Disclaimer: I do not own the copyrights to Fullmetal Alchemist, Roxanne, or any other books, movies, and songs referenced in this fan fiction. All Copyrights belong to their respective owners.

Star Trek Voyager: Matrix One

A Fan Fiction By

TattooAlchemist

Chapter 2: Is It True?

* * *

“Well, Neo,” Captain Kim began, “We first would like to know what you are doing here.”

Neo looked down at the conference table to the aged Harry Kim, “I came to find help.”

“Help with what?” Counselor Sara Riker asked.

“To answer that I have to tell you a story going back over twenty-five years,” Neo began, “It all began with the destruction of Unimatrix Zero. Do you remember, Captain?”

Harry hesitated for a moment thinking over the memories of Voyager in the Delta Quadrant, “Yes, I do. That’s when a group of the Borg was freed through the use of a neural simulation that several individuals created.”

“That’s how it started,” Neo said sounding so somber, “even though this phenomenon happened once, history has shown that it can repeat itself. It was then that the collective created a new Matrix. This one would keep the subconscious minds of the individuals under control. When those of us were awakened from it, we called it Matrix One.”

“Wait,” Commander Katsuragi halted Neo, “I thought the Borg was destroyed upon the return of the Starship Voyager.”

“So did I,” Captain Kim agreed remembering that time vividly when Voyager had finally come home and destroyed the Borg in the process.

“Voyager may have destroyed a great piece of the collective,” Neo explained, “but the Borg are resilient…in the past twenty-five years they’ve been aggressively rebuilding the collective for one massive attack.”

“An attack on whom?” Lt. Elric asked curious but fearful of the answer.

Neo paused, “The Alpha Quadrant.”

There was a small amount of muffled conversation among the senior staff. Each member was taking in the gravity of what would happen if the Borg were to just reappear to wreak havoc on the Alpha Quadrant. Even Kim remembered how futile it was when the Borg first appeared, the Battle of Wolf 359 was one that still gave Starfleet Command chills. Though, his experience on Voyager taught him to fight at all costs.

“What can be done to stop it?” Captain Kim asked

“Inside the Matrix,” Neo continued, “There were those of us who were awakened to the truth. Then there was a man born in the Matrix who could change whatever he wanted, to remake the Matrix as he sought fit. I am that man…and the Borg considered me their greatest threat. That was when we decided that I was to be sent here to the Alpha Quadrant to not only warn of the Borg’s return but to bring back reinforcements.”

“I’m sure Starfleet will be more than willing to give a fleet of ships to this cause,” Counselor Riker stated.

Neo shook his head, “I don’t plan on taking a fleet of ships. Only one and a small crew.”

“Just one?!” Kim answered sounding quite shocked, confused, and outraged by this.

“Yes,” Neo answered as he lay a single finger to the side of his head, “In here I have plans to build a ship that can not only travel to the Delta Quadrant in a day, but will have weaponry and armor that the Borg will be no match for.”

Neo paused for a small moment and asked Captain Kim, “So, what shall you do now?”

“I’m going to send a message to Starfleet Command and see how they will rule on this,” Captain Kim responded, “In the meantime Neo, I suggest you pull the information out and get started on the plans.”

“You can count on that Captain,” Neo nodded.

“Dismissed.”

* * *

Captain’s Log: Stardate 82643.14

U.S.S. Valkarie

N.C.C. – 1271940

Starfleet has been contacted about the former Borg drone who has called himself Neo. At first Starfleet Command was flabbergasted by the news that the Borg were still alive and even more that Neo had a plan to strike back at them. However, because of the limited options and since time is always against us, it’s been allowed that the plans be drawn. We’ve also been given orders to head directly back to Earth so that the plans for Neo’s ship may be presented to Starfleet Command in person. The crew is a little on edge about Neo, I can’t say I blame them, because there’s no telling how events will turn.

* * *

Neo was in the quarters that he was given, it was one of the better ones, the kind near the outer hull with windows that viewed the passing stars as the Valkarie made its way to Earth. The journey from where the ship was would take half a week, but those days seemed to fly to Neo. Even though there were better things to look at, Neo had better things to do. So, for three days he sat in his room, alone, with equipment scattered all around his bed, wires snaking from their way from one port to the next like rivers in a delta, and his bed covered with data pads like cards after 50-card pick-up. Despite the mess, Neo continued to work tirelessly, one could even say that he worked like a machine.

He had meant what he said about the plans for the ship. Even though some thought he was being metaphorical when he said that the plans were in his head, but that simply wasn’t the case. Neo literally had the plans buried within his memory and brain Borg implants. It was a good thing that they were so deep, otherwise he would have had to fish through the discarded implants. This was also the reason for the scattered equipment, to literally tap into his brain and break out the information on this strike ship. Each piece of information came away and built on the other as if the ship was actually being built within those datapads. The power source, the hull, the shields, the weapons, the propulsion and so on.

Sitting cross-legged on the bed, Neo didn’t hear the sound of the door chime. At least not at first, he heard it on the third time. By that point, he set the datapad down, turned to the door, and called out:

“Come in,” He said.

The door opened and in walked Lt. Edward Elric, at first he looked around the room at the scattered equipment and other miscellaneous pieces. He smiled as he looked at the overworked Neo.

“And Al tells me that I’m messy,” he chuckled.

Neo chuckled too remembering how people talked to him about his own messy habits. Looking at the rather diminutive security officer, Neo got off of the bed and approached him.

“You were sent for me?” Neo asked.

Ed looked at Neo sharply, “How’d you know?”

“Military routine can become predictable,” Neo answered.

Ed grinned as he explained, “the captain wants you to know that we’ll be approaching Earth soon and so will the presentation to Starfleet.”

“Good,” Neo nodded, relieved to hear the news, “Just putting the last touches on the ship.”

Neo turned to gather up the last few datapads that lay about his bed, he began pouring the data from each of them into one like gathering up papers. As he did, he heard the voice of Ed ask him questions that had been buzzing around the ship.

“Have the Borg really returned?” He asked

Without even thinking to look at him, Neo coldly answered, “I’m afraid so, kid.”

“Don’t call me a kid!” Ed bellowed knowing how much guff he had received since he was a boy about how small he was.

“Sorry…Ed,” Neo apologized, yet without a great deal of remorse in his voice.

All the data that was needed was loaded into one pad, Neo looked up to the windows and for the first time in a long tie, appreciated the view that he was seeing. The speed streaks of the stars had halted and there floating in the vast emptiness was the planet Earth. The true birthplace of all humans, a place that was teeming with life and the last place that Neo thought that he’d ever see.

“It’s time to go,” Ed informed Neo.

Straightening out his long cassock duster, Neo was ready to go.

* * *

Noe entered a room that, despite how some had put the euphemism that it was a meeting room, it felt more like a courtroom. There was a small closed off space for people to watch, a pair of tables and chairs that faced a longer table. He felt distracted as behind the long table was a great window that looked out onto the San Francisco bay and the Golden Gate Bridge stretching across it.

He brought himself back to reality as the room was being filled with people, until a security officer called out to those in the room.

“All rise,” He called, “Admirals Janeway, Spielberg and Lucas now presiding.”

It felt even more like a courtroom with the three admirals taking their seats behind the great long table. Neo took a look at them; Admiral Lucas was a fairly middle aged man with graying curly hair and a full beard. Next to Admiral Lucas, was Admiral Spielberg who looked roughly the same age as Lucas, especially with the gray beard and receding hairline, but he looked skeptically at Neo from behind his oval shaped glasses. Finally, there was Admiral Janeway, who Neo knew from the memories of the Borg but she had aged so much. Her face showing the wrinkles around her eyes and mouth, and her hair that was once fiery was now silver.

Admiral Spielberg took the small gavel and tapped the bell.

“Be seated everyone,” He called out as he looked at the datapad in front of him, “We are here to listen to the testimony and proposal of the former Borg drone One of Seven, now called Neo.”

Despite the poker face that Neo was displaying, he felt nervous to the pit of his stomach, because the presentation could make or break the plans of the resistance back in the Collective.

Admiral Spielberg peered at Neo, “Well son, let’s hear it.”

Neo cleared his throat, “Admirals of Starfleet Command, you’ve already been informed of the Borg’s return, correct?”

“Yes,” Admiral Lucas answered, “And frankly we’re skeptical of the Borg’s return.”

“If I may admiral,” Neo retorted, “who’s to benefit from faking such a thing?”

Admiral Lucas didn’t answer but Admiral Janeway spoke up, “Let him continue.”

“Thank you, Admiral,” Neo bowed as he started again, “Because of their return, the Borg plan to make their assault on all those within the Alpha Quadrant with extreme force. Nothing can stop them…but I know if you let me, I can help you stop them.”

“This is asinine,” Admiral Spielberg protested, “we don’t need the help of a drone.”

“If that’s true,” Neo stated, “Then I’ll simply wait in your custody and make no effort of my own to help.”

There was a muffled amount of conversation in the room even among the trio of Admirals who, no doubt, were trying to figure out what to do with the situation at hand. Stnading behind his table, Neo was secretly hoping and praying that everything the resistance had put into this operation wouldn’t go to waste. He watched as the admirals returned their gaze to the former Borg drone.

“What do you propose?” Admiral Janeway asked

Neo took the data from his pad and uploaded it into the rooms’ projectors. The windows dimmed so that everyone could see the projection clearly. From the projector came a ship, it was one of the most unusual design that anyone in Starfleet had ever seen. It had an unusually long and thin main body with what looked like engine nacelles on either side of it, yet they opened wide at the back like twin mouths of alligators where an engine spout protruded.

“My proposal, Starfleet Command,” Neo began, “Is that we build this ship that I’ve come to call the Ragnorok, the Sword of the End Times. With weapons, propulsion, armor, and incredible maneuverability, this ship will penetrate Borg space and conduct a campaign of strikes against the collective.”

The admirals looked over the data that Neo had uploaded and they already had several questions about this, Ragnorok.

“This ship is no larger than a Defiant class Starship,” Admiral Spielberg pointed out, “How can a ship this small travel 60,000 light-years, and go against the Borg?”

“Maybe if you read the technical specs more closely,” Admiral Janeway whispered, “then you’ll see.”

Admiral Lucas and Spielberg looked more closely at the technical specs of the Ragnorok and were impressed. The hull would be composed of an Alloy that Neo called Borganium, a metal that would not only regenerate but would also withstand several barrages of Borg weaponry. The weaponry, if the Admirals read them correctly could destroy a Borg ship with one rapid spread fire. The propulsion would use what was called “Fold Space”, which those at Starfleet had been working on to try to integrate into deep space explorers, but were no where close to using it, and yet Neo had a working model in his head.

“How long would it take to build the Ragnorok?” Admiral Lucas asked

“Approximately six months, Admiral,” Neo stated, “but the time could be shortened if you would divert all resources to this project.”

“Very well,” Admiral Spielberg acknowledged as the hologram was turned off and the shades on the windows were drawn, “and who do you propose would be part of the crew compliment?”

Neo paused for a moment, “I’d rather not have anyone assigned to this ship.”

“What do you mean?” Admiral Lucas asked, “That you would go on your own in this ship?”

Neo shook his head, “Instead of having anyone be assigned to this ship, I would prefer to take on anyone who wishes to volunteer.”

“I volunteer,” Admiral Janeway stated.

The room broke out into shocked and muffled conversation at Admiral Janeway’s bold move. At the sounds of the conversations, Admiral Spielberg tapped his gong to the bell to try and silence the room.

“You do realize the risk of this mission don’t you, Admiral Janeway?” Neo asked making sure she knew what she was getting into.

“I certainly do,” Janeway told Neo, “And you should know from Borg memories that once I’ve made up my mind, I’ll stick with it.”

Neo smiled knowing that Janeway was notorious within the Borg for being obstinate and stubborn.

“Then it’s settled,” Admiral Spielberg stated, “These schematics will be given to our development teams at Utopia Planetia and construction will begin immediately. We will also send notices to any who wish to volunteer for this mission. Court is adjourned.”

Admiral Spielberg tapped the gong and slowly everyone left the room. That was with the exception of Admiral Janeway, Neo, and his escort, Lt. Edward Elric. The admiral connected eyes with the former drone as she said:

“I had hopes the rest of my career would be quiet after dealing with them, but it looks like the fight isn’t over yet.”

Neo shook his head, “It isn’t admiral. The final fight with the Borg has just started.”

To be continued…