Unworthy - Kirsten Beyer [120]
The Doctor eyed Barclay warily. “Did she know she was a hologram?”
“Of course. But she also knew that she was a unique hologram.” Reg admitted, “And her programming did not allow her, at least for now, to reveal to anyone that she was not human.”
“So she had limited free will?” the Doctor said with a hint of accusation.
“We didn’t want you to know,” Reg admitted.
“Why not? If she was meant to be my perfect mate, why not include me in her design?”
“You would have rejected her,” Reg replied flatly.
“You don’t know that!”
Barclay returned the Doctor’s loaded stare with one of his own.
“All right,” the Doctor allowed. “I probably would have.”
“I’m sorry this didn’t work out the way we planned. Like I said, we shouldn’t have had to cross this bridge for years. If Meegan hadn’t been attacked …”
The Doctor’s gaze shifted past Reg as he suddenly began to process the ramifications of Barclay and Zimmerman’s foolhardy choice.
“The Indign consciousness that possessed her … it never left, did it?”
“No,” Reg confirmed.
“So when she kissed me, that wasn’t really her?”
“No.”
“Why do you think she did it?”
“I have no idea,” Reg admitted. “My guess is, she was looking to cover her tracks, diverting our attention from her true plans. Or maybe she just found you irresistible.”
“Sex as misdirection,” the Doctor said, nodding sagely. “A tried and true tactic, I’m afraid.”
“Yes,” Reg agreed. “And now, that consciousness is in possession of a matrix it can alter at will with a mobile holographic emitter at its heart.”
“She will live forever, in any form she chooses to take,” the Doctor realized.
“And with a Starfleet shuttle at her disposal.”
The Doctor paused, as the destructive potential that had unwittingly been unleashed upon the galaxy took vivid and terrifying form in his processors.
“What have we done?” the Doctor all but whispered.
“No,” Reg corrected him sadly. “What have I done.”
Barclay had already grasped the seriousness of the situation but seeing the Doctor’s response as prelude to the reception he would undoubtedly get from the senior fleet staff, his worry intensified.
Lieutenant Barclay, who had thoroughly briefed Captains Eden, Itak, and Glenn about Meegan’s true nature, sat stony and silent, like a condemned man waiting to learn whether his punishment was life in prison or swift, merciful death.
Eden would leave it to Glenn to mete out disciplinary measures should she deem them appropriate, but silently added Barclay’s actions to the growing list of matters requiring review.
“Thank you for your report, Lieutenant,” Eden said. “We will take your recommendations regarding Meegan under advisement.”
Barclay nodded and Eden turned her attention to Seven.
Seven sat at Eden’s right. She appeared wan and her voice was weary, yet she seemed anxious to recount what she had learned in the days since the battle with the Indign armada. Chakotay, Cambridge, Sharak, Patel, and Paris appeared as interested as Eden was to hear what Seven had to say.
“I first attempted to speak with the Indign again four days ago. My initial communication with them was difficult and subsequent efforts, more so.”
“How?” Doctor Sharak inquired respectfully.
“The Indign retain their individuality, even in the cooperative state. The harmony that exists between these individual members of a cooperative is facilitated by the Neela and Imalak. A cooperative functions as one, but each cooperative maintains a singular “frequency” for communication that is distinct. Initially, I was able to address hundreds of cooperatives at one time.”
“They possess no organizational hierarchy?” Patel asked.
“No,” Seven replied. “Each cooperative assumes a distinct task, but there is no centralized authority that directs their efforts. Just as the members of a cooperative function as one, groups of cooperatives interact with little difficulty and are free to contribute to their society in whatever way they desire. Great emphasis is placed on maintaining the social order. Differences of opinion are quickly resolved, not by an outside