DS9 12x21 – "Friendly Fire"

[DS9Continuing]

Previously on:
DS9 Season 10 "Ascension"
DS9 Season 11 "The Crucible"

DS9 12x01 – "Godspeed"
DS9 12x02 – "Read All About It"
DS9 12x03 – "I Can Live With It"
DS9 12x04 – "Entanglement"
DS9 12x05 – "Trial and Error"
DS9 12x06 – "Mr Nice Guy"
DS9 12x07 – "Old Flames"
DS9 12x08 – "Dinner at Eight"
DS9 12x09 – "Suffer the Little Children"
DS9 12x10 – "Where the Heart Is"
DS9 12x11 – "Death of a Salesman"
DS9 12x12 – "Life of a Statesman"
DS9 12x13 – "A Bear of Very Little Brain"
DS9 12x14 – "Duty Calls"
DS9 12x15 – "Ghost Ship"
DS9 12x16 – "The Blame Game"
DS9 12x17 – "Army of Me"
DS9 12x18 – "Last Chance Saloon"
DS9 12x19 – "We Are Not Ready"
DS9 12x20 – "Futile"

Now: DS9 12x21 – "Friendly Fire"

As the Borg attack en masse, Sisko, Vaughn and Shar make a last stand at Andor.

.

 

[DS9Continuing]

Meanwhile...

TNG 17x21 – “THIS FAR, NO FURTHER”

On Enterprise at the Azure Nebula, Crusher goes looking for her husband. She finds him on the holodeck, tending the vines of Chateau Picard. It might be the last time he sees his home. Choudhury mourns the destruction of Deneva, where her family lived; Worf consoles her. At Vulcan, a large fleet including Atlas defends the planet. The transphasic torpedoes work at first, but before long the Borg adapt. Former Enterprise counsellor T’Lana is in Vulcan’s Forge, regretting her enmity with Picard as she watches the deadly green beams approach. At the nebula, Picard calls LaForge in and orders him to begin work on a thalaron weapon, but LaForge refuses. It is unethical and would spit on Data’s memory. Picard backs down, and Worf privately thanks LaForge for having the courage he did not. Over Vulcan, the attacking cubes suddenly stop, and then for no apparent reason start firing on each other instead. Vulcan is saved... for now.

TTN 01x21 – “ALMOST PERFECT”

In Axion, Inyx removes Ree’s venom from Troi’s body, and saves her baby while he’s at it. She will now have a perfectly healthy daughter, and many more if she wants. Upon returning Troi to the rest of the Titan away team, however, Inyx casually informs them of the Borg invasion. Thousands of Borg ships obliterating Federation worlds by the dozen – including Deneva, where Tuvok’s son lived. Vale condemns Inyx for revealing the news so thoughtlessly. Discussing Hernandez’s aiding Titan to escape, leaving the away team behind, Troi intuits that the super-powered alien is actually in love with Hernandez. Torvig hides away – when Keru finds him, the little Choblik begs the burly Trill not to let the Borg turn his own technological implants against him. Attempting to take his mind off it, Keru takes Torvig to explore the city. There they discover the power source for all the Caeliar’s hugely advanced technology – Omega particles (VOY 4x21 “The Omega Directive”).

VOY 10x21 – “ALPHA”

2381: On Voyager, Cambridge watches over the unresponsive Chakotay. The EMH has saved Kim’s life, but his horrible injuries will keep him out of action for a long time. Meanwhile Paris and Vorik focus the crew on repairs. On Earth, Seven joins Bacco in the Palais as the Borg attack Vulcan, Andor, Qo’noS and others. They receive reports that the Borg have begun to adapt to the transphasic torpedoes – Starfleet is defenceless. 4527 BCE: Crashed on the Delta Quadrant planet, the humans are dying of hunger and hypothermia. Several Caeliar have already lost coherence. Sedín suggests merging their catoms into the humans’ bodies so they can both survive – the humans are utterly against it. Gradually Sedín devolves into nothing but instinct and hunger. She consumes her fellow Caeliar, then turns on the humans. When the native aliens find the crash site, they find humans with technological implants, and hear the words... “You will be assimilated.”

 

[DS9Continuing]

TEASER​

FADE IN:


1 INT. AVENTINE – MAIN ENGINEERING


The BENAMITE RETICULATION FRAME – the core of Aventine’s quantum slipstream drive technology – THROBS with power.

Around the rest of the room, we see SPARKS showering from the ceiling as bulkheads and components are welded back into place. Dozens of junior engineers work at consoles, handle acetylene torches, and confer in hurried tones.

Chief engineer LEISHMAN leads one small meeting around a central table (like the one in Enterprise-D’s engine room). She turns to a Benzite male named SELIDOK...

LEISHMAN
Selidok, tell your team they have
ten minutes to finish adjusting
the yields on the warheads.​

To P7-RED, the male Nasat seen in DS9 12x14 “Duty Calls”...

LEISHMAN
P7-Red, we need at least twenty
more energy dampeners replicated
and distributed, on the double.​

To a towering and terrifyingly skinny Vulcan male, NAVOK...

LEISHMAN
Navok, what’s the status of the
slipstream drive?

NAVOK
All components operating within
expected parameters. However, we
continue to experience difficulty
predicting the phase variances.

HERNANDEZ (o.s.)
You can control the phase variance
by projecting soliton pulses ahead
of you in the slipstream corridor.​

They all turn to see HERNANDEZ, now in a modern Starfleet captain’s uniform, escorted by science officer HELKARA.

HELKARA
Lieutenant Leishman, allow me to
introduce Captain Erika Hernandez,
our new technical adviser.

LEISHMAN
Okay, you have your assignments.
Navok, see if you can apply the
captain’s suggestion for a soliton
pulse. Meeting adjourned.​

Selidok, Navok and P7-Red nod and move off to their tasks. Hernandez watches them go with a small smile, delighted by the sheer variety of species she has never seen before.

LEISHMAN
(shakes hands)
Captain – a pleasure.

HERNANDEZ
Glad to be of service, Lieutenant.
Care to show me your biggest
technical hurdles?

LEISHMAN
Sure.​

Leishman brings up displays for Hernandez and Helkara...


2 INT. AVENTINE – TRANSPORTER ROOM


Jack-of-all-trades Ensign RIORDAN works the consoles... and six heavily armed Starfleet SECURITY OFFICERS wearing surface-operation blacks BEAM into place on the platform.

They include Andorian shen SH’AQABAA, Zaldan male DORON, Gnalish female ANTILLEA, human female HUTCHINSON, Caitian male RRIARR, and Bolian male TANE. They are greeted by Takaran security chief KEDAIR and her human deputy DARROW.

KEDAIR
Welcome aboard Aventine. If you’ll
please go with Lieutenant Darrow,
she’ll show you to your positions.​

The six officers step off the platform and follow out the door with Darrow. Kedair nods to Riordan...

...and six more officers, likewise dressed and armed, BEAM into place. They include humans, an ORION and a VULCAN.

KEDAIR
Welcome aboard Aventine...​

3 INT. AVENTINE – BRIDGE


Captain EZRI DAX emerges from her ready room onto the bridge, which is a similar hive of activity. She takes her command seat next to her first officer, SAM BOWERS.

DAX
How much longer, Mister Bowers?

BOWERS
Ten minutes at most, Captain.
We’re beaming over the last of
the tactical support teams from
Titan and Enterprise now.

DAX
Okay, good.​

Dax is antsy to get underway, but she also knows they have to be prepared. The TURBOLIFT doors open, and Helkara enters with Hernandez. Dax turns to greet them.

DAX
Captain, Lieutenant. Is everything
ready?

HELKARA
Aye, sir. Captain Hernandez was
able to integrate Voyager’s shield
enhancements no problem. In fact,
I’d say she advanced Starfleet’s
shield technology by about ten
years in as many seconds.

DAX
You’ll have a bright future at
Starfleet R-and-D, Captain.

HERNANDEZ
We’ll see. I’ve also reconfigured
your chain pulsar weapon so it
only absorbs energy from the
target, not from you as well.​

Ops manager MIRREN, recovered from the Hirogen battle and back at her position, pipes up in surprise.

MIRREN
How did you manage that?

HERNANDEZ
(shrug)
After spending centuries working
with Caeliar technology, even
twenty-fourth century Starfleet
tech is a piece of cake.
(beat)
Do you know how long it is since
I’ve had a piece of cake?

DAX
We get through this, you can
have all the cake you want.

HELKARA
There’s still one problem. We’ve
located a target, and once we
engage slipstream, we’ll catch it
in a matter of seconds. But if we
come out of slipstream too soon or
too late, we’ll be too far away to
make a sneak attack. They’ll have
time to raise their defences. But
our systems just aren’t designed
to drop in and out of slipstream
with that degree of precision.

BOWERS
What can we do about that?

HERNANDEZ
(smirk)
Any chance you might be persuaded
to let me fly your ship into combat,
Captain?

DAX
(shares her grin)
I think that could be arranged.
Mister Tharp...?​

The Bolian male at the helm, THARP, turns to answer.

DAX
My apologies, Lieutenant. I know
you were looking forward to this.
But I’m going to have to ask you
to surrender your station.​

Tharp looks up to Hernandez – he is disappointed, but orders are orders. He stands.

THARP
Understood, Captain.

DAX
Take relief tactical, Mister Tharp.
Sam, you take primary. Kedair
will be needed elsewhere.

BOWERS
Aye, sir.​

Bowers and Tharp move to the twin tactical consoles, while Hernandez takes the helm and starts familiarising herself.

MIRREN
(off panels)
Captain! You have a visitor...​

Dax looks up, confused...


4 INT. AVENTINE – TRANSPORTER ROOM


Dax walks purposefully into the transporter room... and sees with surprise that WORF has beamed aboard.

DAX
Worf!

WORF
Captain.

DAX
(to Riordan)
Dismissed, Ensign.​

With a look as if to say “Oh yeah, I know what you two are up to,” Riordan locks out his station and leaves. Dax turns back to Worf, who holds both a bat’leth and mek’leth.

WORF
I request permission to join your
attack on the Borg, Captain.

DAX
Does Picard know you’re here?

WORF
Yes. He granted my request to
volunteer for this mission.

DAX
That’s hard to believe. Captain
Picard doesn’t think we should
even go on this mission. Why
would he loan me his first officer?

WORF
(stiffens)
In regards to the Borg, I am one
of the most experienced tacticians
in Starfleet. Even if the captain
does not approve of your plan,
he still wants you to have the
best possible chance of success.

DAX
Can I let you in on a little secret,
Worf? The way you lifted your
chin and looked away just then
– that’s one of your tells. Every
time you do that, I know you’re
hiding something. So why don’t
you drop the act and tell me
what you’re really doing here?​

Worf sighs, paces to the transporter console, and lays his weapons down. He turns back to Dax.

WORF
Captain Picard did ask me to try
to change your mind. He considers
this attack a foolhardy effort.

DAX
And what do you think, Worf?

WORF
What I think is not important.

DAX
In other words, you agree with me
but you don’t want to dishonour
your captain. I can’t argue with
that. But it comes down to this,
Worf. This is my ship, and I am
taking her and her crew into
battle. And that’s final.

WORF
As it should be. I will be proud
to serve under your command.

DAX
That’s kind of you to say, but
you’re not coming with us. The
Enterprise needs you more.

WORF
Do not be foolish, Ezri! You will
need every advantage you can get.

DAX
I already have an advantage.
I’m Dax, remember?​

Off her confident grin, Worf’s gloom breaks into a proud and wistful smile.

WORF
It is at times like this that I see
Jadzia in you. Are you certain
you will not reconsider my offer?

DAX
Positive.

WORF
Then I wish you success and glory
in the battle to come. Qapla’ Ezri,
daughter of Yanas, House of Martok.

DAX
Qapla’ Worf, son of Mogh.​

She grabs him in a tight HUG, which he happily returns. Then he picks up his weapons, returns to the transporter platform, and turns back to Dax.

WORF
Victory against these odds will
be almost impossible.

DAX
I wouldn’t say impossible.

WORF
(smirk)
I meant for the Borg.​

BLACK OUT

END OF TEASER​

 

[DS9Continuing]

ACT ONE​

FADE IN


5 EXT. SPACE


A lone BORG PROBE - the obloid lozenge-shaped ship seen in VOY 5x15 “Dark Frontier” - moves through space at WARP, on its way to obliterate some planet or ship or starbase. As it passes us, we hear the familiar ominous electronic sound.

Then space TEARS OPEN... and the Aventine SHOOTS out of a slipstream tunnel at almost point blank range.


6 INT. AVENTINE - BRIDGE


Dax on edge, clinging to the arms of her command chair...

DAX
Fire!​

7 EXT. SPACE


Aventine fires a spread of four QUANTUM TORPEDOES... which FLARE BLUE against the Borg probe’s shields without damaging the ship itself.


8 INT. AVENTINE - BRIDGE


Bowers at the tactical console...

BOWERS
Direct hits! Their warp field is
collapsing.

DAX
Stay with them, helm.​

9 EXT. SPACE


The Borg probe drops out of warp, Aventine drops with it.


10 INT. AVENTINE - BRIDGE

DAX
Strike teams go!​

11 INT. AVENTINE - TRANSPORTER ROOM 1


Six security officers, all in SOB’s and carrying TR-116 projectile rifles (as seen in DS9 7x13 “Field of Fire”). This team includes GUIDICE (human male) from Enterprise.


12 INT. AVENTINE - TRANSPORTER ROOM 2


Another six armed officers TRANSPORT out from another transporter room elsewhere on the ship. This team includes SH’AQABAA and ANTILLEA et al, from Titan.


13 INT. AVENTINE - CARGO BAY


Another six beam out from the cargo transporter at the back of the bay - they are using every transporter they have.


14 INT. AVENTINE - TRANSPORTER ROOM 3


Finally the team commanded by KEDAIR herself beams out. She looks fierce and determined. This team includes CH’MARAS, DARROW and T’PREL (all seen DS9 12x16 “The Blame Game”).


15 INT. AVENTINE - BRIDGE


Ops manager Mirren reports...

MIRREN
Transports complete.

DAX
Launch chain pulsar!​

16 EXT. SPACE


Aventine fires another torpedo, this one glowing RED. It is the CHAIN PULSAR weapon, seen in DS9 12x14 “Duty Calls”. As it ZOOMS towards the Borg ship, the target splutters and chokes, power failing all over the ship.

Meanwhile the torpedo itself GLOWS brighter and brighter... but holds position next to the Borg ship, not advancing.


17 INT. AVENTINE - BRIDGE

BOWERS
Chain pulsar weapon activated and
stable. The Borg’s energy field is
almost non-existent.

DAX
Good work, everyone. Captain
Hernandez, congratulations on
helming the Aventine’s first
successful slipstream flight.​

Hernandez turns from the helm and nods acknowledgement.

HERNANDEZ
Now the hard part - the waiting.

HELKARA
With the chain pulsar sucking up
their energy, the Borg’s weapons,
shields, comms and regenerative
abilities are all neutralised.

BOWERS
Unfortunately that also means the
strike teams are out of contact
with us and each other. They’re
relying purely on line of sight.

DAX
And we can’t beam them out or
send reinforcements. They’re on
their own... against a ship of
angry Borg drones... in the dark.​

Off Dax’s trepidation...


18 INT. BORG PROBE - CORRIDORS


Kedair finds herself and her team in the industrial interior of a Borg ship, with hard metal deck plates, machinery everywhere, and dim THROBS of green power.

From elsewhere in the ship, we hear the marching STOMP of Borg drones advancing, and the sharp staccato report of RIFLES being fired. FLASHES of chemical weapons fire and the eerie red pencil-lights of Borg drones sweep the dark.

Kedair signals the team with hand gestures, telling them to hold position. The team of six take up defensive positions. Kedair detaches an ENERGY DAMPER from her arm, primes it...

...a platoon of BORG DRONES turns a corner and spots them. The Borg SPRINT towards them, firing BOLTS of energy from wrist-mounted weapons like Lore’s Borg from TNG “Descent”.

The weapons FIZZLE out against Kedair’s energy dampening field. Getting closer, the Borg themselves STAGGER, the energy being leached from their own bodies as well.

Kedair pokes her head out from cover on one side, T’Prel on the other, and they FIRE their rifles, every shot clean and precise, no wasting bullets. The Borg drones go down one by one from a BULLET straight to the throat.

The next line of DRONES trample over their fallen comrades to continue their attack...

...so Darrow and ch’Maras SHOOT this group down while Kedair and T’Prel step back and reload. It is all smooth and perfectly choreographed. The Borg go down.

KEDAIR
Nice work, everyone. Let’s keep
moving.​

The team of six cautiously move out...


19 INT. AVENTINE - BRIDGE


Dax sits in her chair, staring at the image on the massive VIEWSCREEN of the Borg probe, seemingly powered down, with the tiny red star of the chain pulsar still shining nearby.

Around her the bridge is silent, as they all wait for this to go inevitably and horribly wrong...


20 EXT. SPACE - DEEP SPACE NINE


The Defiant is docked in its usual place on the ring...


21 INT. DS9 - PROMENADE


Starfleet security are positioned at strategic points along the length of the Promenade, already armed.

Outside the security office, Lt Cmdr EVIK hands out more TR-116 rifles to more security officers in turn.

From the Assay Office end, Cmdr RO strides purposefully, Lt NOG at her side.

NOG
The transphasic torpedoes are
installed on Defiant, Da Vinci,
all runabouts and every weapons
emplacement on the station. Just
one should be enough to destroy
any Borg vessel, in theory.

RO
We’ll see about that.​

As Evik hands out his last rifle, he steps forward to join Ro and Nog, walking with them.

EVIK
All security officers armed and
ready, Commander.

RO
Thanks, Nath. I want you in Ops,
running tactical. I’ll need Aleco
on the Defiant with me.

EVIK
Understood.​

The group approaches the station SHRINE, at which a PRYLAR welcomes Bajorans through the door. And there are plenty to welcome - a steady stream feeling the need to pray.

Major CENN is nearby, watching this - Ro approaches him.

RO
Major, what the hell are these
people doing here? All civilians
need to be off the station, now.

CENN
They refuse to go, Commander.
Deep Space Nine is the gateway
to the Celestial Temple. They
feel closer to the Prophets here.

RO
Major, I need you and Evik both
in Ops - if they stay, who’s going
to watch out for them?

QUARK (o.s.)
I will.​

The group turns and sees QUARK standing in the doorway of his bar. Behind him, the bar’s screens still show the MAP.

NOG
Uncle...

QUARK
These are my people as much as
they are yours, Laren. I’ll take
care of them. Who knows, I
might even join them.

RO
...Fine. I can’t honestly say I
understand any of this, but let
them pray if it makes them feel
better. I need the rest of you
at your stations.

CENN
Aye, sir.​

Ro, Evik, Cenn and Nog move on. Quark watches them go...


22 EXT. SPACE


Aventine and the unpowered Borg probe, the chain pulsar torpedo still glowing RED between them...


23 INT. BORG PROBE - CORRIDORS


Kedair’s team reaches a T-junction. They look out across...

...the cavernous space in the centre of the Borg ship. The VINCULUM itself (as seen in VOY 5x07 “Infinite Regress”) hangs in the centre of this space. A narrow walkway out from the opposite side of the cavern is the only way to reach it.

Kedair looks across the cavern. FLASHES of rifle fire dot the dark, as other Starfleet strike teams take out drones.

The Enterprise team, led by Guidice, emerges onto the walk way opposite the Aventine team led by Kedair. But he has not seen her - he is looking victoriously at the Vinculum.

Kedair looks to the side and sees... a set of dark FIGURES moving towards Guidice’s team. They are not identifiable in the gloom, but presumably they must be Borg.

Kedair wants to shout a warning to Guidice, but he is too far away and wouldn’t hear her. Instead she HEFTS her rifle onto her shoulder, looks through its targeting scope...


24 KEDAIR’S POV


Magnified by the scope, Kedair can see Guidice and his team. She aims her rifle above their heads... and FIRES.


25 BACK TO SCENE


Kedair’s shot HITS a piece of machinery over their heads, making it EXPLODE in a shower of sparks. Guidice reacts immediately, pointing his own rifle across the chasm towards Kedair. Through his own viewing scope...


26 GUIDICE’S POV


...Kedair urgently waves for his attention, pointing to the group of Borg drones creeping up on him in the darkness...


27 BACK TO SCENE


Guidice immediately turns towards the approaching Drones, the rest of his team doing likewise... and they FIRE.

FOLLOW the course of the bullets as they streak towards their targets. And through the darkness, the light of their chemical flares reveals...

...that they are not Borg at all, but the Titan team, led by sh’Aqabaa. Bullets TEAR through her flimsy uniform and into her blue Andorian flesh. sh’Aqabaa and her teammates CRUMPLE to the deck, shot down and bleeding.

Kedair is staring through her own targeting sight...


28 KEDAIR’S POV


She can see Guidice stop firing and desperately stop the rest of his team as well, SHOUTING something that she cannot hear from so far away. She sees him run towards the other team, the targeting sight follows him as he goes...

As Guidice reaches the other group, he breaks open a FLARE, bright in the darkness. The sight ZOOMS IN, and again...

...until we see sh’Aqabaa and her team on the deck, lit by the flare, holding her guts in and SCREAMING.


29 BACK TO SCENE


Shocked, Kedair loses grip on her rifle, which clatters to the metal deck plates. She staggers back from the edge of the cavern, overcome by the horror...

KEDAIR
(whisper)
...what have I done...​

30 EXT. SPACE - ANDOR


The blue GAS GIANT, the icy MOON that is the homeworld of the Andorians... and STARBASE 7, the mushroom-shaped space station that rests in orbit.

Holding position to one side of the starbase is a small fleet of six mid-sized Starfleet ships, led by the Akira-class James T Kirk, Elias Vaughn’s command.

Holding to the other side is another small group of ships, led by the Nebula-class New York, Benjamin Sisko’s command.

Further back, we see the giant Galaxy-class Venture in charge of a fleet of local Andorian Imperial Guard ships.


31 INT. NEW YORK - BRIDGE


As seen in DS9 12x14 “Duty Calls”. Captain SISKO leaves his command chair and approaches the tactical console, crewed by Lieutenant CAVANAUGH (human female, also seen in 12x14). Together they look at the console display...

...which shows ICONS on the screen, with the designation BORG. Sisko is suitably daunted.

SISKO
How many?

CAVANAUGH
Six, sir.​

Six Borg Cubes against this paltry display of Starfleet’s mightiest. Sisko refuses to let his anxiety show.

SISKO
Time to engagement?

CAVANAUGH
Depending on how close they get
before dropping out of warp,
between seven and twelve minutes.​

Sisko moves back to his command chair, trying his best to project calm and confidence.

SISKO
Take the ship to battle stations.
Red alert.​

As the RED ALERT lights begin to flash...


BLACK OUT

END OF ACT ONE​

 

[DS9Continuing]

ACT TWO​

FADE IN


32 INT. KIRK - BRIDGE


VAUGHN sits in his command chair. The main VIEWSCREEN is split three ways, showing Admiral ZENKAR on Starbase 7 on the left, Sisko in the middle, and another human male, Captain HENDERSON of the Venture, on the right.

ZENKAR (screen)
Captains, as our most experienced
battlefield commanders, you will
coordinate the defence of Andor.

SISKO (screen)
Understood, Admiral. If I may ask,
still no news about the Malinche?

ZENKAR (screen)
(sombre)
In fact yes, Captain. The Malinche
happened to intercept a Borg cube
on their way here. I’m sorry.

SISKO (screen)
Damn it... George...

VAUGHN
Any last orders, Admiral?

ZENKAR (screen)
Yes, Captain. Tell your squads to
stick to the plan as much as they
can for as long as they can. We’ll
only get one chance at this.

HENDERSON (screen)
Yes, sir. We’ll stop them.

VAUGHN
Good luck to us all. Kirk out.​

The line drops, and Vaughn turns to his crew, which include SHAR at sciences and MAGRONE at tactical.

VAUGHN
Sensors?

SHAR
The Borg are eight minutes, ten
seconds from probable arrival.

MAGRONE
Transphasic torpedoes are prepped
and loaded, sir. Shields ready.​

Vaughn looks to his side, to his first officer ROGEIRO, who already knows what Vaughn will ask him.

ROGEIRO
The crew are also ready, Captain.​

Vaughn turns back to the screen, now showing empty space. But the Borg are out there, and getting closer...


33 INT. BORG PROBE - CORRIDORS


Kedair leans against the wall of the Borg ship, stunned by the magnitude of her mistake. Her deputy, DARROW, steps up.

DARROW
Sir, we need to keep moving and
clear this deck.​

Kedair knows she’s right. The Takaran woman pulls all her guilt and shame inside, forces a cold and dispassionate exterior. She straightens, picks up her dropped rifle.

KEDAIR
Alright. Take point with T’Prel.​

Darrow nods acknowledgement, and they move off together.


34 INT. AVENTINE - BRIDGE


Hernandez sits at the helm, staring at the Borg ship on the screen. She turns around, looks at Dax, Bowers and Helkara, who are all conferring MOS.

Hernandez cannot hear them, because the SUSURRUS of Borg voices are filling her head. She turns back to the screen, to the image of the Borg ship, and SQUINTS...


35 HERNANDEZ’ POV


...and is inhabiting the body of a Borg Drone. This drone lies prone on the deck, looking up at the dark and metallic industrial complex around it through its enhanced vision.

The POV turns to the side, seeing the drone’s tool-arm twitching and whirring, unable to move. The POV looks down along the length of the body, seeing the blasted hole in its mid-section from the TR-116 bullets. It is dying.


36 HERNANDEZ


closes her eyes, wincing. She feels sorry for it.

HERNANDEZ
(whisper)
Don’t be afraid. It’ll be over soon.
I promise.​

She gasps slightly, reacting to something...


37 HERNANDEZ’ POV


The POV of the dying drone looks up... and sees KEDAIR striding towards it, stepping over the bodies of its fallen comrades, aiming her rifle with a sneer. The Takaran woman looks down into our POV on the deck... and FIRES.


38 INT. AVENTINE - BRIDGE


Hernandez JERKS out of the connection. It’s as if she was just shot dead herself. Mirren reacts to her console...

MIRREN
Captain! The Borg vessel just
vented a small amount of plasma.​

Dax steps forwards while Mirren keeps a close eye...

MIRREN
And again... and again!

HELKARA
Timing is confirmed. That’s the signal.

DAX
(relieved)
Gruhn, pull the chain pulsar back,
give’m some space. Sam, keep your
weapons hot, in case it’s a trap.

MIRREN
Lieutenant Kedair is hailing.​

Dax nods permission; Mirren works her panels.

KEDAIR (comm)
Aventine, this is Strike Team One.
We’ve got wounded. Beam all of
Strike Team Three to sickbay now.

DAX
(nods to Mirren)
On it. What happened?

KEDAIR (comm)
I’ll explain later, sir. But the Borg
probe is ours. The Vinculum is
intact, and offline. Ready to
proceed to phase two.

DAX
Well done, Lieutenant. I’ll send
over the science teams. Aventine
out. Bridge to engineering -
Leishman, you’re up.

LEISHMAN (comm)
Understood, Captain.

DAX
You too, Gruhn.

HELKARA
Aye, sir.​

Helkara begins to gather his things together, while Dax heads over to Hernandez, who is looking rather pale.

DAX
You okay?

HERNANDEZ
I’m fine. Just nerves, I guess.

DAX
I just wanted to say thank you,
for all your help today. I doubt
we’d have succeeded without you.

HERNANDEZ
Let’s hope you still feel the same
way when this is all over.​

Hernandez heads across the bridge, enters the turbolift with Helkara, and they are gone. Tharp returns to the helm.


39 INT. AVENTINE - SICKBAY


Doctor TARSES has his hands physically inside sh’Aqabaa’s torso, his hands running with blue blood.

TARSES
Clamp the aorta, damn it!​

Vulcan female paramedic T’PARAS calmly does as she is told. sh’Aqabaa is still alive, but just barely.

T’PARAS
Should we not move Lieutenant
sh’Aqabaa into the surgical
suite, Doctor?

TARSES
No time for that. We’ve got to
seal this now or she won’t even
make it as far as surgical.​

Still working, he looks across the room to the other bio-beds which are in a similar state. At one, a Bajoran male doctor, ILAR, works feverishly over the human woman Hutchinson with the help of a human female nurse, TAKAGI.

Between two others, a TRIEXIAN female NEXA uses her three arms to operate on two patients at once - the Bolian male TANE and the Zaldan male DORON - with the help of a male Vulcan nurse, L’KEM and a MIZARIAN male paramedic, RAVOSUS.

TAKAGI
(re Hutchinson)
Cortical failure!

RAVOSUS
(re Tane)
Cardiac arrest!​

They both grab urgently for resuscitation equipment. Nexa and L’Kem pay attention to the Zaldan, who is conscious and SHUDDERING in agony with a bit between his teeth.

Tarses wants to run over and help, but he has his own patient whose chest he is trying to rebuild by hand.

TARSES
(to self)
Pay attention...

ILAR
Kosst it!​

As the readings on his bio-bed flatline, the Bajoran doctor THROWS his scalpel against the wall with a CLANG, tears off his bloody gloves, and stomps out of the room.

The Bolian and the Zaldan also flop back onto their beds as their readings flatline. Doctor Nexa accepts failure with more grace than Ilar, and turns to L’Kem.

NEXA
Please record time of death for
Lieutenant Hutchinson, thirteen-
oh-seven hours. For Lieutenant
Tane and Crewman Doron,
thirteen-oh-nine hours.

L’KEM
Noted, Doctor.​

Nexa ambles over to Tarses, still operating on sh’Aqabaa.

NEXA
Anything I can do to help, Doctor?

TARSES
No, she’s stable. Go help Ilar with
those two bleeders.​

The Triexian ambles away again on her three legs, towards the back of sickbay. Tarses turns back to T’Paras with a sigh of relief.

TARSES
Okay, Lieutenant sh’Aqabaa is
ready. Move her into surgical.
I’ll be there in a second.

T’PARAS
Yes, Doctor.​

T’Paras unlocks sh’Aqabaa’s bio-bed from the wall, guides it on anti-gravs across the room, and out.

Tarses takes a moment to look around the room - at the three dead bodies on the beds, the pools of various-coloured blood on the deck. He takes a deep breath, steels himself, and follows T’Paras to keep working.


40 INT. BORG PROBE - VINCULUM ALCOVE


Hernandez looks up at the VINCULUM, hanging over all their heads, inside a little alcove at the end of the narrow walkway, over the gaping chasm at the centre of the ship.

Leishman and Helkara are nearby, working on various bits of machinery. Kedair’s security team keep guard.

HERNANDEZ
Are you sure this thing is set up
correctly?

LEISHMAN
Positive. It’s responding to your
bio-feedback, just like you asked.

HELKARA
If you don’t feel up to this, we
should scrub the mission now.

HERNANDEZ
I’m fine. Just let me concentrate.​

Hernandez steps close to the machinery, lays her hands upon it, and closes her eyes to concentrate.

Kedair clangs her way over the walkway and into the alcove.

KEDAIR
Transphasic mines are armed. How’s
our royal infiltrator doing?

LEISHMAN
She’s working on it.

DAX (comm)
Commander Helkara, report.

HELKARA
(taps combadge)
We’re almost there, Captain.

DAX (comm)
Get there faster. According to
last reports, the Borg are minutes
away from hitting five major
targets, including Andor, Vulcan
and Qo’noS. If this plan’s going
to work, it has to work now.​

Helkara, Leishman and Kedair all look worried across to Hernandez, who stands with her eyes closed and her hands on the Borg machinery. Will this work...?


41 THE MAP


The red line indicating the Borg’s advance through Klingon, Romulan and Federation space has moved on substantially from last episode. It is now a good two thirds of the way from the Azure Nebula to Bajor.

The line is about to reach five stars simultaneously, the icons clearly labelled with the names VULCAN, ANDOR, RIGEL, QO’NOS and CORIDAN.


42 INT. DEFIANT - BRIDGE


This map is displayed on the viewscreen of the Defiant. Ro sits in the command chair, with TENMEI at helm, ALECO at tactical, BASHIR at sciences and extras elsewhere. They all gaze at the screen in muted horror.

BASHIR
Andor...

RO
Shar...

TENMEI
Dad...​

43 INT. KIRK - BRIDGE


Vaughn sits in his centre chair, Shar and Magrone behind him. An ALERT on Magrone’s tactical console...

MAGRONE
Short range sensors are now
picking up the Borg. Estimating
fifty seconds to contact.

VAUGHN
Attack plan delta.

T’LARIK
Plan delta, aye.​

The Vulcan helmswoman, T’LARIK, moves the ship accordingly. We see the stars shift on the viewscreen...

VAUGHN
The timing’s got to be perfect.
The transphasic torpedoes
may only work the first time.​

An ALERT on Shar’s science console...

SHAR
Captain, we’re receiving a report
from the Atlas, commanding the
fleet defending Vulcan.

VAUGHN
Not the time, Lieutenant.

SHAR
But sir, the Atlas reports that
the transphasic torpedoes no
longer seem to be effective. The
Borg... have adapted to them.​

Vaughn looks in horror to Rogeiro at his side. The torpedo was the only guaranteed weapon they had.

ROGEIRO
Captain... that means that as of
this moment... the Federation has
no defence against the Borg.​

Vaughn looks back to the main viewscreen.

Upon it, the crew sees six BORG CUBES dropping out of warp and spreading out into a wide formation.

And the Kirk has no defence against them.

MAGRONE
The Borg are now entering firing
range, sir.

VAUGHN
(with gravity)
Engage.​

BLACK OUT

END OF ACT TWO​

 

[DS9Continuing]

ACT THREE​

FADE IN


44 EXT. SPACE


With the ice-covered home-moon of Andor in the background, a BORG CUBE sweeps across foreground.

A pair of the smaller Starfleet vessels pepper it with phaser fire and regular torpedoes.


45 INT. KIRK - BRIDGE


Vaughn sits in his chair, the ship at battle stations. Ops manager DUNLOP (human male) calls out...

DUNLOP
Nineteen seconds to intercept the
second Borg cube. Ten seconds
till we cross the path of the first.

VAUGHN
Prepare to seed the transphasics
as per plan delta.

MAGRONE
But sir, they won’t -

VAUGHN
Do it, Magrone!

ROGEIRO
Commencing shield nutation...​

46 EXT. SPACE


As the Borg cube is distracted by the smaller ships, the Kirk streaks across its path, dropping four transphasic torpedoes behind it like mines, then carrying on its way.

The cube flies right into the path of the torpedoes...

...the smaller ships scatter...

...and the cube EXPLODES in a ball of blue flame.


47 INT. KIRK - BRIDGE


Shar reports from sciences in amazement...

SHAR
Captain - it worked!

VAUGHN
I guess we got the report from the
fleet at Vulcan before the Borg did.
But that advantage won’t last long.
ch’Thane, order all ships to fire
transphasics early and often.

MAGRONE
The Borg are firing! They -​

BOOM. The ship rocks hard from the impact, SPARKS showering from a blown conduit along the side. An EXPLOSION sends Magrone tumbling back from the tactical console, hit by shrapnel. Vaughn is thrown to the deck, his aged body taking the fall hard. Rogeiro rushes to take over tactical.

ROGEIRO
Shields at eighty-three percent.

VAUGHN
(from the floor)
Stay on target!​

The crew continue as Vaughn crawls back to his chair. An EFROSIAN female nurse runs to check on Magrone, who is still alive but hissing in pain from his wounds. We feel more weapons FIRE from the Kirk... and HIT their target.

ROGEIRO
Two Borg ships destroyed!

VAUGHN
And the rest?

ROGEIRO
Scanning... third cube has been
destroyed by the Venture. The
sixth shows faltering shields,
but it’s still operational.

VAUGHN
T’Larik, bring us about. Target
the nearest cube.

T’LARIK
Aye, sir.​

The Vulcan woman works her panels...


48 EXT. SPACE


The Kirk swerves around and heads towards another cube, one that is already under attack by a half-dozen smaller ships.


49 EXT. ANDOR - THERIN PARK


The gorgeous public park area in the heart of the Andorian capital city. VRETHA strolls the lanes, holding herself strong and dignified as the matriarch of an important clan and the world’s former representative to the Federation.

Looking out across the grass, she sees THOUSANDS of other Andorian citizens who have gathered. They huddle in small groups, some singing, some picnicking on the ground, some just holding each other. The STATUE of Shran stands guard.

Vretha reaches the bench upon which Vaughn once sat, and calmly takes her place. She looks up to the sky, where the faintest hints of lights, explosions and clouds of debris can be discerned. A figure sits beside her - SH’VEILETH, Shar’s mentor as seen in DS9 12x05 “Trial and Error”.

SH’VEILETH
Councillor zh’Thane, we are most
honoured that you would choose
to remain with us.

VRETHA
(nods acknowledgement)
Doctor sh’Veileth. And please,
I am Councillor no more. You
must call me Vretha.

SH’VEILETH
Then you must call me Laen. But
shouldn’t you have evacuated
with the rest of the Parliament?

VRETHA
(sad smile)
Shouldn’t you have evacuated with
the rest of the scientists working
to save our species?

SH’VEILETH
(concedes)
Others would take my place. My
notes and data are away with
them. Perhaps it was selfish of me...
but I do not wish to live to see a
galaxy in which Andor has fallen.
(beat)
Your chei?

VRETHA
His family are safe. Thirishar...
even now he battles to save us.​

She looks up to the sky again, to the lights and explosions just out of reach. sh’Veileth understands her meaning.

SH’VEILETH
Then surely all is well.

VRETHA
(nodding)
In my many years on the council,
I was often amazed by Starfleet’s
seemingly endless resourcefulness.​

As they both hope it will continue to hold out...


50 INT. BORG PROBE - VINCULUM ALCOVE


Hernandez still has her hands pressed against the Vinculum.

CLOSE UP on those hands - and we can see tiny microscopic particles moving back and forth between the skin and the metal, almost blurring the line between the two.

From a small distance, Helkara and Leishman observe her.

LEISHMAN
(sotto)
It’s not working. Is it?​

As if overhearing, Hernandez pulls her hands away in frustration and turns to them.

HERNANDEZ
I have an idea.

LEISHMAN
We’re listening.

HERNANDEZ
I’ll be able to adjust faster if
you remove the feedback buffer.

HELKARA
Absolutely not. Without that, you
run the risk of a counter-attack
by the Borg.

HERNANDEZ
Look, the buffer is most of what’s
slowing me down. I’m a big girl,
I can handle it.
(taps combadge)
Captain Dax, I’m asking permission
to remove the feedback buffer and
face the Borg head on.

DAX (comm)
Granted. Gruhn, Mikaela - do it.

HELKARA
Aye, Captain.​

A bit annoyed at being out-ordered, Helkara and Leishman begin working at their machines again.

LEISHMAN
I hope you know what you’re doing,
Captain.

HERNANDEZ
So do I, Lieutenant.​

Hernandez turns back to the Vinculum and presses her hands to it again, closing her eyes in concentration.

The SUSURRUS of Borg voices begins to creep in again...


51 EXT. SPACE


A Borg cube FIRES its big green beam of death... and HITS the surface of Andor, causing a mushroom cloud of smoke.

An Andorian Guard vessel throws itself directly at the Borg cube, COLLIDING with the larger ship right where the green energy beam emerges, destroying the weapon and itself.

The Borg cube barely notices - another green beam emerges from another spot on the ship and continues firing.


52 INT. NEW YORK - BRIDGE


Sisko in his captain’s chair...

SISKO
Fire!​

The viewscreen shows the New York’s phasers leaping out to batter the Borg cube. The phasers FLASH different colours as they move through constantly shifting settings.

The weapons blow small bits off the Borg cube’s surface, but it still doesn’t stop firing its big green beam.

CAVANAUGH
Phasers reduced the Borg’s shield
strength by sixty-five percent. But
they are now having no effect.

SISKO
What about our shields?​

Lt Cmdr Gwendolyn PLANTE, a human woman at Ops, responds.

PLANTE
Holding steady at ninety-three
percent, Captain.

SISKO
Cease fire and alter course. Put
us between the Borg and Andor.​

Ensign JAIX, a Catullan male at helm, looks up in horror.

JAIX
Sir, the Borg are firing on Andor.

SISKO
(hard)
And we have to stop them from
doing so, Ensign.

JAIX
(quiver)
Aye, sir. Altering course.​

Jaix works his controls, and the viewscreen shows the stars moving as the ship swerves. Sisko turns back to Plante.

SISKO
Plante, I want all outer sections
along the top of the primary hull
evacuated immediately. See to it.

PLANTE
Aye, sir.​

53 EXT. SPACE


The heavy Nebula-class ship zooms right into the path of the Borg’s powerful green beam... and stays there. The Borg’s weapon does not let up - it keeps firing, hitting the New York’s wide saucer section straight on.


54 INT. NEW YORK - BRIDGE


The ship VIBRATES, a WHINE passing through the hull as it withstands the weapon’s force. Sisko stands up, looking anxiously up at the ceiling - exactly where the beam is hitting, with only shields and hull separating them.

PLANTE
Shields are down to eighty-five
percent, but holding steady there.
Hull temperature is rising.

SISKO
Stay with them, helm. Don’t let
them slip away.​

55 EXT. SPACE


The Borg cube tries to move sideways to continue its attack. The New York keeps pace, staying between the cube and the planet, taking as much of the attack as it can.


56 INT. KIRK - BRIDGE


Seeing this on the Kirk’s viewscreen, Vaughn mutters...

VAUGHN
The hell are you doing? Good God
man, have you got a death wish?

SHAR
Captain - the starbase!

VAUGHN
On screen...​

57 EXT. SPACE


The giant mushroom-shaped starbase in orbit of Andor is basically ON FIRE. One of the remaining Borg cubes is firing on it with its own powerful green energy beam.

The station is firing back with everything it has - phasers, transphasic, quantum and regular torpedoes, all aimed at the Borg. It’s not enough.

On the planet-facing side of the station, THRUSTERS and even IMPULSE ENGINES fire at full power to keep the station in position. It’s not enough.


58 INT. KIRK - BRIDGE


Shar reacts to his readings in horror...

SHAR
The sheer percussive power of the
Borg’s attack is pushing Starbase
Seven out of its orbit. Captain...
if it hits the surface, with its
twelve fusion reactors... the
resulting explosion will be an
extinction level event for Andor.

VAUGHN
Then attack, for God’s sake!​

The viewscreen shows us zooming towards the cube that is attacking the starbase, and launching torpedoes...

...which FLARE harmlessly against the Borg’s shields.

SHAR
Sir... the transphasic torpedoes
are now once again ineffective.

VAUGHN
Understood. Keep firing, Rogeiro.
Everything we’ve got.

ROGEIRO
Aye, sir.​

59 EXT. SPACE


One of the smaller Starfleet ships, a Sabre-class, loops around behind the Starbase... and fires a wide beam of energy from its deflector dish at the back of the station. This beam THROBS, gradually pushing the station back...


60 INT. KIRK - BRIDGE

SHAR
(off panels)
The Cutlass is using a modulated
tractor pulse to reinforce the
Starbase’s own stabilisers.

DUNLOP
Captain, the Starbase’s fusion
reactors... they’re overloading.
I think they’re about to blow...

VAUGHN
Break off!​

61 EXT. SPACE


The Kirk breaks off its attack, swooping out of the way...

...the EXPLOSIONS start in the bottom point of the station, consuming the power centre. They reach up, through the residential areas, RUPTURING bulkheads and atomising metal.

The “cap” of the mushroom SEPARATES on its own thrusters, leaving the rest of the station behind.

The Cutlass doesn’t get out of the way in time, and when the stalk of the Starbase finally EXPLODES in one almighty conflagration, the small Sabre-class ship is swallowed up.


62 INT. KIRK - BRIDGE


Admiral Zenkar is on the viewscreen, the command centre of the Starbase ON FIRE behind him.

VAUGHN
Admiral, get to the escape pods!

ZENKAR (screen)
No time. I’ve got to try and steer
this thing away from the populated
areas. Keep fighting, Captain!​

The signal cuts out. Vaughn grits his teeth...

VAUGHN
T’Larik... continue pursuit of the
nearest cube.​

Shar looks horrified at the idea of leaving the Starbase to hit the surface. But he knows that Vaughn is no happier.


63 EXT. SPACE


The remains of the Starbase plummet towards the surface, its skin starting to glow with atmospheric friction.

The Borg cube is untroubled, and moves off to continue its slaughter elsewhere. The Kirk surges after it...


64 EXT. ANDOR - THERIN PARK


From their bench, Vretha and sh’Veileth look to the sky...

...and see a giant burning METEOR plunging to the surface - the Starbase. It is not coming right for them, but rather into the snow-capped mountains that loom beyond the city.

...and IMPACT. A massive FIREBALL blooms on the horizon from between the mountains. The very ground SHAKES, causing the gathered thousands to CRY OUT. A shockwave blows out the glass windows of all the city buildings.

Vretha and sh’Veileth stagger against each other...


65 INT. KIRK - BRIDGE


Propped up against the back wall, being attended by the nurse, Betazoid tactical officer Magrone SCREAMS as the psychic effect of millions of deaths strike his mind.

Shar’s cool focus in a crisis is shattered, as he knows millions of his own people just died...

And Vaughn hates himself as he orders...

VAUGHN
Helm... maintain course.​

BLACK OUT

END OF ACT THREE​

 

[DS9Continuing]

ACT FOUR​

FADE IN


66 EXT. SPACE


A flurry of smaller Starfleet vessels harry one Borg cube, trying to herd it away from the planet of Andor.

The Galaxy-class Venture surges in, throwing everything it has at the same cube from the opposite side.

New York remains pinned within the destructive green beam of power coming from the second cube.

Kirk makes a run against the third cube, FIRES a transphasic torpedo... no effect.


67 INT. BORG CUBE


The cavernous interior, with the four-sided rotating screen in the centre (as seen in TNG 4x01 “Best of Both Worlds”) displaying Kirk’s continuing attack upon this very cube, firing phasers and torpedoes. The massed Borg speak...

BORG VOICES
Adaptation successful. Attack
continuing. The Federation must
be destroyed. All resistance must
be eradicated. Attack continuing...​

68 INT. BORG PROBE - VINCULUM ALCOVE


These VOICES also sound in Hernandez’s head and she presses her hands and forehead against the throbbing green power of the Vinculum on the otherwise Borg-less probe...

BORG VOICES (v.o.)
(continuing)
The Federation must be destroyed.
All other directives suspended.
Attack continuing...​

Hernandez squeezes her eyes together, concentrating hard enough to break a blood vessel. The massed droning voice is slowly supplanted by the honeyed tones of the BORG QUEEN.

BORG VOICES (v.o.)
(continuing)
All life on Coridan must be
eradicated. All life on Vulcan
must be eradicated. All life...

BORG QUEEN (v.o.)
(continuing)
...on Qo’noS must be eradicated.
All life on Andor must be
eradicated. The Federation must
be destroyed. Attack continuing...

HERNANDEZ
(whisper)
...there you are...​

A few steps away, Helkara, Leishman and Kedair, now joined by Ravosus, watch Hernandez with pin-prick anxiety...


69 EXT. SPACE


The New York is still darting about in front of cube #2, deliberately getting in the way of its shots. A small RED beam comes at the New York from another angle...


70 INT. NEW YORK - BRIDGE


Cavanaugh calls out urgently...

CAVANAUGH
Captain! The Borg have locked onto
us with a tractor beam...​

The ship shakes again with a new attack...

CAVANAUGH
...and they’ve deployed a cutter.

PLANTE
Shields are down to forty precent.

SISKO
Fire all weapons!​

On the viewscreen, we see torpedoes and phasers leap out from the ship... and HIT the cube attacking them.

CAVANAUGH
The Borg’s shields are down to
nineteen percent.​

The Borg fire back...

SISKO
Hang on!​

The weapons hit, rocking the ship. Sisko looks up through the transparent dome at the top of the bridge...

...and he can actually see the Borg cube looming over them.

SISKO
Jaix, get us out of here.

JAIX
Sir, the helm is not responding.

CAVANAUGH
Our shields just failed!

PLANTE
Power conduits blew out after that
last barrage.

SISKO
Reroute. I don’t care where from,
just get this ship moving!​

He looks up again, sees the Borg cube looming closer...

...and then it EXPLODES.


71 EXT. SPACE


As the debris of the cube flies out in all directions, the James T Kirk swoops past, having fired the shot that saved the New York. Then the other ship continues on its way...

...but the destroyed chunks of the cube are still tumbling towards the New York.


72 INT. NEW YORK - BRIDGE


Sisko sees this through the bridge skylight.

SISKO
Jaix? Plante?

PLANTE
Power junctions have fused shut.
I can’t complete a circuit for
auxiliary power.

SISKO
All hands, brace for impact!​

73 EXT. SPACE


One of the fragments IMPACTS the New York right on the dome of the bridge. Another SMASHES through one of the ship’s warp nacelles, obliterating it...


74 INT. NEW YORK - BRIDGE


Sisko has been thrown to the deck. Others grip tightly to their stations as the ship RINGS with the impacts...

SISKO
Status!

PLANTE
Four hull breaches, all contained.
But warp drive is gone. Impulse
too. We’re not going anywhere.

JAIX
Yes, we are. We’re free-falling
towards the planet’s surface.​

Off Sisko’s horror...


75 EXT. SPACE


Surrounded by the debris of Borg, Starfleet and Andorian ships, the New York slowly falls into Andor’s gravity well.

There are only two Borg cubes left now. Venture and a small cloud of support ships are attacking one...

...leaving Kirk to take on the other. This cube is BOMBING the planet’s surface with repeated balls of RED FIRE. Kirk throws everything it has at the cube...


76 INT. KIRK - BRIDGE


Rogeiro at the tactical console, while behind him Magrone staggers to his feet, helped by the Efrosian nurse.

ROGEIRO
No effect.

VAUGHN
Keep firing!​

A return salvo from the Borg JOLTS Vaughn out of his seat and he tumbles to the deck -

- landing on top of T’Larik, who is also on the deck. Getting his bearings, he feels for the Vulcan woman’s pulse... and his fingers come back slick with green blood.

VAUGHN
Medic!​

The Efrosian nurse, whose name is NI-JALIKREII, rushes over and begins to tend to the Vulcan helmswoman. Meanwhile Vaughn steps over them both and takes the helm. Settling in, he seethes in a fury at the Borg cube looming...

VAUGHN
All I ever wanted was to explore.
Instead I’ve faced a century of
war, thanks to bastards like you.​

Vaughn sets a new course...


77 EXT. SPACE


Kirk loops away from the Borg cube, seemingly flying away. But once it is at a suitable distance...

...it loops back again and heads straight for the cube.


78 INT. NEW YORK - BRIDGE


On his own bridge, darkened and powerless as the crew fight futilely to keep it from plummeting to the surface, Sisko watches the Kirkon his still functioning main viewscreen.

He sees Vaughn’s ship heading straight for the Borg ship, and he understands what his friend is planning.

SISKO
Elias... no! Pull up!​

But the Kirk doesn’t seem to be doing so...


79 INT. KIRK - BRIDGE


Vaughn sits at the helm, angrily driving the ship faster and faster, as the Borg cube looms bigger and bigger before them on the viewscreen...

Rogeiro looks to both Magrone and Shar. It is perfectly clear to all present what Vaughn’s plan is, even if he hasn’t said it out loud. All three silently agree - if this is how it’s going to be, then so be it.

ROGEIRO
Attend your stations, everyone...
and brace for impact.​

They do so.


80 EXT. SPACE


Kirk ROARS towards the Borg cube...

The Borg seem to realise what is about to happen, and FIRE weapons at the oncoming Starfleet ship...


81 VAUGHN


Feels the weapons hit, but doesn’t let it slow him down...


82 SISKO


Watches this helplessly from his own bridge...


83 INT. KIRK - BRIDGE


The Borg cube looms bigger... bigger...

And Vaughn enters a new command, forcing the ship to CLIMB sharply. Rogeiro, Shar and Magrone grip their consoles...


84 EXT. SPACE


At the last second before impact, Kirk SWERVES upwards. The Akira-class vessel’s main hull SKIMS the cube by inches...

...but its low-hanging warp nacelles IMPACT the cube’s edge, shearing off and EXPLODING, the power contained in them having a devastating effect on the Borg vessel.


85 INT. KIRK - BRIDGE


All the crew are THROWN out of their seats or stations as a horrifying CRUNCH sounds through the ship, and consoles and fittings EXPLODE in flames and sparks.

Vaughn is catapulted out of his seat, over the top of the helm station, and SMASHES right through the viewscreen into the dead space beyond.

Shar lands hard on the deck as bits of burning metal and plasteel land all around him...


86 EXT. SPACE


The Borg vessel stops firing on Andor, as the death of the Kirk’s nacelles sets off a CHAIN REACTION through the ship. Explosions rack the cube, blowing apart a good third of it.

Meanwhile all that is left of the Kirk - its main hull and the sparking stumps of the catamaran split secondary hull - spins off uncontrolled into space.


87 INT. NEW YORK - BRIDGE


Sisko wants to cheer the Borg’s destruction, but that it comes at such a high price stops him. Then his jaw drops as he sees what is on the screen...


88 EXT. SPACE


...because as we saw in DS9 12x14 “Duty Calls”, even half a cube can still fight. The smashed cube turns...

...and just continues BOMBING the planet with balls of RED FIRE, as if nothing of consequence has happened.


89 INT. NEW YORK - BRIDGE


Sisko blanches...

SISKO
Jaix... can we do anything?

JAIX
Sorry, Captain. I’ve been able to
arrest our fall to the surface with
the manoeuvring thrusters, but...
that’s all we’ve got.​

90 INT. KIRK - BRIDGE


Shar clambers to his feet... and sees a devastated bridge. Utterly smashed, bulkheads burned, panels dead or sparking, lights flickering, conduits hissing.

Looking round him, he sees Rogeiro and Magrone on the deck. They appear to be alive, just pulling themselves out from under debris with groans of pain and effort.

Shar moves to the tactical console. He TEARS off a panel to reach the technology underneath, and begins breaking and remaking connections at the speed of adrenaline. As always for Shar, crisis has brought pinpoint focus.

He succeeds in bringing a console to life, and works it...


91 EXT. SPACE


The remains of the Kirk tumble slowly through the field of Borg, Starfleet and Andorian ships’ debris...

...until manoeuvring thrusters fire in complex patterns to gradually bring it under control.


92 INT. KIRK - BRIDGE


That done, the terrifyingly focused Andorian reconfigures the console, bringing up a TACTICAL DISPLAY, which shows...

The half-destroyed cube continuing to fire on the planet.

Shar HISSES in fury. Rogeiro drags himself to his feet and steps up to the tactical station...

ROGEIRO
Lieutenant, what’s our status?​

Shar doesn’t answer. He reconfigures the station again, until it shows a big red FIRING CONTROL. He presses it...

...and nothing happens, aside from a dull electronic squiggle of failure. He presses it again - nothing.

ROGEIRO
Mister Magrone, get me a status.​

The Betazoid tactical officer works to do so. Meanwhile Shar is still hitting that firing control, getting no response, becoming more and more frustrated.

Eventually he is PUNCHING the panel, PUNCHING it and PUNCHING it, YELLING with fury at its refusal to fire...


93 EXT. SPACE


The half-destroyed cube continuing to fire on the planet...


94 EXT. ANDOR - THERIN PARK


Vretha stands up from the bench. All around her, the balls of RED FIRE falling from orbit have hit the city in all directions... but have not yet hit the park itself. More bombs continue to fall, hitting the buildings around them.

The crowd of gathered Andorians cry and scream and whimper. But Vretha stands with dignity. She looks up...

...and one FIREBALL is finally coming right for them.

Beside her, Doctor sh’Veileth also gets to her feet.

VRETHA
Somehow... I never truly believed
it would come to this.

SH’VEILETH
Neither did I. But perhaps the
resourcefulness of Starfleet was
not quite so endless after all.​

Vretha looks around at the grass, the flowers, the bubbling streams, all while the BALL OF FIRE gets closer and closer, staining the very air around them... and she smiles.

VRETHA
Be whole, Thirishar.​

And then there is nothing but fire.


95 INT. KIRK - BRIDGE


Seeing this on his tactical display... Shar SCREAMS.

Rogeiro and Magrone can do nothing but look on helplessly.


BLACK OUT

END OF ACT FOUR​

 

[DS9Continuing]

ACT FIVE​

FADE IN


96 EXT. SPACE


The icy home-moon of Andor, with the large blue gas giant behind it... and a cloud of debris across its atmosphere.

One full Borg cube and one half-destroyed cube continue to fire BEAMS of green energy or throws balls of RED FIRE down at the planet, rending huge angry gouges in its surface.

Only one Starfleet vessel remains in active combat with the two cubes - the Galaxy-class Venture. The ship is damaged and exhausted, barely making a scratch.

The Nebula-class New York hangs dark in space...


97 INT. NEW YORK - BRIDGE


On his darkened, powerless bridge, Sisko turns to Cavanaugh at tactical. Outside, ringing through the space-frame of the silent ship, they can hear the bombs and destruction...

SISKO
Can you tell me anything? I need
to know what’s going on out there.

CAVANAUGH
Sensors are unreliable. The last I
saw, the Venture was still in the
fight, but the Kirk was adrift.​

Sisko looks towards the viewscreen, which is working but not showing him anything useful.


98 INT. KIRK - BRIDGE


Shar has shut down. He has collapsed to the deck, sitting with his back to the viewscreen, staring into the middle distance as if his mind has simply vacated his body.

Around him, the Kirk’s bridge is a singed wreck. Here too they can hear the death being rained down on Andor.


99 EXT. SPACE


The Borg ships continuing to fire upon the planet...

BORG VOICE (v.o.)
The Federation must be destroyed.
All life on Andor must be
eradicated. Attack continuing...​

100 INT. BORG PROBE - VINCULUM ALCOVE


Hernandez is still working to tune herself into the Borg Queen’s frequency. She hears the Borg Queen’s voice, laid atop the drone of the Collective’s massed voices.

BORG QUEEN (v.o.)
(continuing)
Attack continuing. All other
directives are suspended. The
Federation must be destroyed.

HERNANDEZ
(whisper)
Cease fire.​

Slowly, another voice rises to the top of the droning mass - Hernandez’s own, imitating the Queen’s cadence and style.

HERNANDEZ QUEEN (v.o.)
The Federation must be destroyed.
Attack continuing.

HERNANDEZ
Cease fire!

HERNANDEZ QUEEN (v.o.)
The Federation must be destroyed.
All life on Qo’noS must be
eradicated. All life on Rigel must
be eradicated. Cease fire. All
directives suspended. Cease fire.​

101 EXT. SPACE


The Borg ships raining death upon the planet...

BORG VOICE (v.o.)
The Federation must be destroyed.
Cease fire. Directives suspended.
Cease fire. Directives suspended.​

And just like that, they do. Both Borg cubes stop firing at once, their weapons going silent. And they just hang there.


102 INT. NEW YORK - BRIDGE


Sisko instantly hears the difference, and shares a confused look with Cavanaugh. Then he looks towards the viewscreen. It seems eerily quiet and calm out there.


103 INT. KIRK - BRIDGE


Shar remains on the deck, staring at the wall. But the new silence catches his attention.

SHAR
Are they finished? Is it over?​

Rogeiro stands at the console that Shar reconfigured, and works it for information, trying to figure it out.

ROGEIRO
The Borg have stopped firing.
They have not been destroyed,
but neither has the planet.
They’ve just... stopped firing.

SHAR
...why?

ROGEIRO
Does it matter? Sensors confirm
the Venture is still in the game
and is continuing its attack.​

Across the room, Magrone and Ni-Jalikreii hunt through the wreckage of the bridge for any other survivors. Magrone closes his eyes and reaches out with his Betazoid senses...

MAGRONE
Over here! It’s very faint.​

Magrone and Ni-Jalikreii head towards the front of the bridge, and the smashed viewscreen. Picking through bits of debris and wreckage, they pull something aside...

...and discover Vaughn unconscious beneath it, a big and worrying bruise covering his scalp and down his face. Ni-Jalikreii gives him a cursory check...

NI-JALIKREII
We need to get him to sickbay...
if there still is a sickbay.

MAGRONE
(eyes closed,
feeling)
He’s very weak. There’s barely
anything left.
(opens eyes)
I think he’s gone.

NI-JALIKREII
No, he’s still breathing. The
body’s alive.

MAGRONE
I’m not sure the mind is. I just
got one word from him - a name.
(turns to Rogeiro)
Prynn.​

This name finally brings Shar out of his funk...


104 INT. BORG PROBE - VINCULUM ALCOVE


Helkara, Leishman, Kedair and Ravosus stand ready, watching Hernandez doing her thing. They are all nervous.

DAX (comm)
Aventine to away team. It’s
working! Reports from all over
the Federation say the Borg
have just stopped cold, right
in the middle of fighting.​

All four of them allow a small smile of relief.

DAX (comm)
How’s Hernandez doing?​

Helkara looks across the small space to Hernandez, who has her hands and her head pressed against the Vinculum, and is juddering in the sheer effort of holding on...

HELKARA
She’s holding on, Captain.​

Hernandez grits her teeth, trying to keep control...


105 INT. BORG CUBE


The four-sided rotating screen shows the Venture throwing all its remaining weapons right at us.

BORG VOICE
Cease fire. Directives suspended.
Awaiting new targets.​

The screen shifts focus away from the Venture, swerving across the image of the devastated planet below...

...and to the half-destroyed cube hanging in its orbit.

HERNANDEZ QUEEN
New directive. The Borg must be
destroyed. New directive. The
Borg must be destroyed.

BORG VOICE
The Borg must be destroyed.​

And we see the half-destroyed cube turn and launch its weapons right at us...


106 EXT. SPACE


The two Borg cubes fly towards each other, ignoring the Starfleet ships and attacking each other with the same gusto with which they attacked the planet. They carve chunks off each other with every weapon in their arsenal...


107 INT. NEW YORK - BRIDGE


Cavanaugh gasps at the image of this on the viewscreen...

CAVANAUGH
What the hell...?

SISKO
Jaix! Use those thrusters to get
us away from the Borg. If they
destroy each other...​

On cue, a massive EXPLOSION whites out the screen...


108 EXT. SPACE


The already half-blasted cube is now DESTROYED completely, consumed in fire. The other cube stops firing...


109 INT. BORG CUBE


The corridors and labyrinths of the Borg cube are now filled with the sounds of WEAPONS firing.

BORG VOICE
New directive. The Borg must be
destroyed. New directive. The Borg
must be destroyed. New directive.​

As the droning mass VOICE carries on endlessly, the drones are attacking each other with ruthless efficiency, just like they did to Kedair’s raiding party earlier.

Drones SPRINT towards each other, firing bolts of energy from wrist-mounted weapons, hitting other drones.

Drones SLASH at their colleagues with their cyber-arms, YANK tubes out to cause power overloads, grab throats and SNAP necks, THROW other drones overboard into the chasm.


110 HERNANDEZ


Eyes screwed up tight, feeling every one of these deaths.


111 BORG’s POV


She sees a cyber-arm come towards her, SLASH right through her body, and the POV falls to the deck...


112 HERNANDEZ


Gasp-whimpers in horror, but she has to hang on, has to keep going...


113 BORG’s POV


Another drone sees another drone running towards it, firing its wrist-weapon right into its face...


114 HERNANDEZ


Her head SNAPS back in shock, wincing in horror at what she is doing. But she grits her teeth and keeps going...

HERNANDEZ
The Borg must be destroyed...​

115 INT. BORG PROBE - VINCULUM ALCOVE


The rest of the team see this from afar, and worry...

RAVOSUS
We’ve got to get her out of there.

LEISHMAN
Not yet...​

116 EXT. SPACE


The last remaining cube hangs in space, seemingly having trouble deciding what to do.

The Venture finally catches up, letting loose with a full spread of quantum torpedoes...


117 INT. BORG CUBE


As drones continue to battle each other in every corridor and walkway, the four-way screen shows the Venture’s attack coming right for this ship... and it HITS.

BLUE FIRE sweeps through the ship, blowing it apart...


118 EXT. SPACE


The cube is consumed in fire.


119 INT. NEW YORK - BRIDGE


Cavanaugh, Jaix, Plante and the rest of the crew WHOOP with delight to see this. Victory!

Sisko must maintain dignity as their commander, but he does smile. But then he looks out at the cloud of debris...

SISKO
(to self)
Elias...​

120 INT. KIRK - BRIDGE


Vaughn lies on the deck among the wreckage, the big bruise all over his head. Nurse Ni-Jalikreii does what she can.

Rogeiro is still at tactical.

ROGEIRO
The last Borg cube is destroyed!

MAGRONE
Yes!​

Far from celebrating, Shar is occupied with his own display readout, which shows the state of his homeworld...


121 INT. BORG PROBE - VINCULUM ALCOVE


Hernandez still clinging to the Vinculum...

BORG VOICE (v.o.)
The Borg must be destroyed.
New directive. The Borg must
be destroyed. New directive.

BORG QUEEN (v.o.)
You’re new...​

Hernandez’ eyes open in horror. The original Borg Queen’s voice is back, silky and curious and seductive...


122 EXT. SPACE


Out in open space, not near a planet, a CUBE and a SPHERE are firing on each other with full force...

BORG QUEEN (v.o.)
Sleep. Regenerate.​

And the Borg ships instantly fall quiet again.


123 INT. BORG PROBE - VINCULUM ALCOVE


Hernandez still clinging to the Vinculum...

HERNANDEZ
I am your Queen...

BORG QUEEN (v.o.)
No. You are not Borg. And you are
not human. Yet you are strangely
familiar. What... are you?

HERNANDEZ
I... am...

BORG QUEEN (v.o.)
Designation is irrelevant. The
intruder must be destroyed.​

Off Hernandez’ alarm...


124 EXT. SPACE


The cube and sphere that were attacking each other...

Other formations of Borg vessels everywhere in space. Dozens of them, hundreds. Cubes, spheres, probes...

Cutting from one to the next... as if we are searching through the Collective...

Until at last we find the probe with the Aventine holding position by it, the chain pulsar weapon hanging nearby...

...we ZOOM in sharply on the Borg probe...


125 INT. BORG PROBE - VINCULUM ALCOVE


...and Hernandez FALLS back from the Vinculum with a GASP, landing on the deck and SHUDDERING as if having a fit.

The Starfleet team rush up to her. Ravosus crouches down and pulls out a tricorder, Leishman and Helkara check the surrounding machinery, and Kedair keeps guard with a rifle. Meanwhile Hernandez continues to fit on the deck...

HELKARA
Pull the rest of the cables. Now!

LEISHMAN
Not yet! Too much residual charge.

RAVOSUS
She’s coming around...​

Hernandez’s convulsions gradually slow and calm, but she is desperately trying to form words.

HERNANDEZ
Sh... sh...

HELKARA
What is she saying?

HERNANDEZ
Th... The Queen...

LEISHMAN
Yeah, she’s leading the invasion.

HERNANDEZ
No... She’s here.​

BLACK OUT

END OF SHOW​