Part 5 added on 31 May 2001
Disclaimers are in part 1.
Rating: PG
Annika was walking home early from her class with Icheb and B'Elanna on Engineering Principles and Practical Application, under Chief of Engineering, Lt. Carey. She had forgotten her text padd and was returning to her quarters to retrieve it. She walked into her room and dug under her bed, assuming that it had been nicked underneath. She found B'Elanna's toy targh, Toby, that the half-Klingon had loaned her the week before and set it on the bed, making a mental note to return it.
The front doors hissed open and Annika heard voices coming from the living room section of the quarters. She paused to listen, ignoring the fact that eavesdropping had gotten her into trouble in the past.
"...think they're old enough?"
"No, Kathryn, not yet. I know that they're both extremely bright," Annika grinned at her adoptive mother's praise. "But both of them are still emotionally immature. They're only twelve, after all."
"I know, Sam, I just hate this feeling that I'm lying to them. Especially B'Elanna. Their personalities aren't developing the same--"
"There's nothing we can do about that! What would you have us do? Overwhelm B'Elanna with Klingon tradition, abandon her to some other member of the crew and alienate her?"
"Of course not! Nor would I give Seven--I mean, Annika, to the Borg. They both had traumatic childhoods; I know that. Four months isn't much of a childhood, either, but at least it's been a good one."
Annika looked around her room. Seven? Why did everyone start to call her that, before remembering her name? The Borg? Had she been a different person? What had happened? The Captain's words had confirmed that she and B'Elanna aged differently from other children, but hadn't given a satisfying answer as to why. She listened in again, her mind still reeling in shock.
"...to take apart all that stuff in Cargo Bay Two. Now that we don't have any Borg passengers?" Samantha was asking.
"We don't know what might happen along the way. I've had all the alcoves deactivated for now, but since they aren't in the way or expending any energy at the moment, I see no reason to dismantle them."
"Seven was the only one who used them. Annika will never have any need of them. Are you planning on rescuing more drones from the collective?"
"Not planning on it, Sam, but you can never tell. I'll see you later, tell Annika that B'Elanna is allowed to play again. That still feels a little odd to say."
"I know. Don't worry, I'll tell her. Thanks for stopping by, Kathryn."
"My pleasure, Sam." Annika listened as the doors hissed shut behind the Captain and listened for where Samantha went in the quarters. If she went into her room, Annika could sneak out, if not... The couch creaked and Annika made up her mind.
"Cargo Bay Two?" she whispered to herself, then raised her voice to a level that would activate the computer, but not alert Sam. "Computer, initiate site to site transport of Annika Hansen to Cargo Bay Two."
"Unable to comply. Cargo Bay Two is restricted access. You are not authorized to enter it."
"Then beam me to deck four!" A tingling spread throughout her body and a second later, she was standing in a corridor. She quickly scanned a nearby wall to see where the computer had deposited her and proceeded towards the restricted cargo bay, calling up the maps of Voyager in her mind.
She stood outside the doors to the cargo bay and pried off a nearby access panel, wishing she had B'Elanna with her. B'Elanna was much better than she at getting into places that they didn't belong. Within a few minutes, though, she had successfully overridden the restrictions and snuck into the cargo bay, unaware that the computer informed Captain Janeway that she had entered the room.
Kathryn was picking up B'Elanna from her lesson when her commbadge chirped.
"Unauthorized access in Cargo Bay Two: Annika Hansen." The computer relayed through the little device, as programmed. Kathryn blanched and immediately took off for the nearest turbolift, forgetting that B'Elanna was right behind her.
"Janeway to Ensign Wildman, Annika's in Cargo Bay two!"
"Acknowledged, I'm on my way. Wildman, out." B'Elanna followed quietly behind Kathryn, ducking discreetly into the turbolift with her and being careful to remain out of sight, knowing she would be banished to her room if she was discovered.
The lift doors opened, spilling them out into a corridor, where they broke into a run...
Annika looked around the Cargo Bay until she found them. Borg alcoves, all in a row, dark and foreboding. She walked up to the nearest one and tapped the control panel next to it. The alcove whirred to life, casting an eerie green glow on her face in the dark gloom of the almost empty cargo hold.
Annika stepped boldly into it, trembling from head to toe. She touched the far wall, examining it, facing her fears. She turned around and prepared to walk away when she felt a scan overtake her body. Immediately, she felt as though a million bugs were crawling under her skin. She tried to scratch them off and the pain started.
A searing piece of metal broke through her jaw and she screamed. She put her hands up to her head and came away with chunks of hair in her hands as her skin necrotized. She tried everything she could to pull off the implants as they sprouted, to no avail. Faster than thought, her body was taken over by the dormant nanoprobes, brought back to life through the interface with their familiar technology.
The Borg once again assimilated Annika Hansen, amidst her own screams. Albeit ignorant, it was a triumphant day for the mechanical species.
Kathryn and Samantha reached the Cargo Bay almost at the same time. The same horror greeted their eyes as they rushed in. Annika stood, completely transformed into a drone. Luckily, this time, she retained her human eye, though the ocular implant remained above her eye, waiting for her Borg enhanced vision to be added. The altered twelve year-old girl was the worst horror Kathryn felt she had ever seen. She had been so careful to give the girl a normal life this time...
"State my designation," the drone ordered, looking at Kathryn, Sam and B'Elanna.
"Annika?" B'Elanna asked. Both Cam and Kathryn spun.
"Get her out of here," Kathryn ordered. Sam tried, but the adolescent Klingon was not compliant. She struggled with Samantha until the Ensign had to wrestle her to the ground. Sam tried to drag B'Elanna out, but was only successful to the point of the doors, where B'Elanna clung defiantly. Sam had to use her entire body to keep the child from running to her friend.
"State my designation," the drone once again declared and Kathryn complied.
"Annika Hansen." The captain fixed a defiant glare at the young drone.
"Incorrect format. Designation must be in numerical form." Kathryn stared at the girl, unable to move, wishing for the impossible, wishing to restore Annika before she had to answer that question. "State my designation."
"Annika Hansen," Kathryn answered in a firm tone.
"Am I defective?" the drone asked, emotionless.
"No," Kathryn almost shouted, terrified of what the drone might do if she was told that she wasn't normal.
"Then state my designation." The drone waited patiently.
"Seven of Nine, tertiary adjunct to Unimatrix Zero One," Kathryn whispered. The drone nodded, then stepped forward, raising her had. Kathryn stepped backward and demanded, "What are you doing?"
"Assimilating my instructions."
"Not from me, you're not!" Kathryn growled. The drone stopped. She turned and walked over to her alcove and held out her hand near the control panel. Assimilation tubules snaked out from her hand and Kathryn drew her phaser. "Cease that activity at once!" Seven didn't respond. "Comply!" Kathryn yelled and when Seven didn't, she fired.
B'Elanna screamed at the top of her young lungs and began spitting curses and epithets at the captain.
"Watch your language!" Kathryn yelled, spinning.
"Bloodless petaQ! You lying, sneaking--" B'Elanna growled, then started screaming again. "Not now, not now, not now!" She screamed, holding her arm. Kathryn realized what was going on and agreed with the angry young Klingon.
"Medical Emergency in Cargo Bay Two! Four to beam directly to Sickbay!"
To be continued....