Very good works so far, i look forward to some more
Star Trek/Star Wars: The Best of Both Worlds
Moderator: LadyTevar
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Dartzap
- Sith Acolyte
- Posts: 5969
- Joined: 2002-09-05 09:56am
- Location: Britain, Britain, Britain: Land Of Rain
- Contact:
If it had been Dalla then the entire Imperial Remnent would have long ago been destroyed in yet anouther war
Very good works so far, i look forward to some more
Very good works so far, i look forward to some more
EBC: Northeners, Huh! What are they good for?! Absolutely nothing! 
Cybertron, Justice league...MM, HAB SDN City Watch: Sergeant Detritus
Days Unstabbed, Unabused, Unassualted and Unwavedatwithabutchersknife: 0
Cybertron, Justice league...MM, HAB SDN City Watch: Sergeant Detritus
Days Unstabbed, Unabused, Unassualted and Unwavedatwithabutchersknife: 0
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Dartzap
- Sith Acolyte
- Posts: 5969
- Joined: 2002-09-05 09:56am
- Location: Britain, Britain, Britain: Land Of Rain
- Contact:
Autistic 15 year old with Vivid imaginations = disturbed child for the rest of the year....
that image gives me bad mantal images....
that image gives me bad mantal images....
EBC: Northeners, Huh! What are they good for?! Absolutely nothing!
Cybertron, Justice league...MM, HAB SDN City Watch: Sergeant Detritus
Days Unstabbed, Unabused, Unassualted and Unwavedatwithabutchersknife: 0
Cybertron, Justice league...MM, HAB SDN City Watch: Sergeant Detritus
Days Unstabbed, Unabused, Unassualted and Unwavedatwithabutchersknife: 0
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Dartzap
- Sith Acolyte
- Posts: 5969
- Joined: 2002-09-05 09:56am
- Location: Britain, Britain, Britain: Land Of Rain
- Contact:
I was thinking of that when you were on about hosts earlier...
*Unholsters Tazar, " i think you willl get back to your story now, okay?"*
*Unholsters Tazar, " i think you willl get back to your story now, okay?"*
EBC: Northeners, Huh! What are they good for?! Absolutely nothing!
Cybertron, Justice league...MM, HAB SDN City Watch: Sergeant Detritus
Days Unstabbed, Unabused, Unassualted and Unwavedatwithabutchersknife: 0
Cybertron, Justice league...MM, HAB SDN City Watch: Sergeant Detritus
Days Unstabbed, Unabused, Unassualted and Unwavedatwithabutchersknife: 0
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Crazedwraith
- Emperor's Hand
- Posts: 11937
- Joined: 2003-04-10 03:45pm
- Location: Cheshire, England
Disclaimer: Star Trek created by Gene Roddenberry and owned by Paramount Pictures. Stat Wars created by George Lucas and owned by Twentieth Century Fox and Lucasfilm. I own the story and any original characters/species. No copyright infringement is intended.
The Best of Both Worlds: Part XV
“Virtue doesn't mean anything unless it's tested alongside vice.”
- Frank Pembleton, Homicide: Life on the Street -
***
Location: U.S.S. Paradox
31st Century, Alpha Quadrant, Milky Way Galaxy
As he materialized once again upon the bridge of the Federation Timeship Paradox, Agent Daniels was tempted to curse in one of his favorite twenty-third century Orion or Andorian curses. He was in conference with the Captain Braxton of 2875, the Krenim, the Futuresmiths, and other notable temporal specialists. Their goal, their mission, was to explore why this temporal anomaly had occurred and try to neutralize it in any possible way with minimal damage to the space-time continuum.
Or rather, he had been when the spatial/temporal communications matrix had gone haywire and the whole ship had started rocking like a wayward vessel in Earth’s oceans from thousands of years ago – something that in an age of wonder and technology that had produced the Paradox was close to impossible.
He was determined to find out the high and why.
“Ah, Agent Daniels. Welcome back.”
“What the hell was that?”
“Scanning. Massive temporal disturbance sir.”
“Cause?”
“It’s not the anomaly. It appears to be the result of a temporal wake. Going back to at least the end of the twenty-fourth century as far as I can tell.”
“That’s not enough. Where and when – I need the exact specifics.”
“I can’t give them to you sir.”
The temporal agent frowned.
“Why not?”
“Because I can’t initiate a complete temporal scan on that era’s temporal and spatial coordinates. Whatever happened back there, the sensor networks can’t penetrate it.
“Does that explain why the communications system also went down?”
“Analyzing. A probable and logical possibility.”
Daniels sighed.
“Fine. Initiate systems regeneration and do what you can to punch through that interference.”
“Aye sir.”
The Temporal Agent turned his gaze at the burning holographic DTI logo and behind it, the massive computers and screens that profiled the points of the space-time continuum that the Paradox was required to monitor – as well as the parties that could disrupt history and that had the means to.
But now…
Now, he was not certain, as he had possibly considered before, that one of these groups was responsible – none of them were even remotely capable of manipulating temporal energy on this kind of scale. So what the hell had happened in the past that could disrupt the Paradox’s technology like that and whodunit?
***
Location: The Quintessence
Somewhere in the Universe
The Stranger leaned back in his chair, hands folded and look of utmost seriousness and contemplation upon his face.
“The enemy has utilized castling against us. Therefore we must do the same.”
Q and the other beings stared in bewilderment at their esteemed colleague.
“What? How?”
“By seeking a member of the opposite, one who possess understanding and a connection to the Starheart, and one who can help to turn back the waves of chaos and destruction that we will face in the days to come.”
Q had just about had it with the Stranger’s flowery, almost mystic language and finally verbally let loose against their chairman.
“Look Stranger, will you please just cut the crap and tell us who in the hell you’re talking about?!”
For the first time since this particular incarnation of the Quintessence had adjourned, no one told Q to shut up or to stick it where the sun (or any sun outside of the Sol System for that matter) didn’t shine. They all starred quietly at the Stranger, who sighed.
“Very well, Q. The one I speak of is familiar to the ways of the Skywalker. In her being lies not the key, but possible keys in which we may further turn the lock and chains against the Merging and those it has utilized as its pawns in this universal game of chance and strategy.”
The Stranger waved his hand again and as before, the fires in the pit leapt about into the air above, forming a representation of a bird-like humanoid.
“She is the one known as Vergere.”
***
U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-E
Sector 001, Alpha Quadrant, Milky Way Galaxy
“Red Alert! All hands to battle-stations. Helm, maximum warp to Earth!”
“Aye sir!”
With its mighty impulse engines roaring to life, the Federation flagship spun surged forward from the Terran-Nubian wormhole and engaged its warp engines, the FTL technology propelling the Enterprise and her crew towards Sector 001, a Sector 001 that in the space of the last five minutes had gone from a setting of tranquility and celebration to one of chaos and despair.
On board the bridge of the mighty Soverigerin-class ship, Command William Riker gripped the armrests of the chair of command, determination in his eyes and the eyes of everyone on the bridge, from Deanna and Data to Mara Jade Skywalker.
This was déjà vu all over again for Riker. This was now the fourth time that he had been on an Enterprise that had launched itself at red alert into the Sol System at maximum warp. The first two occasions had been during the Borg attacks of’66 and ‘73 and the third had been the Breen attack on Earth during the final months of the Dominion War; the Enterprise had just completed repairs from the Briar Patch incident and was testing her upgrades when the Breen had hit headquarters.
But of course, Riker had no way of knowing where the blast they had all seen on the viewscreen – they had obviously been watching the proceedings of the treaty signing since they had helped to usher it in -- had come from. Had it been a bomb or an orbital attack? Was it an accident or, like the Khitomer Conspiracy, a deliberate terrorist act by conspirators in both the Federation and/or the New Republic?
“Data, what’s our ETA?”
“Two hours, twenty-five minutes, fifteen seconds, Commander.”
“Can you get a fix on what Starfleet ships are in orbit of Earth?”
The android entered Riker’s request into the operations console and was instantly rewarded.
““I’m pulling them up. Starfleet ships currently in orbit are the Akron, the Cussler, the Ballard, the Gormenghast, the Valley Forge, and the Toronto. They are already beaming down relief personnel and medical teams to the disaster zone.”
“And Chancellor Martok’s Klingon task force? What’s their status?”
“At least another day, possibly two.”
Worf growled in frustration at the prospect of his brothers and people arriving too late to fight what could possibly be one the Federation’s most trying battles. Riker shot him a glance and Worf buried his frustration and became passive, though still determined -- another example of why Starfleet’s first Klingon had earned from his colleagues and poker buddies the moniker of “Ice-Man”.
Riker, however, had one last question for Data.
“And Republic ships?”
“Just the Ralroost is in orbit. They are also shuttling down medics.”
Riker mused on this. One Republic ship in orbit. Was it possible? Could they have been responsible for the Council bombing?
As if reading his minds, both his bride-to-be and Mara Jade both shook their heads.
“Will, I seriously doubt the New Republic would blow up its own head of state as well as our government.”
“What she said.”
“Counselor Troi is correct, Commander. It is highly improbable and illogical that the New Republic delegation would commit an act like this.”
“That’s what people said before the conference at Khitomer – no offense Worf.”
“None taken.”
“Until we get more information and details from San Francisco, we have to assume that the Republic is a possible suspect and possibly responsible.”
“Responsible for what, Number One?”
Gasps were echoed across the bridge as Riker turned around in his chair. There, standing behind the chair of command were the two missing figures that had been the topic of discussion during the briefing yesterday: Captain Jean-Luc Picard and Jedi Master Luke Skywalker.
“Captain, Master Skywalker – how did you…”
“It’s a long story, Number One, and one that we need to relay to Starfleet Command. The conflict with the Yuuzhan Vong is just the tip of an iceberg that could destroy us all. But what’s happened?”
“The Federation Council chamber has been bombed, sir.”
“What?!”
***
Location: Romulus
Beta Quadrant, Milky Way Galaxy
Shinzon sat proudly atop the Scimitar’s chair of command, a slight glimmer of discomfort on his face signifying that for a brief moment, his internal weakness had struck yet again. His loyal Viceroy, Vkruk, had utilized ancient Reman techniques coupled with modern medicine to delay the onslaught, but it was becoming more difficult to keep the genetic breakdown at bay.
Time would soon be of the essence. The Scimitar, unbeknownst to his co-conspirators and supporters on Romulus, was already on its way out of the core of Romulan space, it’s ultimate destination Sector 001 and the Terran-Nubian wormhole. With the agents he had in place in the Federation that were loyal to Remus, he had learned that Picard had vanished and therefore, locating the world of Kamino was a priority before his condition worsened.
In short, everything was on schedule.
“We are connected to the Romulan communications and holographic network, Shinzon.”
“Prepare to relay it to all four corners of Romulan space, Vkruk.”
The communications transceiver that had been placed in front of the chair of command began to glow as power flowed through its circuits. It was a rather clever set-up in that it directly connected to holographic systems in place in the main chamber of the Romulan Senate building. The holo-projectors, lifted and captured Starfleet deigns that they were, were so advanced that his supporters currently assembled in the Senate had no idea that they were addressing a hologram – or that Shinzon was no longer on planet; he trusted them only as far as he could throw then and had not given them the ability to track his flagship.
This, however, was a risk unto itself. He knew elements of the military unrelated to I’val and the other co-conspirators would with little doubt try to strike in his absence if they discovered the ruse. If and when they did, then they would be in for a surprise. They forgot that even with its designation as the Empire’s hellhole, Remus was still the most heavily armed and defended planet in the entire Star Empire, second only to Romulus itself. And with the Romulan overseers…subdued, Remans were now manning the planetary shields and disruptor grids.
Now, the rabble needed addressing.
“Romulans and Remans across the Star Empire. I come before you in the wake of recent events to issue a call to reason. There are many who will believe this communication is another serving of Romulan propaganda or that I am a psychotic human spy sent by the Federation to undermine the Empire. I am neither. I am Reman.”
He let his words sink in before continuing.
“Look at the Empire and what do you see? The Senate and its political lackeys have squandered the wealth of Romulus and Remus for their own petty ends and agendas. The Tal Shiar has kept individuality repressed and a constant fear of terror upon the population, both Romulan and Reman. We offered a hand of friendship and the ancient Romulans slapped it awat. Today, despite everything that has happened to the Reman people, I renew that offer.”
The Reman centurion and Praetor paused momentarily.
“If there is one thing the Federation has taught us, it is that within unity lies strength. Many of you consider it their greatest weakness and in many ways it is. But in other ways, it their greatest strength. Romulans and Remans together must unite to overcome any and all forces that would destroy us: the Yuuzhan Vong, the Borg, and all the others that would stand against us and destroy everything we have slaved and labored to create.
We will fight to keep our paradise and homes, but as equals, as Remans and Roumulans together. Let this be the start of a new era, let no Romulan or Reman or Vulcan for that matter kill each other, and let us forever set aside out differences to forge a greater whole for a one we can and shall win through, no matter the cost! Thank you.”
***
Miles away from the Romulan capital of Ki Baratan, in a nondescript building that was owned by a relation of former Proconsul M’Ret, Ambassador Spock of Vulcan sat at attention, calmly watching the end of Shinzon’s transmission as his followers, all key members of the Underground Reunification Movement, watched on in stunned silence.
“Amarik?”
The Underground’s resident technical genius was monitoring her custom-built equipment that tied into the Romulan communications system.”
“It’s going out on all frequencies to all corners of the Empire, Ambassador.”
“Any sign of it being directed towards Vulcan or non-Romulan space?”
“None that I can tell.”
Spock sat back in his chair, musing on what they had just witnessed.
Following the end of the Dominion War, Spock had returned briefly to Vulcan and to his wife Saavik before venturing back across the Neutral Zone. There was still much work to be done, his quest for reunification had become more difficult with a more-alert Tal Shiar and Senate intent on cracking down on non-Romulan ideals.
But now…
Now, the Senate and Tal Shiar were dead and their job, their goal, their vision had become that much easier. If Centurion Shinzon was genuine in his beliefs and goals, then they possibly had a chance to see a reunficiation of the Romulan and Vulcan peoples within their lifetimes.
But if Shinzon went back on his end of whatever deal he had made with the Romulan military – and by giving this speech, Spock believed that he probably was; the Romulan military was not known for being liberal-minded -- then the situation on Romulus was going to get much more bloody.
***
Light years away from the Romulan homeworld, Shinzon’s message was being broadcast across the flat surface of the viewscreen in Romulan Admiral Tomalak’s quarters. The D’deredix-class Warbird Decius was among those Warbirds that Shinzon had been unable to locate since the assassination of the Senate and the destruction of the Tal Shiar headquarters.
Admiral Tomalak, frequent foil for the Federation outposts and ships on the edge of Romulan space, sat back in his chair, contemplating everything he had just heard. He glanced at the shadows to his side, knowing full well what lay there.
“You should have killed him when you had the chance, you know.”
The inky darkness of the shadows parted as a figure emerged. It was a battered, bruised, but still very much alive Chairman Koval
“You try to kill a self-proclaimed Reman who survives twelve suicide missions during the Dominion War.”
The Decius has beamed out Romulan survivors from the Tal Shiar as quickly as they could while under cloak during their positioning in the Romulus system before, as the humans put it, hightailing it out of there at the fastest speed possible. Personally, Tomalak had always issues with the Tal Shiar, but he had to put them aside for the moment.
“If Romulus wasn’t in the hands of traitors and a Reman, I might actually find that amusing.”
“We’ll get the homeworld back, Admiral.”
“I have no doubt about that, Koval. I am curious about one thing, though.”
“And that is what, Admiral?”
“Nothing much. Simply, where did Shinzon get his hands on a working thalaron core?”
“I haven’t the foggiest idea; Thalaron research has always proven difficult to execute and so as you know, there has been little to no experimentation. The only idea that I can formulate is that he acquired it is through possible Dominion research or even -- ”
“Chairman, I am just as experienced as you are in telling lies and spotting them. Now where did Shinzon get that thalaron core?
Koval pounded his fist angrily against the table. He had never liked Tomalak that much and the man was stretching his already fractured patience. But he knew exactly how Shinzon had gotten a hold of that kind of weapons technology and if he wanted to reclaim Romulus, he was going to have to be honest with Tomalak, whether he liked it or not. He straightened his tunic and looked at Tomalak.
“I have a general idea.”
“Enlighten me then.”
“Very well. A month after the Alliance took the Chin’toka system, a Jem’Hadar battalion established a communications relay on Goloroth, a rather insignificant planet located the Neutral Zone. The Jem’Hadar were, as you know, using the Neutral Zone to launch ships for their Romulan campaign and the Empire had requesting Alliance assistance in clearing out the staging grounds.”
“Knowing how our government works – worked, I’m sure there was an ulterior motive to that.”
“There was. In secret, the planet was the site of a secret Tal Shiar laboratory, where the agency’s scientific minds, away from eyes of the Praetor and the Senate, furthered Romulan research on biogenic weapons. They had produced a working prototype for a Thalaron core and had just begun testing it when the Jem’Hadar regiment landed. The Dominion’s engineered soldiers had, of course, discovered the installation and seized control of it before the self-destruct could be activated. Rather than let the Dominion gain the Thalaron research or let the Federation and Klingons discover it, Shinzon was sent in to destroy it before the Alliance task force reached the planet.”
“You just don’t send a Reman on any kind of mission. Why him?”
“The mission was a convenient way to have the up and coming Reman Centurion eliminated; everyone from the High Command to the Senate considered him a threat to the status quo within the Empire’s hierarchy. And while the Draco, the Warbird assigned to the mission, was destroyed by the Dominion’s planet-based weapons arrays and most of Shinzon’s regiment killed, Shinzon himself had survived to lead more suicide missions for another day.”
Koval paused, sighing.
“It’s blatantly obvious now that while Shinzon had completed the mission, he must have helped himself to the research and technology from the Goloroth installation and had used it to build that monstrosity of a Warbird, the Scimitar.
Koval was more furious at himself, however. The head of the Tal Shiar should have seen that coming, but he had been distracted, his attention focused in working with Starfleet’s Section 31 to prevent Senator Cretak from obtaining the seat on the Continuing Committee four years prior.
Now, the damage had been done.
“So, Shinzon has made his moves. We must first determine the breadth of the board that we have been forced upon. Find out exactly which military figures are directly allied with him. I will continue to try contacting other figures who I know.”
“I will do what I can. It will not be easy. You know as well as I do how many military officers hate the Tal Shiar and the bureaucracy of the Senate. Shinzon offers them a new chance and it will not be easy to find allies that will fight alongside us.”
“But we must do it, no matter what the cost, Chairman.”
“For Romulus?”
“For Romulus.”
With that simple proclamation, the fight to reclaim the Romulan Star Empire had begun.
***
Location: Federation Council Disaster Zone
San Francisco, Earth, Alpha Quadrant, Milky Way Galaxy
With a twinkle and a swirl of lights, Captain Picard and Master Skywalker materialized in what had been the pristine, sparkling Federation Council building. Moments later, they were followed by Dr. Crusher and her medics as well as Worf and an Enterprise security team. Although he had never actually set foot in the Council chambers, Skywalker
The great seal of the Federation that had adorned the main wall was cracked, the walls and floors blackened with rubble scattered across the expanse – it was like Kueller’s bombing of Senate Hall all over again. Droids and Starfleet officers with advanced tricorders were scanning the rubble of the Council Chamber, trying to uncover any kind of clue.
Off to the site, Beverley Crusher’s medical team joined up with the Starfleet medics already treating the wounded. Picard recognized quite a few familiar faces among those at the disaster scene. There was the Voyager EMH, Leonard H. McCoy, Even Lt. Alexander Munro and the Hazard Team were present. Coming up to the duo was a weary, but fierce-eyed Admiral Kathryn Janeway.
“Admiral.”
“Captain.”
“What’s the total casualty count?”
“Ten Federation Councilors and two Admirals are dead, another thirty are injured. President Grey’si and Senator Shesh are fine, but Borsk Fey’lya isn’t.”
“How bad is it?”
“Very bad. He’s got a severe concussion, third degree burns across forty percent of his body and internal bleeding.”
Skywalker considered this.
“Have the Republic medics tried bacta?”
“Your medics and their 2-1B medical droids have been working with our own doctors and EMH programs at Starfleet Medical trying everything from bacta to dermal regenerators, but there’s been little progress. I’ll be frank – the chances of him living through the next day or two are slim. What Jedi healing techniques?”
“Not my area of specialty of myself or that of…”
The Jedi Master trailed off, his eyes widening.
“Oh no.”
“What is it?”
“Jaina, Jacen, and Anakin. With the Stranger’s revelations, I completely forgot about them. They could be -- ”
“They’re perfectly fine, laddie.”
Both men and Janeway turned to see a somewhat large, elderly man, with a snow white mustache and a twinkle in his eyes approach their position. Picard instantly recognized this very important figure standing before them.
“Master Skywalker, this Captain Montgomery Scott of the Starfleet Corps of Engineers.”
“But please, you can me Scotty. Anyway, your nephew Anakin was at the Daystom Institute amazing this wee old engineer with his theories and abilities when the incident took place. He’s safe and sound at S.C.E headquarters, as are your other nephew and niece, although that took some effort.”
“What do you mean?”
Scotty sighed.
“Well apparently a group of Starfleet cadets who had family or friends working at the Council building got in their heads to deal out vigilante-style justice – it’s unfortunately not the first time it’s happened in the Academy history. She’s perfectly fine, I assure you; I haven’t seen a woman fight like that since I was a wet-behind the ears cadet myself. She also had help, a cadet that came back on the Voyager named Icheb. He’s also with her at S.C.E.”
“And the cadets?”
“One of the instructors, Tuvok of Vulcan and also formerly of the Voyager is dressing them down. Trust me, nothing’s worse than getting dressed down by a Vulcan.”
The Scottish engineer grinned, fondly remembering how many times over the course of the last century he had seen McCoy and Spock go at it. Even Janeway chuckled briefly, knowing quite well Tuvok was capable of when something like that happened.
“Captain Scott --”
“Scotty.”
“Scotty, thank you for doing that, for looking after them.”
“Oh no problem. Always m’pleasure.”
Picard turned back to the matter at hand.
“What about Starfleet Command?”
“Command’s been evacuated from the main building just in case this wasn’t an isolated incident. They’ve relocated to Bunker One. Now, if you will excuse us.”
“Of course Admiral, Captain.”
As Janeway and Scotty left their company, Master Skywalker kneeled on the floor, turning over wreckage and rubble, his eyes closed as he opened himself to the Force once again and expanded his senses.
“It’s not too difficult to see that this was what the Stranger meant when he sensed a great disturbance.”
“I’m sorry for the losses that both of our governments and cultures have suffered.
“But we must and we will find out who was responsible for this act.”
“What about you? Can you sense anything?”
“I sense nothing representing a typical Force presence. I’ll have to peer more closely of course. If I can’t find anything, than its possible Yuuzhan Vong connection.”
“Because they are absent from the Force?”
“Exactly. I’ll need to be sure, but my inability to sense anything suggests that.”
At that moment, Picard’s communicator chirped.
“Enterprise to Picard.”
The Captain tapped his combadge.
“Go ahead Number One.”
“About two minutes ago, a shuttle bearing Republic markings exited the wormhole and made a micro-hyperspace jump into the Sol system before we knew what it was. It’s calling itself the Moldy Crow. The pilot says his name is Kyle Katarn and that he knows Master Skywalker and is requesting permission to either land or be beamed down.”
Picard turned towards the Jedi Master.”
“Do you know him?”
“Very well. I had hoped that he would arrive prior to the ceremony, but at least he’s here now.”
“Very well. Number One, advise him of the situation and prepare to beam him to the Council Disaster Zone at our current coordinates.”
“Aye sir.”
As the channel closed, Picard glanced at Skywalker.
“So who is this Kyle Katarn?”
“A Jedi Knight and one of the best of the New Jedi Order. Kyle started off as a Imperial Stormtrooper, but then left the Imperial Academy after he found out that Empire, not the Rebels as he had always believed, had killed his father. He worked on an off again with the Alliance and was the best operative we had prior to Endor. It was also found that he had natural Force affinity, though it took several years for him to accept my offer to study at the Praxeum.”
As Skywalker finished, a middle-aged man, dressed in the same standard Jedi robes and garb that Master Skywalker wore mater
“Well, that was unusual. Would have made my life a lot easier a couple of years ago.”
“It’s good to see Kyle.”
“Likewise, Master Skywalker. So, this is where the bombing took place?”
“Yes.”
“Alright, let’s get to work.”
***
“Perhaps one of you can possibly explain to me in the simplest of terms exactly what in the hell happened here today!”
“I kind of have to agree with the Admiral on this one, with all due respect sirs.”
“Noted, Agent Zweller. Admiral Nechayev, I can assure you that we had nothing to do with the bombing of the Federation Council this afternoon.”
Admiral Alynna Nechayev was standing once again in the abandoned TR-116 manufacturing plant, gazing once more at the twelve obsidian monoliths that represented the twelve most experienced and important individuals in the Federation’s autonomous covert agency Section 31. To her side stood a battered, but otherwise intact Cortin Zweller who had fled the Council bombing as quickly and as discreetly as his talents and training permitted.
“Am I really expected to just believe that?”
“Admiral, for what possible, logical, or even sane reason would we have to blow up the Federation Council, the very core of the institution that we have dedicated ourselves to preserving?”
“Because your ideology demands that the end justifies the means and if that meant destroying the Council…”
She trailed off, letting the implication sink in.
“If that was true, Admiral, it would mean Republic reprisals, something that in the wake of the Yuuzhan Vong attack on Sector 001 we would not want or be able to win.”
“What about your Operation Dreadnaught, the plan you had to stop a Republic or Yuuzhan Vong invasion?”
“It is on hot standby. The geopolitical status is too unstable to implement that particular means of reprisal at this time.”
“So if you weren’t responsible for the bombing, than who was?”
“If we knew Admiral, then we wouldn’t exactly be having this conversation, now would we?”
“Well we can’t rule out the possibility of involvement from local powers, perhaps even the Dominion -- ”
“The report that came in from Deep Space Nine contradicts that –you have read it, have you not?”
“On the way over to this meeting, yes.”
“Well, if the Founders are indeed truthful in that the Borg are indeed invading Dominion territory, then everything is going completely to hell.”
What about the Tal Shiar?”
“The Tal Shiar has been mysteriously silent for the last week. Our agents in Romulan space have yet to discover why.”
Zweller stroked his chin, his mind examining the chain of potential suspects.
“Viqi Shesh is also a possibility.”
“How so?”
“Her Senatorial record suggests a penchant for hidden agendas and such. I’m sure that if her homeworld, Kuat I believe, was given an offer by the Yuuzhan Vong’s Warmaster, Tsavong Lah of non-aggression, Senaotr Shesh would probably take it up in an instant. Her measure from six months ago, the one about Jedi capitulation, works against her.
“She is indeed a logical possibility, one that we will investigate as quickly and as efficiently as we can. But in the meantime we will let Starfleet Security and the New Republic conduct their pitiful investigations whilst we conduct ours.
“Understood.”
“The rest of the meeting does not concern you.”
“Your presence here, as always, was appreciated.”
The production factory was plunged into darkness and when the lighting returned, the Monoliths had vanished. Zweller chuckled slightly.
“I still hate it when they do that.”
***
Location: Deep Space Nine
Bajoran System, Alpha Quadrant, Milky Way Galaxy.
“Are you sure this is safe?”
“Perfectly. Why?”
“Just asking.”
Not that Quark didn’t trust this Lando Calrissian – he did given that Calrissian wasn’t wearing a better suit then him as the Rules of Acquisition stated – but this ship, the Lady Luck, its technologies and furnishings – which were actually quite nice and would be useful when Quark had the expense to refurnish his quarters – all of it was just so alien to what Quark was used to.
Or maybe it was just bad memories of what had happened with the Quark’s Treasure.
“Now, you’re sure these are Ferenginar’s exact spatial coordinates as well as the coordinates of every major gravitation body en route?”
“Yes, why?”
“Well, if these are incorrectly entered into the Lady Luck’s navicomputer, then we won’t safely exit hyperspace. Or we hit a gravity well or something that will probably end up killing us before we realize it.”
Quark starred at the aging gambler and entrepreneur.
“That contradicts what you just told me, Calrissian.”
“I was just asking, Quark.”
“Fine.”
Calrissian just grinned and pulled back the hyperspace level.
“All right, engaging hyperdrive.
In a strangely similar yet different enough fashion to what Quark was used to, the stars in fro
“By the Nagus...”
“First time you’ve seen hyperspace, eh?”
“What do you think?”
“I was kidding, Quark. We are now in hyperspace. We should be exiting in the next few minutes.”
“Good. The sooner the better”
“What’s wrong with starring at hyperspace?”
“Nothing, it’s except it’s boring! I’d rather be starring at the well-toned legs of an Orion slave girl if you catch my drift.”
“If I wasn’t married, I’d agree whole headedly with you on that one, Quark.”
The next few minutes were spent in analyzing any and all similarities and differences between the capitalist aspects of their cultures. Both men were trying to explain the workings of their favorite games, Sabbac and Tongo respectively, when the navicomputer indicator began beeping.
“Coming up on Ferenginar. Exiting hyperspace…now!”
Calrissian pulled back on the lever and in an instant the stars reverted back to their normal configuration, replaced by a gray orb that began filling up the cockpit windows as the Lady Luck approached it.
“So that’s Ferenginar?”
“There’s no place like home.”
***
Republic Cruiser Ralroost
Earth, Alpha Quadrant, Milky Way Galaxy
“Are you sure I can’t offer you a shot of Endorian port?
“I do not wish or desire such drink.”
“Suit yourself.”
Declared fit enough to return to the Republic delegation’s flagship, Viqi Shesh sat back in her guest quarter’s bed, toasting to the success of her conspiracy with Yuuzhan Vong Executor Nom Anor.
Everything had gone better than expected. Disguised as her Senatorial assistant, Nom Anor had planted a hybrid bomb at the Council shortly before the signing had begun. It had taken little effort to place it in the security droid that was stationed where Fey’lya would be sitting. And while it had not taken out the Federation’s president, Grey’si of Andor as they had hoped it might, Fey’lya’s near fatality had been more than ehough.
“So, what’s next on the agenda?”
“We will sit back and wait to see how quickly the Federation government destabilizes – and what the Republic’s reaction will be of course. You must push for an aggressive response to the Federation’s complicity, Senator Shesh.”
“I have already done so. The Senate is in chaos over the possibility of Fey’lya dying while he was a guest of the Federation and it’s going to continue to get worse, even if we don’t stoke the fires.”
“Then we must be sure to stoke those fires.”
“And stoke them we will for the glory of Kuat and the Yuuzhan Vong.”
She raised the glass of Endorian port once again.
“To the future!”
“Indeed.”
***
Bunker One, Starfleet Emergency Command Bunker
Earth, Alpha Quadrant, Milky Way Galaxy
The Starfleet installation designated Bunker One had been built two hundred years prior, shortly after the reclusive Xindi had attacked Earth’s North American continent. The bunker had also been from where the defense of Earth during the Breen’s attack on the planet had been conducted after plasma torpedoes had leveled the main Command building.
Starfleet personnel were manning the main control stations as Admirals as other key Starfleet figures gathered in the main briefing room. While lacking the size and grandeur of the Tactical Preparation Theater, Bunker One’s briefing room was still adequate for the gathering of the top brass and figures. Elias Vaughn was giving the briefing.
“I can tell you right now that it was a bomb and not a turbolaser strike from the Ralroost. The bomb was built into one of the Republic security droids and apparently had a timer as we can find not signs of signals that match remote detonation. Our readings on the bomb’s origin have been inconclusive thus far. The Republic security droids show readings that match standard Starfleet photon grenades and explosives. But our tricorders show evidence of what Mr. Katarn has identified as Republic thermal detonators.
“So in effect, we have no way to accurately determine who might have set the bomb?”
“I’m, saying that someone with an above-average knowledge of explosives and engineering innovation was responsible.”
“What if it was transported into the droid during the ceremony?”
“It wasn’t transported it, I can tell you that much. The Republic doesn’t have transporter technology and the dampening fields were all in place and operating when the explosion
“Did you check if the fields were lowered for a split-second before the explosion?”
“Already did it. There was no disruption in the field whatsoever.”
In the back of the room Luke Skywalker leaned back across the walls and contemplated the findings of the Republic and Federation teams with his own. His and Kyle’s Jedi scans had been unable to pick up anything remotely to suggest either party was responsible for the rigging of the security droid. The lack of any kind of Force presence suggested Yuuzhan Vong involvement, but with the revelations that had been made towards the Jedi Master in the meeting chamber of the Quintessence, he just wasn’t sure.
Suddenly, he sensed emanations of distress and anger coming from the main control room.
Or rather from Captain Picard.
Without making a sound, Master Skywalker quickly withdrew from the briefing room and found Picard sitting at one of the rear councils, a look of shock upon his normally cool, determined face.
“Captain? What is it?”
Picard breathed slowly and sighed.
“I was looking over the security logs from the ceremony and found this.”
He pointed to the display console. The image was of the balcony permitted to the civilian viewing audience, mere seconds before the bombing had taken place.
“Do you see that man?”
The man Picard pointed to was a middle-aged human with a thick shock of white hair, yet possessing an air that combined seriousness with boyishness.
“Who is he?”
Picard glanced around slowly and then looked at Skywalker.
“You can sense what I’m thinking, can’t you,” Picard whispered.
“Yes. But why?”
“Just do it.”
Without argument, Skywalker opened himself up to the Force and Picard’s thoughts became as clear as crystal.
“His name is Cortin Zweller. And if he was there, then I know who was responsible for the bombing.”
“Who?”
“Section 31.”
“Section What?”
But before Picard could respond, the alert beacons in the main command chamber suddenly switched from Yellow to Red and klaxons began blaring. Skywalker quickly closed the mental link as Picard’s combadge beeped once again.
“Enterprise to Picard, please respond.”
“Picard here.
“We just got a Priority One signal from relayed through a courier ship from the other end of the wormhole. A large Yuuzhan Vong fleet just entered the Naboo system and has engaged the Federation/Republic/Unimatrix Zero task-force.
“How large?”
There was silence on the other end. Both the Jedi Master and the Starfleet Captain became very nervous.
“Number One, how large?”
“Two thousand ships, sir.”
***
Location: Yuuzhan Vong Warship Sunlok
Naboo System, Thart Galaxy Far, Far Away
With the consent of Tsavong Lah himself, Vergere stood atop the main chamber of command of the Warmaster’s flagship, the Sunlok. She knew that the Warmaster was anxious to continue the push to Coruscant and the the ships in this armada ahd been menat for Battle Plan Coruscant. But the Supreme Overlord’s command was not to be unfulfilled and so the Yuuzhan Vong armada had arrived in the Naboo system ready once again to take control of the anomaly and to declare a jihad against these Borg, those that had taken their homeworld of Yuuzhan’tar away from then centuries ago and who would bear the brunt of Yuuzhan Vong retribution.
From the display of blaze bugs, the battle was going well. The advance flotillas had already begun pushing back the limited defense mounted by the Starfleet, Republic, Borg, Chiss, and Nubian craft. Could Nom Anor, the traitorous agent who had, whether by accident or by his own agenda lured Nas Choka’s fleet into peril on the other side of the anomaly and upon whose head now hung the wrath of the Warmaster and the Supreme Overlord, have been responsible for the current disarray.
She personally hoped not; the Executor’s blunder had made her job and life much easier than it had been before all of this began.
Vergere.
The Fosh Jedi spun around, wondering who or what was speaking through her Force sense –
-- and her beak dropped open as she found herself no longer on the foul smelling Yuuzhan Vong flagship, but rather…
…well where exactly she had absolutely no idea.
She was in a large expanse, marked only by a chamber of some kind was divided into five corners, each corner possessing a seat. In the center of the room was a fire-pit, ablaze with that images of galaxies, stars, and planets. Each corner contained a seated individual that gazed upon her. The one immediately facing her, an entity shrouded in a Jedi-like cloak gazed at her and raised its hand.
“Welcome to the Quintessence, Vergere.”
***
To be Continued…
***
Author’s Notes
* The name of the Viceroy as well as Shinzon’s acquisition of the Thalaron Core can be found in the Tales of the Dominion War anthology.
* Spock’s Romulan crew can be observed in the novels Vulcan’s Forge, the Tales of the Dominion War anthology, and the upcoming Vulcan’s Exodus trilogy.
* Bunker One (my own custom title) can also be found in the Tales of the Dominion War anthology.
* Picard’s encounter with Section 31 and Agent Zweller can be found in the TNG Section 31 novel ‘Rogue’.
The Best of Both Worlds: Part XV
“Virtue doesn't mean anything unless it's tested alongside vice.”
- Frank Pembleton, Homicide: Life on the Street -
***
Location: U.S.S. Paradox
31st Century, Alpha Quadrant, Milky Way Galaxy
As he materialized once again upon the bridge of the Federation Timeship Paradox, Agent Daniels was tempted to curse in one of his favorite twenty-third century Orion or Andorian curses. He was in conference with the Captain Braxton of 2875, the Krenim, the Futuresmiths, and other notable temporal specialists. Their goal, their mission, was to explore why this temporal anomaly had occurred and try to neutralize it in any possible way with minimal damage to the space-time continuum.
Or rather, he had been when the spatial/temporal communications matrix had gone haywire and the whole ship had started rocking like a wayward vessel in Earth’s oceans from thousands of years ago – something that in an age of wonder and technology that had produced the Paradox was close to impossible.
He was determined to find out the high and why.
“Ah, Agent Daniels. Welcome back.”
“What the hell was that?”
“Scanning. Massive temporal disturbance sir.”
“Cause?”
“It’s not the anomaly. It appears to be the result of a temporal wake. Going back to at least the end of the twenty-fourth century as far as I can tell.”
“That’s not enough. Where and when – I need the exact specifics.”
“I can’t give them to you sir.”
The temporal agent frowned.
“Why not?”
“Because I can’t initiate a complete temporal scan on that era’s temporal and spatial coordinates. Whatever happened back there, the sensor networks can’t penetrate it.
“Does that explain why the communications system also went down?”
“Analyzing. A probable and logical possibility.”
Daniels sighed.
“Fine. Initiate systems regeneration and do what you can to punch through that interference.”
“Aye sir.”
The Temporal Agent turned his gaze at the burning holographic DTI logo and behind it, the massive computers and screens that profiled the points of the space-time continuum that the Paradox was required to monitor – as well as the parties that could disrupt history and that had the means to.
But now…
Now, he was not certain, as he had possibly considered before, that one of these groups was responsible – none of them were even remotely capable of manipulating temporal energy on this kind of scale. So what the hell had happened in the past that could disrupt the Paradox’s technology like that and whodunit?
***
Location: The Quintessence
Somewhere in the Universe
The Stranger leaned back in his chair, hands folded and look of utmost seriousness and contemplation upon his face.
“The enemy has utilized castling against us. Therefore we must do the same.”
Q and the other beings stared in bewilderment at their esteemed colleague.
“What? How?”
“By seeking a member of the opposite, one who possess understanding and a connection to the Starheart, and one who can help to turn back the waves of chaos and destruction that we will face in the days to come.”
Q had just about had it with the Stranger’s flowery, almost mystic language and finally verbally let loose against their chairman.
“Look Stranger, will you please just cut the crap and tell us who in the hell you’re talking about?!”
For the first time since this particular incarnation of the Quintessence had adjourned, no one told Q to shut up or to stick it where the sun (or any sun outside of the Sol System for that matter) didn’t shine. They all starred quietly at the Stranger, who sighed.
“Very well, Q. The one I speak of is familiar to the ways of the Skywalker. In her being lies not the key, but possible keys in which we may further turn the lock and chains against the Merging and those it has utilized as its pawns in this universal game of chance and strategy.”
The Stranger waved his hand again and as before, the fires in the pit leapt about into the air above, forming a representation of a bird-like humanoid.
“She is the one known as Vergere.”
***
U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-E
Sector 001, Alpha Quadrant, Milky Way Galaxy
“Red Alert! All hands to battle-stations. Helm, maximum warp to Earth!”
“Aye sir!”
With its mighty impulse engines roaring to life, the Federation flagship spun surged forward from the Terran-Nubian wormhole and engaged its warp engines, the FTL technology propelling the Enterprise and her crew towards Sector 001, a Sector 001 that in the space of the last five minutes had gone from a setting of tranquility and celebration to one of chaos and despair.
On board the bridge of the mighty Soverigerin-class ship, Command William Riker gripped the armrests of the chair of command, determination in his eyes and the eyes of everyone on the bridge, from Deanna and Data to Mara Jade Skywalker.
This was déjà vu all over again for Riker. This was now the fourth time that he had been on an Enterprise that had launched itself at red alert into the Sol System at maximum warp. The first two occasions had been during the Borg attacks of’66 and ‘73 and the third had been the Breen attack on Earth during the final months of the Dominion War; the Enterprise had just completed repairs from the Briar Patch incident and was testing her upgrades when the Breen had hit headquarters.
But of course, Riker had no way of knowing where the blast they had all seen on the viewscreen – they had obviously been watching the proceedings of the treaty signing since they had helped to usher it in -- had come from. Had it been a bomb or an orbital attack? Was it an accident or, like the Khitomer Conspiracy, a deliberate terrorist act by conspirators in both the Federation and/or the New Republic?
“Data, what’s our ETA?”
“Two hours, twenty-five minutes, fifteen seconds, Commander.”
“Can you get a fix on what Starfleet ships are in orbit of Earth?”
The android entered Riker’s request into the operations console and was instantly rewarded.
““I’m pulling them up. Starfleet ships currently in orbit are the Akron, the Cussler, the Ballard, the Gormenghast, the Valley Forge, and the Toronto. They are already beaming down relief personnel and medical teams to the disaster zone.”
“And Chancellor Martok’s Klingon task force? What’s their status?”
“At least another day, possibly two.”
Worf growled in frustration at the prospect of his brothers and people arriving too late to fight what could possibly be one the Federation’s most trying battles. Riker shot him a glance and Worf buried his frustration and became passive, though still determined -- another example of why Starfleet’s first Klingon had earned from his colleagues and poker buddies the moniker of “Ice-Man”.
Riker, however, had one last question for Data.
“And Republic ships?”
“Just the Ralroost is in orbit. They are also shuttling down medics.”
Riker mused on this. One Republic ship in orbit. Was it possible? Could they have been responsible for the Council bombing?
As if reading his minds, both his bride-to-be and Mara Jade both shook their heads.
“Will, I seriously doubt the New Republic would blow up its own head of state as well as our government.”
“What she said.”
“Counselor Troi is correct, Commander. It is highly improbable and illogical that the New Republic delegation would commit an act like this.”
“That’s what people said before the conference at Khitomer – no offense Worf.”
“None taken.”
“Until we get more information and details from San Francisco, we have to assume that the Republic is a possible suspect and possibly responsible.”
“Responsible for what, Number One?”
Gasps were echoed across the bridge as Riker turned around in his chair. There, standing behind the chair of command were the two missing figures that had been the topic of discussion during the briefing yesterday: Captain Jean-Luc Picard and Jedi Master Luke Skywalker.
“Captain, Master Skywalker – how did you…”
“It’s a long story, Number One, and one that we need to relay to Starfleet Command. The conflict with the Yuuzhan Vong is just the tip of an iceberg that could destroy us all. But what’s happened?”
“The Federation Council chamber has been bombed, sir.”
“What?!”
***
Location: Romulus
Beta Quadrant, Milky Way Galaxy
Shinzon sat proudly atop the Scimitar’s chair of command, a slight glimmer of discomfort on his face signifying that for a brief moment, his internal weakness had struck yet again. His loyal Viceroy, Vkruk, had utilized ancient Reman techniques coupled with modern medicine to delay the onslaught, but it was becoming more difficult to keep the genetic breakdown at bay.
Time would soon be of the essence. The Scimitar, unbeknownst to his co-conspirators and supporters on Romulus, was already on its way out of the core of Romulan space, it’s ultimate destination Sector 001 and the Terran-Nubian wormhole. With the agents he had in place in the Federation that were loyal to Remus, he had learned that Picard had vanished and therefore, locating the world of Kamino was a priority before his condition worsened.
In short, everything was on schedule.
“We are connected to the Romulan communications and holographic network, Shinzon.”
“Prepare to relay it to all four corners of Romulan space, Vkruk.”
The communications transceiver that had been placed in front of the chair of command began to glow as power flowed through its circuits. It was a rather clever set-up in that it directly connected to holographic systems in place in the main chamber of the Romulan Senate building. The holo-projectors, lifted and captured Starfleet deigns that they were, were so advanced that his supporters currently assembled in the Senate had no idea that they were addressing a hologram – or that Shinzon was no longer on planet; he trusted them only as far as he could throw then and had not given them the ability to track his flagship.
This, however, was a risk unto itself. He knew elements of the military unrelated to I’val and the other co-conspirators would with little doubt try to strike in his absence if they discovered the ruse. If and when they did, then they would be in for a surprise. They forgot that even with its designation as the Empire’s hellhole, Remus was still the most heavily armed and defended planet in the entire Star Empire, second only to Romulus itself. And with the Romulan overseers…subdued, Remans were now manning the planetary shields and disruptor grids.
Now, the rabble needed addressing.
“Romulans and Remans across the Star Empire. I come before you in the wake of recent events to issue a call to reason. There are many who will believe this communication is another serving of Romulan propaganda or that I am a psychotic human spy sent by the Federation to undermine the Empire. I am neither. I am Reman.”
He let his words sink in before continuing.
“Look at the Empire and what do you see? The Senate and its political lackeys have squandered the wealth of Romulus and Remus for their own petty ends and agendas. The Tal Shiar has kept individuality repressed and a constant fear of terror upon the population, both Romulan and Reman. We offered a hand of friendship and the ancient Romulans slapped it awat. Today, despite everything that has happened to the Reman people, I renew that offer.”
The Reman centurion and Praetor paused momentarily.
“If there is one thing the Federation has taught us, it is that within unity lies strength. Many of you consider it their greatest weakness and in many ways it is. But in other ways, it their greatest strength. Romulans and Remans together must unite to overcome any and all forces that would destroy us: the Yuuzhan Vong, the Borg, and all the others that would stand against us and destroy everything we have slaved and labored to create.
We will fight to keep our paradise and homes, but as equals, as Remans and Roumulans together. Let this be the start of a new era, let no Romulan or Reman or Vulcan for that matter kill each other, and let us forever set aside out differences to forge a greater whole for a one we can and shall win through, no matter the cost! Thank you.”
***
Miles away from the Romulan capital of Ki Baratan, in a nondescript building that was owned by a relation of former Proconsul M’Ret, Ambassador Spock of Vulcan sat at attention, calmly watching the end of Shinzon’s transmission as his followers, all key members of the Underground Reunification Movement, watched on in stunned silence.
“Amarik?”
The Underground’s resident technical genius was monitoring her custom-built equipment that tied into the Romulan communications system.”
“It’s going out on all frequencies to all corners of the Empire, Ambassador.”
“Any sign of it being directed towards Vulcan or non-Romulan space?”
“None that I can tell.”
Spock sat back in his chair, musing on what they had just witnessed.
Following the end of the Dominion War, Spock had returned briefly to Vulcan and to his wife Saavik before venturing back across the Neutral Zone. There was still much work to be done, his quest for reunification had become more difficult with a more-alert Tal Shiar and Senate intent on cracking down on non-Romulan ideals.
But now…
Now, the Senate and Tal Shiar were dead and their job, their goal, their vision had become that much easier. If Centurion Shinzon was genuine in his beliefs and goals, then they possibly had a chance to see a reunficiation of the Romulan and Vulcan peoples within their lifetimes.
But if Shinzon went back on his end of whatever deal he had made with the Romulan military – and by giving this speech, Spock believed that he probably was; the Romulan military was not known for being liberal-minded -- then the situation on Romulus was going to get much more bloody.
***
Light years away from the Romulan homeworld, Shinzon’s message was being broadcast across the flat surface of the viewscreen in Romulan Admiral Tomalak’s quarters. The D’deredix-class Warbird Decius was among those Warbirds that Shinzon had been unable to locate since the assassination of the Senate and the destruction of the Tal Shiar headquarters.
Admiral Tomalak, frequent foil for the Federation outposts and ships on the edge of Romulan space, sat back in his chair, contemplating everything he had just heard. He glanced at the shadows to his side, knowing full well what lay there.
“You should have killed him when you had the chance, you know.”
The inky darkness of the shadows parted as a figure emerged. It was a battered, bruised, but still very much alive Chairman Koval
“You try to kill a self-proclaimed Reman who survives twelve suicide missions during the Dominion War.”
The Decius has beamed out Romulan survivors from the Tal Shiar as quickly as they could while under cloak during their positioning in the Romulus system before, as the humans put it, hightailing it out of there at the fastest speed possible. Personally, Tomalak had always issues with the Tal Shiar, but he had to put them aside for the moment.
“If Romulus wasn’t in the hands of traitors and a Reman, I might actually find that amusing.”
“We’ll get the homeworld back, Admiral.”
“I have no doubt about that, Koval. I am curious about one thing, though.”
“And that is what, Admiral?”
“Nothing much. Simply, where did Shinzon get his hands on a working thalaron core?”
“I haven’t the foggiest idea; Thalaron research has always proven difficult to execute and so as you know, there has been little to no experimentation. The only idea that I can formulate is that he acquired it is through possible Dominion research or even -- ”
“Chairman, I am just as experienced as you are in telling lies and spotting them. Now where did Shinzon get that thalaron core?
Koval pounded his fist angrily against the table. He had never liked Tomalak that much and the man was stretching his already fractured patience. But he knew exactly how Shinzon had gotten a hold of that kind of weapons technology and if he wanted to reclaim Romulus, he was going to have to be honest with Tomalak, whether he liked it or not. He straightened his tunic and looked at Tomalak.
“I have a general idea.”
“Enlighten me then.”
“Very well. A month after the Alliance took the Chin’toka system, a Jem’Hadar battalion established a communications relay on Goloroth, a rather insignificant planet located the Neutral Zone. The Jem’Hadar were, as you know, using the Neutral Zone to launch ships for their Romulan campaign and the Empire had requesting Alliance assistance in clearing out the staging grounds.”
“Knowing how our government works – worked, I’m sure there was an ulterior motive to that.”
“There was. In secret, the planet was the site of a secret Tal Shiar laboratory, where the agency’s scientific minds, away from eyes of the Praetor and the Senate, furthered Romulan research on biogenic weapons. They had produced a working prototype for a Thalaron core and had just begun testing it when the Jem’Hadar regiment landed. The Dominion’s engineered soldiers had, of course, discovered the installation and seized control of it before the self-destruct could be activated. Rather than let the Dominion gain the Thalaron research or let the Federation and Klingons discover it, Shinzon was sent in to destroy it before the Alliance task force reached the planet.”
“You just don’t send a Reman on any kind of mission. Why him?”
“The mission was a convenient way to have the up and coming Reman Centurion eliminated; everyone from the High Command to the Senate considered him a threat to the status quo within the Empire’s hierarchy. And while the Draco, the Warbird assigned to the mission, was destroyed by the Dominion’s planet-based weapons arrays and most of Shinzon’s regiment killed, Shinzon himself had survived to lead more suicide missions for another day.”
Koval paused, sighing.
“It’s blatantly obvious now that while Shinzon had completed the mission, he must have helped himself to the research and technology from the Goloroth installation and had used it to build that monstrosity of a Warbird, the Scimitar.
Koval was more furious at himself, however. The head of the Tal Shiar should have seen that coming, but he had been distracted, his attention focused in working with Starfleet’s Section 31 to prevent Senator Cretak from obtaining the seat on the Continuing Committee four years prior.
Now, the damage had been done.
“So, Shinzon has made his moves. We must first determine the breadth of the board that we have been forced upon. Find out exactly which military figures are directly allied with him. I will continue to try contacting other figures who I know.”
“I will do what I can. It will not be easy. You know as well as I do how many military officers hate the Tal Shiar and the bureaucracy of the Senate. Shinzon offers them a new chance and it will not be easy to find allies that will fight alongside us.”
“But we must do it, no matter what the cost, Chairman.”
“For Romulus?”
“For Romulus.”
With that simple proclamation, the fight to reclaim the Romulan Star Empire had begun.
***
Location: Federation Council Disaster Zone
San Francisco, Earth, Alpha Quadrant, Milky Way Galaxy
With a twinkle and a swirl of lights, Captain Picard and Master Skywalker materialized in what had been the pristine, sparkling Federation Council building. Moments later, they were followed by Dr. Crusher and her medics as well as Worf and an Enterprise security team. Although he had never actually set foot in the Council chambers, Skywalker
The great seal of the Federation that had adorned the main wall was cracked, the walls and floors blackened with rubble scattered across the expanse – it was like Kueller’s bombing of Senate Hall all over again. Droids and Starfleet officers with advanced tricorders were scanning the rubble of the Council Chamber, trying to uncover any kind of clue.
Off to the site, Beverley Crusher’s medical team joined up with the Starfleet medics already treating the wounded. Picard recognized quite a few familiar faces among those at the disaster scene. There was the Voyager EMH, Leonard H. McCoy, Even Lt. Alexander Munro and the Hazard Team were present. Coming up to the duo was a weary, but fierce-eyed Admiral Kathryn Janeway.
“Admiral.”
“Captain.”
“What’s the total casualty count?”
“Ten Federation Councilors and two Admirals are dead, another thirty are injured. President Grey’si and Senator Shesh are fine, but Borsk Fey’lya isn’t.”
“How bad is it?”
“Very bad. He’s got a severe concussion, third degree burns across forty percent of his body and internal bleeding.”
Skywalker considered this.
“Have the Republic medics tried bacta?”
“Your medics and their 2-1B medical droids have been working with our own doctors and EMH programs at Starfleet Medical trying everything from bacta to dermal regenerators, but there’s been little progress. I’ll be frank – the chances of him living through the next day or two are slim. What Jedi healing techniques?”
“Not my area of specialty of myself or that of…”
The Jedi Master trailed off, his eyes widening.
“Oh no.”
“What is it?”
“Jaina, Jacen, and Anakin. With the Stranger’s revelations, I completely forgot about them. They could be -- ”
“They’re perfectly fine, laddie.”
Both men and Janeway turned to see a somewhat large, elderly man, with a snow white mustache and a twinkle in his eyes approach their position. Picard instantly recognized this very important figure standing before them.
“Master Skywalker, this Captain Montgomery Scott of the Starfleet Corps of Engineers.”
“But please, you can me Scotty. Anyway, your nephew Anakin was at the Daystom Institute amazing this wee old engineer with his theories and abilities when the incident took place. He’s safe and sound at S.C.E headquarters, as are your other nephew and niece, although that took some effort.”
“What do you mean?”
Scotty sighed.
“Well apparently a group of Starfleet cadets who had family or friends working at the Council building got in their heads to deal out vigilante-style justice – it’s unfortunately not the first time it’s happened in the Academy history. She’s perfectly fine, I assure you; I haven’t seen a woman fight like that since I was a wet-behind the ears cadet myself. She also had help, a cadet that came back on the Voyager named Icheb. He’s also with her at S.C.E.”
“And the cadets?”
“One of the instructors, Tuvok of Vulcan and also formerly of the Voyager is dressing them down. Trust me, nothing’s worse than getting dressed down by a Vulcan.”
The Scottish engineer grinned, fondly remembering how many times over the course of the last century he had seen McCoy and Spock go at it. Even Janeway chuckled briefly, knowing quite well Tuvok was capable of when something like that happened.
“Captain Scott --”
“Scotty.”
“Scotty, thank you for doing that, for looking after them.”
“Oh no problem. Always m’pleasure.”
Picard turned back to the matter at hand.
“What about Starfleet Command?”
“Command’s been evacuated from the main building just in case this wasn’t an isolated incident. They’ve relocated to Bunker One. Now, if you will excuse us.”
“Of course Admiral, Captain.”
As Janeway and Scotty left their company, Master Skywalker kneeled on the floor, turning over wreckage and rubble, his eyes closed as he opened himself to the Force once again and expanded his senses.
“It’s not too difficult to see that this was what the Stranger meant when he sensed a great disturbance.”
“I’m sorry for the losses that both of our governments and cultures have suffered.
“But we must and we will find out who was responsible for this act.”
“What about you? Can you sense anything?”
“I sense nothing representing a typical Force presence. I’ll have to peer more closely of course. If I can’t find anything, than its possible Yuuzhan Vong connection.”
“Because they are absent from the Force?”
“Exactly. I’ll need to be sure, but my inability to sense anything suggests that.”
At that moment, Picard’s communicator chirped.
“Enterprise to Picard.”
The Captain tapped his combadge.
“Go ahead Number One.”
“About two minutes ago, a shuttle bearing Republic markings exited the wormhole and made a micro-hyperspace jump into the Sol system before we knew what it was. It’s calling itself the Moldy Crow. The pilot says his name is Kyle Katarn and that he knows Master Skywalker and is requesting permission to either land or be beamed down.”
Picard turned towards the Jedi Master.”
“Do you know him?”
“Very well. I had hoped that he would arrive prior to the ceremony, but at least he’s here now.”
“Very well. Number One, advise him of the situation and prepare to beam him to the Council Disaster Zone at our current coordinates.”
“Aye sir.”
As the channel closed, Picard glanced at Skywalker.
“So who is this Kyle Katarn?”
“A Jedi Knight and one of the best of the New Jedi Order. Kyle started off as a Imperial Stormtrooper, but then left the Imperial Academy after he found out that Empire, not the Rebels as he had always believed, had killed his father. He worked on an off again with the Alliance and was the best operative we had prior to Endor. It was also found that he had natural Force affinity, though it took several years for him to accept my offer to study at the Praxeum.”
As Skywalker finished, a middle-aged man, dressed in the same standard Jedi robes and garb that Master Skywalker wore mater
“Well, that was unusual. Would have made my life a lot easier a couple of years ago.”
“It’s good to see Kyle.”
“Likewise, Master Skywalker. So, this is where the bombing took place?”
“Yes.”
“Alright, let’s get to work.”
***
“Perhaps one of you can possibly explain to me in the simplest of terms exactly what in the hell happened here today!”
“I kind of have to agree with the Admiral on this one, with all due respect sirs.”
“Noted, Agent Zweller. Admiral Nechayev, I can assure you that we had nothing to do with the bombing of the Federation Council this afternoon.”
Admiral Alynna Nechayev was standing once again in the abandoned TR-116 manufacturing plant, gazing once more at the twelve obsidian monoliths that represented the twelve most experienced and important individuals in the Federation’s autonomous covert agency Section 31. To her side stood a battered, but otherwise intact Cortin Zweller who had fled the Council bombing as quickly and as discreetly as his talents and training permitted.
“Am I really expected to just believe that?”
“Admiral, for what possible, logical, or even sane reason would we have to blow up the Federation Council, the very core of the institution that we have dedicated ourselves to preserving?”
“Because your ideology demands that the end justifies the means and if that meant destroying the Council…”
She trailed off, letting the implication sink in.
“If that was true, Admiral, it would mean Republic reprisals, something that in the wake of the Yuuzhan Vong attack on Sector 001 we would not want or be able to win.”
“What about your Operation Dreadnaught, the plan you had to stop a Republic or Yuuzhan Vong invasion?”
“It is on hot standby. The geopolitical status is too unstable to implement that particular means of reprisal at this time.”
“So if you weren’t responsible for the bombing, than who was?”
“If we knew Admiral, then we wouldn’t exactly be having this conversation, now would we?”
“Well we can’t rule out the possibility of involvement from local powers, perhaps even the Dominion -- ”
“The report that came in from Deep Space Nine contradicts that –you have read it, have you not?”
“On the way over to this meeting, yes.”
“Well, if the Founders are indeed truthful in that the Borg are indeed invading Dominion territory, then everything is going completely to hell.”
What about the Tal Shiar?”
“The Tal Shiar has been mysteriously silent for the last week. Our agents in Romulan space have yet to discover why.”
Zweller stroked his chin, his mind examining the chain of potential suspects.
“Viqi Shesh is also a possibility.”
“How so?”
“Her Senatorial record suggests a penchant for hidden agendas and such. I’m sure that if her homeworld, Kuat I believe, was given an offer by the Yuuzhan Vong’s Warmaster, Tsavong Lah of non-aggression, Senaotr Shesh would probably take it up in an instant. Her measure from six months ago, the one about Jedi capitulation, works against her.
“She is indeed a logical possibility, one that we will investigate as quickly and as efficiently as we can. But in the meantime we will let Starfleet Security and the New Republic conduct their pitiful investigations whilst we conduct ours.
“Understood.”
“The rest of the meeting does not concern you.”
“Your presence here, as always, was appreciated.”
The production factory was plunged into darkness and when the lighting returned, the Monoliths had vanished. Zweller chuckled slightly.
“I still hate it when they do that.”
***
Location: Deep Space Nine
Bajoran System, Alpha Quadrant, Milky Way Galaxy.
“Are you sure this is safe?”
“Perfectly. Why?”
“Just asking.”
Not that Quark didn’t trust this Lando Calrissian – he did given that Calrissian wasn’t wearing a better suit then him as the Rules of Acquisition stated – but this ship, the Lady Luck, its technologies and furnishings – which were actually quite nice and would be useful when Quark had the expense to refurnish his quarters – all of it was just so alien to what Quark was used to.
Or maybe it was just bad memories of what had happened with the Quark’s Treasure.
“Now, you’re sure these are Ferenginar’s exact spatial coordinates as well as the coordinates of every major gravitation body en route?”
“Yes, why?”
“Well, if these are incorrectly entered into the Lady Luck’s navicomputer, then we won’t safely exit hyperspace. Or we hit a gravity well or something that will probably end up killing us before we realize it.”
Quark starred at the aging gambler and entrepreneur.
“That contradicts what you just told me, Calrissian.”
“I was just asking, Quark.”
“Fine.”
Calrissian just grinned and pulled back the hyperspace level.
“All right, engaging hyperdrive.
In a strangely similar yet different enough fashion to what Quark was used to, the stars in fro
“By the Nagus...”
“First time you’ve seen hyperspace, eh?”
“What do you think?”
“I was kidding, Quark. We are now in hyperspace. We should be exiting in the next few minutes.”
“Good. The sooner the better”
“What’s wrong with starring at hyperspace?”
“Nothing, it’s except it’s boring! I’d rather be starring at the well-toned legs of an Orion slave girl if you catch my drift.”
“If I wasn’t married, I’d agree whole headedly with you on that one, Quark.”
The next few minutes were spent in analyzing any and all similarities and differences between the capitalist aspects of their cultures. Both men were trying to explain the workings of their favorite games, Sabbac and Tongo respectively, when the navicomputer indicator began beeping.
“Coming up on Ferenginar. Exiting hyperspace…now!”
Calrissian pulled back on the lever and in an instant the stars reverted back to their normal configuration, replaced by a gray orb that began filling up the cockpit windows as the Lady Luck approached it.
“So that’s Ferenginar?”
“There’s no place like home.”
***
Republic Cruiser Ralroost
Earth, Alpha Quadrant, Milky Way Galaxy
“Are you sure I can’t offer you a shot of Endorian port?
“I do not wish or desire such drink.”
“Suit yourself.”
Declared fit enough to return to the Republic delegation’s flagship, Viqi Shesh sat back in her guest quarter’s bed, toasting to the success of her conspiracy with Yuuzhan Vong Executor Nom Anor.
Everything had gone better than expected. Disguised as her Senatorial assistant, Nom Anor had planted a hybrid bomb at the Council shortly before the signing had begun. It had taken little effort to place it in the security droid that was stationed where Fey’lya would be sitting. And while it had not taken out the Federation’s president, Grey’si of Andor as they had hoped it might, Fey’lya’s near fatality had been more than ehough.
“So, what’s next on the agenda?”
“We will sit back and wait to see how quickly the Federation government destabilizes – and what the Republic’s reaction will be of course. You must push for an aggressive response to the Federation’s complicity, Senator Shesh.”
“I have already done so. The Senate is in chaos over the possibility of Fey’lya dying while he was a guest of the Federation and it’s going to continue to get worse, even if we don’t stoke the fires.”
“Then we must be sure to stoke those fires.”
“And stoke them we will for the glory of Kuat and the Yuuzhan Vong.”
She raised the glass of Endorian port once again.
“To the future!”
“Indeed.”
***
Bunker One, Starfleet Emergency Command Bunker
Earth, Alpha Quadrant, Milky Way Galaxy
The Starfleet installation designated Bunker One had been built two hundred years prior, shortly after the reclusive Xindi had attacked Earth’s North American continent. The bunker had also been from where the defense of Earth during the Breen’s attack on the planet had been conducted after plasma torpedoes had leveled the main Command building.
Starfleet personnel were manning the main control stations as Admirals as other key Starfleet figures gathered in the main briefing room. While lacking the size and grandeur of the Tactical Preparation Theater, Bunker One’s briefing room was still adequate for the gathering of the top brass and figures. Elias Vaughn was giving the briefing.
“I can tell you right now that it was a bomb and not a turbolaser strike from the Ralroost. The bomb was built into one of the Republic security droids and apparently had a timer as we can find not signs of signals that match remote detonation. Our readings on the bomb’s origin have been inconclusive thus far. The Republic security droids show readings that match standard Starfleet photon grenades and explosives. But our tricorders show evidence of what Mr. Katarn has identified as Republic thermal detonators.
“So in effect, we have no way to accurately determine who might have set the bomb?”
“I’m, saying that someone with an above-average knowledge of explosives and engineering innovation was responsible.”
“What if it was transported into the droid during the ceremony?”
“It wasn’t transported it, I can tell you that much. The Republic doesn’t have transporter technology and the dampening fields were all in place and operating when the explosion
“Did you check if the fields were lowered for a split-second before the explosion?”
“Already did it. There was no disruption in the field whatsoever.”
In the back of the room Luke Skywalker leaned back across the walls and contemplated the findings of the Republic and Federation teams with his own. His and Kyle’s Jedi scans had been unable to pick up anything remotely to suggest either party was responsible for the rigging of the security droid. The lack of any kind of Force presence suggested Yuuzhan Vong involvement, but with the revelations that had been made towards the Jedi Master in the meeting chamber of the Quintessence, he just wasn’t sure.
Suddenly, he sensed emanations of distress and anger coming from the main control room.
Or rather from Captain Picard.
Without making a sound, Master Skywalker quickly withdrew from the briefing room and found Picard sitting at one of the rear councils, a look of shock upon his normally cool, determined face.
“Captain? What is it?”
Picard breathed slowly and sighed.
“I was looking over the security logs from the ceremony and found this.”
He pointed to the display console. The image was of the balcony permitted to the civilian viewing audience, mere seconds before the bombing had taken place.
“Do you see that man?”
The man Picard pointed to was a middle-aged human with a thick shock of white hair, yet possessing an air that combined seriousness with boyishness.
“Who is he?”
Picard glanced around slowly and then looked at Skywalker.
“You can sense what I’m thinking, can’t you,” Picard whispered.
“Yes. But why?”
“Just do it.”
Without argument, Skywalker opened himself up to the Force and Picard’s thoughts became as clear as crystal.
“His name is Cortin Zweller. And if he was there, then I know who was responsible for the bombing.”
“Who?”
“Section 31.”
“Section What?”
But before Picard could respond, the alert beacons in the main command chamber suddenly switched from Yellow to Red and klaxons began blaring. Skywalker quickly closed the mental link as Picard’s combadge beeped once again.
“Enterprise to Picard, please respond.”
“Picard here.
“We just got a Priority One signal from relayed through a courier ship from the other end of the wormhole. A large Yuuzhan Vong fleet just entered the Naboo system and has engaged the Federation/Republic/Unimatrix Zero task-force.
“How large?”
There was silence on the other end. Both the Jedi Master and the Starfleet Captain became very nervous.
“Number One, how large?”
“Two thousand ships, sir.”
***
Location: Yuuzhan Vong Warship Sunlok
Naboo System, Thart Galaxy Far, Far Away
With the consent of Tsavong Lah himself, Vergere stood atop the main chamber of command of the Warmaster’s flagship, the Sunlok. She knew that the Warmaster was anxious to continue the push to Coruscant and the the ships in this armada ahd been menat for Battle Plan Coruscant. But the Supreme Overlord’s command was not to be unfulfilled and so the Yuuzhan Vong armada had arrived in the Naboo system ready once again to take control of the anomaly and to declare a jihad against these Borg, those that had taken their homeworld of Yuuzhan’tar away from then centuries ago and who would bear the brunt of Yuuzhan Vong retribution.
From the display of blaze bugs, the battle was going well. The advance flotillas had already begun pushing back the limited defense mounted by the Starfleet, Republic, Borg, Chiss, and Nubian craft. Could Nom Anor, the traitorous agent who had, whether by accident or by his own agenda lured Nas Choka’s fleet into peril on the other side of the anomaly and upon whose head now hung the wrath of the Warmaster and the Supreme Overlord, have been responsible for the current disarray.
She personally hoped not; the Executor’s blunder had made her job and life much easier than it had been before all of this began.
Vergere.
The Fosh Jedi spun around, wondering who or what was speaking through her Force sense –
-- and her beak dropped open as she found herself no longer on the foul smelling Yuuzhan Vong flagship, but rather…
…well where exactly she had absolutely no idea.
She was in a large expanse, marked only by a chamber of some kind was divided into five corners, each corner possessing a seat. In the center of the room was a fire-pit, ablaze with that images of galaxies, stars, and planets. Each corner contained a seated individual that gazed upon her. The one immediately facing her, an entity shrouded in a Jedi-like cloak gazed at her and raised its hand.
“Welcome to the Quintessence, Vergere.”
***
To be Continued…
***
Author’s Notes
* The name of the Viceroy as well as Shinzon’s acquisition of the Thalaron Core can be found in the Tales of the Dominion War anthology.
* Spock’s Romulan crew can be observed in the novels Vulcan’s Forge, the Tales of the Dominion War anthology, and the upcoming Vulcan’s Exodus trilogy.
* Bunker One (my own custom title) can also be found in the Tales of the Dominion War anthology.
* Picard’s encounter with Section 31 and Agent Zweller can be found in the TNG Section 31 novel ‘Rogue’.
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Crazedwraith
- Emperor's Hand
- Posts: 11937
- Joined: 2003-04-10 03:45pm
- Location: Cheshire, England
It's not easy, I'll tell you that much. I have to visualize in my mind how each one is going to affect the overall layout of the story and the chapter that it goes into. Then I have to decide if it will work or if I should just take it out and put in something different. For example, do I put a Cardassia protion of the story in this chapter or go with the Imnperial Remnant or neither (I will get to both sooner or later once the right time comes around). Another factor is the Fanfiction.Net user 'X-Over', who has been an invaluable contribution to the story. He helps to remind me which subplots need work, where certians ones could go in directions that I couldn't see, etc.Crazedwraith wrote: How the hell do you track all those differing plot threads?
All in all, it's all worth it in the end when everything comes together and when people like you like it.
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darthdavid
- Pathetic Attention Whore
- Posts: 5470
- Joined: 2003-02-17 12:04pm
- Location: Bat Country!
Glad to hear it. I'm obviously going to take a breather for a little while after this chapter and get to work on Part 16. My initial plans for the upcoming chapter, should I go with it, can be summed up in two words:darthdavid wrote:Haven't been keeping up for a while, but I finally decided to get back into this story. And let me tell you, I'm glad I did. The chapters just keep getting better and better...
Battle Royale.
If things turn out in this regard, then we're going to have the Feds, the NR, the Borg (U0 and other - that will finally be answered in the next chapter), the Yuuzhan Vong, Jag Fel's Chiss clawcraft, the Klingons, and even Shinzon and his Reman buddies duking it all out in Sector 001. Place your bets and make your wagers because which side I screw over has yet to be seen.
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Robert Walper
- Dishonest Resident Borg Fan-Whore
- Posts: 4206
- Joined: 2002-08-08 03:56am
- Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Now that I'm back JME2, I can personally say awesome work.JME2 wrote:It's coming along; i should have it done within the immediate future. As promised, it'll have it all: a Battle Royale, revelations, and possibly Q doing a musical number. All this and more -- coming soon!
I'm especially looking forward to to the afore mentioned Borg invasion of the Gamma Quadrant/Dominion.
Ah, Rob, good to have you back! I should hopefully have it up this weekend; it takes time to write a battle royale, after all.Robert Walper wrote:Now that I'm back JME2, I can personally say awesome work.JME2 wrote:It's coming along; i should have it done within the immediate future. As promised, it'll have it all: a Battle Royale, revelations, and possibly Q doing a musical number. All this and more -- coming soon!
I'm especially looking forward to to the afore mentioned Borg invasion of the Gamma Quadrant/Dominion.
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Robert Walper
- Dishonest Resident Borg Fan-Whore
- Posts: 4206
- Joined: 2002-08-08 03:56am
- Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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Robert Walper
- Dishonest Resident Borg Fan-Whore
- Posts: 4206
- Joined: 2002-08-08 03:56am
- Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
True. But lest I be accused of hijacking the thread, and your writing time(imagine the hanging I'd get!JME2 wrote:Heh, things never change, do they?Robert Walper wrote:Thansk mate!JME2 wrote:Ah, Rob, good to have you back!
You tease...I should hopefully have it up this weekend; it takes time to write a battle royale, after all.
) I shall leave it at that and wait patiently for your next chapter.PS: Better be lots of Borg power kicking everyone's ass!