THE ALLIANCE
by Robert Morganbesser

CHAPTER 10: FREE FOR ALL

As soon as the Borg dropped out of transwarp, their usual message erupted on speakers. Before they could finish one sentence, Janeway snarled, "Cut speakers!"

The Doctor motioned to her. "Captain, I have an idea." Hurriedly, he explained to Janeway. "Sounds like our best bet. Tuvok, take the Doctor to transporter room three. I'll have Seven meet you there."

Voyager had been mostly forgotten as the Daleks and Borg began to fire on one another. A Borg major cube and a Dalek saucer both exploded, their remnants peppering the surrounding ships. As each side maneuvered for advantage, a small commando team appeared in a passageway on the Dalek command ship. Tuvok and Seven, dressed in black uniforms and hoods, carried phaser rifles. The Doctor, as was his wont, carried no weapon. However, he did have in one pocket, a Starfleet communicator. Having it was vital to his plan.

"Follow me. Dalek ships are all the same. No imagination."

On Voyager, Janeway turned to Kim. "Keep a transporter lock on the away team. Stay ready to fire weapons."

Another Borg ship had fallen, giving the opponents almost even odds. The one thing saving the Borg was the recharge time of the Daleks weapon. When it had to recharge, the Borg had an opportunity to fire. Still, the Borg were on the defensive.

The Doctor stopped and pointed. "There, in the rear of the room, is the Time Destructor. Seven, do you remember what I showed you?"

Seven looked almost irritated. "I understood the instructions immediately, Doctor."

"Good, now you and Tuvok do what you came here for. I shall distract the Daleks."

Before either of them could move, the Doctor strode out into the center of the control room.

"Well, here we all are!"

For a moment, there was total silence. Even the Command Dalek froze. Then the air was cut by shrieks of "The Doctor! Our Enemy! Capture him!"

The Doctor appeared nonplussed as he strode up to the Command Dalek. "I don't believe I've seen your type before? Tea dispensing Dalek?"

The Command Dalek raised one of its Gunsticks. "You are the Doctor. Enemy of the Daleks. Once we have defeated the Borg, you will be taken to Skaro and dissected for the amusement of the Supreme Dalek. Before we are done, we will know all you know. We shall be more superior than we are!"

The Doctor watched past the Command Dalek as Tuvok and Seven slid into the time destructor chamber. With a sneer he said, "Superior? If you are so superior why haven't you conquered your own space? Instead you ran away to conquer this space."

"Incorrect! We came seeking allies! The Daleks are the supreme beings in the universe!"

The Doctor smiled. "What you are is a bunch of misguided misanthropes who are so insecure, they have to try and conquer because they're afraid if they don't, the truth will be out. That you are second class beings, confined to those travel machines!"

Silence. Then the Command Dalek moved a bit closer. "Say what you will. You will enjoy your stay on Skaro. But watch as we destroy the Borg!"

The Command Daleks words rang true. The Borg were on the losing side. The Daleks were down to four saucers, the Borg one ship. But more Borg were on the way.

"Captain, we've got thirteen more Borg signatures. They're seven minutes out." Harry had regained his calm, but he wasn't happy about this situation. Neither was Janeway. "Tuvok, Seven. How long?"

Seven tapped her commbadge. "We are done. Beam us out."

In transporter room three, B'Elanna had a problem. "Captain, I can't get a lock. They have to get away from the time destructor."

"Seven, Tuvok, you have to get away from the device. It's interfering with our lock on."

"Understood," replied Tuvok, raising his phaser rifle. "It appears we need another distraction."

Rising, Tuvok fired. The golden-red beam smashed into the control Dalek, exploding it. As the shower of sparks erupted up and out, the Doctor ducked and fled for the corridor. Dalek beams cut through the air around him.

"I've got them!" B'Elanna shouted triumphantly.

"Energize."

As the away team was whisked off the Dalek ship, the new Borg ships arrived. Before either one of them could fire a shot, the time destructor initiated. In a kaleidoscope of colors the saucer, followed by the other Dalek ships, simply ceased to be. The Borg ships followed them as well. Only Voyager, protected by the chronoton shields (raised just in time by Harry) survived the onslaught of unleashed chronal energy.