Chapter 83
An Illogical Move
Vulcan Great Hall, Vulcan
March 25, 2378
Ambassador Spock was walking through the corridors, chatting with government officials when the first reports came of enemy forces entering the system. The government wasted no time in sounding the alarm and instructing people to get underground. Spock was surprised, but not shocked by the tactic, as he expected the enemy would come to Vulcan before making the jump to Earth.
Senator Pital turned to the aged Vulcan and asked, "Spock, will they attempt a full scale invasion or will they just move on straight to Earth?"
"I do not know. However, I would say that preparing for the former has been a very sensible idea. If they come here for a fight, they will find themselves facing a much tougher foe than they expected."
Ambassador Tri'al concurred, adding, "We may have repressed our emotions, but that hasn't meant that we can't fight a war. I'm surprised that the Jem'Hadar have forgotten so easily."
Spock said, "My dear friend, the Jem'Hadar forgot because the Ragendora told them to forget. They figure that the new weaponry that they have acquired will make them tougher to deal with, so they commit themselves to tasks they would have though unwise before that ancient race showed up."
The Vulcan Defense Force, along with the few Starfleet ships in the area, put up a brave fight, but they were no match and were quickly dispatched. All was going well for the enemy when five of the battle cruisers suddenly took heavy fire.
Aboard one cruiser, one of the Jem'Hadar tactical officers turned to his commander and said, "Sir! It's the Borg!" The commander snorted and said, "Turn the fleet around and engage!"
It was to be a very fatal mistake, as the space soon filled with hundreds of Borg cubes. They had been changed, as Galen had found a way to deploy the kind of skin that the old Shadow ships used to have around the cubes.
Jean-Luc Picard looked on as the battle raged on from the deck of the Socrates and was pleased at the way the attack was going. Galen had taken the initiative and swarmed the right flank of the enemy from two different directions, cutting down ship after ship with ruthless efficiency. Meanwhile, on his left flank, Anna had managed to use some of what she had learned from her former husband to deal with the enemy. She had split up her forces into three groups and set up a triangular killing zone that none of the enemy ships emerged from.
The battle continued for an hour, as other enemy ships came in to try and stop the Borg. They were unable to deal with the advanced cubes and soon went down to defeat at the hands of the Borg. No cubes had been lost, as the Shadow skin had provided an even greater shield than the cubes had already. Picard hailed the Vulcan Defense Command, and Spock was there with the military officials.
"Captain Picard, it is good to see you again," said Spock.
"And I am glad to see you, Ambassador! We came as soon as we picked up the distress signal.," Picard replied.
Later, Spock beamed aboard the cube, something he never thought he would ever do. From Starfleet intelligence he'd seen, he expected the interiors to be very utilitarian, but what he saw was a pleasantly decorated place. Some of the rooms he went into even had tapestries, which made him remember something that his former commanding officer, Captain James T. Kirk once said.
"You know, I think I've seen everything now.," said Kirk one day on the bridge of the old Enterprise. The saying had briefly perplexed Spock, and he asked Kirk why he said it. "Because Scotty has this ship running smoothly for a change" was the reply he got.
Spock entered the command center for Socrates and nodded at Picard. "I must say, Picard, that I am rather surprised to see the inside of a Borg cube. Much more surprised in the fact that I see tapestries in some of the rooms. Most fascinating!"
Picard smiled and said, "The tapestries are the idea of the technomage Isabelle. We've been trying to change the interior from its more austere origins to a more pleasant atmosphere." He gestured to a woman in a black robe with short strawberry blonde hair.
Spock nodded at her and said to the whole crew, "Welcome to Vulcan!"