The Farther Shore - Christie Golden [71]
“Computer, get me Commander Watson, stationed aboard the U.S.S. Voyager.”
Harry Kim froze when the light started to blink. Someone was trying to contact the ship.
If they had just waited a couple more seconds ... Frantically he finished the repair work and hit the button. A holographic image of Commander Watson materialized in the command chair, and Harry ducked out of sight.
“Watson,” came Montgomery’s voice.
Harry closed his eyes. They had expected this at some point, but so soon? He whispered instructions to the hologram.
“Yes, sir,” said “Watson.” “What is it you require, Admiral?”
“Has there been any attempt to board Voyager?”
Harry whispered. The hologram sounded puzzled as it replied, “Negative, sir. Should we anticipate such an attempt?”
There was silence. Harry wished he could see [212] Montgomery’s face. It might give him at least some clue as to how far the admiral’s suspicions had progressed.
“You might have been boarded and be unaware of it,” Montgomery said at last.
“I doubt that very much, sir,” the hologram of Watson said, sounding indignant.
“Well, let me put it to you this way. Seven of Nine, Icheb, and the Doctor have escaped. To top it off, Dr. Kaz has mysteriously disappeared as well. I think he’s with them.”
Well, now Harry had his answer. It sure as hell wasn’t the one he wanted.
“I believe they’ll be heading to Voyager first. The Borg need to regenerate and it’s familiar territory to them. How they got Kaz on their side I don’t know, but—Tell you what. I’m coming up and together we can prepare a nice little surprise for them.”
“Sir, I don’t think that’s—”
“Montgomery out.”
Harry slammed his fist on the floor and swore. “Kim to Janeway,” he said. “We’re going to have company.”
Chapter 19
WHEN HE MATERIALIZED aboard Voyager, Montgomery found that he was on the receiving end of the surprise. He was greeted not by Watson and his guards, but by Admiral Janeway and Commanders Chakotay and Tuvok. All three had phasers aimed at him. Instinctively Montgomery reached for his own weapon, but it was gone.
“I’m afraid it’s still in the pattern buffer,” Janeway said apologetically.
“I don’t believe this,” said Montgomery, wearily. “I just don’t believe it. Don’t tell me, let me guess—Kaz and the Borg are here with you, too, and the Doctor’s in sickbay.”
“Correct,” said Tuvok. “Commander Data has joined us as well.”
“Doctor to Janeway.”
“Go ahead, Doctor.”
[214] “We’ve got some developments here you need to see.”
“Acknowledged. We’re on our way.” She gestured with the phaser. “That means you, too, Admiral.”
“Kathryn,” said Montgomery, his voice oddly quiet. “What are you trying to do? You all have illustrious careers ahead of you and you’re throwing it away. You’re dragging Data and Kaz, good people, into your—your delusion. We can end this now. I’ve got no personal quarrel with you.”
Janeway smiled. “Believe it or not, although we’ve clashed quite a bit recently, I have no personal quarrel with you, either. We’ve got the same goal, and my people may just have given us all a chance to achieve that goal. Let’s go.”
“What have you got, Doctor?” Janeway asked as she and her companions entered sickbay. The Doctor barely spared Montgomery a glance. Kaz looked at him, then down at the floor.
“What we’ve got,” the Doctor said grimly, “is a Borg queen.”
“What?” Both admirals spoke at the same time.
“We have been able to determine that the virus is spread by nanoprobes,” said Data. “If an organic creature comes into contact with Borg debris, the virus—the nanoprobes—enters its system. Until recently, the virus has lain dormant. It requires an active Borg signal and a command in order to become activated. We believe that only the Borg queen can issue such a command—and that such a command has, indeed, been given