Chapter 7

Captain's log; stardate 58083.3: We have found the Borg.

Henry stared at the Borg cube as it approached. Adm. Janeway issued orders. "Full stop. I want them to come to us. Send a transmission to Starfleet Command. Tell them that we have encountered the Borg and are preparing to engage. And allow our Romulan and Reman observers the ability to contact their respective parties. Give them access to our communications and sensor data, as long as it doesn't prevent my ability to talk to our ships."

Henry added to the chorus of 'yes Ma'ams' and sent the message to Starfleet Command. Then he focused on the status of the Orion. Henry was working at the operations console which was on the railing above the command chairs. He took this station since the normal operations officer, Selina Chaput-Mikkelson, was on maternity leave. It worked out fine, since Henry's normal spot was taken. While Adm. Janeway occupied the captain's chair, Lindsey had moved to Henry's normal first officer's chair. The other chair in the trio of command chairs on the lower bridge was occupied by Capt. Shelby, who was a Borg expert. Joining Henry above the railing stood the Andorian Lt. Cmdr. Ser'rek Thrim at tactical. Lindsey had made it clear that she wanted her best officers on the bridge if it came to battle.

The only one missing was Johnathan Mikkelson. Henry looked at the viewscreen again to gage how long before the Borg cube came in weapons' range. Johnathan better get here soon. Henry saw Lindsey look up and over her shoulder at him. Her eyes carried the same thought. Henry nodded and tapped his combadge. "Bridge to Lt. Mikkelson, where are you, Lieutenant? You are needed on the bridge." No response. "Computer, where is Lt. Mikkelson?"

"Lt. Mikkelson is in sick bay."

Selina screamed in pain. Johnathan tried to lead her in the breathing exercises they had learned, but he himself was in a panic. Why did Dr. Randel recommend those birthing classes only for Johnathan to forget all of it when the moment actually came?

Johnathan and the nurses got Selina up on the biobed. Dr. Randel approached. "How long has she been experiencing contractions?"

"She just started a few minutes ago."

"Okay, just stay there, Lieutenant, and keep holding her hand." Johnathan felt shooting pain in his hand as Selina was practically crushing it. Johnathan didn't even want to think about what kind of pain would cause his normally gentle wife to exude such strength.

"Bridge to Lt. Mikkelson, where are you, Lieutenant?" came Henry's voice from his combadge. Johnathan ignored it.

"The bridge is calling," said Selina between contractions.

"I need to be beside you." Selina tried to shake her head, but pain prevented her from speaking.

"Lieutenant," spoke Dr. Randle. "While I agree with you, it is my obligation as a superior officer to remind you of your duty." Randle pointed at the red lights. "This is a red alert, and you are a bridge officer. You are needed there."

"I can't leave her," said Johnathan.

"I know how you feel, Lieutenant, I do. But medically speaking, my staff and I can handle this. I give you my word as a physician and a friend, I will do everything in my power to protect your wife and child."

Johnathan was about to object when Selina pulled him close. "Go. The Captain needs you." Selina released him with a shove. "Go!"

Johnathan walked backwards out of sickbay. Then he turned and ran down the hall towards the turbo lift.

"Five minutes to weapons' range," reported the ensign at navigation.

"You might get your battle experience after all, Ensign," replied Ser'rek from the tactical station. Lindsey realized that they were continuing an earlier conversation.

Just as Lindsey was asking herself where Johnathan was, he appeared on the bridge. Lindsey intercepted him on his way to his station. "Care to tell me why you were delayed, Lieutenant?"

"Selina is in labor," answered Johnathan.

All Lindsey's anger vanished in a moment. "Of all the bad timings."

"May I take my station, Captain?" asked Johnathan.

"Only if your mind is here on the bridge."

"The way I see it, Captain, I now have double the reasons to do every I can to defend this ship."

"Take your station, Lieutenant." Lindsey returned to her seat.

"Problem, Commander?" asked Janeway.

"No, Admiral."

Johnathan replaced the ensign at navigation and reported, "Borg cube dropping out of warp. They are in weapons' range."

"They're hailing," said Henry.

"Let's hear it," said Janeway.

The blood chilling collective voice came over the bridge's audio system. "We are the Borg. Resistance is futile. We will add your biological and technological distinctiveness to our own. Your culture will adapt to service ours." Lindsey shivered. It was the first time that she had heard that voice in person.

"Friendly as always," said Janeway sardonically. "Let me talk back." Henry gave the Admiral a nod, and Janeway took a deep breath. "This is Adm. Kathryn Janeway on board the Federation Starship Orion to Borg vessel. You are in Romulan space and are not welcome here."

"Irrelevant. You will be assimilated. Resistance is futile."

"I don't think so. I have resisted the Borg in the past," said Janeway. "Surely you remember that. The Federation will stand beside our Romulan allies. We will not allow you to get a foothold in the Alpha Quadrant. Leave now and return to the Delta Quadrant."

"Irrelevant. Resistance is futile."

"The Borg have locked on us with a tractor beam," reported Henry.

"Their standard attack pattern," added Capt. Shelby.

"Luckily we can adapt too," said Janeway. "Activate feedback pulse." Lindsey watched as the Orion sent energy directly through the Borg's tractor beam. A small explosion could be seen on the Borg cube where the beam emitter was destroyed.

"Feedback pulse was effective," said Seven of Nine, who stood at the science console which had been modified for her use. "But they will adapt."

"Let's not give them the time," said Janeway. "Remodulate our shields. Begin fleet attack pattern Epsilon. Fire phasers and quantum torpedoes at the near side of the cube."

Lindsey watched as the Orion charged forward, firing both phasers and torpedoes as Ser'rek Thrim directed them. Lindsey knew from drills that the Hercules was right behind them, using the Orion as a shield and preparing for its own close-range assault. The Lakota was moving above them.

"Helm, break to starboard on my mark," said Janeway. "Now!" The Orion leapt to the right and the Hercules began pounding the same spot as the Orion. Explosions appeared at the focal point of the attack.

"The cube is rotating," said Shelby. "Trying to hide the damaged portion from us."

"As we predicted," said Janeway.

Indeed, Lindsey saw the cube begin a counter clockwise spin. A Borg cube had no bridge, no front nor back, and no weak side nor blind spot. One side did not matter anymore than another. "One difference, Admiral," said Lindsey. "It is spinning the opposite way. The Lakota will not be able to hit the damaged point."

"Then we will," said Janeway. "Fire on the damaged side. Have the Lakota come from the opposite side."

The Orion continued to circle the cube, firing at the same spot. Suddenly the Borg cube reversed its spin, presenting an undamaged face to the Orion. Then the cube opened fire on the Orion. The ship shock violently.

"We've taken damage, but not too bad," said Henry.

"The Borg are adapting their weaponry to our shield frequencies," said Seven of Nine. "I am remodulating, but they will adapt faster than I will. I suggest we move out of the direct line of fire."

"Heracles, we need fire support," said Janeway. The Heracles came behind the Orion and fired quantum torpedoes. This brought some relief to the Orion, but Lindsey was concerned. Was it her imagination, or did the Borg deliberately arrange for the Orion to take the brunt of the attack?

"Shields at 80%," reported Henry. Despite her first officer's calming voice, Lindsey was not put at ease.

Janeway ordered, "All ships, continue firing on the damaged face of the cube. When you don't have a shot, target any weapons or tractor beam emitters you locate."

The battle continued for another ten minutes. The three Federation ships continued to inflict damage, but the cube was already showing signs of regeneration. Each Federation ship, however, was slowly weakening.

"Admiral," spoke Shelby. "The longer we fight the better the odds get for the Borg. Perhaps we should retreat and regather our forces."

Colonel Xiomek spoke. "I agree, Adm. Janeway. I have seen the enemy. My Reman soldiers and I will join in this battle."

"As will the Romulan military," said Sub-Commander Matech. "I think all of Romulus will fight against this enemy." Rudal remained silent.

"I'm not ready to retreat. I want to try and hit them one more time," said Janeway. "Bring us around for another pass. Target all torpedoes and phasers on a single point."

The Orion came around for another attack run. But the cube suddenly began to rotate on no particular axis at all, causing all six sides of the cube to alternate in front of the Orion. Then the cube locked on with a tractor beam.

"They have us," said Shelby.

"Feedback pulse!" ordered Janeway.

"No effect," responded Seven of Nine.

"Remodulate shields!"

"Also, no effect."

Janeway stood up and looked at Seven. "How are they adapting so quickly?"

"They are using multiple emitters and different frequencies." Seven looked up at the viewscreen. "Each time the cube presents a new face to us they are using a different emitter. I have already counted thirty-six different tractor beam emitters."

"Shields down to 30%!" exclaimed Henry. "How?!"

"They're using the tractor beam to drain our shields," said Shelby. "In seconds we will lose shielding."

"Shields to 25%"

"Then they can fire directly on our hull!" said Ryan.

"Shields at 20%"

"Or board us!" said Lindsey in horror. She looked at Janeway who acknowledge her comment.

"Shields at 10%"

"Lander to all security personnel. Prepare to defend the ship. We are about to be boarded."

"Shields down!"

"Cmdr. Grant to all security officers. Make sure you are able to rotate phaser frequencies quickly. We've all trained for this. Let's go."

"Commander, are the Borg really coming?"

Grant looked at the young man holding his phaser rifle. They seemed to get younger every year, and Grant was not that old. "Yes, Ensign." Grant continued down the hallway. "Grant, to the bridge. Most of my people are guarding critical sections and safe zones, the rest…"

"No time, Commander," came Capt. Lander's voice, cutting Grant off. "Our shields are down, and we have Borg transporter signatures on all decks. Hold them at bay until we restore shields."

"Copy that. Grant to security. We have Borg on all decks."

"Commander!" shouted the young ensign as he fired his phaser. A tall Borg drone took the shot in the chest and fell to the deck. Some primordial instinct told Grant to turn around. As he did, a Borg drone materialized in front of him. He took it down in one shot.

"Ensign, watch my six. The Collective is capable of precision transport."

"Yes, sir."

Grant proceeded forward with his partner walking backwards behind him. Grant came across two more Borg drones. He shot and killed one, but the second one absorbed his phaser beam with personal shielding. "Ensign! Switch!" shouted Grant. He spun around while changing his phaser's frequency. As he did so a third drone came from behind. Grant dropped him with one shot. He then switched back to his original direction and saw that the Ensign had succeeded in killing the second drone. "Ensign, change frequency. I am sure they have adapted to your weapon."

"I only hope we can adapt faster."

"You and me both, Ensign. Keep moving."

T'Sel moved about the overcrowded science lab. The lab was one of the designated safe areas for nonessential crew. T'Sel was aware that some interpretations of her responsibility as chief science officer would include these people who had sought shelter in her lab. While not sure if she agreed with that logic, T'Sel decided that she would do what was expected of her.

T'Sel opened a security box and pulled out a phaser. She checked its frequency settings and clipped it to her belt.

"Lieutenant?" T'Sel faced Ens. Rikka Samae who was speaking. "Are we supposed to arm ourselves?"

"No, Ensign. Phasers in untrained hands would be illogical in this circumstance. Your energies would be best spent making sure that our guests stay calm."

There was a sudden scream. T'Sel turned quickly and saw a Borg drone materialize within the lab. T'Sel took aim and fired. The drone dropped to the deck. "Everyone, stay away." T'Sel reached the drone and ripped out its mechanical eye. She then destroyed it with the heel of her boot.

"Why did you do that?" asked Rikka.

"We cannot allow the Collective to see in here. Or it will transport more drones." T'Sel returned the phaser to her belt but kept sweeping the room with her eyes.

"By the warp core!" shouted a security officer. Alivia ducked at her console as three security officers converged on a single Borg drone who was reaching out to the warp core. Two phaser beams were blocked by the drone's adapting shielding, but a third beam burned through the Borg's armor.

"Was this what is was like when the Romulans over ran the original Orion?!" shouted Alivia over the roar of battle.

"No!" replied Shelton. "This is worse! The Romulans never actually got into Engineering!"

"Where are we with the ship's shields?!" shouted Alivia again.

"We have transferred power from other systems, but their tractor beam keeps draining it," answered Lt. Vibee.

"We need to figure out how to stop the power drain from that tractor beam. Where is that Borg woman; where is Hansen?"

"She's on the bridge."

Lindsey fired at another drone, but the Borg had adapted to her phaser frequency. Just as the drone approached her, a phaser beam came from above and struck it down.

"I am running out of frequency options, Captain!" said Ser'rek from above the railing, holding the phaser rifle which he had just used to save Lindsey.

"So am I!" replied Lindsey as she switched her hand-held phaser to its next setting. Janeway had ordered all the phasers on the ship to be programmed to rotate frequencies and to be different from one another. Thus, the Collective would have to adapt to various phaser frequencies. But this was only slowing the Collective down. Lindsey could see that they were not winning this battle.

Ens. Hansen's voice rose about the din of battle. "Engineering is working on stopping the power drain from the tractor beam. I can help them from here, but I require the ability to focus." As if to accentuate her point Hansen fired her phaser at an approaching drone.

"This Adm. Janeway to the fleet. We need that tractor beam broken." Lindsey couldn't hear Capt. Benteen's response, but she knew it wasn't good. Lindsey could hardly think about what to do next while she had to fight for her life. Seven of Nine was not the only one having a challenging time focusing on her job.

More drones appeared on the bridge. Lindsey realized that this was the end. She would die on the bridge of her own ship. With a strange sense of serenity Lindsey felt that it was fitting. She would die just like her hero, Theresa Taylor, Captain of the original Orion.

"Capt. Taylor!" Lindsey said out loud as an idea came to her mind.

"What are you talking about, Commander?" asked Adm. Janeway, but Lindsey ignored her.

"Computer, deck 1 is experiencing a hull breach. Activate atmospheric containment fields."

"No hull breach detected on the deck 1," answered the computer, and the look on Janeway's face was questioning Lindsey's sanity.

"Captain's override. Do it!" The computer beeped, and Lindsey saw the flicker of an energy field erected around the bridge's exterior walls. "Hansen! Can you program that field to block Borg transporters?"

"Yes, I will need 40 seconds," said the Borg woman.

"Henry, Ser'rek, cover her!"

Lindsey's first and second officers abandoned their posts and stood in front of Seven of Nine. A Borg drone approached. Lindsey had no shot. Both Henry and Ser'rek fired, but the drone shielded itself. Henry gave Ser'rek some hand signals. Both of them grabbed their phaser rifles by the barrels and held them like clubs. Henry darted forward, then slid on his knees. He swung his phaser in an arc that hit the drone behind the knee. At the same time Ser'rek delivered a mighty blow with his phaser/club across the drone's neck and shoulder. The combination caused the drone to fall. Then Ser'rek dropped his rifle and with his bare hands ripped out the tubes and mechanisms in the drone's head. Finally, the drone ceased moving. Henry picked himself up off the deck floor, while Ser'rek's antennae moved back and forth angrily.

"Got it!" said Seven of Nine. "The Borg can no longer beam on to the bridge."

"Secure the bridge!" said Janeway in a commanding voice. "Seven, assist Engineering. We need shields to this whole ship." The Janeway faced Lindsey. "Nice work, Commander."

"Thank you. But it won't last long, I fear."

"We need every second we can buy."

"We are trying it now, Ensign." Alivia hit a few commands at her console. She received a negative beep. "No effect, Ensign. Do you have any more ideas?"

"Yes," came Ens. Hansen's voice from the bridge. "Let's try to…"

"Commander! Behind you!" shouted Vibee.

Alivia spun around just in time to see a Borg drone with its left arm extended towards her. Alivia ducked quickly as two tubules came out from the back of the drone's hand. Alivia's quick reflexes and Orion agility narrowly prevented her from becoming assimilated into the Borg Collective.

Alivia rolled on the ground away from the drone. The drone turned to face her, when suddenly its head was removed from its shoulders. As the limp drone body fell to the floor, Alivia saw Raklok standing over his fallen foe, bat'leth in hand. He shouted something in Klingon that Alivia desired no translation for.

"Commander, are you there?" came Hansen's voice.

"Yes, I'm here," replied Alivia, returning to her station. "And whatever ideas you have, I'm game."

"Okay. Initializing now."

Alivia watched as the Orion sent a feedback pulse through the tractor beam. "It's working. But we tried feedback pulses before."

"This one is more subtle. The Borg are ignoring it as irrelevant. Can you get shields back online?"

"Working on it."

"Shields are back online, 20%," said Henry with a sense of relief. He was finally catching his breath after the brutal battle with the Borg which was as much hand-to-hand as phaser fighting.

"20%? Is that all?" asked Lindsey.

"Better than nothing," replied Henry.

"We will take whatever we can get," said Janeway. "It should block the Borg transporters for now."

"It will not take the Borg long to realize what I've done," said Hansen. "We may only have a few minutes."

"How many drones are still on the ship?" asked Janeway.

Henry looked at the internal sensor display and felt his hope fail. "Over a hundred. One hundred and twenty-nine, give or take a dozen."

"We might be able to clear them," said Lindsey with little hope.

The Orion jolted. Henry looked out at the viewport to see the cube firing its green projectiles at them. "They're firing again."

"If they can't drain our shields by the tractor beam, they will beat them out with their weapons," said Lindsey. "Admiral, we are running out of time."

"Return fire," said Janeway.

"Energy has been transferred out of phasers for shielding," said Thrim. "Firing torpedoes."

Henry saw a look of sad recognition come across Lindsey's face, and he knew what conclusion she had drawn. Henry watched as Lindsey stood before Adm. Janeway. "Admiral, the Orion cannot win this battle. We must cut our loses and regroup."

"What do you mean?" asked Janeway.

"We need to evacuate," said Lindsey, and Henry could see the pain on her face. No captain ever wanted to abandon ship.

"I agree, Admiral," said Capt. Shelby. "We have other ships, and we have the Romulan and Reman fleets. The Orion may be lost, but we can still fight." As Shelby spoke, she gave Lindsey a sad but understanding nod. Captain to captain, Shelby understood Lindsey's position.

"To this also we agree," said Sub-Commander Matech. "We stand a better chance with our military in the battle"

Janeway gave a nod as she acknowledged the conclusion drawn on the bridge. She turned to the Romulans. "And if we are going to stay together, then we will need to return all of you to your people. Can we beam everyone over to the Lakota?"

"No, Admiral," spoke Ens. Hansen. "The Borg will detect and mimic the transporter frequency. If we use the transporters, Borg drones will follow us onto the Lakota."

"And we will have two ships inundated with drones," finished Shelby.

"Then we use shuttles and escape pods," said Janeway.

"Escape pods have limited propulsion and shields. Anyone within one of those pods would be exposed," said Thrim. "We would be practically handing them over to the Borg for assimilation."

"And we don't have enough shuttles to evacuate everyone," said Henry.

"I need solutions, people," said Janeway.

The Orion shook from another impact. Lindsey had a thoughtful expression on her face. "Henry, what's our shield strength?"

"10% and falling."

"What if we extend shields only around the secondary hull; what would the shield strength be then?"

"Ahh?" Henry tried to do the quick math in his head. "30 maybe 40%."

"That would be enough," said Lindsey. "Admiral, I propose we evacuate everyone to the stardrive. There we will have propulsion, warp drive, some weapons, and enough shield strength to retreat. We can then abandon the saucer."

"We cannot maintain shields long enough on the whole ship for the evacuation," said Johnathan, his voice full of worry.

"Maybe we don't have to," said Lindsey. "We could drop the shields, allow drones on board, and still evacuate. We would also have to drop the force fields separating the sections. If we are to evacuate we need our people to move freely from section to section."

"Without our shields the cube could simply destroy the ship," said Ryan.

"Maybe, but I don't believe they will," replied Lindsey.

"Explain," said Janeway.

"Maybe it's just my imagination, but this whole battle I have had the feeling that the Borg want this ship. Maybe they want you, Admiral, or maybe Ens. Hansen."

"It is possible," said Shelby. "A Borg cube once hunted the Enterprise for the sole purpose of assimilating Capt. Picard."

"How could the Borg know that the Federation would send the two of you?" asked Romulan Sub-Cdmr. Matech.

"Maybe it's not an individual person," said Lindsey. "Maybe they think this is Voyager."

"The Borg are more than capable of distinguishing one ship from another," said Hansen, but Henry watched the facial exchange between Lindsey and Janeway. Lindsey tipped her head forward and raised her eyebrows in an expression of insistence. Janeway's eyes open wide with recognition.

Then Henry understood himself. Lindsey was not referring to the actual Intrepid class starship named Voyager, but to the anti-Borg technology and weaponry on board it. From the Borg's perspective, the Orion could very well be equipped with the same tech. If the Borg could capture and assimilate such technology they could adapted to it, destroying Starfleet's greatest advantage.

Henry heard the Romulans stir behind him as they also began drawing conclusions despite Lindsey's attempt at subtlety. What would happen if the Romulans suspected that the Federation was holding back on them. Henry dismissed the thought. It was not the Romulans but the Borg with whom he should be concerned at the moment.

"We'll compromise," said Janeway. "Lower the section shields and begin evacuation immediately. After three minutes, transfer all shields to the secondary hull. Capt. Shelby, I want you and a small team to head for the battle bridge. I and others with go by an alternative route. Whoever gets there first, shift all control to that bridge. Another team will man this bridge until we've taken control."

"Commander Hickensen will go with you, Admiral," said Lindsey.

Henry shook his head, "With all due respect, I request permission to remain on the bridge for as long as necessary."

Janeway was about to answer, but Lindsey beat her to it, "Denied, Commander. I need you to get the Admiral to the battle bridge." Henry was about to speak again, but Lindsey cut him off, "This is not a negotiation, Commander. It's an order. Cmdr. Thrim will stay with me on this bridge."

"Then it's settled," said Janeway. "Assemble your teams and evacuate the saucer. Computer, activate protocol 'Janeway 001'."

"Affirmative, protocol 'Janeway 001' enacted. Access to the main computer has been locked until such time as Adm. Janeway or Adm. Paris unlock it."

Johnathan stood up and approached the Admiral boldly. "Requesting permission to assist in the evacuation of sick bay."

"Denied, Lieutenant. We need you on the battle bridge," said Janeway.

Henry saw Lindsey reach out and grab Janeway's shoulder. "His wife is in sick bay right now, laboring to give birth to his child. I'm begging you, Admiral. Let him do this."

Janeway didn't look happy, but she nodded. "Once the staff and patients of sick bay are secured, I expect you on the battle bridge, Lieutenant."

"Thank you, Admiral," And Johnathan ran off the bridge faster than Henry had ever seen before.

"Repeat, all crew evacuate the upper decks and take shelter on the star drive," said the Admiral's voice over the intercom.

Frank spoke to all his officers over his combadge. "You all heard that. Set up security at the airlocks between the saucer and the star drive. Not a single Borg is to get through those doors. Everyone else, assist in the evacuation. Getting everyone off the saucer is top priority."

Frank and the young ensign with him ran to the off duty lounge called the Orion's Club and began herding the people out of there.

Ta'Sem ran alongside Sub-Cmdr. Matech, as they made their way to the lower decks of the Orion. She had her disruptor in her hand lest they encounter any Borg.

Rudal, the cowardly representative of Senator Durjik, was in the front of the group, along with his body guards. Capt. Shelby and the Orion's helmsman, Ryan, were next, followed by many other bridge officers. Then last was Matech and Ta'Sem, herself.

Matech spoke to her in between strides. "Sub-Lieutenant, as much as I hate to admit this, it is imperative that Rudal survives."

"Understood, Sub-Commander. If he dies, Durjik will claim this to be a Federation conspiracy." Ta'Sem moved forward in the group.

Just as she was about to overtake Shelby and the helmsman, the whole group stopped. Three Borg drones appeared in front of them. One of Rudal's bodyguard ran right into a drone. The drone stabbed him with two strange tubules out of his left hand. The bodyguard dropped to the ground.

Ta'Sem reached out and grabbed Rudal. "Get out of here, you idiot! You are not allowed to die today." Rudal looked angry, but he didn't disagree. He turned around and left with his other bodyguard.

Meanwhile Shelby had shot one of the drones, but the other two had adapted to her phaser. Ta'Sem grabbed her too, "Go, I take care of them."

Unlike Rudal, Shelby seemed reluctant to go. Say what you want about Starfleet, thought Ta'Sem, they are brave. Ta'Sem raised her disruptor and shot another drone. The last one walked towards her. She fired her disruptor again, but the drone shielded itself against it. Ta'Sem allowed the drone to come near. As soon she was in arms reach of the drone, she drew a concealed assassin's dagger and buried it in the drone's neck. The drone dropped to the deck plating.

Ta'Sem was about to leave when she heard Rudal's bodyguard crying out, "Help me! Help me!" Ta'Sem stood over him as he squirmed on the floor. "I hear their voices. I hear their voices." Ta'Sem stepped back as Borg implants popped out of his skin and appeared on his face. "Make them stop!"

Ta'Sem raised her disruptor and shot the assimilated Romulan.

Henry opened the door to the battle bridge and allowed Janeway to enter. He then immediately jumped into the helmsman seat. Henry had only taken the helm on a full-size starship a few times. But he was a pilot before he became a command officer. Nonetheless he hoped that Ryan would arrive soon.

"Computer, transfer bridge controls to the battle bridge," said Janeway. The computer beeped its acknowledgement, and Janeway spoke through the comm system. "Commander, the battle bridge is online. Get here as soon as you can."

"Copy that, Admiral. On our way," replied Lindsey's voice, and Henry breathed a sigh of relief. Of course, he would not be complete happy until Lindsey was in this very room.

Capt. Shelby's team arrived. "Sorry we're late. We ran into some drones."

"Causalities?" asked Janeway. As Henry yielded the helm to Ryan he counted Shelby's group.

Sub-Commander Matech answered. "Two Romulans are missing: one of Rudal's men and Sub-Lieutenant Ta'Sem." Henry didn't think that Matech seemed too sad to be missing his assistant. Maybe it was just battle stoicism.

"I am sorry," said Janeway. "I hope they make it."

"I'm sure you do, human," said Rudal bitterly.

Janeway seemed distracted. "Where's Seven? Wasn't she with you, Capt. Shelby?"

Capt. Shelby looked nervous. "Admiral, I ordered her to follow, but she claimed a more important task. I tried to stop her, but she wouldn't listen."

Janeway shook her head. "She rarely does. Status on saucer separation," asked Janeway.

"Automated controls are not responding. I think the Borg are messing with our systems. It's a good thing we locked them out of the main computer," answered Ryan. "However, the mechanics are operable and responding. We can proceed with manual separation at any time."

"Evacuation status?"

Henry checked his console. "75% of the crew are on board the stardrive. Those who were took shelter in the mess hall, the science lab, or sick bay are still coming in."

Selina Chaput-Mikkelson's screams of pain echoed throughout sick bay.

"You're doing alright, Selina. I need you to keep pushing. Okay?" encouraged Dr. Randle.

"What about the ship?"

"Selina!" said Dr. Thomas Randle in a commanding voice. "You have a child to worry about. Let others worry about the ship."

"Doctor," said one of the nurses. "We need to evacuate."

"And leave this woman in the middle of child birth? I think not."

"Can't we take her with us?" asked the nurse.

"It's too late. We can't stop this birth. If we try to move them, we could lose either the mother or the child, or just as likely both."

"We're evacuating the saucer. Everyone, retreat to the stardrive," came a voice from sickbay's door.

"Johnathan?!" shouted Selina just before she gave another scream of pain.

"I'm here, Selina," said Lt. Mikkelson as he ran up and grasped his wife's hand. "Doctor, we need to get her out of here now!"

"We can't. If she and the child are to survive, we must deliver now."

"Can't we speed this up somehow?"

"No, the medical transporters are offline. The Borg are doing something to the ship's systems. And if I perform a caesarean section, I am not sure I could stabilize Selina while we evacuate her."

"What do we do?"

Dr. Thomas Randle looked at Johnathan. "We are going to deliver this child." Dr. Randle raised his voice. "You all heard the bridge officer. Evacuate sick bay now!" All the other doctors and nurses left sickbay. "Johnathan, stay with you wife. Help her to breath, just as you learned in the class. Computer, activate the Emergency Medical Hologram."

"The computer is locked."

"Medical emergency override: Randle, Dr. Thomas, Chief Medical Officer."

A hologram of a bald human male appeared. "Please state the nature of the medical emergency."

"Child birth while the ship is being boarded by a hostile force," said Dr. Randle.

"Really?" said the hologram. "Do you appreciate how hard it is to practice medicine when you Starfleet types are always fighting?"

"Shut up and help me!" shouted Dr. Randle.

"Very well," said the EMH. "And people say I have a bad bed side manner."

Ta'Sem turned another corner and found more Borg drones. She had been completely cut off from her group, and everywhere she turned there were more drones. The ship was being completely overrun.

Ta'Sem fled in another direction and found more drones. "Species 5617, you will be assimilated. Resistance is futile."

Ta'Sem swore and ran in the other direction, only to find more drones. She was surrounded. "Resistance is futile."

Ta'Sem found a Jefferies tube access hatch, opened it, and climbed in. The Borg followed her. Ta'Sem crawled on her hands and knees. Fortunately, the Borg were even slower crawling in the Jefferies tube than they were walking in the corridors.

Ta'Sem reached another access hatch, but before she could reach it, it opened. There in front of her was another drone. Panic set in, and Ta'Sem frantically crawled away from the drone. She found a vertical shaft and immediately climbed up. After climbing and crawling all throughout the Jefferies tubes, Ta'Sem was certain that she had lost them.

But she was also certain that she herself was lost.

Lt. Rikka Nolean fired again at the Borg drone. This time it fell. She had already used all the frequencies on her phaser rifle. Her hand-held phaser still seemed to work, but she was running out of options.

"Corridor C on deck 5 is not clear. Recommend using alternative routes," said Nolean into her combadge.

Nolean heard a sound behind her. She turned to see her partner, a young human male, lying on the floor with an open head wound. The three drones that had attacked him simply stepped over him and came for Nolean.

Nolean waved the drones towards her. "Come here, you insects. I'm the flyswatter." If Nolean could keep the Collective eye on her, maybe others could escape.

"Irrelevant," said all three drones. "You will be assimilated. Resistance is futile."

"Futile this." Nolean fired her phaser. One drone fell, but the other two blocked it with their shields. Nolean dropped her hand phaser and grabbed her rifle like a club. She slammed the rifle over the head of the drone on her right causing him to fall from impact. She felt a stabbing pain in her neck as the drone on her left reached out with its arm. Nolean caught that drone in the head with a horizontal swing of the phaser rifle. The implants on the drone's head crumbled. Nolean then smashed the first drone before it could return to his feet.

Nolean steadied herself against the wall, as she felt a bit dizzy. She moved her hand over the spot on her neck that was causing her pain. She felt two small wounds that were not bleeding. With sudden horror, she looked down at the arm of the drone that had hurt her. There at the end of the left arm was two small tubules wiggling like worms.

"No, no," said Nolean. She began to hear voices in her head. "No!" She felt with her hands strange implants forming on her face. "No! Please no!" There was an oppression on her mind. She tried to resist, but there was nothing she could do.

"Make it stop. No!"

The voices only grew louder.

T'Sel's orderly and logical evacuation turned into pure chaos in just one second. One moment she was leading a nervous but calm group of scientists and crewmen to the stardrive. The next there were Borg drones among them, and people were running everywhere.

"Everyone please stay calm," said T'Sel, but her voice was lost in the screaming. A Borg drone was approaching one of T'Sel's scientists. T'Sel fired her phaser to no effect, but a security officer took down the drone.

"Get as many people as you can and get them out of here!" shouted the officer. T'Sel obliged. It was logical to leave the fighting to security officers. But after T'Sel had gathered the people again, she noted that there were fewer of them. As they began down the corridor, T'Sel thought about her dilemma. She had accepted the responsibility for both her science team and the crewmen who had taken shelter in her lab. But was she responsible for each individual person? Was she required to go back even for one crewman?

T'Sel stopped and turned around. She had made her decision. She would search the nearby area. She would find who she could, and then she would leave.

"Move! Let's move people! To the stardrive! Everyone, go!" Frank felt his throat becoming sore, but he ignored it. The evacuation of the mess hall was chaotic. "Everyone down Corridor D." Frank had heard Nolean's warning, and he was trying to get the people around the Borg.

"Commander!" Frank ran to the front of the group to his partner.

"What is it, Ensign?" Frank's partner pointed. There was a group of about a dozen Borg drones who apparently hadn't noticed the evacuees yet.

"Take them down Corridor E, Ensign. I will make sure these drones don't follow."

"You can't take them alone, Commander."

"I don't have a choice. You need to go with the group. Besides," said Frank. "There's always a chance they will not notice. Now, go!"

The Ensign lead the people in the opposite direction. Frank, partially hidden behind a corner, watched the group of drones. Frank was just wondering if 'swarm' was the proper term for a group of Borg drones, when one of the drones looked right at him. Then, in a very creepy way, all the drones turned to face him.

"So much for not being noticed." Frank grabbed his phaser rifle and fired. He got only one drone with the rifle. Two fell to his hand phaser. But the rest kept coming. Frank reached for the weapon clipped to the back of his belt and pulled out the Klingon mek'leth. Smaller than a bat'leth and easier for a human to wield, it was left over from an undercover mission Frank had once participated in. Frank held the Klingon blade in front of him and smiled as the drones approached. "Perhaps today is a good day to die."

Rikka Samae stopped to catch her breath. As she did, her thoughts caught up to her. She had been with all the other scientists when the drones had appeared. Everyone ran in different directions. It was like the fear was contagious, which was a ridiculous thing for a scientist to think. But in that moment Samae had panicked, and she ran without thought. Only now did she realize how bad of a mistake she had made. She was all alone on a ship infested with the Borg!

Samae tried to calm herself down and think. She was on deck 5. Too high. She had to get to the lower decks. She could try the turbo lift, but that was likely to have drones all around it. She was better off using the Jefferies tubes. The Borg probably could navigate those crawl spaces, but not easily. The Jefferies tubes it was.

Samae looked at a ship schematic and found her exact location. If she was right there was an access hatch just down the hallway. Samae jogged around the corner and saw a Starfleet security officer just standing in the middle of the hallway with dead drones on the ground. She immediately recognized the officer.

"Nolean!" Samae ran up to her sister. "Am I glad to see you. Come on, we need to get out of here."

But Nolean slowly turned. On her face were various Borg implants. Her left arm was covered in basic Borg machinery. She faced Samae with a blank stare. "We are Borg. You will be assimilated. Resistance is futile."

"Nolean! It's me, Samae, your sister." Nolean merely walked towards Samae. "Please, Nolean. That's not you. You are not Borg."

"We are Borg. You will be assimilated."

Tears blurred Samae's vision. "Nolean!" No smile and no look of recognition came to her sister's face. Just a blank expression. Samae started to back away. Then she ran. She covered her face, but all that Samae could see was the image of her sister, the Borg drone.

Lindsey got to the end of the corridor, and reached the airlock. "Everyone on the stardrive." The bridge crew that had remained with Lindsey crossed into safety. Thrim was last. "Ser'rek, wait." Thrim stopped, and Lindsey spoke to the computer. "Computer, how many crew members are still on board the saucer?"

"There are still one hundred and forty-three crew members still on the saucer."

"Ser'rek, get to the bridge. I'm going to stay right here for as long as I can."

"Captain, I must protest."

"Your protest is noted, Commander. But you also know it's pointless."

"I know," said Thrim. "Be safe, Captain." The Andorian took the rest of the crew to the battle bridge, while Lindsey gripped her phaser and stood guard at the airlock.

A couple dozen people in civilian clothing and blue science uniforms came down the corridor. "Come on!" shouted Lindsey. "This way to safety."

Selina screamed again. "You're doing good, Selina," said Dr. Randle. "I can see the child. One more push, Selina."

"One more push, sweetheart, one more," said Johnathan.

Randle watched as Selina took a deep breath and gave one more mighty push. She screamed as she did so. Then there was suddenly a new sound. A baby's cry.

Dr. Randle cradled the tiny human in his arms. "Congratulations, Mom and Dad," said Randle. "It's a boy."

The look of relief mixed with joy on new parents was a sight that Dr. Randle never tired of seeing. Both Selina and Johnathan were speechless as they watch the EMH examining the baby boy with a medical triquarter. "Heart beat is stable, brain activity normal," said the EMH stoically. "This child appears to be healthy. Allow me to do a few more scans…"

Dr. Randle's eyes left parents and fell on something else that destroyed the moment of joy. "Computer, deactivate the EMH." The holographic doctor disappeared in midsentence, allowing the medical triquarter to fall to the ground.

"What?" asked Johnathan, but Dr. Randle put his finger to his lips. Johnathan looked over his shoulder and saw what Randle saw. Six Borg drones had entered sickbay. All three adults fell silent, but the baby keep crying and he lay on the tiny examining table.

"What do we do?" asked Johnathan, as he pulled his phaser.

"No, not that," said Dr. Randle as he thought quickly. If the Borg decided on making either the parents or the child a target to be assimilated, there would be no way for the family to avoid them. But if the Collective could be distracted. "Give me that thing." Randle grabbed Johnathan's phaser and stuffed it into his belt.

Then Dr. Randle picked up the crying baby and handed him to his mother. "Selina, hold on to him and don't let go." Then Dr. Randle put his arms under Selina and picked her up off the biobed. "Johnathan, you hold her and get her out of here." Randle lifted Selina into the arms of her husband. "Go to the stardrive, and find one of the doctors there. They will have set up a triage center somewhere."

"What about you?" asked Johnathan.

"I'm going to distract them. If I can make it back, I will." But the look on Johnathan's face told Randle that he knew the truth. Johnathan gave Randle a silent 'thank you.'

Selina on the other hand began arguing. "No, Doctor. You're coming with us."

"Johnathan, go."

"Doctor, no. Johnathan, what are you doing? Johnathan, we can't leave him," but Johnathan was already walking to the back door of sick bay.

Whether it was the baby's crying or Selina's begging, Randle didn't know, but the Borg seemed to have noticed the noise. Before they could see the new parents and their baby, Dr. Randle jumped forward. "Hey!" he shouted. "My name is Dr. Thomas Randle, Chief Medical Officer of the USS Orion. Get out of my sick bay!" Then he shot one of the drones with the phaser. The phaser burned a hole through the chest of the drone. "So much for doing no harm," said Randle to himself, recalling the hypocritic oath he had taken as a doctor. He fired another shot, but this one was blocked by the Borg shielding.

"We are Borg. You possess relevant knowledge of this ship. You will be assimilated." Randle fired again, and again no effect. He jumped back into the quarantine bay. He looked out the back door, and neither Selina nor Johnathan nor their baby were anywhere to be seen.

The Borg followed Randle. Randle activated the console and raised the quarantine field. Five Borg drones approached the security field. Each of them tested the field by walking into it. It only took them about ten seconds before they were able to walk right through the field. But that was all the time Randle needed to make adjustments to the biobed and his phaser.

"You will be assimilated."

"I know, I know." Randle dropped the phaser next to the head of the biobed and lifted his hands in surrender. "Resistance is futile, right?"

The Borg approached, but then paused as the phaser began to whine. Dr. Randle smiled as the phaser overloaded right next to the biobed's now leaking oxygen line. The whole quarantine area went up in a bright ball of fire.

T'Sel had found a few more people and directed then to the stardrive. She had even found nearly the entire crew of sick bay running for safety. Now she decided that she had done her duty, and it was time to retreat herself.

Just then she heard what sounded like an explosion. Curiosity drew her towards the sound, but logic told her that nothing good could likely come from such a sound. As she was about to turn away, she heard another sound: an infant crying.

T'Sel turned and saw the Lt. Johnathan Mikkelson carrying his wife, who in turn was holding her child. He was attempting to move with speed while holding his wife and child steady but was succeeding in neither one. "Lieutenant, you are acting illogically. You cannot carry your wife to safety. She is slowing you down."

"I am not leaving her behind!" shouted Lt. Mikkelson in anger. T'Sel recognized that she had just accidently stumbled into one of the most dangerous human emotions: the protective instincts of a husband and father.

"That is not what I am suggesting, Lieutenant."

"What are you suggesting? If nothing, then get out of my way!"

"Lieutenant!" T'Sel stopped him. "I am a Vulcan. Biology I am stronger and have more endurance than you. I know you have an emotional need to rescue your wife, but logically I am the one who should carry her and your child."

Lt. Mikkelson looked T'Sel in the eye, and just when she expected an emotional outburst, he nodded and said, "Take her. I don't care who does the rescuing. Just as long as she's safe."

T'Sel cradled Lt. Selina Chaput-Mikkelson in her arms. "Where is your phaser, Lieutenant?"

"Dr. Randle took it."

"Take mine. It's clipped to my belt. Cover me as I carry your wife and child."

"Yes, Lieutenant," said Lt. Mikkelson as he took the phaser.

T'Sel moved quickly towards the stardrive with Lt. Mikkelson behind her. As she rounded the last corner, she saw Capt. Lander at the air lock. The Captain shouted, "Come on! We are running out of time!" T'Sel reached the airlock, and the Captain looked at Chaput-Mikkelson and the child. "Selina, thank God! The child? Is she alright?"

"He is fine; he is fine," said Chaput-Mikkelson.

"Captain. I am going to get these two to the triage center," said T'Sel. "There they can get medical treatment."

"Good, check in with Dr. Randle."

"Dr. Randle, didn't make it," said Lt. Mikkelson. "He stayed behind in sick bay to give us a chance to escape."

T'Sel saw the emotional look on the Captain's face. Dr. Randle must have been a dear friend. But all the Captain said was, "Get them to the triage center."

"What about you?" asked Lt. Chaput-Mikkelson."

"I am going to stay here until we seal the airlocks. I want to get as many people to safety as possible. Now, go!" T'Sel carried Lt. Chaput-Mikkelson and her child down the hall.

"How many people are left on the saucer?" asked Janeway.

"Eighty-one crew members still on the saucer," said Henry. The Orion shook again. "Stardrive shields down to 15%. We can't take much more of this."

"Can we tell how many of those crew members are still alive?"

Henry looked at Janeway for a moment as he feared her intent behind the question. "No, Admiral. That would take a thorough internal sensor sweep. Normally that wouldn't be difficult, but the Borg are already assimilating parts of the ship's systems."

Janeway took a long pause, then with a determined voice said, "Seal the airlocks and prepare for saucer separation."

"Admiral, I must say that we still have people on the saucer," said Henry.

"I know, Commander. But you said it yourself. We are running out of time. Do it."

Henry gave the order and closed his eyes, hoping that the rest of the crew was entering those doors at that moment.

"Stop! Stop, I said!" shouted Selina.

T'Sel stopped, "Is there something wrong with you or your baby, Lieutenant?"

Selina didn't answer the question, but instead looked at Johnathan. "You need to go back and get the Captain."

"What? Why?"

"I also do not see your logic," said T'Sel.

"She's not going to board the stardrive," said Selina frantically.

"Why would she not?" asked T'Sel. "She is evacuating just like the rest of us."

"No, she isn't." Selina looked at the Vulcan woman. "If there is even one crewman still on board the saucer, she will stay behind to help him."

Johnathan began, "Selina, you don't really think…"

Selina cut her husband off. "Of course, I do. She's done it before. On the old Orion she remained on the bridge in a suicide collision course to give us more time to evacuate. She's going to do it again. You know I'm right, Johnathan. You need to go back and get her. Grab her and drag her onto the ship, if you have to."

"Lt. Mikkelson, do you also believe this is true?" asked T'Sel.

"Yes, I do," replied Johnathan. "I'm going to get her."

"No, Lieutenant," said T'Sel. "Stay with your wife and child. I'll go." Selina felt Johnathan's arms under her as T'Sel handed her off. Then the Vulcan woman took off at a sprint.

Lindsey heard the order to seal the airlocks, and then heard the confirmations of different crewmen sealing the airlocks. Lindsey stood, one foot on the saucer, then other on the stardrive. "Computer, how many crewmen are still on the saucer?"

"Seventy-six crewmen are still on the saucer."

"Seventy-six!" Lindsey mind spun. Seventy-six of her people left behind and abandoned to the Borg. Not if she could help it.

"Airlock 6, why haven't you sealed?"

Lindsey tapped her combadge. "Sealing airlock 6 now." Lindsey took one step and closed the door behind her.

T'Sel rounded the corner at a run. As she did so she saw the Captain, but the airlock door was closing. "Captain!" T'Sel ran at a full Vulcan sprint, but reached the door too late. Her captain was on the wrong side!

"All airlocks are sealed," said Henry.

"Begin manual saucer separation," ordered Janeway.

Henry gave the orders. "Lt. Ryan, detach the secondary hull."

"Separating the hulls, Commander." There was a shaking felt across the ship as Ryan followed orders and the Orion's two hulls came apart.

"Release docking clamps."

"Releasing clamps."

Henry watch as the clamps holding the ship together released. Then he saw the Orion's saucer floating free and detached from the rest of the ship. Henry only allowed himself a second to think of his crewmates still on board the saucer before giving his orders. "Reverse course, full impulse." Ryan obeyed. "Bring us about. Use the saucer as a shield and set a course away from the cube."

"This Adm. Janeway to the fleet. All ships fall back. Come to a rendezvous with the Orion."

"All ships responding, Admiral," said Capt. Shelby.

"Get us out of here, Commander," ordered Janeway.

"Warp 8, engage," said Henry. He felt his gut drop as what remained of the Orion jumped to warp. But it wasn't space sickness he felt. It was the friends he was leaving behind.

Janeway breathed a sigh of relief, as they escaped the Borg. It was a close call, but they had survived. Soon she would gather the rest of the fleet, along with help from the Romulans and the Remans. Then they would destroy that Borg cube.

"Any signs of pursuit, Commander?"

"No, Admiral," said Lt. Cmdr. Hickensen in a snapped answer. Janeway was about to call on him for his unprofessional tone of voice when she noticed him gripping the armrest of his chair in barely contained emotion. Janeway looked around the bridge and saw the faces of the crew. The helmsman hovered his hands over his controls like he was thinking of turning the ship around. The Andorian commander was gripping the tactical console, his antennae standing straight up. Even Capt. Shelby had a sad look on her face.

The bridge door opened and the Vulcan science officer, T'Sel if Janeway remembered correctly, entered the bridge. "Adm. Janeway!" she reported with an urgency usual for a Vulcan. "Capt. Lander is not on the stardrive."

"What?!" said Hickensen, standing suddenly from his chair.

"She remained on the saucer," reported the Vulcan woman.

"She wasn't able to make it to the stardrive?" asked Janeway.

"No, Admiral. I passed her as I evacuated. But she remained behind. Informed by other crew members that the Captain may choose to remain with her crew on the saucer, I went back to get her. But I was too late, Admiral. She was on the other side of the airlock when it was sealed."

Hickensen swore loudly, and this time Janeway gave no thought to restraining him. The weight that was upon everyone on the bridge landed on Janeway in that very moment. She sank into her chair and was speechless.

An Orion woman came forward. Janeway recognized her as the Chief Engineer. "The Captain's on the saucer?"

"Yes, Lt. Cmdr. O'Hara-Grant," said Lt. T'Sel matter-of-factly.

"What about Frank?" asked O'Hara-Grant. "What about Lt. Cmdr. Grant?"

"Alivia," said Hickensen, but he seemed to run out of words.

O'Hara-Grant walked up and grabbed Hickensen by the uniform. "Where is my husband?!"

Janeway watched it all a state of near shock. "Computer, list all the crewmembers and guests who remained on the saucer or are otherwise unaccounted for."

"Belay that," said Lt. Cmdr. Thrim. "Computer, display the list on the tactical console." Janeway looked back at the Andorian, but he looked down to her. "Admiral, please, allow me." Janeway nodded. Thrim then proceeded to read the names.

"Those who are unaccounted for. From the Romulan contingents: Sub-Lieutenant Ta'Sem and Mr. Haramak. Starfleet personnel from highest rank: Cmdr. Lindsey Lander, Dr. Thomas Randle. Lt. Cmdr. Ulysses Francis Grant…" At that name O'Hara-Grant collapsed into Hickensen's arms in loud sobs. Hickensen held her tight as tears fell from his own eyes. Meanwhile Thrim continued to read names.

"…Lt. Rikka Nolean, Ens. Rikka Samae. Ens. Annika Hansen…"

"Seven!" Janeway suddenly sat forward. Seven hadn't made it off the saucer. What did she do? Why didn't she come? Where was she now?

"…and Civilian Richard Matthews. In total seventy-seven individuals."

Janeway took a deep breath. "Log their names in the computer and label officially as missing in action." Janeway felt an immense pain come upon her, the likes of which she had not felt since Voyager was first thrown into the Delta Quadrant. "I abandoned them."