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Star Trek Voyager: Matrix One

A Fan Fiction By

TattooAlchemist

Chapter 1: Discovery

0-0-0

Captain’s Log: Stardate 82614.95 (August 13, 2405)

U.S.S. Valkarie

N.C.C. – 1271940

During our routine patrol of the borders of Federation space, our sensors have detected a faint energy signature that hasn’t been detected in the last 25 years. The signature is Borg. However, because it is so faint, we’ve concluded that it is not a cube or a sphere. We are currently heading towards the source of the signature to determine this, but my own past experiences with the Borg have taught me to remain constantly vigilant.

0-0-0

On board the bridge of the U.S.S. Valkarie, Captain Harry Kim waited impatiently for any report to come in on the Borg energy signature. Despite his stern appearance that he gained through his years of climbing the ranks, inside he still felt uneasy with the fact that whatever was out there was Borg. Sitting in the captains chair he started to pour over the memories he had of the Borg. Even though he didn’t have that many close encounters, it was enough to wake him up at night dripping in sweat. Just thinking about what they had detected, he started to wonder what it could be, if it wasn’t a Borg ship.

“Captain,” Lt. Commander Yomiko Readman called from her ops station, “The Borg energy signature is within visual range.”

“On screen,” Captain Kim ordered.

The screen only showed a small pod-like object floating in the middle of open space.

“Magnify,” Kim ordered.

The screen magnified to show the greater detail of the pod. The thing looked to be the same shape and size as a torpedo casing. Yet, its exterior had parts that were distinctively Borg. Jutting angles, gaunt and angular parts, and glowing green lights from within it.

“Any life signs?” Kim asked

“Yes, sir.” Readman replied reading out what her console told, “Only one…definitely Borg.”

“Counselor?” Kim asked

Counselor Sara Riker focused her Betazoid abilities on the pod. At first, it was tricky to detect since the Borg were so devoid of emotions, so clockwork and mechanized. Yet, that time, there was something very different about this. Only one life sign, only one Borg, and the question came up “why just one?”

“I do sense a mind,” she reported, but continued to sense what was emanating from the pod, “But…it’s…asleep.”

“Asleep?” Kim asked cautiously.

“That’s all I can say right now” she finished.

Kim gave the matter some thought, he knew that there was some risk to the fact that this thing is Borg, but he had to know why it was there.

“Beam the pod directly to the shuttlebay,” he ordered as he turned to the security officer, Edward Elric, a short statured officer, but no one dared to say that to his face. “Lt. Elric, have a fully armed team ready to shoot if that thing so much as blinks.”

“Yes, sir,” Elric smiled as he itched for action.

“Captain,” Counselor Ricker spoke out, “I do not sense that the one in that pod is a threat.”

“What makes you say that Counselor?” Kim asked

The counselor shook her head trying with all her brain power to grasp the words to describe the feeling she was getting.

“I think that if it were truly a threat, I would have sensed some kind of intent,” She explained.

“I appreciate your concern counselor,” Kim stated, “but we cannot afford to be careless with the Borg.”

“Captain,” Readman called out, “The pod is in the shuttle bay.”

“Good,” Kim acknowledged.

0-0-0

Inside the Valkarie’s main shuttle bay, The Borg pod materialized in the center while circling around it was a security team armed to the teeth with multi-phasic rifles and personnel shields. They were ready for whatever was going to happen in the confidence that it would take a while for the Borg to even begin to adapt to their new weaponry.

Shifting between the security team members was a science team lead by the ships Chief Engineer and Edward Elric’s brother; Alphonse Elric. The young officer was nervous as he stepped closer to the pod; he had heard horror stories back when he and Edward were at the academy about what the Borg did. Of course, it was thought that they were destroyed upon the return of the Starship Voyager, but as Captain Janeway said herself, “You never know with the Borg.”

Alphonse Elric took out his tricorder, taking in the readings of the pod and finding a way to open it. He discovered that it opened up much in the same way as a torpedo casing. The other members of the science team followed as they took the four corners of the pod, undid the clamps, and lifted up the top half of the pod.

Setting the pod half aside, the science team looked inside to see a true Borg drone, most of them had only seen holographic simulations of them at the academy’s history course. Who knew that they would have the opportunity to see one? The drone was completely covered in implants. The only parts of him that were exposed was his face, at least part of it since there was a series of implants that covered his right eye making a hollow socket over it that burned with an insidious green hue like the eye of some malevolent monster. Yet, oddly enough, the drone was…asleep. Or at least that’s what it looked like to the officers looking at it.

Alphonse took out his tricorder.

“What’re you reading from it, Al?” The leader of the security team, Edward Elric asked impatiently.

Alphonse gave the Borg drone a small sweep with the tricorder.

“The drone is…” Al paused, “He’s in a state of…Borg Regeneration…”

The tricorder began to beep with an alarming sound.

“What is it, Al?” Ed asked

Al reached for his communicator on his chest, “Elric to sick bay, we need an emergency medical team in the main shuttle bay, now!”

“On our way,” the voice of the Doctor answered back.

“What’s going on, Al?” Ed demanded of his little brother.

“He’s dying.” Al answered.

0-0-0

Captain Harry Kim stepped into the Valkarie sickbay.

“Report, Doctor,” he ordered.

Doctor Ritsuko Akagi took a sip of her coffee, brushed away a little of her shortly cut blonde hair before turning to the Captain. She led him to a force field contained sickbay bed where the Borg drone lay. As the two of them stood there, Doctor Akagi explained what happened.

“The drone’s designation is one of seven, primary adjunct of matrix zero two,” she started, “it was starting to loose its vitals of the organic components. They’re stable but I don’t know for how long it will stay that way.”

“Why is that?” Kim asked

“The drone has been disconnected from the hive mind, how it happened is unknown, but its human immune system is starting to reject the Borg components” Doctor Akagi explained.

“Why would that cause him to loose his vitals?” Harry asked using the masculine gender in his reference to the Borg drone since it was obviously male.

“When I did the scan, it seems that the implants are so deep into the organic tissues that the implants tried to counteract the immune system once it started to reject them. But I think it might have also been from the strain from its journey from, presumably, the Delta Quadrant. You’ve seen a similar case to this, Anika Hansen, a.k.a. Seven of Nine aboard the U.S.S. Voyager.”

“Recommendations?”

“We can either let it die and send the corpse to Starfleet academy for study, or we can aid it by removing the implants. But removing the implants will only be a solution to half of the problem.”

“What’s the other half?”

“Even if we remove the implants we won’t be able to wake it up. Its mind is in a state similar to dream sleep.”

“Can’t you revive him?”

“I’ve used every drug at my disposal, but none have had any effect. That’s when it was discovered that it’s not a form of sleep that organic species experience. From what Commander Elric has found, its mind is trapped in a Borg program of unusual design.”

“Is there any way to break into it?”

“Commander Elric and Readman are working on that right now.”

“Good, keep me posted on the progress. I’ll contact Starfleet and find out what we can do.”

“Isn’t a decision like this left up to you?”

“Normally, yes,” Kim shrugged, “But this is an unusual case and I have to follow the rules.”

Doctor Akagi smiled, “Since when we’re the rules that important?”

Kim smiled back thinking to how he broke a lot of rules and yet managed to reach the level of Captain. “Proceed with the removal of the implants. I’ll simply tell Starfleet that we had to take emergency action, he was dying, right?”

“Yes…he…was…” Doctor Akagi acknowledge with a wink.

0-0-0

Captain’s Log: Supplemental

U.S.S. Valkarie

N.C.C. – 1271940

Starfleet has been informed of the visitor we took on, the Borg drove that is called One of Seven. The members of Starfleet Command were surprised by this appearance of only one drove. They have advised that we take extra precautions around it, but after hearing the report from Doctor Akagi, I too have doubts if the drone is a threat.

Currently, Commander Elric and Readman have found a way to break into the Borg program that has the drones mind trapped. All we can do now is wait and see what the drone wants when he awakens.

0-0-0

In sickbay, Doctor Akagi had been pulling a double shift in order to remove the drones’ implants. The procedure though wasn’t tiring at all, as she was removing them, it seemed to her that she was pealing an onion. One by one, pieces of the body armor came off the drones face to reveal the human man trapped within. His skin changing from the pale complexion to one that was pink with blood flowing through his veins once again. Even around his head and above his eyes, the follicles of hair were stimulated back into growth.

She was taking a break at her desk, sipping her coffee, and relaxing after she had pulled all those implants away. As she drank she thought to herself that the sooner that this Borg drone awakens the sooner that they would get some answers. First of all, why did it come alone? Did this mean that the Borg still lived? And the one question that troubled Doctor Akagi the most was, why was its connection to the collective severed?

Coming to that question, the door opened, and there was Lt. Commander Elric and Readman. Both of them brining in boxes and rolling in equipment. Seeing all of it made Doctor Akagi protest:

“Is all of this really necessary?”

“I’m afraid it is, Doctor,” Alphonse explained, “The program that has his mind trapped is some kind of neural interactive program.”

“A holodeck for the mind?” Doctor Akagi asked

“That’s what we think it is,” Yomiko confirmed, “It’s so heavily encrypted that we had to use several computers to just crack the code.”

“What’s the plan?” Doctor Akagi asked

“We’re going to hook ourselves into the program,” Elric explained, “Once inside we’re going to bring him out.”

“I’m not so sure if that’s a good idea,” Doctor Akagi shook her head, “For all we know going in there may trap your minds as well and we may not get you back.”

“That’s why we need you to monitor us,” Yomiko explained as if she knew the doctor couldn’t refuse.

She was right. Doctor Akagi took a deep breath seeing that there was no other option if they were going to successfully revive this Borg drone.

“Alright,” She said as she took the last sip of her coffee, “Let’s get to work.”

The hours continued to pass as Yomiko and Alphonse began to setup their equipment inside sickbay. Placing what they called “upload nodes” around the heads of the sickbay beds for themselves and hooking up the drone to a newly constructed computer of Alphonse Elric’s design. Doctor Akagi on the other hand was setting up new monitors that connected to the new computer and the uplink nodes.

By the time that they were finished, sickbay was an absolute mess, wires, computer chips, and other assorted parts scattered across the sickbay floor and table tops.

“When this is finished,” Doctor Akagi stated, “you two are going to clean this up.”

“Fair enough,” Alphonse smiled as he stood up and looking around there was nothing in his eyes that seemed to be out of place for the setup, “It all seems ready. Are you ready, Yomiko?”

“I am.” Yomiko said

“How will it work?” Doctor Akagi asked

“We just lie down,” Alphonse explained, “Then at your station press ‘load’, and then we’ll go from there.”

“How will I know if you’re alright?”

“We’ve installed protocols that monitor our vital signs and allow us to remain in constant communication with you.” Yomiko explained.

Doctor Akagi paused for a moment, “Let’s start.”

0-0-0

Yomiko and Alphonse woke up in an unusually strange place. The first sensation that came to them was one of slight dizziness until they found their footing. That was when they surveyed their surroundings. The place was a foyer, but everything seemed so…old, in fact the place looked downright primitive from their 25th century perspective. The floors were made of green and white linoleum setup in a checkered pattern until it came to a carpet that was dark grey, faded, torn, and with splotches of some unknown liquid in different areas. The banisters were made of wood that was broken and rotted in places. The windows at the top of the stars were caked in dirt, grime, and other filth. Taking in the air of the place, it smelt old and moldy. Both of them recoiled, repulsed by the smell.

“It’s only a simulation,” Yomiko tried to reassure Alphonse.

“It’s a pretty real simulation,” Alphonse responded.

“Your mind makes it real,” A voice called out to them.

Instantly panicked the two of them looked all around to find the voice since it definitely did not belong to Doctor Akagi. As they were searching in panic for the owner of the voice, Doctor Akagi came through.

“What’s going on in there?” She demanded, her voice sounding as if it was coming through a low frequency communication channel.

“There’s someone in here,” Yomiko reported.

“Yeah, over here.” The voice called out.

Alphonse and Yomiko looked to find a man sitting on the stairs casual, as if he were waiting for a ride to whatever destination that he had in mind. Seeing his visitors the man stood up showing that he was wearing a long black cassock coat or a priest duster. He took slow steps down the stairs, all the while he coat flowing with each step he took as if it was water flowing around him. The coat was black as space itself on the outside, but inside it was green, green like the lights of the Borg themselves. He looked at Yomiko and Alphonse from behind a pair of black sunglasses, despite how abysmally dark it was in that place.

The man in black reached up to take off his sunglasses and that was when Yomiko and Alphonse saw that he was a handsome man with finely combed short hair and a pair of kind brown eyes set into a then angular face. Taking a closer look Alphonse and Yomiko made the startling realization that this man was the Borg drone that was lying asleep in sickbay.

“It’s about time that someone showed up,” he said in a tone that was cold and casual sounding at the same time.

“Who…” Alphonse began, “…what are you?”

“That’s a pretty complicated question,” The man in black answered back, “one filled with deep questions about what defines what we are.”

“What he means is, what is your name?” Yomiko restated.

“I had several names,” The man in black answered, “I was once Thomas A. Anderson, then I was One of Seven, Primary Adjunct of Matrix Zero Two, but now I am simply called Neo.”

“Now, was that so hard?” Alphonse asked with a giggle.

“Since you two are here and from Starfleet,” Neo began, “I think you’ll need an exit.”

“An exit?” Alphonse asked

“A way out,” Neo answered as his slipped on his sunglasses and headed up the stairs. Once at the top of the stairs he turned back to find Alphonse and Yomiko looking very confused. “Come on! You don’t wanna stay in here, believe me.”

Quickly, Alphonse and Yomiko followed Neo up the stairs, but the two of them had so many questions, but they couldn’t’ ask them with the effort that they were making to catch up with Neo. It truly was bizarre that since Yomiko and Alphonse were both in great shape, but Neo was going so much faster than they were. Until they reached the top level of the dilapidated building, there, Neo was waiting for them by a large wooden door. Yomiko and Alphonse were panting and sweating, but Neo was still, calm, and motionless in his waiting.

As the two of them tried to catch their breath, Neo turned to the door and opened it. Inside, the room was very much like the rest of the building, old, used, and in need of repair. At a disused fireplace were two old real leather chairs with a small table between them and a standard Starfleet terminal set on it.

“That’s our way out,” Neo explained.

“You…” Alphonse continued to pant, “You could leave…at anytime you wanted?”

“I could have,” Neo answered, “wouldn’t have made it a smart idea if I were still in space.”

Stepping in front of the terminal, he waved his hand in front of it and the screen came up with a flashing message that read:

INCOMING TRANSMISSION

Neo turned to Yomiko and Alphonse.

“You two can go first,” he said.

“How can we trust you?” Alphonse asked being suspicious, “How do we know that this isn’t a trap of the program?”

Neo laughed, “There are no traps in this program.”

Yomiko raised her eyebrows, “How would you defend yourself if the Borg got in?”

“I have ways,” Neo answered.

0-0-0

Captain’s Log: Stardate 82634.92 (August 24, 2405)

U.S.S. Valkarie

N.C.C. – 1271940

The Borg drone has been awakened from its state of sleep within the program. He has called himself Neo and has informed that as soon as the Borg implants had been removed and has made a full recovery, he will address us to tell why he has come to Federation space. However, the bigger question would be, are the Borg still alive?

0-0-0

Neo sat up in his sickbay bed looking at his flesh and blood hands that were free of the Borg implants. At least on the outside, he could still feel some of the implants that were still present, but hidden. Such as the ones that were on his scalp beneath his newly grown black hair. Though looking at the gray…outfit…that he was wearing, he couldn’t help but feel that it wasn’t his style. As he looked at himself, Doctor Akagi came back in.

“How are you feeling, Neo?” She asked

“I feel human,” Neo said looking at his hands.

“That is good to know now that ninety percent of the Borg implants have been removed.”

“But I’d like a change of clothes.”

“What’s wrong with what you have?”

“It’s not my style.”

Doctor Akagi shrugged, “You can design what you like on the station and have it replicated.”

“Good,” Neo said as he got off the sickbay bed and headed to the nearby station and began working it quicker than anything that Doctor Akagi had ever seen. She started to wonder how, but she had to remind herself that he was Borg, so naturally he would know how to work computers from Federation to Borg design.

“You wanted to tell me something didn’t you?” Neo asked

“What?” Doctor Akagi asked back, surprised by Neo’s question.

“Your silence,” Neo explained, “It seems you want to tell me something.”

“Yes,” Doctor Akagi began, “You must understand that even though you’re human, people aren’t going to accept you. They may even confront you with hatred because of what you used to be.”

“I know,” Neo acknowledged as his construction of his new clothes set was finished and sent the data to the replicator. With his new clothes set, he began to change in front of Doctor Akagi. He did it with such casualness as if he were putting on hi sshoes. He then asked, “What about the ones before me? Seven of Nine? The survivors of Unimatrix Zero?”

“They were a different case,” Doctor Akagi explained, “They were freed from the Collective. You on the other hand just came to us without reason.”

“I have reasons,” Neo promptly cut off Doctor Akagi, “You’ll soon find out what my reasons are.”

0-0-0

In the Observation Lounge of the Valkarie, the majority of the senior staff sat waiting in anticipation of the newly freed Borg drone. The ship was practically buzzing with the news about the drone, some were saying that the Borg must have returned and others were in fear that he would signal a new war with the Borg. The answer would lie with the Borg who called himself Neo, who was on his way to the meeting with Doctor Ritsuko Akagi at his side while being flanked by heavily armed security guards.

Neo and Doctor Akagi entered the observation lounge; there was Lt. Commander Alphonse Elric, Lt. Commander Yomiko Readman, Lt. Edward Elric, Counselor Sara Riker, Commander Misato Katsuragi, and Captain Harry Kim. Each of them looked at Neo with a certain amount of caution, which was evident to Neo since each one of them was armed with a phaser sidearm. Neo tried to set this aside because he had a mission, one that he would need all the help he can get.

Sitting down at the far end of the conference table, Doctor Akagi sat two chairs away from him, and so the meeting began.

To be continued…