New Life
PG-13
Chapters 7-9
Chapter Seven
Everyone was finally aboard the Enterprise E. Picard was on the Bridge and smiling widely as he ran his hand along the back of the command chair.
“She hasn’t changed a bit,” Picard stated joyfully.
“Except for some repairs and a few upgrades, she’s still the same ole Enterprise,” Geordi said as he enjoyed seeing his former captain so happy.
“Ca, Ca,” Reginald stuttered nervously. “I, I, I mean Ad, Admiral P, Picard.”
“Hey, relax Reg!” Geordi ordered his first officer, but the order was more concern than an actual order. “He’s still the same person you knew before he got promoted.”
“Well, ye, yes. I know he is,” Barclay replied as he tried hard to compose himself. “It, its just that its been a long time since I’ve seen him.”
“Well, you can relax, Mister Barclay,” Picard informed him with a smile. “I still don’t bite.”
“I think I’ll start telling everyone where their assigned quarters are,” Barclay was still a little nervous, but his stuttering ceased. “If that is alright?”
“Yes, go right ahead,” Geordi replied, hoping that time away from the Bridge would help Barclay relax some. Picard and Geordi watched Barclay leave the Bridge. “He really has made a lot of improvement, Sir. He‘s just nervous seeing you again.”
“I hope he has,” Picard stated. He was also concerned about Barclay. “I’d hate to go out there with a nervous and jittery first officer.”
*Transporter room to the Bridge* came the voice of the transporter room officer.
“Bridge here,” Geordi replied.
*Everyone has been beamed aboard, Sir.*
“Acknowledge,” Geordi replied again. “Well, I guess it’s time to be heading out of here.”
“Agreed,” said Picard with a nod. Then he started to sit in the command chair by force of habit, but suddenly thought better of it.
“Go ahead, Sir,” Geordi told him as Picard was about to take the chair next to the command chair. “I’ll take the chair beside the command chair.”
“No, Geordi, the command chair is yours now.”
“I insist.”
Picard shrugged and took his place in the command chair, “Let’s see what she can still do.”
“Thrusters three, fourths power,” Geordi ordered.
“Engage!” Picard confirmed.
The Enterprise began slowly moving out of space dock. Picard was smiling as he experienced the Enterprise moving again. Once they were out of space dock and going warp speed, his smiled broaden more. He was happy to be in the command chair again.
“Permission to come a board!” Harry said to announce that he was finally on board.
Tuvok was also with him.
“Harry, Tuvok,” Janeway greeted with a smile. “Welcome aboard.”
“Thank you, Admiral,” Tuvok replied with a typical Vulcan tone.
“Sir, the Enterprise is now out of space dock,” Paris informed Janeway.
“That’s our cue,” Janeway announced as she lowered herself into the command chair. “Everyone, take your places.”
Chakotay sat down beside Janeway. “Thrusters three, fourths power.”
“Take us out,” Janeway commanded. It was not an ordinary command though. There was a hint of satisfaction in her voice and everyone knew that she was glad to be back in the command chair again.
Shortly after the Enterprise and Voyager departed, Admiral Al Agohl headed for Hayes’s office. He had a plan that he thought would protect the Federation from being harmed by the Borg, if they chose to re-assimilate Hugh’s group.
If he had his way, Hugh and all the rest of them would be dead now. Agohl felt that the only good Borg was a dead Borg and he was going to make sure that Hugh and his group were no exception.
“Hayes in his office?” Agohl asked the aide outside of Hayes‘s office.
“Yes, Sir,” the aide replied. “I’ll let him know you are here.”
The aide informed Hayes that Admiral Agohl was here to see him over the comm line.
Hayes was relaxed at his desk. His feet were up on the desk and he was leaning back in his chair reading something on a PADD when he heard the aide announce Agohl was wanting to see him.
“Send him in,” Hayes replied.
He sat up straight in his chair and laid his PADD down on the desk. When Agohl entered Hayes was quickly checking his inform.
“Al come in and have a seat!” Hayes gestured to a chair and Agohl sat. “What brings you here?”
“What would you say if I told you that I had a plan to keep the Borg away from Federation territory?”
“What is it you have in mind?” Hayes asked suspiciously. He was not sure if he wanted to hear it after seeing Al’s reactions in the meeting earlier.
“Well, we’ll need a ship,“ Al began explaining his plan to Hayes. “Then we will fly to where the Borg that Riker has are.”
“I’m listening.” Hayes was getting a little nervous as he continued to listen to Al’s plan. He was not sure if he liked the idea. To him, it sounded like a foolish plan.
“So, what do you think?” Agohl asked when he finally finished. “You in?”
Hayes shifted in his chair and then began to speak, “You do know you are talking about a massacre don’t you?”
“Of course!”
“I thought Riker, Picard, and Janeway were crazy, but you are insane!” Hayes exclaimed as he sat forward in his chair. His eyes were wide with disbelief.
“What’s the difference?”
“The difference is, you will be court-martialed, if you are not killed first!”
“I’m willing to take that chance,” Al stated. “Are you?”
Hayes leaned back in his chair and pondered his response. “You’d be taking on Picard, Janeway, and Riker in this attack you are planning. Maybe even the whole Federation.”
“So?” Al replied as though he did not care about that fact. “Hayes, if they want to protect the Borg, then they can die with them.”
Hayes reached for his PADD again and said, “Al, I’m sorry. I can’t go with you on this vigilante plot.”
“Why not? You hate the Borg as much as I do.”
“Yes, but I can’t go for out and out murder!” Hayes exclaimed as he looked at his friend. “There is too much at stake here.”
“Not even after the Borg attacked you and everyone you knew? ” Agohl suddenly stood and placed his hands on Hayes’s desk. He was now face to face with Hayes.
“Al, that was a long time ago,” Hayes replied sorely. “Times change and revenge isn’t the foremost thought in my mind.”
“It is for me!” Al exclaimed angrily as he began to pace. “Five years ago, I lost my family to a Borg attack. I’m the only one left in my immediate family now and I want those damn Borg dead and gone!”
“Sounds like you lost your mind in that attack too,” Hayes stated with irritation as he turned back to his PADD.
“Alright, don’t go with me,” Al smarted as turned to face Hayes. Then he slowly backed towards the door. “I’ll find someone else to go with me!”
Al then turned and headed out the door in anger. Hayes only hoped that his friend did not actually do what he was planning.
Chapter Eight
Back on the Titan, the CMO was trying hard to make Sarah comfortable, but at the moment, it seemed like, no matter what he did, comfort was not going to come to her. He was not sure what to do, so he contacted Captain Riker.
Captain Riker entered Sickbay just as Sarah let out a scream of pain and was holding her back.
“Captain,” Sanders greeted.
“Borg can scream?” Will asked with shocked curiosity as he looked at Sarah who was pacing back and forth in Sickbay.
“Apparently,” Sanders replied. “I didn’t know it myself until she went into false labour again. I‘m thinking it’s because she is separated from the hive that she can now feel pain and emotions.”
“Can’t you do anything for her? ” Will asked with concern as Sarah grabbed her stomach and screamed again.
“I’m not really sure what I can do,” Sanders informed him as he was watching Sarah. “The nanoprobes present a bit of a problem.”
“What kind?” Will looked at Sanders with concern.
“It seems to reject any medication I give her,” Sanders explained. “Even if it would normally be affective on a human or Bajoran.”
“Can’t you give her something more appropriate to Borg physiology?”
“I don’t know, Sir,” Sanders told him. “I’m afraid to give her anything that I would not give a human or a Bajoran mother. I don‘t want the baby to be harmed from the medication.”
Sarah let out another cry of pain, “Make it dissipate!”
“OK, I’ll contact the Enterprise and see if Beverly has any suggestions,” Will replied. “Although I rather doubt it, since we haven’t encountered this before.”
“OK and I’ll keep trying to see what I can do for her.”
“Are you sure she is not in real labour?” Will was getting worried about the Borg mother and child. He could not remember Deanna having this much pain when she was having false labour.
“Its false labour,” Sanders assured Will. “Or at least that is what the scans say. I think she is suffering more from fear than anything else. After all, this is her first child.”
Sarah’s cries of pain, slowly turned in just crying. Will looked at her and could tell the false labour must have subsided, but the young woman seemed very shaky. He assumed that his CMO was right about her being scared. He remembered how scared Hugh was the first time he met him.
“OK, just do the best you can,” Will told him and then he left Sickbay.
As Will walked down the corridor, he was beginning to wonder if all Sarah really needed was a woman’s touch to help her feel better and get through this time. ‘Sometimes having another female around, helps a women feel better.’ Will thought.
Will suddenly tapped his combadge as he continued to make his way to the Bridge, “Riker to Troi-Riker.”
*“Troi-Riker here.*
“I need you to go to Sickbay,” Will told her. “It seems that our Borg mother could possibly benefit from some female companionship.”
Deanna did not understand, but she was sure that it would all be explained to her once she was in Sickbay. *I’m on my way.*
“Riker to Sickbay.”
*Sickbay here.*
Will could hear Sarah crying in the background. He was hoping that Sarah’s biggest problem was really fear. That is, if the scanners were right about her having false labour pains. He was not too thrilled about the idea of having a doctor who was inexperienced with Borg physiology delivering this baby.
“I’m sending Counselor Troi-Riker down there,” Will informed Sanders. “I’m hoping that if Sarah had someone with her who understood what she is going through it might help.”
*Good idea.* Sanders replied. *I’ll fill the counselor in when she gets here.*
“Riker out.”
A few minutes later, Deanna walked into Sickbay and heard Sarah crying in pain.
“The Borg can feel pain?” She asked with dismay as she watched the young Borg.
“Apparently so,” Sanders tiredly replied and then he told her his theory as to why Sarah maybe feeling pain.
“That and fear,” Deanna stated.
“What?” Sanders asked with surprise. “Oh yes, I forgot you are Betazoid.”
“She’s very frightened. She has no idea what is happening to her body,” Deanna continued to explain. “There has been no one to explain it to her, so she is very scared.”
“Thus could also make the pain worse than what it really is. Even false labour,” Sanders observed. “Which in turn, could be upsetting the baby…”
“Yes. It just becomes a vicious cycle. I’ll see what I can do calm her,” Deanna said. “Hopefully, I can alleviate some of her fears.”
“Well, someone needs to explain this to her,” Sanders insisted. “And who better than a woman?”
Sanders hurried to his office and left Deanna with Sarah.
Deanna sighed. She could not believe that even male doctors got antsy at explaining female issues to a young woman. She never could understand Human males when it came to the concerns of women.
Deanna finally walked over to Sarah and laid a gentle hand on her arm. When she touched Sarah’s arm, Deanna suddenly gasped and quickly pulled her hand back. She had never felt Borg clothing before. It’s texture was rather shocking to her.
What looked like a synthetic based material did not feel like it. She knew the Borg did not synthesize anything, but she still had that impression of the uniforms. It was a complete shock to her that the uniform felt more like living snake skin when she touched it and not at all like what she thought it would feel like.
It had been years since she felt a snake slither through her hands. It was a harmless little reptile, but she still shuddered at the memory of it. Even its skin felt different than what she thought it would.
She tried to shake her current thoughts so that she could concentrate on Sarah.
“Sarah?”
Sarah stopped her pacing and sniffed as she spoke. “Yes?”
“Try and take a few deep breaths,” Deanna suggested.
“Will it help?”
“It should.”
After a few moments Deanna spoke to Sarah again, “This must be really scary for you.”
“It is. The Borg do not have children or at least not like this,” Sarah told Deanna. “They are assimilated. Things are different when you are no longer apart of the Borg Collective, though.”
“So you have never had anyone explain this to you?”
“No,” Sarah replied and started to cry again.
“Try and relax by taking a few deep breaths.”
Sarah tried again to do as Deanna suggested.
“Hasn’t Korok or any of the older people who were assimilated as adults talked to you about this?”
“No, they are concerned about staying free of the Borg hive. They are always reconfiguring the ship’s systems and shields so that the Borg Collective does not find us and re-assimilate us.”
“Did you ever ask?”
“I never thought to ask.”
Deanna was shocked that a young woman in her late teens never had these things explained to her. ‘Then again, what reasons do the Borg have to talk to their teenagers and young adults about such things.’ Deanna thought to herself.
Deanna recomposed herself and asked, “Do you have any questions now?”
“I have many questions.” Sarah replied.
“Would you like to talk about them?”
“To you?”
“If you like.”
“Why do I feel… sad one minute and then another emotion the next?” Sarah asked awkwardly. The word ‘feel’ sounded as though it was an unnatural word to her. “Are Human females very happy during this time?”
Deanna pondered Sarah‘s questions for a few seconds. “I bet, since you have not experienced feelings in such a long time, all the emotions you are going through right now are frightening to you?”
“Yes, and I’m not sure if I like to… to… feel,” She began to cry again. “I don’t know what to do! Why is there not something efficient to make this dissipate?”
“The pain?” Deanna asked.
“Yes!” Sarah screamed and grabbed her stomach again. “That is the word! Pain!”
Deanna tried to get Sarah to calm down and breath again. Once Sarah was calmer she began asking questions again. Deanna tried to answer Sarah’s questions as best she could. Including the ones concerning Human mothers while adding that she was part Betazoid. It was not long afterwards that Sarah seemed to be more calm and her fears eased somewhat.
It did not make all of Sarah’s discomfort disappear, but she was not as fearful as before. Which in turn, eased some of her distress.
They talked for almost an hour when Will informed them that Sarah had a visitor. Sarah seemed happy to see the visitor when he walked into Sickbay.
“Bob!” Sarah brightened.
Deanna could tell that Sarah’s mood had completely changed upon seeing her mate.
“Oh great!” Sanders mumbled when he saw Bob. “More Borg on the Titan! I have no idea what I’m going to do.”
‘He looks rather young too,’ Deanna thought. She guessed his age to be some where around nineteen also.
“Korok gave me some time to see you,” Bob informed Sarah. “I can’t stay long though. We have to reconfigure again soon.”
“I understand,” Sarah replied.
“I’ll leave you two alone.”
“Don’t go, Deanna,” Sarah implored.
“I really do need to go,” Deanna told her. “Ship’s business.”
The two Neo-Borg understood and Sarah gave a very Borg reply, “Understood.”
“Well, I’ll see you later,” Deanna said and then left Sickbay.
Chapter Nine
Back at Starfleet, Admiral Al Agohl decided to use other means to get a ship and crew so he could carry out his plan. He used his rank to tell a captain and a few officers that Starfleet had changed their minds and wanted to attack the Borg.
It worked and soon Agohl was on the USS Prometheus NX-59650 with his crew. The ship was an experimental pro-type ship. It was rarely used because it was still experimental, but it was a powerful ship. One that could withstand taking on several Borg ships due to its multi-vector assault mode and re-generative shields.
There was one still thing troubling Agohl, when Starfleet noticed they were taking off with the Prometheus. He had to come up with a story fast to tell his crew.
“Now, there are still some Admirals that don’t agree with this decision and they may try to stop us,” Agohl schemed. “You must not listen to them, no matter what they say. We must continue the mission as planned. Understood?”
“Aye, Sir,” everyone replied.
“Good! We should not have much trouble on this mission,” Agohl stated. Then he addressed his helmsman, “Thrusters, three, fourths power. As soon as we clear the docking bay, take us to warp.”
“Aye, Sir.”
The ship disengaged the docking clamps and began slowly moving out of space dock. To Agohl, it seemed like it was taking forever to clear the space dock.
Suddenly, the comm bleeped and the computer announced there was an incoming message from Starfleet Headquarters.
“I’ll take it in the Ready Room,” Agohl announced. “Continue with your orders.”
Agohl stood and headed for the Ready Room. He sat down in the chair in front of the desk and then accepted the call.
“Agohl!”
“Hayes!” Agohl replied back to Hayes. “Kind of late to be changing your mind.” Agohl paused as he felt the ship go into warp. “We’ve already left space dock.”
There were a few other admirals and Starfleet personnel behind Hayes. Thus, Agohl knew that Hayes told Starfleet his plan. He did not care now that he had a ship and was now travelling at warp speed.
“That’s what I wanted to talk to you about,” Hayes informed Agohl. “Bring that ship back now or I’ll be forced to use other means to bring you back.”
“You know the capabilities of this ship. There isn’t a ship that can stand up to this ship.”
“That maybe, but I’ll use every means necessary to bring you back before you do something that could get you court martialled or worse yet, dead.”
“They’ve softened you, Hayes. You know as well as I do, that the Borg, Neo or not, are a threat to the Federation. One that must be removed.”
“It doesn’t matter what I think, Agohl,” Hayes told him. “What matters is that you follow Starfleet’s orders and directives.”
“I’m not returning until I have done what I’ve set out to do! Agohl out!”
Agohl cut the link between them. Then he went out the Bridge.
“What is our ETA?” He asked as he returned to his seat.
“One hour fifteen minutes.”
“Very good.”
“Ensign, get me Commander Sisko now!” Hayes ordered.
“Aye, Sir,” the ensign replied.
“Is Paris leaving space dock?” Hayes inquired.
“He just left, but his ship isn’t going to be able to catch up with the Prometheus.” Haden informed him.
“I know, that’s why I’m hoping the Defiant can intercept the Prometheus.” Hayes replied.
“I have Sisko!” The ensign urgently reported.
“On screen,” Hayes ordered.
“Admiral Hayes, it’s a pleasure…”
“This isn’t a pleasure call, Sisko,” Hayes informed him. “You have the Defiant on stand by and ready to go?”
“Yes, Sir. We do.” Sisko was beginning to become concerned. He remembered the prophets showing him events that were yet to come, but could do nothing about, and ever since they returned him to his time, he kept wondering which event would take place if at all.
“Good! You’re going to need to get out there now.”
“The Borg are attacking?”
“No, it’s Admiral Agohl. It seems he is taking up some vigilante practices and I need you out there to stop him. He has taken the Prometheus.”
“The Prometheus!” Sisko exclaimed. “That ship can out run and out gun the Defiant and the Borg!”
“I understand, but I’m going to give you the access code so that you can gain control of the Prometheus from the Defiant. The thing is, you’ll have to do it before he decides to run or fires on you.”
“Understood,” Sisko replied.
Sisko knew that one hit from the Prometheus meant there would probably be little left of the Defiant. At best, the Defiant would be adrift in space due to heavy damage. At worst, the Defiant would cease to exist.
Hayes finally finished briefing Sisko on everything he needed to know in order to stop Agohl.
“I want you to do everything you can to stop Agohl,” Hayes stated. “Short of destroying the Prometeus if you can help it and bring him back to Starfleet Headquarters!”
“Understood.”
“One more thing,” Hayes stated.
“Yes?”
“The Prometheus’s weaknesses are still unknown, but your best bet, if you don’t get control of that ship in time, is to go for the weapon’s system.”
“I understand,” Sisko replied uneasily.
“Hayes out.” Then he turned to Haden. “I want you to contact Janeway. Have her head Agohl off if he gets past Sisko.”
“Why Janeway?” Haden asked. “Why not Picard?”
“In my opinion, Voyager is the better of the two ships to head off the Prometheus.”
“Picard has had more diplomatic experience.”
“I beg to differ,” Hayes argued. “You don’t spend that many years lost in an unmapped sector of space and survive it without learning a few things.”
“I still say Picard is the better man.”
“Haden, we don’t have time to argue this,” Hayes replied. “Contact Janeway and get her ready to head of Agohl, if necessary!”
“Alright, but I still think Picard is the better man for the job,” Haden stated once more.
“Just get Janeway and I’ll contact Paris.”
“Understood, but why two admirals can’t agree on anything for once is beyond me!” Haden stated emphatically as he left to go to his office to contact Janeway. “Especially in situations like this.”
Voyager and the Enterprise had been going warp nine and were now in sensor range of the Titan.
“Admiral, I’m picking up the Titan on sensors, but I’m not picking up and Borg ship,” A puzzled Paris informed Janeway. “I’m picking up another Federation ship, instead.”
“On screen,” Janeway ordered.
The Titan, with the Neo-Borg ship traveling close behind them flashed up on the screen.
Janeway studied the image and was not only surprised, but also happy to be seeing what she thought she was seeing. “Well, I’ll be damned!” She said with a smile. “They’ve adjusted their ship‘s signature!”
“Guess they’ve picked up a few tips from you,” Chakotay said with a smile.
“And I’ll bet they’ve also adjusted their shield frequency too!” Janeway stated with excitement. “Paris, scan to see if they even read as Borg.”
“Yes, Sir,” Paris replied.
“What did I say a long time ago about calling me ‘sir’, Paris?” She asked him as a gentle reminder.
“Yes, ma’am,” Paris corrected himself.
“That will do in crunch time,” Janeway repeated what she had said many years ago.
“They don’t read as Borg, Admiral,” Paris announced.
“Gentlemen,” Janeway began to announce with satisfaction. “I don’t think we have too much to worry about. It will take a lot for the Borg to figure out that their missing Borg ship is out here, unless they have figured out that they need to look for other ships to find that ship.”
“It would be like looking for a needle in a haystack,” Paris commented.
“Wonder if Riker knows about this?” Chakotay questioned.
“I don’t know,” Janeway replied. “But we will find out soon enough.”
“Admiral, Admiral Haden is sending a subspace message to us,” Harry Kim announced.
“On screen.”
“Admiral Janeway, we have a problem,” Haden announced.
“What is it?”
Haden then went into details about Admiral Agohl taking any means he can to destroy the Neo-Borg and anyone or any Borg that gets in his way. Then he gave Janeway her orders to intercept the Prometheus if Sisko does not succeed.
“I understand,” Janeway replied. “I’ll let Picard and Riker know what is happening.”
“Very well. Haden out.”
Janeway sighed, “There’s always one who has to go against the majority. Well, let’s contact the Enterprise and then make contact with Sisko. We’ll need to monitor that situation and be prepared to cut Agohl off at a moments notice.”
“I’m on it,” Paris informed her.