Chapter 14
The U.S.S Defiant span wildly around the second Borg Cube, releasing torpedoes as it moved. The projectiles hit the Cube squarely in vital ship systems, forcing explosions in a domino effect. The U.S.S Stargazer followed in suit and fired it's weapons in the same damaged spots, causing even more damage to the Cube. The Cube returned fire but missed the Defiant by mere inches. However, the Cube did manage to inflict severe phaser damage to the fleeing Stargazer. The phaser blast connected with the ship's hull causing it shudder with destruction. The Stargazer collapsed from within itself, exploding into shards and space dust. The Cube then focused it's attention back to the Defiant, which was coming back for another pass.
"Focus all weapons, on section four point seven four." ordered Worf as he studied his tactic chart.
The Defiant swerved left to right dodging green phaser fire. When the ship came with in range, it fired it's phasers on the Cube, inflicting more damage to the already injured sections. The Cube lurched violently and rumbled from the attack.
"We're not causing enough damage!" shouted Worf in disgust.
Suddenly, twenty Klingon Birds-of-Prey came out of warp and fired their weapons upon the Cube. The Cube lurched violently from the massive attack.
"Sir, Klingon ships have just come out of warp and are attacking the Borg." informed Dax in utter surprise.
"I knew they would come!" roared Worf.
Meanwhile, U.S.S Cochrane flew onto the scene and fired several torpedoes at the Cube. The Birds-of-Prey and the remaining Federation ships followed the Cochrane and quickly made their assault on the weakened Borg Cube. The vacuum of outer space was filled with red photon torpedoes, which were all homed in on the Cube. Explosion after explosion rippled through the Cube. The Defiant continued to fire it's phasers at the severally damaged Cube. The rays penetrated the Cube's frame and pierced deep within the ship. Borg Drones were consumed by the explosions and phaser rays. Waves of fire flowed with ease through the Borg decks. The flames ate everything in it's path. Suddenly the wave of fire connected with the Cube's main engine. The Hive Mind on the first Borg Cube sneered as she felt her drone's voices leave her head.
"Sir, the Borg Cube is going to explode!" shouted Ensign Rom.
"Move us away from the Cube immediately!" replied Worf.
The Defiant and the other ships shot around in a three sixty maneuver, and flew away from the Borg Cube. Suddenly, the Cube shuddered one last time and then exploded. The flames of the Cube rippled through space destroying the slowest of the Federation and Klingon ships. The destruction of the Cube managed to take ten of the starships with it. Worf viewed the tragedy on the Defiant's main screen. He growled in anger.
"Sir, sensors show an escape vessel the size of small shuttle, managed to flee the Cube just before it exploded, informed Ezri Dax as she read her readings, My God, it's fast. That thing is moving at Warp ten, maybe faster!"
"What are it's coordinates?"
"From it's current trajectory, I'd say close to Earth." replied the Trill.
Commander Worf quickly turned to Rom, with determination in his eyes. The Ferrangi knew his orders even before the Klingon gave them.
"Set in an intercept course." ordered Worf.
Rom nodded to his commanding officer and then set the coordinates in at his helm station. The Defiant's engines blazed with fury and quickly pursued the escaping Borg vessel.
"Sir, the Cochrane is hailing us." informed Dax.
"Open a channel."
Admiral Edward Jellico's face appeared on the Defiant's main screen. Weariness filled the Admiral's eyes. He was tired but he knew more fighting was to come.
"Where are you heading Mr. Worf?"
"Sir, one of my officers discovered a Borg escape vessel, heading toward Earth. We are on a intercept course, to stop it from reaching it's destination."
"Our sensors didn't pick up any vessel?"
"Granted Admiral, but I believe you should give us the benefit of the doubt."
"Fine, lead the way. The Cochrane will be right behind you."
"Aye, sir."
Jellico's image vanished and the Defiant continued it's pursuit of the Borg Vessel. The U.S.S Cochrane quickly followed the Defiant. Both the Admiral and the Commander knew they had to stop the vessel before it reached Earth.
=====/////=====
The last remaining Borg Cube fired it's weapons on the few remaining starships. Riker held his stomach in pain. The last impact the Farragut took forced a heavy object to fly into Riker's gut. The Captain of the Farragut coughed violently and tried to regain his equilibrium. His crew watched on the main screen as the last remaining Federation ships were destroyed. All that remained was the Farragut and the Enterprise. The two starships were easy pickings for the still strong Borg Cube.
"Damage report, Mr. Knight!" ordered Riker.
"Sir, most of the systems are down. The main computer and the shields are gone. All we have left is the smaller computer systems such as weapons and the turbolift. We still have life support but I don't know for how long."
Lieutenant Commander Knight breathed heavily, trying to assess the battle situation.
"Sir, we have a couple of remaining photon torpedoes. I'm afraid all they would do is anger the Cube more but I guess it's worth a shot."
Riker watched as the Cube loomed in on the Enterprise. The Borg vessel remained still and appeared to be non-threatening. This can't be right, thought Riker, that Cube could have destroyed both of our ships by now.
Tom Paris viewed the main screen in confusion. It was extremely odd that the Borg Cube was not attacking the Enterprise. The Cube remained motionless.
"What is it waiting for?" asked Paris.
"I don't know Tom but I'm not waiting to find out. Mr. Knight, fire our remaining torpedoes at a vital system on the Borg Cube." ordered Riker.
"Aye, sir." replied the Commander as he pressed the launch button at tactical.
The torpedoes fired from the Farragut's torpedo bay and connected with the Borg Cube. They were quickly absorbed by the Cube's shield.
"That's that!" shouted Knight in disgust.
=====/////=====
The Borg Queen was furious. She had had just about enough of the petty starship. The Queen quickly spoke to the collective and ordered them to fire their attack drones on the Farragut. The Borg Cube instantly fired a green ray at the Farragut and destroyed one of it's main engines. The Farragut shuddered violently sending most of the crew to the hard floor. Suddenly, a strange vessel fired out of the Cube and attached itself to the Farragut.
"What was that?!" shouted Riker.
The U.S.S Defiant span wildly around the second Borg Cube, releasing torpedoes as it moved. The projectiles hit the Cube squarely in vital ship systems, forcing explosions in a domino effect. The U.S.S Stargazer followed in suit and fired it's weapons in the same damaged spots, causing even more damage to the Cube. The Cube returned fire but missed the Defiant by mere inches. However, the Cube did manage to inflict severe phaser damage to the fleeing Stargazer. The phaser blast connected with the ship's hull causing it shudder with destruction. The Stargazer collapsed from within itself, exploding into shards and space dust. The Cube then focused it's attention back to the Defiant, which was coming back for another pass.
"Focus all weapons, on section four point seven four." ordered Worf as he studied his tactic chart.
The Defiant swerved left to right dodging green phaser fire. When the ship came with in range, it fired it's phasers on the Cube, inflicting more damage to the already injured sections. The Cube lurched violently and rumbled from the attack.
"We're not causing enough damage!" shouted Worf in disgust.
Suddenly, twenty Klingon Birds-of-Prey came out of warp and fired their weapons upon the Cube. The Cube lurched violently from the massive attack.
"Sir, Klingon ships have just come out of warp and are attacking the Borg." informed Dax in utter surprise.
"I knew they would come!" roared Worf.
Meanwhile, U.S.S Cochrane flew onto the scene and fired several torpedoes at the Cube. The Birds-of-Prey and the remaining Federation ships followed the Cochrane and quickly made their assault on the weakened Borg Cube. The vacuum of outer space was filled with red photon torpedoes, which were all homed in on the Cube. Explosion after explosion rippled through the Cube. The Defiant continued to fire it's phasers at the severally damaged Cube. The rays penetrated the Cube's frame and pierced deep within the ship. Borg Drones were consumed by the explosions and phaser rays. Waves of fire flowed with ease through the Borg decks. The flames ate everything in it's path. Suddenly the wave of fire connected with the Cube's main engine. The Hive Mind on the first Borg Cube sneered as she felt her drone's voices leave her head.
"Sir, the Borg Cube is going to explode!" shouted Ensign Rom.
"Move us away from the Cube immediately!" replied Worf.
The Defiant and the other ships shot around in a three sixty maneuver, and flew away from the Borg Cube. Suddenly, the Cube shuddered one last time and then exploded. The flames of the Cube rippled through space destroying the slowest of the Federation and Klingon ships. The destruction of the Cube managed to take ten of the starships with it. Worf viewed the tragedy on the Defiant's main screen. He growled in anger.
"Sir, sensors show an escape vessel the size of small shuttle, managed to flee the Cube just before it exploded, informed Ezri Dax as she read her readings, My God, it's fast. That thing is moving at Warp ten, maybe faster!"
"What are it's coordinates?"
"From it's current trajectory, I'd say close to Earth." replied the Trill.
Commander Worf quickly turned to Rom, with determination in his eyes. The Ferrangi knew his orders even before the Klingon gave them.
"Set in an intercept course." ordered Worf.
Rom nodded to his commanding officer and then set the coordinates in at his helm station. The Defiant's engines blazed with fury and quickly pursued the escaping Borg vessel.
"Sir, the Cochrane is hailing us." informed Dax.
"Open a channel."
Admiral Edward Jellico's face appeared on the Defiant's main screen. Weariness filled the Admiral's eyes. He was tired but he knew more fighting was to come.
"Where are you heading Mr. Worf?"
"Sir, one of my officers discovered a Borg escape vessel, heading toward Earth. We are on a intercept course, to stop it from reaching it's destination."
"Our sensors didn't pick up any vessel?"
"Granted Admiral, but I believe you should give us the benefit of the doubt."
"Fine, lead the way. The Cochrane will be right behind you."
"Aye, sir."
Jellico's image vanished and the Defiant continued it's pursuit of the Borg Vessel. The U.S.S Cochrane quickly followed the Defiant. Both the Admiral and the Commander knew they had to stop the vessel before it reached Earth.
=====/////=====
The last remaining Borg Cube fired it's weapons on the few remaining starships. Riker held his stomach in pain. The last impact the Farragut took forced a heavy object to fly into Riker's gut. The Captain of the Farragut coughed violently and tried to regain his equilibrium. His crew watched on the main screen as the last remaining Federation ships were destroyed. All that remained was the Farragut and the Enterprise. The two starships were easy pickings for the still strong Borg Cube.
"Damage report, Mr. Knight!" ordered Riker.
"Sir, most of the systems are down. The main computer and the shields are gone. All we have left is the smaller computer systems such as weapons and the turbolift. We still have life support but I don't know for how long."
Lieutenant Commander Knight breathed heavily, trying to assess the battle situation.
"Sir, we have a couple of remaining photon torpedoes. I'm afraid all they would do is anger the Cube more but I guess it's worth a shot."
Riker watched as the Cube loomed in on the Enterprise. The Borg vessel remained still and appeared to be non-threatening. This can't be right, thought Riker, that Cube could have destroyed both of our ships by now.
Tom Paris viewed the main screen in confusion. It was extremely odd that the Borg Cube was not attacking the Enterprise. The Cube remained motionless.
"What is it waiting for?" asked Paris.
"I don't know Tom but I'm not waiting to find out. Mr. Knight, fire our remaining torpedoes at a vital system on the Borg Cube." ordered Riker.
"Aye, sir." replied the Commander as he pressed the launch button at tactical.
The torpedoes fired from the Farragut's torpedo bay and connected with the Borg Cube. They were quickly absorbed by the Cube's shield.
"That's that!" shouted Knight in disgust.
=====/////=====
The Borg Queen was furious. She had had just about enough of the petty starship. The Queen quickly spoke to the collective and ordered them to fire their attack drones on the Farragut. The Borg Cube instantly fired a green ray at the Farragut and destroyed one of it's main engines. The Farragut shuddered violently sending most of the crew to the hard floor. Suddenly, a strange vessel fired out of the Cube and attached itself to the Farragut.
"What was that?!" shouted Riker.