Chapter Twelve

Setask couldn't pinpoint why, but when Starbase 21 came into view, a panic rose up in her chest. Maybe it was the impending doom they would face soon after their drop-and-go. This wasn't a routine mission. To everyone on the station, the USS Prometheus was a new name, one they'd never heard of before. One they couldn't fathom the mission it would be on, having all the advanced technology on it.

Setask was sure that Prometheus wouldn't become a ship Starfleet could be proud of. This ship wouldn't be one that was celebrated 10 years down the road, let alone remembered for thousands of years. That was any one of the Enterprise, or Voyager. But certainly not Prometheus.

If anything, it would become known as the sad little ship that Starfleet gave a momentous job to, but a job that couldn't be done. The odds were just too great. Down the road, Prometheus would be the word of caution.

When they tried to raise another effort in the future to destroy the Borg, the largest against argument would be Prometheus.

Setask could hear it all now. As soon as everyone on board was signed up, their fates were sold to the cold hearted machine that roved around, collecting every twig and leaf and bug in the universe.

She was snatched out of her reverie when Thiri placed a strong hand on her shoulder.

"We're almost there, captain." Thiri grinned.

"Yes. Almost there. Progress?"

"Only 1,798 more Borg to load on the other ship." Thiri replied, not missing a beat.

"Good. It is high time we were under way. We have much to do." Setask pulled out of Thiri's gentle but firm grip to sit in the captain's seat. She plucked up the padd and reviewed the weekly reports from all stations on board. Most everything was ship shape. Literally. She double tapped a few stations, stations she we go down to and work with to finish/help/double check. That just added to the loads of stuff she already had to do.

They had already been docked at the station for 7 hours. Most of the crew had taken a sort of shore leave to relax and unwind before their ultimate destruction. But Setask knew most of the crew just saw it as another assignment. The younger ones were ecstatic about the new adventure. The veterans were weary but expectant.

Nobody but herself seemed to expect to die on this mission.

But the scariest thing to Setask was not the actual dying, but rather that she didn't feel anything when she thought about just not being. The ultimate end did not prompt any emotions. Her being Vulcan did not explain this, or make it logical. Because even the most reserved felt something upon the eve of their demise.

"Do you fear your death?" Setask whispered. Thiri over-heard her, and sat down in his place next to her.

"Often. It is not bad to feel afraid of death. Everyone is, no matter how far away the end really is. It just depends on how much you think about it, and the circumstances of the event that make it worse." Thiri replied. "It is our fear of after that makes us wary of this event. But who says after is going to be unpleasant?"

"I was not asking anyone in particular, rather I was asking existence itself." Setask chided wryly. "You should learn what is for you, and what is for oneself."

Thiri looked rather hurt, and Setask felt a wave of guilt wash over her. What was her problem? She had meditated regularly rather than do other basic things such as sleep and eat to avoid this very problem. Her internal clock could not have set off an alarm already.

She pushed the strange feelings away as she stood, turning her attention to the large face on the view screen. The face of the friendly Talaxian that was going to take the Borg back to Mars greeted her. "Loading is finished captain. I am going to wish you luck, but I do so doubt that you will need it."

"Thank you, agent." Setask replied. "Your kindness is much welcome, and needed."

"Any time." The Talaxian replied. "A friendly face is always a nice sight for sore eyes."

"Indeed." Setask replied. She signaled Lillian to begin the launch sequence.

"Be careful captain."

"Of course."

"Live long and prosper."

The communication cut off before she could respond. Those words made her heart skip a beat. Those were the last words her parents had said to her before she set off for this mission.

She hadn't got to respond to them, either.