Episode 1

The Lost and the Damned

"Captain's log, star date 49499-3. The Enterprise-E have now been outfitted with most of its features and personnel. After six months of tests and improvements, we are now nearing the end of our shakedown run. I have received several survey missions in the vicinity of Deep space 5 in order to test our equipment in real situation, along with several surprise scenarios to enact, to test our crew. While not at full staff, I am confident in the experience of those who served under on the Enterprise-D, and the adaptability of our new additions. While exploration is the true vocation of Starfleet, and the Enterprise, I must admit to look forward being free of those important yet light missions. The whole quadrant is now in a spiral that seems to drag us all down in its destructive path. Violence and war stares at us from beyond our frontiers, and we must be able to stare back. The Enterprise and its crew are well equipped to ensure the protection of the Federation, and if need be to strike back at whatever foe decides to force our hand. But as long as our test runs aren't complete, we can only give our best contribution, no matter our small."

Captain Picard leaned back on his chair, pondering about this last entry. During those last six months, a lot had happened. Despite being still testing its new designs, the Enterprise had been involved and assigned to numerous missions of vital importance, a necessity in those times of tension. But all that had postponed the time where they could finally operate at peak efficiency, and join the rest of the fleet not merely has a transport vessel, but a Sovereign class ship. Then, they would make a difference.

The familiarity of his ready room couldn't shake the feeling of melancholy that had been growing in him. The bridge was just a door away from his personal office, and through it, the entire quadrant. He had lived countless adventures during the past decade on board of the Enterprise-D, yet the universe was constantly surprising him, putting him on confusing situations, far out of his comfort zone. And as they were going to leave the space station, a knew that the true reason behind his disappointment wasn't that he wasn't able to help the Federation. But that he had been stuck in familiarity for too long.
Touching his Starfleet badge on his heart, he contacted the engine room.

-Mister Laforge, are we ready to leave Deep Space 5?

-Yes captain, made the voice on the other side. We triple checked the compatibility and the additional crew is already working at pace.

-Excellent, prepare for imminent departure.

Getting out of his chair, he headed straight out of his office directly to the bridge. Every officers were checking on their console, except for the commander Riker, standing in front of the map displayed on the front window. Tall, broad shouldered and his eyes always sparkling of energy, no one would have felt him misplaced on board a Galleon, roaming the seas of Earth, winds in his eyes and salt in his goatee. At his arrival, the imposing man presented a discreet smile of satisfaction.

-Captain. We just received authorisation for take off.

-Very good number one.

They both took their seat, right in the middle of all the operators. Picard took a moment to appreciate the sensation. At his right his number one, Riker, and at his left commander Deanna Troi, the ship's counsellor. Never before had they been so close as to be an actual ship with full crew and full capacity, the missions to come were only going to be the a confirmation.

And in front of him, the stars, and their new destination. With a passion that the years had not tempered, he addressed his operating officer.

-Commander Data, eng-

-Emergency call from Deep Space 5, interrupted Data with a puzzled voice. On screen now.

A face appeared on the front window, she was the commanding officer of Deep Space 5, a middle aged woman whose eyes were seemingly constantly exhausted, yet with a tone imbued with authority. The woman who Picard had a nice tea with just an hour before was now visibly troubled, an observation that made the captain uncomfortable.

-Is there a problem Portmaster Luxana?

-There is, Picard, she answered.

Luxana was not one to forget proper rank without reasons. She turned around to grab some tablet and addressed Picard with a firm yet slightly alarmed voice.

-We received a transmission. It was just a burst, and we thought it was hard to distinguish from the background at first, but my science team just cleaned it. I'm patching it through.

As the portmaster typed on her tablet, the deep voice a woman made itself heard.

"SOS. SOS. Borg on the station. This is commander Shep/"

Picard's heart skipped a beat. The Borg. With difficulties, he maintained his calm demeanour as Luxana continued.

-We are currently trying to identify the origin of the transmission. It wasn't sub-space communication, and we estimate it had been at least 32 hours since it was emitted.

-I wasn't aware there were any other space stations in the vicinity, inquired Riker.

-There isn't, not that close. She was interrupted by her vulcan assistant. Scanning the possible area we just pinpoint a location heavy with jamming signals. Captain, I have no ship to spare if they are this close, but we need to assess the situation.

Picard was thinking about the eyes of his crew on him. Particularly Troi, with whom he had sometimes converses about his... unpleasant experience. He controlled his trembling, a captain wasn't a man to appear weak to his subordinates. The Borg, scourge of the galaxy, had left thei mark on the Federation, long ago. If they were back...

-The Enterprise is fully operational. Send us the coordinates.

-I'm sending you back up as soon as I can. And Captain. Good luck.

-Lieutenant Daniels! He declared while getting up, dominating the whole bridge, rise to yellow alert and prepare for possible borg incursion. Set protocol Variant on all weapons and do not fire unless extreme emergency. Counsellor Troi, make sure everyone is at his station, we need the medical bay and engineering to be ready and protected.

-Right away captain.

As the alarm began to propagated throughout the ship, Picard opened communication to all floors.

-Crew of the Enterprise, this is the captain speaking. We have been warned of a potential Borg presence at short range and are preparing to investigate. All non essential personnel, be ready to evacuate on a moment's notice and do not, I repeat do not engage the borg.

He cut the comm and turned to the android.

-Data, how long?

-14.7 minutes minutes at warp 9 sir.

-Make it so.

With absolute dexterity, Data entered the command on his console. A warp bubble enveloped the enormous ship, and with a powerful thrust, it launched in space faster than the speed of light, disappearing from the human eye in an instant. Left behind, Deep Space 5 was on full alert, ships un-docking in swarms and sending warnings to all colonies.

On the bridge, Picard turned to Riker. Both he and his second in command was presenting a determined look, but they both had been through too many struggles to not see through the appearance. Picard focused and typed his comm.

-Mister Laforge, I need you on the bridge. Turning he comms off, Commander Data, where are we going?

-This is an empty region of deep space according to the Federation maps sir, no stations, no asteroids, no planets.

-This could be a trap, warned Riker. How could Deep Space 5 not detect them until now?

-I'm picking up numerous jamming signals along with some unidentified background radiation. It could be a natural phenomenon hiding this particular spot from the sensor.

-Will our own communication suffer? Asked Picard, seating down once again.

-There are adjustments to do so we can communicate outside the pocket, but no one outside should be able to detect us.

With a small nod, the captain prompt Data to do the adjustments.

Picard was reviewing all they had to do before getting out of warp. But as the console was indicating him, everyone was getting into place. The security teams were spreading to key points, the vital areas were protected or under heavy surveillance. And soon their communication would be fully operational. They had 14 minutes before the battle. That would be an eternity. With a serene tone, he ordered

-Number one. Battle station.


The Enterprise-E brutally emerged out of warp, the massive space ship ready to battle with all its strength and fire-power. But there was nothing. Nothing but empty space.

-Mister Laforge, what are we looking at?

The black chief engineer was analysing every bit of information the Enterprise was giving him. Despite being top of the line, the sensors had serious difficulties reading anything, but Laforge was not a man to let machines alone in their predicament. With expertise, he tuned worked his station until he got a clear data to present to the bridge.

-No trace of any Borg activity captain. The jamming has ceased and only the strong background noise remain. Looks like residual radiation bombardment from a supernova.

-Any sign of any station Laforge! Curtly interrupted Picard.

-Nothing yet sir... Wait, I'm picking up something. Looks like... debris. I'm unable to be certain of what. I'm picking up several debris fields heading in different directions. Could be the result of an explosion.

Riker raised an eyebrow.

-That's not like the Borg to waste material, and the message was saying that they were on board.

-I don't like this number one. Remain on yellow alert, we'll search the debris. Inform Deep Space 5 of our discoveries, and make sure we weren't just lured away.

-Captain! I'm picking up something! It's... I think it's a distress signal.

-Survivors?

-A shuttle sir, it's hard to tell with all those interferences.

-Can we contact them?

-Yes sir, but the distance and the background radiation may make things difficult.

-Commander Data, make an approach, but be ready for evasive manoeuvres. Mister Laforge... establish contact.

The captain got up, straightening his uniform and approached the front window. With a clear voice, he declared.

-This is captain Picard, of the USS Enterprise. Identify yourself.

Nothing. Picard looked at his chief engineer, still trying to clear the comm.

-Unidentified shuttle, do you read me, this is/

An image suddenly appeared on the screen. Two women, clad in what seemed to be a hybrid of space suit and military armour were staring at the bridge from the inside of a space shuttle. One had a bulky black and red armour, strapped with pockets and several layers of protection while the other was wearing a slender white and blue suit, seemingly skin tight but undoubtedly reinforced. Both had a full helmet that was hiding their face.

-I'm reading you captain, loud and clear, said the black clad woman.

-Identify yourself.

-This is Commander Shepard, Alliance military, Council Spectre. And this is... She hesitated a second. She's my associates. We're stranded on a shuttle.

-Alliance military? Picard wondered under his breath. Did you had any contact with the Federation?

-The what?

-The Federation of planets.

-Never heard of it. Are you going to help us or not?

Despite her visibly dire situation, she was quite confrontational. But Picard wasn't impressed.

-We received a distress call warning us of Borg presence inside a station.

-Yeah, you're late to the party. We disposed of them one or two days ago.

Everyone on the bridge looked at each other in confusion and disbelief. Picard himself found it hard to believe.

-Disposed?

-Listen, I'd love to chat but we ran out of oxygen for a good while and our personal reserves are not going to last long. How about we chat face to face. I assume you have a ship nearby.

-Miss Shepard, the captain declared with growlingly tense tone, you mentioned a Borg invasion. Deep Space 5 is currently on high alert, warning all federation ships of a possible invasion. We have diverted course to investigate, I demand that you explain what has happened!

At that moment, the white clad woman put her hand on the shoulder of her partner, stopping her from retorting. The former considered a moment, then shrugged the hand off and leant back.

-Captain Picard, answered the other one much more calmly. We are the only survivors of the station, and we had to detonate it to destroy the Borg inside. I have recorded the entire ordeal, and I'm willing to negotiate this information.

-To negotiate? Against what?

-First, come pick us up. Then, we can consider our return in more familiar space.

The two women began to argue silently, visibly caught in a radio discussion. Similarly, Picard ordered the sound to be cut as he turned to the rest of his crew.

Riker was the first to speak.

-They aren't Borg at least, but I don't know if I buy their story.

-Me neither number one. Counsellor, any input?

-The woman in black is especially aggressive captain, but I don't think she's lying. She just don't want you to feel like you have her cornered. The woman in white... she is slippery. But I don't think neither have any intention of harming us, at least not consciously.

-I see no reference of any alliance military or spectre council in our data base, added Data. However the spreading of the debris field indicate some kind of explosion did destroyed the installation around 40 hours ago.

-It doesn't matter, replied the counsellor. They aren't Borg, and they are running out of air. We should rescue them.

-Agreed simply said Riker.

-Mister Laforge, asked the Captain, any signs of an ambush or borg activities?

-No sir, nothing but debris around the shuttle.

He turned round and faced the two armoured women again. They were visibly waiting for him.

-Very well. You are authorized to dock the shuttle in the Enterprise, but you will surrender to our custody for interrogation.

-We will cooperate as far as our orders allows us too, and will not engage in any aggressive action unless forced to, simply replied the white one.

The communication was cut. Although the tone remained friendly and courteous, the white one wasn't budging an inch on the discussion, taking full advantage of the Enterprise moral obligation to help them. The captain didn't liked it one bit.

-Number one take the bridge, I'll welcome our new guests.

-What do you think they are? Soldiers from an unknown civilisation?

-Could be, but it could still be a trap. This isn't the best circumstances for a first contact but if indeed they fought off the Borg, they could be either a great threat or a potential ally. Continue to scan the area, and report to deep space 5. Warn me if you or they find anything.

-I will captain.

-Commander Troi, Lieutenant Daniels, with me.

The three officers entered the turbolift, and prepared to meet the two mysterious soldiers.