Chapter 9 Staging Grounds
"Enterprise this is the U.S.S. Coltrane. We have entered system J-361 after picking up the faint magnetic resonance signatures indicated by the data retrieved from the Borg nexus. Sensors have identified what appears to be a Borg detection array positioned at the edge of a ringed planetary system. The magnetic resonance signatures are growing markedly stronger. This may be the staging grounds we've been looking for. We'll continue our reconnaissance while we wait for your arrival. One more thing Enterprise, despite the emplacements, we've yet to detect the presence of any Borg ships."
"Understood Coltrane. The Enterprise is putting in a course for J-361 along with our nearest support vessels. Stay out of the range of Borg detection. If this is where the Borg have been massing we don't want to alert them to our presence until more Federation reinforcements arrive."Replied Picard
The Enterprise, another Sovereign, a Galaxy, an Aegean and a pair of Defiants entered the system behind the Coltrane. The small fleet carefully moved around as detection arrays were everywhere. There was a cerulean nebula at the 'south-west' corner of Picard's display. He ordered his ships into it as it disabled weapons and shields. The Borg might find them by they couldn't destroy them. The Coltrane bolted out of the nebula scanned the area intensely then darted back into the nebula to avoid the Borg ships that scrambled after it.
Picard reviewed the report.
"Several assembly and advanced assembly matrices, a number of defense turrets, a couple of mining operations and several dozen ships. This is going to be a tough nut to crack number one. Send this information to Admiral Ross. Now we wait for Federation reinforcements." He said
"Yes sir." Replied Riker
It took nine hours of waiting but they finally came, an immensely large fleet. Defiants, Sabers, Akiras, Intrepids, Steamrunners, Galaxies, Sovereigns, Aegeans, even a couple of Iwo-Jima classes and a pair of repair ships as well. Three Nebula class ships brought up the rear, these ships were armed with shield disruptors. Picard ordered the construction ships to build a base at the center 'north' portion of his system map. The Federation base quickly expanded to allow access to all special weapons for all ships. Even a Temporal Research station was constructed. Picard ordered the station to generate a stasis field over the majority of the Borg base just as the fleet began its attack allowing maximum time to destroy as many Borg ships and stations as they could.
Pulse phasers, standard phasers, photon, quantum and a few tricobalt torpedoes all mixed with each other in a dazzling light show. Shield disruptors hastened the destruction of several stations and ships. A dozen chain reaction pulsars bounced between targets destroying three ships. Eventually the fleet moved on and destroyed edges of the base.
"We've done what we can here. The Borg staging grounds are destroyed and the Borg themselves appear to be outmatched. Without the forces to stand our ground the survival of our fleet is my biggest concern. I want all ships to regroup at this extraction point." Picard said marking a location just 'east' of the main base.
As the fleet moved to regroup a large fleet of Borg ships came at them as well. In the middle of the battle a smaller fleet of species 8472 ships attacked mainly the Borg but took shots at the Federation as well. Eventually all friendly ships were able to escape the system…