Throughout the flotilla, on every ship and every communication channel, the same haunting message reverberated, a message spoken by thousands of voices in complete unison: "We are the Borg. Lower your shields and surrender your ships. We will add your biological and technological distinctiveness to our own. Your culture will adapt to service us. You will be assimilated. Resistance is futile."
A tremendous black and metallic Borg cube floated ominously in space near the flotilla, its size making the surrounding ships appear like tiny race cars beside a colossal black box. Even the Nexus, a formidable vessel, seemed horribly undersized in comparison.
Captain Anzyl Praxas and the crew of the USS Nexus were ready and poised for battle. Anzyl gripped the edges of his captain's chair, breathing steadily, fully aware that this flotilla of transport and cargo vessels stood little chance against a Borg cube. He doubted that the Nexus alone could withstand the impending fight. "Heluna, open a channel to the flotilla."
"Hailing frequencies open, Captain," she said, turning in her chair, her hand on her communication officer's earpiece.
"This is Captain Anzyl Praxas of the Khitomer Alliance Ship, USS Nexus, addressing all ships in the Trade, Shipping, and Cargo Conference," Anzyl spoke with conviction and poise, his leadership qualities evident in his tone. "As you no doubt have noticed, a Borg Cube has appeared. If you are not absolutely certain that your ship can put up a fight against a Borg vessel, I highly recommend you leave at once. The Nexus will do all it can to draw the cube's fire. If you feel your ship is up for a fight, rendezvous at these coordinates and prepare for battle. Praxas out." Turning to Lasaalli, "Helm, take us to heading 093-mark-033. Put us between the cube and the flotilla." Anzyl's breathing remained steady, knowing this was the largest foe the ship had ever faced.
Lasaalli typed on her helm console, "Heading 093-mark-033, course laid in, Captain." she forced herself to say. The young Lukari woman was obviously uneasy at the prospect of steering her ship into war.
"All stations, status report," Anzyl stated, staring at the ever-growing metal cube as they got closer.
"Weapons are hot and ready at 100%," Veirik reported.
"Cyclonic Shielding fully active at 100%," Keten reported.
"All systems stable," Eroga reported.
Anzyl nodded, and turning to the Enaran telepath to his left, Diela, he whispered, "How's the crew?"
"Nervous doesn't even come close," she said, staring forward.
"Sir," Heluna said, looking at her console, "One Cardassian cruiser has left the Flotilla and is joining us at the coordinates."
Anzyl sighed heavily, "One Cardassian and one Alliance cruiser against one Borg Cube. I like those numbers," forcing an optimistic tone and approach to the heavily outmatched battle.
The intercom rang loudly again, all persons' combadges activated, with a repeat of a haunting message. "We are the Borg. You will be assimilated. Resistance is futile."
And with blinding speed and agility, the cube moved past the Nexus and Cardassian vessels into the center of the flotilla, firing its green energy beams on all ships in the flotilla that did not heed the captain's warning to flee immediately. Like soda cans against a shotgun, their hulls erupted in flames and explosions against the might of the Borg cube.
"Fire all weapons!" Anzyl yelled out, "Get that cube's attention, make it so that it knows we are the biggest threat and will not be ignored!"
The Nexus flew against the massive hull of the cube, radiating a colorful display of its Octo Omni-directional beams, with eight kinds of destructive beams firing and ripping through the hull of the Borg cube. Flashing orbs of torpedoes flew out of its fore and aft launchers, crashing and exploding on the surface of the cube. The Cardassian cruise let loose its arsenal of yellow disruptor beams and torpedoes. The cube continued to fire on all vessels, hardly phased by the two ships' impressive onslaught.
"Attack pattern alpha!" Anzyl called out, "I want that block of metal's undivided attention!"
The Nexus maneuvered around the cube's six sides, unleashing a barrage on every possible target and vulnerable point on the cube.
"Two of Three to Tactical," Two's voice chirped over Veirik's combadge.
"What, T? I'm a little busy at the moment!" Veirik yelled back.
"I am sending you a set of coordinates that are tactical advantage points on the cube's surface, and target these points," T instructed. "I also advise using transphasic beams, as much of the Borg technology relies heavily on that energy source."
Overhearing the conversation, Anzyl looked at Veirik, who glanced at the captain for approval. Anzyl only gave a "Do It, Dummy!" look.
As the Nexus passed another side of the cube, its eight transphasic neon-pink beams shot from various points on the hull. The beams of pink energy sliced and tore through the Borg metal like paper, causing energy fluctuations throughout the massive cube.
The cube halted all actions against the flotilla.
"I think we have their attention now, sir," Veirik stated, a look of worry and concern on his face.
"Then keep firing!" Anzyl ordered. "Helm, move us slightly away from the cube in a direction that forces the cube away from the Flotilla."
The Nexus turned away from the cube, continuously firing eight pink beams at strategic spots on the hull. Explosions erupted on the surface of the massive cube. The Borg cube pivoted to have a corner pointed at the Nexus, with three sides all open to the much smaller ship. With a flash of green, 18 beams of green energy fired simultaneously at the Nexus.
The Nexus was struck so violently that it was thrown like a fumbled ball, with the crew inside experiencing the same intense force.
Thrown clear to the roof, and slamming back into the ground, the captain laid there, gasping for air, "Report!...."
"Engines are at 12%," Keten reported, climbing back into his console, "Warp is offline, we only have impulse power!"
"Auxiliary power is offline!" Nolan reported, his dinosaur grip held him in place.
"Shields are at 11%, Hull at 92%, but Nanite regeneration is fully active!" Eroga called out.
"Weapons are hot and ready at 115%!" Veirik declared, beaming with surprise, his superhuman grip held him in place as well, "The Plasmonic Leech is draining that cube for everything it's got! Targeting their beam arrays and weapons!"
Even though the Nexus floated in space, the omni-directional beam array still allowed it to fight, and the plasmonic leech system drained weapon power as it attacked, making it stronger the longer and harder the ship fought. The small ship fired off eight hot pink beams at the cube's weapon beam arrays, destroying eight in one barrage, but the cube still had dozens more beam arrays active.
The Borg cube shifted its position again, pointing the opposite corner to the Nexus, with 18 fresh and untouched beam arrays lighting up to fire. Just as the Cardassian vessel flew through in between the Nexus and Cube to provide cover fire. The 18 beams fired, hitting the Cardassian cruiser, and like a stick of dynamite in a garbage can, the Cardassian vessel exploded instantly, in a massive fireball of destruction. However, saving the Nexus.
"Cardassian cruiser was destroyed, sir!" Heluna called out, "No survivors or escape pods..."
Anzyl sat in his captain's chair, blood streaked across his face, his uniform torn and singed, "Keep firing! Lock all weapons on their beam arrays and fire at will!"
Beams of pink energy fired from the ship as the lone USS Nexus took on a gargantuan Borg Cube, all by itself.