Dr. Hunt was just about to leave Janeway's ready room when she remembered Seven's heart implants. "Oh, by the way Captain…there is one other surgery the doctor may have to perform if necessary." Dr. Hunt said, moving back towards Janeway's desk.
"Are you not able to perform such a surgery?" Janeway asked, with a somewhat crooked smile playing on her face.
"I am able to, Captain. However…this surgery is rather invasive, more so than the others: this would require the Doctor and I to stop Seven's heart to remove some implants." Dr. Hunt saw Janeway lose her smile in an instant.
"Is this particular surgery necessary for Seven?" Janeway asked, now concerned about what she was going to have to do about this.
"The surgery will be mandatory in approximately 8-10 years from now, based on the rate of her human immune system rejecting the implants. Because this surgery is so invasive, the Doctor and I would appreciate your permission before attempting it. What do you say?" Megan watched as the vein in Janeway's forehead moved back and forth. She could tell this was going to be a tough decision.
Janeway thought for a long moment before giving an answer. "May I see Seven?" She asked, looking up at the doctor with worry in her eyes.
"She has been sedated for now because of the pain from her recent surgeries, but yes, you may see her." Megan said, detecting there was a closer relationship between the Captain and this Borg.
"Take me to Seven." Janeway said, needing to see her new companion before making any irrational decisions on her behalf.
Dr. Hunt nodded, and walked with Janeway out of the ready room, onto the bridge, and then onto the turbolift.
The turbolift ride was almost awkward, as a silence fell between Janeway and Dr. Hunt. Just as Janeway was about to say something to help break the ice, the doors of the turbolift opened, and the two women found themselves in sickbay.
"Ah, Captain Janeway! How lovely to see you" said the Doctor, in a slightly more pleasant manner than his usual tone.
Janeway looked at Seven for a moment, before stating abruptly, "Computer, deactivate EMH program."
The Doctor's program disappeared from sight, and then it was just Janeway, Seven, and Megan Hunt. Dr. Hunt looked at Janeway for a moment. "I wish I had known you could do that. I would have done that ages ago!"
Janeway smiled at Megan once before moving over to the sleeping Seven of Nine lying on a biobed. Janeway held Seven's hand as she looked into her eyes, as if silently asking what she wanted her to do.
"There couldn't be a possibility of you coming back to Earth with us, would there, Dr. Hunt? We could use a doctor with skills as wonderful as yours" Janeway asked; the last thing she wanted was to lose Seven.
"Unfortunately, the answer is no, Captain Janeway. As much as I would love to, I am afraid I couldn't make that kind of commitment. Also, I'm not an explorer like you are. I'm just here for the bodies."
Dr. Hunt looked at Seven's chest rise and fall for a few moments. 'Oh how she looks so much like Kate' Megan thought to herself, feeling an almost sense of de ja vu.
'Of course, she's my only real reason for staying here. I wish—I only wish we could leave together. The sky's the limit…'
Megan felt herself dazing off into space, when Janeway put a hand on her shoulder. "Have you got something you would like to share with the class, Dr. Hunt?"
Megan watched Seven's chest rise and fall a few more times before answering. "Captain Janeway, I just might have an idea."
Megan smiled at Janeway, and for once she knew that this was something she couldn't screw up. "Captain Janeway, I would like to give Seven of Nine an artificial heart. Only…I would like her to keep the one she has. With some Borg technology 'tweaking' as I like to call it, we can keep the implants that are attached to her sternum, and her immune system would not be able to reject them. Not only that, but Seven would indeed be able to maintain the same heart efficiency as she has now."
Janeway looked at Seven, and then looked at Megan. "Where do you suppose you can find some of this Borg technology that you would need for this…'tweaking'?" Janeway asked, a smile returning to her face for a brief moment.
"I'll have to charm my boss into allowing me access to some Borg artifacts we have collected, but I can do that with ease. Once I get my paws on this technology, it will take a few days to ensure everything is working in proper order, and just to ensure nothing is tampered with, I would request to stay on board of Voyager for these next few days if you don't mind."
Megan waited a moment for Janeway's response.
"That seems like a splendid idea, Dr. Hunt. I will have security set up some quarters for you, and if you need anything from us, do not hesitate to ask. You know right where my ready room is. Now, I would like a full briefing on this technology once and IF you get it working before you place anything into a member of my crew. Is that clear, Dr. Hunt?" Janeway's face was now stern, but her eyes still held a soft concern.
"Aye, Captain" was Megan's final response before turning away for a moment. Damn that parasthesia, her hands were numb again.
Janeway had turned to leave, but Megan couldn't resist one final question to ask Captain Janeway.
"She's not just a member of your crew, is she Captain?"
Megan knew her question had hit home. Janeway stopped walking for a brief moment and pondered the question. She wanted so badly to say "No, and I want Seven to know that" but Janeway knew she couldn't. Janeway made a brief comment of, "just get that Borg technology working for me, Dr. Hunt." Janeway then kept her captainly poise and continued walking out of Sickbay as if nothing had happened.
I'm working on the last chapter as you are reading this…
