"state your terms" Vanessa said regaining her composure. "Your away team will proceed to eliminate unidentified life form in grid 923 subjunction 5672. Once unidentified lifeform is eliminated your crew will be returned." The sphere answered. "What unintentifed life form" Vanessa asked. "Unknown life form from dominion vessel. Life form composed of unknown biological matter evades sensor scans. You will eliminate unknown life form" the Borg answered. "New terms. I will assist in eliminating this life form in exchange for information, the release of my crew and the release of that cargo ship" Vanessa replied
A lingering pause before the Borg answered. "terms are accepted your communication links are reestablished command your crew eliminate unknown life form in grid 923 subjunction 5672. State your request" the Borg said and Vanessa took a deep exhale. "Why are you in the gamma quadrant?" She asked another long pause before a reply. "This vessel was dispatched to investigate unknown energy readings. This vessel encountered dominion freighter that was source of unknown readings. Vessel was captured for Assimilation, link to collective was severed secondary collective link needed to be established to mantain function. unknown life form invaded this vessel primary power systems multiple power node distribution locations destroyed.life form proved resistant to normal means of elimination and assimilation unknown life form showed ability to evade internal detection with unique morphogenetic biosigns" The sphere answered .morphaginic? A changling? She thought "you encountered one of the founders of the dominon?" She asked. Another pause "species 1003 designation Founder species resistant to assimilation due to morphaginic biochemistry. Dominion race deemed high level threat confrontation is to be avoided at this time. Eliminate species 1003 comply or your crew will be assimilated" the Borg said before coms were terminated and Vanessa was quick to intiate com link with the team "Tadashi come in!"
"Vanessa?! I've been trying to reach you the borg took Sato and Thrall where are they?!" He asked voice filled with panic. "I know .. they just kinda made a deal with me I don't know what the fuck is going on but the borg ship is still crippled as far as I can tell. It's powers fluctuating immensely and isn't regenerating as fast as it should be something's up for them to want our help but there is apparently a Changling on board they want us to get rid of. If we do they'll release thrall and Sato and give us the freighter... "
A Changling? Like a founder of the dominon? Tadashi looked back to the darkened halls of the freighter as Xall worked on a power conduit
"It must have been on this freighter and when the Borg pulled it inside it probably got out to try and sabotage the ship so it could escape... Then that means ... jemhandar" he looked at Xall
"Xall get the airlock back open the Borg have made a deal with us I expect them to honor it for now let's go we got a Changling to find we can come back to the freighter later." Tadashi said moving back through the corridors. "Deals with the Borg? That does not bode well for us dear boy the Borg do not negotiate, this spells trouble but never fear I am behind you" Xall said right behind Tadashi. "I was close to restoring power to this deck it appears as though the dominion engine core is active just in a shut down state. She still has limited power one second" tapping at his tricorder the lights slowly flickered on "oh my" he said finally getting a full look of what was around them. Blood and the deceased bodies of two Jemhendar soldiers and least three drones near the airlock "quite the battle took place here" he said commanding the airlock to slide open
Once back into the sphere they were greeted by a single drone. "You will follow this unit to subjunction 5673. Comply" the voice of the Borg spoke from above. Slowly the drone turned and sorta stumbled as it began to walk Xall quietly scanning from behind Tadashi. "I'm no expert by any means but it appears his cybernetic functions are fluctuating it would be of no trouble to disable him if we need to" Xall commented "nothing about these drones are normal but I don't want to risk the others if we can help it let's just play along. Start scanning for anything out of the ordinary" Tadashi said as they followed the drone into the depths of the sphere
Aboard the Hayashi Vanessa was nervously pacing the bridge. Right now they were being forced to cooperate with the Borg while Sato and Thrall were held hostage. How was Tadashi and Thrall expected to find a Changling that could become anything? And hide from sensors?. Perhaps if it could realize a federation ship or least a former federation ship was out there maybe it would reveal itself willingly inexhange for help?.
She took her self to the science station and sat down "computer begin sensor sweeps of the sphere try to locate any dominion frequencies" she said working the console. "Scanning in progress." The computer answered. With hope the founder had some sort of communication device with it.