Disclaimer: not mine

Chapter 22

"The Doctor's preparing the stasis units now. They should be ready by seventeen hundred hours," Chakotay reported.

"And how long will this be for?" Tom asked as he took his seat.

"We don't know for certain. At least a month. Maybe longer if the nebula is larger than we estimate," Kathryn answered. She didn't like the idea either but it was necessary.

"I've never been in long term stasis. Are there any side effects?" B'Elanna asked, absently studying the schematics.

"The Doctor assures me it'll be just like taking a nap. We'll go into the units, our cardiopulmonary systems will be slowed, neural activity suspended, and we'll wake up feeling as though we'd had a good night's sleep," she assured them. She'd done short term in training, never for so long.

"There are things that can go wrong. At least, that's what I've read," Harry offered nervously.

"We will be carefully monitored by Seven and the Doctor, as well as Sora and the others, who will check our vital signs four times a day, and take care of any other problems."

"I assume that we've explored all the alternatives?" Tom looked between her and Chakotay,

"I think we're all feeling uneasy about this, and I'd be lying if I said I don't have concerns myself. And I think it's about loss of control. We always feel better if we think we're in charge of our own circumstances. In stasis, we're giving up that control, and no Starfleet officer likes to do that. But crews have been in stasis much longer than a month. I think we can handle this. We do have an emergency plan in place as well but that will likely leave us stranded for good as it would involve being transported to the Worlds Sora is from. I've told them to do what they have to in order to ensure our survival," she explained. "All right. You're free until seventeen hundred hours. I'll make a ship-wide announcement when the Doctor's ready. Dismissed."

They all filed out, except for Chakotay.

"Something else?" she asked.

"I want you to tell me that this isn't a mistake," he admitted, leaning towards her from his seat.

"Your turn to get reassurance?" she smiled slightly.

"Maybe. But my concern isn't about going into stasis. It's about who you're leaving in charge."

"You're worried about Seven or Sora's friends?"

"Maybe you need to step outside yourself for a minute. Look at the fact that here's someone who's butted horns with you from the moment she came on board. Who disregards authority and actively disobeys orders when she doesn't agree with them. Honestly, despite his youth, Sora is the more likely officer material and he does listen to the Doctor. And it seems like his friends are willing to follow his lead too."

"And this is the person I'm giving responsibility for the lives of this entire crew. I suppose you want me to tell you I'm not crazy? I did consider Sora, but I'm not sure Seven would follow even his orders," she admitted. "And I don't think he needs the stress right now."

"In a nutshell. I know your bond with Seven is unique, different from everyone else's. From the beginning, you've seen things in her that no one else could. But maybe you could help me understand some of those things," he offered.

"I don't know if I can. It's just instinct. There's something inside me that says she can be redeemed. In spite of her insolent attitude, I honestly believe she wants to do well by us. She has gotten better since Sora came aboard, just be being here he's helped her a lot. Someone she can relate to and yet has had an easier time integrating into the crew."

"That's good enough for me," he nodded and stood.

"See you at seventeen hundred hours."

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"Kairi…" Sora carefully rested his hands on her shoulders.

She smiled and leant in slowly, letting Sora meet her for a soft kiss. "I'll be fine, I am not leaving you two, not now. We can call Donald or Merlin, ask about magical shielding if I stat going nuts in the armour," she promised. "Besides, we don't know Riku's immune, he might just be able to take more of the radiation than a normal human."

Sora sighed but nodded, leaning his forehead against hers. He would…he would miss being able to touch them, being held, while they were in the nebula. Wearing the armour wouldn't stop hugs, but it would feel very different and he was honestly concerned about flashbacks at the feel of so much metal. He shifted for another kiss and she smiled at him.

"I love you Sora, and besides, you'll need me if it does come to evacuating the crew," she pointed out.

He sighed and nodded, looking up to find Riku watching them with a soft smile.

"We're not leaving you," Riku agreed with her, walking closer. "We'll get the ship and crew through this, okay?"

"Okay," Sora agreed.

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Riku watched as the pods were sealed, with the crew inside. It was…creepy. Tom Paris was right; they did look uncomfortably like coffins. He didn't blame him for not wanting to get inside. At least the pods Sora, Donald, and Goofy had slept in for that year hadn't been so claustrophobic, not that they'd been awake to be aware of it, but still. For the next month or more, it would just be the five of them, they'd be fine, right?

He reached for Sora's hand and Sora accepted the grip, waiting until all the pods were active before leaving for the bridge. In order to help run the ship they'd been given full access and he was determined to prove they were worth the trust. Sora slid into the seat at the helm, plotting the course through the nebula before engaging the engines. Riku moved to operations, running the scans that Harry had taught him, making sure things were as safe as possible. All three of them were wearing their armour pauldrons and were carrying the necessary equipment to heal the radiation damage if they didn't activate it in time.

A few minutes later, Riku felt the slight surge in magic a few decks away as Kairi activated hers.

"Riku?" Sora looked over at him as he stood.

"I'm fine."

"Your eyes have changed colour," Sora walked quickly to his side, examining them.

"They're a bright green."

"Wonder what that means? Though I guess it means it's my Dream Eater abilities protecting me." Which was weird since every test ever run said he was human. No one really knew what being a Dream Eater meant for him, not fully, and his powers were evolving now that he was back with Sora.

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"Try one, Commander."

"Thank you, Neelix" Chakotay took the offered pastry…well the holo program of him did.

Kairi felt very strange standing in a room full of people she knew were in stasis a few decks away, but the Doctor had wanted to try and get Seven to have more socialisation. She knew why, the older woman was not dealing well with only having them around. They didn't know each other either which made it harder.

"Captain?" Neelix offered the tray to her.

"Ooo, what have we here? Delicious!"

"Join the party, Seven. It's no fun to stand there by yourself," Neelix called to her.

"I have no desire to have fun," Seven denied.

"It's a party," Kairi told her, taking the offered food even though it wasn't real. "Hey Riku, dance with me," she grinned and dragged him into the empty space.

"Kairi…" he groaned, face a little red with embarrassment.

"Riku can dance?" Sora asked in disbelief, and Kairi laughed.

"Nope," she grinned and the crew chuckled. She winced and activated her armour before putting her hands on Riku's shoulders, his hands going to her now armoured waist.

"May I have this dance?" Sora turned to Seven and she stared at him.

"I am attempting to recalibrate the warp field in order to resist the nebula's radiation. You should assist me," she held out the PADD and he took it, setting it down on the table before grabbing her hand.

Kairi grinned and Riku who shook his head as he let her guide him. Seven really needed to relax but she didn't think the other woman would want to dance with her. She was pretty sure Sora had picked up dancing on one of the Worlds he'd been too….would the Borg have that kind of knowledge?

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The Doctor nodded to himself, pleased the younger three were getting into the spirit of things. He was surprised when Sora took the PADD only to set it aside and tug her onto the makeshift dance floor, very good. It was always good to see Sora assert himself around Seven, it was all too easy for him to fall into line with her due to their pasts, at least when no one higher ranked was around. Seven remained stiff, unwilling to even try, and the Doctor sighed.

"Pardon me, Sora. Computer, freeze programme. Seven, you're completely missing the point of this exercise. You're supposed to be mixing and mingling, not working on Engineering problems. Go on, dance with Sora. Or make small talk with someone else."

"You ordered me to participate in this programme. You did not specify topics of conversation."

"You're splitting hairs. You know very well what purpose this programme is supposed to serve."

"I find that it serves no purpose whatsoever," she argued as Sora stepped back towards the other two.

"Because you're being intentionally perverse," he snapped at her.

"Holodecks are a pointless endeavour, fulfilling some human need to fantasise. I have no such need."

"What you need is some editorial skill in your self-expression. Between impulse and action there is a realm of good taste begging for your acquaintance."

"I find your self-expression ponderous."

"Seven, the Doctor's right. We are not drones anymore. Your implants are older tech than mine are, I know you can let yourself feel more than I can. Clinging to the Collectives ways is…illogical."

Appeal to logic, it might work, but her expression said it wouldn't, sadly.

Whumph! The deck shuddered slightly.

"Warning. Emergency procedures in effect."

"Computer, what is the nature of the emergency?" he called.

"The antimatter storage tanks are failing."

Seven and Sora rushed from the Holodeck.

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Sora worked with the Doctor, studying the damaged gel packs. If too many failed due to the nebula then they would be in trouble and the next emergency might be real and all too deadly for the crew. They were lucky the antimatter tanks had been a false alarm. The Doctor was now trapped in sick bay unless they could repair his emitter, and even if they could, the same thing would happen again eventually. If he was too far from Sickbay then they would lose him, it was not a risk any of them were willing to take.

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Riku kissed Sora, his hands skimming up his sides under the thin t-shirt he was wearing, Sora's hands gripping his shoulders. He shifted, kissing Sora's throat, first flesh and then metal and Sora sighed softly, head resting in the sand. Their time in Sora's dreams was the most relaxation they'd had since entering the nebula. He could sleep alright, but Kairi had to sleep in her armour which was not comfortable and was also why they weren't sharing the bed anymore. The only thing that would make the dreams better was Kairi but he didn't know of any way to bring her in.

He tugged at Sora's shirt and he lifted enough for Riku to pull it off, letting him kiss and touch Sora's chest. He wanted Sora used to being touched, skin and implants, in the dreams so that if….when they were able to do this in the waking world, Sora wouldn't hesitate.

They'd been in the nebula for over three weeks now and the emptiness of the ship was even getting to him, and he'd spent a lot of time alone over the years.

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"Computer, trim heading by point three one degrees port. Computer, respond. Computer, trim heading by point three one degrees port," Seven commanded as she looked at Paris' station.

"Attempting to make correction. Stand by. Attempting to make correction. Unable to comply." The computer sounded…ill.

"Manual override. Computer, initiate a level four diagnostic of your command processors," she ordered.

"Diagnostic in progress."

She turned and headed for the turbolift. Sora and Riku were in Engineering and Kairi was checking the stasis pods according to the duty roster, she would see to the computer herself. "Astrometrics."

"Diagnostic complete."

"Analyse."

"Quantum failures are present in thirty three percent of gel pack relays."

"Reroute all functional relays through subprocessor chi one four."

"Rerouting complete. Relay failures bypassed." The computer sounded as it should once again.

She exited the turbolift and walked to Astrometrics. "Display Voyager's current position within the nebula. How long to complete passage through the nebula?"

"Six days, five hours."

"Six days."

"Proximity alert. Vessel approaching. The vessel is hailing."

"Open a channel." Another vessel in the nebula? That was unanticipated.

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"He must have a cloaking device. Sensors show no alien lifesigns and no evidence of a ship. I've been working on my mobile emitter. I think I'm making progress, but I still can't leave Sickbay. You'll have to try to track him down. Arm yourself and use extreme caution," the Doctor warned them all.

"I can't sense anyone nearby, Kairi?" Riku looked at her and she closed her eyes, the Doctor wondering just exactly what it was they did to 'sense' others.

"Nothing."

"Warning. Deuterium tank levels are fluctuating beyond acceptable tolerances," the Computer warned rather slowly.

"The computer sounds like it needs a stimulant," he admitted. He was becoming increasingly worried about his own program and the emitters needed for him to materialise. If they were jeopardised he would need to name either Seven or Sora as mission commander.

"It has been experiencing relay failures. I have not been performing my maintenance duties," Seven admitted.

"We've been replacing the relays as fast as we can, but they are failing almost faster than we can keep up considering they are spread throughout the ship," Sora admitted.

"Do what you have to, but keep an eye out for the alien. We have to assume he's up to no good. There's no need to be frightened," he told them.

"I am Borg," Seven told him flatly before leaving.

"I do not want to say this Doctor," Sora began and they all looked at him. "But are we sure someone came aboard? None of us heard the computer announce the presence of another vessel. I checked the computer logs, the transported was activated, but nothing registered as coming aboard."

"Are you saying Seven is hallucinating?" he asked.

"The ships systems are being damaged and while our implants are sturdier, they are not indestructible."

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"Do you think Seven imagined the intruder?" Riku asked as they headed to their quarters.

Kairi winced. "I hate to say it, but with the other evidence, it makes sense. She's pushing herself too hard as well. Sora said she's not Regenerating enough, that would affect her implants as well." They walked inside and she dismissed her armour.

He'd had to call Merlin for help, but they'd managed to alter and anchor one of his Dark Barriers to the rooms and so far it was working to keep the radiation at bay. It was nice being able to sleep together again. Unfortunately, he couldn't set them up all over the ship, they kept a constant if low drain on his magic.

"Did you ever imagine we'd end up on a ship like this when we dreamt of leaving the Islands as kids?" she asked as she dropped onto the couch.

"No," he admitted as he took his boots off before joining her. She curled into his side and he wrapped his arm around her, kissing her temple. "I never could have imagined technology like this."

"I'm kind of hoping it's not always so…exciting," she admitted, and he chuckled.

"Yeah, me too."

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Trajis entered Engineering before the Doctor could join her. "In your heart you knew you'd see me again."

She fired her phaser rifle at him but it did nothing.

"You can't defeat me. You're too weak," he taunted, stepping towards her.

"Don't come any closer."

"You couldn't stand being alone, could you? You felt vulnerable, afraid. Because you know what you are."

"Stop."

"At first you thought you could become human, but now you know that's impossible, don't you? You're Borg. That's what you were meant to be." Behind him, the warp core glow turned Borg green. "One of many. But your days of power are gone. You're alone now. Weak. Pathetic," he sneered.

"Don't come any closer or I'll kill you."

"Seven?" the Doctor called as he entered.

"Be careful, Doctor, he's dangerous," she warned, not taking her eyes off him.

"Who are you talking to?" the Doctor asked, sounding confused, and she glanced at him. When she looked back Trajis was gone.

"Where did he go?" she demanded warily.

"There's no one else here."

"He was. He was right here," she denied even as the doors opened and Sora walked in.

"Seven, you're hallucinating."

"No. I saw him."

"Sora, please check the logs," the Doctor ordered, and he nodded, moving to a console.

"Only one lifeform detected until I entered," Sora reported after a moment.

"There was no one else in this room," the Doctor confirmed, and she looked at them before extending the rifle to Sora.

"You mean I imagined him?"

"Yes," both males said.

"I heard Lieutenant Paris call for help. I saw him and the others. Did I imagine them as well?" she demanded.

"I believe so. When I studied the gel pack, I discovered the radiation was producing a degradation in the synaptic relays. I'm guessing there's been a similar effect on your Borg implants. The radiation could be altering the neurotransmitter levels in your sensory nodes. That would explain why you're hearing voices, seeing images. Sora, have you experienced any of that?"

"No, but I have been Regenerating more regularly than Seven, my implants have better self-repair functions, and Kairi has been using healing magic on the three of us."

"They seemed real," she whispered.

"Hallucinations usually are. That's what makes them so frightening," the Doctor told her gently.

"Once, when I was a drone, I was separated from the Collective for two hours. I experienced panic and apprehension. I am feeling that way now," she admitted, and Sora moved to her side, letting his hand brush hers, feeling the ever so slight hum of the energy his implants put out, below the level a normal human could ever hear. It was…comforting.

"I'll do everything I can to help you. We'll get you to Sickbay. An antipsychotic may help, at least until I determine just what neural functions are being affected. I want to check you both over, if Sora's implants really are in better condition then maybe we can work out a way to help yours until we're out of here."

She nodded but then started as a console banged. "What was that?"

Sora moved a hand to her shoulder, moving them both away.

"Warning. Primary EPS conduits are overloading," the computer's voice slowed even as the Doctor flickered.

"I tied my mobile emitter into the EPS conduits."

"Computer, access the EPS conduits," Sora ordered.

"Unable to comply."

"My programme's going offline."

"No," she denied as he flickered again.

"Warning. Primary EPS conduits overloading. Secondary systems are failing."

"Seven, you've got to hang on. Help Sora repair the EPS conduits. Everything depends on you now."

"I cannot function alone."

"You are not alone," Sora told her.

The Doctor vanished.

"No!"

"Seven!" Sora snapped at her. He turned her so they were facing each other, his metallic hand lifting to rest at the back of her neck. "Focus, you are not alone."

"Sora."

He nodded. "I need your help, alright?"

She took a deep breath and nodded. They would make the repairs.

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"Sora to Riku."

"I hear you," he answered as he crawled through the Jeffries tube.

"Seven is not doing well. We have repaired the EPS conduit as best we can for now, I am taking her to Sickbay."

"Understood. I'm just replacing the last gel pack in the deck 9 junction. Where do you want me?"

"I've called Kairi to Sickbay to help Seven. I need you on the bridge, the…" he was cut off by the computer.

"Warning. Propulsion system failure in progress."

"Right, heading to the bridge." He finished placing the pack and then began climbing back to the access hatch, running for the turbolift. "Bridge!"

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"Warning. Propulsion system failure in progress."

"Computer, disengage audible warning for propulsion failure," Sora ordered as he worked, the others didn't need to be stressed by hearing that. A console lit up, Riku had reached the bridge and was trying to keep the engines online from there, good. "Computer, how long until the ship is out of the nebula?"

"Forty-one minutes."

That was too long. With the Doctor offline and Seven incapacitated…he was ranking crewman. His decisions would either save or doom the crew. He shakily reached for Riku, feeling the fear trying to flood his system, threatening to activate his implants, and then Riku was there, flooding his Heart with comfort and strength.

"Computer, reroute available power from weapons, sensors, and environmental controls to the engines."

"Warning. Propulsion system failure in progress."

"Reroute all available power to the engines."

"Propulsion systems have failed. All engines are offline."

"Sora?" Kairi's voice came over the comm system.

"Computer, cut life support to all decks, except Engineering and Sickbay, and reroute available power to propulsion systems. Sora to Riku, activate your armour."

"Understood. The course is set, there's nothing more I can do here, I'm coming to you."

"Negative, get to deck fourteen and watch the stasis pods. We may need to further divert power to make it."

"Sora?" Riku sounded alarmed.

Could he do it? Could he order power cut to some of the pods in order that everyone else survive? The propulsion systems came back online and the ship began to move again.

"Sora? Seven's…" Kairi sounded groggy.

"Kairi?"

"I'm alright, she shoved me into a wall but I'm okay. She's hallucinating badly though. I'm going to follow her."

"I cut life support," he warned her.

"Then I'll find her fast."

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The ship shuddered and Riku watched the displays, grimacing at the readings. That was not good.

"Warning. Power to stasis units has failed."

He could see that, thank you. "Sora, we've lost power." He looked over as the doors opened and Seven walked inside.

"Computer, how long to complete passage through the nebula?" she sounded shaky and didn't even seem to notice him.

"Eleven minutes."

"Computer, cut life support to all decks and reroute available power to the stasis units," she ordered.

"Sora, activate your armour!" Riku called out as the lights dimmed with the lack of life support.

"I am Seven of Nine. I am alone, but I will adapt. I will," Seven murmured.

Riku moved to her side, not sure what he could do, except… "Sora, I'm going to try and open a Dark Corridor around Seven to keep her alive." He stretched his hand out towards her, focusing on the Darkness still in his Heart. Yes, he had kept some of the powers, but he hadn't tried this one in a long time. He grimaced, struggling, even as she collapsed. No! he would not watch her die.

There! A flicker…he heard the doors open but didn't look away, couldn't. He almost staggered as the Corridor opened, wrapping her in Darkness.

"Computer, redirect power to deck fourteen life support," Sora's voice reached him dimly after what felt like forever.

"Affirmative."

"You can let her go now Riku, you did it. We are out of the nebula."

Riku gasped, slumping against Sora as he let go, the Darkness receding. He blinked, watching as Kairi deactivated her armour, moving to Seven's side to check on her. Sora got him sitting and then moved to begin bringing the crew out of stasis.

They'd done it, they'd made it out.

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"She's coming to."

That was the Doctor. Seven tried to sit up on the biobed in the surgical bay, but was gently pushed back down.

"Not so fast. Get your bearings first," he warned her.

"The crew?"

"We came through the nebula in fine shape, thanks to the five of you," the Captain moved into her line of sight.

"You were the one we almost lost. When the ship cleared the nebula, the Doctor came back online and found you unconscious with Kairi tending to you. Sora had already reinitiated life support and begun waking the crew," Commander Chakotay explained.

"He tells us you've had quite an adventure. And you might want to say thank you to Riku, he saved your life when you cut off the life support," the Captain motioned to another biobed where Seven realised Riku was lying.

"What is his condition?" She asked, managing to sit up this time.

"He'll be fine after some rest, he pushed too hard at abilities he hasn't used in a long time," Kairi informed her, the girl smiling at her. "And don't worry, I'm not mad at the shove, you were hallucinating badly by then."

"I see," Seven did not remember shoving the girl. She looked back to the Captain. "It was an interesting experience. Sora acquitted himself well."

"He took command when you were incapacitated," the Commander commented, and she nodded. Of course he had, with both her and the Doctor out of commission, he had been the only one able. She was glad he had done so well.

"Well, when you're all rested, I'd like to hear about it." with that the Captain and Commander left.

"I'm proud of you, Seven. You performed admirably," the Doctor smiled at her.

"I am glad I was able to help."

TBC….