Countdown, Number Four


Summary 
On the border of the Klingon and Romulan Empires, General Worf and his fleet of Klingon Birds-of-Prey continue their assault on the Narada. However, their weapons have no effect on the Naradas advanced deflector shields. Growing wearisome of Worf's attacks, Captain Nero has the Narada cloak, making his ship invisible to the Klingons' sensors. The Narada then commences firing on the Klingon ships while cloaked, a trick Worf proclaims Nero must have stolen from the Klingons. 

With the Klingon ships disabled, Nero demands that Worf board a shuttle and surrender himself on behalf of the Klingon Empire. Worf orders his subordinate, K'Relli, to prepare a shuttle; when K'Relli protests, Worf warns him not to question his orders again, and reminds him that Klingons never surrender. A shuttle departs Worf's ship, but stops short of the Naradas airlock; Worf and a number of his subordinates then leave the shuttle in EV suits and begin cutting into the Naradas hull. On the bridge of the Narada, Nero sends members of his crew to meet the invading Klingons.

Meanwhile, on , the modifications to the  have been completed and the vessel is ready for its mission into the Hobus star. Geordi La Forge informs Spock that the controls for the Jellyfish are encrypted so that they will only respond to Spock's voice. Captain Data then announces that the Klingon fleet has engaged Nero in battle, and Ambassador Jean-Luc Picard suggests that Spock depart on his mission now. In the meantime, the  will assist Worf in the battle against Nero. Spock urges the others to remember that, at heart, Nero is a good man and that perhaps they can still save him from himself. Spock then leaves for the Hobus star aboard the Jellyfish, telling the others that, should their paths never cross again, he knows that the galaxy is in good hands.

Back on the Narada, the Klingons and the Romulans have engaged in hand-to-hand combat. Worf heads to the bridge, where Nero attempts to persuade him that the Federation is using Worf, just as Nero believes Spock used him to get what he wanted, but Worf is unfazed. Nero, having read about Worf in the Enterprise database and knowing he can only be defeated by surprise, attacks Worf from behind using a mechanical tendril, impaling him. As Worf, critically injured, hangs from the tendril, Nero tells him that after he destroys Vulcan and Earth, he will destroy the Klingon homeworld.

The Enterprise, commanded by Data with Picard and La Forge also on board, arrives to find all that remains of the Klingon fleet is debris. The Narada then decloaks and Nero appears on the Enterprises viewscreen, with the impaled Worf in the background. Nero notices that Spock is not aboard the Enterprise and deduces he has gone to stop the Hobus supernova. Picard attempts to reason with Nero, but the mad Romulan ignores him. Nero then offers to transport the barely-living Worf onto the Enterprise; all the Enterprise has to do is lower its shields. 

Data and Picard figure that, should the Enterprise lower its shields, Nero will attempt to destroy them, and there is no guarantee that Nero will even return Worf. However, if they do not lower the shields, then Worf will most certainly die. Picard reasons that Nero will have to drop his own shields as well, which may be their only chance to stop him. If the Enterprise can restore its shields fast enough, then damage to the ship could be contained. Data makes a decision: he lowers the shields. Nero has the injured Worf beamed to the Enterprise, and then immediately opens fire on the Federation ship.

The Enterprise manages to get its shields back online, but the ship sustains heavy damage in engineering and its warp engines are disabled. Nero then takes the Narada to the Hobus star to stop Spock from accomplishing his mission. Data reports that damage to engineering is contained and that warp power will be restored in minutes. Picard hopes that will be enough time.

As the Jellyfish nears the Hobus star, Spock sends out a subspace message detailing his mission. He notes that it will be impossible for him to escape the pull of the singularity he hopes to create, and thus he never expected to return. He asks that the message, should it ever be received, be delivered to the Vulcan Science Academy. He then delivers the red matter into the core of the Hobus star. Within moments, a black hole begins to form, consuming the supernova.

As the singularity grows, the Narada decloaks. Nero tells Spock that he may have saved his own people, but he did so at the cost of Romulus. Nero is preparing for his revenge, but the singularity begins to pull in the Narada. Nero vows that he will have his vengeance as the Narada disappears into the singularity. With his task accomplished and the galaxy no longer threatened by the Hobus star, Spock resigns himself to his fate, telling his friends not to grieve, for it is only logical. He begins to say "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few", but he is pulled into the singularity before he can finish.

The Enterprise arrives to find no sign of the supernova, the Jellyfish, or the Narada. Picard realizes that Spock knew he wouldn't escape and that he sacrificed himself to save the galaxy. As the Enterprise continues on its voyage, Picard laments, "May his soul live long... and prosper."

TO BE CONTINUED... ONSCREEN IN STAR TREK

Background information 
 The issue sold an estimated 14,545 copies in comic specialty stores in .  These figures do not cover copies sold in bookstores, etc.

Creators 
 Writers:
 Mike Johnson and 
 Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman (story)
 Artists:
 David Messina (interior and cover art)
 Giovanna Niro (color art)
 Ilaria Traversi (color consultant)
 Robbie Robbins (letter art)
 Editor:
 Scott Dunbier
 David Baronoff (creative consultant)

External link
 

Comics

fr:Countdown, Number Four
it:Countdown, numero quattro