Luke Skywalker laid on his bunk and stared out the window. After ten hours in the shuttle bay explaining the technology of the X-wing to Commander LaForge he was exhausted. They seemed no closer to finding a way back home than they were yesterday. He had never been patient. And after only one day, the frustration was beginning to wear. He knew they were near. Out there waiting. Like wraiths hiding in the darkness. They could be patient, he could feel that. He was scared. Fear leads to the dark side. It frightened him he was scared. His emotions and his inability to control them sometimes led him too close to that dark path. Oh, if only old Ben were here! Yoda! Han! Someone! But he knew he was alone. For the first time since he left home he felt alone. He trusted Captain Picard and his crew. He could feel that they sincerely wanted to get him home. They were working hard on a solution. He closed his eyes, and a pale face appeared. A lifeless being that stared blankly at him. Luke opened his eyes and looked over at R2, who sat quietly in the darkness. He would try not to sleep. The image disturbed him and left a sick feeling in his stomach. Not since The Cloud City had he felt this way. He thought of Vader. His father! He still had trouble believing it. But Yoda had told him it was true. When he hung over that vast space and Vader reached out for him and asked him to join him, he wanted to die. That's why he let go. The thought of being the son of one of the most hated beings in the galaxy was too much to bare. He still had nightmares.
Luke swung his feet to the floor and stared at the silent droid, his only link to the life he had known. He stood and walked to the Replicater and asked for water. The glass appeared before him. Taking it to the window, he looked at the endless galaxies that stretched out before him. Which one was his? Would he ever see it again? He hoped so. His thoughts turned once more to the Borg. Never in his life had he sensed such evil. He thought, with a smile, that even Vader would be shocked at the existence of such creatures. Or would he? He remembered standing on the bridge and the initial feeling that swept over him as the Borg approached. Souls screaming in a mass confusion of voices that rang in his mind with a deafening outcry. He could not comprehend the millions who served the collective and yet hidden deep inside these were hearts that cried out, some for death some for freedom, and some just cried. He shuddered to think that these things wanted to take him and add him to the mass of broken lives, to serve the greater need. Then a terrible thought struck him. If they were successful, they would use the force to destroy and assimilate those weaker than they. His presence here could create another Empire, another tyrannical government that preyed on the people and destroyed all who did not agree or would not join their faction.
He walked over to the table where his light saber sat and picked it up. He would fight, to the death if need be. But he would not be taken. He did not want to sleep. He knew he would see those faces again, staring, it seemed, almost greedily at him. He put his robe on and placed the light saber on his belt underneath and out of sight. As he finished, a chirp sounded and Luke opened the door.
"Good morning Commander, the Captain has asked me to escort you to his ready room," Data said.
"Sure. R2! Wake up!" Luke yelled at the little droid.
The droid beeped and groaned and came to life.
Luke and R2 followed Data to the turbo lift and stepped inside.
"Bridge." Data ordered.
The turbo lift hummed briefly and stopped at the bridge. Luke stepped out of the lift and looked at the crew going busily about their duties. Commander Riker was sitting in the command chair, he nodded at Luke and turned back to studying the data sitting in his lap. Data led him to Picards ready room and showed him inside.
"Thank you, Mr. Data." Picard said.
"Have a seat Commander." Picard said motioning to the chair in front of his desk.
"Thank you, Captain."
"I trust your quarters are satisfactory?" Picard asked.
"Yes, Thank you."
Picard looked over at the small droid who had taken a position next to Luke. Luke noticed and said,
"Believe it or not Captain he's very loyal."
"Oh, I believe it Commander!" Picard answered. "You've met Data. As you may know he is an android. I count him as one of my very good friends and trust him with my life, as I have many times.
"Commander I will get right to the point. I am very concerned about the Borg and their fascination with you. Don't get me wrong as long as you are on this ship you will have our full protection. But I need to understand our situation. Counselor Troi has informed me that you have control of some power that they desperately want. I need to know what we are getting in to. So, Commander, I am asking you to explain, as best you can, who and what you are."
Luke sat back in his seat and looked at the captain.
"Where do I start? It seems in the last couple of years I've lived a life time."
"Start with this power," Picard said.
"We call it the force. Its an energy that occurs naturally in the universe. It springs from all forms of life. And there are two sides, a light and a dark. The dark is a path taken by those who can't control their fear and hate. It is an evil side controlled by emotion. It's more than that Captain. It's very complicated. The light side of the force is used for good. Those who become masters at this are called Jedi. It is this I am being trained for."
"How do you control it?" Picard asked.
"There are those in the universe who are attracted to the force, or it to them. The force is said to be strong with them; it can be genetic as I understand. But not everyone has the ability. Even if you are one of the few you must undergo training, physical and mental. One of the first things you do is make your own light saber, the weapon of the Jedi."
"Light saber?"
Luke reached under his robe and pulled out his light saber and laid it on the Captains desk.
"May I?" Picard said reaching across the desk.
Luke nodded and Picard picked it up and studied the long cylindrical weapon.
"I am surprised Commander that our sensors did not pick this up. When anyone comes aboard, weapons are usually detected," Picard said
Picard handed the weapon back to Luke.
"Continue, Commander."
"You asked about control. There are three basic techniques: Control-manipulation of internal force, that which is within you; Sense-detection of the force, reading it if you will; Alter-manipulation of the force."
"Are you saying you can manipulate matter?"
"Yes, some better than others however."
"This is absolutely amazing commander. You have no idea how much this fascinates me. You see as a Starfleet officer, I am duty bound to explore and seek out new peoples, new societies. I call it duty, but the truth is, Commander, I love this life.
"Now what about the Borg? I must know if they were to get their hands on you, could they use it?"
"I don't know Captain." Luke said staring at the floor.
"You contacted them once before. Can they contact you?"
"No. That was a matter of manipulation. I don't believe I could do that again, they were caught off guard."
"Interesting. One more question Commander. Your navigational records indicate......"
"Captain we have picked up the Borg vessel and it's on an intercept course. It will be here in three minutes."
"I'm on my way," Picard responded.
"Well, Commander, if you will join me on the bridge, we'll find out what the Borg's next move is."
The Bridge was alive. On the screen in the distance the approaching cube could be seen. Luke and R2 took their station next to Captain Picard.
"Red alert! Shields up!" Riker barked.
"Captain! Intercept in one minute!" Worf reported.
"What's the status of the cube, Mr. Worf?" Picard asked.
"They are powering weapons, sir!"
"Mr. Worf, photon torpedo's, full spread, on my mark! Helm, bring us about!"
"Torpedo's ready, Captain!"
"Data! Make ready the warp engines just in case we need to make a quick get away!" Picard ordered.
"Captain. Giving the circumstances surrounding Commander Skywalker's arrival, I would advise not going into warp," Data warned.
"I am aware, lieutenant, of the risk, but we may have no choice," Picard answered.
"Yes, sir," Data replied.
The Borg cube opened fire as it made its final approach. The enterprise rocked, but the shields held with minimal damage.
"Mr. Worf, now!" Picard ordered.
A full spread of photon torpedo's, fired from the Enterprise, shot across the dark silence and were absorbed in the Borg defenses.
"No affect, sir," Worf reported.
A second volley hit the Enterprise and it struck violently, shaking the ship to its core.
"Captain, aft shields are down to forty percent. Injuries reported on decks four and five."
"Fire at will Lieutenant!" Picard said.
A second round of torpedo's left the Enterprise and struck the Borg shields. All were absorbed but one. It struck the cube leaving a gaping hole in its side.
"Is there anything you can do, Commander?" Picard asked Luke.
"No, Captain, I can't reach them. But I think they are trying to find a way aboard."
"Mr. Worf, alert ships security for potential intruder alert," Picard ordered.
The Borg cube continued its relentless attack on the Enterprise. Suddenly Luke stood and looked around almost in a panic.
"What is it, Commander?" Picard asked quickly.
"They're coming!" Luke yelled above the impacts of the Borg artillery.
"Worf!" Picard yelled.
Just as a borage of fire hit the Enterprise five Borg drones beamed aboard! Two appeared behind Worf at tactical, two in front of the command chair and one next to Luke. He brought out his light saber and instantly the hum could be heard. Luke struck at the nearest drone and took the Borg's head with one swing. The bridge was a mass of confusion. Phaser fire and the slashing of Luke's saber only added to the bedlam. Worf, trying to maintain fire on the Borg cube, fired point blank at a rushing Borg that dropped the drone in a heap at his feet. Screaming could be heard and the smell of smoke and blood permeated the small bridge. Luke was knocked hard to the floor and lost his grip on the light saber, which rolled under the helm control. He rolled and gained his feet just as a Borg lunged at him reaching for his neck! Luke spotted his saber under the helm, behind the approaching drone. He lifted his hand in the direction of the saber, and it began to shudder, suddenly it shot into Luke's hand! The saber came to life and he drove the point into the Borg's chest, stopping the mechanical arm just inches from his face! As quickly as it began, it was over. All the Borg were dead. One crewman lay face down, a pool of blood gathering under his right arm.
"Captain!" Worf yelled. "Shield are down!"
"Data get us out of here now!" Picard ordered.
Data turned to the helm and the Enterprise turned about, filling the screen with stars. Data engaged the warp drive and the ship lurched forward leaving the Borg cube behind. Suddenly the Enterprise was enveloped into a bright flash that jerked the ship to a complete stop.
"Data! Report!" Picard asked.
"Captain, I believe we have been pulled into the same sub-space funnel that brought Commander Skywalker to our time and Galaxy," Data said as he turned around.
"Data," Riker said rising from his chair. "Where are we?"
"I have compared Commander Skywalker's navigational charts to our present coordinates, and we are at the very same position as Commander Skywalker when he encountered the spacial anomaly."
Luke jumped up from his chair and stared at the view screen.
"You mean I'm home?" he asked.
"In effect, Commander, yes," Data said matter of factly.
"And the Borg?" Riker said looking at Worf.
"Gone, sir."
"Data, what happened?" Picard demanded.
"Well sir, we seemed to have triggered the same anomaly that affected Commander Skywalker."
"So your saying we lit the same fuse with our warp engines as the Commander did with his?" Riker asked.
"Basically, yes." Data said.
"Captain, a vessel is approaching!" Worf reported.
"On screen," Picard said.
The view screen came to life and brought into focus a large wedge shaped ship that filled the screen.
"A star destroyer!" Luke exclaimed.
"Friendly?" Riker asked.
"Not on your life!" Luke replied
"Worf! Report!" Picard ordered.
"1,600 meters in length. A crew of over 39,000! Armament: 60 ion based cannons; 60 laser batteries!"
"Captain, this is an Imperial class star destroyer. It has over 200 gunners to man those cannons. And three Tie Fighter squadrons! I know I am not familiar with your technology, but you must listen to me when I tell you, this is not a vessel you want to fire on!" Luke pleaded.
" I have no intention of firing unless fired upon first, Commander!" Picard said impatiently.
"Captain! They are powering up their weapons!"
"Shields up!"
"Captain Picard!" Geordi's voice emanated from his communicator.
"Go ahead, Geordi."
"We still don't have the shields at one hundred percent, Captain."
"How long?"
"Fifteen minutes at best!"
"We don't have that long Geordi!" Picard informed him.
"I'll do my best Captain, LaForge out."
"Captain they are hailing us!" Worf said.
"On screen."
"Audio only sir."
"Patch it through."
"Unidentified vessel, by order of the Empire, you will stand down and prepare to be boarded."
"This is Captain Picard of the U.S.S Enterprise, we are not hostile. We only wish..."
"Stand down! and prepare to be boarded! This is your final warning!" The voice commanded.
Captain Picard turned to Worf and drew his hand across his neck. The Klingon obeyed and severed the audio link between the two ships.
"Captain they are launching small fighters. Over one hundred of them!"
Luke turned to the view screen. "Tie Fighters!" He yelled.
"Data, mark these coordinates!" Picard ordered.
"Geordi?"
"Captain, we're at eighty percent, it's the best I could do. I'll keep working though."
"Worf, ready Phaser's!"
"Phaser's ready, sir."
"Captain, those fighters may sting us to death." Riker said.
"I know, number one. I don't plan on engaging in a running gun battle with unknown technology."
"Mr. Data, make ready the warp engines. Mr. Worf, target their propulsion. On my Mark!"
CHAPTER FOUR SOON!!!!