Chapter Nine

   Tania eased down the corridor and into the turbo lift. She was about to use some of her holodeck time she hadn't taken advantage of lately. She'd been too depressed to see "pretty" surroundings. Now she was all the more glad. She tried not to look down at the tubular shuttle under her arm. To her it was no bigger than a loaf of old fashion bread, yet it contained a BUNCH of men. And for a while, they were HERS!

  She eased out of the turbo lift and came to the second holodeck. It wasn't being used. "Computer, run Morris four." She was also glad that she'd selected a semi-formal place to eat. It was a duplication of a 21st century city block complete with bars and a casino. The casino had a place to eat. She didn't want to wear her current clothes, but changing in front off all these guys was out of the question. She bit her lip as she set the shuttle down on the nearest ornate table.

  "Dinner for one?" The waitress came by chewing gum despite the casino's rules.

  "Uh, me and my friends." she indicated the shuttle. They were coming out the hatch slowly as if testing the ground to make sure they weren't going to fall to the floor. The waitress looked at the men and just stared at them blankly. "Oh. Treat them with respect, like any other guest." she told the hologram. The computer adjusted. The waitress smiled.

  "Well, aren't you a little cutie. You want a high chair?" She was going to pinch Tuvok on the chin.

  "They're NOT babies." Tania had to grab the waitress' hands. She'd REALLY have a time explaining to the Captain that a holo program squished the head of their only Vulcan science officer and killed him.

  "Why don't you treat them ... like... computer! Can you make this waitress the same scale as the men?" She asked suddenly. Within a second the waitress shrank right in front of Tania.

  She was relieved. Taking the now tiny woman in her fingertips she put her with the rest of the guys. "Computer, allow the waitress to grow to normal scale each time she's going to the kitchen."

  "Function set." The computer acknowledged. Tania sat and sighed looking at the men giving their orders to the now tiny waitress. Now if the waitress got out of hand, she could just squash her and get another one!

  Plus, she adored watching the guys glance up at her nervously as if needing her approval for everything. When they asked questions like, "can we replicated tables?" and "can we have the computer program in a juke box?" She'd nod and they were happy she was so giving. But she had to ask.

  "How was it. With Seven of Nine?" She wasn't asking anyone in particular. But Pete seemed interested in talking to her, so he spoke up first.

  "It was okay." The waitress disappeared and reappeared as a giantess to walk back to the kitchen. Most of the guys watched wishing they could do the same.

  "Do you want me to take you back then?" She asked. This got a much stronger response.

  "You don't HAVE to."

  "She's busy right now."

  "NO PLEASE DON'T!!!"

  They were interested in staying with her instead of Seven of Nine! Her head was doing a little size changing of it's own. Plus she was flattered beyond words.

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  Seven was astonished at the capabilities of the nanoprobes. On several occasions they'd seen Borg drones beam aboard the ship and meld into a computer with their bio interface. Now she could see why. It even explained the advanced Borg that was created when the Doctor's mobile emitter was exposed to the nano probes during a transporter failure. That Borg had died saving Voyager from the normal Borg, but it also allowed Seven to realize the potential of her own nanoprobes.

  The queen was correct.

  She was MORE. She would use the power for good instead of evil though. The friends she had made were more valuable than having an entire universe of drones to her.

  She calculated a measure with the computer that accessed a single probe in her body. She already knew the potential for transformation. She was going to cause it to interact with her subconscious, and it had to be configured to NOT allow the collective any access. She had to individualize the nano probe. It took a few moments for the computer to "reprogram" it. Then the computer would have to reprogram THEM ALL! It took only a few moments for the program transfer to be complete, but her whole body was full of them. She gulped. She must do what she must do.

  "Seven of Nine to Captain Janeway."

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  Janeway had gone to the bridge to oversee how the ship was running first hand. Outside the main screen was the Forlocci trading vessel. It looked rather much like a Klingon Bird of Prey, but they were MUCH too far into the Delta Quadrant for either of the two races to know each other. Plus, the white and gold ship before her didn't have the hideous "mouth" cannon that shot Klingon photon torpedoes.

  She sat in her chair and noted the two officers having to fly and monitor the ship. They were both too busy to much notice the Captain's presence. "Status." She asked the closest. She looked to be the same age as Paris, the youngest officers aboard were STILL seasoned by years in space.

  "Monitoring several ships in the area. Some of them have weapons on line. There is also a net of satellites around the planet, each of them carrying substantial fire power. So far none of them pose a threat." She said in a monotone that would make Seven proud. The other officer also added. "Several spatial anomalies are occurring on the planet. They appear to have some alien technology that we can scan and analyze."

  "Do it. We'll read over the data once we get underway." She was also wondering about the trade agreement, and what the hold up was besides 'sleeping beauty' in her quarters.

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  Celina hadn't slept a wink. Her eyes were studying the computer terminal she was allowed to view as recreation. It was alot more to the Forlocci woman than entertainment. She was downloading files about Earth and other planets in the Federation that carried heavy information. The Federation was indeed huge, it had such worlds as Vulcan and a treaty with the Klingon Empire and information on the Borg.

  She was downloading everything hoping that her techs could make use of the data. More accurate information about the Voyager itself was limited. There were only entertaining pictures of the different Federation vessels. Nothing technical. Celina was very persistent though, and finally found some real news about how the Federation had fought different species. It was very useful. They were describing their weapons and their capability in their accounts. Celina was very happy to note that even the Federation had been beaten by other races on occasion. And the BEST ally against the Federation was simply surprise. The closest fought battles involved the Federation not being prepared for an attack.

  The sallow skinned matriarch felt the upper hand and spoke into her communicator again. They DID have secretive ways. "Have Rubion come to me to attend me." She ordered over to her ship. Then they would request that Rubion beam aboard using one of their wonderful transporters. She smiled with no one around to see that she was drooling already.

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Chapter Ten

  Celina was still reading when the door chimed a little electronic ditty. Her consort came in and gave her the news personally. "We have successfully beamed something!" Rubion reported. His sallow complexion was more animated when he'd done well. Perhaps Celina would reward him later.

  "Come. Walk with me." She had him follow her through the halls of the ship to speak. There must be SOMEWHERE on board that they couldn't be heard. She decided that the eating area was the best. There were already plenty of voices to cover up their conversation.

  "Listen carefully. We only have one chance at this. We are going to kidnap a cargo from Voyager. I want our fastest ship disguised as a cargo vessel to make the trade. Have them wait nearby for my command." She was about to send him on his way when her communicator went off.

  Celina did NOT expect to hear from Cara.

  "Mother. I have spoken with the counsel. I wish to speak with you at once."

  "Cara? Whatever you are thinking, you will have to come back later." Celina was too close to get fumbled up by her own daughter.

  "I will not come back later. I am here to talk with you now." Cara was in attack mode. Celina had to do something quickly. She looked over at Rubion.

  "Stop her." She ordered him. He quickly left to transport back to their ship. Celina began to click her talons together in worry. Not now. Not again.

-     -     -

  Cara anticipated her mother's next move. She opened a frequency to Voyager and got a woman on the bridge. As little as she knew about "humans" it appeared that they were all female. "Are you Captain of Voyager?'

  "Yes I am." Janeway put away her logs to stand and address the new Forloccian face. This Forloccian must have been drastically younger than the two they'd seen. Her face was smooth and heart shaped. She had blonde hair framing her scalp line instead of the wrinkled "sack" the others had. Her eyes were pink like an albino's, but her dilated pupils still gave her an evil countenance. "How can we help you?" Janeway already knew it was important by the nervous gestures the young Forlocci was making.

  "Celina's consort is going to beam back to our vessel. I need to come to Voyager and speak with my mother. Can you arrange this? Her consort will try to stop me."

  "I can help you get aboard Voyager safely. I assure you. But is this an emergency?"

  "If I am correct, it is."

  "Transporter room. This is Captain Janeway. Lock onto the Forlocci that is transmitting to us and beam her to the bridge."

  "Aye Captain."

  "And make sure the Forlocci consort doesn't interfere."

  "Aye aye."

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