Title: In The End
Author: Letterx
Pairing: T/7
Rating: G (sorry guys and gals but this is a short)
Time Frame: After the end of Season 7
Summary: This is a short story so no need for a real summary right?
Spoilers: Slight spoilers for the last episode.
Disclaimers: I don�t own this... blah blah blah, Paramount... blah blah blah, Linkin Park... blah blah blah. Anything else I forgot, make it up on your own.

Author�s Notes: Hey all, I know its been a while since I wrote anything that I posted on list but this little short story hit me all of a sudden and I am not sure if it�ll even go on any webpages. However, my wife convinced me that people should be allowed to read this atrocity... I mean story so here it is for your reading pleasure.

Anyways feedback always appreciated so send some here: here. or just email the list. I�ll get it either way.

Archiving: If you would like to post this or any of my other stories to your webpage then I would ask that you please ask permission before doing so. I am very kind you know. Momma taught me to share.

Oh, one other thing...

Warning: This is a song fic! Not that it�s all about a song but just that I added some lyrics that I think fit the storyline to the story. You can still read this without getting your knickers in rut or whatever the damn Brits say if you don�t like this song fic stuff. Like I said the song is only in there as an added description of sorts.

Comments to [email protected]

---

IN THE END

Seven starred at the confines of her new home. Her back was ramrod straight as usual but her austere look had vanished. No longer was she the vision of perfection but rather a mere shadow of that ideal. Her hair was languidly tossed in a bun, her face had dirt smudges on it, and her normally non-wrinkled bio-suit was replaced with what could only be called ragged clothing. She stood in the center of her new home and took a deep breath trying to calm her frayed nerves. She was Borg after all. She shouldn�t be feeling scared, afraid, terrified, or even all of the above. She was Borg and shouldn�t be feeling as alone as she felt now. While on Voyager she spent many hours alone, preferring the solitude to the ever annoying and perplexing social gatherings and situations the Starship provided. So why did being alone in this small place cause her so much distress?

"I must not think about these thoughts. They only cause me to become weak and frail. I am Borg. I will persevere." Seven hadn�t realized she just said her thoughts out loud but others listening in heard her loud and clear.

The young woman began to pace back and forth, a habit she didn�t pick up until recently in hopes that she could stem the worry and pain she felt each and every day. The pacing seemed to do the trick, allowing her mind the chance to focus on something other then her situation. She focused her mind on the footfalls she made across the hard concrete floor, the feeling of the ground hitting her feet, the sound her feet made when they did indeed connect with the ground. Unfortunately for her, the pacing back and forth was not at all long enough. She estimated the length of the room to be a mere 7 feet and the width to be approximately 10 feet. Starfleet holding cells were never really designed for comfort, nor the long stay she was being subjected to.

If it wasn�t for her eidetic memory Seven had she was sure she would have lost track of just how long she was being kept prisoner by Starfleet. Ever since Voyager had made it home...


****

Seven stood in Astrometics, still as a wooden door waiting to hear... something, anything. Voyager had survived its tumultuous arrival into the Alpha Quadrant, even managing to destroy the Borg Queen and her hub of power just prior to their spectacular entrance into Federation space. Now the ex-Borg drone waited to hear what would happen next. Captain Janeway had spoke to her on many occasions of what would happen after their arrival into the Alpha Quadrant but nothing as of yet had gone anything like they had dared hoped for. Seven knew that Voyager�s opening of the transwarp conduit into Federation space had caused attention to be drawn to the small Intrepid class ship. Proof of that was in the readings the sensors were sending her. Several large battle class ships were surrounding Voyager and what was the exit end of the conduit. With Voyager�s sudden and unexpected arrival into Federation space no one knew what to expect. And in fact no thought was really given to that as most, if not all of the crew were extremely happy to be home. They didn�t care what happened next, only that they had made it home to their families and friends. But Seven cared. She worried about just what would happen next. According to Janeway, the Marquis were all given pardons. None of them were to be tried or convicted of their crimes, in fact, they were to be given true Starfleet ranks and welcomed into the organization. Even those who were aboard the Ransom were given pardons and welcomed back into the ranks of Starfleet by the officials. Yet nothing was said of what would become of Seven�s future. �My future.�


****

Seven liked to think that everyone aboard Voyager at that very auspicious occasion was merely preoccupied and shocked at finally getting home. She liked to still think highly of Captain Janeway and Chakotay and the Doctor, Sam Wildman, and Tuvok but as time wore on so did her determination to believe that she ever had friends. It�s been over a year since that fateful day that brought Voyager back home and her into the custody of Starfleet. Over a year since she�s seen anyone other then those who belong to Starfleet medical or defense. At first, the young blonde would contrive that Janeway, who was probably fighting hard to set her free was being stopped by Admirals and such in Starfleet from visiting her. Though at first Seven wondered why Chakotay hadn�t visited her, varying her thoughts between her �boyfriend� being stopped by Starfleet and Chakotay just not wanting to have anything more to do with her. She wondered if the young man had finally come to his senses and realized he didn�t love her but rather was in love with the idea of finally loving someone and someone loving him back. However, unfortunately, a year later and she was still left wondering. No visits, no letters, no word of the outside world had reached her in so long. Was anyone still fighting for her, to see her, to set her free? Did anyone still remember her or were all of her achievements she made at once again becoming human merely forgotten?

Did anyone really care about her? Ever? The Doctor? Tom Paris? Harry Kim? Naomi Wildman? No Seven knew that Naomi Wildman did truly care about her. However, she was only a child and could do nothing to help set her free. Naomi. Seven sometimes wondered just how tall the child was growing, what she looked like now and how she was doing with her schooling. She did miss her time spent with the child. Now her time was spent being poked and prodded by Starfleet Medical�s finest as well as being evaluate by throngs of counselors as well as being tested by Starfleet�s defense team to see just what a Borg drone can and can not endure.

As time went on, it became harder and harder to keep the depression away. Contemplating her situation, Seven quickly realized that being locked up in a Starfleet holding cell for the rest of her life was much worse then being apart of the collective. At least as a Borg drone you don�t realize you are being held captive against your will. As a Borg drone you don�t feel depression, fear, loneliness. But as a human you do.

"Is this what is meant by having free will? Then what makes humans better then the Borg?"

Seven sat down on her one piece of furniture allowed in the room, her bed, or rather cot. It was the weekend and on the weekend she was granted the reprieve of being examined by Starfleet, as everyone generally has the weekend off. With nothing else to do and being afraid her mind would wander to more depressive thoughts once again, Seven sat there and began to sing. She remembered from a long time ago, the lessons the Doctor had given her in the art of singing and the time she spent alone practicing. Her favorite song to sing was of course "I was working on the railroad..." but today she was in the mood for a more telling song. One night, while most of the facility she was being held in had gone home, a lone guard had his computer terminal set to play some of his favorite songs. Seven believed it was called "In The End" but she wasn�t sure. She only heard the lyrics and the beat. But for her that was enough. Feeling a connection that she could not describe to the song she immediately grew to like the angst filled song.

The low melody began to play in her head and at the right time she sang...

It starts with one...
One thing I don�t know why
It doesn�t even matter how hard you try
Keep that in mind I designed this rhyme
To explain in due time all I know

Time is a valuable thing
Watch it fly by as the pendulum swings
Watch it count down to the end of the day
The clock ticks life away, its so unreal

It was almost scary how the lyrics described Seven�s situation. Doing nothing but watching time fly by.

Didn�t look out below
Watch the time go right out the window
Trying to hold on to you I didn�t even know
I wasted it all just to watch you go

Seven wasn�t thinking of anyone in particular when she sang, but rather thought of all of her friends and crewmates. Those she desired to see once again but instead was forced to merely remember watching them go.

I kept everything inside
And even though I tried it all fell apart
What it meant to me will eventually be
A memory of a time I tried so hard

I tried so hard and got so far
But in the end it doesn�t even matter
I had to fall to lose it all
But in the end it doesn�t even matter

Seven knew she tried hard to become human but no matter how hard she tried she always managed to retain some of her Borgness, what some generously called her aloofness. But as the song said, in the end it didn�t even matter. She was still Borg.

One thing I don�t know why
It doesn�t even matter how hard you try
Keep that in mind I designed this rhyme
To remind myself how I tried so hard
In spite of the way you were mocking me
Acting like I was part of your property
Remembering all the times you fought with me
I�m surprised it got so far

The names Janeway and then B�Elanna popped into her mind at this point, two very important people in her life. One who realizes it and the other who doesn�t. Both of them were very instrumental in bringing about her transition to humanity. One was very gentle but the other was harsh. However, both were needed.

Things aren�t the way they were before
You wouldn�t even recognize me any more
Not that you knew me back then
But it all comes back to me
In the end

You kept everything inside
And even though I tried it all fell apart
What it meant to me will eventually be
A memory of a time I tired so hard

I tried so hard and got so far
But in the end it doesn�t even matter
I had to fall to lose it all
But in the end it doesn�t even matter

I put my trust in you
Pushed as far as I can go
For all this there�s only one thing you should know
I�ve put my trust in you
Pushed as far as I can go
For all this there�s only one thing you should know

Seven, as much as an ex-drone could, nearly screamed out the lyrics. Feeling so hurt that she had indeed put her trust in Janeway and Starfleet. Now look where she was.

I tried so hard and got so far
But in the end it doesn�t even matter
I had to fall to lose it all
But in the end it doesn�t even matter

Locked away in some prison cell, where it doesn�t even matter any more.

The song that played out in her head was now over and the blonde felt even more drained then ever. Not having the use of her alcove, Seven had to rely on sleep until Monday when the �Doctors� would return and allow her to use their own home made version of an alcove. It wasn�t perfect but at least it gave her nanoprobes the energy they required.

But before she could even consider lying down to sleep, she heard a noise outside her cell. Lifting her head slowly and cautiously it took her some time to recognize just who was there.

"B�Elanna Torres?" Seven questioned, wondering if her neural implants were failing her and she was now hallucinating.

The stout woman standing in front of the forcefield didn�t answer the question but rather merely looked off to the side and nodded her head at someone else inside the room. Suddenly the forcefield dropped and the brunette walked in.

She was dressed in civilian clothes and being that it was the weekend, Seven had her doubts that this was an �official� visit.

The stranger sat down next to Seven on the cot and spoke for the first time in what seemed like ages but it was mere minutes.

"Yes, Seven, its me."

Seven opened her mouth to speak but for the first time in her entire life had she found herself dumbfounded. She had so many questions, but what to ask first? How do you start a conversation you only dreamed about?

THE END

Top of Page