The Barn was a dimly lit establishment, with only a few patrons scattered around the room. Seated at a small table in the corner, Commander Reuben Gray took a sip of his Aldebaran whiskey, relishing the smooth taste that danced on his tongue. The silence that enveloped him was a welcome change from the usual noise and chaos of his daily routine. Finally, the ringing in his ear had subsided, allowing him to fully enjoy his drink and the tranquil atmosphere. Gray was grateful that no particular event or entertainment was planned for the evening, which meant the Barn wasn’t attracting a large crowd. For once, he could simply sit back, relax, and relish in the peacefulness of the moment.

The silence was endearing. Ever since Gray and the others had returned from their away mission from the Borg Transwarp Hub, the echoes of the Borg Collective had hung in his mind for some time. The choir of voices of the Borg Collective had haunted his mind ever since. Now, finally, the incessant chatter of the Collective had subsided, leaving Gray with a newfound sense of peace and tranquillity.

It felt good, just like the whiskey he was enjoying. Pure, tasteful and enjoyable. But he sighed. Gray felt like something was missing. The warmth it brought. The summoning of the Collective’s will was alluring. It was intimate and sensual. Gray felt needed with them in the back of his mind. It was a unique experience, one that he found both personal and desirable. As their presence had once filled his mind, he had felt a strong sense of belonging, as if he was an indispensable part of their collective consciousness. The feeling was overwhelming, and Gray couldn’t help but relish in the thought of being needed and valued in such a profound way. It was a moment that would forever be etched in his memory.

However, he couldn’t do it. Gray knew he couldn’t go back. He had to resist.

Resistance Is Futile.

He knew returning to the will of the Collective would mean his end. He would no longer be Commander Reuben Ashton Gray. He would be Three of Eleven, Primary Processor of Unimatrix Two. He couldn’t. He wouldn’t. The nightmare of assimilation haunted him on one side of his mind, while on the other, the Collective’s might was intoxicating. 

“There you are,” spoke Keli as she approached him from the far side of the bar.

Gray managed a small greeting, trying to hide the knot in his stomach and the twisted thoughts in his mind. 

“I’ve been trying to find you for ages,” Keli shared as she sat opposite.

Gray held up his combadge, deactivated. “I just needed some time to myself.” He appreciated her sentiment in caring for him. However, he truly wanted to be alone.

Keli nodded, showing she understood his position, and then sipped her drink. “Jaceon’s recovery is on track.”

“That’s good to hear,” Gray said nonchalantly. 

“Krizon said he’ll be starting his first lot of therapy tomorrow,” Keli added.

“Great,” Gray replied, still remaining calm.

Noticing the tone in his voice, Keli showed Gray her concern as she leaned forward. “Have I upset you, Reuben?”

Kicking himself for behaving like that, Gray knew he wasn’t being his usual friendly self around Keli. She had been a good friend to him. In fact a great friend. Sighing, he shook his head in answer. “No, I’m sorry, it’s just-”

She waved a hand to stop him. “It’s okay, I get it. The last few days have been quite eventful, more so for you than anyone else around here.”

Appreciating her understanding, Gray nodded. “I suppose I’m going to have to get used to being Odyssey’s early warning Borg detector.”

“Every time you hear the Collective, we go to red alert?” Keli asked, trying to lighten the mood. 

Gray smirked. “It’s not really the direction I envisioned my return to Starfleet going.”

“As the captain always says, weird comes with the job!” Keli said with a smirk. She then took a gulp from her drink. “Now, talking of the captain, I promised him I would get you completely drunk tonight.”

Sighing at hearing that, Gray shook his head in protest. “No, no, not again!” He pleaded.

“I’m afraid so; plus, I looked at tomorrow’s roster, and both of us, funnily, aren’t on it,” Keli stated as she took one final gulp of her drink and encouraged Gray to do the same thing.

Following her lead, Gray closed his eyes and downed his whiskey. The stinging sensation hit the back of his throat quickly. It made him shiver from how quickly he took it. Before he could react again, Keli took him by his hand and dragged him across the room to the main bar. Waiting for them were Hilgan, Rosle, Tierra, Jisara, and Jayshon. 

Keli smiled back at Gray as they handed them more drinks and showed him he wasn’t alone. 

For the first time, Gray wondered if he had found his own collective here on Odyssey.

He knew he couldn’t resist any of them. 

Resistance was futile, especially once Keli had organised a night filled with drinking.