This story is rated: PG some mild vulgarites and violence WE ARE THE BORG. LOWER YOUR SHIELDS AND SURRENDER YOUR SHIPS. WE WILL ADD YOUR BIOLOGICAL DISTINCTIVENESS TO OUR OWN. YOUR CULTURE WILL ADAPT TO SERVICE US. RESISTANCE IS FUTILE. WE ARE THE BORG. This novel is based on the characters created and copyrighted by Archie Comic Publications, David Pistone, DiC Productions, and Sega Incorporated. The author gives his permission to distribute this work freely as long as it's distributed in its full, unaltered form and currency has nothing to do with the distribution. Any questions, comments, or protests can be addressed to the author. Copyright (C) 1996-97, Kragok@yahoo.com . The Borg are a registered trademark of Paramount Pictures, Viacom. Copyright (C) 1989. Any sale or Illegal distribution of this work is Illeagal. This work is merely for readers enjoyment not profit. The characters Cmndr. Torres, Captain Tinga, Haskins, Martinez and Lastator are original characters There histories or destines may not be changed without the authors consent. Timeline: Alternate Universe. Late 3234 IF THE POSSIBILITIES OF ALTERNATE REALITIES DO EXIST, THEN THE POSSIBILITIES OF THINGS TO HAPPEN IN THE ORDER THAT THEY WHERE NEVER INTENDED TO HAPPEN IS EQUALLY POSSIBLE. First Encounter PART 1 They sat in the vacuum of space. "What do you wish to do today?" one asked. "I don't know." came a reply. "How about we form another galaxy?" another suggested. "No it's been done." the second said exhausted. "How about if we explore the far end of the universe. I've heard its quite a sight to see." the first suggested. "Naw way to far." the third said dismissively. "What about that planet I made a while ago." the second suggested. "You mean the one with the animals?" the third asked. "Why would you want to watch those boring creatures there to busy with there own pitiful little problems than to even concentrate on things of much more value." "Well we have been asked by the continuum to give them a preliminary test." the first said slyly. "That's a very good idea." the second said. "Bravo that's a stupendous idea I wholeheartedly agree." the third said. "But what do you suggest? Pestilence?" "No." "Thermo-nuclear war?" "No." "Then what in the name of reason is it!" "You'll see." the first replied and with that he was gone. "This had better be good." the third said the second nodded in agreement. With that they vanished in a flash. PROLOGUE The Mobot asteroid field. A large, dense, spheroid cluster of asteroids and huge meteors surrounding the Mobot system. Since the dawn of time it has protected the system from other aliens and warlike races. It is one of the most amazing sights in the Delta Quadrant, and today a visitor approaches. This ship is not interested in sightseeing however but conquest. The light from a distant star glistened off its gun metal gray hull, barely highlighting its cubicle shape. This ship belongs to the Borg, a race who has enslaved hundreds of worlds. As the ship approached the field it fired it weapons toward it, but the shots deflected harmlessly off the meteors. It tried again but to no effect. Suddenly a smaller ship launched from the side of the Borg cube and headed through the asteroid field. The larger one departed at warp. It made its way through the large rocks and was about to clear the field when one of the larger rocks smashed into it. The Borg inside tried to regain control but thier efforts were useless. The scout ship plummeted towards the third planet in the system. After falling threw the atmosphere the ship crashed into a bay surrounded by a putrid city. The name of the city: Robotropolis. CHAPTER 1 ONE MONTH LATER In the briefing room at knothole an important meeting had just begun. Sonic the Hedgehog, Bunnie Rabbot, Geoffrey St. John, Rotor and several others sat around the table as Princess Sally began to speak. "A few weeks ago we lost contact with our northern batch of freedom fighters." she said pacing around the room. "I suspect Robotnik has something to do with this so I sent Geoffrey on a reconnaissance mission, please give us your report." she motioned to him. "Yes princess." he replied. Geoffrey walked up to a computer set back in the wall and taped the keyboard. A map of the settlement appeared on the black screen. Several points were highlighted on the screen indicating power-station, control buildings, barracks and huts. "When we arrived we discovered the place was virtually deserted there were laser burns all over the place and the command center was blockaded up like they had their last stand. The laser burns were consistent with Bots but we did find something else." he paused for a moment and swallowed. "Well what was it?" Sonic demanded impatiently. "I'm not sure.." St. John replied. "It obviously was not of this world. Its skin was this sickly pale white and it was almost definitely cybernetic life-form." "Cyber-whatsis?" Sonic Interrupted. "Cybernetic" Rotor replied. "means a organism that has both organic and cybernetic parts both completely dependent on one another to survive.". "So it's like being robotisized.". Sonic replied. "Not exactly." "Thanks to our spy network." Sally continued "We have information to where Robotnik is keeping the hostages we also received this." She picked up and opened Nichole on the table and slapped the data disk into the computer "Nichole run program." Sally said. "Processing" the computer replied. A holographic image appeared in midair. "What you'll see is actual images of a meteor that crash landed in Robotropolis a month ago." Sally said. The image fazed a little and then showed a bashed in cube crashing into the bay of Robotropolis. Then the image turned into that of a technical schematic of a cubical ship. "This ship belongs to that of a race called the "Borg"." Sally said. "They are a race of cybernetic organisms who function collectively like a hive of bees. They have one goal though whenever they encounter a technologically, culturally distinct race they integrate it into their own. Apparently Mobius was on their list but the asteroid belt impeded their efforts." A relieved "Whew" went around the room. "The bad news is I'm afraid that Robotnik has probably integrated this alien technology into his own and that he plans to use it on the hostages.". Sally momentarily paused to push a string of hair away from her eyes and to set Nichole back on the table. "I have already planned a rescue team." Sonic sat back in his chair and gave a smug look towards St. John. There was no way she'd pick St. John over him to lead a rescue mission. Sally continued. "Me, St. John Ray, and 6 men from the rebel underground.". Sonic snorted loudly and got up out his chair and blurted. "Why am I not going, I could rescue the hostages faster than anybody here!". "I am not going to argue with you Sonic, now sit down that's an order." "Yeah, let her finish.". St. John said smugly. Sally shot him an angry glance and Geoffery looked the other way. Sonic grumbled angrily and plopped down in his chair and kicked it around in a circle. "The reason is Sonic.." Sally replied. "is that if any thing happens to me on this mission I know I can count on you to carry on the fight without me." Sonic didn't like that idea. "I understand." he replied half-heartedly. Sally resumed "Rotor has designed for us some new weapons for this mission. They are called pulse rifles and they work like laser rifles, everyone will be issued one on the team. Also we will be in constant contact with Knothole via scomp-link. That is all we will leave in one hour. Dismissed." Every one got up and left the room Sally however turned and looked out the window overlooking the reconstructed Knothole Village. A group of younger children were playing outside they noticed her and waved. She smiled at them and waved back. Sonic, who had waited till everyone had left, came up and placed his hand upon her shoulder. "Sal?" he asked "Do you think Robotnik plans to "Borgify" the hostages?" "I don't know Sonic." She said solemnly. "I just don't know." CHAPTER 2 THE HIVE It was nighttime in Robotropolis. In a hall leading to the holding cells two Swat-Bots stood guarding the door. Suddenly two laser blasts were fired from a ceiling grate striking the Bots. The two Swat-Bots crashed to the ground in a shower of sparks. Then sparks flew around the vent and it fell to the floor with a loud "clang". Sally jumped down from the ceiling clad in a black jump suit pulse rifle poised. After strafing the hall she motioned for the rest of them to come down. She was starting to feel relaxed when all of a sudden someone yelled "Sally" she nearly jumped to the ceiling, then she remembered the scomp link in her ear. "Sorry" Rotor said over the radio "Just testing it, can you hear me?". "Yes." she replied. "Good Luck and be careful" came Sonic's voice. "I will." she replied. They came up to the door, Sally opened up an access panel on the wall and switched the wires underneath. "Stand clear!". she said and the team went towards the wall. With that she covered her face and hit the open switch. Sparks erupted around the door and it flew open. After the smoke cleared she looked down the corridor and didn't belive what she saw. The whole corridor was completely transformed. Strange tubes ran along the walls and strange clicking noises came from the dimly lit corridor. "Blimey!" St. John exclaimed as they stepped into the hall. Sally Noticed that it was definitely warmer in here, she took an analyzer from a clip on her belt that Dr. Quack gave her. It buzzed and she looked at the results. "That's weird." she said. "Humidity is at 92% and tempature is holding at 39.1 degrees Celsius. What is Robotnik up too?". "Maybe he's planning to start a sauna to lose weight.". Ray said. They came to a corner and turned it. Along the wall was strange alien technology and there were Borgified Mobians standing in cubicles along the wall. "Oh my gosh." Sally exclaimed. She examined a Borg with the analyzer suddenly another Borg came down the hall. Sally recognized it she stepped in front of it. "Leonard." she said to it. The Borg just stood there blinking and then shoved past her. "How do you know him?" St. John asked. "He was the leader of the Northern freedom fighters." Sally replied grimly. Soon they continued onward through another open door and there was a massive room with Borg lined up along the walls in their cubicles. They continued onward suddenly the doorway behind them slammed shut. They then heard Robotnik's sinister cackling from behind them. "Marvelous aren't they?" Robotnik said as he entered the room with two Borg escorts. One of them had to have been about tails age. Sally realized that they where trapped opened up the com channel but all that came through was static. "Don't bother Princess." Robotnik snorted "all communication signals are jammed and I'm sure that meddling hedgehog will not be able to interfere." "Did you do this to them!" Sally demanded. "No." Robotnik answered. "But the survivors of the crash did. Quite interesting really, when I found them all it took was a little re-programing and they were willing to serve." he said as he motioned to some Borg working around a strange table. "Those are the things I saw." St. John whispered. "The thing is" Robotnik continued. "Is that they need one mind to function as their own sort of like a queen and you my dear princess have been chosen for that job. The process is quite painful if you don't resist I'm sure It will go much faster." "You monster." Ray yelled. He raised his weapon and squeezed the trigger St. John ordered in protest, but it was to late the laser fired towards Robotnik. Suddenly the younger Borg stepped in front of the blast, sparked and fell to the ground. The walls began to move as all the Borg suddenly came to life and approached them. Robotnik started to cackle menacingly. "Open fire!" Sally ordered they started to back towards the door. Shoo Shoo the pulse rifles fired, the first wave of Borg collapsed in a heap. They fired again but the shots were absorbed by a personal shield. "What the hell." St. John exclaimed. "They can adapt to the lasers." Sally added firing shots at higher settings, which sent to more Borg to their deaths "Change frequencies and don't let them touch us." The Borg came closer. Sally handed the analyzer to St. John. "Take this and get out of here." she ordered. A Borg came up to Ray from behind as he tried to change settings. It garbed him and picked him up. Ray in a panic fired the gun at point blank range blowing its head off. Sally ran out and slammed a Borg in its cyborg eye with the butt of her rifle. It jolted and fell. There was a grate in the floor big enough for him to get through St. John thought, the problem was two Borg were in his way. He blasted the grate with his laser. Fired a shot from his cross bow into the head of one Borg. Jumped over the second grabbed tubes in its head and pulled them out while diving for the grate. "Let him go!" Robotnik ordered. Another Borg came behind Ray and punched him. Ray doubled over in pain and the Borg fired two cables into his neck, Ray collapsed to the ground choking. A Borg came towards Sally and slashed her on the arm, causing her to drop her weapon, with that they seized her. Soon the entire rescue party was decimated. The Borg brought Sally still struggling to Robotnik. "I wont let you get away with this!" she said. "Resistance is futile." one of her captors droned. Ray started to get up off the floor Sally was about to ask for help but she saw it was already to late for him. Black tubes bulged underneath his skin and he had a soulless look in his eyes. "You see my dear princess I already have." Robotnik replied evilly. CHAPTER 3 RESISTANCE IS FUTILE. "What happened get them back!" Sonic demanded. "I'm trying." Rotor replied punching on the buttons of the communications panel. "Darn." he said pounding on the controls. "Someone or something is jamming the signal all we can do right now is just sit back and wait." Sonic murmured a curse and plopped down in a chair. ****************************************************************************************************** (#7) Sally was lead to a small room with Borg machinery all around it and a huge screen was built onto a pillar in the middle of the room. Suddenly the screen snapped on and the visual showed the interior of a massive ship with Borg on both sides stretching into the distance. Suddenly a voice came from the abyss. "We are the Borg. You have been chosen by us to help in the assimilation of your race. We will add your biological and technological likeness into our own. We need a voice for your culture and you will be our voice. The one Known as Robotnik will relinquish command of the Borg to you as soon as you are assimilated. You will then bring the object known as the Floating Island to us so we may use its chaos emerald to let us through the asteroid field. Then you will assist us in assimilating your planet." "I refuse to assist you in any way!" Sally screamed at the screen. "I will resist you as long as there is still a breath of life in me!" "Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated. Your life is irrelevant." The voice droned with that the screen went blank. Sally felt the injection of a hypo-spray into her neck and everything faded to black. ****************************************************************************************************** Sonic looked at the clock on the mess hall wall it indicated that it had been at least an hour since the communications went out. So he figured that he go down to the mess hall and stuff his face with chilidogs to help ease his worry. Why did she have to insist on his staying? It all seamed crazy to him. Just then a tired looking St. John Came through the door. "Jeff" Sonic exclaimed "Where is Sally and everybody else?" "There gone." St. John replied. "Those creatures captured her and the others. I was ordered to leave, and I was barely able to escape myself. The Borg took her away and there was nothing I could do." and he plopped down in a chair clearly exhausted. "Another thing." Geoffrey added "There is a larger ship out there waiting to get in and they plan on using the Floating Island, and Sally to get their way. CHAPTER 4 DARK TIMES Sally awoke partially she tried to struggle, tried to get away, but the Borg just stood there and watched. She tried to pull at the restraints but they wouldn't budge. Then she gave up exhausted. Through a thick haze she saw bleary images, whirling saw blades, searing hot needles. Suddenly everything was quiet then all that was there slowly slipped away. Soon there was no Sally anymore but something more darker remained. The Borg that were around the table where Sally was being operated on stepped back. Robotnik was impressed on how efficiently they worked. Sally sat up on the table the whole right side of her face was covered by Borg implants. There were black tubes running under and out of her skin. "We are Lastator of Borg." she droned. "Pleased to meet you." Robotnik cackled. Lastator just ignored him. Lastator looked around and then said. "We need a ship." Snively came up to Robotnik and handed him a pad and glanced momentarily at Lastator who looked at him with the tracking laser. Snively hated those things ever since they arrived. He tried to get Robotnik to destroy those creatures when they arrived. He hated them and he hated their ways. He thought it was a shame to waste such a great mind by turning it into a Borg mind, when Sally would have made an excellent Science-Bot. "Ah, here is the report now." Robotnik said. "The repairs to your ship are at 80% completion." "That is acceptable." Lastator said. "We are pleased." "Now." Robotnik interrupted. "I need you to help me get rid of a certain enemy of mine.". "Your needs are irrelevant and we need more Borg to run the ship correctly and we know where to get more." Lastator said. "Where is your communications device." "Down the hall and to the left." Robotnik replied. With that two Borg joined her and they left. "Be wary Sir." Snively said. "I smell a double cross." "Quiet you dolt." Robotnik said "I am very aware of that." ****************************************************************************************************** At that same time in Knothole it was already about dawn and Sonic the Hedgehog had called an emergency meeting of the Freedom Fighters. Sonic sat at the head of the table in Sally's chair. The strange thing he thought was how comfortable it felt. 'Must be one of the perks of being royal' he thought. St. John was pacing a circle around the room. "Believe me Hedgehog." he said. "We haven't a chance against these blokes not with their cybernetic strength and all." Bunnie came in through the door "Sorry ah'm late." she said as she took her seat by Sonic's. Sonic was tired and rubbing his hand in his face to keep awake. "What about the pulse rifles, and why have you deemed them useless." He asked. "Because" St. John added "The Borg have some kind of adaptive personnel shield. These boys aren't very good fighters but you can't let them touch you, if they do, they shot you with something and your one of them." Rotor sat in the corner with a look of disappointment. "Don't worry about it" Sonic reassured "You didn't Know. Any one have any Ideas." The room was silent. "Hoo Boy." Sonic groaned. "Power rings." Bunnie said. "Huh" everybody said. Pointing to Sonic Bunnie continued. "Well you can charge up your speed with them why not use them to charge up the remaining guns with ring energy. I'm sure these things haven't encountered anything like magic energy." "You know that just might work. It would take a while to charge them up, but I can do it." Rotor said. "Good get on it." Sonic ordered. ****************************************************************************************************** Tails was sitting at the communications console in Knothole control. Suddenly a red light on the keyboard began to flash on the console indicating an incoming message with a visual. Tails touched the button on his head set. "Knothole control." He said. The screen came on showing Sally with some strange contraption on the right side of her face. "You are the one known as Tails..You are irrelevant we wish to speak with Sonic Hedgehog." She said. Tails sat there his mouth hanging wide open he couldn't believe she said that and what was with her face? "Now!" the Borg ordered. Tails fell backwards out of he chair and took off flying towards the briefing room. Everyone was leaving the briefing room when Tails came bolting into the corridor and slammed into Bunnie. "oof" she said. "Why Tails were yall going in such a hurry?" "I've got to talk to Sonic." Tails panted. "Sonic." Bunnie said leaning into the briefing room. "Someones here to see ya." Sonic got out of his chair and came to the door. "What is it buddy." he said. "You've got to come to the control room quick." Tails replied. "No time to explain hurry" Sonic took off down the corridor at top speed every one else followed behind. Maybe it was Sally and somehow she managed to escape and needed help. Somehow it didn't sound that way in Tails voice. He Approached the door to the control room and it barley had time to open for him. He saw the screen and stopped dead in his tracks. He couldn't believe what he saw. Bunnie and the others finely arrived and gasped when they saw the screen. "I am Lastator of Borg." a voice said coming from the speakers. "You are Sonic the Hedgehog. You and your "Freedom Fighters" will be assimilated and assist in the assimilation of the Floating Island then that of Mobius. In 10-hours our ship will be operational you have that much time to prepare for assimilation. Surrender to the Borg.". The laser on her head set shined into the screen. "Your life as you knew it is over." Lastator stated. Everyone in the room felt a cold chill. The Borg turned away from the screen then looked back over her shoulder. "No tricks Hedgehog." she said bluntly. With that the screen went black. Everyone in the room stood silently. Sonic finally broke the silence, his face taught with anger he said calmly. "Tails get in contact with the other Freedom Fighter groups send them a recording of that, and tell them it is a code 1 emergency. Send all band-widths." "Sure." Tails said meekly. "Also" Sonic added. "See if you can contact Knuckles and inform him of the situation and prepare for company and evacuate Knothole." Things had gone terribly Sonic thought, there were definitely dark times ahead, very dark times indeed. CHAPTER 5 SO MUCH FOR THE LITTLE TRAINING CRUISE. Far away on the other side of the solar system a small starship hung motionlessly in the dark the light from the sun glistened off its pale blue-grey hull. On board the ship its captain was taking a break. Captain Tinga looked at the list of the ships crew and compliment. His ship the U.S.S. Phoenix was a prototype for the new starship being built by the echidna branch of the Conferation. It was one of the eleven remaining ships that were built for exploration outside the solar system. There used to be twelve but one starship had been nearly destroyed in a disastrous first contact procedure with a race called the "Kazon". He shuddered when he thought of that incident. To him it was not one of explorations finest moments. About to weeks ago he received word to return to Mobius, only to find out that his ship was to be used for a training mission for cadets. The more experienced officers on board were him, Lt. Commander Martinez (ships navigator). Chief Engineer Haskins who was on board to monitor the new Split Ion drive and planet flying of the ship. A Medical officer whose name he had not learned yet and Commander Torres. Commander Torres was one of the few survivors of the "incident" 2 years ago. Even though she was only nineteen and she passed through the academy at lighting speed. A brilliant engineer and scientist, and an even better officer despite her youth. He had seen her keep her head through situations in which more seasoned officers had lost it. Even though she possessed these qualities she acted like she was an equal among the other officers which helped her fit in. That made him glad that he had chosen her for a first officer. Even though he was on a ship with about 30 cadets and officers he had the upmost confidence in them. Up on the bridge of the Phoenix Commander Tara Torres sat with her legs crossed in the command chair talking to the bridge crew, some cadets had joined in on the conversation to. Martinez sat with his back to the navigation station listening in. "Tell me sir?" one of the cadets asked Tara how did you beat the no-win scenario." "Now Signor." Martinez interrupted. "I don't think that you need to be asking a question like that. Besides how do we know you won't use it to pass it your self!" "Don't worry about it." Tara said pulling at her tied back dark hair to keep it in the beret. "Besides its illegal to use that maneuver anyway. What I did was put forward shields on full rammed the lead ship, damage it and intern force the other two to risk firing on the leader after ramming the other two and firing weapons after each ram damaging the ships further, causing them to retreat.". "Sounds pretty drastic to me." the cadet observed. "It had the virtue of never being tried and I don't like to lose." Tara replied. "Si." Martinez answered pointing to a bruise on his head. "Try to beat her in Parrises Squares. You can get hurt seriously." Suddenly the communications station lit up and started to "beep". "It's a priority message from command." the communication officer said. Tara tapped a button on the armrest of the command chair. "Captain we have a message from command priority 1." she said. "Alright, put it through down here. Tinga out." came the reply. "I wonder what the emergency is?" Martinez asked. "The Admiral probably spilt coffee on his desk and needed someone to clean up the mess." Tara joked. "How nice to see you Admiral." Captain Tinga greeted him when his image appeared on his computer. "I hope you don't mind if I skip the formalities captain." The admiral replied. "But this is urgent." Tinga leaned toward the screen. "How urgent?" he asked. "Very. A few minuets ago we picked up a message from a group of "Freedom Fighters" on the upper province I'm sending a recording now." "Are they still fighting that little war of theirs." Tinga said. "Yes." the admiral replied. "Bill do you remember those aliens you ran into a month back." "The Borg, yes I remember." "Well they somehow managed to land on Mobius and are taking over the city Robotropolis and they intend to bring that big ship of theirs through the asteroid field. Now I'm aware of your current condition but the Farragut is in no condition to take the possible pounding and all the other vessals are lightyears away. Your orders are to protect the Floating Island by any means necessary and destroy the Borg Scout-cube if possible. Now remember that this mission is at captains discretion use what ever means to stop the Borg. Admiral Hanson Out." The screen went black. The captain got up walked out of his quarters and ran towards the turbo-lift. Within seconds he was on the bridge. Tara got up out of the command chair and went to her station as the captain went to his chair. "It seems we have a situation back on Mobius." he said. "What's going on?" Tara asked. "It seems that the Borg have somehow managed to get to Mobius and since we've got the best ship its our job to stop them. There will be a full briefing of all senior officers in 5 minuets." He said holding up a optical chip. "Aren't they aware that we're on a training mission and that since we have a new experimental propulsion system that hasn't been tested yet we would only have impulse." Tara said. "Yes, but they have the upmost confidence in us. It will be a slow trip but we'll get there. Best speed to Mobius." the captain ordered. "I'll inform the rest of the crew of the situation." Tara said returning to her station. Martinez turned to the navigation station and tapped in the coordinates. The Phoenix's impulse engines fired and it headed on return trip back to Mobius. Tinga was wondering if command was sending these people to their deaths, hope fully things wouldn't go that way. "Sir." Tara said quietly as to not alert anybody. "The last time we encountered the Borg we barley managed to escape ourselves and this was before the upgrades, you don't think they're prepared for the new weapons do you." "I hope not." Tinga said staring out at space through the forward view-screen. "I sure hope not." CHAPTER 6 5 hours and 30 minuets till launch. Bam... Bam... Bam... The Borg were starting to pound through the door to Uncle Chucks lab in Robotropolis. For this Charles was prepared. Five Borg soldiers busted down the door and came through the hallway. They looked around the lab tracking lasers searching the walls. "Hey you big bullies I'm over here." Uncle Chuck said stepping around the corner the Borg turned towards him. "No I'm over here." Another said coming through a door way. The Borg looked confused. "No over here." "No here." "No way, here!" The Borg were completely perplexed. They had obviously not seen holograms. Soon the room was filled with fifty Uncle Chucks while the real one made his escape to Knothole via stolen Bot-plane. People were already loading things on transports when Uncle Chuck arrived at Knothole. He greeted Bunnie who was breaking up a fight between two people about who should get on an already overcrowded transport first. Rotor and Tails were working on the communication station as Sonic stood by and watched Uncle Chuck observed as he came into Knothole control. The multiple messages it had just sent shorted it out. "Did you manage to contact Knuckles Unc." Sonic asked. "No I barley had time to initiate my escape program." Uncle Chuck said. He noticed some distress in Sonic's expression and continued. "Sonic I'm sure that whatever those monsters did to her she didn't go willingly." He reassured placing a hand on Sonic's shoulder. "She was a good person....... but shes gone now and I know its hard but you have to except that." Sonic just sighed. "Ouch." Tails said getting zapped from a repair he just made. "I think that did it." he said crawling out from underneath the console. "Good job Tails." Rotor said. "I didn't know you were so good with electronics." "Well" Tails replied his voice trailing off. "Sally kind of taught me everything I know." the room went silent. "Anyway shes all your's Uncle Chuck." Tails said. "Thank you." Uncle Chuck said going to the console. After he taped a few buttons on it after the computer ran the signal after a few minuets it verified a signal lock. "Deep-throat to Red verification Delta-9-0." Uncle Chuck said. After no answer he repeated himself. "Deep-throat to Red verification Delta-9-0." "The Fires of Aldar burn dry." Came a reply with a voice scrambler. "Cokos fly under water." Uncle Chuck said. "What's up?" came Knuckles Aussie/Standard accented voice. "I am sending you a short recording of what just happened a short while ago." Uncle Chuck said. "Sure.?" Knuckles replied a bit confused. "Stand by." Knuckles slid his chair to the file cabinet in his little communications shack and took out an old data disk and put it in an beat up disk recorder. After a while the recorder signaled it was done. "Did you get it?." came Uncle Chuck's voice over the intercom. "Yes. Hold onto your spines so I can watch it." Knuckles said while pushing the play button. He could not understand why hedgehogs didn't have a capacity for patience. Then he saw what was on the screen. A crash came over the intercom at Knothole and then all was quiet. "Knuckles?" Uncle Chuck said there were some indistinguishable words. "Knuckles?" Uncle Chuck repeated calmly. "I'm alright, I just knocked over a pile of disks." came Knuckles voice with a touch of sadness in it. "You can tell your freedom fighter friends they can come to the island. The island is located over the Wolf Sea. Knuckles out." with that he cut the signal off abruptly. "That went well." Sonic said. "Trust me my boy." Uncle Chuck said. "If you'd done it we'd be stuck here.". With that Uncle Chuck patted him on the shoulder and left the room. Sonic felt as if he had missed something. Quite frankly that happened a lot these days. ****************************************************************************************************** Lastator and her escorts left the control room and headed back to the assimilation room. When they arrived Robotnik stood in the way holding a type-1 disrupter. He leveled the laser a Lastator's chest and bellowed "I don't know what you Borg are planning but as long as you are here you will take orders from me!" Lastator walked up to Robotnik and said. "Your orders are irrelevant. You will now take orders from the Borg." Robotnik boiling over in anger fired his weapon. The beam pushed Lastator back she looked at where the beam hit and started to laugh evilly. Then she smiled cruelly and said "39.7 megahertz you underestimated me. That is a serious mistake." With that she knocked the gun out of Robotnik's hand. "Take him away!" Lastator said with disgust. Six Borg surrounded Robotnik and lead him away. Lastator went back to the assimilation table to complete the her assimilation. But somewhere deep, deep, inside she retained a small piece of her original personality. Unknown to the busy Borg, as they inserted a probe that turned her skin a pale sickly white, a small tear formed on Lastator's eye and rolled down her cheek. ****************************************************************************************************** Meanwhile back on the Floating Island Knuckles was still in the shack thinking. Yes he was upset but by his ancestors those monsters would pay! But he had to clear his head there where more issues at hand. Like were on the island would put all the people that would be arriving. He finely figured out the answer. He would have them take their ships to the edge of the Sandopolis desert, Marble zone border. That way the people would have shelter and supplies in the grand conservatory and the ships would have a landing place. He stepped out of the hut with a pair of binoculars and looked out over the horizon. He adjusted the visual and saw two transports on their way in the distance. But then he heard a distant roar get louder and louder as something approached. Archimedes the fire ant suddenly appeared on his shoulder startling Knuckles. "Geez don't do that." He complained. "Well no time for apologies." the fire ant said. "Something big is approaching the islands north tip near the grand conservatory. The Chaotix are already there and I suggest you get your tail moving." with that he disappeared in a puff of smoke. Knuckles ran to get some speed and glided to the site of the disturbance. It was probably some hot headed pilot determined to land where ever he pleased. It would be way to simple if they listened to the repeating message beacon. Boy was that guy gonna get a thumping Knuckles thought. When he arrived Mighty Armadillo, Vector Crocodile, and Espio Chameleon were watching the thing grow bigger in the distance. Knuckles landed and looked out his binoculars. "Well its definitely not any ship I've ever seen." Knuckles said. "It could be Trouble." Espio grunted. "It's definitely a big son of a gun." Mighty said. The ship accelerated and flew overhead, then slowed down to match the speed of the Island. Three landing pylons sprouted from the ships belly as it landed a 100 yards from them. It made a loud thump as it came down. Knuckles walked up to the enormous ship and folded his arms and stood there in blatant defiance. He was already working on a way to chew this guy out in his head. A ramp extended down from the ship from a airlock he noticed there was some hot air being blown off the ship by the wind. Suddenly the air lock beeped and started to open and four figures emerged from the craft. Knuckles gasped at what he saw. One of the figures was a very attractive female around his age possibly a year or two older his age wearing a black jump-suits with grey ridges along the shoulders with a small opening along the neck to show a red collar with 3 gold pips on it. The others were dressed similarly but with different colored collars. An each had some kind of insignia on there uniform. Archimedes appeared on an astounded Knuckles' shoulder. "Oh my gosh." he said. "They're Echidnas!" ****************************************************************************************************** Sonic was sitting in the conference room back at Knothole working on a torn apart pulse rifle. A thunderstorm had built up outside and it was raining, but that was the least of his problems. After the initial charging of the pulse rifles the main.. what did Rotor call it? A particle discriminator. The main particle discriminator burned out in each one and had to be taken out and repaired manually. Only Tails, Rotor, Bunnie and He remained in Knothole everyone else had departed. The worse news he had just heard was even worse. At the current rate of repairs and charging was completed it would be two hours till the Borg ship launched. Things were looking pretty grim but he had to have these weapons to beat these things, to rescue Sally. A knock came at the door. "Come in." Sonic said. Bunnie came in through the door and leaned against the wall. She was wearing a wet rain slicker. "Sonic." she said. "I need to talk to you." "What is it." Sonic grumbled. "You're planning on staying here aren't you?" Bunnie asked. "Yes, what about it." "Well its crazy." "What do you mean?" "Well what do you plan on accomplish by staying here there's more of them than you. What do you think your gonna do, throw rocks at the ship when it arrives. Then they'll catch you no matter how fast you and do the same thing to you they did to her." Sonic slammed a fist into the table clearly agitated. "There is a way to save her." he growled. "If you would just listen.." "Save who." Bunnie interrupted. "She's gone Sonic, Rotor knows it, Tails knows it, I know it but your the only one around here that can't seem to accept the truth. The best thing you could do for her is put an end to her suffering." "No!" Sonic yelled swinging at the pulse rifle sending it crashing to the floor. He then got up and leaned he head against the window. "Sugah. Are you alright." Bunnie asked. "Just go away." Sonic sobbed with his back to her. "Just go." "Look I'm sorry." Bunnie tried to apologize. But no answer came. "I just hope your ready when the time comes." She said before turning to the door and leaving. Sonic watched through the window as she went outside into the rain to the awaiting Bot-plane. "Is Sonic coming?" Tails asked from the pilot seat as Bunnie stepped through the hatch. "No." She answered simply. Before looking back through the storm at Sonic. "Let's go." She said closing the hatch with that she sat in the copilots seat. "He'll be fine." reassured Uncle Chuck from the back seat. "I hope so." Bunnie replied. Sonic watched as the Bot-plane lifted off the soaked ground. Turned tightly, passed Knothole control and blasted into the air. Maybe Bunnie was right. It probably was crazy to stay behind. But there was still the possibility that he could save her. Because maybe some how she retained her personality and as long as that possibility existed, there was hope and he was gong to try, and if he died at least it wouldn't be with a guilty conscience "Good luck." Sonic whispered while looking outside as the storm went on. For an instant he felt like the loneliest person on the planet. There were still possibilities. ****************************************************************************************************** Back on the Floating Island Knuckles stood dumbfounded. His father had told him of small groups of Echidnas living in different areas around Mobius. Living simply without the need of technology but this. Echidnas with spaceships it blew his mind and if his people abandoned technology long ago, then who where these people? Unsure if he was hallucinating, he spoke to the woman "Are you real?" he asked. "Thank goodness you see them too." Archimedes whispered. "I thought I was losing my mind." Then the stranger replied. "Yes, I'm as real as you are. I am Commander Torres of the Phoenix." she said motioning to the ship behind them. "You are the Guardian I presume." Knuckles caught himself starring at her and snapped out of it to answer. "Yes I am." With that they dropped to one knee. "Forgive us for returning Guardian but we are here to save the island not to corrupt it." Tara said. Knuckles was really confused why they where here and why these where kneeling before him. "Don't do that." Knuckles said pulling Tara back up. "Its not necessary, In fact its just crazy." But the new Echidna's had bewildered looks on their faces. "But we are fex'lar the forbidden ones." one of them said. Knuckles looked at Archimedes who was more confused than him, he put the term in the back of his mind to look up later. "I don't care stand up, that kneeling bugs me. And please call me Knuckles its my name." Finally they stood up. "Now what's this about saving the Island." "We have equipment on board to shield the Island from attack but we don't have anything for weapons except our ship." Tara replied. "Weapons?!" Knuckles said raising a brow and smiling. "Yes of course follow me. I can take you to them they don't work but we could probably fix them." "Good were running out of time." Tara added. Something about her seemed to make Knuckles trust her. As he turned around he motioned for Mighty to come towards him he whispered. "Go get the Book of Myths and look up the term fex'lar. Report back when you have an answer." Mighty nodded and took of in another direction. Knuckles was going to find out where these people came from and why they regarded him as they did. But it would have to wait he had to protect the island from the Borg, even if it killed him. CHAPTER 7 PREPARATION In just a one short hour nearly ten ships had arrived on the island. All sorts of ships and a couple of warships left over from the Great War. As the people arrived the Chaotix led them to the grand conservatory while some stayed behind to give much needed repairs to the ships. Meanwhile deep within the bowls of the Floating Island Knuckles led a group of engineers from the Phoenix down into the Lava Reef zone. The newcomers unaccustomed to the heat and had removed the cover piece of their uniforms. But that barely gave relief even the under-piece seamed warm. "Why did you bring us down here?" Tara asked. "Well." Knuckles replied. "A while ago Robotnik tried to use this island as a flying fortress but I kicked him off and told everybody I ditched the weapons and engines in the ocean." He approached a wall and pushed in a hidden switch revealing three retracted plasma guns some more walls moved to reveal other projectile guns. "Instead I deactivated them and dismantled most of the equipment. But its all repairable besides I thought they might come in handy some day." "Alright." Tara said to her shipmates. "Lets get started." As they went to work Mighty came towards him and said. "I looked up that word you asked me to, and accordinxg to it a long time ago after the incident with Enerjak and when your people abounded technology. A group arose that thought that technology was not the collapse of society but ignorance of it. They Challenged your ancestor Demetri to support there ideas. This caused a civil war on the Island. After it was over, the ones who supported technology were rounded up and banished from the Island for ever to carry the name Fex'lar. Which means forbidden ones." "That explains a lot." Knuckles said. "But what about all the formalities and kneeling." "Its required by them by law." Mighty replied. "Or it could be some kind of cultural thing. But the main thing is anything you tell them they'll do it." "Thanks." Knuckles said. "No problem." Mighty replied. "Um, can you open a hatch its really hot down here." Tara said approaching them. "Sure." Knuckles replied. As he went to a control panel on the wall Mighty followed him. Then he pulled mighty to his side. "Now I want you to ask find out what the defensive capabilities of that ship are with out making them suspicious besides I want to make sure that its capable of dealing with what is coming." **************************************************************************************************** An Hour Later While repairing the main guns along side Knuckles, Tara and him began to talk just to keep awake. Although they both enjoyed the conversation. To her talking to him was kind of like talking to a president or someone with power. Even though her people acted very obedient towards him, he really didn't like it so he treated them normally. That was one quality she liked about him. "So your telling me that you actually fought Enerjak and defeated him." She said. surprized. "But he died a long time ago." "That's what I thought to." Knuckles replied. "But the Chaos Emeralds he absorbed made him immortal. When he returned he tried to take the Floating Island over again. This time he was even more narrowly averted. But during our battle Archimedes called for reinforcements from the fire ants and they gave us an escape root as Enerjak's citadel was shot into space." Tara thought about that and then said. "Well I belive you now." she replied. "What do you mean?" Knuckles asked. "A month ago we found a building with some rockets on it and we wondered where it came from." Tara replied. "We examined it and found nothing in it.". Knuckles seemed to turn pale. "Are you all right." Tara asked. "Yeah. I just need some air." He replied as he walked over to the open hatch a warm ocean breeze came through off of the Wolf Sea. He leaned on the wall beside it he felt very tired. That was bad news he had heard. If Enerjak was on the lose or he somehow escaped that could be really bad. Even though he was on a paradise he needed a vacation. It was almost as bad as what was happening now. Him and Sally were very close friends a long time ago and still were. He thought that if he had been there he could have prevented what happened and he began to feel very depressed. Tara who felt just as tired to walked over and plopped down on the other side of the hatch. She reached up and undid the beret of her hair and took a deep breath of the fresh air. Knuckles looked at her and marveled at how good she looked. "Is there something that you don't want me to know about." "Like what?" Knuckles sighed. "Well, like for instance whenever the subject of the Borg Lastator came up. You changed the subject." Knuckles looked surprised. "You don't have to be a psychic. Obviously. Who was she before she was Lastator." "Lets just say." Knuckles replied. "that she was very important to the events here." "And." Tara added. "And we were very close at one time. We didn't see each other for a long time and I found that she had fallen in with someone else. But I got over it. I just wish that I could have done something." He sighed and knocked the back of head against the wall he was starting to feel upset but now was not the time for grieving. "I know how you feel." Tara said softly. "Two years ago I was in love with someone a lot like you. We were on a typical first contact mission and our ship had just left the planet after a pretty successful conference with the aliens. Soon after they attacked while our shields were down. Since he was a command officer he was on the bridge. But I was in the Engine room. Of course they fired on the bridge first. Everyone was killed, a lot of people died that day, anyway I managed to save the ship and destroy the attackers. But the ship was a disaster and we abandoned it. We limped for weeks in space in shuttle craft." She sighed. Then she got up tied her hair back up she cane over two Knuckles and kissed him on the cheek then walked back over to the Plasma guns. She finely realized how long they had sat there talking and said. "Lets get back to work, we have a world to save." CHAPTER 8 Knothole 7 p.m. 5 Hours till launch. Sleep. Lifes gateway to fantasy and reality. Sonic is trying to enjoy that fantasy right now. He was standing in the middle of a deserted street in Robotropolis he could hear Sally screaming from somewhere. He called out her name but no answer came. He ran as fast as he could towards the sound. He entered a building Borg were everywhere. He yelled in rage and cut them all down. He saw the Borg holding her down to a table and they were doing something to her. He started bolt towards her and black mettle cables ripped from the ground and grabbed him around the neck and arms keeping him in place. He struggled trying to get free. He watched in horror as the Borg assimilated her. She came towards him. She raised a robotic arm with a large pointed down spear. Sonic pleaded for her not to. The spear came rushing down towards his head...... Sonic awoke hyper-ventilating. It was just a dream, and what was that damn beeping he thought. He realized he was in the conference room and someone wanted in. "Come in." Sonic said wiping the sleep out of his eyes. Rotor came in through the door as it opened. "The guns and robotisizer are loaded and ready." he said simply. "Lets do it to it." Sonic said. As they ran toward the hanger Sonic stopped by Sally's hut and opened the door. He walked in it was exactly the same as she left it. On her dresser Nichole sat folded in the deactivated position. He picked Nichole up by the strap attached to it and slid the strap over his shoulder. The computer beeped as it banged into his side. He went back to the door and looked over to her desk where something she had been working on the day before was it was where she went to think about things. "What would you do?" he asked. With that he shut the door. Then he took off to catch up with Rotor. Rotors large plane sat in the middle of the hanger and it wasn't running, that worried Sonic. He rushed right up the ramp into the plane and plopped down in the co-pilot seat. "Let's go." he said impatiently. Rotor tried to start the engines. Noting Happened. Sonic looked at him funny. "No problem." Rotor said. With that he slapped the controls and the plane started. "Nice work." Sonic said sarcastically. Rotor mumbled something in response. The plane started to move forward all off a sudden sparks blew out all over the cockpit and the left engine burst into flames. "Damnit." Rotor swore. "It must have been a side effect off the Nuclear explosions in Robotropolis. I should have ran a diagnostic on every thing." "Estimated Repair time." Sonic asked, he thought that he sounded like Sally when he had said that. "Five hours." Rotor said grimly. ***************************************************************************************************** 5 hours later. The Borg cube began to lift out of the hanger in robotropolis. When it was high enough black cables shot up from the assimilated parts of the city and pulled them onto the cube. Within seconds a cube twenty stories hung over Robotropolis ominously. The whole fleet of Bot-planes flew toward it lasers blazing. The ship absorbed the attack and fired cutting beams destroying each one. When the skirmish was over it fired thrusters to start on its way to the Great Forest. Meanwhile in an unasimilated prison barrack Robotnik sat imprisoned in one of his own cells with two Borg guards out fitted with lasers present to watch him. He was infuriated his own computers wouldn't even answer him. Suddenly a holographic image of Snively appeared between the two Borg. "Surrender." the Borg said. When Snively did not they fired. The blasts went through Snively hitting each Borg sending them slumping to the floor sparks erupting from them. The real Snively came around the corner holding a holo-projector in his hand. "Idiots." he said kicking a dead Borg. "Let me out of here you dolt." Robotnik ordered. Snively walked over to the controls and released the forcefield. "Did you do as I ordered." Robotnik asked. "Yes but the Bot-planes didn't stop them." Snively answered. "Sir if I may say so but i think its time we got out of here." Robotnik sighed. "For once I agree with you, we'll retreat to my hidden orbital station." With that they took off down the corridor towards the other hanger where Robotnik's personal ship awaited them. **************************************************************************** "Done." Rotor said finishing the last of the repairs he jumped down off the wing and down into the cockpit. He started the engines. "C'mon baby hold it together." he said as the engines started and the plane lurched forward. They were moving. Then the other engine exploded into flames. "Rotor!" Sonic yelled angrily. "Not again." Rotor grumbled banging his head against the control wheel. "Well." Sonic said. "We'd better send a distress signal." He opened up Nichole. "What's up my main hedgehog." Nichole said. "I need you to send out a distress signal to the floating island tell them we have stuff here crucial to beating the Borg." "Processing." Nichole said. "Message being sent." "Thank you." Sonic said. "No prob." the computer said. "Now what." Rotor asked. "We wait." Sonic replied. **************************************************************************** Meanwhile back on the Floating Island fifty ships had arrived and the isle was completely outfitted with shields. Among all the other ships the Phoenix looked like a diamond with its pale blue hull glistening from rays from the sun. "Well I guess this is good-bye." Knuckles said. "Yes." Tara replied. "The defense system is set up around the island if the Borg manage to break through the primary shields, there is a second shield barrier which will be powered by the second emerald you showed us and together with the other one. When the main one fails it will replinish the shield. If that happens you transmit this code and the other shield will become active. The second code will disable the shields." with that she handed him a padd. "Were going to intercept the Borg ship before it arrives hopefully we can beat it back." she didn't sound to confident. "No matter what the out come it will be one hell of a fight." "Be careful." Knuckles told her. She came up to him and gave him a hug. "You too." she replied softly. Just then her communicator beeped. She stepped back and taped the badge on her shoulder. "Torres here." she said. "We've just received a distress call from Knothole." Came a voice. "The message said they had important equipment to help stop the Borg. There is already a runabout ready for you to go rescue them well beam you directly to it. Tinga out." Knuckles thought for a moment it would be seconds to make his decision. The Island or his friends. He hated that decision. But as Tara started to dematerialise he jumped into the beam. Before he realized what had happened he was on a small ship. "What are you doing here." Tara said surprised. "You'll need help." Knuckles replied. "What about the island." Tara asked. "Mighty's in charge." she looked at him funny for a Guardian he sure was most definitely on of the strangest ones she'd met. Even though she had only met one. "Well get strapped in." She said pointing to a chair. She sat in the pilot seat hit some controls and suddenly runabout lurched forward. **************************************************************************** Borg started to pour into the hanger. Sonic jumped out of the plane as Rotor gave him cover fire. At blinding speed Sonic went into a spin and cut down the nearest Borg. He continued to run around them Knocking them down. Rotor continued to shoot from the plane. Gold colored beams lurched out from the pulse rifle. The Borg couldn't quite adapt to the ring energy. But they still advanced toward the plane. Sonic looked as Borg started going into the plane. What he didn't see was one come up behind him with a saw. It slashed at him getting him in the back of the leg. Sonic yelped in pain and fell to the ground to Borg picked him up and held him in place. He looked at his leg blood was coming from the deep gash in it. He looked over at the plane and Rotor was being led out as well. Suddenly a green mist covered his vision. Lastator was informed of the prisoners she stepped from the main control grid and left the room. She then went to the teleporter room. As she left the ships sensors came alive a small ship had been detected by the long range scanners. It took Sonic a moment to figure out what had happened. He looked around and realized he was on the Borg cube. His leg was still bleeding and Sonic was feeling dizzy. "I'm so glad that you made it." Came a familiar voice from a dark corner. Then she stepped into the light. "I warned you not to pull any tricks but you didn't listen." Lastator said. "But now you will have to pay for that mistake." The two Borg lifted Sonic off the ground and slammed him down on table one held him down as he struggled while the other put restraints on him. They cut the strap that held Nichole to his shoulder and gave the computer to Lastator. "You might enjoy seeing the process Rotor" Lastator said. "You will find it quite interesting. I will let you have that before you are assimilated." Rotor snarled at her but she ignored him. An apparatus was lowered from the ceiling above Sonic. He couldn't fight any more the blood loss was getting to him. It had strange cables on it that seemed to move. A sharp needle protruded from it and was heading for his eye. He was starting to panic and then he vanished in a blue haze. "No." Lastator yelled as Rotor and the computer in her hand disappeared. "Find them." she ordered. Sonic opened his eyes. He was in another ship. "Get up!" Knuckles demanded. Sonic had no idea what was going on. Then Rotor picked him up and sat him in a chair. Next he saw some woman handing him a med-kit. The runabout did a hard turn and blasted away from the Borg ship. The Borg fired at the small ship hitting it shields. Inside Tara was thrown to the floor trying to get to the controls sparks blew out from the panels. She got back up nursing her arm and hit the after-burner control. She looked at the tactical readout, their shields were gone. The Borg ship fired again slamming the now unprotected runabout. It started to fly out of control towards the ocean. Tara ran back to a panel in the back wall and took it off the wall. "Knuckles." she said. "Fly this thing while I make repairs." "What do I do." he asked. "Keep the ground out of the window." Knuckles looked at the control panel a ten year old could fly it. "I'm trying to get our shields back." she said. "They might lessen the impact." The runabout flew over the ocean rapidly descending. "Got it." Tara yelled. The Forward shields came up seconds before it hit the water and skipped along the surface. Then plowed straight into the water. Everyone was thrown forward in the runabout. Tara lost he grip and flew forward because of the momentum. Knuckles barely had time to jump towards Tara as she fell. But his momentum carried them back into the back wall of the ship. Knuckles took the full brunt of the blow. His mind was instantly clouded with pain and darkness fell over him. The Borg ship passed briefly over the crash site on its way to the floating island. There was nothing to see as the small ship slipped under the waves. It appeared no one could have survived. But appearances are decieving. END PART 1