THE ALLIANCE
by Robert Morganbesser

CHAPTER 7: INVASION

Near a small nebula, it's gaseous cloud reaching out like the arms of a terran starfish, blues and reds vibrant against the darkness of space, the fabric of the Delta quadrant shimmered, then shifted. Where there had been nothing but space, now appeared seven Dalek saucers. Unlike the original scout ship that had been sent to cement the alliance with the Borg, these were large, heavily armed, and armored ships. Hovering in space, aboard each of them were one thousand Dalek shock troopers. Unlike the ordinary Dalek, these were taller, their travel machines heavily armored, carrying two external weapons rather than a gunstick and a sucker. Each of these creatures had been bred for loyalty to the Supreme Dalek and their racial goal of conquest.

Travel machines shimmering platinum in color, these particular Daleks were warriors and nothing else. Seeing that Daleks who were multi tasked did not fare well at times in combat, the Supreme Dalek had ordered their construction. Now they were to seek out the Borg and initiate their prime function: Extermination of the enemy.

For the Borg, there would be no quarter.

The Borg were aware that more Daleks would come. Of the Daleks that had been assimilated only five still survived. The others had slowly broken down, the Dalek creature itself too fragile to survive assimilation. Still, the ones that survived had given the Borg the information they needed to know. More Daleks would come; more of species 9942 would be assimilated. Species 9942's technology and knowledge would become part of the collective. Their device for transiting realities would become part of the Borg. All would succumb to the Borg. After the way these beings had fallen, the Daleks would be easy prey.

Never since species 8472, had the Borg been so wrong.

Forming a phalanx, the Dalek ships moved out, following their sensor beams to the location of their ship. Finding the debris, they conferred and concluded that their ship had been destroyed. This enraged the command Daleks. They had come with the offer of alliance and this was the result? This could not be tolerated. The Borg would be exterminated.

The Borg scout ship sensors alerted it at the arrival of the Daleks. Having been left behind by the triangle to watch for another incursion, it moved toward the invading ships sending out the usual Borg threat: WE ARE THE BORG. LOWER YOUR SHIELDS AND PREPARE FOR ASSIMILATION. YOU WILL SERVICE THE BORG.

In response, the Daleks fired their weapons. The beam, a side development of their time destructor, circumvented the shield by being slightly out of phase with time. The rainbow colored beam smashed into the Borg ship, cutting a huge swath through the ship. Before the Borg could attempt to retreat, the beam fired again, obliterating what was left. Triumphant, the Daleks moved off, ready to attack again.