Part 23 (1/2)

Across the table from Riker, Dax folded her hands on the table in front of her and said, ”We have a plan.”

”You had a plan several hours ago,” Picard replied. ”It nearly cost Captain Hernandez her life.”

Dax bristled. ”It also saved five planets and cut the Borg invasion force in half.”

”But if the Borg had a.s.similated her Caeliar technology-”

Riker interrupted, ”They didn't, and there's no point arguing about something that didn't go wrong. We need to plan our next move, not dissect our last one.” Realizing that he had only added to Dax's smug air, he looked at her and continued, ”But the limited success of one reckless plan doesn't mean we should embrace another.” With the room's tensions balanced, he added, ”That said, we should at least hear what they have in mind.”

”Very well,” Picard said. He looked at Dax and waited.

Dax volleyed the expectant look toward Hernandez and said, ”It was your idea.”

”It's simple,” Hernandez said to Picard and Riker. ”We need to prevent the Borg from attacking any more planets and put them in a position where we can deal with all of them at once. I'm proposing that we end their invasion by luring them all back here to us, in deep s.p.a.ce.”

Picard telegraphed his skepticism with one arched eyebrow. ”And how, precisely, do you propose that we do so?”

Dax interjected, ”By tempting them with the one kind of bait they can't resist: the Omega Molecule.”

Riker asked, ”How are we supposed to create one without any boronite? Replicators can't make it, and the nearest source is over two hundred light-years away.”

Hernandez said, ”We're not going to make Omega Molecules, we're going to bring them to us. More precisely, we're going to make the Caeliar bring them to us, by persuading them to move their city-s.h.i.+p here from New Erigol.” She reached over to the companel and keyed in some new commands. An image of an Omega Molecule appeared on the screen. ”After I came back from the Borg s.h.i.+p, I remembered reading in your files that the Borg wors.h.i.+p 'Particle 010' as a symbol of perfection. I knew there was something familiar about it, so I bypa.s.sed your security protocols and accessed your data on the molecule. When I did, I knew where I'd seen it before, and it all made sense.

”The Caeliar power their city with an Omega Molecule generator,” Hernandez continued. ”All the energy they harness from the sh.e.l.ls around their planet and its star is used to mask the OMG's emissions. If I can get them to bring Axion here, free of that s.h.i.+elding, it'll be like a beacon for the Borg. They won't be able to resist it.”

Grim-faced, Picard replied, ”And once the Borg armada converges on us...what then?”

”We let the Caeliar deal with them,” Hernandez said.

Picard got up from the table and paced away, visibly agitated. ”Your last plan was reckless,” he said to Dax. ”This one is insane. Have you considered the risks? Never mind the damage the Borg could do if they a.s.similate Caeliar catoms. What if they gain control of an Omega Molecule generator? They'd have unlimited power to wreak havoc throughout the galaxy-and beyond. And if they were to lose control of the generator, an Omega Molecule explosion of that magnitude would destroy subs.p.a.ce for millions of light-years in every direction. Warp flight as we know it would cease to exist in this galaxy and several others.”

Dax replied, ”Yes, it's dangerous. We know that. But it's not like we have any better options. It's the best chance we have of stopping the Borg while there's still something left of the Federation to save.”

”There are other options,” Picard said. ”We haven't tried using thalaron weapons against the Borg, and there's every reason to think thalaron radiation will affect the drones the same way it affects all other organic matter. If Commander La Forge can rig our deflector to emit a large enough thalaron pulse, we could wipe out the entire Borg armada.”

Riker shot a dubious look at his former captain. ”That's what Starfleet said about the transphasic torpedo, and the Borg have already adapted to that. h.e.l.l, for all we know, the Borg already have a defense against thalaron radiation.”

”Perhaps,” Picard said. ”But we have to try, and it might buy us the time we need to organize and fight back.”

”It's too late for that,” Hernandez retorted. ”We're long past settling for half-measures and stopgaps. We need to end the war with the Borg, Captain-and we need to end it now.”

Leaning forward, Riker said, ”I'm not convinced thalaron weapons are the best choice. Once that technology's unleashed, it'll be impossible to contain ever again.” Looking at Dax and Hernandez, he continued, ”But I also think we're forgetting one important fact about the Caeliar. First and foremost, they're isolationists, and just as important, they're pacifists. Not only will they not use force against the Borg, they might prevent us from defending ourselves.”

Hernandez shook her head. ”No, you're misreading them. They may be pacifists, but they're not suicidal. They won't let the Borg a.s.similate them or hijack their technology.”

”What makes you so certain they could stop them?” asked Picard, his voice rich with cynicism. ”I read the report you gave to Captain Riker. A squad of MACOs from your s.h.i.+p got the better of the Caeliar in 2168 and destroyed one of their cities. I guarantee you, the Borg will pose a far deadlier threat than your s.h.i.+p's military company.”

”The MACOs took the Caeliar by surprise,” Hernandez said, a deep bitterness infusing her words. ”The Borg won't.”

With sharp suspicion, Picard said, ”What if they sympathize with the Borg?”

”I think that's unlikely,” Hernandez said.

”But not impossible,” Picard countered. ”You said yourself that Caeliar technology was the likely foundation of the Borg's nanoprobes. What if the Caeliar see the Borg as a kindred race?”

”Actually,” Dax said, ”we're counting on it.”

Riker and Picard exchanged befuddled stares. Then Riker said to Dax, ”Come again?”

”No offense, Captains,” Dax said, ”but we-and Starfleet-have been pursuing the wrong strategy against the Borg. We've tried to match strength with strength, violence with violence. We keep getting suckered into battles of attrition we can't win.”

Hernandez added, ”The key to securing the Caeliar's help is to change our mission. Instead of destroying the Collective, we should liberate it. The Borg don't need to be wiped out, they need to be saved. The Caeliar can help us do that.”

”Are you mad?” Picard said. ”The Borg are laying waste to worlds, and we need to save them?”

”I'm disappointed,” Hernandez said. ”You of all people should know this. You were a.s.similated and came back; you know from experience what it's like to be smothered in that nightmare. Now imagine trillions of beings like yourself, all trapped in that h.e.l.l. They're slaves, Jean-Luc, and we might have the power to release them.”

Dax added, ”I think that as Starfleet officers-as sentient beings-we owe it to them, and to ourselves, to at least try.”

Picard turned away and stared out a window at the stars. ”As you pointed out so eloquently, Captain Dax, we hold the same rank. I can't compel you not to pursue this course of action.” He looked over his shoulder at her and Hernandez. ”You ignored my advice before, and I expect you'll do so again. So be it.”

”If only it were that simple,” Dax said. ”Unfortunately, this time, I actually need your consent.”

Picard turned back to face the other captains. ”Why?”

”Because we need your help,” Dax said. ”The Aventine's subs.p.a.ce transmitter got fried when the Borg hit us with our s.h.i.+elds down, and t.i.tan's transmitter is too badly damaged to be repaired in time.” She traded dismayed looks with Hernandez and added, ”Our only hope of contacting the Caeliar is to reconfigure the Enterprise's transmitter to create a subs.p.a.ce microtunnel, through which Erika can link with their gestalt.”

Frowning, Picard returned to the table and rested his hands on the top of his chair. ”So...if I refuse, this plan cannot proceed?” Dax and Hernandez nodded. ”Then consider it vetoed.”

The two women looked dejected, and Riker knew how they felt. He was certain something was wrong with Picard. In as diplomatic a tone as he could muster, he said ”Captain Dax, Captain Hernandez, would you give us the room, please?”

Dax got up from her chair as Hernandez switched the companel screen back to its standby mode. The two women left the observation lounge. After the door hushed closed behind them, Riker reclined his chair a bit and let the silence weigh on himself and Picard, to see if his old friend and former commander had any desire to elaborate.

Finally, Picard said, ”I take it you disagree with my decision, Will.”

”Frankly, yes,” Riker said.

Picard pulled back his chair and settled into it. ”We can't take that kind of risk with the Borg,” he said. ”This is bigger than the Federation. If we give the Borg a chance to acquire the kind of technology the Caeliar possess, we might condemn the entire galaxy to suffer our fate-and maybe others, as well.”

”If we don't stop the Borg now, that's all pretty much guaranteed,” Riker said. ”Besides, you're talking like the Federation's already gone. If the Caeliar can help unmake the Borg, we can end this without more bloodshed and save the Federation. Isn't that what we ought to be aiming for?”

Hatred hardened Picard's frown. ”I'm not sure the Borg deserve such mercy,” he said.

”Maybe not,” Riker said. ”But what about the individuals trapped inside the Collective? Do they deserve it?”

Swiveling his chair away from Riker, Picard mumbled, ”Perhaps. I don't know.”