Resurrections

Posted on Wed Sep 2nd, 2026 @ 10:25pm by Captain Rovak & Locutus of Borg & Doctor S'Lace
Edited on on Wed Sep 2nd, 2026 @ 10:25pm

1,250 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: UnderMind [4]
Location: CO's Office - CIC, DS13
Timeline: Afternoon - MD05

It had been several hours since the crew was retrieved from the surface of Dreizhen III, most of whom had gone straight to medical. Not long after, the Excalibur had returned from another uneventful survey of empty space in an unknown universe. Now it seemed, the Hercules too had returned. The messages they’d sent spoke of a successful rescue, despite the efforts of Cardassians and Borg to thwart them.

Rovak was looking out the holographic window of his office when the flash of warp deceleration signalled the Hercules had arrived. “Captain, Commander S’Lace for you.” Came Frak’s voice from comms. “Put her through.” Rovak instructed.

“Commander, welcome home. I am glad to hear you are all well.”

“Indeed, Captain, we have fared well. But I’m afraid I will need you to come aboard. There is a sensitive matter that requires your attention.” S’Lace said without expression.

Rovak was curious, but did not question it, and was shortly beside her in sickbay. They were in the Hercules sickbay overlooking the bodies of the four recovered original drones from the Borg vessel, medical staff and engineers were working on them with tireless care.

“We have determined that all four of the drones recovered were taken as potential command nodes for the Collective. An additional ‘Locutus’ should one be required. As far as we can tell, they were on course for the Delta Quadrant when the Collective was all but destroyed in 2378, and they were trapped in Subspace.” S’Lace said, in a way that Rovak knew her well enough to know she may have been taking the long way around to the point.

“Indeed, Commander. Your report included the information about how they arrived. Why did you need me here?” He asked.

“All four of the drones were Commanding Officers taken at Wolf 359. Captain Ashlas of the Surak. Captain Thrav of the Golondisk, Captain Fairchild of the Serenity, and…” S’Lace paused for a moment, as they reached view of the final individual described. “Captain Sotek, of the Ganymede.”

Rovak was silent and without expression. He watched as the medics and engineers tended to the man.

“You are certain?” Rovak asked after a longer silence than was normal for him.

“Yes. His DNA has been altered significantly from decades of assimilation and further years of transwarp radiation exposure, but there is enough to confirm that it is him. It is your father.” S’Lace said as delicately as she was able.

“I see.” Rovak said, betraying nothing of his internal state.

“I appreciate that this is unexpected Captain, but I will not judge you as a Vulcan for any emotional response. Relief or joy are an understandable –“

“Thank you Commander, that will be all.” Rovak said.

“Actually Captain, if you will indulge me, there was another matter I hoped to discuss with you.”

Rovak seemed not to hear her, still watching the work done on the drone that he now fully understood and processed was his father. “Yes. Please come to my office in an hour. We will discuss it then.”

“Of course, sir.” S’Lace said with a nod. She did not pretend to be someone who knew the Captain particularly well, but she knew when a fellow Vulcan was shaken. And his reaction was not one of joy.

---

“I apologise for the delay, Commander. The news of my father’s survival was most unexpected.” Rovak said. “What was it you wished to discuss?”

“I have decided to resign my commission from Starfleet, Captain.” S’Lace said plainly.

“I see. May I ask why?” Rovak responded.

“While I am grateful for the trust you placed in me, my experience commanding the Hercules helped me to realise that such experiences are not what I want my life to be. In truth I have been having doubts for some time about Starfleet, about this career. Medicine is a pursuit I know to be noble, but for all the searching I have done, I find that the most satisfaction I have derived from life has come from teaching and academia, archaeology and research are I feel, what I must do with my life to feel complete.” S’Lace explained.

“I understand.” Rovak said, nodding. “If you are certain that is what you want, I will have the resignation processed immediately.”

“I am, Captain. Thank you.”

“It is a great shame to lose you Commander, but to borrow a human saying of dubious provenance, ‘the heart wants what the heart wants’.” Rovak said.

“So it does, Captain.”

Rovak inhaled through his nose momentarily, as though considering his next words carefully. “I do not wish to dissuade you from your path, Commander, but I cannot help but consider that the future you have said you seek is one that corresponds with a recently arrived need here in Dreizhen.”

“Sir?” S’Lace asked.

“The Order of Divine Harmony, how familiar are you with them?” Rovak queried.

“Familiar enough to know they are a thoroughly unpleasant order of fanatics. Despite that, they are undoubtedly brilliant. I hesitate to use the term miraculous, but many of the breakthroughs they have been responsible among all scientific disciplines would approach that metric.”

“Indeed. They have, due to recent events on Dreizhen III, found themselves without a leader. How would you feel about becoming that leader?”

S’Lace gave the Captain a look like he had just grown an extra head. “The Order select their own leaders. And to my knowledge, they have never admitted a woman. It would be a remarkable opportunity to direct such minds, but it seems little more than fantasy to think it would be possible.”

“The conduct of the Order has been deeply questionable under the guidance of the late Grandmaster M’Hum. I am within my authority as effective governor of this system to order their banishment from the system. It is my thought however, that given that they see Dreizhen III as intrinsically linked to their mythology, they will be willing to accede to certain concessions to be permitted to remain on the planet.”

“What you suggest could be considered extortion.” S’Lace reasoned.

“I do not seek to derive any benefit beyond the reform of their order from something insular and self-serving into a force for the greater good. It would not be implausible I think, with the right leadership, for them to go from a hermetic order into an institute of research and learning. In the time you have been gone, we have discovered a great many strange creatures on Dreizhen III, not least of all the bugs that threatened the station and away teams.”

“I would need the authority to make the changes I deem necessary.” S’Lace said, for the first time her tone suggested she did not consider it an outlandish fiction.

“Starfleet will provide every support you may need. You would have my personal endorsement.”

“And you think they will obey me?”

“They are accustomed to firm leadership. I think you are more than capable.”

S’Lace seemed to nod to herself for a moment, looking absently as she thought. “Very well. I will draw up a proposal. I would like you to be present when I deliver it to their membership.”

“As you wish, Commander.” Rovak said with another nod.

“I will get started right away. Thank you for this opportunity, sir.”

“You are quite welcome, Doctor. Dismissed.” Rovak said, folding his hands in front of him as he watched her go.

 

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