Storm Shadows – Attunement:
A Star Trek Next Generation/Deep Space Nine Crossover
Chapter 11:
Not long after, on the edge of the Delta Quadrant...
Like a page from a autonomous tech manual... The backup communications have very recently got switched on: Thirty seconds after all the lights in the Borg Homeworld came back on, by interfacing with backup systems by assimilation tubules and switching force field emergency power to them.
With all the still active force fields on the surface, emergency power is in spades.
But, with the new hails, concerns among the EMH Doctor's resistance are pushed to the side for caution. And, with most everyone else up in orbit so focused on repairs and the like...they're the only ones with capable systems on hand to respond at the moment.
From the other end of one hail... There's the USS Teros: A galaxy class starship.
The Bridge is with a dark red floor. The Bajoran crest is on a clear white orb decorated dark gray wall. A crest with half a black oval lined in bright yellow, blue around a silvery letter A, and red around a silvery letter B is on another.
Alpha and Gamma Quadrant Jem'Hadar are standing by most of the stations, without tubes by their necks. Some uneasy looking Bajorans are at some.
The Julian Bashir of this starship is standing between the rung lined dark gray pillars, before his Captain's chair. A somewhat small scar is down the right side of his face, and his hair is kind of unkempt.
Kind of nervous but kind of cheerful sounding... Captain Bashir greets, "hello."
The EMH Doctor responds just as nervously, "hello."
Captain Bashir concludes warily, "if I'm not mistaken, you seem to be a Borg EMH. Are you a friend or a enemy?"
A little uneasy by the association... The EMH Doctor gets to the point, "on the contrary. We're a Maquis crew, who have freed ourselves from the Borg: With my help, of course. It's a long story. But, after a brief struggle, it appears we've taken over this Homeworld. See for yourself."
He and Hannah Bates relay information, from his modified mobile emitter and her Borg assimilation tubules in a side Borg panel.
Captain Bashir is going over the information super quick, looking down it.
Captain Bashir says, "ah. I see. My apologies. Also...my condolences on our mutual friend Jack in your universe."
The EMH Doctor concludes firmly, "no need to apologize, Captain. Still, thank you." Captain Bashir adds, "you're welcome."
The EMH Doctor questions warily, "so... About the Jem'Hadar on your vessel?"
With a faint smile, Captain Bashir reasons, "fair enough. See for yourself, Doctor. We're transmitting the information to you now."
The EMH Doctor begins to go over the information super quick on the side of the Borg viewscreen, while still facing Captain Bashir. The planets Betazed, Bajor, and Cardassia come up as destroyed on the reports.
Teary eyed, he solemnly says, "I see. My condolences on the worlds you lost in your universe."
Captain Bashir grimly figures, "thank you, Doctor. But, we can compare histories later. As far as I understand it, all three of the Borg Homeworlds here are abandoned. I can't explain why. But, that's not our immediate concerns. The multiverse is at risk of being destroyed by a prototype warp engine of some kind. And, for free Jem'Hadar and humans alike...I think I speak for all of us when I say we'd like to survive and partake in desires in good faith in the universes we call home."
The EMH Doctor concludes sympathetically, "easier said than done. But, thank you." Captain Bashir adds, "you're welcome."
The EMH Doctor deduces grimly, "the Borg and temporal distortions are everywhere in this galaxy. And, the Pah-wraiths don't seem to be helping. But, we can always use another doctor."
Captain Bashir faintly smiles, "I'd be happy to help."
After another thank you, the EMH Doctor ends the transmission.
He then answers another hail. It's priority two. But, it's flashing a lot in grayish green on the corner of the crude Borg viewscreen.
On the other end of the hail... There's a USS Enterprise E's Bridge. It's barely held together by bluish force fields around the burnt down bulkheads.
Most of the consoles have gone to ash. But, Borg panel circuitry and half exposed black radial force compensator rods line the burnt very compact rung styled bulkheads on the sides of the Bridge.
A metaphasic projection matrix for the metaphasic shielding is on the tactical console: Under a glass bluish white upper panel with a white reddish lit silvery rim.
There's a special mostly plastic wheel like mostly light gray ventilation unit to ensure solar radiation is pushed away from the environmental systems and doesn't break in. Past the unit is a clear blue rod against mostly black.
There's also a polarized field emitter coil: Crowbar like with its double set of tube shapes, dark gray, and mostly wrapped around the ventilation unit.
And like the ventilation system... One person is in the helm control chair: Teary eyed, reddish with weariness...and looking like a plastic wheel crushed before the hands of darkness struggling to get back the shape.
She has a mostly dark red uniform, torn all over from wear and tear. She is Deanna Troi: One from a alternate time not so far off altogether, but alternate and darker nevertheless.
Desperately, she mutters lowly, "no mother. Mr. Trical... No! Please... Sniffle! Please stop."
To her Enterprise E... The EMH Doctor checks worriedly, "Commander Troi? Does this Mr. Trical need medical assistance?"
Darkened Deanna Troi nervously calls out, "stop chasing him. For the six hundredth time, mother, he's a assimilated voice in a Borg Cu...! Mother! I'm not a child any more. I can...! Moderate sigh. Sniffle. I'm sorry. I'd also really like Will to be here. It's ok. I'll leave you alone to your thoughts."
The EMH Doctor just has to ask, "sorry if I'm intruding. But...are you not alone?"
Darkened Deanna Troi moderately sighs.
After a bit... She explains, "sniffle. No. I'm sorry. It's just... I've been hiding in the stars for so long: Avoiding Borg as much as possible, firing at the ones I can't avoid. Sniffle! Hearing their voices in this ship...and people I knew that were assimilated."
She sobs.
She wipes her eyes. She then goes on, "I didn't used to be alone. But sometimes... Sniffle. I can still hear them: Echoing in my mind. Millions of people. Even Sela. Sniffle! Often times, it's painful. But, I can't stop the pain. I can only move on."
Sadly, the EMH Doctor concludes, "I'm sorry. This part of space must seem frightening to you."
Darkened Deanna Troi interestingly faintly smiles.
She adds, "well, it was: Until you and your people destroyed the Borg Probes over these Borg Homeworlds, and I brought the ship out of the nearest star." With some lingering unease, the EMH Doctor admits, "you're not the only one that thought so."
Darkened Deanna Troi takes a deep breath.
She then concludes, "thank you. But... Faint sniffle. I think I'll be all right now. If there's anything I can do for you..."
The EMH Doctor figures hesitantly, "well, if you're sure you'll be all right... We can always use more help against the Borg. We lost contact with most of our fleet. We don't even know where they might be."
With lingering nervousness, Darkened Deanna Troi says, "that can frighten anyone. In any case, you have our... I mean, my condolences."
The EMH Doctor solemnly says, "thank you."
In spite of her weariness... Darkened Deanna Troi firmly nods, "sure. And, yes. I'll be all right and ready for duty: When we all will."
More light sounding, the EMH Doctor decides, "very well. I'll let you know when that time comes."
Darkened Deanna Troi concludes solemnly, "thank you, Doctor."
She ends the transmission.
Around then, on another channel... The USS Daystrom has hailed the EMH Doctor's resistance: Galaxy class.
The Bridge is yellow rimmed. The consoles are red lined. And, even though Hugh himself isn't on board...several members of Hugh's resistance are at the stations: Interfacing with the panels to run them.
A handful of uneasy and not so uneasy human Starfleet officers are at stations also.
A Geordi La Forge is sitting in the very dark gray chair, wearing a mostly dark red uniform and a green light lit Borg targeting light over his visor. His visor was enhanced with Borg tech: Courtesy of the Hugh of his universe.
Captain Geordi La Forge concludes, "we'll see what we can do to help, Lieutenant Bates. But, are you aware of these temporal distortions showing up on our sensor readings? The sensors relays seem to have taken quite a beating down there."
Still fairly shaken... Hannah Bates concludes, "we know they're out there. Unfortunately. But, we're glad you can help us."
Captain Geordi La Forge solemnly says, "of course. We'll remain in a standard orbit, continuing scans of the temporal distortions. Maybe we can find a way to seal them and get everybody back to their respective universes before it all gets worse. That is, unless you have something else you'd like to recommend."
Not so lightly, Hannah Bates comments, "I doubt it can get any worse than having nowhere in time and space to evacuate to."
Captain Geordi La Forge apologizes, "sorry. I knew it was serious: I just didn't know how serious."
Hannah Bates insists more lightly, "it's all right. Well, not really: Given what we're looking at with this damn reality crisis. But, thanks." Captain Geordi La Forge mostly assures, "it's ok."
With plenty of mixed feelings, Hannah Bates concludes, "faint chuckle. Thanks. We already have the best people we have on our side of time and space working on finding a way to seal it. But, if we found you on our sensors earlier, I'm sure we would have been glad to include you."
She's fondly thinking back to the Geordi La Forge of this universe: Who was lost on a mission against the Borg...before the Borg assimilated her and the EMH Doctor's resistance rescued her.
With a wave of his hand, Captain Geordi La Forge insists, "thanks. But, no hard feelings. I understand."
Hannah Bates faintly smiles. She says, "thanks. However..."
Looking a little more hopeful... Captain Geordi La Forge asks, "yes?"
Hannah Bates suggests, "there's quadrillions of data in these Borg worlds: Possibly dating back to before Stardate quantum physics were introduced. The Doctor was able to access a few holo-parameters. But, it wasn't much compared to the information stored in this collective database. Normally, it would take weeks just for us to decrypt it all. We've never seen a Borg code like this. But, perhaps you and your crew can help us get through the quadrillions."
Captain Geordi La Forge says, "that's a good idea. We're at least going to need three hours. But, we'll get right on it."
Awkwardly, Hannah Bates is quick to point out, "well... Unfortunately, we might not have that long. May be only one hour or two hours. The technology down here looks to be centuries out of date with the Borg we know. Maybe you can search the database for anything about their earliest encounters. It could turn up something of use we can use to fight the Borg."
Captain Geordi La Forge decides, "ok. Sounds good. I'll have a report ready for your resistance team by 1300 hours. Captain La Forge out."
He ends the transmission.
Teary eyed, Hannah Bates reflects to herself, "I hope not. Not again. Not with him...and not with all of us."
Meanwhile, on Kes's Olympic Class vessel...
Past the previously only glanced at mostly dark blue Bridge... Past its bright whitish yellow lined desert brown bulkheads to the sides and ceiling... Silvery blue coolant pack like environmental systems line the mostly dark gray and blue Backgammon styled corridors.
With Astrometrics, there's light brown walls and dark red lined panels.
There's no side consoles. But, in the center, there's a ring shaped picnic table styled dark gray console with four access panels: One for each chair.
Cass and Four are sitting kind of nervously on one side. They have their mostly silvery type 7 phase discriminators on black armbands on their right arms. Kes is on the other side of the console.
Kind of skeptical, Cass concludes, "you know, there's something I still don't get. If you can go down subspace halls and blend up particle slime, can't you just travel back in time and stop all the universes from being at risk of being destroyed to begin with?"
Kind of shaken by the whole thing herself... Kes tries to speak her mind, "if I could, we wouldn't be talking right now. We would be back, safe in our universes."
Four glares at her. She questions sharply, "what possible assessment could you have that our universe is safe?"
Cass looks tired. And, she doesn't add something as quick as she might have.
Before Cass can say something...Kes says it first.
She apologizes, "sorry. What I meant was it'd be safer. We all know the Borg's Environmental Probes are close to manipulating the multiverse to their will."
Sounding a little better, Four solemnly concludes, "perhaps."
Cass impatiently goes, "then let's find out how to save them all: Now."
She stands up abruptly, with her fists clinking against the table.
Kes nervously tries to assure, "Cass. Please relax. We're trying. It's why we're here on my ship."
Looking a little red in the face... Cass says apologetically, "sorry. But, for how long? We need to find a way."
She sits back down. She's rubbing her eyes, trying to stay awake.
Four is looking a little tired and restless herself. She reasons, "a army on a single sleep cycle would be efficient. It would at least have us with clearer heads."
With a faint smile, Kes concludes more hopefully, "all right. I can't without destroying the multiverse. But you can, Cass."
Without much second thoughts, Cass figures, "I'd like to. But, you sure?"
Kes explains, "yes. You created a temporary barrier in time when time and space began to come unraveled. But, only you can reenter it without harm. After that, the barrier will reach its threshold. So, you'll only get to do it once."
Cass figures, "faint chuckle. Weird. But, ok."
She stands up again, getting ready to send herself through.
Kes insists assuringly, "it's ok. My subatomic particle calculations say there's a ninety nine percent chance you'll be fine." Cass faintly smiles back, "thanks."
Four is fairly assured by those numbers. She faintly smiles over that.
Still... Four just has to double check, "are you going to be fine? We know what happened the last time you attempted..."
With a slight wave of her hand, Cass partially assures, "I'll be fine. But...thank you."
Four faintly nods. She adds, "you are welcome."
In a flash of light bluish light, Cass transports herself away. But, during self transport, she's briefly seen injecting herself with one of her hypospray dosages.
In seconds...
With blurry eyes... She becomes shot out of subspace like a quantum torpedo...against a bright rainfall falling up of dark blue lightning subspace distortions.
Cass reaches out for one of the ripples: With her extended hand nervously reaching back out to her, amidst the fractured possibilities by the past Cass and Four.
In a flash of light bluish light... Everything in recent hours seems to fast forward.
Cass falling unconscious before Orrak with his phaser, waking up in the USS Defiant's Sick Bay with Doctor Bashir checking on her, realizing Lore's presence, the damage to the space-time continuum presented by Q in his own Federation council chambers before Maquis and their mostly uneasy and unsure allies, Cass and Four sitting by one another while the fleet goes down the cream like dark yellow blue tinted subspace undercurrent... It all plays again in Cass's mind.
But, even as it does... She faintly smiles to herself in a golden bluish glow of replenished energy.
For, she realizes she's not falling asleep...or falling unconscious this time around.
A golden bluish glow washes over the hours.
The Past Chakotay, Seven, Tyrik, Endri, the Past Kathryn... Even Four wakes up.
And, as the EMH Doctor's resistance's Borg Sphere explodes into flaming pieces... Tyrik and Endri quickly beam themselves down in time: With help from Tyrik forcibly opening up and rewiring a Borg alcove.
Presently...
In another flash of light bluish light... Cass appears on one of the other Borg Homeworlds.
She sees Kes's ship right above her: Appearing through a subspace corridor. She sees the USS Voyager, Captain Picard's Captain's Yacht, and the USS Excalibur in orbit, along with several Galaxy Class starships further out.
She looks a little relieved. But, she also looks very confused as to how she'd end up here.
But, then... As Cass cautiously walks down some of the very dark blue rustic metal frames... She faintly smiles.
She sees Tyrik and Endri in one of the containment chambers: Alert and behind a force field.
Tyrik has a phaser ready. Endri is at one of the crude Borg viewscreens, trying to make sense of the dark green Borg half number scribbles coming up on the screen.
Cass sits down by the force field.
She's wondering what she'd even say to them: Whispering nervously to herself so as to not be heard. But, she forgets that Endri is Betazoid.
Endri pauses at the console.
Sounding surprisingly calm, Tyrik asks, "are we in evident danger?"
Endri says nervously, "I do not really know. But, we will. Lower the force field."
While holding out the phaser, Tyrik presses a few buttons on a Borg alcove.
What's worse is there's something else that Cass briefly sees on the viewscreen.
It's of the moon from her vision...right next to the rock faces the Borg Homeworlds used to be. And, the nervousness over it all floods through her.
By way of telepathy... Kes checks with concern, "Cass? Are you all right?"
Starting to get teary eyed... Cass thinks back, "I'm just fine, Kes. But, if those files are what I think they are...then this has all been one big reality circle on a broken road."