The Farther Shore - Christie Golden [89]
“How are you feeling?” Kaz asked.
“That is a complicated question,” Seven replied. “How long have I been regenerating?”
“Three full days,” Janeway said. “You needed it.”
“What has transpired?”
“Quite a lot,” Kaz said, examining her with his medical tricorder. “We’ve all been debriefed, and as soon as you and Icheb feel up to it, Starfleet Command will want to see you as well. Everyone is off the hook, in case you’re wondering. Myself and Data, too. Since we were such a key part of the solution, Starfleet’s going to overlook our ... interference.”
“I am pleased to hear it,” Seven replied. “What is the status of the virus?”
[267] “Once you severed the connection with the collective, they all were released. We’ve really pushed the ‘having delusions’ aspect of the Xanarian Flu, and even most those who began to manifest implants seem more than willing to believe they imagined it.”
Seven frowned. “Certainly not everyone believes that what they suffered was a hallucination.”
“No,” Janeway agreed, “but those people have been convinced that it’s best to keep their silence.”
Seven did not reply. She thought of the Interrogator, and wondered who had done the “convincing” and how.
“The important thing,” continued Janeway, “is that the threat is over and there’s been no panic.”
“What will you do now?” Seven asked, looking at both Janeway and Kaz.
“I’ve gotten a bit disillusioned with my position after this incident,” Kaz admitted. “I like being able to contribute on such a large scale, but I miss the intimacy of a ship. I’ve asked to be reassigned, but I’m not sure where I’ll go next.”
Janeway looked at him sharply. “I’ll keep that in mind, Dr. Kaz. As for me, I’ll go back to teaching at Starfleet. Tuvok and I are thinking of teaching a class together. Also, there’s a little project I can’t mention yet that has me quite excited. And you,” she said, handing Seven a padd, “may have some exciting projects ahead of you as well.”
Seven looked at the padd. It was an offer from a Starfleet “think tank” for her ... and the Doctor.
“It seems as though they’ve finally learned to value you and the Doctor at last,” Janeway said.
“Yes,” said Seven, absently. Janeway looked at her [268] shrewdly. Kaz didn’t miss the exchange, and excused himself.
“Seven ... what happened? When you were linked?” Janeway asked, gently.
“She transferred the Royal Protocol to me. For a few moments, I was the Borg queen,” Seven said quietly.
“Was it ... dreadful?”
“No,” Seven said. She met Janeway’s gaze. “It was wonderful. Admiral ... Covington wasn’t a monster. She was a very wronged, very damaged woman. And she loved them.”
“Loved who?”
“The drones. She loved her drones. And so did I.”
“It seems wrong somehow,” Carla said, as she and Janeway shared croissants and café au lait in a Paris bistro. “It’s lying.” She seemed troubled, her attractive face furrowed in a frown.
“I know,” said Janeway as she took a sip and hid a grimace. Why did she keep trying to learn to like coffee with milk? Paris or not, next time she’d order it black. “But you have to balance that out against the panic that would erupt.”
“You’re right, as usual,” Carla said, still staring into her oversized cup. “What was really wrong,” she added softly, “was me thinking that somehow you were to blame for it.”
“That was absolutely a logical conclusion,” said Janeway. “We couldn’t possibly know that Kevin had been chewing on a piece of Borg debris that day on the beach. You had every reason to suspect I had somehow given him the virus.”
[269] “Maybe. But it shouldn’t have been the first conclusion I jumped to, and I’m sorry for that.”
“I’m sorry you had to go through any of it,” Janeway replied. “But as Shakespeare liked to say, all’s well that ends well. Now,” she said, leaning forward, “I think we really ought to splurge on a delicious French pastry while we’re here.”
Carla finally looked up, and Janeway was heartened to see the familiar impish grin spread across her face.
Janeway materialized