Subspace Sickness

Enterprise didn't care for Data the same way she cared for Picard. But that didn't stop her from launching an attack on the Borg ship as it warped away. Data was a little brother to her. And be damned if she was going to let the Borg use him as some sort of experiment!

"Let me go, I'm gonna kill them!" She roared to the two starships holding her back. USS Crazy Horse and USS Arandak. The pair had just arrived on station to assist in reinforcements against the Borg. So much for that plan.

Crazy Horse looked at her struggling half-crazed flagship, then to Arandack who simply nodded. Less than a second later, Enterprise felt a needle piercing her skin before everything went dark.

...

Enterprise stirred a few hours later. She was aware of someone licking her in a soothing manner. Allowing a purr to escape her, she raised her head to see Crazy Horse.

"Mornin' sleeping beauty." She said.

Enterprise groaned. "You gave me a sedative." She said.

"You would've destroyed the whole quadrant trying to find that ship. With Commander Data on board." Crazy Horse replied.

Enterprise sighed. "Have you tracked down the signal they used to disappear?" She asked.

"Not yet." Crazy Horse replied and Enterprise grumbled.

"Without that correct bandwith we will be unable to locate Commander Data." She said.

"I am aware of that, Enterprise." Crazy Horse replied.

The flagship rose, lean muscle rippling under her silver hull. "Return to your patrol sector. Continue the search pattern." She ordered.

"Aye, ma'am." Crazy Horse saluted, then left Enterprise to resume her own patrol.

A few hours later, she was rewarded with a sighting of the ship but as soon as she appeared, that same signal began to manifest itself. It was attempting to escape.

"You're not getting away this time!" She snarled and engaged her engines, entering the subspace tunnel after the Borg.

"Enterprise!" "Enterprise!" Crazy Horse and Arandock gasped, seeing their flagship simply disappear.

...

The experience of subspace travel drained most of Enterprise's major systems, leaving her feeling nauseous. "Ngh..." She groaned, ears ringing. She shook her head to clear it, taking a look at her surroundings. Spotting the shuttle, she chased after it.

Enterprise was forced to enter the subspace again when the shuttle vanished a second time. She was hit by nausea so intense it was nearly impossible to maintain course. Reemerging on the other side provided little relief and this time, she was unable to control her reflexes. She began to retch seconds after materializing. Chunks of food floated past.

"Enterprise, are you alright?" Picard asked.

"J-Just peachy captain." She coughed once before straightening. "Let's go!"

...

Relief flooded the starship when she learned that Commander Data was safe. Returning to Federation space via the subspace conduit a third time left her wobbly and disorientated when she reemerged. Crazy Horse and Arandack were beside her in an instant, supporting her. Enterprise felt she would throw up again but as it was, she just belched having already emptied her stomach.

"Never, ever again!" She groaned.

"I don't know what you were thinking!" Crazy Horse scolded. "It could've been dangerous."

Enterprise was in no mood to argue so she endured the next half hour of Crazy Horse's lecturing. The little starship could be just as bad as Excelsior sometimes.

Once Crazy Horse was deemed finished, Enterprise straightened up and attempted to move away, only to stumble and be caught by the little starship. "That's enough, Enterprise. You're exhausted." She said. "You've been going at Warp 9 for almost 3 consecutive days. You need a rest."

Enterprise groaned. "Shall I go get the sedative?" Crazy Horse asked.

"No! It's fine." Enterprise rolled on her side. She was bigger than Crazy Horse but managed to expertly snuggle into the Excelsior-class side. Crazy Horse smiled. She'd cared for Enterprise's two previous incarnations so had experience in "mothering" the flagship.

"Not a word to anyone!" Enterprise yawned.

Crazy Horse licked her face. "Our little secret." She promised and with that Enterprise happily fell asleep.