when heroes united
by Odin's Eye
chapters    1    2   3   4   5    6

Chapter 1 - A Crossing Of Worlds

******Asgard******

Along the lush gardens that adorn the Asgardian countryside, a fair young warrior goddess strolls through the garden path with the prince of the golden realm. This is a time of peace for Asgard, and for some strange reason, the thunder god finds the peace and serenity somewhat unsettling. For too long he has battled against trolls and demons, fought against the forces of evil, thwarted the attempts of Loki and others like him that would bring about the twilight of the gods. Though the forces of evil are silent for now, it is foolish to think that they are idle. But it is this time of serenity that unsettles one who is accustomed to wielding the power of Mjolnir against one's foes.

But there is something else that is tearing at the very being of Thor. And this does not go unnoticed by the fair Sif. "What is it that troubles you, my beloved?" she asks.

Her question apparently catches him off guard. "Is it that obvious, fair one?" he replies.

"No, not that obvious," responds the warrior goddess, "at least not to someone who would not know you. But to me, yes, I can tell when things are not right. So, tell me, my prince, what is it that troubles you?"

Thor can sense by the tone of her voice that perhaps she fears that once again his heart is astray. He turns to face her and wraps her in the embrace of his godly arms. "Fear not, sweet Sif, the heart of Thor always will be yours."

"Perhaps you assume too much, Thor!" she retorts.

"Sif?"

"Fear not, thunder god, the heart of Sif belongs to you and you alone."

Thor glances to the ground and curses himself for taking his lady for granted. "Forgive me, Sif. I did not mean…"

She puts her fingers to his lips, "Shhhhh! Just tell me what it is that troubles you."

Thor turns away, takes a deep breath, and turns back to look at her. "I have been having dreams of late, sweet lady. I find myself on a world similar to Midgard, but it is not Midgard. I hear the cries of a small child, crying out for help. But I cannot find her, I cannot see her face."

"How long is 'of late', my love?" asks Sif.

"The dreams have appeared the last few nights," answers Thor.

******The 24th Century******

"How much longer until we reach the anomaly, Mr. Data?" asks the first officer. The ship's counselor looks over at the first officer and can sense the uneasiness in his voice. Her Betazoid ability to read or sense emotional upheaval in others tells her that the first officer is under some sort of distress. Surely, it cannot be the anomaly that they are heading towards, for the ship and crew have encountered temporal rifts in space before.

She leans over towards him, "Will, is everything okay?"

Commander William T. Riker stares at Deanna Troi and knows that it is useless and next to impossible to try and conceal his emotions from her. But before he can answer, they are interrupted by Data's voice.

"We should be able to see the anomaly in a few minutes, sir," comes the reply to Riker's question. "Should I notify the captain?"

Riker turns his head away from the ship's counselor and looks towards the viewscreen. "No, Mr. Data, that will not be necessary. Unless we come across something unusual, we are not to disturb the captain."

"Aye, sir," Data responds.

Meanwhile, in the captain's quarters, Jean-Luc Picard suddenly bolts up from a deep sleep, sweat pouring from his brow, his sheets drenched in his sweat. He cries out, "NOOOOOO!!!!" Realizing that he is in his quarters, he manages to calm himself. 'It was only a nightmare,' he thinks to himself. But the visions of his nightmare do not fade. Instead, he still can hear the voice calling out to him, he still can the images vividly in front of him.

He gets up from his bed and walks over to the replicator. "Tea! Earl Grey!" The tea appears instantly and he removes it from the replicator and takes a sip. For a few seconds, everything returns to normal. Suddenly, he again hears the robotic voice calling out to him, "Locutus!"

He taps his communicator and calls out, "Bridge, this is the captain. Is everything all right up there?"

Riker looks over at Troi as he responds, "Yes, Captain, everything is fine. We are a few minutes from the anomaly."

The bridge doors open and Commander Geordi La Forge comes through the doors. Riker looks up and acknowledges the ship's engineer. "Sir, we have visual."

All eyes look towards the view screen and the blackness of space is interrupted by a bluish hue. "Perform a full scan, Mr. Data!" orders the commander.

"Aye, sir!" After a few seconds, "Sir, ship's sensors are picking up traces of tachyon particles along with extraordinarily high levels of anti-matter."

Picard's voice again is heard over the ship's com. "I'm on my way to the bridge!"

"Bring us closer, Mr. Data!" orders Riker. "Quarter impulse!"

"Aye, sir! Quarter impulse!"

"Data, what else are your sensors picking up?" It is La Forge who is asking the question.

Riker looks towards the ship's engineer, "Geordi?"

"There's something happening out there, Commander. I can detect distortions that differ from the usual temporal fluctuations." Out of habit, La Forge reaches up and touches his visor, a special piece of technology that allows the otherwise blind engineer to see. But the visor does not see in the conventional manner that allows humans and other beings to see. The visor senses heat and other energy patterns and relays them to the brain, thus allowing Geordi to 'see'.

"Data?" asks Riker.

"Geordi is correct, sir. There definitely is something happening at the anomaly!"

Again, the doors to the bridge open and Jean-Luc Picard emerges. "What do we have, number one?

Riker, hearing the captain's voice, vacates the command chair and takes the chair to the right. "Sensors are detecting a disturbance within the anomaly, sir."

Suddenly, the bluish hue of pulsating temporal energy changes color to a bright reddish-orange. "Sir, something is emerging from the anomaly!" Data cries out.

"Sound yellow alert!" orders the captain, who, along with the others, is staring at the view screen. And the image that appears before them sends chills up and down their spines. 'No, it cannot be!' Picard tells himself. "Sound red alert!" Again, Picard hears the voice beckon to him in his head, "Locutus! You are one of us!"

"Get a message to Starfleet Command, priority one!" orders the captain. The Borg have returned!"

"Captain, wait!" Data's voice interrupts him. "Something is happening. The Borg ship is fading into the anomaly."

"Perhaps it is best that we destroy the temporal rift, captain!" suggest Riker.

Picard nods. But before he or Riker can utter another word, the temporal anomaly explodes, sending temporal waves into space. "Captain, temporal waves will strike the ship in nine seconds!" declares Data. "Evasive maneuvers are not possible."

"All hands, brace for impact in six seconds!" warns Picard. "Raise shields, Mr. Data!"

"Done, sir!" comes the reply.

The wait for six seconds to pass seems like an eternity. As the temporal wave strikes the ship, the very fabric of space is torn. "Shields down to 63% sir," offers Data. "Sir, the temporal waves have reversed themselves."

"Data?" asks the captain.

"I do not know how, captain, but we are caught in the temporal anomaly. We are being dragged towards the center of the temporal rift."

"Reverse engines!" commands Riker.

"There is no response, commander. In fact, warp engines are off-line. I suspect it has something to do with the high amount of anti-matter we sensed earlier. Sixteen seconds until we reach the center of the anomaly."

"Data, what is going on here?" asks Picard.

Turning towards the captain, Data responds, "The temporal rift is collapsing upon itself, captain. And we are caught in the temporal fluctuation!"

But before Picard can respond, the Enterprise plunges into the temporal rift and disappears from view, as does the temporal anomaly.

Chapter 2 - Destination: Earth

******The 20th Century - Earth******

The grayish-silver cube enters the solar system of Sol. Its target is the third planet from the sun, a blue planet teeming with human life. Similar to a world that exists in the records of the collective, but different in terms of time and dimension. They realize that their kind is not of this dimension, and yet somehow, many years ago, they appeared in this universe.

Their thoughts are one as individual thoughts are suppressed. Yet the minds of that make up this ship are not confined by the restraints of the collective. Ever since they first emerged from the tear in the space-time continuum, they lost contact with the collective. And as such, for purposes of survival, they quickly formed a new central entity, a new queen. For years, they journeyed through space, struggling to survive without the collective. Until, at last, they found a world, sparsely populated but technologically advanced. A world of which they had no records, a world bathed in the radiation of a large, red star. A star that is approaching the winter of its life cycle. And the Borg descended upon this new world, located nearer to the center of the galaxy than their own world. And the beings they encountered on that lone world were special indeed. For the beings that inhabited that world they assimilated that day were descendants of renegades of a world that no longer exists. A blue world that at one time orbited a red sun, much larger than the small yellow star that is the center of the solar system that they now are invading. The name of that world was Krypton. And in the grand scheme of things, they did not know it or perhaps were not aware, that the power that exuded in these beings made this arm of the collective one of the most powerful of the Borg.

And now the Borg ship continues towards the third planet in this solar system. The technology of this earth is primitive compared to the many worlds they assimilated in the other universe. In reality, the cyborg entities have no concept of time, only survival and assimilation. Many of the worlds that they encountered in both universes have provided and would continue to provide beings that have been and would continue to be assimilated as drones. For these worlds, some more advanced than others, do not possess the technology that could pose a threat or be added to their own.

This planet, this earth, would fall as have the many other worlds that have had the misfortune of being caught in the path of the Borg. Several tracking satellites approach the Borg cube, bouncing primitive radar signals off the gray hull. Suddenly, without warning, the cold blackness of space erupts with bright light as the satellites explode into balls of fire, courtesy of the Borg phasers. Within seconds, the satellites are gone and the void of space is dark and silent once again.


*****NORAD*****

There it is again!" declares Colonel Brighton.

"Notify the folks in Washington. And check with NASA to see if their screens are showing the same thing. We're sure its not the Russians?" asks General Jansen. Both Jansen and Brighton were graduates of the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. Both graduated in the early 80's and had proven themselves to be very capable officers.

"Positive, General," responds Brighton. Though the two are friends, the colonel maintains the formality for the benefit of the others in the room.

"General Jansen?" a female voice calls out.

Jansen looks over at the young lieutenant, "What is it, Lieutenant?" He walks over to her as he asks.

The young lieutenant, a communications specialist who graduated from the Air Force Academy in the spring of 1996, replies, "NASA confirms our sighting, sir. They already have notified the Pentagon of their sighting, sir."

"Tie us into Washington, Mr. Butler!" Jansen responds to the young lieutenant.

Suddenly, the screens become fuzzy, filled with static.

"What's going on, lieutenant?" asks Brighton directing his question to a second young officer seated at the com.

"I'm not sure, sir," comes the reply. "It's as if something is jamming us."

Seconds later, the screens become clear.

"I'll be damned!" exclaims Jansen. "Our object still there?" he asks, to no one in particular.

"Confirmed!" responds Brighton.

"Sir!" interrupts the young lieutenant, whose name is Windsor.

"What is it, Mr. Windsor?" asks Brighton.

"The object, or whatever it is, is coming towards us!"

"Towards us, lieutenant?" asks the general.

"Yes, sir. The object is on a direct course with earth, sir!"

All eyes turn towards Jansen, who without hesitation, orders Lieutenant Butler to contact Washington. "And tell them to tell the president that this is a priority one!"

******The Daily Planet******

"Damn it, anyway!" cries out Perry White. "Where's Kent and Lois?" he asks, almost frantic.

Unfortunately, or fortunately, it is young Jim Olson who gives his boss the bad news. "They're out of town, Chief. They're supposed to be visiting Clark's folks in Smallville."

"Try to find them….NOW….. Our sources in Washington are saying the Pentagon and the White House are abuzz about something… And that they're being rather hush hush about it."

"I'll see if I can locate them, sir."

"Do more than try, Olson. FIND THEM!"

Jimmy Olson punches a few keys on his computer and much to his dismay, finds that the Kent's home number in Smallville is not listed. He starts to relate the news to Perry, but decides not to agitate the beleaguered editor of the Daily Planet any further. He walks over to Clark's desk and thumbs through a rolodex sitting on Clark's desk. But not surprisingly, the Kent's phone number is not listed in the rolodex either. Heck, why should it be? Jimmy would have been surprised if Clark could not remember his folk's phone number.

"Jimmy! Any luck on that number?"

He looks over at Perry, who is staring at him impatiently. He merely shrugs his shoulders, not having to provide a verbal response in order to let Perry know that his search thus far has been in vain.

******Elsewhere******

Unknown to Perry or Jimmy, even if Jimmy did find the Kent's phone number, they would not have reached either Lois or Clark. 'A last minute change of plans,' Clark had said to Lois, a mischievous smile appearing across his face. And the two newlyweds are on their way to the arctic north.

******Somewhere In Space******

The space time continuum tears asunder, sending shockwaves through the near space. Emerging from the temporal and dimensional rift is a great starship, the likes of which this universe never has seen. The starship drifts powerless in space as the temporal and dimensional rift seals itself.

On board the ship, the crew starts to regain consciousness. Only a lone android has stayed 'conscious' during the journey, recording everything. Slowly, the ship's captain regains his senses, as does the ship's first officer. Quickly, Picard assesses the condition of the bridge crew and is satisfied to see all are recovering. Turning his attention to Data, Picard asks, "What's are status, Mr. Data?"

"Sir, life support is functioning. Long range sensors are off line, but we do have short range sensors. Warp engines are off line!" replies Data.

"Data, any sign of the Borg?" asks Picard.

"No, sir" comes the reply. "At least, not on short range."

"Let me know as soon as you have long range sensors, Mr. Data." says Picard.

"Aye, sir!" comes the reply.

Turning to La Forge, Picard continues, "Mr. La Forge, return to engineering and see what can be done about restoring the ship's engines."

"Aye, sir," replies the ship's engineer. Seconds later, Geordi La Forge disappears into the turbo lift.

"Sir, long range sensors are available," says Data.

"Any idea as to where are, Mr. Data?" asks Riker.

Data, a perplexed look on his face, answers, "Commander, I have determined that we are near the solar system of Sol."

"Sol!" exclaims Riker.

"Yes, sir. But I am puzzled."

"Why is that, Mr. Data?" asks Picard.

"Sir, I am not detecting any signs of Starfleet!"

"Any chance that the sensors still are malfunctioning?" asks Riker.

"No. commander! The sensor is working fine. Starfleet is not out there!" responds Data.

"Captain," says Riker, turning his attention to Picard, "I recommend that as soon as we have power available, we head towards Earth. Perhaps we can find some answers there."

"Agreed," responds Picard. "Engineering, this is the bridge."

"Go ahead, Captain," La Forge's voice is heard over the intercom.

"Geordi, how much time before the engines are available?"

A brief hesitation, and then, "Captain, I estimate that you should have impulse power in about two hours. It should take another hour beyond that to bring the warp engines back on line."

"Very well, Mr. La Forge. Make it so and let me know if anything changes."

"Aye, sir. La Forge out!"

Again, Data interrupts, "Captain, I am detecting a large object about 850,000 miles off the port bow!"

"Heading, Mr. Data?" asks Riker.

"Their present course will bring them to the third planet in the Sol solar system, sir."

"The Borg, sir?" offers Riker.

Picard nods his head. "Until we know for certain, we cannot assume otherwise. Data, how soon before the object reaches the Earth?"

"Sir, the object should reach the Earth within a few minutes!"

Picard takes a deep breath and taps his com badge, "Mr. La Forge, we might be needing those engines a little sooner than we expected!"


Chapter 3 - A Little Girl's Cry For Help

*****The Daily Planet*****

Perry, Jimmy, and a score of others stand before the news monitor, their eyes fixed the events transpiring before them. "Just moments ago, our sources learned that a huge object is hurtling towards Earth. It seems to be slowing as it approaches our world. And since it is slowing down, word is that it is more than a stray meteor." The fear stricken reporter takes a deep breath as one of his colleagues hands him a piece of paper. "Wait, this just in. Whatever it is now is orbiting the earth. All attempts to communicate with the object has been in vain… Wait… Earth's satellite defense systems have been destroyed. Officials in Washington are now saying that they believe the object or whatever is that is onboard is hostile. Superman…."

Suddenly, the monitor screen turns to static and snow. "What in God's name?" exclaims Perry. And seconds later, the monitor again comes to life. Only this time, the image is one that sends chills down to everyone assembled in the room. A being, humanoid in appearance, but with cybernetic implants appears on the screen. "We are the Borg. Your world is to be assimilated. You will join the collective. Resistance is futile!"

*****The White House War Room*****

"Any word from Superman?" asks a beleaguered president.

"No, sir! We have not been able to locate him."

"Well, keep trying, damn it. Whatever this thing is has knocked out or immobilized our satellites. And it just sits there in space, beyond the reach of our planes." Just seconds before, the president and the others heard the chilling words of the aliens. "Resistance is futile!"

"Sir, we can try to knock this thing out of the sky. All we need is your authorization," states General Smythson.

The president looks over at the general, then allows his eyes to pan the others gathered in this room, secreted below the White House. The look of concern and perhaps confusion is obvious to all. After all, he has been in office for less than months, his two predecessors having to resign the office due to a scandal that tore the country apart. But now, they are faced with a crisis that will not only reunite the country, but perhaps the world as well. The president lowers his head as if in prayer. He raises his head, his face showing the obvious strain of the situation. Launching a massive nuclear strike against the alien object that now is hovering in the heavens above may be their only hope for salvation. Attempts to contact the fabled man of steel thus far have been for naught.

Angrily, the president slams his fist down on the table. Biting his lip, he turns his eyes towards General Smythson. He nods his head as he speaks, his voice barely above a whisper. "Go ahead, General. Do whatever is necessary to destroy the object. Their stated intentions obviously are hostile. May God forgive us!"

Smythson quickly turns away and picks up a phone, a direct connection to NORAD. "Colonel Brighton!"

A few seconds pass until a voice is heard on the other end. "Go ahead, General."

"Colonel, you are authorized to proceed!"

"Aye, sir. Understood!"

Long minutes pass by as an anxious White House waits along with the rest of the world.

Again, the eerie and cold, metallic voices of the Borg can be heard, "We are the Borg! Resistance is futile! Your world will be assimilated!"

*****NORAD*****

"Ten seconds until detonation, Colonel!" reports Captain McPherson… "Five seconds…"

Suddenly, the missiles explode against the Borg shields, igniting the terran skies with nuclear light and fire. But the Borg ship emerges from the nuclear fireballs unscathed.

"Damn it, no!" gasps Colonel Jansen.

"May God have mercy on our souls!" offers Lieutenant Butler, her voice full of prayer.

******The White House******

"Well, general?" asks the president, as General Smythson puts down the phone that serves as a direct line to the Pentagon and NORAD. The look in the general's eyes makes the president become uneasy. Even as the general replies, the president already knows the answer.

"Sir, the object is still in orbit, apparently undamaged."

"Undamaged!" exclaims the president.

The general nods, "Yes, sir!"

In the next instant, the space before them distorts as several Borg suddenly appear. "We are the Borg. You will be assimilated! Resistance is futile!"

Instantly, several security agents unleash their weapons and fire several rounds at the Borg. But the president and the others are stunned as the bullets never reach their intended targets, instead striking shields projected by the Borg, and falling harmlessly to the floor. The president and the general watch in horror as the Borg approach the security guards and with needle like projections exposed on their hands, inject what appears to be some sort of fluid into the guards…

*****In The Arctic North*****

Clark places the silver platter across the bed, waking his lovely bride in the process. "Breakfast is served, Mrs. Kent."

Lois, radiant as ever, beams a loving smile as she lifts the lift from the platter. But their romantic interlude suddenly is interrupted, as the intruder alarms go off. "Clark, what is it? What is going on?" yells Lois, looking frantically about and knocking the tray to the floor..

Using his x-ray vision, Clark surveys the fortress and finds nothing. "I'm not sure," he responds. "Let's see if the monitors reveal anything." He reaches over and flicks what looks like an ordinary television.

After a few seconds, he responds, "Hmmmmm! Sensors detect something or someone has breached the fortress, but cannot seem to locate that something or someone…."

Suddenly, the lights in the fortress go out, indicating a power failure. "Clark!" cries out Lois.

But her words are not necessary for Clark already is headed for the fortress's power center. Within a second, he enters the room that contains the Kryptonian power crystals provided by his father years ago. And much to his surprise and at the same time, causing fear to stir in his heart, he finds that the power crystals are gone.

"CLARK!"

In less than a second, he returns to Lois only to find her besieged by four cyborg like beings. Their words send chills down his spine. "You will be assimilated. Resistance is futile!"

"Let go of her!" he commands, as he hurls himself against them. The force of the blow catches the Borg by surprise as two of them crumple to the floor as a result of the impact. Superman lashes out with a fist, trying to subdue a third, but his fist crashes into a shield that appears suddenly in front of the Borg. "What in God's name!"

Superman unleashes his heat vision and the shield shatters. Instantly, he fells the third Borg by smashing his fist into the side of the cyborg's head. He watches in horror as sparks fly as the cybernetics on the creature short out. He quickly unleashes his heat vision at the fourth and last of the cyborg. Again, he is stunned as this time, the shield deflect the heat vision. The Borg unleashes a quick scan of Superman, trying to assess his weakness. "Similar to Species 5534".

But the Borg suddenly falls to the ground. Standing behind where the Borg had stood is Lois, holding an old Kryptonian artifact in her hand. She screams as blood pours from the wound she inflicted on the Borg's head mixes with the electrical discharge caused by the shorting of the Borg's cybernetics. "What is it, Clark?" she sobs.

Superman cannot help but be disturbed by Lois's outburst. "I don't know, Lois. A mixture of a living being and a robot… a cyborg." Superman uses his x-ray vision to scan the fallen Borg.

"Clark?" asks Lois.

"I'm looking for the missing power crystals," he answers. "But I don't see them." He thinks for a moment, then turns to Lois, "I'm going outside to have a look around. You stay here, Lois. I doubt if these creatures will be returning soon."

"What makes you think that?" she asks.

In truth, Superman does not have an answer for her. But somehow, he senses that the danger is outside, that somehow these beings got what they came for, and that these four just happened to stumble upon them.

Responding to his silence, she continues, "I'm coming with you, Clark. The Planet will need coverage."

"I'm not too worried about the needs of the Planet, Lois. It is your safety that concerns me."

She walks over to him and gently kisses his cheek. "I know," she says, "but I'm still going with you!"

Years of experience tells him that it is useless to argue with her. Within minutes, they are airborne as he flies them back to Metropolis. While in flight, he uses his telescopic vision and other enhanced senses to try and ascertain what, if anything, is transpiring below….

He cannot believe what his eyes reveal to him. The planet's major cities are under siege. "My God!" he gasps. "What is happening?"

"What is it, Clark?" asks Lois, unable to see or hear what he can.

Within seconds, he and Lois reach the Daily Planet. A few minutes later, Clark Kent and Lois Lane are in Perry White's office, ignoring his questions of their whereabouts, and instead are trying to find out more about the beings that ruthlessly and coldly transforming his adopted world into a world of cyborgs.

"We need Superman's help, kids. If you have any idea on how to contact him, now would be a good time. I cannot believe that he hasn't responded to what is transpiring out there."

"We'll get on it," states Lois, glancing knowingly over at Clark. And without another word, the two leave Perry's office.

"I'll try to find Superman," says Clark, loud enough for others in the office to hear. Minutes later, Superman is streaking through the skies of Metropolis, towards the silver and gray cube that is orbiting this third planet from the sun. Having learned of the object from Perry, he has decided that the mysterious cube would be the best place to start. He approaches the cube and is awestruck by the enormity of it. The cube is a world onto its own, magnificent in its appearance, and yet, the same time, deadly.

Meanwhile, inside the cube, the Borg scan the approaching Superman. The collective immediately recognize him as the one who 'killed' four of their kind in the northern polar cap of this planet. And they also recognize him as belonging to species 5542, a species that they assimilated many years ago. But there is something different between this being and the ones that joined their cause oh so long ago. How is that he is able to propel himself through the air without the use of any artificial device. And perhaps, for the first time since their arrival in this dimension, the Borg find themselves with a dilemma as members from species 5542 start to wonder if they possess such abilities as well. And the collective, for the briefest of seconds, is not one in thought.

But the collective quickly regains its unity and decides that this member of species 5542 will not be assimilated, but rather destroyed. Within seconds, the Borg weapons are powered up and a blast of phaser like energy is fired at the oncoming man of steel. So powerful is the blast, that the man of steel is stunned and momentarily loses consciousness. He hurtles towards the ground below and within seconds, crashes into a desolate part of the American desert, sending tremors and shockwaves throughout the world.

Meanwhile, hidden in the basement somewhere in Metropolis, a young girl hears her mother scream. Her mother told her to hide here until the monstrous creatures went away. But the screams of her mother are too much for her to bear. And the little girl cries out, "Somebody help us! Somebody help my mother!"

******A World Far, Far Away******

Nighttime has fallen on the golden city of Asgard, home of the gods and goddesses. Though peace now resides in the realm eternal, the sleep of Thor is anything but restful this night, as has been the case the previous few nights. Visions of nightmarish proportions suddenly invade his dreams once again. Creatures the likes of which he never has seen before threatens the citizens of Midgard, or a world much like her. He hears the cries of a small child, crying for someone to help her mother. Only this time, he does not awaken,… at least, not right away. He does not know why, but the child's voice is familiar. Then he sees her face and the floodgates holding back memories of events from a time not too long ago.

So real are the visions, that the god of thunder again finds himself awake. 'How many more nights of this must I endure?' he asks himself. Again, the face of the young girl appears in his mind, only this time he is awake. And again, the memories of a time once forgotten reappear. Then he remembers the dream, the little girl's cry for help. Though he recognizes the face and the voice, in truth, he cannot remember her name, if ever he had learned it. Unable to sleep, the thunder god rises from his bed and gets dressed.

A short time later, he makes the final adjustment on his cape, reaches for his sacred hammer, leaves the walls of Bilskirnir and heads towards his father's palace. He walks but a short distance when his thoughts are interrupted by the voice of his father. "What is it that troubles you, my son?"

Somewhat surprised, Thor turns and greets his father. "I would guess that you already know, father, or you would not be here waiting for me!"

Odin merely nods, "Tell me, Thor, what do you remember?"

"Of my dreams, father, or of my memories of a world different from ours."

"Perhaps both, thunder god, perhaps both!" comes Odin's reply.

Odin beckons the thunder god to proceed with his tale. And as Thor relates his tale, images as they occurred in Thor's dreams appear before them both. They watch as beings, part living, part robotic, appear suddenly from thin air. These beings herd unsuspecting humans, injecting them with fluid from needle like projections that appear suddenly from their wrists. These beings do not discriminate from man or woman, or from adult or child. They watch as the militias of the world try with futility to defend this woe-begotten planet. Suddenly, the face of a small child, a girl that the god of thunder rescued a short while ago appears crying for someone to help her mother. And the dreams fade…

"I know this child, father. I do not know how, but I do know her. I must go to her world and respond to her cry for help," insists the god of thunder.

Odin just stares at his son and asks, "What else do you remember of that world, Thor?"

"I remember being there with my beloved Sif and evil half brother, Loki. We encountered some strange beings, evil in nature. One is a green skinned cyborg, Brainiac is his name. A cold and ruthless being that is teamed with another, a mortal… a criminal genius. Luthor. I see another being, noble and filled with honor. He is known as Superman, a somewhat odd name for a mortal. But he is a defender of this world and yet somehow, we are duped into battle with each other. Somehow, he thinks that I am responsible for the destruction of his world. And yet, we set aside our differences to defeat his enemies as well as Loki. Then you appear…"

Thor continues, "But the beings in my dreams are more ruthless and deadly, more powerful than either of the two enemies that confronted us that day. For their purpose is not to kill, but rather assimilate this world into their own. And if they cannot, then they will exterminate this world. .." Turning towards his father, Thor cries out, "I must go to them, father. I cannot let these creatures lay waste to this world."

"But what of that world's hero, my son. His power is awesome indeed."

"True, father, but he is a friend. And the beings that threaten his world are many in number. Besides, I cannot turn my back on the pleas of the little girl…"

Odin smiles to himself and then says aloud, "No, thunder god, you cannot… Hold your mystical mallet before you and Odin shall bestow upon it the necessary enchantment to take you to that world as well as bring you back. But be aware, Thor, the enchantment I have placed in Mjolnir is not without limit. Use the enchantment foolishly, and you may not be able to return…"

Thor looks at his father and nods, "I understand, father… Now, with your blessing, I shall leave…"

Suddenly, the voice of another, the one who is dearest to his heart, cries out, "Wait, Thor! Would you leave me without saying goodbye?"

Thor, hearing the voice of his beloved, smiles as he turns to face the warrior goddess of Asgard as she emerges from the shadows. "I shall not be gone long, my beloved Sif." But the words barely escape his lips when he realizes that it is not Sif's intention to say goodbye. Adorned in her warrior outfit and equipped with her mystical sword, she declares, "I am going with you, thunder god!"

"No, fair one, I shall not allow it. The dangers that await me in this other world are too great!" answers Thor.

"I am a warrior goddess of Asgard, thunderer, not some meek kitten. Your concern is for naught. Besides, the tugging at your heart, the call for battle, also tugs at mine. No, thunder god, I am going with you!"

Thor stares at his beloved and knows that to argue with the warrior maiden would be pointless. "As you wish, fair one, I am guilty of listening to my heart."

"And that, my prince, is why I love you so," responds the goddess.

Turning to Odin, the god of thunder continues, "As you have heard, father, the lady Sif shall accompany me! And again, with you blessing, I…. We shall leave!"

Odin nods his head and Thor, whirling Mjolnir about, creates a vortex that engulfs both himself and the fair Sif. And in a flash of light, the god of thunder and the warrior goddess of Asgard are gone.

Chapter 4 - The First Encounter

******Earth******

Superman lays motionless in the chasm created by his impact. Slowly, he regains consciousness and his senses. "What in God's name?" he says softly to himself. He then hears the soft whirring of machinery coming from above. He allows himself a few more minutes to clear his head and regain his strength. Then he leaps from the bottom of the crater and takes to the sky. But whoever or whatever these creatures are, they are waiting for him. Again, they unleash their awesome weaponry against him. Only this time, he will not be caught off guard. Laser beams, similar to phasers, strike him as he again heads towards the drone ships hovering above the crater. The blasts stagger him but this time he braces himself against the impact. He fights the pain that tears through his body. Never before does he remember pain so intense. The Borg barrage stops momentarily and this allows Superman the necessary time to regroup himself once again. Without hesitation, he hurls himself towards the first of a dozen drone ships, crashing into its side and sending it crashing to the ground. The ship explodes into a fireball of flames upon impact.

Instantly, he heads towards the second ship. Only this time, the ship somehow has adapted as Superman ends up crashing into a force field. Though the ship is shaken, it remains hovering above the ground. And Superman, though sent hurtling backwards, is able to retain his flight. He quickly unleashes his powerful heat vision and watches as the shield that surrounds the drone ships crackle with energy as they are struck by the heat rays. But the shields do not give.

The Borg drones surround the man of steel and again, beams of energy from the ships engulf the son of Krypton. And as the beams of energy strike Superman, the Borg drones again scan this one known to them as species 5542. Superman battles valiantly against the Borg rays, again approaching the nearest of the Borg drones. Only this time, instead of crashing into its side, he merely pushes against the Borg shields and uses his great strength to hurtle the drone into another. The two drones collide, causing the skies to let out a deafening roar while the two ships erupt into a massive fireball.

The remaining ships again launch their deadly rays, this time more powerful than the last. This blast stuns the man of steel and again he finds himself plummeting towards the ground. This time the impact is not as great, but the Borg are upon him quickly. Whatever they sensed in their scan, they have managed to increase the power of weapons accordingly. Slowly, the man of steel feels himself slipping into unconsciousness. 'No,' he tells himself, 'I must fight on! The fate of a world is at stake!'

Suddenly, the Borg assault stops. The man of steel, his eyes glazed, manages to struggle to his feet. He suddenly becomes aware that several of these cyborg like creatures have exited their ships and now stand around him. "Species 5542, it is the wish of those like you who have joined the collective that you be given one last chance to be assimilated. You will be assimilated or you will die! Resistance is futile!"

Superman is dumbfounded by the words of the Borg. "Those like you…" he hears in his head.

"Prepare to be assimilated, species 5542!" And the Borg approach him revealing needle like instruments connected to their armored arms.

Superman shakes his head and yells out, "NOOOOOO!"

But before he can move, the Borg unleash their most deadliest of their weapons that can be used against him. Their weapons reconfigured based on their sensor readings, the Borg unleash deadly green beams of light from their ever changing, ever adapting arsenal. Superman yells out in pain as the affect of the deadly kryptonite. The pain is so intense, so agonizing, that the man of steel falls to his knees, clasping his temples. His mind and heart urge him to fight on, but slowly he gives way to unconsciousness. The Borg surround the fallen hero.

One of the Borg reaches down towards the man of steel with a needle like probe like probe aiming for his exposed neck. Suddenly, something crashes into the Borg, smashing his armor shell and hurling him backwards several hundred feet. The other Borg turn to confront their attackers, but they are too late. For they are upon them, Thor wielding fists of iron, and Sif, striking with her mystical blade, crushing and slicing their steel frames and extinguishing whatever flame of life that still exists within them.

"To me, Mjolnir!" he commands. With Mjolnir in hand, the god of thunder summons the thunder and the lightning, a lightning that engulfs the drone ships. Several of the ships explode with a thunderous crash as the mystical lightning rips through their ships. The other ships somehow manage to modulate their shields and thus minimize the damage wrought by Thor's storm.

"What manner of beings can withstand the might of Mjolnir?" he cries. The Borg again unleash their deadly weapons. Thor uses Mjolnir to repel their heinous attack, but the Borg are not to be denied. Quickly, they scan the god of thunder and the fair Sif, who is helping Superman to regain his feet.

"My thanks, friend!" says the man of steel.

"Your thanks are premature, my friend," responds the god of thunder.

But before another word can be said by either of them, the Borg unleash another barrage. The green kryptonite laced energy rays penetrate Mjolnir's defenses, striking the three warriors. The kryptonite again forces the man of steel to his knees. The energy bolts that strike Thor and Sif are akin to the power wielded by the celestials. Thor, in his last breath before losing consciousness, manages to cover the fair Sif. Within seconds, the three warriors are unconscious, at the mercy of the Borg.

*****Elsewhere******

"Power is restored, captain!" La Forge's voice is heard over the intercom.

Data, course for Earth already laid in, awaits the captain's command.

"Engage, Mr. Data, maximum impulse. Scan the surface for any unusual activity."

"Aye, sir," comes the reply. Seconds later, Data continues, "Captain, sensors identity the large object definitely is a Borg cube. A sensor sweep of the planet indicates that the Borg have descended on the planet. Sensors also confirm that Starfleet does not exist."

"Damn!" swears Riker.

Again Data speaks, "Wait, sensors picking up extraordinary output of power in the northern hemisphere, near the east coast. Visuals available, captain."

"On screen, Mr. Data!" orders the captain.

"Aye, sir!" Almost instantly, the bridge crew of the Enterprise stand awestruck as they watch three warriors waging war with the Borg. They watch as the three warriors fall in battle.

Suddenly, Picard barks out, "Transporter, lock on the coordinates to be provided by Mr. Data. Three to beam up!"

"Transporter has the coordinates, captain!" states Data.

"Transporter, beam them up and directly to sick bay! Doctor Crusher, you have 'guests' beaming in!"

"Captain, sensors are picking up an extremely powerful energy source near the three warriors!" exclaims Data.

"Can you identify it, Mr. Data?" asks Picard.

"Yes, sir!" Data turns and looks at the captain with a confused look on his face. "Captain, it is some sort of hammer!"

"A hammer, Data?" asks Riker.

Data again looks at the sensor readout. "Yes, sir. A hammer. It appears to be an ancient war hammer."

"Hmmmm….." utters Picard. "Try to beam it up as well, lieutenant!"

"Aye, sir. Transporter activated…..Sir, the transporter has no affect on the weapon."

"Captain?" questions Riker.

"Data," continues Picard, "can you capture the object with a tractor beam and pull it from the Earth's gravity?"

"A narrow band high intensity beam, sir, should do the trick."

"Make it so!" orders the captain.

******Planetside******

The Borg close in on the three 'super' beings, ready to inject their deadly nanites into their systems. Nanites that would flow through their blood streams and take up residence within vital organs and along their neural networks. Eventually, the nanites would grow into implants and establish a link with the collective, thus completing the assimilation process. But just as the Borg reach the fallen warriors, Thor, Superman, and Sif disappear into the transport beam of the Enterprise.

And as one of the Borg reaches for mystical Mjolnir, the Enterprise's tractor beam engages the hammer and lifts it from the surface of the Earth, much to the surprise of the Borg.

******Onboard The Enterprise******

"Captain, this is Crusher!"

"Go ahead, Doctor!" replies Picard.

"Our guests have arrived!"

"Thank you, Doctor. Data, target the Borg ship and launch photon torpedoes. Once we have their attention, get us out of here, maximum warp!"

"Aye, sir!"

"Number one, you have the bridge. I want to see our guests!"

Riker merely nods.

Chapter 5 - A Superman, A God of Thunder, And An Android (Part 1)


The photon torpedoes explode around the Borg ship. Instantly, the huge cube starts moving towards the Enterprise.

"Now, Mr. Data! Maximum warp!" bellows Riker.

"Aye, sir! Maximum warp!" responds Data.

Instantly, the stars disappear as the Enterprise's warp drive engages.

"Warp 7, Commander, and still accelerating!" chimes Data.

"How about are friends, did we capture their attention?" asks Riker. Memories of his past encounters with the Borg still haunt him.

"The Borg are following us, sir!" replies Data. "Commander, the Borg ship is pursuing at warp 9.7"

"Our speed, Mr. Data?" asks Riker.

"Warp 9.4, sir! Approximately ten minutes until the Borg overtake us!"

"Bridge, this is La Forge!"

"Go ahead, Geordi," Riker replies.

"We are set, commander. Just the say the word!"

"Understood, Mr. La Forge! Please stand by! Mr. Data, please bring the hammer aboard!"

******Sick Bay******

The doors leading into the ship's sick bay open and Jean Luc Picard, captain of the USS Enterprise, along with four armed security guards, enters the medical bay. He sees Beverly Crusher monitoring the life signs of the three beings that were beamed up from the surface. For the briefest of seconds, his allows his eyes to gaze upon the doctor, as thoughts of what may have been come to life in his mind. But the discipline of a ship's captain snaps him back to this reality and he focuses on the three beings now laying in sick bay.

"Hello, Doctor," Picard says. "How are our guests?"

Crusher, not totally oblivious to the captain's stare, looks up at Picard and responds, "I'm not sure, Jean Luc. Based on their vital signs, I would say that they are extraordinarily healthy. They apparently are shaken, but otherwise appear to be unharmed.. Except for the one wearing the blue costume, he seems to be suffering from some sort of radiation poisoning. The ship's sensors are having a difficult time identifying it. Though its affects seem to be abating."

"Can you wake them?" asks Picard.

Beverly nods, picks up a hypospray, and approaches the blond haired warrior. She injects the spray and the god of thunder slowly opens his eyes. Beverly then walks over to the female and again uses the hypospray. As Sif opens her eyes, Beverly finishes repeating the procedure on Superman, whose weakened condition caused by the kryptonite allows the spray to penetrate.

Thor manages to sit in the bed. Looking at the doctor, he asks, sounding a bit groggy, "Where are we?"

He hears the doctor respond, "Captain?"

Picard steps forward, "You are aboard the USS Enterprise. We beamed you up from the planet's surface. Do you remember anything that was happening back there?"

Thor stares at Picard, senses somehow that he is not the enemy, replies, "I remember a battle, short lived though it was. I, along with lady Sif,…" a worried look appears in his eyes, "Sif…."

"Rest easy, my prince, I am here as well," she replies.

The sound of her voice calms him somewhat and he continues, "We were battling a small army of machine like creatures. We were coming to the aid of a friend,…" Again, he looks about and notices Superman slowly regaining consciousness. Nodding in his direction, he again continues, "But these beings, though they fell before the might of Mjolnir at first, took on an aura of invincibility. Within a few short minutes, we had fallen in battle. Only to find ourselves aboard this Enterprise."

"We must go back!" interrupts Superman, anxiety and fear in his voice. His adrenaline flowing, he tries to rise to his feet, but he still is weakened by his encounter with the kryptonite. He manages to sit up. Looking at Picard, he continues, "Lois is back there!"

"Lois?" asks Picard..

"My wife!" answers the man of steel.

"In due time," responds Picard, placing his hand on Superman's shoulder.

"You must give yourself time to recover from your wounds," says the doctor.

Picard continues, "What can you tell about yourselves, What are your names?"

Thor, his mind almost clear, rises to his feet. Picard just about gasps at the thunder god's stature. Never before has Picard beheld a being so majestic and noble. 'What manner of being is this?' Picard asks himself.

"Is something amiss, Captain?" asks the god of thunder.

Picard slowly shakes his head and answers, "No, nothing is the matter."

Picard places his hand on his chin rubbing it ever so slowly. He continues to ponder about the being that now stands before him. "You still have not told me your name, stranger!"

"Nor have you told me yours……captain!" replies the god of thunder.

"My name is Jean Luc Picard, and I am the captain of this starship."

Thor nods and responds, "I am Thor, god of thunder, son of Odin, master of the lightning and the storm, wielder of Mjolnir, the bane of frost giants, and prince to the eternal realm, Asgard. The woman who joins me at my side is the fair Sif, warrior maiden of the golden realm, and betrothed to the son of Odin. And our friend here is named…."

"Superman!" interrupts the man of steel. "I am the defender of this Earth, my adopted home planet. I am a son of Krypton!"

Thor, still noticing that the guards' weapons are unsheathed, looks at the captain and says, "Captain Picard, unless you are aligned with the cyborgs, there is no need for your guards to keep their weapons trained on us. For unless I am mistaken, you came to our aid on the planet as we were engaged in battle with the deadly cyborgs."

Picard motions to the guards and they lower their weapons. "Bridge, this is the captain."

"Go ahead, sir," comes Riker's reply.

"Engage, number one! And then you and Mr. Data meet me in the bridge conference room! I would like you to meet some guests! And Mr. Data?"

"Yes, captain!"

"Search your historical records for the names Thor, Sif, and Superman. And if possible, find out what you can about this Earth's history!"

"Aye, captain!" comes the reply.

*******The Bridge*******

"Now, Mr. Data, engage the cloak and set a course back to Earth!" commands Riker.

"Aye, sir. Cloak engaged and course laid in." says Data. "Commander, the Borg ship is conducting a sensor sweep. They are modulating their sensors trying to detect us. They obviously know we have cloaked."

"Any signs of pursuit?" asks Riker.

"No, sir, our ploy seems to have worked," responds Data

"Good, then maybe we have bought us the time we need!"

"Bought time, sir?" asks Data, a puzzled look in his face.

Riker looks at the android and knows it is pointless to try to explain the play on words at this time. Though Data has learned much in his own personal quest to attain 'mortality' and 'humanism', every once in a while his programming betrays him. "Later, Data, I'll explain it later."

"Aye, sir!"


A few minutes later, Riker and Data enter the bridge conference room. In the past, the room has served as a general meeting room, a war room, or a strategy room. Today, the room again serves as a war room. For on this day, Thor, god of thunder and prince of Asgard; Superman, son of Jor-el and survivor of a long lost world of Krypton; Sif, warrior goddess of Asgard, and the officers of the Enterprise, a starship from a different time and a different place.

Chapter 6 - A Superman, A God Of Thunder, And An Android (Part 2)


******Officer's Meeting Room******

"Mr. Data, report!" commands Picard.

"Captain, the Borg still are searching for us where we left them. However, I do believe that they will not be fooled for long and will return to the Earth!"

"Speculation, Mr. Data?" asks Riker, a mischievous look in his eyes.

Data frowns at Riker and responds, "I guess so, Commander. Why do you ask?"

Riker smiles, "It's just that you become more human with each passing day, Data."

"Thank you, sir," Data replies.

Picard patiently awaits for the short interruption to subside and then he continues, "Do we have any idea what has happened and what the heck is going on here?" His voice is strained, memories of his dealings with the Borg continue to weigh heavily on his mind.

"Sir, if I may?" asks Data. Picard nods, thus allowing Data to continue. "The temporal anomaly that we sensed prior to the emergence of the Borg ship contained more than just tachyon particles and emissions. Unusually high amounts of anti-matter also were present in the anomaly."

"A dimensional rift?" offers La Forge.

Data nods and continues, "Based on where we seem to be and the lack of Starfleet, there seems to be no other explanation."

"Any idea as to what caused the dimensional rift or temporal anomaly, or whatever it is you wish to call it?" asks Riker.

*******Asgard*******

"Show yourself, ancient one!" commands Odin. "You are in the presence of one who was there near when time began! What is it that causes you to cross over to this sacred world?"

"I have come to ask for your help, and in doing so, I am risking everything as the rules of my world have been violated by my appearance here!" And in a flash of light, the powerful entity known simply as Q stands before the king of Asgard. "And besides, I am not that old!" Q says rather indignantly.

"Somehow, I do sense your hand in what is transpiring in a world not of this nor your dimension!"

Q walks around Odin's throne room admiring the artifacts. Suddenly, he turns to Odin, "What happened in my world was an accident…. An experiment gone awry."

"But the consequences could be most grave for not only that other world but this world as well."

Q looks away from Odin towards the palace balcony. Again he turns to face the king of the golden realm, "Our combined power is such that we could correct the imbalance that now is occurring in our worlds. We could bring them back and return things to the way they should be."

Odin glares at Q but before he can say a word, Q continues, "After all, if not for the happenings in your world, the crossing of dimensions would not be possible!"

"What do you know of the events of this world?" asks Odin.

"Oh come now, the origins of the temporal waves that wrecked havoc in my world as well as others were easily traced back to this world. Though the waves slowly lose their intensity and fade to nothingness, there still are some that open gateways between worlds. After all, I do know that you allowed your son to join the 'hero' in that other world, because you are aware that the opening of the worlds portals partially is your fault as it is mine."

"What do you propose we do, ancient one?" asks Odin.

Q shakes his head as if insulted, "There you go again, my friend. Humph! Well, as I said, we could set things right and no one would be the wiser. Or we just could sit back and watch and see if our 'heroes' are capable of winning the day." Q's face assumes a boyish look, as thoughts of torturing Picard and the crew of the Enterprise cross his mind.

"Things must be allowed to take their course. For the beings that escaped from your world did not arrive in that other world in the present. Rather, they arrived in the past and as such, they have amassed a far greater power. The course of that world has been altered or cemented by the incursion that took place nearly a century ago."

Q smiles, "Then, if you don't mind, I will sit by your side and watch things unfold. Tell me, old friend, why is that your existence did not survive in that world?" But Q does wait for an answer, but rather takes a 'seat' next to Odin and gazes into Odin's watcher of worlds.

*******The Enterprise******

"No, sir," replies Data, "Geordi and I have been trying to ascertain the cause of the anomaly and as yet have not been successful."

"Well, keep trying," says Picard. "The more we know of what is happening here, obviously the better off we will be." Looking at his guests, Picard continues, "What have you learned of our guest's history, Mr. Data?"

"The name Thor and Sif appear in some ancient texts. The texts identify Thor as some sort of deity capable of controlling the storm. Though the texts describe a Thor, his physical appearance as described in these books called 'Eddas' is different from the being who sits here among us. The female is similar except for color of hair. With regards to Superman, our history shows no record of such a man, though the term has been applied to many folk heroes in Earth's historical past. A scan of this Earth's texts make little reference to either one. However, the one who calls Superman is some kind of hero on this world. He, however, was not born on this world. But rather, he is from a world known as Krypton, a world that was destroyed many years ago."

At this, Superman rises to his feet, "Your officer is correct, Captain. I was not born of Earth, but of a planet known as Krypton. My father sent me here just as Krypton was exploding. Earth was the closest to Krypton in terms of its inhabitants and ecology…. My real name is Kal-El, and I am the son of Jor-El. He was one of my home world's leading scientists. He foretold of Krypton's demise, but he was shunned by his colleagues."

"It sounds as if your father was a wise man, my friend," comments Thor. Thor's eyes revert to the conference table and then towards the view screen.

After a few long seconds of silence, Thor turns towards Picard and asks, "It seems as if you are familiar with these beings that we encountered earlier. What can you tell us about them, Captain?"

Picard gazes at the view screen and stares out into deep space. He takes a deep breath as memories of a time of assimilation fill his head. The sound of the collective, talking as one voice, acting as one mind, suppress the individual known as Picard. Again, he hears their insistent call, 'Locutus of Borg, return to us. You never can leave the collective. Picard is dead, Locutus of Borg.'

"Captain? Is everything all right?" asks the man of steel.

Picard immediately snaps to and nods his head slowly. "Yes, everything is fine."

Beverly starts to approach him with a medical scanner, but he waves her off. "I am fine, doctor, really. I just got lost in some old memories.

"Are you sure, Jean-Luc?" she asks.

He replies with a nod. Turning to Thor and the others, Picard starts his tale. "The Borg are a race of cyborgs, a collective of many races that serve one common goal. They travel the galaxy and assimilate races that they think are worthy."

"Worthy?" asks Thor.

Picard nods and continues, "Worth in a sense that they can contribute something to the Borg society. But these races are not allowed to so voluntarily. The Borg are ruthless. Worlds or empires that dare to oppose them are met with death and destruction. Those who manage to survive cry out for death for assimilation is more terrifying than death ever could be."

"You sound as if you speak from first hand experience, Captain," observes the man of steel.

Picard nods, "I was part of the Borg at one time. I commanded one of their cubes against the Federation. Damn it, anyway. I did not want to do it, but I couldn't resist." Staring at the view screen once again, he cries out, "Don't you see? Resistance is futile!"

Again, Beverly approaches the captain. "I said that I am fine, doctor."

Picard again continues his tale, "That single cube almost brought the Federation to its knees. If not for the efforts of Data, all would have been lost."

"Your individuality, your strong will and determination, as well as your own sense of self is what helped to defeat the Borg, captain," avers Data.

"Perhaps, Data," sighs Picard. "But in reality, my sense of self, as you put it, could not prevent the Borg from destroying the Federation fleet and from taking countless numbers of lives."

Again, addressing the three warrior heroes, Picard continues, "The Borg are as powerful as they are ruthless. They have the ability to adapt their defenses and weapons to any situation almost instantly."

"That is why at first they fell before the might of Mjolnir, only to appear invulnerable within mere seconds," observes the god of thunder.

"Yes, it does explain a lot of what happened back there," interjects Superman, motioning towards the earth. "And why it is imperative that I return to Earth… and Lois…"

******Asgard******

"What do you know of these creatures that my son and his friends are encountering, Q?" asks Odin.

"They are as Picard describes them," replies Q. "They are mindless creatures that know only the call of the collective. They do have an interesting history, though. They were not always mindless cyborgs. But how they evolved is a tale for another time."

"With all you omnipotence, Q, why do you allow such creatures to continue their path of fear and destruction?" asks Odin.

"Perhaps you are overstepping your bounds, old one," retorts Q.

"Stay your tongue, Q. You are in Asgard, now, not in your own world. In this realm the word of Odin is supreme. You are a 'guest' for now, though in truth, I do not remember inviting you as such."

Q looks at Odin rather indignantly. He takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. He looks over at the Asgardian godking and responds, "I will abide by the rules of your realm for now, Odin… and I graciously will accept your hospitality. But to address your question, the Q do not interfere in the lives of others…" A devlish smile appears across his face, "Though there are occasions that we do tend to get a bit carried away with ourselves." He remembers a time of not too long ago when he took great pleasure in subjecting Picard and the crew of the Enterprise to a tests under the guise of testing humanity. The mortals surprised him, so much so that he offered Riker a chance at immortality. In truth, despite eons of existence, he never would understand how a being such as Riker, a being whose passing is a mere thought in the grand scheme of existence, ever could pass up an opportunity of immortality.

"We tend not to get involved in the history of others, Odin. At least not directly, though there have times in the past, that I have…er…intermingled with species not as evolved as myself."

Odin cannot help but hear the note of taunting or baiting in Q's voice. He does his best to suppress the anger starting to build from within for he realizes that the fates of three worlds is at stake. He decides that he will deal with this Q later if need be. Instead, he merely stares at the Q entity seated beside him and Q, in turn returns the stare along with what appears to be sort of an impish grin.

"There is hope for you yet, Odin. I remember a time when…"

"Enough of your bantering, Q!" cries out the Asgardian godking.

Q smiles and rises to his feet. "As you wish, old friend…. As you wish."

"As I have said to you just a short while ago, Q, I sense your hand in this travesty. For whatever reasons, these beings from your world, these Borg as you call them, somehow they managed to breach barriers that never were intended to be breached. But something happened, Q. Something or someone caused the space-time continuum to tear like it never has been torn before. Damn it, Q! Our worlds never were supposed to come together!"

"That is true, my bearded friend. But know that the experiment I was conducting in my world could not have caused the breach… No, Odin, something else must have transpired simultaneously. I am willing to admit my part in this debacle, Odin. Are you willing to acknowledge your role as well?"

Odin does not reply but just stares at the entity known as Q.

******The Enterprise*****

"A collective?" repeats the man of steel.

"They assimilate races?" asks a stunned Sif.

"But how did they arrive here?" asks the god of thunder.

"That explains their reference to species 5542," says Superman.

"I beg you pardon?" asks the captain.

Superman rises from his chair. "While I was engaged in battle with them, they referred to me as species 5542. But how could they have assimilated any of my people?"

"How was your world destroyed, Superman?" asks Data.

"According to my father's records, its sun exploded," answers the man of steel.

"You mean it went nova?" asserts Data.

Superman shakes his head, "No, there was a huge object that collided with Krypton's sun, causing it to explode. Though in truth, the sun eventually would have gone nova, but not when it did. The object just accelerated the dreaded event."

"And how long ago was that?" asks Riker.

"Approximately 35 years ago," answers Superman.

"You mentioned you learned this from your father's records," says Picard. "Is there anyway we can see your father's records? Maybe there is something in them that will provide an answer as to why the Borg referred to you as species 5542. Though I have a feeling I already have the answer."

"Sir?" queries Data.

"I have a feeling that some of Superman's people may have been assimilated."

"But when?" asks Superman. "Krypton was destroyed decades ago."

"That is why I want to see your father's records," answers Picard.

"I understand, captain. Of course, I will show them to you," replies the man of steel.

Turning his attention to Thor, Picard continues, "There is something down in the shuttle bay that may interest you, Thor. I find it strange that none of my crew can lift it."

Thor smiles and replies, "Mjolnir was forged from the fires of long, long ago. The enchanted hammer is a gift from my father. It is intended for Thor, not a mere mortal, captain. Though if one is worthy, he or she shall be lift mighty Mjolnir."

"Data, why don't you accompany Thor to the shuttle bay and retrieve the hammer!" responds Picard.

"Aye, sir!" Data and Thor rise from their chairs and walk over to the door.

"You wish me to go with you, Thor?" asks Sif.

"As long as the captain does not mind," replies the god of thunder. "After all, it is his ship and we are his guests."

To which Picard replies, "By all means, Sif." Tapping his com badge, Picard continues, "Security, make sure our guests have unlimited access to areas of the ship!"

"Aye, sir!" comes the reply.

Superman watches as Thor and Sif accompany Data through the door.

Suddenly, a voice is heard over the intercom, "Captain, the Borg ship is heading back towards Earth!"

"Very well, bridge!"

Looking over at Superman, Picard says, "Perhaps you would like to remain on the bridge, Superman. You said that perhaps your father's records might reveal something."

"As you wish, captain. But be advised that Krypton's technology may not be compatible with yours. The history of my world, the teachings of my father, all are kept on crystals. The computer in my fortress of solitude is very different from anything on Earth,… and from what I can tell, different from what you have on this ship as well."

"I see," Picard replies. "Then perhaps you won't mind if I send an away team to this fortress as you call it."

Superman hears the suspicion in Picard's voice and immediately responds, "Rest assured, captain, the word fortress is not intended as you think. It merely is my home, what remains of my home world, a place that I can be alone if I choose."

Picard nods, "Then forgive my suspicion, Superman."

Superman smiles, "Regarding your request, Captain, of course you and any member of your crew would be welcome at my home. And I will grant you access to my father's records."

*******Shuttle Bay******

Through the ship's passageways, the god of thunder, the warrior goddess of Asgard, and the android known as Data make their way. "Tell me more about these cyborgs," Thor says to Data..

"Where are they from?" asks Sif.

"I do not know for sure," comes the reply. "Many years ago, an entity known as Q sent the Enterprise light years away from here in an attempt to show humanity that there are unknown dangers out there that did not share our sense of values. Granted, we have faced misguided societies before, and have warred with other races, the Klingons, the Romulans, the Cardassians, but never before have faced anything such as the Borg. They are emotionless beings set on assimilating any culture they come across, destroying what individuality that exists in a society, or destroying those beings if assimilation is not possible."

"You sound as you have experienced their influence personally, Mr. Data," says the god of thunder.

Data glances over at the god of thunder. "Both the captain and I have experienced the treachery of the Borg. I was able to reroute my cyber circuits to negate the effects of the assimilation. The Captain, however, was not as fortunate. But it was because of his assimilation and his will to survive, that we found a weakness in the Borg and were able to defeat them. More recently, the Enterprise journeyed back in time to Earth to prevent the Borg from assimilating the planet. Had they been successful, the Federation would not exist and humanity as I know it in the 24th century would be altered. Perhaps, it might not even exist."

"Why not use that weakness against them again?" asks Sif.

"Because the personal risk is too great, and more so, the Borg have an uncanny ability to adapt. They would sense the intrusion at once and eliminate its source."

"Then how do we defeat an enemy that already has experienced the strength of Superman, the power of the god of thunder and Asgard's warrior goddess, and the mystical elements of Mjolnir, in addition to the obvious power of this ship's weapons?" asks Thor.

"That, thunder god, I do not know," answers Data. Looking up, Data sees that they have arrived at the entrance to the shuttle bay that contains Thor's enchanted hammer. The shuttle bay doors open, "This way please," says Data.

They enter the shuttle bay and Data walks over to where the tractor beam deposited Mjolnir. He bends down and much to the shock of the god of thunder, he picks up Mjolnir. "I do believe that this is what you are looking for," he says as he hands it Mjolnir to Thor.

"Od's blood!" gasps Sif.

"How is it possible that a mere mortal can lift sacred Mjolnir?" asks Thor.

Data stares at the Asgardians, his face void of emotion. "I am not human, nor am I mortal," responds Data. "I am an android."

"Then Odin's enchantment would not prevent you from lifting the hammer of Thor," says Sif.

"Apparently not," replies Data.

Suddenly, Picard's voice interrupts their conversation, "Commander Data, Superman is on his way there to meet Thor and Sif. You will join me at Transporter Room #2. Superman has given us coordinates to his fortress of solitude. You will beam down with me, Commander Riker, and Mr. La Forge."

"At once, sir!" replies Data. Then after a slight hesitation, Data asks, "If I may ask, sir, how are Thor, Sif, and Superman going to transport themselves there?"

Thor taps Data on the shoulder. Data turns and sees Thor holding Mjolnir in front of him. "My enchanted hammer will transport us there, Data. Perhaps, you would like to go for the ride."

"Captain, I have been offered transport via an enchanted hammer. Would it be alright if I accompany the three to this fortress?"

There is a short pause and then Picard responds, "Go ahead, Mr. Data. We will meet you there."

"Aye, sir!" replies Data. "And, captain…."

"Yes, Mr. Data?"

"Thank you!"

A few seconds later, the three are joined by the man of steel. The four stand together and Thor uses Mjolnir to create a swirling vortex about them. Seconds later, in a flash of light, the four disappear.

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