Sailor Moon and related characters, etc., were created by Naoko Takeuchi, Star Trek and related characters, etc., were created by Gene Roddenberry, any others (Kore/S. Persephone/S. Borg, S.'s Vulcan, Klingon, and Betazed were created by me, Katie Herchek. E-mail me at b_jork@hotmail.com. Predator (Prince Christopher) and GoldenClaw were created by my friend GoldenClaw. E-mail him at GoldenClaw@cyberdude.com if you have any quesetions. The Prologue The new Borg Queen walked down the halls of her cube-shaped ship. She remembered when her mother died. She hadn't been there, of course, but she knew when it happened. A part of her died, too. The new Queen remembered how, right after it had happened, the oldest of her mother's "subjects" had begun to die. The then-Princess scramble to disconnect the link between the remaining Borg and her dying mother, then relink them to herself. That was when she realized that she was the new Queen. And she knew then why her mother had let her be independent of the rest of the Borg conscious. To be linked weakly to her mother and have mind power over the rest of the Borg. And, at the exact moment of her mother's death, the new Queen inherited not only all the secrets of the Borg, but her mother's memories. Including her newest ones. Locutus..... The hated name rung through her mind. She had to avenge her mother's death. An eye for an eye, and the new Queen had the perfect eye for him..... The Queen, reached her recharging chambers, and settled for a much needed rest. The weight of her responsibilities were heavy upon her. As she slipped into the sleep-like trance all to common for her, her mind drifted to another time and place, before Borg technology had invaded her body, before she became the Borg Princess, long, long ago.... * * * Princess Kore ran to meet her best friend, Princess Serenity. Her red hair flew behind her. "Kore!!" Serenity called to her friend, smiling brightly. "Serenity, I have news," Kore managed to say between sharp breaths. After her breathing had returned to normal, she continued, "My mother just told me. I'm old enough to go to your mother and receive the power of the Moon Crystal!!" "Really?!! That's great!!" Serenity stood up, her long silver-gray hair gently swaying. "I know how much you've been waiting to become an official part of my royal court. I'm so happy for you. Now you can take your palace as Sailor Persephone, as your mother did for mine. Let's go find my brother!!" The two young girls ran off to find Prince Christopher. They found him in his normal company, his pet lion, Goldenclaw. Goldenclaw was just really a cub right now, but he was still larger than a common housecat. He loved to chase the gold ball Christopher rolled in front of him. Kore looked over at Serenity's kittens, Luna and Artemis, who were careful to stay clear of their large cousin. Kore's gaze returned to Christopher. His dark hair fell into his eyes. Kore's heart melted. What she felt for him her mother often termed "puppy love." "Christopher," Serenity piped, "Kore will be joining my royal court soon." Christopher looked at his sister, then at Kore. She trembled as he took her hand. "My deepest congratulations," he said, giving her a kiss on the cheek. Kore almost fainted. "If you'll excuse me, I have to attend to some business. Farewell." Christopher and Goldenclaw left the room. Kore's eyes lingered in the doorway where he had disappeared. "Come on, Kore!!" Serenity's voice penetrated Kore's thoughts. "We have preparations to make." * * * Finally, the day of the celebration arrived. Kore had arranged her hair up in a pony tail surrounded by fresh purple flowers from her garden back home. Nervously, she greeted Serenity before the ceremony. "I'm afraid I won't know anyone here," she confided in her friend. "Nonsense!" Serenity assured her. "I'll be there, and I can introduce you to everyone. Just relax and be yourself. This is supposed to be a joyous occasion." Serenity took Kore by the hand and led her to the banquet hall. She began to introduce the other guests to Kore. "These are the other Inner Scouts." She said leading her to a group of four girls slightly older than Kore. "I'd like you to meet Sailor Mercury," motioning to a blue-haired girl with an inquisitive grin, "Sailor Venus," a blonde with a kind smile, " Sailor Mars," a dark haired girl with fire in her eyes, "and Sailor Jupiter," a brunette with a proud air about her. "Sailor Persephone?" Serenity's mother called from the center of the room. Kore and Serenity went to her. "Are you ready to accept the responsibilities of the Sailor Scouts?" Kore nodded. "Do you swear to protect and serve the Moon Princess to the best of your abilities?" "I d-do," Kore stammered. The Moon Queen came forward. "Then, by the might of the Moon Kingdom, I give you the power of Sailor Persephone, the scout of rebirth!" The moon crystal in her palm began to glow, and floated into the air. A beam of light shone on Kore's forehead, and the symbol of Persephone appeared. Kore felt like she, too were floating. In her hand a power stick appeared. "Transform," Serenity whispered in her ear. Kore thrust the stick into the air and cried, "Persephone power!!" A wave of energy passed over her. Suddenly, Kore felt what seemed like hundreds ofbutterflies on her skin. As they flew off, Kore was left in her scout uniform. "What a rush," she sighed. * * * At the reception in the rose garden, Kore and Serenity mingled with the other Inner Scouts. She got to know the others, she had only seen them form afar before, and learned of their own stories. Sailor Mercury was a scholar, Mars a priestess, Jupiter liked to cook, and Sailor Venus was an expert on the most popular fashions. They began to talk about what it meant to be a Sailor Scout. "Being a scout is a great honor," Sailor Mercury said, fixing her blue bun. "Accepting this responsibly shows your dedication to the Moon Kingdom, and it's future." "Yes," Mars agreed, "I think it shows you have great courage and an excellent sense of loyalty to Serenity if you are willing to face all the dangers of the multiverse to protect her." Her dark french braid swinging in the slight breeze. Venus brushed her shoulder-length hair back out of her eyes. "It shows how princesses just aren't for hanging around the castle anymore," her pale blue eyes danced with amusement. "Venus!" Jupiter scolded her friend, "It's SO much more than that." She twirled a bit of her waist-long brown hair around her finger, and broke into a devilish grin. "You get to meet LOT'S of cute guys here on the Moon!! Especially the ones from Earth!!!" They all broke into unrestrained laughter. When Kore managed to get under control, she turned to Serenity and asked "who are those four scouts there in the corner??" Serenity looked to where Kore was pointing. "Oh, those are the Outer Scouts, the protectors of the Moon Kingdom," she explained. "Sailors Pluto, Neptune, Uranus, and Saturn." "Yeah," Sailor Venus added, "they don't really hang with us much. They're usually loners. Except Neptune and Uranus. They're best friends." Jupiter and Mars seemed to share a secret grin. "Oh, well, how 'bout the ones by the doorway. I don't think I've ever seen them before." Kore stared at the three scouts in the back. One looked human, and wore what looked like metal headphones attached to her tiara. One was almost human, but she had long pointed ears, slanted eyebrows, and small, cold eyes. The last of the trio had wild hair, which like the others, was black, strange ridges on her forehead, and great bulging muscles. Kore thought, The first scout looked up at Kore and grinned as if she know what she was thinking. "Those are the Beyond Scouts," Sailor Mercury said. "They are the guardians of the Great Alliance of Planets: the Sun, Mercury, Venus, Earth, the Moon, Mars, Persephone, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto (in order), their home worlds, and many others in this universe." Serenity nodded. "They're leaving," Kore remarked. Sailor Mars scoffed. "They only showed up so they know who you are. That way they won't try to BLAST YOU OUT OF EXISTENCE!!!" "Chill out, Mars," Venus said, "That was two years ago!! It wasn't their fault that they were occupied with business on your Day of Destiny." Serenity put her hand on Mars' shoulder. "Everything was straightened out. Besides, you should not have been showing off like that. It was your own fault." Mars shrugged her off, and went to sulk by the banquet table, followed by the other scouts, leaving Kore and Serenity alone. Suddenly, the blaring of trumpets filled the air. Everyone in the garden turned around to see who was the cause of the interruption. Kore's eye grew wide and her heart faint as Christopher entered through the ivy-entwined archway. He grinned sheepishly as he nodded to the guests, Goldenclaw close on his heels. Christopher headed towards Serenity and Kore. "Sorry I'm late," he said to the girls, "I was altering history." Kore began to laugh hysterically, then stopped when she realized no one else was. "You.. weren't kidding?" Kore blushed. Serenity looked down at the ground and Christopher shook his head. "Nope, sorry." He clasped Kore's hand in his own, "but, this is your day. Tell me, how does it feel to be a Sailor Scout?" Kore slowly withdrew her hand. "It's alright, I guess. A little scary, but I know this is an important job." Kore looked over at the other Inner Scouts and added "and if anything DOES happen, I know I won't be alone." At that a sudden wave of sadness passed over Christopher's face. "Right, you're not alone. I've got to go. Sorry." With that, Christopher reached out, squeezed Kore's hand, and left. Kore stared after him. "He's never been like this," Serenity tried to apologize. "I don't know what's come over him. He's so rude, like he's ashamed of something....." Serenity trailed off as her eyes drifted to Kore's. Kore grinned half-heartily. "It's getting late. I'd better get home." * * * In the silvery light of Persephone's twin moons, Kore ran to greet her mother, Iona, Queen of Persephone. The two hugged each other, both filled with joy. "Mother, I did it. I'm Sailor Persephone." The two broke their embrace, and Kore noticed that her mother's eyes were filled with tears. "I'm so proud of you, my Dear. But be sure to use your powers wisely. I remember what happened a couple of years ago-" "I know, Mom," Kore interrupted. "It came up. Mother, I have to ask you, what ARE my attacks. Serenity's mother never told me." "That is for you to discover, in battle, Kore. It is the desire to protect your friends that brings the power of Persephone bursting from your heart." Iona's eyes began to glaze over as she reminisced about her own time as Sailor Persephone. Kore giggled, bringing her mother from her daze. "Okay, Mom, if you say so. It's been a long day. I'm ready to go to bed." Her mother shrugged, and wished her pleasant dreams. Kore walked through the halls of the castle, admiring her scout suit. But something was nagged her form the back of her mind. Why had Christopher been so mean to her? Between this afternoon and when she had first told him she was getting to be Sailor Persephone, he had been so cold to her, like he was trying to avoid some terrible cloud of doom hanging over her head. Kore sighed as she entered her chambers. Would she ever understand boys? She changed into a nightgown and slid into bed. It was going to be a long night.... * * * Early the next morning, Kore was woke by the sound of bugles. Kore groaned and turned over in her bed. Then Kore realized something. That wasn't a wake-up call, it was a call to battle!! Someone was attacking!!! Kore leaped from her bed. Looking out the window, she saw a terrible sight, all of the royal guards were falling to the invaders. They had pale skin, and their bodies were laced with tubes and circuitry. Kore looked at the carnage, and her heart sunk. All those poor men, what about their families? Kore brightened. Maybe they can't do anything, but she could. Kore grabbed her power stick and cried "PERSEPHONE POWER!!!" She was overcome by a wave of both nausea and exhilaration. When it passed, she was once again in her sailor suit. She ran out to join the battle. "Kore!!" Iona was running to her daughter. "You have to get out of here!! Save yourself!!" The princess shook her head. "No, I won't leave you! I want to help. I want to make a difference!" Iona grabbed her daughter's hand and dived behind a bush as a laser blazed over their heads. "It's too dangerous. We're trying to get as many of our people off the planet and to Earth as possible. Kore, you have to leave with them. You are their princess and leader, they'll follow you." Kore's eyes grew wide as what her mother was trying to say sunk in. "But what about the planet?? What about you? Will you have me abandon you?? I can't do that mother. I'll stay, you go." Iona shook her head. "The captain MUST go down with the ship. Kore, you're not strong enough to fight them. These invaders, they call themselves the Borg. They want our planet and our technology. They're going to get it. I need to stall them long enough to get everyone to safety. EVERYONE. It's my duty. Take this." Iona handed her daughter an oval-shaped lavender gem. "This is the Violet Spodumene. It's the heart of Persephone, and it's power is great. It is the gem of Rebirth. Take it, and guard it well. Now, GO!!" Suddenly Kore found herself in a purple bubble. "MOTHER!!" Kore screamed, but her voice couldn't pass through the walls of the sphere. Kore could hear the battle raging outside. Iona blew her daughter one final kiss. Kore began to cry. "No, mother, don't make me go." Kore looked up, and her eyes grew wide. Her mother was confronting one of those, those Borg. The Borg raised a laser mounted on it's arm. Kore turned her head to block out the sight. But she couldn't block the sound of her mother's scream. Even worse was when the scream suddenly fell silent. Kore looked back, but all that was left of her mother was a black scar on the ground. The Borg that had just murdered her mother walked away like nothing happened. Hot, salty tears streamed down her face. "Noooooooooooooooo..................." Kore buried her head in her arms. Her mother gone. Now she was truly alone. "Betazed Sonic Mind....... BOOM!!" Kore looked up. One of the Beyond Scouts, the one with the headphones, was directing what looked like shock waves at the Borg, knocking them down. The other two Beyond Scouts came up behind her. The fierce looking one brought out the meanest looking weapon Kore had ever seen. "Klingon Flaming Bat'tehl......SLICE!!" The weapon sliced through the air. Borg limbs went flying. The last of the Beyond Scout began to prepare her attack. "Vulcan Incandescent Mallet Strike." A huge glowing hammer materialized in the air, then came crashing down on the Borg. Kore watched from her bubble as the Borg began to disappear. She rejoiced until she realized that she had been slowly drifting from the planet, into space. Kore tried to call to the Beyond Scouts, who were picking through the rubble, looking for survivors, but the sphere still muffled her call. The first scout looked up, as if she had heard a distant sound that she couldn't quite make out, but Kore was too far away to be seen. Suddenly, a light flashed from behind her, and she felt herself being pulled further into space. Kore watched the Beyond Scouts turn into little specks, and wished, in vain, that she could be there. Kore watched the landscape disappear beneath her, replaced with a ball of clouds circled by two orbs. Kore looked around and marveled at the starscape all about her. she thought sadly. Kore turned around to look at the stars behind her and saw IT. It had to be the Borg ship, she reasoned. Kore watched in horror as the black cube that was pulling her away from her home began to power it's weapons. Kore felt a pain in her hand and pried her eyes away from the cube to the Violet Spodumene that she still clutched in her hand. The gem began to glow, silently calling out to Kore to help it. she realized. She looked up again, just in time to see the fateful blast that streaked towards her planet. Her heart stopped. One second, she was looking at her home, her beautiful home, the next, she was staring at a bunch of rocks. Persephone had shattered. Kore didn't know what to do. The throbbing pain from the jewel worsened. Kore fainted. * * * As she slowly regained consciousness, Kore became aware of a faint buzzing in the back of her mind. She shook her head to clear it, but to no avail. Opening her eyes, Kore saw nothing but darkness. The cold metal floor beneath her assured her that this was no dream, but it just didn't seem real to her. She looked at her hand and found the Violet Spodumene still on her palm, but it's luster was gone. Kore thought, Kore began to cry, very softly, to herself. She had failed everyone, her mother, the Beyond Scouts, Serenity. Serenity. Kore would never see her best friend ever again. Kore sighed. The buzzing began to grow louder. She looked around to find out were it was coming from, then realized that it wasn't from an external source. Her ears heard nothing but a dead silence. It was then that she noticed a slender band around her upper left arm. attached to it was a slim black cord that disappeared behind her. With her free hand, Kore felt her back until she found a small metal plate on her lower back that the cord was attached to. Kore tried to pull it out. "I wouldn't do that if I were you." A silky voice shattered the silence. Kore turned around to see who it was. The buzzing in her head receded a bit as a tall, dark shape stepped from the darkness. It was a female, clad in black, whose skin was the same pale shade as the ones who had destroyed her planet and killed her mother. "Who are you?" Kore's voice seemed so small. "I am the Borg." "How can that be? The Borg destroyed my home, and there where hundreds of them." "You will come to understand. You have much to learn. But first, I come to offer you something greater than you have ever been given the opportunity to experience before. I offer you immortality. You will live for all of eternity as one of my children. I am the Borg Queen." The queen knelt beside Kore and grinned, revealing straight white teeth. "Why..... why did you bring me here? Why didn't you just let me die?? And... what have you done to the Moon Kingdom..?" Kore eyes swelled with tears as she envisioned Serenity's home destroyed as well. "Why do you ask so many questions? I had you brought here you posses great energy. You may be of use to us one day. And do not worry about your 'friend,' we had to withdraw from your system because our ship was damaged. We will be returning to our home. And you are coming as well." The Borg Queen offered Kore her hand, but the princess of the dead planet waved it away and stood on her own. "I don't want to go with you. Just let me off at Pluto on your way, or something. I'll get home from there," Kore said, before she remembered that she no longer had a home to go to. "I'm afraid that's impossible. We are now light-years from your home. It will be years before we will return to your star. You are alone, Kore. I am your mother now. One day, you too will be the Queen of the Borg. Come," the Queen began to lead Kore towards a dark doorway. "No." Kore pulled away. "I am NOT going anywhere. I want to go home. I'm not alone. My friends are back there. They will help me to rebuild my planet." "They will forget you in time. They are young," the Queen paused, considering. "But if you must go, you may take a small transport vessel. It will take years for it to get you back to your system, so you should put yourself in a stasis chamber. It will suspend the aging process and make the journey seem like a dream." Her grin seemed to indicate the opposite. "I will have the on-board computer programmed to take you home." A Borg drone stepped from the dark walls. "He will take you to the shuttle bay. Remember, if you want to come back here, just tell the computer." Kore followed the drone from the dark chamber and glanced over her shoulder towards the Queen, but she had disappeared. The answer came to Kore in an instant, like someone had whispered in her ear. The cord connected to her arm was connecting her to the Borg and their queen. It was also keeping her alive now. The drone walked stiffly down the passegeways of the Borg ship. Kore wondered at the dark walls that were, like it's occupants, were covered with tubes and circuits. Kore shuddered. If she was to become one of them, she would have to have all that hideous stuff on her skin, too. she thought, When they reached the shuttle bay, the drone put Kore into the stasis chamber, then closed the door. Kore stared out off the foggy window as sleep began to overcome her........ * * * Kore ran down a dark corridor. She could see a light up ahead of her. Behind her, a darkness followed her, slowly gaining. She ran faster, but the light didn't get any closer. Suddenly, her feet felt like they were encased in clumsy, lead boots. She tripped, falling for what seemed like an eternity. The great darkness loomed above her, an ever threatening menace. It engulfed her, swallowing her in a tide of gloom. Kore struggled, but she was drowning. She was slipping, slipping into the black sea. Going under, Kore wished that she could just see her friends one last time, to say goodbye, to beg forgiveness. Then, everything was dark and silent. * * * Kore opened her eyes, but the black silence remained. Still groggy from sleep, she asked, "Where am I?" "You have arrived at your destination and have been awakened from stasis," a crisp, computerized voice replied. "I-I can't see. Are there any lights?" The tiny ship was flooded with brightness. Kore slowly stepped from the stasis chamber. She went to the veiwsceen in the front of the shuttle. It was definitely the moon, in the distance Kore could see Serenity's palace. But something didn't feel right. There was a sense of danger in the air. Kore went to the door of the ship. Her feet hit the soft ground of the moon, and she realized that she was still in her sailor suit. With a few whispered words, she changed into her princess gown and cloak. Kore hid her hair in the hood, and started off towards the distant castle. When she got there, a grand ball was in progress. Kore mused. She wandered about the dance floor, and bumped into someone. "Oh! I'm terribly sorry." Kore turned to see a tall man in a tuxedo and mask, just like all the other men there, but something about his eyes told her that he was difference. "It's quite alright," he smiled at her as he turned to go, "see you around." Kore watched the mysterious man disappear into the crowd. "The Princess is coming!" A murmur flittered through the people. Kore looked around, searching for Serenity. Her eyes settled on a girl, the object of everyone else's stares, who was dancing with the man Kore had run into. Was this the Princess?? Surely it couldn't be. This girl had blonde hair, not silver. But the hair WAS familiar. Kore gazed around the room. In the corner, watching the dancing girl, stood a tall woman. Her hair was a silvery-grey, done up in bunned pigtails, and hung down to her knees. Kore gasped. THIS was Serenity, her best friend, now Queen of the Moon. The girl on the dance floor was her daughter, the Princess. Suddenly, two little furry streaks, one white, one black, headed for Queen Serenity. When they stopped at Serenity's feet, Kore saw that they were really cats. Luna and Artemis. Kore's attention was drawn to Serenity. She clearly looked disturbed. The Queen nodded at the felines. They took off into the midst of the crowd. "Battle stations everyone!! We're under attack!!" The cats spread the news to the entire group. Kore and the others were herded into a small room in the back of the palace. Kore found herself stuck in a corner by a window. As she looked out, she was horrified by the scene unfolding before her eyes. Moon guards were dying by the dozen, their dead bodies falling at the feet of their dark murderers. Kore thought. Kore opened the window, slid out, and ran behind a hedge that surrounded the royal rose garden. Pulling out her transformation stick, she thrust it into the air and cried "Persephone Power!!" And nothing happened. Kore panicked. What was she supposed to do now? Sinking to her knees, Kore choked back tears. Why wouldn't it work? Why couldn't she transform? Kore took out the Violet Spodumene. It was cold and dead in her palm. She couldn't transform because her planet, the source of her powers was gone. Destroyed by the one who claimed to be her friend. The Borg. Now she was one of them. Kore sank to her knees, the ensuing battle forgotten, and cried to herself. Her soft sobbing muffled by the screams of dying lunar citizens. she thought, Kore grabbed the cable running from arm to her back and prepared to end her life. Then stopped. Kore raised her transformation stick. "Borg Power!!" Again, nothing happened. Kore suddenly became aware of how quiet it was. She peered over the hedge and saw one of the most terrible sights in her life. Floating in front of the leader of the attacking forces were Serenity's daughter and the man she had been dancing with, now in armor Kore recognized as Terrain in design. But this time they were dead. "And the snake survives!" The leader cried triumphantly. "Serena!!" Serenity ran to her child. Kore couldn't watch. Surely Serenity would be killed by this queen of darkness, like Iona, Kore's mother. She had to do something, and quick. On a whim, Kore touched her transformation stick to the band on her arm. The bottom of the stick turned a sickly black, covered with Borg nanotechnology. "I'll give this one last try. Borg POWER!!!" A sharp pain shot through her body. The transformation began. It felt like worms sliming their way over her skin, and then being absorbed. When it was all done, Kore was in her sailor suit, staring at what was left of the Moon Kingdom. Everything was demolished. But she noticed that the invading forces were gone, too. Looking over the hedge, Kore saw Serenity collapse on the ground, the soft soil of the moon breaking her fall. Kore came forward, slowly, to confront her friend. "Serenity, I'm-I'm just so sorry. I should've.." "Kore?" Serenity's voice was barely above a whisper. Kore nodded. "It can't be, you're dead. Your planet was destroyed right after...." Serenity paused and shuddered with pain. "Serenity, you're dying," Kore said, terrified. "What happened?" "I had to save her, Kore. I couldn't let her die so young. Like you. I used the last of my energy to send her and her friends to a future that is more peaceful. But I'll never see her again. Oh, Kore, I'll never see her get married, have a family, or anything." Kore went to Serenity, and cradled the dying queen's head in her arms. "No, it shouldn't happen like that. I can help you. Your daughter will meet you one day. I'll make sure of that. You won't die, Serenity. But you're too weak to live." Kore brought out the Violet Spodumene again. "This is the gem of rebirth. My mother gave it to me before- before Persephone was destroyed. It can keep your life spirit alive so you can see and aid your daughter. When the time is right." Kore raised the violet gem to the sky. It caught the rays of the rising sun, and began to glow. "What's going on?" Kore cried. "It wouldn't do this before!" "The sun," Serenity whispered, "the sun is necessary for life. That, and the fact that you want so much to help me. Your heart makes it strong. Kore, promise me that you'll come back, to check on my daughter.....in a thousand years..." "I promise." Kore again raised the jewel. "Persephone Rebirth Power!" The spodumene radiated light. Serenity dissolved in the wave of power. Kore got to her feet, and that when she noticed that her feet were inclosed in great hulking boots that came up to her knees. They were a metallic gray color. Kore cried to the emptiness, "I won't break this promise, Serenity. I swear. I shall find your daughter in a thousand years. The legacy of the Moon Kingdom will not die." Kore's voice sounded small in the barren lunar landscape. She began the long trek back to her shuttle. * * * Kore returned to stasis, her mind raced with what had happened that day. she thought. Kore bust into tears as gas filled the chamber. Tears flowed down her face, and Kore lost consciousness. * * * Kore awoke, her muscles stiff. She knew she'd been in stasis much longer this time. She crawled out of the chamber and out of the shuttle. Outside, Kore found the drone that had first escorted her to the spacecraft. Kore followed the Borg through twisted passages, until they reached a huge black room. The walls were covered with sleeping Borg. Kore realized. The Borg Queen separated from the blackness. "How was your trip?" the Queen asked, smiling her devil's smile. Kore thought. "I hope you now realize that we're the only one who are here for you. Your family. Join us." "No, not yet. I made a promise that I intend to keep. I have to go back there. It's very important." "And when you've finished?" The Queen raised a dark eyebrow. "And then.....?" Kore's unspoken question received an immediate answer. "And then, I shall join you." The Queen smiled triumphantly. "Very well. When you are ready to go, you may. Until then, this ship is at your disposal. The Queen again melted into the black void in the corner of the room. "You shall be shown to a 'room,' I hope it meets your approval." Kore sighed and followed the drone to a small room that looked liked her bedroom, except instead of her favorite sitting window, there was a painting of a landscape. A landscape that looked like Persephone's great mountain range, the Hades. Their peaks were illuminated by the silver light of twin moons. Kore collapsed on the bed, and cried. ~No, you're not,~ a smooth voice answered in her head. ~I know how you can live..~ "Who are you?!? What do you mean?" ~You were in stasis for over twenty years, and didn't even age a day. If you were in stasis for a thousand years, you would only age a few months.~ ~Are you willing to give up so much of your live for your friend? She's dead. How will she know?~ With that, Kore bolted from the room and found her way back to the shuttle. "Computer, I'd like you to take me to Earth, and wake me from stasis in nine hundred and seventy years." The computed beeped, and Kore returned to her stasis chamber. Kore gently fell back to sleep. * * * Kore was in a bright ballroom. The room was full of people, all of whom were laughing with their dance partners. Except Kore. All alone, she searched for someone to dance with. In the corner, Kore saw a swirl of cape. She ran to it, and silhouetted against the moonlight stood a single man. Kore crept closer to see his face. "Christopher??" He turned to Kore. "Don't give up, I know you can survive this challenge. You're to strong to become one of them." He came close to her, to whisper in her ear, his lips brushing her cheek. "Kore, dance with me." Kore nodded, and Christopher grasped her hand in his, and she entwined her arm about his neck. The melody of the distant ball still played, but neither of them listened. They danced to their own symphony. Kore felt light, and looked down. They were floating on air. Kore looked back at Christopher, who smiled at her. She rested her head on his chest, and sighed. "Christopher, I love you....." She looked back to his face, but it wasn't him. The Borg Queen smiled at her, grasping Kore's wrists with her cold, lifeless hands. "You're mine, now!" The Borg's voice screamed in her ear. Kore struggled, but the black Queen held fast. "No! You may steal my body, but my mind will always be free!" With that, Kore closed her eyes, concentrated, and prepared to make one last attempt to break free. A brilliant light erupted from Kore's hands. The Borg Queen momentarily loosened her grip, allowing Kore to escape. Energy swirled around her. "I am the spirit of Persephone," the newly empowered Kore cried. "I possess the awesome power of rebirth. You cannot defeat me!!" "But I am part of you now, I am the undefeatable one." The swirling energy broke from Kore's aura to become the Borg Queen's. "I will triumph, one way or another...." The omnipotent Queen came closer to Kore, who tried to flee. "No, I'm too close," she yelled into the night. * * * Kore kept running. She couldn't stop. The Queen would surely get her if she stopped even for a second. Kore stole a glance over her shoulder and saw the shuttle surrounded in white. Kore slowed to a stop. Had she finally awoken? Had it really been a thousand years? Kore looked around and saw nothing but snow and ice, except there in the distance. Kore went to investigate. As she trudged through the snow, Kore came to the realization that she didn't feel the cold. Kore looked at her skin, which had taken a slight blue-ish pallor. Kore tried to continue without thinking about it, but it was still nagging her. When she got closer to the object she'd seen in the distance, Kore discovered it was really a huge pillar of ice, atop which was a Sailor Scout. She wasn't one that Kore knew, but the suit was familiar. Kore continued to the next of four more pillars she could see. The next two pillars marked the final resting places of Sailors Venus and Mars. As Kore proceeded to the last pillar, she felt a weak life force call to her from below the ice. At last, Kore stood at the base of the last pillar. When she jumped to reach the top, and was surprised to find that her Borg boots were equipped with rocket boosters, propelling Kore to the top of the pillar, which, to her amazement, was actually a plateau. Lying by the far edge of the plateau was a young blonde girl. Kore rushed over to her and rolled the girl over to see her face. "The Moon Princess!" "No," the girl groaned. "I just want to be a normal girl." Kore whispered to the girl. "Don't worry. I'll give you and your friends all back your old lives. You can be normal teenagers as long as you can, with no knowledge of this horrible battle. Persephone Rebirth Power!" Once more cradling a dead Moon Princess, Kore again raised the Violet Spodumene to the dawn. It's glow illuminated the tundra, causing the snow to reflect a lavender light. "I promise you a new chance at a happy, peaceful life. May the moon and stars protect and guide you all to your true destinies....." When the great unleash of power ended, Kore was left alone in the snow, even the massive pillars were gone. She slowly got to her feet to leave, when something caught her eye. Kore bent to pick it up. nestled in the stick was the Moon Crystal, the one Serenity's mother had once used to give her the power of Sailor Persephone. Kore pointed the wand towards the still visible Moon. In a blast of light, the Moon crystal exploded from it's setting and zoomed back to it's home, a star shot at the Moon. But the wand remained in Kore's gloved hands. The lone princess began retracing her steps, back to the shuttle. * * * Once again, Kore felt herself drowning. She struggled to regain consciousness, competing with the overwhelming darkness to open her eyes. Finally, she managed to crack them a bit, and she wished she hadn't. The sight that met her eyes was horrifying. Borg drones bent over her body, while their Queen circled the table, grinning wickedly. Kore tried to block out the sight. "Oh, no, I assure you that you are quite awake," the Queen smiled at her. "You promised to join us after you'd returned, remember? Trust me, it's easier this way..." The Queen moved to peer over one of the drone's shoulder, intensely watching him work. "Wait! I-I don't want to!" Kore's voice sounded quite feeble to her. "I don't want to look like some walking carcass." "We're not assimilating you entire body, then you would not be as great a service to me. Just enough that you'll be a Borg, but still partly independent. Now sleep...." As the Queen spoke, Kore felt herself gently drifting off again. * * * Kore reawakened in the small room that was supposed to be her home for the rest of her life. She slowly got up and went to the mirror that was in the corner of the room. Kore gazed at the reflection that was, unfortunately, hers. A thick band ran across her forehead, covering both her ears and her right eye. Kore bent closer to examine it. She'd seen implants like this on other Borg. They used them to shoot powerful, yet precise, laser beams. They used them to kill. A tear slid down the left side of her face. Kore's right arm, like her legs, had almost been totally replaced with a mechanical one. It was silver, almost beautiful in the way it reflected light. Her new fingers were long and slender, terrible claws designed to do nothing but tear soft flesh and rip though metal. It the middle of her arm was a set of doors, that, with a single thought, opened. A miniature laser cannon emerged. Kore gasped at her own thought. She was beginning to scare herself. She sank to the floor. "Oh, Christopher..." She whispered between sobs, "you said I wouldn't be alone. You said... no, " Kore stood up, "you said I WASN'T alone. You knew all along. Christopher...." "Kore, I'm sorry," an almost inaudible voice said behind her. Kore whirled around. "Oh, my Goddess! Christopher? How can it be?" Kore's eyes widened at the appearance of her long lost friend. "You should be dead by now.." "So should you." "I am dead, and so is my planet..." "No, Kore. As long as you keep her memory alive, Persephone will live on." Christopher's deep brown eyes penetrated Kore's soul. That's when she realized that he was transparent. "Wait, you're not real! Just some trick by the Borg to make me give up. It won't work," she yelled to the walls. "You hear me? It won't work!" "Kore, it's not a trick. It's really me, well, a projection of me. Trust me Kore, I never want you to give up." The ghost-like figure advanced to take Kore's real hand. "I love you," she whispered as he drew her close. "I know." Kore closed her eye and laid her head on Christopher's chest. "No, this time it's real," his voice, though right in her ear, seemed miles away. Kore sighed, drawing strength from the embrace. "I promise, no matter what they do, I won't surrender. And one day, we'll be back together." "And then we'll be together forever," he slowly pulled away. "Until then, you, unfortunately, must fight this alone. But I'll always be right here," the ghost placed his hand on Kore chest, right where her heart was. "I won't forget you...." Christopher's image faded from sight. * * * That was the last time she had seen him. Kore had lived for centuries among the Borg, and gradually become like them. But part of her remained the little girl from the dead planet. The Princess of Persephone was now the Princess of the Borg, the best kept secret of this race of drones. Only those that attended her, and of course the Queen, knew of her presence. Until now. The New Queen stepped from her chambers. She glanced down at the tattered remain of a once purple skirt. she announced to her subjects. she called to the great ship's pilot, A stream of numbers was transfer to the bridge. She was going to find him. Then she was going to kill him. Locutus.... * * * Far away, two pairs of eyes opened for the first time in centuries. "It's time," one said. The other sighed. "Yes, I know, I just wish it didn't have to be this way." "It is unfortunate, but necessary." "But they're so happy.." "But if they aren't called, think of all the deaths." "You're right," the second creature said. "If only there was another way..." "Come, we have much to do." The two tribbles scurried away.