Star Trek Voyager: The Hansen Identity

Star Trek Voyager: The Hansen Identity (Chapter 5)

At first the Doctor attempted to ignore Seven’s mother’s hysterical sobbing, her father’s disturbingly silent withdrawal, but eventually it began to get to him and he turned to the woman. “Would you like a sedative?” he asked politely, hypospray in hand.

Erin’s head jolted up, green eyes bitter and tear washed. “No! How do you think that would help?”

“It would perhaps settle your nerves a little, either way you’re both doing to have to complete a full regeneration cycle before I can certify you as medically fit…”

The Captain, who had been standing silently in shadows ever since she’d informed them of Seven’s existence, now spoke up. “They’ll have to go to Cargo Bay 2 then?” she asked softly, at the Doctor’s nod she called out to the computer. “Computer, locate Seven of Nine.”

“Seven of Nine is in Commander Chakotay’s quarters.” For a moment Janeway was intrigued but it was quickly taken over by relief that she was in the capable hands of the ship’s unofficial counsellor rather than holed up, alone and brooding, in the Cargo Bay.

She tapped her comm. badge. “Icheb, we need your assistance in Sickbay please.”

“On my way Captain.” He quickly responded and she cautiously approached the Hansens, racking her brain with what to say.

“I know you’re both upset right now but I need to follow the Doctor’s advice and then we’ll talk about what we’re going to do…”

Magnus stared straight past her at some unidentified section of bulkhead before suddenly saying in a listless tone of voice, “Why do you keep referring to her as “Seven”? That’s a number…” His voice became progressively more angry and irrational, “…a Borg designation, not a name!”

Janeway and the Doctor exchanged apprehensive looks. That question seemed to personify this whole tragic situation and the Captain decided to sidestep the crux of the issue for now. “It was her decision when she came aboard…I’ll explain everything I promise but it’s not such a good idea at the moment…” Icheb’s arrival in Sickbay saved her from digging a bigger hole for herself and she smiled as she introduced him. “This is Icheb, he’s going to take you to Cargo Bay 2 to regenerate and after that we’ll talk okay?”

Magnus’s eyes shifted round the three strangers, the curious, pitying face of another former Borg, the air of controlled desperation from Captain Janeway, the thinly veiled hostility of the Doctor and felt a sudden need to be out of this room with all its intolerable recent associations. Without a word he took a snivelling Erin firmly in hand and followed the young Borg out the door.

Icheb walked several paces in front of them down the hallway, mind racing. He knew they would not meet Seven, being the only person on the ship who was fully aware of her relationship with Commander Chakotay, and was deeply relieved. They had never discussed her attitude to her own parents, but he knew her well enough to know that her turmoil would be extreme, as he assumed her parents’ was from their pale, drawn faces. Suddenly he became aware of Seven’s mother addressing him. “Were you freed with Annika?” she asked in wobbly fretful tone, almost as if she was fearful of him.

Annika? Oh yes, that was Seven’s former designation. “No, I was liberated by Seven with the help of the Voyager crew nineteen months ago.”

“Are there any more of you? Former drones I mean?” Seven’s father asked brusquely.

“No, until yesterday there was only Seven and myself. Three other Borg children were freed with me but they returned to their families.”

“And you didn’t?” asked Erin, her voice high and strained.