STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION/DOCTOR WHO: ASSIMILATION2 #4
STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION/DOCTOR WHO: ASSIMILATION2 #4 Review by Jamie Dunst
The issue starts with the Doctor, Amy and Rory being introduced to Guinan. The two talk about how they both know that things don’t seem to be right. That they know things that they shouldn’t and that the Doctor, Amy and Rory aren’t in the right universe. The group realize that somehow, the Cybermen have found a way to alter the past so that they could form an alliance with the Borg in this universe. The conversation is interrupted by a message for the Captain to come to the bridge. Captain Picard and Guinan discuss the Doctor a bit and Guinan tells him that not only can he trust the Doctor but that Picard will need his help in solving this mystery.
In the main conference room, it’s discovered that Borg/Cybermen armada has changed course going to Cogen V instead of Earth. This confuses the crew of the Enterprise. Captain Picard orders the Enterprise to that system but to keep the ship from being detected. The Doctor requests that he, Amy and Rory accompany the away team which both Captain Picard and Commander Riker reluctantly agree to. The away team which consists of Commander Riker, Worf, Data, The Doctor, Amy and Rory beam down to the planet surface. The Doctor finds the experience marvelous while both Amy and Rory get a little hesitant at first but Amy asks the Doctor why he doesn’t have one of those right before they find themselves under attack by drones. Once the drones are taken out, the away team discover that there is no human life in the area and there are dead Borg and Cybermen on the planet. The Away team takes one dead Bord and one dead Cyberman back to the Enterprise for analysis while the Doctor takes one of the deactivated drones.
Back on the Enterprise, Doctor Crusher, Mr. LaForge and Data examine the dead Borg and Cyberman. Nearby, Deanna Troi talks to Rory and Amy about their experience with the Doctor and Amy reveals that the Doctor is lonely and does so much for everyone else and that even if he forgets from time to time, he needs Rory and Amy just as much as they need him. The examination continues and it’s shown that the Borg and the Cybermen in fact attacked and killed each other. The Doctor further proves this theory when he activates some video from the drone he had brought up showing the Cybermen turning on the Borg and taking the people of Cogen V for conversion. The Enterprise crew then see what’s left of the Borg armada. The Cybermen have totally wiped them out except for a few ships that were able to escape. The Cybermen are shown setting a course for the Delta Quadrant which is Borg space. Both Picard and Riker seem to find themselves admiring the Cybermen for taking out the Borg so easily. The Doctor tries to reason with them telling the Enterprise Captain and First Officer that the Cybermen are also a threat. We then see the Borg reach out to the Enterprise and request an alliance against the Cybermen which Picard denies. The Doctor tries to reason with Picard who will hear none of it. The Borg will receive no assistance from Captain Picard. Intense last page.
I’m not even sure where to start at this point. With four issues down, this has really become quite an amazing reading experience. Between the art and the story, there is very little to complain about. Once again, the writer is nailing the characters in their demeanor and dialogue while the art has been nothing short of breathtaking. I had a feeling that one of the two cyborg races was going to betray the other and it’s cool to see that it was the Cybermen. It makes sense. They somehow re-write history so they can form this alliance. Why not have them try and take everything over. It’s even better when the Borg come and ask for help from Picard who has his own personal history with the Borg. This was a very good issue and I can’t wait for the next one.
