Chapter XIII
2376
Captain's Log: Stardate 53231.5 – It has been pretty quiet recently. Our experiences with the Equinox and the (Hah!) Spirits of Good Fortune have been followed by a period of prolonged peace and quiet. It has been nice to keep the ship and her crew focussed on getting home. Now, finally, it appears that we have an excellent chance of making it. We are now only ten years from home at maximum sustained warp. If we are lucky, we may be in dry-dock at Utopia Planitia in fifteen years. There's nothing quite like planning ahead.
The USS Voyager, now no longer the only Federation starship in the Delta Quadrant, cruised along at warp 9.975, on a direct heading for Earth – and the as yet unknown threat of the Aralla.
Captain Kathryn Janeway looked around her bridge with a satisfied air, glad that it was quiet and uneventful for once. There had been so many incidents and battles lately that she had sometimes wondered if they were destined to get home.
She was in such a good mood, she nearly felt like treating Ensign Paris like a human being again.
A sensor bleeped, catching Commander Tuvok's eye. Her tactical officer looked up at her. 'Captain,' he said in his deep solemn tones, 'I am picking up a large cluster of warp signatures, three light years off our starboard bow.' As Janeway turned to face him, he looked at her with a raised eyebrow, the closest he ever got to outright surprise. 'We are reading Starfleet, Romulan, Klingon, Ferengi and Cardassian signatures mixed with many other ships.'
Janeway stood slowly, holding her friend in her gaze. Without looking, she said, 'Ensign Kim, confirm.'
'Confirmed, captain,' said the young officer, his voice full of excitement. 'Not only that, but there's hundreds of them!'
'Intercept course?' said Tom Paris, his voice eager, his hand resting on the engage button. Even without looking, Janeway knew that he had already plotted in the course.
'Can we put them on screen?' asked Commander Chakotay calmly, trying to give Janeway more time to make her decision.
'Barely, Commander.' Kim put the sensor image on screen, and the starfield changed to show a large cluster of small dots.
'Magnify –' began Chakotay, but Kim cut him off.
'Sorry, sir, but that's already at full magnification. We were lucky to spot them as it was. If Seven of Nine hadn't borrowed the lateral sensor array for a magnification recalibration exercise today, we'd never have seen them.'
Janeway finally made her mind up. She looked around at Paris. 'Ensign, plot a shadow course. Keep us just out of range of their sensors. I'll be with Seven in astrometrics. We have an advantage over them.'
She glanced around at the hopeful faces around the bridge. 'We may have found a way home, but I want to be cautious. We've found too many traps and pitfalls lately to take it at face value. Not only that, but why is a combined force of Alpha Quadrant ships in the Delta Quadrant? We're not that important. We have to be careful. That's all.' She turned and left the bridge.
Janeway stepped into the huge room that was Astrometrics, and stood for a moment, looking up at the huge screen that dominated one entire wall of the cavernous room. Then, her gaze travelled across the room to look at the tall, slender shape of the former Borg drone, Seven of Nine. 'Have you got a sensor focus on that cluster of warp signatures?' asked Janeway without preamble.
'Yes,' said Seven's low tones. She moved over to the main console before the giant screen, and punched in a few commands. Immediately, the screen brightened, and displayed a god's-eye view of the sector. In one corner, a Starfleet delta represented the Voyager.
Near it, a huge group of Starfleet deltas, Klingon symbols, Romulan insignia and other signs mingled too closely to clearly make out indicated the massive group of ships. The Voyager's course was changing to match that of the fleet, but just out of their sensor range. With the Voyager's improved sensor array, they had better scanning range than any ship in that fleet.
A moment later, the perspective shifted to a close-up view of the ships, and Janeway felt a thrill running through her as she recognised familiar starship designs. Seven noticed, as she gave Janeway the cool look that she had perfected since she had come onboard. 'Can we get any identification?'
'On some ships,' said Seven levelly, her voice betraying no emotion. She pressed a control, and a series of names and numbers sprang up beside some of the symbols. Janeway stepped up in front of the huge screen, and stared at the names.
'USS Defiant, Agamemnon, Charleston.' Janeway's voice went through a litany of starship names as though invoking a holy command. Despite her scepticism, she was excited by the prospect of finally reaching something to do with the Alpha Quadrant. 'Do we have any idea of the others?'
'We have all of the standard Starfleet recognition protocols in our database, but these are using something slightly different,' said Seven. 'They still broadcast the standard Starfleet signals, but they have slight design differences. The ship at the very vanguard of the fleet is transmitting a signal proclaiming it to be the USS Enterprise. However, your database identifies the USS Enterprise as being Galaxy-class. This is certainly not a Galaxy-class vessel.' She stabbed a few commands into the console, and the screen before them focussed onto the lead ship. It was sleek, almost muscular, seeming to be almost one single piece of metal formed into the classical shape for a Starfleet vessel. Twin nacelles and a saucer section, connected to a stardrive section by a neck, despite this one being recessed so far that the command section appeared to be directly fitted to the stardrive, reminded Janeway of Voyager's own design, although far advanced from the Intrepid-class.
Janeway nodded as she gazed at the holographic image before her. 'Can you remember any information that the Collective had about a new design of Federation starship?'
Seven stared at her captain for a moment, but her eyes were blank as she searched her memory. 'The Collective encountered a new design of starship on stardate 50896.2. It corresponds to that description. It was commanded by Jean-Luc Picard.'
'The Enterprise,' said Janeway quietly. She came to a decision. She tapped her commbadge. 'Janeway to bridge.'
'Bridge here,' answered Chakotay.
'Commander, gather all senior officers and department heads in the briefing room immediately. We have a situation to discuss.'
'Understood.' With that, the conversation was over. Janeway graced Seven with a quick smile.
'With a little luck, Seven,' she said, 'you may be about to encounter your first humans outside our little group.'
To Janeway's surprise, Seven smiled back, a motion that she was obviously unused to. 'I look forward to it, Captain.'
Fleet Commander's Log: Stardate 53231.5 – It has been three long years since we fled the Gamma Quadrant in search of the Borg. The Aralla have had plenty of time to consolidate their gains. For all we know, even if we manage to find the Borg and ally ourselves with them; even if we manage to resolve our internal differences; even if we rebuild enough to launch a counter-attack; even if we do all of this, we may still have to fight the Aralla once they have dug in and made themselves secure in our home. It is a long and desperate road that we tread.
The fleet had fled blindly into the Delta Quadrant, not knowing where the Borg were, hoping only to contact them quickly. But as the time had rolled by, the fleet had begun to lose heart in both Picard's leadership and their chances of defeating the Aralla. Only Picard's strong hold over those who still supported him kept him in charge of the fleet.
Fortune had favoured them, he knew. They had encountered many new races in their travels, but the sight of so many hundreds of ships had always made them eager for the fleet to leave. Conversely, the sheer size of the fleet had kept any would-be pirates and attackers at bay.
They had dropped several long-range scanner probes on the border of the Gamma Quadrant, to scan for pursuers. So far, they had not seen either the Jem'Hadar or the Aralla. Sisko had privately remarked that he did not expect any pursuit.
Picard had relegated that fear to the back of his mind for the moment. He was concentrating on finding the Borg. That would be the key to the war, he felt.
The trepidation he felt did not come into it.
The destruction of Deep Space Nine had left Picard with a growing, cold rage. The invading race had taken away several of his dearest friends, and now he wished to even the balance. He was prepared to do anything, even ally with his nemesis, in order to destroy the Aralla.
Lieutenant Thames turned to face him. 'Admiral, I've been picking up a sensor echo now for about half an hour. It's been tracking our course.'
Picard frowned and stood up from his command seat, moving to Thames' side. 'Any idea what it is?'
'No, sir,' she replied. 'It's barely within sensor range.'
Picard nodded. 'Could it be a Borg vessel?'
'I don't think so,' said Thames hesitantly. 'The readings are a bit confusing, but it looks too big to be a Borg scoutship and too small for either a Sphere or a Cube.'
Picard stared at the screen for a moment, as if looking at the unidentified ship, and then turned and resumed his seat. 'This may be a new Borg vessel that we have not seen before. Order the fleet to remain here. The Enterprise will make contact.'
They had run through this drill time after time. Picard knew that the Borg were here somewhere, and so every ship they had encountered had been treated as a potential Borg vessel.
The fleet would keep within sensor range of the Enterprise. If there was any sign of trouble, Borg vessel or not, the fleet would warp in and assist them. Even a Borg Cube could not stand up to the firepower of the fleet. If it was not a Borg ship, the fleet would wait to see what happened and take action accordingly.
If it was a Borg vessel, Picard would force it to take them to the Unicomplex.
'Alter course to intercept, Ensign,' ordered Picard. 'Shields up. Red alert. Battle stations.'
Dropping from warp speed, the Enterprise's sensors briefly registered the rest of the fleet as the starship raced past them at faster than light velocities. Picard outwardly remained calm, but as he glanced around at the bridge crew, their faces bathed in the red glow of the emergency lighting, he could almost reach out and touch the fear and anxiety in the atmosphere.
'Sir, I'm getting a confirmed sensor reading,' said Hedly, her voice puzzled. 'The ship is broadcasting a Starfleet ID signature.'
Picard frowned at the screen, his mind racing. No Borg ship would ever broadcast a Starfleet signature. Indeed, he had expected to confront the Borg in force, several Cubes versus the fleet.
'Any indications that it has scanned us?' asked Worf, pre-empting Picard's next question.
'No, sir,' replied Thames.
Picard tapped his fingers on the arm of his chair, displaying his agitation. He realised what he was doing and stopped himself. 'Continue on course,' he said quietly, but each word carried a force that underlined his tension.
'Five minutes, thirty seconds to intercept.' Thames' voice was calm and collected as she read out the time.
'This is what we picked up on sensors a short while ago,' said Janeway. She pointed to the viewscreen on the bulkhead of the briefing room. 'More than six thousand vessels of all designs and from all Alpha and Beta Quadrant fleets. Warships mainly, but also transport ships and civilian vessels. We've identified most of the Starfleet and Klingon vessels, but some are of a design almost completely unfamiliar to us.'
'Are there any clues as to why they are here?' asked Chakotay.
Seven spoke up. 'There appears to be heavy battle damage to several of the ships, indicating that they have been involved in some form of conflict. Possibly against the Borg.'
'What about this race from the Gamma Quadrant?' asked Kim. 'The Dominion, was it?'
'Possible,' said Tuvok, 'but Starfleet's tactical reports issued before we were displaced in the Delta Quadrant did not indicate that they were powerful enough to defeat a combined fleet like this.'
'They could have been wrong,' said B'Elanna Torres.
Janeway held up a hand. 'Speculation is all well and good, but it isn't getting us anywhere. Seven and I have identified many of the Starfleet vessels, and scans have confirmed their warp signatures as being real.'
'We have been fooled before,' said Chakotay cautiously.
'We will proceed cautiously,' said Janeway. She turned to Paris. 'Tom, take Tuvok and Seven on the Delta Flyer and scout out that fleet. Report back as soon as you're –'
'Captain to the bridge!' The call cut Janeway off at the same time as the senior staff registered that the red alert siren had gone off.
Janeway hurried onto the bridge, followed closely by the rest of the senior staff. 'Report,' she snapped. Ensign Foster, who was the helm relief, turned and said, 'The lead ship is on an intercept course, captain. We estimate intercept in five minutes.'
'Confirmed,' said Kim from the Ops console.
'Shields up. Yellow alert.' Janeway's command was followed by a swift lowering of the lights and Tuvok's calm announcement, 'Shields up.'
'Tom,' said Janeway, 'plot a course away from here but don't engage until I say so.'
'Aye, captain,' replied Paris, who had taken his place at the helm.
Janeway took her seat and glanced at Chakotay, who leaned across. 'Are you sure?' he said quietly.
Janeway trusted and respected the advice of the man she had once been assigned to hunt down and arrest, but she was secure in her own mind that this was the right decision. 'If it is a fleet from the Alpha Quadrant, we need to make contact. If we don't,' she added, 'we run the risk of running straight into whatever drove them out.'
'And if it is a trap?' persisted Chakotay.
Janeway turned her attention to the screen. 'We've fought off the Borg, Species 8472. Damn it, we've even destroyed another Starfleet vessel! I trust this crew to deliver again.' Janeway had made her voice rise so that it carried around the bridge. Chakotay glanced around at each face, noting Kim's confident appearance was matched by Tuvok's calm and stolid face. He glanced at Paris, who was facing away from the commander and Janeway, but saw that his back had straightened in his seat. Finally he looked back at Janeway.
Strangely, he did not feel as confident as the others on the bridge obviously did in their captain's judgement. 'I think,' he whispered, 'that my spirit guide's trying to tell me that we're walking into big trouble.'
'Four minutes, twenty seconds to intercept,' said Kim.
Suddenly, Paris turned in his seat to face Janeway. 'Captain, I think I have a better idea.'
'Let's hear it,' said Janeway.
Paris turned in his seat to face Chakotay. 'It's an old Maquis trick, called a Flash-Photo...'
Chakotay nodded, a grin forming on his face. 'I remember.'
Janeway glanced at the pair and made her decision. 'Commander, Ensign, you may proceed when ready.'
'Four minutes,' said Thames. Her voice became puzzled. 'Sir, it appears that they are waiting for us.'
'Any further clues as to their identity?' asked Worf.
'No, sir,' replied Thames. 'Their warp signature is very heavily disguised, but they're definitely broadcasting a Starfleet standard ID signature. It claims to be the USS Voyager.'
'Voyager was lost in the Badlands five years ago, sir,' said Worf to Picard. 'They were hunting a Maquis ship.'
Picard nodded, his face expressionless. 'Continue on course. It may be a Borg trap.'
Worf leaned towards him. 'Sir, the Borg are not capable of setting a trap of that type.'
Picard nodded again, still not looking at Worf. When he spoke, however, his voice was soft and distracted. 'They're out there. I can feel them coming.'
Worf stared at Picard for a long moment. The voice had not carried as far as Hedly behind them, or Thames before. 'Sir?'
Picard turned to look at him for a moment and Worf nearly recoiled. For a brief moment, Picard's pupils had become the colour of grey, the colour of the Borg. Then Picard blinked and the effect vanished as suddenly as it had come. Indeed, his eyes seemed to regain their humanity, as did his puzzled voice when he spoke. 'Mr. Worf?'
'Sir, your eyes....'
'My eyes?'
'They were...' Worf broke off, unsure of exactly what he had just seen.
'Mr. Worf, are you sure you're all right?' asked Picard.
'Sir,' said Worf, his voice firm again but hushed for Picard's ears only, 'for a moment, your eyes changed colour. They became grey. Not only that, but you began to speak about something. You said you could feel "them" coming, whoever "they" are.'
'I did?' Picard's tone was surprisingly calm. Worf nodded. Picard took a deep breath and released it slowly, turning his gaze to the main screen. 'Then,' he said slowly, 'it is true.'
'Sir?'
'Mr. Worf,' said Picard, turning to face him, 'I will explain everything to you shortly. Right now, we have a mission to complete.'
Worf straightened in his chair and nodded, his face resuming its normal countenance of grim determination. 'Understood, sir.'
'Sir?' said Thames, her tone questioning and, to Picard's ears, with a trace of worry mixed in as well.
'Yes, Commander?'
'We're less than two minutes from intercept. No communication as yet from unidentified ship.' She glanced at her console and then her head whipped around. 'Sir, the unidentified ship has just jumped to warp nine!'
'Heading?' asked Worf.
'A course that will take her just past the port bow, sir.'
'Steady as she goes,' said Picard.
'Aye, sir,' replied Truper.
'All stations report ready,' added Hedly.
'If it is a Borg vessel, signal the rest of the fleet immediately,' Picard said to Hedly. He further emphasised this by adding, 'Don't wait for my order.'
He did not doubt his tactical officer's initiative, but he had realised what Worf referred to when the Klingon had mentioned his eyes. He had hoped it would not be true for so long, but he had to live with the fact that –
'Intercept!' warned Thames.
On the Enterprise's main viewer, the small shape of the USS Voyager shot from warp speed and flashed past, faster than the human eye could see. The advanced sensors of the Enterprise registered it's passing as the two ships passed each other by and began to head away at faster than light velocities.
'What happened?' said Picard to Hedly.
'They went past us at warp nine, sir. It appears we were scanned.'
Picard glanced at Worf, who said, 'They may have been scouting us out without letting themselves be scanned.'
'No starship has sensors advanced enough do that sort of scan at warp speed, sir,' said Thames, turning in her seat to look at the senior officers. 'They were using some sort of scanning probe that I've not seen before. But I know where it's from.'
'Explain,' said Picard shortly.
'It was Borg, sir. Borg encryption algorithms all over the wavelength.'
Picard nodded slowly. 'Did our scanners manage to get a view of the ship?'
'Yes, sir.' Thames turned and pressed a key. 'It's an Intrepid-class starship.'
Picard stood slowly and gazed at the screen for a moment. Then, he glanced at Truper. 'Ensign Truper, all stop.'
'All stop, aye,' echoed the young officer as he brought the Enterprise to a dignified halt.
'Opinions?'
'A Borg vessel, possibly a captured ship from the Alpha Quadrant, if not, a false sensor image, designed to lure us out and assimilate us,' said Hedly immediately.
'Recommendation?'
'Call in the rest of the fleet and engage it.'
Picard nodded and glanced at Worf. 'Mr. Worf?'
Worf hid a slight grin. Ten years ago, when he been the young and impetuous tactical officer under Picard, he would have said exactly the same thing. However, experience, and Picard, had taught him a lot about reacting to situations. 'Possibly a Borg ship, but in my opinion unlikely to be so. However, it is an unidentified ship which has made a dangerously close and highly skilled flyby in order to use a hitherto unknown scanning method, which appears to have been of Borg origin, to ascertain our status and identification.'
Picard hid a smile of his own, recognising that the lecture had been as much for Hedly's benefit as for his. 'Recommendation?'
'Contact and inform Captain Sisko, possibly bring in reinforcements, and try and confront the vessel.'
Picard nodded and turned away to face Thames, who gave him a steely gaze in return. 'Commander?'
'I got a partial close-range image of the starship, sir. With computer enhancements, it is possible to make out the name and part of the registration number.'
'On screen,' said Picard, intrigued.
The view of the ship immediately appeared. Even with the blurred and distorted view the scanners could manage, it was clear that the vessel was an Intrepid-class vessel. And it was also possible to make out the name and numbers on the prow of the saucer section.
USS Voyager, NCC-746-
Picard stared at the image, and then faced Thames again. 'I thought it was impossible for sensors to get even this good an image on close range objects moving at high warp.'
'I know a few techniques, sir.'
'Indeed,' said Picard. 'Maybe you could demonstrate them to me later.' He turned and sat down.
Thames fought down the surge of embarrassment that rushed up to her cheeks, and forced herself to look at the screen. She glanced across at Truper, who raised an eyebrow and grinned mischievously, forcing Thames to look away again.
Damn, she thought. Am I that obvious?
Picard stared at Thames, fighting to hide a rush of excitement. I didn't just say that, did I? To cover, he glanced back at Hedly. 'Order Captain Sisko and the rest of the fleet to rejoin the Enterprise.' He thought for a moment. 'Specify warp three.'
'Yes, sir,' said Hedly, not expressing any puzzlement over the unusual order.
'Sir?' Picard glanced at Worf's puzzled expression.
'I want them to make the next move.'
'And if they don't?'
'I'll make it for them.'
'Well done, Seven,' congratulated Janeway. 'And to you as well, Ensign Paris.'
Seven nodded calmly, while Tom grinned and turned back to his console to look at the picture that Seven's Borg-enhanced sensors had provided.
The USS Enterprise, clear in every detail. And yet, unfamiliar.
Janeway frowned at the picture. 'It's got all the hallmarks of a traditional Starfleet vessel. But it looks too perfect to be true.' She turned and faced the bridge crew. 'I can't believe that a huge fleet made up of all the races in the Federation has suddenly chosen to come into the Delta Quadrant.'
Kim shook his head. 'Captain, all the exterior design plans are consistent with those Starfleet was planning to incorporate into it's next generation of starship designs.'
Janeway nodded. 'I know.'
'My opinion is that we need to make contact, Captain,' said Seven. 'We cannot make a correct decision based on what we know.'
Janeway nodded again, her expression rueful. 'I know that as well.' She paused for a moment, and Chakotay stepped up to her side.
'Captain, I think that we simply have to take the risk. If this is an Alpha Quadrant fleet, we need to know what it is doing out here. If it isn't, then we need to find out who could perform such a feat of imitation, because they may be a threat to the Alpha Quadrant.'
A slight sigh escaped from Janeway's lips as she looked back at the image of the Enterprise on the main viewer. 'I know that as well,' she repeated. She straightened her shoulders. 'We'll make contact. Ensign Paris, lay in a course for their position. Warp three. Don't engage until I give the order. Ensign Kim, open hailing frequencies. Audio only. I don't want them to see us until necessary.'
'Aye, captain,' chorused the two officers. The bleep that signalled the opening of hailing frequencies rang through the bridge, followed by Kim's 'Hailing frequencies open.'
'This is Captain Kathryn Janeway of the Federation starship Voyager calling unidentified ships.'
An all-too familiar voice replied over the speakers. 'This is Grand Admiral Picard of the USS Enterprise. Acknowledged, Voyager.'
Janeway glanced at Chakotay. 'Grand Admiral?' she repeated, unable to keep the scepticism out of her voice.
'Yes,' replied Picard's voice. 'I'm afraid it's a very long story, Captain. I invite you and you first officer to beam across to the Enterprise and let me tell you about it.'
'I like a good story,' said Janeway, relaxing slightly. 'I'll be there shortly.'
'Understood. Picard out.'
'Grand Admiral?' blurted Chakotay, his normal composure broken slightly.
Janeway shrugged. 'I can't believe that any impersonation would come up with a story that bizarre,' she said. 'I think that you and I, Tuvok, had better go over.'
'He did ask for the first officer,' said Paris doubtfully.
'If I'm wrong,' said Janeway, 'and this is a trap, then I don't want to take the two senior officers on board into it.'
Chakotay nodded once, but his expression showed that he was not happy with the situation. 'I suggest that you wear transponder tags in case of trouble,' he said.
'Good idea. Ensign Kim, have the Doctor prepare two tags for myself and Tuvok.'
'Aye, captain.'
Janeway faced Paris. 'Mr. Paris, engage warp engines.'
'The Voyager has entered warp, Admiral,' said Hedly suddenly. 'They are proceeding to our position at warp three.'
Picard smiled. 'As soon as Captain Janeway beams across, have her and –' He paused for a moment. 'Her second officer, I believe, escorted to my ready room.'
'You asked for her first officer,' said Worf, confused.
'Captain Janeway is an astute commander, Mr. Worf. She is venturing into an unknown situation, from a ship which has been trapped alone in the Delta Quadrant for nearly six years. She won't bring her first officer as well as herself. Myself, I would bring my second officer, who is, in her case, Lieutenant Tuvok, or was listed as such before the mission began.'
Worf nodded. 'Understood. Why are you not meeting them in the transporter room?'
'Two reasons. First, I want them to take a good look at the ship and crew. Let them see that it is real and genuine, to let them see the people on board and realise that they are real as well. Then, they will be prepared to listen to me with an open mind.'
'And the other reason?'
'ETA of the Voyager?' asked Picard unexpectedly.
'Ten minutes, Admiral,' replied Thames.
'Ensign Truper, I would like you to go the transporter room to meet our guests.'
'Aye, sir,' said the young man, pushing his console back and standing.
'Don't rush back. Give them a short tour of the area, and then bring them to the bridge,' said Picard.
'Yes, Admiral,' replied Truper, and at Picard's curt nod, he left the bridge at a brisk walk.
'I would speak with you in my ready room, Mr. Worf,' said Picard, standing, and heading towards the door.
'Aye, sir,' said Worf. 'You have the bridge, Commander Hedly,' he added.
Picard stopped behind his desk and stared through the porthole at the darkness of space. Worf waited quietly, respectfully, behind him.
Finally, Picard spoke. 'Mr. Worf, I have been worried, since our experience with the Borg shortly before this crisis developed, about my connection with them. I feared that, despite the severing of my link to the Borg Queen when she died, they would still have some control on me.' Picard's voice was soft, his shoulders squared. He faced the Klingon. 'I can feel their presence, Worf.'
Worf was amazed at the strength of the conviction and pain in his friend's eyes as he spoke. 'Can you feel any sort of pull, or feeling that they know you are here as well?'
Picard shook his head and smiled slightly. 'Ever the security officer. No to both questions. I expected that the death of the Queen would cause the Collective to lose its way, but the impressions I have received seem to be that they are as organised as ever.'
Worf felt a chill down his spine. One of the assumptions that the fleet command had made was that the Borg were leaderless and controllable if Picard was able to assume the persona of Locutus. 'Is it possible that we may run into a fully active Borg fleet?'
'It is a possibility,' admitted Picard.
'Sir, why didn't you suggest this to the fleet?' asked Worf, aghast.
'For what purpose?' asked Picard. 'The fleet is divided and beaten enough as it is. To tell them that we may be running into a Borg fleet may be the final blow that shatters this alliance. My -' He searched for a word, and the shrugged. '- Whatever on the bridge may be a precursor to what may happen the closer we get to the Borg Unicomplex.'
'Sir, if that happens, it will my duty to remove you from command,' said Worf quietly. 'Captain Sisko will almost certainly take command of the fleet.'
Picard nodded slowly, turning to face the darkness once more. 'I know.'
'Inform the fleet command, sir, please,' urged Worf, surprised at the depth of concern in his voice.
Picard smiled. 'You are one of only two people alive who would talk to me like that, Mr. Worf,' he said quietly. 'I will.'
'There is Data, as well.'
'I have accepted the fact that Data is either lost or dead as well, Mr. Worf.' Another layer of steel added to the barrier around his heart, Picard realised.
'Bridge to Admiral Picard.'
'Picard here.'
'The Voyager party has just beamed aboard, sir. Ensign Truper has met them.' Picard frowned at Worf and then glanced at the antique clock on his desk. Ten minutes had passed.
'Acknowledged,' said Picard. He glanced up at Worf. 'We had better get to the briefing room ourselves.'
'Sir.' Worf stopped Picard before he opened the door. 'Even if Data is dead, myself and Geordi are still here. We are by your side for the duration, sir.'
Picard stared deep into Worf's eyes, and saw nothing but burning devotion. 'Thank you,' he said quietly.
The turbolift door slid open, and Janeway and Tuvok stepped out onto the bridge of the Enterprise, followed by Ensign Truper. They looked at the smiling faces, topping the bodies wearing the similar, but unfamiliar, uniforms that they had seen throughout the ship. Janeway stared at the huge screen whilst Tuvok studied some of the controls on the consoles, comparing them to those used on the Voyager, and finding the similarities, and differences, accurate to those projected in Starfleet design and engineering manuals of five years previously. Despite his clinical and cool demeanour, Janeway knew that her friend was finding the experience as fascinating and as perfect as their wildest dreams.
And, despite herself, Janeway was beginning to come around to the belief that the Enterprise this ship claimed to be was indeed a real, genuine, Starfleet vessel. She glanced at Tuvok, who nodded quickly. His inspection had proven the bridge controls to be genuine. Janeway turned to the young officer, Ensign Truper, who had escorted her to the bridge.
'Where is Admiral Picard?'
'This way, please, Captain,' said Truper solemnly. He led the way to the aft section of the bridge and opened the door. Holding out his arm, he allowed Janeway and Tuvok to precede him.
Janeway's gaze fell immediately on the figures at the far end of the room. One was a Klingon, and Janeway immediately recognised him as Worf, but her gaze was captured more by the shorter figure by his side, who stepped forward, smiled and held out his hand. 'Captain Janeway, I presume?'
Janeway had often speculated in her own mind as to how she would finally succeed in leading her crew home, but nothing could compare to the twin feelings of utter relief and joy that swept through her as she grasped the hand of Jean-Luc Picard.
Evidently, Picard had seen this, as he escorted her to a chair and sat down beside her. Tuvok glanced down at his captain and friend with a raised eyebrow, as Janeway regained her composure and then looked at Picard.
Immediately, even before she noticed the rank on the collar, Janeway was struck by the air of compressed power that Picard radiated like a glow around his body, and noted the burning that smouldered in the eyes. Here was a man, she thought, who had been through hell and survived. And then, she saw the insignia that declaimed his rank. 'I don't recognise the rank,' she said to Picard.
Picard fingered the twin bars of four platinum pips almost uncomfortably. 'Grand Admiral in charge of Starfleet,' he said simply, and Janeway frowned.
'I thought that Starfleet's policy was one that would not permit a single officer in sole command,' she said.
'That was true,' said Picard, a pained look sweeping across his face. He glanced at Worf, and said, 'Commander, prepare all of our recordings from Earth and put them on the viewer.'
Worf nodded. 'Yes, Admiral,' he said, his deep voice grave. Picard looked at Tuvok.
'Lieutenant –' He hesitated, and then had a closer look at the rank on Tuvok's collar. 'Commander, I apologise. I had no idea.' He glanced at Janeway, and then asked, shrewdly, 'First officer?'
Janeway paused, and then realised that she had nothing to hide. 'No, second officer. We have been deceived on many occasions in the past few years, and I deemed it prudent not to risk my first officer. I hope you understand.'
Picard smiled slightly. 'Actually, I anticipated that,' he said. Janeway smiled ruefully, remembering why the man sat before her had become known unofficially as the best captain in Starfleet. 'Is your first officer still Lieutenant Commander Cavit?'
Janeway had not thought about Cavit in years, her original first officer who had been killed during the Voyager's original capture by the Caretaker. 'No,' she said. 'He died when we first arrived in the Delta Quadrant. It's now Commander Chakotay.'
Picard frowned. 'I don't –' He stopped, and a look of disbelief crossed his face. 'He commanded the Maquis ship you were hunting,' he said.
Janeway nodded, pleased at having got the drop on Picard slightly. 'I unified the two crews early in our voyage. It has been a long time since I thought about them being distinct,' she added.
Picard nodded. 'I know that you have a great story to tell, and I would like to hear it.' A motion from Worf behind Janeway caught his eye. 'However,' he added, standing, 'I will have to leave that until another time. Please sit down, Commander Tuvok,' he said motioning to the seat he had just vacated. As Tuvok did so, Picard said, 'I wish to tell you why we are in the Delta Quadrant.' His eyes became saddened. 'I wish I could tell you that we here to rescue you, but I think you have realised that this is unlikely anyway. It all began three years ago, in the Neutral Zone...'
As the tale unfolded, Janeway's feelings of joy turned to disbelief, despair and fury. When she glanced at Tuvok, she saw his stony visage register anger and fear that she knew would only be produced by something which hit him so hard that even a Vulcan must react.
Blow upon blow rained down as Picard calmly and quietly recited the train of death, disaster and destruction that had forced them into the Delta Quadrant. Janeway occasionally saw anger flit across his face, and knew that the blows she suffered were as nothing compared to the trauma that he had gone through, presiding over this defeat for the entire Alpha Quadrant.
When Worf activated the screen, showing in-action views and schematics of the huge Aralla vessels, Janeway was dumbfounded by the sheer horror and terror that the huge black ships inspired in her.
Finally, mercifully, the litany ended, and Picard turned a saddened face onto Janeway, and said, softly, 'We are here in the Delta Quadrant to seek out the Borg and ally with them against the Aralla.'
Janeway stared at Picard silently, and Tuvok said, 'We have encountered the Borg several times over the last three years, Admiral. We managed to forge an alliance with them at one time.'
Now it was Picard's turn to stare in amazement. 'How? When?'
Tuvok explained in a clear, methodical way, the circumstances of the attack by Species 8472 on the Borg, and their subsequent battle with the invaders. When he finished, Picard shook his head.
'I congratulate you on your ability to defeat the Borg. Your story has added hope to our quest.' Picard looked Janeway straight in the eye. 'Will you assist us?'
Janeway had fallen silent, attempting to assimilate this information overload into her mind. She now looked back at Picard. 'I need to inform my crew, Admiral,' she said. 'Would it be possible to take the record you showed us back to the Voyager? I feel it would be important to show my crew exactly what we face.'
Picard nodded. 'By all means.'
Janeway smiled, although it felt forced. 'I thank you for being totally honest with me –'
'Bridge to Admiral Picard!' Thames' voice broke in across the conversation, panic tingeing her tone.
'Picard here.'
'Sir, we've just received telemetry from the probes we left at the Gamma Quadrant boundary. You'd better see this now, sir.'
'Understood,' said Picard, his face worried. He turned to Janeway. 'I think you ought to accompany me, Captain.'
The four of them walked through the door to the bridge, led by Picard – and stopped dead.
Around them, all work on the bridge had stopped as the crew turned to stare at the main screen. Truper and Thames stared silently, while Hedly clenched her fists around her console, the knuckles of her hands whitening.
Before them, the black shapes of the five Aralla mother ships lumbered slowly towards the probe, filling the view. Slowly, her mind reeling, Janeway stared at the terror that was stalking them. Then, she also registered the presence of tiny specks flitting around the ships.
Picard said, his voice steel, 'Commander Thames, magnify that image and try and identify the ships circling the Aralla vessels.'
'Aye, sir,' said Thames, her voice shaking. Janeway recognised immediately that Picard had an extremely talented officer at Ops, and a quick sideways glance told her that he knew it.
'Sir,' said Thames, her voice stronger now, with puzzlement taking the place of fear, 'the ships are not Aralla fighters. They're Jem'Hadar heavy cruisers. I'm magnifying the image now.'
The image flickered and focussed on one of the small specks flitting around the huge Aralla vessel. It became one of the huge Jem'Hadar vessels which had worried Starfleet tacticians for the last two years and also which had participated in the battle around the Wadi homeworld. Occasional blue beams of energy lanced out towards the Aralla ships, but it was clear that the Jem'Hadar were having as much effect on the huge ships as the fleet's weapons had. It was also obvious that the Jem'Hadar were running.
The Aralla were not firing back at the Jem'Hadar, Janeway noted clinically. Occasionally, one of the ships would stray to close to the shields, and be destroyed in a ball of fire, but it was as though the invaders were simply ignoring the Dominion vessels.
'Those Jem'Hadar ships,' said Janeway, 'how big are they?'
'About the size of the Enterprise,' said Picard. Janeway quickly compared the two sizes against the Aralla ships and recoiled slightly.
'We have never encountered anything even remotely as big as those ships,' Tuvok said.
'We were pushed back as ruthlessly and casually as those ships there,' said Worf quietly.
'How many ships are there in that Jem'Hadar fleet?' asked Picard.
'The probe can scan nearly three thousand ships, mainly attack fighters and light cruisers, over a distance of five light-years. They're holding position, keeping away from the Aralla vessels,' said Hedly. 'It appears as though they attempted to hold the Aralla vessels there, sir, but it appears that their line is breaking easily.'
'Sir, I've plotted the Aralla course,' said Thames suddenly.
'On screen.'
A tactical view of the quadrant appeared on the screen, with the fleet's signal, a small Starfleet chevron, on the far right of the screen. At the far left of the screen, the Jem'Hadar were represented by the Dominion's symbol, and the Aralla symbol, a skull, was pushing the Jem'Hadar back. A line appeared, direct from the Aralla to the fleet. 'At their maximum observed speed of warp six,' said Thames, 'they will reach our position in four years.'
'Assume their maximum is warp nine,' said Picard.
'Two years, four months,' she said.
'Have you included time for stops?'
'Yes, sir,' Thames said, turning to face him, puzzlement on her face.
'Cut that out as well. They're coming for us,' said Picard.
The entire crew turned to look at him, surprise on their faces. Picard glanced at them. 'I have analysed their attack plans, and the fleet command agrees on this. Our analysis shows that they are hunting us down. Look,' he said, indicating the screen, 'they're not interested in the Jem'Hadar. They're merely in the way. The Aralla aren't firing at them at all, but we know they have the firepower to wipe out that fleet easily. It all leads to one conclusion.' His voice took on a hollow tone, signalling that he recognised the import of their findings. 'The Aralla are specifically hunting this fleet to ground.'
The crew turned and looked back at the Aralla vessels, now pulling clear of the Jem'Hadar fleet. As the huge ships approached the view of the probe, they seemed to leap at the probe, and vanished into the light of warp speed.
'Plotting their course,' said Thames.
'What speed?'
'Last report shows that the Aralla ships are travelling at warp nine point five,' said Hedly in disbelief. 'Sir, the Aralla have not shown the capability to move at such high speeds before.'
'Never underestimate the enemy,' said Picard, moving to take his seat, Janeway taking the first officer's position at the invitation of Worf.
'Admiral, I've plotted the Aralla course. They're heading right for us,' said Thames. 'At their current speed, allowing for no stops along the way, they will reach this position in one year, four months and sixteen days.'
Her voice stopped, and Picard found he was waiting for her to continue, much as Data would have done, down to hours, minutes and seconds. 'Well done, Commander.' He turned to Janeway. 'Captain, are you willing to join us, now that you've seen the Aralla in action?'
Janeway nodded silently. 'We can never go home,' she whispered.
Picard smiled, but there was no warmth nor humour in the bleak grin that marked his face for a moment. 'I promise you, Captain Janeway, you and your crew will get home. We'll just have to go through the Aralla.'
Janeway looked at him, and saw the determination written across Picard's face once again. She smiled, feeling confident once again. 'I stand corrected.' She stood. 'I had better return to the Voyager.'
Picard stood and shook her hand. 'Thank you, Captain Janeway.'
Janeway shrugged. 'What choice do I have?' She looked up at the screen, now showing nothing but empty space. 'Even the Borg did not terrify me quite like those ships did.' She glanced at Picard. 'And I never had to face them at point-blank range.'
Picard nodded sadly. 'Commander Worf will escort you to the transporter room. I will signal you as to our departure and course shortly.'
'Understood,' said Janeway, pushing aside all her doubts and fears and replacing them with the outward veneer of calm and authority that she had worn all during her command career. However, even as she did so, she noticed that it was not nearly so secure as it had once been. 'I await your signal.'
She turned and left the bridge, followed closely by Tuvok and then Worf.
As they entered the turbolift, and Worf said, 'Deck eight,' Tuvok glanced at her and said, 'Captain, are you all right?'
She turned and looked at the Vulcan and, from a knowledge born of long friendship, read the deeply buried concern and genuine fear in his eyes. 'Yes, Tuvok,' she said finally. 'I'm okay.'
Picard watched the turbolift doors slide shut, and glanced back at the main screen. As he did so, he caught a glimpse of Thames face as she turned back to her console.
He frowned. Was the expression... Jealousy?
He shook his head, and turned his mind back to the situation.
'Incoming message from the Defiant, sir,' said Hedly. 'It's Captain Sisko.'
'On screen,' said Picard.
The probe's view of space vanished, to be replaced by Ben Sisko's face, looking worried. 'Admiral Picard, was that -?'
'Yes,' said Picard, smiling. 'That was Captain Janeway of the Voyager. Looks like we've solved an old mystery, Ben,' he added. His face turned grim. 'We've received telemetry from the probes on the Gamma Quadrant border. It's not good.' He briefly outlined the situation, watching as a new group of worry lines formed on Sisko's face. He finished by saying, 'I'll send you the recording.'
'Very well,' said Sisko, his face pale. 'Does this mean a change of plans?'
Picard shook his head. 'Not at all. We will find the Borg. We will defeat the Aralla.'
Sisko nodded. 'Understood. Defiant out.'
Picard turned to Hedly. 'Transmit a copy of the recording to the Defiant, General Martok's Attack Cruiser, Admiral Jaled's Warbird, and the command ships of the Cardassian and Ferengi sections of the fleet, attaching a message outlining my plans.'
'Aye, sir.'
'Then, transmit a fleet-wide command. Course 445 mark 54, warp nine.'
'Aye, sir,' Hedly repeated. A moment, and then 'All ships acknowledge.'
Picard turned to Ensign Truper. 'You heard the order. Engage.'
The Enterprise turned away from the Voyager, pulled up alongside her starboard quarter. Pulling forward slightly, with the huge mass of ships astern of the flagship, she jumped forward, followed by the fleet, into warp speed.