Star Trek/Star Wars: Fearful Symmetry

[Edward Yee]

Is Nadami a pet name for Natasi Daala, or...?

[JME2]

Is Nadami a pet name for Natasi Daala, or...?

Whoops; you're correct, sir. I'll fix that little goof in just a second...

Okay, fixed; sorry about that.

[Crazedwraith]

Interesting chapter, JME2. You're hints and the chapter's title make me thing of a specific type of particle... Considered perfect by some.

[JME2]

Interesting chapter, JME2.

Thanks. This one took longer and not just because of the summer season. I had trouble writing the Tarkin/Lemelisk segment. I wanted to establish that these two men had a good working relationship, but that they weren't exactly chummy. Getting Tarkin's voice and inner thought process right also took some time.

You're hints and the chapter's title make me thing of a specific type of particle... Considered perfect by some.

Hmm, yes that would seem to be the case, wouldn't it?

[AradoX]

Wow, very interesting story - and very well-written (if you can say that in english?). I like the character interaction and how you put me "into" the characters (their thoughts and feelings). I really like how you setup the events, and I'm dieing to see what exactly Projct Catalyst is and what happend... were Maw Installation wiped out? were they sucked through a wormhole?... it doesn't sound like a wormhole... what role will the rebels play in this? - and these are just some of the questions for the Star Wars side of the story.
Also it will be interesting to experiencing a battle from the Dominon's point of view - against the Klingon no less

All of this just to say that I'm really looking forward to future updates!

[Kartr_Kana]

Dammit I thought this was an update!!

[AradoX]

Dammit I thought this was an update!!

Muhahahahaaaa

[JME2]

Well, I can promise there will be an update for Fearful Symmetry (and maybe even JLU/Nadia too; my interest in finishing the story is starting to return). I've just been distracted and preoccupied with school and family matters for the last two weekends.

[Themightytom]

Dammit I thought this was an update!!

Muhahahahaaaa

yeah your a dick. Maybe you should figure out what the PM feature is for, if you can.

[JME2]

Disclaimer: Star Trek created by Gene Roddenberry and owned by Paramount Pictures. Star Wars created by George Lucas and owned by Lucasfilm Ltd. I own the story and any original characters/species. No copyright infringement is intended.

STAR TREK/STAR WARS: FEARFUL SYMMETRY

Story by JME2 & Theran-Rel

Written by JME2

Author’s Notes: Sorry about the long wait; Darth Fanboy’s long-awaited conclusion of Scars of Mustafar is what finally re-ignited my enthusiasm and prompted me to get back to work. So, when we last left off, we’d established the basic geo-political situations in both galaxies and blown up the Maw, so time to cut back to the victors in the Milky Way and the calm before the coming storm…


***


Chapter 4
Omega and Alpha – Part 2


***

Legend held that millennia ago, the Vorta had been a species of primitive primates on a backwater world in the expanse of the Gamma Quadrant. Even the most intelligent of these simple tree dwellers could not have foreseen the destiny that awaited them when they sheltered a stranger from an angry mob one night. The stranger vowed to repay this act of kindness and promised that the Vorta would be transformed into key lieutenants of an organization conceived of by its people. The Federation and others had dismissed this tale as apocryphal, mere propaganda created by the Founders to further solidify the loyalty of the Vorta to their cause and doctrine.

As far as the Vorta themselves were concerned, the Federation and other Solids could contest these claims all they wanted. It ultimately did not change the fact that the Vorta were the administrators of the most powerful empire in the history of the Milky Way Galaxy. Yet despite their role in the shaping of tomorrow, the Founders had left certain aspects of their heritage intact, a reminder of the Vorta’s humble origins. For example, kava nuts and rippleberries remained the mainstay of the Vorta diet. Other foods simply did not respond well to the Vorta palette or weak taste buds. Weyoun 5 and his four cloned predecessors were no different.

And yet, in the five years since had he assumed the position of Prefect of the Occupied Federation Territories, Weyoun 5 had made an effort to ingratiate himself with the people and cultures of what had been the Federation’s capital and the cradle of humanity. Among other things, this had entailed samplings of the myriad cuisines of Earth’s many regions. While he had only politely tolerated most of them, he had however developed a fondness for French Roasted coffee.

As was now his habit, he took a cup every morning on one of the topmost balconies of the Palais de la Concorde, once the hub of the Federation bureaucracy and the Office of the Federation President. The balcony offered a magnificent view of the famed City of Lights. Even with his species’ poor eyesight, the Vorta could still make out Paris’ most famous landmarks, from the spire of the Eiffel Tower to the gothic architecture of the Notre Dame cathedral. The quiet rush of the River Seine below added to the sounds of the hustle and bustle as Parisians began their morning.

Weyoun smiled in personal satisfaction as his eyes moved away from Notre Dame and towards the famed Champs-Élysées. Moving in lockstep down opposite sides, stern, but uncompromising were squads of Jem’Hadar soldiers. Polaron pistols sheathed, they patrolled the heart of the City of Lights, ensuring that the people of Earth understood that they were under new administration and that the Dominion’s way of life and security was to be embraced.

“How many times do I have to tell you about the Jem’Hadar marching like that,” came a voice from behind him.

Weyoun’s gaze turned over his shoulder to the other occupant of the balcony. It was a brown-skinned, dark-haired human male in his late 30’s who was seated in a stylized, cream-colored straw chair. He was dressed in a jet-black tunic and jacket, a combination of Terran and Vorta administrative dress styles. A steaming cup of green tea was on the sideboard next to him, complete with a plate of miniature, buttery cranberry scones.

“Now now, Julian,” said Weyoun waving a finger, “this is a simple matter of security. We don’t want anarchists or seditious elements creating havoc within the capital.”

“I understand that, Weyoun” replied the onetime Starfleet doctor. He gazed out at the procession, fingering his cup of tea. “I simply again reiterate that the French and Parisians in particular have a long memory. The sight of Jem’Hadar soldiers marching down the famed road may conjure up memories of…previous occupations.”

Weyoun had, of course, read up on Paris’ history once the Dominion had set up camp in collaboration with the Loyalists. It had been important to establish their headquarters within the former seat of the Federation’s power base, to ensure the continuity and succession of government, after all. The Vorta knew that Bashir was speaking of the National Socialist Party, or the Nazis’ occupation of France and its capital city during Earth’s Second World War. It had been the then-latest attempt by a subset of humanity to impose order on a hedonistic and chaotic world.

Admirable, in principle. But ultimately foolish in its execution.

“I will…take it under consideration, Julian.”

It was a little white lie and Weyoun knew quite well that Bashir knew it too. To his credit, the Doctor said nothing. He merely continued to stare out at the cityscape of occupied Paris. Weyoun could not help but offer a tsk tsk.

“Come now, Doctor, please eat your scones while they’re still hot from the kitchen.”

Bashir sighed, turning to face the Prefect.

“I was merely thinking about the Klingon operation, Weyoun.”

Weyoun had to resist the urge to blow air at the Doctor; he was always the consummate diplomat. He knew exactly what Bashir was mulling over in his genetically-enhanced mind, a mind that had served the Dominion well since the fall of the Minefield, when the Doctor had ‘seen the light’, as the term went. Bashir had realized which way the wind was blowing and had seen the wisdom of Dominion rule over the lawlessness of the Alpha Quadrant. His mind had been critical to the successful integration of the Dominion way of life and Weyoun generally enjoyed working with the Doctor.

Unfortunately, he still betrayed his status as a child of the United Federation of Planets and it’s bizarre, almost naïve and unrealistic morality and value-system. This was not to say that Weyoun did not have morals of his own, but they were subsidiary to the glory of the Dominion and the pleasing of his gods. Bashir’s own morality clashed with that wonderful, analytical and biological machine housed in his skull. Weyoun found it tiresome at times, as did the hardened, conservative Commodore Matthew Dougherty.

It was, ironically, one of the few things the pair agreed upon. The former Starfleet Admiral was an opportunistic, self-serving and in Weyoun’s opinion, stupid man who had literally jumped ship when the Dominion had taken Earth. It had been expected to occur, though not specifically in Dougherty’s case. Dominion Tacticians had rightfully predicted that the further the Dominion pushed into the Alpha Quadrant, the more likely key members of any opposing governments or militaries within the invasion corridor would defect or broker deals to save their homes or themselves. Other worlds who had regretted their membership and chafed under Federation high culture and restrictions eagerly joined the Dominion.

And so it had continued until, of the Five Founding Worlds, only Earth, Vulcan, and Alpha Centauri surrendered; Andor and Tellar, regrettably, refused to yield and left the Dominion no choice. The defeated Federation worlds now operated under a Loyalist government and maintained a small, limited fleet that worked in conjunction with the Dominion and Cardassian fleets to keep order in the occupied territories. It was culled from the Starfleet remnants and consisted primarily of small or outdated craft -- primarily Miranda-class and Saber-class ships; nothing of great importance and no great threat.

But the intention had always been to install a key Starfleet flag officer as a Loyalist commodore and Dominion liaison. It had been hoped that the more liberal and open-minded or logical Starfleet Admirals such as T'Lara or Savar would serve that purpose. Unfortunately, most of the Starfleet brass had either been killed in the lead-up to the annexation of the Sol System or had gone underground, eventually linking up and forming the troublesome Losers. They had managed to root out almost all of these troublesome influential officers to the point where five years later, only Jean-Luc Picard and Benjamin Sisko remained, unfortunately.

In any event, the failure to locate a suitable liaison initially had led the Dominion to scrape the bottom of the barrel and, lo and behold, Matthew Dougherty had presented himself and won the position by default. He was hardly an ideal choice, though. The Losers and other anti-Dominion groups hated him and the opinion of the Loyalists was mixed; while Dougherty’s defection had brought a good number of Starfleet personnel into the fold, most others had either gone home or joined the Losers.

Still, the Commodore had his uses and, more importantly, had it not been for the information he had provided after the occupation of Earth, information…well, then the five years would have gone quite differently. Indeed, he, his gods, his men, and their way of life may have ceased to exist, so in that regard he was at least somewhat grateful to Dougherty.

“Julian,” Weyoun said at last, returning to the matter of the Klingon operation, “I remind you that we had this discussion during the war planning. I understand your desire to avoid pointless bloodshed. But you served alongside a Klingon tactical specialist for two years and you were on the front lines of that brief, unpleasant war with the Cardassians.”

The Vorta didn’t bother to point out that the Dominion had technically manipulated that war into erupting; it was a trivial point in his argument and he didn’t give Bashir an opportunity to exploit it.

“You read the testimonials and listened to lectures by Starfleet veterans who had faced off against the Klingons in the decades leading up to the Praxis incident and the Khitomer Conference,” he continued. “Do you really believe a softer, more diplomatic approach would have worked?”

“No,” Bashir said, his tone quiet and resigned. Weyoun knew that logic had won the day again. “You’re right. Martok, Worf, and their closest advisors would have continued to fight to the bitter end. Still, as I warned, the death of the Kahless clone may be a misstep, though. It could end up backfiring on the civilian populace, turn their opinion against us.”

“Technically, we cannot confirm if he was on the Negh’Var,” Weyoun said and that was truthful enough. There really was no way to confirm if the puppet emperor and messianic figure whom Gowron had installed a decade earlier had been part of the Klingon’s ragtag fleet. That hadn’t stopped them from trying to take Martok’s flagship intact. It was unfortunate that the one-eyed maniac had opted instead to overload his antimatter containment system and wipe out both the flagship and several nearby Dominion and Loyalist ships.”

“In the interim,” Weyoun continued, “at least their civilian populace seems more inclined to listen and accept the wisdom of the Dominion culture and way of life. Ordinary civilians, laborers, and traders all need to eat. They need to go on with their lives. They don’t care about the ideals and philosophies of Klingon warriors or their hero-worship or vendettas with foes like the Romulans.”

“I doubt the Romulans would reciprocate the feeling,” Bashir replied dryly. “In fact, at this exact moment I can all but guarantee you that half of the Senate and the Fleet Commanders are at their homes right now dusting off bottles of ale that they’ve been saving for just this occasion.”

Despite their brief alliance against the Federation a century earlier, the two powers had despised each other. If there was one thing that the Romulan government had hated more than the Federation, it was the Klingon Empire – and vice versa. Ironically, the only thing that had often prevented a full-on war from erupting had been the Klingon Councilors who owed financial salvation to the RSE. After having studies the situation, Weyoun had often wondered if wealthy Klingon financiers might have performed a similar action if Remus had exploded instead of Praxis.

“I don’t doubt it,” the Vorta replied, a slight grin forming on his pale features. “But the Romulans will remain respectful of the current boundaries, tempting as it might be to make an attack run or two over the border. Our occupation of the former Klingon territories will continue unhindered, now.”

Bashir nodded, agreeing. “I still recommend once the Klingon occupation has stabilized, we continue to push for a formal Romulan induction into the Dominion. Loathe as I am to admit it, the destruction of the Klingon military will make the Dominion popular within Romulan space. Neral may very well acquiesce on his own without pressure from the Senate or the Imperial Navy or the Tal Sh—”

The Doctor’s utterance of the famed Romulan secret police was suddenly cut off as the door to the upper balcony slid open with a soft hiss. Weyoun turned his head to see aide, Luaran, enter the balcony. When Weyoun had become prefect of all occupied Federation territories, he had searched through the potential list of candidates within the Vorta ranks to serve as his aide-de-camp. With their combination of intelligence and beauty, the Luaran series had proven ample to the task and now five years later, he couldn’t imagine governing Earth and its territories without her assistance.

“Prefect. Doctor,” she said, acknowledging both gentlemen. When Bashir had willingly joined the Dominion and proven himself, Weyoun had made it clear that the Doctor was to be treated with respect to ensure his full cooperation, a tactic that had paid off for the most part.

“Luaran,” Weyoun replied, noting the PADD in her hand and the troubled expression on his aide’s face. “What is it?”

“Sir, we’ve just received a Priority One communiqué from Jem’Hadar Squadron 85-B.”

Weyoun frowned, his mind attempting to recall where those particular ships were assigned.

“That is the task-force assigned to the Argolis Cluster, is it not?”

“Yes, sir. The squadrons indicate that they have lost contact with the Argolis Cluster facility, sir.”

Weyoun’s eyes narrowed at this, a slight pang of worry forming in his stomach. The Argolis Cluster sensor network was a vital component in the Dominion’s occupation of the former Federation territories.

“A communications error?”

Luaran shook her head.

“Sir...they report that the Cluster suddenly went nova less than two hours.”

Weyoun and Bashir exchanged looks of shock and disbelief.

“The entire cluster? Not merely a single star?” Weyoun finally asked.

“Yes sir. They have also lost report a loss of contact with Tagra IV. The planet presumably was caught in the supernova.”

Weyoun was silent for a long moment, pondering this.

“What ships are in the immediate area aside from squadron 85-B?”

“Jem’Hadar Squadron 39-S and elements of the Cardassian Third Order can be in range within several days”.

“I will notify the Founder of this development myself. Dispatch them at once to provide backup for Squadron 85-B. Order them to navigate the shockwaves and gravitational distortions of the Cluster and determine what has happened. I want full antiproton sweeps conducted if possible. Put all Dominion outposts within a five light-year radius on a high alert,” he ordered.

“Understood. It will be done, Prefect.”

Luaran bowed, turned, and proceed back through the balcony door. As it slid shut, Bashir looked at Weyoun.

“The Legate’s going to furious he wasn’t consulted about the Third Order’s detachment,” the Doctor finally said.

“Damar has no say in the matter,” Weyoun replied sharply, almost snapping, the wheels within his mind. “Speculate for me, Julian. A cluster of stars does not simply go nova without warning. Could it be the Losers, another strike from the Defiant’s bag of tricks? ”

Off of Bashir’s look, Weyoun said, “Doctor, please, we know the Defiant has been sighted within the former DMZ in the last month and it did penetrate the Cluster during the War as you well know. And they still have O’Brian and…Mr. Rom on board. This kind of operation is not beneath them.”

Weyoun’s expression puckered at the mention of the Ferengi, his mind flashing back to that glorious day five years earlier when the minefield had come down. The execution of the Ferengi saboteur would have been a small, but still significant bookend to the whole affair. After all, he given the minefield life and his would be extinguished alongside its existence.

True, the resulting breach in security had not been his fault – or that simpleton Damar’s, either, much as he was loathe to admit it. And the Founder had, in her wisdom, not held him accountable for Odo’s sudden turncoat action. How could she have? He was but a servant to the gods, not their confessor.

No, thanks to the involvement of the brat Tora Ziyal, it was better for the entire mess to be laid at the doorstep of that egoistical schemer Skrain Dukat. Dukat’s political clout had saved her life and while it hadn’t immediately sunk the Gul’s standing within the Dominion/Cardassian hierarchy, it had gotten the ball rolling. Weyoun had taken great satisfaction to see Dukat forced out less than a year later, even if it now meant having to deal with Corat Damar and his insistence on Cardassia’s right to have a greater role in the Dominion’s occupation operations.

“Obviously, I don’t believe this was a random, cosmic occurrence,” Bashir finally said, carefully and delicately. “It is possible that this is a retaliatory attack for the destruction of the Klingon rebels. It may be the Defiant or another ship in the service of the Losers or something else entirely. Believe me, I’m just as shocked and worried about the idea of Picard or Sisko in control of super-weapons, but there’s not point in endless worrying or speculating Squadron 85-B arrives in-system.”

“Hmm. Yes. Yes, you’re quire right, Doctor. Forgive me,” Weyoun finally said as he sipped the last of his coffee and tried to compose himself for the briefing he would have to give to the Founder within the next few minutes. This was why the Dominion existed, to combat these insidious agents of chaos and to maintain a just and orderly galaxy where all could prosper under the rule of the Founders.

It did not matter if the Starfleet resistance had managed to destroy the Argolis Cluster and its advanced sensor network or if they had forged their pitiful scraps and resources into a desperate weapon of last resort. They were still outmanned and outgunned ten thousand to one. No, the destruction of the Klingon rebels was the beginning of the end, the opening salvo in the final destruction of the Losers and the end of this insignificant insurrection.

***

TO BE CONTINUED…

***

[Alien-Carrot]

Damn you. I was planning a 100 chapter fanfic, and this is almost exactly how i was gonna open it.

Now i gotta rewrite the first 15 chapters so i dont use the maw cluster as the focal point.

AND i gotta scrap the "luke fires 1 secone later" bit i was gonna use.

Theres only so many ways to make a crossover with resorting to gods.

But something you wrote gave me a basic idea.......

[The Romulan Republic]

I just started reading this, and while I've only skimmed it so far, it looks nice.

[Scottish Ninja]

Lovely! An occupied Paris, Tarkin being... Tarkin - I had missed this. Make sure we get more soon!

[JME2]

But something you wrote gave me a basic idea.......

Indeed? I'm curious to see what you have planned (and I'm sorry if the story scuttled your plans).

Lovely! An occupied Paris, Tarkin being... Tarkin - I had missed this. Make sure we get more soon!

It's always fun writing Weyoun, but Tarkin took some getting used to -- in a good way, I mean. It's certainly been a different experience writing in the OT era rather than NJO era as was the case with The Best of Both Worlds. And with a character like Tarkin involved, the potential developments are all the more interesting. Suffice it to say, Theran and I have plans for the Eriadu Moff...

In regards to Paris, the occupational government setting up shop in the City of Lights was one of the first things we came up with; same with Bashir having switched sides. Theran deserves full credit, however, for the full exploration of the Loyalist fleet's integration with Dominion forces and the initial stages of the occupation. He correctly pointed out that few lines of exposition that were there originally weren't enough, that I was leaving too much to the imagination.

Reegardless, we're both back in full swing now; writing this will be a sort of therapeutic relief from the coming toils of our thesis project.So, let's take stock of the developments as they stand at the end of this chapter: The geopolitical situation in both galaxies has been established, we've gotten the necessary exposition out of the way, and the pieces are in place on the galactic chess (or dejarik) board. Time to start heating things up...

[Crazedwraith]

Bashir's a dirty dirty colaborator? Bet his crew mates love that.

[JME2]

Bashir's a dirty dirty colaborator? Bet his crew mates love that.

When we were plotting this out, Theran and I were going over not just the key members of the Dominion hierarchy (ex. The Female Founder, Weyoun), but also potential members of the Loyalists. We needed an unpopular, short-sighted prick to serve as Commodore and Liason and Dougherty fit the bill perfectly (his involvement also solved a major plot point that we hinted at in this chapter and will explore in coming chapters).

But we also wanted to have someone present whose siding with the Dominion would be shocking, yet completely in-character. Enter Julian Subatoi Bashir, M.D.. And yes, Sisko and the surviving crew of the Defiant are extremely bitter towards the former Doctor. In fact, as Spymaster for the Losers, it's a safe bet that Garak has tried to spearhead assassination attempts against the Doctor (in addition to the rest of the Dominion hierarchy to say nothing of the least) in the five years since the fall of the Minefield.

AND i gotta scrap the "luke fires 1 secone later" bit i was gonna use.

Actually, you could still use this. The divergent point here was only what if Han had started back a few seconds later than he did in ANH; I didn't change anything regarding Luke's speed or firing time in the Trench Run.

[Singular Intellect]

Will the Borg be making an appearance, JME2? I'd love to see the Dominion get a little bit of a humbling ass whooping from them before the Empire comes along and presumeably cleans house. Even if it's just a relatively small skirmish between a cube assimilating some interesting but remote Dominion facility.

That, or perhaps you could inject some Dominion tactical analysis on the Borg instead. Obviously they should have access to this information, and I'd love to see/read even just a reaction of sorts on their part to a big player that tends to run around the entire galaxy at whim, bitchslapping powers left and right.

(I finished reading two of the Star Trek Destiny novels, and it's warped ideas on the Borg left a bad taste in my mind)

[JME2]

Will the Borg be making an appearance, JME2? I'd love to see the Dominion get a little bit of a humbling ass whooping from them before the Empire comes along and presumeably cleans house. Even if it's just a relatively small skirmish between a cube assimilating some interesting but remote Dominion facility.

That, or perhaps you could inject some Dominion tactical analysis on the Borg instead. Obviously they should have access to this information, and I'd love to see/read even just a reaction of sorts on their part to a big player that tends to run around the entire galaxy at whim, bitchslapping powers left and right.

Obviously, Theran and I took the Borg into account when we were outlining. The take we came up with is that because the Federation lost the Dominion War, the events of "Endgame" never came to pass and so, the Collective is still active. They haven't entered the Alpha Quadrant since the events of First Contact, but the Dominion government on Earth isn't stupid. They know another incursion is all but inevitable, so they've been preparing; this will be addressed in-story in another chapter or two.

But again, the purpose of Chapters 1-4 was to address the geo-political situations of both galaxies and to move the main pieces on both sides of the board into place. We're in the final ticks of the countdown to the zero hour and time's all but up, essentially. So no, the Collective will not be appearing at this stage. Now, is there the potential for them to appear later down the road? Perhaps. In the meantime, however, cheer up; I repeat my words from the previous page:

Trust me, the Dominion's going to have bigger problems than a Borg incursion in another few chapters...

Oh, it's going to be a most interesting brouhaha, yes indeed...

[JME2]

Disclaimer: Star Trek created by Gene Roddenberry and owned by Paramount Pictures. Star Wars created by George Lucas and owned by Lucasfilm Ltd. I own the story and any original characters/species. No copyright infringement is intended.

STAR TREK/STAR WARS: FEARFUL SYMMETRY

Story by JME2 & Theran-Rel

Written by JME2

Author’s Notes: Well, the calm has ended and the storm is about to be unleashed, ladies and gentlemen…


***


Chapter 5
Devil in the Gateway – Part 1


***

“Exiting hyperspace in five, four, three, two, one…”

While he had only periodically been aboard the Deathe Star in the five years since its launch, Bevel Lemelisk had nonetheless followed in its wake and traced its route through the stars in addition to his occasional inspections. He had toured both the remains of the construction site, the penal colony Despayre, and the remains of Alderaan – known among bitter surviving Alderaanians as the Graveyard. He had thought the utter annihilation of both worlds had been the greatest instance of destruction he would ever witness in his lifetime.

But as his CEC Consular-class space cruiser Ironhide VI dropped out of hyperspace, Lemelisk was instantly forced to re-evaluate his previous beliefs on the possible scale of destruction. The sight that lay beyond the transparisteel cockpit windows of the Ironhide VI was…unprecedented, both by what he had personally seen with his own two eyes and the devastations he had read about throughout his childhood and education.

The initial report that had been forwarded to General Bast and which he in turn had relayed to Tarkin’s personal quarters had not been exaggerated in the slightest. Kessel was gone, as was its garrison moon and the Maw. It was if the black, inky canvas of space before them had been wiped clean. Well, nearly clean, anyway. All that was left were crackling discharges of residual subspace energy, in addition to clusters energized gases and anomalies which were gathered near the center of what had been the Maw.

Multiple freighters hung further in-system between the Maw’s remains and the incoming Ironhide VI. It was the expected disaster relief from Klatooine and Bimmisaari which Tarkin had dispatched. At the center of this small fleet was a venerable Victory-class Star Destroyer, designated the Aggressor. Lemelisk frowned at the sight, then glanced down at the navigator.

“Why have we dropped out so far from the relief fleet?”

“The gravitational forces have shifted in this sector, Dr. Lemelisk. We can’t penetrate the disaster area any further with hyperspace. We’re proceeding at sublight as best as possible.” reported the navigator

Lemelisk nodded. That made sense. What was the Maw but the ultimate gravitational disturbance known to galactic civilization. Lemelisk knew almost nothing about the complete makeup of space-time, but even he knew that the sudden implosion or explosion or whatever had taken out the Maw was probably laying holy hell on the underlying structure of the And though he had no immediate data, he knew instantly this couldn’t have been the work of the Rebellion.

It couldn’t be. There was no method available for taking out a black hole, let alone a cluster of them. This would require incredible resources and a technical mindset that was beyond what little the Rebels still had. That meant it was almost certain that something had gone wrong with Project Catalyst. Lemelisk wondered idly if Daala were still alive and if she were, what punishment Wilhuff would inflict upon his occasional lover. This was gross incompetence beyond even what a Grand Moff could tolerate or ignore.

“The Aggressor is hailing us, Doctor Lemelisk,” the pilot suddenly reported, breaking the scientist out of his reprieve.

As was to be expected; play it casual, Bevel.

“Put Captain Wayd on,” ordered Lemelisk, taking up position on one of the cockpit’s side consoles and prepping the communications equipment. Knowing that the Aggressor had been the closest Imperial naval vessel in range of Kessel, he had taken the time to read up on the ship’s history. It had been commissioned during the Clone Wars and had served well in that destructive conflict and in the years leading into the Galactic Civil War.

Captain Wayd had begun as a minor officer at the time of the vessel’s launch and had worked his way up the hierarchy to become its master and commander in the present era. Wayd appeared to be a comment, obedient and unquestioning officer from all indications and recommendations within his Fleet record.

The comm screen flickered to life as the familiar bridge of the Victory-class materialized. A balding, middle-aged man dominated the screen, a weary, but still respectful look emblazoned on his face. Clearly a man of the uniform.

“Captain Wayd, I presume,” asked Lemelisk.

“This is Captain Jeof Wayd of the Aggressor. You honor us with your presence, Dr. Lemeleisk, though I am curious as to why you are here.”

Not the questioning sort, but certainly curious.

Lemelisk couldn’t fault him for that; it was highly suspicious for the Master of Imperial Projects to coordinate a relief effort.

“I was the closest authority and Grand Moff Tarkin ordered me to coordinate the relief effort. If you doubt the validity of the orders, you can take it up with the Grand Moff himself” he said, injecting a tone of authority and a slight undercurrent of ruthlessness to his voice. He knew it was not as effective an attempt as, say, Wilhuff or even the Emperor himself could present, but it nonetheless had the intended effect.

“Not at all, Doctor. As I said, we welcome your presence to the Kessel System.”

“Hmm. What have you been able to determine thus far, Captain Wayd?”

“There is little to add to our initial report. The Maw, Kessel, its Garrison moon – all are gone and utterly annihilated. Probots were dispatched into the center of those anomalies within the last twenty-four hours, but they’ve detected little beyond unknown energy signatures. Several of them even fell in and we’ve lost contact with them; they are presumed destroyed. To all appearances, this was a natural disaster, but I can say in all honesty that I’ve never seen a disaster like—”

There was a pause as one of Wayd’s subordinates approached him. Wayd gave Lemelisk an apologetic look before turning his head to face the officer. The subordinate whispered in the Captain’s ear and Wayd’s expression transformed from weariness to startled amazement. Lemelisk’s brow furrowed.

“Captain Wayd?”

“Doctor, the probots that fell into the rift have begun transmitting again. It…Doctor, if these readings are correct then it appears that they have possibly entered a new, uncharted region of space outside of our –”

But whatever Wayd was about to say was cut off by a loud beeping from his end. Wayd glanced at an unseen panel. His expression instantly hardened and Lemeleisk’s stomach began to churn. He knew that look on naval officers all too well. It meant impending danger.

“Doctor, the probots have detected something on the other side. Multiple ships of unknown design, sir. They are approaching the probots and are arming some manner of weaponry.”


***


“Exiting warp in five, four, three, two, one…”

From the moment he had been birthed inside a Dominion hatchery, Jem’Hadar First Atro’kilan had lived to serve the Founders and their empire. For the better part of a decade, he had done so. He had fought in space against the powerful, but ineffectual armadas of the Okoliz Corps and on the ground against the Brotherhood of Tahnarro, and more. He was not yet an Honored Elder among the Jem’Hadar, but the men under his command and even the normally oily Vorta supervisor, Calsun, treated him with respect far beyond that of an ordinary First.

And so, alongside such men and leaders, Atro’kilan had joined the Dominion’s most ambitious campaign in the decade of his existence: the subjugation of the distant worlds that lay on the other side of the Bajoran anomaly. He had fought against the morally unrealistic United Federation of Planets and the honorable, but ultimately weak Klingon Empire. Both had fallen and Atro’kilan had proudly served the Dominion in bringing the order and fear of his gods to these disbelievers. His experiences across three quadrants had led him to believe that he had seen any and all kinds of warfare and their destructive tendencies

But as Dominion Attack Ship BG-4593 dropped out of warp, the Jem’Hadar First was instantly forced to reevaluate his experiences and recollections over the preceding decade. It appeared that the Vorta commander felt the same way, for while Atro’kilan kept a stoic outward demeanor, Calsun gasped in shock at the image that appeared in both his and the First’s virtual display devices.

Their initial sensor readings had not been in error, but the sight of the Argolis Cluster, or what was left it, was staggering even to Atro’kilan. It was…well, gone. The protostars that had shielded the Dominion’s sensor array station had gone nova, but it was unlike any supernova that Atro’kilan had encountered during his service. It was if the expanse of space had been wiped clean of all flotsam and trappings, leaving only clusters of crackling energy discharges and anomalies where the Cluster had once lain.

“Report,” ordered the Vorta, struggling to maintain his composure

“Radiation levels are decreasing exponentially, but the gravitational forces are in flux. The task-force cannot proceed any further at warp power, Supervisor,” reported Second Bakil’oklan. “We are detecting strange residual energy readings that do not match anything in our databanks. There is little that differs from our initial scan of the Cluster.”

“Hmm,” murmured Calsun, studying the anomaly. Atro’kilan kept one eye trained on the Vortan and the other on the remains of the Cluster. He had served under Calsun long enough to know that the Vorta was trying to work through the multiple possibilities behind the Cluster’s destruction. Had the Starfleet Resistance – which he refused to acknowledge under the populist term the Losers – been responsible for this destruction?

Atro’kilan had obviously been briefed at the start of the Alpha Quadrant War on the various specialized weapons and devices that had served as the flashpoints throughout both quadrants’ history. Isolytic bursts, the Genesis Device, trilithium probes – the list went on an on. But these had left specific energy signatures and if they could not be detected in this crackling miasma…either the background radiation and destruction was interfering with their sensors or the Starfleet insurgents were indeed innocent, a possibility that only annoyed Atro’kilan further.

“Have the fleet maintain stationary positions, for the moment,” Calsun said at last. “Continue our scans, then open a direct channel to Headquarters on Earth. Prefect Weyoun will want our initial update on the –”

He trailed off, his eyes narrowing as if he was straining to see something through the hull plate. There was an uncertain, though worried look emblazoned upon his pale features.

“First Atro’kilan, do you see anything at coordinates 113 mark…667?” he asked at last.

Atro’kilan narrowed his eyes, focusing upon the coordinates his Vorta supervisor was indicating – and instantly frowned.

“Second Bakil’oklan, verify,” he ordered. The Second worked his controls, his frown joining those displayed by his superiors.

“First Atro’kilan, sensors confirm something is coming through the central anomaly.”

“Ships?”

The Jem’Hadar subordinate shook his head and scowled.”

“No, they appear to be probes, less than a standard meter tall. They do match anything with Dominion databanks. I am not detecting any weaponry or incendiary devices in their structures. What are your orders, Supervisor?”

The Vorta pondered his next move. Atro’kilan knew that while he held authority over his men, ultimately he must defer to whatever decision Calsun arrived at. If the Vorta ordered them to plunge into a Syngian Vortex, then, alas, he would do it if it would better the Dominion.

“You are absolutely certain they are of unknown designs, Second Bakil’oklan” Calsun finally asked.

“It as I reported, Supervisor,” Second Bakil’oklan responded.

“Are we within beaming distance?”

“No, Supervisor.”

“Hmm. Signal Attack Ships BG-9908 and BX-7640 to flank us. Approach them, slowly and cautiously; I want them taken intact. First Atro’kilan, have polaron arrays one and two on standby. Be ready for anything.”


***


Forgotten amidst the great backdrop of the Outer Rim Territories, the swamp world of Dagobah boasted nothing of significant importance to the tapestry of Creation. It was, despite it’s admittedly small value to potential exo-biologists and fauna specialists, essentially a swamp-world in the middle of nowhere. There was no advanced, sentient, space-faring civilization on either the planet or in the surrounding system. In fact, the only man-made structure within the system was located in the central hemisphere, a crude hut constructed of mud, an escape pod’s components, and other local materials.

A wizened, one-meter tall green elfin creature lay at rest within the hut. Perched on a warm, but weathered bed, he was mediating and probing the ebbs and flows of the mystical Force as he had for nearly a millennia. He had been at it for hours and seem poised to continue onwards into the night, perhaps even into the days to come. Finally, however, he opened his eyes, a certainty and excitement reflected within them that had not been present in nearly three decades.

“Begun, it has.”


***


TO BE CONTINUED…


***

[Trogdor]

I guess it would be too much to ask for to have the two rebellions meet first, given how spectacular the creation of the 'doorway' was. Very interesting. I can't see the Empire and the Dominion getting along too well, which can only be good for the Alliance and the Loser. Please, good sir, write on.

[JME2]

I guess it would be too much to ask for to have the two rebellions meet first, given how spectacular the creation of the 'doorway' was. Very interesting. I can't see the Empire and the Dominion getting along too well, which can only be good for the Alliance and the Loser. Please, good sir, write on.

I'm afraid that extragalactic first contact belongs to the Dominion and the Galactic Empire and you're absolutely right; it is not going to go well at all. We'll see the events of the Kessel/Argolis incident and the pending First Contact from the perspectives of the Rebels and the Losers, but for the moment, they're really supporting characters. That will change soon, though, especially for the Rebels...

[Crazedwraith]

It couldn’t be. There was no method available for taking out a black hole, let alone a cluster of them. This would require incredible resources and a technical mindset that was beyond what little the Revels still had.

The Revels? Do they undermine the Empire through the use of loud music and free flowing booze? You are part of the Revel Alliance and a traitor, take her away!

..Good chapter though but isn;t Yoda knowing somethings up a bit of crossover cliche?

[The Romulan Republic]

..Good chapter though but isn;t Yoda knowing somethings up a bit of crossover cliche?

I'd personally say its probably completely in line with Yoda's abillities as a powerful Force user. Doesn't he say in Empire Strikes Back, for example, that he's been watching Luke his whole life? And in Attack of the Clones, Yoda seemed almost shocked that he hadn't sensed the Clone Army.

[Master_Baerne]

I agree. Yoda's whole purpose is to know absolutely everything.

Well, and to be a green ball of acrobatic death, but let's not get into that.

[JME2]

Romulan Republic is essentially correct. With his greater-than-average connection to the Force, Yoda knew something was about to happen. However, there's more going on here, as we'll see in a couple of chapters. In the meantime, break out the hot links, the beer, and the picket fence; the new neighbors are about to meet...

Oh, and the Revels typo has been fixed; sorry to disappoint you, CrazedWraith.