(Untitled)

[one_who_is_many]

Who: The Borg Queen/Morgan/Prefect/Elle/Amber.
Where: Just outside the Queen's chamber.
What: Recruitment...
Warnings: Violence, mind-rape, etcetera.

Comments

[one_who_is_many]

One Of Two. Two Of Two.

Soon, that last number was going to change to 'Three'.

Morgan held strategy and instinct. Prefect gave willing conformity. Elle... Elle held a most unique trait. One which promised the Collective a potential new source of power and offensive ability, once sufficiently analysed to transfer across the Collective, as a whole.

But that would be later. When the ship was sufficiently purged of threats to start adapting the vessel, itself. Then security protocols could be lifted in general. Until then, Elle was going to give her new Queen-to-be a successive third functionary and, from her, many more, besides. An army of three would increase to four and then a campaign of mass assimilation would begin.

And with each new member, their collective mind grew stronger, more assured, more capable of overpowering every new additional victim.

The door slid cycled open to reveal a heightened level of sound within its confines than usual. The electronic components she, Prefect and Tobias had been providing, although crude, had steadily grown to an amount sufficient for the creation of prosthetic enhancements. On two slabs, Morgan and Prefect were already undergoing the second and final stage of assimilation. Mentally, internally, they were already Borg. Now they were undergoing the necessary external changes, too. That, however, was out of sight in the gloomy interior of neon greens.

Only the strangely imposing spectre of the Queen could be noticed. An alien being who had achieved possibly more outright domination of entire civilisations, than even the Master could hope of attaining.

"Hello, Elle," the cybernetic corruptress smiled. Her tone cool, controlled. "Come in... It's a pleasure to meet one so talented. We'll be happy to reacquaint you with your rightful gift..."

[cautionarystory]

Elle had been pushing against the door, trying to make it open rather than waiting for it to be opened for her. So when it gave way, she overbalanced and stumbled into the room, blinking in the weird green light.

"Uh. Hi. What am I doing here, exactly?" She kept her distance from the Queen, unwilling to trust anyone who hadn't earned it. But she wouldn't ever admit to the trepidation she felt. Instead she tried to appear confident and self-assured. "I'll do whatever you want me to, but... you can just give me orders over the journals. This is kinda creepy."

[one_who_is_many]

"But however could we properly thank you, otherwise? We will extend to you the gift of perfection, Elle. As we seek to improve ourselves, so will you benefit from our perfection."

Behind the blonde, the door shut with a loud echo. Danger signals had to be going off now, yet the Queen did little more than simply... Approach her. Without weapons in either hand, what possible danger could she be?

"You've provided so much assistance, Elle... Enough to help Perfect and Captain Adams appreciate the Collective's needs. Would you like to see them?"

[cautionarystory]

When the door shut, Elle instinctively turned her head to look at it, to make sure it had really closed and it wasn't just a trick or her imagination. Even feeling the first twinges of fear, she managed to stay in it enough to know not to turn her back to the Queen.

"I think I'd like to skip the ceremonial thanks and move on to the part where I get my ability back," she said, not quite scared enough to lose her calm, almost flippant tone. Both hands balled into fists and she tried to generate what weak electricity she could.

Nothing happened.

So she was trapped in some creepy lair with what looked like a robot woman and absolutely no way of defending herself. Yeah, this would go great.

[one_who_is_many]

The Queen glanced down at those hands with an expression more reflective of amusement, than foreboding. "Energy," she mused. "How thoughtful..."

The curvature of the Queen's smile was the first real indication that this meeting was not in the least intended for Elle's good health. Not while she remained human, at least.

"You're going to know them intimately well... In fact, you won't even need words to exchange a point of view."

And now the Queen advanced. Not fast, not bullyingly, but slow and confident. A viper who had just trapped its first kitten and, claws or not, fully intended to devour it.

"Once we've assimilated the ship, you'll generate more voltage than you've ever known, Elle... All Borg will, thanks to you."

[cautionarystory]

Elle took a few steps back until she felt herself press up against the door. It didn't open. She didn't like the sound of anything the Queen was saying now, and she knew that smile all too well. It wasn't a very nice smile.

"I told you, I'll work for you. Whatever you want. You don't have to do anything to me. You want me to spy for you? Or kill people? I'm good at those things; I'll do them for you."

She pushed herself tighter against the door, poised to spring in case the Queen attacked. Her eyes narrowed, giving the room another quick sweep, looking for anything that could be used as a potential weapon.

"And honestly, Prefect and the pirate aren't really my type. There are other people I'd be way more interested in knowing intimately." Even starting to feel like a cornered animal, Elle managed to shoot the Queen a little smirk.

[one_who_is_many]

"We don't need you to be yourself, Elle... We just need you to understand."

Because the Borg could not be reasoned with. Elle had no leverage. She had nothing they now needed, except her body and mind. Only then would she be truly accepted as genuinely loyal. Only then could she be controlled.

"Your best interests are with us, Elle. We'll assimilate the ship, together - Admiral, included. You'll be greater than you ever could, alone. And you'll regain what was stolen from you..."

Not so much an offer, as a last-ditch attempt to simply explain things. Even then, only one given because there was time to kill before she would reach her. It could turn into a physical struggle. There was no doubt it would, but the Queen only had to get close enough... Then it would be over. Then Elle Bishop would be no more.

She would be Borg.

"You did say you'd do anything to get it back..."

A moment's hesitation and, willing victim or not, the Queen moved, fully intent on the conversion of her third drone.

[cautionarystory]

Elle ducked out of the Queen's path, which took her away from the door but at least gave her space to move.

"I understand! I get it! You wanna take over and make everybody your slave. I'll serve you willingly, just... Tell me what you want. What're you gonna do?"

So far the Queen hadn't said anything explicitly awful. Every hair on the back of Elle's neck was standing up and the sound of the machines was grating on her nerves, but maybe it wouldn't be so bad. She just needed to know what it was before she decided whether or not it was worth resorting to undignified roughhousing.

[one_who_is_many]

The Queen had an odd way of moving. Capable of being crude, but only in the most extreme of situations. It was usually graceful and so it proved to be here; coming to an immediate, machine-like halt, rather than bending with momentum, once her target had moved out of reach. Morgan and Prefect could always be called on, interrupted from their partial transformation, if need be.

There was no way out.

Except the one which gave the Queen reason to curve those red lips, once again.

"You won't be enslaved, Elle... You think me a tyrant? I'm as much a part of the Collective as any other. I don't own it. It speaks through me."

True, her drones were absolutely rigid, far more mechanised in personality and movements. But mentally, they each existed through one another. There was one mind, one view. A vast swarm of interconnected consciousness. Each was the sum total of all its constituant parts.

But Elle was offering... Willingness?

"We'll enhance you... We'll free you. Each moment you'll exist will be in immortalised ecstasy... Why confine your mind to one body, when countless billions could be yours, at will?"

[cautionarystory]

There were a couple things that weren't worth going through even to have her ability back. Giving other people access to her thoughts was on the list, but it was something Elle would be willing to play along with, to talk herself out of this situation. She really didn't want to start rolling around on the floor with this lady.

"Is that it? You're gonna make me psychic? I don't need to be psychic to work for you. But that's fine."

She got the feeling that she was supposed to become part of this 'Collective,' but as far as what that meant, she had no idea.

Elle kept up a nonchalant attitude, heading further into the room, hoping to find anything that could be used as a projectile weapon. Didn't this woman even have a chair?

[one_who_is_many]

Venture far enough within and the previous two 'volunteers' would be visible, undergoing the final phase of their respective transformations. The Queen cared not. Only that she was going to assimilate someone with a hugely valuable ability. If there was one thing guaranteed to get the Borg's interest, it was a distinctive advantage they could consume, replicate and mass-produce for themselves.

Which, in a way, made them a little bit like Communist China...

"Resistance is futile - and it's three against one. We'd much rather have your compliance, than do this by force... And your world is ours, regardless of your actions, here."

[cautionarystory]

Elle finally made her way far back enough that she could see Prefect and Morgan. No projectile weapons, and and now she wanted one more than ever.

"Gross," she whispered, reaching out to poke the nearest one. She had no intention of winding up like that.

Okay, it was time to get out of here. The whole psychic thing she was willing to play along with. Turning into some kind of ugly machine thing... No. Just no. And frankly, it reeked of experiments, the kind of thing her father would do to people, the kind of thing he might have done to her.

A sudden wave of nausea hit her at the thought. She really needed to get out of here.

"Look, I'm gonna come back tomorrow, okay? This whole... robot... thing... I gotta think it over." She glanced at the Queen. That wasn't going to fly, was it? "I need to make sure someone's feeding my dog." That was even weaker.

Running for the door wouldn't help - it was locked. The only way out was to defeat the Queen, or maybe destroy the machinery. She glanced around, trying to find a button with a 'do not push' vibe to it.

"What would happen," she asked curiously, "if I did this?" She reached for a random tube with the intent to give it a good hard yank. Hopefully she chose a tube that was very important and would destroy several things if pulled out of the overall structure.

NPCing something I hope I won't get in any obvious trouble for!

[one_who_is_many]

It as a reasonable course of action. Against the inevitable, chaos had a valid part to play. Unfortunately, an obvious threat was the one thing which would incite the Queen into taking an immediate course of action, either on her own or through those she had assimilated.

Whether it was Prefect or Morgan, was irrelevant. The pair might still be on their respective slabs, but a hand shot out with an attempted precise aim for Elle's wrist. They were simply being physically improved, not rendered unconscious. The cybernetic matriarch swiftly taking advantage and moving in, whether or not the unspoken command had been successful.

"You provoke a reaction!" She supplied in answer, this time giving way to at least a display of anger, if not the genuine emotion. Something the drones seemed incapable of. She was going to make the first grab she could of the blonde and force her to accept the Collective.

No matter what it took.

I shouldn't think so!

[cautionarystory]

Elle shot the Queen a glare, wrenching her wrist hard despite the firm grip on it.

"I think you should let go of me," she said, before reached for the Queen's head to grab at the bits of wire that were stuck there.

So many replies!

[one_who_is_many]

Rooted directly to the metal shell of her upper skull, itself, the metal tubing still made for an inviting target, even if physically damaging it would prove dangerous without a relevant weapon. Still, the girl could force her head to twist if she got a firm grip on them, as with any handle. Even she had to call out a sound of pain at something like that.

And if electricity was applied...

In full awareness of that danger, the Queen shot out her right arm, extending those deadly injecting tendrils at lightning speed. If they contacted against skin, it was all she would need.

And 'Three Of Three' would be born in Elle's place.

[cautionarystory]

Elle's free hand was busy pulling at the tubes, and she was unable to stop the thing being jabbed into her neck.

It only felt like a pinprick, at first. And then she felt something inside her neck, incredibly painful and somehow numbing, spreading like fire through every vein.

She wasn't going to be able to stand for much longer. She tightened her grip on the tubes at the back of the Queen's head, just for a moment, and wrenched them sideways with the weight of her entire body. She was going to make this stupid bitch fall, if only for a second.

Whether she succeeded or not, Elle found herself on the floor, conscious only of every single nerve ending in her body firing on overdrive, every muscle spasming in pain. "Please," she whimpered. "I'd rather..." And that was when her voice ran out. She squeezed her watering eyes shut, trying not to give the Queen the satisfaction of seeing her cry.