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Resistance really is futile	By : goofball Category: Star Trek > Voyager Views: 7729 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
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Chapter List
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Janeway, Tuvok and Tom got back earlier than they had expected, because Voyager met them halfway.
As soon as they were in communication range, Chakotay told Janeway with a twinkle in his eyes that there was no harm in making it easier on the away-team, as long as Voyager stayed out of trouble.
Janeway thanked him for his help and had him patch her through to the Doctor – who asked Tom and her to meet him in Holodeck 1 as soon as they arrived, to run a simulation on the proceedings of exchanging Seven’s cortical node.
The Delta Flyer hadn’t really settled in the Shuttle Bay, as Tuvok sent Tom and Janeway on their way and Janeway didn’t hesitate to leave the rest to him.
It was tempting to have a quick visit with Seven, but considering the haste with which the EMH wanted to proceed, Janeway didn’t dare and instead walked even faster. It could only mean that Seven’s condition had worsened. Tom didn’t say a word and just matched her steps.
Walking into the holodeck was a bit unsettling, because it looked exactly like Sickbay, including the holo-image of Seven laying unconscious on a Biobed. Did she look even paler than the last time Janeway had seen her? Keep it together, Kathryn.
The EMH greeted the two and after confirming Janeway’s fear about Seven’s state, explained what they were about to try and what each of them had to do.
Then they ran one simulation after the other, trying this, changing that. But each simulation had the same result: Seven’s death.
After another unsuccessful one the Doctor removed the node. “Computer, end simulation.”
Suddenly they all stood in the empty holodeck.
Janeway walked up to the EMH. “Why did you stop?” Her voice was sharp.
“It wasn't working.”
“Run it again.”
“Captain, this was our twelfth simulation. Something tells me thirteen won't be our lucky number,” Tom interjected.
“The salvaged node has been inactive too long,” the EMH said.
“Then we'll find one that hasn't.” Janeway turned on her heels and marched out, intending to find something more suitable.

The Doctor walked right behind Janeway. “No matter how many debris fields we sift through, a node from a dead drone isn't going to work.”
“Who said anything about a dead drone?” Janeway didn’t even look at the Doctor as she hurried through the corridor.
“What's that supposed to mean?”
“We've infiltrated Borg vessels before,” Janeway said. “If that's what it's going to take to save Seven, we'll do it again.”
“Are you suggesting ending one life to save another?”
“I'm not giving up on her!”
The Doctor put a hand on Janeway’s shoulder and pulled her to a stop. “Neither am I!” He barked.
Janeway stared up at him in stunned silence.
“I'll do everything in my power to help her, but we both have to face the possibility that it may not be enough.”
Gods no! Janeway turned her head away and covered her eyes with one hand. Grinding her teeth, she repeated silently to herself, that she had to keep it together. Pictures of Seven dying on the Biobed flashed through her mind. It was a holo-image of her, not Seven herself. You have to stay strong, or otherwise you’ll not be able to help her!
“Do you need a minute, Captain?”
Janeway took a deep breath, then shook her head. She had to consciously unlock her jaws before she could talk, though. “She’s probably already wondering why we needed so long,” Janeway said, her voice raw with emotions.
In silence, Janeway and the Doctor walked to Sickbay.
Seven and Neelix sat together as they came in, a game of kadis-kot in front of them, but they both stood up and Neelix left quickly after excusing himself.
“Are you ready to proceed?” Seven asked, looking back and forth between Janeway and the EMH.
“According to the simulations, the salvaged node isn't going to work,” the Doctor said. “I'm still researching alternative treatments.”
“Harry and B'Elanna are going to try to repair the faulty node using components from your alcove,” Janeway added.
Seven looked away. “They will fail.” She turned around and walked to the Biobed, putting her hands onto the workstation.
Janeway moved closer to Seven. “We're not giving up hope. Neither should you,” she said softly.
“With your permission I would like to return to my duties.”
“That's not possible,” the Doctor said. “I need to monitor your condition.”
“Captain?”
The pleading look in Seven’s eyes almost broke Janeway’s heart. “I'm afraid I have to defer to the Doctor.”
“If you'd like, I can ask Icheb to bring some of your work here,” the EMH suggested.
There was a moment pause, then Seven straightened and gave a curt nod in the Doctor’s direction.
“I’ll see to it.” With that the EMH left for his office.
Seven turned to Janeway, taking on her usual – and rather official - stance. “There is something I would like to discuss with you, it concerns Icheb.”
“Alright,” Janeway said. “I’m listening.”
Seven told Janeway about Icheb’s plan to take the entrance exam for the Starfleet Academy and that he’d like to forward it in the next transmission to Earth.
Janeway gladly agreed to write a letter of recommendation for him.
“He will be pleased,” Seven replied. “There is another subject I wish to discuss, pertaining our personal relationship.”
Even though Seven used the phrase personal, neither her voice, her eyes or her body-language changed to something more familiar.
“Alright,” Janeway repeated slowly, wondering where this was going.
“I am realising that I am damaged beyond repair-“
“You don’t know that!”
“Captain,” Seven said, “hope in this case is futile.”
“I’m not willing to accept that,” Janeway replied through gritted teeth and for just a moment she saw some emotions in Seven’s eyes, or at least she thought so. Then Seven blinked and it was gone, if it had ever been there.
“I will cease to exist. I am finally accepting reality and so should you. There is no need to continue this relationship.”
It felt like Seven had punched Janeway right in the solar plexus and she gasped for air. Shaking her head, Janeway stared at Seven. “No need to… I don’t understand,” Janeway said, her voice shaky, and she took a tentative step forward. “Seven, I’m scared enough as it is. You don’t mean that you want to end our relationship, do you?”
“That is precisely what I mean.”
Seven’s expression was cool and aloof, something Janeway hadn’t seen directed at herself for quite a while.
Janeway turned her head away. This couldn’t be true, this couldn’t be happening. Her eyes burned as she looked up again. “Why?”
“With your permission, I would like to be alone now, Captain.” Seven turned her back to Janeway.
A single tear slid down Janeway’s cheek. “Why, Seven?”
“Why is irrelevant, the fact remains the same.”
Janeway shook her head. “You’ve never held back your opinion,” she whispered. “Why now of all times? I don’t understand.”
For a heartbeat there was silence, then Seven said: “Please, Captain, I need to be alone now.”
Like it had done so many times before, the fact that Seven was pleading for something, affected Janeway. Lowering her head, Janeway swallowed around the lump in her throat but she still almost chocked on her next words: “As you wish.” With a last look at Seven’s stiff back, Janeway turned around and hurried out of the room.
Janeway had no recollection of the way between Sickbay and her quarters, but she ended somehow there and fell heavily into a chair.
Lost.
Janeway had lost her. She had been terrified of losing Seven, but she had not expected it in this manner.
A tear dripped onto Janeway’s hand.
She hadn’t expected it and she couldn’t fathom why Seven had ended their relationship.
Why is irrelevant, the fact remains the same. Seven’s words echoed in Janeway’s mind.
Janeway took a deep breath and asked the computer to log her as unavailable for the next couple of hours. Another tear fell onto her hand, quickly followed by several more.
There is no need to continue this relationship.
Janeway shook her head slowly, as if that would sort out the puzzle, she couldn’t grasp. Did Seven see no need to continue, because she believed she would die and then it would end in any case?
Why is irrelevant.
“No, it isn’t, damn it!” Janeway said, her voice breaking.
The fact remains the same.
Janeway pressed her hands to her eyes, trying to keep even more tears from falling.
Captain, hope in this case is futile.
“Oh Seven,” Janeway whispered and began to cry in earnest, heavy sobs shaking her body.
Janeway cried the tears of fear over Seven’s possible death that she had held back in the last couple of days and tears of frustration because Janeway wasn’t able to help her; there were tears of sorrow and anguish about the sudden end of their relationship; and Janeway cried tears of anger, anger at Seven because she had shut her out without an explanation, and anger at the world in general for throwing something like this in their path – or rather in Seven’s and Janeway’s path, there no longer was a theirs, a thought that caused a new onset of tears.
Janeway had been crying for hours, curled up in the chair, and she must have dozed off at one point. She woke around midnight, but of course there was no sleep in sight as she crawled into bed after a shower. Janeway tossed and turned and after another hour simply gave up.
Reading didn’t work either, and after the fifth time she couldn’t remember what she had read two lines previous, Janeway gave that up as well.
She got out of bed and put on a new uniform, preparing to do what she had done during many of her sleepless nights. At least on the nights before Seven and she-
No! Janeway thought. Don’t go there!
Janeway finished dressing and left her quarters, letting her feet take her wherever they wanted – except for three locations: Cargo Bay 2, Astrometrics and Sickbay.
Janeway ventured through quiet corridors, paid a visit to the Airponics Bay, fleetingly wondering how the plant with the symbiotic friend had looked like, before she left again to walk some more corridors on another deck.
Janeway criss-crossed the whole ship and then came up to Main Engineering. The heart of Voyager. She loved this place with the hum and vibration from the Warp-Core. She especially liked it at night without the hassle of crewmembers crawling all over the place.
Janeway moved in front of the doors, which swished open and then stepped inside, her ears pricked for the low hum of the engine. As she came closer, her eyes followed the swirling blue lights upwards – and she froze.
On the upper level stood Seven at a workstation with her back to the doors. Janeway’s heart leaped into her throat.
“Captain,” Seven said without turning to Janeway. “If you have come to admonish me, I am here with the Doctor’s permission.”
“I haven’t,” Janeway replied, not lifting her voice. She knew Seven could hear her clearly. “I didn’t even know you were here.”
Seven’s head swivelled sideways, as if she intended to look over her shoulder, but she didn’t finish the move.
Why wouldn’t she look at me?
“Then you are not able to sleep.”
Since it wasn’t a question but a statement, Janeway didn’t answer and instead said: “I’ll leave you to it.” She turned around and started back towards the door.
“Captain?”
Janeway stopped. “Yes, Seven?” The familiarity of this exchange, short as it was, almost chocked her.
“I am sorry for causing you this… pain.”
Janeway closed her eyes. “I know that,” she replied, her voice once more raw with emotions. Janeway looked over her shoulder. Seven had turned around and looked down, but since she was standing in front of the light, Janeway couldn’t discern her expression. “I know that,” Janeway repeated. “I just wish I knew why.” With that Janeway left and headed straight back to her quarters. All the equilibrium, albeit superficial, she had gained through her wanderings was gone.
Most of the remaining night, Janeway stood in front of the window, staring out into space and trying to keep her mind as blank as possible. Once in a while, however, she had to wipe away a tear.
tbc
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Resistance really is futile