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By Root 528 0

interesting experiments on the peculiar weapon, while he was stuck here staring at a closed door. There had been talk of stationing other security guards as well, but that had been dismissed. The Doctor never grew tired, could not be injured by attack, and was also the only person aboard Voyager who would not fall victim to a mental attack.

So here he was, by himself, his brilliant mind focused on watching the door to Cargo Bay One.

"What a waste," he said aloud, grumbling to no one.

Suddenly the door shimmered. Instantly alert, his hand went to the phaser at his hip. What were they doing to the door?

Then, in the space of a fraction of a second, he realized that there was nothing wrong with the cargo bay door. There was something wrong with him. He shimmered, and just before he winked out of existence, the door opened. Tamaak Vrs, followed by Imraak and Shemaak, burst through.

The Doctor opened his mouth to protest, reached to touch his commbadge, but he was too late.

He was gone.

"WE HAVE NO DESIRE TO HARM YOU, BUT WE WILL USE this weapon if we must," came a voice.

Seven froze. Slowly, she turned around, knowing what she would see.

Tamaak Vrs, the Skedan who had attacked her, Imraak, and Shemaak, the female who had come to her defense, stood in the doorway.

Tamaak had a phaser pointed directly at her.

"Surely you mean, you have no desire to harm me further," she said, a hint of very human sarcasm in her voice.

Tamaak had the grace to look uncomfortable.

Seven pressed her advantage. "Your species does not have experience with firing weapons of that kind," she replied coolly.

"It is unlikely that you would hit me before I could disable you."

"It is on wide range," replied Tamaak. "And we have learned much since the Borg came and destroyed our world."

Seven's gaze flickered toward the sphere. "So it would seem."

"Step away from the weapon," Tamaak ordered. "I will use this if you force me to."

Seven did as she was instructed, but at the same moment her hand lifted toward her commbadge.

Tamaak watched Seven step backward, saw her hand lift, and knew what she was doing. He had no choice. He fired. She didn't utter a word, just crumpled to the floor.

"You should have killed her," muttered Imraak.

Tamaak's nerves were strained to the breaking point. He whirled on Imraak, aiming the weapon at him. "I should kill you!" he spat. "We have survived treachery and a Borg attack, but it took you to turn our people into monsters. You tried to force Seven to kill herseIP" "And it would be no great loss, to kill the thing who destroyed your family, would it?"

Tamaak's hand shook, but he kept the phaser pointed at Imraak. "It would be a great loss indeed," he said softly, "to fall so far, to stoop so low as to do what you have done."

Suddenly his rage was gone. Disgust filled him, and he lowered the weapon. "We must deactivate the force field around it, then get it to the surface.

Quickly. Help me."

Seven blinked. Her body tingled, but a quick assessment revealed that she was undamaged. Slowly, she sat up, and the memories came back.

She glanced up-the weapon was gone, as she had suspected. In its place perched one of the twenty-one black birds. It blinked, then cawed loudly.

She ignored it and reached to touch her commbadge. It, too, was gone.

The Skedans were thorough.

She got to her feet, unsteadily, and strode toward the door.

She slammed into it. Rubbing her bumped nose, she realized exactly how thorough the Skedans had been. Even so, the most efficient course would have been for them to kill her.

My Tamaak would never condone that, came a thought, in a soft female voice that was not her own.

We're lucky then. Another thought that was not hers, from a determined youn female who had.9 watched the Borg mutilate her.

Fear spurted through Seven. She had thought these other lives gone, but they were still here. She smelled no choking stench of rot, and this time, the voices weren't