Disclaimer: The characters of the Four Orders are entirely my own. The characters and universe of Star Trek belong to Paramount Pictures but the words are mine.
AU/DS9: It has been years since everyone left – Benjamin, Worf, O'Brien, Nog, Julian and Odo. But then why Kira kept dreaming of them being together? And most disturbingly she kept seeing Jadzia, an old man, and a young commander playing tongo.
Old Friends never leave: Part X
Colonel Nerys just finished her shift and left the control room. The turbo lift stopped at the promenade and she bumped into Commander Tucker.
"I'm so sorry." Nerys said apologetically.
"It is alright." Commander Tucker cracked a smile. "It happens to all."
"My mind was somewhere else."
"Ah, the events of last month, I'd wager."
"No, but that too," Nerys said. Truthfully the dream occupied her mind. She had started seeing them all again. Will she ever get to the bottom of it? Will she ever find peace or will peace find her? Bajorans do not have such vivid dreams and even those that did the dreams were considered visions.
"Good day to you, Colonel," Commander Tucker said and promptly moved into the turbo lift.
"Ah, good day," But the commander was already gone. At the very least, the dream was unfolding and the pieces were on the move. She started wondering if the old man would not be next.
Nerys thrust head. One of these days she would have her answer but until then she just wanted to relax. Quark's was the closest thing to it though it packed as usual. There was something in the ambiance that was captivating and oddly relaxing.
She ordered her usual and just sat and observed. People liked playing Dabo. They enjoyed their victories and sour losses just the same. Quark's waiters with trays in hand mingled among them. Raising her eyes to the second floor where couples sat together enjoying a drink and the company. Yes, it was just a normal day in Quark's.
She failed though to see the man sitting in a dark corner observing her. He had been there since she returned from the strange planet in the Gamma Quadrant. Of course even if she looked in that direction she would not see him. He did not want her to see him. It was not time yet though her journey was close to its end.
Nerys stayed late. She did not feel like sleeping. In truth she was afraid of the dream. For her this was becoming a nightmare and one she could not get rid of. Sadly, the body had its requirements too and so she was fast asleep.
The first thing that woke her up the next morning was the sound of the general alarm. A slight annoyance crawled at first into her mind. If this was a drill someone was going to lose a head but then a slight tinge – her gut feeling told her otherwise.
She reached for com badge. "This is Colonel Nerys. What is going on?"
"Colonel, sensors picked up four transwarp corridors ten million kilometers away at coördinates seven four two by six one six by three nine zero."
"Transwarp?" She repeated sleepily and then the information announced caught up with her – transwarp. There was only one race that used transwarp corridors – the Borg. "Have any ships appeared?"
"Not yet,"
"Lieutenant Mays," Another voice joined the conversation. "Sensors are picking up sixteen Borg vessels emerging from the apertures."
"I'll be right up!" Nerys said. She dressed quickly and left her quarters.
Reaching the control level, she saw only panic in the Starfleet and the Bajoran officers. At any given point they had dealt with one maybe two Borg ships at a time. Sixteen ships were however a different story.
"Colonel Nerys," Lieutenant Mays, the Starfleet third in command, came to her. "The Borg vessels, they are coming. Their heading is us."
"Alright, calm down," Nerys said raising hands. The officer showed signs of listening to her, which was a good sign. "Have the Defiant and the Ardent ready for combat, raise the shields around the habitat and carry out evacuation procedures for the civilians."
"Yes, Colonel," Lieutenant Mays said.
"Tell all of them to pack light," Nerys added and went to the console housing the sensors.
"Colonel, I have the Nebraska online too. They are requesting to speak with you."
"Put them on!"
The screen activated and Captain Matsuma appeared.
"Colonel, good morning,"
"Captain,"
"I had a feeling the Borg might be responsible for the Deliver and come to finish the job!"
Nerys shook head. "I don't think it is the Borg. They rarely leave anyone without assimilating them or destroying them."
"True but in the past the Borg had proven their tactics can change."
"No, I think they like their methods. Those will not change."
"Anyway, they are here."
"Speaking of which something is wrong."
"How so?"
"They are taking their time coming to us."
Nerys was not wrong. The Borg ships should have already reached the station but instead they travelled with an eighth of their usual speed and this was unusual. If Nerys did not know better she would say they were being cautious. It was like they were giving them the necessary time to fully evacuate the station. Something was definitely not right here.
"Have they scanned us?" Nerys asked.
"No," Lieutenant Mays replied.
Nerys was pensive. Something did not add up here. This was most unusual Borg behavior. And it became even more unusual when the Borg ships stopped at a distance of sixteen thousand kilometers and just stood there.
"What are they doing?"
"Nothing, Colonel, they are just…standing still."
"Contact the Ardent," Nerys ordered.
Commander Tucker filled in the screen. "Colonel,"
"Are the Borg defenses up?"
Commander Tucker moved away to check and returned. "No,"
"What are they waiting for?"
"I wish I knew." Commander Tucker replied. He was also displaying signs of perplexity.
Half an hour passed and still the Borg did not show any signs of their intentions. Suddenly the wormhole came to life.
"Something is coming through."
"Define something?"
"It could be a ship but the sensors are having trouble determining what it is."
"What?" Nerys exclaimed. She moved to the sensors' console. Lieutenant Mays was not wrong. The sensors have detected a general shape of the incoming object but there was interference preventing them from making a proper identification.
Nerys turned her eyes to the screen. Out of the mouth of the wormhole the object emerged and everyone understood the trouble the sensors were having. It was not something one sees every day. The shape of the ship was definitely not part of the database. It had an iceberg form.
The awe of the strange ship passed quickly as the Borg ships came to life. They moved to intercept it. Sensors indicated the Borg weapons have come online. It was now clear their target was this ship. How they knew it was going to come here was anyone's guess.
The Borg opened fire as soon as the iceberg ship was in range. Their powerful phasers however inflicted minimal damage. The moment the iceberg vessel replied however the sensors identified it as something familiar.
"Sensors identified the weapon signature." Lieutenant Mays reported. "It is the same as the one that attacked the Deliver."
"What?" Nerys exclaimed and came to verify but there was no mistake. It was the same weapons' signature. So it was this thing that attacked the Deliver and killed so many. Curiously, this revelation presented a dilemma and Nerys was certain she was not the only having the same thought.
They could not of course let the Borg get their hands on this ship and its technology. However do they just watch on the side how this battle unfolds or do they do something? But if they do, do they help the Borg or the intruder? The Borg ships are a constant threat to anyone but the intruder did attack one of theirs for no clear reason.
While Nerys pondered their next move it became clear that though having superiority in numbers, the Borg ships were unable to take down this unknown enemy. In fact, the intruder has already taken down four Borg ships, and the fifth and the sixth followed soon after.
"Colonel, more transwarp corridors opening at six nine zero, three six nine four," Lieutenant Mays announced.
"How many more?"
"Ten, no, correction, twelve, no, fourteen…" Lieutenant Mays said trying to keep up with increasing numbers of transwarp corridors.
Sensors clearly showed the presence of twenty-four extra Borg ships. They joined the battle hoping to balance the scale. Their scanning rays unfortunately achieved nothing as the moment they reached the intruder's surface the rays dispersed. So it was only Federation technology that was having trouble with the ship, Borg technology was having the same problem.
"Colonel, what do we do?" Lieutenant Mays asked.
But Nerys did not know what to reply. If the Borg with overwhelming numbers could not take down this enemy then what would they do. And they punched the enemy ship with powerful beams and still achieved nothing. The damn iceberg was intact.
Things got a lot worse when another iceberg ship appeared out of nowhere. The sensors only registered it when it came close. It was the same size and punched the same firepower. Eight more Borg ships joined the others in oblivion.
Nerys was at a loss what to do. The sudden loss of balance brought her on her knees. One of the iceberg ships fired at them and their entire defense grid fell. Sparks filled the control room and alerts flashed. The structural integrity of the station was compromised. And then completely uninvited the dream returned to her.
Nerys saw a hand before her. She took it and looked up, and froze. She couldn't believe her eyes.
"Nerys, you and you alone hold the key to solving the current situation. Call his name! Call his name…" The voice faded away and the shape of the person before her lost coherence but she was up on her feet. "Call his name! Call his name…"
"His name…" Nerys repeated. "I don't know his name. Help me…help me…dammit Benjamin…give me something…"
"Colonel, are you alright?"
Nerys looked up. She was still on her knees and hovering around her was Lieutenant Mays. He looked concerned.
"Yes, I'm fine." Nerys replied sharply. Apparently she had talked to the air again. It was getting frustrating. "Damage report?"
"We lost all defenses. The power couplings overloaded. Structural integrity is down to seventy-six percent…"
"Weapons? Nerys asked standing up.
"They are down as well. Venting atmosphere on several of the lower decks, the emergency force fields are in place."
"What did they hit us with?"
"It was a single blast but it was widely spread. I have never seen a beam like this one."
"There is a first time for everything I guess." Nerys said. Their situation was not good. The Borg situation was not good either. Their numbers have decreased as well. They were down to four ships.
"More transwarp corridors opening,"
"Where?"
"Right on top of us," Lieutenant Mays replied.
"How many are there?"
"Well, wow!" Lieutenant Mays couldn't help but exclaim. He did not need to say anything. The sensors and the view screen said it all. An armada of Borg ships emerged. They ignored the station and headed straight for the enemy ships and soon engaged them.
Just as everyone thought it could not get any worse they were proven wrong. Six more iceberg vessels emerged from the wormhole. The battle got uglier but the Borg ships were losing ground quickly. Their ships were powerful but the enemy ships were more powerful though the Borg kept sending more and more reinforcements.
"I think it is time for us to vacate the area." Captain Matsuma said over the com. "Abandon the station, Colonel. There is no other choice now."
"We can't just leave."
"Colonel, a single shot of these monstrosities took out all of your defenses. The Borg can't stop them. We have to regroup. The Defiant is out of commission too."
"I agree." Commander Tucker joined the conversation. "I will tow the Defiant but we have to leave. We are no match for this firepower without the support of Starfleet's armada."
"And my world?" Nerys asked.
"So far, the enemy ignores the planet below. They are more interested in blowing the Borg to bits." Commander Tucker said.
"But they did fire on us?"
"I would too." Commander Tucker said then seeing everyone's expression added. "Well, it is tactically sound. It doesn't matter whether we are a threat or not. You never leave your behind exposed."
"Right," Captain Matsuma said rolling her eyes. "Colonel,"
"Alright," Nerys ceded. "Lieutenant Mays, begin evacuation of all personnel." She was not fond of the idea to leave but sadly they could not take another shot. It will certainly destroy the station. And Commander Tucker was right so far the enemy was ignoring them. If they interfered any further this could change quickly.
In the times of the future, this engagement came to be known as DS9 Victorious where victory was secured in the most unorthodox way (but for this later). For now, everyone left the station. Nerys was last to leave. She was so to speak the captain of the boat and the captain always leaves last.
The last she saw before the Nebraska jumped to warp was more transwarp corridors opening around the station. The sensor sweep indicated the presence of one hundred Borg vessels furiously engaging the intruders' fleet.
And just a split second before the Nebraska jumped, she heard it again. "Call his name…"
To be continued…
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