Episode 43: "Data to Die for"

The air was filled with smoke, as McMillan hurried to Ensign Deianirrah, who lay motionless on the floor. "Doctor, quickly!" he shouted, which caused the monstrous looking creature, only known to the crew as 'Jimmy', to approach quickly, avoiding the green bots flying towards him.

"She's been hit pretty badly." Jimmy said, examining Deia. "However, with some medical care, I'll have her up again soon."

"Do what you can." McMillan said over the noise of shots being fired. "We can't stay out here in the open forever." He looked around, glancing at the rest of the Gibraltar crew, firing whatever weapon they had with them, against their adversary.

The Borg.

Starfleet had sent them to find the USS Troudell, a science ship missing in this sector. When the Gibraltar did indeed find the ship, there were Borg signatures all over it, while it was towed by a Borg ship. The Troudell carried valuable data, so McMillan took charge of an away team. "This might be a dangerous mission," he had said right before beaming over. "We might encounter the Borg."

In retrospect, that was the understatement of the year. The Borg just kept coming, and the crew wasn't even close to the Bridge, where all the data was stored. "How're you holding up, Ensign Johnson?" McMillan asked. She had just come back to duty, after spending a week in Sickbay after the last mission.

 

"Just peachy Sir!" came the response, as the Hazard Team Ensign killed another Borg coming her way. Another Security Officer, Mr. Wayne, nodded in response. "Haven't had this much fun in years!"

McMillan winced slightly at this response, but before he had a chance to say something, 'Jimmy' spoke up again. "I've done what I could, Captain. Ensign Deianirrah will be back on her feet shortly."

And he was right: the blue-skinned Ensign stood up, wobbled around a bit and brought her hands to her head. "What happened?"

"You got shot." McMillan answered quickly, grabbing his weapon. "We can't stay here much longer: we need to go to the Bridge. Can you walk?" Deianirrah was the key to their whole mission: she and Ensign Visage had to pick the data out of the damaged, probably partially assimilated main computer.

With a nod, Deianirrah showed that she could indeed move out. "Alright folks," McMillan shouted, getting the attention of friend and foe, "To the Bridge!"

Fighting their way through hordes of Borg drones, the crew finally entered the Bridge, where only one drone was awaiting them. He was quickly taken care of, at which point the crew started to relax somewhat.

That didn't last long though. "They're right outside," Commander Braveheart pointed out.

"Ensign Johnson, Lieutenant Weatherwax, Mr. Wayne," McMillan started, knowing full well what he was about to say. "Buy us some time: keep the Borg away from the Bridge."

A small chorus of 'aye Sir' was the response, after which the trio walked out, into what might as well be their deaths. But McMillan wouldn't just give on them. "Ensign Deia, Ensign Visage, it's up to the two of you. Do your magic: get the data."

 

Their job wasn't an easy one. Of all the consoles on the Bridge, only the Tactical console wasn't assimilated. That also meant the main computer was seriously compromised. But, McMillan knew, if anyone could do it, it was them.

They had to hurry though: the team outside gave reports from time to time, and while they were holding their own, their ammunition and energy reserves were starting to get depleted. It would only be a matter of time before the Borg would break in, and assimilate the Gibraltar crew *and* the important data.

"Energy pack at 31 percent." came the voice of Ensign Johnson over the commbadge. "Captain, we can't stay here that much longer. We need to go back to the beam-in point, now."

"I just need another moment!" Deianirrah shouted out, working as fast as she could. Her fingers were almost moving faster than McMillan thought was possible, but it wouldn't matter. He couldn't risk it.

It was at that moment that Commander Braveheart started moving towards the door. "Commander?" McMillan asked, slightly surprised. "What are you doing?"

"Time to show why I became XO." his friend said with a faint smile. "They need help out there: I'll help them."

It was crazy. Braveheart didn't have all that much combat experience. . . at least, not that McMillan knew. Still, he *did* have extensive experience fighting the Borg. "Alright then." the Captain said softly. "Good luck, Commander."

 

Just moment after Braveheart joined the fight, Deianirrah stepped back. "I got it... well, most of it." She took in a deep breath. The effort, in addition to her being shot earlier on, had tired her out. "There's a lot of damaged files... we were unable to save those."

"Fair enough." McMillan knew those files were very important, otherwise Starfleet wouldn't have wanted them in the first place. But at the moment, the survival of his crew was more important than any kind of files. "It's time to go. But first... Ensign Visage, activate the self-destruct."

The Science Chief looked at McMillan for a moment, as if not believing what the Captain had said. He then swallowed, but nodded. "Aye Sir. Setting self-destruct sequence." When Visage tapped in the barely working lights, a counter appeared on the screen. 180, 179, 178..

Just three minutes. That was cutting it close. "Alright folks, let's get a move on!" They had to get back to the beam-in point on the double, so that the Gibraltar could beam them out. As the crew exited the Bridge, they joined Braveheart, Weatherwax, Johnson and Wayne in the fight, pushing forwards towards the back of the ship. Not a moment too soon: the defenders' ammunition was almost gone. Wayne even had to strike one drone down with a knife. Not that he seemed to mind, though.

The time was running out. "Move, move!" McMillan shouted, as he entered the shuttlebay: the beam-in point. "McMillan to Gibraltar... beam us out, now!"

As the blue beam grabbed the Gibraltar crew, the ship around them started to explode. By the time the crew arrived on the all too familiar transporterplatform, the Troudell was no more. "Bridge, now." McMillan ordered, knowing full well that the destruction of that science ship would bring more Borg to this neighbourhood.

And he was right. "Captain, there's two Borg contacts just dropping out of warp." Visage reported when he sat down in his chair.

McMillan wasn't about to find out what they want. "Helm, get us out of here. Maximum warp."

The USS Gibraltar quickly turned around, moving away from the remains of the Troudell. With a flash of light, the Intrepid class starship jumped into warp. The Borg remained behind.

Even though they had survived – a good ending of any mission, by McMillan's book – the Captain did wonder why the Borg hadn't just assimilated this data. What was so important about it? Well, a closer analysis might prove some insight into that. But that would have to wait until later. Right now, he was just glad his crew was still alive. Because when dealing with the Borg, you never knew what would happen...