak but then is puzzled by Dr. Cooper's sudden joy at seeing him.

"My word, you're Vulcan!" Sheldon Cooper exclaimed with a huge grin on his face. He held up his hand in a familiar way and clearly enunciated "Mene sakkhet ur-seveh".

"Indeed," responded Tuvok with a raised eyebrow.