Chapter Two

"Can't this tug move any faster?" asked former Chancellor of the Klingon Empire, Martok. Because of the Borg invasion the Empire had fallen to nothingness.
"He's moving as fast as he can go, sir!" said the ship's second-in-command, Tamekh.

"Then find a way to make it go faster or I shall feed you to my targ!" said Martok.

"Yes, sir," said Tamekh.

Tamekh pushed a comm. button and said, "Engineer, find a way to make this ship go faster. Now!"

Even after eleven years Martok still could not believe that the Empire had crumbled. When the Borg started their invasion the Empire increased its military budget to the point where many people could not walk the streets without seeing detection arrays and long-range phaser turrets. Eventually the whole government basis started to break down. The High Counsel eventually went away too, making Martok into what he had been before, the commander of a starship. When the Borg first assimilated Earth, the Klingon people swore that the Borg would sing songs of their defeat at Qo'noS, but the Borg proved the Klingons wrong. P'takhs, thought Martok, they only want to eradicate the entire Klingon species! Suddenly a tap on Martok's back made him snap out of his thoughts.
"Sir," said Tamekh, "We are approaching the Baku system and Starbase 112".

Martok nodded his head, "Thank you, Lieutenant".

***

Back on the bridge of the Premonition...

"Initiate docking procedures," said Debbing, "Everyone after docking you have a week of shore leave. Your wounds need to heal". He stared at the planet below, Baku Prime, as the Federation came to know it. Twelve years ago was the first time the Federation made contact with the Baku. The Baku had shunned technology; they reminded Debbing of the ancient Mennonites that lived hundreds of years before he was born. Debbing looked at Watkins, "I'm going down to the planet," said Debbing, "You're in command".

Watkins nodded his head and said, "Aye, sir".

Debbing started for the transporter room. When he arrived, he looked at the transporter chief, "Send me down to the village," he said. Debbing saw the transporter chief push a few buttons before being gripped by the energies of the transporter. When he was released he saw the village in which he now called 'home'. Debbing walked toward his home, and knocked on the door. Funny, he thought, my housekeeper isn't here. He walked over to one of his Baku friends and asked, "Anej, have you seen Artem?"

Anej broke into one of her smiles and said, "Hoping to make sure your house isn't in a mess?"

"That is what I'm hoping," said Debbing. Anej flashed Debbing a smile. Debbing found it hard to believe that a woman like her was nearly three hundred years old. "I'll see you later," he said waving goodbye as Debbing walked in the direction of his home.

***

"Mom!" yelled out the young boy, "Don't leave me!"

The boy's mother gave him a smile and a pat on the cheek, "Don't worry, we'll see each other again someday." She crawled out of the hiding place that they had found, "Stay here 'til you're sure they're gone. Ok?"

The boy nodded, even though he did not like his mother's plan. The boy heard the thumps on the corridor's floor and knew even if he did make through this he would never be the same. And then he heard the all too familiar voice say to his mother, "You will be assimilated, your biological and technological distinctiveness will be added to our own, resistance is futile".

Jack Watkins woke up from a dream in a cold sweat with the taste of vomit in his mouth. Even after eleven years the memory of his mother's assimilation struck fear into his heart. She told me not to worry, he thought, heh, not worry my butt. He only hoped that the Borg would be stopped, that way he could stop having that awful dream.