“You’re playing a dangerous game, Mac. Who’s to say that the next time you use the transporter, she doesn’t just decide to scramble your molecules from one end of the galaxy to the other?”
“There’s no fun in that.”
“Fun?” She shook her head, once again not understanding.
“Admiral,” said Calhoun, “she is quite possibly the smartest entity in the galaxy. If you’re immortal and all-knowing, then more than anything else, you’re someone who has a great deal of difficulty finding challenges.”
“And you believe that’s how she sees you? As a challenge?”
“I think so, yes.”
“And because of that, she’s going to keep you around, even if you wind up outthinking her and costing her her existence?”
“She probably believes that I don’t have a hope in hell of outthinking her, making her utterly safe while she gets to amuse herself watching me go around like a rat in a maze.”
“So you’re like her pet?”
“That’s probably how she sees it.”
“I hope you’re right, Captain,” she said, “because there’s just as real a possibility that—rather than see you as a challenge—she perceives you as a threat and she’ll dispose of you with no more thought than you would give an insect on the bottom of your boot.”
“Oh, believe me, that’s occurred to me as well.”
“And what do you intend to do about it?”
“Why, obviously, I’m going to attempt to be as much of a challenge as possible. Step up my game to her level.”
“You sound almost excited about it.”
He shrugged. “We brilliant strategic thinkers have to find our entertainment where we can.”
“High-stakes entertainment, Captain, especially if the safety of the Federation—not to mention your crew—hinges upon it.”
“Quite true.”
“That being the case,” she said, concern furrowing her brow, “may I make a suggestion, Captain?”
“By all means.”
“You damned well better win.”
“That,” said Calhoun, “is an order I will most readily follow, Admiral.”
Tendara Colony
During the Meeting at Starfleet Headquarters
i.
Seven of Nine, the former Annika Hansen, hadn’t expected the smells to be what would trigger the tears. Indeed, she hadn’t been expecting to cry at all.
She had thought that perhaps the mere act of setting foot upon Tendara Colony would be enough to prompt some sort of reaction. When she stepped off the shuttle, however, absolutely nothing happened. She looked around as any other stranger would, trying to feel some manner of connection to either the colony or the colonists around her.
Nothing presented itself.
She came through a small, albeit busy, spaceport, where everyone was attending to whatever their respective business was. No one gave her a second glance. This was unusual for her, and once again she had to take the time to remind herself that there was no reason why they should. It was natural for her to expect some sort of particular extra attention, considering that for the last few years she had lived her daily existence with implants attached to various parts of her, most noticeably her face. People—especially civilians—would glance at her, do a double take, and occasionally back away if they recognized the accoutrements that adorned her. She had become accustomed to being stared at and regarded with concern. How odd that it is not being looked at that requires the adjustment, she thought.
Not that she was entirely devoid of being paid attention to. She was still a tall, strikingly good-looking woman. Her blonde hair shimmered and she moved with an easy grace and a confident sway of her shoulders and hips. Men cast sidelong, admiring glances at her, and plenty of women did as well. But it was always quick, fleeting, and then they were on to something else. Looks did not linger upon her. No one was assessing her potential as a threat.
She certainly couldn’t say she missed that aspect of her life.
Once she had arrived planetside, she rented a grav car that would enable her to get around easily. The colony had certainly grown since she had spent the first few years of her life here, but it hadn’t grown that much. It was still less than a day’s journey by grav car from one end of the settlement to the other. In point of fact, she could have walked it. Seven was in no rush; however, she saw no reason to dawdle, either.
She climbed into the car, stowing her minimal belongings in the storage compartment. A few changes of clothes, some holos of the old crew that she liked to take with her wherever she journeyed. She had so little that passed for