Crazedwraith wrote:Col. Crackpot wrote:Crazedwraith wrote:
Why the fuck should i learn about another countries festivals???? They don't affect me!!!! bloody arogant yankies
*removes onesself from the agoniser an locks crackpot in it*
Ummm...perhaps an introduction is in order. CrazedWraith meet my friend sarcasm...Sarcasm meet CraizedWraith.
Meh, Sarcacasm's the losest form of wit.
So when is the next chapter coming out????
So when's the next chapter coming out, you ask?
Oh, I don't know. How about...
Now. Happy Thanksgiving!
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.
Star Trek/Star Wars: The Best of Both Worlds
Part VII
“One is left with the horrible feeling now that war settles nothing; that to win a war is as disastrous as to lose one.”
-Agatha Christine-
Author’s Notes: Glade everyone’s enjoying what I’ve done thus far. Again, I can guarantee fast updates, but I’ll do what I can. Also, the Quintessence is inspired by the omnipotent pantheon of Gods (the Phantom Stranger, Zeus, Shazam, Highfather, and Ganthet) from Kingdom Come, the epic DC Comics mini-series by Mark Waid and artist Alex Ross back in 1996.
Okay, so this chapter will probably the longest and most important thus far. Revelations will be made, but more questions will be raised then answered. You will also notice some nice foreshadowing into the events of Star Trek Nemesis if you’ve got good eyes. As for Q’s characterization, yes he will appear to be a little too funny given the situation, but given that humans and other species cope with distress through humor, it’s only fair that our favorite god-like being exhibit similar attributes.
Enjoy!
***
Location: Sector 001
The Milky Way Galaxy
Captain Elena Maxwell sat in her chair of command, watching the scene before her unfold on the Gormenghast’s view screen.
Starfleet construction ships were already assembling phaser turrets and photon torpedoes launchers several kilometers from the wormhole. There were even several Defiant-class ships ready to lay antimatter mines across the opening of the wormhole, as their class’ prototype had done five years before with the Bajoran wormhole.
That had been a desperate measure to halt the Dominion’s military buildup in the Cardassian Union, a measure that had bought Starfleet desperately needed time during the early dark months of the conflict. The Dominion War had been a painful reminder that not every first contact was a joyous occasion and could lead to great trouble. The same could prove to be the case with this wormhole here, depending on where it led.
They hadn’t decided on a name for it yet. Commander Noice had simply called it the Terran wormhole. Tobin had suggested something more elaborate, like the Phoenix Gate. It, however, wouldn’t really be up to her. It was ultimately Starfleet Command who would-
There was a sudden explosion of color and as it had hours earlier, the wormhole’s silvery and red hues filled the bridge view screen and hung open for just a few moments before collapsing upon itself in a manner similar to the Bajoran wormhole.
“Captain, the wormhole just opened.”
“I can see that. What exited?”
Tobin scanned his console, a look of excitement forming in his blue eyes.
“It’s a Starfleet probe Captain, the one we launched.”
Maxwell frowned and turned towards Noice.
“Could it have fallen short and come back through?”
“At its’ trajectory and speed?”
“Point taken, Commander. What did we get, Mr. Tobin?”
Tobin’s fingers danced across the Starfleet interface.
“Some telemetric data, interstellar particle levels…and a message.”
“From whom?”
“Captain, it appears to be from the Enterprise.”
There was a sudden silence that befell the Gormenghast’s command staff. Then Maxwell sprung into action.
“Mr. Tobin, put it on the view screen now!”
“Done, Captain.”
The image of the Starfleet construction ships was replaced with the visage of the bald-headed man that many considered the finest captain currently in Starfleet and the most worthy to captain the Federation Flagship.
“This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the Enterprise. The flagship is safe and survived passage through the wormhole. The wormhole leads six million light years away to a nearby galaxy. We have made contact with its inhabitants, which unexplainably include humans. We are staying put for the moment as we wait for official contact with their government, what they call the New Republic.”
The message went on for another minute before ending. Maxwell was the first to break the second silence that had settled onto the Gormenghast’s bridge.
“Joseph?”
“Analysis confirms the message originated from the Enterprise, Captain.”
“Commander Noice, relay this message to Admiral Janeway and Starfleet command on the double!”
“Aye Captain.”
***
Location: Bajoran Space
The Milky Way Galaxy
“Shuttlecraft Balmoral, you are cleared for landing on Runabout Pad 2.”
“Acknowledged Ops. We’ll deliver the passenger and be glad to get rid of him.”
“I heard that.”
Commander Chakotay chuckled as he sat back in the Executive Shuttle’s plush seats.
Such is the advantage of the Executive Shuttle.
It had been necessary. When he had learned of Nicholas Kiselev’s resignation and had accepted the posting to Deep Space Nine, he had been knee-deep in reconstructing the capital city on Volon, located in what had once been the Demilitarized Zone.
Therefore, Starfleet had dispatch such a shuttle from Starbase 375, the installation that had garnered fame as Admiral Bill Ross’ headquarters and staging ground during the first year of the Dominion War to ferry him to the station.
It was larger and better equipped than the Type-12 shuttles that Voyager had been launched with and which they had had to continually replace until the Delta Flyer had been built.
Cahkotay smiled again. Out of everyone on Voyager, the chief of security, Tuvok, had had the worst record for piloting shuttlecraft, a fact that Tom Paris had continually joked about and had led him to prevent the Vulcan from piloting both Delta Flyers at every possible opportunity.
In the forward viewing windows of the Starfleet cockpit, in close detail was the former Cardassian mining station Terok Nor, or Deep Space Nine as the Federation called it.
The Balmoral swung in between the Habitat Ring and one of the weapons emplacements to come down in Runabout Pad 2. The cockpit was awash with the sounds of the chamber sealing itself and the Cardassian airlock connecting with the shuttle’s docking port, an action that announced itself with the unlocking of the Balmoral’s airlock.
He felt calm, yet slightly excited. This would be the first time he had set foot on the legendary station.
He knew of the former commander, Benjamin Sisko, very well - even though he had never actually met him. Calvin Hudson, one of the first defectors to the Maquis, had spoken very highly of Sisko, even after he had failed to convince his old friend to join their cause and had been forced to fight him during one of the first engagements between the Maquis and the Federation.
Hudson…
The man sighed. When Cardassia had allied itself with the Dominion in mid-2373, it had given them the firepower necessary to repel not just the Klingons, but the Maquis as well from the Demilitarized Zone. The organization had been obliterated in the course of a few weeks, the majority of its members dying at the hands of the Jem’Hadar.
Calvin Hudson had been one of the casualties of that bloody day.
Those who had survived had either been able to run the Jem’Hadar/Cardassian blockades, had been in Federation custody, or in the case of himself, had simply been far, far away.
“Docking sequence complete. Welcome to Deep Space Nine.”
The Cardassian airlock swished back to reveal a young Starfleet Lieutenant, science division by the blue color of her uniform’s shirt. He also noticed the distinctive spots of the Trill species running down the sides of her face.
“Permission to come aboard?”
***
“Permission granted. Welcome aboard Deep Space Nine, Commander Chakotay.”
“Thank you Lt. Dax”
The two proceeded down the station’s corridors and boarded the nearest turbolift. Chakotay spoke as they boarded and asked for Ops.
“It’s an honor, actually.”
“To what?”
“To be serving among a group of living legends.”
“That’s what everyone here thinks about you and Voyager. I mean, you literally went where no one has gone before.”
“True, but this station‘s command staff and the role it played in winning the war is known as much as the crew of Voyager. You’ve probably made the name Dax a household name.”
A small smile crossed her face.
Ezri Dax was the latest in the line of Trills to carry the Dax symbiot. She had been force-rushed into the initiation after the previous host, Jadzia, had been murdered by a Pah-Wraith possessed Gul Dukat during the first Battle of the Chin’toka system, the attempt by Federation, Klingon, and Romulan forces to gain a foothold in the Dominion‘s home-space.
And while there had been problems, most notably with the resurfacing of Jadzia’s memories and feelings - especially towards the Klingon Worf - as well as the Joran personality, she hadn’t regretted it. She was after all, the counselor of one of the most strategic installations in the Alpha Quadrant and lover of CMO Julian Bashir, a romance that had begun in the final month of the Dominion War.
She had read up on Chakotay’s background. A man of native-American descent, he had joined Starfleet Academy only to drop out. Repulsed by the Cardassians‘ militarism, he had joined the Maquis and with his ship, had been transported to the Delta Quadrant by the Caretaker. He had joined forces with Kathryn Janeway and the Voyager to survive. Upon Voyager’s return to Earth, Chakotay had been pardoned and had proceeded to help rebuild worlds along the former Demilitarized Zone.
“I’m sorry that the Colonel couldn’t personally meet you. Apparently, the Starfleet networks are going crazy with activity and we can’t discover why.”
“It was the same on the Balmoral. I’m not sure what’s going on to have Starfleet in such a furor.”
The lift came to a stop and opened its doors to the Ops Command Center of the former mining station..
Ops had undergone a full refurbishment in the aftermath of the Dominion War. Gone were the dark walls, restricted lighting and odd angles that had characterized the Cardassian design style. In its place were come lighter colors, more open and comfortable seating plans and better access to workstations, all based primarily along the Starfleet military design protocols that the institution had been adopting ever since the end of the war. Despite all of the changes, there were still old traces of the Cardassian lineage, particularly with the old tactical table still in place.
Chakotay had expected the usual hustle and bustle typical of a space station’s command center. Instead, everyone was starring at the Commander’s office. Or rather, the sudden yelling that was emanating from the room.
“Starfleet’s discovered a new what?!
***
Location: Naboo system
That Galaxy Far, Far Away...
“So what do you think?”
“It’s delicious. What did you say it was?”
“It’s called Earl Gray tea - it’s my personal favorite. I’m actually somewhat addicted to it.”
“Well, that could make three of us.”
Picard smiled as he removed a third glass from the personal replicator installed in his quarters. He had invited the Skywalker twins to dinner, to get to know them better under calmer circumstances and to learn more about their culture; the mystery of the presence of humans in this galaxy still loomed over his head. Dinner had consisted of replicated Filet Mingon complete with a light balsamic vinaigrette and rice pilaf with raisins and various nuts for added flavoring.
The Enterprise-E was holding its position on the Naboo end of the wormhole. They had used the Sovereign-class ship’s powerful tractor beams to send the Gormenghast’s probe back through their end of the wormhole. They were still waiting to hear back from Starfleet, for Picard was not willing to leave this galaxy yet. So, life continued as normal aboard the Federation flagship, albeit with the touch of new and strange visitors.
Han, as well as the droids, was in the main shuttle bay, trying to repair the damage that Yuuzhan Vong coral skips had inflicted on the Millenium Falcon before the timely arrival of the Enterprise. The communications system had been among the damaged systems and Solo was making that his priority so that they could contact the New Republic with news of the discovery - even with the war still taking place.
Chief Engineer LaForge had joined him, in part to offer assistance and to get a better look at the Republic’s technology. Jaina was with them, fascinated by the Enterprise’s auxiliary craft, an interest that lay in her having been accepted in the legendary Rogue Squadron.
Rogue Squadron had arisen from the ashes of Red Group, the fighter squadron that Luke and Wedge Antilles had flown in during the Battle of Yavin. It was meant to be the best of what the alliance had to offer, in terms of fighter pilots and had worked very closely in high-stakes missions, from attacking key Imperial instillations to rescuing the late Crix Madine during his layover on Corellia. This had been shortly after commando Kyle Katarn had rescued the Alliance’s greatest defector, alongside Ackbar, on Orinackra.
Over the course of the Galactic Civil War, it had become for the Alliance what the One Hundred and Eighty-First TIE squadron had been for the Empire. When the Alliance had morphed in the New Republic after the Battle of Endor, the Rogues had survived the transition and thus far, had been a major sight in the war against the relentless Yuzzhan Vong.
Anakin was, at Picard’s permission, situated in Main Engineering, fascinated by the Federation‘s warp engines. But then, machinery had always been his primary interest alongside the Force. That’s why is was no surprise that Jacen, who had also had a profound love of animals and alien cultures, was in the ship’s main exobiology lab.
Mara was of course still in the Enterprise’s sickbay, recuperating from the birth of the newest Skywalker. In fact, it Picard had not invited them to this dinner, he would have stayed by his wife’s side, though she had insisted he attend.
“So, you were saying that the Jedi were the guardians of peace and order?
Luke nodded.
“Yes, during the days of the Old Republic. When Palpatine took over, he exterminated most of the Order, the survivors being forced to flee underground. He did this out of both securing his own power base and fulfilling his ancient doctrine.”
“Ancient doctrine?”
“It’s become obvious that Palpatine was a Sith. The name Sith, from what the current Jedi been able to discern based on what little records remain, originated with an ancient race of Force-wielding aliens that attacked the Old Republic 5,000 years ago. It’s since become associated with a Jedi skilled in the Dark Side of the Force. Records are sketchy since the Jedi Temple and its libraries were destroyed during the Jedi Purge, but it appears he was the latest in a line of Sith Lords. His ascension was made even easier by the fact that a good chunk of the Order was killed during the Clone Wars - Leia knows more about this than I do; she can explain it better.”
Leia nodded.
“The Clone Wars was in many ways the warm-up for the Galactic Civil War and was a two-year clash between Republic forces, Clone toopers, and a group calling themselves the Separatists - I‘m sorry, did I say something wrong?”
Picard’s face was uneasy.
“Genetic-Engineering and cloning, save for special medical circumstances, is banned in the Federation.”
And with good reason too.
Genetic supermen like Khan Noonien Singh had illustrated the dark side of cloning and genetic engineering. Unfortunately, that hadn’t stopped the black-market from making genetic-engineering a lucrative business, as the revelation with Deep Space Nine’s CMO Julian Bashir had shown five years beforehand.
He thought at times that it would be fascinating to meet, well, yourself. Would you be different based on the experiences of your life? Would there be any real similarities other than physical ones? Thankfully, this was a question that Picard would never have answered.
“Now, although we can never prove it, its universally assumed that Palpatine engineered the conflict as a means to sow chaos and discord throughout the Republic and make it easier for him to assume power. Sound familiar?”
Picard nodded grimly.
“Earth’s faced similar situations in its past.”
***
There was indeed one that came to his mind. The rise of this Palpatine sounded eerily similar to that of German dictator Adolph Hitler during the 1920’s. But whereas Hitler had been an idiot who had unfortunately been at the right place at the right time, this Palpatine appeared to have been a cunning man who had silently watched and waited for the opportunity to strike.
The Jedi purge itself bore a haunting resemblance to the Holocaust, a tragedy that even four centuries later, the people of Earth had not forgotten. Even for non-humans, it was an important lesson in believing in equality and understanding among different races, one of the fundamental ideals of the Federation.
***
“One of his other characteristics was that Palpatine was fascinated and obsessed with super-weapons.”
It’s not too hard to be obsessed when you have an appetite for destruction and Umak Leth on your payroll.
Umak Leth had been the brilliant, yet insane weapons engineer who had played a hand in the creation of many of Palpatine’s most fearsome weapons: The Death Stars, the World Devestators, and the Galaxy Gun. He would have gone on designing more terror weapons for the Empire had the Eclipse-class Super Star Destroyer Eclipse II not rammed into the
super weapon while Leth was on it during the last days of the resurrected Palpatine.
Add to the fact that his co-designer Bevel Lemelisk had been captured and later executed following the Darksaber incident and that Qwi Xux’s memory had been wiped, there was little chance of another Imperial super weapon, especially with the limited resources the Imperial Remnant had access to.
At least Leth or any of them got their hands on technology like this. Who knows what kind of damage Palpatine could have done with Federation-style technology in Imperial hands.
Which wasn’t to say that Federation technology, from what he had seen of it, was superior to the Republic’s. It was simply more advanced and more innovative in several fields, especially with their transporters - the closest thing their galaxy had was Magwit’s teleportation hoops.
Luke couldn’t help but think about how many lives might have been saved in this galaxy on a daily basis if the Republic had developed this technology.
Including Chewbacca
It wasn’t as if he hadn’t mourned the death of the Wookie - he had. He had known Chewbacca ever since that fateful day in the cantina and had considered him a good friend. But to Han, he had been more than a friend. The former Smuggler/New Republic General had taken the death of Chewie harder than anyone, save perhaps Anakin.
***
Picard sat, enraptured by the Skywalker twins description of the Death Star and its horrifying destruction of Alderaan.
In the past, the Federation had had its encounters with super weapons, from the Planet Destroyer that the Daystorm Institute was still analyzing to this day to the apparent ‘super-phaser’ that Species 8472 had used against Borg planets during their brief, but intense war in 2373.
“Now, Leia and I were separated at birth by my teachers, Jedi Masters Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda - our father had no idea of our conception and as for our mother, well, we have no idea as to what her ultimate fate is. Leia grew up in royalty, I on a desert planet as a farm boy that wanted nothing more than to see the stars”
Picard chuckled slightly at this.
“That makes two of us. I grew up tending my family’s vineyard and ended up becoming the first Picard to leave Earth‘s solar system”
“Have you regretted it at all?”
Picard grimaced slightly, the specter of Rene and Robert’s fiery deaths flashing before him as they had occasionally since the Enterprise-D‘s final mission.
“At times. But I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”
“I can see that in your interaction with your crew; the bond with your senior officers is extraordinary.”
“Well it hasn’t been easy. We‘ve all gotten on each one another’s nerves at time.”
“But even so, it’s still highly impressive.”
Leia was indeed being sincere. There had been rare occasions when she had seen this level of dedication on a Republic ship, save for those commanded by charismatic officers like General Garm bel Iblis and Admiral Ackbar during the Galactic Civil War.
Now if only the rest of the New Republic would act like that, then we’d actually have a chance of repulsing of the invasion of the Yuuzhan Vong.
Luke took up the conversation from here.
“Concurrent with our birth was the creation of the Rebel Alliance, a group of freedom fighters that rebelled against Palpatine. Leia was an early active member of the Alliance whereas I joined shortly before the Battle of Yavin - that’s where the first Death Star was destroyed. Palpatine died at Endor where he was trying to build a second Death Star. It’s also where our father died. He saved me by killing the Emperor and redeemed himself for two decades of dark actions, though it cost him his life in the end.”
“Do you miss him?”
“At times, yes. I’d learned the truth of his identity the year beforehand and while shocking and frightening, I’ve learned to live with it. In any event, I look towards the other things in live, such as the majesty of the Enterprise. I’m serious - I’ve never seem a ship like this before.
Picard smiled.
“Well, Starfleet’s approach to starship design is significantly different than that of most Alpha Quadrant - our region of our galaxy - powers. A Federation Starship is an exercise in skill, almost a work of sculpture if you will. Throughout its history, the Federation has routinely pushed the envelope to the absolute maximum with each new generation, striving for an unmatched level of perfection almost for the sheer pleasure of it you might say. This manifests itself in many ways; while a Federation ship typically devotes between 5 to 30% of its internal volume to combat equipment, they are usually more than a match for dedicated warships of similar size built by other powers. Starfleet ships tend to be faster, more agile and far more flexible than any other ship in the Quadrant.”
This was, in many ways, indeed true. The Klingon Empire tended to regard a ship as a method of carrying heavy weapons into battle in order to engage the enemy, or to land troops on the surface of a planet. The Romulan Star Empire looked upon their ships as a statement of political and military might, producing large vessels like the D’Deridex-class Warbirds, intended to intimidate all who saw them. The Cardassian Union’s ship designs, at least prior to the Union’s disintegration at the end of the Dominion War, tended to be led by the compromises necessary for of fighting against foes considerably larger and more powerful than themselves, a fact that through their doctrines they had refused to accept.
“Well, that definitely appears to be the case, especially with how you took on those Yuuzhan Vong ships.”
Luke fell silent, but both his sister and Picard could see that it wasn’t because of the reminder of the war. Finally the Jedi Master spoke.
“Captain, there’s something I think you need to know.“
“Go on.“
“When I was linked with Mara, I had a Force-Vision. I heard my old teachers and saw an unknown figure dressed in one of your uniforms. They all said that the Federation represents the key to restoring balance in our galaxy.”
Picard was taken aback by the momentum of this prophecy and the implications of what would happen should it come to pass. Certainly, the United Federation of Planets had provided aid to systems in the past- Bajor was a primary example.
But an entire galaxy?
***
“Thought I’m not sure about the unknown figure, I am certain absolutely certain that the other voices I heard were indeed those my old teachers and my father.”
“Or maybe some exotic forgery - you just can never tell nowadays, can you?”
There was a sudden flash of light and in the far end of the room, there was seated a figure dressed in a similar uniform to the Starfleet type that everyone on the Enterprise wore. His eyes sparkled with mischief and within him, Luke sensed an presence the like of which he had never felt before, save for his recent encounter with the unknown figure in his vision. But unlike the unknown man, the being before him teemed with Force-energy.
Picard grimaced and he clenched his fists. Unlike the Jedi, he knew who this was all right.
No, not him, not now…
“Q! I should have known!”
Leia look puzzled.
“His name is a letter?”
Picard sighed.
“If only it were that simple. Q is -”
“- is an intergalactic being known throughout the cosmos for his omnipotent powers, roguish good looks, and an ego as big as the all-outdoors!”
There suddenly came the sound of a trumpet and drum fanfare in the room. Q stood up from the chair, and took a bow. His head came up and a slight grin. Picard did not return it.
At least he didn’t do the mariachi again.
“Oh come now, Jean-Luc, don‘t be so shocked. You recall what I said at our last meeting - that I would be watching you and drop by from time to time.”
The meeting Q was referring had been eight years ago from Picard’s viewpoint. Q had resumed the trial that he had thrown against humanity seven years before that, during Picard’s first mission as the captain of the Galaxy-class Enterprise-D.
“Q, what do you want?”
“To give you a little advice, mon Capitan. Now, I know your pathetic little quadrant has suffered devastating losses from your Dominion War, but Prime Directive or no Prime Directive, the Jedi here is correct in the message he was given - which I hard nothing to do with mind you; I simply overheard it - you and the other bipedal hominids in the Federation must aid the New Republic if they’re to win their own little war. The Vong are a threat on the level of the Borg - hell, you should consider them the Borg of that galaxy.
A faint rage was visible in Picard’s eyes.
“Yes, but it was you that introduced us to the Borg.”
This was indeed true. It was Q that had hurled the Enterprise-D into System J-25, on the border of the Alpha and Beta Quadrants. It was there that the Federation had had its first official contact with the Collective, though that version of the story was being thrown into doubt now that the tale of the Hansens and their assimilation fifteen years before the J-25 incident was known. In any event, the J-25 encounter had led to the invasion of 2366, Picard’s assimilation, and the horrifying massacre known as the Battle of Wolf 359, not to mention the 2373 invasion.
Q, however, did not share Picard’s feelings.
“Jean-Luc, for once just shut up; I did you a favor.”
Picard’s expression darkened and the rage was now clearly visible not just in his eyes, but in his person - Skywalker could sense it quite evidently with the Force and with his own eyes. He also know noticed a shadow in Picard that he hadn’t felt before. Obviously, whoever these ‘Borg’ were, they had caused Picard a great deal of trauma and grief.
“WHAT?!”
Q shrugged.
“Temper, temper Jean-Luc. Again, remember what I told you once upon a time, at System J-25 all those years ago? My exact words to you were, ‘If you can't take a little bloody nose -- maybe you had better go back home and crawl under your bed. It's not safe out here. It's wondrous -- with treasures to satiate desires both subtle and gross -- but it is not for the timid. Now, by introducing you to the Borg earlier than was to be expected, yes some issues did arise. But looked what happened as a result.”
“Wolf 359 is what happened Q,” Picard said slowly through clenched teeth. Q ignored him.
“What happened was this. It got your military going off its primitive ass for one. You increased shipbuilding for the first time since your pointless little cold war with Micro-brain’s folk a century ago - and maybe the Tomed Incident, but that‘s another story. Anyway, believe me, if you hadn’t, it would be obvious even to me that you would never have survived the Dominion War with the fleet you had prior to the Battle of Wolf 359. You would have been utterly annihilated, mon captain. Your Federation would have been the interstellar equivalent of being vaporized, with nothing to bury, nothing to mourn - the Dominion would have taken it all away from you in an instant!”
“And they very nearly did, Q.”
“Yes, well you would have if those meddlesome loafers in the Bajoran wormhole hadn’t stepped in.”
“The Prophets did what was best for Bajor, Q.”
Picard turned to the new voice that was emanating from his quarters. Out of nowhere there had appeared another figure, also dressed in a Starfleet uniform, possessing a dark skin tone, baldness, and a goatee. Q groaned at this new appearance.
“Oh go back to your religious bosses - the Q are more than capable of handling this situation!”
Picard wasn’t listening to any of this. Instead, his jaw dropped as he recognized the figure standing before him.
“Sisko,” he whispered.
The first time Benjamin Lafayette Sisko and Jean-Luc Picard had crossed paths had been over a decade before at the Battle of Wolf 359. There, an assimilated Picard had led a Borg cube against a hastily-assembled Starfleet armada, an armada that save for one vessel was completely destroyed. Sisko had been on the Saratoga and while he and his son had survived, his wife Jennifer was killed.
For years afterward, Sisko held Picard responsible for the death of his wife and this had caused great friction between the two men during the beginning of the Federation’s relief aid to Bajor following the Cardassian occupation. However, Sisko’s discovery of the Bajoran wormhole and subsequent naming by the Kai as the Bajoran Emissary had helped to ease Sisko‘s grief and made life easier for the two of them.
As the years passed, the two men had become good friends and allies. When Worf had been transferred to Deep Space Nine during Chancellor Gowron’s unjustified invasion of the Cardassian Union, Sisko had sought Picard’s advice with how to deal with a Klingon officer on one’s senior staff. When Sisko had disappeared at the end of the Dominion War, Picard had been shocked and saddened at the loss, both to Starfleet and to him.
He hadn’t known what to make of the rumors that Sisko had been taken in by the aliens who inhabited the Bajoran wormhole, the beings that the Bajorans called their Prophets.
Now it appeared, those rumors were well-founded.
Leia was the first to respond to this new development.
“Who is he?”
“He’s the man I saw in my vision.”
Picard for a moment had trouble speaking.
“His name is Benjamin Sisko, a former Starfleet captain. He…it’s complicated to describe his past.”
“As it is meant to be. In any event, it‘s been a while, hasn‘t it Captain?”
“It certainly has, Ben.”
The two men shook each others hands. To Picard, it was a similar feeling to the one he had had when he had met the legendary James T. Kirk in the Nexus eight years before.
“My, oh my, how sweet - the Starfleet captains reunited,” Q snickered from the back.
The Emissary turned to Q and just looked at him.
“Could you mind repeating what you said?”
“I said, my, oh my, how-”
“Before that.”
“I said that the Q are more than capable of handling The Merging, Sisko”
“Like you handled the great crisis of the Seventh Galactic Circle?”
Q’s eyes glared and he proceeded to grumble.
“I see your religious bosses told you about that.”
“Along with a half dozen others.”
“Well don’t think you can use that for blackmail - I’ve got enough on the Prophets to balance out whatever they’ve told you.”
Q thought back on the first time he had come face to face with Sisko, on that station in the middle of nowhere. Sisko had, at first glance, been just as arrogant and fun to annoy as Picard had been.
At least until he had been slugged by the commander. He could recall their short words as if he had spoken them yesterday - which given discrepancies in the space-time continuum was entirely possible.
“Jean-Luc would never hit me!”
“I’m not Picard!”
He had never forgotten that incident. And being an omnipotent being, of course, he had known the fate that awaited the Emissary at the conclusion of his quadrant’s pointless little war. But Continuum directive prevented him from spoiling it.
“Technically, I can only appear in visions, as granted by the Celestial Temple. However, there are exceptions that can be made in times of emergency.”
“Really? I thought the emergency lay in blackmailing me.”
“It’s not for blackmailing or petty fights or such that brings me all this distance across time and space from the Celestial Temple, Q. The Prophets are just as alarmed by The Merging as you are. And even with the six-million year difference between the two galaxies, action must be taken to restore the balance.”
Now it was Luke’s turn to have his jaw drop?”
“A six-million year difference?”
Q smirked.
“As the Bard put it, ‘Time is out of joint‘, Jean-Luc or rather will be sooner or later. Your two galaxies are coexisting on the same linear plane for the moment, but that will change. The figure can jump from six million years in the past. More like six million days
Data chose that moment to chime in.
“That is approximately 16, 438 years.”
Q clapped his hands.
“Bravo, bravo. I’m glad to see your walking calculator hasn’t lost his touch, Jean-Luc. Anyway, in a sense, it’s like a singularity, where time gets all slowed down or something like - it’s too complicated to go into and I won’t be caught doing Federation-style scientific babble. So, it will keep going like until eventually, you’re both existing in the same temporal plane -a key indication of the Merging.
“What the hell is this merging that you’re talking about, Q?”
Q did not immediately respond. Instead, there was another snap and a flash of light. Suddenly, Q was sitting in an weathered, red leather chair, clothed in a black leather coat, green-tie, and nose-supported sunglasses.
Skywalker and his sister raised eyebrows. Picard sighed and explained that during his occasional “drop-ins”, Q liked to take on the forms of various historical and literary figures from Earth‘s past.
Picard knew that this had included the Sheriff of Nottingham, an Elizabethan-era noblemen, and, in Picard’s opinion, the most horrific being the regalia of a judge operating during Earth’s Post-Atomic Horror. It was in this form that Q had put the human race on trial all those years ago, though he had stated during the mission to the Devron system that the trial was a never-ending process.
“The Merging is everywhere. It is all around us. Even in this pitiful pile of bulkheads you call home.”
“Q…”
The omnipotent being sighed.
“Fine. The Merging is, well, part of an old prophecy some of the elder Q speak of.”
Data cocked his android head.
“I find that highly unlikely. The Q, based on all prior analyses, would not constitute different age groups, save for the cases of Amanda Rodgers, possibly Trelane - a theory that has laid dormant until first contact with the Q fifteen years ago - and the Q classified as Q2 by Starfleet Admiral Janeway on Stardate . In terms of the Q possessing religion, while an interesting concept, it -”
“Picard, the Tin-Man either needs a new mouth or to lose his current one. As I was saying, the prophecy goes as such: ‘When the two jewels of the sky merge, than destruction will befall all.’ In other words, Jean-Luc, all hell's about to break loose. What do you think is going to happen Jean-Luc? Mass end of the world T-shirt sales - well maybe; your twentieth century ancestors seemed simply to adored them and I‘m sure it‘ll be the new fad across the Federation. Okay, let me try a different tact.”
“Try me.”
“Cute Jean-Luc. Well, remember that little theory that your planet’s astronomers came up with a few centuries back? You know, the one about the universe expanding to a certain point and then contracting on itself?
Picard and Data nodded.
“Yes. Federation astronomers also still believe that even today.”
“Well, we have the same thing here, just on a much smaller scale with these two galaxies. As for the cause, well, it probably is universal, though I’m not fully sure. I’m tempted to believe that we have an outside culprit.”
“Who?”
There was another flash. Q was now clothed in the guise of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s legendary fictional detective, Sherlock Holmes. Somehow, despite the seriousness of the situation, Picard doubted that Data would approve. Indeed the android spoke up moments after Q’s latest transformation.
“Your deerstalker is ten years misplaced from the Victorian Era.”
Q just starred at Data.
“Picard, your walking calculator is really pushing it with me this time.”
“Data, perhaps it would be best to stay silent until this is over.”
“Understood Captain. I will keep my internal reservations to myself until the conclusion of this meeting.
“As I was saying, I’m very tempted to believe that the culprit may very well be the M.”
“The what?”
“The M. Or rather, the M Continuum, Jean-Luc. We don’t where they came from; they claim to be descendents and/or ancestors of the Q. Given our knack of traveling through the ages in the blink of an eye and their own omnipotent powers, it does hold merit. However, we didn’t exactly get along during our first contact with them and, well, for about several million of your Earth-years, we were at war with them. We still get into disagreements from time to time.”
“What do you mean, Q?”
“Well let me put it this way: Do you think some of the supernovas and collapsing stars that your astronomers have witnessed are natural recurring phenomena? They’re what happens to the space-time continuum when the Q are at war, which from your temporal plane, was six years ago.”
Picard nodded. He knew what Q was referring to after having read Janeway’s report on her three contacts with the Continuum over the course of Voyager’s seven year sojourn.
“The M having nothing to do with it, Q.”
There was another flash and suddenly, the captain’s quarters contained another two occupants. Q raised his eyebrow at this latest development. He knew the first individual all too well.
“M.”
“Q.”
And standing alongside M…
“Ah, Q, what a pleasure.”
“Indeed Q.”
“Oh, do go on.”
The Q that Q spoke to was the one that had conveyed the message to him during his brief exile a decade before that he had been forgiven by the Continuum and accepted back into its ranks.
“You are needed in private. A serious matter has arisen.”
Q turned towards Picard and the Skywalker twins and shrugged.
“Will you excuse me mon Capitan?”
He gave them a mini salute, snapped his fingers, and all three vanished another flash of light. At that moment, Sisko began to fade away as he had done in Luke’s vision, but he still continued to speak even as his form disappeared.
“Do not forget what I said: The Federation is the key to restoring the balance.”
And then he was gone. There was a prolonged silence that Leia eventually broke.
“Well, that was unusual.”
Picard sighed.
“Trust me, with Q, it always is. And I‘m sorry I kept back that information about the time differences between-”
“Captain, it’s all right, I would have done the same thing in your position, especially with the shock of-”
“LaForge to Captain Picard.”
Picard warily tapped his combadge.
“Go ahead Geordi.”
“Captain Solo has repaired the Falcon’s communications system and has made contact with the New Republic - there’ll be a full diplomatic envoy and task force arriving here in the next day. Should help if the Yuuzhan Vong attack again. ”
***
Location: Q Continuum
Somewhere in the Universe
With a flash, the two Q’s and the M materialized alongside the Lady Q and Q2.
“Now, why did you need to call me out of that?”
The second Q spoke to the Q that the Federation (and the energy life-form known as the Calamaraine) knew all too well.
“A meeting has been called.”
Q looked incredulous.
“Of what?”
“The Quintessence.”
Q groaned. The Prophets had been bad enough. But the Quintessence? The Q’s godly reputation was really not what it used to be if not one, not two, but five omnipotent organizations were getting involve. Either that was over-doing it…
Q frowned substantially upon his next thought, but realized it was a valid theory.
…or it was an indication that the Merging was far more serious than even he had thought.
“Why do I not like where this is going?”
The second Q ignored his compatriot’s bickering.
“Q, you have been chosen to be the Continuum’s representative to this gathering, just as M here will be the M Continuum’s representative.”
Q groaned again.
“Just when I thought the worst was over.”
“Believe me, it was between you and Trelane.”
Q winced.
“Good point. So, when do I leave?”
“Right now.”
“Um, will give me a quick moment with the loved ones. It’s not like I’m not coming back, or anything, right?”
The second Q nodded.
“But be brief.”
Q stepped quickly over to the Lady Q and Q2. His son was awash with excitement.”
“We heard it all. Congratulations Dad.”
“Well that’s that nice. I mean, who wouldn‘t want a front-row seat to the hottest omnipotent gathering in the cosmos?”
The Lady Q, however, was not as enthusiastic as their child.
“Be careful. I have a bad feeling about all of this.”
“Of course it is - being in the same chamber with the Prophets, the M and-
“I meant the Merging.”
For the first time since had left, a look of seriousness returned to Q’s face.
“So do I dear. But duty calls darling.”
And with a snap of his fingers, he was gone.
***
To be Continued…
***
