by John Peel
Pakat felt the second Hive shudder. He looked at his screens. There hadn't been time to appoint a new Security Master, so he was commanding the defense squadrons. They had deployed their monofilament nets as ordered, and had now taken out almost half of the attacking force. But some of the enemy were getting through, and the Hive was suffering damage.
Warning lights flickered around airlock seven. A picture on the screen showed that it had been hit, and was venting gas and materials into space. The damage-control teams sealed the section, but there was now a gap in the skin of the Hive. The enemy was bound to make use of this weakness.
These Cardassians were definitely stronger than either he or Dron had anticipated, and they attacked with a ferociousness he had never imagined. Still, there were ways to turn that aggression against them. They were bound to target the damaged area, so Pakat smiled to himself.
They would not get the swift victory they were obviously anticipating.
He tapped the comp before him. Master Premon's face filled the screen. "'It is time," he said. "Prepare."
"Understood." The screen went blank.
Pakat studied the images in the holographic display above me tame. It stowed the alien vessels regrouping for a second assault. Their diversionary craft had been almost completely destroyed, and there were still sixteen of his forces left. These immediately began to single out targets among the remaining Cardassian vessels, and moved to intercept. The alien commander would most likely have some of his forces break off to engage the Hive ships, but the rest were bound to repeat their bombing run, with airlock seven being the main target.
He smiled. The Hive would be ready for them. . . .
"Prepare the Defiant for immediate launch," Sisko ordered as he reached Ops with Tork. He glanced around. "Chief," he snapped, spotting O'Brien. "How is she?"
"Everything's back to optimum," O'Brien reported with a grin.
"We may need everything she's got," Sisko informed him. "We launch as soon as Kira and Dax arrive." As O'Brien hurried off to the Defiant, Sisko turned to Lieutenant Soyka. "How long until they arrive?"
"Less than five minutes, Captain," Soyka reported. "They've just requested docking assignment."
"Good. Tell them to head for the Defiant as soon as they arrive. We'll launch as soon as they reach it, so get the clearances ready now,"
"You've got it, Captain," Soyka replied. "And—good luck."
"Thanks." Sisko turned to Tork. "Right, let's go. Even if we do have a plan by the time we reach the Hive, we won't have long to implement it."
"I understand." Tork scuttled to keep up with him as they reached the turbo lift. "I do have one or two thoughts as to how to proceed, but I feel that discussion should be put off until the others are with us."
"I quite agree." Sisko stepped out of the lift, and almost into Quark's face.
"Captain," the Ferengi began, "I really must protest—".
"Not now, Quark," growled Sisko, irritated. "There are more important things to worry about than your profits."
"Bite your tongue!" exclaimed Quark, horrified. "It's just that—"
"Save it," Sisko snarled, pushing past him.
Quark watched Sisko and the weird looking alien leave. It looked as if Sisko had a plan …
Hurrying back into his bar, he grinned at the few dozen patrons there. "I'm giving ten-to-one odds on Sisko being able to stop the Hive," he announced. "Any takers?"
There were indeed. . . .
"We can expect trouble now," Dimas announced, as he stepped back from the control panel. "Raldar is bound to know that I have overridden his orders. It is only a matter of time until they respond. ."
"I imagine so," agreed Bree. "But what form will it take, do you think?"
Dimas's snout wrinkled. "Knowing Dron, I would expect an assault on the rooms here. He will first of all wish to silence us."
"Pointless." Bree gestured to the computer. "The information is already being spread. Containment is no longer a viable option."
Dimas managed a smile. "You think logically; Dron is apt to be more emotional about this."
"I suppose he is." She shrugged. "So, you're the security expert. What is our best option?"
Dimas had obviously considered this. "If we wait here, they'll attack. On the other hand, I do not believe that most of your fellow astronomers would be capable of defense; I suggest that we leave here those who might be better off if they surrendered."
Bree nodded. "And the rest of us?"
He grinned again. "I think that attack is the best form of defense don't you? While Raldar comes looking for us, we might be better off if we incapacitated them."
"What, all dozen of us?"
"The odds are irrelevant," Dimas replied. "We just have to know where to strike. At the moment, our best option is to take out the guidance controls. If we stall Dron's forces, by the time that they engage us, the information we've set loose will be disseminated to all levels of the Hive, And if we are the only ones who 'rebel against the Hivemasters, I shall be greatly surprised"
Bree gave him a delighted smile. "Dimas, you obviously learned a great deal as a youth."
"I had good tutors," he replied. "Now, shall we make our selection as to who will accompany us?"
The Cardassian fleet swooped toward the Hive again. Gavron detailed another fifteen of his cruisers to intercept the enemy's remaining defenders. Then he ignored the side fight, concentrating his attention on their looming target. He had thirty-nine ships remaining, including his flagship, and they were all still in full fighting mode.
"Target the two damaged areas," he ordered Ladra. "Concentrate main fire on the ruptured skin we struck last time. We will widen that gap and break the alien craft in two—they'll have no hope of regenerating it this time!" He turned to the gunnery officer. "Prepare maximum barrage. I want every torpedo you can manage rammed into that gap."
"Acknowledged!" exclaimed the officer happily. He was just as eager for this kill as Gavron was.
"Begin the next assault," Gavron ordered, and Tarvok relayed his command to the other ships of the battered fleet. Gavron smiled happily. The battle was hard-fought, but it was being won. This next bombing run would lay open the Hive. A third run would most likely be needed to finish it off, but that would be all.
It would be a glorious victory! One that would sweep him back to the fore in the military again, one that would bring him the power that he deserved. Those who had conspired against him in the past wouldn't dare to do so once he was the undisputed savior of Cardassia Prime!
All about him, his troops moved with calm efficiency.
Every one of them could sense their impending victory and almost taste it. They were all proud to be a part of this glorious hour.
Then the run began. The remaining ships closed about him as they spun down toward the Hive and back into the barrage of laser fire.
Which immediately stopped.
Gavron frowned, puzzled. What was going on? The enemy couldn't have run out of energy for their weapons yet, surely? Why the sudden shutoff, then? A nagging fear tapped at the rear of his mind. The aliens were up to something. . . .
"The Hive is changing configuration," Ladra reported. "I am reading strange movements."
"On screen!" Gavron barked. As they drew closer to the Hive, the flattened shape of the wings was starting to alter. They were beginning to curve upward, as if the ship were trying to gather the attacking vessels to itself.
What was going on? The reason for the cessation of laser fire was now obvious the cannons would have simply hit each other and the Hive in this formation. Did this mean that the Hive had some other weapon that they had not anticipated? If so, what could it be?
"'I'm picking up an energy buildup," Ladra reported. They had already passed between the up spread wings, and were passing over the main body of the Hive now. Ahead of them, tantalizing, was the open maw of the airlock they had destroyed on their last run.
Disturbed and confused, Gavron
snapped, "Pull out! Get us out of here as fast as possible! Order all vessels to take evasive maneuvers."
The pilot responded instantly, whipping the nose of the flagship up and outward, toward open space. Tarvok started to relay his orders to the rest of the fleet. It would be moments before they could follow Gavron's lead.
Moments they did not have.
The energy discharged across the space enclosed by the folded wings. It was that same, awesome force that had ripped apart Darane IV. The vast energies seethed as they burned, ripping apart the Cardassian attackers in blue fire, rending them into shards and then absorbing the metals and components.
The outer edge of the destructive wave scrawled across the wing of Gavron's vessel. The flagship groaned and shook as the wing was ripped apart and annihilated. Then they were free, spinning uncontrollably away from the Hive.
Behind them, rapidly vanishing clouds of metallic gas were all that was left of the Cardassian fleet.
CHAPTER 27
AS SOON AS the Defiant was on course for the Darane system, Sisko convened a meeting in his ready room. Both Tork and Sahna were there, along with Dax and Kira. "I think it's time we compared notes," Sisko said. "Tork, why don't you explain what you've discovered?"
"It is frighteningly simple," Tork said sadly. "According to our official histories, the First Hive built the Hive and conceived the Great Design. That much is certainly true. Later, the Two Hundred and Third Hive rebelled, wanting to change the purpose of the Great Design. They were defeated, and the true way was restored. And that is certainly a lie, which has been deliberately promulgated down the millennia.
"In fact, the revolution succeeded. The rebels gained control of the Hive from the true Hivemasters. The problem was that they knew they could never win over the entire population of the Hive to their views. Instead, they made it appear that they had lost the fight, and their views had been suppressed. In truth, they changed the Great Design, but slowly, over the course of several generations. Their successors carried on their changes gently, so that it would not be noticed. Since the Great Design wasn't to be implemented for hundreds of generations, they had plenty of time to do this.
"The real Great Design stipulated that the Hive would cross intergalactic space and then seek out a world in the closest star system that they could. The important matter here was that it was to be an uninhabited planet. I am not certain what was to happen then, but it was to be a peaceful termination to the voyage. The Two Hundred and Third Hive changed that plan. They saw that the survival of the Hive was the highest priority, and they believed that the Great Design was wrong. They preferred the concept of continuing the Hive as it was, and duplicating it, to insure a greater chance of survival. They felt that re-creating the great journey was the best way to insure survival of our species. They altered records and programming of the computers to make it look as if their plan were still the original Great Design. I am now convinced of this, and I believe that we must confront the Grand Master and expose the truth. Once the Hive knows the facts, they will not allow him to proceed with the destruction of Bajor."
"I think you're being naive, Tork," Kira informed him. "Dron is in power, and things are going his way. He's not going to simply surrender because you have truth and logic on your side." .
"We are not a violent people," Tork explained. "Once the truth is known, Dron will be powerless."
"There is more than you do not yet know," Sahna informed him. "Dax and I have been studying the data that Hosir gave you. We believe that it is the original coding for the Great Design."
"Really?" Tork was astonished, and then thrilled. "You have been able to translate it?"
"Some of it," Dax said. "The bulk of it consists of command codes that I can't fathom. Presumably they relate to the Hive operations. But the rest … " She looked at Sahna.
"'What you have surmised is correct," Sahna agreed. "The Great Design was indeed forcibly altered. The original plan called for the location of an uninhabited planet. When the Hive reached one that was capable of sustaining life but was barren, then this program was to be triggered."
"I see." Tork's snout wrinkled as he concentrated. "But what does the program do?"
"I cannot be sure." Sahna sighed. "Perhaps in the context of the Hive's computers I could tell you, but now I cannot. I only know that this was the original Great Design, and the one that we should try to restore."
Dax called up a schematic on the screen of the Darane system. "Here's Darane Four," she said, pointing. "The two Hives that were in orbit there have begun to move. One has headed into Cardassian space, and is currently being attacked by the Cardassian Third Fleet. The other started to move toward Bajor, but has for some reason paused. It is quite close in spatial terms to Darane Three. That is a decent-sized planet capable of sustaining life, but is barren. It's almost exactly what the First Hive notes specify for a target world."
Tork nodded. "Then if we move the Hive closer to it, we could still implement whatever the original Great Design was."
"I don't see why not," Dax replied. "Except, of course, for the small matter of the Hivemasters. I doubt Dron and his fellows will go for this."
"Then we shall convince them," Tork replied. He grasped Sahna's hand. "We have worked together to create a solution," he said happily. "The Great Design will be restored, and there will be no need to absorb Bajor or any other world."
"I am pleased, beloved," Sahna replied.
Sisko coughed. "I hate to rain on your parade, but there's still the minor matter of getting to the Hive's computers to run the program."
"Of course." Tork was all business again. "Is it possible to communicate with the Hive from this distance?"
"If they want to talk," Sisko informed him. "I'll try and patch through a call." He shook his head. '"I hope that logic wins through, out I strongly doubt that Dron or whoever's in charge now is going to simply hand over power like that.
"What else can he do?" asked Tork simply.
Kira snorted. "Believe me, despots always have alternatives."
Gavron stared at his tactical display in shock and revulsion. It told him that he had exactly three craft remaining beside the Charak. Not even enough to wage a battle, much less win a war. His hopes and dreams had evaporated just as surely as his fleet had under the barrage from the Hive.
"Gone," he muttered, clearing the screen. The fact that all of the Hive's defenders were destroyed didn't matter much now. He glared at the terrible sight on his main screen. The Hive hung there, its destructive energy bolts invisible for the moment. But they would return if he attempted another assault on the Hive. There was no way to cross the surface of the vessel without being annihilated.
There was the other side of the Hive, true. That couldn't be guarded by the devastating bolts. It still had laser cannons, though, and probably more defending ships readying themselves for launch even now. And there was no weak spot such as the breached airlock that the Cardassians could pour their fire into.
"Orders, Gul?" asked Tarvok quietly.
Yes, orders. He couldn't sit here brooding, sighing over the loss. This Hive was still heading for Cardassia Prime. There was still the Home Fleet, of course, but there was no guarantee that it would fare any better then he had. He had to assume that he was the last line of defense for Cardassia Prime. There was no honor of a glorious victory left to him now, but at least there was a chance to stave off shame and dishonor.
He swung about to face Ladra. "Their engine nacelles," he said, slowly and carefully. "Did they suffer any damage?"
She studied her board. "One minor rupture," she announced. "There is a small breach of the hull in that area."
"Their engines are stable?"
"Yes."
Gavron considered this news for a moment. "Then we shall have to destabilize them," he decided. He turned back to Tarvok. "Signal the remaining ships. We attack again. The target for us all is the weakened area of the engines. We shall pass along the top surface of the Hive
to avoid their energy weapon. Expect heavy fire, and ready all remaining photon torpedoes."
"Acknowledged." Tarvok turned to his panel to relay the orders.
"Gunnery officer," Gavron demanded. "How many torpedoes do we have left?"
"Twenty-four," the officer replied. "I can bring them all on-line for a single sweep if you desire."
"Do it," Gavron ordered. "Target them as soon as you are able. We may be hit on the way in, and I want to be certain that we fire."
"Understood."
Gavron studied his board. The damaged wing wouldn't really cause a problem. No vital areas had been destroyed, and propulsion was unaffected. One of the cannons was gone, but that mattered little at the moment. They could attack, at least—assuming these damned aliens didn't have any further surprises in store.
"Course laid in," the pilot called. "Ready on command."
"The command is given," Gavron snarled. "All ships to attack."
Once again, the Charak swung about and headed for the Hive. The final three cruisers with them fell in alongside, their own weapons primed and ready. This would probably be the final assault. If this failed, there was nothing much left.
The Hive drew closer again as they swooped toward the upper surface. As Gavron had expected, the laser cannons started firing.
"Shields holding," Tarvok called, as the ship shook from a direct hit. The ship was hit a second time, and he cried: "Down to ninety-five percent."
Laser fire streaked from the surface below at the four snips as they mace their run. The screen lit up, and they were down to three. Gavron stared intently at the screen, willing their target to appear, willing the Charak to greater speed. His fingers clutched the chair arm, and he could hear it creak under the pressure.
"Coming up on target," Ladra announced. "Range closing."
"Torpedoes ready," the gunnery officer called.
"Steady, steady," muttered Gavron. Another wash of laser energy crashed against their shields.