The greatest threat the Federation has ever faced.

That was what went through Worf's head as he looked out the viewscreen of the Defiant. The Borg cube was massive, just like the ones previously faced by Starfleet. Worf's Klingon pride wouldn't have allowed him to admit this aloud, but he always felt that they became bigger and bigger each time the Collective made another push into destroying the Federation. The first one the Enterprise-D faced because of Q seemed almost tiny in comparison to this monstrosity moving undeterred towards Earth.

Worf ordered another pass at the cube, as was nearly every Starfleet vessel in the solar system. They were throwing everything at the cube: phaser blasts, Photon torpedoes… It wouldn't be long in Worf's mind before Starfleet ships would begin throwing themselves at the cube in desperation, like the Japanese Kamikaze pilots of old.

The cube continued, like a perfectly shaped rock rolling down an embankment, towards the capital of the Federation. It shrugged off the phasers and torpedoes that were fired at it, continually adapting itself so that only minor damage occurred.

Worf gripped the arms of his commander's chair as he ordered another assault on the cube. This was it.

However, just as he was certain death would immediately follow this particular attack, a shout rang out from one of his subordinates at the sensors. "The Enterprise!", said the crewman, just as a phaser blast (or the Borg's equivalent of a phaser) erupted from the cube, striking the Defiant.

XXXXX

Next thing Worf knew, he was standing with the crew of the Defiant in one of the transporter bays of the Enterprise-E, with an unfamiliar chief standing nearby. As relief flooded the security officer, the transporter chief tapped the badge on her uniform.

"Commander Riker, transport of all Defiant crew was a success."

"Excellent news, chief.", said the voice of William Riker. "Tell Mr. Worf to report to the bridge. We need all the help we can get."

XXXXX

Within seconds, Worf was on the bridge. The bridge, much like the interior of the Defiant, was a bustle of activity, though the Enterprise hadn't yet engaged the Borg.

"Nice of you to drop in, Mr. Worf.", said Riker, showing his usual cavalier attitude during moments of intensity.

Worf nodded and smiled slightly at his former superior officer, before his eyes caught sight of Captain Picard.

The captain was standing motionless in the middle of the room, completely at odds with perpetually moving crew of the bridge. He was staring out the Enterprise's viewscreen, staring at the Borg cube as it began to pummel the other Starfleet vessels, clearing a path to Earth.

Worf, eager to resume the assault on the cube with the firepower of the Enterprise, looked for an explanation from Riker for Picard's catatonic state. Riker merely shook his head slightly; he didn't have a clue either.

Picard's head then… twitched slightly. Next second, he had commanded Worf's replacement as Enterprise security chief to target a specific area of the cube.

The security chief looked confused. "Sir, our sensors indicate that that part of the hull is heavily shielded."

"Just do it!", yelled Picard, barely glancing back at the crewman. The chief dutifully followed his instructions, and a moment later, a blast of phaser energy hit the Borg cube in the exact place Picard had indicated.

An explosion rocked the cube, as fire raced along the indicated area. Many of the crew on the bridge gave whoops of triumph, but Worf and Riker both looked at each other. How had Picard known that the hull would be susceptible to an attack?

Riker gave Worf a look that plainly said, "I'll explain later.", and went back to his duties. Worf looked around the bridge to see both Data and Counselor Deanna Troi giving odd looks to the captain as well.

Using Picard's strange intuition about the cube, the Enterprise was able to secure successful attack after attack on the cube. Soon, many of the other Starship vessels in the battle were following the Enterprise's example, and pummeling the key areas of the cube's hull.

Within minutes, the Enterprise had done what no other vessel in the battle could do: the cube was rocked by a series of explosions and disintegrated into rubble.

As more whoops of exultation erupted around the Enterprise's bridge (and presumably the other starships who had survived the battle), Picard suddenly pointed at the viewscreen. "This isn't over yet!"

What looked like a large piece of rubble was heading straight for the Earth. A quick enhancement of the viewscreen revealed it to be a sphere, definitely of Borg design.

The Enterprise was soon in hot pursuit, as the sphere began to enter the Earth's atmosphere. Waves and pulses of energy began to surround the sphere, as it began to wink out of existence.

"Borg sphere is building up temporal energy.", said Data, as calm as always.

"Fire!!!", Picard yelled at the security chief. Almost immediately, a pulse of phaser energy hit the sphere. The lights of energy that was surrounding the sphere went from silver to multicolored, as it washed over the Enterprise itself.

The Enterprise began to shake, as most of the bridge crew was jolted out of their stations. A bright light enveloped the bridge, and then everything was… nothing.

XXXXX

Picard opened his eyes. He was lying on the ground, enveloped by a bright light of unknown origin. He lifted himself off the ground, his hand shielding his eyes from the oppressive light.

Either the light dimmed or his eyes finally adjusted to it. Either way, Picard was now able to recognize the stark white void he was in.

"Q, where are you!?", he yelled, his voice echoing strangely in the void.

"Patience, mon capitain.", came Q's voice, echoing just as well throughout the void. "I'll be right there."

A bright flash of light, and Q was standing before Picard. "It's been a long while, Jean-Luc."

"Q, where am I?", said Picard. "How did I get here?" He tried to strain his memory, but could not recollect what had been happening before he came to this void.

"You mean you don't remember?", said Q, his tone mockingly incredulous. "You humans have even smaller brain power than I gave you credit for."

Picard scowled at the being, before a memory flitted across his mind. "The Borg.", said Picard. "They were attacking the Earth. We… the Enterprise tried to stop them."

"Bravo!", said Q, doing a mocking little clap. "Though you did have some help. I knew that little memory I sent into your brain would suffice."

"Stay out of my head.", said Picard, almost absently. He was more worried about how to get back to the battle. "Why are you keeping me here? What's happening back in my universe?"

"Let me paint a picture for you, Jean-Luc.", said Q, putting an arm around Picard's shoulders and raising his hand to the heavens. "Thousands of puny starships watching the point above Earth where you and the Borg sphere disappeared into another universe."

"Into another…", stammered Picard. "You mean you have sent us to another universe?"

"I? It was not me that shot the sphere with your energy weapons. In your drive for revenge on the Borg collective, you caused the build-up of temporal energy to jettison you and the sphere into another universe."

Picard paused, considering this. "So, why are you keeping me here? Why not just let me be trapped in this universe with my ship?"

"To give you a choice.", said Q. "I've decided to let you choose what universe you end up in."

Picard was about to ask the obvious question (Why?), when Q snapped his fingers. Words began floating in mid air, swirling around Picard and Q.

The lines began identically, each beginning with the word 'Earth'. The lines continued to show a row of numbers, such as '616'. A catalogue of numbered Earths from alternate universes, realized Picard.

The lines of numbers continued to swirl around the white void, with more appearing and disappearing.

"How am I supposed to choose this way?", said Picard. "They're all identical to me."

"Do what you corporeal lifeforms do best: blunder into it.", said Q.

Picard, grunting in frustration, pointed up at a random line. "That one."

"Are you sure about that?", Q said coyly.

"No, that one."

"I wouldn't myself.", said Q, yawning into his hand.

"If you're going to be like that, then that one.", said Picard. "Final answer."

"And so it shall be.", said Q, before levitating over into Picard's face. "Before I send you, your precious Enterprise and crew, and the sphere to this dimension, one final word of free advice. I would give up this reckless obsession with revenge against the Borg. You were assimilated: big whoop. This drive for vengeance might send you down a dark path."

Q snapped his fingers, and the bright light enveloped everything once again.

XXXXX

Picard woke up. He was lying on a cot in the Enterprise's med bay. He tried to sit up, but was held down by a gentle, but firm, hand. "You've been unconscious for a long time, captain.", said Beverly Crusher. "You need to rest."

"I'll rest when I've seen what Earth we're at.", said Picard, reluctantly laying back down. His head was killing him.

Beverly gave him a strange look. "How did you…"

"Q. He appeared to me in a dream. Made me choose which universe we ended up in with the Borg vessel."

Beverly stared at him for a moment longer, than passed over a datapad. "This is an image taken from the viewscreen of the bridge. Riker had it made for you when you awoke."

Picard looked at the image, as Beverly scanned his head with a tricorder. This was Earth all right, but vastly different.

A huge bay was in the middle of what should be Russia, while South America was much larger to the East then Picard's Earth.

Picard breathed out of his nose. "Where have we gotten ourselves into now?", he mused to himself, as Beverly continued her examinations.

This is a story idea I've had knocking around my head for some time. Hope you guys enjoy!