Hopefully this chapter will answer a lot of your questions and put paid to rumors that I'm crazy. lol

Reparata

Chapter 5B

"Tuvok to Dr. Cooper. Have Seven of Nine escort you to the captain's ready room immediately."

"Drat! I just needed a few more hours of undisturbed thought to work through the final algorythm! I'm sorry, Seven of Nine, to disturb your work. I'm sure I'll be able to make my way to the captain's ready room since I've been there once before."

He stood and approached the door but stopped when Seven of Nine grabbed his upper arm and whirled him around.

"I am responsible for you and I do not take my responsibilities lightly. The order specifically said I was to escort you, and I shall." Her voice had lost almost all of its human tenor and sounded almost mechanical.

"As you wish. I was simply trying to be courteous and allow you to finish your tasks undisturbed. Lead on, Seven of Nine." Two could play the harsh voice game and Sheldon was a master at inserting disdain in his speech, something Seven was quick to pick up on.

"If you thought me rude, you were mistaken. I simply will not have you wandering around Voyager unescorted, Dr. Sheldon Cooper. You would get lost in a few minutes and then I'd have to find you and waste more time."

"Seven, follow me to the Captain's ready room. If I get lost then you'll be right there to point me in the right direction – but I won't."

He walked out with Seven hurrying to catch him. His long strides suggested anger to Seven and she was surprised when he unerringly found the captain's ready room and paused outside and winked at her.

"I have eidetic memory, Seven of Nine. I can remember everything that has ever happened to me, good or bad, since I was three years old. I never get lost if I've been someplace before."

His smug countenance made her want to assimilate him and make him work in the sludge farm found on every Borg Cubeship. Perhaps that would teach him humility but she suppressed the urge to inject nanites into his carotid and just motioned him onwards.

The door whooshed open and Sheldon found himself facing a 'court of inquiry' or so he supposed since there were several officers sitting around a conference table where Captain Janeway held sway.

"Be seated, Dr. Cooper. Seven, you may go. I'll have someone escort him to his quarters. He's no longer your responsibility as he is no longer deemed a security risk."

"I'd like her to stay, if you don't mind, Captain. She is the closest thing I have to an 'advocate' or friend aboard your ship and I'd feel better if she were here."

"As you wish. Seven, be seated. Now, Dr. Cooper, do you remember our earlier conversation?"

Seven held back a slight smirk. Sheldon remembered everything.

"Yes, Captain. And I have made a discovery in the interim. When I was 'harvested' in July, 2012, I had not yet completed my work on the monopole and, in fact, it's existence had yet to be proven."

"Well, Dr. Cooper, that's hardly rel – "

"'Awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics in 2014 for his research and discoveries in the field of subatomic particles, specifically, the monopole.' That was the precise wording your computer used in my 'history'. So either this is a different time-line or…I made it back to 2012 and completed my work and then it got published."

There was visible consternation among the officers seated at the table. And Seven of Nine interrupted their musings with "Computer, display the contents of Dr. Sheldon Cooper's padd in real time as it was entered."

The large screen on one wall lit and the officers watched as Sheldon's elegant but cramped script began writing complex formulae and equations and then slow and stop.

"That is the point at which Dr. Cooperwas interrupted by Commander Tuvok's summons," pointed out Seven of Nine.

"Those are the formulae that Zephram Cochran used to develop warp drive! But they aren't finished and we all know that Cochran used formulae found in a partially destroyed library to complete his work and launch the first warp-capable ship. It's what prompted the Vulcans to initiate First Contact!"

Harry Kim was intimately familiar with the work of Cochran. He'd done his thesis at the academy on the math behind the development of Earth's first warp drive. He was even familiar with the work of Dr. Sheldon Cooper whom many believed was the true 'father of warp drive'.

"Dr. Cooper, are you certain that no one else but you could have found your work and completed it after your disappearance in July, 2012?"

"Absolutely. I kept all my computations on white boards in my apartment and I distinctly remember erasing them as I always did when I was planning on going out. It was a security precaution since my roommate, Dr. Leonard Hofstadter, became enamored of a North Korean who turned out to be a spy and," he noted Janeway's eyes rolling as did Penny's when he was launching into some long monologue at an inappropriate time, " and that's not relevant."

"Perhaps this is a different time line, as Dr. Cooper first suggested. It would explain…"

"Yes, it would, but it wouldn't explain him," B'elanna Torres said, pointing at Sheldon. "I mean how he got here and – "

"I think the problem is simply solved: I have to return to my own time and complete the equations and publish them. The original work done at the Magnetic North Pole was sabotaged by my team, why, I don't know, but I did not publish my results because everything I did from that point on was suspect in the scientific community."

There was a lot of discussion about the equations and then Janeway brought the discussion to a halt. "Okay, people, let's get back on track. From everything that Tuvok has learned from the deep analysis done by the computer, this Gene Roddenberry was either from the future, our future, or was a member of the Progenitor Race."

"Impossible! The Progenitors have been dead for thousands and thousands of years. It must have been a time traveler from our future since we lack anything like time travel."

The discussion went back and forth and Sheldon listened in awe. The minds arrayed before him were sharp and focused and what he wouldn't have given to have worked or studied with such a group!

"Dr. Cooper, what are you thoughts on the matter? You've been very quiet…" Janeway was anxious to hear his analysis.

"I need to return to my own time, complete my research and publish it and then…disappear from all historical records and my return must be unheralded and I cannot allow my identity to be discovered. That in itself is a major problem since I lack funds and equipment to return alone to the Magnetic North Pole and complete my research. I have no idea how I'll deal with my existence after communicating my discoveries to the scientific community. Perhaps just do what the old Inupiat did - walk out into the icy wastes and let Nature take her course."

"And, in addition, there is the problem that time travel does not exist and we, that is, Voyager, are 66 solar years from Earth." This from Harry Kim who seemed the most agreeable of those seated around him.

"I think that's enough for now. Seven, Dr. Cooper has been assigned quarters on C deck and I'll have a crewman escort him to his quarters. You may return to your duties."

"Excuse me for just a moment, Captain." Sheldon followed Seven out of the ready cabin and touched her shoulder to get her attention.

"Seven, thank you for your help in there. I feel uncomfortable, like I'm abandoning you. Can we have dinner together and discuss your time with the Borg. I noticed that you appeared very smug when the subject of time travel came up so I think you know something you're not sharing with the class, am I right?"

"Meet me in Astrometrics at 2100 hours, Sheldon, and I'll answer your questions if you agree to answer all of mine. Are you in agreement?"

"Of course, Seven. I find you fascinating and I want to learn more about the Borg. I don't think they're such bad folk as the crew seems to believe. An orderly life with purpose and companionship of like-minded individuals appeals to me despite my hold on my individuality."

"Then I shall tell you all you wish to know in exchange for your answers. 2100 hours, Sheldon. Don't be late."

"I shall be there."

[[[[[A/N: Ooooo, Sheldon's going on a date with Seven of Nine…or so he thinks.]]]]]

Harry Kim talked incessantly while accompanying Sheldon to his quarters. How did he like being on Voyager? Had much changed? What things were the same? What did he find most interesting?

Sheldon tried to hide his amusement at Harry's questions. He rarely seemed to pause for a breath between explaining some facet of Voyager or asking a question.

He employed a 'Pennyism' and asked Harry to pause, take a chill pill and give him time to respond.

"Harry, take a chill pill and a deep breath and I'll answer your questions in the order presented, okay? Now, I like being here. On a starship, I mean. I'm not sure I like the 25th Century but I've only been here a few hours. Harry, everything has changed. The only thing that seems the same to me is the paranoia and suspicion of those in authority. As for most interesting, I wouldn't know where to begin."

"Uh, yeah, about the sense of paranoia: we've met many new species and races and sometimes the hand of friendship has a knife in it. There are some races who want Voyager for it's technology while others want the crew for…for organs, or food, or slaves. I think your appearance was initially considered a threat and thus your reception."

"Well, shooting your captain in the face and heart with a paintball may have been initially viewed as hostile…" Sheldon laughed but then got very serious.

"Why does everyone treat Seven of Nine as if she were a virus or worse? For an enlightened people, the crew seemed to possess the same pettiness as in my time."

"Humph. You've never seen Borg drones take a ship apart and assimilate its crew. They are relentless and cruel and know no mercy. Do you know all they seem to be able to say? 'Prepare to be assimilated. Resistance is futile'!"

"Surely they can be dealt with? Find common ground on which to build a friendship or at least an agreement not to mess with each other."

"Now who's being naïve? Dr. Cooper, no one has ever defeated the Borg. They are relentless and like a cancer that spreads and destroys everything and everyone in their path."

Sheldon didn't say anything since there was nothing he could say. He had no experience with the Borg or with any non-humans so he just went into wait-state hoping Harry would offer more information.

"Why are you so interested in the Borg, Dr. Cooper?" Harry wondered if the tall, thin man really understood what he'd been trying to get across to him.

"The only person other than the EMH who's been remotely tolerant of me is Seven of Nine. And I am fascinated by what she might reveal about the Borg and their ways. Has anyone ever sat down and asked her?"

"I tried. She brained me and then tried to sabotage the ship and call the Borg to retrieve her and assimilate the Voyager. Her one and only priority is to return to the Borg collective. It is her one imperative and she would do anything to accomplish it."

"Perhaps if people tried to accept her and assist her in rediscovering her humanity she might be more forthcoming about the secrets of the Borg and help Voyager to get home sooner. She told me that the Borg have assimilated the technology and science of thousands of cultures."

Harry decided that Sheldon Cooper was a typical egg-head and had his head up his buttocks. He didn't seem to listen to anything negative and Harry figured he'd have to learn the hard way.

"Dr. Cooper, this is your place. The door is coded to your voice and everything you need is right at hand. Anything else?" He suddenly wanted to be anyplace but with Sheldon. His attitude sucked and maybe B'elanna was right about him.

"Just tell me how the shower works and how I can brush my teeth. It's been almost 5 centuries since I've showered, y'know?"

Harry explained everything and then almost fled from the small rooms. He wasn't sure, but there was something fishy about this guy that he just couldn't figure out. He would, eventually, but by then, it would be too late for all of them to stop what would happen.

Sheldon marveled at the sonic shower and the depilatory crème that Harry explained substituted for a razor. It had the added effect of moisturizing the skin and Sheldon was really big on moisturizing. The sonic toothbrush was delightful and he couldn't remember his teeth being so clean-feeling, even after having them cleaned by his dentist.

At precisely 2100 hours, Sheldon buzzed the door of Cargo Bay 2. Seven met him at the door and pointed down the corridor.

"We're going to have dinner on the holodeck and then I'm going to introduce you to the Borg way of life, Sheldon."

She watched his face carefully for any signs of fear or loathing and almost smiled when he smiled eagerly. She was reminded of...something…but couldn't put her finger on it. A memory fragment from before she became Borg.

Sheldon was full of questions as they walked down the corridor and took the turbolift to the holodeck.

She stopped at the entrance and stated, "Execute program Zeta-0332-Seven of Nine. Authentication alpha-delta-rho.

"Sheldon Cooper, remember, none of this is real. Do not fear. I will be with you every step of the way. Also remember," her voice was soft as she laid her fingertips on his neck and assimilation tubules sprang from her wrist, "resistant is futile."