by Dakota

"All right, that will be all, Neelix."

Kathryn sighed in frustration as Neelix returned to the kitchen. She and Chakotay had just spent the last forty minutes in the mess hall trying to make some sense of Neelix's explanation for two hundred thousand liters of water in the main cargo bay. To make matters worse, the water was not even potable and B'Elanna had assured them already that removing the impurities would consume more energy than replicating fresh water.

"Chakotay, if I understood Neelix correctly, we have all that water in our cargo bay because we had to take it in order to obtain the fresh foods we needed, and that we gave them nothing in exchange. Is that right? Please tell me we're not turning Voyager into a garbage scow."

"Sorry, Kathryn but that pretty much sums up what he said.  I have the doctor working to identify all the impurities but among them are traces of arsenic and cyanide plus several organic compounds native to the planet.  If I might make a suggestion, Kathryn?"

"Of course. At this point I'd love a suggestion."

"Why don't we just figure out how to get rid of the water and not worry about how we obtained it?"

Kathryn had just opened her mouth to respond when the klaxon sounded red alert. They were both out the door and on their way to the bridge before their communicators beeped to summon them to the bridge. They exited the turbo lift with controlled haste.

"Report!"

"We are being pursued by a Borg cube. They were hiding behind a moon of the system we just passed. Phasers and torpedoes have done only minor damage to the cube. Shields are at 78% and dropping, minor damage to the port nacelle and structural damage on Deck 13. We are currently at warp 8 but they are gaining. Estimated time until they are alongside is 3.4 minutes."

"Continue firing torpedoes. Tom, increase speed to warp 9."

"Aye, Captain." Tuvok and Tom spoke in unison as they carried out their orders.

"Captain, another cube has joined the first one. We are being hailed."

Kathryn exchanged looks with Chakotay. Why would a cube hail them after engaging weapons? Chakotay shrugged having no explanation.

"Open a frequency, Ensign."

"Frequency open."

A familiar face appeared on the screen, her smug look making it clear that she was anticipating an easy and quick victory.

"Kathryn.  It's been a long time since we've spoken. I've been looking for you to invite you to join me. I don't believe you'll be able to decline my invitation this time."

"What do you want with us?"

"I think you know the answer to that, Kathryn, and I've been wanting to meet your first officer to see whether your opinion of him is warranted. Tell me, does he know everything you think about him?"

Before Kathryn could reply Voyager rocked from the impact of more Borg weapons. Chakotay glanced at Tuvok and nodded his head slightly; Tuvok lifted his eyebrow as he returned fire. Chakotay knew that the shot had been on target as the expression on the Borg Queen's face displayed ever so briefly her irritation. She stared blankly for a second then gazed serenely at Kathryn for several seconds before Voyager rocked again, this time nearly sending Kathryn over the helm. B'Elanna's voice broke the silence.

"Captain, we're losing antimatter containment. I have to take the core off-line or we'll breach." She had barely finished speaking when Voyager abruptly dropped out of warp. The Borg cubes were unprepared for Voyager's maneuver and shot past them. Kathryn knew she only had a few seconds before the Borg retraced their steps and dropped out of warp next to Voyager.

"Best speed to the nearest system, Tom."

"Aye, Captain."

"Suggestions?"

Even as she spoke the Borg cubes dropped out of warp and began closing the distance between themselves and Voyager. She saw the tractor beam on the screen before Harry's words reported it and Voyager was slowly pulled toward the nearest cube. Chakotay's voice broke through Kathryn's frustration.

"Water, Kathryn. Let's give the tractor beam something else to pull in besides Voyager. Let's try transporting all the water between us and the beam. The impurities might interfere with their sensors long enough for us to get to the nearest system."

Kathryn stared at Chakotay as if he had lost his mind but Tom spoke up. "It can't hurt to try, Captain."

"Any other ideas, anyone?" Silence was her only response. "All right. Let's try it. Beam all that water into the tractor beam as close to the cube as you can get it."

Quickly Harry set the coordinates and engaged the transporter. No one had been paying any attention to the Queen on the screen until she screeched. "What are you doing?"

Kathryn could not have been more surprised than she was at the Queen's reaction. She exchanged looks with Chakotay. Water?

"Magnify!" Quickly the image of the Queen was replaced by the portion of the cube where the tractor beam originated. The cube was starting to disintegrate. As the damage spread, the tractor beam disappeared and Voyager again began moving away from the cubes. Even though her image was gone, the voice of the Queen echoed through the bridge.

"You're melting me! Look what you've done, my pretty. You've destroyed my beautiful Borgishness!  Arghhhhhhhhh!"