"Counterforce"
By T. Cummins
2001
(Story based on characters and environments created and owned by Paramount and
Marvel)
Chapter Five – "Omega"
Tony Stark lay on a table within his immobilized armor, fuming. He hadn't thought it
possible that the Borg would be able to gain access to his systems and yet he now found
himself at their mercy. Time and his choices had run out. He could see the Borg drones
all around him preparing to open his armor and remove him where he would be
completely helpless. Stark wrestled in his mind for as long as he was able, but the final
decision had been made for him. He simply could not let the Borg continue. With a
thought, Stark booted up his secondary systems. "Stark to Voyager. Captain Janeway
come in. Hurry!"
Captain Janeway stood in front of Seven and held her by her shoulders. "Seven, listen to
me. How did you scan his systems? I thought he had blocked our sensors from
penetrating his armor." Janeway removed her hands and stepped back to give Seven a
chance to compose herself.
"Captain. When we brought Mr. Stark aboard after his first encounter with the Borg he
was badly hurt and in a half conscious state. I convinced him to allow me to remove him
from his armor and explain to me how I might gain access to his systems." Seven
dropped her eyes to the deck. "When he recovered he did not remember divulging his
secrets to me and I did not reveal what I had done." Seven looked up and met her
captain's eyes. "Mr. Stark will be assimilated and I am responsible."
"Captain!" Harry's call cut through the tension like a phaser. "There is a spatial
disturbance forming just outside the borg ship. It's like nothing I've seen before."
Tuvok interjected instantly. "I confirm Mr. Kim's analysis. The anomaly is of a type
never before encountered."
"Captain." Harry cut in again. "Mr. Stark is hailing us. I don't know how but he must
have gotten his systems back up."
Janeway spun away from Seven and moved to the center of the bridge. "Open a channel
Harry." Kathryn paused for a moment and gathered her strength. "Mr. Stark. What is
your situation?"
Starks filtered voice came crackling over the speakers. "Captain there isn't much time to
explain, but I have to warn you about what I have to do." Before Janeway could
comment. Stark hurried to continue. "I can't allow the Borg to exploit my armor or it's
technology. I am running off of backup systems here and these guys are about to peel me
open like a tin can." Stark drew a deep breath. He knew his plan was extreme but there
simply was no alternative. "I single handedly fought a war to keep my technology out of
the wrong hands. People had died because of my work and I swore no one else would. I'll
get to the point. I have created a device that I call Omega that will purge every byte of my
data from any system. I intend to use it against the Borg."
Captain Janeway responded cautiously. She could tell there was more to what she had
heard. "Mr. Stark you sound as if there is more to this than simply deleting your data."
Tony knew what he was about to say was devastating but he had no options left.
"Captain, I've never encountered anything like the Borg before. Their hive mind
collective is as unique a concept as they come. Omega wasn't created with them in mind.
The short version is that because of the pervasive architecture of their network, every
Borg everywhere that is linked to the collective will have its memory purged. The
organic systems will be unaffected but everything else will be wiped clean. There is no
way the Borg can protect themselves. I'm sorry. It's like wiping out an entire species but
I have no choice." Stark tried to imagine the consequences. He and Voyager would be
free, but billions of Borg throughout the galaxy would be left helpless. "I'm afraid this
may effect Seven as well."
Voyager's bridge was instantly plunged into stunned silence. If Stark's plan worked, the
Borg would be effectively rendered powerless but without the data to run their
technology, the collective would be neutralized and the individuals would be plunged
into chaos. "I've run out of time Captain. Get as far away as you can. Stark out."
Janeway had Harry try to re establish communications but was unable. She then
reluctantly ordered Voyager away from the Borg cube.
"I'm sorry fellas. I hope you can forgive me." Just as the surrounding drones placed their
instruments against Starks armor he engaged the Omega.
The reaction was instantaneous.
All of the systems aboard the Borg ship began to shut down at once. As the lights went
out every Borg drone began to scream. Stark instantly seized his opportunity to escape
and blasted his way out of the ship and into space. The moment he cleared the outer hull
of the cube, he saw the anomaly. It was a small cycling disk of energy hovering in space
and it immediately began drawing him toward it. Stark tried to resist but the power
behind the vortex was beyond him. "Stark to Janeway."
The Captain instantly rose to her feet. "Mr. Stark! What's happening?"
"I'm sorry about the Borg Captain. I don't know what is going to happen to them. I wish
there had been some other way. I can't stay. My ride is here and if I know Thor he's not
about to let me hang around." Stark fired his boot jets at full thrust to give himself more
time.
"Mr. Stark I don't understand but I want to thank you for your help. If it wasn't for us
you never would have been put in your position." Janeway turned and looked at Seven.
Tears were streaming down her cheeks but she remained stiff and motionless.
"Captain, I've only got a second more. I want you to tell Seven I know what she did and I
forgive her. Goodbye and good luck!" A moment later Stark passed into the vortex and
disappeared. The anomaly instantly dissipated.
"Captain, there is no residual trace of the disturbance. Mr. Stark is gone." Harry fell silent
along with the rest of the crew. They remained that way for a moment longer, absorbing
what had happened. Finally, Paris broke in. "Captain. What do we do now?" Janeway
turned around exploring the faces arrayed around the bridge and found bewilderment.
"Tom, we have a billion Borg to help. Let's get started."
End
By T. Cummins
2001
(Story based on characters and environments created and owned by Paramount and
Marvel)
Chapter Five – "Omega"
Tony Stark lay on a table within his immobilized armor, fuming. He hadn't thought it
possible that the Borg would be able to gain access to his systems and yet he now found
himself at their mercy. Time and his choices had run out. He could see the Borg drones
all around him preparing to open his armor and remove him where he would be
completely helpless. Stark wrestled in his mind for as long as he was able, but the final
decision had been made for him. He simply could not let the Borg continue. With a
thought, Stark booted up his secondary systems. "Stark to Voyager. Captain Janeway
come in. Hurry!"
Captain Janeway stood in front of Seven and held her by her shoulders. "Seven, listen to
me. How did you scan his systems? I thought he had blocked our sensors from
penetrating his armor." Janeway removed her hands and stepped back to give Seven a
chance to compose herself.
"Captain. When we brought Mr. Stark aboard after his first encounter with the Borg he
was badly hurt and in a half conscious state. I convinced him to allow me to remove him
from his armor and explain to me how I might gain access to his systems." Seven
dropped her eyes to the deck. "When he recovered he did not remember divulging his
secrets to me and I did not reveal what I had done." Seven looked up and met her
captain's eyes. "Mr. Stark will be assimilated and I am responsible."
"Captain!" Harry's call cut through the tension like a phaser. "There is a spatial
disturbance forming just outside the borg ship. It's like nothing I've seen before."
Tuvok interjected instantly. "I confirm Mr. Kim's analysis. The anomaly is of a type
never before encountered."
"Captain." Harry cut in again. "Mr. Stark is hailing us. I don't know how but he must
have gotten his systems back up."
Janeway spun away from Seven and moved to the center of the bridge. "Open a channel
Harry." Kathryn paused for a moment and gathered her strength. "Mr. Stark. What is
your situation?"
Starks filtered voice came crackling over the speakers. "Captain there isn't much time to
explain, but I have to warn you about what I have to do." Before Janeway could
comment. Stark hurried to continue. "I can't allow the Borg to exploit my armor or it's
technology. I am running off of backup systems here and these guys are about to peel me
open like a tin can." Stark drew a deep breath. He knew his plan was extreme but there
simply was no alternative. "I single handedly fought a war to keep my technology out of
the wrong hands. People had died because of my work and I swore no one else would. I'll
get to the point. I have created a device that I call Omega that will purge every byte of my
data from any system. I intend to use it against the Borg."
Captain Janeway responded cautiously. She could tell there was more to what she had
heard. "Mr. Stark you sound as if there is more to this than simply deleting your data."
Tony knew what he was about to say was devastating but he had no options left.
"Captain, I've never encountered anything like the Borg before. Their hive mind
collective is as unique a concept as they come. Omega wasn't created with them in mind.
The short version is that because of the pervasive architecture of their network, every
Borg everywhere that is linked to the collective will have its memory purged. The
organic systems will be unaffected but everything else will be wiped clean. There is no
way the Borg can protect themselves. I'm sorry. It's like wiping out an entire species but
I have no choice." Stark tried to imagine the consequences. He and Voyager would be
free, but billions of Borg throughout the galaxy would be left helpless. "I'm afraid this
may effect Seven as well."
Voyager's bridge was instantly plunged into stunned silence. If Stark's plan worked, the
Borg would be effectively rendered powerless but without the data to run their
technology, the collective would be neutralized and the individuals would be plunged
into chaos. "I've run out of time Captain. Get as far away as you can. Stark out."
Janeway had Harry try to re establish communications but was unable. She then
reluctantly ordered Voyager away from the Borg cube.
"I'm sorry fellas. I hope you can forgive me." Just as the surrounding drones placed their
instruments against Starks armor he engaged the Omega.
The reaction was instantaneous.
All of the systems aboard the Borg ship began to shut down at once. As the lights went
out every Borg drone began to scream. Stark instantly seized his opportunity to escape
and blasted his way out of the ship and into space. The moment he cleared the outer hull
of the cube, he saw the anomaly. It was a small cycling disk of energy hovering in space
and it immediately began drawing him toward it. Stark tried to resist but the power
behind the vortex was beyond him. "Stark to Janeway."
The Captain instantly rose to her feet. "Mr. Stark! What's happening?"
"I'm sorry about the Borg Captain. I don't know what is going to happen to them. I wish
there had been some other way. I can't stay. My ride is here and if I know Thor he's not
about to let me hang around." Stark fired his boot jets at full thrust to give himself more
time.
"Mr. Stark I don't understand but I want to thank you for your help. If it wasn't for us
you never would have been put in your position." Janeway turned and looked at Seven.
Tears were streaming down her cheeks but she remained stiff and motionless.
"Captain, I've only got a second more. I want you to tell Seven I know what she did and I
forgive her. Goodbye and good luck!" A moment later Stark passed into the vortex and
disappeared. The anomaly instantly dissipated.
"Captain, there is no residual trace of the disturbance. Mr. Stark is gone." Harry fell silent
along with the rest of the crew. They remained that way for a moment longer, absorbing
what had happened. Finally, Paris broke in. "Captain. What do we do now?" Janeway
turned around exploring the faces arrayed around the bridge and found bewilderment.
"Tom, we have a billion Borg to help. Let's get started."
End