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Don't Fear the Reaper
Chapters Eleven and Twelve
Chapter Eleven
On the view screen was the answer to all their questions. At least on the Borg's part of why Species 8472 and the Borg were at war with each other. One of a few Borg since the fall of the Borg Queen, and possible before, the Federation did not have to fear.
"I am Admiral Jean-Luc Picard." Picard introduced himself. "You remember me as Locutus of Borg."
"Locotus, we have been looking for you." The Borg replied. "Only I and my crew do not look for you as the Borg Collective do."
"You say I. Does that mean you have not been reassimulated?" Picard asked.
"No, I have not."
"You say you need assistance, what is it you need assistance with?"
"Our ship is damaged."
"You can not repair it yourself?"
"It is a long story, but my crew and I are alone. We can not hold Species 8472 back long enough by ourselves to make the repairs."
"Am I correct in assuming you are Hugh?" Picard asked the drone.
"Yes, I am Hugh."
"I invite you aboard the Titan to discuss the situation." Picard stated. "We have many questions."
Hugh looked a little anxious. "I will not be harmed?"
"No, we will not harm you." Picard reassured him.
"Then I will come aboard."
"Good." Picard said cheerfully. "We will be expecting you momentarily."
"Except, I can not." Hugh told him. "Our transporters, as you call them, are down."
"Send the Titan your coordinates and we will beam you aboard." Picard stated.
"I will comply."
The screen went blank and the coordinates were sent over to the Titan.
"Interesting Borg." Seven stated. "He is Borg, but he does not act as Borg."
"It's a long story, Seven." Geordi replied. "But we sort of reprogrammed him and his programming affected other Borg on his ship and they became individuals."
"I see. It was." She paused. "Efficient."
"I agree." Picard stated. "Now, Will, Geordi, Mriana. We need to return to the Titan briefly."
"Aye, Sir." Replied Riker.
"I trust you can handle things here?" Picard asked Janeway.
"We have them well under control and we hope to have my copy and Boothby aboard soon." Janeway stated. "We just need to wait for their reply."
"So you had the message sent already?" Picard asked.
"Yes, Seven is very good at getting things done in a timely manner." Janeway stated.
"Then, for the time being, we shall depart from you." Picard stated. "Geordi, Mriana. Are you ready to go pick up your daughter and return to the Titan."
"Yes, Sir!" Geordi stated with enthusiasm.
"Then you two are dismissed to get your daughter and meet us in the transporter room."
The two left the Bridge together. Once on the turbolift, Mriana hugged Geordi.
"I'm so glad to be back." She sent to his mind.
"I'm glad you are back." He replied.
Mriana began to cry on his shoulder. All the pent up fear and anxiety was finally being released. "I was so scared. They can be so cruel." She told him.
"Shhhh. It's alright." He caressed her back and neck with his hands. Then he thought to her, "We're together again."
The turbolift stopped and Mriana released Geordi. She wiped the tears from her face before exiting the turbolift.
"Let's go get Lydia." He signed.
Mriana sniffed and wiped the last of the tears away from her face with a nod.
The two of them walked into the guest quarters a few minutes later. "How did she do?" Mriana asked aloud.
"She slept the whole time." B'Elanna smiled.
"That's good." Mriana replied.
Geordi touched his daughter to wake her. Lydia felt his touch on her arm and began to wake slowly. "Daw-dee!" She exclaimed aloud in a very uncontrolled voice. Then she jumped up and hugged him.
"Well, she's very happy." B'Elanna said with a smile.
He picked her up in his arms and with one hand he signed, "Ready go home?"
"Yes!" She signed with an anxious nod of her closed hand and head. She still had a big smile on her face.
Geordi carried his little girl out of the guest quarters with his wife beside him. B'Elanna followed them out, still wearing a smile on her face.
The LaForges, Picard, and Riker had beamed back over to the Titan. Mriana took Lydia to see her sister and cousins.
"Aunt Deanna, Laura, Billy, Kessa!" Lydia happily sent to their minds. "I'm back!"
Deanna gave Lydia a big hug. "I'm so glad to have you back."
The children played while Deanna and Mriana talked. "How are you doing?" Deanna asked telepathically.
"I hope I never see another Species 8472 ever again, but somehow, before this is over, I probably will."
"Hopefully, in a more amicable situation." Deanna sent.
"Yes. Oh, Guinan. She's still over there as a hostage." Mriana sent. "I do hope she will be alright."
"Guinan has been through a lot in life. She is probably doing as well as can be expected given the circumstances."
"I hated to leave her, but they would not release her."
"They will, Mriana."
"Welcome aboard, Hugh." Picard greeted.
"Thank you, Locotus." Hugh replied.
"You still remember some of our social ways." Riker stated a little surprised.
"I do."
"Let's go talk in the Observation Lounge." Picard suggested.
"That will be sufficient." Hugh stated.
As they walked down the corridors of the Titan, people stared at Hugh. Fear was written all over their faces. They did not know how to respond to this drone, nor did all of them realize it was Hugh.
"They are still frighten of me."
"Not all of them know you." Riker informed him. "To them, you are just another Borg who might bring his buddies to assimulate them."
"I understand."
They finally reached the Observation Lounge and entered the room. "Have a seat, Hugh." Riker offered.
Hugh looked at the chairs. "Which one?"
Will was not sure what to say. "Pick one."
"This one will be efficient." Hugh stated as he seated himself at the head of the table.
Will sat on one side of Hugh and Picard sat on the other side of him. "Hugh." Picard began. "Why is Species 8472 at war with the Borg again?"
"It seems, there is a new Borg Queen." Hugh stated. "When Janeway killed the other Borg Queen we separated. Some of us preferred to be individuals. Some Borg could not handle being individuals. They committed suicide, some of them. Others tried to be a collective on their own, but until a new Borg Queen developed, they struggled in life."
"What does this have to do with Species 8472?" Will asked.
"The new Borg Queen decided the war should not end." Hugh continued. "She wanted to continue the work the Queen before her had begun and that was to assimulate Species 8472 at all cost."
Picard nodded. "I see. It's all falling into place now."
"So, that's why Species 8472 wants to destroy all the Borg, even if they are no longer Borg." Will stated. "To put an end to this once and for all."
"My friends." Hugh stated. "They are all out there somewhere. That is, if Species 8472 has not destroyed them."
"You're saying, not all the cubes that were destoried were the Borg we have become accustomed to?" Will asked.
"No, some were like my crew and I are. Individuals." Hugh looked sadden. "I guess that means they are gone."
Picard felt for him, but wanted to give him some hope. "Some escaped in escape pods. So, there's still a possibility, if their escape pod was not destroyed that they are still alive."
"I will not give up hope then."
"Your ship?" Picard asked. "How much damage has it sustained?"
"How do I explain?" Hugh began trying to think of words Riker and Picard would understand. "We have impulse only. No transporters. No weapons. No shields. All is inefficient."
"Sitting ducks." Will stated flattly. "How did you make it this far?"
"I do not know. We just did."
"So, why is it, the Borg want Seven and myself?" Picard asked.
"The Borg Queen wants you, not just for your technology, but as a mate to help her lead the drones and reassimulate the individual Borg." Hugh stated. "I need you to help my friends and me stay free. To survive. To begin a new life. I do not wish to be reassimulated. My friends do not wish it. I do not wish to die. My friends do not wish it."
Riker and Jean-Luc could hear the fear in Hugh's voice. They wondered if the Borg who were running were Hugh's friends. More individual Borg. They seemed to Picard to be more fearful, while the other cube fired back on Species 8472. There were differences in the behaviours of the two cubes they saw.
Picard felt very strongly for him. He could some how not only see Hugh's fear, but he felt it also. He remembered the cries of several hundred Borg dying. Their screams were not one but many and he wondered if he had heard individuals and not a collective.
"Hugh." Picard said with deep sympathy in his voice. "I. We. We will do our best to see what we can do in this situation. To see if we can work something out that will be sufficient for all parties involved."
"Wait. I'm confused." Will stated. "Are you saying there are three factions here?"
"Yes." Hugh replied. "Individual Borg, The Borg, and Species 8472. I and my friends are just trying to survive and do not wish to assimulate anyone. The Borg want to assimulate and Species 8472 want to kill us."
That was the first statement that Will understood as individualism. He heard the fear in Hugh's voice again.
"I am not alone. I am not the only Borg who wants to stay alive and be an individual and not one with the collective." Hugh began to plea. "Please help me. Don't let me die. Help my friends too. I want them to live as individuals."
Will had no doubt in his mind that they did create a new type of Borg. One that is now fighting on two fronts to survive.
"Hugh, I promise you." Picard reassured again. "If there is anyway, I will make sure you and your friends will stay free and live your lives as you see fit. I'm just not sure how we can go about it yet."
"I understand." Hugh replied.
"However, we will try and get your ship up and running as fast as we can. That we can definitely do for you and your crew." Picard stated. "Will, send an away team over when you beam Hugh back to his ship to assist them in repairs. They'll need their ship up and running as fast as possible."
"Yes, Sir." Will agreed. "Shouldn't be too much of a problem."
Suddenly the Titan rocked violently. They were under attack again.
Will, Picard, and Hugh rushed to the Bridge. As soon as they entered Will ordered the shields to be raised.
"Already done, Sir."
"Fire the torpedos with the modified nanoprobes."
"Aye, Sir." Replied his tactical officer. "Sir, the cube is about to be destroyed. Their weapons are down."
"Beam as many of them over as you can!" Picard ordered as the Titan shook frantically again.
"Sir?"
"Do it!" Picard said firmly as he braced himself on the railing.
"The Enterprise is disabled. They have no weapons and no warp drive."
"Fire a torpedo on the bioship that's firing on them!" Riker ordered.
The bioship exploded, but it was too late. Just before the bioship exploded, the Enterprise had been destroyed. There was only two Federation Starships left now. Voyager and the Titan.
The cube blew up next. It was fired upon by the remaining bioship. There was nothing but debris left of the cube ship. A few escape pods made it out before the cube exploded, but by Hugh's expression made it clear that not everyone made it off the cube alive.
Voyager fired one of their torpedos. The last of the three bioships that were attacking them was now gone also. The remodified Borg nanoprobes worked again in defending them, but not well enough to save all three ships.
"It was our presence." Hugh stated. Everyone looked at Hugh as he spoke. "If we had not been here, Species 8472 might not have attacked you again. It was my fault. I'm sorry."
"Hugh, it was not your fault." Picard reassured him.
"But you lost a ship." Hugh said remorsefully.
"Yes, but you did not do it." Picard assured him. "Species 8472 did and we will not take that lightly. They will pay for attacking and destroying a Federation ship, but you won't."
"May I see my friends?" Hugh asked.
Picard smiled at Hugh. "Will, if you don't mind, I will escort Hugh to the transporter rooms and see to it that they all get some guest quarters."
"By all means, Sir." Will replied. "In the meantime, I'll see how Voyager is doing and if they have made contact with 8472. By chance do you think they beamed over some of Hugh's friends?"
"I don't know, Will. You can always ask if they still had a comm channel open and heard my orders."
Will nodded.
Picard escorted Hugh to the transporter rooms to meet his friends. All that was left to do is contact Species 8472 and The Borg Collective. The question was, could they settle all this peacefully without anymore loss of life?
"Locutus." Hugh began. "Does quarters mean we will have alcoves?"
"I'm sorry?" Picard was lost in his thoughts.
Chapter Twelve
While the Titan dealt with the Borg individuals, Voyager was dealing with their own problems. Species 8472 was being very difficult in replying to Voyager's hails and that last attact was very infuriating to Admiral Janeway.
"Admiral, Species 8472 have finally responded to our hail."
"It's about damn time." Janeway said aloud. "On screen."
*"So, we speak again."* It was the alias Boothby who was responding to the hail.
"Boothby." Janeway greeted. "Thank you for responding. We'd like to discuss this situation with you and the person you call Janeway. We want to know why the war between you and the Borg has resumed. Therefore, we invite you aboard to discuss this."
*"I would love to accept your invitation."* Boothby stated. *"But I must speak with my superiors first."*
"I understand." She replied.
*"I would like you to know something."* Boothby was about to admit. *"If I had it my way, we would not be out here battling with the Federation. I'm afraid it will cost us dearly."*
"All the more reason to convince your superiors to meet with us." Janeway stated.
*"I'll do my best and get back with you in thirty of your minutes."*
"Thank you." Janeway replied and the contact was broken. "Well, that's a start."
"Do you really believe they will agree to speak to us?" Chakotay asked.
"We can always hope." Janeway replied with a smile. "In the meantime, the Borg we have rescued, make sure they are accommodated and kept out of site when and if they do come aboard."
*Seven to the Bridge*
"Go ahead, Seven." Chakotay replied.
*The Borg have been accommodated.*
"Thank you, Seven." Chakotay acknowledged.
Seven ended the brief conversation.
"I need the Titan on the comm." Janeway stated.
"Sir, they are hailing us."
She turned in surprise. "That was quick. Put them on."
Riker's image appeared on the view screen and he greeted her.
"Admiral Riker." She greeted with a smile. "Have you gotten anymore information?"
*"Plenty."* Will explained about the two different factions of Borg and the renewed hostilities between Species 8472 and The Borg. Then he inquired about any Borg they may have rescued.
"We rescued quite a few." Janeway replied. "So I'm assuming that most of the Borg we have aboard are the individual Borg."
*"That is my guess."*
"That's nice to know." She replied.
*"One question."* Will began. *"They need alcoves still?"*
"I'm afraid so. I'll send Seven over to assist you with accommodating them." Janeway replied.
*"I appreciate that."* Will replied. *"I never thought I would be turning a section of this ship into a Borg motel."*
Janeway could not help but chuckle. "Things change."
*"They sure do. Riker out."*
"Admiral, Species 8472's Boothby is hailing us."
"Thank you. Have Seven beam over to the Titan, while I talk to Boothby."
"Yes, Admiral."
"On screen." Janeway ordered. "Boothby, I hope this is good news."
*It is.* Boothby stated. *They have agreed to have myself and your look alike meet with you. We'll be beaming over, as you say, in about fifteen of your minutes.*
"We'll be looking forward to your visit." Janeway replied.
The screen switched back to the view of space. It was currently peacefully. However, debris was still floating around everywhere from the previous battle.
"Captain." Paris said. "Starfleet is trying to contact us. They are wanting to know the current situation out here."
"I'll take it in my Ready Room." Chakotay replied.
Chakotay had been working with Janeway being an admiral for a couple years now as a captain. He felt strange having her aboard and being called captain. It still seemed like he should be commander and she should be the captain. Even so, he was now captain and she was admiral.
Janeway had picked the crew for this mission. She wanted old crew mates with her on this mission. Consequently, it was confusing at times with two captains aboard. The other being Tuvok.
As luck would have it, Tuvok was assisting Seven in accommodating the Borg. So, currently there was only one captain on the Bridge.
"Sure beats all the captains currently on the Titan." Chakotay thought to himself. "I don't see how they are doing it."
Chakotay sat down at his desk and openned the comm link.
*"Captain Chakotay, how are things going out there?"* Admiral Paris asked.
"Not good." Chakotay replied. "We're down to two ships. The Titan and ourselves. All hands were lost on the Valiant and the Enterprise."
*"The Enterprise was destroyed?"* Paris asked with alarm.
"I'm afraid so."
*She was a good ship.*
"Yes, she was or at least from what I heard." Chakotay stated before he continued to update the Admiral on the current situation.
*"It doesn't sound good."* Paris stated.
"It's not. The Titan has engines one minute and then not the next. They get them back up and Species 8472 comes back at us again." Chakotay stated. "Then we have a few problems and back and forth we go from repairs to fighting Species 8472. Progress out here is very slow."
Paris shook his head. *It'll get better. It has to. By the way, how's my boy doing? Is he behaving himself?* Admiral Paris asked on a lighter note.
"Tom is doing just fine."
*I'm glad to hear that.* Admiral Paris replied. *We'll send more ships out to you guys as soon as possible. It maybe a day or two, but we'll get them out there.*
"We sure could use them." Chakotay stated.
*You probably could have used them yesterday.*
Chakotay smiled. "Definitely."
*Well, you guys take care of yourselves out there. Paris out.*
Chakotay sat at his desk. He was not sure how this was going to end. He wanted a peaceful solution just as much as anyone else, but there was now two factions of Borg and Species 8472. It was not good and here they had almost fifty Borg on board. Individuals yes, but the situation was getting really sticky and he did not like it.
*Janeway to Chakotay.*
"Chakotay here." Her voice pulled him out of his thoughts.
*Boothby and his colleage are about to beam aboard.* She informed him. *I'm going down to the transporter room to greet them. You have the Bridge.*
"I'll be right out."
*Janeway out.*
Chakotay arose from his desk and walked out onto the Bridge. "Good luck."
"Thank you, Chakotay. I'm going to need it." She stated as she left the Bridge.
Seven was on the Titan assisting them with accommodating the Borg. To her surprise she saw an old friend. "Axum?" She inquired.
"Seven?" He said with surprise. "I didn't know you were on this ship."
"I'm not, as a rule." She informed him. "I'm still on Voyager. I'm just assisting on this ship."
"It's nice to see you again." He stated.
"You too." She said nervously. "I, um, I have to get back to work."
"Yes." He replied. As she started to turn away and return to her duties, Axum called out to her once more. "Seven?"
"Yes?"
"Maybe, when this is over, we could get together." He inquired. "Catch up on what is happening in each other lives."
"I'd like that." She said with a smile. Then Seven went back to work.
"Welcome aboard." Janeway greeted Boothby and her look alike.
"I never knew I was so friendly. Could be a down fall." Her look alike stated.
Janeway was not sure how to respond. Unintensionally she frowned. "Why don't we go to the Conference Lounge and talk."
"That would be fine." Boothby agreed.
"Wait." The alias Janeway stopped them. "How do we know this is not a trap."
"Because if it were, you would not be standing here right now." Janeway replied.
"Ladies, now, we came here to talk like intellegent civilized people." Boothby stated. "Let's not let our differences get in the way."
"Always openned minded, Boothby." The alias Janeway critisized with a frown. "It might be your downfall."
Janeway sensed tension between the two of them. "We have a lot of questions and I for one would like some answers. So, can we please get started?"
"Might as well, but I don't see how this is going to settle the situation." The alias Janeway stated.
"Now, give her a chance. I've dealt with Janeway before." Boothby admitted. "She is a person of her word and I feel we can work out something with her."
"You would." His companion stated. "Let's get started."
"This way." Janeway gestured towards the door.
A few minutes later they were in the Conference Lounge. "I've asked you here to find out why the war with The Borg has resumed again."
"They attacked us." The alias stated.
"I see. So, why have you brought this war to us?"
"You have Borg and we want them all destroyed."
"She does not speak for all of us." Boothby stated. "I have met you and your people before, as well as other of us, and we feel this war is not right, but our superiors do not feel the same."
"Your side has no say in this war." His companion stated. "You lost that when our group took over."
"Your group?" Janeway asked.
"Yes." The alias replied. "We took leadership shortly before The Borg begun attacking us and tried to assimulate us again. They felt with the new technology they had they could succeed this time. Technology that you gave them. We are proving otherwise."
"So there are two sides with your people?" Janeway asked.
"I guess you could say that, but my side is in control."
"We are divided in this." Boothby explain. "But since those of us who want peace with your people have no say in what our superiors do, we have no choice, but to go to war with you."
"I see." Janeway replied. "What if I showed you two formal Borg. Prove to you that Borg can have implants removed and be rehabilitated. They can be individuals again."
"That is insignificant." Her look alike replied.
"It would be another way of fighting the Borg." Janeway informed her. "A more peaceful way, so to speak."
"I am open to the suggestion." Boothby replied. "If you could prove to us that this is possible, maybe our superiors would end their war with you also."
"It would have to be very convincing." The alias Janeway informed her. "I would have to have substantial proof to take back to my people."
"Oh, I can give you that." Janeway informed her. "In fact, the two I am thinking of, hate The Borg almost as much as you do."
"It would lend credance to Counsellor Troi's statement as to why she does not want all of The Borg destroyed." Boothby suggested to his superior.
"We shall see." His companion replied. "We'll meet the two Borg you speak of, but if I am not convinced that they are not Borg anymore, we will destroy you just for associating with them."
"Understood, but please keep an open mind when you meet them." Janeway requested. "I'm sure you will see they are no longer Borg."
"Then why do they still have Borg implants?" The alias asked.
"Some implants can not be removed without killing them." Janeway informed her. "But they can be disabled."
"I see." The alias stated. "Like I said, I will meet them and judge for myself."
"Fair enough." Janeway replied. "There is one favour I would like to ask of you, while you are here."
"I think just meeting the two Borg you speak of is favour enough."
"Alright, a demand then." Janeway stated rather firmly.
"We do not take well to demands." The alias stated.
"Return our people to us." Janeway insisted.
There was a brief silence. The two looked at each other as though they were talking telepathically.
"We'll return one hostage once we are convinced the two you speak of are no longer Borg." Boothby's companion stated.
"One now, the others afterwards." Janeway compromised.
"Not good enough."
"I think we could return one before hand." Boothby stated. "The one who is not a Starfleet officer is of no use to us as a hostage. She holds no Federation secrets."
"Always compromising, just to keep peace." His companion accused.
"I would prefer peace." Boothby replied.
"If you do not start releasing our people immediately." Janeway began. "The Federation will consider it an act of war. Now, do you really want war on more than one front?"
There was a brief pause as Boothby telepathically tried to convince his companion to the compromised terms. She seemed very relunctant as they spoke, then she finally came to a decision.
"Alright. We'll release the one called Guinan." The alias stated. "She has no knowledge of any Starfleet defense secrets. She has served her purpose and should be allowed to die with friends if we decide you are still harbouring Borg."
"We'll agree to one hostage for now." Janeway stated. "But when this is over, we want all of our people back or we will be at war also. Do I make myself clear?"
"As I told you." The alias Janeway stated. "We do not succume to threats."
"Oh, I promise you, it's not a threat." Janeway stated firmly. "It's a promise."
Janeway's clone studied her. Sensing that Janeway meant business, she contacted her people for the release of Guinan.
"The one call Guinan will be returned to you shortly." Her clone informed. "Now, where are the two Borg you insist are not Borg anymore?"