We discovered a nebula forming. Kathryn ordered Tom, B'Elanna, Doc and Seven in the shuttle to get up close and personal with it. To study it further. What an exciting prospect. Doc was sent to note the radiation, in case of problems with the crew.
**
When the away team ran into trouble, Kathryn ordered me to the transporter room to meet them. We had trouble because of the radiation. All seemed fine once we got a lock on their individual patterns, but as they began to come down from the platform, the doctor phased out.
As he always is with his mobile emitter, he cried that it was damaged. B'Elanna decided to transfer him back to sickbay, since if we lose or damage the holo-emitter beyond repair, we'll lose the entire program with the doctor. It is something we can't afford. However, after he disappeared, he hailed us from sickbay. At least we hadn't lost him.
I, like B'Elanna, was sure that when all was said and done and the diagnostic was complete, Doc would be mobile again.
All in a days work.
**
The next morning, I arrived on the bridge. Harry was in charge. It seemed to fit him. I of course couldn't resist giving Harry a good ribbing about it.
"Commander," Harry said, rising. "How'd you sleep?"
"Well enough. What's new?"
"That nebula is expanding at the rate of 8000 cubic kilometers an hour. I've had to adjust course eleven times." He seemed pleased at how well he'd been doing in a command absence.
"Sounds like you're enjoying the big chair." I said. Walking around him.
"Not a bad way to spend the night." He said.
"I hear you've been doing a fine job. The crew's impressed. Is it true you make them call you 'Captain Kim'?" I ribbed.
"Sir?"
Seven had entered the bridge and I turned to see what was up with her. "Good morning." I said. I was in a fine mood. Might as well spread it around.
"That remains to be seen."
"Problem?" I asked.
"The proximity indicator in my cranial implant has been activated. That could indicate a Borg presence nearby."
"Harry?"
"I've been running sensor sweeps all night. I haven't seen anything." Well, I suppose he would know if something was out there.
"Perhaps the nebula is masking a vessel." Seven said. She, of all people, should know that isn't possible.
"No, not a chance. A ship wouldn't last ten seconds in there." Harry supplied. "Not even a Borg cube."
"Maybe it's a false alarm." I offered. "Your transceiver could be malfunctioning."
"It is possible." Seven admitted.
"Why don't you pay a visit to sickbay. In the meantime, we'll redouble our scans just to be sure." I told her. That's all it probably was.
"Very well." Seven turned and left. I turned back to Harry.
"I'll get the scans underway." Harry said, turning to go to his station.
"If you don't mind being an ensign again." I said, finishing my ribbing of Harry. At least he is good about the teasing.
**
A bit later, the alarm went off on Harry's console. "It looks like someone's rerouting power from the warp conduits." He said.
"To where?" I asked, coming over to see for myself.
"Deck eight, section twenty-two. The science lab."
"Bridge to science lab. Ensign Mulchahy, please respond." I said. "Harry?"
"Sensors are being deflected by some sort of force field. Commander, the field has a Borg signature." It never rains but it pours.
"Red alert. Captain to the bridge. Tuvok, take a security team to the science lab. Chakotay to Seven of Nine. It looks like you were right. We've detected Borg on the ship. Deck eight, science lab."
"How many drones?"
"Unknown. Tuvok is headed there now." I told her.
"I will meet him there." She said.
Great. Here we go again.
**
I was surprised when 'One' was brought to Kathryn's ready room by Seven. She was curious to see how Seven's reclamation project was going. Kathryn seemed intrigued by our newest member and even B'Elanna seemed impressed with him.
**
However, even our most advanced precautions didn't stop 'One' from contacting the Borg through his proximity indicator. There was a cube on its way to us. If we didn't find a way to stop it-them, we would be assimilated.
Not a nice possibility.
**
When they arrived on the bridge, we had a problem. Both Seven and One could here the 'call of the wolves', for lack of a better term. It was disconcerting to hear that.
Seven turned to One and told that they must resist the voice of the Borg. One tapped into our system and began remodulating our shields and our weapons.
But even that wasn't enough. There is only so much Voyager can do against a adversary such as the Borg, and we all knew it. One had himself beamed to the Borg cube. There, he could use his 29th century technology to destroy them from the inside. It was suicide, but we couldn't beat them.
He forced the cube into the Nebula, the radiation doing as Harry had predicted. Destroying them. With them, apparently One. Harry picked up a life sign. It turned out that One had escaped, enclosing a self force field around himself.
However, he was weakening. Kathryn ordered Harry to get a lock on him and beam him to sickbay.
**
Later, the doctor hailed informed us that One had kept him from performing the life saving techniques. According to the doctor, One told Seven that as long as he lived, we'd always be in danger from the collective. That he shouldn't even exist. Doc said that Seven took his death rather bad.
**
Kathryn told me later that she regretted his death. She said she could see possibility within One, more so, she said, then Seven, since he had never been a part of the collective.
It is unfortunate.
And rather sad. A Borg with that one touch of humanity. Self sacrifice to save many that didn't know how to react to him.
Somehow, I feel rather small.
**End Log**