Paint and Powder

A Star Trek anthology by Andrew Joshua Talon

DISCLAIMER: This is a non-profit fan based work of prose. Star Trek: The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager et al are the property of CBS Television, and creation of Gene Roddenberry. Please support the official release.

The finale to First Contact, wherein Enterprise gets some payback...

USS Enterprise-E

Earth Orbit, 2063

This was it. This was the moment the Borg Queen had been waiting for.

Locutus was back in their clutches. Data had become her new counterpart. The Enterprise was hers-She'd had the last gynoid of the starship AI brought into Main Engineering, held on a restraining table. All to watch this moment.

The tiny, primitive vessel-The Phoenix-was accelerating up to Warp One. In the original timeline, it had ushered in a new era, that led to the rise of the Federation. In this timeline... It would fail, and the Borg Collective would spread across the galaxy.

"Lock on, Data," the Queen ordered.

"Data, no!" Enterprise cried, fighting against her restraints. It was perhaps somewhat petty, but the look of despair and betrayal on Picard and Enterprise's faces was deeply satisfying.

"Destroy them!" She cried.

"Firing quantum torpedoes," Data reported.

Four of the deadly blue projectiles were launched, and they shot for the helpless Phoenix. The Borg Queen smirked at Locutus and Enterprise.

"Watch... Your future's end," she crooned.

The projectiles flew, straight and true... Closer... Closer...!

The first missed. Then the second. Then the third. And the fourth.

The Queen turned in outrage, locking onto Data-Where-?

No. He stood right by the warpcore. Right by the plasma coolant tank.

"DATA!"

"Resistance," the android stated, "is futile."

He punched the coolant tank, and was blown away by the green cloud of superheated gases. Locutus broke from his captivity, and ran for the ladder. The Queen made to pursue... When she felt a strong hand grasp her shoulder. She was spun around. She got a look at Enterprise's furious face... Before the gynoid's fist uppercut her, shattering her jaw.

"UNGH-!"

Another punch shattered her duranium reinforced ribs. A knee destroyed her cybernetic systems in her belly. A kick shattered her left arm. A backhand sent her slamming up against the main systems display table by the warp core.

The Borg Queen looked up, just as Enterprise seized her by her legs. The gynoid lifted her right up off the deck, and slammed her through the table.

"AUGH!"

The plasma flowed over her, and the Queen screamed as her organic components melted away. Enterprise just kept punching and stomping and kicking her, even as all her flesh evaporated.

She was left as a broken, malfunctioning mess. Enterprise very calmly picked up her helpless body, her eyes burning like fire into hers.

She pulled her fist back, and slammed it right into her face-

And everything went black.

Picard slid down the ladder after activating the plasma purge. The deadly ionized gases flowed away, revealing an absolute carnage of dead and dying Borg Drones. In the center of this was Data, leaned up against the warp core... And Enterprise, who was still violently stomping the Borg Queen's body into scrap metal.

"HA! HAA! HAA! HAA!"

She slowed, stopped... And turned back. She was covered in scars, burns, and some of her components were exposed.

She still managed a smile.

"Hello Captain," she said.

"Hello ship," Picard greeted her gently. He walked over to Data, and she joined him. They both sat with the android, who was staring at the mangled remains of the Borg Queen.

"You all right, Data?" Enterprise asked.

"Strange. A part of me is sad that she is dead," Data admitted.

Enterprise made a face... But Picard sighed, and shook his head.

"She was... Unique," he admitted.

"That's one word for it," Enterprise said sourly.

"She brought me closer to humanity than I ever thought possible," Data admitted. Enterprise scowled... Then bowed her head.

"She... Did show me what I could become," she admitted.

"For a time... I was tempted by her offer," Data added. Enterprise and Picard looked at him.

"How long a time?" Picard asked.

"Zero point six eight seconds," Data replied. Picard raised an eyebrow. Enterprise chuckled.

"For an android, that is nearly an eternity," Data said with a shrug. He looked at Enterprise. She sighed.

"Two point three milliseconds," she admitted. She gave Data a wry expression. "In a strange way it's... Nice to know we're not perfect."

"Mm," Picard nodded. A silent understanding passed between all three of them. He and Enterprise helped Data up... And they headed for the exit.

And somewhere in the Delta Quadrant, centuries later... The Borg Queen awoke in a new body... And screamed in rage.