Chapter 3

"We are Borg. You will lower your shields and surrender your ships. Your biological and technological distinctiveness to our own you will adapt to service us. We are Borg. Resistance is futile."

"Open Fire!" Martok yelled with unrestrained glee.

The Borg had moved, one ship had entered the neighbouring Cardassian system called Alstis where it threatened a fairly large Colony. Gul Macet and Martok had decided to attack there and worry about the second cube later.

The first line was the Cardassian weapon platforms. Volleys of plasma torpedoes burst out from the launchers and burned across the void. They were followed by compression beams reaching out to assert Cardassian dominance of this system.

The Cube took the massed volley head on, it vanished in a fearsome flash of fire as the barrage hit home. Macet nodded, pleased with his work. These automated satellites had caused carnage in the war, their reputation was well founded.

But Martok was not convinced, and rightly so. As the fires dimmed the simple form of the cube remained, ravaged but not destroyed.

"Continue firing!" Macet ordered. Platforms fired again, dozens of very potent weapons slammed the cube as the borg patiently scanned the area. Then they moved.

"What is their course?" Martok kept his one eye on the Borg vessel.

"Heading for the colonies moon sir"

Martok cursed, that was where the power grid that fed the platforms was, the Borg had spotted it almost instantly.

"We cannot rely on the Platforms." Martok was unsurprised, despite Macets reassurances. "First wave begin your attack."

Hundreds of small vessels left the combined Klingon and Cardassian fleets, mainly Hideki's and B'rel's. They headed toward the cube, which was now laying into the defence platforms, and began high speed strafing runs on the cubes flanks, its front was lost in plasma fires.

Martok knew the small ships had little chance of destroying the cube, but what they did do was distract the borg and draw their fire. Which was where phase two came into effect.

"Signal the fleet, concentrate your fire on the rear of the cube." He hoped the sheer wall of destruction to both front and back would overload the cubes defenses and give him victory. "Break and attack! Find me in Sto'vo'kor!" he cried the warriors death song and prepared for death or glory, there was no other option.

Sixteen ships of the first wave had already been destroyed before the main force entered weapons range. They swept in twenty at a time, unleashing a full alpha strike from long range before pulling up and heading to the rear of the fleet to cycle through again. At the head was The Sword of Kah'less, along with its sisters it blasted a river of green disruptors and torpedoes at the cube and then quickly broke off to clear the lines of fire for the Cardassian ships behind, yellow weapons streaking forward. Then more Klingons, a tide of ships firing steadily at the Borg vessel. By the fourth wave it had analysed the situation and responded, a battery of torpedoes blazed out and slammed into Martoks fleet, crippling shields on half a dozen ships. Never the less they fired their weapons and rejoined the circuit, the firing never let up.

Martok detested the Borg, as did all Klingons. They lacked even the basic principles of honour or courage or even respect. The Federation may not understand Klingons but at least they respected them, even feared them. But not the Borg. And if taken, more than the dishonour of capture came the living death of assimilation. No Klingon would ever accept that, ever. Martok may gain none of the joys of fighting a noble enemy, but victory was joy enough.

The defence platforms were being systematically destroyed now, the borg cubes main attention still focused on the way ahead. Martok hated being ignored, but unlike many Klingons he was shrewd, he fought back the urge to close range and swarm the ship and maintained the steady firing, hopefully wearing down the defences before committing to an all out attack. His diversionary squadrons were already in trouble, the cloaks seemingly having no effect on this borg vessel. Still, like the warriors they were they kept attacking, leaving deep scars in the cubes surface. But it wasn't enough. The cube continued on its mission while Martoks ships began to take more and more damage.

"Captain, Martok has engaged the Borg."

Riker nodded his thanks. "Keep me posted."

The Titan had been joined by a couple of hundred more federation starships, with many more on the way. These ships were the sharp edge of Starfleet. They were hardy ships, most only a few years old and heavily modified for the new enemies of this century. Gone were the Mirandas and Excelsiors, replaced by Akiras and Nebulas. Riker hated this watching, he was eager to get in there and help his allies. He had faced the Borg before and survived plenty of times, he would do the same here. If only he had the orders.

Commander Worf was just as restless as the Defiant sped through warp. He too knew and hated the Borg from personal experience. He was sat once more on the bridge of the Defiant ready to battle the Borg, it was the whole point of this ships existence and right now he felt it was the point of his existence too.

Behind him followed the Sixth fleet, also veterans of the Dominion war equipped with the best ships in the fleet. They went forth and hoped for the best but prepared for the worst.

And the worst was yet to come.