Chapter 2.

Seven opened her eyes to find herself once again in the lush green forest of Unimatrix Zero. Looking around she noted that there was no one else present. There was an eerie quiet around her that only seemed to intensify her fears. She quickly walked to the encampment where she hoped she would find the others.

When she arrived, Seven found the encampment deserted. Her fears were quickly escalating to a panic state. ‘There should have been someone here. Drones do not all regenerate at the same time’. Seven could find no logical reason for the camp to be unoccupied. ‘Unless the Queen…No! I must be patient’ she thought. ‘I cannot let my fears cloud my judgement. I must control my emotions.’ Seven slowly sat down on the bench and silently waited for anyone to arrive.

Several minutes passed and still nothing. Seven was quickly losing control. "Something is wrong." She whispered. "The plan has failed. The plan was flawed. Somehow the Queen has succeeded! This cannot be."

"Seven?" Came a quiet voice behind her.

Startled, Seven jumped up and turned quickly to look into the face of Captain Kathryn Janeway.

"Kathryn…Captain, are you alright!" Said Seven with more emotion than she ever intended to show. Relief washed over her as she walked over to where Kathryn stood.

Kathryn Janeway stared at Seven. She had never heard Seven use her first name before and for that matter, she had never heard or seen Seven this animated. It was a new look and Kathryn Janeway realized that she was enjoying this moment immensely. She watched as Seven drew closer, mesmerized, not for the first time, by the intense blue eyes that seemed to stare right into her very soul. Suddenly she remembered where she was and Seven’s question.

"I think I am okay. I guess this means that I am a drone and that the plan is working." Kathryn said quietly.

"Yes Captain, you have been assimilated." Replied Seven in a small voice, laced with sadness.

"Seven, are you okay?" Kathryn asked, even though she sensed that Seven was not okay.

"I am...I do not know. I am overwhelmed by many different emotions." Seven said as she looked down. She could not bring herself to look into Kathryn’s eyes at this moment. "It has disturbed me. You have been assimilated and are now at the mercy of the Borg Queen. I find I am unable to accept this. I have failed you Captain."

Kathryn gently cupped Seven’s cheek, bringing the ex-drone’s head up to look into her eyes.

"Hey, this plan was my idea remember. It was the only way we could release the nano virus into the Collective. You have not failed me Annika, you never could." Kathryn said in a voice so gentle and full of tenderness.

Seven sighed and leaned into the warm hand the rested gently against her cheek. "I am concerned that the Queen will attempt to harm you. You are not a very popular individual with her."

Kathryn smiled and chuckled lightly. "Oh I know. She still hasn’t forgotten what happened between us before and I am sure she enjoyed herself tremendously when she felt my presence in the Collective. She is probably very proud of herself."

Kathryn felt the heat from Seven’s cheek against her hand. So warm and her skin was so delicately soft, softer than she ever dreamt it could be. She slowly removed her hand when she realized that her thoughts were taking her places she shouldn’t be going, especially given the situation they were in.

"Annika, have you seen anyone yet, do you know if the virus is working?" She said as she looked around.

Seven briefly closed her eyes in an attempt to free herself from the trance that Kathryn’s touch had put her in. She shook her head. "No Captain. I have not seen anyone yet. I don’t know if it is working."

"Shouldn’t there be someone here? Where are Axum and the others?"

"I am not certain. There are other places here they could be. I have not looked around. Captain, newly assimilated drones regenerate for only short periods of time. Your regeneration cycle will be completed shortly. "

Disappointment crossed Kathryn’s face. "Oh, I thought I would be here for a lot longer." Kathryn said.

"You will return in approximately 4 hours. The duration of your first regeneration cycle is short but you will regenerate more often. Eventually your cycles will become longer, allowing you to remain here for a longer period of time."

"I guess there is a lot to learn about the ins and outs of drone life." Kathryn said with a grin, trying to remove the pain and fear she saw in Annika’s eyes.

Seven stared wide-eyed at Kathryn. She could not believe that the Captain was making a joke. "Captain, surely you did not think being a drone would be easy. Drone life is complex."

Kathryn Janeway laughed. Despite all she was facing, she just couldn’t help herself. The look on Annika’s face was absolutely adorable. "I am beginning to realize that Annika."

"I do not see the humor in this Captain. However, under the circumstances I presume it is a way to alleviate tension." Seven said as she attempted to control her emotions. Kathryn’s deep laugh was causing Seven’s stomach to flutter.

"Yes it is Annika, yes it is." Kathryn said. "Something’s happening to me."

"Your regeneration cycle is coming to an end. Captain, you must be very careful now. The Queen will know that something is wrong when she senses your individuality. You must try to function as a drone at all times."

"Annika, will you be here when I get back."

"Yes. I will always be waiting for you. Please be careful."

"I will. I need you to find the others, find out if the plan is working. Then report back to Chakotay." Kathryn said as she raised her hand to again caress Seven’s cheek. For reasons that she didn’t want to admit, touching Annika brought her a measure of strength as well as enjoyment.

Seven started to turn her head slightly. She was about to gently kiss the warm palm when she heard Kathryn gasp and then vanish. "NO!" Seven whispered sadly.

She walked the short distance to the bench and sat down, knowing that she could do nothing else but wait until the others arrived. Kathryn was afraid. Seven had sensed it, had felt it. She wanted to take Kathryn away from all this and make her safe. "I will be here for you Kathryn. I will always be here for you." She quietly said to herself.

Standing in the shadows an angry figure had silently watched the entire exchange between Seven and Captain Janeway, had seen the display of emotions between them, and had sensed their love. ‘You will both be destroyed’

Seven suddenly shivered as she sensed someone nearby. Standing she took in her surroundings, peering intently into the forest.

"Who’s there?" She asked, "Identify yourself." There was no response. Seven looked around. If anyone had been there, they were now gone. She continued to stare into the forest until she heard a pair of very familiar voices behind her.

"Lt. Torres, Commander Tuvok, welcome to Unimatrix Zero." Seven said as she turned around.

Chapter 3

Kathryn Janeway, Borg drone, opened her eyes and stepped down from her alcove. Standing in the corridor she looked around as two drones walked past her. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath to calm herself. She heard the voices of Collective. The voices were not loud or intrusive but soft and seductive,  like a whisper. A slow smile crept across her face. She remembered who she is. She was in Unimatrix Zero with Seven, with Annika. She remembered softly caressing Annika’s cheek. She remembered the pain in Annika’s eyes. She remembered everything. Kathryn opened her eyes, turned and walked toward her assigned duty. She had to act and think like a drone. It would not be good to attract any unwanted attention, at least not yet. The Queen would figure out soon enough what she was up to and Kathryn had a lot of things to do before that happened.

As she walked down the corridor she suddenly stopped as she heard a whimper. Looking around she found a drone huddled in its alcove. Kathryn reached out and touched his arm. He looked at her. "I am Altanor." He said quietly.

Kathryn Janeway smiled at Altanor. "Hello Altanor, I am Captain Kathryn Janeway."

Altanor smiled. "Yes, I remember. You are the one who is helping us. I remember Captain. I remember who I am."

"Altanor, we need to find anyone who remembers. Will you help me do that?"

"Yes, where should I go?"

"We need to keep being drones, keep doing our assigned tasks. Walk around the cube as much as you can. Keep looking and listening. I’ll do the same."

"Okay, I understand. Captain, what will I do if I find anyone like us?"

"They may be afraid, disorientated, try to calm them down. Tell them they are not alone. We will all meet back in Unimatrix Zero. If I am not there find Annika, okay? Now, let’s get back to being drones."

Altanor smiled as he nodded. Quickly he turned and walked down the corridor in search of others.

Kathryn Janeway watched him leave. It was starting and if the plan continued to progress the way she hoped it would, the Queen won’t know what hit her. That thought brought a huge smile to Kathryn’s face. She turned and headed back down the corridor to her assigned task.

Kathryn found the sensor panel she needed to work on. Looking up she gasped. The metal above the panel was polished enough so that she could see her reflection. "My God" she whispered. She stared at herself, at least she thought it was herself. Her eyes were the same but that was all she could recognize. She had no hair, the back of her head was covered with an implant. Her entire body was covered with various implants. Captain Kathryn Janeway was a Borg drone. She felt herself go weak as the magnitude of what has happened hit her. "My God."

A drone stepped down from its alcove and headed towards the sensor panel. Kathryn caught the movement out of the corner of her eye and started to work on the sensor. The drone stopped advancing, turned and walked the other direction. Kathryn Janeway had let the shock of seeing herself assimilated distract her and it was almost a costly error. ‘Focus Kathryn’ she told herself. ‘Stay focused’. She closed her eyes and cleared her mind of all thoughts. ‘Listen to the voices, concentrate’. She opened her eyes and proceeded to complete the repairs.

It took Kathryn 2.3 hours to repair the sensor. Her next task took less time as she repaired a broken conduit. As she walked around the cube she encountered 6 others whose individuality were now intact. She gave them the same instructions she had Altanor. She was pleased. Her tasks were not strenuous and thankfully she didn’t encounter any more polished metal because she really didn’t like her reflection. Her body was growing tired and Kathryn knew it was time to regenerate. Time to go back to Unimatrix Zero and more importantly time to see Annika again. She really needed to talk to her, needed to see her and more than anything needed to touch her. Annika would calm her and right now she definitely needed that. Having finally reached her alcove, Kathryn stepped into it to regenerate.

Chapter 4

"So, this is Unimatrix Zero." Said B’Elanna Torres as she looked around. "Nice place to visit but I don’t think I would want to stay here." B’Elanna looked at Seven. She couldn’t believe her eyes. Seven of Nine stood in front of her, looking completely human. She had no implants. B’Elanna had noticed that Seven was beautiful woman, but until this moment she didn’t realize just exactly how beautiful she was. Seven radiated a warmth that took the Chief Engineers breath away. She couldn’t help but stare.

Seven shifted nervously under the Engineers scrutiny. "Lt. Torres, is something wrong?" She asked softly.

Embarrassed by her reaction to Seven, B’Elanna quickly tried to recover "Um, no not at all Seven. It’s just that, well, I guess seeing you without implants just kind of surprised me that’s all. You really are quite beautiful."

Seven smiled through the light blush that covered her cheeks. "Thank you." Was all she could say.

"Seven, has the Captain arrived?" Asked Tuvok who had been standing quietly while Lt. Torres and Seven had exchanged pleasantries.

"Yes she has. I will explain quickly to you two what I told the Captain. Your initial regeneration cycle will be short but you will be returning in approximately 4 hours."

"Do we know yet if the virus is working?" B’Elanna asked.

"I will not know until some of the other drones arrive. It may be too early to determine if the virus is effective."

"Seven, why is this place a forest? I mean, why no building or things like that? It seems kind of primitive in a way." Asked B’Elanna as she looked around again.

"I am not certain. Perhaps it is because there is a measure of tranquility in a setting like this. We exist as drones, marred by implants and surrounded by technology. This may be a way to completely remove ourselves from all of that."

"I concur. Your assumptions are logical and given the situation, highly probable." Tuvok said in his usual calm Vulcan way.

Seven and B’Elanna both smiled at Tuvok. "Yeah what he said." B’Elanna said pointing to Tuvok.

"I will now return to Voyager and inform Commander Chakotay that you and the Captain are alright. I wish to be here when the Captain returns. By my estimate you still have 10.5 minutes left in your cycles. Please remain in this encampment and talk to any of the drones that return. I will return shortly."

"Indeed." Tuvok replied

"When you return to your cube, you must be careful. You will retain your individuality and the Queen will detect this. You must continue to function as drones at all times."

"Seven how come I can’t remember being assimilated?" asked B’Elanna.

"The virus is designed to take affect after your regeneration cycle, not before. You will eventually remember being assimilated B’Elanna however they will not be pleasant memories. I must go know but I have a message for you. Lt. Paris asked me to tell you that he misses you."

"Thank you Seven. Tell him I miss him too and tell him he better be behaving."

"I will relay the message. And I have one more piece of information for you B’Elanna. There are several Klingons here. Watch out for the Son of K’Vok" Seven said as a smile crossed her face.

"WHAT!?!" Screamed B’Elanna just as Seven disappeared. B’Elanna turned to look at Tuvok. "Tell me she was joking!"

Tuvok raised an eyebrow slightly. "It is my understanding that Seven of Nine does not joke."

B’Elanna Torres suddenly felt ill. "I’m gonna kill her." She whispered as she looked around.

 Chapter 5

Seven opened her eyes. She took several deep breaths before she stepped down from her alcove.

"Commander, Doctor."

"Seven, did you see them?" Asked Chakotay

"Yes, I encountered the Captain, Lieutenant Torres, and Commander Tuvok. They are all right. I have no new information on the status of the virus."

"At least we know they are alright and they can enter Unimatrix Zero. When is the Captain expected back?"

"Captain Janeway will return in 2.5 hours. I will return there in 2 hours to collect more information and to be there when she arrives."

"Did the Captain, B’Elanna and Tuvok seem okay? Did you notice anything wrong medically? The Doctor asked as he ran a medical tricorder over Seven.

"Doctor, there is no way to assess their medical condition. Unimatrix Zero is a virtual construct, nothing more."

"Okay, did they seem to be in good spirits? Were they positive? How was their mental state?"

"I am not a Psychiatrist Doctor, I am not qualified to assess anyone’s mental condition."

"Seven!" The Doctor sighed and shook his head. "I know you aren’t. In your opinion, how did they seem?"

"They appeared to be uneasy which is to be expected considering they have been assimilated. They seemed to be positive and in good spirits as well."

"Thank you. Now, how are you doing?"

"I am functioning at peak efficiency Doctor."

"Seven, I think the Doctor wants to know how your mental condition is." Chakotay said as he gestured to the Doctor who was nodding his head in agreement.

"I am functioning at peak efficiency, physically and mentally. What is the reasoning behind your concern?"

"Seven, three of your crewmates, your friends, have purposely allowed themselves to be assimilated. That can’t be easy for you to accept can it?" Replied the Doctor gently.

"My feelings in this matter are irrelevant. However, you are correct. This situation is not easy for me to accept but I will adapt. Now if you will excuse me, I wish to go to the mess hall to consume my required nutrients before returning to my alcove." Without waiting for a response Seven turned and left the cargo bay.

"Doctor, my gut tells me that something is bothering her, something isn’t right. I don’t think she is being entirely honest about what is going on in Unimatrix Zero. Do you think it has something to do with this Axum person she mentioned"

"I don’t want to speculate Commander. Seven is not very forthcoming with information and I don’t see that changing anytime soon. The best thing we can do is just wait and see. Hopefully this whole thing will be over shortly."

"Patience isn’t one of my strong suits Doctor."

The Doctor let out a holographic sigh as he and Chakotay started walking out of the cargo bay. He started to consider what the Commander had said. Seven definitely was tense, the evidence was there. Could the Commander be right? Could this Axum person have something to do with it? "Commander, I think I will go and have a talk with Seven."

"Good idea, I’ll be on the bridge. Keep me posted"

Voyager’s EMH walked quickly through the corridors on his way to the mess hall. ‘How do I get Seven to talk to me’ he thought as he walked. By the time the mess hall doors slide open he had made up his mind to simply use a direct approach.

Entering the mess hall, the Doctor found Seven sitting alone at her table. Instead of her usual nutritional beverage he noticed that she had opted for a glass of milk. Hesitantly he approached her table.

"Seven, may I sit down?"

"Are you here to ask more irrelevant questions?"

"Seven, I’m worried about you." The Doctor replied as he sat down across from Seven. "I’m worried, Commander Chakotay is worried. If there is something bothering you, it helps to talk about it."

"Doctor, I appreciate your concern but there is nothing I wish to discuss at this time." Seven said as she sipped her glass of milk.

"Who is this Axum?" ‘Well’ he thought ‘I did decide on the direct approach’.

The Doctor watched as Seven stopped drinking her milk. He also noticed that Seven was glaring at him over the rim of the glass. Slowly and with deliberate intent Seven placed the glass on the table in front of her. The effect was not lost on the Doctor who suddenly found himself wishing there was a medical emergency in sickbay.

"I just informed you that there was nothing I wished to discuss but you insist on prying. Are your audio subroutines malfunctioning?"

"Seven, I don’t pry!" The Doctor replied in a voice that was a few octaves higher than usual. "And my audio subroutines are just fine. I am simply doing my duty as your Doctor."

Seven smirked at the Doctors reply. "Doctor you do pry, you are notorious for prying. As for you being my Doctor, I do not recall being a patient at the moment. Am I to assume that for some reason I am?"

The holographic Doctor felt defeated not to mention embarrassed. His shoulders slumped and he bowed his head. "No, you are not a patient. I was just trying to help."

"This is a very difficult and tense time for all the crew Doctor. If I require someone to talk to I will seek your guidance but for now, there is nothing to discuss." Then she softly said "I will go back to Unimatrix Zero now and wait for the Captain."

The Doctor could only nod as he watched Seven of Nine quickly leave. Looking around he noticed Neelix watching him. "Mr. Neelix, it is rude to listen to others conversations."

"Well yes, yes it. I apologize but you weren’t exactly being quiet."

"I wasn’t yelling."

"No you weren’t but you weren’t whispering either."

"Fine but it is still rude to eavesdrop." The Doctor said as he stood. Knowing there was nothing else he could do but wait for Seven to come to him for help, he started to leave the mess hall.

"Doctor, Seven was right. You do like to pry." Neelix said cheerfully.

The EMH stopped, glared and then just simply hunched his shoulders as he left the mess hall before he felt his holographic dignity completely disappear.

Chapter 6

Seven walked into cargo bay 2 and set the controls of her alcove. Knowing that she intended to remain in Unimatrix Zero for an unspecified length of time she had to make several adjustments to her regeneration cycle parameters. Seven also decided that she would alter the controls to prevent anyone from ending the cycle prematurely.

"Computer once regeneration cycle has commenced, lockout all alcove controls using Borg encryption code Seven Gamma 7, 1, 6, 3. " Several beeps told Seven that the computer was ready to carry out her request.

Before stepping onto the platform Seven touched her combadge. "Seven of Nine to Lt. Paris."

"Go ahead."

"Lieutenant, I relayed your message to Lt. Torres and have a message in return. Lt. Torres indicated that she misses you as well and added that you had better be behaving."

"Thanks Seven." Tom said through the laughter in the background.

"You are welcome Lt. Paris, Seven out."

Having relayed the message Seven stepped into her alcove and was now ready to return to Unimatrix Zero to find out if the nano-virus was working but more importantly to wait for Kathryn to arrive. The computer initiated the regeneration cycle and then locked down the controls.

Unimatrix Zero was not quiet when Seven arrived this time. There was a lot of activity in the encampment. Seven noticed Laura talking to a large group of individuals.

"Annika! It’s incredible. We are getting reports from all over Unimatrix Zero. There are thousands of us have retained our identities and that number increases every minute! We may still look like drones but we are individuals again." Laura said, as her excitement mounted. "And we owe it all to you and Captain Janeway."

"The Captain will be very pleased when she arrives back here." Seven said trying to hide her relief but not entirely succeeding. "Laura we need to obtain specific details. How many drones on each cube or sphere? Where are the vessels located? Drone status? Anything that can aide us in our fight. The more information we can provide the Captain the quicker her plan can proceed."

"Understood." Laura nodded as she turned back to the group she had been talking to. "Okay, listen everyone. We need to get as much information as possible. Where are we located? What do we do? Are we on cubes or spheres? Tactical information. The next time our regeneration cycles are complete, look around, and gather information." Several heads nodded in understanding. "Okay, lets branch out and pass this message on to the other encampments." The crowd dispersed into several directions leaving only Seven and Laura.

"Annika, what is Captain Janeway going to do next?" Laura asked as she and Seven slowly walked around the encampment.

"I am unaware of the specific details of the plan. The Captain should be here shortly, we will find out more then. I recommend that we get word out to the other encampments. Have them choose several individuals to be the Captains contacts."

"Good idea, it should be easier to pass messages along. There is an encampment just over the ridge, I will go there and tell them to choose a few spokespersons then meet back here for a briefing with Captain Janeway. They can pass the message along to the others. When is Captain Janeway due back?"

"I am unaware of the exact time for her return however I estimate in approximately 1 hour."

"Great, I’ll get going." Laura said as she hurried up the path to the next encampment.

Seven of Nine stood watching her leave. Laura was a pleasant person to talk to. ‘She will be an efficient ally’ Seven thought as she turned and walked back to wait for the Captain’s arrival. Along the way Seven encountered several very happy and enthusiastic drones. Each one had thanked her for her help and wished her well. Seven arrived back at the encampment and sat down on the bench. She was finding it very difficult to simply sit and wait. ‘Waiting is an inefficient us of my time’ she thought.

Kathryn Janeway opened her eyes and sighed with relief. She was back in Unimatrix Zero. Looking around she spotted Annika sitting quietly on the bench. Kathryn’s breath caught as she looked at her. ‘You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen’. She closed her eyes and remembered caressing Annika’s cheek. Her hand started to tingle which brought a slight whimper to her lips. ‘I want to touch you again’ she thought, ‘no, I need to touch you’. Suddenly she felt a warmth start to enfold her. Slowly she opened her eyes to find herself staring into the gentle eyes of Annika.

"Captain? Are you alright?" Seven asked quietly.

Kathryn Janeway started to tremble as the events of the day washed over her. "I saw myself as a drone, at least it was my eyes staring back at me."

Seven slowly reached out to Kathryn, wanting to comfort her. She gently placed both hands on Kathryn’s shoulders, her first step in initiating a hug. She stopped her movements, waiting for Kathryn to pull away. Several seconds passed and when it became clear to Seven that Kathryn would not pull away, she nervously pulled Kathryn closer, slowly wrapped her arms around her and held her gently. "Tell me what happened."

Kathryn Janeway could not believe what was happening. She was being held in such a tender embrace. She gently laid her head on Annika’s shoulder, her own arms moved up and around Annika to return the embrace. She closed her eyes and allowed herself a moment to simply enjoy all the warmth and sensations that being held by Annika invoked.

"I was assigned the task of repairing a sensor panel." She quietly began. "I happened to look up and there was a polished piece of metal. I saw my reflection." She shivered at the vivid memory. "Oh Annika, the only thing I recognized were my eyes. I am covered with implants."

Seven tightened her embrace. "Captain, do not be concerned. When this is all over the Doctor will remove all traces of Borg and you will look as you did before you were assimilated."

"I know. It’s just that I wasn’t prepared to see myself and it scared the hell out of me."

"Now you understand why I said it should have been me carrying out this plan. I knew what to expect."

"Annika, did you ever see your reflection while you were a drone?"

"Reflections are irrelevant to a drone Captain. However, I believe you will not be the only one to experience this. The others may also be frightened by their reflections. We must alert everyone to that possibility."

"Yes, that’s a good idea. Annika, have you seen Tuvok and B’Elanna?"

"Yes, they should be back in approximately 1.5 hours."

"That’s good." Kathryn said lazily. Being held by Annika was very relaxing.

"Captain, I have sent word that everyone is to collect as much data as possible to aid you in your plan. Laura has also gone to one of the other encampments to advise them that they should choose several individuals to be spokespersons. This should help as well."

"You are always thinking aren’t you Annika?"

Seven looked down at Kathryn, a confused look on her face "Why would I not be always thinking?"

Kathryn only chuckled and tightened her embrace, pulling Annika as close as she could. Seven swallowed hard against the feelings that were threatening to finally overtake her control. "Kathryn" she whispered.

Hearing her name spoken so tenderly made Kathryn tremble. So many lonely nights she had dreamt of this moment. Dreamt of being in Annika’s arms. Dreamt of hearing Annika whisper her name. Dreamt of looking into sensuous deep blue eyes that would glow with love and desire. Kathryn’s heart beat double time. She took several deep breaths, mustering her courage to take the step that would lead her to either a golden pool of eternal happiness or a dark abyss of heartbreak. Slowly she raised her eyes to meet Annika’s.

Time stood still.

Kathryn Janeway stared into magnificent blue eyes that sparkled with raw emotion. Kathryn saw love, pure and undeniable. The walls that had surrounded her heart for so long came crumbling down. Kathryn’s heart was free to finally sing a song only Annika would ever hear. She walked to the edge of the golden pool and slipped into its warmth without hesitation.

Seven watched as emotions played across Kathryn’s face. Fear, doubt, relief and then …love. Seven could feel her knees start to weaken. She could feel her heart racing. Could this incredible woman actually love her? So many feelings encompassed her at once. Seven gently lowered her head, bringing her full lips closer to Kathryn. Seven continued to stare into the loving eyes of the woman who was not only her savior but also the reason for her very existence. A soft whimper passed over her lips as they finally reached their destination. Warm, soft lips gently met and caressed hers. Seven’s world exploded in a multitude of colors.

Kathryn returned Annika’s gentle kiss. She had wanted this for so very long. She felt Annika’s arms tighten around her as their hungry kiss deepened. No longer able to control herself, Kathryn’s tongue lightly brushed Annika’s lips, pleading for admittance, which was freely given. Kathryn moaned when she tasted Annika’s sweet breath. Kathryn was starting to loose herself completely in everything that is Annika. In her taste, her scent, her sounds and her warmth. ‘No! We can’t do this’ her mind screamed. ‘Remember where we are, remember why we are here’. Reluctantly she ended the kiss but kept her arms firmly around Annika.

"Annika, what are we doing?" she quietly asked.

"Kathryn?" Seven asked confused. "Unless my research was flawed, I believe we were kissing."

"Yes we were but why were we kissing?"

"I kissed you because I love you." Seven replied quietly. "Why did you kiss me?" Her body tensed in anticipation of Kathryn’s answer.

Several quiet minutes passed. Finally Kathryn Janeway spoke the words she had heart had longed to say. "Because…because I love you." She felt Annika completely relax in her arms. A disconcerting thought crept into her mind. "Annika, what do you know about love?"

"I have researched the subject of love extensively the past 11 months."

Kathryn smiled. ‘Now why am I not surprised about that’ she thought.

"It occurs naturally in millions of species throughout the universe. The Borg deems it irrelevant. Vulcan’s find the concept illogical. The Klingons…"

"Annika, what do you think, not what others think. What is love to you?" Kathryn asked quietly.

Annika looked into Kathryn’s eyes, basking in the love that she found there. For the first time since she was severed from the collective, Seven of Nine let Annika Hansen take control. "Love is the rawest of emotions. It is pure. It is complex. And when it is right, it is perfection. It strikes when you least expect it. By the time you become aware of its presence, it is to late. It evokes extreme mental and physiological responses. It cannot be predicted. It cannot be harnessed. It cannot be prevented. And it cannot be stopped. Love grows within you until it is so strong it can no longer be denied. Once it has been accepted, it wraps itself around your heart and never lets go."

Kathryn Janeway stood speechless. This young woman who lived for 18 years in the cold, sterile environment of the Borg Collective had described love with so much passion it brought tears to her eyes.

Seeing the unshed tears in Kathryn’s eyes Seven said quietly "I am sorry Kathryn, I find expressing myself difficult. I have disappointed you by not describing love properly."

Kathryn brought her hand up to gently run her fingers through silky blonde hair. "Oh no Annika. You have described love like a poet. It was so incredibly beautiful, just like the woman who spoke them."

The feel of Kathryn’s fingers running through her hair made Seven shudder. There were so many new sensations to process with each touch. "Kathryn, I wish to kiss you again."

"And I want to kiss you again too, but we can’t."

Seven frowned. "We can’t? Why not?"

"For two reasons. One, we don’t have time and two, I want the next kiss we share to be on Voyager, in my quarters not here in this virtual world. Do you understand?"

"I believe I do Kathryn. It is not real here."

"Oh but it is real up to a point Annika. What we are feeling and what we are sharing right now is very real and very wonderful. I want us to experience our love not only in our minds but in our bodies as well. Okay?"

"Yes, I wish to experience you physically as well." Seven said as she shyly smiled. "Can I still hold you until the others arrive."

"Very acceptable." Kathryn said grinning as she once again wrapped her arms around Annika.

Chapter 7

Kathryn and Annika were still locked in a warm embrace when Laura arrived. She cleared her throat quickly to announce her arrival. Reluctantly Kathryn released Annika but only after placing a quick kiss on her cheek.

"Hello Laura."

"Hello Captain, Annika. I am sorry to have interrupted."

"The Captain was distressed when she arrived. I was merely attempting to provide comfort." Seven said in an attempt to provide Laura with an explanation why she was holding Kathryn.

"Oh, I see." Laura said trying not to laugh.

"You do not believe me?"

"No, not one word of it. Even a blind man could see what is going on between you two."

"Nice try but it is difficult to hide our true feelings for each other now." Kathryn said smiling warmly at Annika.

"I hate to break the mood, but, Annika have you seen Axum?"

Seven flinched slightly at Axum's name "No, not since…"

Laura and Kathryn both noticed Annika’s discomfort at the mention of Axum and her inability to finish what she was saying. "Annika, what did Axum tell you about the two of you?"

"He told me nothing. I reached my own conclusions based on the evidence at hand."

"You figured out that you and he were more than just friends."

"Yes."

Kathryn’s eyebrows shot straight up, almost disappearing into her hairline. "You were?"

Seven watched as unasked questions crossed the Captain’s face. She suddenly felt very embarrassed, her face coloring. "I am sorry Kathryn.  I have informed Axum that I would not pursue any relationship with him. We are allies in the battle against the Queen and nothing more."

"Oh Annika, I wish you wouldn’t have said that." Laura said as she shook her head.

"Why? It is inappropriate to become involved in an intimate relationship with someone you do not have feelings for? Is this not a correct assessment Captain?" Seven asked fearing that she had somehow made an error in judgement.

"I guess that depends on the species and their culture but in terms of human beings like ourselves, your assessment is quite accurate." Kathryn said still trying to overcome her shock. She frowned as she turned her attention to Laura. "Laura why did you say that, is there a problem?"

"There could be." Laura walked over to a bench and sat down. Kathryn and Seven sat down on either side waiting for Laura to continue.

"You were a part of us for 18 years Annika, you grew up here. There are a lot of people who cared about you. One day you never came back. It affected us deeply. At first we feared you had been deactivated or killed. But for some reason we could still sense your presence so we figured that you were alive but no longer connected to the Collective, that somehow you had a second chance at being a true individual. Everyone was so happy for you. Everyone but Axum that is." Laura sighed as she stared at Annika.

Seven shifted slightly, uncomfortable with being stared at by Laura. Kathryn sensed Annika’s discomfort. "Laura what happened when Annika never returned?"

Laura blinked several times. "I’m sorry, where was I?" she asked.

"You were about to tell us more about Axum." Kathryn said with a smile as she looked at Annika. ‘I know how you feel Laura, Annika distracts me all the time’. Kathryn felt her heart skip a beat as she continued to watch Annika. Her lips still tingled wildly from the kiss they shared.

"Like I said, everyone was happy for you. Axum wasn’t. When you never returned he become very despondent. We tried to talk to him but he just ignored us."

"Laura, how long was I involved with Axum?" Seven asked quietly. Although Axum had answered this question earlier she felt compelled to ask. Laura’s answer would either confirm or refute her data.

"You two were together for about 6 years. Shortly after he arrived he started to pursue you. He was relentless. You couldn’t go anywhere without him following you around. He waited for you to arrive and he wouldn’t leave until you left. There was quite a few that wanted to be your suitor, but because of Axum's actions you really had no choice. He was scaring everyone away and I guess you got tired of fending him off. To be honest, I felt you two didn’t belong together at all."

Seven sat perfectly still as Laura relayed the story. "I have no memory of any of this." She said quietly. "I am sorry Captain."

Kathryn rose, walked over and sat down beside Annika. She quickly put her arm around Annika’s shoulder to comfort her. "There is nothing to be sorry about Annika. I’m here. I don’t care what happened before. I love you and nothing will change that."

Seven stared at Kathryn. "How did you know I was afraid you would stop being in love with me if you knew about Axum?"

Kathryn’s smiled. "Oh, lets just say your emotions aren’t difficult for me to read. That and I have a lot more experience than you do. Annika, remember what you said about love, it can't be stopped. Well, I can never stop loving you especially over something that happened not only in the past but in a virtual world. The past is the past and the only thing that matters is the here and now."

Seven sighed and let her head fall to rest on Kathryn’s shoulder. "Thank you."  She whispered.

"Laura, you said Axum was despondent. How long was he and what happened after?" Kathryn asked in an attempt to refocus.

"Several months. We tried to help him but he just ignored us. Then he went from being depressed to being angry. He became rude and obnoxious. At that point we just gave up trying to help him. After about a year or so he started to talk to us again. He wasn’t the same individual and we all knew it. He came up with the idea of bringing you back, after all, if we could still sense you that meant you were still regenerating. We said no. We asked him to just let you go. We wanted nothing more than for you to enjoy your new life. Needless to say, that didn’t go over very well with him. Eventually he had no other choice but to accept it. And life here, if you can call it that, went on."

"I believe I can figure out the rest. Once the Queen detected Unimatrix Zero you knew you would need help to protect yourselves. Axum finally got his wish and brought Annika back."

"Yes. Believe me Captain, if we could have found any other way to defend ourselves, we wouldn’t have brought Annika back. I am so sorry you had to come back here."

Seven raised her head and looked at Laura. "I understand why you brought me back and I will do everything I can to help you." Seven hesitated before she continued. "Laura, based on the knowledge you have on Axum, and taking into consideration that I have no intention of continuing a relationship I have no memory of, do you consider Axum a threat to our plan?"

"I would like to say no but I can’t. I just don’t know."

"Well then. I guess we will just have to be more cautious when it comes to him won’t we." Kathryn said. "I am not going to change anything just because someone may or may not be a threat. The mission will proceed as is. Laura, go and get the word out. I want a meeting with my contacts as soon as possible."

"On my way." Laura said quickly then left.

Kathryn looked at Annika. "Everything will be okay Annika. This is only a slight glitch, nothing more."

"I do not agree Kathryn. I have made an error in judgement that has placed not only this mission but you in danger."

"How could you have known that Axum had ulterior motives? You had no way of predicting how he would react to having his affections rejected." Kathryn brought Annika’s head up to stare deeply into her eyes. "None of this is your fault. We are here to help these people and that is exactly what we will do."

Seven nodded her head in silent agreement. "What is the next step in your plan Kathryn?"

"Well, I can sum it up in one word. Chaos!"

Chapter 8

He stood before her. Cold eyes bored into his. Every Borg drone knows her. Every drone fears her. And every drone needs her. She is the Borg. She is the Queen.

"Your name is Axum is it not?" She asked as she touched his face.

Axum stood, unable to move.  He was terrified.  The Borg Queen is evil in its purest form.

Angry that he had not answered her, the Queen grabbed Axum by the throat pulling him closer. "I asked you a question."

"Yes." He whispered. Cold fingers slowly squeezed, preventing him from taking in a breath of air.

Quickly she released him and watched as he stumbled, gasping for air. "Next time I will not be so quick to release you. The rules are very simple. I ask questions, you answer them correctly and perhaps I will let you live. Do you understand or do you require another lesson?"

"I understand." Axum said as he rubbed his neck.

"You designed this virus that has permeated my Collective?"

"Yes."

"I find it somewhat impressive and highly annoying. Now you will create the cure."

"I can’t."

The Queen lashed out, striking Axum hard on the side of his head, knocking him down to the floor. "That was an incorrect response."

Axum looked up at the Queen. He felt his warm blood dripping from the gash on his head. "My original design was altered by Captain Janeway. I don’t know if I can devise a cure."

The Queen knelt down and touched the wound she inflicted. "I do not like inflicting pain on you Axum." She whispered. "You and I have a common enemy. Did you know that?"

Axum swallowed deeply and closed his eyes. "A common enemy?"

"Yes."

"Who?"

"Captain Kathryn Janeway."

Axum’s opened his eyes and looked at the Queen. "She is your enemy, not mine."

Pain shot through him and he cried out as the Queen dug her finger into his wound. "You are wrong Axum. She is our enemy."

"Why? She is helping me and the others."

"Is she helping you Axum? Let me show you something." She said as she picked him up off the floor.

A view screen materialized. Axum watched as Unimatrix Zero appeared. Annika and Kathryn were standing close together. Captain Janeway had her hand on Annika and was caressing her cheek. The next image he saw was Annika and Janeway in an embrace. Then he saw them kissing. Axum’s body tensed.

Seeing Axum's reaction as he watched the images on the view screen, the Queen drew closer and whispered seductively into his ear. "She was yours once wasn’t she? She looked at you like that didn’t she? But now, poor Axum, your lover no longer wants you. Kathryn Janeway has taken her away from you. It is Janeway’s touch she wants, not yours. It is Janeway’s kiss she craves, not yours. She doesn’t even want you in her life. Your lover of six years is gone. Stolen by Captain Janeway."

Axum closed his eyes, no longer able to look at the images. "No. That is not true."

"You are irrelevant. You are insignificant. You are defective. You can not even keep the affections of one woman."

The Queen watched as his anger escalated and knew it was time to strike. "I can give you back what you most desire Axum. I can give you Annika."

Axum’s eyes shot open.

"I can give you back Annika and I will even let you retain your precious individuality."

"Why are you making me this offer?

"I am the Borg." The Queen replied in a menacing tone.

"What do you want from me?"

"There are two things I want you to do. One, create a cure for this virus you designed and two, kill Captain Kathryn Janeway."

"I do these two things and you will give me Annika and let me keep my identity? How do I know you won’t change your mind?"

"You don’t. You have two options. Either comply or die. Choose now."

Axum looked at the screen again. He stared at the image of his beloved Annika. ‘You will be mine forever Annika’. Turning to face the Queen he made his decision and quietly said, "I will comply."

"A wise choice. Begin working on the cure. I will send you back when it is time to kill Janeway."

Axum nodded before turning to leave.

"Axum, be efficient." The Queen called out, her voice ringing through the cold confines of her chamber.

Axum stopped and trembled at the tone of her voice "What have I done?" Knowing the Queen would see his fear and doubt he left the chamber without even glancing back.

The Queen turned and looked at the view screen. ‘I will have my revenge Janeway. Not only will I enjoy watching you die, I will get my Seven of Nine back.’

Chapter 9

Kathryn Janeway stood in front of a large gathering of drones. These individuals would be her contacts in this battle. Standing to her right was Annika and to her left, Lt. Torres and Commander Tuvok who had recently returned. Kathryn surveyed the group before she spoke.

"Initial information provided by all of you indicates that there are approximately 200 of us on each cube and sphere. There are over 1000 in each Borg complex. We even have a couple of drones in Unimatrix One. Overall I would have to say we are in excellent shape. The next phase is quite simple. We are going to disrupt the Queens control. To do this we will start to commandeer vessels. Start by disrupting key systems. The Central Plexus will be the meeting point. Gather there and then break out into groups, work on shields, weapons and transwarp drives. Don’t completely destroy them, just mess them up a little."

"They will be guarded. What do we do if we encounter resistance?" A voice called out.

"We will be creating diversions by disrupting minor systems as well. Blow out a few power conduits and relays. Shut down internal sensors. Without sensors the Queen’s drones will basically be blind."

"The Queen will send her drones after us. How can we defeat them." Another said. A low murmur of concern started in the group.

"We will have to deactivate the Queen’s drones. Deplete her forces until we can gain control." Kathryn replied coolly.

"How do you propose to accomplish this?" A scared voice called out.

"I want all of you to remember something. We’re still drones out there. We have the same armaments, shielding and strength as they do. They don’t have any advantage over us. We however have a very big advantage over them. We are all still connected to the hive mind, we all hear the voices of the Collective but there is one voice that is more powerful than any other and that is our own. We can think independently, they can’t. We will be able to adapt quicker than they can."

Kathryn looked around again, watching the group, gauging their mood.

"I know this is difficult and dangerous but if we are to succeed and stop the Borg threat we are going to have to stay together.  United we can defeat the Queen." 

"Then lets do it." One drone said. "Let’s finally end the Borg threat."

"Yes, let go." Another replied.

Kathryn Janeway smiled. "Alright. Let everyone know what is going to happen. Don’t forget to work in large groups, nobody is to work alone and remember time is not on our side. We have to work quickly. Report back here as much as you can.  If I am not here, report to Annika.  Okay, let’s do it and good luck."

The group dispersed quickly leaving Kathryn, Annika, B’Elanna and Tuvok.

"Annika, I want you to go back to Voyager now and let Chakotay know what’s happening. Tell him to keep a sensor lock on the cube Tuvok, B’Elanna and myself are on. Once we disrupt systems and get control I will send a subspace message to have Voyager rendezvous at our location."

"Kathryn, I do not wish to leave until you have."

B’Elanna and Tuvok exchanged glances. Hearing Seven call the Captain, Kathryn and hearing the Captain call Seven, Annika surprised the both of them.

"Since when does Seven of Nine call Captain Janeway, Kathryn?" B’Elanna asked Tuvok.

"Indeed. Perhaps the Captain and Seven of Nine have come to a particular understanding in their relationship." Tuvok stated.

"You mean they finally figured it out. Boy that’s a relief. I was starting to think they never would. You know Tuvok, for two people who are so, I don’t know, lets say intellectually gifted, they sure are slow."

"Perhaps the expression ‘love is blind’ would be adequate to describe their situation."

"Hmm, maybe but I think it’s more like they wouldn’t know love if it jumped up an bit them."

"Are you two finished?" Kathryn asked somewhat amused.

B’Elanna and Tuvok looked at each other then at Kathryn and Annika. "I don’t know, Tuvok, are we finished?" B’Elanna said blithely.

"I believe, based on the Captains expression, that it would be prudent of us to cease our current conversation." Tuvok replied calmly.

"Tuvok is correct, Ensign Torres." The Captain added threateningly.

"Ouch! Well since you put it that way, I guess our conversation is done." B’Elanna smiled at the Captain. "If I may add one thing. I am happy for you two. I don’t know why exactly, but I really am happy for you."

Touched by B’Elanna’s comment Kathryn gently said "Thank you B’Elanna."

All four stood quiet for several minutes, each absorbed in their own thoughts.

Kathryn broke the silence. "Okay, my regeneration cycle is about to end.   I will meet you two back on the cube. Annika, I will meet you back here later."

"Kathryn, no one has seen Axum. I believe his is indeed a threat."

"A threat, what is this about?" B’Elanna asked concerned. "I thought this Axum person was the one who brought us here to begin with?"

"Yes he is, but recent events have altered the situation. He is a threat. You need not concern yourself with the details." Annika replied somewhat defensively.

Captain Janeway held up her hand to stop any further comments. "Lets all stay focused and alert. The plan is proceeding and we will be careful. Everyone knows what to do, so lets go."

Kathryn disappeared. Then Annika. B’Elanna and Tuvok stood looking around.

"I have a feeling the rest of our journey back to the Alpha Quadrant is gonna be a whole lot more interesting." B’Elanna said with a grin.

"Indeed."

"I wonder who won the pool?"

"I believe I did Lieutenant."

"Figures."