In Dreams

Part 6

Kathryn and Tom were silenced. The computer went on, “Time of death-"

B'Elanna's excitably happy voice interrupted the computer's announcement. “Captain, I found the Doctor!”

Kathryn quickly answered, “Get him to sickbay.”

B'Elanna must have heard something in the Captain's voice, for her own voice came back serious as she made the transport. “Yes, Captain.”

A moment later, the Doctor was standing next to Kathryn, who released Seven's hands as he materialized.

“Please state the nature of your medical emergency.” His face grew serious as his eyes settled on Seven of Nine. “What's happened to her?” He took over immediately, reading Tom's PADD and looking over the console.

Kathryn could barely think to say it. All she could muster out was, “Tepes. He's not human.”

“Tepes?” The Doctor adjusted the biobed’s controls and the surgical unit unfolded itself and embraced Seven again.

“Later.” Kathryn said. “Can you help her, Doctor?”

“Unknown blood type. Total system failure. Her implants have been rejected.” He entered information into the surgical unit.

Without warning, Seven's body convulsed so hard it was stopped from flailing off the biobed only by the unit holding her. Suddenly, every system readout on the wall console jumped to life.

“She's alive?” Kathryn could only hope.

Seven's chest heaved in deep and gasping breaths. Her body stiffened in another convulsion.

“It's the implants. Her body is rejecting them at an alarming rate. I must remove what I can immediately, or she will die.”

“She was dead!” Tom said it loudly, he was in such shock over what he was witnessing.

“She's not now, so please be kind enough to hand me that hypo spray, Mr. Paris.”

He handed it to the Doctor. “Can she live without her implants?”

The Doctor chose not to answer.

Kathryn stood back. How could this be? She'd just seen Seven die. And now she was alive again?

Seven's eyes opened but didn't seem to see anything.

The Doctor injected the hypo, and her eyes closed again.

Tiny Borg tendrils were issuing forth from the implant over Seven's eye as the tiny piece of machinery tried to free itself from the human host.

“Her body is rejecting the implants as quickly as they are rejecting her.” The Doctor commented, “I'm not sure I have ever heard of such a thing before.”

Tuvok’s voice came over the comsystem. “Captain. All ventilation systems and Jeffries’ Tubes have been sealed off. All quarters are on temporary environmental recirculation.”

“Thank you, Tuvok.” Kathryn didn't want to leave Seven. The Doctor seemed to know what she was thinking.

“I will notify you as soon as I have any news.” He looked up at her for a moment. “Go find the man who did this.”

Kathryn turned and left sickbay, “Tuvok, meet me in the conference room.”

His voice returned. “Yes, Captain.”

*

It didn't take long for Kathryn to explain to her senior crew what she had seen in Tepes’ quarters.

Security was out looking for the man, or beast, and every crew member on board was confined to quarters unless they were needed at a station.

“We don't know what he is or exactly what he did to Seven, but he is very clearly a danger.” Kathryn stood, hands on the table in front of her. “I've ordered an autopsy on the Mar pilot, and the Doctor is working to help Seven in any way he can.”

Harry Kim spoke up, “Tepes reminds me of a creature from a twentieth century movie that Tom had set up in the holotheatre. What was that called again?”

Tom Paris walked in, and heard the end of the sentence. “Vampire, Harry.”

“Tom? News?” Kathryn stood straighter, unable to relax.

“The Doctor asked to see you, but something occurred to me. I know what Tepes is. He's a vampire.”

Kathryn laughed. “I know he's obviously not human, but I remember the vampire stories from childhood. Tepes may be the species of that legend's origin… but no. He's not a vampire.”

Tom walked over to the small replicator at the end of the room. He spoke a command, “Dracula by Bram Stoker.”

The book materialized, and Tom took it in hand. “Read this, Captain.” He handed it over to her, “Everything's there. The blood drinking, the victim who seemed to die but then was suddenly alive again. Seven is in more trouble than we thought.”

Kathryn set the book down. “We'll find Tepes- Tuvok has teams out looking for him now- and we'll find out what he is.”

“How are they going to catch him?” Tom asked, “How do you hold mist?”

Harry volunteered, “What was it, Tom? Garlic? Maybe we should-“

“Enough of this nonsense.” Kathryn said. “Go to Yellow Alert. I’ll be in sickbay.”

She walked out of the conference room, and heard someone following. She turned to see Chakotay. He accompanied her to the turbolift.

“Kathryn, I think Tom and Harry may be onto something.” He stepped inside with her. “Sickbay.”

“Chakotay, please don't tell me you're jumping on the Dracula bandwagon. I've read the book, it was required reading in ancient lit class.”

“If that legend has any basis in truth, we might be able to use the information to find and apprehend Tepes.”

Kathryn turned to face him. She was silent for a moment. “Fine. We have nothing else to go on, so we might as well go with Bram Stoker.” She shook her head. “Starfleet is going to think I've gone daft if I put this in a report... so I'm not going to… yet.”

The lift stopped at their level and they exited into the corridor, Kathryn continuing.

“Give Tuvok the information, and let him know that source is not exactly scientific… I want him to know exactly what he's dealing with here, as far as his information goes.”

“And I’ll have Harry dig up any information on vampires in the literature and mythology databases.” He paused as they came to sickbay and the doors opened.

The Doctor approached, smiling, and stopped them both at the entrance. “Prepare yourselves,” he said, “You are in for quite a shock.”

Kathryn paused. If the Doctor didn't have a smile on his face, those words would frighten her. “What is it, Doctor?”

She looked past the Doctor. Seven stood, her back to them, in the dark, her hair loose. She wore a sickbay robe now, her bare legs showing from the calf down.

Kathryn took a breath. She'd almost lost her. “Why is it dark?” She asked.

“Her eyes are still a little sensitive.” The Doctor answered. He turned back to his patient. “Seven.”
She turned slowly, as if not sure what she would encounter. Her eyes were at the floor at first, but she allowed herself to look up and face her Captain.

“Captain.” Seven's voice was smooth. Less monotone than usual. She blinked, and it was a slow, curious blink. Her eyes adjusted to the lighting on the other side of sickbay. “Doctor. You may bring the lights up now.”

Sickbay was reilluminated.

Kathryn was in a sense, dazed by the innocent beauty coming through in the face of her Astrometrics officer. Her daze was broken when she heard Chakotay audibly catch his breath.

The face of Seven of Nine, no longer marred by Borg technology, was clean and pure. Blue eyes had no shadow of a Borg past, and the biosuit, no longer needed, would no longer hide her flesh. She squinted a little, getting used to the light.

“Seven.” Kathryn said. “You look… you look radiant. How do you feel?”

“Strange.” She answered. “I have to admit. But good.”

“Doctor?” Chakotay asked, “All the implants?”

“They're all gone.” Seven answered, smiling, joy coming through, while still repressed a little. In the way that Seven had always repressed emotions. “Gone. Captain. I am truly human now.”

Kathryn knew Chakotay could imagine what she was thinking. The man had made her human. It had been in her dream.

Her vision.

That man was going to take Seven.

Kathryn felt herself go steel. Only one thought was in her head.

Over my dead body.

*

End Part Six