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Kes is in telepathic communication with Species 8472. Janeway warns the four bio-ships approaching that Voyager has weapons that can destroy them. Her attempt to avert conflict fails as Kes reports, "They say our galaxy is impure, its proximity is a threat to their genetic integrity....they said, 'Your galaxy will be purged.'"
The Borg modifications go online. Voyager's bio-molecular weapons comprise 13 standard photon torpedoes and one Class 10 armed with a high-yield warhead.
Voyager's torpedoes find their mark and, after a nerve-wracking pause, destroy the bio-ships.
Janeway tells Seven of Nine they have made their point, and orders her to open a singularity for Voyager to return through. Seven obeys.
As Voyager returns through the singularity a fleet of bio-ships follow and attack. Via Kes Janeway warns them she'll use the weapon again if they don't abandon their attack, but Kes reports "They're not responding."
Voyager leaves Species 8472's realm of fluidic space and re-enters normal space through a quantum singularity. (pop-up window)
Janeway orders the high-yield warhead to be fired, aft torpedo bay.
The explosion disables the bio-ships. Seven of Nine regains full contact with the collective. All remaining bio-ships in the Delta Quadrant are returning to their realm. "The Borg have prevailed," says Seven of Nine.
"With a little help from us," adds Janeway. "Now it's time for you to fulfil your end of the agreement. Tell the Collective we expect safe passage from here on out. We'll give you a shuttlecraft. You can head for the nearest Borg ship."
But Seven of Nine says: "Unacceptable. This alliance is terminated. Your ship and its crew will adapt to service us."
Seven of Nine approaches the helm. Paris' phaser blast fails to stop her and she pushes him aside. "Resistance is futile."
Seven of Nine puts her fist on the helm's console. Tubules immediately penetrate the console, and assimilation begins.
Janeway orders "Shut her out", but they can't.
Janeway activates her comm. badge. "Bridge to Chakotay." She gives a pre-arranged codeword: "Scorpion."
The Doctor attaches a neural transceiver attached to Chakotay's neck. He is standing in a Borg regeneration alcove. Now linked to Seven telepathically he appeals to her, "Seven of Nine, stop what you're doing. You're a human, a human individual."
Chakotay tells Seven of Nine he sees her memories, sees a little girl, Annika, and her parents. But Seven of Nine resists, saying: "We are Borg. ... Irrelevant. Your appeal to my humanity is pointless."
The Doctor monitors Chakotay on his tricorder, says the link is stable but not for long and urges Torres to hurry. Torres tells Chakotay to keep Seven of Nine distracted while she initiates the power surge in the Borg circuits nearby.
The Doctor: "He's losing the link!"
Torres: "Initiating power surge...now!"
The power surge creates an overload which forcibly severs Seven of Nine from the Borg collective, and renders her and Chakotay unconscious. Janeway orders Seven of Nine to be taken to Sickbay. Chakotay is fine but he will awake with a headache.
Afterwards, in the da Vinci holodeck program, Janeway handwrites her log. "Three days and no sign of Borg or bio-ships. We appear to be out of danger, but the entire crew is on edge and so am I. Not even the calm of Master Da Vinci's workshop can ease my mind."
Chakotay enters. "Am I interrupting?"
Janeway looks up to see Chakotay. He is holding a PADD. There is an awkwardness between them: they have worked through their differences enough to get ship and crew out of danger, but their personal relationship is still rather strained.
Janeway: "Not at all. Just finishing up my Log."
He eyes the paper and quill and comments: "The old-fashioned way."
Janeway: "I wanted to get as far away from bio-implants and fluidic space and this," indicating the quill and parchment, "this feels more human somehow."
Chakotay hands her the PADD. "I hate to spoil the mood, but you might want to look at this engineering report."
She takes the PADD and reads it.
Chakotay: "It'll take at least two weeks to remove the Borg technology from our systems. B'Elanna did note that the power couplings on deck 8 work better with the Borg improvements."
Janeway: "Leave them. How is our passenger?"
Chakotay: "The Doctor says she's stabilising. Her human cells are starting to regenerate."
Janeway: "I wonder what's left under that Borg technology, if she can ever become human again."
Chakotay surmises: "You plan to keep her on board."
Janeway: "We pulled the plug. We're responsible for what happens to her now."
Chakotay: "She was assimilated at a very young age. The Collective's all she knows. She might not want to stay."
Janeway: "I think she might. We have one thing the Borg could never offer - friendship."
The word 'friendship' hangs in the air. Their own friendship has been strained by this adventure, and it is not clear exactly where they stand.
Chakotay: "I want you to know that disobeying your orders was one of the most difficult things I've ever had to do."
Janeway: "I understand. And I respect the decision you made, even though I disagree with it. What's important is that in the end we got through this - together. I don't ever want that to change."
Chakotay nods. "Agreed."
Seven of Nine, lying unconscious in Sickbay.
Seven of Nine lies unconscious on a biobed in Sickbay. (pop-up window)
