String Theory_ Cohesion (Book 1) - Jeffrey Lang [79]
Obviously observing this, Seven nodded briefly, then rose from B’Elanna’s bedside. “We must make plans. How can we contact Voyager?”
“You’re walking!” B’Elanna said. “What happened? I thought you said your spine was damaged and your nanoprobes couldn’t complete the repair.”
“Ah,” Seven said. “But using your nervous system as a guide, the nanoprobes were able to replicate the necessary tissue. It is easier to trace than to create.”
“My nervous system was the guide?” B’Elanna asked. “How…?”
“The process of injecting you with nanoprobes was not one-way,” Seven said. “As with any such process, there is always a mingling of essences. I did not think you would mind.”
“I…don’t,” B’Elanna said. She thought she should, but had to admit to herself that she did not. She could see again; Seven could walk again. Both of them were restored and they might now be able to help their crewmates. What could be wrong with that? Still, she couldn’t shake the feeling that somewhere underneath it all, she should feel violated, but that the nanoprobes were nullifying any opposition she might have to the idea. How can I trust anything I’m feeling? How can I ever know if anything I’m doing is because it’s something I want to do? Then the clincher—the final thought on the subject—came: How did I know if that was ever true before?
“Very well,” Seven said. “To continue, then…”
B’Elanna nodded, rising slowly. “Right. Voyager. Kaytok’s people were able to find the ship with their equipment; whether that was intentional or not is immaterial. We’ll need the subspace radio array from the shuttle to…”
“…Pierce the veil and speak to Voyager. But a closer examination of their equipment…”
“…Would be useful,” B’Elanna continued. “Where’s Kaytok? We’ll need to…”
“…Make arrangements,” Seven said. “He is downstairs waiting for us. I believe he understands that we wish to aid him. However, he also fears this installation will be investigated in the near future. We must move quickly. If the authorities…”
“…Confiscate their shield generator, we’re screwed.”
“And so are the Monorhans,” Seven concluded.
Both women paused and looked intently at each other. “Did we really just do that?” B’Elanna asked.
“I believe we did,” Seven said and made a face that on anyone else B’Elanna would have had to describe as a wry smile. “Hmph,” she said. “The feeling was almost…nostalgic.”
“So, we’re in a bag?” Tom asked. “And you want me to fly us out through a tiny opening you think might be near the top? An opening big enough that it only lets in subatomic particles, but nothing else?”
Harry nodded. Tom looked around the conference table and noted that everyone (except for the Doctor, naturally) appeared exhausted. Just before he had come up to the meeting, Tom had stopped in his quarters to change into a fresh uniform and had been surprised by what he saw in the mirror. Being up for more than twenty-four hours would account for the dark circles and the pasty complexion, but not the red eyes and the broken blood vessels around his nose. A check with the medical tricorder confirmed his suspicion: the shields were letting in radiation, so the hyronalin injections were wearing off sooner than the Doctor had predicted. “Oh, okay,” he said. “Any other miracles you want me to pull off?”
“Tom,” Chakotay said, his tone warning Paris to ease off the sarcasm.
“Sorry, Harry.” He dipped his head toward the captain. “Apologies, Captain.”
“It’s all right, Tom,” Captain Janeway said tolerantly. “Fortunately, it won’t be as difficult as that. We’re pretty sure that we can use the deflector