Resistance - J.M. Dillard [20]
“You have framed your questions in terms that show your bias, Captain. Let me ask a different question: is it worth your court-martial—and the court-martial of loyal officers who choose to support you in your insubordination—in order to substantiate a suspicion?”
He felt a surge of anger at her words but quickly suppressed it. He had asked her here, after all, in order to get another viewpoint. “This is far more than a suspicion,” he said heavily. “If you look at the facts…”
“The one fact you have mentioned that could prove your assertion is the fact that the Borg cube was destroyed when you ordered several starships to concentrate their fire on one specific location. But that could be explained by the evidence that the cube had already sustained damage, and that the combined force of several weapons was enough to destroy the ship.” She paused. “If there is another fact, Captain, that can be unemotionally verified, I would like to hear it.”
He scanned his memory and found himself at a loss. So many things had happened…So many members of his senior staff had trusted his connection to the Borg, and not asked for such verification, that he had never before thought of other incidents that could prove it to an outsider.
Given his silence, T’Lana continued. “My opinion is that Admiral Janeway is correct in her assessment: it is important for someone other than you to investigate the possibility that the Borg have become active again. I know of your experience with the Borg; it would be impossible for a human to suppress hostile emotions and a desire for rash action in such circumstances. Therefore, you must obey the admiral’s orders. It is the most logical and cautious course of action.” She paused. “You must remind yourself, as well, that both you and Janeway herself killed two powerful embodiments of the Borg queen. The drones that remain are few, scattered, and directiveless. It would be against their established pattern for them to unite and make a group decision in the manner you suggest.”
He had to remind himself that he was grateful for someone willing to take the opposite side; at the same time, her statement fueled his frustration even more than his conversation with Janeway. “Is it really cautious to ignore a conviction that, if I wait for Seven to arrive, the Borg will be ready to strike? Where is the logic behind that, Counselor? I would rather risk my career than countless innocent lives.” He rose, signaling that the meeting was at an end, but he could not resist a final question. “T’Lana…have you ever encountered the Borg face-to-face? Have you ever seen firsthand the results of one of their attacks, or seen the transformation of an individual who has been assimilated?”
She had risen as well. “I have not,” she answered. “You must remember, Captain, that I lack the empathic skills of Counselor Troi. I cannot be for you what she was, and I hope that you do not consider my opposing views as a lack of respect for what you have endured at the hands of the Borg. But I can be the voice of logic for you. I can help you consider your options in that light.”
“I do appreciate your input, Counselor,” he said, with all the sincerity he possessed, but her words had only made his decision more difficult, not less.
“Thank you. Dismissed.”
In sickbay, Beverly was preparing to conduct a routine checkup on Worf. Her mind was anywhere but on her incoming patient. Jean-Luc’s condition still worried her. At best, he was suffering some kind of psychosis, which her scans had all but disproved. At worst, the Borg were preparing another attack. No matter what, she couldn’t stop worrying about Jean-Luc. This was nothing new to her. She had always worried about him in times of duress. But somehow this was different. More personal. She just hoped that when the time came, she could retain her professional composure. She shook