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New Life
PG-13
Chapters 16-18
Chapter Sixteen
The next morning Doctor Sanders met with Captain Riker in his Ready Room. He was requesting to assist the other doctors with the removal of the Borg implants.
“I don’t understand your request,” Will replied curiously. “You know nothing about the Borg. How do you expect to help?”
“I don’t really,” Doctor Sanders informed the captain. “I want to learn so that, if necessary, I can use the experience out on the field. I have a feeling the knowledge may come in quite handy.”
‘He has a good point,’ Will thought to himself. ‘Every doctor should have a working knowledge of how to remove Borg implants.’
“Alright,” Will finally agreed. “I’ll let them know you are going to be joining them.”
“Thank you, Sir.”
“One word of advice, Sanders,” Will started to counsel.
“Yes?”
“Be careful around the Borg. Don’t assume anything and don‘t turn your back on them. If anyone tells you to get the hell out of there, do it and above all, don’t hesitate to kill a Borg.”
“Sir?” Sanders pried. “I’m going to remove their implants, not kill them.”
“Any Borg that is out to assimilate you, don’t wait to run or kill them,” Will advised. “Just do it!”
“Understood, Sir.”
“Dismissed.”
Several of the crew members from Voyager, the Enterprise, and the Titan took the opportunity to visit the Promenade on DS9. Some checked out the various shops, while others tried out the holosuite in Quark’s bar. The more adventurous individuals played dabo at Quark’s.
Deanna and Will walked arm in arm into Quark’s and were quickly greeted by the proprietor himself. “Ah, Riker! Come to try your hand again at my dabo tables?”
“Actually, we came here to have a drink or two,” Will replied guardedly.
“I see,” Quark answered as he studied Deanna.
“What’s wrong, Quark?” Will asked when he noticed Quark studying his wife. “Never seen a beautiful woman before?”
“I don’t suppose…”
“Quark, you know better than that,” Riker scolded.
“Since when did you become a mind reader?” Quark inquired sarcastically.
“Since the first time you wanted to buy her mother,” Riker replied defensively.
“Can’t blame a man for trying,” Quark stated in his defense. “So, what will it be?”
“A Sumerian sunset for my wife and I’ll have an ale.”
“Good choices!” Quark said enthusiastically. “Have a seat and I’ll get them right out to you.”
“Tom!” B’Elanna began to scold as they entered Quark‘s. “You so much as even glance at a dabo girl and I’ll rip your lungs out!”
“B’Elanna, I love it when you get aggressive,” Tom responded playfully.
“Don’t patronize me.”
“Who said I was patronizing?”
“Yeah, well…”
“Hey, we’re here to relax and enjoy ourselves,” Tom reminded her. “Let’s have some fun and play a few games while we’re here.”
“Just as long as you stay away from the dabo girls.”
“Now, how am I supposed to do that?” Tom asked. “They are everywhere in here?”
“OK, just don’t touch them or even flirt with them.”
“You take the fun out of everything.”
“Ah, Misses Sisko!” Quark greeted. “Nice seeing you here and glad to have you back Captain.”
“I do hope you are not up to anything tonight, Quark,” Sisko informed him.
“Who me? Always! ” Quark replied with enthusiasm. He was about to take the Rikers their drinks when he greeted the Siskos. “Have a seat. I’ll be with you in a moment.”
“Take your time,” Sisko told him as Quark rushed off to serve the Rikers. “Kasidy, any place special you’d like to sit?”
“How about a nice quiet corner?”
“Sounds good to me.”
While everyone else was enjoying themselves on DS9 the doctors prepared to perform the surgery on the various Neo-Borg.
“Alright, Doctor Sanders,” Beverly began to instruct him. “I want you to monitor Korok’s vital signs for now. I’ll guide you as we go along.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“The very first thing you do is restrain them and then disable their homing device,” Beverly continued to direct him.
“Why restrain them when they are willing to go through this procedure? You’re going to sedate them,” Doctor Sanders asked. “Won’t that keep them sedated until you’re done?”
“If you don’t restrain them and the homing device that connects them to the hive is triggered before you disable it, we are all in trouble,” Beverly said with irritation. “Voluntary or not, they are still Borg and there’s no telling what they’ll do if that homing device is triggered.”
“I understand,” Sanders replied.
“OK, now that he is restrained, I’m going to administer the anesthesia,” Beverly informed Sanders. “Now I want you to keep an eye on Korok’s brain functions. If you see any unusual readings, let me know.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“I‘m disabling the homing device now,” Beverly informed Sanders.
While Beverly began to work on Korok, Doctor Mark was operating on Hugh and Bashir on Sarah.
“It’s been a long time since I held a baby,” Kira stated as she smiled down at the Terran, Bajoran, and Borg baby. Then in a sweet high pitched voice she said, “You’re a handsome little baby! Yes, you are!”
“Yeah, well don’t get to found of that baby,” Odo grumpily began. “I’m sure its big brothers are going to want him back.”
“Odo, he’s just a baby!” Kira told him in her normal voice.
“A baby that is of the Borg!”
Kira frowned at Odo. “I don’t believe for a minute that Captain Sisko would ask me to watch this child while the mother was in surgery if he thought there was any danger.”
“Maybe he doesn’t know.” Odo smarted.
“Know what?”
“The possible dangers of bringing this baby to Bajoran territory.”
“Regardless of what you may think, the baby is still Bajoran,” Kira insisted with frustration. “And as such, he should be raised as a Bajoran.”
“His mother is Human and a Borg.”
“Yeah, well his father was Bajoran.”
“And a Borg.”
“Don’t you listen to the grumpy old Odo, Tov,” she said in a high pitched voice to the baby.
“Why do people do that?” Odo growled with irritation at the sound of Kira’s voice.
“Do what?”
“That, what do you call it? Baby talk? Cutesy, Cutesy stuff?” Odo petulantly asked. “I’m surprised babies don’t start screaming at the sound of it.”
“Oh, stop!” Kira scolded him. Then she went back to talking to the baby, “Odo is really grumpy today, isn’t he?”
Odo made a sour face. “I’m going to Sickbay.”
Odo left Kira’s quarters. He felt like he could not stomach anymore of the cutesy talk and would be better off in Sickbay seeing to it that the doctors were safe.
“The grumpy man is gone now,” Kira told the baby in her sweet voice.
“We fought the Borg well, yesterday,” Worf announced to Jadzia.
“Yes, we did alright, didn’t we?” Jadzia agreed.
Then Worf changed the subject. “Jadzia, I’ve been meaning to ask you.”
Worf paused for a moment to collect his thoughts.
“Ask me what Worf?”
“Well, since,” he paused for a moment. He did not know if he really believed in the prophets, but if they were real, he was thankful to have his wife back. “Since the prophets have brought you back, I was wondering…”
He was struggling with asking her the question he wanted to ask her.
“Worf, just ask me what you want to ask me.”
“I wanted to ask you to re-marry me.”
“What?” Jadzia asked with confused surprise.
“Well, since your death, I’ve been a widow,” Worf told her. “At least on the record, but now you’re back…” he paused again. “I don’t know for sure if the prophets really brought you back, but I am thankful you are back and I want to re-new our vows.”
“Of course I will renew our vows with you.”
Worf smiled. He felt like the happiest man this side of the alpha quadrant.
The first three patients were now in recovery and the doctors began working on the next three.
“OK, this time,” Beverly began to instruct Sanders as they started to prep Axum for surgery. “I want you to do the procedure while I talk you through it and monitor his vitals. After that, I’ll let you work on one of the four remaining Borg, while the three of us work on the other three.”
“Alright,” Sanders replied. “I’m ready whenever you’re ready.”
They began the process of removing as many of the Borg implants as they could from Axum. Beverly was not so much concerned about Sanders capabilities as a surgeon as she was about him disabling the homing device and knowing what he could safely remove from the people to make them humanoid again. She had read his record and learned that he was a competent surgeon. The only thing not stated in his file was experience with the Borg, which he had already admitted to not having.
She wondered just how a Starfleet officer could go through their career never running into any Borg. She only wished that she had never met any Borg, then she would not have to go through the process of re-humanizing people.
“Remember to restrain him,” Beverly reminded him. “Now administer the anesthesia and begin disabling the homing device.”
Sanders did exactly as she instructed. “It’s disabled.”
“Good, now let’s start with removing his optical implant.”
Doctor Sanders began removing the implant from Axum.
“Alright, Axum seems to have a cortical node near his temple, so you’re going to have to be very careful as you remove the eye piece,” Beverly directed. “If you remove any part of the node, you risk killing the patient.”
“OK, now I’m nervous,” he informed her shakily.
“No need to be nervous,” she gently coached. “You need a study hand to do this.”
Sanders worked slowly as he attempted to do as Beverly told him to do.
“You’re doing well,” Beverly told him encouragingly.
“I’m glad you are back,” Kasidy told her husband.
“Kasidy, how many times are you going to say that?”
“Everytime you go on an away mission and come home again,” she told him.
“You’re really worried that the prophets are going to take me back again, aren’t you?”
“They might not bring you back next time,” Kasidy fretted. “I want to cherish every moment we have together.”
Sisko smiled.
“Captain,” Nog greeted him.
“Nog,” Sisko replied. “What are you up to?”
“I was hoping to meet a beautiful woman,” Nog smiled.
Sisko smiled and thought, ‘As always.’ Then he told Nog, “Good luck.”
Sisko then turned to his wife just as Nog hurried off, “Kasidy, can I share something with you?”
“Always.”
“Well, you have to promise not to tell anyone.”
“Why?”
“Because, I don’t entirely understand myself, but I believe some of what the prophets told has begun to occur.”
“Like what?”
“You remember the baby one of the Borg had?”
“Yes, it was rather unusual,” she replied curiously. “Borg generally don’t have offspring in that manner.”
“I remember seeing a baby just like Tov in the images the prophets showed me.”
“I’m not sure I understand,” Kasidy asked with confusion.
“I’m not sure I do either, but for some reason, that baby maybe the beginning of something new. I just don’t know what it is. I can’t figure out what the prophets were trying to tell me.”
Kasidy sighed, “Benjamin, can you for one evening try not to decipher what the prophets said to you?”
“Kasidy, there is something about that baby that is very important and I need to figure it out!”
“Yes, but tonight?”
“Oh, you’re right,” Sisko finally agreed. “We need to have one night where we enjoy ourselves.”
“Would you like some company?”
“I’d rather be alone, Captain LaForge,” Seven insisted.
“When someone is as worried as you are, it can sometimes help to have someone to talk to,” Geordi told her.
“I am not worried,” she insisted emphatically.
“Humm,” he began thoughtfully and then pointed to his eyes. “That’s not what these say.”
“Captain, are you always this intrusive?”
“Only when I think I can help.”
Seven frown, “Have a seat, Captain.”
“Call me Geordi.”
“That is not appropriate.”
“Maybe not, but all my friends call me Geordi.”
“If you insist.”
“This is beautiful fabric!” Janeway enthusiastically exclaimed.
“It’s top of the line from Cardassia and the latest style,” Garak stated.
“I think you would look fantastic in it,” Chakotay told her.
“How much?” She inquired.
“For you, Admiral,” Garak began to say. “One hundred credits.”
“A little steep don’t you think?” Janeway asked.
“Not at all. I’m giving it to you for half price.”
It was a beautiful blue dress and Janeway was very tempted to buy it. It had a sort of lace trim around the neck and sleeves and the main part of the dress felt rather silkish.
“I don’t know where I’d wear it.”
“There is always the Admiral’s ball,” Chakotay suggested.
“I don’t know,” Janeway said with uncertainty.
“Seventy-five and that’s my final offer,” Garak informed her.
“I’ll take it. Just send it to over to Voyager,” she finally decided.
“Consider it done. Now, will you be needing any alterations done on it before I send it to your ship?”
“I don’t know,” she stated.
“Try it on. We have time,” Chakotay encouraged her.
“Yes, then we can get the exact measurements,” Garak stated happily.
Sanders finally finished with Axum and sent him to recovery with the others.
The doctors began working on the final four patients. Beverly was confident that Sanders could remove Qwan’s implants with no trouble, so she had Alyssa assist him while she began to work on Soovat.
Sanders began to anesthetize Qwan as he started the surgery. He had a feeling he was forgetting something, but he could not remember what he was forgetting. He was beginning to feel nervous about working on this Borg as he started to disable the homing device.
“Doctor!” Alyssa exclaimed excitedly. She stopped Sanders from continuing the procedure to remind him of what he had forgotten.
Beverly was at the next table working on Soovat and for some reason, she began to have an uneasy feeling as she heard Alyssa‘s voice. She looked up from her patient and saw Sanders was standing with his back towards the Borg as he listened to Alyssa. She could not make out what Alyssa was saying to him, so glanced at the monitor and saw that it was showing some readings that indicated Borg brain activity. Then she quickly looked at Qwan and her eyes grew wide as she noticed the Borg was not restrained.
“Sanders, move now!” She suddenly ordered, but it was too late.
Qwan’s homing device was some how triggered and before Beverly could finish her sentence the Borg had grabbed Sanders by the arm with one hand. Then he quickly brought the other hand over to Sanders‘s neck. Sharp claws came out of his hand and went into Sanders’s juggler. Sanders was frozen with terrifying shock. He could not move nor could he scream for help.
“Everyone, evacuate now!” Beverly ordered loudly just as Alyssa screamed and ran in her direction, away from the Borg.
“The patients in recovery,” Doctor Mark stated anxiously. “We have to get them out of there!”
“I’ll help!” Odo quickly volunteered.
Beverly was not sure what to do, but she did not feel they could just leave them either. “Quickly! Let’s do a site to site! ”
Bashir, the EMH, Odo, Alyssa, and Beverly quickly ran into the recovery room just as the other two Borg were coming to life. Everyone else in the room hurried out the main door.
Odo quickly tapped his combadge just a Qwan was releasing one of the other two Borg from their restraints, “Odo to O’Brien, lock on to everyone in my vicinity and transport us out of here now!”
O’Brien did not ask any questions. The patients, the three remaining doctors, Alyssa, and Odo were quickly transported out of Sickbay and into Ops where O‘Brien was stationed.
Once they were all in a safe area, Odo tapped his combadge again and said, “Security to Sickbay now!”
“Shall I alert anyone else, Sir?” O’Brien inquired.
“Yes, but don’t give too many details,” Odo replied. “We want to keep everyone on the station as calm as possible. We don’t need anyone jumping out of any airlocks to escape the Borg. Just request that everyone calmly evacuate the station.”
“Won’t that cause people to get excited and want more details?” O’Brien asked.
“Tell them it’s a drill,” Odo insisted with irritation as he began to exit Ops. “Secure the Promenade for all I care! Just keep everyone calm!”
“Aye, Sir.”
When Odo exited Ops, Beverly stopped scanning one of the patients and scrambled over to O’Brien. “We may need weapons. Are there any weapons stored in Ops?”
*Odo to Sisko, we’ve got a problem in Sickbay and we need all the help we can get down there.*
Sisko looked at his wife. They both knew that Odo would not have called him if something had not gone terribly wrong.
Kasidy suddenly went pale with fear. She knew the doctors had been removing the Borg implants and hearing Odo call her husband worried her greatly.
“I’m on my way.” Sisko replied as he quickly stood and headed for the door.
“Be careful!” She called after him as he left Quark’s.
Geordi and Seven had been sitting at a nearby table and had overheard Odo’s page. They quickly left their table and followed Sisko. As they did, they passed Riker and gestured for him to follow.
“Stay here,” Riker told Deanna as he left with the others, but he could tell she was very concerned.
Worf and Jadzia were very perceptive and quickly followed suit.
“Sisko to Picard.”
*Picard here.*
“We’ve got trouble!”
Tom saw all the senior officers hurrying out of Quark’s bar and gestured towards them as they were exiting, “There’s something going on.”
B’Elanna turned to look towards the direction Tom was pointing. “I don’t know, but something is wrong,” she said worriedly as she glanced around the room and noticed the expressions of Deanna and Kasidy. “We’d better go with them.”
Chapter Seventeen
Quark noticed the officers rushing out of his bar and strolled over to Kasidy. “What’s going on?”
“I don’t know,” she denied. She had an idea, but she was not going to tell him what she thought it was.
“Sisko is your husband, you have to know what the excitement is all about. I’ll give you a drink on the house if you tell me,” Quark tried to bribe her.
“She said she didn’t know,” Deanna intruded, coming to Kasidy‘s defense. Her voice was controlled and very firm.
“Maybe not,” Quark replied as he turned toward the Betazoid. “But I’ll bet twenty bars of latinum that you do.”
“Quark, if I did, I would not tell you,” Deanna firmly informed him.
“What if I just informed everyone in here that something is up?” Quark asked deviously.
“Are you willing to start a riot in your bar?” Deanna asked. “That’s what could happen if you do. They will all get suspicious and demand to know what is happening. Maybe even get destructive about it. I really don‘t think you want that, do you?”
Quark’s demeanour suddenly changed, “For the next ten minutes drinks are on the house!”
Then O’Brien’s voice was heard over the stations communications system as he made a station wide announcement. *We need everyone to stay calm and evacuate the station in an orderly manner.*
Suddenly, confusion rose within the bar as people asked each other if they knew what was happening.
“Well, that just saved me a bundle of latinum!” Quark exclaimed and then he turned back to Deanna with a serious look on his face. “Now do you wanna tell me what is going on?”
“Hey, there’s Janeway and Chakotay,” B’Elanna said to Tom as she pointed towards the tailor‘s shop.
“Captain Riker,” Tom tried to get Riker‘s attention. When Will turned to find out what he wanted, Tom pointed and said, “Shall B’Elanna and I get them too?”
“No, I will,” Riker informed Tom. “You two stay with Sisko.”
Will walked over to where Janeway and Chakotay were and then addressed them.
“Admiral Janeway, Captain Chakotay,” Will greeted in a business like tone. “Could you two come with me. There is a problem that needs you attention.”
Kathryn caught Will’s evasiveness and looked at Chakotay in a manner that said, “Something’s wrong.”
“Garak, if you’ll excuse us,” Janeway courteously excused herself and Chakotay.
“By all means, I’ll have the dress sent to Voyager when the alterations are finished.”
“Thank you,” Janeway said to him.
Then the three of them left Garak’s shop.
“What’s going on, Captain?” Janeway asked.
“That’s what were about the find out,” Riker stated. “Odo called Sisko and said they needed help in Sickbay. So, I assume the homing devices have been activated.”
“How many?” Chakotay asked.
“Not sure yet,” Will told them.
Picard beamed down immediately after Sisko had hailed him and told him there were problems. He arrived in Ops and saw Beverly with the others. He only saw six former Borg and immediately knew what had happened.
“They’ve reconnected to the hive, haven‘t they?”
“Three of them and Sanders has been assimilated,” Beverly informed him. “Odo has a team headed for Sickbay. I’m not sure who else is headed that way.”
“The Borg won’t stay there long,” he stated anxiously as he took charge of the situation. “O’Brien, evacuate the station.”
“Already done, Sir.”
“Good! Lieutenant Kopf, locate Sisko and tell him to meet me in weapons stores,” Picard ordered. “Then I want you to scan for any Borg ships in the vicinity.”
“Understood.”
Then he tapped his com badge, “Picard to Enterprise.”
*Enterprise here.*
“Mister Barclay, contact Starfleet and inform them of our situation,” he instructed Barclay. “Let them know we are having problems with the Borg. Oh, and keep an eye out for any Borg ships.”
*Understood,* Barclay said nervously over the com system.
Picard was not happy with Barclay being in charge of the Enterprise in this situation, but he did not have much of a choice. He decided he would just have to trust Geordi’s judgment in a first officer.
He turned and looked at his wife. He knew she was very worried about him going out and fighting the Borg again. She worried every time, he had to fight them, that he would once again become Locutus of Borg.
“Beverly,” He said softly as he walked over to her. He reached a hand to the side of her face and lovingly ran it through her red hair. In response, she affectionately clasped a hand over his as she tilted her head towards his hand. Then Jean-Luc reassuringly said to her, “I’ll be back.”
A few minutes later, Picard had met the others in the weapons stores. Picard and Worf began passing out phaser-rifles and other weapons to everyone.
“If you see one of them, shoot to kill,” Picard ordered.
“What about Sanders? ” Janeway asked with concern. “He hasn’t been a Borg for long. We may be able to save him.”
The others filed out as Janeway was talking to Picard. “Shoot him,” Picard said without hesitation as he started to follow the others. “You’ll be doing him a favour!”
“Wait a minute,” Janeway grabbed his arm to stop him. “What if it had been Riker or me?”
“I’d do you the same favour,” Picard replied without a hint of doubt.
“You can’t be serious?” Janeway appallingly asked.
“I am.”
“Well, I’ll be sure not to get assimilated then,” Janeway said sarcastically as Picard continued towards the door.
“Good! Then I won’t have to kill you,” Picard returned. His contempt for the Borg was showing greatly.
“Admiral Picard,” Janeway addressed him firmly as she tried to keep pace with him. “I was out in the Delta Quadrant for seven years. In that time, we rescued not only Seven, but five Borg children. We can do it again.”
“Admiral,” Picard sternly retorted as he suddenly stopped and turned to face her. “Do what you want. I can’t order you to do anything since neither of us out rank the other, but I will shoot to kill any Borg I see.”
“Come on, Misses Sisko,” Deanna addressed Sisko’s wife. “We have to get off the station.”
Kasidy nodded solemnly and went with Deanna. As they headed towards the exit of the bar, Deanna noticed Quark heading behind the counter, instead of the doors.
“What are you doing?” She asked him.
“I’m not going to let anyone start looting my establishment,” Quark informed her. “I’m going to stay here until everyone leaves to make sure of it.”
“Quark, you can’t stay here!” Deanna insisted urgently.
“I can and I will!”
“I don’t have time for this,” Deanna said with frustration. “I’m not going to argue with you on this. It’s your life. ” Then she continued to make her way off the station.
“Wait a minute,” Quark finally conceded. Deanna turned to face him as he spoke. “I’ll leave, but it’s on the Federation if I end up with a profit lose from this.”
Deanna sighed and started to walked out of the bar.
The party arrived outside the Surgical area of Sickbay, only to find the Borg had left. Some of the Security Team lay dead or partially assimilated by nanoprobes. Any security officers that might still be alive were missing.
The heat and humidity in the room had been adjusted to match that of a Borg ship. There had obviously been phaser fire and hand to hand combat in the area also.
“Where do you think they could have gone?” LaForge asked.
Suddenly, a medical bed reformed and Odo appeared. “Probably looking for their little brother,” Odo said suspiciously. “Why you had to bring that infant to DS9, I have no idea.”
“Kira!” Sisko suddenly exclaimed with worry. “Constable Odo, do you know if she is still in her quarters?”
“I certainly hope not,” Odo replied. “I told her to get out of there as fast as she could. Hopefully, she did not take the Borg baby with her.”
“He’s Bajoran, Constable Odo!” Sisko insisted angrily.
“So, I’ve been told,” Odo grumbled.
“We have to make sure that baby does not fall into the hands of the Borg. We have to see that he is protected at all costs!” Sisko informed everyone.
“Why bother, it’s big brothers are just going to assimilate it,” Odo stated pessimistically.
“You don’t understand and I don’t have time to make you understand,” Sisko said with frustration as he rushed past the others. “Nor could I explain if I had the time.”
“What is he talking about?” LaForge asked curiously.
“I don’t know, but I bet it has something to do with the prophets,” Jadzia replied as she went after Sisko.
LaForge and Odo also followed Sisko, while Picard, Tuvok, and Worf went in another direction. Janeway, Chakotay, and Seven took off in yet another direction. Leaving Torres, Paris, Riker, and Kim to set off in a direction not taken.
“We have to find those Borg before Picard does,” Janeway stated anxiously. “If we don’t and he finds them first, they are all dead for sure.”
“Kathryn,” Chakotay placed a hand on her shoulder to get her attention. She turned to face him. “You can’t save them all.”
“Maybe not, but I can sure as hell try,” she replied and then continued on the search. “Unlike him, I’m not going to kill them unless I have to.”
“You may not have a choice,” Chakotay stated fatalistically.
“That’s why I’m ready for anything.”
“Correct me if I am wrong,” Seven requested politely. “But it seems to me, the leader of each team has different agendas. That is not very efficient, especially when dealing with the Borg. Everyone should be in agreement.”
“You’re right, Seven,” Janeway informed her as she walked cautiously around a corner with her weapon prepared for anything to come their way. “We do have different agendas. As for efficiency, that remains to be seen. I can tell you this though, if that baby has been assimilated, Picard is not going to kill it. Not if Sisko or I get there first.”
“May the prophets be with us, Tov,” Kira told the baby softly as she cautiously left her quarters. “I have strict orders from Sisko to take good care of you, no matter what. Let’s just hope we can get out of here safely.”
Suddenly, she heard footsteps coming from around the corner. She pressed her back up against the wall and held the baby close to her chest. She then prayed that the baby would not make a sound so that the Borg would not find them.
Her heart pounded as the sound of footsteps came closer. She knew they were Borg boots making the sounds, and she began to wonder if Odo was right about the Borg wanting this baby for some reason.
‘Why else would they be on this floor. Hell! They already knew who the baby would be staying with while his mother became almost human again,’ She nervously thought.
Kira then saw two Borg walk past them and continued down the corridor. Kira breathed a sigh of relief when she realized that she and the baby had gone unnoticed.
‘Do I dare use my communicator or will their supersonic hearing pick up on my voice and they turn back?’ She asked herself mentally. ‘I have to get to Ops or some place where we won’t be by ourselves.’
She quickly jumped onto a turbo lift. Once the two of them were on the turbo lift, she spoke softly to the baby.
“At least you are a good baby and didn’t make a sound. Either that or the prophets are with us,” she sighed. Then she addressed the computer to go to the deck that Ops was located.
When the lift stopped the doors opened and there was Sanders standing in the entrance. Kira gasped with horror as she saw that he had been altered into a Borg drone. Her heart was racing again as she stared at him. His proximity to her and the baby in his current condition was very unnerving to her. She could feel herself shaking with fear as she saw the nanoprobes covering his face, neck, and hands.
Her eyes became glued to the Borg technology that now covered his body. She quickly searched her mind for a means of escape, but she could find none. With one hand she tried to reach for her phaser, but then remembered she had taken it off while she was caring for the baby. It was then she began to feel like a trapped animal.
The baby sensed Kira’s fear and began to cry loudly, but Kira could not speak to sooth the child’s own mounting anxieties. All she could do was wonder how she was going to get herself and the baby out of this situation unharmed. She could not help kicking herself for not keeping her phaser with her.
She desperately wanted to fight the Borg off of them. She wanted to kick, hit, and punch her way out of the turbo lift, but she could not do any of that with the baby in her arms.
Just as she was about to become panic stricken, she heard phaser fire. Then Sanders’ body suddenly dropped to the deck. She stared at his listless and unmoving form as she tried to compose herself.
After a few moments, she was able to breath a sigh of relief. She began to slowly and cautiously walk around the Borg as she stepped off of the turbo lift. She did not take her eyes off the eerie looking person that was once known as Sanders as she walked past him.
“Kira, are you alright?” She heard Sisko ask with concern.
“Am I glad to see you, guys!” She said as the fear she felt a moment ago begin to dissipate. She smiled slightly as she looked at her fellow comrades.
“Some how I had a feeling you would be trying to get to Ops,” Sisko said with assuredness. “However, I wouldn’t get too anxious about getting there. It‘s my guess that they will come here and then go on to Ops. So, we‘re going to have to find some place else to go with the child.”
“Worf, you know this station very well,” Picard started to ask. “Where do you think the Borg are most likely go?”
“My guess is one of two places,” he informed. “The Promenade, where there are a lot of people or Ops where they could get control of the station.”
“I seriously doubt they would go there with that many people,” Picard thought aloud. “They are too smart for that. The four of them would be far out numbered. Unless, they began assimilating others along the way. It‘s more likely they are going to try and get control of the station.”
“That seems like the most logical answer as to where they may possibly head,” Tuvok agreed.
“Let’s go,” Picard ordered with his weapon ready.
“Gusti?” Commander Ro called with her phaser ready for anything.
There was no response from the officer as a small tactical team searched for Lieutenant Sabrina Gusti.
“What do you think happened to her?” Lieutenant Commander McDowell inquired.
“I don’t know, keep your eyes open,” Ro told him nervously.
Suddenly, an assimilated Gusti came from behind and attacked McDowell along with another Borg. The second Borg, who was one of the original three, suddenly injected him with nanoprobes.
Ro heard McDowell scream in pain and when she turned around, she saw what the Borg was doing to make him scream. Realizing that all members of her team had been assimilated, she panicked and took off running. She had no clue where she was going, she just wanted to get as far way from the Borg as she possibly could.
Her heart and mind were racing as she searched for a way to escape being captured. She kept counting her blessings that she was able to run, but she realized that she was now alone. The one thing Picard had told them not to be.
With a sudden thud, she ran blindly into someone. “Huh!” She grunted as she hit the person hard. T hen she quickly recoiled and began to scream with horror.
She had not realized who it was that she had collided with as the person placed his hands on her shoulders to help her regain her footing. Instead, she struggled against him as she continued to cry out with fear. The vivid memory of seeing her friend and co-worker being assimilated by the Borg replayed in her mind as she fought to keep herself from ending up like him.
“Hey, it’s alright,” Chakotay tried to calm her.
As she heard the sound of his voice she realized that she had ran into another person and not a Borg. She stopped screaming and fighting as she began to focus on his Federation uniform, but her body continued to tremble from the rush of adrenaline that was in her system. She tried desperately to find her voice but the only word she managed to get out of her mouth was, “Borg!”
Janeway, Chakotay, and Seven saw the remaining fear still lingering in Ro’s eyes. They then looked in the direction she had came and saw the two Borg that had attack McDowell come around the corner.
It was obvious to Janeway that these Borg were intent on one thing as they approached the four of them. She was thinking that the regained connection to the hive was the incentive that drove the Borg drone and the now assimilated Gusti. Any other time, the Borg might not have seen them as a threat and just ignored them, but not this time. They were in trouble and Janeway knew it.
“Kathryn, I don’t think you’re going to have a choice,” Chakotay told her as he ready his phaser.
“I believe you’re right, Chakotay,” She replied as she aimed her phaser at one of the drones. “Fire phasers!”
Ro quickly gathered her senses as reached for her phaser but it was gone. She began to realize that in her rush to get away from the Borg she had dropped it. She watched nervously as the other three officers fired upon the Borg.
Gusti was the first to fall, but the other Borg just kept walking towards them. He was completely undaunted by their weapons.
“He’s adapted,” Seven stated as she tried hard to control her voice, so that her fear did not show.
Janeway was a little reluctant, but she knew what had to be done. “Set phasers to highest setting and fire.”
The three phasers hit the Borg drone directly. The setting did not affect him in the least. He still continued on his mission.
“This way!” Janeway directed and quickly turned back in the direction in which they came with the other three officers trailing close behind her.
Chapter Eighteen
Just as Deanna had stepped out the door of Quark‘s bar, she sensed extreme fear and heard several people gasp. Those who were still in the room began chatting frantically among themselves.
She turned to see what all the commotion was about. To her amazement there was a Borg ship just outside the Promenade windows, which was not there a second ago. She knew even a Borg ship could be spotted in the distance with the naked eye, so she was puzzled how it was suddenly there. Then it hit her.
*O’Brien to Picard!*
Picard could hear the anxiety in the engineer’s voice. “Picard here.”
He and his team were now one floor below Ops and were trailing a couple Borg. They were being careful not to draw attention to themselves when O’Brien called for Picard.
*We’ve got company,* O’Brien informed him. *A Borg ship is right outside the station.*
“Why wasn’t I informed of this sooner?” Picard asked with irritation.
*It appears the Borg have acquired a cloaking device, Sir.*
‘Damn!’ Picard thought. ‘Must have absorbed the Klingons or Romulans information when they assimilated some of them.‘ Then he asked O’Brien, “Have they boarded DS9?”
*Yes, Sir. From what I can tell, we have more Borg aboard.*
“Bajor?”
*Not that sensors show.*
Picard was not happy about the turn of events. “Do you know where Janeway is located?”
*Hold on,* O’Brien said as he began to scan for her. *She’s in cargo bay five.*
‘Why the devil is she there?’ Picard thought. “Tell her to meet me…”
*Janeway to O’Brien.*
Picard overheard her call to O’Brien. As he listened he could hear a hint of anxiety in her voice.
*Beam us out of here now!* Janeway ordered.
O’Brien did as he was ordered. He locked onto four officers and brought them to Ops.
Janeway knew exactly where they were after they materialized. As she visually scanned the room she said, “Well, I guess this is as good a place as any to keep them from gaining control of the station.”
“Where did you say you wanted her to meet you, Sir?” O’Brien asked Picard.
*Never mind,* Picard replied. *I’ll meet her if I can get there. How many Borg are now on board?*
“Unknown, but sensors detect Borg on almost every level,” O’Brien told him. “The Promenade is free of a Borg presence as well as a few other areas.”
Picard was very confused. ‘Why not the Promenade?’ Picard asked himself. ‘Well, thank God they haven‘t returned to the surgical area, yet.’
Then he asked O’Brien, “When did this happen?”
*Just as fast as the Borg materialized, Sir.*
“Has everyone been evacuated from the station?”
*No, Sir. There are still over three hundred people on the Promenade.*
“Damn it!” Picard exclaimed vehemently. “Seal off the Promenade. I don’t want anyone getting in or out of the Promenade without me knowing. Understood?”
*Yes, Sir.* O’Brien replied. *Lieutenant Nog and Counselor Troi-Riker are still on the Promenade, Sir. As well as a few other officers.*
Picard sighed.
“We could try and beam them to the escape pods a few at a time,” Worf suggested.
Picard acknowledged Worf‘s suggestion with a nod and then continued speaking to O‘Brien. “Do as Worf suggested O’Brien and then contact Sisko and Riker,” Picard finally decided. “Have them meet us in Ops. We need to regroup and decide what to do next.”
*Aye, Sir.*
“There suddenly seems to be more Borg,” Sisko observed as he, Kira, Odo, Jadzia, LaForge, and the baby hid in an access tunnel just outside the office complex. “And they aren’t newly Borg either.”
“I’ve noticed that too,” Kira anxiously stated. She hoped the baby would stay quite, but she knew he was going to be hungry soon and she was no where near a replicator.
“Kira, do you think you could make it up one level from here with the baby?” Sisko asked.
“Not without some help,” she said insistently. “I don’t think I can climb with him in my arms.”
“Well, we have to try,” Sisko replied.
“I’m still not too keen on carrying a Borg baby all over the station,” Odo retorted.
“He’s not Borg!” Sisko and Kira chided together. They were both a bit louder than they had meant to be.
Sisko lowered his voice and hoped the Borg did not hear them, “He’s no more Borg than you are a Founder, Odo.”
“I don’t know, his people are Founders,” Kira began to sarcastically accuse. “Must mean he’s one too.”
“I am NOT a Founder,” Odo denied. “They like to conquer others, while I like to see people being treated with justice.”
“Well, then why are you judging this baby?” Sisko inquired.
“Because his parents were Borg.” Odo smartly informed them.
“Oh big news flash!” Kira continued. “Apparently your parents were Founders, so that definitely makes you one.”
“I’m a changeling,” Odo testily stated.
“Hey, guys! That’s enough!” Jadzia scolded. “I’m surprised at you! Fighting over a baby like this when we have to get all of us out of here and into safety.”
“She‘s right,” Sisko sighed. “We really don’t have time for this argument. We’ll deal with it later.”
“Sounds like a plan to me,” Geordi retorted. “Why doesn’t one of us go up to the first landing and then we’ll hand the baby up to them.”
“Works for me,” Kira replied.
The baby began to fuss.
“It’s alright Tov,” Kira sweetly talked to the baby. “We’ll get you out of here and get you something to eat.”
“Oh, brother!” Odo rolled his eyes. “Not this again.”
“Odo!” Sisko scolded. “Let’s just get up to the Promenade.”
*O’Brien to Sisko.*
“Sisko here.”
*Admiral Picard wants everyone to meet him in Ops,* O’Brien informed him. *He wants to regroup.*
“The Borg aren’t there too?” Sisko inquired.
*Not yet and apparently, he and Janeway are going to try and keep it that way.*
“That’s good, but it may be a while before we get there,” Sisko informed O’Brien. “We’re sort of held up in an access tunnel and trying to make our way to the Promenade.”
*Um, that may be a problem.* O’Brien told him.
“Don’t tell me,” Sisko worried. “They’re in the Promenade.”
*No, Sir. Admiral Picard has had me seal off that whole area. No one can get in or out of there without him knowing.*
“Wonderful!” Sisko sighed. “We can’t go back and we can’t go forward.”
Tov’s fussing began to turn into crying.
Suddenly, there was a loud thunk from the direction they had come. Then another.
“On second thought, we have to go forward,” Sisko noted. “We’ve got Borg in here!”
*Hold on. I gotcha.* O’Brien informed them.
Suddenly, the six people were beamed out of the tunnel and into Ops.