Seven of Nine - Christie Golden [73]
"I realize those are probably rhetorical questions, so I'll let you puzzle them out," her first officer and friend replied, smiling a little.
"She disobeyed orders-but out of compassion, if she's to be believed," Janeway continued, speaking more to herself "Was it true? Has this incident given Seven a conscience?"
"That's the big question. We'll just have to wait and see." Chakotay seemed to want to say more, but fell silent.
"Out with it," chided Janeway teasingly, already feeling better simply by being in his reassuring, calm presence.
"I think the Doctor may be wrong about the black bird."
"Really?"
He nodded. "If there has ever been anyone who needed assistance-who needed a friend, a guide, if you will-surely then it was the child Annika Hansen. I think she's found one. The black bird may be Seven's animal spirit, come to her without her even knowing or seeking it."
Janeway felt gooseflesh erupt all over her body.
Even her hair prickled. She forced her voice to be calm, light, even, as she spoke.
"I wonder what Edgar Allan Poe would say about this."
It was lunchtime in the mess hall, and the air was filled with the buzz of conversation. Seven was surrounded by her fellow crewmen, but she felt utterly alone.
They were gone. The twenty-four black birds were not perched atop crewmen's heads and shoulders and filling the room to capacity with their inky, mysterious presences. The voices of the thousands who had shared her mind and body over the past few days were silent. She didn't dare try to call them to her again, not so soon, but she ached inside with a fierce emptiness she had not known since she had first been forcibly separated from the Collective.
One mind in one body. The individual. It was so terribly isolating.
Janeway had uttered the confusing phrase "not yourself." What did that even mean? What was it to be oneself.? She was reminded of Paris's vast vocabulary of slang and resolved to ask him about it.
Who was she, now? Before? Ever?
Was she Annika Hansen? Seven of Nine, Tertiary Adjunct of Unimatrix Zero-One? Just plain Seven?
And who was just plain Seven?
A soft harumph distracted her. She glanced up to see Neelix standing playfully at attention. "It's my understanding that my friend Seven is finally back with us. It'd be my pleasure to get her whatever her heart-or her stomach-desires."
My friend Seven. The whole concept of "friend" was a mammoth one. One best left, perhaps, for another time.
Seven of Nine was silent for a moment. Then, surprising herself, she knew what she wanted. "I think," she said, slowly and deliberately, "I would like a piece of chocolate cake."
"Coming right up!" Grinning broadly, Neelix scurried away to fetch her the pastry.
My friend Seven. Seven of Nine. I. Me.
Just plain Seven.
For now, it would have to do.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Christie Golden is the author of ten novels and over a dozen short stories. Among her credits are two other Voyager novels, The Murdered Sun and Marooned, as well as two original novels, Instrument of Fate and King's Man & Thief from Ace Books. On the strength of The Murdered Sun, Golden now has an open invitation to pitch for Voyager, the show.
She also wrote the novelization and first original tie-in, On the Run, for the Steven Spiel berg-produced animated television show Invasion America.
Golden lives in Colorado with her husband and two cats. Readers are encouraged to visit her web site at: w.sff.net/people/Christie.Golden.
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