The Borg Queen began having the drones work at more computer stations. The Queen herself didn't know how her programmed nano probes worked until they were given complete access to the work Seven had been doing. The first to be brought into the collective simulation was Tuvok. He volunteered to be the first since his Vulcan mind and body were stronger than that of an average human. It was no guarantee he could survive a mess up. B'ellana put him at her monitoring station to keep an eye on him.

  The Queen called back her legs and walked over to the console as well. B'elana drew her phaser.

  "Uh, sorry. Habit I guess." She put her weapon back in it's holster with fear still showing on her face. The Queen was a perfect match physically to the real one. She looked at Tuvok with her steel eyes reflecting the strange green glow of the Borg computers.

  "Are you afraid?" She asked Tuvok.

  "Fear is an emotion. I am incapable." He announced.

  Of course, the Queen knew everything about Vulcan's just by the computer access she now had. She was getting smarter by the second. Seven was having to hurry to keep up. Then when the subroutines were added for her emotions (since the Queen seemed to have at least some) the oddest thing happened. She crumpled to her knees on the deck and began to cry.

  B'elana and Seven were both shocked.

  "Get up." Seven said to the crumpled heap of technology on the floor. The bald steel Queen couldn't even talk. "Comply."

  After a few moments of dormant silence, she finally stirred and stood to her feet with tears running down her cheeks. She was supposed to be too inhuman to cry. But there was another flaw with the program. Seven was realigning the subroutines until the Queen quit sobbing and could talk again.

  "I know who I am." She said. Her voice was quiet and reserved again.

  "You are who you are now. Will you help us?" Seven asked again. The Queen looked at Tuvok and nodded again. She went back to her chamber and her legs went down a hatch so that her spine could reconnect to the drones. The holodeck was alive with programs coming from several drones and the Queen all at the same time.

  "Prepare." The Queen finally said and Tuvok was transported using a Borg teleporter. But he was no larger on the floor where he was transported to. Everyone was puzzled. Especially the Queen.

  "The system is not working. The nanoprobes in me are not real."

  "That is correct." Seven announced.

  "I am not real." The Queen called back her legs and walked toward Seven. "I cannot help. I am not real." She announced. Seven and B'elana were shocked by the idea that there might NOT be a way for the men to become large again. Seven was still thinking at near light speed. She worked at the console looking for a flaw, but the only real flaw was the absence of actual nanoprobes to do the work. Seven felt utterly defeated.

  B'elana was thinking along different lines.

  "She says she can't do it because she's not real. What about if she WAS real!" she said getting excited. Her brown eyes lit up when she was thinking so quickly about a complex problem.

  "Explain." Seven couldn't believe B'elana actually meant they should go ask the REAL Borg Queen for help.

  "We could make her real! We could replicate her endoskeleton, we could use actual synthesized flesh for her body."

  "And the nanoprobes?" Seven asked as if B'elana were stupid. The half Klingon already knew the answer. She looked at Seven with the twinkle in her eye. Seven looked back at her until it dawned on her. The ONLY source of nanoprobes aboard Voyager.

  "Computer. End program." Seven straightened up. B'elana grabbed Tuvok off of the floor and they were gone.

  "Sick bay." They told the guards that had been posted outside the holodeck doors "just in case."

-     -     -

  "There will be a slight delay. You may go back to your posts now." A security officer came by and notified the "women in waiting" each of them still guarding over their tiny charge as per Captain's orders.

  Marla gulped thinking that they'd failed and she'd have to look after James for the rest of his life. He was on the table talking with the other men when the announcement came. He looked at her immediately. Their eyes locked. "I'm sorry." she moved her mouth without saying anything. James shook his head and talked with the other guys for a little while longer until their "protectors" urged them to wrap it up and get moving with them. The women were very busy with lots to do.

  James walked back to Marla's hand with a bit of drag in his step.

  "I'm so sorry." She said meaning it. She was looking forward to seeing what might happen after he was grown back. They'd HAVE to be closer than they'd been before. He shrugged.

  "It's okay. It doesn't matter what size I am." He said with resolve.

  "It doesn't?" Marla asked pitying him. He couldn't even lift a data pad without her help.

  "Nope." He jumped onto her finger like a horse and held on while she put him up to her face. "It doesn't matter as long as I've got someone like you." He was hamming it up. But he had compared stories in private. So far, he believed he'd had it the BEST of anyone on board Voyager. Marla was the "catch" when it came to having someone look after him. He was RELIEVED he wasn't one of the guys the chose Seven!

  Hammy or not, Marla was touched by his words and kissed him again. This time she didn't hide it, and didn't care who saw or what happened afterward. Of course, James cared. The other guys were laughing and pointing. But it was mostly jealousy. Marla saw the commotion she'd caused and the knowing glances form the other women and made her getaway a swift one.

-     -     -

  Naomi took Neelix back to their apartment. He'd told her he went for a walk, but he was acting strange. He had the computer replicate him another communicator, and he had red streaks on his uniform.

  "Paint." He'd told her when she asked. Now she was trudging back down the corridor and Susan was in the hall. Naomi was a strong willed kid, she walked right up to the adult and 'told her off' for embarrassing Neelix earlier.

  Naomi Wildman was completely blown away when she AND Neelix received a full apology from the usually crabby woman. Naomi thought she'd just scaled the peaks of Vulcan by herself.

  "Did you hear that Neelix!? She apologized to us!" She was about to pop.

  She was also squeezing him so hard in her hand he thought he was about to pop.

  "That's wonderful news Naomi Wildman. Uh, heh. May I go visit with her for a while?" He asked. Naomi's face was confused for a moment.

  "With her?" She asked.

  "Just for a while..." He assured. Naomi strode back to Susan and presented Neelix.

  "He wants to visit with you for a while." She told the adult. Susan took him with a little private smile.

  "Thank you Naomi Wildman. I'll take GOOD care of him." She assured and went back into her lab on duty. Naomi couldn't believe her eyes, but she shrugged. Adults were WEIRD sometimes.

-     -     -

On to Page 19

-     -     -

Back to the Athenaeum