Danny Amor's Online Library/Danny Amor's Online Library - Volume 1.iso/html/startrek/story/tng/[e-mail]/revenge

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From: [e-mail]
Newsgroups: alt.startrek.creative
Subject: Revenge: Chapter 1
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Date: 23 Mar 93 21:14:26 -0400
Organization: Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Lines: 182


     "Captain's log, stardate 8992.4. The Enterprise has been
ordered to starbase 105 to pick up extra personnel and equipment.
The purpose of this transfer of people and hardware has not been
revealed to us yet, and I am anxious to get the reasons from
admiral Steylen, who will be on hand to greet us." Picard ended
the log recording, pushing the off switch on his desktop
interface. Standing, he moved to the window that was set into the
rear of his ready room, watching the stars streak away at warp 6.
There were still two hours to go until they reached starbase 105.
Keeping as a secret the purpose of pickups was not totally
uncommon, but what was, was the fact that the Enterprise was not
to deviate from course for any reason, not even emergencies. From
this, Picard deduced that this could not be any ordinary
scientific mission they were about to be assigned. This could
have only two purposes. Either some disaster had occurred that
the Enterprise was to take care of with the minimum amount of
trouble, or it was for military reasons.

     As the Enterprise came out of warp near starbase 105, Picard
came onto the bridge. On the screen before him was the gaseous
giant, twice the size of Jupiter, that starbase 105 orbited. As
the Enterprise approached, the massive doors opened, beckoning
the Enterprise inside. Once she was inside the enclosed
'shipyard', the Enterprise moved to dock.
     "Captain," said Riker, "Isn't there a larger number of
starships here than ordinary?" On the viewscreen were three
starships. Under any normal circumstances, there would only be
the Ark Angel, an Excelsior class ship that was assigned here.
But there were the Zhukov, an Ambassador class vessel and the
Hood, under Captain DeSoto. After the Enterprise had docked,
Picard and Riker went to the Transporter room, to beam over to
the starbase's command section to meet Admiral Steylen.
     As they materialized in the starbase's transporter room, the
admiral moved towards the pad. "Hello, captain Picard, Commander
Riker. A pleasure to meet you both." said Steylen, holding out
his hand. Picard shook it, then Riker.
     "Greetings admiral. If you are ready, the transfer can begin
when you are ready. However, I find it a bit odd the
circumstances under which we were asked to come here. Perhaps you
can shed some light on this?" asked Picard.
     "Yes, captain. I understand. If you will follow me to my
office, I'll tell you." The admiral gestured politely, and they
followed him to his office. He offered them drinks, Picard took a
cup of tea, Riker refused.
     "Computer, Cola, five degrees." The drink appeared on the
pad, and the admiral took it, and sat down behind his desk,
taking a sip as he did so.
     "Cola, admiral? That's an old Earth drink, isn't it?" asked
Picard.
     "Right you are, captain. I tried it once out of curiosity
when I was young, and I've been drinking it ever since. I've come
to like it quite a bit. But that's besides the point captain. I'm
afraid I had to call you here because your next mission will
require certain new equipment and personnel to operate that
equipment. In addition, there are members of your crew who are,
well, uniquely qualified to carry out some aspects of this
mission.
     "That's all very well, admiral, but exactly what are we
supposed to be doing, and why?" asked Riker. He was starting to
look a little bothered by all this secrecy.
     "Yes. Well, commander Riker, Captain, The enterprise has
been ordered to accompany the Zhukov and the Hood to starbase 235
in sector 453, there to meet with another starship that was
constructed expressly to carry out this mission. Enterprise,
Zhukov and Hood are to be her escorts."
     "With all due respect, admiral, that does not answer
Commander Riker's question. What are we supposed to do?" asked
Picard.
     The admiral hit a switch on his terminal, then turned it to
face Riker and Picard. "Do you recognize this?" he asked.
     "God help us" muttered Riker to himself under his breath, an
opinion Picard shared in earnest. on the screen was an orbital
view of starbase 235, on the outer ridge of Federation space. It
was a planetbound starbase, huge even if it were in one of the
core systems. In all, the base would have spanned an area almost
the size of Australia. Now, however, there was only a perfect
triangular crater on the planet surface. As if the entire base
had been scooped off the planet.
     "The Borg." Riker said, tones of anger in his voice. The
admiral nodded, and said to Picard, "Captain, Now you must
understand the importance of this mission. We received a distress
call from starbase 235 three days ago. Their communications were
extremely garbled. All we knew was that they were under extremely
heavy attack from vessels that were apparently cloaked. Since
starbase 235 is close to the border with the Romulan empire, we
naturally thought that they were the ones behind the attack. That
is, until the Romulan ambassador reported that a huge ship- a
cube shaped ship, was moving through their space. undisclosed
numbers of Romulan ships were lost in an attempt to stop them,
and it is believed that the Borg must have assimilated the
cloaking device."
     Picard tried to take this all in. "Admiral, if that is all
true, then we have no way of knowing where the Borg will turn up
next. They could uncloak in orbit of Earth."
     "That's right, captain, and that's why you will be going to
the remains of starbase 235 when the transfer is done, and track
the borg and destroy them. The klingons are sending one of their
dreadnoughts to help you track them while cloaked."
     "What kind of equipment is being transferred on board the
Enterprise?" asked Riker.
     "That's to be treated as a secret for now, but you will be
given a list of the hardware after you leave for the rendez-vous.
Most of the equipment is the same as that which is already on the
Zhukov and the Hood, but there are a few extra items that will be
on your ship alone. And now, gentlemen, you must be getting back
to the Enterprise. The equipment will only take a few hours to
load onto the ship, and installation will be done en route to
starbase 235. Godspeed." The admiral stood, and Picard and Riker
left. On the way back to the transporter room, they discussed the
situation.
     "Number one, I want to leave the civilian crew here. If the
Enterprise doesn't come back, I  want there to be as little loss
of life as possible."
     "Agreed. I'll also talk to Worf, see if he's come up with
any new ways to modify the hand phasers so they can effect the
borg for a longer time."
     "Good idea. I wonder if the Klingons will be carrying any
surprises of their own?" mused Picard.
     "It's likely. After all, they lost a good part of their
fleet last time, too. If I were one of them, I'd sure want to
develop some new weapons."
     "You're probably right. Notify everyone that there will be a
conference once we leave for the rendez-vous. I want there to be
a coherent effort on this."
     "Understood, sir." Riker said.

     One hour later, the transfer was almost completed. In his
ready room, Picard was desperately trying to force his stomach
down out of his throat. There could be no avoiding it now, he
would have to face them again. He tried not to think about it.
Just then, the door beeped. Picard looked at it for a long
moment, then almost whispered, "Come."
     The door opened, and Troi stepped in. "Captain, are you all
right? I've been sensing an incredible uneasiness from you ever
since you returned from your meeting with admiral Steylen."
     Picard looked up at her. "Counsellor, I have just been
informed that the Enterprise is to be among a number of ships
that are to investigate an attack on starbase 235 by, the Borg."
he looked directly into her eyes, and had to fight to get the
word out. as it was, it barely got past his dry throat.
      "As she heard the words, Troi also felt the feelings Picard
attached to them, and was almost overcome by the fear he felt.
She sat down on the couch by the wall, and looked at him. "And
you feel that you have to face them, even after what they did to
you?" she asked. He was very reluctant to talk to her about what
happened to him when the Borg had temporarily made him into one
of them, and hid his feelings from her. Now she understood why.
They had pried into his soul, and in some ways, he had yet to
recover from that ultimate rape of his body and mind.
     "There is no doubt that I must do this, orders are orders.
But what I truly doubt is whether I CAN do this. Counsellor, I
cannot think of the Borg without feeling what they did to me. I
fear it may distract  me from my duties."
     "Well, fear is a natural part of anyone's feelings toward
this sort of thing. The fact that you were once temporarily made
one of the Borg - She felt another mental wave of pain from him
at this - should only be something that is a part of the past.
And only by keeping it that way will you be able to perform your
duties to the best of your ability."
     Just then the intercom beeped. Picard touched his
communicator. "Yes?"
     "Captain, this is LaForge. All the extra equipment is here,
and we're ready to begin installing it, but I have to say I don't
like it."
     "What makes you say that, Geordi?"
     "Well, some of these things I've never even seen before, and
the technicians down here won't tell me until it's all hooked up.
And sir, some of these things have to be connected directly to
the warp core for power. I don't like anything that takes that
much power when I don't know what it is."
     Picard nodded to empty air. "Very well, Get the installation
started, then get ready with what you do know. There's a briefing
in half an hour, after we depart. Picard out." Picard touched his
communicator again, then looked back to Troi. "Well, counsellor,
off we go." With this, he stood up and moved onto the bridge,
going to the command chair.
     "Ensign Roe, set course for starbase 235. Warp 9. Engage."
     In a flash of light, the Enterprise, Zhukov, and Hood warped
out towards sector 453.

     

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From: [e-mail]
Newsgroups: alt.startrek.creative
Subject: Revenge: Chapter 2
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Date: 23 Mar 93 21:21:56 -0400
Organization: Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Lines: 411


     "Captain's log, stardate 8993. The Enterprise's triad of
starships has met the ship sent by the klingon empire, and has
proceeded with us to starbase 235, where we met the fifth vessel
assigned to this.. mission, the U.S.S. Valor, which I have just
learned is the latest in a series of dreadnoughts, constructed
for one thing - fighting a war. The commanders of each vessel is
scheduled to beam over shortly to discuss the plans thus far, and
to decide on a course of action."
     Picard stood up from the desk in his quarters and moved out
into the hall. The idea of a group of ships hunting the borg down
wouldn't seem so laughable if he honestly thought they stood a
chance. After all, one borg ship managed to wipe out a good part
of the fleets of both the federation and the klingon empire.
Picard wondered if the klingons had been hit the worst, since
they could only get one ship to the rendez-vous in time. And this
supposed "dreadnought", thought Picard, "well we'll see what that
thing can do when her captain beams over."
     "Captain, may I speak with you?" asked Data as he caught up
with Picard, on his way to the bridge.
     "Certainly, Data, what's on your mind?"
     "Captain, is it true that the only purpose for this mission
is to seek out the Borg ship and to destroy it?"
     "Yes, those were the orders. The Enterprise and these other
ships are to investigate the remains of starbase 235, and
hopefully track the Borg from there."
     "But sir, the only way we were able to defeat the Borg the
last time they invaded federation space was by imposing a sleep
command to them. Something that cannot be done without a captive
Borg that is in full contact with its vessel."
     Picard winced inside at Data's calling an individual Borg an
'it'. "Well, Data, I suppose command thinks we can do something
useful out here, or they wouldn't have ordered it. Perhaps they
think that if we can't stop them, we can at least gather more
information about them."
     Data looked at Picard. "Do I take it from your statement
that you do not think there is much chance of being able to stop
the Borg?"
     "Data, you know as well as I do that our chances of actually
being able to stop the Borg in combat are very slim." said Picard
as they entered the turbolift and he ordered it to go to the
bridge. "What I'm really worried about is what starfleet thinks.
Will they commit to a suicidal war or try to find some way of
peace?"
     "Captain, in my time in starfleet, I have seen that the pre-
eminent concern of command is always to find a peaceable solution
to conflicts. However, I believe there can only be one course of
action concerning the Borg."
     "What is that, Data?"
     Data assumed a look of thought as he explained. "Guinan has
explained that the Borg wiped out numerous civilizations in their
part of the galaxy, many of which were more advanced than the
federation. How can we hope to succeed, where they failed?"
     Picard smiled at Data. "Well, we can only really hope for
one thing. That even if the Borg destroy the federation, that at
least some remnants remain to rebuild after they have left."
     The turbolift doors opened onto the bridge, and Picard and
Data stepped out and went to their stations.
     "Captain, we just came out of warp in the Canaris system.
We'll be at starbase 235 in about one hour." said Riker.
     "Very well, number one. I want a conference scheduled for
ninety minutes from now, and invite the captain of the valour as
well. I'll be in my ready room if I'm needed." Picard stood up,
and went into his ready room. Riker watched him go, then turned
to Troi.

     "Deanna, is the captain well? It seems like something's
bothering him." he said.
     "Well, we are on a mission which is said to be exclusively
to find the Borg and stop them, if we can. I don't think anyone
could be relaxed about that."
     "Yes, but is there anything specific? I'm just as worried
about this mission as he is, but is there something else about it
for him?"
     Troi shifted in her seat. "I think that may be for the
captain to say, Will. After all, I have to hold some form of
confidentiality."
     Riker nodded. "All right, if I see that he seem too
preoccupied, I'll mention it to him, but I'm concerned that
whatever it is could take away from his duties."
     "Don't worry about that, Will. The captain is very.."
     Just then Worf's panel beeped, and they both looked up to
see what it was. Worf looked down at them from his station.
     "Sir, the captain of the Valor is hailing us. He advises he
will meet us and escort us to starbase 235."
     Riker looked at the screen. "One ship escort three ships and
a Klingon battlecruiser?" Riker asked himself. "Isn't that a bit
odd?"
     "I agree. No Klingon ship needs escort, nor does it ask for
it." Worf said. he almost seemed angry at the idea.
     "How soon until the Valor meets us, Worf?"
     Worf checked his displays. "Twenty minutes, current speed."
     Riker touched his communicator. "Captain, The Valor has
broken orbit and is coming to meet us in twenty minutes. Shall I
move up the meeting?"
     Picard came out of his ready room. "Very well, Number one.
Advise the captains of the other ships that the briefing is
changed to thirty minutes from now." Picard sat down in the
command chair. "Ensign Roe, adjust course to meet the Valor,
please."
     "Aye, sir. Coming around to bearing 274, mark 67."

     Thirty minutes later, the conference began. In the room were
Captain DeSoto of the Hood, captain Kranow of the Zhukov, Korn of
the Klingon ship YAY BATLH, and Captain Wright from the Valor.
Picard, Data, and Geordi were also there.
     "Greetings, gentlemen, as you know, I am captain Jean-luc
Picard of the Enterprise." Picard sat down at the end of the
wooden table. "Now then, captain Wright, do you have anything to
tell us about the remains of starbase 235?"
     "Thank you captain." said Wright. "The Valor first arrived
in this system on stardate 8984, to investigate a loss of
communications with the starbase. When we got here, there was
still evidence that the Borg had just left the area. Not wanting
to engage them one-on-one, I informed starfleet and requested
they send reinforcements to meet us along the way, but they told
us to stay put instead. So, we beamed down and thoroughly
investigated the site. There were all the traces of the Borg's
actions that were present at other sites, but much more
prominent."
     "Captain, wouldn't that just be because you got there right
after they left?" asked Geordi. "I mean, were the traces more
widespread or just more intense than they would be if they were
older?"
     "The traces we picked up from the surface were twenty times
more powerful than those from any other site the Federation has
ever found." said Wright. Geordi sat back in his chair and
whistled.
     "That's pretty suggestive of more than one ship, captain.
With all the trouble we had with just one Borg ship, I'd hate to
think of what we'd do about two, or even more." said Geordi. "And
that's not to say they aren't already orbiting Earth while
cloaked. You did say they picked up that from Romulan ships they
assimilated, right?"
     Picard nodded. "That's right, Geordi. For all we know, the
Borg could be anywhere in space by now."
     "Then that is all the more reason to find them now! And
destroy them before they do the same to us!" captain Korn slammed
his fist down on the table, threatening to break it. "All this
talking is useless! While we decide that we should fight them,
they have already killed our families! Destroyed our people!
Captain Picard, let us end this waste and leave orbit! let the
hunt begin now."
     "Captain Korn, please.  Before we go and look for the Borg,
wouldn't it be best to try and figure out where they would have
gone?" said captain DeSoto from his end of the table.
     "That should be relatively simple to deduce, Captain
DeSoto." said Data. "From all that we know about the Borg, and
based on their past actions, their most likely destination is
Earth, with possible deviations along the way in order to
assimilate any planets or vessels they deem worthy. They have
learned that Earth is the centre of a large organization in this
part of the galaxy, and by assimilating the computers there, they
could easily learn the locations of countless other civilizations
worthy of assimilation."
     "Data and I agree on this, sir." said Geordi, as he
activated the display on the wall. "Working on plots of this part
of Federation space, and assuming they really are on a heading
for Earth, then they might stop to attack these locations we've
marked. Our recommendation is to proceed along this course, and
get there before they do."
     Picard took this in. "And assuming we did get there first,
what would we do? Captain Kranow, you're the only one here who
has been briefed on the systems in the cargo hold of all our
ships. Could you explain now what some of them are?"
     "Thank you, captain Picard." Kranow turned his chair to the
screen and activated the screen by remote. Several diagrams
appeared on it. "As you can see here, this is an isolated field
generator. As one of your crew members suggested, I believe,
Picard, We have developed a specific type of nanite that will
hunt down and consume any kind of electronic device. Naturally,
they would wreak havoc on any starship, so they've been placed in
isolation until an opportunity opens when they can be beamed over
to the Borg ship or ships, and do their worst. The second
system," he hit a switch, and another set of diagrams came up on
the screen. "is a kind of warp bomb. Basically, it is a small
power source and warp coil, which can be attached to any
structural member in the Borg ship, and possibly tear it apart by
inducing opposing warp fields on it. Judging from the size of the
last Borg ship we encountered, at least three of these would have
to be attached to be effective. The Enterprise, Zhukov, and Hood
each carry five of them."
     "But captain Kranow, couldn't the Borg just block any
attempts at transporting by raising shields against it?" asked
Geordi.
     "Good that you should mention that, mister Laforge. When the
time comes for this course of action, mister Data will be
transporting to the Borg ship using the dimensional shift device
that you discovered in use by the Rutian rebels." Everyone in the
briefing room shifted uncomfortably at this thought, because of
the fact that it was this same method of transport that had
almost destroyed the Enterprise when they had attached a bomb to
the warp core. "The dimensional shift will be untraceable, or at
least enough so that Data will be able to place the bombs and get
out of there in time. And no known shield can stop it." Everyone
seemed to settle down. Data was the perfect choice, since the
effects the dimensional shift had on human DNA would be no threat
to him.
     "In addition captain, your first officer has told me of an
interesting new modification to the hand phasers." said Kranow.
     Riker nodded. "Yes. Worf and I went over the fire control
chip Wes designed last time we fought the Borg. With the phaser
randomly changing harmonics over a wide range, the Borg adapted
by shielding themselves against all harmonics in that range. But
if we set the phaser to change harmonics within a limited range,
then we could simply change over to a new one when the Borg
adapt. It should give us much more time than before. Time we may
just need if the Borg try to board the Enterprise, or any other
ships.
     "That is not all." said Korn. "I have several matter-
antimatter warheads on the Yay Batlh, which our engineers have
fitted with their own cloaking devices. They used to be used for
mines, but if fired against a Borg ship like a photon torpedo, we
may be able to pierce their shields so that your own battleship
can attack." Korn nodded to Wright.
     "Picard, the Valor is equipped with two main sensor arrays,
as you already know. But only one is in use. The other is a
dedicated emitter of the energy beam you tried to use against the
Borg the last time. However, this one won't burn out. It was made
for this, and this alone. My engineers are also working on
replicating these warp bombs, but we have to take power from the
warp core to do it."
     Picard looked concerned. "How long will you be without
power?"
     Wright thought for a second, then said,"I don't think more
than a few hours. We'll continue on impulse power, and can catch
up when we're done."
     DeSoto shook his head. "Not good enough. We'll be under way
at maximum speed, and you couldn't catch up in time to do good.
We have to stay behind and protect each other while you're doing
that."
     "I agree." said Korn. "Even a fool does not go into battle
with his forces divided. If this delay will get us more weapons
to use against the Borg, then let it be so." Korn drew his lips
back and flexed his fist, the leather in the gauntlet stretching
tight over his knuckles.
     "Very well, then. We will assume defensive positions around
the Valor and proceed on full impulse, then go to warp as soon as
they have power back." said Picard, standing up. "Questions?"
     The room was silent.
     "Good then. Dismissed." as everyone stood and moved out of
the room, Picard looked to the far end of the room. "Number one,
Data, I want to see you in my ready room please."

     A few minutes later Picard settled down into his chair.
"Number one, why wasn't I informed about the plan to have Mister
data transporting to the Borg ship?"
     Riker looked at the floor as he sat down in the chair facing
Picard's desk. Data stood by the couch. "Well sir, Data and
myself only found out about it ourselves just before the meeting.
Data agreed, of course. I however, don't like it any more than
you do."
     "But commander, since the Borg would be blocking attempts to
use the transporters, the dimensional shift is the only option if
the warp bombs can be used. Also, since I am the only crew member
on any of the ships that is not affected by the dimensional
shifting, then the only logical choice for the planting of the
bombs can be myself." Data said as he looked at both Riker and
Picard.
     Picard leaned forward on the desk, his hands open. "But
Mister Data, the fact that you are to be the one to board the
Borg ships is not the premier concern in my mind. There is of
course the fact that you will be over there alone, as well as the
fact that at such a time, we will have to be in close proximity
to the Borg ship, meaning that you may be needed here. On the
Bridge." Picard stopped, thinking for a second. "I do of course
realize that you are the only logical choice for this. But I
can't help having reprehension about sending one of my best
officers alone, onto a hostile ship."
     "I sympathize with your apprehensions, captain, but I will
not be defenceless. I will have the new hand phasers, and my
superior reflexes and motor neuron speed will allow me to plant
the warp bombs in a shorter time than any human could. I estimate
that with minimum interference from the Borg, the devices could
be planted in no less than twelve minutes."
     Picard took this in, still worried about Data. All the speed
in the world cannot outrun a particle beam, he thought to
himself.
     "That's not all captain. " said Riker. "While he's on the
Borg ship, Data will have a beacon so that we can trace him at
every moment, except when he shifts. If he gets hurt, we can
shift him out by remote."
     "I see. Well then that's that, is'nt it? Stations please,
gentlemen." Picard said, and followed Riker and Data out onto the
bridge, where they sat at their post for that shift. "Geordi,
anything to report?"
     "Nothing captain. We assumed position above and behind the
Valor, and we're on full impulse power. The valor says they can
be back on full power in another ninety minutes." Geordi said as
he moved up to the engineering station, behind Worf.
     Picard nodded in acknowledgement of Geordi's report. "Data,
maintain course and speed, notify me of any necessary changes,
please."
     "Aye sir." said Data as he turned back to the ops panel and
punched up a status display. Checking them over, he frowned.
"Captain, my readings are outside out of the norms for the
external scans."
     Picard leaned forward, Riker began checking his own panel.
"Can you elaborate, data?"
     "Negative, sir. The readings only show a small distortion of
the subspace field at bearing 64 mark 03."
     Riker looked up from his panel. "Confirmed, captain. There's
definitely some distortion or interference at those co-
ordinates."
     "On Screen." ordered Picard.
     "The distortion is on main viewer now, sir." said Data.
     The screen changed from an image of the space at bearing 64
mark 03. There was nothing visible, but the sensors enhanced the
image by showing a faint flickering of the stars at those co-
ordinates.
     Picard looked at the screen for a moment, then nodded to
himself. "Lt. Worf, hail captain Korn. Ask him to scan that
sector and confirm our readings."
     "Yes sir." said Worf as he went to the com panel. He almost
ignored the beeping from the tactical board, until he saw what it
was beeping about. "Captain! Borg vessel de-cloaking in sector
64!" Worf immediately raised shields as he said this.
     "Red alert!" yelled Riker, looking to Picard.
     Picard jumped out of his seat and moved to the centre of the
bridge, between and just behind Data and Roe. "Move us between
the Valor and that Borg ship!"
     "Captain, the Valor says they don't have enough power for
shields or weapons!" Worf said, then went to his panel for a
second. "Phasers and Photon torpedoes ready. The YAY BATLH
advises that they can fire matter-anti matter torpedoes also. "
     "The Valor is diverting power to the shields, captain, but
they're only up to ten percent so far!" said Geordi.
     "Sir, the Hood and Zhukov are requesting permission to
fire." said Data as he manouvered the Enterprise into position to
defend the Valor.
     "The Borg ship is firing!" Said Worf. On the screen, a green
beam erupted from the upper corner of the Borg ship and blew the
Valor's left warp nacelle off. The second shot punched through
the Hood's shields and struck her on the upper side of the saucer
section.  Both ships immediately started drifting, and the Valor
drifted away from the rest of the fleet.
     "All ships fire!" said Picard. "Worf! Target the source of
that beam and fire the multi-harmonics phasers. Divert power from
life support if you have to, but destroy that weapon!"
     The Enterprise's primary phaser array lit up, pulses of
energy moving from each end of the 300 degree ring that was on
the top of the saucer section. The pulses met in the centre, and
a multi coloured beam destroyed the emitted of the Borg weapon.
The YAY BATLH fired a spread of her torpedoes, which disappeared
as soon as they were fired, their cloaking devices automatically
engaging. The Borg ship fired a spread of its own weapons to
match, but only got about half of the Klingon torpedoes. They
detonated against the Borg ship, and blew a hole in it two
hundred metres long, which almost instantly started to repair
itself.
     The Hood launched a full spread of photon torpedoes into
that hole, as did the Enterprise and the Zhukov. They detonated
inside the hole, causing the Borg ship to be blown back from the
fleet by the force of the blast.
     "Captain, the Valor reports that the Borg are boarding her,
and taking the crew back to their own ship. Captain Wright
estimates that he has lost two hundred people so far." said Data.
     Picard looked at Data, then at the Borg ship. It was
rotating, moving its damaged section away from the fleet. As it
did so, it fired again, and pierced the Zhukov's shields. It cut
away the bridge, and used a tractor beam to pull it into itself.
     "Captain, I am receiving an automated distress call from the
Valor. She is launching lifeboats and trying to clear the area on
impulse power." said Data.
     "Mister Worf, continue firing. Data, get me the Valor on
screen." said Picard. The Valor appeared, one warp nacelle gone
and her saucer section covered with marks where shots had hit
her, and one entire section of the engineering hull missing. Her
impulse engines glowed red erratically, trying to push the
battered ship out of the danger zone. Just then the Borg ship
fired again, hitting the Valor amidships. She broke in two at the
point where the saucer section is joined to the engineering hull.
The two pieces drifted for a second, then exploded in a blinding
ball of fire. The screen then switched back to the Borg ship, as
it fired on the YAY BATLH, piercing her hull near the left warp
nacelle. She was blown out of the formation, and slowly started
moving back.
     "Mister Worf, launch everything we have! Data, advise the
other ships that can to do the same!" Picard said. Data sent the
message. The Enterprise, Zhukov, Hood and YAY BATLH all fired
their entire arsenals. Phasers, torpedoes, and anti-matter
torpedoes all were fired at the Borg ship. They were spread
evenly over the surface of the ship that was facing the fleet,
and the torpedoes detonated simultaneously while the phasers were
all directed at the centre of the ship. After the detonations,
Picard called for a scan to see what damage had been done.
     "All sensor scan report no damage done to the Borg ship,
sir." Said Data as he checked the readings. Picard looked at him
in disbelief.
     "What do you mean, no damage? There was enough destructive
force in that barrage to destroy a planet!"
     "Apparently, the Borg have adapted their shields, or
increased the power output of them." said Data.
     Picard looked at Data. "Mister Data, get down to cargo bay
four as quickly as you can, and prepare to transport." Data
nodded, then got up and ran to the turbolift. Picard then
addressed the ships. "All ships, this is Picard. Fire only in
return. Data is now attempting to plant the warp bombs."
     A minute later, Data was in cargo bay four, strapping on the
armband that controlled the dimensional transporter. The warp
bombs were beside him, three six-foot long cylinders in a rack
that was equipped with a transport control that was slaved into
Data's so it followed him when he shifted. The Enterprise rocked,
as the Borg's shots struck her for the fist time. "Bridge, this
is Data. I am ready to shift.
     Picard's voice came out of his communicator. "Good luck,
Mister Data." With that, Data touched the control unit on his
armband, and both he and the rack holding the warp bombs
disappeared as a hole opened up, washing an intense light over
them, then closed, taking Data and the Bombs with it.


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From: [e-mail]
Newsgroups: alt.startrek.creative
Subject: Revenge: Chapter 3
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Date: 23 Mar 93 21:43:46 -0400
Organization: Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Lines: 144


     Data appeared on the borg ship, in a spot as close to the
centre that the dimensional transporter could place him. He
quickly looked around, then opened his tricorder and started
scanning with one hand, and touched his communicator with the
other. "Data to Enterprise, come in please."
     On the Enterprise, things were almost too busy to reply to
Data's message. "Data, this is Riker, Report?"
     "I am on the Borg ship now, sir. Scanning for integral
structural members." He walked slowly, the three warp bombs
following him on they were mounted in. He stopped, then closed
his tricorder and placed it in his belt pouch. "This is Data. I
have located a suitable place to mount the first device. I am
proceeding now." Data then took one of the bombs from the sled,
causing it to rebound upwards a little from the decrease of its
weight. He took the bomb over to the member and placed it up
against it, the magnetic locks clamping on. Data then turned on
the power generator. The small matter-antimatter reactor had
enough fuel for a short time only, so he had to plant the bombs
as quickly as he could. Checking his internal monitors, he noted
that he was already moving at three times the normal human speed.
     The Enterprise rocked as another hit from the Borg ship
struck her. "Captain, we can't last in this pounding much longer!
shields read at only thirty five percent!" yelled Geordi, from
engineering. "How much longer do we have to hold this defensive
position?"
     "When Data transports back, we'll get out of here, mister
LaForge, until then, keep power to the shields!" Riker told
himself to calm down. He had been in more desperate situations
than this, the only exception being that this one promised to get
far worse. Just then an explosion came from the Zhukov. Picard
hit his comm switch.
     "Zhukov! This is the Enterprise! do you read?" The response
was crackling static for seconds before the reply came through.
     "Enterprise, this is Zhukov. Captain Kranow was killed when
the Borg destroyed the main bridge. This is commander Lands, I
assumed command, and I am speaking from the emergency bridge."
The voice got a little sadder then. "The last hit took out our
shields. I've lost a quarter of the crew, and phasers are out.
All we have left is photons."
     "Fall back behind the other ships, commander. We'll try to
protect you." Picard cut the connection. "In another few minutes
we won't be able to protect ourselves. Mister Worf, notify the
transporter room to be ready to beam any survivors on board,
should the crew of the Zhukov have to abandon ship."
     "Yes, sir." Worf hit a few buttons in between dodging shots
from the Borg. The hole that was blown in her side was likely
regenerated by now, and there would be hell. Another shot came
from the Borg ship, and hit the Enterprise. The lights went out
on the bridge for a second, then flickered back on.
     "Damage?" asked Riker.
     Worf checked his panel. "Major damage in the civilian sector
of the ship. That section was evacuated at starbase 105, There
are no casualties."
     Picard nodded to himself in relief. "Ensign Ro, report on
the rest of the ships?"
     "The YAY BATLH is still active sir, her shields are holding
but weakened, the same as ours. The Hood is damaged, but can also
hold station. The Zhukov has fallen in behind the Hood, sir."
     "Captain, I am picking up an energy surge on the Borg ship.
reported Worf. Picard could only start to ask what kind of
buildup, when the Borg fired on the Enterprise again. The bolt of
energy shattered the ship's shields. Explosions came from the ops
panel, and both science stations at the back of the bridge. The
ensign manning the ops station in Data's place was killed by the
blast. Reports instantly started flooding in from other parts of
the ship. Suddenly the Enterprise was as crippled as the Zhukov.
     "Captain, this is engineering! That last blast destabilized
the warp core! I have to shut down the entire engineering
section, or we'll lose the antimatter containment field!"
     "LaForge, any chance of repairing the damage?" asked Riker.
     "Not under these circumstances, sir. And the whole ship has
to be shut down, except for the saucer section!"
     Picard and Riker looked at each other. "Number one, you know
what must be done?"
     "Yes sir." Riker went on the intercom. "Attention all hands!
Evacuate the engineering section and prepare for saucer
separation! Ensign Ro, make the preparations." Riker sat down
next to Picard. "You know that Data will be returning to cargo
bay four, in the engineering hull?"
     "It can't be helped, number one." Picard hit the comm switch
again. "Hood, this is Enterprise. We have to jettison the
engineering hull, can you take us in tow?"
     "Affirmative, Enterprise." said Captain DeSoto. " But
captain, we can't keep the Borg occupied like this. We have to
disengage and escape, try to enable repairs!"
     "Captain DeSoto, My second officer could be lost if we leave
the sector like this!" Picard said.
     "Picard, we'll all die unless we disengage now!"
     Picard sat back in his chair. Ro had just announced that the
saucer separation was completed, and the Hood was manouvering,
under heavy fire, to take the them in tow.

     "Come in, Enterprise. This is Data. Do you read me?" Data
frowned and went back to his work, placing the third and last
warp bomb. So far, the Borg had left him unmolested as he placed
the bombs in the ship. He lifted the last device from the sled,
but before he could clamp it to the beam he had scanned, he heard
footsteps behind him. Turning, he saw that Borg were closing on
his position from three different directions. Drawing his phaser,
he checked his internal monitors again. At five times normal
human speed, he blasted the first four borg in each of the
approaching lines, giving him time to clamp the warp bomb to the
beam and magnetically seal it.
     Turning to face the Borg again, he shot three more before
the fourth blast was stopped by shields. Data switched to the
second range on the phaser. There was one left after this range
had been adapted to. Firing at the Borg, he managed to eliminate
one advancing line completely, and took out half of the other two
before they adapted to his new range. Switching over to the last
range, Data turned on the power on the last warp bomb, and
started its automated startup. Once that was done, he could shift
back to the Enterprise and they could escape while the bombs were
engaged. The shields automatically went up around the Warp bomb,
which was supposed to happen if a small motion detector on the
end of the bomb detected any moving thing besides Data. The only
thing left to do was for Data to hold his position until the bomb
beeped, showing that it was functional.
     He shot more Borg as they tried to get close to him, but
they adapted to this range faster than the others. Data dropped
his phaser and drew his second one, adjusted it for full power.
It would only be able to fire a few shots at this setting, but
hopefully that would be all that was needed. He eliminated eight
more Borg before the warp bomb beeped, signifying its readiness.
Data immediately hit the return button on his armband, and the
dimensional hole opened and closed by him, taking him off the
Borg ship and materializing him in cargo bay four. All the lights
were out, and there were no vibrations coursing though the deck.
Data went to a wall panel. "Computer, please state current
condition of the Enterprise." No reply. He touched communicator.
"Data to Picard...Data to Riker...Is anyone in range of this
transmission?" Data retrieved a flashlight from the emergency kit
near one of the cargo transporters, and turned it on. Moving the
light along the transporter pad, he saw that it was burnt out.
the panel had also overloaded and exploded. The condition of the
Enterprise was apparently very bad.
     He moved out into the hall, and used a service accessway to
get to engineering. There, he activated one of the small science
terminals, on stored power. There was only enough time on the
power cells for him to find out what had happened to the
engineering hull, and that the rest of the ships had disengaged
and left the sector, limping to starbase 185, which was as close
to the Borg's advance through federation space as they could get.


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From: [e-mail]
Newsgroups: alt.startrek.creative
Subject: Revenge: Chapter 4
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Date: 23 Mar 93 21:44:57 -0400
Organization: Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Lines: 168


     "Captain's log, supplemental. Stardate 8996.2. In battle
with a Borg ship, The U.S.S. Valor was lost with all hands, save
those that were taken from her by the Borg before she broke up
and was destroyed. The Enterprise's stardrive section had to be
abandoned, and all other ships were damaged badly before we had
to break off. The Hood is towing us to starbase 185 where the
lost stardrive section will be temporarily replaced by another
that was intended for one of the Galaxy-class starships under
construction there. The Hood and YAY BATLH were able to carry out
repairs en route to starbase, but the Zhukov will be left there.
My condolences go out to the crew of the Valor." Picard sat in
the dimmed light of his quarters. His ship was in pieces,
although that would be remedied soon if the stardrive section at
starbase 185 could be mated to the saucer section in time. Worse
than that was the fact that their most powerful ship had been
destroyed, and another had to be left behind.
     The door chime sounded. "Come." said Picard.
     The door slid into the wall, revealing Troi standing in the
corridor. "May I come in?" she asked him, sounding almost timid.
     "Yes counsellor. Please." Picard stood, gesturing to the
couch that he had just been about to lay down on. "What seems to
be on your mind?" He said as he sat in the chair facing the
couch.
     "Captain, I thought we could discuss your feelings
concerning the battle. "
     Picard shifted in his seat, looking uncomfortable.
"Counsellor, I really wouldn't like to discuss that now." He
stood, and moved to the far wall. "Tea. Earl Grey, hot." He said,
and took the cup as it materialized on the pad set into the food
synthesizer.
     "Well, I've been sensing a wave of, well, dread every time
we so much as mention the Borg. Is it because you were one of
them?"
     "I thought I asked you not to discuss this with me." Picard
stared at her from the far end of the room, the cup in his hand.
     This time it was Troi's turn to fidget. She decided to try
another tack. "Alright then, how do you feel about the loos of
Data? "
     Picard sighed. He sat down in the chair by the couch again.
"Well, since you seem so singularly determined to get me to talk
to you, I feel the loss that anyone would feel at losing a
friend. We should not have abandoned him on that ship, we should
have stayed within transporter range of the stardrive section to
beam him over if he got off the Borg ship."
     "But if we stayed that close to the stardrive section, we
could have been killed if it exploded." Troi sat back on the
couch. "Captain, you're feeling that you should have stayed in a
danger zone, where thousands of people had already died, for the
hope of saving one more. But if you had stayed, you would have
put countless others in danger of death also."
     "And that's not all." Picard said. "Not only did we lose
Data when we abandoned the stardrive section of the Enterprise,
but we may well have lost our last, best chance of defeating the
Borg as well."
     "What do you mean?"
     "This was supposed to remain confidential, but the warp
bombs Data was planting on the Borg ship were meant to be engaged
by a remote signal. And the apparatus that would have transmitted
the signal was in cargo bay four, along with the dimensional
transporter. So you see Deanna, we lost more than Lt. Commander
Data when we jettisoned the stardrive section. The transmitter
was the only one of its kind made, so that if the Borg
assimilated any other ships, they would not know the plan."
     "I was never informed of any plan." said Troi.
     "Exactly. Each of the ships was carrying a different piece
of apparatus, so that if the Borg assimilated the information in
one ship's computer, they would only learn how that one ship was
equipped. You see, the Valor had her second sensor array, the
klingons, their matter-antimatter torpedoes. But each ship was
only meant to hold the Borg at bay, and provide the distraction
and time for Data to plant the warp bombs. And with the
detonator-transmitter gone, it would seem we now have no chance
at winning this war." Picard said the word, 'war' with distaste.
     "But couldn't we put the Borg to sleep, like the last time?"
Troi said. "I was confused as to why we didn't try this at first
anyway."
     "The reason that was not attempted again was because it was
only possible to do it the first time because we had captured a
Borg who was intended to be the spokesman for the Borg on the
Enterprise, and as such was still fully tied in to the Borg's
communication nets. If we captured a Borg that was not meant to
be on the ship, then it would be cut off."
     "I see. thank you Captain." Troi stood up and left Picard's
quarters. Now she was sure. Picard's reference to himself, when
the Borg had captured him, as "Just another Borg" was the
convincing factor. Picard was trying to hide from himself and
what the Borg had done to him.

     "Docking authority, this is the Enterprise." said Riker.
"Request permission to dock."
     "U.S.S. Enterprise, this is base control, you are cleared at
docking bay twelve, please proceed on one-quarter impulse."
     "Ensign Ro, if you please." Riker said to Ro from the
command chair. Once they had docked, the new stardrive section
would be joined to the saucer section, and after stress test, the
Enterprise would be whole again, at least temporarily. On the
viewscreen in front of him, Riker watched as the Hood docked at
bay five, for her repairs, and the YAY BATLH was just finishing
hers. The Zhukov was outside of the station, awaiting total
shutdown of the warp core before she would be allowed inside the
station itself. It was a miracle she had made it this far.
     "Commander, we're docked now." said Ro.
     "Very well, Ensign." Riker touched his communicator.
"Captain?"
     "Yes, number one?"
     "We're docked at starbase 185 now, and the stardrive will be
mated in three hours."
     "Time to the finish of repairs of the Hood?"
     "Another four hours yet, sir, but the YAY BATLH is ready
now. Sir, do you wish to inspect the stardrive section when it's
installed?"
     "Negative, number one. We'll leave station as soon as all
repairs on the Hood are finished. And I'm on my way to the
Bridge. Picard out."

     Two hours forty minutes later, The Enterprise was whole
again, and stress test were being carried out to ensure that the
two sections were perfectly mated to one another. Picard was in
his ready room when the door chimed, and Riker came in.
     "Captain, any news regarding Boro station?" He was referring
to a scientific research station in orbit of Boro 9, one hundred
fifty light years from Earth.
     "Yes, number one, there is. The survivors who managed to
evacuate before the Borg got there were picked up by the Victory.
They were reported as 'in good health' by Captain Varnes."
     Riker nodded. "How far have they gotten?"
     "A freighter was reported missing along their path two hours
ago. About a hundred light years out."
     "I see." Riker scratched his beard. "That puts them far
enough from Earth for us to catch up when we have the repairs
finished. "
     Picard looked up at Riker. "Yes, we may be able to catch up
to them, but how do we stop them when we do?"
     "I've been thinking about that." Riker sat at the chair
opposite Picard's, putting his hands on the desk. "What if we
dumped the warp core, along with the Hood. We could use tractor
beams to direct them at the Borg ship, and the impact would
detonate them. The detonation would be equivalent to two
starships ramming that ship. Getting the cores through their
shields would be a problem, but I'm sure a full power burst from
every available phaser array on both ships would take care of
that. After, the YAY BATLH can either tow us back home, or we can
use the auxiliary cores."
     "Number one, what if that didn't work? We'd be adrift until
we could get auxiliary power, and that would leave us totally
defenceless."
     "Defenceless against a single Borg ship, or at full power in
a galaxy under the Borg's control. That's what will happen if we
don't stop this ship." Riker and Picard's eyes met. "I would
rather die than have the Borg reach Earth, and this is our best
chance to prevent that now."
     "Picard gazed at his lap for an instant. "Very well, number
one. I'll consider it." He looked at Riker. "But only as a last
resort. I'll inform Captain DeSoto and Korn."
     "Aye sir." Riker got up and went to leave.
     "But number one."
     Riker turned. "Yes, sir?"
     Picard tried to hide the beginnings of a smile. "I want you
to be the one to tell Geordi that you want to blow up his beloved
warp core."
     Riker smirked, and left.
     Picard sipped his tea, then put the cup down, and swivelled
his chair to face the window. He crossed his hands on his lap,
and wished either of two things: That If Data escaped from the
borg ship, he would find his way back home. If he hadn't, then he
hoped Data was dead.
     

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From: [e-mail]
Newsgroups: alt.startrek.creative
Subject: Revenge: Chapter 5
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Date: 23 Mar 93 21:47:03 -0400
Organization: Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Lines: 232


     "Enterprise, Hood, and YAY BATLH, you are cleared for exit
in that order. You may proceed on one eighth impulse power."
     "Roger, control. Proceeding now." Said Ro as she piloted the
Enterprise out of dock, her lost stardrive section replaced by
one that was originally intended for the U.S.S. Discovery III.
     The Enterprise Glided out of the immense hangar that made up
the upper third of starbase 185. "We are clear, captain." said
Ro.
     "Move us ten kilometres out, Ensign, and wait for the Hood
and the YAY BATLH. " said Riker.
     "Captain, commander Lands of the Zhukov sends his best
wishes for our mission, and the Sutherland as well." said Worf.
The Zhukov had finally been allowed to enter the station, where
she docked alongside the Sutherland. It was undergoing an
intensive overhaul, which her captain tried desperately to abort
once he heard the Enterprise and her entourage were in need of
ships.
     "Sir, the Hood and YAY BATLH are free and ready to warp."
said the ensign who was manning the ops station.
     "Ahead warp nine. Engage." The three ships warped out. their
destination was Beta Soris, seventy-five light years from Earth,
and the site for the final stand between the Borg and the
Federation.
     "Time to the Beta Soris system, Ensign?" inquired Picard.
     "Twelve hours, thirty minutes, captain." replied Ro.
     "Very well. Number one, I want a conference in ten minutes."
Picard stood up and went to his ready room. Ten minutes later,
Picard arrived in the conference room. Present were LaForge,
Riker, Troi, Worf, and Ro.

     "Mister LaForge, are you satisfied that this scheme with the
warp cores will work?"
     "Well, there's definitely enough explosive power in two warp
cores to take out a small planet. What I'm worried about is
whether we'll be able to outrun the explosion on impulse power."
     "Do you think we can escape?" asked Picard.
     "Well I think we can, but only with a little bit of help."
said Geordi.
     "Explain."
     Geordi went over to the screen on the wall. "If our plan to
use the warp cores works, then the YAY BATLH can take us in tow
with her tractor beams, but when we dump the cores and throw them
at the Borg, there won't be time for that, so I came up with
this." He activated the screen. "This is a diagram of the warp
field the YAY BATLH usually generates when she jumps to warp
speed. However, if we can extend the field, then the Enterprise
and Hood can hitch a ride along with her."
     Riker leaned forward. "But won't that cause an instability
of the warp balance? Three ships riding in the field of one?"
     "Yes, there is a problem with instability, but we'll only
need to hitch a ride like this for the few seconds it'll take to
outrun the explosion, so I can't foresee anything going wrong."
     "Comments?" Picard asked of the officers at the table.
     "I am in favour of this plan." said Worf. "If there is no
hope of defeating the Borg, then let us die honourably in combat,
rather than running from them."
     "Anything else?" Picard asked.
     No one spoke.
     "The captains of the other two ships are having this same
conference with their senior officers as well. If we do not
succeed in this last effort, Earth will proceed with a total dump
of every scrap of information in every computer in the solar
system. There are eight starships in orbit of Earth, ready to
defend it to the last breath. Let's hope it doesn't come down to
that. Dismissed."
     Everyone filed out of the briefing room, and took up their
positions again on the bridge, and Picard went back to his ready
room.
     "Will, may I speak to you for a moment?" asked Troi.
     Riker stood from the command chair, and ushered her to the
back of the bridge. "What is it?" he asked in a whisper.
     "It's the captain. I'm worried that he may have some kind of
vendetta against the Borg for what they did to him. "
     "Deanna, what are you trying to tell me?"
     "I think the captain will try, or is trying to get revenge
on the Borg. When I talked to him in his quarters, he was evasive
on the Borg, and only talked about Data."
     Riker crossed his arms and leaned against the bulkhead.
"All, right, do you think this could interfere with his duties?
That he may take unjustified risks in fighting the Borg?"
     "No, its not that," Deanna tried to find the proper words to
express herself. "It's just the opposite. I think he's repressing
deep-rooted feelings about the Borg, and maybe letting him
destroy the ship will be the element that will help him to come
to terms with it. Perhaps letting him do this is the most
therapeutic thing for him right now."
     Riker looked at her suspiciously. "Why are you telling me
this if you don't think it'll affect his abilities?"
     "Well, I want to be sure you know all the facts if you see
he may be enjoying it too much if we stop the Borg. And, not
everyone can be accurate in their diagnoses all the time."
     Riker and Troi's eyes met for an instant. Then they went
back to their seats, and tried to find some way to pass the time
until they met the Borg.
     "Commander, I'm getting a report from Starfleet. The Borg
are attacking another colony world." said Worf.
     "Where?" asked Riker.
     "Remel four. "
     "What? That's totally off the course the Borg are supposed
to be taking."
     "The transmission comes in the proper code, commander."
     Riker hit the intercom. "Captain to the Bridge." he said.
"Ensign Ro, change course to proceed to Remel four, maximum
warp."
     "What's the problem?" asked Picard as he came out of the
ready room and sat in the command chair.
     "The Borg are attacking another colony on Remel four, sir.
We've altered course to intercept at maximum speed."
     "Ensign, time to Remel four?"
     "Only twenty minutes at this speed, sir." said Ro.
     "Put me through to the other ships."
     Worf worked at his panel for a second. "On screen, sir."
     The screen changed from the view of space to a split screen
of DeSoto and Korn. "Captains, the Borg are attacking another
outpost, we can be there in less than half an hour."
     "We've gotten the same report, Captain." said DeSoto.
     "Picard, the YAY BATLH will provide cover fire with all her
remaining weapons while you and DeSoto attempt your honourable
strategy, and will allow you to escape by sharing our warp field.
But be warned. If this plan does not work, we will not be able to
protect you."
     "Understood, Korn. We'll try our best to defend ourselves if
this plan fails." said DeSoto.
     "We're coming up on Remel four now sir. Visual range in a
few more seconds." said Ro.
     The captains of the Hood and YAY BATLH ended transmissions.
"On screen." said Picard.
     The screen was filled with a quarter of the planet Remel
four, and orbiting above it, seemingly connected to the planet by
a bright blue beam, was the unmistakeable cube shape of the Borg
ship.
     "Red alert!" yelled Riker. The lights of the bridge dimmed,
and the sirens started to wail.
     Riker and Picard went back to their places.
     "Range of the Borg ship." said Picard.
     "Twenty thousand Kilometres." reported Worf.
     Picard hit the intercom. "Mister LaForge, prepare to dump
the warp core."
     "Acknowledged, captain. we're ready."
     "Mister Worf, I want to fire everything we have at that ship
before we dump the warp core. Charge every phaser array we can
bring to bear, load every torpedo tube."
     "Yes, sir. YAY BATLH is moving into position to extend their
warp field."
     On the screen, the Borg ship grew larger and larger.
Suddenly, the beam it was firing at the surface stopped, and the
side that had been facing the planet turned to face the
approaching ships.
     "Time to optimum firing range." queried Riker.
     "One minute, thirty four seconds." said Worf.
     "Engineering here, captain. We can dump the core at a
moment's notice."
     The three vessels raced at the Borg ship, which simply sat
there, in orbit of Remel four.
     Worf's panel started beeping. "Optimum firing range, sir."
he said.
     "Fire, full power, tight dispersal." said Riker.
     The Enterprise and Hood fired everything they had. In all,
the barrage contained thirty-eight photon torpedoes, and nine
multi-harmonic phaser beams. The YAY BATLH emptied her tubes of
antimatter torpedoes, all cloaked, and momentarily shut down
every power drain except the antimatter containment fields, and
diverted it to her phasers. The Borg ship was hit bluntly by
enough power to destroy a sun. Its shields held under the
punishment for three seconds, then faded by approximately forty
percent.
     "The Borg ship's shields have been weakened, captain." said
Worf.
     "Dump the core." ordered Picard. On the engineering hulls of
the Enterprise and the Hood, emergency hatches blew away from the
hull. On each ship, the shudder was felt as the cores that housed
the matter-antimatter reactors were ejected. Instantly, each ship
went to auxiliary power, and tractor beams from each ship threw
the cores at the borg cube-ship.
     "Now!" roared Korn. The YAY BATLH then went to full warp,
her warp field distended around the two other ships. As they fled
the area at hundreds of times the speed of light, The two warp
cores smashed against the Borg ship's shields, detonating in a
supernova-bright flare of pure energy.
     Two light years away, the YAY BATLH dropped out of warp
speed, also halting the Enterprise and Hood. The Enterprise and
Hood turned to face the direction from which they had just come,
their warp engines now cold and dark.
     "Report." said Picard.
     "There is too much interference at the moment, from the
detonation of the warp cores." said Worf, as he checked his
tactical display. "Clearing now... I am reading nothing, sir."
     Picard sat back in his chair, releasing air that he must
have had in his lungs since they first sighted the ship."
     "Think we got them?" asked Riker.
     "I hope to God we did." said Picard. "Ensign Ro, plot a
course to starbase 185, warp fi..."
     "Captain! Borg ship de-cloaking behind us!" yelled Worf.
     "On screen!"
     Behind the three ships, the Borg ship appeared, wavy at
first, then solidifying into sharp, terrifying reality. It fired
a white beam, punching through the YAY BATLH's shields. She
listed to one side as the beam crossed the ship from port to
starboard, cutting the ship in two. The beam then moved to the
Hood, where it cut straight through her saucer section, and
finally cut one of the warp nacelles from the Enterprise's new
stardrive section.
     "Damage report!" Yelled Picard as the bridge filled with
smoke from fires at three stations, and the lights dimmed and
almost went out.
     "Port nacelle gone, heavy casualties in secondary hull."
said Worf.
     "Engineering! Do we have power for phasers?" screamed Riker.
     "Negative, commander! I'm having trouble keeping life
support going!"
     "Worf! What about the torpedoes?"
     Worf surveyed his panel. "Trying sir." he attempted to re-
direct the commands, then shook his head at the display.
"Controls not responding."
     "Hood, come in! Do you read us?" shouted Riker into the com
panel on his chair. There was no response.
     The Enterprise shook.
     "Worf, are they firing at us again?" asked Picard.
     "Negative sir. There is a beam focused on the saucer,
section twelve. All decks in that section no longer reporting
in."
     "Put that section on the screen." said Riker.
     On the screen, a beam was cutting into the saucer section,
and removing a cylindrical piece of the Enterprise.
     "They're cutting us to pieces, just like the first time we
encountered them." said Riker.
     "Worf, do we have shields?" asked Picard.
     "Negative, sir."
     Picard turned to face the screen. "Then we're totally at
their mercy." he said heavily.


Path: newserv.ksu.ksu.edu!moe.ksu.ksu.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!newsflash.concordia.ca!nstn.ns.ca!ac.dal.ca!vt102
From: [e-mail]
Newsgroups: alt.startrek.creative
Subject: Revenge: Chapter 6: Final Chapter
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Date: 23 Mar 93 23:50:44 -0400
Organization: Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
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     "Captain's log, supplemental. Our power is gone, and all
other ships that were to fight the borg alongside the Enterprise
are destroyed or equally inoperative. The Borg are now cutting up
the Enterprise like a turkey." Picard watched helplessly as the
section was removed from the saucer section, and the Borg ship
started cutting another piece, then a second beam started cutting
yet another.
     "Engineering, what do we have left?" asked Picard, after
hitting his communicator.
     "The auxiliary power's completely useless, sir. Even the
batteries are going to go in a few minutes."
     "We can't even start a self-destruct countdown." said Riker.
     "Not with the warp core gone, but perhaps..."Picard got up,
and moved over to the helm. "Ensign Ro, do we have manouvering
thrusters?"
     Ro checked her console. "Yes, but I any kind of delicate
motion is impossible. With the main computer gone from lack of
power, there's no way to monitor the delicate course
corrections."
     "We won't need sophistication for this manouver, Ensign."
said Picard as he went back to his command chair and sat down,
followed by Riker.
     "Captain, are we going to ram them?" asked Riker.
     "Affirmative, Number one. Perhaps we can finally do them
some last bit of damage."
     "Like the meal biting its consumer's tongue. But the ship
will be destroyed. No one could survive this."
     "It can't be helped. If we allow the Borg to assimilate the
Enterprise and her crew, then we will all turned into Borg. At
least this way, The Borg won't find out any more about the
Federation..." Picard's voice trailed off to a whisper, "And we
can die with some dignity."
     Riker sat back in his chair, and looked over at Troi. She
was sitting with her head lowered, and Riker could see that her
lips were moving in the dim light of the bridge. He looked away
as the tear rolled down her cheek. She was praying.
     "Thrusters ready, sir." said Ro.
     "Launch the log buoys, Mister Worf. Ro, try to direct us as
close to the centre of that ship as you can." Picard wearily
eased himself back into his chair, putting his hands on the small
elevated panels at each end of the chair's arms. "May God have
mercy on my soul for what I am about to do." He whispered. "Ahead
full speed, Ensign Ro."
     Ro touched the controls on her panel that activated the
thrusters. Slowly, The Enterprise eased forward, gradually
gaining momentum as the thrust was maintained. The Borg ship
merely continued cutting away pieces of the Enterprise.
     "Sensors indicate that if the Borg raise their shields
before we get inside, then the Enterprise will not be able to
damage them." Said Worf.
     "Range and time to impact."
     "Twenty thousand kilometres, impact in fifty seconds."
     On the bridge, all eyes went to the Borg ship as it grew on
the screen.
     "Captain, my sensors indicate another vessel approaching at
high warp." said Worf.
     "Confirmed." said Ro.
     "Must be reinforcements starfleet managed to pull together."
said Riker.
     "One ship won't be able to succeed where five failed, number
one. Mister Worf, which vessel is it?"
     Worf looked at his panel in disbelief. "Captain, the ship's
identification beam says it is the Enterprise!"
     Picard jumped up. "On visual!" The screen switched from the
growing Borg ship to the vessel that was approaching them. It
only appeared as a small dot. "Increase magnification." The image
jumped and clarified to show the abandoned stardrive section of
the Enterprise.
     "What the Devil? Mister Worf! How long until that ship gets
here?"
     "It is within range of the Borg ship now, sir."
     The stardrive section of the Enterprise, which was abandoned
and replaced after the Enterprise's previous battle with the
Borg, swept into the Borg weapons field, her shields holding as
it launched fourteen photon torpedoes and fired three phaser
beams from the emitter on her underside. It passed over the Borg
ship, and caught the Enterprise and the Hood in its tractor beam.
A moment later, it fired a high energy phaser pulse at the source
of the beam that was cutting into the Enterprise, destroying it.
It then pulled the Enterprise and Hood away from the Borg ship,
and launched a shuttle from its bay. It then warped out, and
stopped along with the Enterprise and Hood, one light year away.
     "Put the Borg ship on screen." ordered Picard. On screen,
The Borg ship was pulsing, parts of it apparently increasing in
size, other shrinking. For a moment, it looked as if it were made
of rubber, and was being squeezed through a small hole. Then it
exploded in a mass of light and radiation. No matter was left of
the Borg ship.
     As the nova-bright image slowly faded on the Enterprise's
screen, Picard lowered his arm from in front of his eyes. He
turned to face Worf. "What just happened?"
     Worf scanned the area, then reported, "The Borg ship was
destroyed. The effects just before the explosion are consistent
with the activation of the warp bombs."
     "Hail the stardrive section."
     "There is a reply coming in."
     "On screen."
     The screen changed to a view of Data, alone on the battle
bridge, but with a cluster of wires running from one side of his
head, which he had exposed. He was sitting in the command chair,
behind what looked like a jury-rigged control panel. He looked at
the screen. "Greetings, captain. I apologize for not having
informed you sooner that reports of my demise have been
exaggerated."
     "Mister Data? How did you repair the damage to the stardrive
section?"
     "I did not, captain. The damage Lt. Commander LaForge
reported was a large radiation leak that would have killed the
crew of the Enterprise if the warp core had not been shut down.
Since I am not affected by Radiation, I was able to get underway
for this point, where the warp bombs could be engaged from a
shuttle that I had placed the detonation transmitter on."
     "And you piloted the entire ship here with no help?" asked
Riker, a broad smile crossing his face.
     "Not totally unaided, Commander. I linked my higher brain
functions directly into the computer, and was able to control it
as if it was an extension of myself. The connection proved to be
very exhilarating. Furthermore, I believe that a study of the..."
     "Ah, yes Mister Data. Later. Beam over here as soon as
possible. Can the stardrive section be repaired?"
     "Yes, sir. I believe so."
     "Very well. Worf, get over to the Hood with a medical crew.
Mister Data, once you return, start working with Mister LaForge
about getting your stardrive section repaired."

     "Captain's log, stardate 9000.1. The Enterprise has been
repaired and has towed the Hood to starbase 105, where she will
remain, pending a full refit. The Enterprise's repairs are almost
complete, and we now have time for more productive activities."

     "It is my honour to present to Lt. Commander Data, second
officer of the U.S.S. Enterprise, the medal of valour. For
actions on or around stardate 8999.3, wherein his heroic actions
saved the crews of two starships, and possibly the entire
Federation." With this, Admiral Steylen stepped up to Data, and
pinned Starfleet's highest honour on his chest. Data looked down
at the medal on his chest, and turned to face the applause of
five thousand beings, from the Enterprise, Hood, and the crew of
starbase 105. Also awarded were the medal of valour, posthumously
to the captains of the Valour and the Zhukov. In the Klingon
empire, Captain Korn was posthumously given the NuqDaq yuch
Dapol, their equivalent of the medal of valour.
     Back on the Enterprise, Data was in his quarters. He walked
in, then locked the door behind him. Taking the medal off his
chest, he walked over to his small case, which held the other
medals he had been awarded. He moved to put this newest addition
into the case, hesitated, then sat at his desk with the medal in
hand. He looked at it for a second, then at the small, octagonal
crystal on the corner of his desk. Turning it so that the switch
on its base faced him, he hit the switch. The small crystal lit
up, projecting a hologram of Tasha Yar, smiling, her hands
clasped together in front of her. Data put the medal down in front
of the image, and sat back in his chair, looking at them both.

     Picard paced uneasily in his quarters. "Computer. what is
the time?"
     "It is fifteen hundred hours, Enterprise time." said the
computer."
     "Damn." said Picard. Just then the door chimed. Picard half
jumped, then tried to settle down. "Come."
     The doors slid open, and Troi stepped inside. "You asked to
see me?" she said.
     "Yes, counsellor. um, please sit down." Piacrd gestured
nervously at the couch. After she sat down, he sat beside her. "I
would like to talk to you for a while."
     Troi relaxed. "About the Borg?"
     "Yes." said Picard, closing his eyes and sighing deeply.




                         THE END