Path: newsspool2.news.atl.earthlink.net!stamper.news.atl.earthlink.net!stamper.news.pas.earthlink.net!elnk-nf2-pas!newsfeed.earthlink.net!newshub.sdsu.edu!headwall.stanford.edu!newsfeed.stanford.edu!sn-xit-03!sn-xit-08!sn-post-01!supernews.com!corp.supernews.com!not-for-mail From: billfl@hiwaay.net (Bill Livingston) Newsgroups: alt.startrek.creative Subject: NEW ALL: "Five and a Half Things That Never Happened on Star Trek" (2/6) (PG) Date: Mon, 31 Jan 2005 05:44:51 GMT Organization: Almost None Message-ID: <41fdc500.6397971@newstoo.hiwaay.net> X-Newsreader: Forte Free Agent 1.11/16.235 X-Complaints-To: abuse@supernews.com Lines: 84 Xref: news.earthlink.net alt.startrek.creative:162182 X-Received-Date: Sun, 30 Jan 2005 21:46:47 PST (newsspool2.news.atl.earthlink.net) Title: The Worst Of All Worlds Series: Five and a Half Things That Never Happened on Star Trek Part: 1/1 (Story), 2/6 (Series) Author: Bill Livingston (billfl@hiwaay.net) Series: TNG Rating: [PG] Codes: R Summary: The Borg have arrived, and they have a Secret Weapon Note the first: As you may have guessed, this is inspired in part by Rocky's "5 Things That Never Happened to Kira Nerys". I asked her if I could borrow the premise, who was nice enough not only to say yes, but to point out that it's been used before. Thanks, Rocky. Note the second: There's going to be one of these for each series, plus one more (hence the "half"). Archive: OK anywhere, as long as title and authorship remain unchanged. Any MSTers welcome, just let me know. 8-] Disclaimer: "Star Trek" and all related characters and situations are trademarks of and © Desilu/Paramount/Viacom. All rights are reserved. Feedback in ASC and by email is welcome. If you liked it, please let me know. If not, please let me know. In either case, please let me know *why*. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- THE WORST OF ALL WORLDS By Bill Livingston "Sir - they're hailing us." "On screen." The Enterprise's main display switched from the exterior of the cube-shaped vessel they had pursued to its darkened interior. Rows of "drones", part flesh and part metal, faced them. They presented an implacable, immobile, unfeeling front. Then the ocean of drones moved and parted. The eyes of everyone on the bridge were fixed on the screen as a single figure stepped forward. Jean-Luc Picard, the captain who'd led them through thick and thin, faced them - but this wasn't the Picard they remembered. His skin was waxen and gray, his movements were jerky, and he was covered head to foot in dull, metallic armor that was studded with sensors and unknowable contraptions. Worse yet, his face was set in the same expressionless cast as the drones around him. They had lost him to the Collective. "I am Locutus of Borg," he said. His voice still resounded, but it was now inflectionless, and it carried an ominously mechanical undertone - a sinister echo proclaiming that while it might be Picard's voice, it was not him speaking - rather, he was being spoken *through*. "Your life, as it has been, is over," the obscenity called "Locutus" continued. "From this time forward, you will service... us." Commander Will Riker was barely able to tear himself from the sight, mouth dry with apprehension. The mass in his chest grew even heavier as he asked, "Commander, is the weapon ready?" "Fully charged," came Geordi's reply. Beside him, Commander Elizabeth Shelby started to make a motion in protest, but she cut it off. She knew Picard was one of Starfleet's best captains - but she also realized that this was their one best chance to stop these monsters in their tracks. She also knew that considering the resources the Borg now had at their disposal, it needed to be done quickly. To Riker's credit, despite the enormous personal cost to him, he wasn't hesitating to take the offensive. Then, before Riker could give the order to fire, Locutus was joined on the screen by yet another Borg. Like Picard, its ashen form was encased in plating. Riker's heart came crashing down around him as it - she - stared back with her one remaining visible eye, gazing at him and the rest of the bridge crew imperiously, considering them the way one would a small, harmless, yet irritating bug. "I am Forensa of Borg," she proclaimed, her voice now ringing with the same semi-artificial echo. Riker's despair turned instantly to bone-chilling fear as he realized he was not only hearing the voice from the screen, but in his mind as well. "Your resistance is hopeless... Imzadi." NewMessage: