String Theory_ Fusion (Book 2) - Kirsten Beyer [72]
As Janeway passed one of the rifles to Harry and slung her own over her shoulder Harry replied, “No, ma’am. We did, however, find evidence of more coherent tetryon technology. It appears to play a significant role in their transport system.”
Janeway nodded, as if this only further strengthened her resolve and certainty about the course of action she was pursuing.
Once they had secured the locker, Janeway used the nearest computer interface to request the current location of Phoebe Janeway. Harry was shocked to see her name appear on the computer’s crew manifest.
The computer indicated that Phoebe was in “her quarters,” deck eleven, section C-7.
“Captain, those quarters should be vacant,” Harry informed her as she closed the interface and headed toward the nearest turbolift.
“I’m not surprised,” she replied. “I no longer believe that the woman I have supposedly been interacting with for the past several years is my sister.”
“Years?” Harry asked.
“The Doctor found evidence that my memory has been altered. If I’m right, so have the rest of the crew’s, as well as the ship’s computer. So far, the only person on board who can see Phoebe in her true form is Naomi Wildman. She was attacked several hours ago and up until now, I had no idea why.”
“But why don’t I have any memory of her?” Harry asked.
“What is the one thing you and Naomi Wildman have in common, Ensign?”
It had been a long time since Harry had thought of this ship as anything other than his ship. It had been disorienting for the first few days after the encounter with the subspace scission, and difficult to shake the thought that somehow he didn’t quite belong here. But time had passed, and the disquieting sense of unbelonging had faded. Nonetheless, he realized immediately what the captain was referring to, and chided himself for not seeing it for himself.
“Oh,” he said.
“I don’t know why the subtle shift in your molecular phase variance made you immune to Phoebe’s tampering, but obviously it did. I’ll be relying on your eyes, Ensign. When we find her, I need you to tell me what you see.”
Harry nodded, said, “Yes, ma’am,” then asked, “Have you been able to determine how long she’s been with us?”
“No. As far as I remember, she’s been on board from the day I recruited Tom on Earth. I remember vividly her request to join us on our journey to the Badlands. She had been commissioned to do a painting and wanted to see the plasma fields firsthand. I’m realizing only now how absurd it would be for me to have granted any civilian such a request. I remember dinners, games on the holodeck, I even remember saving her life when…”
A mixture of sadness and anger surged within her and Janeway did not immediately continue. Finally she said, “What I don’t understand is how she could have been so thorough. I don’t see how anyone or anything could possibly re-create another human being, someone I know so very well, using only my memories of them.”
“If she can implant memories in the minds of a hundred and fifty people at the same time, that doesn’t sound like a huge leap,” Harry suggested. “My question is, why? Who is she really, and what does she want?”
“I believe she may be Nacene,” Janeway said.
Harry glanced at his phaser rifle. Suddenly he remembered the neural toxin Tuvok had developed a few years earlier when Voyager had encountered the Caretaker’s mate.
They turned the corridor that led to “Phoebe” ‘s quarters and approached without another word. When they reached the door, Janeway took a deep breath and overrode the lock.
The door slid open.
Phoebe had been considering her options. She was tired of the charade. More important, she could not envision any circumstances wherein Janeway could be innocently induced to do her bidding. Phoebe needed help. But she had