Captains Log, Stardate 78426.3,

 

Since our transit through the Barzan wormhole, we’ve received inconsistent and apocryphal reports of Borg movements across the Gradin Belt.  While some in the DEI fear this to be an act of aggression, Constellation passed by the coordinates of a known Borg transwarp aperture and… it was no more. Our best analysis could not determine if another galactic power destroyed the aperture or if it was dismantled by the Borg themselves.  After the failure of the Borg Queen’s plot on Frontier Day, we have no way to know what malignant inspiration is growing within the Borg Collective next.

 

Constellation has been ordered on a survey mission into the edges of Borg space –those nearest to the Markonian Outpost– to investigate the state of the Collective.  Our initial probes found little but open space.  Only a faint Borg energy signature was located in System D-515.  Travelling deeper into Borg space, we traced that energy source to a planet.

 

Doctor Nelli has taken to calling the planet Solus.  Our orbital survey discovered the world populated by a sentient, mobile plant-life.  Aside from the diminishing Borg energy source, we have found no evidence of technological development on the planet.  Nor could we identify any evidence of Borg devastation to the planet or its people.  Being a pre-warp civilization, the prime directive forbids us from interfering in their development.

 

Given Doctor Nelli’s physiological similarities to the sentient plant-life, I permitted a scouting mission by Nelli alone to locate the Borg energy source on the planet.  In her tentative dialogue with the indigenous Solusians, they have shared no knowledge of any creatures resembling the Borg.  By the accounts of their oral histories, there have been no attempts by the Borg to assimilate them or their natural resources, despite their close proximity to the collective.

 

Because Nelli was unsuccessful in locating the source of the Borg energy signature, I have ordered the establishment of a disguised duck blind to monitor the Borg energy source and observe the Solusions.  Whatever intrinsic ability has enabled them to avoid the attention of the Borg Collective could prove a boon to the rest of the galaxy.

Seated at the expansive Operations console on the starboard side of the bridge, Lieutenant Nova DeVoglaer was favoured with a direct line of sight to the captain’s ready room.  Even amid the tension of yellow alert, it only took the length of a heartbeat for Nova to glance at the opening doorway.  It took her less time than that to assess the captain’s mood.  Through the open warfare of the Dominion’s incursion and the Borg-maneuvered civil war of Frontier Day, Taes had practiced isolation as a leader, her temperament brittle.  It had been written all over her body language every time she graced the bridge with her presence.

The return of Commander Kellin Rayco had changed all of that.

On this day, Taes stepped out of the ready room with an open posture and eyes wide with curiosity.  Crossing the bridge to the command platform, Taes carried herself with a disrespectful beauty.  In the melody of her Deltan accent, Taes asked for a “status report?” before she settled herself into the captain’s chair.

“Our starship remains alone in System D-515, captain.  No other vessels detected on long-range sensors,” answered Lieutenant (Junior Grade) T’Kaal from the science station that mirrored Nova’s console.  “However, we are picking up a new transmission from the planet.”  

Watching T’Kaal check the sensor readings on her panel served as a reminder that a civilian Romulan scientist was usually posted to that station.  None of the Romulan Free State scientists assigned to Constellation had returned to the ship after the Dominion incursion.  To survive a Dominion attack wing, the previous Chief Science Officer, RFS Doctor Flavia, had been left behind on a Federation outpost.  By all accounts, the Dominion had overtaken the outpost, but no eyewitnesses survived.  Since then, Captain Taes had provided no update to the crew regarding the fate of Flavia, nor if their Romulan compatriots would ever be returning to their joint mission of exploration.

Nova interjected, “We’re being hailed by the runabout Estéron, captain.”

“On screen,” Taes ordered, maintaining her gaze at the forward viewscreen.  An orbital view of the planet was visible through the transparent bulkheads, and then the holographic visage of Kellin Rayco was projected overtop.

“Captain, we’ve identified the underground location of the Borg device, but its purpose and design escape us,” Kellin reported.  “All we know is that it’s begun transmitting a homing beacon.“

Taes offered a single nod of acknowledgement, and then her brow furrowed. 

“I was just speaking with Captain Anand,” Taes shared.  “USS Babylon has also detected a Borg homing signal from a planet with no apparent Borg infrastructure.  There are reports of others, too.  Scattered Borg technology screaming out for…”

Trailing off, Taes finished that sentence with a helpless shrug.

Speaking up, Nova asked, “Could it be screaming into the void?  Doctor Nelli and the away team have found no other indication of the Borg showing interest in this world.  This planet is on the doorstep of the Borg and was never assimilated, never drained of its resources.  Why would the Borg care now?”

T’Kaal swivelled her chair to face both Nova and Taes between them.  She said, “Respectfully, lieutenant, you are working too hard to apply logical motives to the Borg.” –Of the bridge crew on duty, T’Kaal was the only one who had been tele-assimilated by the Borg on Frontier Day– “The Borg hunger.  This is the only truth.”

“Thank you both,” Taes said, offering each of them a restrained smile.  Returning her gaze to the viewscreen, Taes asked, “What do you think, Commander Rayco?  Leaving orbit is an option.  We have more star systems to survey before we loop back to the Markonian Outpost.  Our orders are to retreat if we encounter a Borg vessel.  The Avalon Fleet Yards were deeply restorative to our crew and warp engines.  Is it time we test their maximum speed limits?”

On the viewscreen, Kellin’s chest visibly rose and fell with the intake and release of a deep breath.  His eyebrows rose on his forehead as if he were mustering something up.

“There’s still much we can learn about why the Borg has mostly ignored this society,” Kellin said over the comms.  “With your blessing, captain, we need to send a scouting party to the source of the Borg signal.  Only three in the team: a scientist, an engineer, and myself.  Disguised in our stealth isolation suits, we phaser drill down to where the Borg device is buried.  Either we destroy the homing signal, or we create interference to block its transmission.“

“No phaser drills,” Taes said, her timbre matter of fact.  “The opportunity for cultural contamination is too great.”

“I hear you; it’s a risk,” Kellin said patiently, “And the team is fully briefed on first contact training.  We will monitor the movements of all life forms in the area.  We don’t act until our line-of-site is clear.  We can dig for the homing beacon at an angle if–“

“No phaser drills,” Taes repeated with more finality.  “One type-2 phaser.  Only one tricorder between your team.  Only take what can be obscured by the holographic fields of your isolation suits.  These life forms are as likely to smell you as see you.”

“Ensigns Dolan and Danbo, break out the isolation suits,” Kellin said.  He looked left and right, speaking to members of the away team who weren’t within range of the visual sensors.  He added, “Commander Yuulik, continue work on interfering with the homing signal from here.“

Posing an alternative view, Nova asked, “Captain, wouldn’t the act of protecting this planet from the Borg still be a prime directive interference?  We’re within the Borg’s sphere of influence.”  Feeling the eyes of the bridge crew on her, Nova was mindful to lead with curiosity in her voice; she offered no pointed tone of challenge.  She even nodded at T’Kaal.

“The Borg hunger,” Nova said, echoing T’Kaal’s words to emphasize her point.  “Assimilation is the natural progression in this space we’ve, essentially, invaded.”

After nodding at Nova’s assertions, Taes said, “We don’t know if the Borg still claim this space.  Finding out is our purpose.  The Federation has signed no treaties with the hurricanes.”  Taes spoke slowly, demonstrating great care with every word.

Taes said, “This world is pre-warp, and the Borg interfered first by burying a secret beneath them.  I have some manner of leeway and legal precedence to remove that interference.”

Nodding at the hologram of Kellin, Taes tacked on, “Quietly.“

“They’ll never know we were ever here,” Kellin promised.