Scorpion Part 2

B’Elanna reports that she has a lock on Captain Janeway and the Borg’s shields are off-line. When they attempt to beam Janeway aboard, the Borg scatter Voyager’s beam.

The Borg hail Voyager and Chakotay puts the message on the main viewscreen. Janeway informs the crew that she has reached an agreement with the Collective and in exchange for Voyager’s help in designing a weapon against Species 8472, the Borg will grant them safe passage through their space. Janeway commands Tuvok to join her on the cube as the Borg change directions toward the Alpha Quadrant. Chakotay’s, Tom’s and B’Elanna’s faces mirror their trepidation at these unchangeable course of events.

In sickbay while Chakotay views Borg nanoprobes in a viewscreen of a microscope, the Doctor informs him that he has made ten million Borg nanoprobes replicated to his specifications. When Chakotay questions whether the mode of attack by the nanoprobes will be assimilation, the Doctor responds by stating assimilation will only be momentarily because the Borg technology will denature it in only seconds, taking alien tissue along with it.

The Doctor approaches Harry Kim who is showing more signs of being processed by alien contamination on his upper chest and shoulders as well as the face. He tells Harry that he will make an injection in his carotid artery and he may feel an tingling sensation (Which means it will go straight to the brain. The reason most procedures are performed on arteries in the extremities today is because they do not have the pressure of arteries just exiting the heart.) After an hyperspray is used, they watch gradual disappearance of the tentacle looking progression of the infection until he can actually move his eyelid. The Doctor makes a pun by saying nice to see you again. Kes who is near is thrilled to see that it is working and immediately leaves to prepare another round of nanoprobes at the Doctor’s orders. Chakotay congratulates and tells the Doctor to let him know when Harry is back on his feet. The Doctor swiftly informs Chakotay of his doubts about the alliance with the Borg before Chakotay can leave sickbay. Chakotay reminds him to keep all information stored in the Doctor’s holomatrix about the nanoprobes so the Borg will not access it.

As Chakotay exits the turbolift onto the bridge, he tells B’Elanna to keep a transporter lock on Tuvok and the Captain. When B’Elanna tells him why she probably won’t be able to match their field frequencies because the Borg will be able to adapt too quickly, Chakotay raises his voice and shows his agitation by barking back that he doesn’t want to hear what they can’t do. Lowering his tone only slightly he states he just wants her to be able to get the away team off the Borg vessel if they have to. B’Elanna responds with “Aye, Sir” just seconds before the crew feels a sharp jolt as the Borg release their tractor beam on Voyager.

In sickbay Kes is accessing a viewscreen on the wall when she thinks she sees Species 8472 in it. As she pivots around, she sees nothing in the sickbay at first until she hears a growling noise and Species 8472 coming directly toward her. She screams and immediately cringes on the floor as it continues to make its alien noises. The Doctor starts shaking her and calling her name over and over to get her attention and ask what is wrong. In great distress she makes the statement that “They are watching us.”

On their way to grid 92 of subjunction 12 to their very own workspace in the middle of the cube, Tuvok imparts to Janeway the information that Species 8472 and the bio-ships are made of the same organic material.

Janeway is in the process of stating to the Borg that they need to start work on a large scale delivery system when Borg drones with one hand on their shoulders push them down to their hands and knees. The booming voice of the Borg informs them they need a neuro-transceiver to be able to communicate at the maximum level. The Borg assert to them that the neural link will not damage them. Janeway tells them the deal is off if they don’t remove the neural links and let them keep their individuality. She suggests they choose a single Borg that they can work with and talk to directly. The Borg comply and a female Borg comes forward and states she speaks for the Borg. When asked her designation by Janeway, she tells them she is Seven of Nine, Tertiary Adjunct of Unimatrix Zero One, but they may call her Seven of Nine.

Janeway and Tuvok suggest they encase the nanoprobes in some of their photon torpedoes--in essence turn them into bio-molecular warheads.

Seven of Nine tells them their weapons are inadequate. They lack the necessary range and dispersive force. She takes them to a viewscreen and shows them a multikinetic neutronic mine with a five million isoton yield. Tuvok states one of that size could affect an entire star system. Seven of Nine agrees and states the shockwave will disperse the nanoprobes over a radius of five light years. Janeway tells her she is preparing a weapon of mass destruction and endangering innocent worlds. Seven of Nine concurs. Tuvok states it would take fifty trillion nanoprobes to arm this mine and would take the Doctor several weeks to replicate that amount. He asks if they are willing to risk further delay?

Seven of Nine leaves the viewscreen as she belittles them for thinking as individuals and in small terms but concurs that the present situation requires they consider their plan. She goes back to the viewscreen and informs them that Voyager has 32 photon torpedoes with class six warheads and a explosive yield of 200 isotons.

Back on Voyager the Doctor is scanning Kes’ brain with a medical tricorder when Chakotay enters the sickbay. The Doctor informs him that Kes’ telepathic visions are increasing both in frequency and in intensity. Kes states it is almost like they (8472) are in the room with her. She starts having a vision and her eyes roll back in their sockets as she tries to block 8472 from communicating with her. The Doctor states that every time she has a vision specific regions of her cerebral cortex goes into a state of hyperstimulation including memory engrams and perceptual centers

On the Borg vessel Seven of Nine is analyzing Voyagers data on the bio-ships when Chakotay hails them to inform Janeway that the Doctor believes that Species 8472 is accessing her memories. Janeway concurs that Species 8472 may already know their plans so they change course.

Seven of Nine states they now require one of Voyager’s photon torpedoes and nanoprobes. Janeway denies their request stating that Voyager is not safely across Borg space. Seven of Nine unequivocally states that they must construct a prototype now because of the risk of attack has increased. When Janeway emphatically states they are not willing to give up their only guarantee of safe passage and not be assimilated, Seven of Nine threatens them with a direct confrontation of the Borg by sending 500 drones on board Voyager. Janeway states they would die trying to resist such a takeover.

Seven of Nine backs down and proceeds with stating they must construct a launching system to accommodate this design.

Aboard Voyager Ensign Harry Kim exits the turbolift onto the bridge and reports for duty stating the Doctor gave him a clean bill of health. He proceeds to his station which is manned by B’Elanna. She looks him over and then states that he still has a tendril up his nose in deadpan voice that convinces him and he feels of his nose before realizing he is being teased and looks very disconcerted.

Paris informs the Commander (Chakotay) that he is picking up gravimetric distortions 12,000 kilometers aft that is a singularity. At the same time an alarm goes off on the Borg cube and Seven of Nine states that they are under attack. After Voyager receives a hit to their secondary hull and shields and weapons are off-line, Seven of Nine states the Borg cannot let the nanoprobes be destroyed.

As it turns rapidly, the Borg cube fires from all sides upon the bio-ship, but it has no effect. Just as Voyager is being targeted again, the Borg cube places itself in the path of the bio-ship and they are both destroyed in the impact and explosion as Voyager makes its escape.

Tuvok hails them from Cargo Bay Two and tells them that he and the Captain and a number of Borg were beamed over just before impact and they require assistance.

Paris is left in charge of the bridge as Chakotay and security heads for Cargo Bay Two. Chakotay finds Tuvok and their captain conscious and Borg technology everywhere. Seven of Nine tells them to lower their weapons because they are there with their captain’s consent and that it was necessary to sacrifice their Borg vessel to protect Voyager. Then she asks, “We have an alliance, do we not?” Chakotay does not answer.

In sick bay, Chakotay and Tuvok discuss how the Borg are contained but are drinking energy from the secondary power couplings. Kes tells Tuvok that he may return to duty. Tuvok asks Kes how she is doing. She replies that she is doing fine because the visions have stopped for now.

The Doctor leaves the Captain’s bio-bed and approaches Chakotay. After stating her medical problems, the Doctor states he will have to induce a coma to help her retain her higher brain functions. Unless he can repair the damage, she may never regain consciousness.

Tuvok leaves with orders to stand by for now as far as working with the Borg. The Doctor then informed Chakotay that the Captain wants to speak with him but to keep it brief. Janeway places him in command, and tells him to make the alliance with the Borg work and get the crew home.

In Cargo Bay Two, Chakotay, with phaser gun in hand, confronts Seven of Nine and tells her she will be dealing with him now as the Captain is in sickbay, recovering. Chakotay informs her that the Borg can continue with them, and Voyager will give them the nanoprobes when they are out of Borg territory.

Seven of Nine does not agree, stating that the latest projections state that the war will be lost by then. She demands that he reverse course and take them to the nearest Borg vessel which is forty light years away.

Chakotay states he will honor the original agreement but he will not turn the ship around and go a five day journey deeper into Borg space because it is too dangerous. Seven of Nine states it is also dangerous to deny their request.

In the conference room, Chakotay informs Tom, B’Elanna, Tuvok, Neelix, Kes and Harry that the Borg on board on Voyager make them a prime target for Species 8472. Stating that he is going to end the alliance, Chakotay’s plan is to drop the Borg off on an uninhabited planet with the nanoprobes where they can wait for a Borg ship to pick them up.

When Seven of Nine comes to the Ready Room at his command, his terms are unacceptable to her. She threatens to assimilate them, and Chakotay makes his own threat to decompress the entire deck if any of the drones step out of Cargo Bay Two. Chakotay makes the observation that the Borg won’t pose much of a threat floating in space. Seven of Nine tells him how humans’ lack of harmony, cohesion and greatness will be their undoing.

After Seven of Nine is escorted off to the cargo bay, Janeway is shown unconscious on a bio-bed. She looks very defenseless as her bare shoulders and arms are exposed above the cover. Chakotay enters and looks at her lifeless form and proceeds to inform her that he has made his decision. He makes the observation that she is more than just his friend and he hopes she will understand.

Species 8472 is shown entering the Delta Quadrant and destroying all Borg ships that they come in contact with. The booming Borg voice makes contact with the Borg on board Voyager to inform them that in Matrix 0-1-0 Grid 19, 8 planets destroyed, 312 vessels disabled and 4,000,621 Borg eliminated. They must take control of the Alpha Quadrant vessel and take it into the alien realm. Seven of Nine states she understands. The Borg open a hatch for Seven of Nine to enter a crawlspace.

On the bridge they have reached an uninhabited planet with a class H moon and oxygen-argon atmosphere and Chakotay tells Tuvok to transport the Borg directly from the cargo bay to the planet surface.

Ensign Kim interrupts to announce he is reading power fluctuations in the deflector array because the Borg are trying to realign the emitters. After Seven of Nine is shown working on a control panel, Kim states the Borg have bypassed security protocols. B’Elanna informs the crew that the Borg are emitting a resonant graviton beam that is making another singularity. When Tom tries to reverse course, he informs them that they are fighting intense gravimetric distortion and he can’t break free.

Chakotay contacts the Borg and informs them to stop what they are doing or he will depressurize the deck and blow them out into space after this final warning. Tuvok opens the cargo bay doors and the Borg are seen struggling as they are sucked out into space. Seven is holding on in the crawlspace to keep from being pulled out.

After Tuvok announces that decompression cycle is complete, they find that a single Borg drone is still on board. They are pulled into the singularity and Tuvok reports that they appear to have crossed an interdemensional rift. Tom states they have definitely left their galaxy as there are no stars and no planets. B’Elanna informs them that the whole space is filled with some kind of organic fluid, then makes the statement that this isn’t space--it is matter.

At Seven of Nine’s hail, Chakotay and Tuvok leave the bridge for Cargo Bay Two after telling Tom to repressurize it. They are now in the domain of Species 8472. Seven of Nine informs them that their entry into fluidic space made a compression wave and Species 8472 knows that Voyager is here and will intercept in three hours and seventeen minutes with their bio-ships.

Chakotay discovers that the Borg have been here before because of Seven’s knowledge of fluidic space. When he asks Seven of Nine why the Borg were here, she states that they were the apex of biological advancement and their assimilation would have added to the Borg’s search for perfection. She goes on to state they must attack with the weapons they have been working on. Chakotay counters with asking her to open up the rift again and take them back. Seven of Nine states that is she did that then Voyager would no longer cooperate.

The Doctor hails Chakotay to sickbay at once. Upon entering, Chakotay sees the Captain standing by her bio-bed. The Captain is angry at Chakotay and asks him why he didn’t follow orders. When Chakotay states that the Borg started this war with Species 8472, Janeway seems stunned for a minute but is not swayed by the wrong done to Species 8472. She continues with the original plan over Chakotay’s protests. They both come to the conclusion that they have to stop fighting each other (her and Chakotay).

Seven of Nine is brought to the bridge where she is pleased to see the Captain. Janeway informs Seven of Nine that she has relieved Mr. Chakotay of his duties and confined him to the brig. Tuvok and Seven have two hours to arm the weapons with the nanoprobes and Voyager goes to war.

The bio-molecular weapons are ready which include thirteen photon torpedoes and one class ten armed with a high-yield warhead. Tom informs the Captain that four bio-ships have just entered sensor range. Janeway orders battle stations.

Kes states she can hear Species 8472 and that they want to talk through her. She informs the crew that they have contaminated their realm. Janeway starts making excuses about only trying to defend themselves. Kes continues with Species 8472 statements that the galaxy is impure and its proximity is a threat to their genetic integrity. When Janeway comes back with the threat of their weapons that will attack on the cellular level, they informs her through Kes that the galaxy will be purged.

After Voyager is hit, they fire at the bio-ship. At first the weapons do not appear to affect the bio-ships until they try to charge their weapons and they explode. The Captain commands Seven of Nine to open a singularity and get them out of here, to which she readily complies by pushing someone out of the way at a viewscreen.

As they exit fluidic space, many bio-ships are converging on them and Janeway threatens to use the weapons again. Kes informs her that they are not responding.

A bio-ship hits Voyager with its weapon and Voyager returns fire with the high-yield warhead in the aft (rear) torpedo bay. Tuvok announces the thirteen bio-ships have been destroyed and the others are in retreat. Seven of Nine informs them that she is in contact with the Collective and all remaining bio-ships are returning to their realm. When Janeway asks her to fulfill the Borg’s agreement and give Voyager safe passage, Seven of Nine informs her that this alliance is terminated and the ship and crew will adapt to service the Borg. Tom’s phaser against Seven of Nine has no effect and as she shoves him out of the way she states “resistance is futile” as she assumes helm control and is obtaining their coordinates.

Janeway hails Chakotay with one word--”Scorpion.” Chakotay has a neural link on his neck and hails Seven of Nine. He appeals to her humanity as the Doctor informs B’Elanna that the neural link is stable but it won’t be for long and she must hurry.

B’Elanna initiates the power surge just as Chakotay starts to lose his link with Seven of Nine. Seven of Nine and Chakotay are both in distress as energy leaps visibly from their neural links and they grunt with pain as Seven of Nine’s link with the Collective is severed and they both pass out. As they take Seven of Nine to sickbay, the Doctor informs the Captain from Cargo Bay Two with all the Borg technology that Chakotay is going to be okay although he may have a headache when he wakes up.

CAPTAINS LOG STARDATE 51003.7

After three days there has been no sigh of Borg or bio-ships, they appear to be out of danger but the entire crew is on edge.

Chakotay enters the holodeck where Janeway is writing with quill and ink on paper and does not notice Chakotay until he speaks. He reports that it will take two weeks to remove the Borg technology from their systems. They discuss the Captain’s plans to keep Seven of Nine on board as they pulled the plug and are responsible for her. To Chakotay’s questioning her reasons for keeping the Borg when the drone might not want to stay on board, Janeway states that they can offer friendship. Chakotay feels the reprimand as he responds that disobeying Janeway’s orders were one of the most difficult things he ever had to do. Janeway states she respects the decision he made even though she disagrees with it. The important thing was that they got through it together. They leave the holodeck for the bridge.

In Sickbay, Seven of Nine viewed from toe to head seems to state that she is still a threat--even unconscious and disconnected--she is Borg.