| Released July 8th 2008
Abyss of Oblivion by Missbevcrusher Rated [R] Standard Disclaimer: Paramount owns them. I�m just borrowing. No infringement is intended. This AU story is set a little over a year and a half after the commission of the Enterprise-E. The events in First Contact did not take place. Prologue The strong lines of the majestic Sovereign-class starship glided through the black ink of space, the purplish swirls of the Arandii Nebula in the backdrop. Although its name was the same, the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-E was unlike its predecessor in many ways. She�d been conceived and built during a time of war. Therefore, her character was undoubtedly very different from the colony-like feel of the now destroyed D. �Do you miss her sometimes?� Captain Jean-Luc Picard looked up from the cup of Earl Grey he�d been holding and paused before answering. �I�d be lying if I said I didn�t. But then again, it might be that I�m missing what now seems like a simpler time.� Doctor Beverly Crusher sat in the chair directly across from his, the desk of his ready-room between them. �I know what you mean.� Her tone was even, but serious. �We�ve seen so much death, haven�t we?� �The loss of one person during war is, in my opinion, one loss too many.� A silence of understanding filled the next moments. This was a perilous time in the Federation and each dealt in his or her own way. But for the two seasoned officers who now sat together, this little ritual of tea and conversation was nothing short of their saving grace. Picard didn�t let anyone into the private sanctuary of his thoughts, except perhaps the woman who now sat before him. In her blue eyes, he often found solace. If only she knew that. In retrospect, perhaps she did. After all, there had always been an unexplored dimension to their relationship. A layer buried beneath twenty-six years of friendship and almost just as many of not-so-secret longing for one another. But they were friends. Perhaps, it was all that truly mattered. They were each other�s anchors when the seas proved to be too much. They needed each other. �Are there any encouraging signs from the front lines?� Beverly asked, breaking the silence. �Not since we were there last, no.� There was a definite heaviness in the air as he said it. �When are we going back?� �As soon as we conclude our upcoming negotiations with the Precerans.� He set his teacup down. �I�d say within three weeks or so.� Beverly nodded. Three weeks of respite from dealing with a regular inflow of wounded would be a welcome change for her staff. But as a commander, she couldn�t help but think about all those who still fought on a daily basis. The burden of war was something that everyone in the Federation carried at the moment, regardless if they were fighting or not. �It�s late.� The doctor got up. �I should go.� A small, sad smile pulled at a corner of his mouth. Perhaps one day. Once everything had settled down� Maybe then, she wouldn�t have to leave every night. �Good night.� Picard looked at the surface of his desk, but then he thought he heard a whisper. When he glanced up, all he saw was her figure as she retreated behind the doors that led to the bridge. This is getting to be too much for you, isn�t it old man? You�re imagining things. He turned his chair so that he could look out at the stars. He�d found such wonder in them once. Nowadays, it seemed they were fraught with threats from all around. When will it end? The captain wasn�t sure if he really wanted to know the answer to that question. * * * * In the tranquil sanctuary of his quarters, Picard lay on his side waiting for sleep to carry him away to what he hoped would be a better place, one with no worries of war, no worries of death. The hope of sheltered dreams filled him as he relaxed every muscle in his body against the firm, yet comfortable, mattress. As he shifted once again to find a more comfortable position, the captain became aware of the vastness of his bed. It was something that shouldn�t have bothered him, for he�d slept alone for the larger part of his life. He�d always been a solitary man who had put his career above any other consideration. But as the years went by, and as his unspoken love for his best friend grew, the more it was getting to him. So not unlike countless nights before, thoughts of Beverly filled him as he sunk deeper and deeper into the mysterious unknown of one�s sleeping mind. � At first, there were glimpses of red on taupe, nothing but a myriad of swirled hues. Out of the confusing imagery came a delightful sound. A soft giggled laughter. �What�s the matter?� It was the echo of a voice he couldn�t mistake for any other. The distorted colors came into focus in the image of his chief medical officer looking up at him, her red hair fanned out on the sheets below her head. Her eyes glimmered and she blinked almost in slow-motion. �Don�t you want to kiss me?� Just as he would if given the chance in real life, he leaned down to brush his lips against hers. Beneath him, her body molded perfectly against his. She felt so warm, so inviting. �Make love to me.� Her whispers fluttered against his ear as would a soft feather and he kissed the side of her neck. When he looked at her perfect face, he could see the intensity of love and desire as brightly as the sun shone. Slowly, Beverly bit her lower lip and pulled him back down so that she could surrender to his passionate kisses once more. Gently, he rolled over so that she would rest on top of him. When her hair fell to tickle his shoulder, she smiled. �I love you, Jean-Luc.� �I love you, too.� He brushed his hand against the fair skin of her bare shoulders and then proceeded to pull her closer against him. And so he kissed her again. �And again. A soft sigh escaped and he felt her melt against him even more. But all of a sudden, the doctor stiffened in his embraced. �Beverly� is everything alright?� Concerned, he gently pushed her up away from him so that he could look at her. His blood ran cold as soon as his eyes fixed on hers. Gone were the sparkling sapphires. Instead, there was a colorless, emotionless stare. And her skin� it was void of all warmth, the ivory shade replaced by a slate gray. Beverly twitched her head sideways and when she spoke, gone was the warm tone he�d always known her to have. �We are Borg� Locutus�� � Picard tossed and turned in anguish before he was finally jolted awake by the horrific nightmare. He sat up as quickly as he could and wiped his brow of the small beads of perspiration that speckled it. It had been a while since he�d dreamed of them. But none of his other dreams had been as horrific as this one had been. He tried as best he could to get his rational mind to calm his fears. It was a simple nightmare� Don�t let it get to you. But was it? Soon enough, he got the answer he was looking for in the way of unintelligible whispers that snaked in on him. Not again� * * * * Chapter 1 Dr. Crusher adjusted her black and grey uniform. Just like the Enterprise, even their attire seemed more severe than in years past. The only touch of color it had was in the blue on the collar and on the edges of the sleeves. She lightly passed her fingers through her bangs and thought it was ironic how she�d even changed her hair color recently. Instead of the red she�d sported for so many years, her locks were now on the blonder side. At first, she hadn�t been sure about the new shade, but she was now used to it and found she liked it. The night prior, she�d fallen asleep while writing in her journal. It was something she�d started doing shortly after the death of her grandmother. And as she went to leave her room, the doctor turned and headed toward her nightstand. For a second, Beverly contemplated the last words she�d written. Then she reached down and closed the journal, which had been lying open since the night before. �Riker to Doctor Crusher.� �Crusher here.� �The captain has requested an emergency meeting. He wants us all in the observation lounge in the next fifteen minutes.� �Understood. I�m on my way.� Beverly�s hunch was that this newest emergency situation no doubt had something to do with those damned Jem�Hadar. As a physician, Beverly always tried to see each and every species she encountered through the sympathetic eye of a healer. But as more time passed in this bloody war, her view of the Jem�Hadar became nothing but a blurry mix of sympathy and anger. It wasn�t easy staying compassionate when faced with such threats and death. * * * * The senior staff filed in the observation lounge one by one. At the head of the table sat the captain, his face drawn in uncertainty. Promptly, each took his or her customary seat. To the captain�s right was Riker and in subsequent counter clock-wise order were Data, Troi, LaForge and finally Crusher, who was to his left. �Thank you for coming on such short notice.� �Of course, Sir.� Riker looked puzzled. There had been no sign of unusual activity or any incoming communications from Starfleet in the past few days. �What�s all this about?� The captain hesitated before finally saying, �The Borg,� Silence. Riker frowned. �The Borg? There hasn�t been a sign of them since our last encounter at Ohniaka III outpost.� Everyone remembered that encounter quite well. During that mission, the crew had been lured to an alien facility where they had been ambushed by a group of renegade Borg led by none other than Lore, Data�s brother. �What makes you think they are back, Sir?� asked Data. �Because I hear them� it started last night. At first I thought I was imagining things, but then I realized I wasn�t.� Picard looked at each of his stunned officers and finally rested his gaze upon Beverly�s. Despite her professional demeanor, he could clearly see the terror in her eyes. �And unlike the last time we saw them, they now sound organized, just as they were before the incident with Hugh.� �Should we alter our present heading?� asked Riker. �No, not until we get more facts. I have no idea why I�m suddenly hearing them or where they might be. But I do want us to proceed on yellow alert.� The captain looked to the android. �Mister Data, please scan the entire area for anything unusual, no matter how small.� �Yes, sir.� �In the meantime, I will contact Starfleet and let them know of what�s happened. Once we�ve established a course of action, we will reconvene.� Picard paused. �Dismissed.� A somber mood now fully entrenched, all the officers started to file out of the observation lounge, except for the captain and his chief medical officer. Only once they were alone did Beverly finally speak. �Are you alright?� Picard turned to her, his eyes revealing just how much pain came with the memory of the Borg� of his time spent among them as Locutus. And the vision of her in his dream still sent cold shivers down his spine. But he would not tell her that of course. �I�m fine.� He was putting up a brave front. Whether it was for her benefit or his, Beverly was uncertain. Carefully and not without hesitation, the doctor said what her position required of her. �I hate to ask this� but I have to�� �Could this all be in my head?� he finally asked for her. Slowly, Beverly nodded. �Believe me, I�ve asked myself that very question a thousand times in the past several hours. And I�ve even found myself hoping that that is the case.� �So you truly believe they�re back.� �I do, yes.� The moment hung there. �But I understand how Starfleet will probably wonder the same thing. And so before I get in touch with them, I will volunteer for an examination in sickbay.� Beverly was grateful that he understood. But as much as she hoped that there would be a treatable medical explanation for what he was experiencing, she knew in her gut that he wasn�t imagining things. * * * * It was a long, somber walk to sickbay for both the captain and the doctor. Crusher wasted no time in running a full battery of tests on Picard. The whole time, she remained overly quiet, her emotions tucked away beneath her focused expression. As for Picard, he simply stared at her as she worked. Around a corner came Nurse Ogawa, one of Beverly�s longtime colleagues from the old days on the D. �Here are the latest test results, Doctor.� �Thanks, Alyssa.� Crusher took the padd and went over what it said. Just to make sure, she read it twice. Finally, she approached the captain and gazed at him with a look laced with sad confirmation. �I can detect no medical reasons for what you�re experiencing, Captain.� Of course, he�d known it all along, but having his worst fears come to life once again was a truly daunting thing. But amidst his inner turmoil, his concern turned to his friend whose stare was now lost. �Beverly?� He put his hand on the side of her arm. �It�s going to be alright.� �I know.� She only wished she could believe in her own words. * * * * Picard strode onto the bridge and tucked at the base of his tunic. �Status report, Number One.� �We haven�t detected anything unusual so far, Captain. But we�ll keep looking.� Jean-Luc stared at the viewscreen and spoke softly, if to himself or to Will, it didn�t matter. �They�re out there. I know it.� The view displayed before them was anything but threatening, yet somewhere out there were the Borg. Out in the cold depths, they hid while waiting for their time to strike once again. For if there was one thing the Borg were known for, it was their relentless pursuit of total assimilation and domination. �Locutus� That voice� it was terrifyingly familiar, yet for some reason Picard could not put a face to it. It did not sound like the usual cacophony of the Borg collective. Its feminine, lascivious intonation sent a shiver of repulsion throughout his entire being. With all his might, the captain tried to push the offensive voice out of the recesses of his mind. �I�ll be in my ready-room. You have the bridge, Number One.� With forceful steps, Picard disappeared behind the doors of his private sanctuary. Although when it came to the Borg, he would not be able to find refuge anywhere. Not while they still had a pull on his mind. * * * * �But we haven�t had any reports of Borg activity in the past few years. If they were back, I�m sure there would have been some intelligence to support it.� Admiral Worthington�s features were filled with skepticism as he spoke to Picard over subspace. �I know the Borg more than anyone, and I can assure you, when they want to stay low, they can make themselves quite scarce. By the time they decide to finally show themselves, it could be too late.� �Even if they really are back, with no specifics, how do you expect us to respond accordingly? All you have to go on are a series of voices that you heard in your mind.� The admiral leaned forward and tried to look sympathetic. �Look, I wish I could help you. But with the war, our resources are already stretched to their limits. We can�t divert anyone to look into this at the moment, including the Enterprise. The Federation needs all the allies it can get and the Precerans could be just that. So unless anything concrete comes up, I�m afraid we can�t do anything right now. I�m sorry, Captain.� With that, Worthington severed communications. �Merde.� * * * * �So unless we can come up with anything conclusive, Starfleet will not authorize a delay in our present orders.� Picard wasn�t pleased, but for the sake of his position, tried to downplay his emotions as much as he could. Riker shook his head. �But if the Borg are back, a delay could prove disastrous.� �I fully agree, Number One. But for now, we will follow orders and proceed to Precera. However, I do not want us to abandon our own investigation. Use everything at your disposal to try and find the underlying cause of this mystery. The fate of the Federation may very well depend on it.� �Captain, if I may,� LaForge spoke up for the first time. �Don�t the Borg use variant harmonic frequency to transmit instructions from the hive mind?� �Yes, they do.� �Well, if we modify our sensor array to detect subtle changes within the naturally occurring harmonics in this system�s, perhaps that could point us their way.� �Excellent idea, Mister LaForge.� Picard nodded. �I want both you and Mister Data to get on that right away. As for the rest of you, stay on your guard for anything out of the ordinary. Dismissed.� * * * * With each hour that passed, it seemed the chorus was getting louder and more invasive. He hadn�t heard the female voice since that one time on the bridge. But somehow that wasn�t reassuring. Alone in his quarters, Picard waited. For what exactly, he wished he knew. Either it would be a clue that would tip the odds ever so slightly in their favor, or it would be horrible confirmation that they were already too late. The chime sounded, but that did little to quell what he was feeling. �Come.� The doors parted and in walked Beverly. Silently, she made her way over to the sitting area and sat beside him on the couch. �Couldn�t sleep?� asked the captain. �Not really, no.� She put her hand on his shoulder. �I just had to see how you were holding up.� �Deanna was just here asking the same thing� I just hate all this waiting around.� �I know.� With a simple look, they conveyed just how much they needed one another. Like so many unspoken emotions, the understanding was there. �You can still hear our song� Picard tensed noticeably at the invading female voice. He frowned and closed his eyes. �Jean-Luc, what is it?� �Can�t you, Locutus� �It�s them, isn�t it? Jean-Luc, look at me.� The captain opened his eyes and tried to focus on hers. �Deny it all you will� �Don�t listen to them. Listen to me. Focus on my voice.� Beverly spoke softly, but there was a pleading quality to her words. �You are still one of us� In his mind, Picard could see the all too familiar scene that had haunted him all these years. The way he�d stood helpless as his knowledge served to annihilate so many ships, so many lives at Wolf 859. He�d been turned into a weapon of mass destruction and had been powerless to stop it. �Jean-Luc,� Beverly�s voice broke through the layers of horror with even more forcefulness now. �Please. Locutus doesn�t exist anymore.� With the doctor�s pleas, Jean-Luc slowly started to regain some semblance of control over his mind. I am not one of them. I will never be one of them. �Never again.� He�d spoken in a low voice that was fraught with determined rage. With closed fists, he shut his eyes again. That monster is gone for good. And after a deafening crescendo, everything was quiet again. When he opened his eyes, all Jean-Luc could see were Beverly�s. The terror mirrored in them as a single tear fell on her cheek. In that moment of utter vulnerability, his captain�s mask shattered and his voice came out shaky. �I was so weak back then� I couldn�t stop them�� Slowly, Beverly leaned forward and held him. Her face mere inches from his, she whispered, �Nobody would have been able to� Believe me.� The feel of her, the compassion, the warmth, all of it served to remind him of his humanity. No, he was not Borg. Crusher felt helpless seeing him like this. Damn them all to hell for what they did to you� at that moment, she could still remember how she�d felt when she�d first seen him as that thing on the Borg cube. Her first instinct had been to go to him, but luckily Data had stopped her. She might have died if he hadn�t. And that stare� it was so lifeless, so cold� But in the very far reaches of his mind, she knew her Jean-Luc was still there, violated and terrified. * * * * �Lemon tea.� In her white nightgown, Beverly waited by the replicator for her drink to materialize. The doctor contemplated the stars outside the viewports lining the wall of her living area while standing in the subdued lighting of her quarters. Somewhere out there, were the creatures who stalked her best friend, the creatures that were continuing to take more from a man who�d already lost too much. She�d spent the past two hours with him following that terrifying incident in his quarters. Only after he�d assured her several times that he would be alright did she agree to leave. Hell, she would have stayed with him all night if she could. But Jean-Luc was such a proud man. He�d probably never ask her to stay and help him if his life depended on it. Beverly took her tea to her bedroom where she sat beneath the warm covers. For a while, she just sipped at it from time to time, her thoughts a million miles away� or rather just a short distance away where Jean-Luc undoubtedly lay awake as well. As she gazed at the vacant pillow next to hers, the doctor sighed. How often had she imagined him being there next to her? She�d lost count many, many years ago. Closing her eyes, she brought to mind the wonderful scent of his cologne, the deep timbre of his voice, the feel of his arms around her. If one word could describe what she felt at the instant, it would be longing� pure and simple. Reluctantly, she tried to shake off those thoughts that seemed to linger more and more as of late. Beverly set her cup carefully down on the nightstand and picked up her journal. If she couldn�t express what she felt to him in person she would do so in the private pages of her written thoughts. * * * * Since it was now the night cycle, the lights on the bridge were dimmed slightly. On a station situated at the very back of the bridge, two officers were still hard at work trying to solve this mystery. �Let�s see what we have here.� LaForge went over the readouts with the help of his new ocular implants, which were much less cumbersome than his old visor. Slowly, he nodded. �Okay� if these readings are correct, the local harmonic frequencies should be at about two hundred, but if we scan near to that star system, there�s a three hundred percent spike.� �Intriguing,� Data said from the seat next to the chief engineer�s. �If we focus in on the area, perhaps we will be able to detect the presence of a Borg ship.� �Let�s hope so� or then again perhaps hope isn�t the right word to use here.� A few seconds passed. �Geordi?� �What is it, Data?� �The last time we encountered the Borg, they were very much in disarray. How do you suppose they managed to reorganize themselves?� �Probably it was their ability to adapt and evolve. They remind me of parasites who just refuse to die.� LaForge shook his head. �Who knows really, but one thing is certain. If they�re back, stronger than ever, we�re in trouble.� With his emotion chip in place, Data felt the same sense of anxiety his friend did. Luckily for him though, he could turn off his emotions whenever he felt like it. Another few minutes passed as the two officers worked with the sensor array. �Ooh, wait a minute.� LaForge leaned forward in his chair. �What is that?� Data seemed baffled. �I do not know.� �We should let the captain know about this.� He tapped his combadge. �Commander LaForge to Captain Picard.� �Picard here.� �Sir, Data and I have just detected some unusual readings. Although it�s nothing conclusive, you�ll probably want to take a look at these.� �I�m on my way. Picard out.� * * * * The captain didn�t waste any time to get to the bridge. Neither did Commander Riker, who showed up mere seconds after Picard. �Report.� Data was still entering commands on his console at his usual furious pace. �We have detected unusual readings in the fabric of space about four hundred thousand kilometers away. There seems to be extreme fluctuations in both harmonic frequencies as well as astrophysical properties which should not be possible.� Picard leaned forward to look at the readouts, while in his mind the all too familiar Borg awareness started once again to slither its way through. �They�re here.� He straightened. �Mister Data, send out a probe. I want to know more about what we�re dealing with here.� �Aye, Sir.� �On screen.� The captain watched as the small probe hurled itself toward the mysterious area of space. You won�t be able to hide in the shadows for much longer� And this time, we will not be caught off guard� �Captain.� Data cocked his head to the side and frowned. �The probe is now transmitting visual information.� �Let�s see it.� With a few taps, the placid starscape on the main viewscreen changed to a bone-chilling sight. Although they had expected it, nobody was quite prepared. The vast and intricate jumble of sophisticated conduits that filled the screen was only but a small portion of the gigantic cube. As a man who knew firsthand the awesome power of destruction of just one of these death machines, Picard couldn�t help but shudder inwardly. In fact, he felt sick to his stomach. The deafening silence that fell on the bridge confirmed what exactly they were up against. Without tearing his eyes off the viewscreen, the captain spoke, �Red alert. Get me Starfleet on a priority one channel.� �Aye, Sir.� You wanted intelligence, Jean-Luc? Well, you got it, Picard remonstrated himself. Then, a thought invaded him. Resistance is Futile� Locutus. * * * * Early the next morning, the entire senior staff once again assembled in the observation lounge. They desperately needed to figure out how to approach the situation before the Borg pounced. The crew had seldom seen their captain with such a grave expression. �I have a feeling they�ve been out there watching us� stalking us� for a while now. In fact, probably since long before I started hearing them.� Riker frowned. �Why would they be interested in us? We�re just one ship.� �I think the reason is apparent� They�re after me, or rather, Locutus.� �That�s a change in tactic.� �The Borg can adapt, Number One.� Picard pursed his lips. �There�s definitely something different about them now. I can�t quite put my finger on it, but there seems to be one voice in particular that stands out in my mind. When it speaks to me, I can almost smell the scent of vengeance. Counselor, do you sense anything out there?� Deanna paused as she probed with her empathic mind. Her eyes narrowed as she tried to identify what she was feeling. �I usually don�t sense the Borg in the same way I do others. There�s no sense of life� the closest I could describe it is a sense of a collective entity. But far below that� I sense something else� It�s extremely difficult for me to read� It seems to have a mind of its own, highly intelligent� and there is a very faint sense of emotion there�� The Betazoid counselor seemed to struggle as she prodded deeper. �Anger, jealousy� and yes, definitely vengeance.� Beverly spoke for the first time, �So what do we do now?� There was a noticeable pause following that question. How did one correctly engage a Borg cube? Picard was the only one to respond. �Before we do anything, I want as much information on that cube as possible. They may very well have changed significantly since we last engaged one. And afterward� we�ll hail them.� �Shouldn�t we wait for the task force?� Riker�s voice sounded concerned. �It�s going to take them twenty-six hours to get here. If we stall for too long, we might never get the chance to make our move.� * * * * With the ominous timed pulses of the red alert lights shining intermittently across her worried features, Dr. Crusher started to make her way down the corridor toward sickbay. They needed to get ready for the worst and she was going to make damned sure they would be. When she finally walked through the doors of the medical hub of the ship, Beverly promptly started to bark out orders. Watching as her staff efficiently obeyed her every directive, the doctor couldn�t help but be proud of them, but at the same time knew that even her own very skilled and devoted crew could become quickly ineffective against a foe such as the Borg. And then her thoughts drifted to a more specific crewmember. The one she was most worried about. Jean-Luc� Crusher went to her office and punched in a few command codes to unlock some of her most sensitive research, one specific case being her findings following Picard�s assimilation. She�d spent countless hours reviewing all the data she�d gathered in the months after that fateful encounter. What the man had endured, both mentally and physically, had been on the brink of what was humanly survivable. The subsequent findings she�d made had been invaluable in starting to unravel the still mysterious process of assimilation. If the Borg ever came back, her hope was that her research could possibly help future victims. Now although she�d been able to restore the captain to his human self, Beverly knew that they�d been lucky. For relentless testing on replicated human tissue suggested that only a portion of patients could be de-assimilated. This isn�t even close to being enough� If only I had been able to come up with more� A soft knock at her door made the doctor look up. �Deanna.� �May I come in?� �Of course, have a seat.� The Betazoid sat down and contemplated her friend silently. �Is there anything I can do for you?� �I think I should be the one asking that question.� Beverly looked down momentarily. �I appreciate what you�re trying to do, Deanna, but�� �What you�re feeling is quite normal.� �Is it?� Crusher was surprised by her own sudden candor. �I�m just amazed at what the man can take. If I were in his shoes� being faced with them again� Well I shudder to think about what I�d do.� She took a shaky breath. �I mean, they took everything that he was.� Deanna knew Beverly had more to say, so she just listened. �The very first time I saw him as,� she swallowed and struggled to say the name, �Locutus� Do you know what my first thought was?� Troi shook her head. �Why did this have to happen to him?� She lowered her voice. �If I could have, I wouldn�t have thought twice about changing places with him. I would have done anything� to spare him from that hell.� Beverly blinked once, slowly. �He�s so tortured by it still.� �He is� but your friendship has helped him deal with it on so many levels� that I can assure you� Just continue to be there for the captain� And in the end, I�m certain it will be just as beneficial for you as it is for him.� �I hope you�re right. I really do.� continue to chapter 2 Library |