The Borg Queen's Visit (Part Three)

Right now, I'm hooked in one of our Borg alcoves on the Enterprise. On one side is Seven of Nine, on the other is the Borg Queen. They are both currently regenerating. I am about to visit Unimatrix Zero, where Borg clones who have the recessive gene can visit. The Borg Queen has informed me that evidence has arisen thar Seven may have the gene, and her human alter-ego Annika Hansen may be there. If she is, the Queen will destroy her.

-------------

"Are you ready, Jean-Luc?" Bev asks me as I am about to go under.

"Yes." I reply, somewhat nervously, "I don't know what I'm going to find there, but don't forget what to do what I asked. Queenie is in an extra-long regeneration, and will be unaware."

As I'm connected up, I feel like I'm the Frankenstein monster, who's just had a big jolt of electricity.

Suddenly I wake up on a grassy meadow and look around me. There is a a forest nearby, and in the distance, the coast opens to a wide ocean.



This is a good place to come for a vacation, except that iot's all in the mind. I notice that the forest area has some barely concealed caves, and there is life about. As I approach, all sorts of races are living together. They look at me oddly, as they can tell I'm a newbie in town.

A young blonde-haired woman stares at me in shock from the distance, horrified to see me here. She rushes forward. Though I can bazrely recognise her from the metal-plated drone we have on the Enterprise, I'm pretty sure who this is..



"Hello, Captain Picard." she says, "I'm Annika Hansen, the human part of Seven of Nine. Welcome to Unimatrix Zero."

"How do you know who I am, Annika?" I ask.

"Oh, I know what Seven knows." she laughs, "Fortunately she doesn't know about me, otherwise there would be trouble from the Borg Queen. What brings you here?"

"There IS trouble from the Borg Queen!" I exclaim, and tell her that she has evidernce that Seven is in Unimatrix Zero, and I have been sent to see."

Annika goes whiter that a shirt ironed by washing up liquid in a galactic tv advert.

"You're not going to tell on me are you?" she asks, "The Queen would destroy both Seven and I. Here, I'm the joint mayor of this realm along with my hated ex-lover."

I look amazed at this fact, but continue.



"No, Annika." I tell her, "But I needed to know if you were here before knowing how to proceed. Don't worry; you'll be safe. It's time for me to leave."

"Good luck, Captain." Annika says, "I hope you'll visit again soon. Unimatrix Zero has many holiday caves for the discerning visitor."

I feel myself coming back to the Enterprise alcove.

Now to deceive a Queen...

To be continued.....