by John Peel
"Down to eighty-percent shields," Tarvok reported. "And falling."
There was no time to worry about that. All that mattered now was the target. Gavron ignored his own fear. They would succeed. They had to.
Another flare of light on the screen announced the destruction of one of his final two companions. He cursed the loss of firepower more than the loss of men.
"Target locked," Ladra called, and then the gunnery officer yelled, "Torpedoes away!"
Laser fire continued to rake them as they pulled away from the Hive, climbing and spinning to get a better view of what was to come.
"The other ship has launched its torpedoes," Ladra called. "Tracking them in." As she spoke, there was another burst of flame, and their final companion was gone.
But not before they had launched their attack!
Gavron stared intently at the main screen, which was focused in on the engine section of the Hive. There were a dozen huge nacelles, all active, as the Hive moved through space. He could barely make out the target area, a small rough spot on the smooth surface of the Hive.
"Impact in … three …" called Ladra, "two … one … "
Thirty-some torpedoes impacted in the same small area of the Hive. The screens overloaded as the blasts went off simultaneously. Ladra was still scanning, and called, "Direct hit!"
As the light died down and the blast dissipated into space,
Gavron could, make out the Hive. It was still there, but there was now a gaping hole where there had only been a minor nick before. Fire and explosions raged in the hundred mile long gap, gouts of gas and materials spewed into space.
"Readings?" he called.
"The enemy is crippled," Ladra reported. "Two of the nacelles are completely destroyed. Three more are malfunctioning. Their main drive appears to be in serious trouble. I judge that they are attempting to shut it down."
"No!" Gavron snarled. "That cannot be allowed. If we can get their engine destabilized, it will wreck the Hive and save Cardassia. We must make another attack."
"Gul," the gunnery officer said quietly. "We have no torpedoes left. Phaser fire alone will be insufficient."
"I know." Gavron clambered to his feet. "We have only one weapon left." He didn't need to spell it out to them. Ladra and Tarvok merely nodded their understanding. "Bring us about," he ordered the pilot. "Lock on to the engine area and take us in at maximum speed." He turned to Ladra. "Prepare to flood the antimatter core."
"Acknowledged."
Gavron was pleased. There was no whining, no questioning. He had good troops. They would obey his commands, .right to the last second of their existence.
Which wouldn't be very long now.
"Report!" yelled Pakat at the screen. Premon's shocked face stared back at him. "What damage has been done?"
Premon shook his head. "It is horrible," he replied.
"People are dying down here. Two of the engines are gone. Three are going. We have to shut down the drive to prevent detonation. We are in dire trouble."
How could this have happened? Those damned Cardassians! "Agreed," Pakat said roughly. He tapped in further commands. "Pakat to launch bays. Is the next flight not yet ready for launch?"
"Momentarily," the leader answered. "We are almost prepared."
"Then hurry!" Pakat yelled. This was getting far too dangerous now. He had never imagined that these Cardassians would be so relentless or so resourceful. He stared around his command center, furious and terrified. They had to stave off further trouble, though there was only one Cardassian ship left.
Several screens showed the devastated area. Huge gouges had been sliced from the Hive and vented into space. The number of dead and wounded was beyond calculation at the moment. The affected sections had been sealed off, but there was panic throughout the Hive. And now they would have to stop their flight to repair their engines.
The Great Design was severely compromised. Worse, the Hive was in serious danger. If they had to wait too long, then it would give the enemy time to prepare further forces. "The final warship is returning," one of his technicians called.
Pakat stared at the display. He couldn't look directly out into space, of course, so he was forced to rely on the computer simulation. "Shoot them down!" he screamed. "Stop them!"
The laser cannons began their fire again.
Gavron stared in satisfaction at the Hive as they headed toward it. With their engines shut down, there was less danger of getting caught in its exhausts. They were coming at the Hive low, aiming to hug the vessel until they reached the gap they had created. And then …
Tarvok smiled at him. "It is a good day to die," he said, quoting the Klingon proverb.
"It is as long as we take them with us," Gavron answered. He smiled back. "You're a good officer, Tarvok."
"Does that mean I get a battlefield promotion?" he asked, grinning.
"Ask me when this is over." Gavron watched the Hive draw closer. "Ladra?"
"Ready on your command," she said simply.
"Mark," he told her. "Fifteen … fourteen …"
It was a good day to die.
* * *
The Charak hugged the shell of the Hive closely. Laser fire splashed across its shields, but the Cardassians paid it no mind. The shields were failing, but there was still time. Arrow-straight, it plunged toward the maw of the hole they had blown earlier.
Two seconds before impact, Ladra released the antimatter core.
One second before impact, the antimatter and matter cores flowed together.
Impact.
In the raging firestorm of the matter antimatter mutual annihilation, the Hive was seized in the grip of forces it had never been designed to withstand. The engine room was vaporized, along with the rear third of the Hive. Those killed didn't even know they had been hit.
The shock wave tore into the remaining portions of the vessel. Stresses ripped the levels and decks apart. The shock tore everything that remained to pieces.
Twelve seconds after the Charak annihilated itself, the Hive blossomed briefly into a tremendous Chapter 17explosion that tore it completely apart.
CHAPTER 28
THE BRIDGE OF the Defiant was once again filled with people, all with a mixture of desperation and hope in their eyes. Sisko's glance took in the crew: Kira, preparing the weapons, which would most likely be needed; Odo, hunched over his panels, scanning and rescanning their path; Dax, concentrating on piloting the ship toward the ever-closer Hive O'Brien, fiddling as ever with his equipment—nothing ever seemed to work quite up to the chiefs expectations. Only Dr. Bashir was missing from the regular crew; Sisko had judged the doctor's treatment of refugees back on Deep Space Nine more important. One of his medics was filling in for him on the Defiant.
Standing beside his command chair were Tork and Sahna. Both looked just as tense as the Defiant's crew. It couldn't be easy for them, Sisko knew, to have faced the reversal of so much that they had always believed in. But now they were totally committed to saving Bajor. It looked as if Yarka had been absolutely correct: two had converted.
He could only pray it would be sufficient.
"Anything?" he called to Odo.
The shapeshifter glanced up. "Plenty," he growled. "One Hive is now stationary in the Darane system for some reason. The other is—" He broke off and grunted. It was impossible for Odo to look paler than he did, but Sisko could almost swear he managed that miracle. "The other Hive is gone."
"Gone?" Sisko echoed. Everyone turned to stare at Odo, who fidgeted uncomfortably under the group stare. "I'm reading an immense amount of radiation," he reported. "And a growing cloud of debris and plasma. If I were to take a rough guess, I'd say that the Cardassians managed to destroy the Hive that was aimed for Cardassia Prime. They also seem to have been destroyed themselves. I'm reading nothing but radiation and a spreading cloud of plasma and dust."
Sisko turned to Tork and Sahna, who were both stunned. "I'm sorry," he said gently. "You must have had friends and relati
ves on that Hive."
"It is only fitting," Tork said, choking. "We destroyed Darane. It is only right that we suffer." He looked distraught, however. "So many, gone."
"We must prevent the same fate befalling the remaining Hive," Sahna said firmly. She was fighting back the pain she obviously felt. "If one can fall, then both can."
"Agreed," Sisko concurred. He glanced over at Kira. "Any luck in raising the Hive?"
"They're receiving us," Kira responded. "They're just not answering our hail, for whatever reason."
Sisko rubbed his chin. "They may have seen what happened to their sister Hive. Tell them they'll be next if they don't listen to us."
"Worth a try," muttered Kira, bending to her task. A moment later, she announced, '"Grand Master Dron coming through." She patched it onto the main screen.
Dron's face scowled out at them. Sisko could see from the pain on it that he knew about the other Hive. "Sisko," the Grand Master growled. "What do you want?"
"It's not what I want," Sisko replied. He gestured at Tork and Sahna. "It's what your own people want. Call off this attack on Bajor while there's still time."
Dron grimaced. "Bajor must be absorbed, now more than ever. He glanced away from the screen and then back. "You must have seen that the other Hive has been … destroyed by a suicide attack. Only we remain to implement the Great Design. Despite any setbacks, it will proceed."
"This is insanity, Dron," Tork said angrily. "It is not the Bajorans who are insane: it is you. Call off the plan, now. It is not the true Great Design."
Dron simply shrugged. "So, you have discovered the truth?" he asked. "It does not matter. I assume that the late Hosir betrayed the secret?"
"Partially," Tork admitted. "But there were many clues to give it away." Then he started, as the meaning of Dron's words sank in. "You knew the Great Design had been changed?"
"Of course I did, you idiot," Dron snapped. "All Grand Masters since the Two Hundred and Third Hive have known that. So have many of the Hivemasters. The original Great Design was changed because it was unrealistic and unworkable. The rebels saw that, due to our agoraphobia, the original Great Design was impossible. The new one is our only hope for survival."
"By theft and murder?" Tork was appalled. "How could you condone this, and support it? You were chosen because you were supposed to be the best. The sanctity of the Great Design was your responsibility. The welfare of the Hive was your first concern."
Dron's snout wrinkled in amusement. "Do not be so naive, Tork!" he sneered. "Surely, if you know so much, then you should know it all. The Determination is just as bogus as the Great Design. The comps merely fasten their decision on what they feel you want the most. It is no more infallible than any. I reached my position because I desired it, and worked for it, not because it was fated for me."
Tork was reeling under this additional betrayal. "All of it?" he gasped. "It has all been a lie?" "Near enough," agreed Dron. "I am too weary to debate with you on this matter now. Captain," he said, turning his attention back to Sisko, "I admit that I am surprised that you actually returned Tork and Sahna instead of holding them hostage, but I thank you. You may deposit them and then leave. You are no longer welcome here."
Sisko grinned. "I always keep my word, Dron," he replied. "I told you they'd be returned safe and sound, and they are. But I'm not leaving."
"If you do not, you will be destroyed," Dron informed him.
"They're launching attack ships," Odo called out. "I count ten of them."
"Red alert," Sisko said calmly. "Raise shields. Weapons to full strength."
"Dron!" Tork called. "This is insanity! There is no reason to attack this vessel. It means you no harm."
"Idiot," muttered Dron. He moved to cut off the communication.
"Wait!" cried Tork, frantically. "You must restore the original program and complete the real Great Design."
"Never," said Dron with finality, and the screen reverted to stars.
"Well," said Kira brightly, "that could have gone better." Sisko turned to face Tork and Sahna. "Now what will you do?" he asked gently. "Dron knew the truth all along, and has no intention of allowing it."
Tork thought for a moment. Sahna rubbed his shell supportively. "I will follow where you lead," she said simply.
Tork nodded. "Captain, this transporter of yours. Could you use it to put us aboard the Hive?"
"Not with our shields up," Sisko answered. "And not through the Hive's shields, either. We need to get inside them."
"I understand."
"We can't drop our shields while we're being attacked,"
Kira pointed out. "We'd be sitting ducks if we did."
"Do not worry," Tork informed her. "There is an option." He crossed to her panel, and studied the screens. "The ten attack ships will close in shortly. We must deactivate them."
"Right!" agreed Kira, sarcastically. "And how do we do that?"
"I am a Hivemaster," Tork informed her simply. "I have all security clearances." He started to tap commands into the communication panel. "We shall simply transmit a signal that will shut down their weapons and propulsion."
A wide grin split Kira's face. "You're my kind of guy, Tork," she enthused. "Go to it."
Sahna turned to Sisko. "If we can get aboard the Hive," she said, "the propulsion unit is controlled from a command deck near the Council quarters. Would it be possible to transport into that?"
"I'd need coordinates," Sisko replied. "Chief, do you have the ones for the Council chambers?"
"Aye, Captain." O'Brien smiled. "And if Sahna knows how far away the control deck is, I can juggle the figures a bit and try to get them closer."
"Excellent." Sisko nodded to Sahna, who scuttled over to O'Brien's station.
The main screen showed the remaining Hive growing as they approached it. Sisko couldn't see the ten interceptors, but the sensors were tracking them. He hoped that Tork could get the commands ready before it was necessary to fire on the enemy. It was getting harder and harder to think of the Hive dwellers as the enemy now. It was clear that only the Hivemasters had really been in control of what had happened at Darane. The bulk of the population of the Hive was oblivious to what had been done.
Closing," Dax murmured.
"I'm reading the attack ships," Odo growled. "They're powering up their weapons."
Sisko glanced across to Kira and Tork. They were both crouched over her panel with intense expressions on their faces. They glanced at one another, and then Kira slapped her hand down on the controls.
"The vessels are losing power," Odo reported. "Their weapons systems are also standing down."
"Good work," Sisko said. That was one less problem to worry about.
"Incoming call from the Hive," Kira reported. "You want to acknowledge it or ignore it, Captain?"
"Put it on the main screen," Sisko decided. "Perhaps Dron wants to talk."
The Grand Master's face filled the screen again. "You have betrayed the Hive!" he screamed, focusing on Tork.
"No," Tork answered calmly. "You have. Restore the original programming now."
"No," Dron hissed. "You do not understand what it will mean. Whatever you do, you cannot succeed."
"We can and we will," insisted Tork. "'You must cease this futile struggle now."
The screen went dead.
"I think we can take that as a no," observed Odo.
"What did he mean?" asked Sahna, worried. "He said that we do not know what we are doing."
"He's bluffing," guessed Kira. "He's just trying to get you to stop."
"Perhaps," agreed Tork. "In any event, it does not matter.
We shall go through with our plan. It is the only way to save my people from the lies, and to save Bajor from destruction. We have no other options. We must trust that the First Hive knew better than Dron thinks they did."
"Approaching the Hive," Dax called. "Their shields are up." .
I'm reading an energy buildup," Odo added. "It looks as if there's so
me weaponry being trained at us."
"Laser defenses," Tork answered briefly. "My next command will override both them and the airlock controls. Once we are inside the Hive, the transporter should function." He tapped in a command.
"They're bound to be trying to change the codes," Sisko observed. "Let's hope they can't do it quickly enough to stop us."
"Shields dropping," Dax confirmed. On the screen, they could see a gap appearing as the airlock Tork had targeted began to open. "Taking us in." She flipped the Defiant through a roll, and into the capacious airlock. Thrusters brought them to a momentary rest, hovering, as the outer lock closed and the inner one cycled open. As soon as she had the room, Dax boosted the Defiant through the gap and into the Hive proper.
This was the first sight of the interior of the Hive from most of the crew. There were several gasps of surprise and delight and an admiring "Lovely technology!" from O'Brien. Dax concentrated on piloting the Defiant down the main axis of the Hive. Thankfully, most of the smaller air traffic had been cleared.
"The away team had better get down to the transporter room," Sisko said. "Tork: you, Sahna, Dax, Odo, and Kira. O'Brien, scan the target zone again. We don't want them materializing inside a wall." He took over the pilot's seat as Dax relinquished it. "I've always wanted to fly this thing," he told her with a grin. '
"Don't damage it, Benjamin,'" Dax answered, winking.
"It's our only ride home."
"I'll be careful."
As the away team left the bridge on a run, Sisko concentrated on taking them as close to the transport zone as he could.
O'Brien cursed, and glanced up from his panel. "Captain, I'm reading energy discharges close to the target zone. It looks like there's some kind of a fight going on down there."
"Well, that might explain why the Hive is stalled in space," Sisko replied. "You'd better put the away team down outside the region, and warn them to have their phasers ready. We may have come in on the start of a civil war."
As soon as she materialized, Kira had her phaser in hand, scanning the corridor in which she found herself with the rest of the team. Odo was beside her, his own weapon at the alert. Dax scanned with her tricorder. "Seven Hive dwellers ahead," she announced. "They seem to be assaulting the control deck."
