Mr Data vs The Borg
by Firebird.
Disclaimer:
Star Trek, the Enterprise, Mr Data and the Borg are all trademarks of Paramount
Pictures Corporation.
Chapter 01 - Captured
I am alive.
Well, not technically, but I am aware. My startup diagnostic program runs. All
my external sensors have been switched off. I'm unable to access my memory
banks. I must wait. Time has no meaning to an android. My diagnostic routine
reports an inaccessible memory sector. I require my memory banks or data input.
My external sensors are enabled. Light receptors ... active. Tactile receptors
... active. Hearing ... active. I rerun my diagnostic routine on the
inaccessible memory sector. Still inaccessible. My programming sub-routines
bypass it.
I process the data from my eyes. The room is dark. Green light seems to be
filtering in from around the metal beams. My body is strapped to a semi-upright
table. The straps are strong enough to hold me in place. The temperature is 38.4
degrees. I look to my right and there is a creature. Electronic equipment is
embedded throughout his body. His skin is pale to the colour of white. I am
still unable to access my memory banks.
"We are BORG," says a ghostly voice. It seemed to come from the very walls.
"What is Borg?" I ask. Without my memory banks, I need to acquire knowledge.
My memory banks are now accessible. The Borg have allowed me access. I locate
the last time period of my memory.
Yes, now I recall.
I was at ops while the Enterprise was studying a planet to determine if it was
class M. Our orders were to locate suitable planets with the best environments
for colonization. The planet's magnetic field was more powerful than our long
range and short range sensors. This hampered our efforts to read the planet's
atmosphere.
Captain Picard and Commander Riker decided the risk was minimal and launched two
shuttlecraft to the planet's surface. He felt two away teams were required as he
needed to report back to Starfleet as soon as possible about the planet's
environment. The away teams consisted of the senior officers with the exception
of Captain Picard, Counsellor Troi, Doctor Crusher, Security Chief Worf and
myself.
Worf was the first to see the Borg closing in. They had concealed themselves on
top of the planet's magnetic pole. I believe they had adapted the tactical
manoeuvrer from Captain Picard at their last encounter. The shields were raised
as the Borg tried to secure us with their tractor beam. Within seconds it had
locked on and Borg drones boarded the Enterprise. They were efficient and quick.
When the shield failed, Captain Picard immediately issued a self-destruct
sequence.
Within six minute all of the crew, apart from the away teams on the planet, were
teleported to the Borg vessel. We were trapped in a large room without doors or
windows. Men, women and children all huddled together in fear. Counsellor Troi
and Doctor Crusher tended to injured crew members. Captain Picard, Worf and I
listened to the voice of Borg instructing the vessel to destroy the Enterprise.
With no one at the controls. The Enterprise was easily destroyed. Captain Picard
was right in commencing the self-destruct sequence. Federation technology was
not allowed to be assimilated by the Borg.
The Borg spent the next seven hours scanning the planet. They could not teleport
to the planet's surface to look for the away team. After the seventh hour had
elapsed, the Borg vessel left the planet's orbit ... with the remaining crew
trapped inside.
The Captain, Worf and I discussed what the Borg may do. Assimilation was the
most obvious answer. However, we did not agree as to the reason why the Borg had
not simply assimilated us when we arrived on their vessel. Fifty-six minutes
after we left the planet's orbit, I was teleported to my current location. I
have no further memory after that event.
The robotic Borg voice spoke again to me, "Memory recall complete. Commander
Data. You will download all technical data on Federal space craft, weapons and
defences."
"I will not." I responded.
"Failure to comply is not an option," stated the voice.
"You know you can not force the data from my positronic matrix. Therefore, I can
and will resist you."
The voice no longer spoke. I remained on the table for forty-four minutes when a
figure entered the room. He was similar to the other drones. Black metal was
attached to his body. A red light in place of his left eye. His skin was pale.
However his features were familiar to me. They had re-assimilated Captain Picard
into the Borg collective.
"Commander Data. I order you to give all technical data on Federation space
craft, weapons and defences to the Borg," said the Captain. He was no longer the
Captain. He is again Lacutious of Borg.
"You are not Captain Picard. You are Lacutious of Borg. I only take orders from
Federation Starfleet. I will not give the Borg the requested information."
Lacutious did not make a noise or facial gesture.
"Your choice is not with consequence, Mr Data. We do have methods available to
us to extract the information."
I gasped as my emotion chip is activated. The memory area which I could not
access is now operating but still inaccessible to my programming. It is an
access route to my emotion chip. The Borg have bypassed the corrupted areas of
the chip and enhanced the chip's abilities. Emotional sensations flood my body
and processing memory.
"You have activated my emotion chip. Why?" I asked feeling no longer in control.
Lacutious leaned forward towards me. His face as passive as always.
"So you can experience every agony, pain, torture and fear the Enterprise crew
will have as we assimilate them one by one."
I stare in horror at the Borg's proposal. I tried to switch off the emotion
chip, but my programming is denied access.
"Resistance is futile," said Lacutious.
