The day the Earth stood Assimilated:
Part I: A long way from home.
Admiral's Log:
USS Goliath is currently on a routine patrol of the Border Lands. Aside from the occasional Orion convoy, this mission has been relatively uneventful. Cavell has detected a class four anomaly near the Federation/Klingon border. We are en route to investigate.
USS Goliath, Bridge:
"Admiral on the deck!".
The bridge crew stands at attention as Admiral Plotkin steps of the turbo lift.
"As you were. Mr. Cavell, status on the anomaly".
"It does not appear on any of your computers. All scans seem to disappear within it. Either this is a new kind of black hole, or we are looking at an undiscovered portal".
"A portal? To where?"
"Unknown".
"Then send a probe into it and find out. Do I have to think of everything?"
"No sir".
The probe is launched from the torpedo tubes. It enters the anomaly, and then stops transmitting data.
"The probe has stopped transmitting".
"All right, this is getting too weird. Contact head quarters. I want one of our science vessels out here to investigate as soon as possible".
"Shall I contact Starfleet sir?"
"Negative Mr. Icheb. Not until we know what the hell we are looking at".
Icheb transmits his signal back to Section 31 head quarters on Earth. All appears to be routine, but the return transmission is incomprehensibly garbled.
"Sir, the transmissions from Earth are encountering massive interference".
"Interference? From whose side, ours or theirs?"
"Unknown".
"Well then, boost the power Icheb".
"No effect".
"All right, this is getting weird. Lucy, activate our new trans warp drive. Get us as far away from this thing as possible".
"Aye sir".
The trans warp drive is activated. Simultaneously, the anomaly begins to glow red and begins to pull the Goliath into it. The entire vessel shakes wildly.
"RED ALERT. Maximum power to the engines".
As the thrust from the trans warp drive increases, so does the pull of the anomaly.
"It's no use. We can't break free".
"Switch to warp drive. Get us away from this thing".
"No effect. We are being pulled in".
The Goliath enters the anomaly and the vibrations increase rapidly. The ship is being shaken apart.
"Anders, launch the subspace weapons NOW".
"Sir, that could destroy us".
"If you don't, the anomaly will destroy us. Do it!"
A pair of tricobalt devices are jettisoned from the starboard side of the Goliath. They explode, causing the anomaly to become unstable and collapse. The Goliath breaks free from the anomaly just moments before it completely collapses.
"Status on the anomaly".
"It has been destroyed, sir".
"Status on the Goliath".
"We have casualty reports coming in from all over the ship. But nothing serious".
A startled Icheb cries out "Sir. You have to hear this".
"We are the Borg. You will be assimilated. Resistance is futile. We will add your biological and technological distinctiveness to our own".
"What the hell?""Sir, four Borg Cubes on an intercept course".
"On screen".
The four immense vessels are approaching in a diamond slot formation.
"They are charging weapons".
"TRANSPHASIC TORPEDOES! NOW!".
Four transphasic torpedoes are launched from the primary torpedo tubes. They each impact their respective targets dead center. Within moments, all four Borg Cubes are destroyed.
"What the hell just happened?"
"We were attacked, sir".
"I know that. What I want to know is how the Collective was re-established".
Icheb spins around. There is a strange signal being transmitted from a nearby asteroid field.
"Sir, I am detecting a Federation distress signal. But.."
"But.. But what Mr. Icheb?"
"Sir, only Section 31 uses this bandwith".
"So it's one of ours. Helm, set a course for that signal. Mr. Cavell, please tell me the cloaking devices is operational".
"Aye. But it has never been field tested".
"Now seems like a good time. Activate the cloak".
"But we have no way of knowing if it works. The Borg might still detect us".
"If we remain visible, the definitely will detect us. Activate the God damn cloaking device. That is an order".
Battlefield:
The USS Goliath is floating through the debris of the four Borg vessels. The Goliath begins to fade, then becomes completely invisible.
USS Goliath, Bridge:
"Status".
"The cloaking device is functioning properly".
"And all other systems?"
"Everything is functioning properly. We can proceed with the rescue, which I think is a trap".
"Cavell, you think everything is a trap. Helm, take us to the signal. Maximum warp".
"Sir, trans warp will get us there faster".
"I know that Lucy. I also know that the Borg can track vessels in transwarp. We might arrive later than we would in trans warp, but at least we will arrive".
"Aye aye. It's your ship".
"You're forgetting something helmsman".
"Which is?""That I do know what I am doing. Engage".
Asteroid Field:
The now invisible USS Goliath is following the signal through the asteroid field. The signal is traced to the largest asteroid in the field.
"The signal is definitely being generated from within that asteroid".
"Mr. Cavell, is there any entrance?"
"Negative. That thing is solid as a rock".
"It is a rock, you incompetent toaster".
"ROE!"
"Sorry".
"I don't think so".
"Care to explain, Icheb".
"These readings indicate that the asteroid is an advanced, holographic force field".
"That is preposterous. If this was a hologram, our sensors would have detected the ship".
"All due respect, Mr. Cavell. I have seen this type of equipment in the Delta Quadrant, and sensors are useless".
"Well, we are not in the Delta Quadrant".
"SHUT IT. BOTH OF YOU".
"Aye, sir".
"Helmsman, remind me to schedule a shore leave for the crew. We have been on this ship too long".
"Will do sir".
"All right then. Icheb, open a channel".
"Channel open".
"This is the USS Goliath to the Federation vessel. Respond or we will fire on you".
In response, a frantic voice is heard over the speaker.
"Do not shoot. Do not shoot".
"Who is this?"
"This is Captain McAllister, USS Caine. Hold your fire, Goliath".
"The Caine? Queeg, is that you?"
"Why you insolent...Admiral Plotkin? I never thought I would be glad to hear your voice".
"Likewise. Give us your position. I will be taking an away team to the Caine".
"I am sending my coordinates now. God bless you sir".
Communications with the Caine end.
"Well, that was unusual".
"Captain Queeg, sir?"
"The Caine is one of our science research vessels. Since McAllister volunteered for that post, there is a running gag throughout Section 31 that he took the position to get out of combat duty".
"Then what does Queeg mean?"
"It's an old Earth reference, Lucy".
"You use a lot of those".
"Well, I did spend the twentieth through twenty second centuries on Earth".
The coordinates to the Caine's bridge our downloaded into the navigational computer.
"Sir, we are ready to send an away team".
"Good. I'm going too. Let's see what the hell is happening out here".
USS Caine, Bridge:
The away team beams aboard the Caine, to discover a ship in dire need of an overhaul. Wires, tubing, conduits, and other objects are strewn all about the bridge. The crew is dressed in outdated uniforms, all of which are torn or burnt. The male crew members have beards that reach their chests. One bearded man runs up to Admiral Plotkin and throws his arms around him.
"Admiral! Welcome back".
"Unh. Thank you Captain. Are you crying?"
"No. There is something in the ship's atmosphere. Oh who am I kidding? It has been so long since we have seen another crew. This is the happiest day of my life".
"Don't get all mushy on me Queeg. Just tell me what the hell happened to the Caine".
Captain McAllister was completely taken aback by this question. He stepped away from the Admiral and just stared at him.
"Where the hell have you been this past decade?"
"Let's see: I've been at war with the Dominion, the Romulans, The Borg, The Orion Syndicate, the Cardassians, the Breen, the Klingon Empire, we are still talking about the past decade, right?"
"You're...You're not from this universe!"
"What are you blabbering about... Queeg, what is the status of the Federation?"
"It was assimilated a decade ago. Shortly afterwards, the Borg conquered the rest of the Quadrant".
"Everyone?"
"The Romulans, the Klingons, the Cardissains, the Ferengi. When our scanners picked up your battle with the four bastards, we knew something was out of place. We just hoped you were one of ours that had survived the massacres".
"You detected our battle?"
"We have specialized scanners. When one ship destroys four Borg Cubes, everyone takes notice. Their whole fleet must be hunting you by now".
"Then the sooner we escape this dimension and return to our own, the better. Away team, prepare to move out".
"WAIT! YOU CAN'T LEAVE US! PLEASE, YOU ARE OUR ONLY HOPE".
"This isn't our war".
"WE ARE THE ONLY SHIP LEFT! FOR THE FEDERATION, YOU MUST FIGHT! YOU COWARD!"
That hit a nerve. No one called Admiral Plotkin a coward and lived.
"Coward! COWARD! I did not die destroying the Unicomplex just the get killed now. You son of a bitch. I have already collapsed the collective, destroyed the Unicomplex, and terminated the Borg Queen. I have saved the Federation more times than I can count over the past four hundred years. You piss ass little..."
"Did you say you destroyed the collective?"
"Let me finish, you insignificant little..."
"If you did it in your dimension, you can do it again here. Please, you are the Alpha Quadrant's last chance at freedom. Billions of people are enslaved by the Collective. You must help us!"
"Fine, come with us to the Goliath. We can debate this with my senior officers. If they agree, then we go to war against the Borg. Again".
USS Goliath, Briefing Room:
"Alright People, now we have a choice to make. A, we try to fight a fleet of thousands on our own. B, we run and live another day".
"What do you think Admiral?"
"I think we have done our duty against the Borg. Now it's someone else's battle".
Lucy could not believe her ears. The Goliath never ran from an enemy. The Borg were no different. Why now, why this sudden change?
"I can hear your thoughts, Lucy. And I wish that I couldn't".
"What are you talking about? Have you gone mad?"
"This is something I hoped you would never know".
The Admiral stood before all of his senior officers and extended his arm. To the shock of everyone, especially Captain McAllister, a pair of assimilation tubes extended from his fist.
"I am, and have been for the last few months, Borg. I am still an individual, and intend to stay that way. I do not know what will happen if we encounter the collective again".
"You're afraid. We all are. But you once told me, that as long as men live free, the Borg will be opposed. Isn't that the El Aurian way: resist to the last man. Well, now we are the last ship. Do you stand by your conviction, or are you a fraking hypocrite".
"Well, when you put it that way. To the barricades my friends. And Roe, you know what to do".
"Aye, sir".
"I need to plan a strategy around a single ship. This will be more difficult than our previous victories. At the wormhole, we had one hundred ships to meet their fleet. At the Unicomplex, we had the Assimilator and the Infiltrator to watch out backs. Now we are on our own. Dismissed".
The senior officers begin to file out of the room. Before returning to their positions, Lucy walked over to Roe.
"Commander, what did he mean by "you know what to do"?"
"The Admiral is always prepared for the worst case scenario. If he feels himself losing his grip on his individuality, we are to eliminate him. Before he can relay our strategic information to the Borg".
"What? You would kill your own C.O.?"
"Of course. If it will save the ship from complete destruction, I will kill him without a second's hesitation".
"How dangerous could he really be? I mean, he is the Admiral".
"If the Borg take him, he will become a mindless slave. Worse, the Borg will know everything that he knows. All of our defences, all of our weapons will be useless. We will all die".
"Oh, then I'll be back".
Lucy quickly turned around and ran back to the briefing room. She walked over to the Admiral, and slapped him in the face.
"YOU BASTARD! HOW COULD YOU KEEP THIS FROM ME YOU LYING SACK OF SHIT!"
"Whoa! Hold on a minute. We will talk about this later".
"No! We will discuss this now, or I am going to find different lodgings for the night".
"Go ahead. In case you haven't noticed, I have to lead one thousand of my finest men in a suicide mission that cannot possibly succeed".
"What are you talking about? You have faced tougher situations than this and won".
"Are you malfunctioning? One ship cannot free the entire Quadrant. The moment we free one world, the Borg will take it back when we move on to the next. They have thousands, maybe millions of ships against our one. We have no backup, we have no way of infiltrating the Unicomplex, and even our cloaking device will not hide us forever. We have voted in favour of a futile war".
"I thought you said resistance was never futile".
"Lucy, with fifty ships I could do it. Thirty, twenty would be the bare minimum. But one. Be serious".
"I am serious. There a billions of people waiting for you to free them. They are counting on you to build a new world for them. This time, you actually are singing the song of angry men. Now will they stay slaves, or will you free them".
Plotkin thought for a few minutes. Then he smiled, and turned to face Lucy.
"You always did know how to get to me".
"That's why you love me".
"Amen to that. Alright, now I really do need to think about a strategy. God help us if we run into one or more Tactical Cubes".
"We've destroyed them before".
"With help. Now please, I need to concentrate".
"All right".
Lucy turned around and began to leave the briefing room. Unfortunately for the Admiral, she remembered the reason she went back to him.
"Wait a minute. You made me forget what I was mad about. YOU SON OF A BITCH".
"Here we go again. Please, Lucy, I do not need this now".
"Just tell me why? Why have you kept this from me?"
"Because it scares the shit out of me. John's surgery didn't take, and the little buggers learned to adapt to all treatments. At the moment, I am in complete control. But..."
For the first time since she had met him, she saw Admiral Plotkin was afraid. The leader of Section 31 was afraid.
"I don't want to live like that Lucy. Without free will, without a personality. If that happens, promise you will kill me".
"I..."
"Promise me".
"I promise".
"Thank you. Now I have to go to sickbay, make sure these things haven't adapted again. Wait, that's it".
He ran up to Lucy and kissed her on the cheek.
"Thank you. What would I do without you".
"What?"
The Admiral rushed to the bridge.
"All right boys and girls. I want all torpedoes converted to transphasic torpedoes. And I want them adapted to increase their destructive yield. I want my top engineers in the briefing room, we are going to work out a way to bring down those behemoths".
"What will we do about our strategic difficulties?"
"I haven't gotten there yet. Let me think. Lucy, you come from a collective consciousness, right?"
"Not exactly. We had our disagreements, almost had a civil war amongst ourselves. In fact..."
"That's it. Lucy, you are a genius".
"What did I do now?"
"Mr. Icheb, are you familiar with Unimatrix Zero?"
"Yes sir, but there is no evidence that it exists in this universe. Or that it has ever existed".
"Even if it doesn't, suppose the mutation that caused Unimatrix Zero does exist in this universe. We can grab a Borg with this mutation, analyze it, and then modify the deflector dish to generate the mutation in all of the drones in a ship. We can then liberate that ship, and get them to do the same with other ships. We will help the people rise up and throw down their oppressors".
"It's brilliant. But what if it doesn't work?"
"Or if the Borg squish this little rebellion before we can build a sizable force?"
"Then we fight with what he have, and resist to the last free man. If we modify a virus and distribute it throughout the ships in the Quadrant, we can create others that will rise up to take our place. Imagine, a fleet of Free Borg, fighting to liberate their worlds. I want everyone working on this. If we can create a resistance, we just might convince the old Borg Queen to abandon the Alpha Quadrant".
USS Goliath, Briefing Room:
"All right people, here is the plan. We are going to adapt our sensors to locate one of these mutated drones, track down his ship, then beam on to it. We grab this drone, then we clear out. Mr. Anders will destroy the ship with a transphasic torpedo, then we begin to experiment on our prisoner. We find out how to liberate this thing, and how to replicate his mutation. Once we have done that, we begin to infect as many other Borg ships as we can".
"One problem sir, the Borg will adapt. They will modify their shields to repel our mutation beams. Even worse, they might adapt at the cellular level. It may become impossible to liberate any more drones".
"Then we fight with those we have already liberated. But I want a contingency plan, just in case this fails. This is why I want to send a spy aboard the chosen ship, before we grab the Borg drone".
"A spy? For what purpose?""I want to know how the Collective operates in the Alpha Quadrant. There might be some sort of control mechanism that they can not operate without. A second Unicomplex, a transwarp hub, a command ship. Something that we can use to weaken the Queen's grip on this side of the galaxy. We can learn of this by infiltrating their computer banks".
"And who do you have in mind for cracking their computers?"
"Someone who can move amongst the Borg unnoticed. Someone whom the Borg will identify as their own. Who can penetrate their force fields and shields without raising an alarm, someone in Borg armour".
Anders knew who the Admiral was talking about, and it made him sick to his stomach. They were sending a boy to fulfill an important mission.
"My wife will not like this".
"She doesn't have to. We need the boy's help".
"Why can't you or Icheb do this?"
"We don't exactly fit in on a Borg ship. Plus, only one clad in Borg armour can penetrate their shields without blowing something up".
"And if this ship is a Tactical Cube? Or if one is called in to help it, what do we do then?"
"I think I have a way to solve that problem, Mr. Anders. But if it fails, then at least we will die fighting".
"Somehow, I don't feel any better. What is the plan?"
"We will adapt all of our torpedoes to an eighty Isoton, transphasic warhead. That is enough firepower to blow a planet in half. With every torpedo carrying that much destructive force, we should have no trouble destroying any enemy starship. Just make sure you fire accurately, I don't want some poor planet getting blown to bits because you missed".
"How do we modify the torpedoes?"
"I will download the appropriate schematics. Get the entire security force working on this Anders. I want every single torpedo to be an eighty Isoton transphasic torpedo by the time we depart. Get on it".
To be Continued.