Ship of the Line - Diane Carey [122]
And Picard was happy to glow from the sidelines at this excellent turn of not-very-pleasant events. Everyone had what he wanted.
Including the newly assigned master of the sixth Starship Enterprise.
Chapter 26
U.S.S. Enterprise-E
One year later
“What do you have?”
“We finished our sensor sweep of the Neutral Zone.”
“Oh, fascinating … twenty particles of space dust per cubic meter … fifty-two ultraviolet radiation spikes … and a class-2 comet. Well, this is certainly worthy of our attention.”
Jean-Luc Picard dumped the report on his desk and shared a glance with his disgruntled first officer. Will Riker was not happy either.
Riker was looking at him as if he wanted to walk up to Picard’s inner sanctum and knock. Or maybe kick.
“Captain,” Riker began, “why are we out chasing comets?”
That wasn’t the whole question, of course. The other end of it was something like, “when the Borg are on the warpath again and making a straight line for Earth?”
They both heard it, even though Riker had been too polite to actually say the words:
“Let’s just say,” Picard tried to answer, carrying his cup of hot tea on a little voyage to nowhere, “that Starfleet has every confidence in the Enterprise and her crew. They’re just not sure about her captain. They believe a man who was once captured and assimilated by the Borg should not be put in a situation where he would face them again. To do so would introduce an ‘unstable element’ into a critical situation.”
“That’s ridiculous! Your experience with the Borg makes you the perfect man to lead this fight.”
“Admiral Hayes disagrees with you.”
The comm whistled, a blessed interruption—Deanna Troi’s voice. “Bridge to Captain Picard.”
Picard steeled himself for another wonderful report on quasars or dark matter. “Go ahead.”
“We’ve just received word from Starfleet.” Troi was being unusually contained, as if she were working to sound impassive. “They’ve engaged the Borg.”
Without bothering to thank her or engage in amenities, Picard locked eyes with Riker and instantly said, “I’ll be right there. Number One, let’s go.”
Riker was already on his feet. “They’re on a direct line for Earth.”
“I know that.”
They went through the ready-room doors almost side by side, even though they didn’t really both fit. The bridge of the Enterprise-E was their second—no, their first home after a year in space. All posts were manned by familiar faces now, especially Mr. Data just now taking the seat at ops.
Before he made two steps inboard, Picard ordered, “Mr. Data, put Starfleet frequency one four eight six on audio.”
“Aye, sir.”
Riker found the self-restraint to sit down at his post, but Picard couldn’t manage to sit.
Instantly the comm system, the whole bridge, was flooded with panicked voices, undergirded by other voices working to stay calm and dispense orders. A chill struck Picard, and he could tell Riker felt it also—they knew the sounds of desperation.
“Flagship to Endeavor—stand by to engage at grid A-15!”
“Defiant and Bozeman, fall back to mobile position one!”
“Aknowledged!”
“We have it in visual range … a Borg cubeship on course zero mark two one five!”
“Speed, warp nine point—”
“WE ARE THE BORG. LOWER YOUR SHIELDS AND SURRENDER YOUR SHIPS …”
“All units open fire! Remodulate shield protection!”
“They’ve broken through defense perimeter—”
“Cube is changing course—zero two one mark four—”
“—sixteen others have been—”
“WE WILL ADD YOUR BIOLOGICAL AND TECHNICAL DISTINCTIVENESS TO OUR OWN …”
“Repeat! We need more ships!”
“Captain, report immediately—”
“YOUR CULTURE WILL ADAPT TO SERVE US …”
“—ninety-six dead—”
“—auxiliary warp drive—”
“Flagship to Starfleet Command! We need reinforcements!”
“Twenty-two wounded on the flagship—”
“… warp core … breach!”
“RESISTENCE IS FUTILE.”
The terrible mechanical voice crackled across Picard’s skin. He knew that tinny