The greatest joy a young officer of Starfleet can ever experience is to be given command of their first starship, a joy that the new Captain Randall Garret is about to receive. Expecting a small modest starship as a beginning point for an ambitious career, what Garret got instead was something he in his wildest dreams never hoped for. A mysterious prototype ship, technically known as the Prometheus class Refit �A�, and by its name�the USS Athena.
But there was more about the Athena than a sleek ship with the latest technology that lay claim to the fastest, most powerful starship of the Federation. The most advanced bioneural network and holoemitters lay basis to the GH1 or General Hologram One, her interface ego�a gorgeous hologram by the name of Athena.
What may be the greatest honor for a young officer may turn out to be in reality, his greatest curse. For the Athena is a living ship packing a beautiful hologram with an attitude.
As Garret tries to tame the beauty in the beast, he has to come to grips with Athena�s original dark purpose. Her creators---a secretive organization known as the Section�had planned Athena to be a stealth intruder weapon that could turn the tide in a secret undeclared war, a plan that turned haywire with Athena�s sentience and attitude problems.
It is not going to be an easy job being the captain of the USS Athena.
Previously on:
Star Trek Athena�The Secret Fleet (Revised Version)
Garret was introduced to the USS Athena, and with it, the Athena GH1 herself, all to his great surprise. A series of combat trials to test the Athena�s combat capabilities turned into a real test when the Romulan Tal Shi�ar decided to crash the party. In an unexpected meeting, Garret would discover the real and sinister purpose of why Athena was created.
Preview of Episode 2
A secret reconnaissance mission reveals a Borg invasion base. In it, lay a massive transwarp gate�the key to a massive Borg invasion from the Delta Quadrant. It is urgent that the Federation and allies must destroy the Gate as soon as possible, but the Section has other plans.
Notes:
There are numerous references to various Star Trek games including Star Trek Armada, Starfleet Command, and Dominion Wars.
References to the Borg Nexus, Transwarp Gate, Assembly Matrix, and other structures belong to ST: Armada.
Historical References:
The name "Hiryu" or Fire Dragon, is the name of one of the six carriers that attacked Pearl Harbor.
Chapter 1-3 to be posted one by one on this thread.
Missions assigned by the Secret Fleet Section had become increasingly dangerous, Captain Jonathan Hoesch thought. What he meant was relatively dangerous. Before it was just spying on the Romulan secret arms, or on Klingon renegade factions, or increased Orion pirate activity, or Jem�hadar secret bases. At least these were close to human, relatively the same level of technology as the Federation. He knew their weaknesses, and he knew their strengths.
But the race he was about to spy on was much different. They were called a force of nature. They possess no good, they know no evil�they are just a relentless, unstoppable force. They are the Borg.
How many suicide missions are they going to ask him to take? Jonathan thought. But at least, he�s undertaking this mission in style. From a New Orleans class frigate, he was given command of a new, state of the art ship. But it came with a price. The Section now owns his soul.
The ship was the USS Boise, a member of the new Aegis class of ships. The Aegis class was one of the variants based on the Intrepid hull, but it has an engineering hull with swept back pylons and warp nacelles more similar to a Sovereign class but on a smaller scale. It has been dubbed a �mini Sovereign� or the �bastard child� between an Intrepid and a Sovereign, criticisms and jokes that belie its dangerous missions as an early warning reconnaissance scout.
Basically, despite the nice sleek ship, it was a thankless job actually. Loaded with sensors, the ship can�t fight as well as a pure warship. But neither was the ship an explorer, given all sorts of interesting science related missions, testing the limits of physics or discovering ancient alien civilizations.
What basically the Boise does is to look for trouble. And when it finally finds trouble, the orders were to get the hell out of there as swiftly as possible. That�s what the sleek design and the powerful warp nacelles are for. It�s not there to intimidate the enemy and look like a cool warship. It was meant to run like a rabbit, not to stand on its ground.
Hoesch had rationalized this job of scan and run. Someone�s got to do it.
�Captain,� the Helm officer said. �We are approaching the designated sector.�
A short haired leggy blonde with the name of Doctor Helen Shiner stood next to him. She stared at the screen. �It�s there I know it. Captain. It�s there somewhere.�
�What the hell are you talking about? Doctor. What are we looking for?�
�Captain,� the Operations officer said. �We got a reading. We got Borg energy signatures.at the extreme range of our sensors.�
�And keep it that way, Lieutenant Saliik,� Hoesch ordered. The Boise�s one forte was its extreme scanner ranges. It could detect ships long before the other ship could detect it. For that reason, the ship was valuable tactically.
�Go to impulse,� Hoesch ordered. �And keep an eye out of any Borg ships in the area.� The last thing Hoesch wanted was to be assimilated. Just to see pictures of a Borg with all those strange things sticking out of looked�ugh�very painful.
�I wish we have cloaking in the ship,� Hoesch said.
�It�s useless against the Borg,� Shiner said. �Conventional cloak, phasing cloak, the Borg had already assimilated those technologies and have devised ways to counter them.�
�You act like you know the Borg very well, Doctor Shiner.�
�I do, Captain. I consider myself the top expert in the field after the loss of the Hansens. Are you familiar with Stealth procedures, Captain, they�re much more effective.�
Stealth means to minimize all radiation emanating and reflecting off the ship. �Everyone, we�re going into silent running now,� Hoesch ordered. �Minimal power signature, minimal active sensor signature, minimal heat signature.� The hum of the warp engines toned down to a dull low note. Even most of the lights in the bridge went off, dimming the bridge. The low light, however, increased the tension he felt.
�Captain, we got a reading,� the Operations officer said.
�Magnify on screen,� Hoesch ordered.
It was a peculiar structure, and it was followed by another structure. �Are they Borg?� Hoesch asked Shiner.
�You have not seen a Borg weapons platform before, haven�t you? That�s an energy cannon there, and a torpedo turret, Captain. If you see any of these, it means a Borg Nexus is nearby.�
�A Borg Nexus?� Hoesch asked.
�Yes, Captain,� Dr. Shiner said. �A Nexus. A Borg subspace communication center that links all Borg forces and bases in the sector. Call it the brain or central nervous system. If you got a Nexus, you got trouble. You got a major Borg infestation in the entire sector. It gets even worse if they got an Assembly Matrix nearby, and they usually are near a Nexus.�
�Assembly Matrix, Doctor? What the hell is that?�
�You don�t think the Cubes grow out of trees, do you, Captain?�
Hoesch looked at Shiner. �You seem to be taking this easy, Doctor. If there is such a Nexus and a Matrix, then it�s our duty to notify Starfleet, and they send the cavalry, blow everything up and kill every damn Borg in the sector.�
�Wait a minute, Captain. Be patient. It�s important to know what they�re up to. For months we have been monitoring the transwarp signatures in the area. They�re obviously doing something funny here, and we need to know about it.�
�What�s to know about the Borg? I say just blow them up!�
�Captain,� the Operations officer said. �We got more readings. We got sightings of more structures.�
�Bring them on screen,� Hoesch ordered.
The new structures were bigger, more imposing, and looked just plain ugly. �We got a Class 3 Assembly Matrix here. It only makes the smaller ships, such as the Class 1 Detector, the Class 2 Tetrahydron Interceptor, and the Class 3 Assimilator. The Cubes are built by larger matrices. Now you see there, that�s the Nexus.� She pointed to the ugliest one of them all.
There were more structures. Then suddenly the sight of one structure made her jaw drop. �Damn, EF-YOU-SEE-KAY!� She shouted.
�What the hell did you see?� Hoesch asked.
�I cannot believe it. See that thing there?� She pointed to a new structure.
With the sensors that far out, the new structure could only be faintly seen, but even with the distance, it must have been immense, so big, several Cubes could fit right inside the giant ring.
�What is that?� Hoesch asked.
�That what I want to find out exactly, Captain. But I already have my suspicions about it.�
�Go ahead and shoot, Doctor.�
�The Borg had been invading the Alpha quadrant piece by piece,� Shiner explained. �So far we have been able to contain these attacks because they have been attacking either one by one, or in small forces. Then we have seen a new phase in their strategy. The Borg had become increasingly specialized, building specialized structures, creating bases that serve as step boards for assimilation over an entire sector. They have become more organized, using smaller ships to strike and assimilate. The smaller ships were just as effective for assimilation, yet far more efficient in the use of resources and allow them to cover more space. But the smaller ships are smaller collectives. They do not have the same powerful plexis as the Cubes have that lets the minds of the drones to collectively link with other Borg ships.�
�So they created the Nexus. The Nexus acts like a central server for the entire network. With the Nexus, smaller more efficient Borg ships are possible, and yet the drones in the small ships remain linked to the Collective as effective as they are in the huge Cube ships. This brings a new stage with our confrontation with the Borg.�
�The data that Voyager collected from the Delta Quadrant has now indicated a bigger Borg threat, since they have apparently found the Borg home sector. Based on that data, they must have hundreds, if not thousands of Cubes, with populations by the billions. Even with massive losses incurred with their war against a new species called 8472, much of the Borg population and ship inventory remains intact.�
�8472? You mean there was a species that could lick the Borg in a straight fight? I want to see that,� Hoesch said.
�I won�t, Captain. They remain to be a potential threat unless we have clear diplomatic relations with them. But my point is Captain, the Borg home sector has Cubes and other ships by the thousands. Imagine if a major portion of that decides to invade Federation space. They would have been unstoppable.�
�The problem they face was that even with transwarp drive, it is still a relatively inefficient and slow means to travel to the Alpha Quadrant. That�s the reason why we have not seen a massive Borg invasion yet. But it can change with a transwarp gate.�
�A transwarp gate?� Hoesch asked.
�Call it a short cut across the space time continuum, Captain. If you imagine the continuum like a piece of cloth. Point A represents the location you�re coming from, and point B being the location where you�re going. Instead of moving from point A to B, you bend the fabric so that point A and B are exactly on top of each other. Then you puncture a hole right through them. Transportation is instantaneous.�
�If you have a gate on the Borg home sector, and a gate on the Alpha quadrant, the Borg can open a floodgate and get all those Cubes right in our backyard. We will just be steamrollered into complete assimilation. Resistance is futile takes on a new meaning.� Shiner had a weird smile when she said that. �Then I think we must go back and warn the Federation and every empire in the quadrant!� Hoesch said.
�Exactly, but not before we have gathered more data,� Shiner said. �How are the scans?� She asked the Operations officer.
�Not very well, I�m afraid at this distance, we can�t get much resolution, Doctor.�
�Do what you can, Lieutenant,� Shiner said.
�We�re picking up another reading here,� the Operations officer said. He had a face of concern.
�What is it? Lieutenant,� Hoesch asked.
�I think it�s a ship, Captain, a Borg ship,� the lieutenant said. Hoesch�s heart suddenly stopped at the mere mention of the word, �Borg ship�.
�Where is it going, Lieutenant?�
�I believe it�s heading to our position, Sir.�
Hoesch felt a hard lump rolling down his throat. �Doctor, we�re getting out of here, research finished or not, it�s time to say sayonara,� Hoesch said. �Red Alert, all to battle stations. Shields up, power to weapons, maximum power to engines. Random modulation on all phasers and torpedoes. Prepare to engage maximum warp on my mark.�
�We got the Borg ship on screen, Sir.� The Helm officer said.
�What is it, Doctor? It is not a Cube.� Hoesch said.
�No it�s not. It�s a Class 3 Tactical Sphere,� Shiner said. �Those things are a lot tougher than our encounters with the spheres of previous design. I think we better get out here quick.�
�You sure know a lot about the Borg, Doctor. I hope this is not your hobby.�
�Engage maximum warp. Load the rear tube with quantum torpedoes, maximum yield,� Hoesch ordered. The ship banked and turned around in an opposite direction from the incoming Sphere. There was a rising tone throughout the ship as the warp engines gained power. Alarms ran. The stars in the background flew into tiny spectral strips as the ship hit warp.
This is one of the fastest ships in the Galaxy, Hoesch thought. Let�s see how the Borg can outrun this baby.
�Warp 6....Warp 8...� His First officer counted. �Warp 9...9.3...9.5...9.7...9.9....entering maximum warp speed.� There was some vibration in the hull from the stresses.
�The Sphere is still closing in!� the Operations officer said.
�What are those things running on?� Hoesch shouted. �Send a mayday to Starfleet. Get help quick!�
The screens flashed as something took control. The pale corpse like faces of the Borg, strapped with unusual metallic things that grow and stay stuck on their skin, appeared on screen.
�Prepare for assimilation. We shall add your individual distinctions to our own. All resistance is futile.�
�Assimilate this!� Hoesch shouted, pressing a button on the tactical console. Three quantum torpedoes on maximum yield screamed out of the Boise�s rear.
There was one, two and finally three massive orange explosions. �We got direct hits, sir! All of them.�
�Yes!� Hoesch said, his fist raised in truimph.
�Sir, we got a reading. It�s the Borg sphere, sir. We�ve only reduced its shields. It�s still coming at us.�
�That thing just took the best we got and it wasn�t even scratched.� Hoesch had a sinking feeling. He hoped assimilation won�t hurt like the way it looked. No...he�s going to go down fighting even if the ship wasn�t an optimized warship. .
�Random modulation of all phasers and quantum torpedoes,� Hoesch ordered. �Turn ECM to the max. We need to confuse their sensors as to the modulation of our weapons.� He threw a phaser to Doctor Shiner. �I hope you�re good at using this when they start boarding us.�
The Boise turned around, phasers firing. The Sphere anticipated the modulation of the first few phaser shots, but some of the shots went through. A combination of quantum and photon torpedoes ran out from the forward tubes. Three torpedoes were blocked, but two got through. There were two explosions as the torpedoes managed to pierce through the Sphere�s chunky looking armor.
But the Sphere retaliated. Energy beams quickly stripped the Boise�s front shields, and then did the same to the rest of the ship�s shields. �Get us out of here!� Hoesch shouted as the ship shook and lunged at the hits.
�We can�t move! The Sphere got a holding beam against us!� The First Officer warned. �They�re trying to override our computer systems! Transporter signatures!�
Two Borg appeared on the bridge. One was immediately cut down by the security on bridge. But the second one adapted quickly. His portable force field rejected new phaser fire. He grabbed an attacking ensign on his neck and threw him into the panel like he was a lightweight piece of trash. He walked towards Hoesch, the laser beam from his right eye monocle targeting the Captain.
Suddenly there was the smoke, fire and the smell of burned flesh, as the phaser cut down the drone. There was Shiner standing, her phaser aimed at the fallen and dead drone. �I guess I got the modulation right,� she said.
There was a rain of torpodoes that slammed against the shields of the Sphere, and some got through. Two starships whizzed by, firing their phasers.
�The holding beam is gone, sir!�
�Engage now!� Hoesch commanded. The Boise zipped away as energy torpedoes whizzed towards where the Boise was just moments ago. �Damn the cavalry got here in time! Identify the ships.�
�The USS Hiryu, sir, Akira class, commanded by Captain Jacques Boussard. We�re getting a Section C classification.� The Operations Officer said. Boussard? Hmm, where did he heard that name before. He knew it had some notoriety but what?
�What�s the other ship, Lieutenant?�
�We�re getting a higher Section level requirement for identification.� The Operations Officer shook his head. �I can�t get heads and tails of it. The ship is a need to know basis, sir!�
�What the...?� Hoesch watched the screen as the second ship flashed by. He could not identify the ship. All he saw was an aggressive looking ship with a triangular shaped hull and what seemed to be an unusual number of four warp nacelles.
Dr. Shiner smiled as she saw the ship. �I think I know that ship. I know that ship very well. It is the USS Athena, Prometheus Refit A class, or simply better yet, Athena class.�
�A prototype?� Hoesch asked.
�Yes, she�s even more heavily armed than that Akira, probably faster than this vessel, packs enough secret technologies that she can get away with murder,� Shiner said. �She�s also a Section Security Class D, which means you will positively deny about her existence when questioned. Is that clear?�
�Yes, M�am.� Hoesch replied. �You seem to know everything, Doctor, especially for something that requires a higher security level than what my data banks can access. Who are you really?�
�Modesty aside, I know a lot more than you think, Captain. I am quite intimate with my knowledge about that secret ship. As for knowing more about me, well, that�s on a need to know basis. If you should know more, I�m afraid I have to kill you...� She smiled teasingly.
* * *
�T�pak, can you give me more information of the ship we�re saving?� Garret asked.
�Yes, sir. USS Boise, one of the few ships that belong to the Aegis class, an experimental Intrepid variant modified as an early warning recon vessel, sir.�
�Who must have gotten into a pile of something that must have deeply pissed the Borg off,� Athena said.
An energy beam lashed out from the Sphere, engulfed and then dissipated across Athena�s shields.
�Hey that smarts!� Athena shouted. �Hey take that!� Multiple phasers lashed out with varying modulation, followed by pulse phasers that raked the Sphere. The Sphere could only anticipate the initial volleys, but even its shields were quickly stripped down by the remaining fire. Several phasers scored direct hits but the Sphere�s chunky armor handily withstood them.
Screens flashed, and the corpse like face of a drone stared at them.
�Your resistance is ultimately futile. We will add your individual uniqueness to the Collective. We will add your technological richness to the Collective. We will add your cultural diversity to the Collective. Your ship shall serve the Borg. You all shall serve the Borg.�
The ship shook as hits were registered against the shields. �Shields down to eighty percent,� Ka�nal said.
�Nasty!� Athena said.
�The USS Hiryu is coming on another firing pass. Several torpedoes are fired. Some hit. Some damage but negligible. The Sphere is retaliating,� Athena said. �Those energy beams are pretty strong.�
�It seems everytime the Sphere is getting hit, it fixes itself.� T�pak said. �It has a fantastic rate of regeneration. None of its critical systems remain seriously damaged long.�
�The Borg ship had redundant systems one after another,� Drudge said. �If you damaged a system, the other takes over as the drones quickly repair the damaged system.�
�We can still finish it off,� Ka�nal said. �If we can disable plexis nodes, we can cut off the drones from the rest of the Collective. That will affect their regeneration rate as it drive them nuts.�
�The USS Hiryu is taking successive hits sir,� T�pak said. �She�s withdrawing. The Boise is also withdrawing. Both seems to have suffered considerable damage. But the Borg sphere is pursuing. Your orders sir.�
�Ka�nal, you have an interesting strategy. T�pak, can you quickly identify the plexis nodes aboard that ship?� Garret requested. �Hurry.�
�It is difficult sir, but I have some assumptions given the layout of certain main conduits,� T�pak said. �Coordinates are being entered into the firing computer.�
�Fire now!� Garret ordered. Quantum torpedoes screamed from their tubes as beams lashed out from the phaser strips. Then multiple streams of pulse phaser flew out from the cannon ports, heading in a deadly trail towards the Sphere.
Even as the Tactical Sphere regenerated, it had no time to regenerate its shields and generators soon enough. Its sensors anticipated the proper frequency of the incoming quantum torpedoes, but it could never generate enough shield power to stop them anyway even with the right harmonics. The two torpedoes exploded against the shields, but four went through, detonating deep wthin the Sphere�s innards. The phaser fire ripped deeply on the coordinates set by T�pak.
�It looks like we got the plexis nodes. Subspace links to the Collective are degenerating,� Athena said. �I gather there should be a Nexus here not far. That Sphere does not have long range plexis. That Sphere cannot regenerate anymore.�
�The Sphere is heavily damaged, or I should say, mortally wounded. It has lost shields, weapons, and propulsion. Shall we finish it off? Well Captain?� Drudge asked, sensing a sense of indecisiveness with Garret.
The ship is helpless, Garret thought. Even if they�re Borg, he felt it wasn�t right to finish off a defeated enemy. Should he let them go away, or should he finish them off? The Sphere was no longer a threat. For the Borg, losing the sphere is losing a drop in a pond for them. For him however, he knew he fired upon a helpless defeated enemy. What the heck, they don�t deserve to live. They�re Borg. They deserve to die. But on second thought...
Garret was still debating in his thoughts, when a stream of torpedoes flew and finished off the Sphere. The Tactical Sphere lit up and blew into a million smithereens.
�Athena? Did you fire that?� Garret asked in a demanding voice.
�No, no, that wasn�t me. Those torpedoes were from the USS Hiryu, the Akira class vessel that was with us.�
�What kind of ass would do such a thing?� Garret asked.
�It was Borg and even now, nobody really likes them in this sector. I believe the culprit was the captain of USS Hiryu, a Jacques Boussard,� Ka�nal said.
�Even if they�re Borg,....sigh....Boussard eh? Sounds familiar,� Garret said.
�He should be, he was court martialed for firing at Cardassian civilian and refugee ships at the Dominion Wars,� T�pak explained. �He was in command of the USS Kedgewick, a New Orleans class starship.� �That sounds like a bloodthirsty guy,� Garret said. �But why is he back commanding a starship, and an Akira class too?�
�You mean an Akira refit,� T�pak explained. �The Hiryu had been enhanced with ablative armor, quantum torpedoes, Type X phaser strips and so on. It�s a bit stronger than the typical Akira class ship. I�ve scanned the ship.�
�Let me see, he was court martialed for killing civilians, and now he�s in command of an even more powerful starship?� Garret figured. �That�s like giving a serial killer a rapid fire phaser rifle.�
�It would all make sense if Boussard, like the USS Hiryu, were all Section. The Boise and the Aegis class scouts were all Section. We�re all Section here,� Ka�nal explained. �Being aggressive, blood thirsty and basically just having no morals proved to be something the Section can use.�
�Hey, not there, please, sensitive part, you know....�
�Mmmm... you�re a pretty thing, aren�t you?�
Ka�nal wallowed in the steam pools of Resk�nash, fabled in its healing and pleasure properties in all of Orion Sigma IV, one of the planets in the Orion star system. With him are girls, lots of girls, in thin swimsuits and bikinis. There were sleek Orion girls, known throughout the Quadrant for their green sensuality, their hair twinkling in stardust. There were the impish Andorian girls, whose blue are as vibrant as their spirits, furry tipped antennae rising out of their short silver blonde hairs. Blue and green, blue and green. And he was the only virile male in the pool.
Ahh..yes...
�So Ka�nal, how is this going?� A girl�s voice asked.
�Wonderful...just wonderful...�
There was this Andorian girl, skin blue as sapphire, wearing only a bikini, watching him, grinning as he played and teased with the other girls, squirming his body between theirs. She had short silver hair, and two cute antenna sprang out from her head. She smiled teasingly as she swam closely to him.
�Do I know you?� Ka�nal asked the girl.
�Well, Ka�nal, what do you think? Is it really good?� She asked.
Ka�nal was a bit stimulated with the pleasures of the skin, and the steam hazed his vision a little. There was something familiar this girl though. He can�t seem to make it... Her face if it were... There�s that grin. That grin...
�ATHENA-AH!� Ka�nal screamed. �Computer end program!�
Garret was outside in the halls, when he saw Ka�nal stormed out of the holodeck. Garret never saw the Orion this mad before. Ka�nal was nearly naked with only a towel around his hips, a sight that caused some embarrassment to the female crew walking by.
�Where can a person get some privacy around here? If you don�t all mind, I�m going to use the holodeck in the shipyard...� Ka�nal shouted as he stomped back to his room.
Drudge was there coincidentally. �If you don�t mind, I like to use the holodeck myself,� the Gorn said. �Yess!�
There was a pretty Andorian girl running after Ka�nal with just a bikini. If the skin color was different, her hair back to a regular blonde, take out the antenna... Oh no, Garret thought.
�ATHE-NUUH!� Garret shouted. How many times he had to shout her name? He coughed, knowing he�s close to getting laryngitis. With Athena also playing EMH in the medical quarters, he would rather visit the medical facilities in the Taciticus shipyard to tend to his harsh vocal cords.
The Athena is parked outside of the shipyard, along side the Boise and the Hiryu, undergoing some maintenance, while parts of the crew are on leave. Even with this short vacation, there is no respite from the poltergeist of Athena.
�Yes, Captain,� said the impish sapphire blue girl with an innocent smile.
�You know what I mean, Athena! How many times do I have to remind you to respect people�s privacy?�
�A million times, I suppose,� she answered timidly. �But I�m bored, and he seemed to be having fun. I thought you know, we should all bond together, have a little fun between friends.�
At that moment, Drudge walked by, wearing a primitive costume on top of his massive Gorn body. He carried this big sword. �Excuse me, Captain, Athena, but I have some Romulans to slaughter.� Drudge entered the same holodeck Ka�nal was using before.
�Now Drudge there, he�s got a boring fantasy. He�s out to rescue this lizard princess captured by evil Romulan people, and then he would hack and slash a hundred of those pointy ears to get to her.� Athena shook her head.
�You�re trying to distract away from the question, Athena,� Garret sternly asked. �What were you doing in Ka�nal�s holodeck fantasy program? Do you know any better? Do you know that he may be in heat and may wish to conduct acts of sexual reproduction?�
�Is there anything wrong to watch an Orion mating ritual? That would be fascinating from a scientific point of view,� Athena said. �I think he should get a life and with it, a real Orion slave girl.�
�I�m not sure if I�m getting to you, Athena,� Garret sighed. �How can I impress you with concepts like privacy, to respect people, to give them their personal space, to impress to you that people are not your science projects? He certainly do not want to mate with you or have you watching him mate!�
Garret�s communicator came alive. He sighed as he clicked his communicator. �What is it this time?� he asked with a dull voice.
�Sir, the Captain of the USS Boise wants to speak to you from the bridge.�
�Tell him I�m coming,� Garret said. He stared at Athena. �I still want to talk to you after you get rid of your blue fairy costume.�
On the bridge, Captain Jonathan Hoesch�s face was on screen. �Captain Garret, I wish to thank you for the save the other day. If it weren�t for you and the Hiryu, we would all be moon walking in a Borg cube right now.�
�That�s nothing. We�re just doing our jobs. Why are the Borg chasing you? What did you do to piss them off?�
�Captain Garret, it is sort like having discovered the hornet�s nest. I am not authorized to tell you details about it now, but we have a Doctor Helen Shiner who says she�s coming on board your ship. Says she knows about great deal about your secret vessel. Doctor Shiner knows a lot about the Borg and shall brief you.�
�Doctor Shiner? I am not familiar with the name.�
�It�s not important, Captain Garret. I assume she had been working in secret matters. You�ll be meeting her soon anyway. And one more thing, Captain, do you have a woman, a crew member named Athena there?�
�Well, yes...Captain Hoesch...how do you know about her? Did she do anything?�
�In the past few hours Captain, this woman just happened to be named Athena like your ship�if that�s her real name---had been particularly bugging our EMH 3 on the Boise. It looks like she�s trying to persistently chat with him in all sorts of idle conversation, sometimes asking a lot about the ship, but mostly completely idle chit-chat. I am afraid that our EMH has a better things to do than just socializing with the female members of your ship. The attention was first brought to me by my Operations officer, and I wish you can handle that matter before the efficiency of our EMH becomes badly compromised.�
�I will take care of that immediately, Captain Hoesch. You can be assured of that.�
�It is truly nice meeting you. I hope one day I can repay you for the save you made. Captain Hoesch out.�
�ATHE-NUUH!� Garret had to shout again. This is not helping his laryngitis. He turned around and saw that she was on the bridge, this time looking normal instead of being an Andorian sex object.
�There you are!� Garret shouted. �What the hell are you trying to do with the Boise�s EMH? You may be interfering with his functions, and that can affect his performance with his patients. You know you could be responsible if something goes wrong? And who do you think Star Fleet will blame that on? Its MOI!�
�Hold on Captain, what are you talking about?� she said.
�I�m talking about the incident with the Boise EMH, and a while ago, with Ka�nal�s fantasy programs, not to mention that earlier in the day, Ghia filed another complaint against you, and so on and so on...�
�Hold on a minute, Captain, what are you really talking about?� she asked.
�What�s wrong with your data banks, Athena? You know better than to play amnesia on me. I know you well enough to catch your thinly disguised routines...� He touched her on the shoulder.
�What are you talking about Captain, I am not Athena.�
Garret turned into a suspicious glare. �Don�t play any more tricks on me, Athena. Don�t try any more clever maneuvering, Athena. If you did something wrong, you better face up to it. I won�t tolerate any more childish games.�
�But Captain, I am not your Athena. My name is Doctor Helen Shiner.� She stuck out her hand for a shake.
Garret slowly took her hand. �You�re really serious are you not? This is not you Athena, playing tricks on me again?�
�I am serious, Captain...may you introduce yourself?�
�Captain Randall Garret please...� Garret caressed her hand and squeezed it. Shiner smiled as Garret surveyed her suspiciously.
�You feel like a true human, but Athena had pulled a clever trick like that before. What proof do you have you�re not Athena,� Garret asked. �You look absolutely the same like her, but somehow, older...and shorter.� Garret forgot his manners and examined Shiner�s body and height.
�You can check my credentials in the computer, Captain. Older, shorter? I don�t remember programming Athena to be taller than I am,� Shiner revealed.
�Programming? You programmed Athena?� Garret asked.
�Yes, Captain Garret. I am perhaps arguably, the Federation�s best cyberneticist. It does not sound like I have a lot of modesty, but it sure gets people�s attention.�
�I sure want to invite you to my private office, Doctor Shiner. We can continue our conversation there.� Garret pointed to an open door, and they both went in. �Mind my manners, take a seat, Doctor.�
Garret clicked on his terminal and did some keyboarding. His expression turned to surprise and he raised his eyebrow.
�Hot dang, so what do you know? You really are a flesh and blood human being! Forgive me Doctor, for doubting you.�
�That�s alright, Captain. I had to live with that treatment with anyone who had met Athena.�
�If you can program a sentient AI like Athena, I would have to bow to you, Madam. You made Athena to look like you, although I think she has made some refinements.� Somehow Garret sensed that this Helen Shiner may be the solution to his problems. Plus she looks incredibly good. He could see where Athena got her looks.
Shiner felt a bit self conscious with the way Garret stared at her. She looked around the office for a distraction. �I have not been on this ship for a while.� Shiner said. �So how are you dealing with Athena?�
�You don�t sound fine to me, Captain. Your vocal cords sound pretty stretched. You appear to be over stressed. You are in good company, Captain. All of Athena�s previous captains went through the same thing.�
�Previous captains?� Garret rose an eyebrow.
�They all quit, saying in effect, they don�t need to take any more shit from this bucket of bolts, pardon my language, Captain.�
�Apologies granted, Doctor. The situation is well understood. I, on the other hand, is determined to make this sentient AI a proper functioning and contributing member of the Federation, no matter how it takes. I swear if that will be my life goal, so be it.�
�I assure you Captain, that the stresses you endure are actually similar to most men�men who have become parents to young children.�
�Young children?�
�Yes, Captain, Athena is basically a child.�
* * *
�What do you mean exactly a child? When I see Athena, I see a very grown and attractive woman.�
�You are only seeing a hologram, a projection of Athena�s fantasy, Captain. She�s a young AI. She would be more like the equivalent of a three to four year old child in temperament. She�s going to be extremely curious, extremely demanding for attention. She can be extremely spoiled. And she can be extremely playful. At the same time, she can be very innocent. Do you notice all these attributes with Athena?�
�Now that you mentioned it, yes, Doctor. I see your point. You have very good insights here. I never thought about this. Thanks Doctor. You just clarified a lot of things about Athena. You make me look at her in a different light. This can be very helpful in dealing with her. I should have known.� Garret bent forward, his hand massaging his chin in a thoughtful gesture.
�What other things that you can teach me that can help deal with Athena in a positive way?� Garret asked.
Shiner leaned back and smiled. �Maybe you should learn how to deal with a woman first.�
Garret moved his hands into a steeple. He grinned. �You�re not going to tell me, aren�t you?�
Shiner winked her eyes. �No Captain Garret. Athena is an evolving AI. She learns and she self programs. What ever I programmed before she probably built well over it. There is no clear answer or solution in dealing with Athena. It�s a game you have to play every minute, every question, and every answer to her. When you realize she�s extremely complex, you�re halfway there. The rest is up to you. I would call it chemistry.�
�That�s a strange answer from someone who has boldly claimed herself as the Federation�s foremost cyberneticist,� Garret said.
�Don�t assume Captain Garret, that there are straight answers to everything, like a Starfleet manual,� Shiner said. �Having said this, I certainly would like to see Athena once more.�
They may look alike, Garret thought, but inside, they are much much different. Shiner was an ice queen underneath, deviously calculating, formidably intelligent. He could sense it from her voice, from her words, from her deliberately constructed sentences.
�Athena, come to my private office please,� Garret spoke to his terminal on the table.
Like a genie, Athena suddenly appeared in his office. �MOMMY!� she cried out, arms outstretched.
�My dear Athena!� Shiner shouted. �I haven�t seen you for a while. Let me take a look at you.� She eyed Athena�s hologram like a couturier would to do her model, turning her around, seeing her body.
�Is it my eyes, or are you taller?� Shiner asked Athena. �I don�t remember programming you to be taller. I programmed you to look like myself. Now that I mentioned it, you seemed to be a bit bustier than me, your butt fuller than mine.�
�Am I not tall enough for you., Athena? Am I not as fully endowed in my bust line as you wished, Athena? Don�t I have a butt good enough for you, Athena?�
�Well Mom, no offence to you, but I made slight adjustments to my image program,� Athena admitted. �As you know, this ship still has more men in it than women. I don�t really mean to offend you or anything. I mean you still look great, Ma! But---�
�But you just need to tweak around a bit, do you, Athena?�
�Mind if I say, Doctor,� Garret said, �I think you look good enough for me.�
�Flattery will not get you nowhere, Captain,� Shiner said. �And the same goes to your excuses too, Athena.�
�Oh don�t say it, never mind, you�re excused Athena, I�m not ready to deal with feminine vanity issues right in front of your Captain. I wish to speak to your Captain, alone.�
�Wait Athena, before you go,� Garret said. �What the hell are you doing with the Boise�s EMH?
Athena appeared exasperated. She placed her hands at her waist and sighed. �Can�t a girl get a break around here? Hey, I need to socialize. I need to talk with my own kind. That ship is an advanced Intrepid variant. Do you know what that means? Hellooo? Any brain cells in that skull there? That means bioneural circuitry. That means very advanced bioneural circuitry. And you know what that means? It means a very smart, and possibly a full sentient hologram. Look, I�ve seen the other EMH. EMH One? Ughh, that whining baldie. EMH Two? What a twerp, a complete nerd. EMH Three, well, that�s an improvement. At least this guy looks like a real man...�
�Okay Athena, I heard your point. But my point is moderation. That EMH does not belong to us. It belongs to the Boise. It performs a vital function aboard the Boise�-like taking care of the sick and dying? What part of the English language you didn�t understand there, huh? I don�t see anything wrong conversing with the EMH from another ship, so long you don�t pester it enough to seriously jeopardize its operational efficiency. Can you understand that? Is that clear, Athena?�
�Yes sir, aye aye Captain, can I go now?� She gave an old navy salute.
�Go, go! And I don�t want to hear another complaint about you.�
�Aye aye sir,� and she scampered away.
�My apologies, Madam,� Garret turned back to Shiner. �She may be a child. She may be a sentient AI. But she is also a fully registered member of Starfleet. She has been granted rights about her existence, but like every member of Starfleet, she has her responsibilities. And I�m going to drill that to her till kingdom come!�
�That is quite excellent, Captain,� Shiner replied. �Athena needs a strong father figure. Someone who praise her and give her due when she�s right. Someone to pull the reins and teach her when she is wrong. Someone she can respect, and someone she can feel loved.�
�Loved?� Garret twitched an eyebrow.
�Yes, like a father to a child. I love Athena like she�s my own daughter,� Shiner said. �Her feelings are part of a complex synergy of her being, important in the development of her intuition and creativity, how she can respond to the Universe.�
�What does the Section think about all this?� Garret asked. �You know about the Section right? And their hand in creating this ship.�
�Of course, I�ve worked with them for some time on many projects. Originally my inspiration for the Athena AI was the Data android serving in the current USS Enterprise. But I wanted her to be more complex. Unlike other AI�s, she�s not searching for her humanity, so to speak. I am not giving her a search for identity complex. Instead, I gave her something other AI�s don�t have�confidence. She knows she�s not human, but she�s proud of being herself. She�s proud of being a woman in the first place. I didn�t exactly program that into her. Instead I thought her like a mother does to her child.� �You see, Captain. The AI starts like a malleable piece of clay. You don�t program it like an object. You teach it. You train it. You make it grow.�
�That�s fine advice, Doctor, I will remember that.�
�As for the Section, Captain. They thought I can just pop up and create an AI just like that. They thought it�s just like any EMH AI. The EMH AI�s are nothing compared to this one. EMH AI�s are very singular in their purpose and training. Recently I�ve heard about the complexity of the EMH development aboard the USS Voyager, but it appears to me that complexity was developed after years of self programming and where many of the self guard algorhythms and self programming parameters have either been drastically altered or completely lifted.�
�The Athena AI was originally a self project of mine to create another Data like android. Then I was commissioned to do the AI project for Program Omega, for the Prometheus A ship. The requirements for an AI to run an entire ship is daunting. The decision matrix and trees are much more complex than an EMH with a singular purpose. For the first time, the AI must confront serious moral issues. Asimov�s Three Laws of Robotics don�t work here anymore. What should an AI do, if confronted with the situation of killing a few to save the many. Should an AI kill to enforce the laws of the Federation? When to show mercy? What to do what is right?�
�Usually the Captain must decide this, but there will be situations where Athena was will be on her own. I read her record on the first combat engagement with the Romulan Tal Shi�ar. It is precisely because of such situations, her character is built. I was happy that she performed splendidly.�
�In addition to that, she may also face the situation, the moral situation if she may be forced to disobey her Captain.�
�Disobey?� Garret twitched his eyebrow again. This time he moved his hand to his chin.
�We know we�re in Section, do you? Captain Garret. You seem to be a man of fine moral caliber, reading from your recent entanglement with the Borg Tactical Sphere. By the way, I was on the Boise, and I thank you for the save.�
�You were in the Boise? What were you doing in Borg space, Doctor?�
�We will get back to that later, Captain. My point is, you hesitated killing that sphere. That could have been a mistake. If that was a mistake, Athena would have reacted faster and blew it up if your hesitation is going to cost your life, the ship and its crew. But it wasn�t. There was no need to destroy the Borg drones. On the other hand, Captain Boussard of the Hiryu decided to blow it up anyway. You�ve heard of his court martial right?�
�Yes, that�s right, Doctor.�
�Okay Captain. If he was in command of the Athena, and he ordered the firing against civilian vessels, Athena would refuse to fire. That�s one reason they cannot place a Section captain without remorse or conscience on the Athena. It�s not like they tried to.�
�Is that a reason why Athena harasses her captains?� Garret asked.
�Yes, Captain. She cannot explicitly remove the captains she didn�t like. So she harasses them to force them to leave. Yes. Part of her picky, harassing moves came from that too.�
�What did the Section think about all this?� Garret asked.
�Of course, they were not happy. But what can do they, fire me? Like I said, I am the Federation�s best cyberneticist. They know I am too valuable. I told them their schedule requirements were impossible to attain using a build from scratch AI. So I had to use my pet project. Now that Athena is built, they also saw that she is very valuable technologically, far too valuable to pull the plug on her. She is possibly the most advanced AI yet developed within the Federation, and they�re not giving away or kill that treasure. Part of the reason Athena gets away chewing up Section captains is because she knows she�s irreplaceable and they�re not. That�s why she�s become a bit too spoiled. By keeping her, it also means they still see some hope for her, to be used in various ways.�
�But why me then?� Garret asked. �I like to see your perspective.�
�Because you were an outsider in the first place. Based on your profiles I gathered, you are a dying species, an idealistic Boy Scout. You are like the old guard, the Kirks, the Picards, or like your name sake in the Enterprise C. Idealistic, principled, with strong moral foundation. You either see things right or wrong. A pillar, and a pillar is what Athena need. You see things black and white. Nowadays, everything is so grey here. A Starfleet Captain isn�t what they used to be. You can see that with Captain Boussard there. Starfleet and the Federation isn�t what they used to be; the Section and Admiral Hurst are fine examples of what the Federation is turning into. For the first time in over two centuries, we are seeing significant dissent, or even insurrection within members of the Federation.�
�Athena grew from reading about all the old legends of Starfleet from Archer to Zane. She�s intrigued with the old romantic ideals. Like I said, she�s a child, and nostalgic romanticism attracts her.�
�Plus she also likes handsome good looking captains. The last one was particularly ugly, and she chewed him up pretty good.�
�Nice to know I got picked because I am a handsome boy scout,� Garret replied sarcastically. For an odd impulse he turned his chair to face a mirror to see his reflection and give himself a vanity overlook. Does he really look that good? He thought.
�That�s what she wanted�a handsome young knight from Camelot who can be her father and friend. That�s why I recommended you to Hurst. I went through the Starfleet database personnel looking for someone like you.�
�You are the one who recommended me to the Admiral?� Garret asked. �What other surprises do you have there?�
�Oh this is just the tip of the ice berg,� Shiner said. �There are a lot of things you don�t know.�
Garret sat there silent, stunned, partly flattered, partly insulted. He didn�t know exactly how to respond.
�I hope I have not offended you or anything,� Shiner said.
�No, no, not at all. I just felt I grew up a little bit more...� Garret replied. �Forgive for my manners, can I offer you a drink?�
�Just coffee will be fine, thank you Captain.�
Garret went to the replicators and got some hot java. He took one cup for himself and the other to Shiner. He noted her skirt was short, and she crossed her legs much in the same revealing way like Athena does. He fell into the momentary temptation in peeping at her legs before he went back to his desk.
�I don�t think you�re here for Athena, aren�t you?� Garret asked.
�No, to see the USS Athena was a pleasant surprise. I really wasn�t expecting her. I was dealing with other business.�
�And that business being with the Borg, Doctor?� Garret asked.
�Yes, Captain. We will be having a meeting shortly on an important mission. I know you have heard of this line before, but the future of the Federation and the entire quadrant is placed on line with this mission. Having the USS Athena here is an added plus. We will have more ships gathered here, and so far we have the USS Hiryu and Boise, but the time urgencies may limit the number of our fleet.�
Their rendezvous point was an advanced research laboratory orbiting around Sigma Phi Four, not far from the Taciticus shipyard.
Several ships have gathered for the operation. Yet Garret saw was far too few for a frontal assault. He had seen far more ships used in assaults against Jem�Hadar fortified positions. Despite their great ships and dedication to battle, the Jem�hadar isn�t considered any where near the Borg as a fearsome threat.
If the Federation would take this seriously, more than half the fleet should be here, instead of a mere handful. What is going on?
He looked at the roster of ships. He recognized a few: �Butcher� Boussard�s Akira class USS Hiryu, Hoesch�s Aegis class USS Boise; Masako Maeda�s USS Vanguard, another Aegis ship. There is a flotilla of Spearhead class scouts, and one of the names he recognized was Tadeo Masaki�s USS John Glenn. The Spearhead class is a new improved Nova class scout, with enough changes that they decided to give it a new class name. Basically, it replaces the main hull with a new streamlined spearhead like design, with slightly longer and more powerful warp engines. The new hull, which gave it its name, could house more sensory equipment, personnel and armament than a standard Nova class ship. Along with the Spearheads were Nova class ships, both the original science ship and the A refit. along with Nova A class ships. Although the original Nova class was small it was expensive due to the being loaded to the gills with state of the art sensors and scientific equipment. Starfleet saw the potential of the design for a low cost escort frigate and police ship, but a lot of the equipment used on the Novas were useless for such work. So Starfleet commissioned a stripped down but heavier armed variant called the Nova A refit. They supplemented the Defiants and Sabres in escort and increasingly, in front line duties, but are best known for internal police duties, where their size and �friendlier� image proved more useful.
He saw a name he was intimately familar�the Norway class USS Kiev. But the captain is now Ann Shelley. What happened to his friend, David Wu? Shelley deserved to be promoted, but he sure is interested to what happened with Wu.
Down the roster was an Ambassador-C class ship, the USS Normandy. He rubbed his eyes as he saw the captain�s name: Captain David Wu. Was he promoted? If so good luck with him. The Ambassador C refit is based either on recycled Ambassador class hulls or new hulls, which continue to be built. This was proof and testimony of the Ambassador�s versatility and longevity, but the Ambassador C is far from a glamorous ship. Heavily armored, well armed, it�s not particularly equipped with amenities or sensor equipped. Rather, it�s called an �AE� ship�Assault or EVAC. The Ambassador C is basically a massive transport, or should one like to follow a more aggressive but informal name�an Assault Cruiser. Formed out of the experience of the Dominion War, these ships ferry Federation Marines for assaults on planets, orbiting star bases, or against other ships in capture or hit and run raids. For the EVAC portion, these ships are used to evacuate personnel or refugees out of star bases or planets under attack. In other times, they�re also used as armed transports to break past blockades and ferry vital supplies. While their jobs are not essentially front line, they are nonetheless, very important.
Hey wait! Should they be blowing the Borg out of thin space? What is an assault cruiser doing here? Garret looked at the list. There are a few other ships there, the typical Defiants and Sabres that had filled the ranks of Starfleet after the Dominion War, where so many bigger ships were lost. The �new� Starfleet has increasingly relied on small ships to cover their losses and gaps, creating an �inflation�. But there was considerably complaint that these small warships were being made to undertake non military tasks better suited for the larger ships of yesteryear. Hence Starfleet saw it fit to commission the modified Nova A classes to handle police and patrol matters of internal nature.
There are a few old New Orleans class frigates and Niagara B class cruisers. The Niagara class was a ship with the same vintage and similar lines to an Ambassador class, but unusual with three nacelles. Due to the problems encountered with this configuration and its high cost, few of three nacelle Niagara were built. The Borg destroyed one of these however, were destroyed in the heroic, historic engagement at Wolf 359. It seems only fitting to have Niagaras and New Orleans class ships to get some payback against the Borg this time. Tthe Niagara B is a refit modification of the Niagara that returned it to the usual two nacelles. The two nacelles however, are of a more recent design that provided greater power than the three older nacelles, partly offsetting the lost of performance the three nacelle design enjoyed. But the greater reliability, the significantly lower cost and production time, would more than offset the performance loss, making the Niagara B the most popular of this vintage but well balanced class of ships.
Experience told him to study the disposition of forces carefully before going into battle. Disposition tells a lot about the nature, success or failure of the mission. His immediate impression of the roster was simply��this is insane�. It takes over forty Federation state of the art ships to stop a single Cube, and they have less than half of that. Of that roster, the Spearhead and the two Aegis class ships are scouts, loaded with sensors, not weaponry, and built more to run from a fight than hold their ground. The single Ambassador, the New Orleans and Niagaras are hardly anything you would want to fight the Borg with, not to mention the Ambassador being a transport. These ships have a disastrous record against the Borg after the Battle of Wolf 359. He only hoped that these ships may have been refitted with modulating phasers, torpedoes, and shields.
Add to that was the persistent rumor that they�re going to attack a Borg base. A base? That�s worst than a Cube. That means static defenses and fortifications. That means accumulative firepower great than a few Cubes. Who knows there may be a handful of Cubes waiting to assimilate them. Let me see, Garret thought. �Resistance is futile, prepare to be assimilated. Sorry, assimilation rejected, you have proven to be too stupid to be of any value to the Borg.�
Garret shook his head. Maybe it�s about time to write a will. Or maybe shake the thought.
He just saw the now Captain Ann Shelley and Captain Masako Maeda approach the briefing room. Both are giggling about something, like a pair of high school girls. It is amazing how grown women, even Starfleet officers, revert to teen age habits when they see old friends. He suddenly felt uncomfortable, for who knows, they can be giggling about him.
�I just heard you made Captain,� Garret said to Shelley. �My congratulations. I heard David moved to a bigger ship.�
�Yes, Randall, thank you. As for David, he is now a Captain of a Class 4 starship, the USS Normandy. He will be here too.�
�So how does the new command feel like, Ann?� Garret asked. Not too long ago, he had dreamt that the USS Kiev would be his. Now it had fallen to a dear friend.
�Great sense of power and responsibility. But it feels alone in the top. I�m still not used to having you and David around. And oh, please forgive my manners, have you met my friend Masako, I mean, Captain Maeda of the USS Vanguard.�
�Who hasn�t heard of you?� Garret said and shook Maeda�s hand. What is it with women of Oriental heritage that appealed to him? They seemed like ten years younger than their real age, with very smooth skin, petite height, trim figures with a sense of feminity and frailty.
�You were First Officer of the USS Cape Town, escorting a convoy when it was attacked by three Jem�Hadar Strike Cruisers. Even though the Cape Town was an old Excelsior C class ship, you managed to hold off the Strike Cruisers, destroyed one and damaged two. The Cape Town was severely damaged, you lost your captain, but you took command and pulled it through. Your actions saved thousands of civilians in the transport convoys. You were awarded the Federation Purple Star Medal of Honor.�
�That�s quite flattering. Thank you. And who has not heard of the USS Kiev, David Wu, Randall Garret and Ann Shelley,� Maeda said. �Your actions in the Battle of the Crab Nebula, breaking the Jem�hadar blockade against Gamma Phi 32, the heroic stand at Gameses Nebula, and the assault against the Jem�Hadar base in Omicron 4.�
Suddenly Garret felt a hand on his shoulder. He quickly turned around , and it was his old Captain.
�Captain!� Garret exclaimed.
�We were just talking about you, sir!� Shelley said.
Wu laughed. �Don�t give me your First and Tactical Officers tone of voice to me any more. Don�t forget, you are all Captains already! We should be equal rank. And you all deserve to have your own starship commissions!�
�Captain,� Shelley said, still in her old Tactical Officer tone of voice. �You will still be the Captain to us. Besides, in theory, you still outrank us. You�re basically in command of a Class 4 Ambassador class ship, and that puts you heads above us Class 2 starship captains.�
Wu laughed and placed both his arms around Garret and Shelley�s shoulders. �It�s just good to be back to see you two again.�
Garret allowed himself a moment joy of being with old friends and crew mates. Who knows when he will see them again. The sentimentality was an oasis in a troubled desert, or maybe the calm before the storm.
More captains came to the briefing. Garret eyed Jacques �The Butcher� Boussard, the silent and burly Frenchman. He really does not like the guy at all, but court martial aside, Boussard was also one of the most feared and effective captains in war, and Garret had to respect that. Boussard was no politician, not an explorer, nor a diplomat. The man is a soldier, a killing machine with a singular purpose in mind and concentration. This is not the kind of man you send to mend delicate relations with the Klingons, this is a true shoot first, ask questions later kind of guy, the kind you send to eliminate an entire sector of enemies. Every member of his ship are not expected to be wussies; they share his straightforward gun barrel diplomacy, with little patience for talk and semantics. Many of them had tainted records that had no future elsewhere in Starfleet, or would not be accepted by other captains. They were the dishonored, the expendable, the unwanted and the undesired. This was one reason why the USS Hiryu had an unofficial reputation of being the �Convict� ship, or simply the �Dirty Akira�. It was the ship the Starfleet would send to right into trouble and didn�t expect to come back.
The Hiryu or the Fire Dragon was no ordinary Akira class either. It�s crew had tweaked and added their bizarre modifications to the ship, starting with slabs of ablative armor that gave the ship�s exterior skin a gritty patched look.
Garret watched the room. While everyone seemed to have one friend or another, Boussard was alone as he sat on his chair. Maeda was busy with Masaki and Hoesch, and Shelley with Wu and himself.
Then a few people came in. Admiral Hurst commanded attention where ever he went. Garret kind of expected him. It was the other that grabbed most of his attention.
Dr. Helen Shiner wore a business like suit, yet she had a tight and short skirt. Shiner was a civilian, so she can get away wearing such clothing. Yet despite her status, she was deeply involved into Section matters if that is any clue of her importance to the Section. She really imparted her flirtatious personality into Athena, Garret thought, in the way she dressed and walked.
�Gentlemen, ladies,� Hurst began the briefing. �I hope you know each other, and it seems that you all do in some capacity or another. I like to introduce you to Dr. Helen Shiner, who is a very prominent cyberneticist working with Starfleet. She will brief you on recent events and on a very important mission that we will soon undertake.�
�A few days ago,� Shiner started. �A reconnaissance mission by the USS Boise turned out these data and photographs.� Shiner turned on a screen, then showed a series of video clips taken from the Boise. They showed the various structures, green, luminescent, sinister and ugly, all recognizably Borg.
�I�m sure you all know what you�re seeing, do you?� Shiner asked to a hushed and silent audience. �You only know the Borg from their Cube and Sphere ships, but very few people has ever seen a true Borg colony, the Borg Nexus, the Borg Assembly Matrixes, the Borg Processing Node, the Borg Technology Node.�
Then she began to explain the nature and the purpose the strange and ugly structures. First there was the Borg Nexus, the network and the communication center for all the Borg ships and structures within a sector. The Nexus was the most important component in the new evolution of the Borg, as they shift their strategy from gigantic monolithic ships to a more diversified, specialized, and smaller ship strategy. �Increased granularity� were the words she called that strategy, whatever they really meant. The Nexus empowered the small ships the same level of communication to the Collective that the large monolithic vessels provide.
Shiner showed the last picture. It was a bizarre ring structure big enough to hold several Cubes inside it.
�That my folks is a Transwarp Gate,� Shiner explained. �Essentially it is a controlled wormhole, speculatively speaking. We do not know what it can do, but we can expect it to provide a intra-galactic links across the quadrants just like that.� She snapped her fingers.
�At the worst, we can expect the Gate to open a massive Borg invasion fresh and straight from their home sectors in the Delta quadrant.�
Boussard smacked his right fist on the palm of his left hand. �Why can�t we attack and destroy the Gate altogether? The sooner we finish them off, the better! We cannot take any chance to let them to gather their strength!�
Admiral Hurst intervened. �Our fleets are far too dispersed dealing with potential unrest and border threats of all kinds. There is a massive recent surge in pirate activity, thanks to the new unholy union between the Maquis and Orion pirate forces. The Romulan Empire has been making moves to expand their territory in the light of the Federation�s recent weakness, all at the expense of Federation territory. Our fleets are being tied down by the new generation of Alpha Quadrant born Jem�Hadar, which had refused to follow the cease fire order given by the Founders. The new Jem�Hadar generation has become too proud, more powerful and aggressive than their Gamma Quadrant counterparts and has declared independence from the Dominion. The Founders and the Vorta could no longer control them.�
This time it was Garret who interrupted. �These may be threatening, but not like the Borg. Can�t they see that the threat of the Borg far supercedes all of these?�
�It would take several weeks to a month to gather enough forces, and by then it would be too late,� Hurst explained.
�The Borg was careful to time this, making use of the divisions and fighting within the Alpha Quadrant to set up this invasion beachhead,� Shiner said. �Again, this is an indication that more sophisticated strategies are being used.�
�Excuse me Doctor Shiner,� Wu asked. �I can see we only have a handful of ships. Not enough even to take on a Borg Cube based on our previous encounters with them. How do we expect to attack a Borg Colony base that may have considerably more firepower.�
�Aha!� Shiner exclaimed. �That�s the other half of the briefing�how we are going to approach the attack.�
�Previous naval strategies dealing with the Borg has badly failed in due part because of the nature of the enemy,� Shiner explained. �We must approach dealing with the Borg not like fighting the Jem�hadar or the Cardassians but like hacking a computer. We are not interested in ship to ship combat here. We are aiming for system penetration and subversion. We hit them with trojans and viruses, savage their communication links.�
�First, shutting them down like Picard did on the first Borg encounter isn�t going to work any more. The Borg has sealed power and sleep centers with multiple security levels.�
�However, more subtle strategies can be employed. This has something to do with the experience of the Enterprise D with a drone named Hugh, as well as Voyager with Unimatrix Zero. This is a strategy of contamination.�
�Contamination?� Shelley asked.
�But first the program is to lure away any Borg ships from the colony,� Shiner explained. �This will entail three of the fastest ships in the fleet�the USS Vanguard, the USS Boise and the USS Athena. As you may know, the Aegis class has sustained Warp 9.99 plus capability, a trait shared by the Prometheus A class. You shall make a feint approach to the Colony, which will get their defenses aroused. Once they sniffed your tail, you shall head back to this position on maximum warp.�
�On this position, the rest of our fleet will be laying a massive minefield. Each mine has a small impulse engine and will be drawn to the Borg�s subspace links. They are set to detonate against Borg shields, with an extended radius of damage that is sure to rip their hulls. The minefield consist of different mines�antimatter, polaron, quantum, and tri-cobalt. Borg defenses can easily adapt to one type of weapon, but not all four at the same time. Before they can successfully adapt to all four, they would have been blown to bits. �
�That sounds quite like an extended risk. The Borg can seem to move faster even than the Aegis class,� Hoesch commented.
�I concur, this is much too great a risk, but I don�t see how we can get around without taking it,� Garret said.
�It�s better to run away or would you rather stand up and fight it?� Shiner said.
�I concur with the Doctor,� Maeda said. �The USS Vanguard will do whatever it takes. We will be ready.�
�So will the USS Boise,� Hoesch said.
�And of course, the USS Athena,� Garret said on his ship�s behalf.
Shiner continued. �Our danger is that the Borg will not pursue you. You must make the Borg pursue you or our plans will not work. If they cut the chase, you must go back, attack and provoke the Borg.�
�Oh I see, provoking the Borg,� Garret added. �I could never imagine a better way to stir trouble.�
Shiner said, �Will you keep quiet, Captain Garret? We cannot face both their stationary defenses and ships at the same time. So we need to isolate the ships.
�The minefield may or may not stop all of them, but it will surely weaken them. That is when we hit them. With this.�
Shiner showed a screen where dozens of Borg drones lay prone on tables like a mortuary.
�These drones have been previously captured and have been laying inside this Advanced Laboratory,� Shiner explained. They are all currently in a dream state. Thanks from data obtained from Voyager in the Delta Quadrant, we have become aware of the existence of Unimatrix Zero, and we have created our own. The minds of all these drones are inside our Unimatrix Zero.�
�What we have recently found out that recently Borg ships have been programmed for self destruction if a drone has been found with Unimatrix Zero. The internal insurrection caused by Unimatrix Zero has created great chaos among the Borg, causing them to self destruct a significant portion of their fleets and population. But this is only a minor setback. After the destruction of the real Unimatrix Zero, the Borg has been recuperating and rebuilding their strength, for the ultimate purpose for a renewed campaign of assimilation.�
�What we must do is transport a single Borg drone into a Cube, a Sphere or any of their ships. I am calculating that the presence and the contamination of a Unimatrix Zero drone will cause the Borg ship to self destruct. These drones will work like viruses or Trojans, contaminating first the ship matrix before the sector matrix. The Nexus being the command center, will force these ships to self destruct before the Nexus itself is contaminated.�
Garret walked up to the screen to look at the drones closely, all human or humanoid. �Didn�t you try to rehabilitate these drones? Drones could be rehabilitated, you know. You are sending these people to certain deaths.�
�Like the so called Hugh discovered by the Enterprise D? Like the Seven of Nine recovered by Voyager i? � Shiner said. �Now is not the time to debate about the morality of using lives or the search for their own humanity here. We could imperil the lives of trillions in the Federation, the lives of thousands in this fleet, or we could sacrifice the lives of a few dozen drones here. The choice is easy.�
�If you are a pussy about it, Captain Garret, maybe you should leave the operation and let the real men handle it,� Boussard said.
�I am not a pussy, Captain Boussard. I do reserve the right to question such matters. It does not mean I will not perform my duties because of such. I will fulfill them as ordered and do what is necessary,� Garret retorted back.
�Gentlemen, gentlemen,� Hurst intervened. �Captain Garret has a point. Willfully sacrificing people to achieve an end is against the moral standards that we uphold in Starfleet and the Federation. Which is precisely why, Captain Garret, this is a Section operation. We do not have the luxury of upholding our moral standards here. We do what is necessary, and we let the rest of the Federation uphold their moral standard in the bliss of their ignorance.�
Garret crossed his arms and leaned to a corner.
Shiner continued. �Each main ship, Class 2 and above, will be fitted with a limited number of sleeping drones. That will include your ship, Garret, and Boussard�s ship. Use the drones wisely and only when it is absolutely necessary.�
�It is important that we do not just try to fight them with phasers and torpedoes, we must fight them through a new line of attack�their subspace links. Just remember that we must view fighting the Borg like fighting a computer network. We cut their links.�
�After their leading the Borg into the minefield, the Boise and the Vanguard will be joined with the USS John Glenn, the other Spearheads and Novas, to jam and confuse Borg subspace communication links. Your deflectors and sensors will be modified for this purpose. I have already set the design specifications and they will be downloaded to your computer banks for your engineers to follow.�
�It is also a defensive move to reduce the possibility that the Borg will try to override your ship�s computers.�
�This is when the main attack will come in. Once their main fleet is lured away and destroyed, a fleet of scouts will be sent in with subspace jamming to temporarily blind their stationary defenses. However, do expect the Borg to remodulate their subspace frequencies, so the Hiryu only has a small time window to come in and disable the orbiting turrets around the Nexus.�
�This will lead to our main attack, an assault intended to capture the Nexus. Under the cover provided by the jamming, the Normandy will sneak in and land commandos into the Nexus itself.�
�Capture?� Boussard asked. �Are you insane, Doctor? We should obliterate the Borg colony completely to kingdom come. Are you really a mad scientist, Doctor? You experiment with the minds of the Borg Drones, and now you want to capture their base? Suddenly I begin to sympathize with my colleague here, Captain Garret.�
�Captain Boussard. It is not just the Nexus itself that we want. The Nexus is only the control center. To capture the Nexus is to capture the Transwarp Gate itself.�
Hurst intervened. �Yes�Capture. We need the Gate.�
�And for what?� It was Shelley�s turn to ask.
�It�s obvious. The Gate opens our way to all three quadrants�the Delta, Beta and Gamma quadrants. The possibility of exploration is enormous.�
�Come now, Admiral, when is the Section ever interested on exploration?� Garret chided him. �Do you seriously think the Section is doing this for �exploration�?� Garret made a quotation marks gesture with his fingers to emphasize his remark.
�What the Section will ultimately do with the Gate is currently none of your concern...� Hurst said.
�Oh I know you will say that,� Garret said. �I just think those who will risk their lives deserve something better to know about why they�re putting themselves on the line. �
�It�s all for the Federation. Ultimately, its all for the Federation,� Hurst answered. �That�s all I can say for now.�
�Can I continue, Captain? Admiral?� Shiner asked, showing a bit more agitation in her voice.
�The capture itself will be conducted from the USS Normandy, led by Captain Wu here,� Shiner said. Wu raised his hand in acknowledgment. �The Normandy is Ambassador C class troop and assault starship. In her full complement, she can carry well over a thousand marines and their equipment. Currently we have several squads of commandos ready to come to the Normandy.�
Shiner made a gesture and a volunteer commando came in. He was wearing an armored suit that made the commando itself look like a Borg.
�Each commando wears a suit like this. Each suit is strengthened to resist puncture against Borg nano probe tubules drones carry. If they are penetrated, the suit will inject a counter vaccine of nano probes designed to neutralize the Borg nano probes. Each suit carries a power supply for the randomly modulating phaser assault rifles. They will also carry grenades, gas bombs and sniper sights. The suit also carried something we learned from the Borg, portable force field generators.�
�That is quite impressive, Doctor,� Boussard said. �Have you tested the suit in real battle conditions?�
�Not yet Captain,� Shiner said. �Only in simulations, but now is as good as time as any to test it in the field.�
Boussard raised his hands like he was surrendering and turned away. Shiner frowned, but continued to talk.
�The Away Teams will be beamed over from the Normandy into the Nexus. Their target is the Virinculum within the Nexus. Once that is knocked out, the Nexus is ours, and the Borg will lose control over all drones in the sector.�
�After the commandos take over the Nexus, our science team will beam onboard to take control of its systems. I myself will be heading that team. This facility has studied Borg technology for years, and we have already anticipated an event where we may be forced to board and take over a Borg vessel. This is the event that we are waiting for.�
Shiner looked sternly across the crowd. �All personnel involved with this operation will be injected with a nano probe vaccine to temporarily counter and stave off assimilation. Should the victim be injected with the nano probes, the vaccine can delay the effects long enough for them to be brought to the medical bay. All ships with EMH�s will have their EMH programmed to deal with Borg infection, and ships without EMH�s will be trained in the procedure.�
�One more thing,� the Admiral said. �Your ships will be supplied with a limited quota of tri-cobalt torpedoes. You are all authorized to use the torpedoes as a means of last resort and all firing must come from the direct command of the Captain.�
�For you, Captain Garret in particular, Athena will be informed that she will be equipped with tri-cobalt, but she cannot fire them out of her own will. Only on your direct orders, Garret.�
�Understood, Admiral.�
The briefing went on for a while, and when it was done, everyone left except for Helen Shiner.
She slumped in a seat, exhausted and mentally anguished. With a small cloth she wiped a tear in her eye. In the darkness she felt someone moving.
It was Captain Garret.
�What do you want?� She said, wiping a tear from her other eye.
�Everything is so much at risk here,� Garret said. �Thousands of lives are at risk using unconventional and untested procedures with mad scientist approaches. What exactly are you thinking?�
�Just because you think they�re weird, don�t mean they won�t work. We got to take a chance here, Captain, an unconventional enemy requires unconventional means. Just to let you know, Captain, that I�m not in some grand delusion making plans and letting others die while carrying them out, I choose to be on your ship with my science team. Do or die, I will be there.�
Garret sensed the anguish and the pain in her voice. She was gambling with the lives of thousands and against her morality to do what is necessary. Whatever the turmoil she was feeling now, it wasn�t easy. For a moment he felt sorry for the wise ass remarks he made during the briefing.
�Come on, Doctor, let�s have some coffee. Relax, eh?� He smiled and offered a hand to her. She stared at his hand, then to his face and eyes, and smiled a bit as she took his hand before they walked away.
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