"Good evening, I'm Cynthia Torqueman. On the headline news today, the Senate hearings continue to investigate claims that President Clark faked an illness, preventing himself from remaining on EarthForce One when it exploded. The allegations that President Luis Santiago was assassinated with the collusion of Morgan Clark were dismissed by representatives of the President as attempts to destabilize the government in the face of alien threats."
Cynthia turned to another camera as a visual box appeared over her shoulder, showing a cubical ship of pipes over the planet Akdor. "The newly discovered alien race menacing our ally, the Centauri Republic, has made its intents known by attacking Earth Alliance forces in the Sh'lassien Triumvirate. General Lefcourt has been appointed by the President to combat the new race, which called itself the Borg. The Centauri Royal Navy has offered assistance against the menace. We go now to a report taped earlier on the general's command ship, the Parmenion."
The image of Cynthia was switched to one of a blonde wearing an EarthForce helmet. One hand held a microphone to her mouth while the other hand grasped on a handhold on the ceiling. The woman stumbled from time to time, her hand on the handhold being the only thing preventing her from toppling over. Booming noises were muted by the walls and by ISN's editing.
"This is Tonia Wallace reporting from the Earth Alliance ship Parmenion, where General Lefcourt is directing the EarthForce task force gathered to stop the Borg in the Wolf 359 System. The battle has begun a few minutes ago and already, the fighting is reported to be very intense. Here's a clip from one of the ship's external cameras."
You now see weapons flying everywhere, energy beams of all colors and missiles maneuvering toward a huge cube. You see only EarthForce and Centauri ships for the camera was at an angle that did not include alien vessels in its range. You see one Nova-class destroyer firing all plasma and particle cannons as it rammed into the face of the Borg cube, turning into a titanic fireball. A Vorchan swept in closer and a Borg energy beam sliced off one of its horizontal wings, causing the Centauri warship to spiral out of control through the fireball created by the Nova destroyer. The image snowed into static.
Cynthia Torqueman was back on. "That was half an hour ago. Families everywhere are anxiously awaiting the results at Wolf 359. The Senate has expressed an official statement of gratitude to the Centauri government. Clearly, this new alien race is a threat to planetary security. A spokesperson of the Ministry for Public Morale assures that we will overcome this threat and that they are addressing our concerns about planetary security. Any question and concern that you may have should be referred to the Office of Public Information. This is Cynthia Torqueman, ISN, signing off."
White Star Prime in HyperspaceCaptain John Sheridan tapped his fingers on the arms of his command chair, watching, but not seeing, the way hyperspace swirled dangerously without giving any indication of his ship's movement or direction. It certainly fit his mood. He felt like floundering in the middle of nowhere. It had been so clear before. He was going to lead the forces of the Light against the Shadows. Clear and simple.
Then there were the troubles on Earth. President Clark, his regime and ministries. Then the tightrope he had to walk between Earth and the Newcomers. And now the Borg.
A Minbari spoke in Adronato. It took a while before the new Universal Translator translated for Sheridan, making the captain appreciate his new alliance with the Newcomers. Finally, the UT built into the ship's communications system spoke in perfect English. He was slightly surprised to find that it was tinged with the accent of his native hometown. The English words followed each of the Minbari's words only a second late. It was a good thing: depending on a living translator could easily mean death in a battle.
"We have intercepted a visual tachyon message from your EarthForce."
This was it. "All right, let me see it."
The holographic display descended over the windows of the bridge. It solidified to show an aging general with silvering hair, straining to keep himself breathing normally. Only the harness kept him from flying out of his command chair as his ship shook and jerked under weapons impact.
"General Lefcourt," whispered Sheridan.
The general looked calm and determined, but it was clear that he was worried. The reception was not very good as it kept breaking up in static. Lefcourt was speaking. "…to Earth Central. The fight is not going very well…. We're trying to withdraw and regroup. Earth Central, send reinforcements immedia—"
Static suddenly filled the holodisplay and hissed.
"Get it back!"
The Minbari, dressed in a flowing robe, manipulated the crystals in his console. "I am sorry, Captain. We lost the transmission."
Sheridan was having difficulties breathing. Earth was his home. His mother Miranda, his father David Sheridan, and his sister Elizabeth were on Earth. He hoped that his father's diplomatic status would enable his family to leave before the Borg reach Earth. If the battle at Wolf 359 didn't end well, that is…. It wasn't something he'd like to think about. He then changed his mind about where he was going.
"All right, pour everything you have into the engines. We're going to Wolf 359 now."
The Minbari crew glanced at each other, doubt crossing their faces. Sheridan was their Shok'Na, their captain, so duty and honor say they must follow his orders. They turned to their tasks.
Mimus Archipelago, Centauri Prime
One of the most beautiful women in Known Space was practicing writing. For a long time now, she had been trying to create the perfect suicide note. So far, it didn't pan out. It might take years…she didn't mind…but once she has found the perfect way to express herself, to leave herself in the history books, she would proceed looking for the perfect way to end her life. Only then would she make her sacrifices to her patron deity at the local temple.
She cursed Londo again. Because of the divorce, she wasn't able to afford grand parties anymore. Because of the divorce, her beauty has not been made the more alluring by the power of House Mollari. So now, she was almost always alone in one of the country villas that Londo oh so generously provided.
Damn him!
The front door's chime sounded throughout the small villa. Mariel ignored it, letting the servants take care of it, and continued to write.
A servant entered her office and announced, "Milady, Londo Mollari, the High Seat of House Mollari and Ambassador of the Great Centauri Republic."
Startled, Mariel turned around to look at the door. There he was…her ex-husband, Londo Mollari himself! Londo, here! She nearly trembled at the outrage. She controlled her voice carefully, but her teeth nearly grinded against each other.
"Londo, what are you doing here?"
Londo raised placating hands. "I have come to make a proposition."
"What? Oh no, Londo! The fact that I'm alone doesn't mean I'm available for any of your Olympics anytime you want!"
Londo chuckled. "It is not that kind of proposition. Actually…it's similar to that, come to think of it."
Mariel narrowed her eyes venomously. Then she smiled and giggled warmly. She stood from her chair, causing her 'suicide note' to slide under other papers. Her hips swayed as she walked slowly over to Londo, one of her hands delicately reaching out to gently trace the ambassador's jaw line. Her eyelashes drooped to nearly hide her eyes from Londo. "Ah, Londo, I cannot thank you enough for giving me a small salary and this cozy villa on one of the 349 islands of Mimus. If I didn't know better, I'd think you were hinting that I jump in the sea for the jaki to eat me. Of course, you'd know that the jaki only have a taste for kanar leno, not Lady Mariel."
Londo's face softened. "The Mimus Archipelago is a favorite vacation spot, and a very expensive one, I might add. I'm glad you are happy here."
Mariel's hand flashed and the noise of a slap resounded loudly. "What makes you think I can be happy here? I, Mariel, daughter of Antillo, once engaged to the great Solla before he was killed, ex-wife of the great Londo Mollari, happy here off the southern coast! I should have been a widow of House Mollari rather than…than ex-wife! Even my former sister-wife Daggair is laughing at me! Oh, why did the Great Maker see fit to have Solla die? Solla's so much better than you could ever be!"
"Mariel…."
"Oh, isn't Timov dying of laughter, yet? Is that why you divorced us? To kill Timov with laughter? Damn you, Londo!"
"Mariel!"
The beautiful Centauri woman stopped and stared at Londo, breathing hard and waiting for him to speak. A woman could go only so far with a man of his status, especially when she's a divorced woman.
Londo took a deep breath. Clearly, this was going to be something important. "Mariel…. Mariel, you could do so much better than this. Great Maker! You deserved Solla and I admit he was better than me. You could do so much better than me."
Mariel laughed out of disbelief. "Do better than you? You're so funny! Have you considered making the Vree god Albendazel your patron deity?"
Londo smirked. "You know that adopting any alien god would damn a Centauri. I'd sooner fall on my sword."
Mariel stepped backward and tapped a finger on her rose red lips. "Better than you, you say? Nowadays, the only person better than you is Lord Antono Refa. His House is certainly powerful…maybe more powerful than House Mollari. But Antono is…eww!"
Londo grinned. Mariel continued.
"Besides, I hear he has the…unhealthy tendency to be devoted to just his wife, that bitch Celes."
Londo shrugged indifferently and said, "That may be. But Refa is not the only person above me."
Mariel stared at Londo as if he had gone insane. He looked serious! Great Maker, he can't mean…. "The…the…the Emperor? Cartagia? The same Narleeth Cartagia Jarn of House Kasto?"
Londo nodded slowly.
"You…you must be mad!"
Londo shrugged again. "Cartagia is the Emperor, and it wouldn't do for the Emperor of the Great Republic to owe anything to a simple Centauri like me. No, it's not seemly at all."
All Mariel could do was stare dumbstruck at Londo Mollari.
USS Enterprise
Captain Kirk was trying to read his book, but the words kept becoming…non-existence. It wasn't that his spectacles weren't good, but his mind kept wandering away, out of the warping starship.
He tried once more to concentrate on the book. He was interrupted by a beep from the ship's intercom. He sighed, glanced at the page number, then shut the book, and reached over from his sofa to his desk to activate the intercom.
"Captain, we're approaching the Wolf 359 System."
Kirk suddenly felt like freezing cold water splashed through him. "On my way."
xxxxxxxx
Kirk walked briskly out of the turbolift, his eyes automatically going to Susan Ivanova who was standing with hands clasped at her back. She looked back anxiously and moved out of the way as the captain went to sit in his command chair.
"Slow to impulse." Kirk wanted to see how the fleet at Wolf 359 was doing and whether the Enterprise could help in a small way before going on to Earth. It would also help if they could see how the Borg fight. "Take us into the system carefully, Ensign Redpath. Yellow Alert."
Commander Chekov studied his tactical reading carefully. "Keptin, sensors are picking up several wessels."
Galen gripped his staff more tightly as Kirk asked, "The fleets?"
Spock answered before Chekov could. "Negligible power readings."
"Life signs?"
"I cannot discern any at this distance yet."
Chekov reported, "Wisual contact."
Kirk looked up at the main viewscreen anxiously. He wasn't the only one doing on the bridge doing that. "Onscreen."
Everyone stared in horror at the sight revealed. Kirk remembered the old photographs of Pearl Harbor after it was attacked. Though the Borg incursion wasn't a surprise attack and this was in space, it certainly felt like Pearl Harbor. The wreckage of the combined fleets of EarthForce, the Centauri Royal Navy, the Minbari Federation, and the InterStellar Alliance floated or drifted dead in space. Some of the ships were still sparking with dying power. Debris wandered among the ships. A few appeared to still have flames burning inside but they were slowly going out as the fire ran out of objects and air. Many of the ships were so devastated that their shape and racial origin was no longer recognizable.
The Enterprise slowly passed one dead ship after another, her shields brushing past debris and broken fighters aside. Susan Ivanova was a little surprised to see Minbari, Centauri and League ships floating as part of the EarthForce fleet. They were a glaring example of how different sentient species could work together like the extra-universals had managed to do for their United Federation of Planets. Her shock at the wrecked Minbari warcruisers was muted by sadness. She had always seen the Minbari as nearly invincible. They were certainly unstoppable monsters in the Earth-Minbari War. Any warcruiser that joins a fleet made victory that much more possible. But now…to see nearly all of the warcruisers in sight so brutally wrecked…. Ivanova then cleared her head and recognized some of the EarthForce ships. She began to somberly call out the name of each ship to honor the dead.
"The Charon…. The Kronos…. The Midway…. The Georgetown…. The Beowulf…."
The Federation Constitution-class starship continued to cruise ever deeper through the cemetery of dead ships.EarthDome, Geneva, Earth
Three generals marched down the marble hallway of the still-new presidential palace. Their boots resounded on the gleaming marble colored light purple. Choosing one of the doors that lined the hallway widely, alternating with hung tapestries, the generals distantly glanced at the petitioners still waiting among the embroidered armchairs. Each of the almost-monumental doors was framed in purple porphyry. Unlike them, these three EarthForce officers didn't need to wait for the President to call them in.
The tall doors opened and General Franklin, entering the huge office of porphyry and red marble, looked to his left. President Morgan Clark was sitting at a large executive desk. He took a quick glance around at the office. He didn't really care for it. It was too big. Ceiling too high. Golden symbols were hung above doors and tall windows. A big room for a small man. He had heard that the new building was based on plans of the German Reich Chancellery. Just a rumor.
"Mr. President," General Franklin began, "communications from the Wolf 359 System have been cut off. We believe it is from Borg interference."
General Fontaine inserted a datacrystal into a dataport in the president's desk and aimed a remote at a vidscreen beside the president. It activated and showed the battle through heavy static. Morgan Clark leaned forward, trying to get a clear mental image. He looked back at the generals, surprised.
Richard Franklin nodded. "You see it. Everyone had force shields. Not us."
The President's face darkened with anger. "And R&D hasn't cracked the technology yet! Damn those Feddies! What's wrong with you? The Centauri are not on good terms with them and they shared it with them!" Clark gripped a pen to keep his hand from shaking in his frustration and anger. "Has the Centauri shared their shield technology with us, yet?"
The generals shook their heads.
"Did you even ask?"
Their heads shook again.
President Clark's face twisted in disgust. "We have a full alliance with the Centauri Republic! They must honor the pact by sharing everything with us!"
General Hague, standing slightly behind Franklin and Fontaine, gently stroked his silvering beard. He didn't let his face show what he was thinking. The Earth Alliance president was, to him, a dangerous fool. He expected allies to share absolutely everything? That was a bit naïve, even for Clark. Still, it was worrying when everyone except the Earth Alliance has the force shield technology now. First, it was the Narns using the technology with deadly effect by raiding Centauri shipping and outposts. Then the Centauri somehow acquired it, and that helped the Republic to make great strides in its invasions of the League of Non-Aligned Worlds. But before too many League worlds could fall to the Centauri advance, the League got the technology too! Almost at the same time, the Minbari got it. It was like a plague that caught on really fast.
And Earth didn't catch it because the current government was alienating almost every foreign government in Known Space. Only the Centauri, Sh'lassien and the Lumati were actively allied with Earth.
General Franklin was speaking. "They did honor the pact by sending warships to help us in the battle. Mr. President, from what we could get from General Lefcourt, we lost. All of us, EarthForce and aliens."
General Fontaine put in, "We have reason to believe that the Borg are coming to Earth. I strongly recommend you implement new security measures to combat this incursion."
President Clark nodded thoughtfully. It would be a good way to shut down that Senate investigation into the recording of his conversation with Mr. Morden just before Santiago died. Ideas long forming in his mind finally began to flow from his lips to the generals.
Wolf 359
The Enterprise continued to cruise through the cemetery of dead ships, searching for survivors in vain. "Sir!" shouted Chekov. "Subspace distortion on the other side of the debris field!"The main viewscreen switch its view to the edge of the battle site. A jumppoint tore open and the White Star flowed out of the vortex. The Minbari-Vorlon hybrid ship paused for a while, then quickly moved to the Enterprise.
"Open frequencies," ordered Kirk.
Captain Sheridan came up onscreen, looking shell-shocked and haunted. Kirk understood the reaction. One single Borg cube had defeated a fleet of 158 ships, some of which were the most powerful in Known Space.
"Captain Kirk, I…." Sheridan fell silent, unable to find words.
Kirk again understood. They didn't know whether if Delenn had come with the Minbari warcruisers into the system. "Captain, we are going straight to Earth. We will help you stop the Borg. We need to catch up with the Borg and get there before the cube arrives in Sol System."
Sheridan now looked energized. "We'll open a jumppoint for you and follow you in. With your faster engines and tractor beam, we can overtake the Borg easily in jumpspace."
Kirk nodded eagerly. Perhaps they would succeed this time. "Agreed."
The White Star turned on its axis and a jumppoint opened. It held open while the Federation starship entered hyperspace and then Sheridan's ship followed in. Once more, all was quiet among the broken ships of the Battle of Wolf 359.
Imperial City, Centauri Prime
Mariel, in veils, and Londo followed the Royal Guards in the darkened Royal Palace. The ambassador was puzzled and nervous. Why was there no light in the Palace? The only light they could see was the glowglobes carried by the two Guardsmen. Finally, they entered a ballroom. The Guards simply pointed at two chairs.
Londo and Mariel shared a frightened look. The ambassador could see regret already blooming in his ex-wife's eyes. They could never know what would happen with Cartagia. They sat and squinted into the darkness, imagining many forms of death coming out of it.
Soft music then sounded and rose. Several glowglobes activated, but they weren't enough to banish all of the shadows from the room. Finally, what appeared to be a woman in jewels came out into the light, slowly dancing erotically. Gold dust glittered all over her. Londo frowned, scandalized. This woman was wearing a high gold-dusted haircrest. The veils and jewels moved as the woman danced. Londo became even more scandalized for the woman actually had tentesticles barely visible through the diaphanous veils.
Finally, Londo got the reference. This person was being the goddess of passion, Li, the woman with male aspects in her. Li danced ever closer, throwing veils up into the air. Londo hoped that she wouldn't strip. Not here, in the Royal Palace where the Emperor might come in and be shocked.
Li then tore off the veil covering her face.
Londo and Mariel gasped. It was Cartagia!
The music ceased and Cartagia stopped, breathing a little hard and smiling broadly. His eyes gleamed excitedly at the couple sitting and staring at the Emperor in drag.
"What do you think?"
Londo's mind rushed to find words that won't lead him to the headman's block, or the new guillotine or even into the arena to fight a sha'je duel. He covered the time by slowly and carefully looking up and down Cartagia. "Very talented! I was even fooled into thinking that Li herself has blessed us."
Mariel only bowed her head in agreeing respect.
Cartagia beamed. He turned to look at the woman beside Londo. "And this is your wife, the Lady Timov? I've heard of the terrible Timov. Tell me, woman, what do you think of the show?"
Londo leaned to get the emperor's attention. "Ah…Majesty. This is not Timov. This is…the Lady Mariel. You would be glad to meet her, I think."
Cartagia, intrigued, reached forward and lifted the veils off of Mariel's face. His lips parted in wonder. Mariel, was after all, one of the most beautiful women in the galaxy. Mariel smiled demurely and looked up at him through long lashes.
The Centauri ambassador smiled subtly. Mariel was already working her magic on the Emperor of the Centauri Republic. She now owes a lot to Londo. He hoped an Empress would help keep Cartagia under control.
USS Enterprise
The dim red light of hyperspace shone into the bridge from the main viewscreen. Below the starship, Kirk knew, was the White Star being towed along in the tractor beam and adding its own engines to the momentum toward Earth. He looked to the technomage Galen and Susan Ivanova. The Russian woman was looking grim.
She looked back at Kirk. "How will you get to the outpost without being shot down by EarthForce? The White Star will do fine with its Minbari-Vorlon sensor stealth."
Kirk smiled like a child about to surprise a friend. "We're not going to Earth. I will transport Galen over to the White Star, then go to wherever EarthForce is going make a stand against the Borg in Sol System. You will handle EarthForce for my ship. Captain Sulu will join me."
Galen nodded somberly. He had already provided the coordinates to the transporter operator.
Uhura called for attention. "I'm getting a broadcast from Earth on all tachyon frequencies."
The main viewscreen now showed President Clark at his desk in EarthDome, looking serious and sorrowful. He began to speak.
"Fellow citizens of Earth, I have heard your pleas for increased planetary security in the face of this alien threat. As your president, I feel obligated to you to speed up our mutual defenses. I am hereby signing a decree declaring Martial Law to be in effect throughout the Solar System."
The people on the Enterprise's bridge looked at each other, worried expressions on their faces. This meant that it would be even more difficult for EarthForce to accept their help.
Kirk whispered, "Sulu, I hope you get there on time."
USS Excelsior
The starship was vibrating hard. Captain Sulu studied the main viewscreen hard as if he was trying to will the Solar System to appear. One of the stars in the middle was slowly growing into a bright dot.
"Come on…. Come on!"
Lojur was concentrating hard on his helms control. "Any faster and we'd fly apart, Captain!"
Sulu glared down at Lojur. "Fly her apart, then!"
Lojur was momentarily distracted. It was exactly what Sulu said before arriving at Khitomer and rescuing the Enterprise from General Chang's prototype warship. He hoped this time, things would turn out just as well.
White Star Prime
A Minbari reported that they were arriving at the coordinates. Sheridan tensed, almost expecting the Borg to be already there and assimilating his home. Mother, Father, Elizabeth. He glanced at Galen standing beside his command chair.
"Jump!"
A jumppoint opened and both the Enterprise and the White Star slipped out. Before sensor alarms could be tripped all across the Solar System, the Enterprise cloaked. The visage of Mars hung in the distance.
The Minbari and Sheridan were surprised. Invisibility technology! It was uncomfortably too much like Shadow phasing. He had to do his job of saving his homeworld and all the families on it.
"Maximum stealth. Top speed for Earth!"
A Minbari looked up at Sheridan's back. "We are intercepting a report from the Pluto Observatory Station. They have made visual contact with the Borg ship."
Sheridan hoped they weren't too late. "Planetary defenses?"
The Minbari shrugged, indicating ignorance.
xxxxxxxxx
The Borg cube, still repairing itself from damages at Wolf 359, cruised on a trajectory that would have it going past the planet Saturn. Three Olympus-class corvettes flew at the cube from the vicinity of the Saturnian moon Titan. The Borg, having adapted to EarthForce weapons at Wolf 359, easily destroyed the three corvettes one by one. Almost without a pause, the cube moved on towards Jupiter.
USS Enterprise (cloaked)
The dim lighting on the bridge allowed Ivanova to hide her facial expressions as she studied the fleet arrayed at Jupiter. It was larger than at Wolf 359. At last count, there were 115 Earth destroyers and jumppoints were still opening and pouring more ships into the fleet. The President must be pulling as many ships as possible from the colonies. Her thoughts went back behind herself all the way to Earth, to her family. Even if her relationship with them wasn't exactly jovial, they were her blood.
A beep sounded at Spock's science station. "Captain, I am detecting biotechnology similar to the bioship we encountered in hyperspace some time ago."
Ivanova turned to the Vulcan with shocked surprise on her face. Not them! Not now!
Apparently Kirk had the same thought. "Where, Spock?"
"The indication of biotechnology is on the moon Ganymede."
"What?" That was from Ivanova.
"I cannot explain its presence without further data." Another beep in the science console sounded. "We are intercepting a transmission from Ganymede. It is directed at EarthDome."
"Put it up!"
On the main viewscreen, they could see the black nightmare shape of a Shadow ship sitting on supports under a glass dome. A ramp approached and touched the vessel. "Subject is approaching target. Repeat. Subject is approaching target."
The silhouette of a human man walked up the ramp towards the Shadow ship.
Chekov commented rhetorically, "What is he doing? They're crazy!"
Ivanova stared in mounting horror. Somehow, Clark got a Shadow ship and was apparently planning to use it to combat the Borg. Desperate times call for desperate measures, but this was too desperate for her. She found herself hoping that this black ship would be able to destroy the cube coming into the Sol System.
The human man vanished into the Shadow ship. Soon, the bioship came alive and lifted off the supports. It wobbled, as if it just woke up and was very disoriented. The bridge crew almost jumped when the vessel fired a purple beam, destroying something offscreen at random. Screams and shouts sounded over the speakers. The purple beam lashed out once more, this time at the dome itself, shattering it. It rose shakily up through the broken hole.
The main viewscreen switched to its own view of the Ganymede facility. The Shadow continued to rise, then fired again, destroying the base completely. The way it moved, it looked as if it was insane.
Chekov called out, startling everyone from their horrified viewing. "Keptin! The Borg ship is coming!"
Borg Cube 578
Cube 578 detecting biotechnological vessel in vicinity of Planet Five of Species 5618 home system. Presence of advanced biotechnology incongruent with technology level of Species 5618 Universe 02.
Scanning biotechnological vessel.
Course of biotechnological vessel erratic. Detected neutrino emission denotes presence of unknown type of propulsion. Two life forms detected—the vessel itself and the erratic human lifesign within.
Assimilate.
Presence of Species 5618 Universe 02 vessels is secondary.
We shall comply.
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The Shadow ship appeared to be looking around hesitantly, still disoriented. The human in it was not prepared at all. He had never received the proper cybernetic preparation from the Zener. Confused, the man was surprised to find himself still breathing in the vacuum of space. Or was it all a dream? He could see the EarthForce fleet arranged above the moons of Jupiter, and the huge cube. Somewhere deep within himself, he somehow knew that the cube posed a threat to humanity. He ignored the alien vessel, thinking it all to be an insane dream. It was all painful, mind-wrenching. He screamed, not caring who would hear him.
Then the Borg attempted to latch a tractor beam on him. It reminded him too much of the bully in his childhood school grabbing his arm too roughly. He twisted, trying to get away. He felt like hitting at the bully to make him stop. A purple beam lashed out at the Borg cube, burning a corner off it. In his peripheral vision, he could see Earth destroyers turning to watch the struggle between Borg and Shadow. Several of them had begun firing at the cube.
The Shadow man lashed out once more, this time at full power, enough power to either slice an entire capital ship in two or to drill through a planet's crust down to the magma layer. The beam drilled deep into the cube and came out the other side, vaporizing and killing many drones along the way. The Borg retaliated with a green phaser.
The Shadow man felt like he touched a live electric wire. A painful shock that he couldn't jerk away. He tried to get away from the cube by phasing into hyperspace, but he didn't know how to yet. He screamed out of rage as he hit the cube once more, drilling straight through it again. Because he was not properly prepared, he also didn't know how to keep the beam going in a steady stream to slice a vessel.
The Borg decided they have had enough. The cube fired a golden cutting beam into the main body of the spidery black ship. Again, the Shadow man felt like touching a live wire and this time the shock wouldn't go away. He increased his efforts to jerk away, but he was stuck to the cutting and tractor beams. The dark mottled hull glowed as it attempted to disperse the Borg golden beam, but soon, the bioarmor failed and the cutting beam drilled into the body and hitting the human contained within, killing the man.
USS Enterprise (cloaked)
Kirk watched in horror as the Borg cube moved close to the now dead Shadow ship, its tractor beam pulling it close as well. EarthForce ships were still shooting almost to no effect. He rubbed his temples to ease his head which was still slightly ringing from the Shadow psychic shrieks. He felt as if his ears were ringing from a loud noise or a hit in the head. No one can hear you scream in space. That's not true anymore.
"Intriguing," commented Spock. "The Shadow bioship appeared to move and act like a living sentient being. Observe…it even bleeds like a living being where the Borg weapon cut into it."
Kirk squinted at the main viewscreen. It was true. He could see drops of black ochre leaking out and dispersing up in space like oil.
Spock continued his vocal analysis. "It would appear that the Shadows could be put at least at 'PS' on the Richter Scale of Cultural Development. Space-Dwelling Super Techno-Power Age."
Kirk nodded, agreeing. "But that puts the Shadows at a similar level with V'Ger and the whale probe. I don't like that thought."
"Indeed."
Ivanova didn't understand most of what Spock and Kirk were saying. She was watching the Borg turn the Shadow ship around lengthwise to their cube and open a hole. The black spidery ship was now being slowly consumed into the cube. Now the Borg would assimilate the power and technology of the Shadows due to the idiocy of President Clark. She nearly trembled out of rage. Now no one could stop the Borg! Everyone will die now, or at least become mechanical slaves.
Damn Clark!
Damn him to all the hells that ever existed!
Meanwhile, the Borg continued to shoot back at the EarthForce ships, destroying some and disabling many. Soon, when the adaptation is complete, the Borg would kill many more.
Damn Clark!
Antarctica, Earth
The whine of a transporter filled the dark chamber, and new blue-white light was added to the soft diffuse glow of light through the ice. Galen, Ivanova and Sheridan stood in the ice cave when the transporter effect faded.
Sheridan breathed in the stale cold air. Good thing the Federationers provided the technology for the White Star. Otherwise, they'd have to give themselves away to the EA sensors by drilling a hole into the ice with its neutron cannon and coming down in a shuttle.
The tip of Galen's staff glowed, banishing the darkness.
They could see a doorway and a latticed window. It looked surprisingly Arabesque. The room inside contained only a raised platform and a throne-like chair under a dome, with Arabesque pillars supporting folded arches in the ceiling and dome. It somehow didn't fit Galen's story of a multigalactic civilization ruled by a God Emperor with starships big enough to hold entire fleets in their holds. It was…anticlimactic.
"Welcome to Atlantus."
Sheridan and Ivanova turned to look at the technomage incredulously. "Atlantis? This?"
Galen waved a hand dismissively. "This is not the city of Atlantis. The city itself is…gone. This is the outpost of Terra Atlantus." He gestured at the throne-like chair on its platform.
"One of you must sit. However, there will be one chance in millions that it will work for you."
Sheridan and Ivanova snapped their heads to the technomage. "What?"
Galen put up a placating hand to halt the rise of anger within the two Earthers. "This chair requires some type of genetics and mental capability that is similar to what the Ancients had. I, presently, have no way of finding which gene fits which. However, I believe Miss Ivanova would do well, considering her experience with the Great Machine at Epsilon 3."
Sheridan threw a look at Ivanova. They knew about her latent telepathic capability. They hoped that would be enough. The sturdy woman took a deep breath, pulled down her uniform shirt and stepped up to the throne. Her eyes revealed her nervousness. The throne looked too organic for her taste. Where her head would rest looked covered in thick mucous-covered spider-web-strings. Feeling silly, she cautiously sat down.
Ivanova stared at Galen, wondering what was supposed to happen.
Then soft light glowed throughout the abandoned outpost, a diffuse blue glow. Ivanova gasped and looked at her hands resting on the throne arms. It felt as if her hands were sinking into the arms, felt as if hands were grasping her hands, but her eyes told her that nothing of the kind happened. A blue glow rose from within the throne and it bent backward, startling her.
For a moment, the irrational thought came into her mind of the chair being stolen off of an airplane and she was not in the mood to take a nap.
A hologram shimmered and solidified above her, filling the dome. It looked to be a three-dimensional map of the entire galaxy with tiny alien script connected to certain stars here and there. How could she find Earth's sun, Sol, in all the galaxy?
As soon as she completed that thought, the starmap moved the galaxy around, then expanded, pushing stars and nebulae out of holographic view, making all gathered in the room feel like they were on a starship going at impossible speeds. Soon, one star outshone the others and the dots of planets appeared. Then only this star system remained to fill the dome. It was the Solar System.
Sheridan pointed at Jupiter. "Is that what I think it is?"
As soon as the thought entered Ivanova's mind, the holodisplay focused on Jupiter and they could all see EarthForce ships, a large cubical vessel and a familiar white starship whose appearance kept rippling in and out of sight.
Sheridan took a breath through an open mouth. This meant this outpost had the ability to monitor anyplace in the entire galaxy and detect cloaked ships!
"Look!" That was Ivanova.
They watched with horror as a Shadow ship rose from Ganymede and fought with the Borg cube and died.
Galen pointed at Ivanova with narrow eyes. "Hurry. Tell the outpost to destroy the Borg before they finish assimilating Shadow technology."
"How?"
"Just…focus on the cube and visualize it being destroyed."
Ivanova closed her eyes and focused. There. The mental touch of the machine was incredibly like the telepathic touch of her mother, Sophie Ivanova. She stopped herself from gasping aloud and opening her eyes. Ignoring the lump in her throat, she thought of the Borg cube being smashed into nano-bits.
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Orbital satellites caught images and sent them to their masters in EarthDome. The images surprised the operators in the surveillance center of Earth Central. They showed what seemed to be golden spirits pouring up from Antarctica, an endless stream of golden spirits swarming like bees out in space. When the first Ancient torpedo passed the orbit of Luna, Earth's moon, the golden glowing squid-like objects were still pouring up from Antarctica.
Thoughts of Vorlons entered the minds of those seeing the spectacle, and the old rumors of alien abduction in Antarctica shortly before the First Contact with the Centauri.
Finally, the tail end of the golden stream lifted out of Earth's atmosphere, and the glowing golden torpedoes continued on towards Jupiter.
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Galen studied the holodisplay closely, watching the glowing dots move slowly away from Earth and Luna. "Too slow! By the time they reach Jupiter orbit, the Borg would be here!" He whirled onto Ivanova. "Think Foldspace! Fold the space around the torpedoes and send them straight into the cube!"
Ivanova was now breathing hard, almost panicking. "How! I don't know anything the hell about this folding!"
Galen forced himself to be patient and forced his voice to be utterly calm. "Susan. Imagine the torpedoes entering hyperspace, imagine them creating a point-jump straight to the cube. Reach out with your mind and imagine a jumppoint opening in front of the torpedoes and at the same time, open another jumppoint in front of the cube for the torpedoes to exit hyperspace. Use your mind to make a point-jump." Modulating his voice, Galen took up the tone of a general and commanded, "Jump!"
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The glowing golden torpedoes winked out one by one so quickly, it seemed as if all vanished at the same time. Wisps of ghostly white energy were left in their wake, looking like a leftover from a mix of a wormhole and hyperspace.
The still expanding EarthForce fleet and the Enterprise were surprised to see an entire river of golden glowing object appear out of nowhere with ghostly white energy felling away from the squid-like objects. The Ancient torpedoes immediately swarmed at the Borg cube.
The Solar System, briefly, had a second sun whose light would eventually reach all the planets in the system. Temperature on the Jovian moons rose for a while above what was natural or man-made. In other star systems, it would appear that the star of Sol, for a while, glowed slightly brighter.
On the ships able to see the event, the scanning and viewing sensors were eventually overwhelmed as the golden light built upon itself around the Borg cube, blinding those who happened to be looking at it through windows.
Captain Kirk threw up an arm to preserve his eyes as the main viewscreen's glare compensation failed to keep up. Even Spock's second eyelid didn't keep him from covering his eyes. This was why they didn't catch two of the Ancient torpedoes detecting the cloaked starship, and deciding that its technology was similar enough to that of the Borg, veered away from the exploding and dying river and made for the starship.