Spock's daughter

III 31

[At the Astrometric lab]

"This better be important", Janeway said when she came up to Seven in the Astrometric lab with a cup of black coffee in her hand.

"It is."

"Sorry, I don't read Borg. You'll have to translate."

"This is tactical data from the Cube where we found the children. It says that Icheb was alone aboard an unarmed transport vessel when the Borg took him."

"Oh, why are you telling me this at oh three hundred hours?"

"Icheb's father told me the boy was assimilated on the planet's surface."

"Is it possible you misunderstood?"

"No. He was very specific."

"That Cube was disabled by a deadly pathogen. It suffered extensive damage. Isn't it possible these records were corrupted?"

"Perhaps, but I found another inconsistency in Leucon's story. He told me Icheb was assimilated four years ago but further analysis indicates the Borg attacked three times during the last decade. Nine years ago, six years ago, and again last year."

"All right. Let's assume your information is accurate. What does it prove?"

"His father was lying."

"Why would he do that?"

"I'm not certain, but we have an obligation to find out."

"What are you proposing?"

"That we return to the planet, demand an explanation."

"Those people have been through enough. Do we really need to interrogate them?"

"We have a responsibility to ensure Icheb's safety."

"He chose to stay with his parents."

"Maybe he didn't have all the information."

"Just because they weren't completely candid with you doesn't mean they're unfit parents. At some point, you have to let go."

"I know what you're thinking, that I'm having emotional difficulty accepting my separation from Icheb and you're correct. But if there's a possibility he's in danger, even a remote one, I have to do whatever I can to protect him. If I don't, I'll be no better than my own parents."

[Brunali settlement - Icheb's home]

"Couldn't we at least wait a few days?"

Leucon wasn't very happy.

"What would that accomplish?" his wife questioned.

"He's just getting settled."

"The longer we wait the harder it'll be for everyone. You know that", Yifay argued.

"Why do it at all? There's nothing compelling us to go through with it."

"It's what he was born for."

"Hasn't he been through enough? Why not give him a chance at an ordinary life?" (Leucon)

"He's not an ordinary child."

"No, but he can help us in other ways. He's bright. He's hardworking. And he had to leave his mate. We also don't know if she already is with a child."

"Leucon, his return was a gift. We can't waste it."

"I don't want to lose him a second time."

"To survive, we all have to make sacrifices. You taught me that."

Icheb then entered.

"We won three games in a row", the young teenager said proudly.

"Sit down, Icheb. We need to talk", his mother told him, "You know that you're very important to us."

"Yes."

"What you don't know is why."

"What do you mean?" Icheb asked when he saw that Yifay fetched a hypodermic from a drawer, "What is that?"

"If you relax, it won't hurt you."

"Father?" Icheb addressed the male adult.

"You'd better hold him."

"What are you doing to me?"

Yifay injected him, and he passed out, his thoughts only about one specific person.

"Prepare the launch." (Yifay)

Meanwhile

At the sickbay

Lil woke up with a headache again. In front of her eyes, she could barely see two faces. Two people were hovering over her. One was the doctor and the other one was Vorik, who had brought her to the sickbay.

"Where am I?"

"At the sickbay. Ensign Vorik brought you here shortly after you fainted. How are you feeling?"

"Not good. In fact, I feel worse than my whole life. I can't see right. Everything is blurry."

"I'll give you something to sleep for two hours. It may help."

She fell asleep a few seconds later, after the doctor said the last sentence. But before she let the darkness consume her again, she felt a pain. In her heart.