Unworthy - Kirsten Beyer [123]
“What was that?”
Seven felt her cheeks begin to burn, though she felt no shame in revisiting the memory now, only sadness and regret. “When the Caeliar transformed the Borg, I was invited to join the gestalt, but the final choice was mine.”
Eden’s posture stiffened at this rather alarming disclosure.
Seven went on. “The Caeliar represented the fulfillment of the Borg’s deepest needs and the vast majority of drones would have entered the gestalt quite willingly.”
Eden paused as she took this in. “You were given a choice to join the Caeliar?” she asked.
“I was.”
“And you turned them down?” Eden said, clearly surprised.
“I did.”
“May I ask why?”
Seven shook her head. “I cannot yet provide you with a definitive answer, as I myself do not completely understand. I do know, however, that the voice was meant to comfort me. Having accepted that, I no longer feel the same anxiety and confusion I once did. The voice has vanished because it became irrelevant.”
“Do you believe you have learned all there is to know about your catoms?” Eden inquired.
“No,” Seven replied. “The Doctor believes any potential use will be extremely limited because they were designed to sustain my physical systems once supplemented by nanoprobes. He has also discovered that they are powered by my own biological processes, which also limits their abilities. Using them toward any other end—communicating with the Indign, for example—is very draining. I will continue to test their limits under controlled conditions, but do not believe they will augment my current capabilities in any significant way.”
“I’d say they already have, Seven,” Eden said with a faint smile. “You don’t give yourself nearly enough credit.” The captain stood and placed a compassionate hand on Seven’s shoulder. “You have done a remarkable job and you have my gratitude for that.”
Seven hadn’t given much thought to her future with the fleet, but the captain’s words felt like a farewell. “Is it your intention, then, to return me to the Alpha quadrant?”
Eden was clearly shocked at the suggestion.
“You want to go home already?”
“Now that I understand the nature of the voice, I find I must reassess the likelihood that we will find evidence of the Caeliar in the Delta quadrant. I will, most certainly, not be able to provide you with any particular expertise in searching for them, and I am inclined to take them at their word.”
“You think they’re really gone?”
Seven nodded.
“And you believe that’s the only reason I wanted you to join the fleet?”
Seven could not find an immediate reply.
“Wow,” Eden said, disbelief plain on her face, “for an individual who has single-handedly saved herself, her friends, her ship, and from time to time, the galaxy, you measure your ability to offer meaningful contributions too cheaply. You are an asset of incalculable value, Seven. I will always welcome your services and I very much hope you will be willing to stay and continue to provide them.”
Seven felt her cheeks flush again, this time with happiness.
“That would be acceptable.”
Eden smiled brightly.
“Good.”
Seven turned to see Counselor Cambridge staring at them both.
“This was meant to be a private conversation, Counselor,” Eden said semi-seriously.
“Then you should have held it somewhere else,” he tossed back. Crossing to Seven he extended his hand. “Glad you’ve decided to stay, Seven.”
“Thank you, Counselor,” Seven replied. “Your assistance has been most instructive.”
“You say that like our work has come to an end,” he said quizzically.
“Hasn’t it?” Seven asked.
“On the contrary, our work has barely begun. I’ll see you in my office, eight hundred.”
“I don’t understand.”
“The voice may be gone, but the conditions that allowed it to create such distress within you have hardly been addressed, let alone resolved. And I’m positively dying to hear more about that little girl.