Adam Allgood pianodrums@aol.com I have noticed that other authors post disclaimers before their stories. Here's one. Sailor Moon, and all related characters belong to Naoko Takeuchi and Kodansha, Bandai, Dic, etc. Star Trek, created by Gene Roddenberry, and all of it's related characters belong to Paramount Pictures. Any other characters were created by me. Star Trek: Sailor Moon Mutual Dilemma Chapter 13 Captain's log: After sedating the Borg's new "speaker," Roshalon, we have successfully attached him to a biobed in a science lab. I have been overhearing remarks that this situation is reminding my crew of my assimilation. Indeed, this entire ordeal has been very trying, especially dealing with these children warriors. I am always nervous that they are going to cause more trouble, or not be able to deal with this very touchy situation. So far, I have had no reason to worry. Their leader has finally developed a detachment to the Borg unit. Indeed, she is still in a lot of pain from her loss, but she doesn't faint at the sight of her former colleague's appearance. The others have been dealing well with my crew, and they now work well together. Some aspects of these warriors' powers still baffles our sensors. When in "human" form, these girls seem to have no extra power. We are unable to determine the nature, or extent of their abilities. The most unusual parts of this contact, however, are the two feline "advisors." Whether Luna and Artemis are truly cats, or if they are alien beings, remains to be discovered. I am confused with the Borg's apparent inaction on the surface. For some reason, once they took control of Tokyo, they stopped. With millions of assimilated people to serve as an army, the Borg could have overrun Earth in a matter of days. Yet they seem to be working on some kind of project in Tokyo. My instincts and experience tell me that whatever they are up to, it is something that I do not want to see. The other nations on the planet, such as the United States of America, England, France, Germany, Italy, Israel, and many others have sent offensives to Japan in an attempt to free Tokyo from the invaders. Their weapons were blocked by a forcefield. The Borg even took potshots at several airplanes, destroying them. Soldiers on the ground were abducted. Large battleships on the Pacific were forced to retreat. The Borg are too powerful to be destroyed by these primitive weapons, and I pray that they can be destroyed with our primitive weapons. Captain Picard finished his log entry, and then left his ready-room. He entered the turbolift, and ordered it to deck sixteen. Upon arriving at that deck, he disembarked, and proceeded to the doorway of the science lab. The sight that greeted him caused many unpleasant memories to flood his head. He saw Roshalon strapped to a vertical biobed. The crew didn't even try to strip any of the appendages away. Data stood beside the Borg, working with several thin, transparent wires. He attached a circular jack to the wires, and then opened the casing of his head. The android then attached the jack to his own circuitry. "Captain," he began. "I am ready to proceed. However, I believe that the Borg would have developed a resistance to alien imput." "Yes, I believe that too. There is a chance that the Borg may have developed not only a defense, but an offense to this procedure. I am not ordering you to do this, Data." The android cocked his head. "Sir, I will be cautious. I do not believe that the Borg will be able to assimilate me. If I start to feel overwhelmed by their presence, I will disconnect myself." "Very well, Mr. Data. You may proceed whenever you're ready." Data attached a second jack to the other sides of the wires. He then placed the jack into Roshalon's headpiece. He then stabilized the link mentally; not unlike opening an airlock system. Almost immediately, he started to hear voices. Actually, 'hear' wasn't the correct word for it. There was a massive data transfer as Data poked into the Borg network. We are the Borg, They seemed to say. Your attempts to destroy us with commands will not be successful. Data continued to scan the database. He sent a response back along his positronic brain. "You must know that I cannot be assimilated into your collective." Suddenly, the voices stopped. There was no inflow of data. Then a single stream entered Data's positronic brain, which interpreted it in a way that, had his emotional chip been active, he would have been terrified beyond words. It said, in a hauntingly familiar female voice: Brave words, from a being that deceived me without first tasting my power. A coward. Data's emotion chip was activated. He tried to shut it, but the data downloaded into his brain created an empass. He was suddenly filled with fear, and in consequence, was weakened substantially. Data, Data, Data... the voice was mocking. Why did you forsake me? You could have had anything. Data began to retreat, but the voice restrained him, prevented him from leaving the database. "H-How could you remember that occurrence, when that timeline was destroyed in the past?" The voice laughed at this. Oh, Data. You, like what Locutus has become, think in such three dimensions. I am the beginning, the end, the one who is many. I am the Borg. Images from the Borgs' past flashed through his mind. Existence as organic beings on a single planet...first flight into space...the assimilation of the preservers...first contact with Humans at J-25...Wolf 359...and the last image to appear...Data and her, together in Engineering. "Release me! I will not allow you to do this!" Suddenly, a new, unfamiliar set of images flashed through Data's mind. He saw Roshalon, or, rather, the man that Roshalon used to be. He was dressed in a twentieth-century style tuxedo, with a mask covering his eyes. Next to him sat one of the guests on the Enterprise, Serena. They appeared to be engaged in a passionate embrace. The image faded, replaced by what seemed to be scenes from the man's assimilation. He then saw Roshalon attempting to tempt Serena, then Sailor Moon, with assimilation. Our present. Data saw thousands of Borg soldiers on the planet's surface, in Tokyo, engaged in building a massive structure. He couldn't tell exactly what the structure was. He saw himself, battling with the forces of the Borg. He saw a worried Captain Picard beside him, saying something. "Data, Data! Can you hear me? Disconnect yourself now!" Data was unable to respond. The sea of information rushing through him drowned out his oral functions. The future. Data was shocked to find an image of himself rushing through the corridors of the Enterprise, equipped with the assimilation tubiles, injecting everyone in his path. He saw Roshalon again, only with Serena at his side. Except, it wasn't Serena. She was also covered with Borg appendages. He saw Captain Picard as Locutus once again. He saw other various crew members. He saw Geordi, with two Borg eyepieces instead of one. The last images he saw included the assimilation of the Enterprise herself, as she was chopped to pieces, and attached to a Borg cube. He saw the cube rushing, uninhibited, towards the moon, and obtaining unknown secrets there. Finally, he saw the Borg cube tearing through the cosmos, with the power of the Emperian Silver Crystal behind it, assimilating everything. Don't you see? we're striving for perfection. Data was overwhelmed. "Data!" Captain Picard reached for the wires to disconnect the android manually, but Roshalon suddenly came to life. With his mechanical arm, he batted the captain to the deck. Then, he reached for the controls that operated the restraints. The security officers lunged for the Borg, but they were also batted back, by Data. His face was cold and impassive. He grabbed one of the officer's arms, and then broke it. Roshalon destroyed the panel, and pushed away the fetters that restrained him. Just then, Worf entered the room. "Captain!" He rushed towards Roshalon, but Data grabbed his right arm. Worf looked incredulously into his colleague's eyes. He saw the stare of a Borg. With his left arm, Worf punched Roshalon in the face as hard as he could. The soldier was unaffected. With a leap of understanding, the Klingon looked at the wires connecting Data to Roshalon. Before either of them could react, Worf swung his arm upward in a reverse karate-chop, severing the link. Data crumpled to the ground. Roshalon quickly twisted away from Worf for more room, and then swung his mechanical appendage at the security officer. The arm collided with Worf's head, and he too collapsed. Roshalon tore the broken wires from his headpiece, and leapt into the air. He cleared the biobed in a single jump. Moving with such speed that there was a whoosh of air, Roshalon bolted to the door. It didn't open in time to admit him. It, and the frame, shattered to pieces out into the corridor. Several security officers who were rushing in to help, were unable to capture him as he bolted to the left. They could only watch as he fried a wall panel with electricity, tore it from the wall, and jumped into the Jefferies tube behind it. The sounds of clanging metal receded rapidly, and soon, silence filled the air. One security officer bolted into the tube after him. The other looked into the science lab to see a groggy Picard getting to his feet. He rushed in to assist him. Picard waved him off, and then tapped his communicator. "Intruder alert!" Serena was alone in the guest quarters. The other scouts had left an hour ago to receive some "tests" in sickbay. The Starfleet officers wanted so much to learn how they were able to become Sailor Scouts. She had spent the last half-hour in conversation with Devon Huey. He is a nice person, but terribly shy. Serena thought. Still, being the persuasive person she was, Serena discovered a lot about him. He has a major crush on Mina! She thought excitedly. I get to play matchmaker again! She began to contemplate sly ways of bringing them together, when there was a siren bleat. It was the alert klaxon! Captain Picard's voice filled the air. "Intruder alert!" Serena snapped out of it. She grew quite nervous. Everyone was separated. Could the Borg be invading the ship? Serena reached for her communicator to summon the others. It was on the table. Suddenly, the lights went out. Serena gasped. It was pitch black. The only light in the entire room came from a few points of light out the windows: The stars. Serena could make out the shape of the windows by the limitations of the starfield. Even the siren was quiet. Suddenly fearful, Serena abandoned the communicator. Her instincts told her to remain absolutely quiet. She looked for the couch, but she couldn't see it. The blackness was like a tangible cloak over her eyes. She slowly backed up, step by step. Her leg brushed against something. She could feel the fabric of the couch with her bare calf. She reached down with her hands, and felt for the seat. Finding it, she carefully sat down, cautious not to make noise. There was total silence, except for the quiet hum of the engines. She wanted to wait until the lights came back on. Suddenly, there was a scratching noise behind her. Stifling a scream, she slowly turned around. There was nothing there. She knew that that was the direction of the vent. She stared at it for several seconds, and then turned back slowly. Probably the air conditioner. She thought. A few more seconds passed. Suddenly, the scratching noise, like a piece of sharp metal moving across a steel beam, sounded again. Serena whirled. There was definitely something there. However, she could still see nothing. She turned to slowly stand, and then did scream. There was a small, red point of light on the far wall. It danced around slightly, like somebody twitching a flashlight. It was a laser beam! Serena shuddered in realization of what a red laser beam meant. There's a Borg soldier in the room with me! She thought. Suddenly, she wished that she had called security. "Serena..." the voice cut the silence, startling her into panic. It was not just any Borg soldier, but Roshalon, the evil replacement of her true love. "Go away!" she shrieked. "Serena...it's not Roshalon! It's Darien. ...Able to d-defeat the Borg interference." The voice still rang with the Borg overtones. "I don't trust you! How do I know that you are not deceiving me?" Serena was on her feet, inching towards the communicator. She felt more comfortable with words in the air. "You must trust, Serena! Put your trust in your love, Darien." "If you are Darien, then why can't you say I, or me?" Serena reached the communicator, and picked it up. The red laser beam left the wall, and danced on Serena's body. It first illuminated her face, and then her torso, moved down to her legs, and glided to her arms, and finally rested on the communicator. "Please, don't call for help." "Why not? If you are really Darien..." "Please..." the voice was louder, more insistent. Serena stood still for a moment, and then pressed the communicator. "Serena to anyone who can hear me! He's in my quarters! Help me please!" At this, the red beam swung all over the room, and there was a loud bang as a solid object hit the floor. Suddenly, the room was illuminated with a green light. It was Roshalon's metal appendage. It glowed with heat as an electrical buildup scored across its surface. Roshalon spoke again, only his voice was full of anger, an uncontrolled rage. "We told you not to do that!" He raised the appendage above his head, and lunged for Serena. She screamed and covered her head. Right above her, he swung the arm towards her skull at such a tremendous speed, flames leapt outward, ignited by the heat, and fanned by the air. It never reached her. With the other hand, Roshalon caught the appendage, and broke it off. The severed piece fell to the floor. "I will never allow them to hurt you, Serena! Never!" Serena, expecting to be dead on the floor, looked up. Roshalon was standing above her. However, instead of the multiple voices and overtones that created the bleat of the evil Roshalon, there was only one voice...a glorious voice. It was the voice that entered her ears on a warm summer's afternoon. It was the voice that embraced her in the park. It was the voice of the mighty Prince who occupied the throne of Earth. It was the voice of the meek boy who ran from her crazed father. It was the voice that constantly taunted her hair. It was the voice that expressed to her his undying love. She recalled the voice in her recurring dreams: I will never allow anything to harm you, my love. She remembered the voice that had been taken from her for a thousand years. "Darien? Is it you?" Serena remained slightly cautious. Darien's voice was filled with uncontrolled anger. "I will not allow you to live inside me, Roshalon! You are dead...here, now, and forever!" Darien stood up, and tore some circuitry from his left shoulder. It was the same circuitry, Serena remembered, that a Starfleet officer tore from a Borg soldier to kill it. She was instantly filled with worry for Darien. Once the circuitry hit the ground, electricity ripped through Darien/Roshalon's body. He screamed as it threatened to vaporize him. However, he withstood the barrage of energy, and collapsed to the ground. Serena ran to his side. "Dear Darien, no!" She went to check his pulse, but she couldn't even put her hand on his neck because it was so hot. However, he slowly opened his eyes, and looked at her fondly. "Thank you, my sweet. I am free again. I am finally free!" He allowed one more smile to pass, and then it was replaced with a grimace. He closed his uncovered eye, and lost consciousness. At this, the security team, led by Worf, entered the room at a run. The Klingon drew his knife and phaser, and prepared to lunge for the crumpled Borg. Serena looked up, and cried out, choking on her tears for joy. "No, no! Don't you see? He's free! Free!" Worf backed down from his lunge, but still kept his armaments drawn. One could never be too sure. "Shall I call Sickbay?" he asked tersely, disappointed that he didn't get to hack away at enemies with his Bat'leth. Klingon instinct went unfulfilled. "Please! He needs help!" "Worf to Sickbay! Medical emergency." The Klingon scowled at the motionless form on the ground. It was the cause of so much trouble. Due to the Borg named Roshalon, Worf had had a bad day. He then stared in amazement at the girl standing above the unconscious figure. She, all alone, was able to not only defeat this worthy opponent, but cure him. Worf stared incredulously at the severed Borg limb on the ground; still sparking from electrical charge. This girl is glorious! He thought. Minutes later, a medical team arrived, and entered the room with an anti-grav stretcher, and various medical devices whose purposes were to stabilize the patient. Beverly Crusher, who was in the lead of the blue-clad paramedics, leaned over the limp form of Darien, and exclaimed. "His link to the Collective has been severed! How in the world did he survive?" Serena answered. "He did it with the strength in his heart, and the power of his mind. Oh, and the link didn't just become severed by accident. He ripped the machine off of his body." Serena spoke with extreme pride about her boyfriend. Doctor Crusher was amazed. "I can't wait to tell Captain Picard," she exclaimed sarcastically. "He what?" Captain Picard nearly spat his earl gray tea across the ready-room. He had just received a call from Doctor Crusher, who recently received a patient: Roshalon. However, from her report, it wasn't Roshalon, but the former soul who lived before the Borg assimilation. Crusher stated that the subspace transmitter, the shoulder-pad circuitry, had been torn from his body. But this was unbelievable! When that circuit is removed from a Borg, they were supposed to disintegrate! Captain Picard, who knew the Borg like an insider, had to investigate. "I'll be right down!" He dropped his pad onto the table, and rushed out of the room. Deanna Troi was seated in her usual post on the Bridge. She looked up when the captain practically exploded from his office. "Captain, what's wrong? I sense that you are very excited." "Deanna, you're not going to believe this, but our friend, Roshalon..." "He...he's free!" Deanna almost shrieked. She got up immediately. "Captain, may I join you?" She moved next to him. The captain smiled. "Absolutely. Lieutenant Sevok, you have the Bridge!" The captain and Deanna moved towards the turbolift. The young Vulcan got up from the science station. "Aye, sir!" He sat down in the Command chair. Picard led the way to Sickbay. When the two Bridge-officers arrived at the entrance to the U.S.S. Enterprise's major medical facility complex, they were tied with the arrival of a med.-team carrying an unconscious former-Roshalon. The security team and Doctor Crusher took the lead. Doctor Crusher was barking orders to the nurses around her, and they carried them out efficiently, and quickly. Functions in Sickbay were just as smooth as functions on the Bridge. The paramedics at the front of the stretcher were busy guiding it forward, and towards a biobed. The two paramedics in the middle, one on each side, were constantly monitoring the patient's life signs, and constantly stood ready with stabilizers and life-preserving instruments. The paramedic taking up the rear kept the stretcher from crashing into walls and doorways. The nurses already had a biobed in the intensive-care ward prepared, ready for the approaching paramedics. Doctor Crusher stood in the midst of her team, supervising everyone. Finally, at the rear of the parade, an excited, but extremely worried Serena entered Sickbay. The two med.-teams, the paramedics and the nurses, transferred the body of Darien onto the biobed. They immediately slid the parabolic scanner over his form. It covered his entire torso. His pulse, blood pressure, and brainwave activity flashed into graphs on the device. "Heartbeat steady, but faint." The nurses and Crusher set into work. "We have a fractured collarbone, and severe bleeding from the forearm. Get me a dermal regenerator!" There was a transaction of devices, and soon, Darien's wounds were accosted with glowing devices that stopped the bleeding. "There is unusual activity in the cerebral cortex! I need a cortical stimulator!" The circular device was placed onto Darien's forehead. "Let's get him into surgery!" barked the doctor. They wheeled him out of the ward, and into another, private room. Serena went over to one of the nurses. "Is he all right? What's happening?" "He's stable, for now. That's a good sign. Once we can assess the extent of his injuries and attend to them, we can begin to surgically remove those implants." The dark haired, Asian nurse began to clean the instruments in a sterilization field. "How long will that take?" Serena stood behind the nurse, out of the way, but close enough to be noticed. "Well, removing the larger implants would only take a few hours, but the Borg have made hash with his DNA, blood, cells...everything. It could be a few days before he's out of Sickbay...and a few weeks before he will be fully recovered. And then we have to attend to the emotional trauma." Serena, who was afraid that the staff would be doubtful of her boyfriend even surviving, breathed a sigh before coming to tears. The nurse grasped Serena by the shoulders, and comforted her. "Don't worry. Your friend was strong enough to withstand the Borg self-destruct mechanism. His will must be unbelievable. There is no reason for why he wouldn't get better...none." "Thank you." Serena, in brighter spirits, moved out of the way of the cleaning nurses. The nurse, Nurse Ogawa, looked after her. Strong will...that's a euphemism. To do what that guy in surgery now has done, you would need to be a superhero, or something. Captain Picard was the next person to speak with Serena. "Serena," he said, "Your friend has done something that nobody has been able to do before. Congratulations on bringing him back." He reached out with his arms, and embraced Serena, who sobbed in happiness. The captain nodded, and moved to another part of the ward. Worf moved up to her. "I'm sorry, miss. May I ask you a few questions?" "Sure, Mr. Worf." The Klingon continued. "How did Roshalon make it into your quarters? The security sensors were down." "I'm not totally sure...but I'm glad he did! Well, the lights were out, and I couldn't see a thing. But wait! I remember hearing a scratching noise in the air vent by the replicator thingy!" Worf nodded, wrote this down in his computer pad, and then waved his hand at two gold-clad security men, who immediately departed for her quarters. "Thank you. Next, were you alone in the room when it entered?" "It? Yes, I was alone when he came in." "Sorry. Did you engage in any physical combat?" "Almost...but no." Serena diverted her gaze to the floor. Then, the captain moved towards Worf, and he turned away from Serena. "Excuse me. Yes, captain?" Picard had a grim expression on his face. "Data is still unconscious. That Borg interface really scrambled his positronic matrix." Serena was filled with sorrow and worry for the friendly android. "When will he be operational?" asked Worf. "There's no telling. Geordi has had to repair major damage to his personality program. His emotion chip is also malfunctioning." "In what way?" "It won't be deactivated. Something is holding it on." Serena left their conversation, and moved towards the other side of the room. Raye, Mina, Lita, and Amy had just entered the ward. They rushed to Serena when they saw her." "Oh Serena...we're so sorry we weren't there to help!" began Amy. "I can't believe that you single-handedly protected yourself!" exclaimed Raye, playfully. "Darien's back for good!" shouted Mina, embracing Serena. "Now we're gonna kick some Borg butt!" shouted Lita. Serena nodded at this, and clenched her fist. "M hmm, Lita! We're going to make them pay!"