[Report This]Date: 25 Sep 2010 19:11 Title: Chapter 6
That's clever, that is. Can't wait to see if Maren's bluff actually works.
Date: 20 Sep 2010 22:21 Title: Chapter 6
My, my, my. That was one shock after another. First Lakwa with her surprising offer of assistance to Adele. Her diplomatic overtures and tones are impressive from an ex-drone. The fact she is willing to mutiny against or betray Malik is to a degree shocking though similarly understandable. Of course, this can't have a pretty outcome for Malik and Lakwa nevermind the Starfleet officers. Dissension among the rebel Borg is actually worrying - atop of the shock that they harness and give away as a bargaining chip the power of Omega. Now THAT has to be asking for trouble!
The news that Omega is powering their ships and weapons explains a great deal but certainly ups the stakes big time for all concerned. Starfleet's hands are kinda tied on that one considering the Omega protocol but will Adele turn down the chance to be able to weild it as a weapon against the Borg? For that matter, will the Admiral? Even Maren is enthralled for a moment by the harnessing of Omega.
And then of course, there is Maren taking a bold tactical move. How comes I feel this 'bluff' could turn out so badly? Past form perhaps. But I like that she is taking some sort of active response to what has happened. She has been pushed and strained over the last while and yet we see her find the leverage to use against Malik. Albeit the back of Icheb's head. you've created a tense situation with a lot of shifting ground under our feet as the hostage situation turns up Omega, Malik making an offer, Icheb seeing some reason to his arguments , lakwa offering to help Adele and willing to mutiny against Malik, and Maren taking icheb's life into her hands in a pretty big gamble.
[Report This]Date: 17 Sep 2010 05:52 Title: Chapter 6
After a couple of chapters setting the pieces in motion and tying up loose ends (Quigley and his broken ships) it's nice to see Tesseract get back to running breakneck into a crisis with some interesting questions about the Borg resistance.
And what a question it is, because really, what the quadrant needs now is a Borg resistance leader who's own people (Drones?) seem to think just might be completely crazy that has been spreading weaponized Omega technology to the lesser powers of the Delta quadrant. (Yeah, good choice there Malik, the Delta Quadrant is just chock-full of responsible species that would NEVER use such things to their own advantage.
Finally, nice to see Maren find her nerve again. I know she's not the fighter of the bunch, but still, she's clearly got a little bit of game. We've seen her go toe-to-toe with a Borg drone in Main Engineering, and now we're seeing her go eyeball-to-eyeball with Malik. (Well, more accurately phaser-to-eyeball with Icheb, but still..)
Just a tip there Mailk, given how Maren's week has gone, you might want to decide that today, resistance is ... um ...well... perfectly acceptable.
Date: 30 Aug 2010 00:10 Title: Chapter 5
Outstanding chapter as John and T'Pring attempt to pick up the pieces and determine what (and who) is salvageable, and what isn't.
John's clearly in over his head, but he's rising to the challenge, a great characteristic in a future leader. He's keeping his people calm, focused, and on-task, much as T'Pring is aboard Luna.
Here's hoping John can bring those last 30 people out alive.
Date: 26 Aug 2010 02:25 Title: Chapter 5
Whew...not looking good for the Sol or the folks on it. Brutal death count already, and I'm sure more to come. Ouch...good chapter.
Date: 25 Aug 2010 19:00 Title: Chapter 5
Oh boy! Two battered ships and barely any transporters to help with the evacuation. Hope all goes well... wink wink
Date: 24 Aug 2010 23:21 Title: Chapter 5
Damn you smashed both ships up good kes. It's one messed up jigsaw puzzle for sure. Almost we have enough bits for one ship alas we have two. And when we see the damage and the situation as even viewed through the eyes of a cool and calm Vulcan we are hit with how badly off both ships are and yet how lucky they appear to have been. It's a worrying sign for down the road that the enemies out there are just so formidable. That's gulp moment waiting for us down the line.
Of course, that depends on them getting out of this one alive as they are far from doing yet. There are plenty of people unaccounted for and many of them civilians and we somehow have to get them off the Sol in the next :insert countdown timeframe here: YIPES! I'm putting down a 100 bucks here that the rescue and evacuation is not going to go smoothly. Any takers?? No! No? Surely we all don't think kes7 is that evil? ... I guess we do.
But man oh man! What a great piece. From the foul-mouthed and fiery personality of JQ to the more poised and calm precision of T'Pring we have two contrasts in charge. It makes for a compelling contrast and an even more vivid picture of what is happening. I loved both POVs and think they added so much to the overall effect. Smart thinking and great command skills shown by both, poor T'Pring's skills are probably going to be overshadowed by the far younger and more inexperienced JQ stepping big time up to the command plate. After the various doubts about his decisions, even 'voiced' by T'Pring, we see him take charge and make smart moves others would have missed. Terrific stuff. Excellent.
[Report This]Date: 10 Aug 2010 22:58 Title: Chapter 4
And the plot thickens. These resistance Borg may not be part of the Collective, but they sure do know how interface with their own technology.
The admiral now certainly has his own agenda. I wouldn't be surprise if he did turn out to be Section 31.
[Report This]Date: 09 Aug 2010 19:53 Title: Chapter 4
The admiral, usually so very subtle in his maneuverings, really started blatantly trying to manipulate Adele here. I've got to say, having the advisory board in an after-action review capacity might be helpful, but having their membership present to try and sway the captain's judgment prior to her making a decision is far from beneficial.
Somebody needs to put a cortex bomb in Malik's head for the next time he pulls a stunt like this. I'd love to see Icheb pull out the key-chain fob of death, press the button, elicit a double honking sound from Malik's mouth as his eyes flash... and then *BOOM*! 
And yes, Icheb should have seen that coming. Malik didn't have to do anything overt in order to commune effectively with his vessel. He made Icheb, Maren and the others look like a cadet review.
If you're going to play with the Borg, even the Borg Resistance, on their own turf... you'd best bring your A-game. Otherwise, stay home. Here's hoping Malik's just trying to make point with all this rather than anything more nefarious.
Date: 08 Aug 2010 18:26 Title: Chapter 4
My, what a chapter. Of course, any chapter that features the Admiral is of course a winner. But throw him in o a meeting with Adele and being so bold as to try and manipulate her! He really will try anything. That strikes me as an out and out calculated move to try and see how much he can push it will Adele. He hits upon a really sensitive area but doesn't get his own way thanks to the awesomeness that is Adele.
But it serves to show that he is willing to go to some lengths to meet his agenda. And it seems he would only be too happy to go experimenting on Icheb. Yipes! Scary. Little does Icheb realise that Adele is the only one standing between Icheb and a test lab - if ever the Admiral took over!!!
We now we have Adele keeping track of the away team empathically. Brilliant way to use her abilities in such a nuanced and tactical manner. Of course, it stands to reason that Maren is the easiest to track empathically! Ha, ha! So funny and so obvious really when you think about it. But boys did she have cause to end up feeling in a worse way!
It starts off with a lot of tense standing off between them all, with sparks flying almost between Malik, Icheb and Maren, with Maren getting in his face. Then Malik pulls what he does. He really hasn't assimilated any social guidelines books has he! Wow. What's next? And when?
Author's Response:
Yeah, I think Beckley is definitely testing Adele's limits with his open attempt at manipulating her. He wants to see what he can get away with. As for whether he'll get his way ... we'll see. Just because she's not a pushover doesn't mean she can't be swayed.
Beckley's said (thought) before, back in book one, that he would happily hand Icheb over to the Borg himself if he thought it would be advantageous. So yeah, Icheb does not have a friend in Beckley, despite Beckley's previously noted minor soft spot for the ex-drone. He may like the kid, but not enough to keep his best interests at heart or anything like that.
Adele's just lucky they're close by. She can track Maren easily enough since the girl is such a mess -- like a flashing beacon of angst and internal conflict. She won't always be able to pull that trick, but she did this time. Glad you liked that bit.
And yeah, Malik is horrible with people. Maren's not in the mood for his crap, but she gets put in her place pretty quickly. So we'll see what he wants to show them, and why he feels they need to be confined for him to do it.
Thanks for the awesome review . :)
[Report This]Date: 05 Aug 2010 22:27 Title: Chapter 3
Scary chain of events, but Quigley handled it well despite not knowing too much about engineering. It was actually sort good to see that he wasn't entirely sure how to get anything fixed when television series seemed to indicate everyone could do everyone else's job.
Author's Response:
I'm glad you like the idea that not everyone is crosstrained to within an inch of their lives. I always found it a little ridiculous and redundant that everyone could seemingly do EVERYTHING on TV Trek. This is my attempt to bring a little reality to the situation. John's a good officer, but he's a tactical guy, not an engineer. Thanks for reading and commenting, and for the stars. I really appreciate it!
[Report This]Date: 28 Jul 2010 22:56 Title: Prologue
Finished with the first story and ready with the second. It's an effective portrayal of the emotional turmoil of Dena/One of Fifteen. I would guess the difference between her and Seven of Nine is that Seven was a child when assimilated.
Author's Response:
There are many differences between Dena and Seven, which all basically do boil down to the fact that Dena has a lifetime of memories prior to her assimilation, while Seven did not. I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter; thanks for reviewing!
Date: 24 Jul 2010 08:13 Title: Chapter 3
I really feel for John here, as well as Anit, but they clearly did the right thing… even Herk knew it was necessary. This likely won’t be the last person John losses under his command if he enjoys any longevity to his career, but I doubt it will get any easier with time. Anit has the luxury of his moral indignation, simply by the fact that he wasn’t in command. John, however, has to live with the aftermath of that decision.
This was a very well drawn scene with plenty of tension, angst, and recrimination to go around… especially well done. You made me care about Herk (damn monosyllabic-named Tellarites! 
) in a short amount of time.
Author's Response:
Thank you, Gibraltar. Herk did know what had to be done ... he had the perspective that comes with years of experience and half a lifetime lived already -- in marked contrast to John (27) and Anit (25). John might have been the ranking officer in that destroyed room, but he was smart enough to follow his instinct and defer to Herk's superior knowledge. Of course, he'll live with the memory of this moment for the rest of his life. I seriously doubt he'll ever forget the many lessons he's learned today -- and has yet to learn.
[Report This]Date: 23 Jul 2010 21:07 Title: Chapter 3
POSTED FROM TREKBBS
Wow. What an amazing chapter!
So great to see JQ step up to the plate and knock one out of the park. A horrible decision, a life or death situation, but he pulled through. I especially loved this line:
John took a deep breath and blew it out. “Yeah. Yeah, maybe we did,” he conceded angrily. “No ,” he corrected himself suddenly, “that’s exactly what we did. Welcome to Command. We did what we had to do. If we hadn’t done that, we’d still be at square one.
Truly showed JQ coming into his own, working through his emotions quickly but surely and stepping into that command role. I'm astonished at how you managed to unveil so much character development in one single chapter (granted a long chapter).
And I haven't even mentioned the character of Herk, a brave Tellarite who remains a courageous noncom right through to the end, a class act who only cares about getting the ship back together and those civilians safe. Sir, we knew you for only a few moments, but we salute you!
Another great piece of character work, combined with some stellar description, tense writing and brilliant dialogue. Well done Kes!!!
Author's Response:
Wow, thanks, CS!
I'm glad you think John "knocked it out of the park" -- I'm not sure he feels that way, but I'm sure if he could read your comment he'd be grateful for the vote of confidence. He's always wanted to be in command, but I'm pretty sure this was not the way he had envisioned the job.
As for Herk, yeah, he was awesome. He knew he had moments left, so he did his best to make them count. I doubt John Quigley will ever, ever forget him.
Thanks so much for the very, very kind comments and stars.
Date: 23 Jul 2010 14:03 Title: Chapter 3
What a chapter. Four thousand odd words of John Quigley taking charge in the worst of moments and having little choices available to him. And when choices were then available to him, it was the choice of quickening another man's death in order to use Herk's expertise and knowledge to save the ship! Talk about a tough situation for JQ!
John has had to make a decision based on the lives of all the others now depending upon him. He could not spare the luxury of worrying about Herk alone. [Of course had it been Maren one does wonder what would have been done then!] So he should be admired for the courage he has had to show. Albeit an awful decision to make and choice to live with. But given the circumstances and the fact that for all of his effots so far, he hasn't gotten everyone out of danger yet. They still have to evacuate and to find everyone still alive to get off the ship. Traumatic events for all on the Sol.
On top of that, we have the setting of carnage and a really beat up ship. And John is working with a rather lame duck in Anit. Loved seeing this l'ess than stellar officer in crisis situation' react to everything. Not everyone can be a John Q or a Herk. Nice bit of characterisation and throwing in a little bit of a difference to our normal trek experiences. Also loved Herk, the little we got of him. Nice guy - well for a Tellarite that is! Aw.
Anyway, great stuff. Thanks for the read.
Author's Response:
Thanks, MF! I'm so glad you enjoyed the chapter.
John did the only thing he could think of to do, which was use the one resource available to him to get the ship fixed, and use it to the fullest. Unfortunately, that 'resource' was a member of his crew. If it had been Maren, things might have ended very differently, though. We've seen his lack of objectivity when it comes to people he's attached to before.
As for Anit, he's a very competent pilot ... but apparently not a guy you want around in a real emergency. At least he's following orders and functional, but his attitude sucks for sure.
And Herk -- yeah, I was sad when he died, too.
Thanks again for reading and reviewing!
Date: 20 Jul 2010 19:20 Title: Chapter 2
Some wonderful character moments between Maren and Icheb. As usual, more went unsaid between them than was voiced, though both of them are clearly psychologically bruised and aching after recent events. The person each of them wants most in all the universe is right next to them, but they may as well be on opposite sides of the galaxy so large is the emotional gulf between them.
The intensity of that final exchange between Adele and Malik was formidable, and it’s clear the captain has mustered her best game face for the confrontation. Here’s hoping Malik & Company don’t put Adele’s resolve to the test...
Keep it coming, daddy needs his candy! 
Date: 19 Jul 2010 22:43 Title: Chapter 1
Well after the intensity of the Dena scene in the prologue, it is an odd but comforting switch of tone to revert to the poised and collected Adele, even after everything she has put up with. She shows her commanding presence in the way she exudes cool and composed decisions, even when she is fed up to the hilt with her junior officers and the mire they have landed in, remembering that they have only reached the Delta Quadrant!
Still she has a lot to contend with here. A need to put Icheb in his place maybe being one of those things. But a priority will be dealing with Malik. She has many points of common value with the former drone - the destruction of the collective alone - but these two are not likely to get along. There's will be a difficult relationship and all the more difficult for the tricky decisions ahead.
On top of that, we have the missing Sol and Luna to contend with. So not going to be good news. Yet her timetable and focus is going to be mucked up by dealing with the Resistance Borg, their ship, their motivations, and their leader - not to mention a certain ex-borg drone XO. Phew. Good day to you Adele. And good luck.
[Report This]Date: 19 Jul 2010 07:21 Title: Chapter 2
Why do I get the feeling that Maren's last thought does NOT bode well for the next chapter...
Another excellent chapter. As usual I am jealous of your character building skills (I think only Gibraltar is on par with creating awesome characters through scenes like these!) The confrontation between Adele and Malik had sparks flying all over the place, and it is nice to be reminded once again why Adele is captain - she can be a hardass when she needs to be as she shows in this chapter.
The following scene between Icheb and Maren... I really feel for these two. As you said in one of your comments, there has been definite progress since the beginning of the story, a testament to how well you have written their arcs. They have both been through a lot, together and apart, it is nice to see that they are finally ready to talk.
Of course whether you will give them that time in the middle of a galactic war...
As usual, a fantastic chapter. So glad to see this back. And can't wait for more!!!
Date: 13 Jul 2010 13:43 Title: Chapter 2
The ‘drone’ is Starfleet
That's something all of them could do with remembering. From Malik, to Icheb himself and to the Admirals such as Nechayev. The reaction to the past from both Maren and Icheb in regards the attitude of some Admirals is very telling. It speaks of a time when Icheb as it can be easily imagined was not so welcomed among the ranks of Starfleet.
A lot in this chapter to take heed of. Firstly, beaming over to the Resistance Borg ship is going to anything but uneventful. I can feel it in my waters. Malik's attitude to it is less than co-operative and like Adele [wisely] I wouldn't be so keen to trust him. The Captain and Malik have a very strained relationship. Considering Malik is the one normally in charge and the one who escaped the control of the Borg Collective, it is easy to tell that he does not take being dictated to or having terms dictated to him very well. How far will he be willing to co-operate. And even with the brains of Icheb and Maren at hand one wonders at the trickery the former drones could pull, especially once their ship is onboard.
As for Icheb and Maren. The see-saw relationship continues into Book 2, but it seems that the two of them or making some sort of progress and share some connection still, whihc both are beginning to realise even as they are tested by circumstances and one another in their relationship - whatever it is. But it seems they are able to work together. And they will need to be able to do so as things continue. There can but only be trouble ahead.
Oh and I just loved Maren's rant. It seems she really has a lot to say and affording herself the chance to tell Icheb just one thing she lets loose with her tongue and lets as much information spill out. That was fun to watch. And it shows how much has indeed been going on. And that despite some secrets at long last revealed, there are some, like whatever the resistance Borg have as their weapon and like Icheb's offer from Malik, that are yet to be laid out on the table. How these secrets play out will continue to intrigue and thicken the plot.
Author's Response:
Thanks so much for the review! You're right, Adele and Malik are not instant buddies. Adele is still pissed off about the "you kidnapped my first officer" incident, and Malik does not like trusting or giving control to anyone else. Besides all that, these two are a just match made in hell, personality-wise. If nothing else, maybe Adele will appreciate Icheb more now that she's getting to know some other ex-drones. 
As far as Icheb goes, yeah, he had a rough start with Starfleet for sure. Good thing he's stubborn, plus he had Janeway and the rest of the VOY crew (and later Maren ... and John, in his own way ) advocating for him and encouraging him. A less stubborn person might not have stuck with it.
I have no idea why you think things will be anything but smooth on the resistance ship. 
As for Icheb and Maren and their relationship ... see-saw is one way to describe it. I think I'd compare it to a yo-yo. Rather than a straight back-and-forth movement, it's sort of two steps forward, one step back, like what happens when someone isn't very good with a yo-yo (that'd be me). And with that, I'm off to find coffee, because clearly my metaphors start to suffer with lack of caffeine.
[Report This]Date: 07 Jul 2010 07:21 Title: Chapter 1
Kes,
Another great opening chapter. You've done a great job of reintroducing your characters and the situation to your readers. The tension and stress evident for Adele was really well done.
I also loved the scene in sickbay, with Icheb's instinctive reaction and the security officer trying to intervene but failing in epic style! :) I think Adele is handling this really well so far - she feels overwhelmed, but she is keeping a tight rein on her emotions and she has been clever enough to turn to Maren and Icheb despite their failings because of what they can bring to this situation.
I look forward to seeing her confrontation with Malik, and Icheb and Maren's attempt to take control of the Borg ship.
Great stuff, as per your usual level!!!
More! :)
Joel
Author's Response:
Thanks for reading and commenting, Joel! Adele's trying her best to just get through the day without killing her crew or losing her ship. And now she's got the added worry of galactic war and two ships' worth of missing civilians. No biggie there. ;-) All in a day's work for a starship captain, right?
She's stuck between a rock and a hard place with Maren and Icheb. From her perspective, they are sneaky, immature children who have separately and collectively put the mission at risk by various decisions they've made both professionally and personally ... but they're also frighteningly intelligent and very intimately experienced with the Borg. (Of course, it might have crossed her mind that if things go south on the resistance ship, she'll have two less problems to deal with ... okay, maybe not, hehe.)
We'll see what happens on the resistance ship. There's a reason their tech is so awesome. And of course, Icheb and Maren doing anything together right now is always ... interesting. We'll see how they handle it.
More to come soon. :) Thanks again for the review.
[Report This]Date: 22 Jun 2010 11:12 Title: Prologue
Wow. Wow. Wow!
What an amazing prologue and tease for book two.
First of all, so great to have you back, I have so missed Tesseract! You've done an amazing job here, introducing us to Dena and a brand new permutation in the story. In a short space, you have made us care about this woman and her situation.
Enthralling as usual. Can't wait for Chapter 1!
Author's Response:
Wow, thanks for the very nice review and the stars! I'm happy you care about Dena. She was once a likable person. I suspect she'll be somewhat more ... um, complex, now. But somewhere under all that tech is whatever might be left of her soul. We'll see how our friends on the Tesseract handle her ... and how she handles them. Thanks again for reading. I'm glad you're back for book two.
Date: 21 Jun 2010 18:14 Title: Prologue
What an agonizing opener! 
A first-hand view of an assimilated drone in the greater Collective and the horror that accompanied her capture and transformation. You manage to convey an amazing amount of emotion in a short prologue that promises more excellence to follow. I find myself almost hoping the Borg programming reasserts itself, if only to spare the woman that used to be Dena the unimaginable personal loss that would accompany any rediscovery of self.
Great. Work.
Author's Response:
Thanks so much for reviewing. We'll see what happens with Dena. You're right, she's got the worst of all worlds right now -- the Collective seems almost merciful compared to her reality. But it's kind of the "Matrix" question, isn't it? If everything you know is a lie, but you're happy that way, would you choose to live the truth, no matter how ugly? We'll see how it plays out for her. Thanks for reading and for the very kind comments.
Date: 21 Jun 2010 05:23 Title: Prologue
Holy crap!
That was well worth the wait in my opinion. I loved the brilliant criss-crossing of Dena/1 of 15's past and her present. Like MirandaFave said, her attempt to rip the borg devices from her body is just horrifying. I can only think her 'pre-assimilation' self must feel like she just awoke from a long sleep only to find herself in a nightmare beyond any comprehension.
Curious, is her programming faulty? Or has she suffered from some sort of damage to her cortical array. If she's faulty, could it be the Borg programming is suffering from the old Windows 'blue screen of death'? Does this affect other Borg?
Oh the possiblities of this new development are quite rich.
Again, great great stuff. So glad to see Tesseract make its triumphant return.
Author's Response:
Glad you found it worth the wait! Yes, I imagine 'waking up' to find yourself Borgified would be pretty horrifying ... Dena doesn't handle it all that well, certainly.
Remember, Dena was the one who had her head beat in by Lieutenant Telek in Part I. She was severely damaged. Julian Bashir did the best he could and her organic parts are good as new, but he's no Borg expert (Remember -- DS9 = 99.3% Borg free!). So she's definitely glitching, but I wouldn't automatically extend her experience to the rest of the Collective. They're not the same Collective we knew in Endgame, but they're not all like Dena, either.
I'm so happy you're happy with the return of Tesseract. Thanks so much for reviewing!
Date: 21 Jun 2010 02:23 Title: Prologue
A powerful opening showing that the effects the Borg have had on people, and surely one that makes Dena a very sympathetic figure. A great opening to a great story in waiting.
Author's Response:
Thanks, trekfan! I'm glad you're here for book two. Thanks for the review!
Date: 20 Jun 2010 23:01 Title: Prologue
Wow. What a beginning! Book One ending with a big finish and it asked the question what was going to come next and how would Book Two open. With so many questions from the last time it would have been tempting to give us some answers. Instead, you throttle us with this dark and chilling opening.
Scary Chilling Emotional Stark
Wow.
I recall one of Fifteen [here after 1/15 ] whispering Dena and the hairs on my neck were raised for some reason. Something truly horrifyign about the prospect of Assimilation - worse than death - but maybe worse still is this living hell of realising that you are trapped, confined, assimilated, part of the Collective that has destroyed your world, your life, your family.
This is a gut wrenching chapter. With 1/15 reliving her futile attempt to flee assimilation. It only gets more intensethat the perspective is that of a mother running not just for her life but that of her child. It is a very primal fear and you nail that. Tapping into that emotional thrust adds layers to this Dena stroke 1/15 character. An aside, I can only but hope that she survives this and becomes a character in this volume. There's so much potential to her! On top of which is the contrast with Dena's memories with that of the 1/15 drone self combating the emotional responses of the memories and computing them as an error. It adds to the horror of the scene.
This opener adds an emotional punch to things early on. It is a frightful and dark opener. Very ominous and sactually a clever move because it shows just what is at stake for our heroes too. Tackling the Borg as your enemy in any writing now is almost a death cue for the author. Why? Because the Borg and Assimilation feel diluted by so much over use and the inclination to go epic in using them. At the end of the day, the most frightening aspect to the Borg is their relentless nature and their fate worse than death weapon and method of conquering - assimilation.
Assimilation: what with the First Contact movie, Voyager and its numerous uses of the Borg but especially the series ending with Endgame, not to mention the number of persons now rescued from the Collective [Picard, Seven, Icheb, the various other drones in Voyager], and the massive Borg onslaught in the novels means the Borg are almost an overkill - so many clichés surround them and it seems that resistence is not so futile and their evil and horror is diluted. So to make their assimilation scary again and have a feeling of real consequence and horror is a skill.
I'm happy to report that you do that here. Full whack scary stuff. You convey the horrific horror of someone trapped within their Borg drone body and their literal desire to rip the 'Borg' out of their body. Might I add, a clever device too to show what exactly our heroes are facing and the fate that may await them or the Alpha Quadrant. Gripping stuff if I say so myself. Loved this.
Author's Response:
Wow, what a review! I think that's almost as long as the chapter! ;-) Thanks for the thorough commentary, MF!
I'm glad you think this did a good job making the Borg scary. I agree that the concern is always that they have been overused, diluted, etc. ... but I was never quite satisfied with the stories that have been told about the Borg. I thought there were a lot of missed opportunities, and I'm trying to explore some of those here. Not everyone will want to read another Borg story, but I hope for those who take the time for this one, it'll be rewarding.
Mostly, I plan to focus on the personal when it comes to how the Collective ruins lives. The epic threat has been well covered elsewhere and we all know what they're capable of on a mass scale ... of course we'll be seeing some of that here, but largely as scene setting. What I really care about is how the Borg threat and Starfleet's subsequent handling of it has changed and will continue to change individual lives -- like Dena, Malik, Icheb, Adele, Maren ... and like you said, what's at stake if the Federation should fail to stop the Borg this time.
Thanks again for the fantastic review! :)