Picard took a long time making himself believe was he was seeing. Data was dead, he was sure of that. He was the last one to see him on the bridge of the Scimitar. He remembered vividly the shock as Data put the small site-to-site transporter module on his chest. He knew it in his heart that he had sacrificed his life to destroy the thalaron generator and save the Enterprise from certain destruction.

Now, on the screen, stood an imposter who looked just like Data with several Borg enhancements who called himself "Phoenix" and threatening to assimilate the Enterprise and all aboard but only after assimilating the Romulan Empire. Several Starfleet vessels were in the Romulan Empire, helping them to rebuild after Shinzon and the destruction of the Scimitar. Will and the Titan were there.

"Captain?"

Picard turned to the voice to face his counselor, another half-Betazoid handpicked by Deanna Troi. He made a motion across his throat to order the sound muted, and then walked over to join her.

"Yes, Counselor, I know. I will be happy to discuss it, but not just right yet. Now, lock phasers and prepare to go to warp 9 immediately."

When he turned back to face the screen, he found the Borg speaker staring at him. As far as Phoenix was concerned, the Borg had already won. Phoenix wasn't here to threaten; he was here to inform.

"Locutus, we address you. You know who this unit was, who this unit is and you know the Borg now know all he knew, all you know. You cannot win, but you can still join us. You can still stand at my side and lead us and yourselves to perfection."

Picard's face flushed red. An anger rose in him that he had thought buried. That thing may have Data's appearance, it may even actually have been Data...once, but now, he was a creature of pure evil and all he wanted to do was destroy him.

"I think not, Phoenix, we will fight you. Fire at will."

A fury of phasers and torpedoes shot out from the Enterprise. The cube rocked and bucked; static filled the screen.

"Now, set a course for Romulus and engage at warp 9."

The Enterprise banked hard to the left and jumped into warp, leaving the cube behind.

"Any pursuit?"

The tactical officer glanced down and quickly studied the scanner.

"No sir, they're just sitting there."

Picard sat down in his chair. He suddenly realized he had been holding his breath and he let it out slowly and loudly. The other crew took their clue from their captain and did the same.

"They'll come, I know it; I hear them."

"The human ship is escaping. This ship is not ready to pursue."

Phoenix could hear the voices around him and felt himself become angry. How could that be though? Borg drones do not express emotion. That was a weakness that biological life forms have. He was not biological, he was perfection, and he was a fully artificial life form.

You may be fully artificial, but the emotion chip developed by Dr. Soong gives you emotion. It cannot be removed without severe damage and it cannot be shut off, I will not allow it.

Phoenix stepped to his alcove and stared at the flux resonator as it flickered. His face, with all of its enhancements reflected in the surface.

"You will not control me, I am Borg. I am the perfect Borg. You will not defeat me with any emotions. You are weak."

Perhaps for now, but I will defeat you and I will destroy you.

"You will fail!"

B4 sat quietly in the ready room. He could study for hours but he still did not understand the intricacies of the strange flat item that Captain Picard called a PADD. He lightly hummed a tune and tried to remember all of it.

Brother.

"Yes, I am here."

Brother.

"Yes, I can hear you."

He started humming again and the tune seemed to come easier. It seemed that he could remember the entire melody all the way through without stumbling.

You have to relax, brother. I downloaded all of my memories into your positronic net.

"I am not relaxed?"

No, brother, but you will be.

"Should Geordi or Captain Picard fix me again?"

No, brother, do not say anything yet. Soon, but not now.

"OK."

He started humming again, letting the thoughts flow and his lips move without thinking about it.

"Blue skies, smiling at me..."

All around the table in the large observation and conference room, voices talked over one another and formed a raucous din. Picard tapped his finger on the table and made it clear that all should be silent. Everyone stopped what they were doing and focused on the head of the table.

"I know this is all very confusing, but we need to control ourselves and focus on what to do next. Geordi, you were his best friend. Was that really Data?"

Geordi stared at Picard with his silver cybernetic eyes. He almost reminded Picard of a Borg. Of course, the artificial heart beating in his chest made him a little less human and a little closer to Borg. The specter of Locutus would never be far away.

"I don't know how, Captain, but yes, I believe that was Data, or at least what's left of him. I can't see how his positronic brain could have survived but his body was sturdy enough. I can only assume that the Borg gathered up his body pieces and reassembled him, then reprogrammed him into Phoenix."

Picard sighed loudly.

"If so, then he knows more about Starfleet and this ship than anyone else. There can be only one option. Phoenix must be destroyed at all cost."