CHAPTER TEN
"I am Locutus of Borg. Resistance is futile. Your life as it has been is over. From this time forward you will service us. You will disarm your weapons and escort us to sector 001. If you attempt to intervene, we will destroy you." The image faded and Picard found himself on the bridge of the Enterprise. "For God sakes Number One, don't listen! Number one! Will! Picard screamed Riker's name but the first officer ignored him as if he weren't there. "Fire" Riker said quietly. "Yes, Yes, destroy them!" Picard said smiling. He looked up at the screen to see the expressionless face of Locutus staring back. "Kill them all!" He screamed. He watched the torpedo's hit the side of the Borg cube and in an instant the Borg vessel vanished leaving empty space as if it had never been there.
Beverly Crusher stepped forward; "You killed Jean Luc." She said to Riker, with no emotion what so ever. "I killed Locutus of Borg." he replied in a monotone. "No! I am here number one! For God sakes Will, cant you see me?" Picard asked. "Cant any of you see me?" He yelled at the Bridge. "Your statement is logical Commander Riker, It was Locutus, not Jean Luc, who died." Picard turned at the voice. "Ambassador Spock!" Spock stood at the entrance to the turbo lift. A light tan robe covered his shoulders and its length touched the floor giving the Ambassador the appearance of being slightly taller than he was. "Spock! Surely you can see me?" Picard asked weakly. Picard fell to his knees "I am not dead! I am not Locutus! I am not one of them! I am not one of them!" "Of course your not." An ancient voice said soothingly. "You are Jean Luc Picard! You have a soul!" Picard looked up to see a wrinkled face half hidden by a hood that hung low over piercing eyes. "Who are you?" Picard asked as he stood and took a step back. "I am darkness, I am light. I am good, I am evil. Who I am, you must found out for yourself, Jean Luc."
"Captain Picard to the bridge."
Picard sat bolt upright on his bed and stared wildly around his quarters. A dream?
"Captain Picard please respond."
Picard reached for his com badge on the table next to his bed and keyed it with fumbling hands.
"Yes, number one?"
"Captain, we are being hailed by an imperial vessel. They have just come in to visual range."
"On my way number one."
Picard swung his feet to the floor and sat on the edge of his bed and shook his head, it had been months since his last nightmare. Why now? Stress. He stood and pulled on his uniform and looked in the mirror. No. Pride would not allow him to admit the pressure may be getting to him. He admitted though, everyone had a breaking point. Even the great Jean Luc Picard. He smiled slightly and took in a deep breath. A moniker he himself despised. He took pride in his work, but had never considered himself great. That was something those green, wet behind the ears cadets talked about back at the academy. A place that seemed a billion light years away now. He picked up his com badge and pinned it to his chest . He must talk to Counselor Troi when all this was over. He turned down the lights and opened the doors, It was time to go, The Empire had arrived.
Alone in the turbo lift, Picard went over his meeting with Princess Leia. She had given him some information on Vader and several strong warnings. They were terrified of having anything to do with an alliance and had strongly cautioned against any dealings with Vader. He simply could not be trusted. Picard himself was very apprehensive. Even with the Rebel alliance seemingly behind them he felt utterly alone. Suddenly he laughed, What if all this were some elaborate practical joke put on by Q to torment them so he could get some sort of demented pleasure once more watching them suffer? If only that were true, he thought. It must be a desperate situation indeed if he were wishing Q were behind it.
The turbo lift came to a halt and the doors opened revealing a bridge crew scurrying about. A light flashed showing they had gone to yellow alert.
"Captain. We have answered the hail and they are on stand by." Riker reported.
"On screen." Picard said, straightening his uniform.
The screen blinked and came to life. Darth Vader appeared, flanked by two storm troopers. Picard was impressed by the presence Vader commanded.
"Lord Vader, I am Jean Luc Picard of the U.S.S. Enterprise. We finally meet." Picard stared at the dark mask and felt uneasy that he had no face he could read, no expression telling him how the other took his words. He felt better that Troi was sitting behind him. He hoped she had better luck than he did.
"Captain Picard, I will brief and to the point. I did not come to negotiate or discuss how we will destroy the Borg. We expect all information pertaining to the Borg to be turned over to us immediately. We expect your cooperation in a subordinate position. You have one hour"
Vader's image was replaced by the Titan in it's position off the port bow of the Enterprise.
"The link has been severed Captain."
"Well, he did get right to the point, didn't he?" Picard said.
"The Rebels told us to not to expect much of a welcome." Riker added.
"Worf, hail the Rebel base." Picard ordered.
"Go ahead Captain, audio only."
"Captain Picard ,this is Leia."
"Princess Leia, I would like you to beam aboard to discuss our options and the demands of the Empire."
"Yes of course."
"Lieutenant Worf, have security escort her to my ready room on her arrival. Number one, counselor, please join me."
In Picards ready room they settled in to the dark chairs, outside the looming presence of the giant Star Destroyer could be seen through the long window behind and to the right of Picard.
"Counselor Troi, your impressions?"
"Captain, I felt a very great deception. They want our help, but I don't believe they are planning to give us safe passage anywhere. They Want the Enterprise."
"I agreed to this meeting only because I wanted to see for myself if this Empire was as evil as they had been made out to be." Picard said.
"I believe that Princess Leia has been honest with us. Their is something very dark about Vader. His emotions are very hard to read. They seem to be in a perpetual state of turmoil. But first and foremost; fear. But it is my impression that they mean to destroy the Borg and then they will come after us."
A chime rang out and Picard answered; "Come". The doors slid open and Princess Leia entered alone. They took their seats and the meeting continued. Picard told of the brief meeting with Vader and the time that he had given them to comply.
"Captain, we have to back out now. Counselor Troi is right. I hadn't even thought about the fact he may want the Enterprise., but it makes since. He figures with this new technology he can accelerate the destruction of the Rebels and tighten his grip on the galaxy."
"I assure you Princess, he will not get this vessel now or ever." Picard said sternly.
"Well, that leaves us with two problems; The Empire is here and the Borg ,no doubt, are closing in. I suggest Captain we deal with the Empire immediately so if and when the Borg do arrive we don't have to deal with them simultaneously." Riker said.
"Quite right Number One. I don't plan on negotiating with Vader or the Empire. If he wants our help dealing with the Borg he's going to have to do a bit more listening and little less demanding. Besides I don't think at this stage he's ready to do anything drastic and risk losing his prize, I think we can use that reluctance to our advantage for now."
On the edge of the Yaesue system the Borg cube drifted. Pragan Casser stood on the bridge and studied his right arm. Where was his hand? He raised the forearm and a tool of some sort was in its place. It spun and whirred. He walked awkwardly to a piece of glass that separated him from a small corridor. He could see his reflection. He tilted his head curiously and wondered at the image of the pale thing that stared back. Suddenly he screamed when he realized that the image was his! He screamed again but his mouth had not moved and the eyes only held a blank stare, no emotion, no life.
"Is he ready?"
"Not yet, his assimilation is not complete."
"We have found Locutus."
"Ayaman will be ready."
"Set course, maximum speed."
Who is Ayaman? Pragan thought.
"You are Ayaman." A voice answered.
"I am Pragan Casser!" He answered.
"Pragan Casser is irrelevant. Ayaman is Borg, you are Borg."
"I don't want to be Borg." Pragan screamed. His mouth still remaining motionless in the reflection.
"Want is irrelevant. You will serve us, we will serve you, we are one." The voice echoed once more.
Suddenly a screen appeared and he saw images of Star ships he didn't recognize. But the image began to clear and he could see the Titan in orbit around a moon. The other one he didn't know. Wait! The ship they were supposed to be looking for! The Enterprise! His thoughts began to fade and his legs weakened. His eyes blurred and he felt hands gather him up and carry him through the narrow corridors. With his last conscience thought he could here the voice once more; "How long?" "Two hours and Locutus will join us once more."
"Captain, we are being hailed." Picard rose from his command chair and stepped forward to the view screen.
"Captain Picard, we are ready to receive the information regarding the Borg. After we receive the transmission, stand by for instructions." Vader ordered.
"I'm sorry Lord Vader, but we cannot comply with your demands. We would gladly share any pertinent information with you about the Borg, but it is the Enterprise that will take the lead in any offensive with the Borg vessel, with you in the subordinate role." Picard said.
"Maybe you are not aware of the position you hold in this galaxy, Captain. You are in no position to make demands."
"With all due respect Lord Vader I am very well aware of my options. I will deal with the Borg in any way I feel best benefits our chances of survival. Therefore when the Borg arrive Lord Vader, and I feel that will be very soon, you can help us or you can leave now. Either way I will deal with the Borg the way I see fit."
"So be it Captain." The image of the Titan returned to the screen.
"Captain, they are powering weapons!" Worf reported.
"Shields up! Red alert!" Riker ordered.
"I wonder if Jedi bluff, Number one. " Picard asked as he sat down.
"Mr. Worf ready Photon torpedo's."
"Captain we are picking up another vessel on long range sensors. It's the Borg!"