Star Trek Enterprise: Infinite Diversity

The Changing Face Of Evil


Delta Quadrant, February 23, 2154, Aboard the U.S.S. Relativity


Streaking through space like an artfully contoured, streamlined spearhead, the Relativity rocketed methodically closer to the fleeing enemy cube. Emerald hued directed energy discharges flashed outward from the starship's wing-tip disruptor cannons, slamming heavily into the Borg ship's shielding. As usual, the drones inside worked steadily to adjust their deflector systems to compensate for the unexpected strength of their newly discovered adversary's weaponry. On this particular occasion however, their normal speed and ability to adapt was surprisingly limited. In what was undoubtedly a mystery for them, their pursuer on this occasion possessed the greater power and technology.

The Borg were not used to being outmatched in any sort of serious combat, and – since the ship's hive mind continued to be mysteriously isolated from the rest of their Collective – many of the drones on board were subconsciously attempting to panic. Those emotions were automatically detected, identified and repressed by the sophisticated software at the heart of the ship's communications vinculum, but the repeated emotional reactions of so many frightened minds did not occur without consequence. The lack of focus on normal duties had placed the Borg unexpectedly, shockingly on the defensive.

They weren't simply attempting to get to Earth any longer. They were running away in fear.

Captain Ducane hadn't moved since the chase began. He was standing firmly behind the helm and navigation stations on the lower, port side of the bridge. The enigmatic shape of the enemy vessel was captured in grand detail at the center of the large, main viewscreen as starshine flew steadily past it on all sides. Lieutenant-Commander and acting First Officer Jessica Ingram sat confidently at the helm, maintaining the Timeship's relentless pursuit of Starfleet's most dangerous foe. "Target is maintaining a steady warp 9.9996 Captain," she told him, her blonde ponytail flipping to the left as she turned her head to make the necessary adjustments to their own ship's mighty engines. "I'm increasing our own velocity to 9.99961. We'll see how fast they can go before their engines begin to overheat."

"Simply overtaking them isn't going to be good enough," growled Ducane irritably. His previously unwavering focus on the viewscreen finally shifted toward Ingram. "Lieutenant, fire another volley from the disruptors. Force that ship out of warp."

Jessica nodded with grim determination. "I'll try sir." She touched the weapons console and additional blazing bursts of green disruptor fire blurred the image in the lower corners of the viewscreen before striking and rocking the Borg ship. Large, flaming chunks of cleanly sliced superstructure fell away from the edges of the vessel before disappearing instantly as they dropped out of the enemy vessel's warp bubble and fell back to sub-light velocity. "It's no use," Ingram informed Ducane with a disappointed shake of her head. "Unless we damage them much more severely, the redundant power systems aboard that cube will continue to compensate for the areas we damage." She shook her head with obvious respect. "That's why they don't care about aesthetics… the survival of ship and drones is first priority."

Sitting next to Ingram was the trim, dark-haired Ensign Deb Murry. "With respect, I think we should destroy them while we have an opportunity to do so, sir. We have a precedent on this occasion. The cube has already been defeated in Soran's alternate timeline."

"Their replication systems are capable of regenerating that vessel almost as fast as we damage it," Ingram added in full agreement. "We have to destroy them while there is still time. If those drones manage to escape from our jamming network, they will reestablish subspace contact with the rest of their Collective. Since we have no idea what Soran transmitted to them, I strongly suggest we prevent that from happening."

"They won't escape from our jamming network," Ducane snapped firmly. "Commander Roberts and I linked the Relativity's main computer into Data's subspace network. The jamming field is coming from subspace, so we can target them wherever they go even if they move beyond maximum sensor range."

"Nevertheless, what they were supposed to be doing in this timeline has already drastically changed."

"I don't want to kill all of those drones," the Captain declared. "We know there are still people underneath all those implants, and we've left enough of a temporal footprint here as things stand."

Ingram sighed heavily. "With respect sir, we're already killing drones!" she told the Captain a bit heatedly, automatically detecting her increased anxiety and reducing her tone of voice according to training. "Our most recent attack took out more than two hundred of them." She glanced back at him almost pleadingly. "The Cube-Class vessel has redundant power systems and anti-matter powered replicators," she reminded him. "As long as there are enough drones functional, the Borg can fully regenerate virtually anything. Aside from a very few scarce, isolated resources that cannot be replicated, they're virtually indestructible."

"I want another option!" demanded Ducane, refusing at least for the moment to give in.

Behind him, Frank Roberts continued to stand idle alongside Jean-Luc Picard and James Kirk. The three of them had been watching the chase take place in complete silence. Picard's emotions were understandably mixed – his own history with the Borg had become Starfleet legend. "This is a new Captain," he stated softly, taking a step forward. "Perhaps we should…" The light touch of a hand on his shoulder stopped him, causing him to pause.

"You won't make him a better Captain by helping," whispered James Kirk. "My former First Officer and I used to teach at the Academy. Sooner or later, Jean-Luc, they have to learn firsthand when and when not to use deadly force."

Roberts nodded with approval at Kirk's assessment. "And then, since you are emotional creatures, you have to learn how to live with the consequences of those decisions you make."

Standing by helplessly while additional disruptor fire from his starship ripped into the Borg cube, Thomas Ducane struggled to maintain control over his temper. Additional pieces of flaming superstructure fell away from the cube… in fact, the enemy ship was beginning to look more like the leftover core of a huge, mechanized apple. The sensor console next to Ingram's hand began to beep for attention and she studied the new data carefully.

"Captain," she said, swiveling slightly in her seat to look directly at him. "Our analysis of Soran's destruction of this cube in the alternate timeline is complete. The loss of this particular Borg vessel will cause a statistically insignificant change in history… the alteration is 1.277 times ten to the negative 443rd, final temporal incursion factor. In the grand scheme of things, sir, that amounts to as close to nothing as we're going to get."

Ducane considered the new information provided by his acting First Officer carefully. "Can we utilize the Relativity's communications array to isolate those drones from the cube's vinculum? Can we break apart their smaller Collective and confuse the drones?"

Ingram shook her head negatively without the slightest bit of hesitation. "Each Borg drone is programmed to self-destruct unless we deactivate that function first. I would need at least an hour to add the necessary computer instructions into our hailing signal. In the meantime they're rerouting all of their major command functions to areas of their ship farthest away from us. If they open a trans-warp conduit, even still-functional debris from that ship striking Earth could prove disastrous. Those drones can survive in the vacuum of space, and if even one of them gets loose on Earth…"

Sighing heavily and retaining obvious reservations, Ducane finally relented. "Target them with our primary disruptor and prepare to fire," he decided conclusively. "Ensign Murry, arm a full spread of inter-phasic torpedoes. Stand by to fire as soon as our disruptor breaks their shields."

"Believe it or not, the Borg vessel is now at warp 9.99965, Captain. I'm closing in to optimal firing range." Ingram's fingers danced across the consoles in front of her and the Relativity's deck shifted just slightly under their feet as the inertial dampeners lagged slightly behind the sudden velocity increase. Normally the transition was completely unnoticeable, but not at a high speed change so near to warp ten.

Captain Thomas Joseph Ducane took a last look at the fragmenting enemy ship, his heart still burning with the emotion from an inescapable decision that he hated to make. "Fire the primary disruptor."

At his command, the central cannon housed in the Relativity's nose discharged, releasing three short bursts of powerful green energy in swift succession. The first two energy bolts completely pierced the remaining Borg shields, temporarily collapsing them. The third disruptor shot tore deeply into the center of the enemy vessel and completely annihilated the cube's primary shield generator. Shattered and damaged almost beyond recognition, the smoldering, burning remains of the alien starship dropped instantly out of warp.

Seconds later, Commander Ingram followed suit – decelerating the Relativity to sublight velocity and pausing at half impulse. She swung them around, turning the Timeship sharply toward the enemy. The viewscreen's image promptly refocused on the cube's remains, which continued burning internally with a hellish red and orange fury in addition to the normal eerie green glow emitted by redundant power systems that somehow, impossibly still remained functional.

"Now Ensign, fire our torpedoes too," ordered Ducane sternly.

Half a dozen white-hot projectiles flashed onto the viewscreen, each of them trailed by a dark blue energy tendril. Together they slammed into physical debris from the cube, causing the warhead inside each of them to detonate. The remaining structure of the Borg vessel exploded in a dazzling display of fireworks – disintegrating at the quantum level and leaving behind billions of tiny azure energy fragments that swiftly faded away against the dark, star-studded background of open space. Together those standing on the bridge of the Relativity watched quietly as the enemy starship died.

Although the main body of the cube itself had been completely obliterated, there was still the matter of the sizeable trail of debris left behind from the Relativity's earlier disruptor attacks. Acessing the starship's phaser banks, Jessica Ingram activated a wider field setting and proceeded to methodically vaporize everything still floating in the immediate vicinity.

"We're going to have to go back for everything else that fell out of warp along the way," she cautioned. "Otherwise additional Borg or scavenger races will discover the debris fields and try to locate dead drones or salvageable databases. It would be best if people living in this timeframe didn't have access to a sensor analysis of our shields and weaponry."

"Agreed," Ducane stated tersely. "Please complete that mission and take charge of the bridge. Once you've finished backtracking and destroy the remainder of the wreckage, I want you to begin developing a quick method of separating Borg drones from the hive mind without triggering their self-destruct software. Next time we're going to have a second option available to us."

"Aye sir." Ingram turned her head just far enough to study his reaction. "Do you really think we're going to need to intervene that much in the affairs of this time period?"

The Captain shrugged. "At this point, with Soran involved I think it would be best if we prepared ourselves for anything," he replied somewhat curtly. "If anyone needs me, I'll be in my quarters." Turning sharply on his heel, he walked silently past Frank Roberts, Jean-Luc Picard, and James Kirk. They watched him disappear inside the turbolift at the rear of the Timeship's compact bridge.

Watching him go, Commander Roberts turned to the two men beside him. "Should not one of us go talk to him?" he asked with the unrestrained curiosity of a Data-Class android. "It is apparent that Captain Ducane deeply regrets having to order the destruction of so many life forms, even if they are still technically an enemy of the Federation during this time period."

"I'm not going to go talk to him," decided Kirk almost instantly. "I've stepped on the toes of new Captains before, even during times when I've deliberately tried to avoid doing so. It's very easy for veterans like me to crush someone's confidence before it has a chance to strengthen."

Picard hesitated for a moment, considering Roberts' question carefully. "I don't have anything to say to him at this point either," he declared finally. "Captain Ducane has made correct decisions throughout this crisis, in my opinion. I also would have destroyed the Borg vessel."

"I really think someone should check in on him," persisted Roberts firmly, doing his best to assess the two strong personalities of the men standing next to him while prompting them with questions. "Perhaps he just needs someone to listen to what he has to say."

Nodding in agreement, Jean-Luc waved a hand toward the turbolift. "Be my guest Commander," he suggested with a small smile. "You know this time period best… I can think of no one better qualified."

Thinking about Picard's response for a nano-second, Roberts concluded that the Captain was correct. "If anyone needs me, I will be visiting with the Captain." He too vanished inside the turbolift.

Commander Ingram continued to watch the consoles in front of her carefully, but she glanced back at the two former starship Captains. "What is so different about being in command?" she asked with obvious interest. "Ensign Murry and I fired the weapons, so we are just as culpable – if not more so – for destroying lives. Given the circumstances, I agree that the Captain had no other alternative. In this timeframe, our primary objective must be to minimize Soran's incursions and protect Earth. The Captain simply had no other alternative."

"That's what bothers him," pointed out James Kirk. "There wasn't a viable alternative. For someone in command of this kind of firepower, that often makes things all the more frustrating."

Picard moved closer to Ingram and glanced at the helm console, subtly attempting to change the subject before other crewmembers began to analyze things too deeply. "I'm impressed by your starship, Commander. During the chase, you mentioned that we were traveling at warp 9.99965. That's faster than anything I've ever seen… extremely close to the warp ten threshold in fact. Just how fast can this ship go? Does the Relativity have the ability break the theoretical curve of diminishing returns?"

"Affirmative," replied Ingram with a smile. "The threshold you're referring to is no longer theoretical in my time. It is a measured science that is controlled and manipulated very carefully at the heart of our temporal core. It is the process we use to allow our ship's engines to open a temporal rift, which we can then utilize to move through both time and space. We can travel anywhere in the galaxy within a matter of seconds, and as long as our shields remain functional we can do so without suffering from any of the genetic side effects first experienced in your century."

"How far…? Could you move beyond the galactic rim?"

Ingram chuckled with amusement. "Why would you want to go out there? There's virtually nothing to see, unless of course we could generate enough power to move all the way to another galaxy. I don't think anyone – even in our time – has even considered trying to do that yet." She took a deep breath, intrigued by the possibilities. "I suppose if we used a series of shorter jumps, we could eventually reach another galaxy within a reasonable timeframe." She waved her hands indifferently. "But who knows what we would find there?"

"Unexplored territory," said Kirk. "Strange new worlds… new life forms and civilizations."

Shaking her head, Ingram returned her attention to the consoles in front of her. "So far, just maintaining order in this galaxy has proved challenging enough!" she decided resolutely. "I've only been in Starfleet for ten years, and I've seen puh-lenty of strange new worlds!"


Erika Hernandez studied the trim, efficient layout of the Relativity's primary engineering deck with growing intrigue. Just like the advanced, state-of-the-art bridge that she had toured earlier, this part of the ship was equally sophisticated. Currently the dark-haired, former starship commander was leaning against a safety railing, glancing down toward the heart of the Timeship's infamous temporal core. Already she had learned that a standard matter/anti-matter reactor was housed there, along with a newer, sophisticated engine that utilized an energy source known as 'Omega' to generate an artificial, quantum singularity. The stable chain of Omega molecules generated virtually unlimited power – the starship's mighty disruptors were limited only by the maximum capacity of their emitters.

Upon first arriving, Hernandez and her team had been fully briefed on the starship's design and capabilities. What continued to astonish her – not so surprisingly – were the number of similarities to older, traditional starships. Over the passage of centuries, the evolution of Starfleet technology had obviously progressed at a rapid pace. Other than that, much of the Relativity's layout still resembled her own Columbia. Nevertheless, Erika was extremely fascinated by the advances in electronics. She had come down to Engineering on her own time to conduct a more 'up close and personal' study. Since her crew now planned to live permanently in the distant future with the Preservers, they had received clearance to learn 'everything'.

Hernandez and a dozen hand-picked, experienced members of her former NX-02 crew had accompanied Frank Roberts, Jean-Luc Picard, and James Kirk back through time. For Erika and her associates, their part of this new assignment was proving to be fairly simple. Each of them was being carefully trained to supplement the Timeship's regular engineering crew, allowing members of the normal duty roster to work a normal three-shift rotation even during times of crisis. Already the Relativity had been forced to confront the Borg – arguably the most dangerous enemy ever encountered by Starfleet. Thus the word had already been given… under no circumstances would 29th century technology be allowed to fall into the clutches of so relentless and deadly an enemy.

The catastrophe that followed would be apocalyptic.

Glancing up from the depths of the reactor core, her gaze fell on the handsome, chestnut-haired Chief Engineer. His name was Lt. Commander Adam Nelson, and his youthful appearance could at first be somewhat deceptive. Nelson was an expert trained in the science of temporal mechanics, someone well suited for a long term assignment aboard a Timeship. And although he looked at first glance to be a raw cadet, the enthusiastic officer in actuality had already served in Starfleet for nearly twenty years.

"I'm impressed," admitted Erika, running the tips of her fingers along the spotless railing. "There are so many similarities to my own vessel, except that almost everything here is completely automated. Even the waste neutralization and disposal process…"

Nelson nodded in agreement. "By the 24th century, mechanization as you knew it had passed into history, replaced almost completely by sophisticated electronics regulated by a highly complex, centralized computer. However, even though the 'blue collar' atmosphere that our first starship crews thrived in no longer exists, the people of your era continue to be an inspiration for us. Our work ethic in Starfleet hasn't changed over the years, only our advances in technology. What happened with starship design is strikingly similar to the computer revolution in the latter half of the 20th century, or perhaps the rapid rate at which analog processing transitioned to digital in the 21st." Erika was gradually discovering Adam Nelson to be a very witty conversationalist, one completely willing to answer all of her questions.

"So I gather that we were able to explore farther and farther outward," she guessed. "We obviously learned a lot from many of the other space faring races, and added their ideas to our own."

"Exactly." Nelson and an assistant were studying a rapidly scrolling list of statistical data on one of the large, viewscreen-like engineering monitors. He turned to face her and smiled with enthusiasm. "You worked with Andrew Strong. Some of his earliest work with the first warp five engines is still on record as required reading at the Academy. He and Charles Tucker were the catalyst that made that engine work. They are still heroes, just like Jonathan Archer and A.G. Robinson are remembered for their grit and determination to break new barriers."

Memories, most of them so very recent, began to surface in Erika's mind. "It's funny that you should mention them. For awhile I had both Strong and Tucker on my engineering team," she replied fondly. "Unfortunately, Trip's heart was with the NX-01 and it didn't take him long to realize that. After he left to return to Enterprise, Andrew Strong worked very hard over the next few months to convince me that he was the best choice to replace Tucker as Chief Engineer."

Nelson's wide, genuine smile was extremely reassuring to her. "Starfleet has always had a brain trust of top-notch, skilled engineers," he continued. "Historically, whenever we have encountered someone doing things we can't do, everyone has always come together to try and find a way to duplicate that technology. More often than not we end up building our own version of those very same things better." He chuckled with amusement. "Your ships didn't have tractor beams, or deflector field generators…"

"The Omega power source at the heart of your engine is the most impressive thing I've seen so far," commented Hernandez. "Granted I'm a sophomore in the history of Starfleet, but I think anyone would be astonished to see firsthand the unbelievable raw power that your team can harness and safely control on so massive a scale."

Touching the display screen in front of him, Lt. Commander Nelson terminated the standard statistics display they had been studying and called up an engineering screen that displayed current statistical data from the Timeship's temporal core. "Most of the time we are observers of history," he informed her. "Combat – especially in the past – is something we try to avoid at all costs. The Omega molecules at the heart of this engine are safely contained as long as the high-powered force shields surrounding them remain functional. They supply enough power for our warp drive and project deflector screens that are nearly invulnerable. But if even one of those complex molecules down there should destabilize…"

"They would destroy subspace in the area where they detonate, rendering warp drive nearly impossible."

"Exactly." Nelson's smile faded. "Part of our mission down here in Engineering will be a defensive one. Starfleet crews have to be willing to sacrifice themselves to protect others. That is also one of our ideals that has not changed with the passing of centuries." He glanced at the steady readings on the engineering statistical screen intensely, watching the engine's 'vitals' fluctuate rhythmically in response to the thrumming of the monstrous engine situated two decks below them. "The Borg are experts at identifying and adapting to any and all weaknesses in battle. If Doctor Soran continues to force us to confront them and the Borg find a way to penetrate our defenses, my job – and yours – will be to neutralize our Omega molecules… all of them. We cannot let them fall into the hands of the Borg – certainly not at this point in history. We have enough boronite on board to safely complete the job in a matter of minutes."

Her expression paled. "In that event, what would happen to the Relativity?"

Nelson shrugged his shoulders indifferently. "We won't be completely helpless," he pointed out. "Our backup matter/anti-matter core is proven technology and still very reliable. Our ability to move across vast distances and time travel might be lost, but we have more than a dozen shuttles on board and can still communicate with our sister ships in the future. Additional Timeships are standing by to return here in case we need their assistance." A confident smile returned to his face. "If the worst comes to pass, rest assured we will get home."

Nodding, Erika's eyes sparkled in challenge. "It would be best if we defeat Soran first."

The engineer suddenly turned and walked over to one of the smaller display screens. "Come take a look at this," he suggested, beckoning with a casual wave of one hand. Accessing sensor records, he displayed a still image of the ship that Soran had used earlier to confront them. The strange, alien space vessel's overall shape was a long, thin cylinder. At one end was a round knob-like attachment, while the other tip boasted a much larger protrusion with squared corners that appeared to be engines. "What kind of ship is that?" he asked. "I have never seen a starship with a power curve higher than ours."

"It's a Preserver vessel of some kind," answered Hernandez. "I'm told that its primary specialty is the manufacturing of sophisticated electronic devices, but it also possesses nuclear-fusion plants capable of generating plasma bolts powerful enough to reignite dying stars."

"The hull is so smooth," commented Nelson. "Folks down here are already calling it 'the towel rod'."

"Really," chuckled Hernandez. "I spent some time undergoing orientation in the Preserver education programs while in the future before accepting this assignment, but my crew and I only touched the tip of the iceberg as far as their technology goes. Even so, I can tell you that your 'towel rod' is one of the most powerful vessels in this timeframe right now… if not the most powerful."

"Is that why Soran brought it? To kill Borg?"

The former NX-02 Captain mulled the matter over quietly for a moment. "I don't know exactly what he's up to," she declared honestly. "But I do know that ship has a stabilized chain of Omega molecules in its engine core just like this one does. If his plan was to destroy Borg on a massive scale, then Soran could certainly have chosen from literally hundreds of other vessels far more powerful. There must be a part of his plan that we don't know about yet, and that is cause for concern." She leaned closer to the display, reading the statistics listed next to the vessel's image. "Do you have anything more on file? Let's see what else your sensors detected during their close up scan of Soran's ship."


Captain Thomas Ducane entered the relative comfort of his private quarters and sat down on the edge of his bed, resting his face in his hands for a moment. Since taking over command of the Relativity after Data's unexpected departure into subspace, he had handled matters quite well… especially mentally. Although still very young, Ducane was of strong mind and body and not easily rattled. But then, he had never before given a direct order that had taken lives. They're just drones, some had argued during his Academy days while he and his classmates studied the Borg throughout Starfleet history. Once assimilated for any significant length of time, there's very little left of a humanoid individual.

The Captain remembered those days at the Acadmey very well, and how he had asked the doubters to explain Seven of Nine. Kathryn Janeway and her Voyager crew had once successfully separated the savvy, intelligent blonde Earth woman from the Collective and worked hard for many years to restore her sense of individuality. Most of those drones are still living beings, he had once argued repeatedly during those discussions. If it were you, would you want everyone to simply give up and vaporize YOU? Not so surprisingly, Ducane discovered that a majority of people ended up favoring Starfleet's repeated efforts to forcibly confront the Borg. What now bothered him the most, however, was that – in the end – those very same classmates had won him over to their side.

One small mistake… just ONE with these 'automatons'… and your entire society becomes Borg.

The Borg threat throughout much of Starfleet's history was undeniable, a reality that brought startling clarity to even the most peace loving of individuals. Ducane had fought in defense of his ship and his crew before, but he had not yet killed anyone. And during his very brief tenure as Captain of the Relativity, he had also never needed to order the destruction of an entire ship… much less one crewed by thousands of humanoids.

They're just Borg, a part of his subconscious kept repeating over and over in his mind. Thomas discovered rather suddenly that he hated that part of him, the beast lurking inside that enjoyed using his ship's powerful weapons. He lay down on the bed for a moment and tried to relax, but sleep at this point was very far away and impossible to find. Rising to his feet, he moved to the small desk in the living area and activated the interface function linking his work station to the Timeship's main computer.

"Computer, access the sensor records of the Borg vessel we recently defeated," he requested briskly.

"Acknowledged."

Ducane had been told once that the female computer voice had not changed over the centuries. His experiences while time traveling in the past had only served to confirm the rumor. Still, he was unused to hearing the Relativity's computer actually speak – Data regularly relied on a direct neural interface with the sophisticated, centralized system. That had usually negated the need for the rest of the crew to make regular use of the verbal interface. Shaking off pleasant memories of his mentor and friend, the Captain returned his attention to the work station. "Computer. Use the Christopher Pike tactical combat scale and analyze the ship's power curve. I want you to calculate the total offensive and defensive potential of that cube."

There was a soft electronic whir of activity as the data was instantly computed and uploaded to his work station. "Using the Christopher Pike tactical rating scale, the Borg cube has an offensive rating of 879 and a defensive rating of 1,029."

He let the data sink in for a moment before continuing. "Now list the same statistics for the Relativity."

Again the computer responded quickly to his inquiry. "The starship U.S.S. Relativity has a total offensive rating of 23,472. The defensive total is 24,192."

Ducane nodded in approval. "Computer," he persisted firmly. "Given the lopsided advantage in firepower and defensive capabilities possessed by this starship, please calculate the Borg's most probable approach to overpowering us. In our next confrontation, how will they try and defeat us?"

"There are two likely possibilities," replied the voice of the computer. "Either the Borg will try to covertly smuggle assimilation-capable nanoprobes inside your shields, or they will recruit more than one vessel – a fleet sizeable enough to overpower the Relativity's superior power curve."

"How could they hope to get inside our shielding?"

"The Borg are patient. First they will develop a way to track you. Then their Collective will likely attempt to partially assimilate one or more of your crewmen. Assuming that you send an away team aboard one of their ships – as has been done in the past – they would certainly have the opportunity."

"Thank you." The Captain deactivated the work station and leaned back in his seat, gently massaging his forehead with the fingers on his right hand. You're going to have to confront them again, his subconscious thoughts persistently reminded him. If Tolian Soran is allowed to complete his plan, all of history will be permanently altered forever. And if you make even ONE simple mistake…

Assimilation.

Ducane's train of thought was interrupted by the light, electronic sound of the door chime. "Captain, it is Commander Frank Roberts," he heard the person on the other side of the door say. "At least for a brief time, I would very much like to speak with you."

"By all means then, come in." Ducane called out, pushing his rolling chair back away from the desk to allow himself a bit more breathing room. For now he had no more need for the work station.

The entrance door slid open and Frank Roberts entered slowly, his expression as calm and controlled as usual. "You are isolating yourself Captain," the former Starfleet Commander pointed out. "The Preservers allowed us the opportunity to form an experienced team. I suggest that you take full advantage of the talent around you, since any one of us, by ourselves, may prove to be fallible."

"Do Kirk and Picard have doubts about me?" asked Ducane. "Their reputations in Starfleet history have become legend. If they think I'm doing something wrong, then I'd appreciate knowing…"

"Both men have complete confidence in you."

The Captain remained unconvinced. "How can you be that certain?" he asked pointedly.

"Because they allowed me to talk to you," Roberts chuckled with mild amusement. "Trust me, if either individual felt that you were behaving improperly, they would have said something. I haven't ever been a Captain, but I have served under a few. You would be the first to know if they took issue with the decisions you are making."

There was a long silence as Ducane thought the matter over further. "We're going to have to confront Soran again," he observed. "Even if he does follow through on his threat to send the Borg after Earth, my duty is clear… I have no other choice in the matter."

Roberts nodded. "If that is the case, then why are you here? Shouldn't you be working with the rest of us to come up with a strategy that will take the Doctor by surprise?"

"No," decided the Relativity Captain, shaking his head back and forth negatively. "I need a few minutes to really think about this first. I need to get it clear in my head just which of us is the true villain in this matter. After what we just did, I'm not so sure any longer."

"Captain, you must not think…"

Ducane unexpectedly swiveled around in his seat to fully face Roberts. "Tolian Soran is defending his family," he pointed out. "Yes he is using time travel as the device to defend them, but that is what he swore to do when he married his wife. That is what a father does when his children are threatened. My ancestors on Earth didn't have directed, discharge weapons in their early days, but they still used what they had to keep their loved ones safe, even if all they had was a sharpened rock. What the Doctor is doing is not so very different than what those people did – he simply has another 'tool' at his disposal that people living in less advanced civilizations did not. Our Starfleet legalese might have us think that stopping him is the correct thing to do, but I have paused for a moment to think because I can definitely see matters from his perspective."

"Very well," relented Roberts suddenly, accepting the Captain's subtle invitation to analyze the situation in greater detail. "I have several pertinent questions for you. If your family were killed by the Borg, would you kill all of the inhabitants on another world in order to escape from the painful memories?"

"I would not," admitted Roberts.

"If your family were killed by the Borg, would you callously sacrifice the future lives of other sentient life forms in order to save them?"

"No."

"You also have time travel capabilities and use it as a tool, but primarily for observation and study." The android could see that he was beginning to successfully frame the issue in its proper perspective for the young Captain. "Dr. Soran wants his family back, but he doesn't care who else is hurt or killed in his efforts to restore them to the timeline. It is not wrong for him to want to prevent the tragedy that destroyed his loved ones and the El Aurian civilization, but it is wrong for him to callously disregard the safety of everyone else in the process. With Soran it has always been about him, about what he wants."

"I know," Ducane decided somewhat reluctantly. "At this point, however, I just can't see this situation unfolding in any way that doesn't end up creating a huge mess." He cast a fatigued smile in Roberts' direction. "You are so much like Data," he observed. "And yet, you are also so very different. I know that sounds like a cliché, but there is a noticeable difference between the two of you."

"Then perhaps you should be speaking with both of us."

Frank Roberts and Thomas Ducane whirled at the unexpected sound of the new voice. "Data." Roberts grinned in recognition, his emotion chip driving his electronically stimulated feelings with fresh new hope. "Where have you been?"

The isomorphic projection of Data appeared as real and near perfect as always. He was standing next to Ducane's bed, but took a few seconds to seat himself along its edge very near to the spot that the Captain had chosen earlier. "I have been extremely busy," he responded. "Exploring options can get extremely complicated while searching through the combined subspace archives of hundreds of thousands of races. I have discovered electronic archives stored within subspace that span countless millenia."

"Have you learned anything that can help us?" Roberts wondered curiously.

"Yes. I am exploring several alternatives as we speak. One in particular, if it pans out, would certainly do much to resolve the crisis with Doctor Soran."

"Go ahead. Let's hear your ideas," suggested Ducane.

Astonishingly, Data shook his head. "The Starfleet Protocol will not allow me to elaborate at this time. As you in the past, you will have to trust me."

"Data, until very recently you used to be the Captain of this Timeship," Ducane reminded him sternly. "Are you sincerely telling me that you're going to keep the crew aboard the Relativity completely in the dark about something this important?"

The projection of Data smirked slightly. "If you will remember, Captain Ducane, I did not always tell you everything even during the time I served as your superior officer."

"Yes, I know. This type of thing was just as maddening then," sighed Ducane with frustration.

"Do you still trust me?"

"Of course."

"Then proceed with your plans to approach Soran again. You have already interfaced the Relativity's main computer with subspace and used the Preserver network to successfully separate a Borg cube's vinculum communication from the greater Collective. Continue to learn how to use the resources as I have. Starfleet officials may protest when they read your logs, but there is too much at stake for them to offer any strong resistance to your research."

"As far as that subspace network of yours goes, I have learned that I am strictly a rank amateur," noted Ducane with a fatigued sigh. "I tinkered with it a little bit, but it was Commander Roberts who managed to establish the jamming network." For the first time in a while he chuckled. "I'll bet the Borg were pretty astonished when they went to warp and failed to escape from it. That will have even their hive mind scratching its Collective head for awhile."

"Use caution," Data warned the two men. "The Borg must not suspect that a subspace network exists. If they discover even a single clue to its existence, they will relentlessly pursue its location. Their infiltration of those resources would also greatly alter the future."

Ducane nodded with understanding. "In all sorts of ways," he mused. "I'm going to come up with a new strategy and go after Soran again. So if you need anything from us, you'll have to review that plan and submit any changes before we confront him a second time."

"All I need from you is a 48 hour wait," countered Data. "If the option I have already set in motion completes successfully, you will then discover that your task has grown significantly easier."

"What are you going to do?" The Captain didn't need to see any emotion on Data's face. "I know… I know," he growled, throwing up his hands in frustration. "You can't tell us."

The two androids watched him silently for a moment, and Ducane began to grow uncomfortable. "Wait 48 hours," Data suggested. "After that, go after Soran with everything you have. I will support anything you choose to do."

"And his threat to send the Borg after Earth?"

"Follow your instincts Thomas Ducane. They will not fail you, nor will I."

As quickly as he appeared, the image of Data faded away.