Star Trek Voyager: The Hansen Identity

Star Trek Voyager: The Hansen Identity (Chapter 14)

The next twenty four hours were long ones for all three of the Hansens. After weeping out all her pre-emptive grief and guilt into her mother’s shoulder, Seven withdrew again, though not as completely as before, for once allowing her parents presence to soothe her anxious, unsettled soul rather than a strain. Not a word passed between them, nothing could replicate those few minutes of comfort Erin and Magnus had been able to offer their daughter at that broken and desolate moment in time. For the first time since their arrival, as they peered with deep parental concern at Seven, sitting pensively by the biobed looking as white and drawn as the unconscious man beside her, they were content with what she had given them and asked for nothing more.

Eventually Seven was dimly aware of the Doctor’s hand on her shoulder and his voice echoing above her, “He’s out of danger now Seven. There’s no reason, if he continues to recover at the rate he is now, that he shouldn’t make a complete recovery.” These words were spoken with gentle, professional calm but even he, who’d known Seven all of her free life, was shocked by the emotion in her reaction. Instantly she drew back from his touch, well beyond even her considerable skill in emotional containment by now, her whole body shook with sobs of a relief so intense she wasn’t sure she’d experience its like again.

Erin again threw caution to the wind and wrapped her arms, though not tightly, around her daughter. “See?” A small laugh of relief left her throat. “Everything’s going to be fine…The Borg won’t be taking anything else from you honey…” These words were barely out of her mouth before the Doctor’s comm. badge, Seven had deactivated hers long before, sprang into life with Captain Janeway’s voice.

“Doctor, are Seven and the Hansens there with you?” she asked quickly.

“Yes...they’ve all been with Chakotay, who’s going to make a full recovery.” The Doctor answered happily, not noticing the tension in the Captain’s voice.

The Captain’s deep and sincere sigh of relief could be heard before she spoke. “That’s one piece of good news Doctor, we sorely need it. Tell the Hansens and Seven to come to Astrometrics, Icheb’s made some unfortunate discoveries.”

Erin felt Annika go stiff as a board in her arms before sinking back into her chair with a look of someone who was staring into an abyss as the Doctor said, “I’ll tell them Captain.”

“Good, Janeway out.”

Seven rose into a standing position, but dizziness from so long in stressful inactivity meant her father immediately guided her back into the chair with a firm but understanding look on his face. “Your mother and I will go, you need to stay here and rest.”

Seven’s eyes flashed at him despite her physical weakness. “I must…”

He shook his head softly, deciding to ignore the defiance. “I’m sure the two of us and that clever young protégé of yours can placate Janeway for the time being.”

Seven pursed her lips for a moment before giving them both a sharp nod. Erin wanted to say something but could already see that whatever progress they might have made, Annika’s shields against them were still fully functional. Seven watched them leaving intently, unease churning her stomach until her eyes found Chakotay for a moment and just before their stiff backs disappeared into the hallway she murmured, just loud enough for them to hear, “Thank you.” Neither vocally acknowledged her words but she saw in the way they instantly relaxed that it had had some effect.

Seven’s parents had been gone several minutes before the Doctor cautiously spoke to her. “I can wake Chakotay up to speak to you, but only for a couple of minutes okay?”

Seven snapped out of the stupor she was in and eager happiness lit her normally cool eyes, her fingers unconsciously gently grasping Chakotay’s as she spoke. “Could I? Would it be safe?” she asked in concern.

“Yes, if you keep him calm.” He glanced at her damp, tear stained face sympathetically. “The emotional confidences can wait a little while can’t they?” Seven smiled sardonically and wiped her face as the Doctor brought Chakotay round.

To her his arrival into consciousness seemed painfully slow, in reality it was little more than a minute before his heavy lids opened and his eyes focused on her. “Seven…” he mumbled in dreamy confusion, wincing as pain pierced his skull. “My head…where are we?” he asked fretfully.

Happy as she was to hear his voice, Seven still bent forward to soothe him, stroking his cheek rhythmically. “Shh… You’re in Sickbay, you haven’t been well…” Her voice cracked painfully but her self control immediately kicked in, levelling her tone. “But you’re going to be fine now.” She whispered as he leaned sleepily into her hand.

Within a minute though, Chakotay proved to her that he could still read her better than anyone, even semi-conscious. Determinedly he reached up to her face, his fingers brushing her cheek lightly. “You’ve been crying.” He said with such quiet certainty that Seven barely considered denying it.

“Yes…” She murmured carefully, “…but it’s all over for both of us now so don’t worry.” He frowned at her sceptically and she had to continue, “We’ll talk about later my love…I promise.” She kissed his cheek softly, smiling as she heard his whispered “Okay.”

Erin and Magnus were hit by the tension and foreboding in the room as soon as they entered Astrometrics and the Captain whirled round to face them, looking surprised. “Where’s Seven?” she asked them by way of greeting.

“She isn’t well. We left her in Sickbay with Chakotay.” Stated Erin firmly, not allowing herself to be intimidated.

Magnus backed her up in the same tone. “Three former Borg can’t be much worse than four. Now, what is it?”

Janeway sighed. “Icheb?”

“Our scans have revealed that we find ourselves on the border of newly conquered and constantly expanding Borg space, the Repair Hub seems to have been the “tip of the iceberg” as the human saying goes.” Icheb said quietly, stepping aside to allow Seven’s parents to make an assessment for themselves.

“Well, we’ll just have to go around it, there’s no other choice!” Erin exclaimed.

Magnus frowned in concentration.”That would take…”

“3.5 years.” Icheb filled in helpfully.

Magnus gave a frustrated sigh and glanced grimly at his horrified wife. “Precisely.”

Janeway seemed to brace herself. “You two found a way to go through Borg space in your ship, even walk around cubes, unnoticed. You invented technology to blend in like background noise…”

“The Raven was a less than a tenth the size of this ship!” Magnus pointed out bluntly.

“And it failed! We were assimilated!” Erin cried angrily.

“We are surrounded by Borg space! There’s no other way. The Delta Flyer sensors told us that Repair Hub has almost completed a transwarp conduit. If we could just get to that undetected…” The Captain argued.

“The transwarp conduits are some of the most heavily defended areas of space in the galaxy, don’t you listen to anything Annika tells you? It’s too dangerous!” Erin retorted.

“Erin...” Magnus began.

“You can’t possibly be considering this Magnus! Not after what happened…” Erin choked out in shock and anger.

“She’s right about one thing, we’re trapped. We have to try something.” The words were painful for him to say even then but he couldn’t even imagine repeating such an argument to Annika and hoped a miracle would happen before he had to.