The following story takes place in an alternate universe where the Enterprise - D did not or could not retake Captain Picard from the Borg and needlessly sacrificed itself by ramming the starship into the Borg ship. As a result the Borg quickly assimilated Earth and much of the Alpha Quadrant, destroying countless races in it's path. The Federation is a dead and forgotten civilization. This story follows a loosely united Alliance seven years following an alternate ending to the TNG episode "The Best of Both Worlds."

TITLE: Worth Saving

AUTHOR: Juliet

EMAIL: PG - 13

CONTENT: VIOLENCE, ADULT LANGUAGE

CATEGORY: ADULT, ANGST, DRAMA, HORROR

SPOILERS: The Next Generation episode The Best of Both Worlds.

SUMMARY: Seven years after the Borg destroyed civilization in the Alpha Quadrant, an Alliance, may have found their best weapon against the cybernetic species. If he can remember anything to help them.

DISCLAIMER: Gene Roddenberry owns Star Trek. That's the only entity that matters. CBS/Paramount is only his legal guardians. The planet of Rimilla belongs to author Jerry Oltion from the Original Series book Twilight's End.

DISTRIBUTION: WWOMB, anywhere else please ask.

Worth Saving

Prologue

There are some times when a fight with a Borg is preferable,' Lieutenant Jonathan "Striker" Calloway thought, 'and this is one of those times.'

The cause of Striker's irritablitlity was his and his wingmates duties: Patrolling a dead planet for dead Borg drones. It had been seven long years since the Borg Collective had invaded the Alpha Quadrant, preceding to assimilate nearly everything in it's path and destroy countless civilizations, including the Federation, Romulan, Klingon, and Cardassian cultures. It forced the survivors to form a loosely united Alliance in the aftermath. After years of constant, winless sneak attacks and fallbacks, the Alliance finally scored a significant victory in what the survivors were calling the Battle of Rimilla. Instead of celebrating their victory with the rest of their comrades or helping with an impending evacuation, Striker and two others were assigned to patrol the narrow strip of hospitable land for possible Borg survivors.

"Like we're going to find any survivors," the redheaded man muttered, forgetting he was transmitting.

"Never underestimate the enemy, Striker!" Ale'xa, a hearty female Klingon, snapped out.

"While I may not be as vehement as our colleague, I do share her sentiment," Ish Garen echoed from his fighter. Garen was twenty standard years older than his wingmates and had seen action in the Federation/Cardassian war for the Obsidian Order. Though the order was long thought to be disbanded with the assimilation of Cardassia, Ish still carried himself with the bearing of the Order.

Striker was about to argue when a blip on his screen caught his eye.

"Looks like you guys' caution may have been well - founded," Striker said, "my scanner indicates there may well be at least one Borg survivor."

Ale'xa let out a Klingon curse. Garen remained silent.

"Any indication of a homing signal?" the fiery Klingon asked. All three knew that if the suspected Borg had let out a signal for the Collective to pick up, then the Alliance needed to get out of the system.

Fast.

"None are showing on the scanners," Striker responded, "but we'll still need to investigate it. For all we know, it may have been somebody who didn't get off the planet before the fighting began."

"Unlikely," Garen said, "still, we do need to investigate and contact the Council to advise them on this latest development."

"And a medical team," Striker added, "if that is a Borg and it's not sending a signal off, then it's gotta be seriously injured."

"Then we should lock onto it's coordinates and shoot it down!" Ale'xa spat out.

"As much as I'm inclined to that sentiment," Striker said tiredly, "you know what the Council would say. They constantly want new drones to study. However we will be contacting the Council at anyrate."

"Fine." Ale'xa snarled," but if that Grishnor of a Council decides we can destroy the Borg, I for one will be too happy to send them to Gre'thor."

Sighing Striker opened a channel to their current base.

Juliet3:16 (Proud American)