RAGNAROK 1
Author: Rocky

Act IV

The door signal to her quarters chimed, startling Janeway from her reverie. Her sleep, she admitted ruefully, glancing at the open book on her lap; she must have dozed off.

She checked the chronometer: 0230. Chakotay had left more than an hour ago, but she'd been too keyed up to go to bed right away, particularly after their discussion of Axum's offer and its implications for Voyager.

The door chimed once more. "Come in," she called, wondering who it could be at this hour, but not really surprised when she saw Seven of Nine enter.

Her automatically thinking of the young woman's Borg designation did surprise her, however. How long had it been since she'd referred to the former Annika Hansen as 'Seven' without consciously remembering what it stood for? Years, most likely. And she'd had less reason to do so now, as the young woman was wearing her blue science uniform, as she did regularly while on duty. Although she hadn't yet accepted the captain's offer of a field commission, Seven had discarded her earlier, more form-fitting outfits in favor of the Starfleet garb several weeks ago.

"That uniform looks good on you," Janeway said with a smile, laying "Beowulf" aside; for some reason, her preference for late-night reading material ran to the ancient Terran classics, the older the better. "Although I'm sure there are a few crew members who may feel otherwise."

Seven didn't respond, although on other occasions she had been seen to crack a brief smile, particularly as her understanding of humor and innuendo had increased. "I have a problem I wish to discuss with you, Captain," she said bluntly. There was a time when the former drone would have simply forged ahead and stated her concerns, but Seven paused. "I hope I am not disturbing you. I did not realize the hour was so late."

"It's all right, Seven," Janeway replied in a reassuring voice. "As you can see, I haven't gone to bed yet."

"But you were obviously resting."

"It's all right," Janeway repeated patiently. "What's on your mind?"

Still Seven hesitated. "It is curious that you mentioned my uniform, Captain, as that is related to what I wished to discuss."

"Have you decided to accept a Starfleet commission?" Janeway asked. Considering the amount of time that had elapsed since the offer had first been made, she wondered why it couldn't wait till morning.

"No. It's about Axum."

Suddenly Janeway knew what Seven was going to say. "Please, Seven, have a seat."

The younger woman sat down stiffly on the edge of the couch, and met the captain's gaze unflinchingly. "In another day or two, Axum and the others will be leaving for the Pojzan colony. He has asked me to accompany them."

"I see," Janeway said. "Are you going to take him up on his offer?"

"I am leaning toward going, however..."

"You feel torn," Janeway finished gently.

"Yes. Establishing a new type of society with other freed drones has a strong allure-" Seven broke off uncomfortably, but then continued. "They have tried and failed to live in peace with other denizens of the quadrant. Despite the fact that they are no longer part of the Collective, they still carry the taint of being Borg, and while some may forgive them their actions, others remember all too well the damage they caused."

"And there are other groups of former drones still wreaking havoc in the sector," Janeway said quietly. "We've come across a few examples ourselves."

"There is no denying that, Captain. But despite Axum's claims of wanting only to be left alone, of not meaning any harm, he is being treated as though he too were raiding helpless civilians."

"You can't honestly blame the other species in this region," Janeway pointed out. "They have suffered greatly."

"I do not. Which is why the Pojzan solution is the correct one-for Axum and his followers, as well as the drones from the Tivka." Seven took a deep breath, then looked Janeway in the eye. "And for myself as well."

Janeway leaned forward and lightly touched Seven's arm. "Seven, Voyager is your home. I won't deny that many of the crew eyed you askance at first, but over time they all came to accept you."

"The crew of Voyager has, because they had your example to follow, Captain," Seven said. Was that a trace of bitterness in her voice? "*You* did not view me as an unspeakable evil, nor a representative of all the loss and death your planet has suffered. You saw me as a human being, and persuaded the rest of the crew to do so as well. But there is no guarantee that the citizens of the Federation will not in fact see me as anything other than a murderous Borg."

Janeway dropped her sympathetic manner. "Is that what this is about?" she asked, her voice sharp. "You want to leave because you're afraid of what kind of reception you'll receive once we return to the Alpha Quadrant? Why are you convinced that you're automatically going to face prejudice and blame?"

"Why are you so convinced that I will not?" countered Seven. "With all due respect, Captain, you have been away from the Federation for seven years. Your only contact is the recently established monthly datastream. Can you be so certain that your interpretation of the moods and intentions of the people, of Starfleet Command, is correct?"

*And so certain that you'd gamble her future on the strength of your convictions, Kathryn?* Janeway shifted uncomfortably in her seat. She looked into Seven's uncompromising gaze once more. "Be it as it may, Seven, you know that I'll do everything in my power to help you, to make sure you're not made into a scapegoat, but accepted on your own merits."

"I don't doubt that," Seven said quietly. "Although you'll be quite busy fighting for the other segments of your crew whose status may be in doubt."

The Maquis, not to mention the surviving crew from the Equinox. But Janeway did not intend to go into that now, allow Seven to distract her from the issue at hand.

Before she could say anything further, however, Seven went on. "But I am not choosing to go with Axum as a means of running away from or avoiding any ugly confrontations. I'm going because-"

Janeway did not miss the interplay of emotions across Seven's features. "Because it will be *with* Axum."

"Yes. We will have the opportunity to recreate in reality what we shared in Unimatrix Zero."

The captain's stance softened. "When you put it that way...yes, I can see that is a compelling reason for you to go."

"I didn't say I had reached a final decision."

"You've certainly made quite a case for doing so. What's holding you back?" Janeway asked, curious.

"I will miss the friendships I have forged on board Voyager. Lieutenant Kim, the Doctor, Naomi Wildman...and you, Captain." Seven swallowed, her eyes glistening with sudden tears. "I can never repay you for what you have done for me. Not just for separating me from the Collective, but for your insistence I could not contemplate returning to them until I had learned enough of humanity to be able to make an informed decision for myself."

Janeway remembered that conversation very well. She closed her eyes as she was transported back in time to that confrontation in the brig with a strident and aggressive former drone. Seven had been desperate to return to the Collective, unable to bear the silence of only a single voice, a single set of thoughts. "I didn't understand what you went through then, Seven, not entirely, until this year when I too experienced the call of the Collective. For a brief moment I felt what it was like to exist as a group consciousness, instead of as an individual. The transition back was-jarring. It must have been even harder for you."

Seven nodded. "I know I did not make it easy for you, then or afterwards. My actions aboard Voyager were often the source of many difficulties. Not to mention a cause of conflict between yourself and certain members of the senior staff."

Janeway started. "I won't deny that we had our difficulties in the past"-and she was most definitely not going to get into the areas Seven touched on in the last part of her statement!-"but in the long run it was worth it. To see you as you are today, the woman you've developed into-that makes it all worthwhile."

"Not many would have had the patience that you exhibited, Captain, and for that I am deeply appreciative. I have tried to learn by example, and I have seen you give your all for your crew, even to the extent of sacrificing your own personal happiness for the safety and welfare of the ship. It is that which makes me hesitate now-how can I leave Voyager, if by doing so I am endangering the ship, or at least decreasing its chances of survival, and of returning home?"

Janeway didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "You're not exactly leaving us in the lurch, Seven," she said carefully. "We *did* manage to survive a number of crises before you joined us, and I imagine we will be able to do so in the future." She leaned forward, and clasped Seven's hand tightly in her own. "We will all miss you, but you need to follow your heart."

Seven gave her a grateful look, and rose. "Thank you, Captain. You have helped me put things in their proper perspective."

"Then you are going?" All at once Janeway had a sense of déjà vu, remembering a conversation very like this, four years earlier, with another young woman whom she'd helped mentor, had grown to feel a special closeness to. She too had made a decision to follow her destiny, one apart from Voyager. *Oh, Kes,* Janeway thought sadly. *I don't know if I have ever gotten used to your not being here, and now I have to say another goodbye...* She forced herself to listen to Seven's answer.

"Yes, I am." Seven turned to go, then hesitated by the door. "Captain?"

"Yes?"

"It may be worthwhile for you to follow your own advice." Seven then swept out through the door, leaving a dumbfounded Janeway behind her.