The Bunker
THE BRAIN TRUST OF THE ADMIRALTY WATCHED with growing hope as a horrifying ghost from the past, the doomsday machine, repeatedly ripped into the Borg cube. Every time another huge chunk of the cube went tumbling away into space, Jellico had to fight the urge to cheer. Yes, granted, the cube seemed to be repairing itself with unbelievable speed, but he was becoming convinced it was just a matter of time.
“We should never have doubted him,” Nechayev said in wonderment, and then quickly added, “You didn’t hear me say that.”
“Say what?”
“Exactly…oh, no. No, dammit, no!”
Jellico, who had been looking away briefly from the viewscreen, turned back to see what it was that she’d reacted to.
Seconds earlier the Borg cube had been directly in front of the doomsday machine. Suddenly…it wasn’t. The cube had jumped behind it before the less maneuverable doomsday machine could react.
“Tractor beam!” shouted Galloway. “It’s put a tractor beam on the planet killer!”
The doomsday machine struggled furiously in the grasp of the Borg cube, but it was quickly becoming evident that the cube was more powerful. Slowly, inexorably, the Borg cube began to drag the doomsday machine backward. The planet killer was helpless to extricate itself with its powerful antiproton beam capable of firing only out the front.
The Borg cube was going to absorb the doomsday machine, and there was absolutely nothing anyone could do.