Okay okay, jeez, we won't kill off the baby. We're glad that we have so many people who are concerned for our characters. I personally thought that it would take 3 chapters to reach a consensus, but you guys made it overwhelmingly clear in one. Guess that means that we have to change a few future chapters.
So with that out of the way, tell us your suggestions for the daughter's name. We've already got a pretty good idea of what we want, but perhaps you all can suggest something even better. Besides, who says that this will be their last daughter? (Wink wink, nudge nudge)
And without further ado, enjoy.
Out in space above the planet, the Enterprise was in bad shape. Plasma leaked from the warp nacelles, many Hull breaches were found all over the ship and plasma fires leaked from some of them. The Enterprise D, was done in for now.
A meeting between the most senior staff members was being called as Naruto and his squad returned from the battlefield.
In the captain's ready room, Picard and Riker were going over the damage report.
"It's not good, number one." Picard sighed.
"Sir...as much as I hate to say it, I think we need to abandon ship." Riker suggested.
"To where and what point? The Prometheus doesn't have the capacity we need to get everyone off the ship and the outpost is under siege." Picard pointed out.
"Perhaps we should evacuate to the planet's surface until Star Fleet can arrange transportation for us back to Earth and construct us a brand new ship." Riker suggested.
"They are already working on a new Enterprise." Picard sighed.
"Sir?" Riker asked.
"I heard from Starfleet that the Enterprise was going to be decommissioned and renamed in 5 months. The Enterprise E is sitting at Utopia Planitia shipyards."
"I see. Well that works out in the end. Seems that we will be enjoying a month vacation then." Riker said.
Picard stood up and went to his replicator. "Tea. Earl grey, hot." He ordered. The cup of tea appeared and he started sipping the piping hot drink. "There...is still one major problem."
"What's that, sir?"
"Getting down to the planet. Our shuttle bay doors are destroyed and transporters are offline."
"If it's not one damn thing, it's another." Riker sighed.
"Yes...the launch sequence for the escape pods is offline and the saucer can't land on the planet without crashing."
"Captains yacht?"
"Too small to hold everyone." Picard sighed.
Then it hit Riker. "Sir, what about the Prometheus?"
"I just said it's too small."
"No, I'm not suggesting that it would hold us. Merely act as a hub to transport our crew to the planet's surface.
"Hmm...that's not a bad idea..." Picard mused.
"Thank you, sir. Shall I give the order?"
"Not yet. Let's assemble the rest of the staff for a meeting. Captain Harrison will be attending."
"Yes sir." Riker said as he witnessed a notice on his computer screen.
"Captain, Lieutenant Uzumaki and his squads have returned aboard the Enterprise."
"Good. Have them report to the staff lounge. Bring Sakura as well." Picard ordered.
"Yes, sir."
Back in the transporter room, Naruto and his surviving squad were a sight to behold. Battle for a few hours on land before being picked up by the Prometheus and teleported back to the Enterprise would do that to you. No one got out with scars, but Naruto in particular looked like he had been hit in the side of the face with a couple of glass bottles. Kurama's fur was dusty and caked with blood splatters. Yet the both of them were grinning like they had just come back from an intense squirt gun fight.
"One up for Starfleet!" Naruto cheered as he and his team walked to sickbay.
The men and women all cheered in response. They sounded like a war party returning to their tribe victorious, since they were.
They rounded the corner to sickbay, where it was overflowing with injured. All of the medical staff was working around the clock to heal the injured.
"Geez, maybe we should have stayed on the Prometheus." Naruto said as he saw the medical staff buzzing around.
"Naruto Uzumaki!" A woman shrieked.
Before Naruto could even say hello to his girlfriend she laid into him with a fury of slaps.
"You. Jerk. Making. Me. Worry. Like. That!" She lectured, every word being accompanied by a slap to the arm.
"To be fair, he's been through worse." Kurama pointed out.
Sakura just looked over at Kurama with demon eyes. "Don't you sass me. Calls me out of nowhere with his face all injured and I'm stuck on the ship unable to help him. Why haven't you healed him yet?"
"I haven't returned to his body yet. Apparently my absence impacts his healing ability." Kurama suggested.
"Then get your ass back inside him and heal him!" Sakura spat before turning back to her lover. "As for you, sit down and let me heal you up." She ordered.
"Seriously Sakura-chan. I'm fine. Just a couple of nicks. You should focus on the more seriously injured." Naruto said, trying to down play his injuries. But Sakura would have none of it.
"Well I'm off duty so I can be selfish on who I treat first. So sit down." Sakura insisted.
"Actually, that needs to wait." Crusher stated.
"M'Lady- I mean, Doctor?" Sakura asked.
"We've been called for a meeting...to discuss the evacuation of the ship." Crusher said grimly.
The two Shinobi looked concerned. All around them hushed whispers began to spread about abandoning the ship.
"Why?" Naruto asked.
"The captain will discuss that when we get there. Let's go."
Naruto looked over at his men who looked squared away enough to stand waiting for medical attention before he stood up. No one else saw this except for Sakura. Who was reminded of their time as ANBU. There was a reason that Naruto was promoted to ANBU Captain so quickly. He was the type of commander who truly cared about the men under his command. He'd see them all receive full medical treatment before he'd even consider putting a Band-Aid on. And never would he ever abandon them. It was part of the reason Sakura had insisted on staying in the squad led by Naruto as the medic, rather than being given her own squad to command.
Leaders like him were hard to come by, even more so when they turned out to be your friend.
The three made their way to the elevator and up to the meeting room where not all of the other senior officers had arrived.
"If you're wondering where Geordi is, he's holding this ship together by a thread." Picard informed.
"We're that bad?" Sakura asked. She knew the ship took a beating, but she didn't know the extent.
"We have about 4 hours of life support left. All of our major systems are offline and reserve power is draining fast. We had to eject the warp core to save our asses, but now we need to leave the ship. She's too far gone to save." Riker added sadly.
"Shit, does that mean we have to abandon our begonias?" Kurama asked. The flowers in their quarters had been coming in nicely.
Picard sighed. "Captain Harrison is going to use the transporters on board the Prometheus to transport us down to the planet. The Klingon settlement there wasn't hit, thankfully. From there we will await our transport, the USS Typhon, to pick us all up and take us to Earth." Picard informed.
Picard then stood up. "In the meantime, I have an announcement to make." Picard then opened a channel to everyone in the ship. "All hands, this is the captain. I am ordering a general abandon ship. Gather what belongings you can, make sure your friends and family are safe with you and make your way to the transporter pads. You will be beamed aboard the USS Prometheus before transporting to the Klingon colony. You have two hours, Picard out."
"So this is really happening..." Naruto said. It was funny. They had only spent two months aboard yet this ship felt just as much like home as anywhere else he had lived at. In some ways, even more so.
"Computer, sound off abandon ship alarm, initiate auto destruct in two hours thirty minutes. Authorization Picard Alpha 14." Picard ordered.
"Holy shit, self-destruct? Isn't that a bit extreme?" Naruto asked surprised.
"That is standard procedure. When one of our ships is too damaged to be salvaged, we destroy it so our technology doesn't fall into enemy hands." Picard explained.
"Makes sense." Kurama commented.
"And it can't be salvaged? I know that the life support is failing but couldn't work crews come with spacesuits and salvage more things?" Sakura suggested.
"The ship is falling apart at the seams, Lieutenant. Believe me when I say that none of us want to see this ship go. But...her damage is far too extensive." Picard said sadly.
"She was doomed to be decommissioned in 5 months anyway." Riker added.
"Decommissioned? Why?" Sakura asked.
"A new class of ship, the Sovereign class advanced battlecruiser, has been struck. One of them is the Enterprise. 1701-E." Picard said as he brought up an image of the ship in question.
Everyone there stood in awe at their new home. It wasn't finished but it was a fantastic looking ship nonetheless. It was sleek, slender, and tough looking.
"Amazing..." Crushed breathed out.
"Woah..." Riker said in awe.
"It will be the most advanced starship in the fleet. The legacy of the Enterprise, doesn't end here. So long as her crew is still flying her, she'll forever sail the stars with her family at the helm." Picard said softly with a small smile on his face.
"Oh man. I'm getting excited." Naruto said giddy.
"Well, don't get too excited. You two still need to pack up. You have two hours so get to it. That goes for everyone. Dismissed." Picard ordered.
Everyone stood up and the two bodyguards plus the fox returned to their quarters.
Once there, Sakura got right to work healing Naruto.
"A couple of cuts, but nothing serious."
Naruto just smiled as he leaned his head into Sakura's palm. Letting her soothing healing Chakra wash away his injuries. It felt warm and cool to the touch, like he didn't have anything to worry about.
"Is there anything else?" Sakura asked in her doctor tone of voice. "Anything else hurting you?"
"Nope..." Naruto said softly.
"Good. Now hold me for a second, would you?" She said as she wrapped Naruto up in a warm hug. So very grateful that he was back safe and sound.
"Everything is going to change now..." Sakura said softly.
"Yup, but we've been through change before. We'll get through it like we always do. Together." Naruto stated as he held Sakura tightly.
"Yes we will." She said happily before breaking away. "Come on. Let's pack."
"Um...what's that?" Kurama asked as he pointed out of their window.
The two looked out the window at an object that was cubed shape that was heading right for them. Then they heard an eerie noise come on through the audio.
"WE ARE THE BORG. LOWER YOUR SHIELDS AND SURRENDER YOUR SHIPS. WE WILL ADD YOUR BIOLOGICAL AND TECHNOLOGICAL DISTINCTIVENESS TO OUR OWN. YOUR CULTURE WILL ADAPT TO SERVICE US. RESISTANCE IS FUTILE."
"I think they are the Borg." Naruto said trying to fake a laugh.
"Nooo...ya think?!" Kurama exclaimed sarcastically.
The red alert klaxon sounded.
"All hands this is the captain! I need everyone to evacuate to the saucer section of the ship and prepare for emergency separation!" Picard announced.
"Come on Sakura, let's go." Naruto said as he picked up his pregnant girlfriend bridal style.
"Naruto...we're in the saucer section." Sakura deadpanned.
"We are?" He exclaimed as he felt very stupid for picking Sakura up like that. Expecting to have to run down the halls or something.
"Yes, we are. Look at the map once in a while."
"Sorry. Guess I got caught up in the moment." He laughed as he rubbed the back of his neck. "So what do we do? Cause I've got half a mind to assemble my team again." Naruto admitted.
"I don't know. Honestly, I'd wish you'd stay here. These Borg guys creep me out"
"Well if the Captain needs me to defend the crew against these guys then I'll do it. I'll protect them and I'll protect you." He said as his hands once again fell on Sakura's belly. Indicating that he was talking to the both of them.
That was when they heard a crash in Kurama's room.
"What was that?" Kurama asked.
"I don't know. Stay here and protect Sakura." Naruto ordered as he drew out a kunai and carefully looked around the corner. What he saw was not what he expected. There stood a man with all kinds of mechanical objects coming out of him, tubes and hoses going in him all over the place, black armor like suit and extremely pale skin and no hair.
It was a very terrifying sight. He never imagined that a species could look so...mutilated and molested.
"Sweet Sage..." Naruto gasped out. He dared not utter a word, but then his radio crackled to life.
"Picard to Lieutenant Uzumaki."
"I'm here and we've got a situation." Naruto responded.
"Yes, I'm aware. You are ordered not to engage, repeat, do NOT engage the drone. If it touches you, you will be assimilated. I have a security team en route to you as we speak." Picard said.
"If he comes near Sakura-"
"It won't attack unless it considers you a threat." Picard informed.
"So I'm just playing tag with this thing?"
"Just observe for now until security arrives."
"Right." Naruto said as he looked back at Sakura and Kurama and signaled for them to be quiet.
Sakura and Kurama nodded.
Naruto watched the drone roam around Kurama's room and attempting to use inactive computer panels. The drone made its way out of Kurama's room where Sakura got full view of it.
'Good god...' Sakura thought in horror. This was not what she was expecting to see.
The drone tried to access the computer terminals in the living area, only to discover they were inactive as well. With nothing to gain, the drone was surrounded by a green light and disappeared.
"Well that was creepy as hell." Kurama sighed.
"Sage of Six Paths...I never knew they looked like that..." Sakura gasped.
"You're telling me. He looked like a man merged with a computer." Naruto added.
Just then, the security team arrived with Riker leading it.
"You guys okay?" Riker asked.
"We're fine. That thing came in here, checked out our computers, and then teleported away." Naruto reported.
"It was looking for information. Since our main computer is offline, they can't access any of it. We're useless to them right now." Riker said.
"That's it? I thought they also wanted to assimilate people or something?" Naruto asked.
"They do, only if they see us as a threat."
"So that's it then? We never engage them and they leave us alone?"
"Essentially. They might come back so stay alert." Riker advised.
"Was anyone else hurt?" Sakura asked.
"None that were reported, but I need help from Naruto to help evacuate the star drive section of the ship." Riker said.
Sakura was hoping she didn't have to hear that. "I really wish you'd stay..." She said to Naruto sadly.
Naruto ran over and landed a big old kiss on her forehead, tasting that scent that was so uniquely hers.
"I do too, but other people need my help and I know I'd never be able to stop you if someone needed your help." He reminded her.
"I know...just be careful." Sakura said before locking her lips with his.
The two of them kept their lips locked for some time while the security team with Riker collectively thought, 'Lucky bastard.'
They spent another moment before parting. "When you come back, I have some name suggestions from some of the crew I want to go over with you." Sakura said.
"Sounds like the perfect way to end the day." Naruto smiled as he regretfully parted with her. "Keep her safe." Naruto said to Kurama.
"No harm will come to Vixen or little Kit." Kurama assured.
Naruto nodded before joining the security team.
"Let's move. We'll start at deck 42 and work our way up from there." Riker ordered.
"Right!" Naruto said.
As they all left, Sakura sat down on the couch and rubbed her belly. "Wanna hear what I have planned?" She asked Kurama.
"I guess...seeing as I don't have anything better to do." Kurama shrugged.
"I got a lot of Earth names. Zoey is one of them."
"Nah..."
"Amanda?"
"...only if she was blond like kit."
"Yea, I don't like it either. Kiara?"
"Not bad, but that sounds a little preppy."
"Agreed. Angel?"
"Angel Haruno or Angel Uzumaki?"
"It would be Angel Uzumaki."
"You sure? You're not married to Kit yet."
"Doesn't mean I won't be. I heard him talking to Data in Ten Forward the other day saying he wants to marry me before our little girl is born."
"Huh. Well I don't like either. Angel sounds like the name you'd give to a baby you lose."
"I never thought of it that way...damn… I kinda liked that name."
"What others do you have?"
"Hmm...I got Victoria from Crusher."
"Oh hell no. How about Kushina? After Kits mother."
"Maybe if she's got red hair." Sakura said.
"What about your mother?"
"My mother? Well, her name is Mebuki, so...eeehhh... that would be too confusing when we get back home."
"So that rules out Tsunade and god forbid Ino."
"Ino is a family name in her clan so that wouldn't work anyway. Wait, how about Chiyo?"
"Chiyo? That name sounds familiar."
"She was the head medic for the Sand. I met her when we went to save Gaara."
"Oh right, that old crow. The one that helped Kit save the One Tail's vessel."
"Yea, that's her."
"Chiyo...I like that name."
"I do too, but it's just as much Naruto's decision as well."
"Given who Chiyo was. I'd say he would like that name."
"I hope so." Sakura said fondly.
As time went on, Naruto and his clones had made an entire sweep of the lower decks before making it to engineering. Every deck so far was cleared and was almost finished. He just needed to clear 8 more decks and he'd be finished.
"Uzumaki to Riker, deck 16 is clear, moving onto 15." Naruto said.
"The last few decks reported in as clear. make your way back to your quarters and prepare for saucer sep." Riker replied.
"Understood. Uzumaki out." Naruto replied.
As Naruto tried to make his way back, 7 drones appeared in front of him.
"Son of a..."
"We are Borg. Resistance is futile." The drones said in sync.
"Fuck me..." Naruto cursed before making a dozen Shadow Clones then he tapped his combadge. "Uzumaki to bridge! 7 drones appeared in main engineering!"
Picard's face went as white as a ghost. "Get out of there, Naruto. We're initiating saucer separation."
"I've got my Shadow Clones ready. I can take them without even touching them."
"Leave your clones to the drones, you get out of there." Picard ordered.
"Yes, sir. Have fun boys." Naruto said as he promptly left his Shadow Clones with the Borg drones.
The clone gang just stood firm against the drones. "So you bastards think you can just waltz in here like you own it? We'll show you not to mess with our home and endanger our loved ones." One clone shouted as the others cheered him on.
"Personal attachments are irrelevant. You will be assimilated." The drones responded.
"Fuck you. We're gonna rip your heads off and keep'em as trophies." Another clone shouted back.
"Resistance is futile."
"Your mother is futile!" Another clone shouted. In response the drones raised up their mechanical arms and fired plasma bolts at the clones.
The clones all dodged, with only two being slow enough to get hit and dissipate.
"Get'em!" The lead clone shouted as all his brothers charged.
Meanwhile, Naruto was making a mad dash back to his quarters, taking Jefferies tubes and vents to reach Deck 8.
One by one the memories of his clones began to return to him. He remembered trying to punch one of the Brog. He succeeded, only for another drone to inject him with its nanomachines. He tried throwing kunai at them, yet only wind Chakra enhanced blades could pierce a drone's hide it seemed.
He tried phasers, but after a few tries the drones had put up a protective shield around them and did the same thing when he used a Rasengan more than once.
'Incredible, they can adapt to freaking chakra.' He thought.
He finally made it to deck 8 and sealed off the exit with his phaser.
"Uzumaki to Picard. I'm back in the saucer." Naruto reported.
"Understood." Picard said before turning to Data. "Separate the ship, now."
"Aye, sir. Initiating starship separation." Data responded.
"Mr. Hanley, full impulse once we are clear of the stardrive section." Picard ordered.
"Aye, sir." Hanley responded.
Naruto heard what sounded like large clamps releasing from where he was and the whole saucer shook for a moment.
He received the last memory of his clones. They had only killed 5 of the 7 drones.
"Perfect timing." Naruto said out loud before running back to his quarters.
"What about Tokaio?" Sakura asked Kurama as they both relaxed on the couch.
"Interesting, but that sounds more of a boy's name honestly."
"I'd put it on the back burner." Mrs. Adams suggested. Her and her family lived on deck 20 so they had to move temporarily to Sakura's quarters.
"What about Sally?" Sally suggested, earning a giggle from Sakura.
"No, then I wouldn't be able to tell you two apart, you'd both be so cute." Sakura said as she ruffled Sally's hair.
"Samantha?" Mrs. Adams asked
"Too long." Kurama said.
"Well, you can use Sam for short." Mr. Adams informed.
"Nah..." Sakura waved off.
"Rose?" Mrs. Adams suggested.
"I like that one! It's pretty!" Sally said happily.
"I think so, too." Naruto said as he walked in.
"Hey lovey." Sakura greeted and planted a kiss on his lips.
"Talking about names already, huh?" Naruto asked as he returned the kiss.
"Uh huh. We picked out a few good ones." Sakura smiled.
"Oh, what about Natalie?" Mr. Adams suggested.
"Not bad." Sakura mused.
"I actually like Rose." Naruto admitted.
"Well I also picked out Angel and Chiyo. Which ones do you like more?" Sakura asked.
"Hmm..." Naruto sat down, deep in thought about the 3 names in question.
"Well Rose and Angle are just names. Chiyo is that name of that old lady from the Sand who sacrificed herself to save Gaara, right?" He said out of the blue.
"Yes, she is." Sakura confirmed.
Naruto just sat there in thought for a second. "Did I ever tell you why I was named Naruto?" He asked Sakura.
"Um...I can't remember. Pregnancy brain here."
"Well my parents didn't actually pick out the name Naruto because they thought it would be funny to name me after fishcakes, a ramen topping." He mused. "They picked it out of a book, the main character who was a hero that sought peace for the entire ninja world. They hoped that I would inherit that hero's spirit and become like that character who would tirelessly work to make our world a better world."
"Wow...I had no idea..." Sakura breathed out. Now it made sense why Naruto was the way he is. Even the Adams family was intrigued by this story.
"I should also mention that Pervy Sage was the one who wrote that book and he thought up the name while eating a bowl of ramen." Naruto deadpanned.
"Why am I not surprised..." Sakura rolled her eyes.
"But anyway, I guess what I'm saying is that I like the idea of a name meaning something. And giving our daughter the name of someone who sacrificed herself to right the wrongs of her past and spare the next generation from her sins. That just feels like an honor, ya know?" Naruto stated.
Now Sakura knew what he was getting at. "Then, Chiyo it is. That is if she has pink hair. If she has red hair...I wanted to name her after your mother."
"Well what if she has my blond hair?" Naruto asked.
"Sh-shoot...Um...haven't thought of that..." Sakura mused.
"Well if it comes to that, just please don't name her Naruko." Kurama said.
"Oh god no... That's not happening." Sakura firmly.
"Why not Naruko?" Sally asked.
"It's what Kit calls himself whenever he uses his Sexy Jutsu." Kurama whispered in the 6-year old's ear.
"KURAMA! Don't tell her that!" Sakura scolded.
"What's sexy?" Sally asked.
"Never you mind. You'll know when you're older." Sakura said firmly, followed by a nod from her mother and father.
"Ahem, anyway so Kushina is she's a red head, and Chiyo if she's blond or has pink hair. How about that?" Naruto suggested.
"Yes, that works just fine." Sakura nodded.
On the bridge, the crew could only look on as half of the ship flew away from the battle between the Borg Cube and the Prometheus. That was when a rogue plasma torpedo from the Cube hit the star drive section of the Enterprise and blew it up.
"Well...this is the end of the Enterprise D..." Picard said with a heavy heart.
"It'll be the end of all of us if the Prometheus can't destroy that Borg Cube." One of the meeker bridge crewman muttered.
"Noted, Ensign." Picard said dryly.
On the screen, the Prometheus let loose a silo of Quantum Torpedoes at the looming Borg Cube.
"Moderate damage to the cube." Data informed.
"Captain, 3 federation ships have just warped in." Worf announced.
"Thank god..." Picard sighed.
"Confirmed. The USS Melbourne, USS Adelphi and USS Saratoga have arrived." Data Confirmed.
"They are targeting the Cube and firing." Worf announced.
The ships in question were a Melbourne Class, Ambassador class and Miranda Tactical frigate respectively. They simultaneously unloaded a barrage of phasers and photons upon the Borg Cube, giving the Enterprise Saucer time to get further away.
The Cube fired back, targeting the Adelphi. The constant barrage made the Ambassador class ship drop its shields for 2 seconds, which was the time the Borg needed to send a legion of drones into the interior of the ship.
"The Adelphi has been boarded." Worf informed.
"They're not going to last. We need the fleet to take this out." Riker said grimly.
"Or one unpredictable ninja." Picard mused.
"Sir, I'm receiving an open channel transmission from the Adelphi." One Ensign reported.
"On audio." Picard ordered.
The transmission crackled to life.
"-THEY'RE EVERYWHERE!" The man on the radio cried. "They got into the civilian section of the ship and are killing everybody! Oh sweet Jesus, Debra is down there! The Borg will kill us all! Oh please God, send help!" Behind the man could be heard crewmen frantically running back and forth with explosions and phaser fire going off in the distance as well as the alarm sounding overhead.
"Oh Christ! They're near the bridge!"
"SOMEONE GET THAT MAN AWAY FROM THE CONSOLE AND KILL THE TRANSMISSION!" The Captain of the Adelphi barked at his crew before the audio was cut.
"Enterprise to Adelphi. Do you need assistance?" Picard asked over the channel.
"I can't raise them, sir." The Ensign replied.
"Dammit..." Picard cursed.
"Incoming transmission from the Melbourne." Worf informed.
"On screen."
"Captain Picard, this is Captain Johnson. We just received word that Admiral Hanson has just dispatched the fleet to our location. The 34th Borg Defense Fleet is en route, plus one other ship." Captain Johnson informed.
"What ship would that be?" Picard asked.
"Admiral Hansen is an hour out with the USS Yamato."
"That won't be good enough. We need something to turn the tables on this fight or we won't survive the hour." Picard said.
"What would you suggest?" Johnson asked.
"We need to take out the Cube's shield and all our remaining weapons can tear into it." Picard reminded him.
"Yes, but we'd need a 10 gigaton bomb to disrupt its shields and last I checked none of our ships had that equipped." Johnson said.
"So then we'll just use the ships themselves. More specifically, the Enterprise saucer." Picard offered.
"Sir?" The others on the bridge questioned.
"I've already set my ship to explode before the Borg showed up. If we time it right. We can get my crew off the ship and then have the Melbourne and the Saratoga use their tractor beams to slingshot the saucer at the Cube. The explosion should prove sufficient in destroying the Borg Shields." Picard explained.
"Correction, the saucer would pass through the shields and slice through the hull. This would actually destroy it." Data corrected.
"There you go. I don't know about you Captain, but that sounds like the best sendoff I could ever hope my beloved Enterprise." Picard stated.
"Sounds good. Prepare your crew to transport aboard my ship. We have more than enough capacity for them." Johnson said.
"We'll have them converge on the transporter room. Have your transporter cue in on their coordinates." Picard said.
"Will do, Melbourne out."
Picard quickly keyed the ship's intercom. "This is Picard. All non-combative personal head for the transporter room. Take nothing more than what you can carry. This will be our last time standing aboard the Enterprise-D."
When Naruto and Sakura heard this, they turned pale in the face.
"That's us. Come on Sally." Mr. Adams said as he took his daughter by the hand while his wife followed close behind.
"Sakura-chan you go to." Naruto said firmly.
"I'm not leaving you, damn it." She cursed, not realizing that Sally was still in earshot.
"This isn't open for debate, Sakura. You're on maternity leave, that makes you non-combative. This is the only time I say this." Naruto said in the same authorities tone he used during the war.
Sakura pouted like a child. Damn it, it he was so frustrating when he was right.
"Fine...you're right." She said. 'Sometimes I really hate being pregnant.'
"You're going to be transported over to the Melbourne. It's a Nebula Class variant so the layout is similar to the Enterprise. You'll be safe over there."
"Alright...just be careful." Sakura said softly as she followed the Adams to the transporter room.
"I think I'll just get back inside the seal for now." Kurama said before poofing out of existence.
'Ah, feels like I'm back in my old den.'
Naruto tapped his combadge. "Uzumaki to bridge. I'm here if ya need me."
"Yes, I need you on the Melbourne. " Picard said.
"Sir?" Naruto asked, hoping for the Captain to elaborate.
"The Melbourne is still a threat to the Borg, so they need someone like you to keep everyone safe."
Naruto smiled. "Yes, sir."
He put away his Com and dashed out the door where Sakura and the others were still making their way down the hall to the elevator.
"Hey wait up, guys!"
Sakura turned around. "Naruto?"
"Guess who got picked for a security detail on the Melbourne." He grinned as he wrapped his arm around Sakura's shoulders.
"Oh good. I'm glad you're coming too.' Sakura said with a sigh of relief.
"Same here." Naruto said as they entered the already crowded elevator.
"This sucks..." Sakura protested.
"Well it could be worse." Naruto said as he squeezed inside.
"Ugh. This isn't what I mean."
"What did you mean?"
"We leave our home on Element, we make a new home here and it gets destroyed after 2 months...it bums me out, ya know?"
"Oh..." Naruto said, he had forgotten about that. While it was true that he had come to call this ship home, it wasn't something that he felt truly attached to. This was a boy that had lived in the same tiny apartment all his life and would call the Leaf village his home more than his actual flat. But for Sakura, she had a family in her apartment. That made the actual places her home rather than the brood strokes.
"Well hey, we've still got each other and we've still got the crew with us. Where ever they go, that'll be home, right?" He said as he was crammed in between two crewmen.
Sakura gave a small smile. "Yea, you're right."
After a while they made it to transporter room 3 where the group before them just got beamed over.
"Next group." O'Brien called.
Naruto's group was next. He, Sakura, The Adams and a few others stepped onto the pad.
"Next group is ready, Melbourne." O'Brien said.
"Acknowledged. Energizing." The chief from the Melbourne said. Soon the group dematerialized and reappeared on the Melbourne's transporter pad.
"Welcome. Please proceed to the designated meeting zone. The map on the companels will direct you." The chief informed.
"Thank you." Sakura said before her and her group left the transporter room and followed the map down the hall. It looked exactly the same as the Enterprise, probably because the Nebula class was intended to use destroyed Galaxy class Saucers to be moved to a star base for when their star drive sections were destroyed.
Soon after walking around, a security officer met up with them.
"I'm Ensign Jack Summers. I'll be escorting you all to deck 4. There is a crew block that you will be staying in until we reach Earth."
They all nodded and proceeded to their destination.
Back on the enterprise, the last of the crew was beaming off.
"That was the last group." Worf informed.
Picard stood up and took one last look around the bridge. He had so many memories on this ship and it tore him up to say goodbye once and for all, but he knew he had to do it.
"I'm gonna miss this ship, she went before her time." Riker said sadly.
"Someone once said that time was a predator that stalked us all our lives." Picard started. "That's why we must live for the moment while we can, because it will never come again."
"Well said." Riker smiled.
Worf, Troi, Riker, Geordi, Data and Crusher all gathered around Picard so they could be the last ones to leave.
"Picard to Melbourne... 7 to beam up." Picard said over the coms.
Soon they were surrounded by a blue light and vanished from the bridge of the ship with 5 minutes left until he Saucer detonated.
On the bridge of the Melbourne, the senior officers of the Enterprise appeared in front of the bridge crew.
"Captain Picard. Good to see you alive and well." Captain Johnson greeted.
"Likewise. Now, let's see off our ship." Picard said bitterly as they all turned to the view screen.
"Lieutenant Mathews, engage tractor beam and coordinate with the Saratoga." Johnson ordered.
"Aye sir. Coordinating with the Saratoga now. Tractor beam locking on."
"Engage." Johnson ordered.
Out in space, both the Melbourne and Saratoga engaged their tractor beams, locking the hulk of the Enterprise in place.
"On my mark, helm, engage full impulse. Coordinate with the Saratoga."
"Aye sir." The helmsman replied and set the coordinates.
"Response from the Saratoga, they're ready." Mathews reported.
"Care to do the honors, Jean Luc?" Johnson offered and Picard nodded.
The senior staff of the Enterprise took a moment of silence before sending off their ship. 11 years...11 long years they had been on that ship, and it was bittersweet to see it go so suddenly.
"...Engage..." Picard choked out.
Both ships rocketed towards the Borg Cube with the Enterprise Saucer in tow.
"At least she'll go out with a bang..." Riker said sadly.
"And take out one of those Borg Cubes. A sendoff worthy of the finest battleships." Worf commented.
"Agreed, Lieutenant." Johnson said.
In that moment the two ships cut the tractor beams off and the crew watched as the Enterprise Saucer flew into the center of the cube, nearly cleaving it in two.
"Detonation in 5...4...3...2...1..." Data counted down and then...
BOOOOOOOOOOM!
The Saucer exploded, creating a chain reaction that detonated the cube into a green fireball of Plasma and hull fragments. The upper atmosphere became showered with fragments from the ship that burnt up upon entering the planet's atmosphere. Like a brilliant meteor shower.
It was a bittersweet ending to the crew of the former Enterprise to see their ship die in blazing glory, but it was a welcome sight to see a Borg Cube turned to dust by a simple act.
"Helm, set a course for home, warp 7." Johnson ordered.
"Aye sir. course laid in."
"Engage."
In the darkness of space, the Melbourne shot forward and disappeared in a flash of light. Their next stop, was Earth.
Author's Note from Panda: Hey guys, sorry for the delay and the short length. Summer classes man.
But anyway, shout out to my boy cmartinHFD, wishing him a happy birthday!