A Second Chance
| BorgSpace | |
| Episode name | A Second Chance |
|---|---|
| Season | Assimilations |
| Episode number | Second's Story |
| Writer(s) | Maija Meneks |
| Year | 2239 |
| Stardate | XXXXX |
| Chronology | |
| Previous in series | Oh Captain, My Captain |
| Next in series | Delta Life |
| Previous in timeline | N/A |
| Next in timeline | N/A |
Summary
Thyeo del Frantz is introduced as a troubled young Sabeenian man; and as the story develops, a case can be made for borderline sociopath. Molded by both his family situation and society expectations at large, he becomes obsessed with his mother; and, specifically, providing for her a 'perfect' life free of cares and needs. His early attempt to achieve perfection for his mother begins with his entry into the Toley Family of the Mob, and ends with his conviction for drug possession, a casualty of Mob and corrupt government politics. Instead of blaming society or his personal choices for his ills, he focuses thoughts of revenge upon the Family that abandoned him.
Thyeo is released half-way through his 10-year prison term into a work parole program. Due to an increase in Borg incursions to Sabeen space, requirements upon the defense industry have skyrocketed; and those citizens without a means to refuse (e.g., bribe) have been drafted into the work force.
After seeing a fireball from space fall into the game reserve (where all the wildlife worth anything has long since been sold) behind his trailer house, Thyeo takes off to find it. Be it meteorite, shuttle debris, of satellite pieces, he plans to make a quick buck off of it, sending as much money as possible to his mother. What he finds is a crash-landed shuttle and four Borg. Of the quartet, three survived.
Sensing an opportunity, Thyeo confronts the Borg. After a graphic "demonstration" on a badly wounded drone, the number of Borg reduced to two. Thyeo subsequently renames his new acquaintances Drone 1 and Sparky. The drones are still linked to the Collective, but since the Greater Consciousness cannot retrieve them without losing the only local cube asset in the process, the drones are fated to remain where they are. Tame Borg, by Thyeo's estimation, offer a much greater potential pay-off than space debris, one which will allow him to enact revenge against the Toley Family and gain his mother riches.
The two drones request items necessary to jury-rig regeneration alcoves. Thyeo returns to the crash site with the items, as well as a Sabeen version of the shocking dog collar, which will ensure the drones do as he orders. Eventually Thyeo readies his plan of revenge, and the drones are smuggled into the city (and neighborhood) of his abbreviated childhood.
After spreading rumors which hint that representative of another Mob Family with interests in the drug market is infiltrating Toley Family territory, Thyeo's warehouse base is paid a series of "visits". The enforcers are all caught by his captive Borg...and assimilated to be Borg themselves to be added to Thyeo's growing army. A bit at a time, then faster and faster, Thyeo claims more territory, more drones, more power, until he finally faces off against the Toley Family itself.
The Toley Family compound is invaded. The only obstacle between Thyeo and total success is the Toley bigboss, who is holding Thyeo's mother hostage. With the dilemma before him, when Drone 1 offers a potential plan that will secure his mother unharmed, Thyeo takes it.
As the story draws to a close, it seems that Thyeo has all that he has ever desired: revenge against Toley family, a future of leisure for his mother, riches. He even starts to dream of the next step, which is to start his own Mob Family. However, all his plans come to a screeching halt as Drone 1, Sparky, and several other drones demonstrate that the collars - modified during the process to secure Thyeo's mother from the ex-Toley bigboss - no longer work.
And so the Collective's plan is a success - Thyeo is no longer needed (as an unassimilated individual), and it is estimated that in less than a year that the Sabeen race will be completely assimilated.
Favorite Quote
- Thyeo had been given a second chance at life with his release from prison, a second chance to start clean. A second chance is a precious thing, a wiping of the slate, and it is the rare person who receives such. Instead, he had squandered that second chance by pursuing a personal vendetta, an old obsession, dredging up the past, a past which had more or less forgotten his existence. Thyeo's mother had recognized the chance for what it was, but her wise counsel to not return to the city had went unheeded. Now, the whole of the Sabeen race was to pay; and if second chances are scarce, third chances are even rarer. Thyeo was about to receive a third chance at life...an involuntary third chance for a life many in the universe considered not life at all.
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Story Notes
I find this story to be the most psychologically "vivid" of the Assimilation mini-series. While the tale of Assimilation may delve more intimately into the primary character, in that case many of the reactions and behaviors were the result of manipulation of an outside force. In the case of Thyeo, all which occurred were due to choices made by the individual. The following paragraph is, perhaps, the crux of the entire story:
- Thyeo had been given a second chance at life with his release from prison, a second chance to start clean. A second chance is a precious thing, a wiping of the slate, and it is the rare person who receives such. Instead, he had squandered that second chance by pursuing a personal vendetta, an old obsession, dredging up the past, a past which had more or less forgotten his existence. Thyeo's mother had recognized the chance for what it was, but her wise counsel to not return to the city had went unheeded. Now, the whole of the Sabeen race was to pay; and if second chances are scarce, third chances are even rarer. Thyeo was about to receive a third chance at life...an involuntary third chance for a life many in the universe considered not life at all.
Unlike the other Assimilation mini-series stories, Thyeo-the-pre-assimilated-individual is not a nice person. He is, in fact, a budding (if not actual) sociopath, not to mention a hearty streak of narcissism disguised as a desire to do anything for his mother. Assimilation seems to have mellowed out the 3 of 8 found in the main BorgSpace stories, or at least focused his energy in a new direction. On the other hand, the sarcastic nature which eventually is magnified upon Thyeo's assimilation is only hinted at in his personal prequel, although it is definitely present.
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