<Robert Jefferson Personal Log Entry 2561:

I have made a packed with the Devil himself, or more accurately the Borg.  It seems a fair enough deal considering the possible alternatives for both them and the company.  I mean losing a third of the workforce to them rather than every man and woman on the planet sounds like a small price to pay in keeping this facility operational.

A third of the workforce were going to get sacked or reassigned anyway; once the equipment being carried by the Sandvik and Komatsu had been installed.  So those are the names I’ve put on a list for the Borg. At least the Union we’ve got here won’t be able to cry ‘unfair dismissal’; especially as the union boss is top of the list.  Topped with the fact they won’t be around to demand compensation or in fact have any memory to even ask about it, this will save the company a heap of money.

How can I trust the Borg, you might be asking, even after they took my brother.  Well these Borg aren’t acting in the usual assimilate on sight approach everyone usually expects of them.  In fact most of the actually talking was done through the captain of the Sandvik, and he was able to reassure me that the crews on both ships were alive and well.  Which makes me more inclined to believe these Borg.

If I didn’t agree to all this, their Cube would simply blockade the planet and prevent us shipping anything in or out.  The company would not survive long with a situation like that.

The two transports will be here shortly, so I’d better finish preparing for their arrival.

End Log.  >

Jefferson logged off from his office computer and slid back the large black leather executive style chair he was sat in; before getting up and walking round his mahogany office desk.  He picked up his PADD, the one containing the 290 names he planned on handing to the Borg.  As Head of Operations Jefferson had an office in the Main Admiration building which was just a short walk from the Control Tower, were he was heading.

The tower was four stores high, but unlike the smaller building he’d just left didn’t have any lifts.  This had always annoyed the Head, but the company just didn’t want to spend the money to upgrade what was essentially one of the oldest buildings on the planet.  There just hadn’t been the spare power available to operate a lift when the mine was first being set up.  Once the power plant was up and running, the additional building had been created with better facilities, which included working lifts.  So that meant Jefferson had to trudge his way up the central spiral staircase all the way to the top.  He’d never like walking up them at the best of times, now at 53 he liked climbing them even less.

At the top Pat Channing was the first person to spot him.  A thirty something pain in the backside know it all.  He was on the list to. “Morning sir!” Pat said with that awful voice that Robert hated so much.  How could a grown man sound like a girl? “Don’t see you up here much and not this early at any rate.”

Jefferson merely grunted in response.  At least once he was assimilated this idiot might sound nearer to normal.  It was the young man sitting by the large bank of monitoring equipment that he needed to speak with.  Ramesh had turned 25 about a week ago.  He was an intelligent hard working likeable enough man but just a little prone to letting information slip to his overbearing union head of a father.

“Glad you’re here sir.” The young man said in his usual polite manner.

“Oh, why is that?” Robert tried to sound sincere, even though he knew full well, what was going on.

“It’s just that  CAT-04 Sandvik and CAT-05 Kamatsu are on their way in and final approach puts them passing closest to Anvil 1 which is currently going through its maintenance check.” Ramesh

“And you’re wondering whether you should suspend the check and reactivate it so Anvil 1 can do a full scan of the transporters. Am I right?”

The young man nodded. “Yes sir.”

“Do you really think the company is actually going to be sending us anything dangerous?” Jefferson asked him calmly. This part had been planned carefully.  He didn’t want the defence network picking up the fact those two ships contained Borg Drones.  Some idiot might decide to open fire, and those transports and the equipment they carried were rather expensive.

“Erm, well no, sir.” Was just the right answer he hoped and expected Ramesh would give.

“Just guide them in like you normal do and everything will be fine.” The boss reassured him, both in words and a friendly tap on the shoulder. “Keep up the good work.  I couldn’t do this without you.”

Ramesh felt immensely proud of the complement he’d just been given, and puffed out his chest just a little.  It was around seven or eight minutes before the young man received and incoming communication. “This is CAT-04 Sandvik to Tatarus Flight Control. Requesting permission to enter the defence grid.”

“This is Tatarus Flight Control.  You are clear to enter.  Adjust heading to 020-185 and begin decent at grid 4.” The young man replied to the voice of an unseen male.

“Copy that Flight Control.  ETA is three zero minutes.”

Ramesh went through the same procedure with CAT-05 Kamatsu; and had just turned to say something to Jefferson, but the man had already gone again.

**********

As the two large craft came into land; Jefferson was standing behind one of the half dozen protective screens positioned around the landing area.  He’d grabbed a pair of ear defenders upon exiting the tower.  These transports could be rather loud when they landed.  Several other men and a couple of women were positioned behind this screen and the others like it; ready to move forward and commence the unloading one it was safe to.  A pair of tugs and a forklift sat over to one side awaiting their orders.

The dust swirled around in the vortices created by the transports just before touchdown.  A moment or two later the huge cargo door at the rear of both ships began to open.  They weren’t even half way down when Jefferson, one hand over his mouth the other holding the PADD; moved forward towards the Sandvik.

The door and ramp clanked down when he was a mere 15 metres away.  He reached the bottom of the ramp roughly at the same time as a lone Borg Drone did. “Ah, I’ve got the list of names for you.” Jefferson announced as if conversing with the Borg was the most natural thing in the world.  He handed the PADD to the Drone; who looked at it and promptly crushed the device in his hand.

“Hey you stupid oaf!” He exclaimed. “How are you going to know the names of the people your taking?”

“Names are irrelevant.” Replied the Borg. “Resistance is futile.”

Jefferson never got to say anything else before the spike was plunged into him and the process of assimilation was set in motion.  Some of the workers had got rather close before they realised something was amiss.  A few yelled as the realised their boss had just been attacked by a Borg Drone, other just didn’t believe them and carried on walking. It was the four columns of Drones disembarking from the ship, as the same thing happened from the Kamatsu, which finally had them running.  Some hit the alarm and the klaxon started wailing across the landing area.

“Evacuate, evacuate!  Security Teams to defensive positions.” Someone shouted over a tannoy.  The drones opened fire; but their aim was to stun and immobilise rather than kill.  Every able body available would be needed to help repair the Cube.  A half dozen works lay on the ground within the first few seconds of shots being fired; more joined them as the Borg advanced.  Two security guards rounded a corner; dressed in combat armour and each carrying heavy looking energy weapons, but neither man had time to use them before being taken down by the Borg as they matched on.

From a roof top advantage point another guard opened fire.  His first shot missed but the second brought one of the Borg crashing down, another dropped to its knees a moment later; before a number of other Drones returned fire, forcing him to duck down.  The guard was preparing to lean over and fire again, when dirt was thrown up to his right.  The man turned just in time to see a Drone standing next to an open hatch on the roof of the nearest transport.  The second shot dazed him and he felt the world spin before he collapsed.

*********

Pat Channing had made it all the way to the bottom of the stair, when the first of the Borg burst through the door.  One grabbed his arm, swung him round and stabbed him with the spike carrying nanoprobes.

Still at the top Ramesh was desperately shouting over the communications system.  As he heard the clank of drone boots start their slow assent he yelled. “They’re coming for me!”