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SUBMITTED: Stardate: 98600.19

FILED BY: CAPT Jadrys Itana

SECURITY: Level 2 - Confidential

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LOCATION: FGC 6823 System
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MISSION: Continuing Deep Copernicus Expedition initiative.
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OUTCOME: The Copernicus is damaged forestalling a Borg attempt to establish a fixed transwarp aperture in a brown dwarf system.
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KEY PERSONNEL:
​NARRATIVE: En route to our next star system (FGC-6823), the Copernicus was alerted to an unexpected burst of triquantum waves. I ordered a diversion from our planned route to investigate this signature, which originated from an otherwise unremarkable brown dwarf, FGC-15289, with no orbiting bodies but with a protoplanetary disk. Our approach saw the burst repeated, with significant neutrino emissions and graviton flux soon detected before stabilizing into what long-range sensors identified as a transwarp conduit.

We arrived approximately one hour later to find the system occupied by a single Borg cube and a partially-assembled structure our sensors identified as the early stages of a fixed transwarp conduit. Before we could make a determination on an appropriate course of action, the Cube detected the Copernicus and engaged us. I ordered the ship to regroup and re-engage.

While we have made significant progress since Wolf 359 in combatting the Borg on equal footing, I should not have to inform Command of the seriousness of engaging a Cube on a single-ship basis. Nevertheless, the crew of the Copernicus performed exceptionally. LT Cathalc was able to identify a structural weakness in this particular Cube's outer layer which allowed for torpedoes to penetrate its hull and eliminate its primary power conduits, and LT Liell and her security detachment were quick in dispatching a party of six drones that beamed into computer control and attempted to sabotage the ship. I must further commend LT Kshree and ENS Maksymowicz for their exceptional maneuvering, which prevented the Cube from striking exposed areas of the ship when our port shield dropped to critical levels. It is through the bravery of the crew as a whole that we disabled the Cube with no permanent damage to the ship and a minimum of casualties, with no fatalities to report.

Our encounter left the Cube in an inoperative state and temporarily disconnected from the Collective consciousness. I determined at this point that we needed a) to know what the Borg wanted with a random brown dwarf system in this area of space, and b) to ensure we could secure this knowledge without the Cube regenerating and attacking us again. To this end, I tasked LT Liell, LT Cathalc and LT Huynh with developing a plan to achieve these objectives. CMDR Quispe provided vital insight, drawing on her past experience with the Collective. With her guidance, the team developed a plan of attack: Disable the Cube's vinculum through the use of a transported tricobalt explosive, preventing the mechanism's regeneration and permanently severing the Cube and its drones from the Collective, before extracting a primary distribution node.

A team consisting of CMDR Quispe, LT Liell, LT Huynh, PO3C Somok, PO2C Irbitis and PO2C sh'Ralan beamed aboard the disabled Cube into the area nearest the shielded security perimeter around the vinculum. Utilizing adaptive-frequency rifles, the team was able to fight through several drones to a power junction, detonating it with photonic charges to lower the field around the vinculum. Pattern enhancers were set up, and LT Cathalc transported the charge to the site on a detonation timer. To their credit, LT Liell, LT Huynh and PO3C Somok remained behind during the detonation countdown, LT Huynh to move the explosive closer to the vinculum and to rapidly sabotage the unit's regeneration matrix, LT Liell and PO3C Somok to hold off efforts by the Borg to halt the sabotage attempt. At two seconds prior to detonation, Deputy Transporter Chief ENS Lafferty transported the away team to safety. The explosive then detonated, destroying the vinculum and its surrounding support structures and leaving the bulk of the drones aboard the Cube in a disabled state.

With the primary mission complete, LT Huynh, LT Al-Absi and a security detail were able to transport to a section of the Cube exposed to vacuum by breaches created by our earlier exchange of fire. The team encountered several drones in the exposed section, but all were inactive, variously destroyed by the weapons impacts or rendered inert by the loss of the vinculum. The crew were able to utilize phaser cutters and photonic charges to dislodge the target distribution node from the hull before transporting back to the Copernicus

At this time, as the crew set to work attempting to extract data from the node, I determined that the humanitarian course here would be to attempt to recover any surviving drones in the hopes of liberating them from the Collective. Our sensors identified 47 lifesigns with sufficient levels of organic-to-cybernetic ratios that a successful dissimilation procedure could be conducted, in the judgment of Dr. Zvizdaryk. We transported these drones to Cargo Bay II and placed them in stasis for the time being.

With the assistance of CMDR Quispe, who was able to rapidly interface with the captured data node despite Dr. Zvizdaryk's concern for her personal safety, we were able to identify a data block concerning our present location. The Borg had identified FGC-6823 as a potential jumping-off point to extend their transwarp network into this sector. This dovetails with our analysis of the structures the Cube was shepherding: They match similar structures previously observed and eliminated in the Sibiran system in 2412. The structure in place has been positively identified as the core of a nanite transformer, and the Cube itself was carrying elements to complete the fabrication of another such transformer and associated generator infrastructure. As CMDR Quispe observed, the Borg would certainly have recognized the Sibiran system as overly close to the Khitomer Alliance and judged that simply jumping into the middle of Alliance space would likely result in the rapid severing of any transwarp link-up. While we are unsure of the ability of regional powers in this arc of the Beta Quadrant to resist the Borg, there was the potential here for a locus of Borg activity to be established, whether to attack the Federation or simply expand Borg power at the expense of other species.

With this knowledge, and verifying with Dr. Zvizdaryk that no further lifesigns could be transported from the Cube, I gave the order to scuttle the vessel. The Copernicus deployed tricobalt devices at maximum yield, resulting in total destruction of both the Cube and the incomplete transformer.

It was at this time that we detected another triquantum surge and the formation of another transwarp conduit. A scan of the forming conduit revealed a tactical-class Cube and four Spheres on an inbound trajectory. At the advice of LT Cathalc, I ordered tricobalt devices fired into the conduit aperture. The resulting detonations caused the aperture to collapse. After a moment, it reopened and we prepared to engage tactically, with sensors detecting thousands of signatures. However, the aperture burst open in an uncontrolled fashion, and the signatures were revealed to be innumerable chunks of debris from the Cube and Sphere flotilla, destroyed when the conduit collapsed around them.

In the interest of preventing further Borg activity in this system, the Copernicus destroyed all debris with regenerative potential and utilized our tractor beams to place the remainder on a rapid-reentry course that will cause it to burn up in the star. For the moment, I have ordered the Copernicus to maintain a distant orbit around FGC-6823 until we can rendezvous with the nearest support cruiser, USS Hurutam, which is currently inbound alongside the escort USS Vainamoinen. The battle with the Cube was particularly taxing on our systems, and some of our wounded will require ferrying back to Starbase 91, as will those individuals we have severed from the Collective. We have begun work to liberate four of the drones deemed most amenable to field surgery, but the others require more in-depth surgical procedures than we can readily provide in a single starship sickbay. Notably, at least two of the individuals we retrieved conform to no known Alpha, Beta, Delta or Gamma Quadrant species; these individuals were among those we could treat aboard the Copernicus.

Troublingly, CMDR Quispe noted that her interface with the data node revealed fragmentary information implying the Borg have been active in this broad region both in the past and presently. We will remain alert for future signs of Borg activity in the area.

Personnel note: I am recommending LT Nazona Liell, LT Cassiopeia Huynh and PO3C Somok for the Medal of Valor for their actions in the vinculum core.
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RECOMMENDATION: Maintain active long-range monitoring of the coreward Delta-facing corridor for signs of Borg intrusion.

Complete surgical dissimilation of those individuals we were able to rescue from the Collective. Identify possible means to rehabilitate them and return them to their homes.
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OOC: If ever you wanted to play a weird liberated-Borg alien, feel free to use this as a hook.