Vec and Jen Meet

Vectra is walking down the hall way. "Man, I'm starving, maybe I'll go to the mess hall for dinner!" He walks into the turbolift. "Mess hall."

As Vec enters the turbo lift, Lt. Jen Lee pushes the call button from a different level. "I'm starved, I think I might go to the mess hall for something to eat." The turbolift comes to a stop and Jen enters.

"Oh boy oh boy, company," Vec says drably. "Good afternoon, Lieutenant."

"Good afternoon," Jen replies, smiling.

Vec looks up. "Computer, resume. So, how are you this evening?" He weakly tries to start a conversation.

"Starved half to death, but other wise I'm great, you?"

"Fine, I guess." His head drops a little.

"What do you mean, I guess? You don't know?"

"Does anyone ever really know?" The turbolift doors open at the mess hall deck. Vec steps out of the turbolift, Jen right behind him. He points as he walks up to the counter. "I'll have a hamburger and some of that stuff."

"I'll just have a chef salad. Lieutenant, are you sure you want to eat that? It's still moving!"

He takes out his phaser and sets it to heavy stun, then shoots his plate. "One bowl of Gagh, medium well," he chuckles.

"No thank you; I almost never eat cooked meat, let alone something that's RAW!" Jen shudders.

Looking at her closely, Vec decides, "You're . . . Betazoid?"

"Half; I am also half human."

He smiles. "I am half Betazoid, one quarter Klingon, and a quarter human." He half smiles, know that he is not telling her the whole truth and feels bad about it.

She looks into his eyes. "There's something else you are not telling me; what is it? I swear I will not tell anyone."

"There are a few extra components to my physiology." Jen frowns in confusion. "I . . . I am -- I mean, I was Borg."

She swallows hard. "Borg."

His head hangs. "Yeah."

"Can I ask you something?" Jen asks hesitantly, her scientific curiosity getting the best of her.

"Go ahead."

"Can you feel those phage things, that's what they are, right, phages?"

"You mean nano-probes? They are just like having extra blood cells, except they react to danger and rebuild implants."

"Thanks for sharing with me." Jen smiles.

His head lifts again. "Well, you just seemed so . . . so open."

"I try to be. Well, at least I know now. It did hurt when I felt you were lying to me."

"Well, as you can imagine, if a thing like that got out . . . "

"I'm sure . . . pandemonium. But again, your secret is safe with me. Does the Commodore know?"

"Yes, she does."

"Well, she must think awfully highly of you, to allow you to stay. I wouldn't worry about it too much."

Vec blushes, yet again. "Well, not until they start to build or rebuild an implant, anyway."

"You said they would still build implants? I would have thought they needed a link to the Collective for that. I guess you learn something new every parsec, hmm?"

"If the nano-probes sense a need for an implant they create one."

"Wow . . . even if you don't want one? That could get . . . difficult."

"If your body is in a panic, adrenaline will be controlled by a new implant."

Jen nods. "Well, that can be a good thing then, I suppose."

"Except that sets the probes into motion; next would come shields and adaptations."

"Oh . . . that can be difficult. Has it been happening lately? Is that why you are so upset?"

"On the Holodeck a day or two ago, I was in trouble; a holocharacter was about to suffocate me. My body fought back by producing shields, increased strength."

"I hope you had the safeties on!"

"Of course," Vec responds.

"But, I suppose the probes couldn't realize that. Amazing. Has it subsided?"

"Yes, as soon as I calmed myself and concentrated on 'no more implants', they left."

"Oh, okay. If they went into a . . . remission . . . why are you still upset? They were truly only trying to help you."

"They just come on without warning. If they stay in full load long enough I could be injured."

"Injured? That doesn't sound good. I thought they only aided you when you needed it."

"The Borg would find out my position and the entire crew might be in trouble."

Jen gasps. "Oh no! Well, then, I guess you do have a reason to be upset!"

"Thankfully, I know how to control that reaction now, and I am going to speak to another ex-Borg on how to have all of this stopped."

"But, I think if you've got someone to help you temper your moods, that should help keep them in check, right?"

"That would be right."

"There are other ex-Borg?!" Jen asks, astonished.

"Oh yeah, thousands."

"Really? Wow . . . this is definitely a learning experience for me, then!"

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