Disclaimer: Ok, I knock Paramount, and for a good part they deserve it. (Bigotry TV anyone?) The fact is that they still own the rights, and unless I want them demanding I pull all my stuff off the net I have to make sure to mention that. Anything else I come up with that isn't owned by them or someone else is property of the author. This is also a femslash story, which means that it involves romance between two women. If this is unacceptable to you or the area in which you live please respect my freedom of speech and just move on peaceably.
Code: T/7.
Rating: G
Archiving: Perfect Misfits is a given, anyone else just needs to ask.
Constructive feedback welcome.
Any feedback or other comments should be sent to wyldchilde37@yahoo.com
Summary: Normally disposable characters are just that, disposable, but One was different. Yet again I'm out to fix a point where I think my idea is better then Paramount's.
Author's Notes: Not much, just that this story is picking up in the last minute of the episode "Drone".
Chapters 1 and 2
21 Mar 2001
Chapter 1
Seven of Nine stumbled from the sickbay, part of her mind was telling her to stand up straight, but that was a dull whisper that was lost in the all consuming pain she was feeling. She did not even realize she had stumbled into someone until they grabbed her arms to steady her. "Seven! Where's One?" That finally got her attention as she looked into the face of Lieutenant Torres. Seven jumped away from the contact as if she had been shocked. B'Elanna was able to read the action. "I. I'm sorry. I thought an engineer might be able to help repair some of his systems." Seven was unable to look up. "Thank you Lieutenant Torres, but One has expired from his injuries." With out even thinking about it B'Elanna laid her hand on Seven's bicep, and while Seven didn't pull away B'Elanna could feel the muscle tense. "So you weren't able to reactivate him?" Seven's posture finally did straighten and her eyes got wide. With out explanation she whipped around and reentered sickbay.
The Doctor was standing over One with a scanner in hand and his mobile emitter in the other. "Computer, pause recording. Seven, what's wrong?" She didn't break stride as she walked up to the biobed. "Doctor, We shall attempt reactivate One." He looked at her closely. "Do you think that's even possible?" She was already starting to work as she replied. "Yes." He slowly started to assist her. "But his technology is far more advanced." Seven didn't look up as she kept working. "Which should improve his odds of survival." B'Elanna had followed Seven in and spoke up, but hesitantly. "Is there anything I can do?" Seven did look up at that and nodded. "If we are successful his body will need energy to repair itself. If you could find a way to let him regenerate in sickbay." B'Elanna nodded. "I'm on it." She then turned and walked towards the doors, as she did so she tapped her commbadge. "Torres to Vorik." The closing doors cut off the rest of the conversation. Seven had turned back to One as B'Elanna had turned away and was consulting the medical sensor display.
"His nanoprobes have been deactivated." The Doctor looked over at her but she was still looking down at the display. "Well isn't that normal?" She shook her head. "Not this soon. The nanoprobes first attempt to maintain the biological systems so the drone can be reactivated. The Doctor started moving even faster. "He must have shut them down so that he couldn't be reactivated." Seven didn't reply as she extended her assimilation tubules to the base of his skull. They were unable to penetrate the armor there, but were able to penetrate at the nearby flesh. "Seven! What are you doing?" "I am issuing new commands to reactivate his nanoprobes." The Doctor picked up a tricorder and started scanning the area her tubes had penetrated. ""Is that possible? His technology is so much more advanced." Her eyes were gazing into nothing as her face twisted in concentration. "But it is inactive, he has no means of resistance." The Doctor's eyes got wide as he continued to scan. Once Seven withdrew her tubules his voice was awed.
"The nanoprobes are reviving him." The Doctor then noticed that Seven's face was an exhausted pale and she was breathing heavily. "A logical adaptation. There is no guarantee that another drone would be available to reactivate him." The Doctor had walked over to Seven and was trying to guide her to sit on a biobed. She pulled away. "Keep monitoring his progress." He spoke softly. "His nanoprobes are doing the work, and anything I would do could interfere with their progress. Now Seven, please sit down, you are exhausted." She seemed ready to argue, but the Doctor grabbed a chair and pulled it next to One's biobed. "Sit." She seemed like she would continue to argue but she then quietly sat down. She actually seemed to slump as she slid into the chair, but on some level she was trying to maintain her posture. "The nanoprobes programming is highly complex and was difficult to override." The Doctor was walking up and down the length of One's body while running a medical tricorder. "I thought you said his technology would not be able to resist you."
"It couldn't. It had to accept all of my commands, but there were many commands. Because the nanoprobes and all surrounding systems had to be reactivated." The Doctor nodded and then tapped his commbadge. "Doctor to Lieutenant Torres. We need to get One regenerating immediately." The voice of Voyager's chief engineer was panting as she replied. "Can't do it Doc. You'll have to transport him here." The Doctor's voice grew urgent. "I can't treat my patient in a cargo bay and I can't have my patient recover standing up!" "He won't be! Now I sent you the coordinates. Now energize!" Seven and the Doctor looked at each other dubiously, and Seven was plainly worried as she walked over to the console. As she entered commands that quickly faded to confusion. "Energizing." The form of One faded into the sparkle of transport and then vanished all together." Seven and the Doctor were already running for the doors as the EMH spoke. "Let's get down there!" Running down the corridors crewmembers quickly cleared way. While some seemed to look put out no one was willing to challenge the expressions on the officer's faces.
As the doors to cargo bay 2 opened the Doctor finally saw what had gotten Seven so confused. At the far end of the alcoves the last one had been removed, and laid on it's back. Seven had already run up to the alcove and was scanning One with a tricorder as the Doctor approached more slowly. First he looked at the alcove and then up at an exhausted, but pleased Lieutenant B'Elanna Torres. "So what do you think Doc? A Borg biobed." He didn't say a word as he too began scanning One. "Thank you Lieutenant. This is exactly what One needed." B'Elanna smiled. "We even took spare biobed parts and incorporated them." Looking around Seven and the Doctor saw "we" included Ensign Vorik and several members of her engineering team. Seven looked up sincerely. "Thank you." B'Elanna seemed surprised by the emotion Seven was showing and just nodded. The cargo bay doors opened once more to admit helmsman and part time medical assistant Tom Paris. "The Captain wanted to get us clear of the area incase any other cubes come to investigate." He then looked at the Doctor. "What can I do?"
The Doctor shook his head and closed his tricorder. "The patient's condition has stabilized. A near laugh seemed to slip past Tom's lips. "He was dead, how much more stable can you get?" Everyone in the room looked at Paris and he shrank under the scrutiny. The Doctor strode over to him. "Well I am upgrading his condition to alive, now go to sickbay and keep an eye on it. Other crewmembers may have been injured in the attack." He looked around, then nodded once and quickly left the cargo bay. B'Elanna then stepped up to the EMH. "Speaking of which, shouldn't you give him back the emitter?" The Doctor's expression showed it was the first time he thought of that and he looked down at his emitter. He then walked over and scanned One. "I can't his nanoprobes are already building him a new one. The emitter just controlled his autonomic functions and the nanoprobes are already constructing a replacement." B'Elanna stepped close and looked over his shoulder. "Can they do that?" She then looked over at Seven. "Can yours do that?"
Seven stepped close as well and looked over B'Elanna's shoulder. "Apparently. My nanoprobes are able to create the initial implants that sprout from a newly assimilated drone. So it is not unreasonable to think his nanoprobes could perform a similar function internally." She noticed that Seven was distracted as she replied. The woman's attention was focused on what B'Elanna was realizing was Seven's offspring. She stepped aside and Seven immediately stepped closer to the modified alcove. B'Elanna then whispered to the Doctor. "Are we really needed?" The Doctor seemed to consider that and shook his head. She gave a gesture to her engineering team and they started to leave. "Then let's give her some time alone." The Doctor looked at Torres, and then over at Seven and nodded. Then he stepped close to Seven and spoke in a hushed voice. "I'm going to go to sickbay and see if I am needed. Call me if there is any change, or if you need anything." B'Elanna spoke up in a similar hush. "Me too Seven. The power flow should be stable, but if the alcove acts up in any way just call me." Seven nodded at them both and the turned around to keep watching One.
She didn't know how long she watched One regenerate. Of course her cortical implant offered a precise measurement of the time but it didn't seem real to Seven. The time, the cargo bay, most everything felt unreal. Even the tricorder in her hand, but she kept scanning, and kept monitoring One's progress until he suddenly sat bolt upright. He looked around the bay, and then looked at Seven. "I have been reactivated." She took a deep breath as she quietly closed the tricorder. "Yes." "You overrode my nanoprobes." "I restored their normal function." He grasped the side of the modified alcove and turned his legs so her could climb off. As he did so he came face to face with her. "You should not have done so. Now the Collective will pursue Voyager." She straightened her posture "The Collective would pursue Voyager for the any information we possessed about you." One stared off into nothing as he considered that. Then he turned and regarded Seven. "They would seek to recreate the accident?" "Yes."
He then considered her closely. "You need to regenerate." Her posture seemed to get even straighter. "I am fine." "Incorrect." A barely audible sigh escaped her lips. "You are correct. You will regenerate as well." "I have already regenerated and am fit to work." She shook her head. "You have been damaged and need to regenerate." "I have regenerated and my damage has been repaired." Seven seemed to pause and when she did speak it was almost a whisper. "I had presumed you destroyed. Now I wish to make sure of your condition. So you will regenerate. for my sake." One seemed confused by this, but he complied wordlessly by turning and walking to the alcove. He turned around and faced outward while looking calmly at Seven of Nine. She tapped her commbadge as she walked to his alcove. "Seven to the Doctor. One has awoken. Now he and I will undergo a normal regeneration cycle." The Doctor's voice sounded relieved as it came back over the channel. "Received. I'll come down and check on him, but that's no reason to delay his regeneration cycle. Sweet dreams to the both of you." Her eyes seemed to roll slightly as she closed the channel. Then she walked over and started One's regeneration cycle. "Sweet dreams, Seven of Nine." As soon as he spoke his eyes closed and Seven of Nine was left with a confused expression on her face as she stepped into her alcove and closed her own eyes.
Chapter 2
"I just wish she would have let me know too. I mean I worked just as hard." Harry Kim gave B'Elanna a look as they stood in line in the mess hall. He finally replied with a grin as they got their tray and started moving towards a table. "Well that's one less hail from Seven you have to deal with. I thought you didn't like One anyway?" She nodded reluctantly. "I didn't, but then I thought about it. I mean he came from the Doctor's mobile emitter so he's just as much Federation technology as he is Borg." He grinned again. "Well if I remember right there was a time you didn't like Starfleet that much either." She returned the grin. "Still don't. Still it's not like he assimilated anyone. He hasn't even been connected to the hive mind." Harry grinned. "At least not until he plugged in and took over." B'Elanna nodded once. "Ok, well that was just impressive." Harry paused thoughtfully. "I wonder how One is doing? I mean I know what I went through when I died."
Neelix join them at that point and he seemed to have been listening because he joined the conversation in stride. "Having been brought back the same way I can certainly understand what One might be going through. I'm just glad we didn't loose him." B'Elanna had already looked over at Neelix when he spoke. "So do you have any word on his condition?" Neelix shrugged slightly. "Alive, and regenerating with Seven. I think the Doctor checked him out, but since there was no further news I have to assume the little guy is all right." Harry laughed at that. "He's anything but little Neelix." Neelix waved a dismissive hand. "In form maybe, but he has that wide eyed wonder I've seen in Naomi. You have to remember he's only a few days old." B'Elanna seemed to consider that as Harry spoke. "Of course Naomi can't go out taking Borg ships on joy rides." Neelix giggled at that. "Seven's going to have her hands full, but you can tell she is a proud momma." Harry was shocked at that. "Momma?" Neelix slipped into the seat next to B'Elanna. "Well yes. Her nanoprobes are as much a part of her as anything, and they made One."
"Well so did the Doctor's mobile emitter." Neelix frowned at Harry. "That's true, and I hope the Doctor realizes his responsibilities." Harry shook his head. "Let's be fair Neelix. It's not like he planned on becoming a father or anything." Neelix shook his head right back. "It doesn't matter if he planned to or not. What's done is done." Harry's face twisted slightly. "True, but Seven's been raising him. The Doctor just donated the material." Neelix then turned to B'Elanna. "So what do you think? Is Seven One's mother?" B'Elanna met his eyes. "You didn't see the look on her face when she thought he was dead." Neelix looked triumphant at her words. "Well I know I am going to check on him as soon as I've finished serving dinner." B'Elanna smiled suddenly. "That's a good idea. I think I'll go see how he's doing right now." Harry then spoke. "But weren't you going to wait for Tom?" She shook her head. "Tom didn't just die. I just want to see for sure how One is doing." The men nodded and said goodbye as she got up, and then recycled her dishes and left the mess hall."
What they didn't realize was just how much their words had impacted her. She knew all too well what it was like to grow up with only one parent, especially in an environment that is not that friendly to your species. B'Elanna hoped he would be regenerating because she wasn't anxious for the questions she was sure he would have if he saw her checking up on him. When the computer gave his location as cargo bay 2 she figured that was a hopeful sign, and sure enough when she walked through the doors two alcoves were active. It always felt surreal for her when she entered cargo bay 2 during a regeneration cycle. Usually the alcoves were inactive and B'Elanna didn't put anymore thought into them then she did the million and one oddities they had stored in the cargo bay before. When they were active the normally dim lighting of a cargo bay accented the flickering green glow. Many times she was left feeling like she had left Voyager and been transported to a Borg cube.
It was that feeling that kept her standing at the edge of the eerie green radiance just inside the doors. She was unable to approach until she saw Seven of Nine step forward as the computer protested. "Regeneration cycle incomplete." At first Seven didn't seem to realize B'Elanna was there, but she quickly corrected and turned to face Torres. "Lieutenant Torres, was there something I could assist you with?" That got B'Elanna to step forward and walk up to Seven. "No, not really I. I just wanted to look in on One." Seven straightened her shoulders. "Why?" B'Elanna shrugged. "I dunno, guess I wanted to make sure the Borg biobed worked." Seven nodded once. "It was successful. It should prove useful to treat any future injuries for One or myself." B'Elanna suddenly felt more comfortable now that she was talking about something in the engineering field. "Yeah I was actually going to talk to the Doctor about installing a sterilizing field there incase he would need to perform surgery." Seven nodded again. "A useful modification."
B'Elanna looked closer at Seven. "You all right?" Seven exhaled. "No, I have been interrupting my regeneration cycle to check on One's condition, or if I perceive anything in the cargo bay. B'Elanna put her hand on Seven's bicep again, but this time she did not tense up. None the less B'Elanna dropped her grip. "It's understandable Seven. You are a mother who's newborn nearly died." Seven looked at B'Elanna seriously. "He did." B'Elanna nodded. "Well, yeah, but he's better now. Still your going to be worried." "Still, One is full grown, and I am not his mother." B'Elanna took a half-step closer. "Aren't you? It was your nanoprobes that made him." Seven arched her implant. "As well as the Doctor's mobile emitter." B'Elanna shook her head. "That's not in him anymore. The Doctor just provided donor material. Let me ask you this Seven. would you have died to save him?" Seven straightened her posture. "I would sacrifice my life to save any member of this crew."
B'Elanna shook her head; her voice had gotten quite soft as she spoke. "I didn't ask about the rest of the crew." Seven seemed uncomfortable with the questioning, but then she looked straight into B'Elanna's eyes. "Yes, I would." B'Elanna smiled. "And while he may be fully grown he has no experience. Just information assimilated from data nodes. He is gaining experience, and you are helping him gain it. You are shaping who he will become." Seven was distracted by her thoughts and it showed in her voice as she replied. "Fulfilling the role of a mother figure." B'Elanna shook her head. "Not just fulfilling the role. Sure he might not have been born in the usual manner, but he is your son." At that Seven turned to stare at the regenerating form of One and seemed lost in thought. B'Elanna was lost in thought too, but she was staring at Seven. First she looked at the way Seven's face looked when she was deep in concentration. The way he brow knit, the twitch of her nose. B'Elanna admitted to herself she found it adorable.
Then she mentally slapped herself. "Seven, the adorable drone?" Seven, former member of the Borg Collective and official pain in her ass was anything but adorable. Still, as she looked at Seven she realized the motherhood that had been thrust upon her had seemed to soften Seven, at least in her eyes. Of course Harry had already been saying the same thing, but here as she watched Seven watch her son sleep she started to see it to. Seven the turned to face her. "Thank you Lieutenant Torres, for helping to save One's life, and for helping me to find clarity." The last part came out as a near whisper and even as she smiled B'Elanna replied in the same. "I'm glad I could help. Once one wakes up tell him to meet me in engineering. Neelix said he might have a knack for it." Seven allowed herself a small smirk. "So he will be allowed in engineering?" B'Elanna smirked back. "Yeah, but you better not go getting any ideas." As the cargo bay doors closed behind Lieutenant Torres Seven considered reentering her regeneration cycle, but ultimately decided that she would put the time to better use.
Moving over to her console she started entering commands. The first was to the crew manifest to adjust One to One of Nine. While it was not a traditional human last name she felt it suited both her role as his mother and his Borg nature. She had begun entering commands to bring up everything the ships database had on motherhood when she received a hail from the bridge. Noting the time she knew Ensign Harry Kim was in command. "Seven here." The Ensign's voice clearly carried his curiosity. "Seven? Am I reading this change to the crew manifest correctly?" Seven found herself unconsciously bracing for conflict as she worried if there would be any objections. While she had yet to reach the area that told of a mother's drive to protect their young she had already found an instinctive understanding of it. That same posture relaxed as Harry's reply actually sounded friendly. "Congratulations." She knew the ensign would not be able to see it, but she smiled none the less. "Thank you."
Harry closed the channel from his end and Seven bent back to her research, and while she made sure to periodically look up at one she also found she was looking up as she read certain entries and wondered if things would be like that between them. While she even had trouble admitting it to herself One's death had shaken her. She had already began reading the area about a mother's instinctual connection to her child, and she realized that was what had caused her to be so affected. Part of her wondered if she would have been able to terminate the drone like she had initially suggested, though now the thought sickened her. Which was unusual in an of itself because her emotional responces had never before been intense enough to invoke such a dramatic physical response. She paused her reading and looked up at One. Silently she vowed never to fail him in such a manner again.
Unlikely to be continued