[Atrocities]

Chapter 2

Sacrifices

When the great powers of the galaxy united in an effort to defend against the Cleansing, the mass majority decided it, after years of countless defeats and horrible losses, that to avoid utter defeat, drastic measure would be taken to insure that all who could survive would.

Following the horrific defeat the Alliance suffered at that hands of the Cleansing during the battle for Khitomer, the order was given. Unleash the unthinkable. A fleet of ships set forth throughout the galaxy and positioned themselves in strategic point that would ensure that all that could be affected would be affected. One buy one these ships, and their crews, detonated their devices. One by one they flashed into a light brighter than 100 suns, and just as quickly faded out. These explosions would be seen across the galaxies for millions of years too come, even though they only lasted but a few seconds.

Fleet Admiral Picard stood alone on the bridge of the Hood, the newest of the Sovereign class ships, its crew all but dead or dying. “What would Kirk have done?” he asked himself as he stared ideally at the view screen and destroyed hulks that it displayed. “How would Kirk have cheated this?”

“Sir?” It was Captain Data, or rather Data's brother who was found during the Romulan Incident and given the original Data's memories shortly before his death. Although Picard had known this Data for only a few years, he has known 'Data' for nearly twenty one years.

“Oh I was just asking my self a question Data.” Data’s head turned slightly to one side as he pondered Picard’s response. Picard new that this Data did not have the emotion chip that his predecessor had.

“Ah, I often ‘ask’ my self question too.” Picard gave his comrade a whimsical look before turning and taking a seat in the Captains chair.

“I did not hear you come in Mr. Data.” “That was more than likely because you were engaged in thought sir.” “Indeed I was Data. Now that I am not, what is it that I can do for you?” Asked Picard as he picked up a notepad and began reading.

“Sir,” Data took a step forward, “Admiral Janeway has sent confirmation that Operation Omega has begun.”

“I see, and you wish to know what Operation Omega is?”

“If I am to be an effective aid sir, it would be advisable for me to be fully away of all operations.”

"Yes yes Data, your are correct. You were left out of the ‘loop’ so to speak because of the operation was ruled strictly need to know. In fact, only a handful of top Alliance officers were involved in the initial phases of the operation.” Picard put the pad down, straitened his position and took a deep breath before continuing.

“Data, Operation Omega will effectively render warp travel impossible throughout the galaxy. As you and I speak, ship after ship armed with Omega warheads are being detonated in strategic locations thought this galaxy. The objective is to drive the Cleansing out of our Galaxy by making it impossible for them to travel through it.”

“These Omega devices, how long will there effects last?” Asked Data. Picard’s response was a somber one.

“It is hard to say Data, our best guess is about 2 billion years.”

“I see.” Commented Data. “Then it is highly unlikely that we will ever see Admiral Janeway or the others again?”

“I still have hope Mr. Data.” Picard stood from the Captains chair and made his way to the science station. He took a seat there as Captain Data stepped up behind him. Picard entered a few commands and then pointed to the screen.

“As you can see, the Borg ships are establishing Transwarp Conduits between each of the know surviving systems. Even though Warp travel will become impossible, impulse and eventually other modes of propulsion will allow us to move through these warp points to other systems. The problem is, we cannot use them just yet. Effectively, we must drive the Cleansing fleet from our galaxy. We must make them believe that we to can not move from system to system.” Picard looked up and back at Data and asked; “I hope you did not have any pressing engagements in another system?”

“No sir.” Replied Data.

The com chirped just then and the familiar voice of the Hoods acting Chief Engineer, Lt. Commander Jim Warner chimed in, “Sir, main propulsion has been restored, we can make a top speed of about Warp 4.” Picard smiled broadly before replying. “Good work Mr. Warner.” Picard directed his attention to Data, “Mr. Data if you would be so kind as to plot a course to the nearest Federation world, I would be most appreciative.” Data smiled, a not so human smile, but a smile non-the less.

“It would be my pleasure sir.”

As the Hood entered orbit around the Class M planet named after this system, whatever that name was eluded Picard, the ships Captain, looking beaten, haggard, and aged beyond his years, half stumbled half walked onto the bridge.

“Admiral?” He rasped. Picard stood up from the Captains chair and took the arm of his long time friend Bob Martens.

“Here Bob, take your chair.” Said Picard with a sincere concern for his friend.

“Thank you sir.” Replied Martens as he sat down with a sigh. “How is she Admiral?” Picard looked about the destroyed bridge of this once mighty star ship and smiled as he looked back down at his friend.

“A bit worse for ware I am afraid.”

“She’ll pull through just fine.” Said Captain Martens as he leaned forward and coughed uncontrollably. “She put up a grand fight and walked away from it in one peace. That’s more than I can say for the rest our task force.”

Picard looked down and sighed. Martens continued “How many made it out of their Jean Luc?”

Picard looked back up at his friend with very sad eyes and spoke in a tone Martens had never heard before, defeat.

“We lost 97 ships out of 102. The Borg Fleet took a loss of nearly 60%, and Klingon’s lost their entire fleet. The Romulan and Ferengi disengaged as ordered, and only took moderate losses. I had not thought it possible following Khitomer that we would survive another confrontation with a Cleansing fleet, but we have. But in doing so, we have paid a very heavy price.”

Martens looked at Picard for a moment before looking back at the forward view screen now filled with the blue green aura of this distant Federation world.

“So this is home now?” He asked quietly.

“The name of this world eludes my recollection at moment.” Picard said. “But it is our new home.”

“How many?” It was more of a statement than a question. “How many people survived?”

“36 Governor.” Responded Picard.

“36 people out of nearly hundred thousand? My God Admiral that is simply unfathomable.”

Governor Rhikor was a short fat man with an ever-increasing balding head. He was not a man that Picard liked, nor was he much liked by any one else from what Picard could see. In fact, this man reminded Picard of a Ferengi he had once had the displeasure of meeting. What did Loxanna call him, ah yes, a troll.

“Your entire fleet destroyed. What will happen to use now? Will those Cleansing things come here next?”

“Unlikely.” Stated Picard. “We did destroy the ship that was bound for this world, however, given the nature and the state of affairs in other parts of the galaxy, I sincerely doubt that the Cleansing will bother with returning to finish the job.”

“You sincerely doubt? Well Admiral, that is just not good enough for me!” The anger and fear, in Rhikor’s voice was evident.

“What am I going to say to the citizens of this planet? That you sincerely doubt that they will be annihilated?” He was right and Picard knew it. But what could Picard do?

Picard’s Communicator Chirped, 'ah saved by the call for duty.'

“Admiral this is Valdez. We have a priority one message for you from Alliance Sector Command.” Picard tapped the small device on his chest and said aloud.

“Understood. I will be beaming up shortly.”

“Picard” started the Governor but was cut off by Picard.

“Look Governor, I understand your fear, but believe me when I say that in a few days no one will ever bother this planet again including the Cleansing.” Picard’s voice was on the verge of breaking. It had been days since he had slept, and the loss of his entire fleet was beginning to weigh upon him in the most painful kind of way.

“Now if you will excuse me, I must return to the Hood.” With that, Picard tapped his communicator and spoke aloud “One to beam up.” As Picard dissolved into a billion particles of energy, Governor Rhikor slumped heavily down into his chair and lowered his head to his hands.

“God help us.” Was all he said, as Picard’s form finally vanished from sight.

“Jean Luc, I will get right to the point. The Cairo was destroyed on its way to deploy this sectors Omega Device. She was unable to detonate it before being destroyed. Since you are the closest ship to the target sector, the duty falls to you.” Picard pondered the comments of Fleet Admiral Hansen for the briefest of moments before offering a response.

“Admiral, we have no crew, and the Hood is so heavily damaged that we would never be able to reach the deployment zone.”

“Jean Luc, you won’t have to deploy where the Cairo was intended to deploy. Our latest estimates support that an Omega detonation within the system you are now in would work just as effectively as if a device were detonate in the intended system.” Picard looked about for a moment, just to get his eyes a chance to focus on something other than the Hansen’s face.

“Very well.” Stated Picard. “Send the coordinates and plans. I’ll make every reasonable effort to see that a device is detonated. It is the least I can do for casting the final supporting vote for this operation.” Picard knew that his attempt at humor was wasted on this man.

“Very good Jean Luc.”

“It would be advisable to concentrate our repair efforts on the shields in the event that we are attacked again.” Data was in the process of talking to a technician when Picard entered Engineering.

“Mr. Data will you walk with me?” Asked Picard. Data sat the tool he was holding down and began to follow Picard as Picard left the Engineering deck and walked into one of the mail corridors that spanned the secondary hull of the ship.

“Repairs are progressing well Admiral, however.” Picard silenced him with a wave of his hand.

“Mr. Data, I have here the plans for an Omega Warhead. I need for you to construct this device with the utmost haste.” Data looked at Picard for a moment, Picard suspected he was analyzing the request to build what would become somewhat of a doomsday device.

“Understood sir.” Picard smiled and handed the data pad to Data.

“The Cairo was destroyed 12 hours ago, and the mission to detonate an Omega device has fallen to us. I intend to do so within 72 hours.”

“Sir.” Data spoke with concern. “I can perform this mission without the need or sacrifice of you or this ship. I can take a Runabout to the necessary coordinates and detonate the device from there.”

“Oh Mr. Data, I have no plans on sacrificing this ship and her crew. There is an abandoned dylithum-mining asteroid near the target area. It has an anti-matter reactor. We will deploy the Omega device their, and detonate it remotely when the time comes. I want to take out as many Cleansing vessels as we can.”

“I see sir.” Data did not fully understand the concept of what Picard was saying for the last time they encountered a single Cleansing ship; they lost 97 of the Alliances best star ships. “Sir, I do not fully understand the nature of this device. Granted sir it is a device that prevents warp bubbles from forming thus eliminating a ships ability to go to warp speed. But however, I do not fully understand how this will effect or in this case as you are describing, destroy a Cleansing vessel?”

Picard had not considered that even Data would be unable to recognize the true nature of the Cleanings only known weakness. How could he, for only a very few of the top officers of the Alliance new the actual truth about the Cleansing, their strengths, and weakness. What their purpose was, and who they really were. That information had to remain need to know, and at this point, Captain Data needed to know this. “Data, what I am about to tell you is considered Top Secret.”

“Understood sir.” Replied Data.

“The Cleansing are not beings as we know them. They are living breathing biological machines.” Data looked as astonished as an android could.

“Our scans have never been able to penetrate their ships. How do you know this?” Picard shook his head in a no manor.

“Data you don’t understand. Do you recall Tinman?” “Yes.” Responded Data.

“The Cleansing are not humanoid Data, they are like Tinman. They are living breathing machines.” Now Picard had seen it all. Data for the first time in his existence actually seemed shocked.

“Sir, if that is correct, then by detonating an omega device, we would be killing these creatures.”

“That is correct Data. The Omega device renders warp fields and all warp technology inert. That would mean when an Omega device is detonated, it would stop the heart of a Cleansing leviathan effectively killing it.”

“This is how we intend to drive them from our galaxy?” Asked Captain Martens. Neither Picard nor Data had heard him come up behind them as they talked. Picard now realized that keeping Martens in the Dark was a mistake as it had been with Data. “Jean Luc, what right do we have to obliterate the galaxies ability for warp travel?”

“Captain, the decision has been made in order for our societies to survive. The Cleansing consider all life not like them to be useless and therefore in need of extermination. This is the only way to ensure that they leave our Galaxy and never return.” Picard was dedicated to this course of action, as it was the only course of action left to them. Already trillions had died, and thousands of worlds had been destroyed in this genocide brought on by the Cleansing.

“I am sorry Admiral. I am not my self these days.” Martens was tired, as indeed they all were and somewhat drunk. “I have lost everyone I care about Admiral, and I am not being a very good Star Fleet officer by questioning the wisdom of my superiors.”

“Nonsense Bob.” Said Picard. “It is when we do not question the orders that seem not to make sense that we are not good Star Fleet officers.” Picard’s statement seemed to cheer his friend up a bit. “I and my crew await your orders sir.” With that, Bob Martens left Picard and Data and head on down the corridor. Picard and Data looked after him as he walked away. Data broke the silence first. “Sir, I am concerned the perhaps Captain Martens my not be in stable condition for this mission.” “Data, I am afraid that you are correct.” Picard knew what had to be done. He just hated having to do it.

“We shall be leaving orbit in about twenty minutes Governor. In the event that we do not return, it has been a pleasure.” The sarcasm in Picard’s voice was evident as he spoke. “Well then Admiral, best of luck to you and your crew. Rhikor out.” With that the view screen shifted from the face of the Governor of Vega Minor Prime, no wonder I couldn’t remember its name thought Picard, to that of Vega Minor Prime itself. “Helm set course for coordinates Six Five by two one six mark three.” A brief pause. “Engage.”

Picard could feel the ship move beneath his feet as his commands were carried out. “Maximum warp at your discretion Mr. Carson.” Raymond “Jack” Carson was a retired Star Fleet Engineer that just happened to be on Vega Minor V on vacation. He and many others had volunteered to join the Hood when the call went out for experienced personnel to replace those who had been killed or severely injured in the battle that has since become known as the battle of Tarsus V.

It actually was not much of a battle, but more so a one sided game of target practice. The one hundred and two ships of Task Force One of Third Fleet were no match for the Leviathan that they encountered. The Cleansing was on all scales a vessel of destruction. Within seconds of the engagement, nearly every ship of strength within the Task Force had been destroyed or severely damaged. Even the mighty Borg Vessels, those once menacing Cubes, were no match for the power that the Cleansing ship had to offer. Picard marveled at the destruction that had unfolded before his very eyes as he sat in his command chair on the bridge of the USS Ingram. His Flagship, the Ingram, was a Galaxy Class ship, much the same as the Enterprise D had been, but with much more armament and weapons. When the Cleansing turned against him, the Ingram and her crew gave them the best they had. However, with all their power and abilities, it wasn’t even enough to knock the space dust off of the cleansing’s hull. In the end, Picard and a handful of his crew were beamed aboard the Hood and shortly thereafter the Hood was struck and nearly destroyed. All but twenty-four of her crew survived including the ships first officer Captain Data.

If not for the sacrifice of the Klingon’s, all of the one hundred and two ships of Task Force One, which engaged the Cleansing, would have been lost. One by one the Klingon’s closed within meters of the Huge Leviathan and detonated their warp cores. These explosions ripped huge wholes in the side of the massive ship eventually causing enough damage that even its great mass could not withstand and exploded into a trillion and a half particles of ionized matter. Taking with it the remaining Klingon’s ships. In the interim, the Ferengi and Romulan ships were able to withdraw. The Borg also made a hasty retreat. All that remained was the Hood to witness the ever-dissipating cloud of gas that had once been a mighty Cleanings War ship. So this was the battle of Tarsus V, a grand victory for the Alliance. A ninety seven to one ratio is nothing to be brag about, however, given that moral is at an all time low, any victory is a good victory even if it costs the live of a hundred thousand people. Picard was sad, he knew that the chances of them being able to deploy the Omega Device before the Cleansing War Ship entered the system was virtually impossible, yet they had to try. If push came to shove, Picard would blow the damned thing up using the engines of the Hood to do it.

Having to relieve his long time friend from active duty was one of the hardest personal decisions Picard has ever had the displeasure of making. It was clear that Bob was intoxicated when he confronted Picard and Data in the corridor out side of engineering the other day, and Picard knew that since they had arrived at Vega Minor Prime, Bob hadn’t been sober. It was true that Bob had lost everyone and everything that he held dear. His Wife, Son’s and daughters had all been killed by the Cleansing. It was more than any one man should ever have to bear. And it was more than he could. After being relieved of duty following an “incident” in the weapons locker, Bob Martin secluded himself in his quarters. When Picard went to check upon his friend he had to use his command authorization to gain access to his friends quarters. What he found there will forever haunt him. Bob Martin had ended his own life. Picard sat in that room with his dead friend for nearly a half-hour pondering those that he had lost over the years. About never having children, or paths not taken because of protocol. “Oh Beverly.” Picard said to himself as he sat in the dark holding his friend.

That was two days ago and since that time Picard has immersed himself in his duties. It was imperative that an Omega device be detonated in this sector before the end of the week. This would effectively cut off the Beta Quadrant to the Cleansing, and drive them back even further in the direction from where they came. It took the lives of many Batezoids to discover what the Cleansing was. Ship after ship full of Betazoids were lost in vain efforts to get close enough to read the thoughts of the crews that manned those ships. Imagine the surprise the first Betazoids faced when they realized that it was not thousands of minds but only one. One per ship. Picard still remembers the day they found the near dead Leviathan and attempted to board it. The scream Deanna let out when the Phaser torch touched the hull of the vessel. That was nearly two and a half years ago when he still commanded the Enterprise E. God she was a magnificent ship. The loss of her at Khitomer had weighed heavy on him ever since. He lost a lot of friends that day. Worf, Sisko, Riker, and Deanna. Gone and dead for all he knew. Once the Cleansing had attacked an area, no alliance ship ever returned for to do was suicide.

When Janeway suggested operation Omega, it was flatly rejected by the Alliance. “We can win this war without the loss of warp drive.” A blind statement made by some long since dead Fleet Admiral. It was Picard’s decision to go ahead with the plan to end warp travel forever in the galaxy. It was his ‘yes’ vote that sealed the fate of the galaxy. And now, he was on that very mission. “What would Kirk have done?” mused Picard to himself. He had only met the Legendary Captain Kirk for the briefest of moments and in that time he for the first time in his life understood the meaning of command. The hard decisions were his to make and it really was the only way to stop the Cleansing. Without the ability to form an active Warp Field, a Cleansing Leviathan would die.

Even though they knew next to nothing about the physiology of a Leviathan they knew that they were somehow depended upon Warp fields for survival. It wasn’t until that fateful day the Enterprise E captured the wounded one; they knew that it was Warp Travel that had somehow attracted them to this Galaxy. Our very own mode of transportation is what drew then here and now I am on a mission to end that mode of transportation forever. It seemed kind of ironic to Picard that in order to save the body, they had too cut off the feet and legs. To go back to the stone ages, pre-warp technology and the chaos that would surely come.

Picard never really understood what had driven Deanna mad, was it the mind of the Leviathan, or her own fear at what she saw in that mind. She was an empath by nature, but on that day, her telepathic abilities worked. Probably for the first time in her life she was able to read the minds of others. Who knows, perhaps it was that sudden rush of a thousand minds that drove her over the edge. Picard really did not know, but he knew that since that day, she had never been the same. Some minds should never be read. The fate that befell Deanna weighed heavily on William Riker. “Will what has become of you?” Picard still remembers his last words to his one time First Officer and long time friend. “Today Will, today we fight for our very survival. You may engage the Cleansing fleet.” Captain William T Riker was in command of the Sovereign, and was one of the first ships to be destroyed. Deanna was with him on board; they had been married shortly after the Mission to Ba’Ku. Oh to be on that gem of a world right now, thought Picard, to leave all these worldly problems behind, to be with her....

“Sir!” Data’s voice snapped Picard back to reality, and the horror that it represented. “A Cleansing Vessel has entered the system and is on a direct intercept with us.” “Weapons Status Mr. Data?” Picard asked. Data looked at his consul a moment then responded. “Our Phasers are at minimal power, and we have no torpedoes.” Data looked up at Picard. “In other words Admiral, we are a sitting duck.” “I’ll be the judge of that Mr. Data.” Picard statement seemed to him to be a bit harsher than he had intended, but never the less, he was not about to just lay down and die. “Mr. Data, arm the Omega Device and order the ship abandoned.” Data looked at Picard for a good moment before turning back to his console and performing his duties as ordered. “This is the First Officers, all hands abandon ship, I repeat, all hands abandon ship.” Data looked back toward Picard and said. “Sir the device is armed, and awaiting detonation.” “Very well Mr. Data, you may leave.” Picard’s ton was one that Data recognized. It left now room for discussion. Data stood and stepped past Picard before stopping and turning back toward him. Data put his hand on Picard’s shoulder and said as softly as he could. “It has been an honor knowing you sir.” Picard looked up at Data in bewilderment. “Oh I am not staying here Mr. Data, I have but one last duty to perform before I too make haste to an evacuation pod. Rest assured my friend, if it is at all possible I will see you again on Vega Minor V.” Data gave Picard his most human smile yet, and silently left the bridge.

The Cleansing does not send or receive hails. They simply move in and attack. Picard knew the tactic well and this Leviathan was no exception. It was closing the distance at an incredible rate. Picard knew that if it was not destroyed or rendered inoperable that it would eventually seek out and destroy all the life pods and escape pods from the Hood before reducing Vega Minor V to an asteroid field. No, this monster had to be stopped here and now. The line had to be drawn. This point, no further. Picard knew these words well, and he knew that he was going to succeed. Of course upon doing so he would be out of the fight permanently. For no ship would be able to traverse the distance between Vega Minor and the next closest star system for over a 100 years. That is the amount of time it will take the newly formed Transwarp Conduits to become stable. Odd, even the Borg are afraid of extinction. And what of the Q? Where have they been in all of this? Well those were questions that would have to wait for the here and now was about to get a bit hectic. “Computer enceinte auto destruction authorization Picard Jean Luc, Pie-Alpha-Zero-One-Zero enable.”

The computerized voice of the ship sounded its acknowledgment and asked for a count down duration. “20 Minutes.” With that Picard stood and exited the bridge of this Sovereign class Ship. Never to walk upon the decks of another for the entirety of his life. This was indeed a very sad day. Picard made it to the Captains Yacht and successfully left the Hood behind. He knew that once the ship’s engines blew, the Omega device would detonate and all warp travel within this system would end forever. He and his crew had to make it to a safe distance in order to escape the blast.

The Cleansing ship moved in, it sensed something odd about this insect that it was about to destroy, it did not have the sense that it was inhabited. Odd it thought, there is energy coming from the bug yet no life. Perhaps the parasites that inhabit it have all died. Too bad, for it had looked forward to hearing their thoughts as they died. What is this? The power source is increasing...... MUST LEAV--------

The Cleansing Leviathan never finished its thought. The Warp core on the Hood breached at precisely twenty minutes thus detonating the Omega Device. At that instant, the Omega Particles penetrated the hull of the Leviathan at speeds that cannot be calculated. The Leviathan’s heart, its Warp core, breached and exploded. The Cleansing vessel went up with such brilliance that for the briefest time the primitive people inhabiting a planet in a near by solar system thought they had seen the birth of a new star.

It took Picard nearly three and a half weeks to return to Vega Minor V. Upon the way he recovered as many of his people as he could from the cramped escape pods including Mr. Data. “The Governor has reported that may of the Anti-Matter power facilities have stopped functioning and he demands to know what you are going to do about it Sir.” “Tell the Governor that we have just limped back her on impulse power and Star Fleet Rations and I am in no mood to discuss with him affairs of the state.” Picard enjoyed that. He and his crew had just saved this planet from destruction, and this fat little man is worried about his replicator power. No, more than likely his holosuite power. Picard sincerely doubted that the Governor of Vega Minor V has any luck with the ladies.

“Now if you please Mr. Data, would you kindly set us down someplace quite.” With that Picard smiled to himself and closed his eyes. It was finally the time to get some much-needed sleep.