Lambs Before the Slaughter

“Acting captain’s log, supplemental; Colonel Nakencha reporting: According to Admiral Hanson and Lieutenant Commander Shelby the Borg cube will be within intercept range within a few hours.  I have received a field promotion to captain of the Ahwahnee so that Captain Mitchel and Commander Xindekar may take command of the Chekov and Kyushu.  As the senior ranking officer remaining aboard the Ahwahnee I am now in control of this vessel's fate.  I only hope that my stint in command excels beyond the reputation left by many marine commanders, Colonel West’s legacy still haunting many in Starfleet.

“My first orders as captain are to hold a position along the zenith axis and assault the cube from its ventral side.  Those are the orders passed down from Admiral Hanson; however I have just received additional orders from General Grant.  The Starfleet Marine Command wishes for me to collect data on the Borg’s response to a fleet assault.  Under no circumstances am I to allow the Ahwahnee to be lost.  All data collected must be transmitted back to Command for analysis, even at the expense of the crew.

Yellow alert klaxons flashing, Captain Nakencha sat uncomfortably in the center seat on the bridge of the Cheyenne-class USS Ahwahnee NCC-73260.  “Colonel, er I mean Captain.  I am receiving word from the fleet that the cube is now within sensor range.  Admiral Hanson has deployed the Melbourne, the Gage and Kyushu to assist the Saratoga in defending the front line.”

“Hold our position, Ensign Black.  I’m sure that Captain Mitchel and Commander Xindekar are capable of putting up a powerful offense.  However if required, our assistance is assured,” Shuzo lied.  S/he had read Captain Picard’s preliminary assessment of the Borg’s weaponry.  However incomplete the assessment was, Shuzo knew that the Borg posed a threat unlike any the Federation had ever faced.  Every inch of hir Axanarian upbringing told hir that refusing to come to the defense of one's domain is the worst form of cowardice.  S/he was no coward, yet this time s/he would have to stand by while others fought to protect the Federation.  By doing so s/he would be able to gather the much needed tactical information needed to repel the Borg.

Pressing the comm panel on hir armrest, Shuzo signaled the stellar cartography lab.  “Lieutenant Kentoshar, are you prepared to begin recording?”

“Yes sir,” came the voice over the comm system.

Shuzo enjoyed finally serving with another Axanar after all these decades.  The Axanar had become well known for their analytical abilities and it was extremely rare to find one serving in the field.  Kentoshar had proven to be excellent at analyzing data but preferred to analyze data that s/he himself had collected.  “Good to hear.  Begin recording now.  Mr. Rossetta, maximum power to sensors.  I would like you to feed all fleet data to Lieutenant Kentshar.”

“All of it sir, we would need to draw power off other systems to accomplish that.”

“Start with nonessential systems.  If that is not enough, pull it from life support.  Just make it happen without sacrificing the shields or propulsion.”

“What about weapons?” asked the bulky Bolian from the tactical station.

“Brax, in less than two minutes we will see how effective our weapons will be against that cube.  If my calculations are correct, we are poorly equipped to assault that thing.  It would be like brislarbs fighting a marthelix.”

“Forgive me Captain, a what fighting a what?”

“Insects to a giant,” answered the Vulcan science officer.  “Futile.”

Suddenly the viewscreen came alive.  The starscape was replaced with the dark interior of what could only be the Borg vessel, the being on the screen bearing a haunting resemblance to Shuzo’s former Stargazer commander.

Shuzo stared in horror as the twisted image of hir former captain spoke cold words.  “I am Locutus... of Borg.  Resistance... is futile.  Your life as it has been... is over.  From this time forward... you will service... us.”