The USS Jaxartes was safe, at least for the time being that was.  With the Borg now unable to communicate with the defence satellite Anvil 2, it was no longer firing at them; and the Borg had made no attempts to re-position any of the other three.

Devron had sent both Lieutenant Stuart and Ensign Tholakath off to rest.  The two of them had worked hard today and had managed to keep the ship in on piece, despite their enemies’ best efforts.  Jason knew he should be resting to, but also realised he wouldn’t get any sleep any way.  How could he sleep?  It had been hard enough before this mission had started.

He tapped the arm of his captain’s chair lightly. “Just get us home old girl.” He sighed. “Just get us home.”

“Sir?” Ensign Harris at the Helm and the only other person currently on the bridge had assumed his captain was specking to him.

“Just talking to myself.” Replied Devron.

“First sign of madness that, Sir.” Harris joked.

“No, the first sign of madness is pitting a Raven class corvette against the Borg!” Jason got up and stretched. “Mr Harris the Bridge is all yours.  So no wild parties whilst I grab forty.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it Captain.” The ensign smiled back. “At least not on a Wednesday.”

Devron smiled back, before exiting the bridge. Wednesday was it; he was glad someone had a clue what day of the week it was. His first port of call was Sickbay.  When he entered Sickbay, he found the EMH working away and whistling a tune to himself.  “Good evening Captain, how may I be of assistance?” The hologram asked detecting the arrival via the sensors within the room before actually turning round.  Jason wasn’t sure what to make of the change in the demeanour of the EMH; the difference between its usual crankiness and its current dare it be said jovial state was rather stark.

It had all stemmed from him trying to explain to the holographic doctor what he’d actually done; because those parts of his memory had been lost when the shuttle was damaged.  That was going to be another thing he’d need to explain to command.  He could see it now, ‘And how exactly did you lose another shuttle?’

The EMH’s polite cough brought the Lieutenant back to reality.  Now that was a new one to, did they ever cough? “I was just checking in on the patient.” He finally got round to saying.

“I’d say rather well, considering what Mr Torf went through.” The EMH didn’t need to consult a PADD to access any information, though he tended to, just to act a little more human. “Doctor Andrianakis hope to bring him out of his coma tomorrow.”

“State of his injuries?” Jason asked.

“Well the swelling on the brain caused by the nanoprobes is all cleared up as is the inflammation around the heart.” The doctor paused a moment. “The dermal regenerators are still working or repairing the damage to the tips of the three fingers he lost on the left hand.  That should he all sorted in the next 12 to 15 hours.”

“Why is it taking so long?”

“We’ve basically had to regrow several layers of skin and tissue.  The rest of the fingers and thumbs weren’t so badly affected by the frostbite.”

“I understand.  Well keep up the good work.” Devron remarked as he made his way back to the door.

“My pleasure Captain, and good night.”

Jason made his way to his quarters, taking off his jacket and replicating himself a glass of warm milk, before taking a seat.  Whether the drink would help him sleep he wasn’t sure, so he had the computer play some music in the background. “Computer play Devron compilation 003. Sound level 2.”

“Acknowledge.” A few seconds later the sounds of Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata began wafting in the air.

**********

The other Jason, the one now an ex-Borg Drone wasn’t asleep either.  He was too busy for sleep; not that he needed that much these days.  He was working hard to repair the damage to Borg Cube 4738’s communication link; which once operational, would restore the cube’s connection with the Collective.  He knew Node One was carefully monitoring every single action he had taken.  From the moment he’d beamed over, to when he’s started the work, right up until now.

What Node One couldn’t do though was read his mind, and that was frustrating the cubes leader.  He just didn’t know if he could entirely trust the renegade Drone.  But whilst he was conducting the repairs, he would be allowed to live.  Once that was done he would join all those who had failed to follow orders.  Deviation and non-conformity would be dealt with.

Node One was also monitoring events on Tartarus II.  He had sent there a small force of Drones aboard the Sandvik and Komatsu to assimilate the planets mining work force and their families.  Despite the interference of a Federation vessel, he now knew to be designated USS Jaxartes; preventing them from reaching the main population centre, they had acquired 477 addition units to the loose of 16.

More than half of those had now boarded the transports ready to fly here to the Cube. The rest would be joining then within the next few hours before the ships launched.  The mines had proven to be a deep and winding labyrinth of tunnels and the workers had resisted at every opportunity, which is how most of the drones had been lost.  Their shielding had adapted to the energy weapons of the security team.  But the miners had used pickaxes, shovels, drills, explosives, in fact almost anything they could lay their hands on to defend themselves.  Node One had felt every one of those loses; it was hard to distance himself, when every action and reaction to events past from each Drone to him.

Loses had proved higher than anticipated; but Node One was satisfied with the outcome. Borg Cube 4738 would be fully functional again, and would soon re-join the Collective.

“I’m almost finished.” Came the voice of the renegade Drone. “Are sure you wish me to complete the link?”

To Node One, that seemed an odd question.  Why else would this Drones continued existence be tolerated and its work allowed to carry on unhindered if he didn’t want the Cube reconnected to the Collective. “Proceed.” Was his only reply he needed to give.

“Well it’s your funeral.” Was the mocking response.

‘I think not.’ Node One thought to himself, smiling in a very uncharacteristic way; Borg never smiled, that was an emotion and was of no constructive benefit.  He close his eyes and clenched his fists, feeling the knowledge and the power of the Collective flow through him and the Vinculum.

Status Update

Emergency Command Status:            Deactivated

Designation Command Node One:    Active

Communication Link:                          Established

Resonance Signal:                                Passive

Structural Integrity:                            19.05%

Repair Time:                                        1761.2 Hours at current capacity.

Transwarp:                                         Inoperative

Warp:                                                   30% Efficiency

Warning:

Anomalous Readings Detected in Cube 4738.

Maximum Threat Level

Insatiate Failsafe Protocol 

Command Order:  Full Termination

Node One’s eyes flew open with the realisation of what the warning meant.  His Cube had registered as a threat to the Collective, and that threat was being dealt with; permanently!  He looked right at the Drone which had carried out the repairs. “What did you do?” He bellowed with rage.

“I did everything you wanted.” The Drone replied. “But your thoughts have become too independent.  The Collective can’t allow thinking like that to jeopardise its existence.”

Node One screamed, an ear splitting scream; not just filled with anger, but with pain and terror; as if his very body was on fire.  It wasn’t just him though; every Drone he was connected with felt the pain too.  The two Drones beside him screamed, hands both real and cybernetic clutching their heads.  The noise reverberated throughout the Cube as all the other Drones aboard joined in the cacophony of sound.  All those down on the planet begun screaming, filling the air with an unearthly din.

Node One’s face looked redder rather than the usual grey pallor as blood started issuing form first his nose; then mouth, eyes, ears too.  His body went limp; only supported by the snake like coils that connected him directly into the Vinculum.  The guards had no such support and dropped to their knees, before collapsing to the deck.  Likewise every other Drone on the ship went limp and lifeless, along with all those on Tartarus II.

**********

On the Jaxartes, Jason Devron felt rather than heard the screams of over a thousand being in torment.  He sat up as a wave of nausea overcame his senses and he dropped back down on to his bed.   Crewman Tyson had felt it to; crashing out of his lower bunk.  Much to the shock of those he shared the room with.

And in sickbay Albert Torf, sat bolt upright, eyes wide open and yet seeing nothing; before his heart suddenly stopped and the alarms on the bio-bed started wailing as he slumped back down.