A New Little Family...

Posted on Mon Mar 11th, 2024 @ 12:48am by Lieutenant Commander Rin & Commander Kyle Reece

Mission: MISSION 0 - History Speaks
Location: Starbase One
Timeline: Before Elysium set out on recent mission
2628 words - 5.3 OF Standard Post Measure

***Author's note: in a previous jp (which in regards to this jp, took place only a hour or so previous), the two young xBorg learned that their names are Stephanie (2 of 7) and Lukas (4 of 7). They were newborns at the Battle of Wolf 359, were taken and assimilated and, as such, have been trying to discover who they were before the Borg.***

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After Lukas and Stephanie returned to their visitor cabin, they looked around, in case there was a mess, but then realized that that was not possible, as they lived without clutter.

"Are we experiencing...nervousness? 4 asked his sister as he looked at her.

Looking over at her brother, 2 replied, tilting her head to the side. "I believe we are. We have reconnected with the only other people who knew us and our parents before we were assimilated. That one is distraught by seeing us again, certainly adds to our feelings of nervousness."

"I do not wish to cause either of our godparents grief, 2. I hope Rin does not think we expect her to ....to....I don't know what."

"Calm yourself, 4. I am sure Lieutenant Rin will be as nervous about this as we are. Just be calm."

It took 4 a few beats to do just that. He then stated, "You are right, as always, 2, thank you."

Rin arrived a little later, smiling as they led her into the room. She actually seemed mostly relaxed. An edge of nervousness, perhaps, but otherwise ok. She had been anxious at the beginning of dinner, not knowing what to expect, but a couple hours together had calmed her nerves. Mostly.

"I am so very glad I've gotten to meet you," Rin said, noticing their awkwardness. "And I'm very happy you suggested this. I just... don't want you to be disappointed with what I can offer about your early lives. I have very few memories of that time."

Stepping forwardan giving In a soft smile, 2 replied. "Please fo not be worried, Rin." She paused, then asked, "Apologies, is it acceptable that we refer to you by your name, or should we include your rank as well?"

Rin had to mull that over a moment. They had, after all, only met a couple hours ago. And yet... "You're family. Rin is fine. Do you hug?"

Smiling brightly, both young XBorg nodded as they replied in unison, "Yes!" Then 4 asked, hope in his eyes, "May we...hug you?"

Rin threw her arms around both of them. They had no living family. Had anyone ever hugged them? Certainly possible. They certainly could have formed connections with non family, people who had helped them in their early years. But, from that response, Rin suspected it was not often.

As the three hugged each other tightly, there was a new connection formed between them. Both 2 and 4 communicated with Rin via their neural network. Debra has been the only other one to hug us as warmly as this. They both shared memories of the strong friendship that they had formed with the young officer.

As they continued to converse telepathically, 2's mental avatar looked at Rin's, and odd look on her face as she spoke. As unusual as her actions were towards you, Rin, I do believe that Debra does have strong feelings for you. Did you not notice how her capillary response increases when you are near? And her pulse also got faster when she could see you. If it is not too personal a question, do you have similar feelings for her?

I know she has feelings, Rin responded. But I don't have the same for her.

In fact, the whole thing was getting a tad uncomfortable. Rin was incredibly thankful Debra had introduced her to the twins, but the reality was Debra's interest made Rin uncomfortable. Not that Rin had ever feigned interest to get to where she was currently standing, but she really wasn't quite sure how to approach future interactions with Debra.

I'm not sure I have those feelings for anyone, Rin added.

The twins both nodded to Rin, then replied in unison. It is difficult to fully understand the emotions that we, as Humans, possess. While we feel a fondness for Debra, it does not match how we feel for you, godmother. Would that be a correct way of seeing things?

People of all species have different feelings for different people, Rin explained. Emotions are complicated. We are friends with some while loving others. We might love romantically or as family. We might love or hate or merely tolerate family members. Your feelings for a person can also change over time. That you feel differently about me and Debra is normal, and I am touched that you would have strong feelings for me after so short a time together.


Two looked at Rin While yes, it has only been a short time, you and your ex-husband are the closest thing we have to family. While we do not judge James for not wishing to resume a relationship with us, we still respect and care for him. Also, while none of us remember you giving your word to support us, should our mother die, that you are doing so now is very beautiful.

Four added to his sister's thought, In a way, it could be argued that you are helping us learn to take our first steps again. That alone earns you our love and respect, the same love and respect that a mother would get from her children.

You've taken more than a few steps on your own to get here, Rin replied. "But I am happy to help. I've been out a long time. I'd like others to benefit from that. I'd like the two of you to benefit from that.

Two and her brother both thought about what Rin had just said, then nodded and responded. "Every moment we can spend with you is a benefit. were latching onto her like they had been together their entire lives. They've been searching for family, and suddenly they found it. On the other hand, she wasn't going to tell them they didn't understand their own feelings, and she admitted that her own feelings for them were strong.

"Thank you," she said, pulling back from the hug. "Was there anything else you wanted to ask? Or did you want to start our recharge cycle?"

Two could feel that they had made In uncomfortable. Pulling back as well, out of respect, an responded. Please forgive our...exuberance in regards to you. Since we regained our...individuality...we have focused on work and discovering who we are, or were."

Four took over speaking. "We regret that we made you uncomfortable. It was not our intention. We simply wished to covey how important you are to us."

"And there was another question," 2 resumed speaking. "Our names...the ones our parents gave us. Do we resume using them? Or stay as we are now, designations in the dark?"

"Don't feel bad. This is complicated for all of us," Rin insisted. "Let's sit a moment."

Rin placed herself on one end of a sofa, leaving room for the others to join her.

"I'm not going to tell you what name to use. That is your decision alone. Names are important. Sometimes people change their names because their birth name isn't suitable for one reason or another. And that is up to them. There are xBs who never give up their numerical designations. I used mine for my first three years, and then decided it was time to find something else, and I found a name that worked for me. If I had known my birth name, perhaps I would have used it, perhaps not. I don't remember that life. By the time I did know my birth name, I had already been Rin for several years. The life I remember is Rin's life, and I think people would have been more insistent on me acting like my old self if I can taken my birth name again.

"Now, you don't remember being Lukas and Stephanie, just as I don't remember being Nicola. But you were babies, so no one expects you to remember. There's no rules saying what names you use. You can be 2 and 4 of 7, You can be Lukas and Stephanie Battonsburg, or you can be something else entirely. That is your choice, and you should think on it."

Two and her brother exchanged a look, then looked back at Rin. "We will think about the issue and ask for your opinion again before making a final decision." She gave Rin a warm, caring smile. "For now, however, perhaps it is best that we enter our recharge cycles? Four wishes to offer his bed to you."

Four nodded as he continued his sister's thought. "I will take the couch. Recharging horizontally, we have found, is much more comfortable that standing."

"Yes, I as well. Thank you," Rin said as she let Two lead her to a bed.

After 2 and 4 made sure Rin was comfortable, they said theie goodnight and left her alone in the small bedroom. Two got in bed in the adjoining room, and 4, after setting up the necessary equipment needed to recharge, laid down on the couch. In moments they had entered their recharge phase, their subconscious minds still very active, and communicating with one another.

Rin's memory of the twins was nearly nonexistent. Indeed, she had little to share of the London at all. But there were flashes and impressions. The joy of her friends having their babies. A brief memory of holding each of the twins. Warm snuggles. Nervousness as one of them began crying. Someone joking Nicola was scary. The briefest of thoughts about if she'd ever have the time, energy and inclination for her own kid, one of these days.

Ever-present in these memories was James. Not necessary a character you could see or hear. But there was always the knowledge of his presence. He was a sort of anchor for Rin. A fixed point, something to keep her grounded in the fog of half-formed memories.

She showed them her more recent memories of him. Their first meeting after she was brought back to Federation space. Even as a stranger, there was a sense of safety there. And she had recognized the pain on his face even then, nine years ago, when emotions were not her strong suit and humans were still very foreign to her.

She wanted the twins to know he wasn't uncaring toward them. He was simply weary. Rin's situation had taken a toll on him. He couldn't put himself in such a vulnerable place again. After all, he had done it twice - once when she was lost, and then again when she came back.

The twins observed without interruption as Rin continued to communicate to them well into the evening. They showed her the first memories they had, of the Borg incubators. Then they flashed forward to the day they were out on a scout ship and suddenly their connection to the collective was suddenly severed, when the Borg Queen was killed. It had been chaos, many of the drones around them had simply deactivated permanently, while others went mad and took their own lives. Their scout ship drifted in space for nearly a week, when they were found by a Starfleet vessel, the USS Ganymede. Two and her brother were the only survivors left on a ship that had contained 345 drones.

Their next memories were of fear and pain, as they were treated by the medical staff and slowly, many of their implants were removed. The Ganymede them delivered them back to Earth, where they underwent more reconstruction surgery, before finally telling the doctors no more.

It took several years to establish their new identities, until finally, they decided to apply for Starfleet. It was a long and painful road to get to where they were now, however, they were grateful for everyone that aided them along the way.

They showed Rin that it had been difficult to make any friends, until the met Debra. She had been the first one to see them first, and not their implants. They settled into their lives, aboard Cheron Station, content to serve out their careers there, until one day, Debra contacted them with news about Rin.

As they continued sharing bits of their past, from Two's mind their started to surface a pair of woman's eyes. She Saud that, from time to time, the eyes would appear in her dreams as a very faint image. At first, she disregarded it, until now, as they continued to converse, she suddenly grabbed onto the image and held onto it with all her mental strength. Four started to help and slowly, the eyes came into focus, until they were perfectly clear.

They were caring eyes, full of love and joy and hope. At first, Your thought they may have been their mother's eyes. Two almost agreed, then she noticed the iris patterns. She knew then who's eyes they were.

They were Rin's eyes, before she had been assimilated!

In return, Rin shared something of her own escape from the Borg, which in many ways mirrored the experiences of the twins: a chaotic break from the Collective which caused most of the drones to go mad. She showed them Tavara, where the surviving drones had crashed. She showed her life among the Free Collective, where she and her fellow xBs willingly created a limited collective while they figured out what it meant to be free. She showed the Tavarans both as the people who helped them survive but also as a people who took advantage of them.

Rin shared the arrival of the USS Everest, a first contact event for its crew and the first time Rin had seen an actual human. She also recognized their communicators, as she still possessed the broken one which had survived under her external implants. She was scared to leave with them, but she also wished to learn more about where she had come from.

Rin was angry as the twins conveyed their experiences of being forcefully dismantled. Rin had been treated more respectfully, but even then it had been a painful experience. The Federation wanted so badly to reclaim xBs as humans (or whatever had been their original species). They didn't understand why the process would be so traumatic.

Two and Four could hear Rin's anger. In a surprise move, considering the situation, they spoke to her in unison. We do not hold any ill-will towards them. They simply did not know any better. Would you be angry at a child who broke a toy while learning how to play with it properly?

You are not toys,Rin replied. You are sentient beings. And they are not children, nor are they unaware of xBs. You were in fear and pain. They should have responded to that, as they would with any other species. I do not hold ill-will either, but I also do not ignore the flaw. Sometimes the child needs to be scolded.

The twins considered Rin's response. Four replied calmly. Then perhaps, we should help to educate them, so they become better individuals.

Rin mentally nodded. Everyone has room to grow: you, me, them. We help each other to be better.

The twins responded to Rin's words positively. For the rest of the night, they would discuss more about each other's lives up to that point, their bonds growing stronger and more like an actual family.

~OFF~