<html><head><title>Star Trek: Resistance</title></head><br>
<body background="../images/tile">
<center><h3>Star Trek: The Next Generation<br>
RESISTANCE</h3><br>
<h4>by Bernhard Rosenkraenzer</h4><br>
<img src="../images/starship"></center><br>
<br>
Chapter One<br>
<br>
"Captain's log, stardate 48039.5<br>
We are proceeding to starbase 141 for repairs and refits, as well as some<br>
minor changes in the crew. Since the plans to add a new weapon to Galaxy<br>
class starships have been cancelled when we found out that the Borg are no<br>
longer a threat, we are not expecting any major changes. The crew is<br>
scheduled for shore leave in the starbase's recreational areas. After our<br>
recent strenuous missions, it will be a welcome change."<br>
<br>
Though he would never admit it to the crew, Picard was looking forward to<br>
the leave, and hoped it wouldn't be cancelled like their last promised off-<br>
time. Granted, their mission to explore the anomaly in the Romulan Neutral<br>
Zone had been important and urgent, but how many more urgent events could<br>
wait for his ship and crew?<br>
<br>
His old friend and Academy roommate in the first year, Admiral S'trel, was<br>
in command of starbase 141. It would be good to see him again.<br>
<br>
He stood up, and pulled his uniform jacket down. "I'll be in my ready<br>
room. Number One, you have the bridge."<br>
<br>
They were in the middle of Federation space. He would probably not be<br>
needed on the bridge until they arrived at the starbase. It would give him  <br>
an opportunity to practice saying "SShSrsreowSrtSskr SsS KRkRst", the<br>
Setallian greeting - back in the Academy, S'trel had always bugged Picard  <br>
about not being able to give a proper welcome. The Setallian language,  <br>
like the languages of most other sentient cat-like beings, was extremely  <br>
hard to learn for humanoids. It had 42 different "s" sounds, and only two  <br>
vowels. With the genaral availability of universal translators, the need  <br>
to learn foreign languages had gone, but there were some things that could  <br>
be expressed in other languages better than in Federation standard, and  <br>
Picard had tried to know the basics of all important languages spoken in  <br>
the Federation.<br>
<br>
While Picard practised, Data reviewed the results of the latest<br>
cybernetics conferences. Commander Maddox still served on starbase 141,  <br>
and it would be a good opportunity to discuss android construction -  <br>
procreation, he thought - with another expert.<br>
<br>
Riker sat in the captain's chair without anything special to do - he knew<br>
what he'd do on the starbase, and it didn't require preparation. Starbase  <br>
141 had been equipped with the latest holodeck technology, and after the  <br>
Bynars had shown him what holodecks might be able to do, he didn't pass up  <br>
an opportunity to check out improved holodecks.<br>
<br>
"Estimated time of arrival, Ensign Seron?", he asked.<br>
<br>
The Vulcan navigator replied, without looking up from his console, "At the<br>
current speed, without further delays, we will arrive at starbase 141 in  <br>
fifty-nine minutes." Seron's mentioning of fifty-nine minutes reminded  <br>
Riker of Data's early days, and remembered his insistance on seconds  <br>
whenever mentioning a time. He wondered if the Vulcan was just more  <br>
inaccurate than an android, or whether he had just asked fifty-nine<br>
minutes and zero seconds before they would arrive.<br>
<br>
One more hour... Riker was tempted to let Data have the bridge, or to<br>
order Seron to increase speed, but he couldn't find a professional excuse.<br>
The hour passed - extremely slowly, Riker thought - and the Enterprise  <br>
docked at the starbase. Riker had decided to dock manually. It was a good  <br>
training for the crew, and besides, it was less boring than just a routine  <br>
automatic docking. Picard, Troi and LaForge were the first personnel to  <br>
beam off the ship - before starting their time off, they had to co- <br>
ordinate the changes in the ship and crew with the starbase personnel.  <br>
S'trel and two humanoids welcomed them.<br>
<br>
"Admiral", Picard greeted his old friend. With his crew members around, he<br>
tried to be more formal than necessary.<br>
<br>
"Good to see you again, Jean-Luc. Apparently, some things have changed<br>
since we last met." S'trel had never been a formal person - and he hadn't  <br>
expected to be called "Admiral" by his old friend (who had never liked  <br>
being formal - back in the Academy). "These are my assistants, Lieutenant  <br>
Commander Tyro of the personnel department, and Commander Taiara from  <br>
Engineering. Jean-Luc, I don't think your crew members will need you to  <br>
discuss the changes." He pointed his tail to his office door - a Setallian  <br>
gesture to invite Picard in.<br>
<br>
Picard followed S'trel into the office, and said, "Yes, S'trel, some<br>
things have changed indeed... SShSrsreowSrtSskr SsS KRkRst." His reference  <br>
to changes was supposed to mean he had managed to get his Setallian  <br>
greeting right, in all the years.<br>
<br>
"Oh, yes, of course." S'trel reacted. "Back in academy days, your 's' was<br>
better. Just how could I forget?"<br>
<br>
Picard noticed the doors closing behind them, and just before they were<br>
shut, he saw a grinning Geordi LaForge. He'd overheard their conversation.  <br>
Damn. Just why couldn't he have waited a few seconds longer...<br>
<br>
LaForge quickly regained control, and started discussing system upgrades<br>
with Taiara.<br>
<br>
                                   ***<br>
<br>
Data beamed to the starbase shortly after. Though the android didn't think<br>
it was necessary, Worf kept a transporter lock on him. The Chief of  <br>
Security had insisted on taking some measures, just in case Maddox would  <br>
get the idea to disassemble the android for research purposes. Worf was  <br>
convinced that a person who had wanted to disassemble - to kill - one of  <br>
"his" crew members, no matter how long ago it had been, couldn't be  <br>
trusted, though Data had forgiven Maddox. He thought that, over the time,  <br>
Maddox had got to know him good enough to know he was more than just a  <br>
fine piece of engineering and software programming, and he doubted Maddox  <br>
would risk a life for his research. He was a fanatic scientist, and he'd<br>
dismantle a uniquely advanced computer for research purposes without  <br>
problems, but he wouldn't kill.<br>
<br>
"Come in." he heard Maddox' voice. The doors opened, and Data entered.<br>
Maddox eyed his nearly-victim. "You look good." he said.<br>
<br>
"I am an android", Data explained. "My appearance does not change unless I<br>
see a need to make changes to it."<br>
<br>
Oh, well. Of course. "Just a greeting, Mr. Data."<br>
<br>
Data nodded understanding, and they spent the rest of their time<br>
discussing android construction, and the problems of copying information  <br>
from positronic brains.<br>
<br>
                                   ***<br>
"Captain's log, stardate 48049.4<br>
Starbase 141's engineers have finished repairing and refitting the ship.  <br>
Aside from a new program which enables sensors to detect cloaked Romulan  <br>
ships while they are travelling at sub-light speed, there have been no<br>
major changes.<br>
<br>
We will leave spacedock as soon as all crew members have returned to the  <br>
ship."<br>
<br>
Picard finished his log entry, and looked around on the bridge. Counselor  <br>
Troi and Ensign Seron had returned from the leave, but all other stations  <br>
on the bridge remained unmanned.<br>
<br>
Aside from some time with S'trel, he'd been on the ship all the time. As<br>
the ship's Captain, it was his duty to check the repair crews' progress  <br>
from time to time. Most others had beamed to the starbase, and just  <br>
returned to get some sleep. Except for...<br>
<br>
"I'm a bit worried about Commander LaForge", he told Troi. "The time at<br>
starbase 141 was meant as a shore leave and a time of recreation for the  <br>
crew - but he was in engineering all the time. Commander Taiara said he  <br>
installed the new sensor programs himself, and he did all the fine-tuning  <br>
to the warp-engines. Not exactly what I would call relaxing, or a change  <br>
from normal duty."<br>
<br>
"What would you have wanted him to do?", she asked.<br>
<br>
"Take a leave, go to the starbase's recreational areas, or maybe the<br>
Enterprise's holodecks. He hasn't left the ship for quite some time."<br>
"Reminds me of someone else on this ship." Troi replied.<br>
<br>
He knew whom Troi was referring to, and immediately regretted having<br>
started the topic. He was the Captain. He had a duty to fulfil. He didn't  <br>
need, and couldn't afford off-time. But how do you explain this to a  <br>
ship's Counselor? To an empathic ship's Counselor, who is aware of sensing  <br>
when you are stressed, worried, or concerned?<br>
<br>
He came to the conclusion that no reply would be the best reply.<br>
"Captain, Starfleet Command has granted us shore leave till stardate  <br>
48050.0. The crew won't be back before that time, either way. Why don't  <br>
you spend some time in the holodeck?"<br>
<br>
Okay, the recent mission had been quite strenuous, after all...<br>
He changed into some medieval (twentieth century) clothing, and went to<br>
the holodeck. "Computer, generate a case in the fictional world of Dixon  <br>
Hill, where I will take Hill's place."<br>
<br>
The computer didn't take long to finish the program. Picard entered, and<br>
found himself in the office of Dixon Hill, private investigator.<br>
<br>
Whenever he entered the world of Dixon Hill, his first look was out of the<br>
window. The sight of ancient streets, covered with automobiles, fascinated  <br>
him. He knew this was just a fictional world, but it was surely close to  <br>
historic reports about the twentieth century. A sound from an ancient  <br>
communicator, telephone, or whatever it was called, caught his attention.<br>
<br>
"Dixon Hill here", he said.<br>
<br>
"A Mr. Ansley wants to speak with you. He says it's urgent, but he refuses<br>
to tell me what he wants to consult you about." Picard recognized "his"  <br>
secretary's voice from earlier programs. "Send him in."<br>
<br>
The door opened quickly, and hit the wall with a loud bang. A slender man<br>
of thirty, maybe forty years entered, running rather than going, towards<br>
the desk. "They're trying to kill me." he shouted out, obviously troubled.<br>
"Take a seat." Picard pointed to a chair near his desk. "Who is 'they',  <br>
and why are they trying to kill you?"<br>
<br>
Ansley hastily sat down. "I need help! They're killing me!" Picard told<br>
him to calm down. He tried to relax, and started explaining, still with  <br>
some panic in his voice. "I don't know who it is, or why, but someone is  <br>
trying to kill me. It started about a week ago. I tried to cross a street,  <br>
and was nearly hit by a car at a high speed." Picard needed a bit of time  <br>
to remember people in the twentieth century had called automobiles cars.  <br>
Before he had first heard the expression, he had wondered how the people  <br>
in that era had got along with having extremely long and complicated words  <br>
for an everyday tool. Ansley continued telling him what had happened. "I  <br>
first thought it was just an accident, and a driver too nervous to stop  <br>
and say sorry, but on the way to work, someone shot at me. Didn't see him,  <br>
though, just heard the shot. I ran away, somehow hoping the person had  <br>
just nearly hit a wrong target. But a day later, a car tried to push my  <br>
car off the street. Well, my car was faster. I managed to get away just in  <br>
time."<br>
<br>
"Why don't you inform the police? They have more personnel, and are<br>
probably better suited to protect you." Picard asked. He realized this was  <br>
probably not Dixon Hill's way - after all, the private investigator had  <br>
had to earn money (another obscurity of the twentieth century) by doing  <br>
police work, but it surely was his way.<br>
<br>
"I've been to the cops. They just laughed at me. They said, look left and<br>
right before you cross the street, don't mistake every sound from a  <br>
starting engine as a shot, and some drivers just have a violent style of  <br>
overtaking. They said that, if I hadn't exaggerated when telling them how  <br>
fast I had had to flee in my car, I should be glad they had not been  <br>
around, because it might have become rather expensive."<br>
<br>
"So you can't be sure someone is actually trying to kill you?"<br>
<br>
"They are trying to kill me. Definitely. I just..." He paused for a<br>
moment, probably thinking about what he was about to say. "Don't have a  <br>
proof for it. I've even returned to the place they tried to shoot me, but  <br>
I couldn't find a bullet."<br>
<br>
"Then the police might have been right?"<br>
<br>
"No way. I'm not the fool they think I am."<br>
<br>
"Okay, I'll take that for granted. You say it started a week ago. Why<br>
didn't you come for help earlier?" Picard asked, getting interested in the  <br>
case.<br>
<br>
"Well," Ansley started. "I tried to believe in accidents as long as it was<br>
somehow possible. Then, I had a hope for the cops. Then I didn't know what  <br>
to do. I thought about consulting a private investigator, but at first I  <br>
thought I couldn't afford it. I'm not very rich, you know. But then, I  <br>
came to the conclusion I'd rather sell my car and house than being  <br>
killed."<br>
<br>
"I understand." Picard agreed. "I will take your case, and I promise I<br>
won't try to make much profit out of it.<br>
<br>
Now, do you have any idea who is trying to kill you, or why?"<br>
"I don't know." He stated. "It is entirely possible that -"<br>
The man suddenly grabbed his hands around his throat, and fell off the  <br>
chair.<br>
<br>
Picard jumped around the desk, and checked his vital signs. Nothing. He<br>
tried to revive the man, using old First Aid method as well as ones  <br>
developed centuries after this story was set. No response.<br>
<br>
He smelled. Bitter almonds. Potassium cyanide. Poison. The man had been<br>
right.<br>
<br>
Who had he been? Picard searched his pockets, and found nothing unusual<br>
for a person of that time - a driving license, some money, cigarettes and  <br>
a few matches. Picard looked at the cigarettes in disgust. In earlier  <br>
holodeck simulations, he had tried smoking them (with the holodeck  <br>
safeties in place, it couldn't do him any harm), but he had never liked  <br>
them. He had never understood why people in the twentieth and early twenty- <br>
first century could have smoked them - they had found out that they were  <br>
hazardous, and they had to pay money for them, and besides, they didn't  <br>
have a good taste, or any positive effect. Good thing it had been  <br>
forbidden in the twenty-first century - he surely wouldn't like having<br>
clouds of smoke on the bridge. He dismissed the thought, and looked at the  <br>
driving license instead.<br>
<br>
The photo matched the dead body in his office. It was the first time<br>
Picard got to see a driving license for automobiles, so he checked  <br>
everything carefully. Strange. It was a driving license for a "George L.  <br>
Staunton". Hadn't the man introduced himself as "Ansley"?<br>
Picard thought about it for a moment. The next logical step would be to  <br>
find out his "friend"'s true identity. He sat down at his desk. From the  <br>
prior simulations, he knew Dixon Hill had a friend in the police. Maybe he  <br>
could be of some help. He took the phone, and...<br>
<br>
"We're ready to leave. Captain Picard, report to the bridge!" Commander<br>
Riker's voice disturbed him.<br>
<br>
He sighed. So much for the relaxing effects of a holodeck. The biggest<br>
problem with non-duty occupations was that they were usually interrupted  <br>
when they were starting to get interesting..<br>
<br>
"Computer, save program Hill-2. Exit."<br>
<br>
The program ended, and Picard left.<br>
<br>
<br>
Chapter Two<br>
<br>
"Captain's log, stardate 48050.0<br>
With repairs and refits finished, and the crew back aboard, we're leaving<br>
starbase 141. Our mission is to transport some dilithium crystals to Dr.<br>
Rybo at the Warp Engine Research Institute on Talar IV."<br>
<br>
"I'm looking forward to meeting Dr. Rybo. His theories on dynamic warp<br>
field geometry are most fascinating." Seron said.<br>
<br>
"Dynamic warp field geometry? For what purpose?" Riker asked.<br>
Data started explaining. "Dr. Rybo is trying to alter warp fields, in<br>
order to permit high warp speeds without polluting subspace. His computer<br>
simulations are rather promising, and he is about to build the first<br>
prototypes. Starfleet Command is planning to integrate the new<br>
technologies in the new Intrepid- and Universe-Class starships. The basic<br>
theory behind Dr. Rybo's experiment is based on the theory of<br>
dimensional..."<br>
<br>
"Thank you, Mr. Data. I think I understand." Riker interrupted him.<br>
<br>
Data looked a bit puzzled. He had not explained much, yet Riker said he<br>
understood. Maybe the first officer had just forgotten Dr. Rybo's name,<br>
and a short explanation had been enough to reactivate his old memories.<br>
Data went on with his work without thinking further of it. The human brain<br>
surely was a strange thing.<br>
<br>
"Mr. Seron, set a course for Talar IV. Warp 5." Picard ordered.<br>
<br>
The Vulcan complied, and the ship got underway.<br>
<br>
"I'll be in my ready room. Number One, you have the bridge." Picard said.<br>
He wanted to read some reports on Dr. Rybo's progress. He was not an<br>
engineering specialist, but it would be good to understand the basics<br>
behind the theories when arriving at the Warp Engine Research Institute.<br>
He called up information on the warp drive, and the schematics of the new<br>
warp fields. As far as he understood it, the engines would work, but they<br>
might have different - maybe even more fatal - consequences for subspace.<br>
Some more research would be necessary.<br>
<br>
He concentrated on the modifications.<br>
<br>
"Captain Picard, report to the bridge."<br>
<br>
He had nearly expected it - knowing about the warp theories wasn't<br>
required for performing his duties, after all. And being through the<br>
basics, it all had just started to be interesting...<br>
<br>
He sighed under his breath, shut down his computer access terminal, and<br>
went to the bridge.<br>
<br>
"Status report, Number One."<br>
<br>
"We are receiving a distress call from the Omicron Theta system, near the<br>
Romulan Neutral Zone." Riker explained. "It's audio only."<br>
<br>
"On speakers." Picard said.<br>
<br>
The room filled with static noise. It was difficult to understand parts of<br>
the message - impossible to understand all of it.<br>
<br>
"...attack... ...se respond."<br>
<br>
"What do you make of it?" Picard said. He thought he had understand enough<br>
of the message to know what was happening, but he wanted to hear other<br>
opinions. The voice seemed somehow familiar, but Picard couldn't tell<br>
where he had heard it before, or whether it was just a similarity caused<br>
by static interference.<br>
<br>
"It would appear someone is under attack, and requires assistance." Data<br>
said.<br>
<br>
Good. He'd understood correctly.<br>
<br>
"Open a channel."<br>
<br>
Picard waited for Worf to build up a connection, then he started talking.<br>
"This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the Federation starship Enterprise. We<br>
have picked up parts of your distress call."<br>
<br>
They waited for some time. No response. Picard ordered to try again.<br>
Whatever caused the interference might have disturbed their message, as<br>
well.<br>
<br>
It took about twenty seconds until they got a response. Picard ordered to<br>
put it on the screen. There was some static interference, but the message<br>
was understandable. Apparently, the sender had been repaired to some<br>
degree.<br>
<br>
"This is Hugh of Borg. We are under attack by..." A green light appeared<br>
in the background, and Hugh threw a look at something out of the screen's<br>
range. If the Federation could interpret Borg mimics correctly, the<br>
expression on Hugh's face showed being terrified, maybe even frightened.<br>
The viewscreen shifted, and displayed the stars. The message ended<br>
abruptly.<br>
<br>
"Try to re-establish contact." Picard said. His voice was barely audible.<br>
Worf pushed some buttons. Nothing. "We can't establish contact. Maybe<br>
their sender has been destroyed."<br>
<br>
Data checked the message's end in the computer. "According to the sound we<br>
have heard just before the message ended, something has most probably been<br>
hit with an energy weapon."<br>
<br>
"Romulan disruptors?" Riker asked. The message originated near the Romulan<br>
Neutral Zone. The possibility of Romulans violating the treaties couldn't<br>
be disregarded.<br>
<br>
"I cannot tell for sure, Sir." Data started. "But I do not think the<br>
weapon was Romulan. According to the Romulan weapons I have heard before,<br>
I would say there is a ninety-eight point seven four percent probability<br>
that this was not a Romulan disruptor. It might be a new Romulan weapon,<br>
but it is rather unlikely that they could construct a completely different<br>
weapon without the Federation secret services getting to know anything<br>
about it. It is, however, possible."<br>
<br>
"Are there any other Federation ships in range?" Picard asked.<br>
Data checked his sensors. "Negative, Sir."<br>
<br>
"I think Dr. Rybo must wait. Ensign, set a course for the origin of the<br>
distress call. Warp 9. Mr. Worf, notify Starfleet Command."<br>
<br>
Picard would have liked to discuss the situation with Starfleet Command,<br>
or his crew, but if Hugh's ship, or wherever he was, was damaged as badly<br>
as it appeared, they couldn't afford a delay.<br>
<br>
"Mr. Data, estimated time of arrival?"<br>
<br>
"Three hours, twelve minutes, four seconds."<br>
<br>
Good. Enough time for some preparation. Picard called all senior officers<br>
to the Observation Lounge, and ordered an emergency crew to the bridge. It<br>
was unlikely the command crew would be needed on the bridge before their<br>
arrival, but they couldn't afford leaving a post on the bridge unmanned.<br>
<br>
Whatever this was, it could apparently outpower the Borg - and even though<br>
the individual Borg ships were not nearly as dangerous as the Collective,<br>
they were a close match to a Galaxy class starship.<br>
<br>
Dr. Crusher was the last to arrive in the Observation Lounge. She had<br>
finished treating a patient after Picard had called. She had always<br>
considered her duty as a doctor more important than her duty as a bridge<br>
officer.<br>
<br>
The Captain waited for her to sit down, then he explained the situation to<br>
LaForge and Dr. Crusher who hadn't been on the bridge when they'd picked<br>
up the distress call.<br>
<br>
"Suggestions?"<br>
<br>
"The Romulans." Worf proposed. "They have been too calm recently. They<br>
were planning something."<br>
<br>
"Entirely possible", Riker threw in. "But why would they attack a Borg<br>
ship in Federation space? They'd rather pick Federation targets."<br>
True enough. The Romulans hadn't had contact with the Borg yet - or the<br>
Tal'Shiar was better at keeping something secret than the Federation<br>
thought. Data pointed it out.<br>
<br>
"It is possible that the Borg shot first." Picard suggested. "When they<br>
assimilated me, they got to know everything I know - including the fact<br>
that Romulans are dangerous and not really trustworthy. Maybe someone of<br>
them remembers."<br>
<br>
"Then again, maybe it's not the Romulans." Troi suggested.<br>
<br>
"There are other, possibly hostile, life forms on the far side of the<br>
Romulan Empire, and the Romulans would be more than glad to grant them<br>
save passage to Federation territory." Worf offered, trying to give the<br>
Romulans at least parts of the fault.<br>
<br>
"Unlikely." Riker said. "The Romulans know we try to establish peaceful<br>
contact with everyone. Leading someone new to the Federation would be too<br>
big a risk for them."<br>
<br>
"Unless the Romulans know the others wouldn't want peace with the<br>
Federation." Worf insisted. "It would be a typically Romulan strategy to<br>
send someone else to fight their wars, and then hide behind the treaties."<br>
"Possible." Picard said. "However, I don't think these speculations make<br>
sense before we know more. Any suggestions?"<br>
<br>
Worf suggested to run a level one diagnostic on the ship's weapons, to<br>
make sure they wouldn't find a starbase engineer's mistake when they least<br>
needed it. Picard didn't think it was necessary, but it couldn't do any<br>
harm, either. "Make it so. And, continue hailing the Borg. If they weren't<br>
destroyed, they might have repaired their sender, and they might be able<br>
to tell us more."<br>
<br>
Picard looked around to see if there were any more comments or<br>
suggestions. When he saw it wasn't the case, he added, "Dismissed."<br>
The crew returned to their posts, and the emergency crew left the bridge<br>
quickly. "We are receiving another message from the Borg." Worf announced.<br>
"It is a very weak signal, audio only."<br>
<br>
"On the speakers." Picard ordered.<br>
<br>
"Enterprise...they...recreate the co...link...similate...assistance." The<br>
message broke down completely.<br>
<br>
"Any comments?" Picard asked, hoping someone else could make more sense of<br>
the message than he could.<br>
<br>
"All I can make out is they need assistance." Riker said.<br>
<br>
"Not necessarily." Data remarked. "Their reference to the word<br>
"assistance" might also indicate they tried to come to someone's<br>
assistance, and this is what caused their problems. Based on our recent<br>
encounters with Borg in both the collective and individual form, as well<br>
as the punctuation of the word, I estimate a 0.96 percent probability that<br>
this is the case."<br>
<br>
"They addressed their message directly to the Enterprise. At least we know<br>
they have received our call." Riker stated.<br>
<br>
Further speculation about the message wouldn't do any good, Picard<br>
realised. He tried to come up with something else. "Mr. Data, what do we<br>
know about the Omicron Theta system?" Maybe something in the system's<br>
geography could explain the bad transmission quality.<br>
<br>
"I am afraid we do not have much information on the Omicron Theta system.<br>
It is one of the outermost systems in Federation space, directly at the<br>
Romulan neutral zone. The only ships regularly in the sector are some old<br>
patrol ships, without any sensors valid for space exploration.<br>
<br>
Aside from the Talara anomaly, a gaseous anomaly which has never been<br>
fully explored, there are no known anomalies. The Omicron Theta system has<br>
twelve planets we never charted. According to the size and energy of the<br>
sun, as well as the distance between the planets and the sun, two of them<br>
might be Class M, capable of supporting life. No known life forms."<br>
<br>
Not much - but Picard hadn't expected more information about the<br>
Federation's outermost systems. The Federation had charted only 18% of the<br>
known galaxy, mostly the space around the Federation's main planets. "Keep<br>
hailing the Borg. Maybe they find a way to re-establish contact."<br>
<br>
Worf kept trying until they arrived in the Omicron Theta system. No<br>
response.<br>
<br>
"Captain's log, supplemental. Following a distress call from Hugh of Borg,<br>
we have entered the Omicron Theta system. So far, there are no indication<br>
of the Borg's, or anyone else's, presence in the system, or the area near<br>
it. We will remain in this area until we find out what has happened."<br>
<br>
Right after Picard had finished his log entry, Seron announced "An<br>
unidentified ship is approaching from the direction of the Romulan Neutral<br>
Zone."<br>
<br>
"Hugh's ship." Picard speculated. "Maybe they have detected us on their<br>
sensors, and they want to contact us. Hail them."<br>
<br>
Worf pushed a few buttons on his console. "Not necessary. They are hailing<br>
us. Putting them on screen."<br>
<br>
The image on the main viewer shifted from the exterior view to the<br>
interior of a Borg ship. A somewhat metallic voice greeted them.<br>
<br>
"We are Borg. Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated."<br>
<br>
<br>
Chapter Three<br>
<br>
This was not at all what Picard had expected. The viewscreen still<br>
displayed the interior of the Borg ship, apparently they had not closed<br>
the channel. Maybe they would listen to arguments. It would probably be<br>
the best to talk to someone they knew. Picard requested to speak with<br>
Hugh. The Borg replied immediately.<br>
<br>
"Names are irrelevant. Individuality is irrelevant. We have studied the<br>
defensive capabilities of your ship, and concluded they are insufficient<br>
to withstand us. If you resist, we will destroy your ship."<br>
"We need some time to prepare for assimilation." Picard tried, hoping to<br>
gain some time to prepare for the Borg's attack, maybe wait for some other<br>
ships' assistance.<br>
<br>
"Preparation is irrelevant. Resistance is futile. You will be<br>
assimilated."<br>
<br>
The Borg closed the channel.<br>
<br>
"A trap." Riker sighed.<br>
<br>
"Red alert. Notify Starfleet Command." Picard ordered, before commenting.<br>
<br>
"Mr. Data, how long do we have until we get in the Borg ship's weapons'<br>
range?"<br>
<br>
"Thirty-eight minutes, twelve seconds."<br>
<br>
Forty minutes... Not enough to call for assistance, or to improvise an<br>
improved defence system. But enough time to discuss the best response.<br>
Running away was not an option - first, the Borg were faster and would<br>
have caught up, anyway. Second, there were only two places to run to -<br>
cross the Neutral Zone, and fight the Romulans and the Borg at the same<br>
time, or return to more important Federation systems, and supply the Borg<br>
with more targets, more inhabitants who might be worth assimilation.<br>
Picard would have liked to call everyone to the Observation Lounge for<br>
further discussion, but with the Borg collective hanging around, it was<br>
too dangerous to leave the bridge. It would be better to discuss<br>
everything right here.<br>
<br>
He called Commander LaForge and Dr. Crusher to the bridge.<br>
"I'm not sure we've run into a trap.", Picard finally commented. "Faking<br>
distress calls to get ships over is not exactly typical Borg behavior."<br>
"You're right, Captain." Troi joined the discussion. "For some reason, the<br>
Borg seem to be back to collective ways. They know Starfleet's defenses<br>
are no match for their weapons. Their approach to assimilating the<br>
Federation would be to go straight to the heart of our territory, and<br>
assimilate everything they see, rather than tricking our ships to come to<br>
them. They didn't make bad experiences with the old strategy, so there's<br>
no reason to try a new one. Machines don't experiment with their<br>
strategies."<br>
<br>
"Unless their goal is not to assimilate the entire Federation. Maybe<br>
they're after something else." Picard suggested.<br>
<br>
The turbolift doors opened, and LaForge and Crusher left. They quietly<br>
went to their places, careful not to interrupt the discussion.<br>
<br>
"Unlikely." Troi explained. As a psychologist, she had learned about<br>
typical behavior of most beings known to the Federation, and she'd read<br>
some texts about the Borg. "They wouldn't make the same mistake twice. I<br>
think they've analyzed the Wolf 359 massacre enough to know what went<br>
wrong. The Borg don't stop analyzing a problem until it's solved.<br>
<br>
Besides, they don't consider us a threat. Their messages have always been<br>
straight to the point. If they were after a single person, or a part of<br>
our technology, they would have said so."<br>
<br>
"You are forgetting the fact that they have made some experience with<br>
individuality." Data offered. "Maybe they have changed their behavior<br>
accordingly."<br>
<br>
"I fail to understand this." Seron admitted. "According to Starfleet<br>
records, the Borg have assimilated members of at least eight species, all<br>
individual beings. They should have known about individuality and its<br>
effects before they became individuals, before one of them experienced<br>
individuality." Maybe this could be an explanation for the collective<br>
behavior of the Borg. Hugh's sense of individuality had just created a<br>
temporary disruption. The Vulcan knew he was just an Ensign, and it was<br>
not part of his job to discuss the ship's operations with the senior<br>
officers, but this meeting was on the bridge, and there was no logical<br>
reason against offering suggestions. No one objected against Seron<br>
speaking, so probably, the senior officers agreed with his logic.<br>
<br>
Picard, however, disagreed with what the Vulcan had said. Though, of<br>
course, he was no longer part of the collective, and the after-effects had<br>
long gone, he remembered every bit about being a Borg, about assimilation.<br>
<br>
"Assimilation is a step-by-step procedure, Ensign. They don't just equip<br>
an individual with machine parts, and connect the person. They alter your<br>
DNA, add some controlling devices to your brain, and restrain the brain<br>
centers responsible for feelings, individuality, emotions, and all that<br>
might prove disturbing for the collective. After they're through with the<br>
changes, they can connect you to the collective consciousness without any<br>
danger.<br>
<br>
It was different with Hugh. They found him on the crash site, and didn't<br>
know anything had happened to him. They connected him, and his thoughts<br>
became one with the collective. There must have been a moment of<br>
collective individuality in the Borg collective. when Hugh returned with<br>
his experience and knowledge."<br>
<br>
"The entire collective..." Riker speculated. "Maybe that's what went<br>
wrong. We don't know much about the way the Borg are connected to each<br>
other. Maybe the Hugh effect was localized, just one fleet of Borg ships,<br>
just a group of Borg, just Hugh's ship."<br>
<br>
"It is entirely possible", Data agreed, "that the collective is built up<br>
like our ship's computers. Several independent computer cores, so when one<br>
is destroyed, another one can take over. We might have infected only one<br>
computer core with individuality."<br>
<br>
"If this is the case," Riker continued, "maybe Hugh's distress call was<br>
sincere, and the Borg collective is chasing the individual Borg, trying to<br>
re-integrate them into the collective. We should scan all systems in the<br>
vicinity for signs of Hugh's ship."<br>
<br>
"If this is the case," Picard offered, "we are dealing with what is by<br>
definition an internal Borg affair. According to the Prime Directive, we<br>
may not interfere in the natural progress of a different civilization, or<br>
join any side of a civil war. We must not interfere."<br>
<br>
"You can't be serious." Riker objected. "The individual Borg are<br>
completely different from the Borg collective. We are no longer dealing<br>
with one culture. The Romulans were Vulcans a long time ago. If the<br>
Romulans tried to conquer or destroy Vulcan, would you say it's a civil<br>
war, and we mustn't interfere?"<br>
<br>
"It is hardly an analogy, Commander. The Romulans split up from the<br>
Vulcans several centuries ago." Picard said. "They've built up something<br>
completely new on their planet."<br>
<br>
"So have the individual Borg." Troi tried to convince the Captain. "The<br>
Borg culture is based on interconnection, and assimilation of the unknown.<br>
The individual Borg don't use that technology anymore. I'd say they've<br>
built up a completely new culture in less time."<br>
<br>
"But the Romulans and the Vulcans separated on the behalf of both sides.<br>
In this case, the individuals split off from the Borg collective without<br>
their approval or knowledge. This attack on the individual Borg is a<br>
direct effect of their actions, which is, by definition, a civil war."<br>
"Actions caused by the Federation, by us." Riker argued. "We rescued Hugh.<br>
We fed him, and we blocked his connection to the collective with a<br>
subspace dampening field. We told him about individuality, and explained<br>
the advantages of not being assimilated. We returned him to the<br>
collective, knowing and hoping his experience would cause a change.<br>
We are already involved, and it's too late to withdraw."<br>
<br>
"The Prime Directive could be interpreted in that way, Sir." Data told the<br>
Captain.<br>
<br>
"You're right, Numer One." Picard finally agreed. "Mr. Worf, scan for<br>
other ships, or ship debris, in adjacent systems. If the Borg have not yet<br>
destroyed or re-integrated the individuals, they might be of help."<br>
<br>
"I also recommend we separate the ship." Worf suggested. "The Borg have<br>
noticed us, and I don't think we can avoid a battle with them."<br>
<br>
"No. Separating the ship would increase the danger." Picard said. "We are<br>
dealing with the Borg. If they see a target incapable of defense, like our<br>
saucer section, they assimilate the crew and recycle the ship.<br>
<br>
Separating the ship would put the families and off-duty personnel in a<br>
bigger danger. But..." Picard thought about his decision for a moment.<br>
<br>
"Mr. Data, scan the planets in the system. Is there a Class M planet?"<br>
<br>
"The fifth planet is Class M. Atmospheric composition: Seventy-One percent<br>
Nitrogen, twelve percent Carbon Dioxide, sixteen percent Oxygen, one<br>
percent other gases."<br>
<br>
Picard looked at Dr. Crusher. "Breathable", she said. "But not optimal for<br>
humanoids."<br>
<br>
"Life signs?" he asked.<br>
<br>
"The life sign readings are inconclusive, probably disturbed by one of the<br>
minor gases in the atmosphere." Data said. "But given the planet's age and<br>
atmosphere, It is highly unlikely that the planet is inhabited by advanced<br>
life forms."<br>
<br>
"It's a risk we have to take. Mr. Data, calculate the best place on the<br>
planet for an evacuation." Picard ordered.<br>
<br>
"The readings are not accurate enough to determine an optimal position for<br>
evacuation. The planet appears to have two big continents and several<br>
islands. I can make sure they do not land in the oceans, but I cannot<br>
guarantee for anything else."<br>
<br>
"Make it so." Picard ordered. It was highly probable that soon, any place<br>
in the universe would be better than aboard the Enterprise. Under normal<br>
circumstances, he would have asked Counselor Troi to prepare everyone to<br>
evacuate the ship. One of the problems with having families aboard was<br>
that they were not used to distress situations as much as well-trained<br>
Starfleet officers. But, evacuating an entire Galaxy Class starship would<br>
take about half an hour, and the Borg would be there only ten minutes<br>
later. Picard made an announcement to the entire crew. "All hands, this is<br>
the Captain. We are expecting contact with a Borg ship in half an hour.<br>
<br>
All off-duty personnel, all families, abandon the ship." He ended the<br>
message by telling everyone which transporter room or shuttle bay was<br>
closest.<br>
<br>
Some departments of the ship would not be needed in a battle against the<br>
Borg, he realized. It would be best to reduce the remaining crew to a<br>
minimum. He thought about mentioning all non-necessary departments in<br>
another announcement, but then, he realized it would be easier to name the<br>
remaining ones. In a battle with the Borg, there was no need for a<br>
skeleton crew in the astrophysics lab. He made another announcement. "The<br>
bridge crew, security groups one, two and four, and engineering groups one<br>
and three will stay aboard. All other crew members, report to the nearest<br>
transporter room."<br>
<br>
He looked around on the bridge, and noticed Dr. Crusher was still sitting<br>
next to Riker. He looked at her. "That includes you, Doctor."<br>
<br>
Dr. Crusher stared at the Captain in disbelief. "You are about to enter a<br>
battle with the Borg. You may get wounded."<br>
<br>
"Doctor", Picard explained calmly. "These people were in no way prepared<br>
to abandon the ship. Some of them will be under shock. They need<br>
treatment.<br>
<br>
"There are other medical..." Crusher tried to object.<br>
<br>
Picard was convinced it was necessary to save her, even if it was against<br>
her will. "Doctor, I don't know when, or if, we will return. You have some<br>
knowledge of healing people without having technology at the hand. You<br>
have gained some experience in healing effects of plants. And, you have<br>
made a bridge crew test. You have a talent for organization. The people on<br>
that planet need coordination, Beverly. I'm putting you in charge of the<br>
away team."<br>
<br>
The doctor looked at Picard's face, and determined from his expression he<br>
wouldn't listen to her arguments. There was no point in objecting any<br>
further. She just stood up, and said "Aye, Sir.", in a tone clearly<br>
indicating she still disagreed.<br>
<br>
<br>
Chapter Four<br>
<br>
"Captain's log, stardate 48052.7<br>
In expectation of the coming battle against the Borg, I have evacuated the<br>
ship, except for an emergency crew, to the fifth planet in the Omicron<br>
Theta system. There are ten minutes remaining until we get into the Borg<br>
ship's weapons' range - unless they have improved their offensive<br>
capabilities."<br>
<br>
Picard looked at the remaining crew, hopeless. The Borg had defeated a<br>
fleet of forty Federation ships before, and now, they were all alone<br>
against them. "Any suggestions?", he asked.<br>
<br>
Worf had an idea. "We could try loading a shuttle with antimatter, and<br>
putting it on a collision course with the Borg."<br>
<br>
"Make it so. Mr. Worf, Mr. LaForge, prepare everything." He didn't have<br>
much hope it would help. A matter/antimatter explosion was exactly what<br>
happened in a photon torpedo, and the Borg had got used to photon<br>
torpedoes, and developed defences. But, a shuttle was bigger than a photon<br>
torpedo, and would have a greater impact. A little effect would be better<br>
than no effect at all.<br>
<br>
"I have completed the long range sensor scan", Data reported. "There are<br>
no signs of any ships other than us and the Borg ship."<br>
Damn. The individual Borg had been destroyed, or re-integrated into the<br>
collective. Maybe it had been wrong to send Hugh back without the<br>
destructive program. It had seemed right at that time, and ethically, it<br>
was surely better than killing all Borg, but now... Was it worth this all?<br>
Picard wondered.<br>
<br>
Part of him told him he had made the right choice, but another part feared<br>
the Federation would be destroyed - assimilated - because of his actions.<br>
He could not permit that.<br>
<br>
"The Borg are hailing us." Data said.<br>
<br>
"On screen." Picard doubted he could accomplish anything other than<br>
hearing they would be assimilated soon, but it was worth the try.<br>
<br>
"We are Borg. You will be assimilated. If you resist, we will destroy your<br>
ship. If you do not drop your shields, we will destroy your ship."<br>
<br>
Not too promising. Picard thought about an appropriate reply for a few<br>
seconds. The Borg would probably not be willing to negotiate, but... An<br>
idea came to his mind. Hugh had identified him as Locutus two years after<br>
the Wolf 359 incident. Maybe this was a mistake common to all Borg.<br>
<br>
"This is Locutus of Borg." Picard said. "We are already assimilating this<br>
ship and crew. We do not require your help."<br>
                                 ***<br>
Dr. Crusher looked around. They had landed in a desert-like environment.<br>
They had taken some water canisters and some emergency food supplies, but<br>
in the long term, this would not be the best place for survival.<br>
<br>
The crew was not exactly in a good state. Some people were under shock,<br>
others were running around, shouting or crying. Crusher assembled some<br>
medical staff to care for the crew members who had been in sick bay when<br>
they abandoned the ship, and the people under shock. She noticed<br>
Lieutenant Satarra from security. "Lieutenant," she said, indicating some<br>
family members running around wildly with her head. "Please, take care of<br>
these people."<br>
<br>
Satarra nodded. He had thought of calming the people down before, but he'd<br>
considered it better to wait for an order from the commanding officer.<br>
<br>
Crusher took care of some patients. The Starfleet officers had got used to<br>
the situation good enough. They had been trained for emergency situations,<br>
even for being among the sole survivors of a major catastrophe. The family<br>
members were a bigger problem. Some people were still under shock, others<br>
sat on the ground, crying because their husbands or wives were still<br>
aboard the ship, and they saw no chance for their survival.<br>
<br>
Some children were disturbing Dr. Crusher's work by running around wildly,<br>
chasing each other and playing hide-and-seek, trying to hide behind her<br>
patients, equipment, or even behind her staff.<br>
<br>
No serious injuries, though.<br>
<br>
Doctor Crusher looked up from her patient. It had gotten a bit calmer. "I<br>
think they won't disturb your work any further, Doctor." Satarra<br>
explained. Everything was under control.<br>
<br>
"Mr. Satarra, it's possible we'll have to stay here for some more time.<br>
Pick some Starfleet officers, and assemble some teams to explore the<br>
planet. We'll need some place to stay, as well as water, and maybe eatable<br>
plants."<br>
<br>
She looked at the family members. She would have liked to join one of the<br>
teams, but she was a doctor, and there were other duties waiting. "I'll<br>
take care of the patients. Report back in an hour."<br>
<br>
She picked up a medikit and started treating a patient suffering Telosian<br>
Flu.<br>
<br>
Satarra tapped his communicator, and asked all available Starfleet<br>
personnel to meet with him one hundred meters north of the landing site.<br>
It would be good to talk to them a bit away from the disordered family<br>
members.<br>
<br>
He started assigning groups. "Smith, T'Rak, Schneider, Ensign," he pointed<br>
to an Ensign he didn't know, "you will go this way." He pointed to his<br>
left. "Try to look for water, if you find plants, scan them to make sure<br>
whether we can eat them or not."<br>
<br>
He assigned a few more groups. Some more people were left. "Lieutenant,<br>
Ensign," He had already assigned most people he knew. Though he was not in<br>
charge of the away team, this was his first command situation, and he<br>
thought it would be best to use mostly people he knew, and he could trust.<br>
"You will take care of the family members. Make sure they don't run away,<br>
or disturb Dr. Crusher's teams."<br>
<br>
He waited until they had left. "T'Prea, Nash, you're with me. We'll go in<br>
the direction of the mountains, and look for a place to stay."<br>
<br>
He had left T'Prea and Nash for a specific reason. Ensign T'Prea was a<br>
Vulcan, and Lieutenant Nash liked bugging Vulcans about their pointed<br>
ears. In his opinion, Vulcan ears looked like donkey ears. Putting the two<br>
of them together in a team would surely cause some fun. If Satarra<br>
remembered right, T'Prea and Nash had not yet met, so it would be twice as<br>
much fun. Vulcans could be most funny when someone tried to joke about<br>
them while they weren't prepared.<br>
<br>
They started their way.<br>
                                 ***<br>
The Borg didn't show a reaction for five seconds. Maybe they were<br>
analyzing the new situation. In the moment of silence aboard the<br>
Enterprise, everyone hoped the Borg would fall for Picard's trick. They<br>
started replying. "Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the U.S.S. Enterprise,<br>
Registration NCC-1701-D, we have studied the defensive capabilities of<br>
your ship, and concluded they are insufficient to resist us. If you<br>
resist, we will destroy your ship."<br>
<br>
The Borg closed the channel, and locked a tractor beam on the Enterprise.<br>
Picard stood up from the command chair, and ran to Worf's station. With<br>
the Klingon working on the shuttle-weapon, and only an emergency crew<br>
aboard, it was unmanned.<br>
<br>
Picard looked at the readouts. Shields were still up to 98 percent. They<br>
were still too far from the Borg ship to get any real damage. The Captain<br>
tapped his communicator. "Picard to Worf. When will the shuttle be ready?"<br>
Worf replied. "We have loaded the spare antimatter tanks to the shuttle.<br>
Commander LaForge is working on a program that opens the antimatter tanks<br>
when the shuttle collides with the Borg ship."<br>
<br>
LaForge's voice came through. "I'm almost ready, Captain. Just one more<br>
minute."<br>
<br>
Good. Their new weapon would be ready in time. Picard didn't end the<br>
communication. Maybe Worf or LaForge would have a suggestion for the<br>
problem he was about to discuss. "We'll need to prevent them from firing<br>
on the shuttle. Any ideas?"<br>
<br>
"Distract them." Data suggested. "We could fire phasers and photon<br>
torpedoes while the shuttle approaches from behind."<br>
<br>
"Wouldn't work." Worf objected. "They are Borg. They are connected<br>
directly to their sensors. They'll notice the shuttle. We'll need to make<br>
them think it's not dangerous."<br>
<br>
Too bad the treaty of Algeron prevented the Federation from equipping<br>
their ships with cloaking devices. Picard had an idea. "The Borg have<br>
never attacked away teams we sent to their ships. Can we fake life signs<br>
from the shuttle, so they'll mistake it for an away team?"<br>
<br>
"That would be difficult", Worf said. "We'd need to reprogram the<br>
shuttle's computers to scan for Borg sensors, and send some false<br>
information on the same frequency."<br>
<br>
"This would take hours!" LaForge objected.<br>
<br>
"Transporter dummies." Seron suggested.<br>
<br>
"What about them, Ensign?" Commander Riker asked.<br>
<br>
"Transporter dummies are used to test changes in transporter systems. In<br>
order to check compatibility with life forms, they contain some organic<br>
material arranged like simple life forms."<br>
<br>
"With other words, transporter dummies have life signs?"<br>
<br>
"Yes, Sir. If we can shield the shuttle from their sensors enough to<br>
prevent them from detecting they're very simple life forms, it would have<br>
to work."<br>
<br>
"Mr. LaForge, any ideas?"<br>
<br>
"That's not a big problem, Captain. We'll just have to beam some NHFS gas<br>
into the shuttle."<br>
<br>
"Make it so." The chief engineer heard Picard's voice through his<br>
communicator.<br>
<br>
He got to work.<br>
<br>
Only a minute later, LaForge reported everything was ready. Picard ordered<br>
him to start the shuttle immediately, and return to engineering. Worf<br>
returned to the bridge, and put the shuttle's remote control on his<br>
station.<br>
<br>
"Mr. Worf, fire two photon torpedoes at the source of their tractor beam.<br>
Sending an away team to their ship without trying a conventional attack<br>
first would probably warn them about something unusual happening."<br>
Worf fired. As they had predicted, the photon torpedoes did not have an<br>
effect.<br>
<br>
"Program the collision course. Set the shuttle to maximum warp."<br>
<br>
                                ***<br>
<br>
Satarra and his team arrived at the mountains. Aside from some jokes<br>
regarding T'Prea's ears from Nash, nothing unusual had happened on the<br>
way. The planet seemed to be extraordinarily boring - very few vegetation,<br>
little water, apparently no animal life. Basically, a big sand-covered<br>
rock in space.<br>
<br>
T'Prea activated her tricorder. "There seems to be a cave structure about<br>
one hundred meters from here, bearing 87. The tricorder also indicates<br>
water molecules in the air near the cave entrance. This might be a sign of<br>
a river in the caves. Maybe a good place to stay."<br>
<br>
Satarra checked the time reading on his tricorder. Twenty minutes had<br>
passed. If they wanted to keep their appointment with Dr. Crusher, they'd<br>
have about twenty minutes to explore the cave. This should be enough.<br>
"We'll check it out." He decided.<br>
<br>
They went to the cave entrance. T'Prea was the first to arrive. "Take<br>
care!" Nash shouted at her. She glared into the cave, then looked back at<br>
him, and raised an eyebrow. There was nothing obvious to care about.<br>
"Don't hit your ears at the ceiling." he explained.<br>
<br>
T'Prea would have liked to inform Nash about the illogic and irrationality<br>
in his behavior, but, after all, Nash was a senior officer, and it would<br>
be illogical to get annoyed. "Maybe you should have Doctor Crusher check<br>
your eyes, Sir. My ears are not quite that long." She just said. Satarra<br>
tried to suppress a laugh. It had surely been a good idea to take the two<br>
of them with him.<br>
<br>
Satarra took some tricorder readings. The cave was big enough to host<br>
about forty humanoids. A small tunnel lead further into the mountain.<br>
"Ensign T'Prea, you are assigned to the geosciences lab. Have you taken<br>
the cave exploration courses in the academy?"<br>
<br>
T'Prea nodded. "Yes, Sir."<br>
<br>
"You will check the space farther in the cave." He would have liked to<br>
explore the interior of the cave himself. Exploring the unknown, that was<br>
why he had joined Starfleet. But, he was in charge, and it was, as T'Prea<br>
would put it, more logical to send someone with more experience. And, he<br>
had to admit to himself, someone who knew when to return. T'Prea was a<br>
Vulcan, and as such, she would not take unnecessary risks. And, with what<br>
he called the Vulcan internal chronometer, she'd return in time. He would<br>
probably not have been able to resist exploring the cave, getting deeper<br>
and deeper in until he noticed it was too late to reach the landing place<br>
in time. "Nash, take some tricorder readings of the rocks. With the Borg<br>
around, it will probably be good to know if the rocks can shield our life<br>
signs from their sensors. I will inform Doctor Crusher about our results."<br>
T'Prea went into the tunnel, progressing slowly. There were always<br>
unexpected dangers in caves, and hurrying through them could be very<br>
dangerous. She heard Nash's and Satarra's voices discussing the rock<br>
composition.<br>
<br>
"I am detecting some signs of duranium." Nash said. He double-checked his<br>
tricorder. "From outside the cave."<br>
<br>
He turned around to the cave entrance and saw - - a Borg.<br>
<br>
<br>
Chapter Five<br>
<br>
T'Prea was puzzled. Nash had just said something rather unusual. They had<br>
come from the outside, and they had not detected any signs of duranium, or<br>
other artificial materials. And yet, neither Nash nor Satarra had said<br>
anything since.<br>
<br>
She waited another twenty seconds. No sound from them. This couldn't be<br>
normal. She drew her phaser, and tried to return to the cave entrance<br>
without making any sounds. She hid at the beginning of the tunnel, and<br>
dared a look outside. A Borg.<br>
<br>
She'd heard the Borg had got used to phaser stuns, and developed a shield<br>
against them. As much as she hated killing, she set her phaser to maximum,<br>
and aimed it.<br>
<br>
Satarra and Nash were still standing in the cave, unharmed. There was no<br>
reason to fire at the Borg yet. It hadn't taken an offensive action, and<br>
it had probably not taken notice of her.<br>
<br>
The Borg started speaking. "Thank you for coming to our help." It said.<br>
T'Prea didn't understand. This didn't sound at all like "You will be<br>
assimilated", and the Borg hadn't referred to the fact that resistance was<br>
futile. She thought about putting the phaser away, but then she realized<br>
she hadn't met a Borg before, and maybe they were just tricking, and the<br>
old "Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated."-Only stereotype was<br>
wrong.<br>
<br>
She decided to watch in the background until she could draw some<br>
conclusions.<br>
<br>
T'Prea looked at Nash and Satarra. They seemed equally surprised, and<br>
didn't dare to say a word.<br>
<br>
"Is Geordi with you?" the Borg asked.<br>
<br>
Geordi? Was that... thing... referring to the chief engineer, Commander<br>
Geordi LaForge? How could it know about the crew, and what did it want<br>
from the engineer?<br>
<br>
Satarra had drawn the same conclusion. "Commander LaForge is not with us."<br>
he explained to the Borg.<br>
<br>
"Has anything happened to him?"<br>
<br>
This was not a Borg question. What was up with this thing?<br>
<br>
"He is aboard the ship." Satarra explained, still wondering about this<br>
Borg.<br>
<br>
T'Prea thought about everything. The Borg had run after Captain Picard<br>
once. Maybe they wanted to assimilate Commander LaForge, to get to know<br>
something more about Federation engineering? The Commander would surely be<br>
an optimal choice for assimilation, if they were after the Federation's<br>
latest technology.<br>
<br>
"Besides, he is not ready for assimilation." Satarra added, trying to find<br>
out why the Borg was so interested in LaForge.<br>
<br>
"Yes, I know." The Borg said. "He told me he'd rather die than be<br>
assimilated."<br>
<br>
The Borg remained silent for a moment, probably thinking about Satarra's<br>
comment.<br>
<br>
"Did you think I represent the Borg collective?" it asked.<br>
<br>
"Don't you?" Satarra returned the question.<br>
<br>
"No." The Borg replied. "I am Hugh of Borg. We are individuals."<br>
<br>
Hugh... T'Prea had heard about that Borg before. She tried to get a<br>
picture of Hugh from the Enterprise's computer with her tricorder. A<br>
flashing message "NO CONNECTION" caught her attention. Maybe the rock<br>
above her was screening the tricorder's transmission.<br>
<br>
"Some of us didn't like the individual ways. They..." The Borg continued<br>
explaining. Satarra interrupted. "I think Captain Picard should hear this.<br>
Please wait."<br>
<br>
Apparently, Satarra trusted the Borg. He tapped his communicator. "Satarra<br>
to Enterprise."<br>
<br>
Satarra's communicator beeped, but there was no response.<br>
<br>
"Satarra to Captain Picard."<br>
<br>
No response.<br>
<br>
"Satarra to Doctor Crusher."<br>
<br>
"Crusher here." Her voice came through the communicator immediately.<br>
<br>
"Have you contacted the ship recently?"<br>
<br>
"No, Lieutenant. Why?"<br>
<br>
"I'm afraid I have bad news."<br>
<br>
                                    ***<br>
<br>
Dr. Crusher couldn't believe what Satarra told her. The Enterprise...<br>
destroyed? She grabbed a science tricorder, and set it to scan the area of<br>
space near the planet. The tricorder detected one ship. One ship=81, and<br>
some debris.<br>
<br>
The Borg ship, she thought. Or maybe, Satarra's communicator was<br>
malfunctioning, or the cave he had reported about earlier was stopping his<br>
transmissions. She tried it herself. "Crusher to Enterprise."<br>
No response.<br>
<br>
"Crusher to Picard."<br>
<br>
Nothing.<br>
<br>
"Crusher to Riker."<br>
<br>
No reply. A last try. Maybe they had separated the ship, and Picard and<br>
Riker were in the saucer section for some reason. Engineering was in the<br>
engine section, of course.<br>
<br>
"Crusher to LaForge."<br>
<br>
Nothing. She gave up trying. Very bad news indeed.<br>
<br>
She didn't know what to do. Should she inform all the others? Or try to<br>
hide the information until the Borg ship had left, and she knew they were<br>
safe? She couldn't decide. Maybe it would be best to talk to Hugh first,<br>
and postpone the decision until then.<br>
<br>
She heard a woman crying. She looked around, and saw a civilian standing<br>
next to her. She had probably overheard her communique. Crusher took her<br>
aside. "You've overheard this?"<br>
<br>
"Yes", she admitted, still crying. "You must understand, my husband is in<br>
engineering group one."<br>
<br>
Crusher tried to calm her down. "It doesn't necessarily mean the<br>
Enterprise has been destroyed." It's just very probable, she thought.<br>
"Maybe they are just out of communications range" and the tricorders are<br>
malfunctioning, she added in her thoughts. "Or maybe the Borg have<br>
destroyed their communications system, and they just don't receive our<br>
messages." Normal family members didn't know the communicators worked<br>
independently of the ship's communications system, and there was no need<br>
to upset them until they were in safety. And, there was a slight chance<br>
the Enterprise was still there... There had to be a chance...<br>
<br>
Sattara and his group arrived with the Borg. "We know why the Borg<br>
collective is around. I think you should hear this." Satarra informed<br>
Crusher.<br>
<br>
"Hello, Hugh." Crusher greeted the Borg. "Good to see you again."<br>
<br>
"Good to see you, too." Hugh replied.<br>
<br>
"Some of us didn't like the individual ways. Admitted, the collective did<br>
have some advantages, but for most of us, the advantages of individuality<br>
outweighed them.<br>
<br>
Back in the collective, we had access to every information we needed - we<br>
just obtained it from someone in the collective. We could work 24 hours a<br>
day. When one group required rest, we put ourselves in sleep mode, and<br>
another group took over without problems, and with access to all the<br>
information in our brains. We were convinced our way was the only right<br>
one, and exploring the galaxy seemed so easy - assimilate all species, so<br>
we knew all about them. When someone was killed, no problem. We just saved<br>
all necessary information that was still in the person's brain in someone<br>
else's, removed the implants for later use, and returned the corpse to the<br>
replicator raw material. It was like copying information from one<br>
isolinear chip to another, and throwing away the old one. Just a painless<br>
routine procedure.<br>
<br>
As individuals, we experienced problems for the first time. We didn't have<br>
some information ready, we couldn't get an information by assimilating<br>
someone who had it, we started missing deceased colleagues, and we had a<br>
feeling of being alone. We learned about the advantages of individuality<br>
and freedom, and started getting doubts about our old ways. We regretted<br>
having assimilated and destroyed entire cultures.<br>
<br>
Some of us couldn't stand this all, and concluded the time back in the<br>
collective was better. We still had all the technology, and all the<br>
implants were still there, we had just deactivated the ones responsible<br>
for interconnection. They decided to find a way between the collective and<br>
the individual one. First, they permitted each other to access the other's<br>
memories and knowledge, without interconnecting their minds. For some<br>
time, they were content, but they realized they still made mistakes, and<br>
each individual could draw wrong conclusions, have faulty reasoning. They<br>
decided to re-activate all implants back in to the old ways. They promised<br>
us they'd keep in mind not everyone preferred the collective ways, and<br>
they would not assimilate cultures anymore.<br>
<br>
Some of us, including myself, didn't trust them, though. We remembered the<br>
collective good enough to know promises were irrelevant. If the collective<br>
can have a gain breaking promises, and there's not a big risk, they break<br>
their promises. We completely removed our linking implants."<br>
<br>
Hugh paused for a moment, and pointed to a place in his head. An<br>
experienced technician might have noticed an adapter without a device<br>
plugged in, but Dr. Crusher couldn't.<br>
<br>
"Our precaution proved necessary shortly after." Hugh went on explaining.<br>
"At first, the collective seemed to work - they had all the advantages of<br>
interconnection, yet they retained a bit of individuality. Apparently,<br>
everyone had access to all information in the collective network, but<br>
could make decisions on his own.<br>
<br>
This state didn't last for long. They withdrew more and more from the<br>
individuals, and started losing their individuality. 'One mind can make<br>
mistakes. Lots of minds can't.' one of them told me shortly after.<br>
<br>
They gave up their freedom deliberately, and for some time, it worked.<br>
<br>
They completely withdrew from us, and proceeded on their way. Some of us<br>
said, see, it was not necessary to disable your linking implants, they<br>
keep their promises, and their way is surely a possible one. They re-<br>
activated their implants, and re-joined the collective. More and more of<br>
us left. I don't think there are more than a hundred individual Borg left.<br>
<br>
The result was, apparently, a collective consciousness convinced of the<br>
fact that the collective way is better than any other way. They started<br>
assimilating returning individual Borg to the collective. In the<br>
beginning, they had some excuses to offer. They said they were just saving<br>
us from ourselves, or they were just trying to improve quality of life for<br>
all of us.<br>
<br>
When the collective crew, their scruples left - they took control of all<br>
Borg who still had their linking implants."<br>
<br>
Dr. Crusher wished Counselor Troi was here. Some basic psychology courses<br>
were part of Starfleet Academy's programs for doctors, and this surely<br>
sounded like human psychology. Mass psychology differs from individual<br>
psychology by far. In a mass, everyone wants to be on the side of the<br>
winner. Compassion can't even be thought of.<br>
<br>
But Troi had stayed aboard the Enterprise. They hadn't known for sure<br>
whether or not the Borg had fully returned to their collective ways, and<br>
Troi had insisted on being a great help if there was some individuality<br>
left.<br>
<br>
Hugh continued. "When they returned the individuals to the collective,<br>
they got to know some of us had removed the linking implants. They started<br>
hunting us, trying to return us to the collective at any cost. 'Resistance<br>
is futile', you know.<br>
<br>
They destroyed the settlement we had built up on this planet. Some of us<br>
were killed, others were assimilated. Only few of us could hide<br>
efficiently. They were just about to find the place where I hid with a few<br>
others.<br>
<br>
We tried to build up a subspace sender and send a general distress call.<br>
The collective destroyed it. When we started repairing it, we picked up<br>
your response to our distress call. I tried to tell you what was happening<br>
when the collective appeared. They destroyed the subspace sender, and<br>
fired at me several times.<br>
<br>
I thought about surrendering, because returning to the collective would be<br>
better than being killed, when they suddenly disappeared. I assume they<br>
beamed back to their ship when they noticed the Enterprise arriving, and<br>
they went after you.<br>
<br>
In a way, you saved my life. Thank you."<br>
<br>
Hugh ended his explanation.<br>
<br>
But at what price, Crusher thought. But it was good to know the<br>
Enterprise's destruction had had a purpose, after all. She tried to keep<br>
her control, and not to think of the Enterprise's fate. She still had a<br>
hope that at least some crew members had been able to escape in the<br>
emergency escape pods. If Picard had given the order to abandon the ship<br>
early enough, they had a chance of survival. It was unlikely the Borg<br>
would go after escape pods manned by only one person. This would be -<br>
inefficient.<br>
<br>
"Do you know a safe place? I think the Borg ship has destroyed the<br>
Enterprise, and it's probably just a matter of time when they'll come<br>
down, and look for the crew and the remaining Borg." she asked. It would<br>
be the best thing to get the remaining crew to safety.<br>
<br>
"When they beamed up, the collective had just finished searching the caves<br>
where I met your crew." Hugh started. "I do not think they will look for<br>
us there again."<br>
<br>
Crusher called for the security personell, and issued an order to get all<br>
remaining Enterprise crew to the caves. She thought about leaving a notice<br>
for possible Enterprise survivors, but concluded it was too dangerous. The<br>
collective probably still had all information from Locutus, and they'd<br>
understand any sign she would leave.<br>
<br>
<br>
Chapter Six<br>
<br>
The Enterprise approached the Romulan Neutral Zone at Warp 9.9. The<br>
improvized shuttle-torpedo had shown some effect - it had managed to take<br>
out the Borg tractor beam, and destroy enough of their ship to make them<br>
focus on repairs instead of following the Enterprise wherever it went.<br>
There was no chance to fight the Borg with conventional weapons, and a new<br>
weapon would work only once or twice. Sending another shuttle would not<br>
have much of an effect. They'd have to look for a way to penetrate the<br>
Borg ship's shields.<br>
<br>
"If we had a cloaking device", Worf had suggested, "we might be able to<br>
take the ship close enough to the Borg to do some damage."<br>
<br>
The Borg had probably never seen a cloaking device - if they had, they<br>
would most surely have assimilated the technology, and cloaked their own<br>
ship. Worf had suggested to go to Klingon territory, and ask for Gawron's<br>
assistance, but it had been out of question. Even if they had chosen the<br>
direct course to Qo'noS, the Klingon homeworld, leading the Borg directly<br>
through the heart of Federation space, they would have needed two weeks to<br>
arrive. With their superior engines, the Borg would have caught up with<br>
them after a few light years.<br>
<br>
The suggestion to approach the Romulans for help had come from Riker. He<br>
didn't trust the Romulans, but he knew they listened to reason. Fighting a<br>
common enemy as strong as the Borg would be a strong argument in a<br>
discussion with the Romulans.<br>
<br>
Picard had ordered to set the course, and thought about leaving the<br>
abandoned crew members a message. Data had advised against it. The<br>
atmosphere of the planet hid the crew's life signs form the Borg, and if<br>
the Enterprise sent a message to the planet, the Borg would conclude there<br>
were some - probably unprotocted - Federation citizens on the planet,<br>
waiting for assimilation.<br>
<br>
Besides, Data had said, they might find out about the Enterprise's goal<br>
when they informed the crew members on the planet. The Borg would be able<br>
to draw their conclusions. It would, however, be better for the Enterprise<br>
if the Borg just thought they were running away, trying to escape.<br>
<br>
"I don't think we have much of a choice." Picard had said. "Mr. Seron, set<br>
a course for the Romulan Neutral Zone. Don't try to contact the abandoned<br>
crew." He had paused for a moment. "Warp 9.9. Engage."<br>
<br>
And here they were.<br>
<br>
Worf reported having noticed a cloaked Romulan Warbird right ahead on the<br>
sensors.<br>
<br>
"Hail them." Picard ordered.<br>
<br>
Instead of a reply, Picard saw the ship decloaking on the main viewer.<br>
<br>
"Red alert!" he shouted, just before the Enterprise was hit by a<br>
disruptor. Not a promising start.<br>
<br>
"Do not return fire. Keep hailing them."<br>
<br>
The Romulans opened a channel.<br>
<br>
"You are violating the Neutral Zone, Picard." The face of Commander<br>
Tomalok appeared on the screen. "I hope you have a good excuse."<br>
<br>
Tomalok. Not exactly someone they could trust, but at least someone they<br>
knew. He'd listen to reason. Picard explained the situation.<br>
<br>
"And now you need a Romulan cloaking device, because your inferior<br>
technology is insufficient to deal with the Borg." Tomalok concluded,<br>
having heard about the Borg threat.<br>
<br>
Picard couldn't do anything but agree.<br>
<br>
"You surely know that the Romulan Empire needs more efficient Warp<br>
drives." Tomalok said. "Doesn't that sound like a fair exchange?"<br>
Picard signaled Worf to mute the channel. "We cannot give the Romulans our<br>
knowledge of Warp engines!" The Klingon exclaimed.<br>
<br>
"Tomalok is bluffing." Troi said, glad she had managed to convince Picard<br>
of the fact that she had to stay aboard. "He wants our Warp technology,<br>
but he is too frightened of the Borg to reject our request for help."<br>
Picard nodded at Worf. The chief of security re-activated the channel.<br>
"If we can defeat this Borg ship with your cloaking device, it will<br>
prevent the Borg from entering Romulan space." Picard suggested. "Isn't<br>
that a fair payment for a cloaking device?"<br>
<br>
Tomalok thought about a response. He couldn't request too much, the Borg<br>
were too big a threat. But if he found the right thing, he might get<br>
something more from the Federation.<br>
<br>
"You know, I tend to agree. But I need something to convince my superiors.<br>
They wouldn't like to hear about one of their most accomplished commanders<br>
giving secret technology to the Federation."<br>
<br>
"Don't you think they'll trust their most accomplished commanders to make<br>
an important decision, probably saving the Romulan Empire? I think Admiral<br>
Yurik wouldn't want to hear one of his commanders let the Borg assimilate<br>
the Romulans in order to protect secret technology from Federation<br>
access." Dealing with Tomalok was like playing chess, Picard thought, and<br>
hoped this would be the final move.<br>
<br>
"You may be right." Tomalok admitted. Damn. Dealing with Picard was like<br>
playing chess, he thought. And Picard was a good player. "We will beam<br>
some of our engineers over. They will see what they can do."<br>
Stalemate. They would get their cloaking device, but they would have to<br>
let the Romulans see their engineering center. It would be acceptable,<br>
after all.<br>
<br>
Picard ordered Worf to send a small security team to Engineering. It<br>
couldn't be avoided that the Romulans saw the warp core, and they'd<br>
probably take some readings pretending they were just checking the<br>
cloaking device's functionality, and adaption to Federation systems. But<br>
there was no need to let them see everything.<br>
<br>
Worf left his station. "Where are you going, Lieutenant?" Picard wanted to<br>
know.<br>
<br>
"I will care for our..." Worf thought about the right word for a moment,<br>
then spit it out rather than saying it. "Guests."<br>
<br>
"I need you here." Picard said. "The Borg might come after us every<br>
moment." And besides, he thought, we don't want to be outright hostile<br>
against the Romulans. We need their assistance. "Your people will be able<br>
to deal with the Romulans on their own."<br>
<br>
Picard didn't expect any difficulties with the Romulans. They knew the<br>
Borg were a big threat to them as well as to the Federation, and they<br>
wouldn't risk destroying a potential ally in the battle to come.<br>
<br>
                                 ***<br>
<br>
Four Romulans materialized in Engineering. One of them held a huge device,<br>
probably the cloaking device. The others had brought various tools. One of<br>
them had an activated disruptor in his right hand.<br>
<br>
An Ensign from security stepped towards the Romulan. "Drop that weapon!"<br>
he shouted.<br>
<br>
The Romulan smiled, and attached the disruptor to his belt. "Just a<br>
precaution. You never know what's waiting on an enemy ship."<br>
<br>
LaForge approached the man. "Don't think of us as enemies, Centurion."<br>
Over the time, he had learned the meanings of Romulan uniforms from<br>
observation. "There haven't been serious problems recently, and we hope<br>
everything will stay this way. Maybe we'll come to signing a peace treaty,<br>
at last."<br>
<br>
"We are here to help you fight the Borg, not to discuss our relationship<br>
to the Federation. The Romulan Empire is glad to help you defeat the Borg,<br>
but do not think you can use this as a start for making a peace treaty."<br>
"Your Federation is pretty much like those Borg, after all." Another<br>
Romulan threw in. "First, you tell planets about the Federation, then you<br>
persuade them to join you, promising you will not interfere in their<br>
natural progress, or the development of their culture. Then, they join<br>
Starfleet, see all the other Federation worlds, and integrate themselves<br>
into the whole. What they get is just another standard Federation planet."<br>
<br>
The Romulans laughed. They knew the Federation was not quite as bad, but<br>
the expressions on the Starfleet personnel in Engineering were surely<br>
worth a laugh.<br>
<br>
LaForge thought about replying that it's quite similar to the Romulans<br>
conquering a planet, but then, he knew he needed the Romulans, and<br>
upsetting them would cause more problems than it might solve. He wished<br>
Data was there. It would surely be funny to see the Romulans' expressions<br>
when the android would take the accusation seriously, and explain the<br>
concept of the Prime Directive to them in a calm and objective way. But,<br>
he thought, if the Romulans wanted to laugh, he'd give them a reason.<br>
<br>
"Did you get that information from the Tal'Shiar?", he asked. "Well,<br>
doesn't matter. You will be assimilated, anyways."<br>
<br>
The Romulans continued laughing. Maybe showing them there were more<br>
similarities between Federation and Romulan worlds would increase their<br>
confidence in the Federation.<br>
<br>
But, as the Romulans had stated correctly, this was not a diplomatic<br>
mission, LaForge realized. "Let's get to work.", he said.<br>
<br>
Installing the cloaking device was not as big a problem as he had<br>
expected. The Romulans worked quickly, and didn't seem to have any trouble<br>
with interfacing their cloak to the Federation computers. LaForge wondered<br>
if, or rather where, the Romulans had dealt with Federation technology<br>
before, but he quickly dismissed the thought. Thinking about it, and<br>
probably getting angry about the Romulans, would not get him anywhere.<br>
<br>
"We are ready for a test run", one of the Romulans said. "Inform your<br>
Captain. If you activate the cloaking device, we'll check the sensor<br>
readings from our ship."<br>
<br>
LaForge informed Picard, and he issued an order to activate the cloaking<br>
device. One of the Romulans cloaked the ship, and showed LaForge how to<br>
handle the cloaking device. He contacted his ship.<br>
<br>
"We are detecting some ionic emissions from the Enterprise. But, aside<br>
from that, you've done a good job." A voice came through the Romulan's<br>
communicator. LaForge didn't recognize the voice. Probably their science<br>
officer, he surmised.<br>
<br>
LaForge checked the cloaking device's readings. "This looks wrong", he<br>
said, and pointed to a chart displayed by the cloaking device. He made<br>
some adjustments. One of the Romulans watched him. "For a Starfleet<br>
officer, you have a pretty good understanding of Romulan technology." He<br>
commented. "I wonder where you got this."<br>
<br>
This was a time to counterargue. "Right where you learned about Federation<br>
computers and energy supplies. You know, you interfaced the cloaking<br>
device with our systems rather well."<br>
<br>
The Romulan didn't have a reply handy, so he just contacted his ship. "Any<br>
change?" he asked.<br>
<br>
The Romulans reported they could not detect the Enterprise without their<br>
sensors designed specifically to detect Romulan cloaking devices.<br>
<br>
The Romulans prepared to beam back to their ship. "Mr. LaForge", one of<br>
them said before notifying his ship about the fact that they were ready.<br>
"Before I forget to tell you, don't try to disassemble the cloaking<br>
device. We have..." He searched for the right word for a moment. "...taken<br>
precautions." he concluded, before dematerializing.<br>
<br>
LaForge picked up a tricorder, and scanned the cloaking device. The<br>
Romulans had programmed it to set free deadly amounts of radiation when<br>
someone tried to open it and look inside. The tricorder could not<br>
penetrate the cloaking device's secondary hull. There was no way to get to<br>
know anything about the way the device worked without dismantling it,<br>
setting off the Romulan trap.<br>
<br>
The engineer informed Picard of it, and told him the cloaking device was<br>
installed and functional. "Very well." The captain said. "Picard out."<br>
LaForge dismissed the security team. They would no longer be needed in<br>
engineering.<br>
<br>
                                  ***<br>
<br>
"Mr. Worf, what's the status of the Borg ship?" Picard wanted to know.<br>
<br>
With the cloaking device in place, they might have a chance.<br>
<br>
"They are just entering sensor range." Worf said, double-checking the<br>
readings. "They seem to have repaired most of their damage."<br>
<br>
"Intercept course. Ready phasers and photon torpedoes. Do not activate the<br>
cloaking device. I want it to be a surprise for the Borg." Picard ordered.<br>
<br>
"Warp five."<br>
<br>
They would intercept the Borg ship soon enough. There would be no need to<br>
violate the safety speed limit right now.<br>
<br>
<br>
Chapter Seven<br>
<br>
The crew had arrived at the caves, and Lieutenant Satarra had assigned<br>
patrol teams to notify all the others as soon as a Borg came in sight.<br>
With Hugh's help, they had located some other individual Borg. If anyone<br>
could help them fight the collective, they could.<br>
<br>
"You know more about the Borg collective than any of us." Dr. Crusher<br>
explained to them. "Do you have any ideas on how to defeat them?"<br>
<br>
"It would have to be something they don't await from you." Hugh said.<br>
"They adapt to new technological innovations, or new tactics, quickly<br>
after they've found out what they are."<br>
<br>
Nothing new. They'd known this. "Yes, we know." Crusher said. "But we<br>
don't have something completely new. Any ideas?"<br>
<br>
Hugh thought about it. "The collective is familiar with energy weapons as<br>
well as matter-antimatter-based weapons. Does the Federation have access<br>
to different weapon technologies?"<br>
<br>
Dr. Crusher looked around in the cave. She recognized Lieutenant Barclay<br>
from Engineering, and nodded to him to join the discussion.<br>
<br>
"An engineer can probably be of more help than I can." She explained to<br>
the Borg.<br>
<br>
"M... Me?" Barclay asked, looking at her in plain shock. "There are other<br>
engineers around. Ensign Malden..."<br>
<br>
"Call as many engineers as you need, Mr. Barclay." Crusher ordered. "You<br>
are a capable engineer. You will lead the team." This would probably be<br>
the best way to encourage the man.<br>
<br>
Barclay stepped forward slowly. "We... We don't have any other weapons,<br>
no." He had overheard the conversation. "And our hand phasers are not<br>
nearly as efficient as the ship's weapons." On the way to the caves, Dr.<br>
Crusher had informed some Starfleet staff about the situation.<br>
<br>
"Maybe we'll have to try something else." Hugh suggested.<br>
<br>
                                   ***<br>
<br>
"Mr. Worf, scan their ship. Are they still using the electromagnetic<br>
field?" Picard ordered. He got up and approached the main viewer, as if he<br>
wanted to look at the Borg ship it displayed closely.<br>
<br>
Worf checked the readings. "They have not changed their shield technology<br>
since our last encounter. Their shields are in place in a radius of<br>
exactly fifty thousand kilometers around the ship."<br>
<br>
"We'll give it a try." Picard decided. "When we're sixty thousand<br>
kilometers away from them, activate the cloaking device. While they cannot<br>
detect us, we will get through their shields, and fire all phasers and<br>
photon torpedoes."<br>
<br>
Data looked at the Captain. "I do not think that is advisable. We do not<br>
have shields while we are cloaked. If our plan is successful, the<br>
explosion on the Borg ship will cause severe damage to the Enterprise."<br>
Riker stared at the android. "Do we have any other choice?"<br>
<br>
"None that I am aware of." Data admitted. "We could try to fire photon<br>
torpedoes at the Borg while we are cloaked, and far away from them. If we<br>
proceed with this plan, however, I estimate a chance of five hundred and<br>
sixty-two to one that the Borg will be able to build up their shields in<br>
time. After the maneuver, they would be aware of the fact that we can<br>
cloak our ship, and they would start working on an adaption to their<br>
system."<br>
<br>
"We'll have to try the original plan." Picard decided after a moment of<br>
thought. "Mr. Data, just in case it doesn't work, I want you to think of<br>
an alternative plan. Mr. Seron, intercept course. Full impulse."<br>
The Vulcan entered the course and speed, and started tracking the distance<br>
between the Enterprise and the Borg ship.<br>
<br>
"75,000 kilometers." he announced.<br>
<br>
Picard straightened his uniform and sat down in his command chair.<br>
"74,000." he heard the Vulcan's voice.<br>
<br>
Picard braced for impact. It wouldn't be long until the Enterprise would<br>
pass the shield, and be damaged by its own phasers.<br>
<br>
"73,000."<br>
<br>
Riker ordered all people remaining aboard to prepare for damage, and move<br>
away from the exterior hull.<br>
<br>
"72,000."<br>
<br>
Picard nodded to Worf to prepare the cloaking device. They had to make<br>
sure their plan would work at the first time, and they surely couldn't<br>
afford approaching the Borg ship with the cloaking device not in perfect<br>
working order.<br>
<br>
"71,000." Seron announced, still with no signs of distress in his voice.<br>
<br>
"The Borg have locked their tractor beam on us." Worf said. "We cannot<br>
proceed further."<br>
<br>
"Change course by 180 degrees!" Picard shouted. "Warp 9.9!"<br>
If they couldn't get off the Borg tractor beam, it wouldn't be long until<br>
the shields dropped, and the Borg would beam over to assimilate the crew.<br>
LaForge's voice came through the communicator. "Warp engines are working<br>
at full power. We can increase to a maximum of warp 9.96 for a few<br>
minutes."<br>
<br>
Picard tapped his communicator, and replied. "Make it so."<br>
<br>
Data checked the sensors. "The warp engines have no effect." Data said,<br>
trying to simulate sounding worried. He had observed his crewmates'<br>
behavior in similar situations, and thought this would make him more<br>
human. "We are still in a position exactly 70,983 kilometers off the Borg<br>
ship."<br>
<br>
Picard ordered full power to the warp engines as long as they could give<br>
it. He knew it would probably not have success, but it would give him a<br>
bit more time to think about what to do next.<br>
<br>
"Mr. Data", he asked, "if we activated our cloaking device right now,<br>
would the Borg think we have escaped?"<br>
<br>
"Negative." The android replied, back to his normal, calm voice. Noone had<br>
taken notice of his attempt at being more human, so it was not necessary<br>
to keep it up. "They would notice their tractor beam is still locked onto<br>
something because our ship would still be in the way of it. I assume they<br>
would check their sensors for mistakes, conclude this was not the cause,<br>
and check for other reasons. They would become aware of our cloaking<br>
device within few seconds."<br>
<br>
"Shields are down to 30 percent!" Worf announced.<br>
<br>
"Any ideas?" Picard asked, realizing he didn't have any more ideas.<br>
<br>
"We might try activating the cloking device, anyways." Data said. "There<br>
is a twelve percent chance the Borg will be confused about our sudden<br>
disappearance, enough to deactivate their tractor beam for a few<br>
milliseconds. It might be enough time to leave at warp. The Borg would,<br>
however, know about our advantage."<br>
<br>
"An advantage they know is no advantage." Riker objected. "Our cloaking<br>
device, and their incapacity to deal with it, is our only chance in a<br>
battle against the Borg. This could postpone our destruction, but not end<br>
it."<br>
<br>
"You're right, Number One." Picard agreed, disturbed by Worf's<br>
announcement that the shields were down to 20 percent. "But if we can't<br>
think of something better until the shields fail, we'll have to try it."<br>
Riker nodded. He, too, wanted to enjoy being an individual for as long as<br>
possible, even if assimilation by the Borg was unavoidable.<br>
<br>
"15 percent." Worf announced.<br>
<br>
"Fire ten photon torpedoes at the origin of the tractor beam." Picard<br>
ordered. "Mr. LaForge" he added, tapping his communicator, "we will fire<br>
at the tractor beam. If it is disrupted for the smallest part of a<br>
millisecond, I need full warp power."<br>
<br>
Picard nodded at Worf. "Fire."<br>
<br>
The Klingon complied. If it wasn't a chance to survive, and avoid<br>
assimilation, it was at least a chance to die in duty, in battle, in<br>
honor. A Klingon's ultimate goal.<br>
<br>
Ten photon torpedoes - enough to do severe damage to a Federation or<br>
Romulan ship - weren't enough to weaken the Borg tractor beam for a part<br>
of a millisecond.<br>
<br>
"The torpedoes have no effect at all." Worf said, checking sensors. "Our<br>
shields are down to twelve percent."<br>
<br>
"Mr. Worf, prepare to activate the cloaking device." Picard resigned.<br>
<br>
"Eleven percent."<br>
<br>
"Mr. Worf," Picard started ordering to cloak, but he was interrupted by<br>
Data's voice. "The Borg have deactivated their tractor beam."<br>
<br>
"Get us out of here! Warp six!" Picard responded. He knew they'd have to<br>
return, but it was probably the best to get out of the tractor beam's<br>
range until they knew what had happened.<br>
<br>
"We are being hailed." Worf announced surprisedly. He didn't wait for<br>
Picard's order to put it on the screen. He was too curious to find out<br>
what was happening, and he most surely knew what Picard would have ordered<br>
a few seconds later.<br>
<br>
Tomalok's face appeared on the screen. "So much for the Federation<br>
defending the Romulan Empire against the Borg. You can't defend yourselves<br>
without our help."<br>
<br>
Worf hated to admit it, but he was glad the Romulans had violated the<br>
Neutral Zone, and not even he thought of mentioning the fact that it could<br>
be interpreted as an act of war against the Federation.<br>
<br>
"The Borg tractor beam had a slightly larger range than we had expected<br>
from our recent encounters." Picard admitted. "We were trying to confuse<br>
them with our cloaking device, but we hesitated a bit too long."<br>
<br>
"I'm glad you have found a way to use our" - he stressed the last word -<br>
"cloaking device." Tomalok commented ironically. "I hope you won't make<br>
the same mistake twice."<br>
<br>
Tomalok hesitated for a moment. Could he trust Picard enough to explain<br>
what the Romulan Empire was about to do against the Borg? He came to the<br>
decision that the Federation could not possibly be quite as bad as the<br>
Borg. "We are planning to..." He was interrupted by something not visible<br>
on the Enterprise viewscreen. Something was falling of the ceiling. "The<br>
Borg have detected us!" he shouted. The image faded from the Enterprise's<br>
viewscreen, then disappeared fully. The screen displayed an exterior view<br>
of the Borg ship locking a tractor beam on the Romulans.<br>
<br>
"We cannot permit that." Riker uttered.<br>
<br>
<br>
Chapter Eight<br>
<br>
"Mr. Data", Picard asked, "Can you make out if the Borg have detected the<br>
cloaked ship, or if they have just fired on the source of their subspace<br>
transmission?"<br>
<br>
Riker raised an eyebrow at the Captain. He hadn't thought of that<br>
possibility.<br>
<br>
"There is no way to find that out." Data said. "The Borg have scanned the<br>
area intensely, but I can not tell whether they have found a trace of the<br>
cloaked ship or just the origin of a subspace message."<br>
<br>
"We'll give it a try." Picard decided. "Activate the cloaking device, and<br>
get us as close to the Borg ship as you can."<br>
<br>
Seron typed some commands into his console, and the ship got underway.<br>
<br>
"Full impulse, Sir."<br>
<br>
"There are no signs of the Borg detecting us." Data said. "Distance<br>
between us and the Borg ship: 70,000 kilometers."<br>
<br>
Good. They had approached closer than last time, and the Borg had not yet<br>
locked a tractor beam on them.<br>
<br>
"65,000 kilometers." Seron announced, checking the navigational sensors.<br>
Another 15,000 kilometers... Not much more time for the Borg to react.<br>
"Photon torpedoes ready." Worf declared.<br>
<br>
"The Romulans are moving away from the Borg ship." Seron said, double-<br>
checking the navigational sensors, and unable to hide the bit of surprise<br>
in his voice. The Romulans had admitted having inferior engines, and yet<br>
they had managed to get out of the Borg tractor beam.<br>
<br>
"The Borg have deactivated the tractor beam." Worf added, not even trying<br>
to hide his surprise, "Checking."<br>
<br>
Data ran a full sensor scan. "The Romulans have fired at the Borg ship<br>
before." The android claimed, after completing the scan. "It would appear<br>
they have been able to do enough damage to the Borg ship in order to<br>
cancel their tractor beam."<br>
<br>
"Any ideas?"<br>
<br>
Noone could reply to Picard's question in time. A Romulan materialized on<br>
the bridge.<br>
<br>
Worf drew a phaser and pointed it at her, but Riker noticed the chief of<br>
security's action early enough to signalize him to put the weapon away.<br>
<br>
"I am Subcommander Tiral." The Romulan introduced herself. "Commander<br>
Tomalok thought it was better to send me over than to open a channel, and<br>
risk being detected by the Borg again."<br>
<br>
Picard couldn't think of anything better to say than "Welcome aboard." He<br>
didn't want to be offensive, asking the Romulan how they had located the<br>
Enterprise.<br>
<br>
"You have been in contact with the Borg before." Tiral started. "We think<br>
you may have an answer for us. We have seen the Borg ship withstanding ten<br>
of your photon torpedoes, yet they obtained severe damage from a simple<br>
disrupter shot, not even on maximum level."<br>
<br>
"The Borg need to get used of a way to attack them." Data speculated. "It<br>
is entirely possible that your disruptors are different enough from<br>
weapons the Borg have encountered to be able to do enough damage."<br>
<br>
Tiral thought about it for a moment, and came to the conclusion it seemed<br>
logical. She decided to believe the android's words. "Then we need to<br>
act." Tiral said, and dematerialized without a further word. Apparently,<br>
Tomalok's crew had listened to every word spoken on the bridge.<br>
<br>
"Wait!" Picard shouted, though he knew the Romulans could no longer hear<br>
him. He lowered his voice. "They don't know how fast the Borg can adapt to<br>
new technologies. We must stop them. Running after the Borg is suicide."<br>
Picard thought about it for a moment, giving everyone a chance to make a<br>
suggestion. "Open a channel."<br>
<br>
Worf objected. "If we open a channel, the Borg will be able to detect us!"<br>
"If we don't warn them, they will be destroyed, or assimilated." Riker<br>
said. "We could separate the ship, and evacuate the saucer section, and<br>
send the message from there."<br>
<br>
"No, Sir." Data argued. "We are equipped with only one cloaking device. As<br>
soon as we separate the ship, only the saucer section will be cloaked.<br>
And, without the engines section, we are helpless."<br>
<br>
"We have to risk being detected by the Borg. Get us out of their tractor<br>
beam's range, and decloak." Picard decided.<br>
<br>
Seron carried ot the order. Worf tried to open a channel to the Romulans.<br>
They didn't reply.<br>
<br>
"Probably they don't want the Borg to notice their replies. They will,<br>
however, listen." Riker assumed.<br>
<br>
"Tomalok," Picard started. "The Borg adapt to new technogies in a matter<br>
of minutes, maybe seconds. Don't take any unnecessary risks."<br>
<br>
They got no reply. "They have received our message." Picard commented.<br>
"It's up to them whether or not to respect our warning. Close channel."<br>
Picard issued an order to reactivate the cloaking device, return to the<br>
Borg ship, and keep track of everything. Maybe they would have to come to<br>
the Romulans' help. As he knew Tomalok, he thought the Commander would be<br>
willing to take every risk.<br>
<br>
"Detecting dusruptor fire." Worf said. Everyone on the bridge got tense.<br>
Could the Romulans still damage the Borg? "The Borg are locking a tractor<br>
beam on the Romulans." Worf finished. "They are firing."<br>
<br>
Picard ordered Worf to put everything on the screen. It was not a pleasing<br>
sight. A Borg ship, lightly damaged, with a tractor beam locked onto a<br>
helpless Romulan ship. They could see disruptor fire from the Romulans,<br>
but it had no effect.<br>
<br>
The Borg fired at the Romulans. The Enterprise crew could see the Romulan<br>
warp engine dropping its power. A part of the starboard warp nacelle was<br>
breaking off.<br>
<br>
"We'll have to save them. Mr. Worf, we'll come back to the old plan.<br>
Approach them, and fire all weapons as soon as we have penetrated their<br>
shields."<br>
<br>
Seron entered the new course. The distance between the Enterprise and the<br>
Borg ship shrunk continuously. 80,000 kilometers... 70,000... 60,000...<br>
50,000... "Mr. Worf, fire!"<br>
<br>
The Enterprise decloaked and fired all phasers and several photon<br>
torpedoes. The inertial dampers failed, and the remaining crew were thrown<br>
out of their chairs by the impact.<br>
<br>
Worf was the first to stand up and return to his station. He quickly re-<br>
activated the cloaking device, and waited for Ensign Seron to get the ship<br>
off their old position. The Vulcan managed it just in time. Worf noticed a<br>
Borg tractor beam trying to lock on to their old position. He informed the<br>
Captain, and checked the internal sensors.<br>
<br>
"Our shields are down! Minor damage to primary hull on decks 2 through 9.<br>
Starboard thrusters are inoperational." He switched to external sensors.<br>
"The Borg ship has been lightly damaged. Their tractor beam is no longer<br>
locked on the Romulan ship."<br>
<br>
He paused for a moment, checking the sensors.<br>
<br>
"Correction. They have activated a new tractor beam, and they are still<br>
keeping the Romulan ship in place."<br>
<br>
"Mr. Data, if we set a course leading through the tractor beam, and go to<br>
full impulse, would we be able to interrupt the tractor beam long enough<br>
for the Romulans to escape?"<br>
<br>
The android considered it for a moment, then he replied. "It is entirely<br>
possible. The Romulans have probably noticed our first attempt to come to<br>
their help, and they will be prepared for a second one. However, the Borg<br>
might be able to refocus their tractor beam fast enough to keep us in<br>
place."<br>
<br>
Data paused for a moment, thinking about the advantages and disadvantages<br>
of such an action. "Considering the present state of the Romulan ship, I<br>
do not think it is advisable."<br>
<br>
"We could use a shuttlecraft instead of the Enterprise." Riker suggested.<br>
<br>
"The disadvantage would be, however, that the Borg would notice the<br>
shuttle starting, and calculate our position. If we do not get away fast<br>
enough, the Borg will have both us and the Romulan ship." Data commented.<br>
"According to sensors, the Borg have not changed the status of their<br>
shields. We are still too close for them to be effective. We might try<br>
firing at the second tractor beam."<br>
<br>
Picard thoguht about it. It might be worth a try, but with the Enterprise<br>
shields inoperative, and the Borg adapting to cloaking devices, it would<br>
be a risk. Picard nearly expected the Borg to reduce their response time,<br>
and lock their tractor beam on to the Enterprise as soon as it decloaked.<br>
"Make it so." He finally ordered.<br>
<br>
Seron typed a few commands into the navigations console. The Enterprise<br>
started on a course towards the Borg ship.<br>
<br>
"Don't do this." A voice came through Picard's communicator. Tomalok's<br>
voice. So the Romulans had found a way to listen to the internal<br>
communication on a Federation ship. Great.<br>
<br>
He continued. "Your maneuver is risky, and it doesn't pay off. We have<br>
abandoned our ship, and are returning home in some cloaked shuttles."<br>
Cloaked shuttles. Picard had never heard of them. The Romulans had better<br>
ships than the Federation had assumed. While Picard thought about sending<br>
a report to Starfleet Command, the Romulan continued speaking. "Try to<br>
save your ship while the Borg are busy dealing with our wreckage. We will<br>
try..."<br>
<br>
Before Tomalok could finish his sentence, several tractor beams shot out<br>
of the Borg ship.<br>
<br>
"It would appear that the Borg have entered the Romulan ship, and<br>
assimilated the cloaking technology." Data concluded. "They have<br>
established several tractor beam locks on Romulan shuttles, but they have<br>
not yet locked a tractor beam on the Enterprise."<br>
<br>
Picard realized there was no real chance to rescue the Romulans. "Mr.<br>
Seron, get us into a safe position. Get us into synchronous orbit above<br>
the magnetic pole of the class M planet. Full impulse." He ordered,<br>
resigningly.<br>
<br>
Whatever it was that had prevented the Borg from detecting the cloaked<br>
Enterprise, they would probably adapt to the difference in a matter of<br>
mere minutes. It would be better to cause some additional trouble to their<br>
sensors.<br>
<br>
Seron reported they had entered stationary orbit. Picard asked for<br>
suggestions, but noone spoke up.<br>
<br>
An idea started to form in Picard's mind. It might work... Picard thought<br>
he needed some silence to think about it.<br>
<br>
"I will be in my ready room. Number One, you have the bridge." He said,<br>
got up, pulled his uniform jacket down, and left the room. The others<br>
stared at him in disbelief.<br>
<br>
				***<br>
<br>
"Tea. Earl Grey. Hot." he ordered his replicator. He took the cup of tea,<br>
and sat down behind his table. He started sipping the tea, and thought<br>
about the plan. He found more and more arguments for his plan, but the<br>
price of freedom would be high. Very high.<br>
<br>
<br>
Chapter Nine<br>
<br>
Lt. Barclay and the Borg reported the results of their discussion about<br>
developing a defense against the Borg collective to Dr. Crusher.<br>
<br>
"We have concluded that the Borg collective can adapt to technological<br>
changes too fast for us. The Borg offensive and defensive systems are far<br>
superior to our own capabilities in that sector." Hugh explained. "Coming<br>
up with something even close to their system would take years, and they<br>
could adapt in a matter of seconds."<br>
<br>
He threw a look at Barclay, waiting for him to continue. Their plan had<br>
been his idea, after all.<br>
<br>
"I... I think if we want to... defeat the Borg collective, we must try a<br>
different approach. The individual Borg still have all their implants. We<br>
could try to re-activate the linking parts of one of them to a certain<br>
degree, placing orders in their command queue. If the collective Borg<br>
haven't changed their transmission protocols or access codes since the<br>
individuals left, it might work."<br>
<br>
One of the Borg, apparently an engineering specialist, added,<br>
"Technically, it would not be a problem, but we risk losing the Borg to<br>
the collective, and the collective getting to know where we are, and what<br>
we are about to do."<br>
<br>
"Can't we establish a one-way connection? I mean, permit him to send data<br>
to the collective, but not to receive?" Crusher asked.<br>
<br>
"No." Hugh explained. "I have thought of that, but it wouldn't work. The<br>
Borg collective is too secure. To prevent exactly this, whenever you put<br>
an order into the central command queue, they check the origin of the<br>
command for subconscious activity, making sure only someone who is part of<br>
the collective can place orders."<br>
<br>
"Subconscious activity like what?" she insisted. "Maybe we can simulate<br>
the activity with a tricorder."<br>
<br>
"It wouldn't work. A tricorder, or even your ship's computer, couldn't<br>
simulate the complex activity they are looking for."<br>
<br>
Dr. Crusher thought about it for a moment. There seemed to be no way aside<br>
from putting one Borg in the danger of being assimilated.<br>
<br>
"Do we have any other choice?" she wanted to know.<br>
<br>
"I don't think we do." Hugh said, when he noticed Barclay didn't dare to<br>
answer.<br>
<br>
Crusher thought about it for a while. "Are there any individuals who see<br>
advantages in the collective ways left?"<br>
<br>
"Yes, some of us think both ways are acceptable. Why do you ask?"<br>
<br>
"I'm trying to make my decision. If we'll be losing one of you to the<br>
collective, I think it should be someone willing to accept the risk,<br>
someone who doesn't think losing individuality is too big a loss." Crusher<br>
explained. In some ways, this was like chosing a crew member to go on an<br>
extremely dangerous mission, but there were differences. The individual<br>
Borg weren't her crew, and the worst fate was not death, but assimilation.<br>
If there was someone who didn't care particularily for individuality...<br>
<br>
"I have to disagree." Hugh said. "If we connect someone who likes the<br>
collective ways, the person might change sides. I'd rather send someone<br>
who is convinced of the individual ways. I may be an optimal choice."<br>
"You are willing to undergo the procedure deliberately?" Dr. Crusher tried<br>
to reassure herself.<br>
<br>
"The risk is smaller." Hugh maintained. "I am the logical choice."<br>
<br>
Crusher noticed Hugh sounded pretty much like a Vulcan, or an android. Not<br>
at all what she had expected from him after their recent encounters with<br>
the individual Borg.<br>
<br>
Brain implants, she speculated. They had never deactivated them, and they<br>
were probably using them in some situations. She hoped they wouldn't take<br>
over when they connected Hugh. She thought about it for a while. "No." she<br>
decided.<br>
<br>
"May I know why?" Hugh demanded.<br>
<br>
"You know too much. If the Borg manage to get you back, they become aware<br>
of everything we discussed. We might tell some other Borg that we are<br>
planning something completely different, and give him false information<br>
about the location of the Starfleet people. We'll have to minimize the<br>
risks."<br>
<br>
Hugh admitted not having thought of it. "I will talk to the others, and<br>
we'll make a choice."<br>
<br>
Dr. Crusher heard the sound of a Federation transporter. Had someone<br>
survived, and was beaming down from an emergency escape pod, she wondered.<br>
She turned around and saw some engineers materialize.<br>
<br>
"Are there other survivors?" she asked the Ensign materializing closest to<br>
her.<br>
<br>
"Survivors of what?" he wanted to know, a bit confused.<br>
<br>
Had they been wrong about the Enterprise being destroyed? "We couldn't<br>
contact the ship", she explained, "and we had assumed the Enterprise has<br>
been destroyed."<br>
<br>
"We have left the sector to get some assistance from the Romulans." The<br>
Ensign explained. "We have returned, and we've been able to do minor<br>
damage to the Borg ship. We are now in a stationary orbit around the<br>
northern magnetic pole of the planet, and cloaked. We hope the Borg will<br>
not detect us until we're ready."<br>
<br>
"Cloaked?" Dr. Crusher asked. Starfleet had never used cloaking devices,<br>
and according to the treaty of Algeron, they were not allowed to develop<br>
cloaking technology.<br>
<br>
"Yes, with a Romulan cloaking device." The Ensign explained. "The Romulans<br>
have agreed the Borg are a common enemy, and they are assisting us. Their<br>
ship is - - Watch out!" he shouted, reaching for his phaser.<br>
<br>
Dr. Crusher turned around, and saw Hugh approaching them. She noticed the<br>
Ensign's mistake. "This is an individual Borg." She explained. "The<br>
Collective has not succeeded in returning all individuals." This would be<br>
enough for the Ensign to know at the moment. "Why are you beaming down?"<br>
"Captain Picard has decided to evacuate the entire ship, except for<br>
himself, Commander LaForge and Commander Data." The Ensign explained. "I<br>
don't know about his plans, though."<br>
<br>
Crusher tapped her communicator, trying to contact Picard. "Crusher to"<br>
she started. Then she remembered the Enterprise was cloaked, and whatever<br>
the Captain was up to, it would be important to go unnoticed by the Borg.<br>
The danger of using a communicator, something the Borg knew, would be too<br>
big. She tapped the communicator again, deactivating it.<br>
<br>
Some more crew members beamed down. This would be the last group<br>
materializing on the planet. Commander Riker, Counselor Troi, Worf and<br>
Ensign Seron were with them.<br>
<br>
She went to Riker, and they discussed the plans to defeat the Borg they<br>
had come up with.<br>
<br>
                                     ***<br>
<br>
LaForge was busy backing up all information from the ship's main computers<br>
to the secondary computer core, and encoding it, while Data fed the<br>
computer with some false information about Federation planets, technology<br>
and all paradoxons he could think of.<br>
<br>
He entered the geometric paraodxon LaForge had developed when they<br>
considered destroying the Borg with Hugh's help as a map of Federation<br>
space, an information they would most surely access.<br>
<br>
"Captain's log, stardate 48054.1, supplemental.<br>
This will be my last entry as commanding officer of the U.S.S. Enterprise,<br>
NCC-1701-D. We have realized that, even with the help of the Romulans and<br>
one of their cloaking device, we can not stand a chance against the Borg<br>
collective. I have decided to abandon the ship, setting of the entire crew<br>
and their families on the planet Omicron Theta V. The entire crew, except<br>
for Commander Data, Lieutenant Commander LaForge, and myself. As a last<br>
resort, I am leaving the ship to the Borg for assimilation. We have<br>
removed all information from the ship's data banks, and filled them with<br>
false information as well as paradoxons, attempting to confuse the Borg. I<br>
am confident our plan will distract the Borg long enough to be able to<br>
fight, and possibly stop them.<br>
<br>
I do not think the remaining three crew members are in danger. The Borg<br>
consider Commander Data a primitive artificial life form, not worthy of<br>
assimilation, and they do not assimilate few individuals."<br>
<br>
Picard thought about his last entry. Had he forgotten something Starfleet<br>
needed to know?<br>
<br>
Yes...<br>
<br>
"I have to mention that both the crew and the ship performed better than<br>
it could be expected from any ship and crew. I am taking the sole<br>
responsibility for the loss of the ship."<br>
<br>
This would be all. He ejected the log buoy, a Starfleet mechanism designed<br>
specifically for situations like this. The log would go to Starfleet<br>
Command or the nearest Starfleet ship or starbase it encountered, giving<br>
them all information they would need to know what happened, and to<br>
possibly defeat the Borg.<br>
<br>
"Mr. Data, are you ready?" He asked.<br>
<br>
The android confirmed. "All information not required for the ship to<br>
operate has been removed from the primary computer core. Everything else<br>
has been overwritten with paradoxons and false information."<br>
<br>
"Very well." Picard approved. He went to the tactical station, and<br>
decloaked the ship. Data took the navigation station, and left the<br>
stationary orbit.<br>
<br>
The Captain opened a channel to the Borg ship, to make sure they didn't go<br>
undetected. "This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the Federation starship<br>
Enterprise. You will leave Federation space immediately."<br>
<br>
The reply was exactly what he had expected from the Borg - "You will be<br>
assimilated. Resistance is futile."<br>
<br>
Two Borg materialized on the Enterprise bridge. They turned their heads,<br>
presumably looking for the crew. They did not show a sign of confusion<br>
about the nearly unmanned ship. One of the Borg went up to the science<br>
station, the other took the Ops station.<br>
<br>
As Picard had expected, they were not taking any notice of the crew.<br>
The Borg at the science station started interfacing with the ship's<br>
computers.<br>
<br>
It (or he or she - Picard couldn't tell) turned to the Captain. It started<br>
turning around its mechanical hand, then stopped without making any more<br>
moves. The other Borg froze simultaneously.<br>
<br>
"It seems to work." Picard commented. He went up to the tactical station,<br>
and targeted all weapons at the Borg ship. While they were working on<br>
assimilating all the paradox information, they couldn't care for their<br>
ship... Hopefully not.<br>
<br>
Picard fired five photon torpedoes. He checked the readings on the<br>
tactical displays. The photon torpedoes had taken out the Borg tractor<br>
beams. Picard looked at the main viewer, and saw the Romulan shuttles<br>
leaving the range of the Borg ship. They were headed for the Neutral Zone.<br>
The Borg on the Enterprise bridge started moving again. "Illogical." One<br>
of them stated. Another one looked at Picard. "The information from your<br>
ship is incorrect, and irrelevant. Resistance is futile. Your inferior<br>
species will be assimilated."<br>
<br>
With these last words, it left the Enterprise, taking the other Borg with<br>
it.<br>
<br>
So much for their plan. Picard ordered Data and LaForge to return the<br>
computers' databanks to normal. The Borg wouldn't access the computer<br>
again.<br>
<br>
He tapped his communicator, and informed Riker of the bad news.<br>
<br>
<br>
Chapter Ten<br>
<br>
"We have another option." The first officer replied, and reported about<br>
the individual Borg and the plan they had developed. "Hugh has chosen an<br>
individual Borg to undergo the procedure. We have re-installed the linking<br>
parts, and are ready for a first try."<br>
<br>
"Very well." Picard commented. "Proceed."<br>
<br>
                                       ***<br>
<br>
Riker threw a questioning look at the Borg engineers. "From the<br>
technological side, we are ready." They claimed.<br>
<br>
The Commander approached the Borg they had chosen - a Borg called Ele.<br>
Riker had asked Hugh where the name had come from, and he had been told it<br>
was a derivation from Ele's old identification, eleventh of twenty-six.<br>
Hugh had reassured him, though, that the Borg did not believe in the<br>
collective ways.<br>
<br>
"Are you aware of the risks?" he asked.<br>
<br>
"Yes." Ele said. "I am willing to take the risk. If I don't, we will all<br>
be assimilated anyway. If the plan fails, it is just a question of time."<br>
"Start." Riker said. A Borg engineer controlled a few mechanic parts of<br>
Ele.<br>
<br>
"I do not have access to the Borg collective." Ele remarked.<br>
<br>
"Have they changed their access protocols, or access codes?" Riker wanted<br>
to know.<br>
<br>
"No. I just don't have access. It is as if they were not here."<br>
<br>
Riker informed the Captain. Data scanned the Borg ship and the planet.<br>
<br>
"I am detecting severe atmospheric distortions." Riker heard the android's<br>
voice. "It is possible they are preventing the linking implant from<br>
working."<br>
<br>
"We'll have to beam aboard." he decided.<br>
<br>
"Make it so, Number One. Take a skeleton crew with you. Just in case the<br>
plan goes wrong, I want some security personnel, and some scientists to<br>
look for the reasons."<br>
<br>
Riker chose the people to take. "Worf, Seron, Satarra, Goodwin, Moore,<br>
you're with me." He paused for a moment. If something went wrong, it would<br>
be good to have a doctor and an empath aboard. "Deanna, Beverly, we may<br>
need you, as well." He finally decided.<br>
<br>
He tapped his communicator again. "Enterprise, twelve to beam up."<br>
<br>
Riker materialized with the other Starfleet officers, Ele, Hugh, and two<br>
Borg engineers. They knew more about the Borg linking implants than anyone<br>
in the Federation, so it had been logical to take them, as well.<br>
<br>
He looked around in the transporter room. Picard had handled the<br>
transporter console. An unusual sight.<br>
<br>
"Welcome aboard. It's good to have you all back." Picard greeted, and<br>
immediately left the room. There was no time to waste.<br>
<br>
The Captain had decided to conduct the experiment in sick bay. In case<br>
something went wrong, and they had to separate Ele without his knowledge<br>
or approval, it would be the best place for the Borg.<br>
<br>
"Are you ready?" Picard asked.<br>
<br>
"Yes." was Ele's simple response. Hugh handled his implants.<br>
<br>
Ele's arm started moving towards Picard. The mechanic implants started<br>
turning around wildly. "Captain Jean-Luc Picard, of the U.S.S. Enterprise,<br>
NCC-1701-D. Terran. Your culture will be assimilated."<br>
<br>
"Cut the link." Picard ordered.<br>
<br>
"Don't." Troi suggested. "It is possible that this is just an initial<br>
reaction to all the incoming data. We think we have limited their access<br>
to Ele's mind, and I'm still sensing some individuality from him."<br>
Ele turned to face Troi.<br>
<br>
"Commander Deanna Troi. Counselor. Half-Terran, Half-Betazoid. You, too,<br>
will be assimilated."<br>
<br>
Hugh approached Ele to check whether the changes they had made to the<br>
linking implant were still intact. This sounded like a completely normal<br>
Borg - within the collective.<br>
<br>
A force field kept him off. Ele looked at him, saying "Third of Five. You<br>
have attained severe damage, but you are still operational. We will repair<br>
you."<br>
<br>
"It is you who needs repairs, Ele." Hugh offered. Maybe mentioning the<br>
name they had given the individual would return some of his memories of<br>
individuality.<br>
<br>
Eleventh of twenty-six didn't react. He continued turning around and<br>
checking the people, representatives of some civilizations maybe worth<br>
assimilation.<br>
<br>
"Seron. Vulcan. Logic-based being. You will make a fine addition to the<br>
collective."<br>
<br>
The Borg faced Data.<br>
<br>
"Data. Primitive, non-sentient artificial life form. You will be obsolete<br>
in the new order, but maybe your materials can be recycled."<br>
<br>
Picard looked at Troi. He was getting sick of waiting for the Borg to help<br>
them, and even more sick of hearing how they all would be assimilated in<br>
the close future. He got downright angry when he heard the Borg<br>
considering to recycle Data.<br>
<br>
"The signs of individual existence are fading." Troi gave up. "The<br>
collective is too strong."<br>
<br>
"I request permission to mind-meld with the Borg." Seron threw in. "I<br>
might be able to direct his thoughts in the right direction."<br>
<br>
"You are aware of the risks, Ensign?" Picard asked. He knew the effects of<br>
mind-melds from his own experience. He had had to bear Ambassador Sarek's<br>
emotions, the thoughts of a single person, and he had completely lost his<br>
control. He doubted the Vulcan could deal with the thoughts of an entire<br>
collective.<br>
<br>
"I am fully aware of the risks." Seron stated. "I am not connected to the<br>
collective directly. If they should be able to take control of my mind,<br>
which I do not believe, you can separate me by simply pulling me off the<br>
Borg. If I understand our situation correctly, this is our only logical<br>
choice."<br>
<br>
"Make it so." Picard agreed. He would never have ordered the Vulcan to<br>
undergo the mind-meld, but if the Ensign wanted to save the Federation, he<br>
didn't want to stop him. He was fully aware of the risks, and ready to<br>
take them. Picard made a mental note to request an official commendation<br>
or a promotion for Seron if he survived it.<br>
<br>
The Vulcan approached the Borg, and extended his arms. He started<br>
concentrating on the procedures required for a mind-meld. He had been<br>
taught the principles of telepathy back on Vulcan, and he had given it<br>
some tries, but in his time in the academy and aboard the Enterprise, he<br>
hadn't used the technique. He had a good memory, though, and mind-melds<br>
were not something you could forget easily.<br>
<br>
The Vulcan extended his fingers, and suddenly touched a force field. It<br>
ached in his fingers, but pain was a feeling he could not afford. He<br>
suppressed it as good as he could. As a Vulcan, he was used to repress all<br>
of his emotions and personal feelings, but this pain was intense. He<br>
forced himself hard to push harder, but he realized he could not penetrate<br>
the force field. He finally drew back his fingers, and took a step away<br>
from the Borg. He noticed a bit of the pain had showed on his face, and<br>
quickly got it under control.<br>
<br>
Picard ordered to cut the link.<br>
<br>
Worf approached Ele, trying to remove or destroy the linking implant they<br>
had connected to his head. He was stopped and thrown back by a force field<br>
the Borg had built up.<br>
<br>
"Worf." Ele continued speaking. "Klingon. A race of warriors. You will be<br>
assimilated."<br>
<br>
The Klingon drew his phaser and fired at the implant. Data verified the<br>
readings on his tricorder. "The force field is getting weaker." he<br>
reported. "I assume the Borg is running out of energy."<br>
<br>
While Data spoke, the Borg dematerialized. The collective had beamed him<br>
away in order to get him out of the dangerous phaser shot, and to refill<br>
his depleted energy reserves.<br>
<br>
"Captain, I think I have got an idea." Seron announced.<br>
<br>
<br>
Chapter Eleven<br>
<br>
The crew members assembled in the observation lounge. Picard looked at<br>
Seron in anxiety. He had considered the problem for a long time, and<br>
hadn't been able to come up with any more ideas. He was nearly convinced<br>
this was a no-win situation, but Seron was a Vulcan. A Vulcan wouldn't<br>
tell the Captain of an idea that would prove impossible to realize. There<br>
had to be something he had missed, he concluded.<br>
<br>
"I have analyzed the outcome of our experiment with Ele." The Vulcan<br>
started to explain, after everyone had taken their seats. "It didn't work<br>
because even though we tried to limit the collective's access to certain<br>
parts of his brain, the collective's influence on him was too strong. The<br>
logical conclusion is that we must connect something more reliable to the<br>
Borg collective. We are in possession of the individual Borg's linking<br>
implants. I recommend interfacing them with the ship's computer, and<br>
trying to have it connected to the Borg collective."<br>
<br>
"It won't work." Hugh stated, drawing some curious looks at him. "The<br>
linking implants transmit brain waves, not any data a computer could<br>
generate."<br>
<br>
"Then I see only one logical option." Seron continued. "We have to connect<br>
someone who can control the Borg influence. Vulcans are used to suppress<br>
all emotions all the time, and we are used to controlling other people's<br>
thoughts in mind-melds."<br>
<br>
He paused for a moment.<br>
<br>
"As the only Vulcan aboard the ship who has been in contact with the<br>
Borg," he continued, remembering his time with the individual Borg on the<br>
planet as well as the short time with the Borg collective back in sick<br>
bay, "I would be the logical choice."<br>
<br>
"I cannot permit that." Picard murmured. "It's too risky."<br>
<br>
Seron didn't dare to object, though he was convinced it was the only<br>
choice they had. The Vulcan knew Picard was open to suggestions most of<br>
the time, but he would not accept an Ensign doubting his decisions.<br>
Logically, he would keep his opinion for himself.<br>
<br>
"My positronic brain output resembles your brain waves." Data suggested.<br>
"And I have not been programmed for collective existance. I believe I am<br>
immune to the Borg influence, but my brain output can be adapted to serve<br>
as a connection to the collective."<br>
<br>
"What about the subconscious activity?" Dr. Crusher remembered what Hugh<br>
had told her about the Borg security measures.<br>
<br>
"My mind, like yours, operates on a conscious and a subconscious level. I<br>
have been designed to process information like a human. I do not think the<br>
Borg can tell the difference between my output and the output a strange<br>
humanoid life form might produce."<br>
<br>
Picard looked at his chief engineer. "Geordi, do you think you can alter<br>
Data's positronic brain output enough to be accepted as brainwaves by the<br>
Borg?"<br>
<br>
LaForge thought about it. Data was right, his positronic brain had been<br>
designed to process information like a human brain, and to be as similar<br>
to a human brain as it was possible for a machine. And, of course, the<br>
Borg had assimilated several different life forms, probably with slightly<br>
different types of brainwaves. They would tolerate slight glitches.<br>
<br>
"I believe it is possible." he finally stated.<br>
<br>
"Very well. Make it so." Picard ordered. He looked around, and noticed<br>
noone else wanted to make a suggestion or a comment. "Dismissed." He<br>
added.<br>
<br>
                                ***<br>
<br>
LaForge arrived in engineering with Data, Dr. Crusher and a few individual<br>
Borg.<br>
<br>
He opened Data's head to connect him to a diagnostic panel. He knew what<br>
Data was, how Data operated, probably better than anyone else, but<br>
whenever he had to open the Commander's head, he was a bit uneasy about<br>
it.<br>
<br>
It was even worse for Dr. Crusher. She was used to dealing with human<br>
patients, and it disturbed her to be reminded of the fact that one of her<br>
comrades, her friends, looked like a tricorder rather than a life form in<br>
the interior. She remembered Picard's words when Maddox had tried to prove<br>
Data was not sentient. "Keep in mind that we, too, are machines. We are<br>
just machines made up of different materials." Or something like that. She<br>
knew the Captain was right, but she still felt a bit uneasy looking at the<br>
circuitry in Data's head.<br>
<br>
She forced herself to forget about it, and looked at the diagnostic<br>
display. LaForge had adjusted it to display Data's brain output. The<br>
android had been right. It surely resembled brainwaves.<br>
<br>
"Can you increase the amplitude, and lower the frequency a bit?" she<br>
asked.<br>
<br>
LaForge looked at Data. He could construct an adapter, but if the android<br>
could control the output with his positronic brain, it would be a better<br>
way, and one that wouldn't require more time. The Borg could decide to<br>
assimilate or destroy - recycle, how they would put it - the Enterprise<br>
every minute.<br>
<br>
"I cannot." Data replied. "But it should be easy to build an adapter we<br>
can connect between my brain's output channels and the Borg implants."<br>
The engineers got to work.<br>
<br>
                                 ***<br>
<br>
The inertia dampers failed. The impact of the Borg weapon nearly threw<br>
Picard out of his command chair.<br>
<br>
"Shields have failed." Worf reported, getting up from the floor. He<br>
checked the sensors. "The Borg have cut a cylindric part out of the ship.<br>
Decks two through eight, sections twenty-four and twenty-five."<br>
<br>
So they were starting to examine the ship, trying to determine which parts<br>
could be recycled. They wouldn't have much more time.<br>
<br>
"The protection force fields are in place. There should be no danger for<br>
the crew." The Klingon added. He considered it needless to say there were<br>
no casualties. Picard knew there were only few people aboard, and noone<br>
would be in the area he had mentioned.<br>
<br>
"Can you get the shields back up?" Picard asked.<br>
<br>
"Yes. If we concentrate all remaining shield power to the direction of the<br>
Borg ship, we can restore shields to eight percent. If the Borg don't use<br>
other weapons than their tractor beam, it they will hold for about fifty<br>
minutes."<br>
<br>
"Make it so." Picard ordered, hoping the Borg would not waste their energy<br>
on penetrating the shields earlier. The Borg had, as they had said,<br>
studied the defensive capabilities of the ship, and concluded they were in<br>
no position to offer resistance. Their logical brain implants would<br>
dictate not to waste energy on defeating an inferior ship. Or at least,<br>
that was what Picard hoped.<br>
<br>
"Resistance is futile. If you resist, we will destroy your ship." A<br>
metallic voice announced through the ship's speakers.<br>
<br>
"Have you put them on the speakers?" The Captain asked Worf.<br>
<br>
"Negative. They must have found a way to access our ship's systems."<br>
<br>
"Probably they learned something about our computer systems while they<br>
tried to assimilate the data we prepared for them." Riker surmised. "They<br>
must have realized we were trying to trick them, and so, they have<br>
concentrated on the technology they could analyze directly."<br>
<br>
"Possible." Picard said. He thought about ways to use it against the Borg,<br>
but he couldn't find any.<br>
<br>
"Data to Picard." The android's voice interrupted the Captain's thoughts.<br>
He acknowledged the call. "Picard here."<br>
<br>
Data informed the Captain that they had finished constructing an adapter<br>
for Data's brain output, and they had been able to interface it with the<br>
Borg implants. "We are ready for a try." He added. "We will make a test<br>
run in sick bay, where Doctor Crusher can verify the brainwave readings."<br>
<br>
"Make it so." Picard ordered. They could not afford losing more time.<br>
<br>
"Keep the communicator channel open. We want to hear what's happening."<br>
<br>
Picard restrained the wish to get down to sick bay and see everything<br>
himself. If the Borg attacked the ship, he would be needed on the bridge.<br>
"Establishing link." Data reported. "No significant access yet. Geordi,<br>
increase the output frequency by 0.04 percent."<br>
<br>
Picard heard a few beeps, probably diagnostic sounds LaForge had<br>
programmed into the adapter.<br>
<br>
"Trying... Stand by." The android's voice came through the communicator.<br>
"Still no significant access."<br>
<br>
Picard heard the sound of a medical tricorder. Doctor Crusher had to be<br>
taking brainwave readings from the Borg to check for differences, he<br>
speculated.<br>
<br>
Few seconds later, he heard her voice. "The amplitude is significantly<br>
higher. Try increasing power to the adapter." - "Factor 1.87" he heard<br>
Data's voice add.<br>
<br>
"Trying."<br>
<br>
"Captain, I'm detecting an unauthorized access to our computers' central<br>
databanks." Worf reported.<br>
<br>
<br>
Chapter Twelve<br>
<br>
Worf analyzed the data on the security station further. "The access seems<br>
to originate in Engineering."<br>
<br>
"The Borg." Picard speculated. "They must have realized we were trying to<br>
trick them, and they have realized we have had to return the normal<br>
information to the systems in order to run the ship efficiently."<br>
<br>
"Negative." Worf replied. "We are not detecting any Borg in the section.<br>
Whatever it is, it is accessing all data about the warp drive, and sending<br>
it on a subspace channel."<br>
<br>
"The warp drive?" Picard asked, purely rhetorical.<br>
<br>
"Tomalok." Riker spoke the Captain's thought out loud. "They must have<br>
added a spying device in their cloaking device."<br>
<br>
"And we can't dismantle it without killing our engineers." Worf added.<br>
"Still no significant access. The Borg seem to be waiting for a very<br>
specific type of brainwaves. I assume adapting others to their brainwaves<br>
is part of the early steps in assimilation I cannot undergo. Try to reduce<br>
the frequency by 0.01 percent, and decrease the amplitude by 0.2. It seems<br>
to be the best match to the mostly used frequencies and amplitudes in<br>
Hugh's brain."<br>
<br>
"Mr. Data, wait." Picard ordered. "We have a problem in engineering."<br>
<br>
He had spent some time considering it. Defeating the Borg seemed to have<br>
the highest priority, and the Romulans' attempt to get all information<br>
about the warp drive seemed so small, so irrelevant compared to the Borg<br>
threat. But then, he had considered the possibility that the Romulans were<br>
after more than just the information about the warp drive. Once they would<br>
have finished downloading the information, their sender would access<br>
other, more dangerous information. If they survived the battle against the<br>
Borg, the least they needed would be a Romulan Empire knowing all about<br>
Federation technology, Federation secret plans, and the Federation's ships<br>
and their locations.<br>
<br>
He explained everything to the android. Data was the only crew member<br>
resistant to the deadly radiation the cloaking device would set free.<br>
<br>
Apparently, the Romulans had not been aware of that, or they just hadn't<br>
thought about it when they saw the unique opportunity to get access to<br>
Federation technology.<br>
<br>
"I will take care of it." Data announced.<br>
<br>
				    ***<br>
<br>
The android entered engineering, and headed straight for the cloaking<br>
device. He would try to disassemble it, and deactivate the sender. If the<br>
Romulans had tried to get information about the Federation's warp drive,<br>
he considered it right to get information about their cloaking device in<br>
turn. If it didn't work, he would still have the opportunity to destroy<br>
the device.<br>
<br>
He took a sonic driver from LaForge's collection of tools, and attempted<br>
to take the top of the device off.<br>
<br>
Smoke filled engineering. Something inside the cloaking device had<br>
exploded. Data coughed. He had concentrated on becoming more human on so<br>
many occasions that part of the program had moved to his subconscious<br>
level.<br>
<br>
"Data to Picard." he tapped his communicator. He waited for the Captain's<br>
acknowledgement, and reported parts of the cloaking device had exploded,<br>
but he would be able to salvage most of it.<br>
<br>
"Very well." He heard the Captain's voice. "See to it later. Just<br>
deactivate the sender, and return to sick bay."<br>
<br>
The Captain's order was entirely logical, Data concluded, and complied.<br>
Before leaving engineering, he activated the decontaminators. His sensors<br>
had indicated deadly amounts of gamma radiation, as well as some poisonous<br>
gases. The ship's cleaning systems would take care of everything now.<br>
<br>
                                   ***<br>
<br>
"I have returned to sick bay, and I have been reconnected to the adapter<br>
and the Borg linking implant." Data reported through the communicator.<br>
Picard hoped this attempt would work. He didn't have Data's sense of<br>
constant time, but he didn't think they had more than twenty minutes left.<br>
He knew Vulcans had a good sense of time, and asked Seron.<br>
<br>
"We have thirteen minutes and forty-six seconds left." The navigator<br>
replied.<br>
<br>
Less than a quarter hour... Even worse than he had thought. He nervously<br>
shifted his position in the command chair, and tried to straighten his<br>
uniform jacked.<br>
<br>
"I have obtained some access." Data reported. "Intriguing. Accessing...<br>
Accessing... The Borg have changed some of their access codes, but others<br>
are the same Hugh gave me." He reported. "We do not have access to their<br>
weapons, recreational, and self-destruction levels."<br>
<br>
Picard thought he was in no position to tell Data what he should enter<br>
into the command queue. He had never had significant access to the<br>
collective, and the android was more familiar with their present state<br>
than he was. "Enter the commands you think to be the most appropriate." he<br>
ordered.<br>
<br>
                                    ***<br>
<br>
"Accessing. Accessing... Entering..." Data's head emitted some sparks.<br>
<br>
LaForge threw him a worried look. He grabbed a tricorder and ran a check.<br>
<br>
"Your systems are overloading, Data." he said. He didn't consider to<br>
separate the android from the collective yet. It was neccessary to warn<br>
him, but there was no serious damage yet.<br>
<br>
"Do not remove the linking implants." Data ordered. "I am required to<br>
plant some more orders in their command queue. It is more important than<br>
my personal well-being. Accessing... Accessing..."<br>
<br>
The amount of sparks increased. There was an increase in temperature.<br>
LaForge knew the reason, but he didn't dare say it out loud. Data's head<br>
was emitting positrons, which were reacting with the electrons in the air,<br>
setting free radiation and warmth.<br>
<br>
"Accessing..."<br>
<br>
                                     ***<br>
<br>
Picard looked at the viewer, and noticed the Borg ship had started moving.<br>
<br>
Their tractor beam got weaker, and finally, faded out of existence.<br>
<br>
"The Borg ship is increasing speed." Worf reported, checking the tactical<br>
station. "They are now at warp one."<br>
<br>
Were they trying to get out of Data's range? Picard wondered.<br>
"Warp two." The Klingon announced.<br>
<br>
"Warp three... four... Warp six. Warp seven."<br>
<br>
The Borg engines were quite effective, Picard realized. They accelerated<br>
faster than anything he had ever encountered.<br>
<br>
"Warp eight." Worf reported. "Warp nine."<br>
<br>
"Congratulations, Mr. Data." Picard said. "You did it."<br>
<br>
Instead of the expected reply from the android, LaForge's voice came<br>
through the communicator. "You'd better come down here."<br>
<br>
<br>
Chapter Thirteen<br>
<br>
The sound in LaForge's voice had not been good, Picard realized. He'd<br>
better get to sick bay immediately.<br>
<br>
"Number One, you have the bridge." He uttered, and got up. His uniform<br>
jacket had probably moved up once again, but he didn't take the time to<br>
pull it down. He hurried to the turbolift.<br>
<br>
"Sick bay." He said, in a nervous and worried voice.<br>
<br>
Picard knew the turbolift was operating at the normal speed, but he almost<br>
couldn't believe it. It seemed to be slower than usual. The trip to sick  <br>
bay seemed to take forever.<br>
<br>
After seconds that seemed like minutes, or even hours, the doors opened.<br>
Picard hurried to the sick bay doors. They opened and admitted him in.<br>
Data was lying on a diagnostic table, with all diagnostic functions  <br>
activated. LaForge and another engineer were scanning him with a  <br>
tricorder, Dr. Crusher was working on him with a medical tricorder.<br>
<br>
Picard looked at the android, and didn't see the usual breathing-like<br>
movements. A bad sign. His eyes flew across the readings on the diagnostic  <br>
table. He knew what had happened before Dr. Crusher said it out loud.  <br>
<br>
"He's dead."<br>
<br>
LaForge tried once more to turn on the android, but nothing happened.<br>
After a moment of silence, he explained. "The Borg must have realized our  <br>
intrusion, and developed a defense. They have managed to overload his  <br>
positronic brain, probably causing a reaction between the positrons and  <br>
the electrons in Data's body."<br>
<br>
"Positrons are electrons in anti-matter." He explained. "There would be<br>
nothing remaining."<br>
<br>
"Can you repair the damage?" The Captain asked, with the last bit of hope<br>
in his voice.<br>
<br>
"No." Geordi said resignedly. "We could build new arms for Data, new legs,<br>
even new sensors. But we have never understood the functionality of his<br>
brain."<br>
<br>
<br>
Epilogue<br>
<br>
"Captain's log, stardate 48054.7"<br>
With the Borg gone, the Enterprise had managed to pick up and re-install<br>
the ejected log-buoy.<br>
<br>
"Commander Data has managed to enter a command into the Borg collective,<br>
which made them leave Federation space. Without the android, we can only<br>
speculate what it might have been.<br>
We have cancelled our mission to Talar IV, and are returning to Earth,<br>
where we will hand the remains of Data to the Daystrom Institute. We hope<br>
that some day, they will be able to revive the android."<br>
<br>
Picard looked at Data's former post, and saw Worf handling the console. He<br>
would have to mention it in the log.<br>
<br>
"Aboard the ship, everything is returning to normal. The crew and<br>
families, as well as some individual Borg, have been beamed back aboard.<br>
Lieutenant Worf has taken over the Enterprise Ops station and sciences<br>
department, and on his recommendation, we have made Lieutenant Satarra<br>
temporary chief of security."<br>
<br>
He had mentioned everything Starfleet Command would care about, he<br>
realized, but Data deserved being mentioned once more in the Captain's<br>
log.<br>
<br>
"Though both of them are performing well in their new posts, Commander<br>
Data's dead is leaving a big gap on the Enterprise. His fate is a severe<br>
loss for the ship and crew. I want to mention that, in his entire time<br>
aboard the Enterprise, he performed beyond anyone's expectations, both in<br>
service, and as a crewmate, a friend."<br>
<br>
Picard thought about adding something more, but he thought this was<br>
enough.<br>
<br>
"Mr. Seron, warp five. Engage."<br>
<br>
The Enterprise got underway. "Number One, you have the bridge." Picard<br>
ordered, got up and headed for his ready room. He noticed the sound of an<br>
opening turbolift door, but he didn't turn around to see who had entered<br>
the bridge, until he heard a familiar voice.<br>
<br>
"Request permission to re-take my post."<br>
<br>
"Data!" He exclaimed, and looked at the turbolift doors. He had recognized<br>
the voice, but he wanted to make absolutely sure he was not just hearing<br>
what he wanted to hear.<br>
<br>
The android stood there, and said nothing.<br>
<br>
"We thought you were dead." Picard mentioned, trying to find out what had<br>
happened to the android.<br>
<br>
"Your observation was, basically, correct." he explained. "The Borg have<br>
detected my intrusion into their command pathways, and they have developed<br>
a defense. They sent me information at an incredible speed, overloading my<br>
positronic brain as well as the receptors."<br>
<br>
He paused for a moment, as if he had just remembered something else.<br>
<br>
"Did we succeed?" he asked.<br>
<br>
Picard just nodded, and gestured Data to go on.<br>
<br>
"I noticed they were trying to overload my brain, but it was too early to<br>
cut the link. I had not yet succeeded planting orders into their central<br>
command queue. I continued communicating with them.<br>
<br>
When I had entered all commands I had thought of, I realized I would not<br>
be able to survive further exposition to their data, not even long enough<br>
for Commander LaForge to remove the connection. I deactivated myself.<br>
Since I considered the possibility that the Borg are able to re-activate<br>
and destroy me, I have had to alter my programming to ignore the on-<br>
switch. I handed its control to my internal timer, telling it to turn me<br>
on after half an hour."<br>
<br>
The android stopped, convinced he had mentioned everything he had been<br>
asked for.<br>
<br>
"How did you convince the Borg to leave?" Picard wanted to know.<br>
<br>
"I have realized that I could not obtain direct access to their weapons,<br>
their recreational program we used in our last encounter with the<br>
collective, or their self-destruction mechanism, so I had to think of<br>
another way to get rid of them permanently.<br>
<br>
I thought of just accessing their navigations program, and sending them to<br>
a different galaxy, but I did not want to endanger life forms in the<br>
regions. The Federation has not yet charted galaxies other than our own,<br>
but there is a high probability for the existance of other life forms in<br>
other galaxies.<br>
<br>
Then I noticed they had not protected their basic behavior codes. I<br>
thought about adding a sentence saying that individuality has advantages,<br>
and individual life forms may, under no circumstances, be assimilated into<br>
the Borg collective without their explicit wish, but then I realized it<br>
would, in all probability, not work. These Borg had make negative<br>
experiences with individuality, and they would reconsider the command as<br>
soon as they would need it.<br>
<br>
So, I added a command to their central databanks, saying that individual<br>
life is inferior, not worthy of assimilation.<br>
<br>
I, basically, invented a prime directive for them, saying they may<br>
assimilate other species into the Borg collective only after they have<br>
formed a collective for themselves, and I implied that the Borg might get<br>
to know something new about linking persons together by assimilating other<br>
collective instead of individuals."<br>
<br>
"Very well." Picard commented. "This should prevent them from assimilating<br>
individuals ever again."<br>
<br>
"I do not think so." Data threw in.<br>
<br>
The others looked at him curiously.<br>
<br>
"The entire Borg culture is based on assimilation. Whenever someone in the<br>
collective died, they used to replace the person by assimilating someone<br>
new if there was no Borg child available." He started. "Over the time,<br>
their numbers will, in all probability, decrease, and they will have to<br>
keep up the collective. They will, eventually, come to the conclusion that<br>
they need to assimilate others in order to survive."<br>
<br>
He paused for a moment.<br>
<br>
"Given the current number of Borg in the collective, as well as their<br>
number of procreations per Borg per year, I estimate they will not<br>
assimilate other species in the next one hundred and twenty-eight years.<br>
<br>
Until then, we will be prepared."<br>
<br>
"That should be enough, Mr. Data. Very well done." Picard commented. "And,<br>
Mr. Data,"<br>
<br>
he waited until the android looked at him.<br>
<br>
"Permission granted."<br>
<br>
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