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Chapter 7 - The Fortress Of Solitude

"My God!" exclaims an awestruck La Forge, as he, Picard, and a few select security officers materialize inside Superman's fortress of solitude.

"My sentiments exactly, Mr. La Forge. The architecture is astounding to the say the least," Picard replies.

"Captain, this is Riker!"

"Go ahead, number one!"

"Sir, we are picking up traces of a Borg sensor sweep. They still are looking for us."

"How much sooner before they return to Earth?"

"If they continue to search for us on their way back, I am guessing about 20 minutes. The second they stop their search, sir, they will be there almost instantly."

"Thank you, number one. Please keep me posted. Picard out!"

Turning to the others, Picard continues, "While I would like the opportunity to study this place and learn of its science and culture, you have Commander Riker say that we have very little time. Superman, if you please, if you could show Mr. La Forge your computer."

"I understand, Captain," replies the man of steel. "I will take to the viewing room where the history of Krypton will unfold itself and perhaps you will obtain the answers that you seek."

Minutes later, with the others waiting in his viewing room, Superman races to his secret vault, a vault that conceals the history of Krypton and the teachings of Jor-el. The son of Jor-el stares into an optical sensor and within seconds, the vault door opens. He races inside and emerges with several crystals. Seconds later he is back in his viewing room, inserting a crystal into what apparently is a receptacle.

"Captain, this is unbelievable. The technology either is far ahead of anything we have in the 24th century, or it is way behind. Either way, it is like nothing we ever have encountered before," comments La Forge.

Within seconds, the room fills with sound and the image of a young Kryptonian is standing before them. "It is good to see you again, Kal-el. I see you have friends. What is it that you wish to ask me, my son?"

"Father, a race of beings has invaded the earth. I have failed in my attempts to thwart them. Even with the aid of these noble heroes," pointing towards Thor and Sif, "I have been unsuccessful. According to this being," now pointing towards Data, "these beings that are invading Earth is a race of cyborgs from a different universe. This race either assimilates other worlds or it destroys them, if they cannot be assimilated. Father, this race of beings performed some sort of scan on me and referred to me as species 5542. Captain Picard, who stands besides me, thinks that somehow some of our people may have been assimilated. My question, father, is how can this be? I thought most of Krypton, except for a very few others that I know of, died when Krypton exploded years ago."

A look of concern comes across the face of Jor-el. He takes a deep breath and stares first at his son, then the others, then back at his son. "I was hoping, Kal-el, that you never would ask such a question. For the answer to the question you ask will unveil a dark side to your home world. It is a past that we wanted to forget, forever. But if what you say is true, then Krypton's past has returned, not to haunt Krypton, for she died many years ago, but to haunt your adopted world.'

Jor-el continues, "Many centuries ago, Krypton embarked on an ambitious program that led to many technological advances. Our people had visions of space exploration and colonization of the stars. As part of this space program, a huge space station was designed and built. It would be the last remnant of any cooperation between the different nations of Krypton. For the planet was fragmented into factions, or nations, that were motivated by greed and political ideologies that eventually led to war. The devastation was catastrophic, death and disease that resulted from the war ran rampant. Oh, there were those that managed to seek refuge beneath the planet's surface. But the nuclear fires took years to extinguish.'

'Life on the surface world would be changed forever. Further, the force of the nuclear holocaust caused Krypton's orbit to change. The planet moved closer to the sun and settled into a new orbit. The cold of the nuclear winter now was warmed by the sun's fire. Hence, what was once a paradise now became planet that would be subjected to earthquakes and firestorms. Added to the instability of the sun, though unknown at the time, Krypton's fate was sealed.'

'However, for a select few that lived on the space station, a lesson had been learned. Legend has it that they continued to develop their technology and were able to convert the station into a huge ship. As such, they set sail for the stars. As for Krypton, those that dwelt beneath the surface developed a new civilization, one that condemned space travel and exploration. But the civilization that once lived on Krypton was never to be seen again. It is true that Krypton again flourished, her people united, the lessons of nuclear holocaust learned by all."

'As the years passed, there were those, myself included, that realized that Krypton was dying."

"Of course your world was dying!" interrupts Picard. "To turn your back on the stars just doesn't make any sense. Earth, my Earth, faced a similar holocaust in the late 20th century and again in the mid-21st century. But we never turned our backs to the stars. Somehow, back then, we realized that the survival of humanity was tied to the stars."

"I agree with you, Captain," replies Jor-el. "And there were those of us who realized that in order for our people to survive, we again would have to reach for the stars. But the majority of the world's scientists and leaders ridiculed our projections. There were those of us who undertook individual efforts and developed small prototype space ships. It was my prototype that brought you to Earth, Kal-el."

The image of Jor-el looked towards Picard, "Based on what I have told you, Captain Picard, I would say that you probably are correct. It is quite possible that this race of beings that traversed universes indeed may have come in contact with these lost people of Krypton. And if their powers are similar to those of my son, and if they are aware of these powers, then indeed Earth is in great danger, as are all of you."

"Do your people have any weaknesses?" asks Picard.

Jor-el looks at Superman and nods his head, "Forgive me, my son, but if these beings are as dangerous and treacherous as you claim, then they must be told of the one element in the known universe that can defeat them."

"I understand, father," replies the man of steel. "But, father, these beings have demonstrated the ability to adapt to our various attacks. What if they find a way to adapt to kryptonite?"

"Kryptonite?" asks Data. Data busies himself in searching his records for such an element. He comes across a gas known as krypton, but dismisses any similarity beyond the name. Then he realizes that the radiation poisoning that Superman was suffering from when they came upon him and the others must have been kryptonite. Looking at Superman, Data continues, "You were suffering from radiation poisoning when we discovered you and the others, were you not?"

Superman nods.

Looking at Thor and Sif, Data continues, "And you were not suffering from the kryptonite poisoning?"

"No, the kryptonite did not affect the fair Sif or the god of thunder," answers Thor.

"Then this means that the kryptonite is harmful only to those who are native to your home world," Data concludes, addressing his observation to Superman.

Superman nods and responds, "Kryptonite was created when Krypton exploded. And yes, it is deadly only to those who were born on Krypton."

"Then it is possible that these Borg who may or may not be Kryptonian, may not be affected by kryptonite," offers Thor.

"Hmmmm…," responds Data, "I did not think of that. Are you sure it would affect only those born of your world, Superman?"

"In truth, Data, I do not know. It may be possible that those long lost Kryptonians may have retained enough of their genetic makeup such that they would not be immune to kryptonite's affects. Then again,…"

"Let us assume that they are genetically compatible," says Thor. "After all, the Borg did recognize the relationship between you and their own."

"But what of the others?" asks Picard.

"Others?" responds Superman.

"It would be foolish to assume that this world of lost Kryptonians is the only world that the Borg assimilated. There are going to be those among them who are not affected by the kryptonite," says Picard.

"But then they should not be as powerful as the others," responds Sif.

"Do not underestimate the power of the Borg, Sif!" Picard responds.

"Is there anyway to tell which of the Borg are the lost Kryptonians?" asks Thor.

"Why do you ask?" asks La Forge.

"These beings do have the ability to adapt Therefore, if we do not strike all of the lost Kryptonians at once, would it not be possible that those who are missed during the initial attack would not be affected the second time around?"

"That is a possibility!" agrees Data. Looking towards Superman, Data continues, "Tell me, Superman, is there anyway to shield you from the deadly radiation?"

The man of steel nods his head, "The deadly kryptonite radiation cannot penetrate lead."

Turning his attention to Picard, Data continues, "Captain, I suggest we outfit Superman with a transparent and body tight lead shield, with openings to allow him to breath. Lead filtration can be provided to ensure that no kryptonite enters his lungs."

"Obviously you have a plan, Mr. Data," observes Picard.

"Yes, sir, I believe so!"

"Very well, then let us get back to the Enterprise. We have very little time," says Picard.

Suddenly, Thor hears the cries of a little girl in his head. "Help me, please. The monsters are everywhere."

Turning towards the others, Thor says, "I will join you as soon as I can. I have something that I must do."

"Do you wish me to go with you, my prince?" asks the fair Sif.

"No, sweet lady. This is something that the god of thunder should tend to on his own. Besides, if I should fall, then you shall provide the power of Asgard for the remainder of this quest."

"It is the little girl in your dreams, is it not?" queries Sif.

Thor does not answer but instead uses Mjolnir again to create a vortex. Seconds later, he disappears in a flash of light. "May Odin protect you, my love" Sif says beneath her breath.

Chapter 8 - To Save The Earth

The Borg invasion of Metropolis begins. Aboard the starship, Enterprise, Data, La Forge, and Superman work feverishly to develop a weapon or weapons that hopefully will stop the Borg. Meanwhile, on Earth, the god of thunder responds to a desperate cry for help, a cry that has haunted his dreams for the past few days. In an exploding flash of light accompanied by a roar of thunder, the god of thunder appears. He somehow recognizes this place. The store, a delicatessen, the alleyway that he saved a young girl from a group of bullies. And now, he hears her cries once again, only she is not hear.

He strains to listen and in his mind he can hear voice cry out on the wind. But where is she? He cannot tell. But he knows that she is in grave danger. Suddenly, the image of his father appears before him. "You have the power to find the young child, thunder god. The power resides in your hammer. But to use the enchantment will strip the hammer's power to return you home. The choice is yours."

Thor looks at the image of Odin and responds, "You knew that this would happen, father. And you also know that there is no choice to be made. The god of thunder values the life of an innocent child more so than his own."

"There will come a time my son when the life of one, no matter how innocent, may have to be sacrificed to ensure the survival of the rest."

"Today is not that day, father. And I tremble to think of when such a day is upon us," responds the god of thunder.

"If not today, thunder god, then soon." And with those final words, the image of Odin disappears.

Thor ponders his father's words for a few seconds, then again hears the cries of the innocent child. "Take me to her, Mjolnir!" he commands, whirling the enchanted hammer about his head. Again, he disappears only to reappear into what seems to be an empty room belonging to a small child. He hears the cries and screams of a woman from beyond the door to the room. But before he can respond, he hears the muffled cries of the young child coming from underneath the bed. Gently, he lifts the bed exposing the trembling child. He reaches out and takes hold of the child, "Everything will be alright, young one. So swears the god of thunder."

The young girl upon recognizing the voice looks up and cries out, "Thor! You came back!"

"Stay here, young one. The god of thunder must tend to your mother!"

"Please hurry, Thor!"

Seconds later, the god of thunder crashes the Borg 'party'. A young woman, perhaps in her thirties, lies stunned and semi-conscious on the floor as a Borg reaches towards her with a needle like probe aimed for her exposed neck. "Od's blood! No!" And without a second thought, he hurls Mjolnir towards the Borg. Mjolnir smashes into the metallic head of the nearest Borg, shattering its metal eye implant and other facial implants. Thor lunges at the Borg that is ready to pierce the woman's neck, and brings his fists down upon the cyborg's back. The sound of the cyborg's spine snapping is heard amid the static sparks of the Borg circuitry shorting.

Mjolnir returns to the hand of the thunder god and again, Thor hurls the enchanted mallet towards two other onrushing Borg. Before they can react, Mjolnir crashes into the one of the right, smashing the Borg's chest plate and causing the cyborg to crumple to the ground. Again, Mjolnir returns to Thor's hand. This time Thor aims the hammer at the last of the cyborgs and unleashes a bolt of mystical energy from the hammer, causing the Borg to fall to the ground clutching at its chest Within seconds, the Borg's last life breath leaves its body.

Thor gently picks up the delirious woman and carries her into her daughter's room. There, her gathers the child and using his enchanted mallet, creates a vortex and disappears into it. Seconds later, he appears in the sick bay of the Enterprise. "Doctor, I would ask that you tend to these two. The little girl appears to be all right, just a bit shaken. Her mother, however, needs attention."

"Does the captain know that you have brought them on board?" asks Crusher, coming over and running a medical scan on the mother.

"There was no time, doctor," comes the reply.

"Perhaps I should check with the captain," Crusher pushes.

To which a somewhat agitated god of thunder replies, "Do what you must, doctor, just ensure that these two are cared for."

Thor watches the doctor for two long minutes. Finally, perhaps responding to his eyes burning through her back, Beverly turns around and says to him, her voice rather loud. "What is it that you want, Thor? I said that I would tend to these patients. Any protocol or lapse thereof can be corrected later."

"My apologies, doctor," says Thor, realizing that his actions may have angered the doctor. "There was a time that the god of thunder once had the identity of a physician. I just was admiring your work, that is all. I shall leave now and go and find the others."

"You say you were a physician?" asks Crusher.

Thor nods. "In an attempt to teach me humility, my father stripped me of my immortal power and entrapped me in a mortal shell. The mortal shell was that of a lame physician, who's skills as a surgeon were among the best that Midgard ever did know."

"Midgard?"

"An Asgardian name for Earth. A few years after my 'banishment' to the mortal plane, after my lessons in humility were complete, I was released from my mortal imprisonment."

"Then, Thor, you will forgive my shortness with you. It's just that things are a bit on edge since we came upon the Borg vessel a short time ago…."

"Save your apologies, doctor, for they are not necessary. Perhaps, if time permits, we can talk. But for now, I must find the others."

And with those words, the god of thunder leaves the sick bay.

******The Battle Bridge******

The doors to the Enterprise's battle bridge part and the golden-haired warrior steps through. Upon seeing her beloved, the warrior goddess of Asgard rushes into his arms, "Thank Odin you are alright!"

Thor smiles, "Why would I not be alright, milady. For though I did encounter these Borg, they proved no match for the might of Mjolnir."

Turning his attention to the others, Thor continues, "The Borg are swarming the city that now is your home, Superman. I know that the one who is near to your heart resides there as well. If you wish, I can accompany you there to ensure her safety."

The others see a pained and worried look come across Superman's face. "How close to the center of the city were they, Thor?" asks the man of steel.

"From what I could tell, the creatures had encroached upon the outskirts of the city. It is as if they are forming a circle intending to move their way towards its center. In so doing, they are ensuring that no one escapes assimilation or death."

"Then we some time," offers Data. "While you were away, Thor, we devised a plan of attack against the Borg. We have used the ship's resources to manufacture kryptonite, synthetic though it may be. We plan to infuse the kryptonite into a new type of torpedo that the Borg should not be familiar with. By encoding our own photon torpedoes with nanites, and lacing the bomb with kryptonite, it is our hope that the nanites will attach themselves to the Borg shields. Once the Borg shields have been compromise, we will launch a second wave of photon torpedoes, delivering the kryptonite into the Borg ship."

"Do we know that the lost Kryptonians are not on Earth?" asks the god of thunder.

"No, we do not," Picard replies. "To make such an assumption would not be prudent. And this where you and that magical hammer of yours come in. According to our Earthly legends, the god of thunder had the power to command the storms."

"The power of the storm is mine to command, Captain. Tell me what it is that you wish me to do!" replies the god of thunder."

"Go ahead, Data," says Riker.

"We would like somehow to imbue your hammer with kryptonite," continues Data.

"Thus when I summon the storms, the power generated by Mjolnir would be enhanced or laced with the deadly radiation," Thor interrupts. "But what of the others?" he asks.

To which Data answers, "It is hoped that the magical lightning would cause the Borg to adapt their defenses against it. Once they are preoccupied, our phasers, with the aid of Kryptonian technology, should be able to stop the rest of the Borg."

"And if the kryptonite does not work on the Borg?" asks Thor.

"Then we have a much larger problem indeed!" responds Picard.

Sif notices a look of sadness in the eyes of Superman. "What is it, Kal-el?"

"I have reviewed the Enterprise records regarding their encounters with the Borg. Whatever humanity that my people once had is lost. I realize that their only peace is death. I just wish there was another way, that is all."

"But the captain survived, did he not?" asks Sif.

"True, but the captain did not have endure years of Borg subjugation. They are not sure that the affects of the implants can be reversed after so long."

"Then perhaps they can be placed in some of stasis until a way to reverse the full affects of the Borg implants is found," offers Data.

"How so?" asks the man of steel, his heart racing with hope.

"The only problem would be where to keep them until such a technology was found," continues Data.

"I might know of a place," offers Superman. Turning to Picard, the man of steel continues, "Is there a way, Captain, …is there a way to keep my people alive?"

Picard stares at the man of steel, a sorrowful and at the same time cold and steely look in his eyes. "Try to understand, Kal-el, how your people have suffered over the years. Borg subjugation is a most unpleasant experience. And it never lets you go. The recurring nightmares, the pangs of loneliness and despair when you are by yourself and you realize that you no longer are part of the collective, the insane urge to want to run out and rejoin them,… you have no idea. And I was assimilated for a few weeks at the most. Your people have been assimilated for decades."

"Is there a way to keep my people alive, captain?" the man of steel again asks.

To which Picard finally answers, "Yes!"

"And the others of my world, my adopted world?" Superman asks.

"It is possible to keep most of them alive," responds Picard. "But think of what possible threat you are creating, Superman. An army of Borg, frozen in stasis until we either find a way to reverse the assimilation totally, or some madman comes along an unleashes their unholy power against your world. Death is a better fate for those who have been assimilated. And your world would be much safer with the threat of the Borg removed forevermore."

"Captain, the Borg ship has reached Earth," a voice from the bridge says.

"Very well, keep us on the opposite side of the planet, away from their sensors!" orders Picard.

"Aye, sir!"

The god of thunder walks over and stands beside the man of steel. "It is not an easy choice, Superman. I recently had such a discussion with my father. He told me that the time might come when the life of a small child may have to be sacrificed to ensure the survival of a world. And that I might have to make such a choice. I told him that today was not the day. Perhaps I am wrong."

Superman looks at Thor, "What would you do, thunder god? What would you do if they were your people trapped within those monstrous bodies?"

Thor takes a deep breath and then answers, "I would do everything in power to save them, but at the same be prepared to slay them should the captain's words come true. Come with me, my friend, and perhaps together we can find the answer."

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

"Use your magic vision, my friend, and tell me what you see beyond these walls."

Superman does as Thor says. "I see a little girl lying on one of the beds, and a woman, her mother I assume, lying on another bed next to her."

Superman looks at the god of thunder, "They are the reason you left the ship a short while ago/'

Thor nods.

"What does what your father said to you have to do with this?" asks the man of steel.

"My father placed an enchantment upon my hammer that would enable the fair Sif and I to return home once our mission here is completed. When I responded to the little girl's cries of help, I had to use the enchantment to find her. My father gave me a choice, either save the life of one innocent and face the possibility of never returning home. I think that what he was trying to say was the by saving the life of the innocent, I may, in turn, have condemned many lives in my own world."

"What do you think,…of what your father said?"

Thor shrugs his shoulders, "I really do not know. Your choice is a bit more clear, the consequences better defined. I understand the heart of a hero, the wanting to save not only the world and eliminating the threat of a deadly enemy, but also wanting to save the lives of people. No, my friend, the choice is not an easy one. But a choice must be made as the Borg are here. And the longer we wait, the more lives that may be lost. Whatever decision you make, my friend, the god of thunder will agree to it."

Again, the man of steel uses his x-ray vision to peer into the sick bay of the Enterprise. He stares at the young child and a tear comes to his eye.

Chapter 9 - Victory And Defeat


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

"It looks as if things are about to get interesting," observes Q, a mischievous look on his face. His banter does not go unnoticed by Odin who, in turn, feels his wrath start to grow from within.

"Tread lightly, Q, for I am not some poor and helpless mortal that you are use to toying with in your universe."

"My, my, we are touchy. Interesting point you make though and a wrongful observation as well. I have learned, my dear Odin, that the mortals of my world, and I would assume your world as well, as not as helpless as we might think. Despite the many hardships that they face both as a race and individually, they somehow manage to survive."

"A philosopher as well as a prankster, eh, Q?"

Q just smiles and turns his attention once again to the scene that is unfolding before their eyes.

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

"Captain, this is La Forge!"

"Go ahead, Mr. La Forge!" responds Picard.

"Captain, I do believe we are ready to proceed."

"Very well, Mr. La Forge. Stand by for shield modulation."

"Aye, sir!"

Turning his attention to Data, Picard continues, "Mr. Data, lay in a course to intercept the Borg ship."

"Course laid in, sir," Data replies.

"Engage!" Picard sits back, his eyes on the main view screen. He watches as the Earth rotates below, as the Enterprise moves about the planet. Within minutes, the Borg ship comes into view. Thus far the Borg have not detected Starfleet's flagship as the cloak seems to be working just fine.

A few minutes later, the Enterprise comes to a halt, holding a position several kilometers in front of the Borg ship. "Commander Riker, are you ready?" asks Picard.

"Aye, sir. We are prepared for saucer separation. All weapons are ready. Thor and Sif are standing by on the planet's surface."

"Geordi, prepare to engage shield modulation. Once the Enterprise begins saucer separation, cloak or no cloak, the Borg surely will know that we're here."

"Sir, sensors are detecting a disturbance on the planet," says Data.

"Picard to all stations. Make it so!"

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

Thor stands on the edge of a cliff overlooking the cavernous Norwegian fjord. Holding his enchanted hammer above his head, the lady Sif standing at his side, he cries out, "Heed the summons of your master, oh storms. Bring forth the thunder and the lightning. Cover this planet with your fury, rid the world of its enemies, yet do not bring harm to any of her children!"

Within seconds, the once blue and sun lit skies transforms itself into a dark gray and ominous cloud. Streaks of lightning rip through the clouds, the roar of thunder becoming louder with each passing second. Suddenly, the skies explode into flashes of lightning, lightning that seeks out the monstrous Borg.

Again, Thor aims Mjolnir towards the flashing skies. Only this time, Thor does not summon the power of the storm, but calls upon the enchantment of the hammer and unleashes the deadly kryptonite into the fury of the storm. And the white flashes of lightning now have an eerie green tint to them. The lightning lashes out at the Borg. The lightning rips through the metal chest plates of the cyborgs. Quickly, the Borg try and adapt their defenses to ward off the lightning.

But for those Borg who are among the lost Kryptonians, the kryptonite-laced lightning strikes them at their very hearts, injecting their systems with the green death. The hideous screams of the Borg, suffering beneath the purging of the storm, can be heard from all corners of the globe. Never before in the history of the Earth has there been a unified song of agony and despair.

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

"Thor has captured the Borg's attention, captain," says Data.

"Commander Riker, initiate saucer separation!" orders Picard.

"Aye, sir. Initiating starship separation."

"Captain, this is La Forge. The cloaking device is starting to fail. I am trying to compensate by diverting some power to her, captain, but unless I compromise weapon status, we will not be able to maintain cloak for more than another 15 seconds."

Picard looks at the view screen, watching the Borg ship. "Have they detected us, yet, Mr. Data?"

"No, sir. There is no indication that they are aware of our presence."

Meanwhile, the man of steel secures himself into a power transfer module, intended as an artifact from his home world, now in use on a starship from another universe. "How much power do you need to maintain the cloak, Mr. La Forge?"

"You already are putting a drain on your power to enhance the ship's weapons, Superman. To try and maintain our cloak could prove to be too much even for you."

"We all have to make sacrifices, Mr. La Forge. As defenders of our respective worlds, we all know that one day we may be called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice."

La Forge thinks for a second and then responds, "I will try and minimize the drain, Superman." La Forge pauses for a few seconds and then continues, "Captain, I can maintain the cloak until separation is completed."

"Very good, Mr. La Forge!"

Less than a minute later, Riker's voice is heard over the com. "Captain, starship separation is complete."

"Very well, number one! Engineering, disengage cloak."

"Aye, captain. Cloak disengaged. We should be visible to the Borg…..now!" responds La Forge.

"Prepare to fire photon torpedoes!" orders Picard.

"All weapons ready, sir!" comes the reply.

"Sir, ship's sensors detect energy fluctuations in the shields. The Borg are trying to penetrate."

"Captain, Riker here."

"Go ahead, number one!"

"Sir, we are in position!"

"Stand by to fire on my mark, number one!"

"Aye, sir, standing by."

'Locutus, you are one of us. Return to the collective' Picard's eyes widen with horror as the voices suddenly erupt in his head. 'Come back to us, Locutus!"

"CAPTAIN!"

Data, hearing Deana's cry, turns and sees the captain in a trance-like state. "What is it, Counselor?" he asks.

"I sense turmoil inside the captain," she replies. "His inner consciousness is battling… the Borg!"

Chapter 10 - So Near To Death


****Earth****

"Listen to the death cries of these heinous creatures, sweet lady," Thor cries out to Sif.

Suddenly, flashes of light appear before the god of thunder and the warrior goddess of Asgard. "THOR!"

Thor, hearing the distress in Sif's voice, notices the cyborg warriors appearing. Without hesitation, the god of thunder calls upon the mystical power of Mjolnir and unleashes his godly energy against the Borg. The sound of electronics fusing together, arcing in a dazzling display of light, together with the wailing of the cyborgs, tells the Asgardians that Mjolnir has struck true.

"Soon, milady, this earth shall be liberated. The rains and the storms tear at the very heart of these robotic demons. Come, milady, our task here is complete. We shall join the others aboard the Enterprise."


****Enterprise****

With the two parts of the ship maintaining open communications, Riker hears the commotion that is taking place on board the battle bridge of the Enterprise. "What is going on over there, Mr. Data?" Though he is asking the question, he actually is demanding an answer.

"Sir, somehow the Borg have compromised the captain," comes the reply.

"Compromised the captain?" asks Riker.

"Commander!"

"What is it, Mr. Worf?" responds Riker.

"I am detecting a particle beam emanating from the Borg cube, targeting the battle bridge."

"Lock on the source of the beam," orders Riker.

"Sir, the Borg weapons are powering up," declares Data. "I am initiating shield modulation!"

"Very well, Mr. Data," replies Riker. "Prepare to fire!"

"Aye, sir!"

Turning his attention back to the captain, Data turns his attention back to Counselor Troi. "Counselor, Worf has detected an energy beam coming from the Borg ship." Running his fingers over the control panel, he continues, "I, also, am detecting what appears to be some sort of psionic energy beam striking the captain. Perhaps a psionic barrier can shield the captain from the beam's affect until we can destroy the source of the beam."

"Betazoids do have the ability to shield emotions, Data. What you are asking has not been done to my knowledge," replies Troi.

"I realize that, Counselor," says Data. "But there is a first time for everything."

Riker, hearing the dialogue between Data and Deanna, smiles to himself as he makes a mental note that his android friend has taken another step towards achieving humanity.

Deanna senses that the captain is losing his battle to retain his own sentience. Looking over to Data, she nods, indicating that she is initiating the erection of the barrier.

Slowly, Picard regains his own sense of being. "What is happening?" he asks to no one in particular. No longer does he feel the great influence of the Borg imposing itself upon his subconscious. He shakes his head of if to get rid of any remaining cobwebs and closes his eyes for a brief second. Opening them, he glances over the ship's counselor and sees a tremendous strain in her face. He now realizes what has happened and how he suddenly is free of the Borg influence.

Suddenly, the Enterprise shields erupt as the Borg unleashes their deadly attack against both sections of the Enterprise. Picard speculates that the Borg realize that their link to him has been blocked and therefore, have decided that assimilation no longer is an option.

"Number one, status!"

Riker, smiles upon hearing the captain's voice. "We are ready, sir!"

"Any word from the surface?" asks Picard.

Data sweeps his hand over the ship's control array. Within seconds, he responds, "Sir, sensors show that all Borg activity on the planet is coming to a halt. It appears that Thor has been successful in neutralizing the Borg. Based on energy traces, whatever Borg that have managed to survive have beamed back on board the Borg cube."

Again, the Enterprise shudders as the Borg weaponry smashes into her shields. "Fire on my mark! How are the shields, Mr. La Forge?"

"Shields are holding steady, Captain. Shield modulation is working."

"Doctor, how is Superman?" asks Picard.

A few seconds pass by before Picard hears his answer. "Captain, his vitals are okay. But I am not sure how much longer he will be able to withstand the power drain from his body."

"Understand!" Turning his attention to the view screen, Picard shouts out the order, "NOW!" Instantly, the Enterprise phaser array ignites as the kryptonite laced weapons pelt the Borg shields. "Engage phaser modulation!" orders the Captain.

"Phaser modulation engaged," comes Geordi's reply from engineering.

"Sir, sensors detect a hole in the Borg shields. Phaser modulation is working.," Data reports.

"Target photon torpedoes on the hole and fire at will!" commands the captain.

"Aye, sir," comes the reply.

Long seconds pass by as the Enterprise torpedoes race towards the hole in the Borg shields.

"Sir, Borg shields are regenerating," reports Data.

Suddenly, a bright green explosion erupts as the photon torpedoes strike the Borg cube. Anxiously, the crew of the Enterprise watches the view screens, hoping and praying that the Borg ship either is disabled or destroyed. But their hopes are dashed as the Borg cube emerges from the Enterprise attack unscathed.

"Apparently, Captain, the torpedoes never reach the Borg cube," comes Data's reply.

But before Picard can respond, the Borg cube again unleashes its deadly attack, its weapons pummeling the Enterprise shields.

"Captain, shield modulation is starting to fail. Shields down to 73%," reports La Forge. Seconds later, "Shields down to 24%! Shields are failing rapidly!"

Suddenly, the Enterprise battle bridge is under siege as several Borg appear. "Commander, get the saucer section out of here!" yells Picard.

But before Riker can comply, the Borg ship is rocked by an extremely powerful energy bolt. The dark of space again explodes into brilliant green lights as mystic flames engulf the Borg cube. "What in God's name was that?" asks a bewildered Riker.

"I cannot say for sure, Commander," replies Worf.

"Ensign, get us out of here!" commands Riker.

"Aye, sir,' comes the reply.

"Commander, sensors are detecting phaser fire on the battle bridge," says Worf.

"Belay that last order, Ensign. Captain, this is Riker. What is going on there?"

"Will, I thought I told you to get the saucer section out of here. There is nothing you can do!"

The sounds of phaser fire can be heard over the ship's com. "Damn it!" swears Riker. "Transporter Room, lock onto the battle bridge crew. And beam them over as soon you can!"

"Aye, sir."

Meanwhile, on the battle bridge, Picard and his crew are under siege. Several of his junior officers have fallen before the Borg. He watches in horror as the Borg needle like probes reach for the exposed flesh of their victims. He realizes that they are helpless as the Borg have adapted to the phasers of the Enterprise. Suddenly, a flash of light appears on the bridge as Thor and Sif appears. Instinctively, she swings her sword and rips through the combination of bio mass and machinery nearest to her. Sparks fly as the Borg writhes in agony.

Immediately, several Borg approach her but they never reach her as a Viking war hammer rips through them. More sparks fly as Mjolnir steals what little life remains in these inhuman creatures. Together, the two Asgardians rush the remaining few Borg, who upon seeing members of their collective fall and feeling the agony of their pain, abandon Picard's crew to confront their foes.

Meanwhile, on board the saucer section, "Bridge, this is the Transporter Room!"

"Go ahead," replies Riker.

"Sir, I'm not sure why, but we haven't been able to get a lock on the crew. There is something preventing us from locking on to them."

"Worf?"

"I am not sure," replies the Klingon. "But there seems to be a mysterious energy source originating on the battle bridge that is interfering with the transporter system."

"Ensign, start withdrawing from the scene. One quarter impulse!"

Worf shoots Riker a look and nods as he realizes what Riker is doing. "Mr. Worf, target the Borg cube. At the very least, let's remind them that we still are here. Fire phasers when ready."

"Aye, sir."

Again, the space around the Borg vessel explodes violently as the saucer's phasers crash against the Borg shields.

And on the battle bridge, Thor brings Mjolnir crashing down upon the nearest cyborg, but Mjolnir's attack is repelled. The Borg, in turn, fire their own phaser like weapons at the god of thunder. But Thor spins Mjolnir in front of him, effectively repelling the Borg attack, causing the Borg to be struck by their own beams. Within seconds, all is quiet on the battle bridge.

"Commander, it seems that all hostilities have ceased on the battle bridge," reports Worf.

"Life signs?" asks Riker, directing his attention to a young lieutenant.

"No signs of Borg activity on the battle bridge…. The entire crew is alive… I also am detecting two other life signs as well… Sir, the other two life signs belong to Thor and Sif…"

"Captain, this is Riker."

"Go ahead, Number One," not sounding too pleased that his first officer decided to hang around.

"Sir, we are laying down fire hoping to draw the Borg away from Earth. I propose we rendezvous on the far side of Titan." Titan is one of the many satellites that orbits the ringed planet, Saturn.

"Make it so, Number One. We will meet you there shortly!"

Meanwhile, the residue from the Enterprise attack on the board vessel passes over the battle bridge. In sick bay, the man of steel's vital signs take a sudden turn for the worse. The sudden alarm that Superman is in peril catches the medical staff by surprise. Rushing to Superman's side, Beverly Crusher stares at the medical monitor.

"Strange," she mutters to herself. Using her portable medical monitor, she examines the stricken Superman. "It is as if he is suffering from radiation poisoning… Remembering their earlier discussion regarding the man of steel's one weakness, Beverly grabs a tricorder and samples the air in the room. "Kryptonite!"

"Computer, erect a Class 1 force field around Medical Bay #1. Transporter Room, lock on my coordinates and beam Superman and me to Sick Bay!"

Almost instantly, the doctor and the man of steel no longer in Engineering, but suddenly materialize in the Medical Bay. Instantly, Beverly turns to her medical staff and commands, "Help him over to Medical Bay #1!"

Weakened though he is, Superman manages to reach the bed with the help of the others. "Kryptonite…" he barely manages a whisper.

"Captain?"

"Go ahead, Doctor," Picard replies.

"Captain, I am detecting Kryptonite radiation on board the Enterprise! Though my tricorder detects no other kryptonite on board than what the Enterprise synthesized and brought back from Superman's home."

"Captain," interrupts Data. "The phaser and photon torpedo attack against the Borg vessel is what is causing the problem. I recommend we leave this area at once to escape the affects of the kryptonite radiation."

Picard nods, "Make it so, Mr. Data. Full impulse power." Looking at the view screen, he continues, "It looks as if Commander Riker has the attention of the Borg." Thinking of the number of civilians on board the saucer, he orders, he taps his communicator.

"Riker here, Captain."

"Will, I am going to launch another torpedo attack against the Borg cube. As soon as the torpedoes detonate, engage the saucer cloak and get the heck out of there. We will meet you at the rendezvous point."

"Understood!" Riker replies.

"Mr. Data, as soon as our torpedoes detonate engage our own cloak as well!"

"Aye, sir!" Data

"And Mr. Data!"

"Sir?"

"Allow the Borg to see us leave. It is important that they leave Earth orbit and not follow the saucer section!"

"Understood, Captain!"

"Good," says Picard. "Make it so!"

Chapter 11 - When The Gods Play

*****Asgard*****

"These mortals from your world may prove to be resourceful, Q. But I venture to say, that if not for timely intervention of my son, these demons from your world would have been victorious!"

"Perhaps, Odin, perhaps. But you should remember that if not for the arrival of Picard and the Enterprise, your son and his companions might be part of the Borg collective!"

"And if not for your experiment gone astray, none of this would be occurring as we speak!" decries Odin.

"Oh sure, let us place the entire blame for this fiasco on me!" Q, his tone betraying his anger, continues, "We both know that there is more to this than a simple experiment gone astray, Odin. The temporal distortions are not of my doing. No, the temporal distortions originated in this universe, Odin. Something of galactic proportions occurred in this plane."

Odin's stare at Q, a somber look on his face. 'So the affects of the world engine explosion years ago still is having cosmic effects on the different universes.'

"Tell me of your experiment, Q! Tell me that you were not opening portals between the different worlds. Perhaps experiment is a poor choice of words, Q. Perhaps it is nothing more than a curiosity on your part, maybe even a sense of mischief. Maybe you were looking for some forms of entertainment as you once did eons ago!" Odin's voice was louder than before, his voice betraying his anger.

Q, his expression similar to that of a child who has been caught in a lie, replies, "Well, perhaps I only wanted to pay an old friend a visit…. But something else had to be occurring as well. Something occurred in this world that somehow has allowed the Enterprise as well as the Borg vessel to travel back in time!"

"Enough, Q!"

"No, Odin, not enough! I am right, aren't I. Something did happen here in this world. Something that managed to cross dimension and time. Something that intersected my…'efforts' for lack of a better term." Q continues to stare at Odin. "Come now, Odin, I can tell by your silence that I am right!"

"Aye, Q, you are right. But this does not excuse your intentional violation of an agreement made aeons ago."

***** Titan*****

The Enterprise, whole once again, maintains an orbit around the Saturn moon, Titan. "Status, Mr. Data," says Picard.

"Captain, the Borg are continue long range sensor sweeps. They should be able to detect us within an hour."

Picard looks at the other officers in the bridge conference room. "Thank you, Mr. Data. Well, that leaves us a little less than an hour to come with a plan."

Picard taps his com badge, "Doctor, how is our guest?"

To which Beverly replies, "Superman has recovered, Captain. He will join you and the others shortly."

"Very well, Doctor. Thank you."

Turning his attention once again to those assembled, he continues, "Suggestions?"

"Captain!"

"Yes, Data?"

"Perhaps what we want to do is to lure the Borg ship back to the anomaly.'

"Explain," says Riker.

"Well, perhaps we cannot defeat the Borg in this time frame or world because of their assimilation of the Kryptonians. Despite the enhancement of our power with the might of Thor and Superman, the Borg, because of their ability to adapt, cannot be beaten.. But suppose we are able to send them back into the anomaly? Perhaps, we can use the Enterprise emitter array to send a tachyon burst into the anomaly. It may be possible that the tachyon burst will force the anomaly to close, thus trapping the Borg within."

Picard looks at Data and responds, "Perhaps the closure of the anomaly will cause time and space to return to normal!"

"Captain," interrupts Data, "there is no evidence to support such a theory!"

Picard nods his head and continues, "I am aware of that, Mr. Data. But for some reason that I cannot explain, this seems to be the proper course of action. But the tachyon pulse will not be enough."

"Captain?" queries Data.

*****Asgard*****

"One day, Picard, perhaps I will let you remember. But now is the time or the place…"

Odin, sitting along side Q staring out into the Watcher of Worlds, raises his eyebrow at Q's words.

*****Titan*****

"Lay in a course for the anomaly, Data!" commands Riker. "And take us within 100,000 miles of the Borg cube. As we go past it, disengage the cloak. Fire phasers if necessary to make sure that they see us."

"Aye, sir!"

*****A Short Time Later*****

Meanwhile, Thor, Superman, and Sif are in Ten Forward, seated at a table that gives them a view of the stars. "We must do whatever is necessary to ensure that the temporal anomaly is sealed forevermore," says the god of thunder.

"I agree with you, thunder god. But I do have question for you, though. If the Captain is wrong and the time line is not corrected, then it is possible that both you and Sif may be trapped here forever."

Thor looks over at the fair Sir. "If the warrior maiden of Asgard, she who is my love, was not here at my side, then that fate truly could be a tragedy. If the fates decree that our lives our to spent in this world instead of our own, then so be it. As long as we are together…"

"As long as we are together…" Sif echoes Thor's words.

Suddenly, Picard interrupts their brief moment of peace. "Thor and Superman, we are minutes away from our destination."

"Well, I guess the time has come, "observes Thor.

"Agreed," says the man of steel, rising from his seat.

Thor and Sif also rise. Turning to Sif, the god of thunder speaks, his voice very soft, "Fair lady, wait for me on the bridge of this ship…."

"Then you do not believe the Captain is right…about the time line returning to normal…" says Sif.

To which Thor shrugs his shoulders and replies, "There is a part of me that wants to believe that he is right, fair one. But in truth, I do not know. Though Odin did imbue Mjolnir with the power to bridge dimensions, he also did warn me that the power could be used but once. I already have used the power to save the life a little girl and her mother… In truth, I fear that I have sealed our fates in this world forevermore."

Turning to Superman, Thor continues, "But if the Captain is right, son of Krypton, then you should know that the god of thunder indeed has been honored to fight at your side once again." He offers his hand..

Superman grasps Thor's hand in his own and replies, "No, Thor, it is I who have been honored."

Turning to Sif, the man of steel continues, "You take good care of him, Sif." And the two embrace. Looking over at Thor, he says, "And you take good care of her!"

Superman steps back from Sif and takes his place next to Thor. But before Thor can swing Mjolnir, Sif rushes into his arms. "You better return to me, my prince." And their lips meet in a tender kiss.

"Fear not, sweet Sif, the god of thunder will return to you… "

"Captain, this is Superman!"

"Go ahead, Superman!" comes the reply.

"We are ready! Good luck!" says the man of steel.

"Godspeed to you both!" responds Picard.

"You are a man of honor, Captain,." says Thor. "You remind me of another mortal hero in my own world…"

Without another word, Thor whirls Mjolnir in front of him, creating a vortex that will take the man of steel and him away from the ship.

*****Asgard*****

"The time draws near, old friend," observes Q.

"That it does," agrees Odin.

"Just as our ancestors intended," offers Q.

"Perhaps," replies Odin.

*****The Anomaly*****

"Captain, the Borg ship is slowing down," says Data.

"Disengage warp engines," orders Picard. "Allow the Borg to get near. Continue a slow path towards the anomaly. As soon as you feel the effect of the temporal field, prepare to engage warp engines on my mark, maximum warp!"

"Aye, sir!"

Slowly, the Enterprise moves towards the anomaly. The Borg ship continues to catch up to the Federation starship.

"Sir, the Borg are trying to lock on a tractor beam!" says Worf.

"Keep modulating the shields for as a long as you can." In reality, Picard expects the Borg to figure out the shield modulation once again. However, he had instructed Geordi earlier to revise the modulating frequencies and sequences. Picard had rationalized that if the Borg could compromise him earlier, then they were privy to his thoughts, his instincts.

"Sir, the Borg whip is within 200,000 kilometers and closing!" reports Worf.

"Engineering, status of warp engines?" asks Riker.

"Commander, we are ready to engage maximum warp," La Forge's voice is heard.

"Data, tachyon pulse burst ready?", asks Picard.

"Aye, sir!"

Sif watches the anomaly continue to grow larger on the view screen as the Enterprise draws nearer to it.

"Sir, we in range of the temporal affects!" reports Data.

"Stand by!" commands Picard.

"Sir, shield modulation is starting to fail!"

"How much longer, Mr. La Forge?" asks Picard.

"One minute, maybe a few seconds more," comes the reply.

"Data, how much longer before the Borg ship is caught in the anomaly?" asks Riker.

"Commander, the Borg ship should be caught in the temporal pull of the anomaly in approximately 73.4 seconds."

"We need more time," says Picard.

"Geordi, we need more time with the shields," states Riker.

"Commander, the shields will fail in less than 45 seconds," responds La Forge.

"Damn it!" swears Picard.

"Captain, the Borg ship suddenly is accelerating. But I am not reading any power surge on its engines," says Data.

*****The Borg Cube*****

The Borg, interested in the pursuit of its quarry, totally is oblivious to things other than the Enterprise.
A blue costumed being, adorned in a red cape, now pushes against the side of the Borg cube, sending it towards the anomaly. As Superman contacts the Borg shields, the surface of the Borg ship explodes in electrical discharge. But the Borg quickly scan the entity that now is pushing at their ship. And almost instantly, Superman finds himself bathed with kryptonite fire. Though the pain tearing through his very being is agonizing, the man of steel continues to push the Borg ship towards the anomaly.

Meanwhile, Thor, watching the Borg attack on the man of steel, sees the Borg ship starting to slow once again. Without a seconds hesitation, Thor propels himself against the Borg vessel. Thor crashes into the side of the Borg ship. The force of the collision is so great, that the Borg shields are disabled momentarily. Together, now acting as one, the god of thunder and the man of steel, send the Borg cube into the anomaly.

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

"Initiate the tachyon pulse," commands Picard.

"Aye, sir, tachyon pulse initiated," replies Data.

*****Beyond The Enterprise*****

As the Borg cube enters into the anomaly, Thor unleashes the mystical power of Mjolnir as Superman unleashes his heat vision. Simultaneously, the mystical energies released from Mjolnir from Thor, along with the fabled heat vision of Superman, and the tachyon pulse generated by the Enterprise sensor array, strike the heart of the anomaly.

Instantly, the darkness of the space that surrounds the anomaly explodes into brilliant white light. Shockwaves are sent forth, so great is the explosion.

"Data, get us out of here, maximum wa…." But Data does not hear the rest of Picard's command. Suddenly, the force of the explosion reverses itself. The temporal anomaly starts to collapse in on itself. The brilliant light, so bright and blinding seconds before, extinguishes as quickly as it had ignited.

Within seconds, the anomaly is gone. But so too are Thor, Superman, and the Enterprise…

Epilogue

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

"How much longer until we reach the anomaly, Mr. Data?" asks the first officer.

"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, glances over at the ship's counselor, and smiles at her. "Yes, Data, notify the Captain. I'm sure that he will find this interesting."

"Aye, sir," Data responds.

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."

"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?"

"I'm not sure, Commander. It's probably nothing. For a moment, I thought that I sensed something within the anomaly. But there is nothing there." Out of habit, La Forge reaches up and touches his visor and continues, "No, Commander, there is nothing unusual."

"Data?" asks Riker.

"Geordi is correct, sir. I, too, thought I saw a slight disturbance within the anomaly. But now, there is nothing. It could have been nothing more than a temporal pulse. Everything now reads normal."

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. "For a second there, both Geordi and Data thought that they had seen or sensed a disturbance within the anomaly. But apparently, it is nothing more than a temporal pulse."

Suddenly, the bluish hue of pulsating temporal energy changes color and it starts to fade. Seconds later, the temporal rift is gone….

*****The Fortress Of Solitude*****

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 lid from the platter.

But their romantic interlude suddenly is interrupted and the lights inside the Fortress of Solitude suddenly extinguish.. "Clark, what is it? What is going on?" yells Lois, looking frantically about and knocking the tray to the floor..

She glances over at Clark and sees a sheepish grin on his face. She grabs a pillow and tosses it at him, her voice feigning anger. "Clark Kent, don't you ever do that again…you hear me?" But her voice turns to laughter.

"Strange, for a second, while I was out there, I did sense a disturbance in the air. But it didn't last very long. And when I looked around, there was nothing to be found. Strange…"

"Strange is not the word for anything but your behavior, Mister!" retorts Lois, laughing as she pulls him towards her…

*****Asgard*****

"Well, Odin, the time line has been repaired," observes Q.

"That it has," replies the Asgardian godking.

Odin takes a deep breath and rises from his throne. "Tell me, Q, you made a statement that one day you may allow the mortal Picard to remember. We both know, Q, that this day must be forgotten, now and forevermore!"

Q glances over at Odin and then turns his attention again to the Watcher of Worlds. "One day, Odin, Picard's people may inherit the universe, at least in my world. For their potential knows no bounds, at least none that can be placed upon them by you or me. They are an extraordinary people, to say the least."

"Like my son with the beings of Midgard, you seem to have an affinity for this world of mortals. But whether in your world or in mine, the mortals have a tendency to engage in war with each other and with other races. I shudder to think of what may happen should they learn of the existence of other worlds outside their own universe. One day, they will breach the barriers that we have sworn to honor."

"Perhaps," responds Q.

"Tell me something, Q. Why is it you felt the need to breach the barriers that separate our worlds?

Q smiles his best smile at Odin and replies, "It is like I said to you earlier, I only wish to pay a visit to an old friend. You know, just to say hello!"

"You try my patience Q, just as you did a long time ago."

"Then this is good-bye, then?" asks Q, feigning sorrow.

Odin turns and stares at the Q entity, "You have caused enough trouble for one day, Q."

"Yes," responds Q, "but everything is returned to normal. Is it not?"

"That remains to be seen, Q. Now, before you try my patience any longer, leave this world never to return!"

"Odin, I care not for your patience, but since I have been a guest in this humble abode of yours, and since you have treated me as such… well almost as such… I will abide by your wishes. But never to return? I would not treat you as such!" says Q feigning indignity.

"OUT!!!" yells Odin.

And in a flash, the Q entity is gone. Odin again peers out across the world of mortals when once again, he momentarily is startled by the appearance of Q's head. "Perhaps we could have tea one afternoon?!" says Q.

Instinctively, Odin unleashes a bolt of lightning, but Q is long gone, leaving behind a trail of laughter. And Odin only can wonder if this is the last that he will see of Q.

*****New Krypton*****

In a planetary observatory, sitting high atop Mt. Dikn'lal, several scientists sit idly, peering at the images brought to them by the largest telescope this world ever has known. The images of space are enhanced by their computers, a technology advanced to some, dated to others.

"Did you see that?" asks Zoltar, a man in his early forty's and a doctor in astronomy and astrophysics. He is this world's premier authority in his field.

"See what?" asks Don-el, looking over at his colleague. Don-el is one of his students, also pursuing a doctorate in astronomy. He has been given a grant by this world's government as he, with the help of Zoltar, have been trying to locate the whereabouts of a world forgotten so long ago, the mythological world of their ancestors. "Zoltar?"

After a few minutes of silence, Zoltar responds, "I'm not sure. There was a disturbance or a shadow appearing on the computer imagery. But I don't see it now."

"Hmmmmmm……" responds Don-el, peering at the planetary monitors. After about a minute, he looks up, "There is nothing there, Zoltar!"

"Perhaps you are right, my friend. Maybe I do need that vacation that you and my wife seem to urging me to take. I guess I am becoming a bit too obsesses, Don-el.

"Well, we shouldn't give up our quest to find the world that our legends say gave birth to our race. Perhaps one day…", says Don-el.

"Yeah, perhaps one day," replies Zoltar.

*****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.

And though he is walking with his beloved in an Asgardian paradise, his unrest 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."

"I find this peace somewhat unsettling, milady. The forces of evil have been too silent of late. A silent enemy perhaps is the most deadly…"

Sif reaches out and takes Thor's hand. "Come with me, my prince. Let us go down to the stream. Perhaps, there, I can help you forget the forces of evil…at least for a short while…"


*****A Different Earth*****

Somewhere, in a world different from Midgard, a little girl once again tries to reach out to one not of her world.