Tori sat on the observation deck of the Providence. She looked out at the stars and smiled. It had been a long time since her human imagination was allowed to look at the stars and explore them mentally.
Click joined his chief engineer and tactical officer on the deck staining at the stars. “Beautiful, isn’t it?”
“Do you know that after we lost connection with the cube and the collective, we suffered great pains as the cybernetics began to shutdown. Those of us with the strength to do so began to use other metal appendages to replace the damaged cybernetics. It became as those we were existing as a badge of honor – decorating our bodies with the replacement metal. We stole from ships. We stole from our own ship. We became ravaging pirates.”, Tori looked at the Xindi Insectoid commanding officer.
“We became punk freaks.”, Tori responded.
“When our ship was finally captured by the Federation, many of us were strung out on whatever drug we could find. Inserting the metal into the body after tearing out the Borg Cybernetics was excruciatingly painful. I did not even know my name. I was 11 of 30, Security Officer aboard Cube 27111. Its all I could remember.”, Tori opened up about her history.
“I was once human who became Borg. I was once Borg who became a freak and a prisoner. I am nothing now.”, Tori started to tear up, her hardware glistened in the starlight.
“You are wrong, Lt. Commander Tori.”, Click responded.
“Sir?”, Tori looked at the Xindi.
“You are the Chief of Security aboard the USS Providence and its Chief Tactical Officer. I have had the privilege of serving on many of the King’s Fleet vessels. I have come to know that those ships are made of crew members who became family members. I was accepted by my new family.”, Click announced.
“You will too.”, Captain Tchilick Tchilack looked at Tori.
The greasy Xindi reached over and put his insect like hand onto hers.
Tori looked at Click, “Thank you, Captain.”
