Star Trek/Star Wars: The Best of Both Worlds

Agent R · Post by **Agent R** » 2004-04-26 12:11am

Holy Crap! An update!

Robert Walper · Post by **Robert Walper** » 2004-04-26 03:43pm

Interesting! I especially liked the Borg/Vong angle of hinting they may have encountered eachother before. Perhaps a reason the Vong detest machines so much...

Also, good job on the Borg explanations JME2. I thought they were quite good.

Although...gah! The entire Collective is inactive? *sniffs* That bit had me worried, but I'm hoping they have a comeback. The loss of the Borg Queen isn't a bad idea, just be sure to mention the Borg still use the kickass Vinculum that is a Queen equivalent, but without the personality or humanoid shape.

That is of course, assuming the Borg get re activated or something...maybe...pretty please?

JME2 · Post by **JME2** » 2004-04-26 04:20pm

Robert Walper wrote:Interesting! I especially liked the Borg/Vong angle of hinting they may have encountered eachother before. Perhaps a reason the Vong detest machines so much...

Also, good job on the Borg explanations JME2. I thought they were quite good.

Although...gah! The entire Collective is inactive? *sniffs* That bit had me worried, but I'm hoping they have a comeback. The loss of the Borg Queen isn't a bad idea, just be sure to mention the Borg still use the kickass Vinculum that is a Queen equivalent, but without the personality or humanoid shape. That is of course, assuming the Borg get re activated or something...maybe...pretty please?

Fear not; as I said before, there'll be an indication in the forthcoming chapters that Axumn and U0 may be hiding something. In any event, there's going to explosive events occuring in the next few chapters that will please many a reader

Crazedwraith · Post by **Crazedwraith** » 2004-04-28 04:19pm

Sorri i took so long to notice this.
Kewl!!!! To you leave ANY part of trek unmntioned or un-involved? So the 29th C feds are involed as well?

Keep up the good work.

JME2 · Post by **JME2** » 2004-05-14 10:28am

Crazedwraith wrote:Do you leave ANY part of trek unmntioned or un-involved? So the 29th C feds are involed as well?.

Well I try to bring in what I like (which is why I hope to bring in Elite Force's Hazard Team in the next chapter as well as possibly the U.S.S. Excalibur; I don't know about the latter since I haven't read the NF novels).

JME2 · Post by **JME2** » 2004-05-14 10:30am

Okay, let me give a status on the update for Chapter 13. It’s coming along; I haven’t had much time to write since I posted Chapter 12, but it’ll be ready nonetheless and soon; I’m projecting possibly another week, more likely two or three at the max if a free moment shows itself.

I also have a question - would anyone object if I were to change the name of the SW galaxy from 'That Galaxy Far, Far Away' to 'Corusca Galaxy'?

JME2 · Post by **JME2** » 2004-05-19 09:43pm

Update Status - Sometime next week. I'm trying with this next chapter to focus more on the Star Wars galaxy than I have thus far. Aside from Naboo, we'll also be getting another look at Vong-occupied Duro as well as the reactions of the Empire and the Chiss to the discovery of the wormhole and of the UFP.

SpecWar826 · Post by **SpecWar826** » 2004-05-20 02:04am

WOHOO at least we know you are alive.

JME2 · Post by **JME2** » 2004-05-20 03:54pm

SpecWar826 wrote:WOHOO at least we know you are alive.

...

Ah I'm dying! Melting!

Crazedwraith · Post by **Crazedwraith** » 2004-05-20 04:14pm

Hey, JME2 :d I would not care if you changed the SW galaxies name, how ever i would care if we had to wait much longer. *glows his eyes a la goa'uld* Don't disppoint your god!
I also hope you don't mind the shame less plug i'm about to make:

HEY LOOK GUYS CHAPTER 1 OF MY FANFIC IS UP! SEE THE LINK IN MY SIG!

JME2 · Post by **JME2** » 2004-05-24 07:27pm

Crazedwraith wrote:Hey, JME2 :d I would not care if you changed the SW galaxies name, how ever i would care if we had to wait much longer. *glows his eyes a la goa'uld* Don't disppoint your god!
I also hope you don't mind the shame less plug i'm about to make:

HEY LOOK GUYS CHAPTER 1 OF MY FANFIC IS UP! SEE THE LINK IN MY SIG!

I don't mind it at all.

JME2 · Post by **JME2** » 2004-05-24 07:27pm

Alright, Chapter 13 is starting to get there; I could have it up later today, but if not, then either Tuesday or Wed.

JME2 · Post by **JME2** » 2004-05-25 01:56am

Okay, I didn't make my proposed Monday deadline. You'll get it sometime on Tuesday.

Crazedwraith · Post by **Crazedwraith** » 2004-05-25 06:20am

Hye wheres the fanfic!!! *Use ribbon device on JME2 Want BoBW now!!

JME2 · Post by **JME2** » 2004-05-25 11:07am

Crazedwraith wrote:Hye wheres the fanfic!!! *Use ribbon device on JME2 Want BoBW now!!

I was sleeping, thank you.

So, you want it? You've got it!

JME2 · Post by **JME2** » 2004-05-25 11:11am

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 XIII

"The skies shall rain fire, and the seas will become as blood. The righteous shall fall before the wicked, and all creation shall tremble before the Burning Standards of Hell."

-Mephisto, Diablo II-

Author’s Notes: From this point onwards, I‘m going to be putting the Author’s Notes at the end of the chapter so as not to present spoilers for readers when they peruse new installments of Star Trek/Star Wars: The Best of Both Worlds. So, for now, enjoy as always!

***

Location: The Quintessence

Somewhere in the Universe

“If both men falter now or at any point down the road that is being laid out for them, than all will be lost.”

The Stranger continued to clasp his hands and let his statements sink in for a moment.

“Therefore, the time has come to fetch the two key individuals upon whom our hopes and souls rest.”

Q was the first to speak.

“I call Jean-Luc!”

Everyone else rolled their eyes. Sisko just stared at the Q Continuum’s representative.

“What is it with you and Picard, Q?”

Q looked mock-horrified.

“Well what’s there to say? He’s bald, he’s French - even though he talks with an English accent - and he’s fun to mock - unlike you. I try to make a joke around you on your precious little station and you socked me.

“If the fate of the universe was not in the balance, I would gladly do so again.”

“Really? Well you can just bring it - ”

Before Q could finish his statement, the fire pit roared brighter than it had before. The sudden rush of flame quite things down and as soon as it dissipated, they could all see the Stranger lowering his hand, proving that he had manipulated the flame.

“That’s enough. We’re wasting valuable time.”

“Fine; I’ll go beep Picard.”

“I will make contact with Skywalker.”

As both Q and Sisko vanished, the former with the snap of a finger and the latter with the white light of the Prophets, the Stranger sat back into his chair, clasped his hands, and looked at M and Ayelborne.

“Now we wait.”

***

Location: Bajor

Alpha Quadrant, Milky Way Galaxy

Ten years previous, the Cardassian Union, prior to its self-destruction at the end of the Dominion War, had withdrawn from the planet known as Bajor. The decision had been a combination of pressure from the Federation and the Central Command’s tiring of the daily terrorist attacks, courtesy of the annoying Bajoran Resistance. They had left behind a burning, broken world on that day, the Day of Withdrawal, and many had predicted both on and off planet that Bajor would never recover from her forty-years in hell.

Ten years later, they had been proven sufficiently wrong.

Though her continents and surface still bore many scars left behind by Occupation forces, Bajor had all but recovered with the generous aid of the United Federation of Planets. Her cities had been rebuilt, her spirit mended, and her people truly unified for the first time in millennia; it was a truly gorgeous planet, one that rivaled the beauty of even Deneva, which had been hailed by many as one of the galaxy’s most beautiful planets.

But for all of the damage that had been inflicted, there was one area of the planet that had escaped the attention of the Cardassian overseers, who had been more concerned with uridium processing and dealing with rebellious Bajoran slaver laborers. If they had been less arrogant and more observant, they might have done their slaves a favor by destroying that small area of the planet with a orbital blast from a Galor or Akrill-class cruiser.

It was an area of Bajor long feared by the natives, by farmers and politicians alike, a place where the man who had days before been pouring over ancient texts and scrolls over a low fire and a half-eaten and cold hasperat soufflé was now sitting, pondering what he knew that the rest of Bajor did not, information that was vital to the survival of not just the planet, but all of existence.

Such thing were possible to easily contemplate within the lowest levels of the ‘dreaded’ Fire Caves.

He relished the coolness of the subterranean, sandy floor and considered the ‘official’ history of these caves. Legend and religious texts continually stated that these caves were where the Pah-Wraiths, the Bajoran devils, had been imprisoned by their brothers and sisters in the Celestial Temple

The man knew from texts that had long been suppressed by Vedeks and Kais from millennia past that that the reason for the imprisonment of the non-corporeal beings within these caverns was not as simple as that, that it tied into the knowledge that he, like many before him, had been studying and preserving, waiting for the day when it would, as was foretold, occur.

He closed his eyes again and began to concentrate in methods taught to him by his father and his father before him, techniques of meditation that had been passed down through every member of his family.

He could feel the incredible power and energy contained with these cavern walls, dripping from cracks in the rocky formations of the ceiling and the floor. On previous occasions, this power had been easy to reach out and touch, to feel. Yet in the last three years, it had waned. It was still there yet almost as if its lock had been reinforced and contained.

Either way, this power was but one sample of the power that could be used to act against what the signs and charts that forecast. The signs had been verified by his fellow associates across the entire world. They all knew that the time was coming and soon and that power like this could be the only way to save Bajor.

But they were faced with a problem.

If the rumors were true, if the Text was truly gone, if the secrets and solutions proposed and recorded by the Kosst Amojan were indeed lost forever, then they had no immediate way to use this power; not even allowing their bodies as vessels for these beings was possibly anymore given the unexplained waning of that power in the last three years.

Yet, as he raised his still form from the sands, there were others, especially with one of the signs that had come true. Perhaps the power exhibited by these strangers from another Galaxy, these Jedi, could very well prove to be the key to tapping into the power of that would save Bajor from a cataclysmic end.

***

Location: Yuuzhan Vong warship Sunulok,

Duro System, Corusca Galaxy

As a Yuuzhan Vong warrior, Nas Choka of Domain Choka had only one fear. That fear was not of dying in the glorious combat that Yun-Yammka directed them to take against the infidels, those that denied the Yuuzhan Vong way of life, the True Way and the Great Doctrine. Nor was it of facing now the greatest warrior of the entire warrior-caste after Supreme Overlord Shimmra aboard his flagship, inside his Chamber of Command with the eyes of other high-ranking commanders upon him, as well as the birdlike pet of the late priestess Elan, Vergere.

His fear was that he had failed his people and had dishonored himself and his Domain.

When the Battle Group of Yun-Yamaka had received the pre-arranged villip signal, they had jumped through darkspace to the planet Naboo and had entered through the anomaly the infidels had termed the Earth/Naboo wormhole. Once they had exited it, they had immediately engaged the same kind of infidels that Garh’e Shai and his fellow warriors had battled half a klekket before at Naboo.

It had been a glorious battle, even with the arrival of familiar Republic infidels fighting alongside the Starfleet infidels. Their mechanical abominations were even worse with than the Republic’s, particularly with the projectile that several Federation ships had launched and that had hit multiple ships, gaining speed and energy with each subsequent hit.

And then they had arrived.

Beings…no, an entire race of infidels composed out of machines! They had torn through the flanks of Nas Choka’s armada like a gricha through a sandstorm. But that had not frightened Nas Choka. What had put him at ease was that it was almost as if, as if they had fought these infidels before.

But how could that be? They had never left their home galaxy except in preparation for the conquering of the Corusca Galaxy.

Whatever the cause, Nas Choka had given the order to retreat back through the anomaly to Naboo and them jump back to occupied-Hutt space. To Yuuzhan Vong battle traditions, retreat was as heretical as doubting the existence of Yun-Yuuzhan, the Creator.

That had been less than half a klekket ago.

Now, Supreme Commander Nas Choka stood before his Warmaster aboard Tsavong Lah’s warship Sunulok in orbit of the infidel world of Duro. He had chosen to communicate with Lah in person rather than by villip. He was prepared to take full responsibility for their defeat in Sector 001 and would offer his life if that was what the Warmaster wanted.

He finished explaining the course of the battle, as analyzed by tactical villips and the legion of blaze bugs hovering nearest the wall of the living vessel, recreating the fleet movements of the Republic, Federation, Borg, and Yuuzhan Vong for Tsavong Lah’s talented eyes. The Warmaster, after a long silence, starred at Nas Choka and smiled.

“Congratulations is in order for you, Supreme Commander.”

The Supreme Commander blinked in confusion.

“I do not understand, Warmaster. I failed to defeat the infidels, the Battle Group of Yun-Yamaka lost numerous ships and warriors whose -”

“ - whose ranks will be eagerly filled by those who fish to prove their mettle against the infidels and the Jedi. Like Garh’e Shai, you have shown us a new threat to our promised domain over this galaxy!”

“And of my life?”

“I will not ask for your life in exchange, old friend. Rather for the life of a certain Executor.”

Vergere clucked and chuckled in what Nas Choka assumed was a laugh.

“Correct the Warmaster is. With Nom Anor, the blame lies entirely for this defeat.”

The Warmaster glowered at Vergere, but did not strike the bird-like creature. The Supreme Commander knew that former pet was quickly becoming an invaluable asset to Tsavong Lah; indeed, it was Vegere, through means unknown, that had known the Jedi ship Millennium Falcon would at Naboo when it was.

“Nom Anor is not to be entrusted with any more tasks. As of this moment, his life is no more. If he is found, he is to be killed for his failure.”

The other commanders, both present and by villip, nodded or muttered in agreement which was not much of a surprise - no one like the burecratic Intendant caste.

“I will converse with the Supreme Overlord upon our next moves against the Republic, this Federation, and the mechanical infidels they call the Borg. Either we will continue to attack the Republic infidels or the Federation will come before them.”

Lah then turned to the commanders and Nas Choka one last time, a look of excitement growing upon his scarred and tattooed face.

“Either way, tell your warriors to sharpen their couffes, offer sacrifice and prayer to the gods, and ready their prowess. A great battle is coming, one that with the gods upon our side, we shall win!”

***

With barely any effort, Vergere retreated to the corner of her mind where should best mediate and easily tune out Tsavong Lah’s ranting of great battles and sacrifice to the Yuuzhan Vong’s fictitious pantheon of gods.

Of course, she would never say that aloud to Tsavong Lah. She never had in the fifty years she had spent amongst the enemy, fifty years since she had given her life and freedom in exchange for the safety of the living world Zonama Sekot - as well as investigating the possible threat it posed to the Old Republic and its Jedi Knights.

At least as they had existed then.

That the Old Republic was apparently gone troubled her, as did the running around of half-trained Jedi across the worlds of the Corusca Galaxy.

But she could not dwell upon it.

There was simply too much at stake and too much to do in so little time. The discovery of this wormhole and new galaxy worked nicely for her, as did Nom Anor’s blunder. She had taken advantage of Tsavong Lah’s dislike of the Executor and he had played right into her hands - or feathers if you looked at it from a certain point of view.

After fifty years amongst the Yuuzhan Vong, her sense of humor, as strange as that of her fellow Jedi Master Yoda, was still intact.

And after fifty years, her plans were at last coming to fruition.

***

Starfleet Headquarters

Sol System, Alpha/Beta Quadrants

In the week since the Yuuzhan Vong surprise attack on Sector 001, the Tactical Preparation Theater had barely been silent. Top brass and officers had coordinated the defense of the Sector from that room and had, like those on the Enterprise and other Federation ships, stared in shock as Borg ships had appeared out of transwarp and had hit the living ships with the same type of efficiency that had characterized the Borg during their attacks in 2366 and 2373.

And now, a week after the worst attack in the sector since the Breen had hit San Francisco three years prior, President Grey’si had instructed a time of mourning for those whose lives had been lost, both Federation and Republic.

Losses hadn’t been too bad for Starfleet all things considered. In fact, if they hadn’t had the defense perimeter up when they did, it would have been worse. The phaser batteries and torpedo turrets had managed to inflict Chin’toka style losses on the Yuuzhan Vong fleet before the arrival of the Borg ships. But the coralskippers and matlog cruisers had still managed to either destroy or disable sixty-five percent of the grid.

Most of the Federation ships, the Enterprise-E included, had sustained damage of some kind. Six ships had been destroyed - amazingly, Captain Noice and the Gormenghast had survived despite the fact that the Excelsior-class ship had taken part in the battle from the first moment Vong ships started pouring through the wormhole - as well as three squadrons of Peregrine-class fighters. The attack fighters had been in service for Starfleet since the aftermath of the Battle of Wolf 359 and had proven their worth during the major battles of the Dominion War to the extent that they now made up a significant portion of the Federation fleet. Though the ships were warp-capable, they still required specialized carriers to deploy them over vast distances.

And speaking of which…

Elias Vaughn watched on the central viewer as the Federation carrier Shogei Maru launched a squadron of Peregrine-class fighters to patrol this end of the wormhole - as well as keep an eye on the Unimatrix Zero ships.

It wasn’t as if Starfleet didn’t trust the rogue Borg. Captain Picard had believed Axum’s story and his Betazoid counselor Deanna Troi - whom Vaughn tried to speak to when he could given that her late father Ian had been a very good friend of his - had not detected any ill thoughts or hidden secrets from the former-drone’s mind.

Captain Picard, Admiral Janeway, and Starfleet Command desperately wanted to believe that the Borg threat was over, that they would never again be threatened by the Collective, it’s ships, its drones, or its queen. It was also ecstatic over the offer Axum had made to Picard and Janeway aboard the Enterprise two days ago.

Axum had proposed giving Starfleet the technology and assistance to construct not just transwarp coils, but a transwarp hub. With transwarp, the Federation would finally be able to explore in ways that had been dreamed of since the days of Jonathan Archer and the NX-class Enterprise.

But more importantly, they could have a tool to strike back with at the Yuuzhan Vong.

If there had been any doubt before, any chance that thanks to Viqi Shesh, the chances of some kind of agreement between the New Galactic Republic and the United Federation of Planets would not work out, it was now all water underneath the bridge so to speak.

The Federation Council and Command, as well as the Bothans Traest Krey’Fey and Borks Fey’lya were now overwhelmingly supporting a pro Federation/Republic alliance. It didn’t matter to many that only three years had passed since the end of the Dominion War, that Starfleet was still not back fully on its feet. The Federation would not stand to be attacked by anyone again, particularly a bunch of religious fundamentalists with a quasi-Cardassian belief in manifest destiny.

The effect had already been felt.

A team of Federation doctors would be, in the next day and with the assistance of a Republic scientist, Danni Quae, would examine at Starfleet Medical a recovered Yuuzhan Vong body to test if the theories of the late Professor Richard Galen were pertinent here. Trill physicist Dr. Lenara Kahn was also on her way to Earth to study and compare the Terran/Nuian wormhole in comparison with data on the Bajoran, Barzan and Furies wormholes. Hopefully she’d be able to give Starfleet a better idea of how this wormhole had appeared, if it was natural or if based on Picard’s reports if the entity Q had created it.

The Third Fleet had been re-deployed along Sector 001 to prepare for another possible incursion; elements were holding guard on the Naboo end of the wormhole along with the Republic Navy at the request of the Nubian government. Admiral Janeway had, in conjunction with Picard and Lt. Alexander Munro, successfully lobbied President Grey’si to reinstate the Hazard Team, the elite away team that had been founded on Voyager and disbanded following the ship’s return home.

Picard was also trying to help get the Voyager technology, specifically the transphasic torpedoes and ablative armor generators ; Vaugn knew from experience that DTI would fight them to the last on that one.

Not everyone had looked favorably on these efforts. Nechayev had stated to all of Command that Picard was pulling a Leyton and had tried to get the Captain arrested again. Admiral Uhura had slammed down on her and Vaughn had quietly approved; although he would never say it aloud, he had always thought that the Alynna Nechayev was kind of a bitch.

***

“I don’t know what went wrong up there. The attack has thrown everything into chaos; they’re actually doing what Picard is telling them!”

For the second time in the last two weeks, Admiral Alynna Necheyev stood once again in the center of the TR-116 production warehouse, addressing the twelve monoliths that represented the top operatives and leaders of covert agency Section 31. Agent Cortin Zweller was leaning back across the wall, watching the proceedings from the shadows.

There was a long indeterminable silence as the monoliths conversed on their own, private channels. Finally, Monolith 01 addressed the Admiral.

“We know that it is not by any fault of yours, Admiral. We are also fortunate that Agent Zweller’s attempt at sabotage failed - though you will still remain an essential part of the organization; we do not hold this against you.”

Zweller breathed a sigh of relief. As clam as he was, he had been worried that his fate as an agent of Section 31 hung in the balance.

“Thank you, sir. But what are we going to do about Unimatrix Zero?”

“The Borg, either as a whole or as a sole being, have never been trustworthy. Steps must be taken. There is little we can do be prepare for the attack we know will come. For they are Borg, after all. They will attack.”The other monoliths now began speaking out, all at once.

“Indeed.”

“But what is to be done?”

“The shadow fleet is awaiting our -”

“We can’t unveil that just yet-”

“There is always Project Dreadnaught.

Silence filled the chamber. Nechayev looked at Zweller.

“What’s Project Dreadnaught?”

From his corner, Zweller shrugged.

“Beats the heck out of me; I’m on a need to know basis and I don’t need to know just yet; neither do you.”

***

Actually, that was somewhat of an exaggeration; it wasn’t a lie from his viewpoint. Zweller knew quite well what Project Dreadnaught. If the big boys up top - or the big yanks, as Zweller was unofficially fond of calling them - were considering using it, then it was a sign to Zweller of how desperate things were for them - and how far they would go to save the Federation from everyone from the Vong to his old friend Jean-Luc ‘Johnny’ Picard.

***

The monoliths resumed speaking.

“Then it is agreed.”

“We will prepare to launch the -”

“Not yet. Ready it, but do not launch it just yet.”

The lead monolith regarded Admiral Necheyev once again.

“Though the rest of this meeting does not concern you, As always, your presence here is appreciated.”

And as they had before, the lights flashed out and when the lowered lighting came back online, the monoliths vanished. From the corner, Zweller chuckled.

“It gets annoying when they do that, doesn’t it?”

***

Although he detested violence, Vaughn knew that the Federation belief of all species living in harmony with now problems was not always true and in a lot of ways, truly naive. But something about it just didn’t jibe for Vaughn. Call it paranoia - which had kept him alive for most of the last century - or his gut.

Either way, with a transwarp hub on the Naboo side of the wormhole, they could do that. Still Vaughn was worried about the response of the various other interstellar powers on their side of the wormhole.

The Cardassian Remnant had, with the approval of the Federation and Alon Ghemor, the leader of the Provisional Government, mobilized what little remained of their fleet, fearing for a possible attack by the Yuuzhan Vong. That force, which was protecting what had and was still the core of the Cardassian Remnant, was under the command of one of the few trustworthy and high-ranking members of the Cardassian military, Gul Macet, aboard the Trager.

Of course, the Bajorans and even Vaughn to a certain extent would have a hard time believing that someone who not only looked and sounded like the infamous Gul Dukat, but was also in fact related to Dukat was trustworthy. Still, Macet had been one of the highest proponents of the Cardassian cooperation with the Alliance forces; without him, hotshots like Guls Madred or Evek would have probably done something stupid by now.

In Klingon space, it was known that Chancellor Martok had put the Klingon fleet on high alert, with a taskforce under the command of Captain Klag of the Chancellor-class I.K.S. Gorkon to Sector 001, with the intent to assist the UFP if another incursion occured.

The responses of the Breen Confederacy, Tholian Assembly, Son’a Solidarity, and the Romulan Star Empire was all unknown; Vaughn, given his role in the Tomed Incident, was particularly worried about how the Romulans were reacting to the news of the attack on Sector 001...

***

Location: Romulus

Beta Quadrant, Milky Way Galaxy

Though power had changed hands from Senators to Praetors to the Emperors in the roughly 2,000 years of the Empire’s existence, the power over the Romulan political structure had always more or less been imbedded in Romulus, or rather, in the marvel of Romulan architecture that was the Romulan Senate. It was where the policies of the great Romulan institution were proposed and planned, where the dreams of the patriotic Romulans could be made into reality.

It was also perhaps the most guarded location in the entire Romulan Star Empire alongside Tal Shiar Headquarters. The latest in disruptor batteries, shield technology, sensor scramblers and patrols by the most loyal and dedicated legions of the Romulan Ground Forces made it secure from any attempt at attack, both from without and within.

So how exactly Shinzon planned to eliminate the Senate was beyond General I‘val. He was tempted to call the ‘Reman’ commander deluded or insane --the result of rumors of Shinzon‘s mental instability -- but there was simply something in the eyes of his co-conspirator that made I‘val think, a cool confidence that told him that Shinzon did indeed have a way to ensure the success of the first stage of their plan.

Shinzon had told the general that he was needed to distract Senate and the idiot Praetor Hiren so that he could get into position. So, here he was now, standing atop the marbled floor of the Romulan senate, a floor which depicted the two-century old Outmarches - or to their ’neighbors’ on the other side, the Romulan Neutral Zone

The Senate meeting was meant to discuss the proposition of Admiral Kreti of giving the Remans a larger say in the military and other operations of the Empire - more of the unification nonsense inspired by the meddlesome Vulcan Spock who, despite the best efforts of the military and Tal Shiar, was still in hiding on Romulus and corrupting young monds. Though he hardly believed in Reman/Romulan unification, I’val had nevertheless agreed to accompany and support Kreti as their meeting.

Kreti had a long history of being an atypical Romulan whose support of non-traditional policies and Romulan/Reman unification had earned him the scorn and ridicule of those in the Empire. But he was still a good commander and had performed decently during campaigns in the Dominion War - where ironically, he had been forced to send his precious Remans as cannon fodder against the Jem’Hadar, Cardassians, and Breen at Benzar and Kalandra.

And, as he had expected, the Senate had blasted Kreti’s proposal before he had barely gotten off of the ground. That idiot Praetor Hiren had reminded both of them that the military did not dictate policy on Romulus and that if they were not to bring this proposal before the current body of the Senate ever again. It was simply put political hubris that had been getting worse since the end of the Dominion War and exactly for this reason that General I’val had looked for an ally against the Senate and had found it in Shinzon.

As he turned, his eyes caught those of his co-conspirator Senator Tal’Aura. Tal’Aura had replaced Senator Cretak as the representative of Ki Baratan after the latter had disgraced herself trying to steal information from the personal database of Tal Shiar Chairman Koval. Although I’val had never loved the Tal Shiar, he knew that Chairman Koval was not someone on this side of the Outmarches to play games with and he couldn’t help but wonder if Koval was onto their little coup.

Unlikely; as much as he hated to admit he, he agreed with Shinzon’s assessment that the Tal Shiar’s attention was at the moment focused on Earth and the threat that the Yuuzhan Vong posed to the Empire if they overran the Alpha Quadrant. Shinzon was right; the time to strike was now.

As he approached the doors, he heard Tal’Aura request from Praetor Hiren to leave for an appointment with the Tholian Ambassador.

The Tholians were among one of the more non-Romulan species that I’val had been fascinated with despite his upbringing. He found it interesting that this interstellar race were essentially crystalline arthropods who had life-spans of six-months, a penchant for interspace warfare, and shared only two things with the Romulan Star empire: Xenophobia and a non-aggression pact with the Dominion during the war.

Then he noticed that Tal’Aura, as she exited through the ornamental doors on the far side of the chamber, had left her recording device on the main Senate table next to Hiren. The Praetor was too busy speaking of the attempts to open trade negotiations with Celes II to notice it; apparently, Hiren was not focusing on what was going on Sector 001, either by accident or intentionally.

His mistake.

Nevertheless, General I’val found it odd that a Senator would casually forget such an important data device, especially given the Romulan penchant for blackmail and political espionage in the current --

I’val’s heart stopped as he realized that it was not a data device.

It was…it was…

He had absolutely not idea what it was. Perhaps it was a bomb, perhaps it was an omni-directional personal disruptor. Whatever it was, it certainly was not a recording device - and I’val would bet his best bottle of Romulan ale that this was what Shinzon was going to use to kill the Senate.

Either way, I’val didn’t want to find out what it could do.

He quickly moved through the main ornamental doors, not quite walking yet not quite running as his hands reached for the communicator on his belt.

“I’val to Valdore.”

There was an ominous silence and I’val’s anxiousness began to build even more as in the distance he heard Hiren go silent - whatever the device was, it must be activating. Finally, the communicator chirped in response to his hail.

“This is Donatra.”

“Emergency beam-out, Commander. Now!!”

***

“Sensor readings confirm, sir. The weapon has been activated and is a complete success. No remaining life-forms are detected within the target area.”

From the shadows of the bridge of his flagship, Shinzon of Remus smiled at the report from the loyal Reman soldier manning the Scimitar‘s tactical station.

“We have little time then. Charge all forward disruptor banks and prepare to fire on the secondary target.

***

Over the course of his career with the Tal Shiar, Chairman Koval had come to believe in many things: Espionage, blackmail, and a good meal before supervising an execution to say the least.

But if there was one think he did not believe in, it was drinking on the job; the risk of inebriation coinciding with the advent of a critical situation did not merit well for someone in the position that Koval had held for the last decade, especially in the aftermath of the failed attack on Changeling Prime seven years prior. Nevertheless, the stress of the last week had tempted him retrieve a bottle from the secure cabinet he kept in his office.

In fact, if this whole business with the Yuuzhan Vong hitting Sector 001 or the appearance of rogue Borg that could and probably would make some agreement with the Federation and this New Republic had not come up, he had been tempted to spend some time in his mountain retreat atop the peak of Kor Thon, reading old-style codex books and drinking a nice hot cup of tarka.

So, there he was, contemplating whether or not to access the lock on the cabinet that contained his special bottle of Ale to help aid his search for answers to the Yuuzhan Vong/Unimatrix Zero conundrum when the communicator he kept fixed to his right ear began buzzing.

Koval frowned.

The earpiece was used by his most trusted agents to contact and brief him, primarily in the event of an emergency. For one of them to be attempting to contact him in this matter meant that something urgent was afoot.

“This is Koval. Yes, I…What? The Senate’s been what? All of it? How is that -”

Koval never finished his sentence; he lost his balance and crashed to the floor as the entire building began shaking. Koval’s desk began to shake violently and the few spare possessions that he had decorated the chamber with fell to the ground. Alarms were going off, the lighting system began flickering, personnel running, and screaming through the corridors of Tal Shiar Headquarters, and in the background, a sound that Koval, as a Romulan, recognized almost instinctively.

The capital and Tal Shiar Headquarters had long been situated on one of the most geographically stable areas on all of Romulus. A land quake was next to impossible, especially with the geological sensors in place across Romulus.

That could only mean that one thing given the sound that Koval could clearly make out amidst the chaos.

The sound of disruptor fire.

Someone was firing from an orbital, firing on the Tal Shiar Headquarters. And with no warning of this attack, the shield batteries were not active or online. All they had were the armor plates and depth of the lower levels, but that would not last for long given the ferocity of the attack.

But there were protocols for evacuation.

The Tal Shiar Chairman himself had a personal transporter unit keyed to the coordinates of his evacuation shuttle. In fact, he probably would be on it right now, speeding out of its private hanger less than a kilometer away if the transporter unit hadn’t suddenly failed. Since Koval always kept the unit under tight lock and key - as well as in tip-top condition as the humans would say, he saw two possibilities.

Sabotage: Unlikely.

Dampening Field: Most likely.

Either way, he would have to reach the shuttle by foot - or hope that one of the idiot commanders in orbit had enough fear or loyalty to the Tal Shiar to fire on whoever was firing on them.

Before he could race out the door to safety, the ceiling began to crack and crumble. The rubble fell and pinned the Tal Shiar Chairman to the floor. Before Koval could yell into his communicator for help of any kind, a chunk of ceiling hit his head and one of the most feared men in the Empire quickly blacked out as his headquarters died all around him.

***

“Sequence has been completed, sir. Secondary target has been completely destroyed.”

From his chair, Shinzon stroked the blade of one of the many Reman knifes he kept concealed in his military uniform.

“I’m sure that some of them, got away in time. No matter. By time they regroup, it will be too late.”

He glanced from the tactical station to his communications officer.

“Contact Tal’Aura and I‘val. Tell them we are ready to proceed to the next phase; the General will no doubt be rattled.”

That’s his problem; if he doesn’t like it, I can simply show him the full power of the weapon.

He starred back at the view-screen, the image of the green and blue sphere of Romulus and the smoke from what was formerly the Tal Shiar Headquarters dominating the sensor feed. He then spoke directly to the shadowy outlines of the screen’s corner.

“You were correct in your assessment and knowledge of the facility. I still can’t but help but wonder why you agreed to turn on your former masters given your loyalty to the Tal Shiar?”

For a moment, there was no response.

Then a Romulan stepped out of the shadows.

A female Romulan whose most striking feature was not the torn and parched uniform of a Romulan overseer in the Reman mines or the lack of the pronounced Romulan forehead, but rather than the typical black Romulan hair, her entire head was covered in slightly unkempt, but still vibrant blonde hair.

“It’s like how the Klingon proverb goes: ‘Revenge is a dish best served cold.’”

***

Location: Csillia

Unknown Regions, Corusca Galaxy

Originally considered areas of Imperial occupation beyond the universe controlled by the Old Republic, the Unknown Regions contained the vast majority of the known, though unexplored, galaxy. To the Chiss, it was their home. To Baron Soontir Fel, it was his home away from home where ironically despite his invaluable advice and worth, he was loathed and despised by the very people he lived with.

But such was the price of the bargain that Mitt'raw'nuruodo, otherwise known to those outside of Chiss space as Grand Admiral Thrawn, had offered him almost two decades ago.

His dislike by many in the hierarchy of the Chiss government and the Expansionary Defense Force was not the only price he had paid. His two oldest sons had both died in combat during their time with the Chiss Navy. He had gained a limp from a flying accident while testing Clawcraft and the black patch that covered his right eye. His wife had been unable to visit with her brother, ironically a hero of the Rebellion.

But there had been advantages.

Like Thrawn, he had believed in the Empire, or rather the order and stability that came with it. It had given him a purpose in life other than piloting transports for his father's agro-combine. It had allowed him to truly accomplish what neither the Empire or the Republic had.

They had saved the galaxy from the Unknown Regions - or at least some parts of it.

Fel had not been exaggerating when he had told Mara Jade on Nirauan that there were dozens of threats from this area of space that would turn her blood cold and that could overwhelm the New Republic.

But thanks to the Chiss, these dozens of threats had, thus far, been pushed back from the Ssi-Ruuk Imperium to the Vagari - though the latter was still causing problems. In fact, the CEDF had been prepared to deal with them once and for all when the first reports of the Helska incident came through Chiss space.

Like Pellaeon and the Moffs on Bastion, Fel and the Chiss Phalanx households had sent, but then withdrawn assistance after the destruction of Ithor. The Chiss were determined to maintain their isolation, but also observe how the New Republic responded - and disintegrated - under the alien onslaught.

Meanwhile, Fel, unlike Pellaeon - and he could not fault the Grand Admiral for this; the Moffs were probably part of the problem, though Gilad’s arrogance might also be another aspect - had been preparing the borders of Chiss space, both in conjunction with the military and the followers of Mitt'raw'nuruodo just in case a analog cruiser or fleet of coralskippers got feisty and came poking through their borders. He was also aware that elements in the leadings Houses were apparently negotiating with NRI Director Dif Scaur - of what Fel had absolutely no idea and they certainly weren‘t going to tell him.

But now, everything had changed in the last month.

In the Naboo system, the home-system of Cos Palpatine, the first stable wormhole known to exist in their galaxy had been discovered - and what had lay beyond that gateway had surprised and shocked Fel in a way that he had not been since he had glimpsed the first clone template of him that Thrawn had used - with Fel’s permission of course - at the cloning facility on Wayland for his sleeper cells.

In fact, it was because of that wormhole that the old Baron had summoned one of his three remaining children, Jagged ‘Jag’ Fel to the balcony overlooking the frozen planes of Csillia. It was at times difficult to believe that such a frozen wasteland could have produced a species as complex and resourceful as the Chiss.

As a trained military officer, Soontir could easily discern his son’s steps from a steps of the average Chiss military officer or citizen - not that Jag would have been too difficulty to spot anyway, given that he was one of the few humans on the planet and that his hair stood out as brown with a streak of white running through it.

Though he would not say it aloud, it was good to see Jag. While one of his squadrons had returned immediately to Chiss space, he and two of his remaining squadrons remained withing New Republic space and worked to repel the Yuuzhan Vong with Rogue Squadron at Kalarbra, Rodia, and elsewhere. He had been home since then.

There was silence for a few moments, as both Fels gazed out over the somewhat dull, yet surprising spectacular snow plains. The Baron finally broke the silence.

“I assume you have read the reports of what has transpired outside of our borders?”

“I have, father.”

“So then, what can you tell me of this ‘United Federation of Planets’?”

“The United Federation of Planets - main governing body of space on the opposite terminus of the newly discovered Nubian Wormhole. Roughly the current size of the Imperial Remnant, capital based on the planet called ‘Earth’. Dominant Species are humans, with one hundred and fifty member worlds.”

Jag continued to sepak for several more minutes before concluding his response to his father’s questions just as Soontir Fel made his.

“That’s nothing I don’t already know. The CEDF needs specifics; I need specifics.”

The elder Fel paused before continuing

“This operation is supported unofficially by the House Phalanx. I want you to take Commander Shawnky Nuruodo and squadron of Clawcraft with you. You will journey to Naboo and you will learn not only more specific details of if this Federation and its neighbors, particularly these ‘Borg’ pose a threat to Chiss space and the rest of the galaxy, but also why there are humans in another galaxy, what their way of life is to ours. Am I clear?”

“Perfectly father.”

“Good. You leave immediately.”

***

Location: Idran System

Gamma Quadrant, Milky Way Galaxy

There was an explosion of blue and golden light and suddenly, the folds of space parted, revealing an awesome aura of light and energy. From the center of this halo of light and energy, a lone ship approached, it’s current journey nearly complete. There was another flash of light and the portal of energy folded back onto itself. Modern physics and six years of monthly writings from a deceased Trill science officer could still not fully explain this phenomena. But it didn’t matter. What mattered was that it was closed.

And it would remain that way until another starship chose to transverse the stars through the Bajoran wormhole, the only stable wormhole known to exist in the entire Alpha Quadrant alongside the Phoenix Gate. And out of it had come the U.S.S. Defiant, the third Starfleet ship to bear that name in the last century and the second to be based at the former Cardassian mining station Terok Nor.

Or, rather, it was now known throughout the Federation as Deep Space Nine.

“How are we doing Chief?”

“Good Colonel. I‘m surprised that you were able to keep these engines in tip top condition without me around.”

Kira smiled at the words of the Irish engineer. O’Brien had taught at Starfleet Academy for a little over a year before Keiko had accepted an assignment of assisting with the rebuilding the agriculture of Cardassia Prime. The Chief, while reluctant, had also been one of the few in the Federation with intimate knowledge of rebuilding destroyed Cardassian technology and so had proven to be a valuable asset to the rebuilding.

Thus, it had been relatively easy to get Starfleet to transfer O’Brien back to temporary duty onboard the station for the duration of Admiral Janeway’s proposed mission into the Gamma Quadrant.

Either way, it felt just like old times again, with O’Brien at engineering and Bashir in sickbay.

Yet, it was different.

Jadzia should have been at the helm, not Nog. The Ferengi lieutenant should have had the communications board, not Ezri. Worf should have been at tactical, not Andorian Ensign Thirishar ch’Thane. And it should have been Sisko in this center chair, not her.

But when he returns, it will indeed be his again.

The war had cost them so much on a personal level - and she should have asked Sisko if the rumors of Dukat’s death in the Fire Caves was true the next time he appeared to her.

Assuming he did appear again.

But of course he would.

He was the Emissary of the Prophets, the guide of the Bajoran people to attaining the thousand years of peace and prosperity that had been foretold for the planet.

Kira’s thought’s turned away from the Emissary to the situation at hand.

The former U.S.S. Sao Paulo had barely seen action since in the three years since her debut at the Battle for Cardassia. In that three years, Starfleet had heard nothing from the other end of the wormhole. In fact, the installment of a new communications relay marked the only time over the last three years that any ship had gone through the wormhole since the surrender of the Dominion’s Alpha Quadrant fleet; the replacement of the GQ Array had been one of the smaller and overlooked provisions of the Treaty of Bajor.

Communications through the wormhole were possible thanks to the subspace filament that had gotten stuck in the wormhole seven years earlier. Of course, the communications relay had been destroyed when the Jem’Hadar had crossed over in mid-2373 and had occupied Cardassia. The installment of the new relay marked the only time over the last three years that any ship had gone through the wormhole since the surrender of the Dominion’s Alpha Quadrant fleet. The last thing Starfleet wanted was to provoke the Dominion’s wrath.

Now, it needed the Dominion’s help.

With the attack on Sector 001, the United Federation of Planets’s chances of an alliance with the New Republic in their war against the Yuuzhan Vong, a war that the Captain and the entity Q had stated was a war for all creation, had increased significantly despite elements on both sides that didn‘t want such a thin. They would probably end up needing some kind of aid of every major diplomatic power in the Alpha, Beta, and Gamma Quadrants to fight a race that threatened not just their cousins, and both galaxies, but the universe as it was. The Dominion was near the top of the list of priorities - and in terms of ship numbers.

The Dominion approach to shipbuilding was akin to their policy regarding those who manned them, the Jem'Hadar - designed to be effective fighters who could nevertheless be built in the largest possible numbers at the highest possible rate. Their ships were highly modular in design, allowing them to be built in sections at the kinds of facilities which would normally only be capable of constructing ship the size of a shuttlecraft. These sections would then assembled at larger facilities.

This approach had allowed the Dominion to build up the number of ships in the Alpha Quadrant with amazing speed, and to replace huge losses relatively quickly once the war was under way. However, the method was not without its drawbacks; the presence of many major joints in the body of their ships tended to lead to weak spots, most especially when those ships were produced under conditions of great urgency such as the last days of the war and the final assault on Cardassia.

The interior connections required to unite the various systems into an integrated whole also tend to overcomplicate the machinery, leading to lower reliability in peacetime and complicating repairs of battle damage. Nevertheless, the Dominion war machine was a fearsome one and many analysts considered it unbeatable even by the combined might of the Federation, Klingon, and Romulan fleets.

Therefore, Kira’s mission was to take the Defiant into the Gamma Quadrant and negotiate with the Founders. Their goal to negotiate an alliance with the Federation. Yet she would not take the second Defiant directly to ‘Changeling Prime’; the massacre of the Omarion Nebula had come to mind. Starfleet had wanted her to perform a repeat of asking for Dominion help as they had done in 2372 when Odo’s morphogenic matrix had begun destabilizing.

Little did Starfleet know that she already knew the location.

By flying with Odo at the end of the war was she able to learn the coordinates of the new homeworld, which he had presumably learned from his links with the Female Founder who was still in Federation custody and serving out her sentence for war crimes along with the other high-ranking Vorta and Breen; obviously, there were no Cardassian leaders to bring to trial thanks to her order of extermination.

She had sworn that she would not reveal the location to the Council of Ministers, to Starfleet, or to anyone else, even going as far as to wipe the flight computer on board the runabout she had used before returning the station. The coordinates Kira had committed to memory and could recall them a moment’s notice, the result of having to quickly memorize Cardassian intelligence during her days in the Shakaar resistance cell.

Starfleet had no idea of this. She hated having to lie to them but her loyalty was to Odo and their relationship.

“Nog, brings us to a full stop. Ezri, is the GQ relay working?“

“Loud and clear. DS9 and Commander Chakotay are receiving our signal and wish us good luck.”

Kira let out some of the breath she had been holding in.

So far, so good.

“Alright, began broadcasting the signal.”

“Aye, Colonel. Then what?”

“Then we wait.”

And hope that Odo has had an effect on the Dominion in the three years since the end of the war.

***

Location: Theed

Naboo System, Corusca Galaxy

Leia Organa Solo stared out across the capital city of Theed from the bedroom of her ambassadorial quarters in the palace. A light breeze rustled the upper levels of the city, making patterns across the river that flowed past the palace.

Though it was difficult to make out in the dark, she could see the remains of signs and holographic projectors mounted on the far banks. There had been many Nubians and Gungans alike out there that day, protesting the end of Naboo’s self-imposed isolation and the presence of the Republic/Starfleet.

She tried to push that out of her mind. The planet was so beautiful, so peaceful. She wanted to forget about the war, about Chewie’s death, of Borsk Fey’lya and his cronies, and even of Picard and the Enterprise for just one night and experience Naboo. It reminded her in so many different ways of her homeworld of Alderaan before Tarkin and Vader had blown it up.

Vader…

It had taken some cajoling of Queen Quital - no easy task given the stubborn streak the woman had exhibited; it had practically taken her entire staff of ministers and Leia to convince her to allow vessels from both the Federation Starfleet and the New Republic Navy to guard the system - but Leia had eventually been granted access to the Nubian historical databanks -

-and had come across holo-pictures taken by security cameras in the palace shortly before the Battle of Geonosis and the outbreak of the Clone Wars.

The images were stuck in her mind. She still could not believe that the young man that had been guarding and frolicking with Senator Padme Amidala was not only her father, but also one of the greatest sources of evil the galaxy had ever seen.

She still wondered at times how Luke had been able to easily come to terms with it in the year-long period between the incident at Bespin to their duel at Endor. It had been easier for her to deal with the knowledge that she was his brother than that Vader was his…their father.

Leia sighed.

She had thought she had come to terms with her family’s heritage years ago, with the aid of her brother, her grandmother’s journals, and the former smuggler who aside from being her husband was fast asleep on the bed, whose snoring was disturbing her attempts to recollect.

She didn’t blame him; he had spent the last few days not only helping with the system-wide patrols, but also making runs on both sides of the wormhole.

Both of them had sacrificed so much to make the future work, to try to create a safer galaxy for Jacen, Jaina, Anakin, and now her nephew Ben, the newest Skywalker. Yet, the war against the Yuuzhan Vong had shattered many of those hopes, made her wonder if they could prevail once more.

But she had seen the wormhole, seen how Picard had risked the life of himself, his crew, and the Enterprise-E to save them, seen how the United Federation of Planets, on a small scale, represented everything they had fought for.

That was it.

It was a reminder that no matter the circumstances, no matter the path, anything and everything was possible in this world. As the Federation Starfleet’s motto said, “To boldly go where no one has gone before.”

If she could get the Federation and Republic to work together, if Fey’lya or Shesh tried to make it work, then they’d have one more chance for a good future, a hope to win this war and save both galaxies from the Yuuzhan Vong’s wrath.

***

Location: U.S.S. Enterprise-E

Alpha Quadrant, Milky Way Galaxy

“Repair Status, Mr. LaForge?”

“Most of the damage to the Enterprise has been completed, Captain. We’re still trying to recalibrate the warp core analyze some of the damage inflicted by the Vong ships; maybe we can find an even more effective way to counteract their dovin basals and such.”

“Starfleet Command would appreciate any such analysis. Keep me informed Geordi.”

“Aye sir. laForge out.”

In the comfortable, warm confines of his Ready Room, Picard sat back in his chair, thinking over everything that had happened in the last month. He, as commander of the Enterprise, had found a wormhole connecting the Federation to the distant New Republic and the alien Yuuzhan Vong that were invading that galaxy. He fought to save people he did not know, to understand the nature of their energy field, the Force, and convince Starfleet to prepare for a possible war.

Yet he could not help but wonder.

Had he been justified in what he had done?

Had he made the right choices in the last month?

Would he regret it?

“Probably not; trust me, I think things are going to get very interesting

Picard snapped out of his thoughts to perceive a being clothed in orange roads standing in his private sanctum, an sanctimonious grin on his face.

“Q!”

“It’s time, Jean-Luc.”

“For what?”

“We need a weekend away from the kids, don’t you agree?”

Before Picard could say anything, Q had snapped his fingers and the two had vanished from the ready room and the Enterprise-E.

***

The Jedi master and son of Anakin Skywalker sat in the guest quarters that he, Mara, and Ben had been given. His beautiful and fiery wife was, like their son, asleep recovering from a day of parenting and of trying to help make relations between the United Federation of Planets and the New Galactic Republic work.

Yet he could not sleep, at least not yet.

Even in the aftermath of the birth of his son as well as the battle for Sector 001, he had been trying to resume his look at the cultures of the planet that had brought the Federation into being. He had, like Jacen, been most fascinated by Earth’s religions. Religion still existed on Earth, though it was barely a part of mainstream life

Luke was most intrigued by readings of Taoist thought, of the concept of Chi, or inner energy, and how to control the flow of energy throughout the body. Could it be that these Taoists has stumbled across the ability to manipulate the Force in themselves?

This was very relevant to him. He was most anxious, despite the war, to solve the mystery that both the Jedi and Picard had been confronted with upon their initial contact.

Picard, Riker, Janeway - all of them lacked midichlorians in their cellular structures like the Yuuzhan Vong. But unlike the Yuuzhan Vong, he could still sense them through the Force when he reached out.

How was this possible?

He sighed. It was at times like this that he wished that the old Jedi Order was still in business, that with their knowledge and understanding of the Force thanks to twenty-five thousand years of study, they could better understand the predicament that Luke was faced with.

Perhaps if they solved this mystery, they could determine why it was that the Yuuzhan Vong were alive, yet existed outside of the Force. Or perhaps the entity of enormous power, the one Picard had called Q might know something of this. And based upon what Picard had told him, the Jedi Master was certain that they would see Q again and soon.

“If it was possible, you wouldn’t want to; believe me.”

Luke snapped out of his meditation and gazed upon the intruder in his quarters, an intruder dressed in a Starfleet uniform, possessing a dark skin tone, baldness, and a goatee.

“Sisko?”

The Emissary of the Bajoran Prophets nodded.

“You seek answers, Master Skywalker. I can help lead you to them.”

“How?”

“By taking you on a journey the likes of which you have never yet undertaken.

Before Skywalker could say anything, the light of the Prophets engulfed them and they vanished from the guest quarters and the Enterprise-E.

***

In her quarters on Ralroost, for the first time in her short, aristocratic, privileged life, Viqi Shesh had absolutely no idea what to do.

A week before, she had arrived with Borsk Fey’lya aboard Ralroost to begin discussions with the Federation on an alliance or some kind of agreement. She had succeeded in antagonizing and whipping the Federation Council into a frenzy. And because a happy Kuat was a better wartime ally than a pissed-off Kuat, Fey’lya had not tried to stop her. In short, everything had been going perfectly.

Until the Yuuzhan Vong war-fleet had decided to come pay a visit to this galaxy before she had made certain that any chances of an agreement between the Federation and the New Republic died in San Francisco.

The aborted invasion had thrown everything out of place. The damage she had done to the Federation Council had been offset by the respect and appreciation for the New Republic - as well as their concern for their old enemy, the Borg. Even Fey’lya, likely as he was to find a way to take advantage of what an alliance with the Federation could offer, was supportive of an alliance and had used the flimsiest of pretexts to prevent Viqi from speaking before the Councilors.

In less than two days, the Federation Council would vote to ratify or reject the terms drawn up by President Grey’si and Chief of State Fey’lya.

If the vote failed, all the better for her. But, if she feared and was certain that vote would pass, then the United Federation of Planets and the New Galactic Republic would be officially allied in the war against the invading Yuuzhan Vong.

And there was nothing that Viqi Shesh could do about.

She was so desperately trying to figure out a way by which she could either delay or stop the vote in its entirety that she almost didn’t hear the chime of the door to her diplomatic quarters going on and off. Almost by instinct, she activated from her chair the unlocking mechanism that permitted the entrance into her quarters of one Republic Guard.

As the doors closed, Viqi looked him over and tried to, before he could speak, use her superior Kuati intellect to determine why this guard had come to her quarters. Why was he here? Was he to deliver a message from the Jedi or from Fey’lya, perhaps the meddlesome Captain Picard? Or was it something entirely different?

All thoughts left her mind as the guard’s face melted to the floor, his skin revealing itself to be an ooglith masquer. A scarred, tattooed of a Yuuzhan Vong warrior face look directly across the room at Senator Viqi Shesh.

In that indeterminable second of terror, many thoughts flashed through her head. Tsavong Lah had sent an assassin to make her pay for what had happened, she really should scream now and hope a real Republic guard came along, or -

As if sensing her urge to cry out in terror, the warrior raised a finger to his lipless face and responded in a quiet, yet still harsh tone.

“Not a word, Viqi for I am an ally.”

She instantly recognized his voice as that of the agent who had given her villip to the Warmaster seven months previously. But the face was a different matter. It was typical Yuuzhan Vong in that it was, well, mutilated and tattooed as per the Vong’s ridiculous rituals and Great doctrine. But there was something about the left side of his face, the empty left eye-socket…

She had it, having read the reports filed by Mara Jade Skywalker and Jaina Solo after the fall of Duro.

“So you claim, Nom Anor.”

The Yuuzhan Vong Executor showed no surprise at her statement.

“So, did our good friend the Warmaster send you to kill me?”

“I’m not here on Lah’s goodwill. I hear to find out why you betrayed our trust in you.”

“What?!”

“You signaled the Vong fleet to attack, didn’t you?”

“Me? I thought it was you or whoever the Warmaster sent to help sabotage these talks!”

***

Nom Anor was a practiced liar and could therefore separate a truth from a lie from anyone, whether it be an infidel or a Yuuzhan Vong.

And he could see right now that Viqi Shesh was telling the truth.

“No, I certainly did not. An repulsed attack would guarantee strong Republic/Federation feelings, something that neither the Warmaster, my people, or myself want.”

“So what are you saying? That someone else sent a signal to the battle-fleet?”

“It would appear to be so.”

Or else Yun-Harla, the Trickster is seeking to punish me in ways I can’t imagine…

“So what are we going to do?”

“We still have several routes open. There are races here in this galaxy that could conceivably ally with my people and force the Federation out of any kind of agreement with your people, groups that want revenge on this part of their galaxy.”

“Who exactly do you have it mind?”

“You’ve read their reports, I’m sure. The likely ones are Species 8472, the Kazon, or the Furies, if any of them can be found.”

“Listen Anor -”

“You will address me, senator, as Nom Anor. Otherwise, you are showing disrespect to my culture and to your ‘arrangement’ with us.”

That really wasn’t necessary. But Nom Anor was in a mood so terrible that it could rival the fury displayed by Yun-Yamaka when Yuuzhan Vong warriors failed to achieve victory. He needed to manipulate something, infidel or Yuuzhan Vong-related.

“Fine. But it won’t matter if you or I could somehow steal a shuttle from Ralroost’s main bay; First, we don’t know the species here and secondly, we have no navigational charts of this galaxy so a hyperspace jump would be out of the question. So, the vote is in two days. What do you propose we do?”

The Yuuzhan Vong Executor smiled.

“I always have a plan, Senator. And this plan, while very messy, can achieve the death of any kind of relationship between the Federation or the Republic.”

“Then tell me.”

***

Location: The Quintessence

Somewhere in the Universe

Picard and Q materialized on the very edges of the seats and fire pits that marked the meeting area of the Quintessence. Picard stared around.

“Where…where are we?”

“The Quintessence, Jean-Luc. Let’s see, you already know M, ah, Ayelborne should be familiar to you, and I’d like you to meet the Stranger. But first…”

Sisko and Skywalker suddenly appeared alongside the Captain and the entity.

“Ah, here’s Mr. I’m slower than Q because I’ve only been an omnipotent being for -”

“That’s enough, Q!”

The Stranger raised from his chair and stared at Q.

“We have tolerated your presence here as best as we can. If you continue to act in such a manner, you will be ejected and I wil

Crazedwraith · Post by **Crazedwraith** » 2004-05-25 12:07pm

1st post. *Ribbon devices JME just 4 the hell of it.*

JME2 · Post by **JME2** » 2004-05-25 12:16pm

Crazedwraith wrote:1st post. *Ribbon devices JME just 4 the hell of it.*

Ah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In all seriousness, what did you think of the newest chapter?

Crazedwraith · Post by **Crazedwraith** » 2004-05-25 12:53pm

JME2 wrote:
Crazedwraith wrote:1st post. *Ribbon devices JME just 4 the hell of it.*
Ah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In all seriousness, what did you think of the newest chapter?

Pretty good but needs some proof reading, in at least to places the paragraph cuts oof with no resoultion.

In Klingon space, it was known that Chancellor Martok had put the Klingon fleet on high alert, with a taskforce under the command of Captain Klag of the Chancellor-class I.K.S. Gorkon to Sector 001, with the intent to

with the intent to do what??

“We have tolerated your presence here as best as we can. If you continue to act in such a manner, you will be ejected and I will petition your Continuum for another repres

that is the chapters end?? You didn't finish the word!! Did you reach the max. post size or something?

JME2 · Post by **JME2** » 2004-05-25 01:02pm

Ugh. Max post size. One moment.

Tribun · Post by **Tribun** » 2004-05-25 01:04pm

You got the size of the Imperial Remnant wrong. The Remnant consists of >1000 member systems, while the Federation consists ~150 member systems, in both cases, colonies not counted.

JME2 · Post by **JME2** » 2004-05-25 01:07pm

Okay, it's fixed. It's my bad; I was up late last night trying to get this chapter finished.

JME2 · Post by **JME2** » 2004-05-25 01:08pm

Tribun wrote:You got the size of the Imperial Remnant wrong. The Remnant consists of >1000 member systems, while the Federation consists ~150 member systems, in both cases, colonies not counted.

I meant in terms of light years, not member worlds.

JME2 · Post by **JME2** » 2004-05-25 01:09pm

Alright. here's the end; Sorry:

***

“We have tolerated your presence here as best as we can. If you continue to act in such a manner, you will be ejected and I will petition your Continuum for another representative; perhaps Trelane would be a better replacement, hmm?”

Q sighed.

“Fine.”

“Good.”

Picard had no idea who this ‘Stranger’ was, but if he was able to put Q into place just like that, then the entity already had Picard’s respect.

“To fill you in, thus far, Master Skywalker, this is the Quintessence. You know Q, M, and Sisko; this is Ayelborne. Now, it’s time to show you Captain Picard and Master Skywalker.”

“Time to show us what?”

The Stranger turned and looked at M and Ayelborne, Sisko and Q, and Picard and Skywalker.

“It’s time to show all of you the answers you see. It’s time to answer what the Merging is.”

***

To be Continued…

***

Author’s Notes:

* I’m going to address certain complaints that have been made of my representation of Admiral Nechayev and how the version I’ve presented is different from the Nechayev of the A Time to.. book series. First off, with the A Time to… series, there is an explanation: the first two books, where Nechayev is admirable of Picard, where written by John Vornholt. He’s utilizing the Nechayev he used in the Genesis Wave books were Picard and the Admiral were forced to work together and revise their opinions of each other. Secondly, this is simply my interpretation of Nechayev’s character, her principles, and attitude to Picard as it works for the story.

* From this point onwards, I will stop referring to the Star Wars as ‘That Galaxy Far, Far Away’. From hereon, it will be known as the Corusca Galaxy, as suggested in years past by fans (and readers of this story) alike.

* Once again, a klekket is roughly two months for the Yuuzhan Vong.

* The name of the Federation Carrier, Shoegi Maru, is a tip of the hat to the Imperial Floral Division’s airship transport from the Sakura Wars anime and video games.

* Senator Cretak’s district was mentioned in Book Six of The Lost Era: Catalyst of Sorrows (2360).

* The Tholian Assembly presented here is based upon the version depicted in Books One and Five of the Lost Era book series - The Sundered (2298) and Deny thy Father (2355-2357).

* Elias Vaughn’s friendship with Ian Troi was mentioned in Avatar: Book One and The Battle of Betazed, and finally seen in Book Three of The Lost Era: The Art of the Impossible (2328-2346).

* Vaughn’s role in the Tomed Incident can be found in Book Two of The Lost Era: Serpents Among the Ruins (2311).

* Chairman Koval’s mountaintop retreat appeared in Book Three of The Lost Era: The Art of the Impossible (2328-2346).

* The Vagaari appeared in Timothy Zhan’s latest Star Wars book Survivor’s Quest.

* Ensign Thirishar ch’Thane first appeared in the Deep Space Nine Relaunch Avatar. Like Elias Vaughn, I’m utilizing him for the story, albeit while ignoring aspects of the relaunch.

* The Furies, as well as their wormhole, were the antagonists of the best-selling four-book Invasion! series that was published back in 1997 and was the first-crossover of the Trek titles in book form.

JME2 · Post by **JME2** » 2004-05-28 01:50am

Oh and Rob; sorry that there wasn't much Borg action in this chapter.

But wait until next chapter and delighted you will be.