Disclaimer: not mine
Chapter 16
Ventus sat where he had sat the night before Aqua and Terra's exam but he wasn't thinking about the day their lives had changed. He was thinking about Sora. Terra had told them that Riku would try to bring him soon. There was so much he had wanted to talk to Sora about after they'd beaten Xehanort but he'd gone after Kairi immediately and then…and then they'd returned only for Sora to vanish. There hadn't been time to talk after he'd woken, they'd gone straight to Master Yen Sid's and then the trio had returned home to rest before the final fight.
It was strange, to remember things Sora had done over the years, especially knowing that for a while, Sora hadn't remembered any of it. If he had still had amnesia, Ventus would have done what he could to return them to him, even if it meant. He had only a blank nothingness for the decade he had slept within his heart. He remembered events…people he'd never met, but Sora had. It gave him an insight into Sora that Aqua and Terra didn't have.
He was worried about Sora, about what had been done to him, and if he could ever recover. Terra, Riku, Isa….all of them had been left physically unmarked once they were returned to themselves, but apparently Sora was changed and there was no way to undo it. Even a Replica wouldn't work now, the changes too tied to how he saw himself. Riku had sworn there was no Darkness in him, no more than there ever had been, Ven knew better than anyone but Roxas and Xion how much he'd carried without anyone else ever having realised. The idea of a Sora with no magic or Keyblade just wasn't right, and he hoped he could regain his strength soon.
He wanted to go after them, to see Sora for himself, to try and help, but Riku hadn't sent back the navigation data and Ven's own link to Sora was far too weak to try and reach him that way.
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Riku found himself pacing his quarters, Sora had been gone longer than just Regenerating. He was mentally beating himself up over what had happened, it had obviously been too much for Sora to deal with yet. He nearly jumped as the wall chimed, walking over to press the button. "Hello?"
"Riku? This is the Doctor. Are you free to come to Sickbay?"
"Sure, I need an escort?"
"I'll have one sent," he answered.
Riku went and put his shoes on, slipping into his jacket too out of habit. He almost put his wrist brace on out of habit as well before setting it aside. The door chimed and he walked over to it, the door opening as he did. He thought he could get used to doors that automatically opened or were voice activated. He found a man in the yellow topped uniform waiting for him.
"Sir, I've been asked to take you to Sickbay."
"Thank you," Riku nodded, following him, even as he wondered why the Doctor wanted to see him.
They walked into Sickbay and the Doctor left his office. "Thank you ensign, I will call when he is ready to leave." He then motioned for Riku to follow him into his office and to take one of the chairs. "Thank you for coming, do you know why I asked you here?"
"No," Riku shook his head.
"Sora came to see me," the Doctor said, and Riku's eyes went wide.
"Oh, I see." At least Sora had talked to someone about whatever he was thinking and feeling. "Is he alright?"
"Confused and disbelieving," the Doctor answered, and Riku frowned.
"Disbelieving?" he asked in confusion.
"That anyone could love or want an ex-drone."
Riku sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I love him, I've always loved him. I don't remember a time when I didn't know Sora, it was always him and me. Then there was the night of the meteor shower and Kairi arrived on the Islands. She fit in so easily with us and everything was great…till we were teenagers and everything got confused. There were…expectations. Kairi and Sora were getting closer and I got jealous…jealous of them both and I didn't understand it. It wasn't until I saw how things were on other Worlds that I worked it out, that I realised what I wanted and knew I couldn't have cause it would never be accepted."
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He listened to the young man ramble, wondering if he'd ever been able to talk things out with someone. It sounded like he'd been left to flounder before leaving home, not understanding his own feelings. He knew that on worlds before first contact, relationships could be very rigid, expected to be for procreation. For all the medical wonders, even in the Federation some things were not possible, such as a male bearing a child. However, a child could be created by using their genetic samples, it skirted the laws on eugenics because it did necessitate some tampering to allow the merger, but was allowed.
"Sora told me about the legend of the fruit from your home," he told Riku, who smiled softly.
"I teased him with one, just before everything went wrong. Then I gave them their space that last day and they shared one…Kairi told me later that they had wanted me there too, but I had something to deal with."
"Oh?"
"My Replica, created by the enemy when I was almost sixteen but with altered memories. Used against Sora but in the end he helped him. We all thought he was gone, till I nearly died and he reached out to save me. He joined his Heart with mine until the final fight when he faced an early version of himself to save me and Sora. He's gone for good now."
The place they came from sounded very strange to him, and he had access to the Federation database. Children should never go through what they had, but so many children did, Galactic peace was very unlikely, no matter how hard they tried.
"It may do Sora some good, to see old friends again. I have spoken with Lieutenant Torres about finding a way to create a portal method for Regeneration. He could leave for a time with one."
Riku's eyes lit up and he smiled. "You think so? I've spoken with Terra about finding a way for Sora to talk with him. He spent over a decade possessed by Xehanort, we thought maybe he could help Sora deal with it. And Ven would be there too, when he was badly wounded, it was Sora who healed him, who hid him safely in his heart for a decade. Kairi's agreed to be elsewhere unless Sora asks to see her. Haven't even gotten him to agree to speak with her on the Gummiphone yet."
"Gummiphone?" he asked, and then watched as a square object appeared in Riku's hand, which he then held out to him in offering.
He took it to look over, it had a protective care around it and lit up at his touch, showing an image of Sora, Riku, and a girl who must be Kairi, she was pretty. They were just children…
"If you truly wish a relationship with Sora, it will need to happen very slowly. Emotionally and physically it will be difficult," he warned, and Riku nodded.
"I know, he's not ready," Riku accepted the Gummiphone back. "But maybe it's better he knows how we feel, no secrets."
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Sora pressed the chime to the door and then the doors slid open, letting him inside. He found Riku sitting on the couch, removing his boots. He'd been somewhere else? Riku looked up and smiled at him hesitantly.
"Hey."
"I'm sorry," he blurted out, and Riku frowned, standing up.
"For what?"
He shrugged slightly and then Riku's hand was on his shoulder. "It's okay Sora. I'm the one who should say sorry, not for telling you, you deserve to know, to have all the time you need to think. But it could have been done better." He gently nudged his head, and Sora looked up at him, finding him smiling softly. "If you need to be alone to think then you need to be alone, there's nothing wrong with that."
"The Doctor…he said that a portable method for Regeneration could be possible, that I could go with you and come back."
"He said the same thing to me when he called me in to talk," Riku grinned. "He makes a very good concerned Dad for you."
"Sorry."
"Don't be, he just wanted to make sure you were okay and I wasn't going to hurt you."
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Riku hadn't minded the talk at all, it had been good to be able to talk to someone who wasn't so close to the things that had happened back then, even though he got the feeling he'd confused the Doctor at times, like with mentioning his Replica. He was surprised when Sora reached up to cup his hand against his cheek but leant into the hesitant touch.
"You love me?" Sora asked quietly.
"Always have," Riku promised.
"Why?"
"Oh Sora…how couldn't I?"
"I…I killed…"
"Shh, it wasn't you Sora. Just your body, everything that makes you, you, was gone. Just like it wasn't Terra that nearly killed you, Aqua, and Ven in the Keyblade Graveyard. I've talked with Terra and he's suggested the Land of Departure as a place to go. See him, Aqua, and Ventus. It might be easier, seeing people who don't know you as well but know how to deal with something similar to what you went through. Ven took your disappearance hard, he remembers snippets of things from when he was in your Heart, had been looking forward to really getting to know you."
"Ven…" Sora whispered. He shifted slightly, moving closer to him, and Riku kept still, not sure if Sora was asking for a hug or not. "What…what about Roxas?"
"He's living in Twilight Town with Xion, Lea, and Isa and the Twilight gang. He misses you a lot, nearly drew his Keyblade on Master Yen Sid when we went to him for help finding you and he said there was nothing to be done." He saw the flicker in Sora's expression at his mention of the old Master. "None of us have anything to do with him anymore, Aqua's the only one who will answer him and I think Mickey checks in now and then. None of us like how he treated you."
"Kairi, have you…" Sora shifted, and Riku lifted his arm in offering, happy when Sora moved in, hugging him gently.
"I talked to her after you left, she's agreed to not be there, if you aren't ready to see her yet. She's very happy that you have your memory back and she misses you. She did ask if you'd be willing to see her on the Gummiphone or at least let me send her a picture of you."
He was relieved Sora was considering what he'd said, thinking it over. He was content to stand there, an arm around Sora as the shorter male leant against him. He was glad that Sora wasn't pushing him away after his revelation.
"Maybe a picture," Sora finally said.
It was a good idea, she could see and get over any first reaction before Sora could see her. Not that he really thought she'd take it badly except to be angry for Sora.
"What if we can't make a portal method?"
"Then I send my navigation data and they use me as beacon for the last bit to come and see us."
"Us?" Sora asked.
"If you can't go home, then I'll ask the Captain if she minds my staying on board."
"But your family," Sora tried to argue.
"I haven't seen my parents in years," he admitted. They'd never been overly close but after losing Sora the only reason he'd ever gone back to the Islands was for Kairi.
"You would really stay?"
"Of course. And I was talking it over with Kairi, ways we might be able to help them get home. If the ship can make it, we can offer them a safe haven to rest and get supplies. If it can't then we can bring supplies and maybe see if we can't guide them home quicker."
Sora's eyes were slightly wider as he stared up at him, and Riku smiled at him.
"Of course we'd help Sora, they saved you," he lifted his other hand to ruffle wild spikes.
Sora moved even closer, pressed right up against him, hugging him in return. Riku leant his head against Sora's, enjoying the contact. He ran his hand up and down Sora's back, offering comfort. After a few moments he moved backwards, getting them down onto the couch.
"Sorry," Sora whispered.
"For what?" Riku asked, confused.
"Shouldn't do this."
"Why not? I don't mind Sora, we've always been touchy, it doesn't mean any more than you're comfortable with. I'm almost five years behind on Sora-hugs," he teased.
"You can feel them all though," Sora argued.
"And I don't care," Riku promised. He lifted his hand to gently run. A finger over the implant above Sora's eye, the metal was cool but not cold.
"How can you not?" Sora sat up to look him in the eye. "My blood is full of nanoprobes, many of my organs are replacements, I have a implants in my brain, I have the knowledge of the Collective," Sora went to keep going, but Riku pressed a finger to his lips.
"None of that matters, it doesn't change who you are, Sora. I saw you without the top on, remember? I've seen the scars, what they did to you. I saw you in that Nightmare too."
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Sora looked down. How could Riku really accept what he was? He wanted to believe that Riku truly wasn't bothered by being able to feel the implants. Being held, touched, felt nice when it was Riku doing it, because he'd been his best friend all his life…or because of what had made him want to share a Paopu fruit with him? Maybe Riku needed to see it all to really know just what he kept touching?
Sora reached for his boots, getting them off, before standing up, but held a hand up to tell Riku to stay down. He undid the top of suit and pushed it off, down to his waist, glancing at Riku, before removing it totally. He knew Riku had seen him naked lots of times when they were young. They were Island children and practically lived in the water. He stood before him, naked, everything revealed.
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Riku was shocked when Sora stood up and stripped everything off. He'd seen him without the top before, when he'd first arrived, but now he could see everything. Half of his left thigh was metal, two implants immediately visible on the right leg. Sora turned around slowly, revealing his back as well. He knew Sora was trying to shock him again but all he felt was grief for what he'd been through and he thought…Sora was beautiful, implants or no implants. He didn't realise he'd said it out loud until Sora spun around, staring in disbelief.
He stood up and reached out to touch the implant on Sora's bicep. "No matter how many times you need it, I'll keep telling you, this doesn't matter."
He made sure to keep eye contact, to not stare. He didn't want to make Sora uncomfortable. He was shocked when Sora kissed him, wanted to clutch him tight, but it only took seconds to realise what he was doing, even if Sora didn't realise it himself. He was testing him, like he had that first time. He let Sora kiss him, responding but not taking it any further than Sora was.
Sora stepped back, a hand going to his head, and Riku knew it was the implants. He grabbed the blanket off the back of the couch that he'd left there earlier and wrapped it around Sora before sitting down, drawing Sora into his arms, holding him.
"Just relax," he whispered, rubbing his back. Was this what the Doctor had meant about a physical relationship being difficult?
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Kairi stared up at the night sky from her place on the bench. She could almost feel Riku and Sora tonight. Knowing they were together was a relief, that Sora had his memory back…but it sounded like bringing him home was going to be harder than any of them had imagined. She just wanted him back with them, safe and happy…could it ever happen?
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Riku thought he was beautiful, despite the mutilation to his body. Why had he kissed him? He was confusing himself, so much so that his implants had activated. Riku had just wrapped him up and was holding him, comforting him. He let his head rest on Riku's shoulder, body going limp as Riku rubbed his back. Was it possible, he could be loved?
"Send Kairi a picture," he whispered, clutching Riku's shirt in one hand.
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Kairi looked down as her phone beeped with a message, seeing Riku's name. She brought the message up to find no words, just an image. She choked back a sob, fingers tracing the screen. "Sora…"
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B'Elanna studied the Regeneration alcove plans and power requirements before looking at the Doctor's notes. "Torres to Seven of Nine, please meet me in engineering." There was no way she could do it without the former drones help. The idea of Sora leaving them hurt, he'd become one of the crew, one of her engineers, but if going back could help him heal then they had to help him find a way.
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"I can't say it."
Riku looked down at him, they'd shifted around a little so Sora's head rested over his heart, the sound obviously comforting. "Sora?"
"You said you love me, but I cannot…"
"I know, the Doctor explained more about your implants and what it means to be an ex-drone. That you've been having trouble working emotions out. Even if you never say it back, it's alright. I thought I'd never get the chance to tell you, that I'd wasted the time I should have spent with you both. Love doesn't have to be reciprocated to exist, and it doesn't have to be spoken of either. Especially when I can feel your Heart," Riku smiled down at him, stroking his hair.
It was nice, to simply be allowed to hold Sora, even if he was forcing himself not to think about the fact he was still naked under the blanket. He could feel Sora's emotional confusion, the Dream Eater link stronger than it had ever been, but he could feel what Sora felt for him, and if it wasn't love then it was very close to being. His feelings for Kairi were more complicated in a way, but he thought that when he saw her again it would become easier.
Sora freed his hand from under the blanket and took Riku's, Riku happy to find it was his prosthetic hand and he hadn't hesitated to use it. Riku squeezed his hand gently, leaning his head back, just relaxing.
"Are you okay without being in the suite?" he asked after a while.
"Fine," Sora told him. "The clothing is to help support the implants since I don't have exo-plating anymore, but I do not have to wear it every minute. How would I shower?" he smiled slightly, and Riku laughed.
"Good point."
"This is comfortable," he admitted. "Unless you want me to move?"
"Stay as long as you like, you're not that heavy."
And that was when the ship jolted. Riku reflexively tightening his hold on Sora to keep him from falling, bracing himself back into the couch.
"What was that?" he asked.
"We just dropped out of warp," Sora answered as he got up and reached for his clothes. "Sora to Engineering."
"Sora, get down here."
"On my way." Sora glanced at him, and Riku nodded.
"Be careful."
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Sora entered engineering to find them all working frantically. "Lieutenant?"
"We're dead in the water," she told him. "Captain ordered the engines disengaged, after we dropped out of warp. We need to run checks on what that shockwave that hit us was."
"Understood." He moved to his usual console to begin working, finding quickly that all the sensor data was locked away, even as Seven joined him. That was very strange. It wasn't long before the Commander and Tom entered, calling them all over.
"I've been informed this is a highly classified mission. Information will be provided on a need-to-know basis. Captain's orders." Chakotay informed them.
"Classified? By who? We're sixty thousand light years from Starfleet," Torres asked.
"Like I said. Need to know. B'Elanna, she wants you to install multiphasic shielding around the warp core."
"I've never seen this shield configuration. I'd like to run a couple of computer simulations to make sure it's stable," she told him, handing the datapadd to Sora who scanned it, frowning in concern.
"No time. She needs this done by eleven hundred hours."
"Eleven hundred? I don't think that's possible," she warned him.
"Make it possible."
"Are we attempting to protect the core from some form of subspace radiation?" Seven spoke up.
"I don't know any more than you do," the Commander admitted.
"It will be difficult to complete the task without more data," Sora warned.
"The data you've got will have to do. Tom, start modifying a shuttlecraft to withstand extreme thermal stress. Twelve thousand Kelvins, at least."
"Aye, sir," Tom agreed, but he was frowning slightly in concern.
"Does all this have anything to do with that secret message the Captain received?" Torres demanded.
"What have you heard?" the Commander asked, looking between them all.
"Rumours, mainly. Janeway's been locked in her ready room for the past sixteen hours. Something about an Omega Directive."
"Omega?" he asked in unison with Seven. Was it possible?
"Ring a bell?" Tom looked at him, and Sora looked away, Omega was too dangerous…
"Look, the speculation ends right here. Now, I expect you to carry out your assignments with a minimum of gossip, understood? I know it's hard not to wonder. Frankly, I'm curious myself, but the captain was very adamant about this. Get going," he then turned to Seven and Sora. "The captain wants to see you both."
"I thought she might," Seven admitted, and Sora nodded.
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"Come in," she called, the door to her Ready room opening to admit the two ex-Borg. "What do you know about the Omega Directive?" she asked, skipping the pleasantries.
"Everything you do, most likely," Seven admitted, Sora shifting nervously beside her. It was strange to see but with his memories back it wasn't surprising to see more human reactions.
"I thought as much. The Borg assimilated Starfleet captains, you would possess all of their knowledge."
"That's correct. Do you intend to carry out the Directive?" Sora asked.
"Yes," she nodded, seeing the signs of relief in his expression, small though they were.
"Then sensors have detected the molecule," Seven demanded.
"So it would appear. But we have to confirm it."
"We?" Sora asked, warily.
"You're going to help me carry out the Directive. Protocol forbids me from discussing this mission with any of my crew, but since you already know about it, my choice is to either work with you or confine you to quarters."
"Perhaps you should do the latter. I will not help you destroy Omega. It should be harnessed," Seven answered.
"That's impossible."
"The Borg believe otherwise."
"Explain."
"On one occasion, we were able to create a single Omega molecule. We kept it stable for one trillionth of a nanosecond before it destabilised. We didn't have enough boronite ore left to synthesise more, but the knowledge we gained allowed us to refine our theories," Seven explained succinctly.
"The Borg have been waiting for the chance to test them out."
"Yes. But we never found another source of the ore. Until now."
"Sorry, but if someone out there is experimenting with Omega, I'm under orders to stop them. Otherwise, this entire quadrant would be at risk."
"Those orders were issued as a result of Starfleet's ignorance and fear. I can alleviate your ignorance. As for your fear."
"Sometimes fear should be respected, Seven. Tell me, how many Borg were sacrificed during this experiment?"
"Twenty nine vessels, six hundred thousand drones," Sora answered softly.
"But that is irrelevant," Seven interjected.
"Not to me, not to my crew, and not to the people who live in this quadrant. I'm going to neutralise this threat, Seven, with or without your help."
"I will assist you."
"You will?" That was surprising, she had expected her to refuse since it would involve destroying the molecule.
"I have waited many years to observe this molecule firsthand. I will not deny myself this experience."
"All right. Sora?"
He shifted slightly, looking between them. "I think I should remain here Captain. If anything goes wrong, then there will be someone on board who knows what is happening. I won't speak of the Protocol to anyone unless you fail and then only the Commander."
She should restrict him to quarters but what he said made sense. "Alright, once we're gone, work with engineering to ensure the warp core is shielded. For now, go back to your cargo bay, assemble all the data you have about Omega. I'll expect a report within the hour," she ordered them both before focusing on Seven. "I didn't realise you had such a strong scientific curiosity."
"Not curiosity. Desire," Seven told her.
"Desire?" she hadn't expected that answer.
"Omega is infinitely complex, yet harmonious. To the Borg it represents perfection. I wish to understand that perfection."
"The Borg's Holy Grail," that made sense.
"Captain?" Seven asked and even Sora looked curious.
"Never mind. Dismissed."
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"You are not curious?" Seven asked, and Sora glanced up from the console.
"A little, not enough to risk so many lives. There are too many inhabited systems nearby to put at risk, most of them pre-warp. Then there is the crew, they wish to go home, to try and harness Omega serves no purpose in that and yet could destroy the ship. If Bog technology couldn't handle it, Federation technology, even with the adaptations we have helped with, does not stand a chance." He went back to work compiling the information on Omega.
"If this does go wrong, the ship will have very little warning."
"I know. I will make sure Tom as a course pre-set."
"Perhaps, you should tell your friend to leave the ship."
"He can leave in seconds if something happens and he may be able to help protect the ship." Sora was sure of it, and he knew, Riku wouldn't leave without him.
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Riku was relieved when Sora returned, he'd sensed his conflict and was worried. "Is everything alright?"
"I can't talk about it," Sora shook his head. "Things may be dangerous though. If the Captain and Seven's mission goes wrong, we will have only seconds to get the ship to warp and safety. Maybe you should leave."
"No," Riku shook his head. "I won't leave without you and you won't leave your crew, so I'm staying."
Sora sighed but nodded and went to the Replica, keying something in, before returning with a meal for them to share.
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"If we were in the Alpha Quadrant right now, we wouldn't be having this conversation. I'd be in contact with Starfleet Command, and they'd send in a specialised team to deal with the crisis. In their absence, we're going to have to make do with the training I've received, and the knowledge Seven of Nine and Sora have retained from the Borg. You've all seen this symbol. Omega, the last letter of the Greek alphabet. Chosen by Starfleet to represent a threat not only to the Federation, but to the entire galaxy. Only starship captains and Federation Flag Officers have been briefed on the nature of this threat. What you're about to hear will not go beyond these bulkheads, is that clear?" She looked at them all and they all nodded.
"Good." She called up a rotating image on the wall screen. "This is Omega."
"A molecule?" Tom asked sceptically.
"Not just any molecule. The most powerful substance known to exist. A single Omega molecule contains the same energy as a warp core. In theory, a small chain of them could sustain a civilisation. The molecule was first synthesised over a hundred years ago, by a Starfleet physicist named Ketteract. I think he was hoping to develop an inexhaustible power source."
"Or a weapon," Seven added.
"Ketteract managed to synthesise a single molecule particle of Omega, but it only existed for a fraction of a second before it destabilised," she called up another image, this time of a space station with a big hole in it. "This was a classified research station in the Lantaru Sector. Ketteract and one hundred twenty six of the Federation's leading scientists were lost in the accident. Rescue teams attempting to reach the site discovered an unexpected secondary effect. There were subspace ruptures extending out several light years."
"The Lantaru Sector. It's impossible to create a stable warp field there. You can only fly through it at sublight speeds. I was always told that was a natural phenomenon. You're saying it was caused by a single molecule of this stuff?" Tom leant forward, worried but also intrigued, not that she blamed him.
"Omega destroys subspace. A chain reaction involving a handful of molecules could devastate subspace throughout an entire Quadrant. If that were to happen, warp travel would become impossible. Space-faring civilisation as you know it would cease to exist," Sora offered quietly.
"When Starfleet realised Omega's power, they suppressed all knowledge of it," Kathryn told them.
"Have you detected Omega here, in the Delta Quadrant?" the Doctor asked.
"I'm afraid so. I've been authorised to use whatever means necessary to destroy it. Tom, I've calculated the location of the molecules. I'll transfer the coordinates to the helm. Take us there at full impulse."
"Aye, Captain."
"I don't have to tell you what's at stake. If a large-scale Omega explosion occurs, we will lose the ability to go to warp forever. We've got our work cut out for us."
TBC….