The Vaadwaur Manasa-class Assault Escort, the Khral’Shak, moved deeper into the quasar nebula, homing in on a transwarp emission. Commander Makra stood tall on his bridge, staring at his ship’s viewscreen. Commander Makra’s science officer, Sublieutenant K’rhon has his eyes glued to his scanners, trying to home in on the transwarp energy signature. He had a slightly puzzled look on his face as he turned to look at his Commander.

“Commander, that transwarp signature appears to be moving towards us,” K’rhon reported. Makra turned to look at him. K’rhon continued his report,” distance is about four thousand kilometers and closing. There is a high level of subspace interference that is jamming out scanners.”

Commander Makra walked to the science station to look at the sensor data himself. He saw that the transwarp energy signature was moving at half impulse speed on a course to exit the nebula but not at them.

“Three thousand kilometers and closing Commander,” reported the helm officer.

“Interesting. Helm, alter course to starboard 28 degrees,” Commander Makra said.

The helm officer acknowledged the order and the Vaadwaur ship’s course changed slightly.

“Two thousand kilometers and continuing to close Commander. Recommend we raise shields,” the weapons officer suggested.

Before the Commander could make his decision on that, five green hue globes flew towards them at ultra impulse speed.

“Incoming plasma torpedoes!”

Suddenly, all five Borg plasma torpedoes impacted on the Vaadwaur ship. One exploded on each warp nacelle. One hit where the forward quantum torpedo launchers are located. The remaining two exploded where the six forward facing polaron beam emitters were placed. Several green colored energy beans lanced out at them, hitting in multiple spots on the dorsal and port side of the Vaadwaur ship, hitting the port side polaron beam emitters and shield emitters.

Commander Makra got thrown to the floor in front of his command chair when the first torpedo hit his ship. He managed to stand up and flip into his command chair during the remaining torpedo impacts.

“Damage report now!”

The weapons officer, checking his console after getting tossed around, reported, “all forward facing weapons are offline and heavily damaged. Most of our portside polaron weapons are damaged. As are our forward and port side shields emitters.”

The bridge engineer reported, “warp engines are down. Our main power is down 37%. Hull breaches in several forward areas. Emergency force fields are holding. Auxiliary power is holding for now.”

The helm officer reported, “the helm is sluggish sir.”

“Hard to starboard. Full speed. Get us out of the nebula,” barked Commander Makra.

***

The Khral’Shak started sharply turning to its starboard, moving away from the Borg Cube. The Cube used a very similar ‘Khan like’ surprise attack.

“Your surprise attack worked, Commander,” Catersha exclaimed.

“I took it from some of the exploits Captain James T Kirk experienced,” replied Aramis. “Kaelara, change course to pursue them, but we need to drive them closer to the USS Carlsbad, so they can disable the implied engines once the Vaadwaur ship exits the nebula. Nebula radioactive emissions are jamming sensors. Vera, can you send a short, encoded message to the USS Carlsbad, advise them of the situation and request they move out of the nebula to cut the Vaadwaur off?”

Vera nodded her acknowledgement and started working to message the USS Carlsbad. Kaelara was making course corrections, bringing the Cube on a pursuit course.

“Continue disruptor fire Catersha. Target rear weapons, shields, and their impulse engines,” Aramis ordered.

“Yes, Commander. Targeting rear weapons, shields, and impulse engines.”

More green energy beams lashes out from the Cube, hitting the rear shields of the Vaadwaur ship, as it tries to escape the nebula.

***

Lieutenant Bradley reported from his tactical station.

“Sir, the Vaadwaur ship is under attack from the Borg Cube. A clear surprise attack. Sensor data is limited, but there appears to be moderate damage to the Vaadwaur ship.” Bradley tapped his console. “Sir, we are receiving a tight band subspace burst message from the Cube. It is a full damage report on the Vaadwaur ship and Commander Lionel is requesting we head out of the nebula and take up a strategic position to intercept the Vaadwaur ship once it exits the nebula.”

Captain Skyrunner sat forward in his command chair.

“Helm, set a course to take us out of this pea soup nebula. Full impulse speed.”

The navigator acknowledged the order and set a course. The USS Carlsbad lurched forward from behind its gas cloud hiding spot and made a new line for the perimeter. The ship was slightly buffeted as it was hitting areas of gas particles and nebula dust.

“ETA until we exit the nebula?”

“Three minutes sir,” reported Ensign Nguyen.

“Battlestations! Ready all weapons. Shields up! Engineering, transfer warp power to the phasers,” Captain Skyrunner ordered.

The USS Carlsbad sped through gas pockets, urgently trying to get in position to intercept the Vaadwaur ship before it has a chance to escape back into Underspace. Captain Skyrunner’s strategy is based on capturing the Vaadwaur ship.

“Lieutenant Bradley, once we spot the Vaadwaur ship, target its impulse engines only,” Captain Skyrunner ordered.

Bradley was setting up the controls for the upcoming fight.

“Yes, sir. Engines only.”

***

The Khral’Shak continued to head to the perimeter of the nebula, the Borg Cube in hot pursuit. The Cube continued to fire green disruptor beams at the Vaadwaur ship, mostly to drain its shields away then cause actual damage.

“Rear shields are down to 26%. Impulse engines are starting to become sluggish Commander,” the weapons officer reported.

“All available power to the rear shields. Fire all rear weapons,” barked Commander Makra.

The Khral’Shak fired its rear-facing polaron beam emitters at the Cube. The aft facing torpedo launchers fired a volley of quantum torpedoes each at the Borg Cube. The polaron beams struck the Cubes shields, lighting the shield bubble up. The quantum torpedoes flew towards the Cube. The first volley smashed into the shield bubble, causing massive explosions. The second volley followed the first, all five torpedoes impacting the Cube’s outer hull.

“How long before we exit the nebula,” demanded Commander Makra.

“Seconds now Commander,” reported the helmsman.

“Good.”

The Khral’Shak was finally emerging from the quasar nebula. Commander Makra was starting to smile as he saw the nebula gases and dust clouds fade away to the black openness of outer space…only to see a Federation starship directly in its path, torpedoes launched. Commander Makra swore in his native Vaadwaur tongue as he gripped his command chair tight.

“Evasive maneuvers to port!”

The Khral’Shak started to roll and bank to its port, bringing her ventral shield face to bare on the USS Carlsbad and its unleashed photon torpedoes. All five photon torpedoes impacted along the long axis of the ship, causing heavy damage. The torpedoes mostly just caused damage to the shields and not the ship. The shield bubble winked out. Just as fast as the Vaadwaur ship exited the nebula, the Cube suddenly emerged as well. It quickly changed course to pursue.

***

Captain Skyrunner held onto his command chair armrests. He watched the volley of photon torpedoes streak from his ship to the enemy ship, exploding along the ship’s z-axis. His grin grew bigger as all five torpedoes hit the hull, causing electromagnetic damage to the ship’s systems. Blue electric arcs traveled all along the outer hull of the Vaadwaur ship.

“Lieutenant Bradley, what is the Vaadwaur ship’s status,” Captain Skyrunner inquired.

Bradley scanned the enemy ship.

“They have heavy damage to shields and weapons. Their warp engines are damaged and offline. Their impulse engines are sluggish. They only have partial auxiliary power.”

“Helm, match course with them. Keep us in their path. Tactical, use phasers only on their starboard weapons,” Captain Skyrunner ordered.

The Carlsbad and the Khral’Shak traded energy weapons fire. Orange energy beams and purple polaron bursts flew between the ships. The Carlsbad’s shields were flaring brighter as it was taking heavy hits.

***

Commander Aramis Lionel looked at the holographic display in front of him. He saw the last flashes of photon torpedo explosions as the Cube cleared the nebula perimeter.

“They are changing course to port. Follow them Kaelara,” Commander Lionel ordered.

Kaelara complied with the order. She tapped commands into the console in front of her. The view on the display shifted as the Cube’s course changed. When the torpedoes from Carlsbad hit the Vaadwaur ship, blue arc lightning crawled all over the ship. The impulse engines dimmed out and died from overload.

“The Vaadwaur ship is powerless Commander,” Kaelara reported after checking the sensors.

“Engage the holding beam and start transporting drones over. Capture the ship and command crew,” Aramis said.

A green hued tractor beam reached out and grabbed the disabled Vaadwaur ship.

“Commencing transports,” Kaelara reported.

Hundreds of Borg tactical drones started beaming over to the disabled Vaadwaur ship. They spread out on every deck, incapacitating all Vaadwaur crew members. Several captured the Vaadwaur commander and transported him back to the Cube. Commander Makra was half escorted, half dragged to the command area, by four tactical drones. They stopped in front of Kaelara, holding Makra secure.

Aramis and Catersha turned to look at the Vaadwaur Commander. Kaelara stepped up to the Vaadwaur.

“Surrender now or die,” Kaelara demanded.

Makra looked around, surprised to see Starfleet Officers on a Borg ship. He snarled at the Starfleet Officers. Aramis walked up to Makra.

“I suggest you surrender,” Aramis said.

“I will never surrender to Starfleet,” Makra snarled at Aramis, then looked at Kaelara, “or Borg rejects.”

Commander Lionel turned around and slowly walked back to stand next to Kaelara. He turned around again, facing Makra.

“Last chance Commander. Surrender now,” Aramis offered.

Commander Makra just stood still, a defiant look on his face.

“Very well then.” Aramis looked at Kaelara. “I offered him a choice. Your turn Kaelara.”

Kaelara’s gaze met Vera’s, and she nodded in silent understanding. Vera’s eyes fluttered closed as she focused on issuing commands to the tactical drones swarming around them. Her fingers danced across the console, her brow furrowed in concentration. As she opened her eyes again, one of the drones sprang into action, gliding smoothly towards Makra.

The drone’s mechanical arm extended, its slender fingers wrapping around Makra’s wrist like a vice. Makra’s eyes widened in horror as the drone’s arm rose, two small tubes extended from the drones upper hand. The drone injected Makra with nanoprobes, the tiny machines coursing through his veins like liquid fire.

Makra’s face contorted in horror as he felt the probes spreading, cybernetic components forming and integrating with his body. His skin itched and burned as the nanoprobes rewrote his biology, transforming him into something new.

Vera approached Makra, her eyes closing once more as she reached out with her mind. She established a link with the new drone, her consciousness merging with its systems. Her eyes flickered open, her gaze piercing as she regarded Makra’s transformed form. The drone, now an extension of Vera’s will, stood ready to obey her every command.

“Vera, it is completed,” Kaelara asked.

Vera nodded. “He is a drone now. I’m downloading everything he knows. It should take a few hours to process everything he knows.”

“Very well,” Kaelara. “Have the drones assimilate the rest of the Vaadwaur crew. We can use them later.

Commander Aramis Lionel stepped up next to Kaelara.

“I clearly don’t like this part of the plan, but this is war and we are trying to save the Alpha and Beta Quadrants,” Aramis told Kaelara quietly.

“I understand how you feel as well Commander. It goes against everything we are, but as you said, this is war.”

Aramis nodded in agreement, glad to be done with that conversation. “How much damage did the Cube take?”

Kaelara checked with her command console.

“Very minimal damage. The ship’s auto repair systems are almost done repairing the damage we had,” Kaelara replied.

Catersha reported, “Commander, incoming message from the USS Carlsbad.”

“On screen Cat,” Aramis replied.

The image of Captain Skyrunner appeared on the holographic display.

“Status report Commander,” Kirok asked.

“The Vaadwaur ship has been captured sir, as has the crew. The Vaadwaur ship has taken some serious damage but we are already planning on getting at least some basic repairs done for phase two. No damage to the Cube sir, any battle damage will be repaired momentarily. The other Borg ships are in the process of powering up. My team is all good sir, including Kaelara and her people.”

“Very well. How much longer until the other Borg ships become operational,” Kirok asked Kaelara.

Kaelara seemed to look away for a few seconds, then looked at Captain Skyrunner.

“They should be operational in an hour, Captain. Their engines were first to be brought back online. They are on route out of the nebula now,” Kaelara reported.

“Very good everyone. I’m waiting for the runabout to arrive. They witnessed the whole battle. Once the other Borg ships exit the nebula, I want the Cube to bring all of the ships back to your planet Kaelara. We will need to get them ready fast and start phase 3. Carlsbad out.”

The Carlsbad and the Borg Cube, the galactic version of David and Goliath, stood tall near the perimeter of the Murasaki 312 quasar. The captured Vaadwaur patrol ship was still in the Cube’s holding beam as the drones on it are still repairing the damage and assimilating the crew.