A Captain And A Madman

Chapter Fourteen: Stranger Shores

"Are you insane?!"

The Doctor and Picard had quickly boarded the TARDIS, with the former vaulting up to the control console to get them underway before the Federation rescue ships entered sensor range of the planet- no need to have his departure noticed, after all. Even as the Doctor was preparing a random course, the Captain of the now-crashed Enterprise was right behind him, looking a bizarre combination of furious and almost frightened.

"What? No!" The Time Lord paused, as if seriously considering it, before shrugging. "Well, possibly. Rather subjective concept, when you think about it."

Picard's mouth opened and shut several times before he got back on track, grabbing the railing as the TARDIS shuddered in departure.

"The Borg are an implacable enemy," Picard insisted, stepping up behind him, "one that excels in adaptation as well as assimilation. They pilfer the skills and knowledge of those they've converted, as well as their technology. If you were to be taken by them, assimilated into their Collective, all you've ever known, everything of which you are capable would become theirs to use as they please."

"Oh, no," the Doctor replied, even as he tugged one of his hanging monitors over. "Goodness knows the galaxy would be terrorized if the Borg gain my cricket skills."

"Doctor!"

"Captain," the Doctor said, whirling around and correcting himself as he rested a hand on the human's shoulder; "Jean-Luc. I understand your concerns, but believe me when I say that giving all I am to the Borg is the very last thing on my mind. I'm not that irresponsible. Well, not usually. But I've thought this through, in great and varied detail, and this is the only way; any other being who could tell me what I need to know is beyond my ability to contact, let alone coerce."

Picard scowled a little, his head shaking slowly; as the Doctor turned his attention back to the monitor. While he had to admit that the Time Lord did appear brilliant, and powerful in many ways, Jean-Luc knew better than most just how unrelenting and insidious the Borg could be... and the stakes involved, the risk of what would happen if the Time Lord were to be assimilated, was obscene. The Borg would, in all likelihood, become unstoppable, and the Doctor's great skill and knowledge could prove to be countered by his overwhelming arrogance, deserved or no.

"I am concerned that you are underestimating the Borg," he finally said. "Such overconfidence could prove fatal, for all of us."

"That's why I need you here," the Doctor replied, even as he called up a new file, frowning pensively at it as he reached behind to blindly pat Picard on the shoulder. "You are one of the foremost authorities on the Borg, the foremost authority in your timeframe, and have a keen tactical mind that shall be invaluable. You also have a healthy appreciation for how dangerous these Borg are, something I'm admittedly lacking... don't judge, they just seem like uglier Cybermen to me, and that's saying something. Finally, you're a very recognizable and skilled officer, which is certainly going to come in handy.".

"How flattering," Picard replied irritably, trying to get a look at the files... but they seemed to be encoded. "Exactly what are you doing?"

"Finding the next set of authorities," the Doctor replied distractedly, before glancing back at Picard. "You should get some rest. You can find some bedrooms up that passage over there, fifth corridor on your left."

"No, thank you," Picard replied tersely. "I'm fine."

"Aaah, always on duty," the Time Lord chuckled softly, before gesturing downward distractedly with one hand. "Go, seriously. I need some more time to review these records before I do anything 'rash,' and you've tumbled down a mountain twice today. Get some sleep. Nothing dangerous or exciting will happen beforehand."