Chapter Thirteen: Fractures
Picard and Riker waited in the transporter room along with the Klingon and Romulans ambassadors. Alissa has said she would beam over in a few minutes. Suddenly the transporters whined and four figures appeared. They resolved into two adults, the Borg Queen and a man Picard had never seen before. He had blue skim and red and yellow eyes. The other two figures were children, one human, and other a feline alien.
"Greetings Captain Picard," the human girl spoke. "Hello ambassadors. I am Alissa. This is Commander Ger Dah, Commander Alana, and Sinal," she said, pointing to Ger Dah, the Queen and Sinal. "Now, may we proceed to the conference room?"
"Very well, follow me," Picard replied. As he showed them to the conference room he felt chills go up his spine. Having the Queen so close to him brought up bad memories.
When the group entered the conference room the Cardassian and 8472 ambassadors were already there. 'Boothby' glared at the Borg delegation in a barely contained rage.
Alissa spoke first. "I know that you all must be very confused about why we are here. The Kreedak have recently begun attacks on the Delta Quadrant. We managed to capture and assimilate one of their vessels, and from it we learned of the attack on Earth and decided to aid you."
"Why would YOU want to help anyone?" Boothby asked.
"Because it is beneficial to all of us if the Kreedak are defeated. The Collective is already engaging Kreedak forces, but they have a very large space fleet. If the Alpha Quadrant were to fall, the Kreedak could concentrate their entire force on the Delta Quadrant."
"So you are saying you want us to help you fight your battles?" Asked the Romulan ambassador.
"In a way. We would welcome your assistance and would be willing to share technology with any race who joins the war effort. Even if you don't choose to join we will still intercept any Kreedak fleet that attacks the Alpha Quadrant."
"Why are you so interested in helping us?" Picard asked.
"A promise," Alissa replied. "I promise I made to a dying friend. Now, the Borg are willing to assist you in resisting the Kreedak. Are you willing to cooperate? If it helps, the Borg have already made their first ally."
"My people," Sinal spoke up. She was dressed in the outfit of a Sinai princess. "Queen Alissa saved my people from destruction at the hands of a brutal race known as the Resalians. As such, my father, Emperor Sin'tau, has pledged the full support of the Sinai to the Borg. In return our fleet is being upgraded with Borg weapons, defenses and propulsion technology, but we are still a small empire compared to the Collective. Most of our ships are still engaged in the Resalian War. Your help could mean the end of one of the greatest threats this galaxy has ever seen. Your help would be invaluable."
"I already have ships searching the Delta Quadrant for possible allies. The support of the Alpha Quadrant would mean dozens of worlds, possibly hundreds, would be spared from Kreedak conquest. Their warriors are formidable, but the Collective is developing drones and weapons with which to fight them. Their ships are numerous but individually weak. The Collective and Sinai will fight them alone if we have to. So, is anyone here interested?" Alissa asked.
"What kind of technology would you share with us?" The Romulan ambassador asked.
"Enhanced weapons, more powerful shields and Transwarp technology," Alissa replied. She had known that the Romulans would be interested in technology over anything else.
"I will bring your proposal to the Romulan senate."
"Thank you," Alissa said and turned to the Klingon ambassador. "Ambassador, your people who were on Earth engaged Kreedak warriors did they not?"
"Yes," the Klingon ambassador replied. "They were formidable."
"I can offer you as much battle as you wish, as well as provide you with weapons to even the fight. It will be glorious." Alissa saw the Klingon's eyes brighten at the thought of combat.
"I will speak with the High Council."
"Very well. What about the rest of you?" Alissa asked the Federation, Cardassian and 8472 ambassadors.
"We'll have nothing to do with you," Boothby said. "You're lucky you're not already dead."
"The Cardassian Union would never ally with a race such as the Borg."
"The Federation does not initiate wars. We will defend ourselves if the Kreedak attack, but until then I request that you leave Federation space," Picard said to Alissa. She looked disappointed.
"As you wish. I will leave a communication device with the Klingon and Romulan ambassadors. If any of you change your minds you may use them to contact me." Alissa and her companions got to their feet and stood together. "Goodbye." The group vanished in a Borg transporter beam, and as soon as they were gone the bickering began.
"You would ally yourselves with the Borg!" The Cardassian ambassador asked the Klingon delegation.
"You would refuse the chance for glorious battle," the Klingon replied.
"The Borg are offering advanced technology and all we have to do is destroy a race that is already bent on our subjugation," the Romulan ambassador added.
"And what makes you think that the Borg won't go right for your throats as soon as the war's over?" 'Boothby' asked.
"They likely will, but with the technology they are offering we stand a better chance of repelling them."
As the verbal debates went back and forth Picard leaned back in his chair and tried to control his coming migraine.
…
Alissa's Diamond dropped out of Transwarp near the Starfleet base Deep Space Nine. Colonel Kira, who was on duty in Ops, nearly had a heart attack. Then Alissa hailed.
"Colonel Kira, I have a favor to ask of you."
"Who are you?" Kira asked. She was afraid, no question, but she was still the Commander of Deep Space Nine and refused to let her fear show.
"My name is Alissa. I am the leader of the Borg Collective. I need you to help me talk to an old friend of yours."
"You need MY help?"
"Yes. My meeting with Starfleet was not a productive as I'd hoped. Would you be willing to meet with me, say for lunch?"
Kira was, needless to say, quite confused. She had heard that the Borg had helped destroy an alien fleet at Earth, but other than that she knew nothing. And now a girl claiming to be the Borg leader was inviting her to lunch!
"Uh, sure. Meet me on the promenade in an hour."
"I'll be there," Alissa replied, smiling as only a twelve year old could.
As Alissa's image vanished, Kira went into her office and fell into her seat.
"This day just keeps getting better and better."
How was that? Sorry if it was a bit short. So the Romulans and the Klingons may support Alissa. Will they decide to aid her? Will the Kreedak launch another attack? And who is this old friend of Kira's that Alissa wants to meet? Find out in the next exciting chapter of A New Way. See ya all then, and don't forget to review!
ENTILZA