Star Trek: Timelines #3 "Thicker Than Blood"

[Steve]

Star Trek: Timelines
"Thicker Than Blood"
by:
Stephen Garrett Jr.


Prologue




The port city of Yemenas was filled with activity and light while night fell across the Bajoran sky. Yemenas had once been a relatively sleepy city even under the Cardassian Occupation; now, with Bajor part of the Federation, it was a bustling center of trade boasting an extensive non-Bajoran population, one that promised to only get larger with the recent startling discovery of a stable wormhole to the other side of the galaxy in nearby space.
Among the people moving along on their nightly routine was a young Bajoran woman, Denas Leeta. The orphan Leeta - "Denas" was a name she had adopted on her own later on in life, having no knowledge of her biological relations - was only nineteen by Bajoran reckoning, very beautiful already and her attractive body flattered by the high-cut skirt and leather halter top she wore as she walked along the street. Her dark auburn hair was brushed back and kept short by the desire of her employer Rolas, the Orion owner of the nightclub Leeta had been employed with since she was sixteen.
Moving along Leeta ignored the contemptuous looks of older Bajorans or those in Temple robes. She didn't necessarily like her occupation either, but she had a roof over her head and food to eat and that was the best she could expect. The cost had been her self-respect and her control over her body. She had started with Rolas at sixteen as a waitress for his new club and from there progressed to "dancer" and then to "private entertainer", each step bringing with it higher pay... and the chance to pay off Rolas for all the times she'd had to approach him for extra money for food and rent.

It was how he did things. Girls like Leeta who spent too much and had to go to him for more pay always ended up on this path. Failing to pay him off, well, there had been a couple girls who'd gone that route. And they'd disappeared here and there. Leeta wasn't looking to follow them in that.
She entered the pricey-looking lobby of the Central Plaza Hotel, built over the ruins of a Cardassian barracks by Federation entrepreneurs. She went by elevator to the eighth floor and the suite Rolas had told her to go to. Inside she was relieved to find Raul Sampas, one of her more pleasant and gentle clients. The ship captain, clad in a cherry red nightrobe adorned with the Hotel's lettering, flashed her a wide grin and picked up a bottle of wine. "Ah, Leeta, it is pleasant to have your company again."
"Thank you, Raul," she answered with a wide smile, walking up to him and planting a kiss while he poured a glass for each of them. As one of Rolas' most beautiful girls Leeta had been made to entertain a wide variety of people, each with their own attitudes and their own... tastes. The things some of them liked to do to her were unpleasant to varying degrees, sometimes severe ones. At least with Raul she could be assured of a good glass of wine, perhaps a pleasing appetizer, while the raconteur indulged her with tales of adventure in the stars, resulting in a few hours of enjoyable sex.
"I do so enjoy having you as my companion, Leeta, you're a beautiful woman and quite sweet as well." Raul handed her a wine glass and brought his up to her's. "A drink before we indulge in some treats, my dear?"
Smiling seductively at him, Leeta clanged her glass against Raul's and brought the tip up to her lips. The red wine moistened her lips and slipped onto her tongue to let her feel its taste....

The world rocked violently. Both of them were tossed to the ground, their wine glasses shattering on the fine wood paneled floor along with the wine bottle. Leeta turned and looked up... just in time to see the ceiling start crashing down on her.
And so Leeta screamed, emptying her lungs of air in the moment before the weight of the floors above them came down on her and Raul, crushing them to death instantly.
Outside crowds ran away as soon as the fireball blossomed from the middle floors of the towering Hotel, bringing a section of them crashing down upon lower floors. Two more explosions gutted the structure in the following seconds, and within twenty seconds of the initial fireball the entire hotel came crashing down in a tremendous cloud of debris. The city of Yemenas came alive with a different sound as emergency crews and firefighters responded to the sudden destruction.

In another time, another place, another Leeta had been married to the man who became Grand Nagus of the Ferengi Alliance, one of the wealthiest and most powerful individuals in the entire Alpha Quadrant.
Denas Leeta, sadly, didn't quite get so far in her life, instead having it snuffed out in an instant as the hotel came crashing down above her.

[Themightytom]

wow you sure went out of your way to kill leeta, did she annoy you? :-p

[Steve]

No, I actually like Leeta (and Chase Masterson is hot anyway). But not everybody gets to enjoy a better existance because Praxis didn't explode. Plus it gives the scene a bit more dramatic weight to have a known character, or at least an alternate version of one, get killed in such a tragic way.

[KlavoHunter]

Hurrah! Timelines is back!

[Steve]

Chapter 1



Captain's Log 14 August 2368 10:30 GST: The Enterprise and her squadron have been ordered to escort the ruler of the Thallonian Empire and his entourage to a coming diplomatic conference at space station Deep Space Nine, where we will then take up temporary station to safeguard the high level talks starting over the recent discovery of a stable wormhole in the Bajoran home system. Our mission is to address pressing security concerns due to the recent string of bombings on Bajor linked to xenophobic groups.
Secondly, Admiral Pressman is concerned that the Bajoran terrorists may be working for other powers and wants us to investigate any links we can find during our stay in the Bajoran system. Commander Ivanova will be leading the investigation by my request.
On a personal note, I will enjoy getting to see Ben and his family again and finding how they're settling into their new home.


Lunch for Captain Parker had become a working affair in the ship's main wardroom due to the imminent arrival of the Thallonian Emperor Si Cwan. Commander Montecuccoli was leading the briefing as the squadron's Chief of Staff, mostly laying out the diplomatic situation for the benefit of the others. Kristina - Lt. Commander Ivanova - remained quiet from her seat, not pitching much in for the moment. Commander Data, for his part, was in rapt attention.
"Ah, the Emperor Si Cwan. Not a terribly bad fellow, really. Rather enlightened and competent... by the standards of the Thallonian Emperors," was the new contribution, coming from Capt. Drake Irvine of the U.S.S. Hood. The Englishman had offered to sit in and provide his own viewpoints to the discussion due to his experience with the Thallonians, having visited their homeworld on a couple occasions after gaining his captaincy.
"As I recall the Hood was responsible for carrying Ambassador Ladvrell and his staff to Thallon sixteen months ago," Data offered while Drake sipped at his favored tea, having stirred a bit of lemon into it as was custom. "You were the first Starfleet officer of command rank to be invited to attend a court ceremony of the Empire."
"Yes, Mister Data, something that appeals to my vanity," Drake noted in amused self-deprecation. "But not something of particular interest here. Rather more is Si Cwan's decision to attend these talks in person. Thallon's Emperors tend to prefer anonymity and quiet in the affairs of the known galaxy at large and his stepping forward is something of a break from that."

"I concur. There are many standing theories among the diplomatic corps and Starfleet Intelligence as to the Thallonian motives..."
"But none are in our purview for this matter," Montecuccoli remarked directly. "Emperor Si Cwan's decision to attend the coming Conference on Gamma Quadrant Exploration has added a great deal of scrutiny to what was already going to be a high profile affair. The situation in that section of the Alpha Quadrant is, as you should know, not entirely stable. But given the stalemated outcome of the War of Xenexian Independence and the Danteri overtures to the Federation and to the Breen, we believe Si Cwan may be supportive of Federation interests here as part of an effort to counterbalance the Danteri. It needn't be said that how the Emperor enjoys this experience could tip matters in the 221 Sector Region and the conference."
"And the Conference is the crucial matter at hand. This stable wormhole in the Bajoran system is going to turn that entire region into a focal point of Quadrant astropolitics," Drake remarked, followed by another sip of tea. "The Ferengi are already trying to rile up the neutral states into demanding the Federation cede control of the wormhole to an inter-governmental committee. And this sudden wave of Bajoran terrorism is only going to strengthen their hand."

"Which, of course, brings us to that issue. Commander Ivanova will be working with the security officers on DS9 and with other resources to attempt to nip any terrorist threat in the bud. Admiral Pressman has instructed us to take a more proactive policy toward the issue if we get the opening to do so, though not at the expense of the conference itself." Parker nodded to Montecuccoli. "I'll have you handle the diplomatic end, Commander."
"Of course."
"If that's all, then we should adjourn. We'll be making rendezvous with the Emperor's ship in six hours and Mr. Vanbeggine is hard at work preparing our officer's lounge for his welcoming reception. We'll be meeting at eighteen hundred twenty for the reception, dress uniforms of course. And Commander Ivanova, a word with you?"
The others took the hint and left while Kristina remained. She leveled a gaze at Parker as he stood and began to circle the table. "As for our other set of orders... I don't have to tell you that I'm not happy with Pressman on them. This mission is a diplomatic one and I don't want it getting ruined because something slips out. And undercutting the authority of one of our own..."
"Colonel Kira has never hidden her views regarding the situation of Bajor and she has contacts with known seperatists," Kristina remarked candidly. "Those contacts would be of great benefit to my investigation. At the same time, they make her a security threat for the conference."

"So Starfleet will assign her to command the Marines on the most prestigious ship in the fleet, but she's too much of a security threat to actually perform her duties?", Parker asked with sarcasm.
"When it involves an issue of sensitivity to Bajor and something that is sure to rile the seperatist and religious movements? Yes." Kristina stood and placed her hands at the small of her back. "And to be honest, Captain, Starfleet Intelligence opposed Colonel Kira's posting and we've been concerned about every step she's been permitted to take up the ranks. She is a security threat. And quite the hothead, I'll add. Permission to be dismissed?"
Parker gave a stiff nod. "Granted." He watched the cold figure leave the conference room briskly.





A roar of approval echoed through the Enterprise gym with a gaggle of personnel surrounding the boxing ring, cheering and making other noises at the two figures circling each other. The furor made the gaggle bigger as it drew attention from some of the other Enterprise personnel attending to daily workouts.
Larrisa was one of them, having just got off a treadmill to work out the urge to jog she sometimes had. Despite her relatively light frame compared to everyone else she was able to force her way through toward the front so she could see what was going on.
She was confronted with the sight of two women in the ring, one clad in olive-brown boxing shorts and sports bra and the other in yellow-beige, their hair held in by protective headgear. She recognized Carter almost immediately thanks to the particular brightness of her red hair, while her opponent was not at a good angle to be identified at the moment.
Carter endured a furious pounding from her opponent before getting a solid punch in that sent the other boxer to the ground. As she hit the ground Larrisa noticed the ridged section of her upper nose and knew it was Kira.
A frustrated growl came from Kira and she was back on her feet in moments. She went on the attack immediately again, forcing Carter back along the side of the ring. Or at least it looked like that, since nobody could tell if Carter was really backing away due to the intensity of the attack or for a greater tactical reason. Personnel backed either woman, mostly determined by if the shouter was a Marine or normal ship's company.

Kira's punches slowed a little. And that was when Carter struck. Her first couple of jabs were blocked, then her left first jabbed fast enough to catch Kira in the sternum. The pain response was enough to slow Kira and permit another blow, this a right cross that sent her straight down.
For a moment Kira stayed down. She clearly looked winded and unable to get back up. Nobody stepped forward to help her, so Larrisa did. She clambered up into the ring and, ignoring for the moment Carter accepting congratulations from some of her security staff, went to Kira to help her up.
Kira was already starting to get to her feet at that point. She reached her arm out toward Larrisa, prompting the Edo to move as if to take the arm and help her up, but instead the arm hit Larrisa over the heart and shoved her away. Clearly fatigued and worn down, there still seemed to be quite a bit of energy in the Bajoran woman, who went right back at Carter. This time there was some surprise on Carter's side. She didn't see Kira coming and a fist connected to her throat, temporarily shutting Carter's windpipe. She gasped for air and stumbled over.
Even with that Kira seemed to be going in to attack again, so Larrisa moved up to try and get Kira's attention. She put her hand on Kira's shoulder.

Kira whipped around and her right fist swung hard, colliding with Larrisa's cheek and nose. The sudden onset of pain from where her unprotected nose snapped caused her to cry out, blood beginning to pour from sundered blood vessels in her nose as she hit the canvas.
Carter had began recovering, though her throat hurt terribly, when she saw Larrisa go down. A hoarse "Crazy bitch!" was her response, after which Carter slammed into Kira, tackling her to the ground. She laid into Kira with a couple punches.
At that point a short but built man came up and pulled Carter off Kira, a couple other spectators having already come to Larrisa's side. When Kira went to get back up, a look of pure fury on her face, he extended a hand toward her. "Colonel, back down! This has gone too far!"
"Out of my way Major!", was Kira's response, though she looked winded enough that she could barely stand.
Major Anders shook his head. "Let it go, Colonel. Commander." He looked to Carter.
That got him a stiff nod of acceptance. Carter gave a glare to Kira before moving to help Larrisa up.

For her part, Kira took a minute to collect her bearings while Anders watched. She got a few supportive back-slaps from Marines who enjoyed seeing her beat up on Carter - the rivalry between the Tactical/Security specialists and Starfleet Marines was centuries old - and ignored everything else. She got to the locker room and shower area and settled onto a bench to begin removing her boxing gear. When she noticed Anders standing nearby she remarked, "Thanks for pulling her off me."
"You're welcome." Anders gave an amused chuckle. "Two redheads in the boxing ring always seems a bad idea. So, what set you off this time? They deny your leave request?"
"Not yet." Kira slammed the boxing gloves onto the bench. "I just... I agreed to be submitted to Starfleet as a potential officer because I thought it would be good for Bajor. But then after what the Federation's done to people I fought with, what they're doing now? The Cardassians ripped Bajor apart looking for resources and now the Federation is dangling the Celestial Temple to the rest of the Quadrant like a prize to be negotiated over. It's our system, our space, it should be used to benefit Bajor if it's going to be used at all."
"'If it's going to be used at all'?"
"It's supposed to be the home of the Prophets. It's not exactly a roadway people should feel free to walk down without any reverence." She stood back up. "I'm heading to shower."
"And then...?"
Seeing the look on Anders' face, Kira breathed a sigh. "And then on to sick bay to apologize to Lieutenant Larrisa."
"I knew you had it in you, Colonel," Anders remarked cheerfully.
The smirk that crossed her face looked a bit weary. "Don't push it, Anders..."

After she left him behind, Kira took to the showers. The feeling of warm water washing sweat and soap off made her consider - as many things were wont to do - the life she'd had in the wilds of Bajor as a guerrila fighter. She remembered how the Federation's liberation of Bajor had been followed by such measures as giving amnesty to Bajoran collaborators and, ultimately, denying positions to some of the former Resistance on the grounds of their radicalism. Nothing burned more furiously than that for Kira; what right did the Federation have to come in and declare that those who profited from the Cardassian Occupation were not to be punished, or what ideas or beliefs were acceptable or not?
Despite all those doubts she had agreed, sullenly, to being added to the list of Bajoran guerrilas being considered for Starfleet positions. And so she'd gone from Bajor to Andor and then Earth, where only the Marines seemed interested in taking in a bitter young Bajoran guerrila and refining her into an officer. Kira was as surprised as those who knew her to see how well she did as an officer, as a leader and not just a fighter.
But Kira had never gotten over the feeling that while she was gone, serving in Starfleet and for the wider Federation more than Bajor, her homeworld had been needing her. It had been needing a lot of help to make good on the liberation and it had not been getting it, not according to the news she had read and the messages she'd gotten from old companions.
The bombing in Yemenas had struck everyone with the deaths it'd caused and the way it'd been done. Though the planetary government was keeping tabs on some details, Kira had friends in the police organization of Bajor who'd told her about the bombing's characteristics. It was a signature bombing of the Resistance, they'd all sadly concluded.
Perhaps it was a lunatic. Kira hoped it was a lunatic. A lunatic meant that it was just some sad veteran of the Resistance lashing out at the world for whatever reason had come to mind. A lunatic meant something other than an act calculated to strike at the offworlder population at Yemenas, an act with so many possible consequences that she didn't want to think of them all.




The sick bay was not very active for the afternoon, allowing Doctor Nguyen to personally attend to the most greivous medical issue present: a broken nose. Carter was sitting at the next bed with a medical instrument being used to help with the trauma swelling around her throat. "Why did you jump into the ring anyway?" Phong said to Larrisa while fitting the subdural device that would help heal her nose. "That's a good way to get socked."
"Kira looked like she needed help," Larrisa answered, her voice a bit thick and accented from the broken nose.
"If there's anything I've learned about the Colonel, it's that she never needs help," Phong replied. "Even when she should. Now hold on, this is going to hurt."
Larrisa would wince several times as the device on her nose re-aligned it and mended the fracture caused by Kira's fist. "Ow."
"Broken noses can be hard to fix. Centuries ago they were usually just set in with masks or bandages and could permanently disfigure." Phong took the device on when he confirmed the nose was re-set. He lowered the reader of his medical tricorder back down to her nostrils. "Looks like the broken blood vessels have healed right. I want you to keep an eye out for nosebleeds over the next few days just to be safe."
"Of course, Doctor." With her voice clear again Larrisa slipped off the biobed. Carter stepped up beside her and followed her out into the corridor. "How's your throat?" Larrisa asked.
"Better. I'm lucky Kira was hitting with a fist and not a flat hand, that would've done more damage. Sorry about your nose..."
"Oh, it's fine." She turned her head to face Carter. "So are you going to take up Captain Berger's invitation?"
"Invitation?"

"The other night at the squadron-level briefing? She and some of her senior staff are doing some kind of holodeck game that needs more players, she was offering to bring people into the game when we get to DS9. She's called ahead and reserved a large holo-suite that can accomodate the game 'module', whatever that is, for whoever joins them."
"Oh, that?" Carter snickered. "I don't know, Larrisa. I'm not..."
"I did get my nose broken trying to stop that fight," Larrisa responded, a sweet smile on her face. "And it sounds like it could be fun."
"Fine, fine..."
Carter's following peal of giggling was broken up when Kira walked up to them from the other direction. While they were still in exercise dress Kira was back into a normal duty uniform and looked cleaner, if tense and a bit fatigued. "Ah, Commander, Lieutenant..."
"Colonel?" Larrisa showed no real response, but Carter's expression darkened a bit.
"I wanted to apologize, I... wasn't thinking when I hit you. Are you alright?"
"Oh, it was just a broken nose. Dr. Nguyen fixed it," Larrisa said. "I shouldn't have stepped into the ring without protection anyway."
"No, you were trying to help, it was my fault." Kira gave an exasperated sigh. "Again, I'm sorry for letting that get out of hand."
"Apology accepted, Colonel." Carter nodded and kept walking on.
Looking at Carter for a moment as she walked on, Larrisa added, "Yes, thank you for that." She gave a small smile and walked on.




There was a standard level of activity in Main Engineering on the Enterprise as engineers under Lt. Cmdr. Geordi La Forge's watchful eyes - so to speak at least - maintained the powerful yet potentially dangerous M/AM reactor that provided the ship's warp drives with the power they hungered for while operating.
While overseeing a routine diagnostic process Geordi was joined by Data who, as he sometimes did, was working on off-hours time. Occasionally Parker and Razmara would instruct Data to take downtime, of course, but Geordi liked having an extra pair of eyes and hands on hand and the benefits of having the ship's Operations Officer working closely with the Engineering Department.
And, of course, there was Data's unique take on things. Being a walking, talking supercomputer who wanted to learn about what it was to be Human led to all sorts of remarks and musings that were interesting and even amusing.
"So we've all got to show up tonight?" Geordi moved back over to where Data was standing over a display console. "I guess it's the price of being a senior officer on the Enterprise."
"Yes it is, statistically speaking," Data answered. Still paying attention to his work, Data went on. "However, I believe the rigors of wearing dress uniform and engaging in statecraft are offset by the benefit of being part of a historical moment. No other Thallonian Emperor has been aboard a Federation starship before."
"Yeah, I guess there is that." Geordi finished using the controls to determine one system's operation.
"On another matter, I am interested in the offer made the other night by Captain Berger. I have partaken in some holodeck activities before but never to the extent offered. I am contemplating attending."
Geordi had an amused grin on his face at the thought of Data playing a swords-and-sorcery holo-RPG. "Well, I think it'll be an interesting game if you do. Myself, that's not my style of holodeck use."
"And what do you prefer when using a holodeck?", Data asked.

"Holo-novels can be fun, or just recreating famous places and walking around in them for awhile."
"Ah, holo-novels." Data nodded. "I prefer partaking in the 2366 edition of Sherlock Holmes holo-novels myself."
"Really?"
"Yes, it is a chance to examine the capacity of Human creativity. Solving the cases are quite enjoyable." Data paused for several moments. "Would you like to join me for one, Commander? The programs are designed to permit a second player in the place of Dr. Watson."
At that Geordi shrugged a bit, being a bit curious. "Sure, maybe."
"It will be interesting to have a fellow participant who is not a Vulcan," Data remarked.

"Commander Data."
Geordi and Data turned to see the port opening to Engineering and Commander Razmara entering. "Yes Commander?" Data asked.
"I thought I'd find you here," Razmara said. "Since you're going to work extra hours anyway, Commander, Lieutenant Crusher is needed for standby duty in the tactical bridge and we could use you back on the bridge."
"Ah, of course Commander, I will go there immediately. Commander La Forge, you may want to dispatch a team to check the SIF generator on Deck 20 Port Section 14, the field emitters seem to be mis-aligned."
Geordi nodded at that. "Thanks Data, I'll get Etps on it right away. See you tonight at the banquet."
"Yes."




Kira had retired to her quarters to do paperwork and generally attempt to relax and calm herself. Paperwork wasn't quite as calming for her as it could be for others but it at least gave her some outlet for energy while she smoldered.
Her quarters were spartan... by spartan standards. Furnishings were mostly those provided directly by Starfleet. There were no photos and no personal mementos like others kept, just a traditional candlestand for those occasions when she was up to partaking in a religion she was raised to believe in but rarely adhered to.
The quiet was interrupted by a tone at her door. She sighed and remarked "Come in" while putting a PADD down.
Her door slid open and Parker entered. "Colonel." He nodded to her and added, "Don't worry about getting up. I was just coming by to let you know your leave was approved. You can consider yourself off-duty as soon as we get to Bajor."
Kira allowed herself a small smile at that. She had friends to look up and people to see on Bajor, after all, and since they'd be going by it seemed...
...too good to be true?
The smile began to fade as Kira thought it over. "I thought I'd have to be kept on duty until the conference got underway. The whole senior staff is going to be involved in some way or another? Wait, don't answer, I already know." Kira's fists tightened. "Admiral Pressman. I was in Shakaar's unit so I'm a security risk."
Parker sighed and shook his head. "I don't agree with the decision. And I'm appealing it to Admiral Leyton."
"But there's no way you'll win on the matter. After all, I'm such close friends with Bajoran seperatists," Kira remarked mockingly. "And nobody wants to take the risk that I'll let them talk me into disrupting the Federation's precious conference. Can't have you signing over Bajoran territorial rights if there's a risk of a Bajoran blowing things up, right? After all, that's something we always do. Something doesn't go our way, we blow something up."

Parker cleared his throat. He'd anticipated a violent, angry response, certainly, but he also wanted to keep Kira from perhaps going too far. "This conference is important to Bajor, Colonel. Like it or not this new wormhole is of interest to everyone in the quadrant. The Federation has to deal with that. And we're not going to hang Bajor out to dry, Bajor's part of the Federation."
At that Kira barked, "Well maybe it shouldn't be! Maybe you should have let us make that decision after we were done rebuilding our planet instead of shoving a vote down our throat before we were ready to fend for ourselves! But I guess we were too primitive and superstitious to be allowed to rule ourselves, just like the Cardassians used to claim!"
"You and I both know it was a more complicated matter than that."
"Was it?!"
Parker shook his head and turned away. "Listen, I came to tell you personally as a favor, not to hear you vent your personal beliefs. Just be ready tonight for Emperor Cwan's arrival, I'll be appealing on your behalf..."
"I can fight my own battles, Captain," Kira snapped. "And I certainly don't give a damn about the Thallonian Emperor coming, not when I'm going to be humiliated by not being there with my Marines at the conference!"

Parker remained silent for a moment at the door before turning back to Kira. "Find, I won't be expecting you. See you later, Colonel."
Kira watched him step out and did nothing more. She didn't go back to the work she'd been doing earlier, she couldn't even get her mind into that. And she couldn't write a protest at this moment, not in the way that Starfleet would accept. The only thing she felt like doing was hitting someone again.
And the question occured to her again. Why was she in Starfleet? Why shouldn't she write up a resignation here and now and go back to Bajor, her home, a home that needed her?
Why not?