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Unimatrix Zero: Part 2

[narrator] Last time on Star Trek: Voyager...

Two more of the mutations have been discovered in Spatial Grid 649.

Have their cortical nodes removed and analyzed.

I'm regenerating. This is only a dream.

You're not dreaming. I brought you here.

This is Unimatrix Zero.

You used to come here, before you escaped the collective.

Unimatrix Zero is real... and so are the people who go there.

They need our help.

If we can't terminate their link... then we'll simply have to pay them a visit.

[screaming]

[groaning]

The people there are vulnerable.

They don't have the ability to take action in the real world.

We're going to give them that ability.

Tend to your own crew.

Stay away from things that don't concern you.

I'm afraid I can't do that.

We were more than friends, weren't we?

This is our target. You'll keep a transporter lock on me.

Once I make it to the central plexus and release the virus, you can beam me back.

In how many pieces?

Captain...

I expected something more cunning from you.

[groaning]

[groaning]

[grunting]

Their life signs are destabilizing.

[narrator] And now, the conclusion.

Lieutenant.

[mechanical rasp] I'm all right.

You've been given a sub vocal processor.

I can live with it.

-The Captain? -We were separated.

I don't know where they took her.

We must proceed to the central plexus.

Time?

Seventeen minutes.

We should have heard something by now.

Doctor?

Their higher brain functions are stable.

[console beeping]

Cube's changing course.

New heading: 121 mark 6.

Matching course and speed.

The damage to their propulsion system is regenerating.

They'll be capable of transwarp in less than two hours.

I want you inside Unimatrix Zero.

When the virus is released, your friends there will be the first to know.

Problem?

No... but I wouldn't call them my "friends."

Acquaintances, then.

If you're having issues with these people, I suggest you set them aside.

Understood.

Tell your hunters to patrol the northeastern perimeter.

-More drones were spotted there. -Understood.

Where's that virus you promised?

-Captain Janeway's deploying it now. -Good.

The Borg have increased their attacks here.

They're identifying us one by one.

If you're looking for your mate, he is not here.

He's not my mate.

-He must not be regenerating. -That or he's dead.

He should have been here hours ago.

No one's seen him.

If he died in battle,

I'm sure it was honorable.

Here, help me.

[grunts]

It's obvious your heart is in conflict.

My heart is functioning perfectly.

[groans]

Some advice from a warrior in the bedchamber as well as the battlefield.

At times like these, you must treat your heart as the enemy, so you won't be distracted in battle.

I'll keep that in mind.

[low whirring]

-Has the virus been deployed? -I'm not sure.

Do you remember anything?

Your location? What ship you're on?

No, nothing.

The central plexus is through here.

Those must be the shield emitters that Seven told us about.

We need to get through that hatch.

I'll attempt to deactivate him.

-Captain. -What's left of her.

-How are you holding up? -Fine.

I can't access the plexus without shutting down the power grid for this section.

That's bound to draw attention. Is there another way in?

The primary access port.

I think it's isolated from the main power grid.

-Where is it? -About 30 meters from here.

[indistinct overlapping voices]

[Janeway] Tuvok.

Commander.

I can hear the collective.

The neural suppressant must be wearing off.

I'll be all right.

I heard him... the Vulcan... but he's gone.

Why?

Why can't I hear the others?

[groaning]

-[high-pitched popping and whirring] -[groaning]

[groaning]

Leave this one to me.

[panting]

-Comfortable? -Release me.

Easier said than done.

I think I designed this trap a little too well.

What are you doing out here?

Looking for you.

Korok was concerned.

That doesn't sound like Korok.

He said you were missing.

As you can see, I've been busy setting traps.

Not the most sophisticated technology.

Seems to work.

Hold on.

I should return to the camp, wait for word on the virus.

I'll go with you... in case you run into any more trouble.

As you wish.

I'm sure Korok will be glad to see me.

[Borg Queen] Tuvok...

Where are you, Tuvok?

Commander?

Stardate 38774...

Vulcanis Lunar Colony.

The time and place of my birth.

Recalling the details of my life helps me remain focused.

Captain, if I succumb to the collective,

I'll pose a security risk.

You must be prepared to deactivate me.

Without the Doctor's help, that could kill you.

Stay focused. Stay Tuvok.

That's an order.

Captain, I've bypassed the access codes.

Welcome to the central plexus.

[Borg Queen] Tuvok...

Where are you, Tuvok?

[indistinct overlapping voices]

Busy?

What's on your mind?

The away team.

The plan was to give them two hours. It's been two and a half.

Doctor's keeping an eye on them.

We'll give it a little more time.

Unfortunately, not everything goes according to plan.

You know, it occurs to me that, with you in command and Tuvok off the ship, that makes me acting first officer, technically speaking.

[sighs] What's your point?

Well, it's my duty to give you an opinion, and, in my opinion, I think we should pull them out now before it's too late.

I appreciate your diligence... but I've made my decision.

We wait.

How long?

A day? A week?

As long as it takes to complete the mission.

-This mission isn't worth their lives. -You've made your point.

Apparently not.

Lieutenant.

A first officer could get in a lot of trouble for talking to his captain that way.

Well, I've learned from the best.

I appreciate your concerns, Tom, but I need your support on this.

Aye, sir.

Download the virus.

[indistinct overlapping voices]

[Borg Queen] Tuvok...

My daughter's name is Asil.

[Tuvok and Borg Queen] She was born in the city of...

...of T'Paal.

We share your memories.

You are part of us now.

Don't resist.

[alarm beeping]

There's a problem with Commander Tuvok.

His synaptic pathways are destabilizing.

If I decide to move in closer,

I assume my first officer would concur.

You assume correctly.

We have to get out of this chamber and contact Voyager.

You're Commander Tuvok, tactical officer of the Starship Voyager.

I'm your Captain.

Step aside. That's an order.

She's irrelevant.

Captain, you must deactivate me.

[groans]

My designation is Three of Twelve.

Where are you, Tuvok?

The central plexus.

-Range: 40,000 kilometers. -Harry?

Too much shielding around the central plexus.

-I can't get a lock. -Stay on it.

Closer.

This way.

[grunting]

[groans]

Back so soon?

Target their shield generators.

Stand by phasers.

Commander?

Shields to full. Brace for impact.

Someone's accessing our tactical controls.

Our shields are down.

Evasive maneuvers.

Sensors are off-line! I've lost the away team!

Hull breaches... Decks 5, 6, 7!

-Reverse course. -We can't just leave them.

The Borg have our access codes. Get us out of here.

Thank you, Tuvok.

I'm losing voices.

Five in Spatial Grid 96.

Twelve in Grid 182.

Hundreds now... thousands.

[Borg Queen] I can't hear you.

Why can't I hear you?

You've disconnected from the hive mind.

Explain.

Comply.

No!

I'm not alone.

You can't stop us all!

I altered the transmission to restore your original appearance.

I know how vain humans can be.

Why am I here?

You've caused a great deal of suffering.

I wanted you to see it for yourself.

You are the cause of his death, Captain.

You disconnected him from the hive mind.

You didn't have to kill him.

He was confused, irrational.

I had no choice.

Many more will die, unless you tell me how to counteract the virus.

Sorry, we didn't think to develop an antidote.

I'll assimilate Voyager, then.

Your Doctor created the pathogen.

He can find a cure.

My first officer has orders to delete the Doctor's program if you go anywhere near Voyager.

The resistance is already underway.

It won't be long before thousands of drones begin to fight back.

They will fail.

Maybe... probably... but a lot of damage will be done before they do.

Yes, a lot of damage.

Spatial Grid 94, Cube 630.

Complement: 64,000 drones, but I can no longer hear three of them.

No doubt they've joined your resistance.

Are they trying to sabotage the vessel and liberate others?

I don't know, because I can no longer hear them.

Initiate self-destruct.

An effective solution, don't you agree?

Spatial Grid 091, Sphere 878.

Complement: 11,000 drones.

Only one is silent, but I have no choice.

I must silence all of them.

I know how this must upset you, Captain.

As a Starfleet officer, you value all life, even drones.

How many more are you willing to sacrifice?

Thousands?

Millions?

You can put an end to this.

I want you to go on a diplomatic mission.

It's one of your primary functions, isn't it? Negotiations?

Go on.

Tell them to rejoin the collective and I'll stop the destruction.

They will never agree to that.

They're individuals now.

They have a choice.

What are you afraid of, Captain?

That they may cooperate?

You've been waiting for a chance to damage the Borg.

Now, you've found one.

You're only using them.

If you really wanted to negotiate, you'd visit Unimatrix Zero.

You found a way to send drones. Surely, you could go yourself.

Or are you afraid that a taste of individuality might make you realize it is something worth fighting for?

Comply, or you will be responsible for many more deaths.

You'll have to destroy the entire collective to find them all.

Several drones have reported that they retained their memories of Unimatrix Zero after their regeneration ended.

The virus has been deployed.

Good. We're going to need all the help we can get.

The away team's still trapped on that cube.

And as you may have noticed, we're in no shape to mount a rescue.

Can you get back in? Find out if they have anyone else aboard this cube?

If they do, tell them to hurry. They're the only allies we've got.

I'd like to make a few adjustments to your alcove before you return.

When this crisis ends,

I'll come up with a more permanent solution, so you can spend more time in Unimatrix Zero.

You're in a unique position.

Not many of us get to lead a double life.

When this crisis ends, I intend to sever my link to Unimatrix Zero.

May I ask why?

I'm having difficulties with one of the people there.

Mr. Axum?

Whenever you mention his name, your pupils dilate by nearly a millimeter, blood flow increases to your facial capillaries.

Both are consistent with an emotional response.

Axum and I apparently had a relationship.

Oh. Romantic?

There go those pupils again.

Your diagnosis is accurate.

Well... how ironic.

All this time, we've been trying to develop that aspect of your humanity, and it's been there all along.

-Not anymore. -My readings say otherwise.

You're very particular about who you choose to spend time with, Seven.

No doubt that's why you and I have become friends.

If you were involved with Axum once, doesn't that suggest he's a worthwhile individual?

He does possess commendable qualities.

Coming from you, that's high praise.

There's nothing wrong with feeling ambivalent, Seven.

After all, you're in the middle of a civil war, but eventually, you may want to give this romance a second chance.

Who knows?

You may even get to meet him in person someday.

I'll say this for your Mr. Axum.

He's a very lucky man.

The collective has found a new way to attack us.

Eleven ships have self-destructed in the last three hours.

We need to coordinate a battle plan, a way to strike at the heart of the collective.

Our target should be the primary unicomplex.

If we can disrupt the queen's control of the hive mind, it'll give us a chance to organize, build up a fighting force.

[crowd murmurs agreement]

There is one more objective... the Voyager away team.

They fought like warriors.

Their sacrifice will not be forgotten.

-We can still rescue them. -She's right.

They risked their lives for us.

Now, it's our turn.

-There's no time! -It's a matter of honor, Korok.

I thought you of all people would understand that.

I'll see if any of our people are on a vessel near theirs.

[crowd chatter]

Thank you.

It's the least we can do.

What's wrong?

It turns out I'm on a scout ship patrolling the border of fluidic space... on the other side of the galaxy.

I... was hoping we'd be able to meet one day, in the real world.

Me, too.

There are things I can do where I am.

I'll try to contact Species 8472, see if I can persuade them to join the fight.

Given their history with the Borg, I'm sure they'll be eager.

I guess this rules out Vorothon Gorge.

"Gorge"?

It was at the top of our list of things to see in the real world if we were ever freed from the collective.

Don't you remember?

We could add fluidic space to our list.

We still have Unimatrix Zero.

It was sufficient before.

And now?

-Where are you? -Over here.

[chuckles]

[laughing]

Don't be frightened.

Stand up, let me look at you.

Comply.

You're one of the machine people.

You're trying to hurt us.

That's the last thing I want to do.

I'm here to help you... all of you.

They said you wanted to assim... assimi...

Assimilate you.

Yes, but that's nothing to be afraid of.

You like having friends, don't you?

Assimilation turns us all into friends.

In fact, it brings us so close together, we can hear each other's thoughts.

Is that fun?

Yes.

It's fun.

I was just about your age when I was assimilated.

I was worried then, too.

But, when I began to hear the others, hear their thoughts,

I wasn't afraid anymore.

Don't you miss your parents?

They're here with me... part of us.

I can hear them right now.

Would you like to be with your parents?

They miss you.

They want to see you.

Can I talk to them?

Soon.

But, first, I'd like to see more of this.

There's a place where you can see the whole forest.

Show me.

It's pretty, isn't it?

[Borg Queen] I took your advice, Captain.

I paid a visit to Unimatrix Zero.

It's far more primitive than I expected.

I don't understand how anyone could prefer a crude environment to Borg perfection.

Spend a little more time there.

You might find out.

I've seen enough.

It's an illusion.

Even so, the people who go there are real, and they won't give it up without a fight.

They'll fail.

I thought you'd like to see our latest accomplishment.

Recognize it?

No.

I think you do.

It's your nanovirus, with a few modifications.

We've reprogrammed it to target your mutated drones.

Once it's released, it will erode their autonomic functions.

They will die within minutes.

You have no way to deliver it.

Those drones have been separated from the hive mind.

They aren't linked to the central plexus anymore.

No, but there's another way I can reach them.

I'm prepared to go back to Unimatrix Zero and release it myself, but I'm willing to reconsider.

-It all depends on you. -Me?

If they rejoin the collective, I'll spare their lives.

They listen to you.

Tell them it's time to come home.

You were responsible for many deaths.

Now, you can save thousands.

Decide.

Let's try this again.

Ensign?

The warp core is on line, navigational array, shields at 20 percent.

We've got sensors, short-range only.

It's a start.

Try to get a fix on the away team.

[systems powering down]

Now what?

Someone's tapping into our holographic systems.

-Source? -It's a Borg signal.

-Doctor to the Bridge. -Go ahead.

Someone's here to see you and Seven, Commander.

You'd better come down here right away.

Kathryn?

The Borg have established this link, so I could propose a compromise.

We're listening.

They've developed a nanovirus that can kill every Borg with the mutation.

They're prepared to release it inside Unimatrix Zero, unless all the drones there return to the collective

for reassimilation immediately.

That's not compromise, that's surrender.

I won't be responsible for any more deaths.

At least they'll survive as drones.

Tell them Unimatrix Zero can no longer exist.

That's an order.

Have I made myself clear, Commander?

Yes, Captain.

We did our best.

It's not over yet, Doctor.

Can you disrupt the interlink frequency for Unimatrix Zero?

Commander, the Captain gave us a direct order.

Yes, she did, but not the one you think.

-Seven? -I believe I can, but why?

Didn't you hear?

Unimatrix Zero can no longer exist.

[rumbling]

Chakotay to the Bridge. Report.

A transwarp conduit just opened off our port bow.

Lieutenant.

They're on an intercept course.

Evasive maneuvers.

Battle stations.

They're hailing us.

Open a channel.

Starship Voyager.

I am General Korok.

This vessel is now under my command.

We've come to join you in battle.

Your crewmates are coming to retrieve you.

You were wise to comply.

Chakotay to Seven of Nine.

We're almost in range.

Stand by.

I've isolated the frequency.

Get Korok.

Our emitters are fully charged.

[Chakotay] You should be receiving the interlink frequency.

[Korok] We have it.

Wait for my signal.

We have to end our regeneration cycles.

We can't be here when it happens.

Will there be anything left?

I know we're being asked to make a sacrifice, but it's the only way.

-We're in range. -Full power to the shields.

All weapons on line.

Voyager to Korok. It's time.

You must go.

Bridge, it's working.

Unimatrix Zero is shutting down.

Acknowledged.

Voyager to Korok. Now.

What are they doing?

You wanted to destroy Unimatrix Zero.

We're just lending you a hand.

Get me the virus.

You're too late. There's no one left to infect.

Is this your compromise?

I don't compromise with Borg.

Match their shield modulations and fire!

-I'm picking up the away team! -I'm isolating their bio-signatures.

Get a lock.

I still can't penetrate their inner shields.

Voyager to Korok. Status?

Patience, Commander.

They're trying to remodulate their secondary shield grid.

I'm attempting to compensate.

-You shouldn't be here. -Neither should you.

[gasps] I've wasted our time together.

No, you didn't.

You gave us a chance to fall in love again.

We've lost our only way to be together.

No. I'll find you.

Axum...?

I'll find you.

[sighs]

[explosive rumbling]

[grunting]

Shields in Subgrid 42 are destabilizing.

Target that section.

Initiate self-destruct.

Their shields are down.

Energize.

Chief Medical Officer's Log, Stardate 54014.4.

It's been 48 hours since the away team returned to Voyager.

Thanks to the neural suppressant,

I've been able to extract most of their Borg technology.

The Captain and B'Elanna are on the mend,

but Tuvok will need a little more time to recover.

[door opens, closes]

General Korok has finished his repairs.

He's already been contacted by another Borg vessel in the region.

It's also under the control of former drones.

[groans]

The Doctor removed my spinal clamps, but it'll be a while before I'm playing hoverball again.

If I ever imply it's been easy on you these last few years, remind me about today.

Noted.

Well, Unimatrix Zero may be gone, but it looks like the resistance is alive and kicking.

With any luck, the collective may never be the same.

Korok said he would try to maintain contact, keep us informed.

Have you heard from your friend?

No... but I don't expect to.

Axum's vessel is in a remote sector of the Beta Quadrant.

If I ever imply that he was nothing more than a friend, remind me about today.