A/N: In loving memory of Rutger Hauer (1944 -2019).
____________
"Starfleet still does not trust me," said Seven of Nine as she noticed the phaser sitting on the coffee table that sat between herself and Troi. Seven of Nine and Deanna Troi were sitting in an office at Starfleet Headquarters.
"It is a precaution," said Troi. "Given … who you ARE."
"A Borg."
"I'm pleased to finally meet you," said Troi. "I've heard so much about you."
"What's to stop me from grabbing that phaser and killing you, right here and now?" Seven asked archly.
"Nothing," Troi replied. "Other than the fact that I've given you no reason to do so."
___________
THREE YEARS AGO
As Seven of Nine exited the airlock that separated the USS Voyager from its home space port on Earth, she was greeted by three Starfleet security officers aiming phaser rifles at her face.
"SEVEN OF NINE!" one of the security officers shouted at her. "TERTIARY ADJUNCT OF UNIMATRIX ZERO ONE! YOU ARE NOW UNDER ARREST!"
"On what charge?" Seven asked.
"I was about to ask that very same question," said Captain Janeway as she marched towards Seven and the security officers. "Why are you arresting a member of my crew?"
"Step aside, Captain. We have orders from Starfleet Command," one of the officers replied. "She's a Borg. She's an enemy of the Federation."
_______________
"Captain Picard referred me to you," said Seven.
"Captain Picard ... was assimilated ... like you," said Troi.
"Picard was a tourist," Seven sniffed derisively. "He wasn't there long enough to do what ... I did."
"That is true," said Troi.
"I'm surprised he wasn't killed."
"By who?" Troi asked.
"Starfleet," Seven replied. "Executed for betraying official secrets."
"What would've been gained by it?" Troi asked. "The damage was done. The Borg still would've have had possession of whatever it was they gleaned from him."
"That is true," said Seven.
"I know what you are going through," said Troi as Seven stood up and walked towards the window.
"Do you?" Seven shot back, glaring at Troi. "I've ripped children from their mothers' arms on Rigel Three. I've born witness to exploding starships in the Gamma Quadrant. I've fought the Romulans off the Tannhauser Gate.
"You can't even BEGIN to imagine what I've been through."
"You want to feel," said Troi. "But your Borg upbringing … is refusing to permit it."
"If I were to feel, I WOULD go insane," said Seven. "What use would I be to anyone THEN?"
Seven paused. "I did what I had to do," she said. "I was a soldier following orders."
"You're a survivor," said Troi. "You were assimilated by the Borg. You were raised by the Borg. You spent twenty-four years in the Delta Quadrant ..."
I was FORGOTTEN for twenty years, Seven thought angrily. No Starfleet to come to my rescue.
At least, that was until Voyager blundered its way into things.
"Four years aboard Voyager," Troi continued. "Now, you're back on Earth ..."
"Which brings me to why I have come here today," said Seven. "Starfleet seems to think that I could do with some ... anger management training."
"You were taught that emotions were dangerous," said Troi.
"In combat, they ARE dangerous," said Seven of Nine. "Irrational thoughts lead to ... irrational BEHAVIOR."
"Do you have nightmares? Any flashbacks?" Troi asked.
"YOU'RE the Betazoid. Why don't you tell ME?" Seven replied sarcastically.
"How did you know I was Betazoid?" Troi asked.
"Picard told me," Seven replied.
"I want you to trust me," said Troi. "I want YOU to tell ME." Troi paused. "I'm only HALF Betazoid. I cannot read yours or anyone else's mind."
"You say that I am a survivor," said Seven. "I survived ... by not trusting anyone."
"I do not wish to hurt you," said Troi.
"That makes two of us," said Seven.
Seven sat down in front of Troi. "A survivor," she said. "That ... is one of the kindest things ... that anyone has ever said about me."
"It's true," said Troi. "You ARE a survivor."
In a gesture of surrender, she picked up the phaser by the barrel and handed it back to Troi.
Troi took the phaser from Seven's hand and laid it down on the sofa next to her.
"To answer your question, I do have what you term ... flashbacks," said Seven.
THE END
____________
"Starfleet still does not trust me," said Seven of Nine as she noticed the phaser sitting on the coffee table that sat between herself and Troi. Seven of Nine and Deanna Troi were sitting in an office at Starfleet Headquarters.
"It is a precaution," said Troi. "Given … who you ARE."
"A Borg."
"I'm pleased to finally meet you," said Troi. "I've heard so much about you."
"What's to stop me from grabbing that phaser and killing you, right here and now?" Seven asked archly.
"Nothing," Troi replied. "Other than the fact that I've given you no reason to do so."
___________
THREE YEARS AGO
As Seven of Nine exited the airlock that separated the USS Voyager from its home space port on Earth, she was greeted by three Starfleet security officers aiming phaser rifles at her face.
"SEVEN OF NINE!" one of the security officers shouted at her. "TERTIARY ADJUNCT OF UNIMATRIX ZERO ONE! YOU ARE NOW UNDER ARREST!"
"On what charge?" Seven asked.
"I was about to ask that very same question," said Captain Janeway as she marched towards Seven and the security officers. "Why are you arresting a member of my crew?"
"Step aside, Captain. We have orders from Starfleet Command," one of the officers replied. "She's a Borg. She's an enemy of the Federation."
_______________
"Captain Picard referred me to you," said Seven.
"Captain Picard ... was assimilated ... like you," said Troi.
"Picard was a tourist," Seven sniffed derisively. "He wasn't there long enough to do what ... I did."
"That is true," said Troi.
"I'm surprised he wasn't killed."
"By who?" Troi asked.
"Starfleet," Seven replied. "Executed for betraying official secrets."
"What would've been gained by it?" Troi asked. "The damage was done. The Borg still would've have had possession of whatever it was they gleaned from him."
"That is true," said Seven.
"I know what you are going through," said Troi as Seven stood up and walked towards the window.
"Do you?" Seven shot back, glaring at Troi. "I've ripped children from their mothers' arms on Rigel Three. I've born witness to exploding starships in the Gamma Quadrant. I've fought the Romulans off the Tannhauser Gate.
"You can't even BEGIN to imagine what I've been through."
"You want to feel," said Troi. "But your Borg upbringing … is refusing to permit it."
"If I were to feel, I WOULD go insane," said Seven. "What use would I be to anyone THEN?"
Seven paused. "I did what I had to do," she said. "I was a soldier following orders."
"You're a survivor," said Troi. "You were assimilated by the Borg. You were raised by the Borg. You spent twenty-four years in the Delta Quadrant ..."
I was FORGOTTEN for twenty years, Seven thought angrily. No Starfleet to come to my rescue.
At least, that was until Voyager blundered its way into things.
"Four years aboard Voyager," Troi continued. "Now, you're back on Earth ..."
"Which brings me to why I have come here today," said Seven. "Starfleet seems to think that I could do with some ... anger management training."
"You were taught that emotions were dangerous," said Troi.
"In combat, they ARE dangerous," said Seven of Nine. "Irrational thoughts lead to ... irrational BEHAVIOR."
"Do you have nightmares? Any flashbacks?" Troi asked.
"YOU'RE the Betazoid. Why don't you tell ME?" Seven replied sarcastically.
"How did you know I was Betazoid?" Troi asked.
"Picard told me," Seven replied.
"I want you to trust me," said Troi. "I want YOU to tell ME." Troi paused. "I'm only HALF Betazoid. I cannot read yours or anyone else's mind."
"You say that I am a survivor," said Seven. "I survived ... by not trusting anyone."
"I do not wish to hurt you," said Troi.
"That makes two of us," said Seven.
Seven sat down in front of Troi. "A survivor," she said. "That ... is one of the kindest things ... that anyone has ever said about me."
"It's true," said Troi. "You ARE a survivor."
In a gesture of surrender, she picked up the phaser by the barrel and handed it back to Troi.
Troi took the phaser from Seven's hand and laid it down on the sofa next to her.
"To answer your question, I do have what you term ... flashbacks," said Seven.
THE END
Last edited:
