Walton ordered, “Yellow Alert.”  The lights on the bridge faded to a soft yellow as the Mackenzie dropped from warp speed and approached the first planet.  “Science, you’re up.”

Thasaz was ahead of her, “Readings are consistent with a Borg Sphere having been in the system, but they’re at the edges.  It does not match exactly with our Alpha Quadrant ships.  I’ve got the approximate path.”  The viewscreen showed a dotted path from the far edges to just inside one of the nearby moons and then back out again.  “They got close enough to scan and be seen…but then they were off again.  I’ll have the team work on tracking further and drawing up some possible paths.”

Wren turned to Atega, “Hail them, let ‘em know we’re here.” A nod and the communications chief reported a response.  “Let’s see how we’ve got.”  She stood and adjusted her uniform.  The screen filled with a Romulan face.  “I’m Captain Wren Walton of the Federation Starship USS Mackenzie.  We received your message.”

“Partes Jasa, President of the Kasat Planet and Colony.  We lost track of the sphere…can you tell us it is gone?”  Wren assured him it was and that they were monitoring long-range sensors.  “Do you know why they came here?  We’re not technologically advanced by any stretch…we may be many here on the planet but we live a simple life out here.

Walton wasn’t sure either, “It’s odd behavior from a Borg Sphere.  We’d like to send a team to do a routine scan and look at your systems?”  Jasa nodded, and they arranged for the away team to meet with them.  The channel closed, and she turned to the bridge, “Let’s get to work.”

“Now, that’s interesting.”  Chief Science Officer Thasaz sat at the older model console in the archaic command and control bunker.  “As old as this thing is, it still could take readings from the scans.”  She flipped open her equipment bag and found a cord to connect the older model computer to the PADD in her hand.  “Let’s see what we can see.”  The transfer took a few minutes.  Her eyes roamed the transferred results, “It looks like they were scanning for something particular.”  She handed the PADD to Jasa, “Anything you recognize there?”

He didn’t, “Not at first glance.  They were only here for ten minutes.  Our people are concerned they may come back.  We’ve had isolated riots from groups that think we’re hiding the truth.”  Partes shuddered, “We’ve managed to keep things working well out here for quite some time.”

Commander Park was working on a nearby console, “Delta Quadrant isn’t a friendly place, Mr. President.  Why’d you all choose to come here?”

His shoulders dropped, “As foolish as it sounds…we wanted to get away from the Alpha Quadrant with a fresh start.  We ignored many warnings…and somehow, we’ve survived.  Not without loss, I confess.  It is a hard place to survive, Commander; you are right.  It is also a place for exploration and discovery.”

Park wondered if it was worth it.  A Borg Sphere wasn’t something you survived…and wasn’t for exploration or discovery.  It was for death.  “Well, I hope your streak of luck continues, Mr. President.”

Thasaz walked from console to console, updating her PADD with what she could pull from the screens and computers.  There was a troubling element in the scans the Sphere had completed.  It had scanned biological life only and ignored the mechanical units, almost as if they were indifferent to the possible uses within the old equipment.  She amended that statement in her head – it would have made sense to ignore the out-of-date mechanics, which left her with the question of the focus on the biological that the Borg Sphere was taking.  She returned to where the President stood, “Borg behavior is a science…and it isn’t.  We know enough to understand why they might do something.  In this case, they looked at you and decided you weren’t worth assimilation.  They’re looking for something biological but didn’t find it here.”

Jasa felt relief at the news, “So we’re not advanced enough for them?  Or…our bodies aren’t advanced enough?”

Thasaz shrugged, “Yes to both, but with a question mark at the end.  The Borg are intentional in what they do that we do know.  Whatever they’re doing, there’s a reason for it.  We just have to figure out what that reason is.  Thankfully, you’re not it.  You can tell your people to breathe – you’re not on the menu for the Borg.”

He thanked them and headed back down the hallway to meet with his cabinet and government officials.  Commander Park joined Thasaz, “Who are they looking for?”

Thasaz grimaced, “That’s the million latinum question, Commander.  I need to get this data to my team.  Hopefully, it gets us closer to an answer.  I’d rather not be in the middle of the Delta Quadrant any longer than I have to.”