CHAPTER NINE
On the far side of Markaz the Falcon went dark. The interior lights were down, the helm was offline, and the engines refused to respond. On his back under the helm, Worf could hear Chewie stomping around the ship muttering in an undertone about 'trading it for a derelict garbage scow'. From here they could contact the Enterprise but the communication array was down as well, and they were still out of range for his personal communicator. It had happened just as they were about to make their final approach to the rebel base located, along with the Enterprise, on the other side of the planet. They could wait for the moon to come to them in it's orbit, but that would mean almost a week, which was not an option. They had already been gone to long.
Worf could find nothing that would indicate the source of the power outage under the helm so, replacing the circuit panel, he stood, and joined Chewie at the main generator at the back of the ship.
"Nothing up front." Worf reported.
"I think the problem lies here." Chewie pointed at a large jar shaped component. It was blackened and had been forcibly blown from its mount.
"Its the main power relay for the generator. Without out it we are dead in space." Chewie said. Worf had already guessed as much.
"Do you have a replacement?" Worf asked.
"No. But I believe I can rig this one good enough to get us home. All we need to do is bypass the points that are blown with jumper wires and use a few smaller relays to take up the slack, I believe that will get us back. " Chewie said reaching for his tool bag.
"Good. As soon as the communication array is back online we need to let them know we are making our final approach." Worf said.
"It should only be a few minutes before.........." Chewie was cut off by a sudden deafening drone above the falcon that shuddered and vibrated the hull of the ship to the point the two occupants wondered if it would hold.
"What is it?" Worf yelled above the roar.
"I don't know." Chewie screamed back as he took off in a jog too the front of the ship followed closely by Worf. As they approached the windows they were shocked at the enormous shadow cast over the falcon. Above them only a scant few meters was the hull of a star destroyer passing over. The steady drone of the ship grew more intense as they engines passed over, literally shoving the falcon back and then jerking it forward as it passed through the drag of the exhaust of the massive engines. After a few moments the Falcon gradually was released from the vacuum and set adrift. Chewie and Worf watched in disbelief as the ship slowly grew smaller in the distance.
"They didn't see us?" Worf asked.
"They had too!" Chewie said almost to himself.
"What's going on?" Worf asked rhetorically.
"The Imperials wouldn't just go on by like that for no good reason. They saw us , But why they ignored us, I don't know." "Chewie said.
"Lets get the repairs underway. As commander Riker would say; 'We are living on borrowed time.'" Worf remarked.
The Titan moved slowly, passing the dull white of Markaz below. Vader watched the planet pass from his command chair and wondered at the commotion on the small ship passing below the hull of the Star Destroyer. When the ship had first appeared on the sensors he knew he would not bother them, Even if Luke himself had been on the Falcon he would have done just what he was doing now, nothing. He could not gain their trust, if it could be gained at all, by capturing or destroying the Falcon. It was imperative that the Enterprise be captured, if they were successful, then crushing the rebellion would be done in a matter of weeks rather then months or years. Then the Empire could finally be established as the preeminent power in the galaxy. As long as the Rebel alliance remained in existence there would always be a threat to the sovereignty of the Empire, There were to many sympathizers, to many who would undermine the Imperial government in the hope to give the Rebels an advantage. They had struck a mighty blow when the Death Star had been destroyed. But the Imperial machine could not be stopped. Another more powerful Death Star was already being constructed at Endor. And this time they would be ready for the Rebels. And if the Enterprise could be taken in to the Fleet then the Death Star would be just a very visible symbol of power. Because the Rebellion will have been put down and power and order would have been restored to the galaxy. There was only one thing standing in their way; The Borg.
"We've got one engine." Chewie said as he joined Worf in the cockpit. "The smaller relays would not hold up to the strain so we have one."
"That's all we need, lets get going." Worf said.
The falcon moved slowly under power of the aft thrusters as Chewie ignited one of the two main engines. Easing the throttle forward, The Falcon began to pick up speed and it's two occupants breathed a little easier knowing that it would only be a matter of a few moments until their mission was completed. Worf tried his personal communicator but there was still to much interference. The communication array was on line but with limited power it's range was suspect. Worf keyed the com.
"Sir. We are being hailed, audio only. It's the Falcon." Data reported. Picard stood and with a relieved smile told Data to patch it through.
Worf started to respond but hesitated, remembering a poem Captain Picard had recited in 10-forward not long ago, Once more he keyed the com.
Worf's voice boomed through the bridge of the Enterprise; "Oh Captain! my Captain! Our fearful trip is done, The ship has weathered every rack, the prize we sought is won, the port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting."
Picard finished; " While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring. Welcome home Worf. And you to Chewbacca. I trust you were successful?"
"Yes sir. We have the dilitheum. We should be arriving in about ten minutes. Another thing Captain there is a Star Destroyer in the area, we'll have a full report when we arrive."
"We are aware of the Imperial vessel Lieutenant. Just get the Falcon back to the Enterprise so we can get that dilitheum to Geordi."
"Yes sir. Worf out."
The Falcon settled on the tarmac of shuttle bay three and the engine faded into silence. Geordi waited just inside the door thinking how small the shuttle bay seemed with the Falcon stuffed into it. The landing ramp descended and Worf walked down with his bag over his shoulder and noticed Geordi waiting not too patiently near the door.
"Welcome back Worf." Geordi said as he approached the Klingon. "The Captain said you had something for me."
Worf reached into the bag and produced the crystal, wrapped in a dark velvety material.
"How was your trip?" Geordi asked
"Lets just say I'm glad to be back."
"Hmm," Geordi studied the crystal, turning it over in his hands. " well we're glad your back. Now if you will excuse me I have some work to do." Geordi said as he turned to the doors and disappeared in to the corridor.
Chewbacca waited at the bottom of the ramp.
"I must get back to the moon. I need to finish repairs on the ship." Chewie paused and looked out the force field door of the shuttle bay. "A lot of things could have happened, a lot of things did happen, But I am glad you were there with me on this journey. It has been a while since I have had a friend with me aboard the Falcon." Chewie said.
"I Hope you will get your friend back. If we don't make it back to our own time, than I would consider it an honor to help."
"Your help would be much appreciated."
"I will talk to Captain Picard and get you clearance to take off as soon as possible." Worf said.
Captain Picard sat in his ready room and listened to the message once more that had been forwarded to him from the moons surface. The voice was deep and rich, yet some how hollow. It said; "This message intended for the U.S.S Enterprise is a call for truce. It is our understanding that you have information about the Borg that may be of help in destroying them. It is our intention to make contact with you to discuss our forming an alliance. We must find a solution to the menace currently plaguing the galaxy. If we are successful in this endeavor then we promise safe passage for you and your crew back to the coordinates at which you entered our galaxy. If you do not wish to cooperate than your safety cannot be guaranteed. It is in your best interests to join with us. Do not respond to this message, we will be in contact."
Picard leaned back and stared at his personal view screen that sat on his desk. He was very suspicious of the message and it's connotations of 'join us or else'. The Rebel Alliance had already voiced their opinion about the proposed alliance by putting their squadrons on full alert. He had a meeting in a few minutes with Princess Leia to discuss the message and its meaning, if in fact there was an alternate motive to it's purpose. It was hard to make a decision based on so little information. He knew next to nothing of the Empire, except what was being fed to him by the Rebels. He knew nothing of the Rebels, Except, again, what was being fed to him by the Rebels. He had learned many times that rebels had their own agendas. Many times their efforts to change the status quo were legitimate. But many times it was an effort to change thing for the sake of changing them. Was the Empire the evil entity they were made out to be? Was it all propaganda? He believed he would have to approach this meeting with a middle of the road attitude. Not exactly sitting on the fence but grant a benefit of the doubt to both sides. He had not forgotten how the Empire had attacked them with out provocation when they had first arrived. He had not forgotten how the Alliance had been the ones to help them when they were vulnerable to more than one enemy. But then again, who's agenda were they most concerned with? Did they feel they could gain an advantage by helping them? Or were they genuinely concerned about their safety in this strange galaxy? Picard had not run into to many who had shown consideration to a stranger. When had he become so cynical? He sighed and closed the empty view screen, it was time for his debriefing with Worf. A light from the window caught his eye and he turned in time to see the Falcon heading to the moons surface, disappearing into the fog that had formed in the atmosphere, a fog, he had noticed, that formed every morning but burned away by afternoon.
Worf was waiting with Riker in the conference room when Picard made his way to his seat.
"Once more Lieutenant, welcome back." Picard began. "Are you ready?"
"Yes sir."
"Go Ahead."
Worf began his tale from the beginning. Starting from their departure from the moon, he related the facts of the journey; from their near discovery at the Imperial blockade to the running gun fight with the Bounty Hunter. Picard stopped him every so often with a question. When Worf got to the part about the vision he hesitated. He wasn't sure if he should include it in his report, but he had never kept anything from Captain Picard before. Slowly, reluctantly, he related his experience in the cave of visions; he told how the voice of Kahless had warned him that the soulless ones would be waiting, the voice that had emanated from the Borg drone.
After finishing his report Picard requested that Worf forward the coordinates of the moon where they had seen the Borg ship to Tactical, they might be able to figure out some possible positions of the Borg. The meeting adjourned and Picard sat alone in the room waiting for the delegation from below to arrive. He gave some thought to Worf's vision and to their current situation. For the first time in a long time, he was at a loss as to what to do. His thoughts were interrupted by his chief engineer;
"Captain, this is LaForge."
"Go ahead Geordi."
"Captain we have a problem."
Of course we do, Picard said to himself.
"What is it Geordi."
"This dilitheum is not pure. It has some inconsistencies that I cant get worked out of it."
"Will it work, Geordi?"
"Yes, but I think warp two will be all we can manage."
"It's better than nothing."
"Yes sir, LaForge out."
On the surface of the moon things were not so calm. All X-Wing squadrons had been brought to full alert and the base had been stripped and packed just a few hours after the message had been received. It was then their suspicion had turned to horrible realization; the Empire had found them. Luke, having just returned from the planets surface with a search party that had been trying to locate the wreckage of the Imperial probe, stormed in to Leia's council chambers where she sat alone pouring over the most recent Intel from the scout ships patrolling the system.
"Is what I'm hearing true? Have they found us? Is Picard actually going to meet with Vader?"
"It seems that way," she said with out looking up.
"Is he insane? He hasn't listened to anything we've told him!"
"Luke, you have to understand his position. He doesn't know anything about the situation in this galaxy except what we have told him. His first priority is to get that crew back to their homes."
"But he's bringing them right down on top of us, Leia!"
"He didn't bring them here, Luke. We've known for a while they might be getting close to finding us."
"Don't you remember Hoth?"
"Of course I remember!" Leia snapped. "Luke, I'm sorry. But you have to understand, my first priority is our people. So to a certain extent I understand his decision to talk to Vader. Of course I don't agree with it, but I know far more about him than Picard does. This whole world is strange to him. He must explore every avenue, every possibility, before he makes a decision. I am going up in a few minutes to speak with him. I hope I can convince him to be careful, not to trust them out of hand. Although I don't believe he is the type to walk blindly in to any situation. I am certain he will be on his guard with Vader,"
"It scares me to have him so close, Leia. After Bespin, it took me while to even pick up a light saber again, to think of things Master Yoda had taught me. I don't want to be there when he arrives"
"I know, Luke. I don't fully understand all that happened there, but I know it had a profound affect on you. You don't have to come." She paused for a moment looking at Luke. "I have to go. I am already late. I will do my best to make sure that Vader doesn't convince Picard to do anything that will be detrimental to our cause. I will make him understand."
"You better, Leia. Because if you don't, Vader will. And then it will be too late for all of us."
In his meditation chambers Darth Vader conferred with the small image that danced in and out of focus on the holo pad. They would arrive and make contact with the Enterprise to form the "alliance".
"Remember Lord Vader, We must gain their trust. The Borg must be destroyed first. And then we can focus on the prize before us."
"Yes my Lord. They will bend before the will of the Dark Side. There is one other thing my Lord. Their has been a strange disturbance in the force, one that I have not felt before."
"Yes. I have felt it too. As if a shadow has fallen over all of us, enshrouded us with a terrible danger."
"I have foreseen a darkness that threatens the survival of this galaxy."
"We live by darkness, Lord Vader. It is something we understand.
Pragan Casser lay nude on the cold metal table. The use of his extremities did not exist. His thoughts were all he seemed to have control of, and even they were fading. What was happening? It seemed as though moments ago he was in the cockpit of his Tie fighter, on patrol near Yaesue. He focused his thoughts. The Cube! What were they called? The Borg? His throat tightened, and fear choked him. He tried to move his legs, to push him self up with his arms. But they lay there, no motion, no feeling. Again he focused his thoughts. As a child he had learned quickly that he had a special gift, one that none of the other children had. He could move things with out touching them. He could anticipate things to the point where his reflexes had gotten so fast that his athletic skills far surpassed those of the others. That helped him get into the Imperial naval academy. It was when he was a teenager he had discovered with certain people he could manipulate their thoughts; He used it on some of the local girls. Someone was coming! Out of the corner of his eye he could see one them approaching.
The drone leaned over him and pushed hard on the side of his neck. Pragan focused his thoughts at the drone, tried to reach him. but his mind began to grow foggy, his vision blurred and struggled to stay conscience. He could here a voice echoing through the sterile gray corridors of the ship; "Is he the one?" "Yes," a voice answered. "Does he have the mind power?" "Yes," another voice answered. "Then we shall understand. Then they will understand that resistance is futile. That they are irrelevant except in the Borg."
"And what of Lokutus?" A Voice asked.
"Lokutus? He too is irrelevant."