Spock's daughter

2

[In Neelix's nightmare]

"Neelix", the Borg-Chakotay called to him.

[In the Assimilation chamber]

"Neelix!" (Chakotay)

This time Neelix was wide awake.

"Commander?" (Neelix)

"It's all right. You were unconscious, but I don't think you're injured." (Chakotay)

"I was dreaming you'd been assimilated", Neelix said nervously.

"Your subconscious was jumping the gun, but not by much. From the look of this room, I'd say we're in an assimilation chamber", Chakotay explained.

"Where's Harry?" Tom asked.

"He's not here." (Chakotay)

"And Lil?"

"She's not here too. She must still be in that Jefferies tube. I told her to contact the Voyager when she has an opportunity and when it's clear."

"Well, we've got to find them, both." (Tom)

"We need to get our bearings first. Figure out what's going on." (Chakotay)

"We're in a Borg Cube and Lili and Harry are missing. That's what's going on." (Tom)

He got nervous and panicked a little bit.

"Sir", Neelix some kind of whisper-yelled, looking at something. There was a partly assimilated body on one of the surgical tables.

"Nobody we know", Chakotay assured.

"Some kind of botched assimilation?" (Tom)

"From the looks of it." (Chakotay)

"What are they waiting for? They've got three more potential drones here." (Tom)

He was really having a panic attack now and started to hyperventilate.

"Stay calm." (Chakotay)

"Calm? We're in a chamber of horrors or haven't you noticed?" (Tom)

"We're not drones yet." (Chakotay)

"Not yet", Neelix interrupted nervously, gaining a glare from Tom.

"If we keep our heads, maybe we can find a way out. There's a force field around this room. Let's try to disable it." (Chakotay)

[On the Bridge on the spaceship Voyager]

"Their ion trail ends directly ahead", Tuvok informed the captain.

"I'm detecting another vessel, bearing three zero, mark one one two. It's a Borg Cube." (B'elanna)

"Red alert", captain Janeway ordered, "Alter course to intercept. Adjust shields to rotating frequencies. Have they detected us?"

"Unclear. The vessel's holding position." (Tuvok)

"As soon as we're within sensor range, start scanning for the away team. On screen." (Captain Janeway)

"Their propulsion system is offline. The damage is not that severe. The drones should've repaired it by now", Seven of Nine said.

"Lucky for us they didn't, or we'd never have caught up with them. Any sign of our people?" Captain Janeway asked.

"Not yet", B'elanna answered.

Suddenly there was a jerk in the ship.

"They are targeting our warp core. Shields are holding." (Tuvok)

"Return fire. Aim for their weapons array", Janeway ordered.

"Now they're going after our impulse engines. That one was meant for our sensors. They can't seem to make up their minds." (B'elanna)

"Their attack strategy is erratic, inefficient." (Seven)

"And finished. We've disabled their weapons." (Tuvok)

"That was too easy." (B'elanna)

"Maybe they're in worse shape than we thought." (Janeway)

"I'm picking up non-Borg life signs. One of them is definitely Talaxian. It looks as though they haven't been assimilated yet." (Tuvok)

"Try to get a transporter lock." (Janeway)

"Their shields are interfering." (B'elanna)

"Target their shield generator and fire." (Janeway)

"Captain, I believe I can explain the unusual behavior of these Borg. There should be thousands of drones manning the vessel, but I'm picking up only five signatures." (Seven)

Seven was interrupted by the Borg.

"We are the Borg. You will be assimilated. Resistance is futile."

"It doesn't sound like they've lost their confidence", B'elanna stated.

"Their shield generators are too deep inside the vessel. Our weapons can't reach them." (Tuvok)

"Open a channel." (Janeway)

She stood up and took some steps forward.

"Borg vessel, this is the starship Voyager. You're holding our crew men and woman. We're willing to cease firing if you return them."

"Negotiation is irrelevant. You will be assimilated." (Borg)

"Not today, and not by you", Janeway replied, "Agree, or I'll resume firing."

"They are scanning us." (Tuvok)

"We will return your crew members in exchange for a specific technology." (Borg)

"Talk about unusual behaviour. The Borg negotiating. Since when does that happen?" (B'elanna)

"What technology?" (Janeway)

"Your navigational deflector. Disengage it from your secondary hull." (Borg)

"Mute audio", Janeway ordered.

"If we surrender our deflector, we'll be dead in space. We won't be able to go to warp", Tuvok stated.

"What would they want with it?" Janeway wanted to know.

"When their communications array was damaged, it severed their link to the Collective. They intend to adapt our deflector to regain it", Seven explained.

"And call for reinforcements? That's the last thing we need. We'll have to stall them until we can find another way out of this." (Janeway)

She then signaled audio on.

"I'll consider the exchange, but first I want to be certain my crewmen are unharmed and alive." (Janeway)

"You have scanned our vessel." (Borg)

"Our scans were inconclusive. We want to see them for ourselves." (Janeway)

"You may transport one individual." (Borg)

"Seven." Janeway said, looking at the former drone, who nodded and walked out.

Seven was beamed into the cube in one of its corridors. There she saw that there were lots of dead Borg around, lying. Seven kneeled down and scanned one of them.

"Proceed to grid six three, sub-junction zero one", she heard the Borg say.

Seven stood up and walked down the corridor when she found...