Mothers And Grandmothers

Posted on Fri Feb 19th, 2016 @ 11:46pm by Lieutenant Riley Sukotav & Ensign Ian Bren & Ignatius Reilly

Mission: Further Challenges
Location: Galileo Science Center

Of the assimilated crew, Ignatius was the easiest to corral. She was the smallest and had her personality and facilities intact. When Jackson had told her to get in the box, she’d gotten in the box. Now, however, she wasn’t happy about being in the box. Let me out! I must go assimilate my children, then we can spread out and assimilate others.

Ian held the box out, away from himself and looked into it at her. He wasn’t concerned that Iggy could assimilate him: the box had its own containment field. Why can I no longer hear the hive mind?

“Oh, the field you’re in blocks all electronic signals,” Ian answered. He walked into Sciences with her. “You’re going to be staying with me for a bit, Iggy. You’ll see the kids once we’ve gotten some of that Borg tech off of you, okay?”

No! Once the Station is assimilated, I will be able to talk to it, open doors and ride the lift by myself!

“Iggy, you have no idea what assimilation really is! Didn't you notice how dull and lifeless Oralia is? Or any of the others? We aren't like you and assimilation... well... it sort of kills us, the individual,” he argued as he carried her into his lab.

It does? Iggy shifted around in the box then stopped moving. She stayed still and silent, a state Ian barely noticed as he worked to set up a terrarium with a containment field and a work table that would drain power from her implants. He worried about the latter, since he wasn't sure whether any of her internal workings had been compromised.

He set her, still in the box, in the middle of the table and startled when she suddenly spoke up, Being Borg kills you, individually? But Oralia is still alive. I do not understand.

Ian frowned, unsure how to explain the concept. “Um... I have a theory, Iggs. Usually when someone is connected to the hive mind, there’s a neural interface that suppresses the person’s ...um... awareness, if you will. That interface plugs into the person’s brain and, for most people, they can’t escape being... suppressed. Their personality, their individuality, what makes them who they are, is buried. In other words, Oralia’s body is alive but Oralia, the sparkle that makes Jackson love her, that you know as your friend, is essentially dead.

“I think that you’ve avoided that because you don’t have a brain,” he finished.

I have a brain. Really, I do. Eli showed me on a drawing.

“Sorry, I wasn’t specific: you do have a brain, but it isn’t centralized. It’s sort of spread out around your thorax. There isn’t a single point for the Borg to hook into to suppress you,” Ian explained.

That is why I am still... me?

“The Borg usually think in terms of ‘us’ and ‘we’ instead of ‘I’ or ‘me’. That shows that you aren't as assimilated as Oralai and the others are.” He opened the box from outside the containment field and disabled the box’s field. “You can come out of the box, now.”

I do not want to.

Ian frowned at the box then sighed. He stepped away and called Riley Sukotav, “Hey, Riley, could you come to Sciences and bring one of Iggy’s offspring?”

=^= Be there shortly. Sukotav out. =^=

It was about fifteen minutes later that Riley entered Ian’s lab. “Hey what’s up? Oh Iggy! Welcome home.”

Riley, Reva’s mate! Thank you. Do you want to be assimilated? Iggy spoke to him, though she still wasn't out of the box.

Ian shook his head at Riley.

“Um, that’s not really on my list today, Iggy,” Riley answered. “I am in the middle of a huge project and if I ask for time off to be assimilated, Commander Leroy will skin me alive.”

Two legs appeared over the edge of the box’s opening and then Iggy’s eyes rose slowly. I did not know that was possible for you bipeds. May I watch?

Like Ian, Riley laughed out loud. “It is a figure of speech that means he would be angry and likely yell at me.” He held out his hands for her to climb into. “Good to see your face again.”

Ian was quick to say, “Don’t! She's in a containment field.”

If I promise not to assimilate anyone without their permission, Ian, may I not be contained? Iggy came more fully out of the box, revealing the additions and implants the Borg had fitted her with. Somewhere along the line, an engineer had removed the phaser cannon from her back, but she had a mechanical leg where the one had been dropped and each tarsi was tipped with changeable implant that clicked loudly on the table as she moved.

“No, sorry, Iggs. Not yet. I need to remove some of that tech from you.” Ian looked at Riley. “You brought Ariadne, thanks. Let me..., Ari? Mind if I pick you up?”

You may, she answered. Why am I here?

That is a philosophical question. Iggy moved to the edge of the containment field where Ian had placed Ariadne. You are beautiful, daughter.

“She is and had grown quite a bit since you sneaked off the station.” Riley’s tone was stern for a moment. “I think this adventure turned out to be more than you bargained for.”

It was an adventure, though. Is Reva here? She is interested in Borg technology; this would be a good chance to see it.

“No,” Riley answered. “She is out on a survey that will be stopping at Valhalla. She probably won’t be back for a week or so.” He had no idea really when Reva would be home but that was good enough. “Ariadne and Gilroy have been staying with Desta while she’s gone and Kahuna is with Commander Rousseau.” Which reminded him…..”I have news too.”

Ian stopped what he was doing and turned towards Riley; Iggy froze in place. News? Do I know Desta? Are my children safe with her?

“Absolutely. She’s a friend of Reva’s that was rescued from the same ship Reva was on. She’s great with them.” He let it go at that. He didn’t want to get into the rest. “But the news….Chance and Eli ran off a few days ago to Archadia and got married.”

NOOOO!! They did not! Iggy screamed. That is yet another wedding I have missed! Oralia and Jackson ran off and married as well!

Ariadne piped up, Gilroy and I were there. It was interesting.

“I missed it too,” Riley admitted. “It was after Eli finished work and they just took some of the Nexus staff with them: Janice, Desta, and Sam.”

Iggy pointed a pedipalp at Riley. You and Reva must not do that! I want to be there!

“I promise that if we do, we’ll bring you with us. You have my word. I heard they may have a reception up here though, we’ll have to see.”

“Okay, scans are done,” Ian announced. He asked Riley to bring one of the spiderlings so he could distract Ignatius. It had worked. “Next step: removing stuff, Iggs. Riley, do have time to help with that? I can call on Goodshire if not.”

“I can. We have some scans running that are taking time and I can’t do anything there in the meantime.” As Riley answered, his comm badge chirped, the code indicating he had an incoming transmission. He moved over to a terminal and entered his own code. Moments later, the face of an old woman appeared.

She didn't speak for a long moment. Instead, she eyed Riley critically. “You are Riley Sukotav?”

He blinked and nodded slowly. “Last time I checked. Who….?” Then it hit him. Old woman, Betazoid eyes. Oh shit. “Menna Avaavax, I take it?”

“Perceptive young man,” she smiled slightly. “I will be on Starbase 900 within the hour. I expect your company at dinner tonight, 7pm. I'm sure the computer will have my room information.”

“Oh, of course.” Riley glanced at the time and did some fast mental calculations. “Do you wish me to meet you at the transport and see you to your quarters?”

“No. Maxym will escort me to my quarters, along with Grax. We will see you there at seven.”

“Who is Maxym?” Riley asked.

“Maxym Balasz, of the Third House, is my companion for this trip. He is taking over as the Betazoid Ambassador on the Station.”

“Balasz,” Riley repeated and when the mental connection was made his eyes widened. “Rhys’ brother?”

“I see the family’s tragedy is well-known here,” she frowned disapprovingly. That family was hers, as well, and they seemed an unlucky lot, what with first a half-orion daughter and then Rhys’ brand of mental illness.

“Well, yes,” Riley admitted. “I was on the Berkeley with Rhys and Captain Hawke so...yeah.” For a moment, Riley wished he was on the patrol ship with Reva for more reasons than one. “So….anyway...1900 hours? I will be there.”

“Good. Dress appropriately,” she said, as if assuming he'd have no clue what that meant, and closed the channel.

“Do you have a way to turn back time Ian?” Riley asked. “Have this dinner be hours away?”

Ian, who'd heard the call, asked, “Was that Reva’s grandmother? She sounds... um... not like Reva at all.”

“You’re being polite.” Riley grinned. “From what Reva says, she’s iron-clad and a hard one to impress. Now I get to face her down without Reva. At least old ladies don’t get me all tongue-tied. I may make it out of this alive.”

“Come on, you’re marrying her granddaughter; she’ll love you!” Ian laughed then suddenly blurted, “Transporter logs!”

Riley blinked back at him. “What?”

“Transporter logs - Iggy’s been transported before. I could access those and just transport her out then back, using the old logs.” He gave Riley an excited look. “Simple!”

“It is. And saves a ton of time since I have to go face the firing squad - Reva’s grandmother, her father, and another relative whose brother has a scary history with this crew. Not to mention I should be in Betazed formalwear. If you get curious, look up Rhys Balasz. The reports are a matter of record.” Riley checked the time. “I really need to go.”

“Go!” Ian flapped a hand in Riley’s direction. “Don’t worry about us... though, if you want, I could call you with an ‘emergency’ about thirty minutes into your dinner?”

What sort of emergency will that be? How can you plan to have an emergency at a particular time? Iggy asked.

“It’s a safety net, Iggs,” Riley answered. “That way, if things aren’t going well, I have an excuse to leave. In this case though, it won’t work. I’ll be in a room full of Betazoids.”

“Oh yeah. Bet that’ll be a quiet dinner,” Ian cracked himself up.

Riley just rolled his eyes. “Okay I need to jet and get presentable. Wish me luck you two.” He turned and hurried out.

******************
Ensign Ian Bren
Ignatius J. Reilly
Lt. Riley Sukotav
One Problem Solved