Before the Bonaventure lay a sizeable rift in space some distance across, big enough to swallow a dozen such starships. From its centre, the green-pink vortex cascading intermittently with discharges of static electricity, came forth a shape unrecognizable to any of that time, but instantly obvious in its configuration and its intention. Resistance was about to be declared futile. And the space between the Borg sphere and the Federation starship that was its target seemed to grow, as if the Bonaventure were shrinking from the challenge. The starship's engines had reversed, and her defensive systems, incapable though they appeared to be, rose to meet the challenge of their would-be assailant.

"Octavia," Tw'eak said into her communicator. "I want you to beam Aewon back to the ship right now."

"Very well. Activating transporter."

"Once you've done that, pinpoint my location and beam over to join us."

Octavia hesitated over the comms link. "I have not prepared a uniform."

"What you look like won't matter - get over here." Tw'eak turned to Aurora. "You get down to shield control. As soon as that sphere opens fire, start modulating shield nutation."

"Right."

"Random patterns -keep them changing. You know the routine."

"Yep! I'll see if I can reroute some power, too." Aurora took a look at the mirror agents, still stunned on the floor. "What about them?"

"Don't know yet. We'll be fine for now."

"Okay." Aurora gave Tw'eak one last nod and sprinted towards the door.

"Do what you can." Still thinking of that letter she promised she wouldn't have to write, Tw'eak heard the transporter sound over her shoulder and turned to meet Octavia, who was wearing a black-and-grey standard duty officer. "Aewon's back safely?"

"He will monitor our progress. I asked him to replicate as many nanoprobe suppressants and immunity boosters as possible, in expectation of being boarded."

"Something tells me he'll discover there's a few cases of them onboard."

"Unfortunately, I had time to inventory the contents of the shuttle. None were available, although I did find a few field ration packs."

"What else did you find out about that shuttle?"

"Aside from the fact that it is clearly not standard Academy shuttlecraft?" Octavia smiled as she listed upon her fingers the proof she uncovered. "The shields are metaphasic in nature - the warp drive has a chroniton integration unit, enabling it to function as a timeship - the computer core utilizes a bio-infusion matrix which made my work in breaking its code far more difficult - and its armament includes micro-transphasic torpedoes and what appears to be a forward-facing phaser lance. It is conceivable that the lieutenant could single-handedly destroy the Borg cube."

"That'll be our worst-case scenario, then... if the Bonaventure can't stop them, the shuttle may have to." Tw'eak grimaced. "I don't know what will become of this vessel."

"Indeed." Octavia tilted her head to one side. "Presently the Borg crew are returning to normal functionality. It appears that the drones were placed in a state of inactivity, neither regenerating nor mobile, during the temporal transit."

"Must've been a bumpy ride."

"So it would appear. There is minor damage to the drive unit, and the hull appears to be weakened in several places. Regeneration is taking place."

"Then we should strike now while we still can."

Octavia took a step forward, checking the phaser control board. "Unlikely. I am not reading any energy presently being routed to weapons. Shields and engines are receiving priority, and a sensor scan is in process."

"They're curious." Tw'eak looked up at the display. "Never thought I'd be disappointed in Starfleet officers for doing what they're trained to do."

"We are gifted with an insight into the Borg which they will never have to understand."

"'Gifted'? I don't know if I'd call it that."

"I envy the crew of this vessel, if I may be honest. They have never known of the Collective until this moment."

"We should make a point of keeping it that way. Can you do something to dump their computer memory?"

Octavia moved to the other side of the phaser control console. "I may be able to create a cascading systems failure by commencing a multi-modal duotronic feedback loop. This would essentially cause the computer to dump all resident memory-"

"I don't need to know how you do it," Tw'eak said sharply. "I need it to happen."

"Of course." Surprised, Octavia turned her attention to the console.

Tw'eak recognized her tone and lowered her head. She pursed her lips and glanced up at Octavia. "I'm sorry."

"I understand. Your instinctive response is, like mine, for us to defend ourselves."

"No. My response is to want to destroy them."

"Also understandable."

"I know what they do to people and I've lost too many good people already to these bastards." She turned to her first officer. "I see what they've done to you, what you have to live with... the fact that you can't even show your face in this time period because of them-"

"I appreciate the sentiment, but-"

"And now here they are, and here we are, just waiting for them to cutting-beam us to ribbons and carry us all off as drones."

"The Borg are considering the possibility of ignoring the vessel and proceeding to-" Octavia tilted her head, seemingly stricken. "Admiral, I believe that I have ascertained the Borg's purpose in being here, now."

Tw'eak stepped towards her. "Which is?"

"They have orders to commence the assimilation of the Dewa system."

"Dewa? You mean mol'Rihan?"

"Not at the present time - the Romulans will still be on their intact homeworld at this moment. A Borg foothold here would prevent the future Romulans from turning Dewa III into their new homeworld."

"And it'd put them at the heart of Federation, Romulan and Klingon affairs for a long time to come."

"Precisely."

Tw'eak leaned back and forth between one foot and another, impatient. "Why aren't we firing upon them yet? We've got to stop them!"

"Shall I override the current energy setup and power up weapons?"

"Without an order from the bridge? They'd send security."

"That may be necessary regardless. At some point our visitors from the mirror universe will awaken."

"Maybe I better stun them again," Tw'eak mused, drawing her phaser.

"I don't think that will work. Besides which, they may prove useful."

"How so?"

"If we can persuade them that their only hope of survival is to help us stop the Borg cube, they can man the separate phaser bank consoles." Octavia gestured towards the open alcoves. "There is no hope of our survival with just the two of us at work."

"And if we don't get the response we're looking for?"

Octavia waited a moment before responding. "Then we must kill them, Admiral."

Tw'eak straightened up. "You're serious."

"They would surely do likewise if the situation were reversed."

"No, you're right. These people only respect strength. I may have to kill one of them in order to persuade the other." Tw'eak took a step over towards the man and woman from the mirror universe. "Let's see." She turned over the man, careful to keep her phaser at the ready. Despite a lengthy scar running down his cheek, the features were otherwise identical to those of Denver O'Leary, her former helmsman. But it was the other stunned figure who made her antennae stand sharply upwards with shock. "Octavia," Tw'eak said slowly, "come here."

"I will require a moment to-"

"Octavia," Tw'eak repeated. "Come here."

Octavia frowned slightly and completed her operation, then stepped to her commander's side. Looking down, she staggered slightly, then straightened her uniform tunic and cleared her throat. "I understand now why they refer to it as the mirror universe," she said placidly after a moment, looking at Tw'eak with unblinking astonishment.

Upon the ground, clad in a sparse and tight-fitting outfit, lay an unconscious ensign from the Terran Empire named Mallory Jermyn - Octavia's unassimilated counterpart from the mirror universe.

"Come on, wake up," Tw'eak said, shaking the woman from the mirror universe. She started to cough, then squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head. It was unnerving, for Tw'eak, to see her first officer and friend's face with a stronger colour, without the long tendrils of the ocular implant connecting to her eye socket. Her full head of hair was a distinct dark brown with a hint of reddish tint, tied back in a ponytail, unlike the green-black coiffure shorn to one side which Octavia sported. As for her counterpart, she was going from alcove to alcove, preparing the phaser stations and securing the overrides, ensuring that the mirror universe operatives would be unable to use their consoles to any negative or dangerous effect - they would simply push the buttons and make the phasers fire at targets Octavia selected.

Mallory opened her eyes. Seeing Tw'eak, she attempted to get up, but Tw'eak held her down. Mallory's strength failed her shortly after, and she sank against the bulkhead. "Who the hell are you?"

"That's not your concern."

Mallory reached for her dagger. The holster at her side was empty.

"Yeah, about that... we've already taken some precautions." Tw'eak looked down at her right hand, which held a phaser. "See?"

"Damned alien! So smug with your sense of power... the Empire will avenge me!"

"I'd watch my tone if I were you."

"You'd like that, wouldn't you?"

Tw'eak brandished her phaser, waving it back and forth as she said, "You don't want to know what I'd like right about now."

"I don't need a phaser to settle the likes of you." Mallory leaned forward, clearly still woozy from the effect of the heavy phaser stun.

"Oh, yes you would," Tw'eak replied softly. "Now, let's talk about you."

"I don't have to tell you anything."

"You already have... Mallory."

Mallory looked up sharply at Tw'eak. "I don't-" Her face sharpened and she nodded her head. "I didn't know your species was capable of telepathy."

"I'm just full of surprises. Now. Your mission."

"You think I'm going to just talk?"

"I'm not really giving you a choice. Besides, you clearly want to." Tw'eak shrugged. "You're so proud, I bet you thought this up all by yourself."

"I did, actually. Took me six years to get everything together to do this."

"To travel not just out of your own universe, but your own timeline as well. I'm impressed. I didn't think the Empire had the ability to time-travel."

"We don't. But the Klingons do. All we did was put it to its proper use."

"To do what? Steal this ship? It can't be worth that much to you."

Mallory shook her head. "Typical, ignorant alien. Thinking we're after this ship. Why would we bother? What we seek is technology. What we seek... they have to offer." She looked vaguely in a forward direction, towards the Borg sphere.

Tw'eak gave Mallory a confused look. "You're serious."

"You've only faced a squad of my men. My dreadnought is standing by in the nebula, waiting for my signal. We knew this ship would meet them. All we had to do was make sure they would strike."

"Which is why you're in phaser control. You open fire on that Borg sphere out there and it assimilates this ship."

"Who cares? It's just a means to an end. We'll beam out as soon as its shields are down anyway and carry on our work. None of us will come to any harm. And we'll take that ship back to the Empire as a prize of war!" Mallory's strength was clearly returning, as she pointed upwards, her voice ferocious in its intensity.

To her left, Denver O'Leary started moving, shaking his head and pushing up off the floor. "Oh, hell..." He straightened up, then his arms gave out and he rolled over onto his back.

Mallory turned her full fury upon O'Leary. "Get up, you fool! It'll be a day in the agony booth if you don't!"

O'Leary rocked slightly, then blinked repeatedly before seemingly falling back under the effect of the stun. Mallory gave him a kick, then another, with no real effect.

"There is no way your plan will work."

"Of course it will! I have a crew of twenty-seven hundred at my command. We are more than strong enough." Mallory reveled in her perceived strength.

"I don't think- have you ever faced the Borg before?" Tw'eak's face hardened. "Like, do you even have Borg back where you're from?"

"Not as yet - but I assure you that we won't have the same sorts of problems your idiot Starfleet encountered."

Tw'eak nodded, then thought to herself. "Octavia," she called, "would you mind joining us for a moment?"

Hesitant shuffling behind Tw'eak gave the impression of reluctance. From Phaser #3 stepped a woman who, once in her own universe, had been Lieutenant Mallory Jermyn. She stood now beside her admiral, and her mirror-universe counterpart, and her facial expression registered anxiety.

Mallory stood up and faced Octavia, stepping once with a careful look at Tw'eak and her phaser. "It can't be." She looked at Octavia, who stared backwards at herself. "You're... you're..."

"Of course," Octavia replied, her voice quavering.

"But you- why do you have-?"

"I was Borg." She brushed her hair aside, revealing the true extent of her cybernetic modification and the ocular implant. "For many years, I was a drone in the Collective."

"And it was a fate worse than death," Tw'eak added. "She no longer remembers her childhood - your childhood was no doubt similar. In fact, extensive re-writing of her brain's processing ability means she no longer holds any memories of a world without her Borg identity. This is why we call her Eight of Twelve."

"Impossible. We were led to believe-" Mallory trailed off. "They did this to you?"

"I was assimilated. I lost every sense of who I was. The majority of my personality - one which, in some small part, you might share - has been lost to me forever."

"And this is what awaits your men, possibly your entire dreadnought. These Borg are not to be trifled with, Mallory. They are powerful, as you've noted. But they're also relentless. Once they discover that your universe exists, I would expect they will find a way to break through it and destroy your entire Empire, your entire way of life. They nearly have, with our Federation, on more than one occasion."

Mallory was astonished. "This- this is some sort of trick. Someone's trying to stop me."

"This is no trick," Octavia replied.

"Although we are trying to stop you," Tw'eak added. "From making a huge mistake that could cost you... your life, your crew, maybe your whole universe..."

"But we have weapons! We have strength!"

"The Borg adapt rapidly to weapons of all kinds," Octavia countered. "Those adaptations are then learned throughout the hive mind, requiring the development of new weapons. Such research is admittedly not a strength of your Empire, nor of any of your universe's major powers, save perhaps the Dominion."

"You need to reconsider this," Tw'eak acknowledged. "Call your dreadnought. We can help you defeat this sphere. But then, go -back to your own universe."

"Impossible! To return empty-handed?"

"Would you rather not return at all? Or worse- return as a drone and assist the Borg in destroying all you hold dear?"

Mallory looked from Tw'eak back towards Octavia, her eyes running over the ocular implant. "I... I have always heard that my eyes were one of my best qualities. It's how I arranged for the Terror to be placed under my command." Her eyes darted about. "Admiral Riker is surprisingly easy to persuade when you have the right skills..."

Tw'eak and Octavia exchanged a brief glance in surprise.

Mallory sighed. "Tell me what you wish for me to do."

"Contact your vessel. Order them to transport the three of us aboard."

Octavia's head snapped around. "I do not believe that-"

"Once we're aboard, we'll take control of your tactical station and destroy that sphere. After that, we return to our vessel and you head back."

"Suppose I don't agree?"

Tw'eak smiled. "Agree or disagree... I'm the one with the phaser."

"She will have armed guards aboard her bridge," Octavia noted. "Based on my understanding of her universe, they will be unflinchingly loyal to her."

"No doubt." Tw'eak turned to Mallory. "I wonder how many of them I'll need to vaporize before the rest get the hint?"

Mallory's facial expression tightened. "You wouldn't dare."

Now it was Tw'eak's turn for her voice to rise in fury. "Your pathetic technology and your inability to think properly about this problem has created this crisis! You have no right to tell me what I would and wouldn't dare- your idea of 'daring' is to get yourself and your whole crew assimilated! You're a desperate excuse for a captain and I would be ashamed to trust you with responsibility for a tribble, let alone with command of a starship!"

Mallory sneered at Tw'eak. "What would you know about it, you green-skinned savage?" She lunged towards Tw'eak, who raised her phaser. But it was Octavia's arm which reached out and clutched Mallory by the throat.

The calm, rational inflection returned to Octavia's voice, and her grip was unbreakable, causing Mallory to make soft gurgling noises as her counterpart spoke. "I will not allow my commanding officer to come to any harm. You should also be aware that, unlike her, I hold no sentimental attachments to anyone. Yet another... unfortunate consequence of assimilation."

Mallory went limp in Octavia's grip, and Tw'eak realized for the first time that Octavia was holding her slightly above the ground. This was because Mallory visibly lowered back to a standing position on the desk, and she immediately gasped for air and fell to her knees.

"Fine," Mallory said. "Where is my communicator?"

Octavia moved over to the centre console, and retrieved a wrist communicator. She held it out before Mallory, but when it was reached for, she pulled it back slightly, forcing Mallory to make eye contact with her. The look on Mallory's face was one of pure rage and hatred for what she otherwise would have become. "Resistance is futile," Octavia added, flatly. "You must comply."

"Fine," Mallory repeated, taking the communicator. "Jermyn to Terror."

"Terror, T'uni here."

Tw'eak and Octavia exchanged another surprised glance.

"Move to attack position Alpha, T'uni."

"Alpha, aye. I will order all marines to prepare for boarding."

"No- belay that. We're going to destroy the sphere. I've... learned a few things about their technology..." -here Mallory once again looked up at Octavia- "...and I think we can gain as much through salvage operations, without the heavy casualties we were expecting."

"I do not understand."

"I'll explain in a minute. Four to beam directly to the bridge. Transporter room, acknowledge."

Octavia leaned over towards Tw'eak. "I don't know if this is the best of ideas, Admiral."

"I know what I'm doing." Tw'eak tilted her head towards Octavia. "Aewon," she whispered.

"Ah," Octavia said, nodding with a step backwards.

"Are you ready?" Mallory asked as she helped O'Leary to his feet.

"No tricks," Tw'eak said firmly.

"No tricks," Mallory repeated.

Tw'eak raised her phaser. "Because I can assure you, if you or anyone under your command should try anything, then I will surely blast you from the stars."

Octavia took one menacing step towards Mallory, who flinched slightly. "Fine," Mallory said yet again. Then she added, "energize."