Serving Two Masters

"She's WHAT!" yelled Admiral Bullock over the video in my Ready Room. He is so loud I have to turn the volume button.

Bullock goes and has a drink of whisky, then sits down in front of the viewer.



"Now look, Picard." Bullock informs me in seething calmness, "It was all very well allowing Seven Of Nine to take the Starfleet Entrance Exam to try and become an Ensign. It looks very diplomatic, smooths over any problems.....but she wasn't supposed to pass!!"

"But she did, sir." I answer, "She got 100%"

"You should have faked the answers so she didn't pass!" the Admiral angrily tells me, "We can't have the enemy serving in Starfleet."

"I'm sure she will be very loyal, sir." I tell him, "As an Ensign, she will do what I say."

"You mean what the Borg Queen says!" Bullock snaps back, "Did it never occur to you to think what Seven of Nine will do if the Enterprise has to come up against a Borg invasion? You'll be the first to to get shot with her phaser on 'kill'."

For the first time I look worried, and tell the Admiral I will sort it out. I summon Seven to the Ready Room and set up a video link to Borg Cube 01, where the Borg Queen is.



"Hello, Jean-Luc" she tells me in a very feminine voice, "What a pleasure it is to hear from you. It has only been a couple of days since we last conversed. Have you dumped that Beverly Crusher and decided you want me instead?"

"No, Queenie, I have a serious problem.

"Well perhaps a Borg implant might help you?"

"No!" I answer, "It's about Seven Of Nine.". As the drone enters, I explain to them both the difficulty that Admiral Bullock has placed me in.



"He should be assimilated!" sneers Seven, "He is preventing me becoming an Ensign."

"I think we have to consider another solution." Queenie comments over the link. "How about these parameters: Seven is ordered to do everything that Locutus commands her to do, regardless of whether it is detrimental to the Borg race. However, when she is on leave, Seven will report to me."

"What about classified Starfleet secrets?" I ask, "The Hive Mind will know about it."

"That can be adjusted." Queenie tells me, "I can make sure that Seven still gets access to the Hive Mind, but her thoughts will not go to it. Nor will I ask Seven about secrets."

A video contract is drawn up and Seven goes out of the Ready Roon to resume her new Ensign duties.

"Thank you for sorting that out, Queenie." I say, smiling at her on trhe video viewer.

"That helped us both out." she replies, "Incidentally, there is a charming French restaurant on a planet we've just assimilated. Would you like to go there with me for dinner and who knows what afterwards?"

"Sorry, Queenie." I say quickly, "The Enterprise has a mission elsewhere."

"Another time, Jean-Luc." the Borg Queen says with a sly smile.

I switch the monitor off hurriedly.