The Hansen Diaries

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Captain Seafort
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Post by Captain Seafort »

Curiouser and curiouser. Keep it up Tiberius, this is good stuff. You're doing a great job of building suspense and uncertainty of what will happen next despite the limitations of the prequel format.
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Post by Tiberius »

Thanks. I never really thought of this as a prequel, because it's so far removed from everything that we've seen. The only real limitations were Dark Frontier and The Raven. And even then, the only limitation was a single line: Erin's line in the Dark Frontier flashback: "Home to what? We've deviated from our flight path, crossed the neutral zone, disobeyed a direct order to return. Our colleagues obviously think we are insane. We've burned our bridges." (Or something like that, I'm working from memory.) But that only really told us a few things. And those things will happen, but there was still a lot of freedom in how we got to those things. In fact, the entire second third of the book is based on that one line from Erin. So I've found that the three parts of the book each have a distinctly different feel. The first third has almost a political thriller feel about it, the second part is an action adventure, and the third part... Well, you'll see. :P

Although I am surprised that no one has said anything about the inclusion of Mister Sloan....
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Post by Mikey »

I didn't recall the name Luther, and I didn't want to say anything in case YOU didn't recall and the name Sloan was just a coincidence.

But now that the cat's out of the bag, I like it.
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Post by Tiberius »

^^ My plan worked! I wanted it to be subtle. :P
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Post by Captain Seafort »

Tiberius wrote:Thanks. I never really thought of this as a prequel, because it's so far removed from everything that we've seen. The only real limitations were Dark Frontier and The Raven.
There's a serious limitation in that the Raven went looking for the Borg, rather than simply stumbling across them and not getting a distress signal off. The way you're putting this story together, particularly with the involvement of S31, is neatly explaining that continuity bog-up and turning it to your own advantage.

I also like which ships you're slipping into the story. So far we've had the Kyushu and the Melbourne. What's next - the Tolstoy? Saratoga?
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Post by Mikey »

Seafort makes an excellent point. You turn established canon to your definite advantage in the storytelling, where it might have been an annoyance if not a severe hindrance. Well done.
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I'll massacre your ass as fast
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Post by Tiberius »

Captain Seafort wrote:There's a serious limitation in that the Raven went looking for the Borg, rather than simply stumbling across them and not getting a distress signal off. The way you're putting this story together, particularly with the involvement of S31, is neatly explaining that continuity bog-up and turning it to your own advantage.
Well I figured that something like this would definitely get S31's attention, and there was no way they wouldn't be involved.

Although, I wouldn't be surprised if people had stumbled across the Borg though. I was watching Regeneration the other day, and I thought about why the resrearch team went there at all. Then one of the scientists said something. "Tell so and so he owes me a bottle of scotch" or something like that. Sounded to me like he had a bet with this other person. So, he could have heard Zef's famous evil cyborg speach, figured out a rough idea where any wreckage could have landed, and then gone hunting. So he won a bet, and instead of explaining it all to the person he was speaking to, he just said, "He'll know what it means!". That would also explain why the research team was heavily armed (they establish that in dialogue), and also why Adm. Forrest over-reacted. I mean, how often does a high-ranking offical go out to investigate a team that's been quiet for three days? But if he knew what they were expecting to find, then he'd have cause to be worried.
I also like which ships you're slipping into the story. So far we've had the Kyushu and the Melbourne. What's next - the Tolstoy? Saratoga?
The Olympia will make an appearance. But you;ve missed a few more people! There's Admiral jameson, who was in "Too Short a Season" in the early episodes of TNG, and also Captain Ross, who would become the Admiral Ross we see so often in DS9. There are lo9ts of connections with the episodes. A mention of Riker too.

And lots of little references to what's going to happen. For example, when Magnus was telling Erin about what happened to the Jackdaw chicks, he says that they've lost seven of the nine chicks born that season. :P

I've had lots of fun putting in little references like that.

Anyway, I'm tired, which is probably why I'm babbling, so I'm gonna go now, and I'll post the next bit soon.
Go and read my fan fic "The Hansen Diaries"! And leave comments!
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Post by Tiberius »

Here's the next chapter.

Wreckage

It was just before nine the next morning and the sun was beginning its day long journey across the sky. Magnus and Erin Hansen walked along the paths through the grounds of Starfleet Headquarters, ignoring the cadets and officers that walked past them. They walked up the steps, the glass doors sliding apart to admit them. The ensign who had been at the administration desk the previous day was there again, and she looked up as the Hansens approached.

"Good morning, Doctors," she said.

"Good morning," Magnus said. "Is Mister Sloan here yet?"

The ensign looked down at the console in front of her. "Yes he is," she said. "Sheffield to Sloan. Please report to the administration desk. Doctors Magnus and Erin Hansen have arrived."

"I'm on my way down now," came Sloan's voice. Less than a minute later, the doors to the turbolift nearby opened and Sloan came out. "Erin, Magnus, it's good to see you."

"Thank you, Mister Sloan," said Erin.

Sloan shook their hands. "It must be good to be back on Earth."

"Yes it is," said Magnus.

"Well," said Sloan, "if you'll follow me to the security office, we'll get you cleared for access codes."

They stepped into the lift. "Level two," said Sloan, and the lift began moving.

When the lift doors opened a moment later, they stepped out into another foyer. This was much smaller than the main entry downstairs. It lacked the pleasantness of the larger foyer, and instead had a crisp utilitarian feel about it. There had been an attempt to create a warmer feel by placing pictures on the walls and a potted plant in the corner, but it had not entirely succeeded. Ahead of them was a desk, and the lieutenant behind it looked up from the terminal he was examining as they approached.

"May I help you, Mister Sloan?" he asked.

"Good morning, Lieutenant Markinson," he said, leaning on the desk. "I'm here with Erin and Magnus Hansen. They are to get security codes for the work being done downstairs."

"Yes sir," said Markinson. "What clearance level will they be?"

"Clearance level eight," said Sloan.

"I'll need your authorization code for that, Mister Sloan," said Markinson.

"Sloan five alpha tango four," said Sloan.

"Thank you," said Markinson as the terminal in front of him flashed confirmation of Sloan's clearance. He stood from behind the desk and led them down the hall that went back from the desk. Again, there had been a partially successful attempt to give the place a personality of its own; pictures of famous starships graced the walls, but they were all in the same cold frames. Magnus looked at them as they went past; the Hood, the Excelsior, the Enterprise and the Repulse .

At the end of the hall, they came to a door, and Markinson opened it by tapping a security code into the panel beside it. When they went into the room beyond, they saw banks of consoles along the walls and a large screen. Numerous images from different places around Starfleet Headquarters were displayed, and Magnus wondered if the people he saw knew they were being monitored. "Level eight clearance will require several safeguards," said Lieutenant Markinson. "You'll need to give a retinal scan, a DNA sample and an audio security code. If you'll sit down please?" Markinson gestured towards the chair in front of the console and Magnus sat down.

"State your name please," said Markinson.

"Magnus Hansen."

"Please enter an audio security code."

"Magnus one five seven."

"Please lean forward and look directly into the red square. Don't blink or look away."

Magnus peered into the square, and it flashed bright in his eye.

"Please place your hand on the panel."

Magnus placed his right hand on the panel in front of him, and his hand was scanned, sampling his DNA.

"Thank you, Doctor Hansen," said Lieutenant Markinson.

Magnus stood up. "Your turn," he said to Erin. "Don't worry, it doesn't hurt."

"Oh, I feel so much better," she said. She stepped forwards and went through the same procedure.

"Your security codes are active immediately," said Lieutenant Markinson as Erin rose from the seat. "It is recommended that you change the codes at least once a week. You can change your code at any console. Your retinal scan and DNA scan will be required for all restricted areas you have been granted access to."

"Doctors, we should head downstairs now," said Sloan.

They went back to the turbolift, and when they stepped inside, Sloan turned to Magnus. "Would you like to try your codes?"

"Alright," said Magnus. "Sub level six."

"Identify for retinal scan," said the computer.

"Magnus Hansen," he said, leaning forward for the scan.

"State clearance code."

"Magnus one five seven."

"Your hand as well, Doctor," said Sloan.

Magnus placed his hand on the panel and the lift started moving.

When they came to a stop, the doors opened on the cold clinical corridor that they had walked down the day before. As they went past the laboratories, Sloan pointed out two of them. "These are labs six and seven," he said. "This is where we are keeping the wreckage that the Kyushu picked up. The wreckage from the Ju'Day class vessel is being kept in lab six, and the wreckage from the attacking vessel is in lab seven. At the moment, the team is in lab seven. I'll introduce them to you."

They went in, and as the door opened, a slim athletic woman came up to them.

"Doctors," said Sloan, "this is Susan Betcher, head of the research team."

Betcher held out her hand. "Pleased to meet you," she said. "Call me Sue. I was an avid follower of your research on the Vulcan ruins."

Erin smiled somewhat uneasily. She'd never been too comfortable with praise; it had always made her feel rather self conscious. "Uh, thank you," she said.

"If you'll excuse me, Doctors," said Sloan, "I'm afraid I have business elsewhere."

"Of course, Mister Sloan," said Erin and Sloan headed back out the door.

Sue turned to introduce the others. "These are the other members of the team, Jason Nguyen and Tahli Kio."

Jason Nguyen and Tahli Kio looked up and waved to the Hansens as their names were mentioned. Jason was a head shorter than Magnus and had a wide smile, while the Lanan Tahli was half a head shorter again and had an almost childlike face and large round dark eyes.

"Admiral Jameson told us you were here to put together a report on the sociology of these people," said Sue.

"Yes, hopefully," said Erin. "But it's going to be hard with so little to work with. We're going to have to do a lot of speculative work."

"We've found a few things of interest," said Sue, leading them to a console. The other scientists came over to join them. "The first thing we concentrated our attention on was the flight data recorder from the Gauvreau."

"Gauvreau?" asked Magnus.

"It was one of the Ju'Day class ships assigned to the Tentak station," said Tahli. "It was destroyed in the attack and the wreckage, or what was left of the wreckage, was found in orbit of the planet."

"Did you get any data from the flight recorder?" asked Erin.

"We did, actually," said Tahli. She tapped the panel, and the screen came to life.

It showed the cockpit of the Gauvreau, a Bolian pilot and a Human navigator at their stations, and through the viewports, they could see a vessel approaching, dark and cubical.

"What the hell is that?" said Erin.

"There is an audio component to this as well," said Sue. "The Gauvreau received a transmission before it was destroyed." She tapped the console again, and they heard a voice that seemed to be turned over and folded into itself.

"We are the Borg. You will be assimilated. Resistance is futile."

Erin looked at Magnus in shock.

"Twenty three seconds after the Gauvreau received that transmission, the flight data recorder was ejected automatically by the ship's computer," said Sue. "It was picked up by the Kyushu five hours and seventeen minutes later."

"Was any other information recovered?" asked Magnus.

"Yes," said Jason. "The information from the flight data recorder, as well as the full report from the Kyushu's Captain is in lab six's computer core."

"Can we look at the flight data recorder itself?" asked Erin.

"It's in lab six at the moment," said Sue.

"I'd like to look at it as soon as possible," said Erin.

"Of course," said Sue. "But there are some other things that will interest you."

She led the group to a long table that stretched the length of the lab. Arranged on it were the smaller fragments from the Borg wreckage, gleaming black in the harsh light. Betcher picked up a disk that was about thirty centimeters across. It had small spheres embedded in its outer surface that were a dull white in the lighting of the lab. "This seems to be a type of subspace scanner, but the subspace transceiver assembly is configured in a pattern we've never seen before. It seems to both send and receive data, but we haven't determined the exact function. However, we have found that when it is powered, there is what seems to be a visual display of random electronic pathways."

Erin took the object and held it up. "Can I see the scan results for this?" she asked. She put the disk back on the table and took the padd Tahli offered. "This is unusual," she said. "The wavelengths that it operates on are similar to humanoid neural wavelengths. It might be designed to send signals to a brain."

"We considered that," said Tahli, "but a humanoid brain simply isn't capable of receiving subspace signals."

"What else did you find?" asked Magnus.

Sue went further down the table. She picked up a sphere about twenty centimeters in diameter. "This object was not damaged at all. We think it's a repair robot."

"What makes you think that?" asked Erin.

"The fact that it wasn't damaged implies that it went to the damaged section after the damage was done," said Sue. "Also, the report from Captain Berkelly states that it has both legs and energy emitters. We scanned the emitters and found that it actually incorporates a micro replicator unit. We think that it can replicate any necessary tools and repair damaged equipment using them."

Magnus picked it up. "Amazing," he said. "It doesn't even have a scratch."

"We also found a lot of smaller items," said Jason. "They still have to be categorized. For the time being, we've got them on the bench over there."

Erin went over and picked up one of the pieces. "This looks like a communications node," she said.

Sue came over to her. "We came to the same conclusion."

Erin picked up a tricorder and scanned it. "I'm reading biological material on this."

"Really?" said Magnus.

"It's bone tissue," said Erin. "And look at the curve of it. From the shape of this, it looks like it was attached to a humanoid skull with over a million micro connectors."

"It might have functioned in concert with that disk you showed us," said Magnus

Sue looked at him. "You think it was used to keep each Borg crewmember in contact with a main computer?"

"Possibly," said Erin. "This implant could have functioned as a bridge between a humanoid brain and a computer system."

"Implant?" said Tahli. "Do you think the Borg might be cybernetic life forms? Like the Bynars ?"

"Perhaps," said Erin, holding a tricorder and scanning the other devices on the table for traces of bone tissue. "A lot of the other devices here also have biological material on them."

Magnus looked thoughtful. "It might be more than that," he said. "Maybe each Borg is in contact with the others while they are connected to the main computer on each ship, like cells connected together in a brain."

"That would mean they'd use a thought controlled computer interface," said Sue.

"Imagine the implications," said Erin. "You think where you want to go, and you go there. To target your weapons, you'd simply look at whatever you wanted to shoot."

*

"Erin, Magnus, may I see you for a moment?"

The rest of the engineering team continued to file out of the briefing room, giving the Hansens a sideways glance as they left. Magnus felt a twinge of concern; ever since they had started their research on the Borg wreckage a month ago, the rate at which they made new discoveries had slowly begun to drop off. They had made it clear when they started their research that the amount of information they could get from the wreckage was limited, but sometimes it seemed as though Starfleet Command expected the impossible from them. Every week, they'd had meetings with Admiral Jameson and Mister Sloan, and as the rate of progress slowed down they had seemed more disappointed each time.

Erin and Magnus sat at the end of the table, opposite Admiral Jameson and Mister Sloan.

"Of course, Admiral," said Erin. "What can we do for you?"

Jameson picked up a padd and stood it on its lower edge, gently rocking it back and forwards on the table. "Mr Sloan and I are very impressed with the amount of data you've been able to give us about the Borg."

"Thank you, Admiral," said Magnus, feeling the twinge grow stronger.

"How much longer do you estimate you will require for your research?" asked Jameson.

"I beg your pardon?" said Erin.

Sloan held up his hands and smiled pleasantly. "Please don't misunderstand," he said. "We aren't trying to hurry you along. We're merely concerned about some minor resource allocation issues, and we would like to know how much time you think you will need to find out as much as you can."

Magnus could see the shock on Erin's face. "You mean you'll only support our work as long as we continue to make rapid progress?" she said.

"No, not at all," said Jameson. The padd he was holding dropped flat onto the desk.

"I'm sorry, Admiral," said Magnus, "but there's only so much we can learn from what we have here. It's not a matter of time; it's a matter of material. We just can't learn very much from hull fragments."

"Doctors," said Sloan, "I don't think I need to remind you of the importance of the work you have been doing for us."

"Of course you don't," Erin said irritably.

"The information we do have about the Borg is insufficient for us to create anything more than the most basic defences against them, and even those defences probably will be useless," continued Sloan, choosing to ignore the tone in Erin's voice. "We need to know more about them."

"It's not possible," said Magnus. "Not with the material we've got."

"Then what do you suggest?" asked Jameson.

Magnus and Erin shared a look, then turned back to the Admiral.

"Our best chance of learning more about the Borg," Erin said, "would be to make firsthand observations."

"Go out there and follow them?" said Sloan. "Absolutely not! The security risks are too great."

"Admiral," said Magnus, "I'm afraid I have to agree with my wife. If we continue the lab work, all we'll be doing is going over work we've already done. If we're lucky, we might be able to get a few more decimal places of accuracy, but that's all. The work here has been done. Going out and making field observations is the only chance we have of finding out anything new about them."

Admiral Jameson regarded him for a moment, and then shook his head. "I'm sorry, Doctors," he said. "The answer is no."

*

Magnus and Erin spent that evening going over the research they had done, the progress that they had made. They already had over twelve kiloquads of information about the Borg, but the simple fact was that most of that data was basic. They knew that the Borg were a cybernetic species, but they didn't know the extent of the cybernetic implants, or what the Borg used them for, apart from the subspace transceiver implant they had found. They had found other devices that may have been implants, but the level of damage they had suffered negated the possibility of learning more about their function. They weren't even entirely sure that the Borg were humanoid. That had been the assumption when they started, due to the shape of the transceiver implant, but the truth of the matter was that the implant could have been from anywhere on the body. The fact that it had the shape of something that may have been attached to a skull could have been coincidental, and the bone tissue they had found on it was not enough to prove that it was connected to the cranium. They had run a DNA scan on the bone tissue, but it had returned confusing results, identifying the bone as Tanugan rather than the unknown designation they had expected. And even if it had been connected to a skull, it may not have been a humanoid species. There were quite a few non-humanoid species that had skulls with shapes similar to that of a humanoid skull, such as the Sheliak, and even, to an extent, the insectoid Jarada.

The night grew late, the moon rising high over the city and shining a pale light down on the wet street outside. Magnus looked out at the shadows that stretched across the road and halfway up the rain splattered wall of the building opposite. A hover van was parked just a little way down the street, and inside, Magnus could see a pair of figures. Starfleet security, no doubt. He tried not to think about it.

Instead, he looked out across the roofs of the nearby buildings and out over the city and listened to the soft sultry tune of Fever. The rain that had fallen over the last few days had begun to clear up that afternoon; the clouds were dissipating and the stars were starting to peek through, but the sheen of wetness over the city would remain for the next day or so. Magnus liked the city like this. The rain always seemed to soften the cityscape. He lost himself in the view, the soft jazz music transporting him into a completely different world, a world that ended at the horizon.

"Damn it!"

Magnus was snapped out of his reverie, and he turned back to his wife. She pushed her monitor away from her, sliding it across the desk.

"You okay?" Magnus asked her. Only the lamp was on, the soft lighting creating a dark silhouette in the darkness. She had always found it relaxing, working with only a single light illuminating her workplace so there was darkness all around her. It helped her get lost in her work, and it was something that Magnus could appreciate. Unfortunately, it hadn't done a good job of relaxing her today; she had been in a bad mood ever since the meeting with Admiral Jameson earlier that afternoon.

Erin looked up at him. "It's not working, Magnus," she said. "I've been working for five hours, and I haven't got anything that we didn't already know before."

Magnus got up from his desk and went over to her. "Let's call it a night, huh?" he suggested gently. "We'll come at it fresh tomorrow."

Erin looked up at him. "It won't make any difference, Magnus," she said. "You were right, what you said today. The work here has been done. We might as well call the team and tell them that it's over."

She got up, her chair swivelling on its wheeled base, and she let herself fall back onto the sofa. She looked out over the glisteningly dark city.

Magnus walked over to the replicator. "Champagne, Dom Pérignon, 2265, two glasses," he said, and the glasses shimmered into existence in the slot. He picked them up and carried them over to the sofa, sitting next to his wife. "I think you were right," he said as Erin took one of the glasses.

Erin looked at him, the glass halfway to her lips. "About what?" she asked.

"About the field observations," Magnus said.

"You know we won't be able to do that," Erin said. She lifted the glass to her lips.

"Why not?" asked Magnus simply.

Erin gave him an irritated look and set the glass on the side table. "You heard what Sloan said," she told him. "Starfleet won't let us go."

"Ah, but we're not working for Starfleet," Magnus said with a smile. "We're working for the Council on Exobiology. The only reason that Starfleet is involved is because they are holding the material from Tentak IV. The decision on whether we go or not is up to the Council, not Starfleet."

Erin didn't turn to him, but he could tell from the way she stood that her mood had improved somewhat. Still, her voice sounded doubtful. "Jameson isn't going to like us going over his head."

"But it'll be worth it," Magnus said. "Erin, this work we are doing is probably the greatest opportunity we've ever had. I'll speak to the Council President tomorrow morning and arrange a meeting."

"I hope it goes well," Erin said.

Magnus smiled. "Me too," he said. He raised his glass and clinked it against Erin's. The champagne shimmered, waves playing across the surface in concentric circles. "Here's to the opportunity," he said.

Erin smiled. "The opportunity."
Go and read my fan fic "The Hansen Diaries"! And leave comments!
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Post by Mikey »

da-da-dum!

The story becomes more engrossing, rather than less, as it moves forward... which is almost as high a compliment as I can pay to an author, Tiberius. Technically, I'm sure you would have someone to correct some random tnse or parallel consturction issues; but in intent and style, A+ effort.
I can't stand nothing dull
I got the high gloss luster
I'll massacre your ass as fast
as Bull offed Custer
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Post by Tiberius »

What do you mean by random tense or parallel construction issues?
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Post by Mikey »

Please don't think that I'm knocking your work; I am absolutely enthralled by it. I'd have to go bacl through the whole thing (which sleeplessness will not allow right now) to pick out specific examples, but it just seemed that once in a while a tense was used by a speaker that wasn't implied by the narrative. As far as parallel construction, I'm probably the only obsessive-compulsive who even notices it anymore;but it refers to using consistent verb tenses and predicate address in mutltiple clauses in the same sentence.

Ex.: "Mike ran on for an hour, and then runs on for another hour," is poor construction because of the mixed verb tense. Similarly, "I went to the store for peas, carrots, and an apple," is poor because of the disparate singular/plural references.

I'm sorry. Don't read too much into my comments. Some folks were born to write; I, apparently, was born to edit. :wink:
I can't stand nothing dull
I got the high gloss luster
I'll massacre your ass as fast
as Bull offed Custer
Tiberius
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Post by Tiberius »

Ah, thanks. I'm always open to constructive criticism. If you spot a particular example, let me know and I'll get it fixed.
Go and read my fan fic "The Hansen Diaries"! And leave comments!
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Post by Tiberius »

One of my favorite scenes in this chapter. You'll know it when you read it.

Proposal

Erin fingered the padd in her hands. She and Magnus were waiting outside the office of the Chairwoman of the Federation Council on Exobiology, and even though they had not been waiting for long, she was feeling rather nervous. Too nervous, in fact, to actually read the padd that she had brought with her for something to read. She hoped that they could get the support of the Council Chairwoman. It would give them a good hand if they needed to take their case to the Federation President. She hoped they wouldn't need to; they wanted to spend as much time as possible on their research, but at least they would be getting support from a voice that was very well respected in the Federation Council.

"Doctors, you can go in now," said the secretary in the small waiting area outside the Chairwoman's office.

Erin looked up at smiled. "Thank you," she said. She and Magnus stood and went into the office.

Council Chairwoman T'Laaren, a Vulcan woman who appeared by Human standards to be in her mid fifties but was actually nearly a century older, looked up at them as they entered. Her office was sparsely decorated in the Vulcan style. There was an IDIC symbol on the wall behind the desk, and certificates along the wall next to the door. Opposite, on a long, low cabinet of drawers under the window, a small candle heated fragrant oils, filling the air with a strange scent somewhere between lavender and strawberries that Erin found rather appealing.

"Welcome, Doctors," said T'Laaren, gesturing towards the seats on the other side of her desk.

"Thank you for agreeing to see us on such short notice," Magnus said as he and Erin sat down.

T'Laaren held up a padd. "I have been following the work you have been doing for the Council," she said. "I have found your progress to be quite satisfactory."

Erin shared a look with Magnus. Coming from a Vulcan, she supposed, that was a compliment. "Thank you," she said. "Unfortunately, we have not had much progress lately. We feel that we have very little left to find out from the materials we have if we continue our research here on Earth."

"You have another course of action in mind?" T'Laaren asked.

"Yes," said Erin. "My husband and I think we would be able to learn more than we can on Earth if we were to make firsthand observations of the Borg."

T'Laaren nodded. "That would be logical," she said. "However, the risks such a course of action entails will be great. In order to make the observations, you will need to remain in close proximity to the Cube vessel for an extended period of time. Due to the known hostility of the species, I can not logically see how the possible gains could outweigh the risks."

"We believe that we would be safe," said Magnus. "We examined the flight data recorder from the Gauvreau, and it seems to indicate that the Borg would only take action against a threat or a target."

"Indeed," said T'Laaren. "Nevertheless if you were to be captured by the Borg, there would be a significant security risk. If the Borg analyzed our technology, they would most likely be able to find an exploitable weakness."

"They've already had the chance," said Erin. "As far as we know, they've already examined every cubic millimeter of the Gauvreau as well as the base they removed from Tentak IV. And if they have, they pose a greater threat to us now than they did before they entered Federation space."

T'Laaren regarded her for a moment. "Quite logical," she said. "Very well. I have a meeting with Starfleet Command tomorrow, and I shall recommend that you be sent to make field observations of the Borg. However, as I know very little of Starfleet's security procedures, I shall defer to their final judgement in this matter. I have neither the experience nor the authority to object if they instruct you to remain on Earth."

"Thank you, Madam Chairwoman," Erin said. "We appreciate your time as well as your support."

*

Magnus and Erin walked home. The weather had cleared up, and the sun was shining down brightly. At this time of the afternoon, there was very little traffic on the roads. Most people were still working, and those people who were on the streets were walking. Erin heard the soft hum of an anti-gravity motor behind her, and she turned in time to see a black limousine pull up beside them. The window lowered, and Sloan looked out at them. "May I offer you a lift, Doctors?" he asked.

"No thank you, Mister Sloan," Magnus said. "We'd like to walk."

"Please, Doctors," he said, sounding rather too pleasant. "I insist."

The car stopped. Erin and Magnus looked at each other. The door hissed open, and they got in.

The tinted windows made the interior of the limousine dark, but they could see Admiral Jameson sitting next to Sloan, his face in shadow. Erin felt the limo start moving again. She absently wondered where they were being taken.

"How was your meeting with President T'Laaren?" asked Sloan. "Don't look so surprised, Doctors," he continued when he saw their expressions. "There are security monitors in the building. And your escorts informed us you were headed for T'Laaren's office."

Erin looked at Sloan very angrily. "And I suppose you eavesdropped on what we said as well."

"No, not at all," Sloan said. "It was, after all, a private conversation. However, I sincerely doubt you met with her to discuss the highlights of Vulcan's tourist industry. We have a very good idea of what was said."

"Doctors," said Jameson, leaning forward, "I thought I made Starfleet's position very clear."

"We aren't working for you, Admiral," said Erin. "You can't order us to stay on Earth."

"Doctors, the Council on Exobiology will follow Starfleet's recommendation on this matter," said Jameson. "And our recommendation is going to be to keep the research based on Earth."

"Admiral, please understand our position," said Magnus, exasperatedly.

"Doctors, please understand mine!" said Jameson. "I am not trying to make your research more difficult for you. In fact, I have done everything I can to make it easier for you. But I am also trying to safeguard your lives, and the entire Federation as well." He sighed. "And the fact is that mounting an expedition to find the Borg is a major undertaking, and there are no guarantees of results. We have no idea of the origin of the Borg-hell, they could be halfway to Andromeda by now. And if, by an amazing miracle you were to find the Borg, our projections indicate that they would not take kindly to being followed at close range. That could be all they need to convince them that the Federation is a threat to them. I have no doubt that the Borg could lay waste to the entire Federation, and I am not going to risk it merely to continue the research of a small group of scientists."

"Admiral, that reasoning is purely speculative," said Erin, "and typical of Starfleet's alarmist attitude. The Federation has been around for nearly two hundred years, and has been threatened by any number of hostile species-the Klingons, the Romulans, the Xindi-and we survived them. The Federation is a major power in the galaxy, and we are not about to be wiped out by a species that has sent only one ship from so far away that we have never even heard of them before!"

Sloan sighed. "That's, uh, not entirely true," he said.

Magnus's eyes opened wide in shock. "Dear God," he said. "You've had contact with them before, haven't you?"

"No, not quite," said Jameson. "There have been four incidents that have indicated to us that a powerful cybernetic species exists in our galaxy, but this is the first time that the Federation has had direct contact with them." He paused a beat, taking a breath. "But that is beside the point. It is Starfleet's opinion that an expedition to investigate the Borg is too great a risk. And Doctors, I do not appreciate that you went over my head to T'Laaren about this."

"Admiral," Erin said, with a dangerous tone in her voice, "our concern is the research, and in order to continue we will go as far over your head as we need to."

For a long moment, there was an uneasy silence. The limousine slowed to a stop.

Sloan clapped his hands together and smiled, as though the conversation had been much more amiable than it had been. "Well, Doctors, thank you for the pleasure of your company," he said, smiling. "I hope you enjoy the rest of your day."

Eager to leave, Erin opened the door. The car was stopped outside their home, and Erin was somewhat grateful. She had not been looking forward to a long walk home after getting upset. Magnus stepped out onto the pavement behind her and closed the door. The car moved off and vanished in the distance.

*

"We're going to have to speak to the Federation President," Erin said.

Magnus looked up from the last few pages of Treasure Island. The night was getting old, and the gentle sound of the wind in the trees outside hushed into the house. He sat up, the old reclining chair creaking, and turned to her.

"I know," he said. "Jameson won't like it, though. He was upset enough that we went to see T'Laaren. Going even further, he could shut us down completely."

"It will still end the same though," said Erin. "It won't matter if we're shut down by the Admiral's orders or the simple fact that we can't learn anything new. We'd still have done all we can."

Magnus regarded her thoughtfully for a moment. "You think it's worth it?" he asked after a moment.

"Yeah," she said. "We shouldn't just sit on our hands about this. If we can do something, then we should. And if we're shut down, at least we would have tried."

Magnus sighed. "Tomorrow I'll make an appointment to speak with the Federation President as soon as possible," he said. "Get this mediated." He turned to Erin. "I'll tell the Admiral about this too."

Erin looked up at him. "Why?" she asked. "Admiral Jameson will probably try to stop us."

"He won't, because then the President will know what he did," said Magnus. "Jameson knows we wouldn't keep quiet about it if he tried to stop us. And he can't complain about us speaking with the President either. It's not like we're keeping him out of the loop."

"Still, it's a big risk," said Erin. "If we do ask the President to mediate this, then it will be in her hands, and if she says no, it's final."

"But like you said, Erin," said Magnus, "it will still end the same. Whether it's Jameson or the President, an order to stop is still an order to stop. And if the President says yes, then there's not a damned thing Jameson will be able to do about it."

Erin smiled. "Alright then, Magnus," she said. "Let's just hope it goes well."

*

Magnus and Erin arrived in Paris the day before they were to see the President. They had spoken with Admiral Jameson, and he had promised to beam over, but he had said that Mister Sloan wouldn't be able to accompany him as there was some work that he had to attend to in Spacedock. Erin wasn't overly upset at the news that Sloan wouldn't be there, and Magnus could understand. She had never liked him, and neither had he.

They had hoped to see the city before their appointment, but when they arrived, they had both been so anxious about the meeting that they didn't feel like going out. They had agreed to spend some time in Paris after the appointment and see the sights, but of course, they could only do that if the President said they were to stay on Earth. The only exception they had made had been just after they had checked into their hotel, and they had taken the trip to the top of the Eiffel Tower.

The turbolift slowed to a stop, and they stepped out into the waiting area outside the President's office. Admiral Jameson was already there, and he looked up as the Hansens came forward.

"Good morning, Doctors," he said coolly, extending a hand.

"Good morning, Admiral," said Magnus. He took the Admiral's hand.

Erin went to the secretary who was at the desk beside the door to the President's office. "Erin and Magnus Hansen," she said. "We have an appointment with the President for eleven thirty."

The secretary tapped the console incorporated his desk. "Thank you, Doctor," he said.

"Have you had a chance to see Paris, Doctors?" said Jameson.

"No, not yet," said Magnus. "We did see the Eiffel Tower though."

"Oh," said Jameson. "A beautiful view."

"Yes," said Magnus. "Beautiful."

Erin tried not to grind her teeth. She hated small talk.

A little while later, the door to the President's office opened and a Tellerite emerged. He was shaking his head and grumbling as only a Tellerite could. After a moment, a soft tone sounded from the intercom.

"Yes, Madam President?" asked the secretary.

"Send the Admiral and the Doctors in please."

"Yes Madam President," said the secretary. He looked up. "You may go in now."

"Thank you," said Jameson. He stood and went into the President's office, followed by Erin and Magnus.

The office was spacious, the soft carpeting underfoot stretching between the walls. To Magnus's right, large windows made up a wall, and he could see the city below him. A series of small steps that ran across the room led up to the President's desk. In front of the desk was a small coffee table, and on either side of the table were sofas that looked soft and inviting. The smell of coffee came from a steaming pot on the table.

The President, a grey-haired Human named Claire Valenski, stood as they came into the office. "Doctors, Admiral," she said with a slight English accent. "Please, sit. Would you like a drink?"

"No thank you," said Magnus. Erin waved no.

"Thank you, Madam President," said Jameson. He reached to the pot and poured a cup.

"Doctors, I am familiar with the work you have been doing for the Federation Council on Exobiology," said Valenski, "and I understand that you have spoken to both Admiral Jameson as well as President T'Laaren requesting permission to gather field information about the Borg."

"Yes, Madam President," said Magnus.

"Over the Admiral's express objections."

"Yes, Madam President," said Magnus.

Valenski regarding him for a moment, and Magnus could feel her steely eyes penetrating his skull. She turned to Jameson. "Admiral, present your case."

"Thank you, Madam President," said Jameson. "Starfleet has always been the primary exploration and security arm of the Federation, and we need to balance the two very carefully. Exploration of the unknown, by its very definition, is dangerous. We know the Borg are hostile, and this is one of those situations where the security risks outweigh the projected gains."

"We don't know that, Madam President," said Erin. "The information we find could give us the key to creating a defence against the Borg."

Jameson turned to her. "And if your presence provokes them, the Borg will have no difficulty in destroying you. And there's no guarantee that you'll even find the Borg. We have no idea where they-"

"We believe that we will be able to find the Borg," said Erin. "The reports by the Kyushu crew indicate a phased plasma residue. We will be able to follow that."

Admiral Jameson sighed irritably and turned to Valenski. "Madam President," he said, "please ask her not to interrupt."

Valenski looked at him. "Forgive me if I am wrong," she said, "but Starfleet's objections are only concerned with security considerations, are they not?"

Jameson was silent for a beat. "Yes, they are," he said.

"Then may I say, you have already made your point," said the President. "I have read your report on the risk posed by the Borg, and I know exactly where you stand on this issue. I have a rather busy day, and I'd like to hear the Doctors' case." She turned to them. "Doctors?"

"Thank you, Madam President," said Magnus, ignoring Erin's smile. "While we appreciate Starfleet's position regarding the security risks, our team is of the opinion that the Borg would only attack a threat or a target. They all but ignored both the Ju'Day class ship that was sent to investigate their first appearance and the base itself until the Cube was scanned. During our research, we've been able to determine what we believe to be a way to perform scans of a Borg ship without attracting their attention. Starfleet's security concerns are unfounded. A mission to study them at close range is essential, because Borg threat is one that we can't afford to ignore. The attack at Tentak IV showed us that we have no defence against them. We need to investigate the Borg, because if we don't, we'll never be able to develop a defence against them. Going out and studying them firsthand is the only way we can do that."

Valenski nodded. "Council Chairwoman T'Laaren agrees with you," she said. "She has recommended to both Starfleet Command and myself that you be allowed to investigate the Borg."

Admiral Jameson leaned forward. "And you agreed with her?" he said disbelievingly.

Valenski regarded him somewhat coldly. "Admiral," she said, "I'm a politician, not a tactician. It is my responsibility to act in the best interests of the United Federation of Planets. And I feel that I would be negligent in my duty if I was to deny the Federation an opportunity to learn about as grave a threat as the Borg."

Magnus and Erin looked at each other and smiled.

"Doctors," continued Valenski, "I am willing to authorize an expedition to study the Borg. However, there will be a number of provisions. I want your proposal to emphasize the minimization of any risk, both to yourselves and your team, as well as to the Federation. Your proposal will also need to be cleared by both myself and Admiral Jameson before you are allowed to leave, and it is to be ready in one week."

"Thank you, Madam President," said Magnus. Erin was grinning too much to speak.

Valenski looked to Jameson. "Is there anything you'd like to add, Admiral?" she asked.

"No, Madam President," he said coldly.

"Very well," said Valenski. "Doctors, I shall arrange transportation for you on the expedition. In the meantime, however, you have a proposal to write."
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Captain Seafort
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Post by Captain Seafort »

Great stuff. :) A question, however
"There have been four incidents that have indicated to us that a powerful cybernetic species exists in our galaxy, but this is the first time that the Federation has had direct contact with them."
The previous encounters being First Contact, the Enterprise encounter and V'Ger?
Only two things are infinite - the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the universe: Albert Einstein.
Tiberius
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Post by Tiberius »

Captain Seafort wrote:Great stuff. :) A question, however
"There have been four incidents that have indicated to us that a powerful cybernetic species exists in our galaxy, but this is the first time that the Federation has had direct contact with them."
The previous encounters being First Contact, the Enterprise encounter and V'Ger?
And the El Aurian refugees picked up on the Enterprise B.
Go and read my fan fic "The Hansen Diaries"! And leave comments!
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