"We are approaching the last known coordinates of the Venture," stated Lt.
Commander Data.
"Ensign, take us out of slipstream. Mr. Data begin long range scans. Number One, have our guests escorted to the bridge," ordered Captain Picard.
The turbolift doors opened to reveal Admiral Janeway followed by Seven of Nine, Dr. Remor, and Ambassador Worf.
"I am picking up debris, not enough to be a ship. I am unable to identify them."
"Beam a piece to engineering for analysis."
"La Forge to bridge, Captain, this fragment defiantly came from the ships ablative armor, although I've never seen a section of armor blasted off like this."
"So, where is the rest of the ship?" asked Dr. Remor.
"It is probable that the Borg assimilated it," stated Seven.
"I am reading a mutura class nebula 3 billion kilometers off our port quarter. The Venture would be invisible to our sensors if it took refuge in there."
"So would the Borg," warned Commander Riker.
"It is unlikely that the Borg would remain this long to assimilate one ship," said Seven.
"Ensign, set a course for the nebula, full impulse. Engage."
The Enterprise entered the nebula a few moments later.
"Captain, the ship is being bombarded with some kind of low frequency disturbance. I'm having trouble identifying the source, but I believe they are sound waves. A metura class nebula does not produce this kind of phenomenon."
"Then if must be a ship," interjected Janeway.
"This ship must be using sonar to scan the nebula," concluded Picard.
"Sonar?" Questioned Riker.
"A method of detecting objects through the use of sound signals and detecting their returning echoes. It was invented during World War I by the British, Americans, and French and was used to locate..."
"Thank you, Data," interrupted Picard.
"I thought sound couldn't travel in space," stated Riker.
"Sound can't travel in a vacuum, but it can in a dense nebula," corrected Janeway.
"Crude, but efficient. The wave must come from the Venture. The Borg would never use such a 'limited' method of scanning."
"Mr. Data, can we trace the waves back to their point of origin?"
"No sir, but we can send out our own sound waves by reconfiguring the deflector to send out sonic pulses."
"Ensign Toval, what are those pulses telling you?" Questioned Patel.
"I'm reading two tritanium signatures in the nebula. They both appear to be in moving in search patterns."
"Two cubes?"
"Captain, we are being hit by sound waves. The Borg must be using the same method of detection as we are," said Lt. Roka.
"I do not believe so Lieutenant, the waves are emanating from one of the two ships in the nebula. If it were the Borg, logically both ships would be flooding the nebula with pulses."
"Can you tell which ship the pulses are coming from." asked the Captain.
"I cannot be sure."
"So we have two ships, one is Borg, the other is a wild card and we have no way to tell which is which, what does your logic tell you about this one ensign?"
"I would suggest holding our position, the 'wild card' will notice that our ship is not moving and will investigate."
"Giving us a look at what we're up against," finished Commander Kotan.
"All stop. Keep a finger on that button Lieutenant, we don't know when we might have to make a quick exit," said Patel to Ensign Archer's replacement at the helm.
"Aye Captain, answering all stop."
"Its working, one of the ships has adjusted course and is heading strait for us."
"How long until they are in hailing range?"
"They have to get within a hundred kilometers, so about half a minute at their current speed."
"We are being hailed."
"Lets have it Commander."
Everyone on the Bridge was shocked for the second time in a week when the view screen flickered on to reveal Captain Jean-Luc Picard and the bridge of the Enterprise.
"Captain Patel, its good to see you."
"Likewise Captain, how did you get out here so fast, last I heard the Enterprise was back in the Alpha Quadrant undergoing a refit."
"That refit was to install a new quantum drive, one that got us here in four days."
Patel got another surprise when she looked up to see Admiral Kathryn Janeway standing on the Enterprise bridge.
"Forty thousand light years in four days, that's one hell of a new drive!" Exclaimed Commander Kotan.
"Captain, what happened?" asked Picard paying no attention to Kotan.
"Five days ago a Borg Cube came out of nowhere and tried to assimilate us. They were adapted to the ablative armor and the transphasic torpedoes did not do any damage. We were severely damaged before we got to this nebula. We have repaired all of our primary systems except the slipstream. My engineer tells me that it is not salvageable. We have been playing hide and seek with the cube for the last five days," reported Patel.
"The other Tritanium signature," concluded Picard. "I guess we should be thankful we didn't run in to them ourselves."
"It is inefficient to use this many resources to assimilate one ship," stated Seven of Nine.
"Captain, if your drive is completely destroyed, I see only one choice. We will evacuate your crew to the Enterprise and destroy the Venture," ordered Janeway.
Patel grimaced, "I can't say I like that idea, but I understand. We will begin evacuation procedures, Patel out."
"Number One, inform Doctor Crusher of possible casualties and find beds for our guests. Have security standing by in the shuttle bay to escort the Venture crew to Cargo Bay One. Mr. Data, download the Venture's sensor logs from their fight with the Borg," ordered Picard.
Two hours later the Venture's crew and supplies were on board the Enterprise. Captain Patel went up to the bride.
"Captain, welcome to the bridge."
"Thank you Captain."
"Mr. Data, open a channel to the Venture's computer."
"Channel open."
"Computer, this Captain Joanne Patel, initiate self destruct, authorization Patel Ro Gamma One Three. Set destruct for three minutes."
"Authorization confirmed, ship will self destruct in two minutes and fifty six seconds."
Janeway felt nothing but sympathy for Captain Patel. She remembered giving the order a few times on Voyager, but she was lucky to always cancel it. There would be no luck for Captain Patel today.
"Ensign, take us out of the nebula, full impulse. Engage."
"Considering that shields are useless in the nebula, the quantum matrix breach will do serious damage to that cube," stated Riker.
"Captain! The Cube is following us!" exclaimed the young ensign.
"Full impulse ensign. Mr. Data, how are they tracking us?" Asked Picard.
"Unknown, but they will intercept us in nine seconds."
The ship rocked as it came to a sudden stop.
"Sir, they have engaged a tractor beam," said Ambassador Worf taking over tactical for an injured crewman.
"Captain, if we're in the Nebula when The Venture blows..."
"I know Number One, Mr. Data, can we get a weapons lock on the cube?"
"I can hit the cube, but without targeting scanners, I cannot lock on to the tractor emitter itself. I would not recommend firing torpedoes when we are this close to the hull."
"Bridge to La Forge, Geordi, send a surge of anti-matter through the tractor beam," ordered Riker.
"Sending the surge. Commander, it had no effect."
"One minute, thirty seconds to the Venture's matrix breach."
"Options?"
"I could manually pilot a shuttle craft into the beam emitter," offered Riker.
"I would not recommend it sir, without shields the quantum breach from the shuttle would severely damage the Enterprise."
"Captain, if we jettison the section that the Borg have locked their tractor beam on, it will give us a few seconds to get out of this nebula," suggested Jetal.
"It will work even better if we load the section with torpedoes. Since the torpedoes would detonate inside the hull, the Enterprise would not sustain residual damage," added Worf.
"Counselor Troi, have that section evacuated, you have one minute until we jettison it."
"Aye Captain," said Troi as she headed for the turbo lift.
"Mr. Worf, transport three torpedoes to deck 4, section 32, bulkheads 4, 7, and 9," ordered Data.
On deck four the scene was frantic. The Borg had locked their tractor beam directly on a large section of crew quarters. People were rushing out of there quarters grabbing whatever personal memento they could save before they were destroyed.
"Everyone, just get out of here, don't stop until your outside section 32."
"Riker to Troi, you have twenty five seconds."
"Computer, who is left on deck four, section thirty-two?"
"Commander Troi. Jean-Luc Riker."
"Riker to Troi, Deanna get out of there!."
"Will, I can't leave yet, Jean-Luc is still here somewhere."
"Computer, locate Jean-Luc Riker."
"Jean-Luc Riker is in his quarters."
Deanna rushed to her quarters to get her son off the deck before it was too late. She opened the door to her quarters to find young Jean-Luc huddle on the ground near the couch, clearly frightened out of his mind.
"Mommy!"
"Common Jean-Luc we have to leave now. Run!" she screamed.
"Riker to Troi, ten seconds!"
"We're on our way Will."
They both ran as fast they could down the corridor, Bulkhead twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, section 31. Just as Deanna passed the finish line, a containment field came up separating her from Jean-Luc, who was just on the other side.
"NOOOOOO!!!!!!!" screamed a hysterical Troi.
The bulkheads under Jean-Luc's feet began to rattle, "Mommy? What's happening?" Just then, the entire section jettisoned out of the hull.
Deanna watched her son hurtling toward the cube. She was doubled over and sobbing hysterically.
"Riker to Troi. Riker to Troi. Riker to Troi, please respond."
A crewman took Deanna's combadge, "Commander, your wife is fine, but I'm sorry to say...your son didn't make it off the section when the field came up."
"What!" screamed Will, "Data can you beam him out of there?"
"I am sorry Commander, I cannot lock on to his signal."
Without another word, Will rushed into the turbolift.
""We're free of the tractor beam," reported Data. "The section is approaching the cube, four seconds until the cube pulls the section inside its hull. Fourteen seconds until the Venture's matrix blows," reported Worf.
"Enisgn, Full impulse. Engage."
A large, circular door on the cube opened and three smaller beams pulled the large section of hull inside.
"Mr. Worf, now!" ordered Picard.
Worf sent the remote command to the torpedoes. The Enterprise was pulling away from the cube when their rear view screens showed the cube explode into a million pieces with young Jean-Luc inside.
"We have left the Nebula," stated the ensign at the helm.
Ensign take us back to the alpha quadrant, engage!" ordered Picard.
"Thank you for your assistance captain, but if you would excuse me, I would like to go speak to my officers."
"By all means."
Just as Patel was about to enter the turbolift, she heard Data, "Captain, I am reading multiple ships in the vicinity, but I can't identify who they are. They seem to be employing a jamming signal"
"Let me see," barked Patel. "Captain, these were the same readings we got on the Venture just before the Borg ambushed us."
"How many ships, Mr Data?"
"Three...twelve...twenty-seven...one hundred and five...nine hundred...five thousand four hundred and seventy two." said Data.
"The Borg do not travel in large armadas, it is inefficient." said Seven.
"Captain, the ships are pursuing, but not as quickly as they could," said Data.
"What do you mean Commander," asked Picard.
"Borg transwarp is known to be as fast as this slipstream drive, but they are traveling only at a fraction of our speed. Their heading indicates that they are on a direct course for the Alpha Quadrant and more specifically, Earth."
The bridge went silent as the realization of what Commander Data was saying hit home.
"Five thousand cubes? How long will it take them to reach Earth?" asked a perplexed Picard.
"At current speeds, thirty four days."
To Be Continued.........
"Ensign, take us out of slipstream. Mr. Data begin long range scans. Number One, have our guests escorted to the bridge," ordered Captain Picard.
The turbolift doors opened to reveal Admiral Janeway followed by Seven of Nine, Dr. Remor, and Ambassador Worf.
"I am picking up debris, not enough to be a ship. I am unable to identify them."
"Beam a piece to engineering for analysis."
"La Forge to bridge, Captain, this fragment defiantly came from the ships ablative armor, although I've never seen a section of armor blasted off like this."
"So, where is the rest of the ship?" asked Dr. Remor.
"It is probable that the Borg assimilated it," stated Seven.
"I am reading a mutura class nebula 3 billion kilometers off our port quarter. The Venture would be invisible to our sensors if it took refuge in there."
"So would the Borg," warned Commander Riker.
"It is unlikely that the Borg would remain this long to assimilate one ship," said Seven.
"Ensign, set a course for the nebula, full impulse. Engage."
The Enterprise entered the nebula a few moments later.
"Captain, the ship is being bombarded with some kind of low frequency disturbance. I'm having trouble identifying the source, but I believe they are sound waves. A metura class nebula does not produce this kind of phenomenon."
"Then if must be a ship," interjected Janeway.
"This ship must be using sonar to scan the nebula," concluded Picard.
"Sonar?" Questioned Riker.
"A method of detecting objects through the use of sound signals and detecting their returning echoes. It was invented during World War I by the British, Americans, and French and was used to locate..."
"Thank you, Data," interrupted Picard.
"I thought sound couldn't travel in space," stated Riker.
"Sound can't travel in a vacuum, but it can in a dense nebula," corrected Janeway.
"Crude, but efficient. The wave must come from the Venture. The Borg would never use such a 'limited' method of scanning."
"Mr. Data, can we trace the waves back to their point of origin?"
"No sir, but we can send out our own sound waves by reconfiguring the deflector to send out sonic pulses."
"Ensign Toval, what are those pulses telling you?" Questioned Patel.
"I'm reading two tritanium signatures in the nebula. They both appear to be in moving in search patterns."
"Two cubes?"
"Captain, we are being hit by sound waves. The Borg must be using the same method of detection as we are," said Lt. Roka.
"I do not believe so Lieutenant, the waves are emanating from one of the two ships in the nebula. If it were the Borg, logically both ships would be flooding the nebula with pulses."
"Can you tell which ship the pulses are coming from." asked the Captain.
"I cannot be sure."
"So we have two ships, one is Borg, the other is a wild card and we have no way to tell which is which, what does your logic tell you about this one ensign?"
"I would suggest holding our position, the 'wild card' will notice that our ship is not moving and will investigate."
"Giving us a look at what we're up against," finished Commander Kotan.
"All stop. Keep a finger on that button Lieutenant, we don't know when we might have to make a quick exit," said Patel to Ensign Archer's replacement at the helm.
"Aye Captain, answering all stop."
"Its working, one of the ships has adjusted course and is heading strait for us."
"How long until they are in hailing range?"
"They have to get within a hundred kilometers, so about half a minute at their current speed."
"We are being hailed."
"Lets have it Commander."
Everyone on the Bridge was shocked for the second time in a week when the view screen flickered on to reveal Captain Jean-Luc Picard and the bridge of the Enterprise.
"Captain Patel, its good to see you."
"Likewise Captain, how did you get out here so fast, last I heard the Enterprise was back in the Alpha Quadrant undergoing a refit."
"That refit was to install a new quantum drive, one that got us here in four days."
Patel got another surprise when she looked up to see Admiral Kathryn Janeway standing on the Enterprise bridge.
"Forty thousand light years in four days, that's one hell of a new drive!" Exclaimed Commander Kotan.
"Captain, what happened?" asked Picard paying no attention to Kotan.
"Five days ago a Borg Cube came out of nowhere and tried to assimilate us. They were adapted to the ablative armor and the transphasic torpedoes did not do any damage. We were severely damaged before we got to this nebula. We have repaired all of our primary systems except the slipstream. My engineer tells me that it is not salvageable. We have been playing hide and seek with the cube for the last five days," reported Patel.
"The other Tritanium signature," concluded Picard. "I guess we should be thankful we didn't run in to them ourselves."
"It is inefficient to use this many resources to assimilate one ship," stated Seven of Nine.
"Captain, if your drive is completely destroyed, I see only one choice. We will evacuate your crew to the Enterprise and destroy the Venture," ordered Janeway.
Patel grimaced, "I can't say I like that idea, but I understand. We will begin evacuation procedures, Patel out."
"Number One, inform Doctor Crusher of possible casualties and find beds for our guests. Have security standing by in the shuttle bay to escort the Venture crew to Cargo Bay One. Mr. Data, download the Venture's sensor logs from their fight with the Borg," ordered Picard.
Two hours later the Venture's crew and supplies were on board the Enterprise. Captain Patel went up to the bride.
"Captain, welcome to the bridge."
"Thank you Captain."
"Mr. Data, open a channel to the Venture's computer."
"Channel open."
"Computer, this Captain Joanne Patel, initiate self destruct, authorization Patel Ro Gamma One Three. Set destruct for three minutes."
"Authorization confirmed, ship will self destruct in two minutes and fifty six seconds."
Janeway felt nothing but sympathy for Captain Patel. She remembered giving the order a few times on Voyager, but she was lucky to always cancel it. There would be no luck for Captain Patel today.
"Ensign, take us out of the nebula, full impulse. Engage."
"Considering that shields are useless in the nebula, the quantum matrix breach will do serious damage to that cube," stated Riker.
"Captain! The Cube is following us!" exclaimed the young ensign.
"Full impulse ensign. Mr. Data, how are they tracking us?" Asked Picard.
"Unknown, but they will intercept us in nine seconds."
The ship rocked as it came to a sudden stop.
"Sir, they have engaged a tractor beam," said Ambassador Worf taking over tactical for an injured crewman.
"Captain, if we're in the Nebula when The Venture blows..."
"I know Number One, Mr. Data, can we get a weapons lock on the cube?"
"I can hit the cube, but without targeting scanners, I cannot lock on to the tractor emitter itself. I would not recommend firing torpedoes when we are this close to the hull."
"Bridge to La Forge, Geordi, send a surge of anti-matter through the tractor beam," ordered Riker.
"Sending the surge. Commander, it had no effect."
"One minute, thirty seconds to the Venture's matrix breach."
"Options?"
"I could manually pilot a shuttle craft into the beam emitter," offered Riker.
"I would not recommend it sir, without shields the quantum breach from the shuttle would severely damage the Enterprise."
"Captain, if we jettison the section that the Borg have locked their tractor beam on, it will give us a few seconds to get out of this nebula," suggested Jetal.
"It will work even better if we load the section with torpedoes. Since the torpedoes would detonate inside the hull, the Enterprise would not sustain residual damage," added Worf.
"Counselor Troi, have that section evacuated, you have one minute until we jettison it."
"Aye Captain," said Troi as she headed for the turbo lift.
"Mr. Worf, transport three torpedoes to deck 4, section 32, bulkheads 4, 7, and 9," ordered Data.
On deck four the scene was frantic. The Borg had locked their tractor beam directly on a large section of crew quarters. People were rushing out of there quarters grabbing whatever personal memento they could save before they were destroyed.
"Everyone, just get out of here, don't stop until your outside section 32."
"Riker to Troi, you have twenty five seconds."
"Computer, who is left on deck four, section thirty-two?"
"Commander Troi. Jean-Luc Riker."
"Riker to Troi, Deanna get out of there!."
"Will, I can't leave yet, Jean-Luc is still here somewhere."
"Computer, locate Jean-Luc Riker."
"Jean-Luc Riker is in his quarters."
Deanna rushed to her quarters to get her son off the deck before it was too late. She opened the door to her quarters to find young Jean-Luc huddle on the ground near the couch, clearly frightened out of his mind.
"Mommy!"
"Common Jean-Luc we have to leave now. Run!" she screamed.
"Riker to Troi, ten seconds!"
"We're on our way Will."
They both ran as fast they could down the corridor, Bulkhead twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, section 31. Just as Deanna passed the finish line, a containment field came up separating her from Jean-Luc, who was just on the other side.
"NOOOOOO!!!!!!!" screamed a hysterical Troi.
The bulkheads under Jean-Luc's feet began to rattle, "Mommy? What's happening?" Just then, the entire section jettisoned out of the hull.
Deanna watched her son hurtling toward the cube. She was doubled over and sobbing hysterically.
"Riker to Troi. Riker to Troi. Riker to Troi, please respond."
A crewman took Deanna's combadge, "Commander, your wife is fine, but I'm sorry to say...your son didn't make it off the section when the field came up."
"What!" screamed Will, "Data can you beam him out of there?"
"I am sorry Commander, I cannot lock on to his signal."
Without another word, Will rushed into the turbolift.
""We're free of the tractor beam," reported Data. "The section is approaching the cube, four seconds until the cube pulls the section inside its hull. Fourteen seconds until the Venture's matrix blows," reported Worf.
"Enisgn, Full impulse. Engage."
A large, circular door on the cube opened and three smaller beams pulled the large section of hull inside.
"Mr. Worf, now!" ordered Picard.
Worf sent the remote command to the torpedoes. The Enterprise was pulling away from the cube when their rear view screens showed the cube explode into a million pieces with young Jean-Luc inside.
"We have left the Nebula," stated the ensign at the helm.
Ensign take us back to the alpha quadrant, engage!" ordered Picard.
"Thank you for your assistance captain, but if you would excuse me, I would like to go speak to my officers."
"By all means."
Just as Patel was about to enter the turbolift, she heard Data, "Captain, I am reading multiple ships in the vicinity, but I can't identify who they are. They seem to be employing a jamming signal"
"Let me see," barked Patel. "Captain, these were the same readings we got on the Venture just before the Borg ambushed us."
"How many ships, Mr Data?"
"Three...twelve...twenty-seven...one hundred and five...nine hundred...five thousand four hundred and seventy two." said Data.
"The Borg do not travel in large armadas, it is inefficient." said Seven.
"Captain, the ships are pursuing, but not as quickly as they could," said Data.
"What do you mean Commander," asked Picard.
"Borg transwarp is known to be as fast as this slipstream drive, but they are traveling only at a fraction of our speed. Their heading indicates that they are on a direct course for the Alpha Quadrant and more specifically, Earth."
The bridge went silent as the realization of what Commander Data was saying hit home.
"Five thousand cubes? How long will it take them to reach Earth?" asked a perplexed Picard.
"At current speeds, thirty four days."
To Be Continued.........