Chapter Sixteen: Refugees
Alissa and the Sinal were watching as the first groups of Borg clones emerged. The Dominion had provided Alissa with the coordinates of a world called Argratha. Its people were extremely skilled in mind alteration, and Alissa had used their technology to create a device she called a life simulator. It allowed the growing clones to experience twenty years of life as independent drones. They were part of an experiment by Alissa. Intrigued by how effective ships piloted by individuals could be, she had decided to try it herself. New vessels were being constructed at the Borg's first mobile Unimatrix. The Kreedak had continued their attacks in ever escalating numbers, but the Borg and Dominion had driven them back. The Resalians had been driven back to five systems surrounding their homeworld. Sin'tau's fleet would begin the final assault within a week.
As the drones emerged from their cloning chambers, they quickly formed groups. Alissa entered the room with Sinal.
"Welcome. You are the first drones to be created with individual thoughts and abilities. You are the future of the Borg. Tell me, who do you serve?"
"The Collective," the drones replied. In their simulated lives they had gone through Alissa's version of Starfleet Academy.
"Good. Your vessel will arrive shortly. Your first assignment will be to attack a small Kreedak scout force in sector 197J." After Alissa dismissed the drones, Sinal turned to her.
"So these drones think for themselves?"
"Yes, but they are also completely loyal to me. Their training assures that. So Sinal, once the Resalians are crushed I'll talk to your father about you becoming one of my Commanders."
"Thank you Alissa," Sinal replied, her tail swishing from side to side quickly. She couldn't wait until she could be more like Alissa.
…
On the edge of Borg space three vessels dropped out of Warp. Two were black, dagger shaped craft 350 meters long. The third was a 500 meter long oval shaped vessel covered in silk like armor. 3 Cubes arrived a moment later.
…
On board the Endgre destroyer Tin'sheld, Captain Silcrin watched apprehensively as three massive cube shaped vessels bore down on her scout fleet.
"Tactical analysis?"
"Each Cube is armed with sixty high yield plasma weapons and twenty torpedo tubes. Their shields are extremely powerful, and they are also generating some sort of stealth field that is preventing our sensors from attaining a target lock," Silcrin's first officer replied. "They're hailing us."
"Put them on."
"We are the Borg. You have entered our territory. State your identity and purpose." Said a voice that sounded like a thousand people speaking in unison.
"This is Captain Silcrin of the Endgre destroyer Tin'sheld. We have entered this space seeking a new home for our people. We are fleeing from a race known as the Kreedak," Captain Silcrin replied. The Borg Cube remained silent for several long minutes.
"Remain at your present position. A vessel will arrive shortly." The Borg replied.
…
Thirty minutes after the Endgre vessel arrived, Alissa's Diamond arrived. Silcrin was awed by the size of the ship.
"We are being hailed."
"Answer them," Silcrin replied. She waited and the image of a girl appeared.
"Captain Silcrin. I am Alissa, leader of the Borg Collective. I would like to invite you and one other on board my vessel to talk."
"Thank you. We will beam aboard in ten minutes."
…
Alissa and Alana waited in a conference room when their guests beamed aboard. Captain Silcrin was a women just under two meters tall, with light green skin and blue hair that reached down to her waist. Her eyes were a light shade of purple. She was dressed in a blue and green uniform with silver trim. The second guest was a massive two and half meter tall man clad in a suit of black armor and carrying a sword on one hip and a pistol on the other. One of his eyes was a glowing red prosthetic.
"Greetings Miss Alissa. Allow me to introduce Commander Tel'Neth of the Mintal Empire. Both of our races have been driven from our homes by the Kreedak. My homeworld was burned only six months ago. Ever since, we survivors have fled, searching for a new home and protection from the Kreedak." Captain Silcrin said.
"It is good to meet you. I am Queen Alissa, and this is Commander Alana. Our empire has also been under attack by the Kreedak. We have been searching for allies ourselves. So tell me, how many of you are there?"
"Our main fleet is several light years from here, hiding in a nebula," Silcrin replied. "In total there are eleven thousand vessels, including the evacuation ships and supply vessels. If you are willing to help us Queen Alissa, my people are in desperate need of food and medical supplies. We have been under near constant attack from Kreedak raiders and our supplies are running low."
"I would like to meet your leaders. If we can come to an agreement it should be simple enough to provide you with all the food and medicine you need."
"Thank you Queen Alissa," Silcrin replied. "I will send word to the main fleet. Your vessel may accompany us."
"Agreed. Signal us when you're ready." Silcrin and Tel'Neth beamed back to their ships and Alissa's Diamond fell in behind them.
…
Kreedak Core worlds
Commander Haass stood quivering before the Kreedak High Council. The leaders of the ten Great Hives spoke to each other in hushed whispers. High Council room was massive over eight stories high with a mix of organic and metal panels hundreds of Kreedak of all breeds looking down at the main floor.
"Commander Haass, you have failed in your mission to destroy the homeworld of the Dominion. Your failure also resulted in the complete destruction of the Battle Hive Dark Star. What do you have to say for yourself?" Asked the leader of the Blood Claws Hive.
"I would have succeeded if it had not been for the arrival of the Borg Lords. As I am sure this council is aware, Borg vessels are among the most powerful our fleets have ever encountered. As of yet all our assaults into their space have been destroyed. We must deal with the Borg, and soon."
"I take it from your tone that you have a plan," replied the leader of the Hive of the Raging Storm.
"Indeed Elders. I have received word that the Endgre and Mintal remains have made contact with the Borg. If they are allowed to join with the Borg they will be even harder to defeat. I propose we gather as large a fleet as we can and attack. We can destroy the Endgre and Mintal and the Borg flagship as well. That will cripple the Borg fleet long enough for us to launch an invasion of Borg space. An invasion which I volunteer to lead personally."
"Very well Haass. Because of your exemplary service in the past, we will give you one more chance. But fail us again, and you needn't bother returning at all," the leader of the Silver Wings Hive replied. "Now leave us."
As Commander Haass left the council chamber, he was steaming. The Borg had damaged his military career, perhaps fatally. He made a promise to himself. He would see the entire Borg race burn before him, even if it cost him everything. He would not fail.
How was that? So the Borg have made some new friends. Will the meeting go well? Will Commander Haass succeed in his quest to destroy the Borg? Will Alissa's independent drone project prove successful? Keep reading and find out. Well, see ya all in the next exciting chapter of A New Way, and don't forget to review!
ENTILZA