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Stardate 55324.5
Masseni came to call today and delivered wonderful news to us from Neelix. Voyager arrived home several months ago. Almost everyone is well. Most of his news was good, but there was some sad news. Lieutenant Carey was killed just a few weeks before Neelix found the Talaxian colony where he now lives. He said he was sorry he did not tell me about Lieutenant Carey before, but he didn't want to upset me in his first message.
He had more good news. He and Dexa are married. Brax is fond of his "new dad," which I was pleased to hear. They are a very happy family. Brax loves the idea of becoming my penpal. He sent me his own message about his life in the asteroid. I'm preparing a message to send to Brax, too.
The best news of all, as far as I am concerned, is that Neelix sent along the schematics for a powerful communication system that will allow us to communicate directly with each other for a limited part of every day, if it's set up properly,. It involves bouncing the signal in a certain way off quantum singularities. Arebi examined the schematics, and he confirmed that Wysanti technology should be able to handle the construction of this device. It won't be quite like speaking over subspace, but it's better than having to wait for months to share news. And maybe Brax and I could be datastream pals. That would be better than just pen pals.
Arebi believes this communication technology will be of interest to Devoren Marin and the rest of the leadership. Masseni confirmed that he was authorized to deliver the same set of instructions to the Antareans. Apparently the leadership of the Federation wants to strengthen ties between the peoples of the Alpha Quadrant and the Delta Quadrant, like the Wysanti, and Ambassador O'Zaal's planet. Captain Janeway may have convinced them to share this technology, or perhaps Seven and Icheb had something to do with it. I would like to think so.
Neelix inquired if we have had any former Borg drones come to the Wysanti world for help, because many have been coming to planets in the sector where he now lives. He sent this as a warning, but since we've already had Borg Resistance ships land here, it wasn't necessary. The reply I prepared after the first group arrived, after we met with Captain Korok, already includes this information.
Masseni said he's sorry we won't need him to exchange messages with Neelix once our version of the Pathfinder network is operational, but Arebi told him he was welcome to come visit whenever he wishes. We're grateful for his help. Just by delivering the schematics and instructions on how to build the device, he has provided a great service to us. Arebi looked at me then and added, "Who knows? Perhaps someone from here will want to go on a trading trip with you someday." I'm glad that my foster parents understand now. They say I remind them of their lost daughter Barini, Azan and Rebi's mother. I know they loved her very much, and they've taken very good care of me. But I'm not Barini.
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On Stardate 55410, Icheb received a message from Admiral Paris.
:::Icheb, I have what I hope will be a pleasant surprise for you. Several months ago, Ambassador Neelix told me he'd met a Norvalen trader named Masseni, who sometimes visited the Wysanti. This trader agreed to deliver messages between Talax II and your sister Mezoti. Neelix didn't want me to say anything about this to you or Seven until he'd received a reply from Mezoti, in case something happened and the message exchange couldn't take place.
:::As you will see when you read the messages, she actually sent two of them to Neelix, but she left instructions to share them with you, too. One message was marked private and is addressed to you. I haven't read that one, since it's just for you, but the others contain information that will, I'm sure, be just as interesting for you to read as they were for me. She's quite remarkable. My son has told me you're very attached to her. I can see why. If she has any interesting details from your letter that you'd be willing to share with me, I'd be glad to hear them. I'm quite impressed with her. Enjoy!
:::Admiral Owen Paris, Director, Project Pathfinder
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Icheb was stunned. Contact with his sister? To be able to exchange messages with her? Perhaps he shouldn't be that surprised. The datastream system had been operational even before the five Borg children arrived on Voyager. He'd been able to speak with Neelix through Project Watson since the return to the Alpha Quadrant. He'd even been able to view Neelix and Dexa's wedding ceremony. And now, thanks to the same technology, he would be able to exchange messages with Mezoti. He quickly opened the first message by date and was delighted to discover it was a visual recording.
:::Stardate 55233.8
:::Dear Neelix, Greetings!
:::I am recording this message to let you know that former Borg have been arriving on Wysanti over the past several weeks. They're all like our Children's Collective and Seven. They've been disconnected from the Queen's control and are individuals now. The drones said they were freed from the Collective after Captain Janeway's Unimatrix Zero action. Many have been very ill. Failing implants were poisoning their Borg systems. The nanoprobes in their bodies were unable to keep up with the healing process.
::: I recalled that our EMH left detailed directions with the physicians who care for Rebi, Azan, and me, on how to evaluate the functioning of our implants and when to remove them if they are not. He also gave the physicians information about modifying malfunctioning nanoprobes, and how to disable the "drone making function." The hospital staff reports that the procedure to disable the assimilation tubules is something every drone has asked to be done as soon as possible, even before they are fully healed from injuries. They say they don't want to assimilate anyone ever again.
:::Since the first Borg vessels entered orbit, eleven others have arrived. Once their crews recovered, their ships gathered in an unpopulated system nearby. They've expressed no desire to resume any sort of collective mind. In fact, all are quite happy with their individuality. Several of the ships are under the direction of Captain Korok. Do you remember him? We met him on Voyager, when he came to speak with us. They left today to look for other Borg ships, whether they are connected to the Hive or not.
:::We also wish to let you know that a large number of fields of debris, like the one Voyager passed by on its way to Wysanti, have been discovered by the former Borg and other space travelers who have visited this planet. The only Borg ships that we know are intact are controlled by the Borg Resistance. We believe the Collective has suffered some sort of catastrophe that has killed many of its drones. Since you say you are in contact with the Federation, you should let them know about this situation. Perhaps they can let you know if the same thing has been happening in the Alpha Quadrant.
:::I must confess I've often had misgivings about remaining on Wysanti since I left Voyager. Arebi and Mazani are extremely good to me, but I miss Seven and Icheb. I find my life experience has been too different from others my age for my contemporaries to relate to me or understand me. I continue to be the outsider. I notice this more because Naomi accepted me from the beginning and made me her friend as soon as I arrived on Voyager. While Azan and Rebi are also outsiders, they play sports and have teammates. They have adjusted to life here with their grandparents, since they are best friends with each other. On a planet full of people, I find I am lonely. Mazani and Arebi care for me very much, and they try to help, but I know now that I really was meant to live my life in space.
:::If the Federation establishes a method of direct communication that would extend between Talax II and Wysanti, I would like you to ask if you can share this knowledge with us. I would find it much easier living here if I could speak with you directly. It would also help the Wysanti. This planet is a little out of the way of other space-faring species. My visits to the former Borg when they were treated in Wysanti hospitals were as good for me as they were for them. Because I was here, I could be of service to the former Borg. This has made me feel a little better about choosing to remain here, but I do wish I could see you all again.
::: I will continue to add to this message until Masseni comes to take the message to you, Neelix. So far, of the 497 former drones who have come here for treatment, 478 have survived. I will update these numbers and report them whenever I have the opportunity.
:::I hope this communication finds you well. I long to hear from you and see you again.
::: Your friend, Mezoti (Please share this message with Seven and Icheb, if you can.):::
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::: Star Date 55325.4 -
:::Dear Neelix,
:::I was so happy to hear you are married to Dexa. Brax is very lucky to have you for a father. Naomi always said how good you were to her. I'm glad you found your people, and they accepted you as one of them. The Talaxians must be wiser than the Norcadi.
:::Masseni came to us with your message and with the schematics for Project Watson. As you can see from the message I recorded for you some time ago, the Wysanti have had the same experience with the Borg Resistance Movement that you mentioned. When Captain Korok visited our planet, he told us the same thing. None of the scout ships or spheres that have come to Wysanti as of this time have encountered any Borg vessels which are still connected to the Queen; but until they are sure none are left to threaten any of us, the Resistance will continue to be vigilant.
:::This message may turn out to be a duplicate, if we are able to use Project Watson before Masseni returns to Talax II. Masseni has become our friend, and we will look forward to his visits even if he no longer has to perform a messenger service between us. I enjoyed seeing Brax's message. I do want to be his penpal. I've sent him a letter along with this one to you. If the Project Watson system works, however, we will be better than penpals. We'll be datastream pals. We may be able to speak with each other for a little while on days when the Wysanti leaders don't need to use all the time to communicate with you and those on other planets. I hope I will get a chance to speak directly with Brax sometimes. That would be fun.
:::I'm also glad you'll to be able to forward my messages to the Alpha Quadrant, to Seven and Icheb. I never expected I would be able communicate with them so directly ever again. If the datastream works as it should, we'll be able to send replies within days of receiving messages from each other. I can't tell you just how happy it makes me to learn that.
:::Your news about Lieutenant Carey is very sad. I was having a very difficult time when I received your first message. You were wise not to give me the bad news then. It would have upset me even more then than it does now.
:::I'm very glad you decided to stay in the Delta Quadrant, too. It's good to know I still have friends here who know me from my days on Voyager. Maybe someday I'll even be able to visit you on Talax II. I hope so.
:::Mezoti (Share this message with Seven and Icheb, too):::
When Icheb first caught sight of Mezoti's face as she delivered these first two messages to Neelix, he again felt the stabbing pain of loss. She should be here with Seven and him, not far away, with Azan and Rebi. She'd found a way to be of service by helping the Borg who had come to Wysanti for medical care, but it saddened him, just the same. Seeing her face and hearing her voice reminded him, even more than his memories, of how difficult their separation had been. He missed her more than ever. He should have tried harder to convince her to stay on Voyager. When he viewed her personal letter to him, he was able to see, from the way she stared into the imaging mechanism, along with the occasional catch he detected in her voice, that his little sister felt the same way.
:::Dear Icheb,
:::Isn't it amazing? We'll be able to communicate with each other. It seems too good to be true. I'm glad you'll soon be able to tell me how you're doing at the Academy. I know it's what you wanted. I hope it's all you expected it to be.
:::It's difficult for me here, even after all of this time. Perhaps the Norcadi are closer in personality to humans and Bajorans than they are to Wysanti, because I always enjoyed my visits with the crew when I was living on Voyager. Maybe it was because they all had been traveling together for such a long time, far away from their family and friends. They made us feel welcome, didn't they? My teachers and many of the people I've met here have been cordial to me, but I've never been able to get over my feeling of being different. They're nice, but only Arebi and Mazani have made me feel like they truly care about me and want me to live on their planet forever.
::: My life as a Borg, even though I was never more than a neonatal drone, may have ruined me for life on a planet like this. When I saw Captain Korok coming towards me - I guess I should call him General Korok now, because that's how the drones on his ship call him - after I'd only been with him for a few minutes on the day he visited us, I felt like I'd always known him. It was the same with the drones I visited in the hospital. We shared an experience as Borg that I think frightens the Wysanti people I meet. I guess it would have been worse if I'd been taken back to my home planet. They only wanted to forget me when Captain Janeway asked them to find a family I could live with there.
:::Azan and Rebi are still Azan and Rebi, if you know what I mean. They don't appreciate how wonderful their grandparents really are. I think they take them for granted. I don't, but as much as I'd like to be like Mazani and Arebi's daughter Barini, I can't be. I'm me, Mezoti. Their daughter was a very lucky female to have them as parents. I'm lucky they fostered me. They truly do accept me, but I find I can't be their daughter in the same way I was your sister.
:::You were right. You told me I could stay with Seven and you. I should have changed my mind and stayed on Voyager. If I could have looked into the future, I would have. Now I must live with the consequences. Since I will now be able to communicate with Seven and with you, perhaps I'll be able to live with those consequences better than I have up to now. I made a mistake coming here, but at least we'll be able to share a little of our lives through the Project Pathfinder technology.
:::But don't you make the mistake of thinking I'm better off here. I'm not. Please never forget me. I should be with you and Seven. Mazani and Arebi told me that if you do ever come back to take me away with you, they won't stop you. They see how it is with me. We all know where my true family lives. I would love to be able to be with you again.
:::I will send messages to you through Neelix whenever I have news. You may be hearing from me very often! If you get the chance, please send me your news, too. Let me see your face and hear your voice . It will please me very much.
:::Write soon.
:::Your sister, Mezoti:::
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Icheb listened to his messages three times in rapid succession. After the third viewing, he had to leave for Professor Reagan's Astrophysics class, but when he came home for lunch, he watched them again. Before leaving for his next class, Icheb backed them up on one of his PADDs. Afterwards, he jotted down a few notes on what he wanted say about his life at the Academy when he replied to her. Perhaps he would introduce Verit, Austin, and Farys to her, too. He could invite Naomi to participate. But maybe he should contact Seven first, to decide if they should each send a communication to Mezoti, or would she be happier hearing from both of them in the same message? He mustn't forget to send a thank you to Neelix for finding this Masseni person. And he should remember to thank Admiral Paris and Reg Barclay, too, because of inventing Project Watson so they could correspond . . .
Icheb caught his breath. He realized he was spinning in too many directions all at once in his excitement over seeing Mezoti again. He told himself to calm down and deliberately plan out everything, so their communications would proceed in as efficient a manner as possible.
He'd lost his sister. He needed to keep her close in some way; and for the time being, these messages would have to do. Once he was commissioned as a Starfleet officer, however, he resolved to volunteer for any mission that would bring him into the Delta Quadrant. Icheb had to see Mezoti again in person, even if he had to travel for years to get to Wysanti to do it.
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