The Borg had a lot to do with his lack of
interest. Their hive mind only have one goal, and that made them very boring and
if not a little more than just annoying at times. You just couldn´t have any fun
with them.
A silvery spoon shaped space ship crossed
his flight path and he immediately followed it. He did not need to read the
large letters that marked the ships designation to know what ship it was.
“USS VOYAGER NCC 74656 …
Nah, the good old Voyager, why haven´t I
thought of her before?” His eyes flashed in glee. An expression of a child
finding a new toy to play with.
“Let´s have some fun with them.”
The Voyager flew silently through the
empty space, she was continuously on her journey back home into the Alpha
quadrant with 127 beings on board.
Q matched his speed with the elegant starship, thinking of a way to have fun with them.
----------
The doors to the ready room swished open and Captain Janeway entered the bridge. Tuvok, Harry, Tom and Chakotay were seated at their stations. She reached her chair and let her gaze settled on Harry Kim, the operation officer.
“Report.” The Captain said as she took her seat.
Harry took a last glance at the readings
on his station and answered.
“We detected a slight fluctuation in our
front shields. It´s probably nothing but I wasn´t able to define the source of
this fluctuation.”
“All right Harry. What´s your opinion,
what could have caused the fluctuation?”
“My first thought was that a malfunction
in one of the gel packs caused it, but as I checked this possibility and
B´Elanna confirmed me that they were all alright, so I took another look and...
The conclusion I can offer is, that something came through the shields.”
Janeway moved her gaze to her dark skinned
security officer. “What do you think about this Tuvok?”
“It´s possible Captain. I checked the
sensor logs and found some unknown energy signature that crossed our flight
path. The energy signature changed its course and finally disappeared as it
reached the front shields.”
“Why didn´t we get an alert?”
“I do not know, Captain. The sensors
should have picked up this signature but they didn´t. Intriguing.” Tuvok raised
his eyebrow in confusion.
“Alright. Yellow alert. We keep our eyes
open till we know what it is that managed to get through our shields.” Janeway
seemed to consider something for a few moments before she stood up.
“I´ll inform Seven. Maybe she can help us
with this. Chakotay you have the bridge.”
Her first officer nodded and Janeway left the bridge.
----------
“07:10 hours regeneration cycle
incomplete.” The female voice of the computer
stated flatly.
Seven opened her eyes. She was momentarily
surprised as she looked around and couln´t find Kathryn. The Captain was the
only one that had the habit of interrupting her regeneration period and Seven
wondered what else could have waken her.
“Computer, why was my regeneration cycle
cancelled?”
“Unknown.”
Seven stepped down to her console and
looked at the security sensors that had overviewed her alcove during her
regeneration period. Everything seemed normal enough. Her regeneration cycle has
simply ended at 07:10.
The young woman breathed, feeling annoyed.
She was about to enter her alcove again to continue her regeneration cycle as
she heard something. Seven spun on her heels and examined her surrounding. No
one was here but she had the feeling as if someone was watching her. She noted
that her heartbeat had increased by 12% and defined this as the human response
to fear.
Even more annoyed about this phenomenon
she stepped back to her console and scanned the room. The only person the
computer found was her. She arched her eyebrow and took one last suspicious
glance around Cargobay 2.
The doors swished open and Seven jumped.
With wide eyes she looked at the visitor that entered her room.
Kathryn stopped dead in her tracks as she
saw the look on Seven´s face. Fear was mirrored in her eyes before she seemed to
realize who entered the Cargobay.
“Seven, what is it?” She went to her and
saw the young woman relax.
Seven of Nine clasped her hands on her
back and tilted her head slightly.
“Nothing. You startled me.”
Janeway looked at her intently and noted
that her face was paler than usual.
“Are you sure?”
Seven was about to respond as Janeway
waved off.
“Of course you are. You are Borg.”
Seven lifted her eyebrow.
“Never mind.” Kathryn walked a half around
her and looked at the green illuminated Borg alcove.
She turned to her. “Aren´t you supposed to
be regenerating?”
“I still am.”
Kathryn saw a look of annoyance cross her
stern features.
“And why aren´t you regenerating, Seven?”
“At 07:10 hours my regeneration cycle was
cancelled. I wasn´t able to find the cause yet.”
Kathryn looked thoughtful to Seven´s
alcove.
“Captain?”
Janeway walked a further half around her.
Seven´s gaze followed her.
“I came down to inform you of a
fluctuation in our shields. “ She stopped in front of her and looked up to her.
“It seems that an unknown energy signature
has entered through the front shields and disappeared afterwards. Maybe your
cancelled regeneration cycle was caused by this mysterious signature.”
“I checked the security sensors which
overviewed my regeneration period but there was no anomaly present.”
Seven turned to her station and skilled
fingers accessed the sensor logs of her regeneration cycle.
Kathryn went close to her side and
examined the shown data.
“Hm.”
The young Borg watched her curious. She
liked it when Kathryn was around her, especially when she stepped close.
Janeway looked up to her and they looked
at each other.
Suddenly all lights went out.
“What the hell … computer, what happened?”
“Unknown”
Kathryn rolled her eyes in the darkness.
“That´s just typical, isn´t it.”
She narrowed her eyes and tried if she
could see anything.
A tiny red spot at the opposite wall
caught her attention. It seemed to be a small laser beam and as she followed
this beam to it´s source, the laser beam started to move and fell on her right
shoulder.
That scared the hell out of her and the
hairs on the back of her neck stood up involuntarily.
Then she became aware that the source of
the laser beam had exact the same height as Seven´s ocular implant and she let
out a breath of relief.
“Jesus Seven, you scared the hell out of
me with your laser beam. Turn it off!”
“Sorry, Captain.”
*rustling of clothes*
“What are you doing, Seven?”
“I adjusted my implant for night view.”
Seconds passed.
“And?”
“I can´t see nothing Captain.”
Kathryn rolled her eyes.
“Alright.”
*more rustling and then a chirp*
“Janeway to Chakotay. Report. What
happened?”
Her communicator chirped in response.
“I don´t know Captain. The lights went out suddenly. We lost the warp field and the impulse drive went offline. The Voyager is now floating.”
“Any clue what caused it?”
“No, Captain. And what seemed the weirdest thing, the computer has energy for the Live support system the turbolifts and the stations on the bridge but all the other technology on Voyager is not provided with energy.”
Kathryn thought a moment about this and
let the new information sink in.
“Maybe this ominous energy signature has
something to do with this. Chakotay, inform the security team about our
situation and open a ship wide channel to inform the crew. I´ll meet you on the
bridge with Seven. Janeway out.”
“Understood, Captain. Chakotay out.”
*a few steps*
“Seven, where do you keep the flashlights
and the phasers?”
“Across the room. They are left beside the
entrance hidden under a wall panel.”
“Let´s go over there.”
*more steps and a quiet thud followed by
an*
“OW!”
“Captain?”
“I bumped my shin on a storage container.
Nothing to worry about, Seven.”
“Maybe it´s the best you let me lead,
Captain. I´m more familiar with the surrounding.”
“Alright, Seven.”
The Borg passed her and started to walk to
the door with the Captain in tow.
*a metallic noise*
Seven stopped and Janeway bumped into her.
Kathryn gasped in surprise. “Seven, why
did you stop? We couldn´t have reached the door this fast.”
“Captain, haven´t you heard that noise?”
“No, what noise?”
*a metallic noise*
“That noise.”
“You mean, you didn´t make it?”
“No, Captain.”
“Where did this noise came from?”
“It came from behind us. That´s why I
stopped.”
Silence.
“I didn´t make it.”
“I know, Captain.”
Silence.
“You mean there is someone else here with
us in the room?”
“Possible.”
Seconds passed.
“Ok, who´s there?” Kathryn turned and
addressed the darkness. She kept her ears open for any noise or response.
Silence.
They waited a few minutes and still
nothing happened.
“Maybe it was just something that fell
from a shelf.”
“Maybe ..” Seven didn´t sound convinced.
They continued with their walk to the
door.
Seven reached the door and informed
Kathryn. “Captain, we reached the door.”
*rustling and a creak*
“I have the phaser, but I can´t find the
flashlight.”
“Great.” Kathryn muttered under her
breath.
“The next source for flashlights is in the
corridor outside the Cargobay.”
“Then let´s go outside, Seven. Open the
door manually.”
*a squeak and a swish*
“It´s open, Captain.”
They went through the door.
“Left or right?”
“Right, Captain.”
“Seven, would you please not add ‘Captain’
after every sentence, will you?”
“As you wish, Cap … May I call you Kathryn
instead?”
That surprised Janeway. She hadn´t assumed
that Seven would ask that from her but she was happy she had done so.
“Yes, I would appreciate that very much.”
The smile on her face was clearly audible.
Seconds passed.
“We better continue.”
“Yes, Kathryn.”
The name rolled fluidly off the Borg´s
tongue as she tested the sound of it. Seven liked what she heard.
They turned right and continued to walk
along the wall of the corridor.
Seven reached the flashlight storage and
opened it.
“There are no flashlights in there,
Kathryn.”
“This get´s better and better. Ok, where´s
the next place we could search?”
“In all the turbolift cabins are niches
with flashlights for emergency situations. “
“The next turbolift must be not far from
here.”
“Indeed.”
They walked further through the corridor.
After several meters they had reached the
turbolift.
“We are there.”
*a squeak and a swish*
Both stepped into the cabin.
“Computer, bridge.”
Seconds passed. The humming of the
transport was audible as the cabin rushed towards the bridge. It was still dark
around them.
Seconds passed.
“Kathryn?”
“Yes, Seven?”
“Is this your hand?”
*a gasp*
“Of course not!” Janeway sounded shocked.
Maybe a little too shocked, thought Seven.
Silence.
“Then who´s hand is it then?” The young
Borg didn´t sound like she believed Kathryn.”
“Seven, honestly. It is not my hand... “
She realized what she was saying.
“Wait a minute. What do you mean? If it´s
not my hand .. ”
Silence.
“Alright. Whoever is here with us. I don´t
find this funny any longer. It´s better for you when you talk to us.”
Still no response.
“The hand is gone, Kathryn.”
“Good.” The relieve was evident in the
Captain´s voice.
*a noise and then laughing*
Kathryn was sure she knew that laughing.
“Who´s there?” Her voice was firm and
crisp.
“State your name. What is your intention?”
Seven joined in.
*again laughing*
Finally realization sank in. “It seems
that this being finds this very funny.” Kathryn almost growled.
“You know who it is, Kathryn?”
“Unfortunately, I do.”
Kathryn was sure, if the lights hadn´t
been out, the young Borg would have lifted her eyebrow.
Captain, you are right. She lifted
her eyebrow.
“Q.” Kathryn´s molars milled.
“O?” Seven asked, she was curious.
“Q.” Kathryn growled dangerous low.
“Who is this mysterious letter in the
alphabet, Kathryn?”
“Very annoying, Seven.” She whispered to
the darkness between her and the turbolift wall.
The lights went online, and there he stood
.. in all his omnipotent human form.
Seven arched her eyebrow.
May I introduce myself?
He bowed gallantly and gave Seven his best
charming smile.
I´m Q. I´m an omnipotent being with
amazing skills for every situation in life.
He winked at Seven and let his eyes glide
over her slim body in appreciation.
Kathryn didn´t believe it. Q was flirting
with HER girl … have I just thought ‘my girl’?
She grinned and cleared her throat to get
Q´s attention..
“Ok Q. What do you want from us?”
Don´t be jealous Captain.
I want nothing. I already had my fun and will leave you now.
He turned to Seven.
And Seven .. are you sure that it
was my hand?
He waved to Kathryn and grinned.
Till the next time.
With that he disappeared.
Seven turned her head to Kathryn who
blushed vehemently, despite the fact that it really hadn´t been her hand.
“Turbolift stop.” Was that a slight
grin?
“Uh, Seven .. I .. “ Kathryn stammered.
“Don´t be alarmed.” Seven smiled.
Absolutely beautiful..
Kathryn found herself mesmerized by this smile.
“It was his hand .. but from your
behaviour I think you have imagined touching me as well.
Caught in the act. Well Katie what are
you doing now?
“Well, Seven .. I .. “ Her command mask
was gone and Seven saw in the face of the woman behind. The woman she would give
her life to for keeping her safe. The woman she was in love with.
Kathryn lowered her head.
“ .. yes. “ Barely a whisper but Seven´s
enhanced hearing picked it up easily.
“You are in love with me.” The young Borg
spoke softly.
Kathryn lifted her head and searched
Seven´s blue eyes, which radiated always the calmness she needed.
“Yes.”
Seven tilted her head.
“I´m glad you are .. because I experience
the same feeling for you.”
Kathryn´s brain felt dizzy for a moment as
she understood the meaning.
“You are?”
“Yes.”
And they both smiled.
Kathryn wanted nothing more than to touch
her right now, but she knew two possible out comes of this action:
First: If she did so, she wouln´t be able
to stop.
Second: They were supposed to go to the
bridge and if they don´t, Chakotay would start to wonder where they are.
She let out a slow breath.
“I know Kathryn. We must continue to the
bridge .. but after our shifts .. would you like to join me for dinner in the
mess hall?”
The woman in front of her never ceases to
amaze her. It was a miracle how Seven every time seems to know what she was
thinking.
“I would love to, Seven.”
The young Borg regarded her with another
beautiful smile and they looked at each other for long seconds, till Kathryn
ordered the computer to continue to the bridge.
It was a start .. for both of them.
----------
Q smiled satisfied with himself and flew
away from the ship and the beings in it, which he had come to like.
END :)