Star Trek: Fan Fiction

STAR TREK:

FULL CIRCLE

Kevin Corrigan

Act One

	The credits fade and give way to a background of stars. A small travelling spot can be seen amongst the stars. Very slowly it grows in size as it traverses the screen. It becomes clear it is a comet spilling of its contents and gas as it moves. It tumbles as it travels. (it is a snazzier version of the DS9 credits). As it moves across the screen for the third time it fills the entire screen with its jettisoned particles. It floats away towards the distance as the camera pans across the stars. Another small spot of light can be seen. This time it is DS9. DS9 grows as the camera zooms in on it. There is much greater granularity of detail in its outer structure than can be seen on the TV series. The Defiant is at one pylon, there are two supply ships at airlocks. A fleet of Klingon warships is stationed to one side of the station with an equal number of Romulan warships on the other. Federation warships are stationed above and below with an assortment of other ships interspersed. Cut to scene of Ops with people busy at all stations. There is a lot of comm traffic.
Worf	The Romulan Commander reports ready. General Martok also reports ready. Captains Bateman and Casey are ready. We have 56 ships in 4 squadrons ready.
Sisko	Good. Put me on all speakers. Attention, this is Captain Benjamin Sisko, Commander of the Deep Space Nine defence force. Right people this is it. This is what we’ve been preparing for. What we do in the next half hour will determine the course of the war with the Dominion and the fate of the Alpha quadrant for generations to come. We know the Dominion has assembled an invasion fleet and is massed on the far side of the wormhole. They have been able to destroy the minefield and other automated defences. Today, the Federation and Alpha Quadrant alliance expects every man and women to do their duty. We will fight them by the wormhole, we will fight them in space above each of our homeworlds, we will fight them on the promenade, and we will never surrender. A line must be drawn to protect all our cultures’ right to indigenous self development and the preservation of our way of life. That line is here and now. The rest of our fleets are stationed to prevent a Cardasian attack. Today there will be no fallback, no retreat. Our job is simple, at all costs we must stop the invasion, we must stop it here, here today. May the prophets guide you.
Worf	You can count on the Klingon warriors on board the General Martok’s fleet.
Sisko	I know. Colonel Kira also speaks highly of the Bajoran Rebel Vessels. And in Shelby and Casey we have two battle hardened and wily commanders. Best of all I have all of you (he motions to the Ops command crew) We would never have resisted this long without the resourcefulness and skills of you all. I am the luckiest Captain in starfleet to have served with you all.
Dax	Captain, the wormhole is opening.
Sisko	Sound General Quarters, Battle Stations. Raise shields, charge all phaser banks and arm quantum torpedoes.
Worf	Aye aye Captain
	There is furious activity as people’s hands flick over their consoles. Cut to external shot of DS9. The fleets gently spread out. Shields flicker into life. The wormhole winks a bright light and opens. Four Jem Hadar ships shoot our and are caught in a hail of phaser fire from the Klingon fleet’s left wing Cut to scene at Ops
Worf	First blood to the Klingons. All four enemy scout ships destroyed.
	Cut to external view of wormhole. A very large Dominion ship exits much slower than the scout ships, it has a conical shape and is heavily shielded. The Romulan squadron’s right wing open fire. The ship’s shields hold and ripple with light as it is struck. Cut to scene of Ops
Worf	The enemy have deployed a new ship. Scanning for weapons. Captain the ship has no obvious armaments but it heavily shielded.
Sisko	Clever, very clever, signal Shelby’s fleet to get behind it and attack, it is obviously a shield or picket ship designed solely to take our fire and
Kira	Captain multiple enemy ships are emerging at all angles from behind the new ship
	Cut to external view. The shield ship is about 1 km in front of the wormhole under heavy fire. Streaming out of the wormhole are wave after wave of attack ships each arcing away to form a starburst pattern behind the shield ship. They regroup as a fleet of 25 ships and then make their way down and under DS9 to attack from below. The Federation/ Bajoran squadron engage in dogfights to stop their attack. Cut back to Ops
Dax	The picket ship’s shield is buckling, the entire Romulan squadron is attacking it. It has been destroyed. Enemy ships are continuing to exit from the wormhole. The Klingons have taken up strafing positions and are destroying all new enemy ships on a 4 to 1 ratio. They are using Kamikaze quantum torpedoes Captain another shield ship is emerging
Sisko	Shelby, this is Sisko, You must destroy the shield ship, the last one allowed 40 fighters through Martok, this is Sisko, may Kayliss honour your torpedo pilots with a drink today
Shelby	Acknowledged Captain, co-ordinating fire with the Captain Stark of Romulan Fleet
Martok	They are all volunteers who want to die glorious deaths for the empire!
	Cut to external view, Federation attacking the shield ship from behind and Romulans from in front. Cut to scene of Klingons pursing ships and launching Kamikaze torpedoes at the Jem Hadar. Cut to internal view of a cramped torpedo with a Klingon piloting it past phaser fire to its target and screaming a Klingon Warcry as it is about to impact the enemy Cut to scene of DS9 shooting at some of the Jem Hadar attack vessels as they weave between the Federation vessels. More attack vessels exit from the wormhole, a few are picked off by Shelby’s fleet Cut to bridge view on Shelby’s vessel
Shelby	Grisholm, This is Shelby, our first priority is the shield ship, when we’ve destroyed that we can chase their fighters. Understood?
Grisholm	(via comms link) This is Grisholm, understood
	Cut to external view of the battle ensuing. Federation ships have been damaged by the Jem Hadar attack fleet but the Jem Hadar are taking bigger losses. A second Jem Hadar fleet regroups and begins to attack the Romulan squadron. Cut to scene of Ops
Worf	Captain, a second fleet of enemy vessels has formed and engaged the Romulan fleet. They are dissipating the Romulan fire. Shelby’s attack is buckling their shields. 22 enemy ships entered behind the shield ship. Captain, another shield ship is emerging
Sisko	Shelby, they’re sending in another shield ship, looks like they anticipated we’d spot their tactics. Maintain your status and attack from behind, we’ll attack from here, the Romulans need to engage the second wing
Shelby	Acknowledged
	Cut to external shot Another shield ship has emerged, there is debris floating everywhere. The Klingons are chasing individual Jem Hadar ships, The Romulans and one Federation fleet are engaging separate enemy fleets Cut to scene of Ops
Sisko	Mr Worf, target all phaser banks on that shield ship. Open Fire, all phaser banks, keep firing until it is destroyed
Worf	Aye aye sir
	Cut to external scene. Shelby is attacking from behind, DS9’s phaser cut through space like parallel razors. 16 phaser blasts of continuous power. Enemy ships continue to pour through and exit in the starburst pattern. Cut to scene of Ops
Worf	Enemy shield is buckling, a different type of enemy ship is exiting from the wormhole behind it, 8 battleships have formed a new attack wing and are proceeding to group above DS9. The shield ship is beginning to buckle.
Casey	Captain Sisko. We’ve mopped up the first enemy fleet, I’m afraid we lost 3 ships, the Centuri, the Beagle and Heron. We read the battleship fleet forming above you, we are preparing to engage. If you’ve anything to spare while we get into position I’d appreciate it.
Sisko	Happy to oblige. Win one for the Gipper
Casey	Bet your bottom dollar on it.
Sisko	Mr Worf, Fire 4 waves of 4 quantum torpedoes at the battleship fleet, Leave 3 seconds between waves.
Worf	Aye Aye captain
	Cut to external scene. The Quantum torpedoes hit their targets and explode on the battleship’s shields. As the last wave of torpedoes hit Casey’s fleet attack in a pincer cross over, phasers and torpedoes strafing the battleships. The outer ships buckle and list away from the fight. Cut to scene of Ops
Worf	Another Shield ship is emerging, correction two shield ships are emerging, back to back to each other
Sisko	Is it a decoy, to make us think they’re protecting something special?
Kira	Captain the Klingons have regrouped, they lost 6 ships and destroyed all the lone attack ships.
Sisko	Right, General Martok, can you watch the wormhole? I’ve a feeling the enemy have something special coming through, Shelby and us will continue attacking the shield ships
Martok	With pleasure. We are having a good day today
Sisko	Don’t going dying on us yet General.
Martok	I won’t, not while there’s such good sport around.
	Cut to scene of an epic space battle underway. A lone enemy fighter breaks off and attacks a pylon causing a massive explosion on impact. The Defiant is sent spinning into space Cut to scene of Ops, Lights blink on and off, the station rocks
Dax	Pylon 3 hit. Damage to external hull, the Defiant is adrift, no casualties reported, Repair crews are on their way
Sisko	Why would a Jem Hadar ship crash into our pylon?
	At that moment Jem Hadar soldiers beam into Ops
Sisko	Behind you Kira!!
	A firefight takes place with all the Jem Hadar being killed
Sisko	Attention all stations, we are being boarded, arm your personal weapons.
	Cut to scene of Promenade where more Jem Hadar beam in. Fierce firefights break out all over the station. Cut to scene of the double shield ship exploding under intense fire. More and more ships are being destroyed. The battleships destroy some of Casey’s fleet. Cut to scene of Ops. Two panels explode and staff put out the fires
Worf	Another double shield ship has emerged, further battleships are emerging. We have destroyed 58 enemy vessels for the loss of 9.
Sisko	They must contain storm troops. Can we get any more power to the weapons?
Dax	Negative sir, All batteries are still operating at full efficiency, we have used 388 torpedoes and are restocking the tubes.
Sisko	They’re breaking through, we must destroy those shield ships
Worf	Sir, All our ships are fully engaged and the enemy continues to bring through more ships. We must consider destroying the station to prevent it falling into enemy hands.
Sisko	Your advice is noted. Signal all ships to attack the shield ships.
	Cut to external view, the Allied fleet converge on the two sets of double shield ships and attack from every angle. One of the double ships explodes. Meanwhile some Jem Hadar ships attack DS9. The battleships take up bombing runs and other attack ships harass the Allied fleet attacking the remaining shield ship. Cut to scene of Ops which is rocking heavily under attack
Kira	Captain, enemy troops are reported on level 4,5,6 and 7 of the habitat ring. They appear to be making their way to the main generator
Sisko	Get more troops down there now, they want to turn off our shields and weapons.
Kira	Kira to Odo, regroup by the main generator, prepare to repel boarders
Odo	Acknowledged Major.
Worf	Another ship is emerging from the wormhole, it is different to the previous vessels, it appears to be three times bigger than a galaxy class warship.
Sisko	Are we holding off the attack from their fighters?
Worf	I believe so sir, we have lost 17 ships to their 120. The enemy still outnumber us 2 to 1.
Sisko	Shelby, break off your attack on the last shield ship, the new target is the mother ship that just came through, if it matches our intelligence reports it will have 50 attack ships inside it and firepower to match DS9.
Shelby	Aye Aye Captain, Jackson make it so
	Cut to external view of Shelby’s wing intercepting the mother ship. The mother ship fires and destroys a Federation ship with one blast. Cut to Ops
Kira	O shit, did you see that
Sisko	Yes, all ships stay out of the way of the mother ship, attack like bees, short and sharp
Kira	Enemy troops have penetrated the outer defence ring
Sisko	Get down there Colonel.
Kira	I thought you’d never ask!
Sisko	Worf, what are they up to now
Worf	The remaining shield ship has been destroyed. The fleet of battleships has been re-engaged by Casey’s squadron, the battleships have been destroyed
Sisko	Good man Casey.
Worf	The Romulans and Klingons are engaged in dogfights around the station. Station defences continue to strike at enemy craft. We have lost 25 ships, the enemy 145
Sisko	Well done people. The job’s not over yet. Casey, can you assist Shelby
Casey	(Via comms)Be delighted to
Shelby	(Via comms) Shall we try the Corbormite manoeuvre?
Casey	(Via comms) You can if you want to, I’m going to try the Picard manoeuvre
	Cut to external view of Casey’s ship firing and jumping to warp as it attacks the mother ship Cut to scene of DS9 corridor. A fierce firefight is underway.
Kira	Kira to Ops. There are too many Jem Hadar, we’re falling back
Sisko	Don’t let them through!
	The firefight continues, many Bajoran and Federation troops fall including Kira. The Jem Hadar break into the main power generation room killing the defending soldiers and take numerous casualties. They place lots of photon charges around the room and power devices. They leave and begin to beam off the station. Cut to scene of Ops
Worf	Another shield ship is emerging
Sisko	I suppose they would have planned on using quite a few
Dax	Captain the enemy ships have broken off their attacks on the station
Sisko	I was afraid of that. It means… Sisko to Kira, what is your status
	No reply
Sisko	Mr Worf, Dax, Julian, Its been a pleasure. Mr Worf, fire every phaser and torpedo at that mother ship, we’ll stop it if nothing else.
	Cut to external scene of DS9 The spaceship to spaceship battle continues although the Jem Hadar ships now act to protect the new shield ship. DS9 launches a furious volley at the mother ship. A single Jem Hadar ship returns to the wormhole and leaves. Cut to scene of the charges in the main generator room, counting down in lights, 3…,2….,1….. Boom! Cut to external scene as DS9 explodes section by section into huge fireball, the shock wave knocks the battling ships aside and creates a bubble of warped space around the wormhole which is frozen open. Cut to scene of Shelby’s bridge
Shelby	O no, This is Captain Shelby to the fleet. DS9 has fallen. The explosion has formed an inverse space bubble at the wormhole. Let’s finish off the mother ship and then fallback to rendezvous seven.
	Cut to external scene. The remaining Allied ships attack the mother ship but to no avail. The Jem Hadar chase them and many Allied ships are destroyed. The remaining Allied ships turn away from the Jem Hadar and flee. The Jem Hadar do not pursue them.

Act Two

	The Spacedock museum is having its opening ceremony party. Through large windows in the background moored ships can be seen. There are many dignitaries and worthy people and journalists wandering around. The Enterprise -E is situated next to the original Enterprise, the -A and the -D. There are numerous other craft. Music is playing and drinks are being served. The Enterprise crew are there.
Picard	Will, its good to see you.
Riker	Admiral, the pleasure’s mine.
Picard	Come of it now Will, we’re off duty, call me Jean Luc, its not everyday I meet the Captain of the flagship.
Riker	The crew will be pleased to see you. Its over 12 months since we last all got together. Deanna, Geordie, over here.
	They shake hands warmly
La Forge	Great to see you again Admiral.
Picard	Not you as well. Please, its Jean Luc off duty. You must have some amazing stories from the war. The battle for Cardasia Prime, the rescue of the Klingon fleet, the attack on the Dominion shipyards.
	There is an awkward silence
Picard	Yes, war is awful, and with the fall of DS9 we are facing an uphill struggle.
Troi	People are very scared at the moment, their apprehension is understandable. People are expecting the Dominion to launch an all out strike for Earth next.
Picard	That’s why this museum is being given such a big launch. People need something to take their minds off the war.
Riker	Is that why we’ve been pulled back as well? Wouldn’t we be more use on the front line?
Picard	You deserve some R&R. You’ve just had a 6 month continuous tour of duty. That’s asking a lot even of the Enterprise and her crew. Why not just enjoy ourselves for now?
Riker	You’ve got something planned for us, I know you better than that.
Picard	Come on, lets go over and hear the speeches. No need to worry yourself.
Riker	Yet.
	They wander over to the podium where the President of the Federation begins making a speech.
President	Friends, colleagues and allies, when I was asked if I would open the Federation museum of space exploration I was both flattered and bewildered……..
La Forge	Why do politicians always talk like that?
Crusher	Because people listen to them like that.
Picard	Beverly, I didn’t see you there.
	He offers his arms out and they embrace and hold it a second longer than polite.
Picard	Its been a long time
Crusher	Too long. We’re having dinner at my house tonight, will you join us?
Picard	I’d be delighted
President	…so I’m delighted to officially pronounce the museum ‘open’. I hope many generations to come will learn from and enjoy their visits.
	The audience applaud as the band strike up a suitable rousing tune. Balloons and streamers fall from the ceiling and champagne corks pop. Cut to scene of dinner at a country house. The crew are seated at a large dinner table enjoying dinner.
Riker	Its a shame Data couldn’t be here.
La Forge	Yeah, we could do with some of his humour. He wrote me last week, sounds like he likes command.
Picard	You’ll recall its not his first command. Years back when we were having trouble with the Romulans he commanded the Sutherland. It was one of my more pleasant duties to promote him
Riker	Is he due back soon, will we get the chance to have a bigger reunion?
Picard	Will, you know better than that, to ask about vessel or key personnel movements when there’s a war on.
Riker	I’m sorry, I wasn’t after Top Secret information
Picard	No, I know.
Troi	This is a wonderful Ratatoue Beverly, did you make it yourself.
Crusher	Yes, its an old family recipe.
La Forge	Mmm, just a hint of garlic, absolutely delicious.
Crusher	Thank you. I rather like Jean Luc’s wine.
Picard	Think nothing of it. Its from my family’s vineyard. Funny, although I miss my brother terribly, I still feel I have family.
	Picard eyes each of them across his glass.
Picard	A toast.
	Picard stands and they all stand up too.
Picard	We didn’t have time for a memorial service. I wanted to say a few words to remember our fallen comrade: Commander Worf. I am proud to have served with Commander Worf, a fierce and proud warrior as ever there was, a man without equal. He lived his life to the full and lived proudly by his beliefs. Let us honour his memory. Commander Worf
	They all raise their glasses and drink a toast. After a pause of a few seconds Beverly throws her glass into the fireplace and shouts
Crusher	To Worf
	The others follow. A few moments later Captain Data beams in
Data	Excuse the interruption, I was told you were having dinner and wondered if I might join you?
	La Forge gets up and greets Data by slapping him on the back
La Forge	Great to see you buddy. Beverly is it all right if Captain Data stays to dinner
Crusher	Don’t be silly, of course it is.
	They all sit down and carry on chatting
La Forge	So what’s it like to be a Captain?
Data	I am puzzled by your question Geordie. Did you ever ask Admiral Picard whilst he commanded the Enterprise? Or have you asked Captain Riker?
Riker	Don’t be silly Data, Geordie knows what our answers would be. Circumstances excepting, there’s nothing better in the world, - no - galaxy. And of course, on top of that, its the Enterprise!
Data	As you know Captain, the Hawk is the newest ship design in the fleet. Regulations allowing I would be delighted to debate our ships respective performance characteristics
Riker	Yes, but mine’s *the* Enterprise.
Data	I do not understand the significance of the name in respect of the debate
Picard	I think that’s enough now, they’re both fine ships.
	The conversation continues, reminiscing over past adventures on the Enterprise to current experiences. Cut to scene of after dinner. Picard and Crusher are standing together away from the rest of the group but watching over them.
Crusher	Jean Luc, one of the things I’ve learned from this war is not to, not to let opportunities slip by. And regrets are for yesterday. Would you like to stay tonight?
Picard	Yes, I’d like that very much.
	They lean towards each other and gently kiss. The camera zooms out and fades away.

Act Three

	A darkened cell, it is damp and dirty. A figure is asleep on a bare bed. The automated door opens and a figure backed by two other figures enters.
Warder	Good morning Captain.
	He walks over to the bed and kicks the occupant
Warder	I said Good Morning!!
	The body grunts in pain, as it turns over the dried blood on its face becomes visible in the light.
Sisko	Good…….Good…Morning.
Warder	I trust you slept well
Sisko	I’ve slept better, who are you? How did I get here?
Warder	We’ll have to see what we can do about tiring you out more before you go to sleep Come with me
Sisko	I’m going nowhere until I get some answers.
Warder	Guards
	The two guards take Sisko roughly by the arms and frog march him out of the cell and along a corridor, up some stairs and into a very brightly lit room. They take him to a chair and sit him down. Sisko is clearly weak and has internal injuries and burned clothes.
Sisko	I asked who you are and how did I get here.
Warder	Benjamin, may I call you Benjamin? Let’s start off on the right foot shall we? I’ll ask the questions not you.
Sisko	Is this a prisoner of war camp? My name is Benjamin Sisko, Captain of Deep Space Nine, my Federation serial number is 492, alpha, 283, kappa, 645. (spluttering) Under the rules of war agreed at the second Camp Kittimer accord I do not have to answer any further questions
	The warder picks up a small device from the table and presses a button on it. Sisko doubles over in pain and falls off the chair.
Warder	O. I’m sorry Benjamin, I must have misunderstood your answer, I was expecting a ‘yes’
Sisko	(In obvious pain) Torture is outlawed under the same accord
Warder	That was the low setting Benjamin.
	Sisko gets off the ground and lifts his shirt to find a device has been placed into his stomach
Warder	It has two main purposes, one you’ve already discovered and the second you’ll discover should you ever, how shall I put it? Try to leave our quaint establishment.
Sisko	You mean it’ll explode and kill me if I get out of range of the controlling device.
Warder	How very perceptive of you. I can see why they made you a Captain.
Sisko	What happened to my crew?
Warder	Ben, remember I ask the questions?
Sisko	My crew are important to me.
Warder	Most of them perished, we brought your command crew here along with the Founder.
Sisko	Odo?
Warder	Is that what he’s called? That’s very helpful Ben. I’m not allowed to use the same….the same techniques with him as you. The rest of your crew were quite stubborn so I’ve been looking forward to meeting you. Your injuries were more extensive and have taken time to heal.
Sisko	How long have I been here?
	The warder presses the button and Sisko convulses.
Warder	It really is going to be most tiresome if I have to do this every couple of minutes.
	Sisko slowly recovers.
Warder	Now, why don’t you tell me all about being the Emissary?
Sisko	My name is Benjamin Sisko, Captain of Deep Space Nine, my Federation serial number is 492, alpha, 283, kappa, 645.
Warder	This is going to be most tiring.
	The warder presses the button again and Sisko falls to the ground Cut to scene of the Prison Mess Hall. Worf, Kira, Dax, and Bashir are seated at a table in equally grubby, stained and burned clothes eating from bent metal plates a type of gruel. A door opens and a bright light shines in. Two guards throw a body into the room. The crew get up to see who it is.
Worf	Captain!
	They rush to his aid and help him to a chair.
Sisko	Good to see you all.
	They are all pleased to see each other.
Sisko	How long have we been here?
Bashir	Difficult to say. There’s no obvious day, night pattern so its difficult to judge. We think I was the first one they questioned, presumably because I wasn’t really injured in the battle. I’d guess that we’ve been here a fortnight. Where does it hurt?
Sisko	Everywhere.
	Bashir lifts Sisko’s shirt and examines him. He looks closely into his eyes and ears.
Bashir	I’d say you were hit by several energy blasts, set a little too high, looks like you’ve broken some ribs and they’ve been artificially healed. They’ve inserted a control device without taking any tissue out and that’s not healed properly.
Sisko	I don’t recognise the races here, I presume the warder and guards are allied to the Dominion.
Kira	That’s our guess as well
Sisko	How do we get out of here?
Kira	We’re not sure where here is.
Sisko	Yeah, I know what you mean it took me a while to stop asking that as well.
	Sisko holds his side where the control device is inserted.
Worf	It is out duty as starfleet officers to escape, to tie up enemy resources behind their lines.
Kira	I don’t remember joining starfleet.
Worf	As a freedom fighter you will know the value of working behind enemy lines to destabilise their infrastructure.
Kira	I also remember how the Cardasians took revenge on villages when we had bombed their barracks or blew up their shuttles. We found it more productive to tie up their computers with viruses and make them ill from bad food.
Sisko	Okay, we’re all in this together. Have you spoken to any other prisoners? What are the guards like?
Kira	There are no other prisoners and the guards don’t talk.
Sisko	That’s very strange, is this all for us?
Bashir	It could be a sort of transit place, before they decide what they’re going to do with us. Do you think Starfleet will try and rescue us?
Kira	Who knows we here? Wherever here is?
Bashir	Good point.
Sisko	Colonel, what happened to Odo?
Kira	I remember being hit from behind, my legs went from under me. Odo picked me up and ran…..and I lost consciousness. And then I woke up in a cell maybe four days ago.
Sisko	You didn’t see him fall?
Kira	No, I passed out.
Sisko	I think there’s a good chance he’s still alive then. They’ve quite deliberately singled us out for capture. The interrogator let slip they had Odo as well.
Kira	Thank you that’s reassuring. I hope he’s all right.
	Sisko takes a spoonful of gruel from the plate and spits it out.
Sisko	How can you eat this?
Worf	I think its rather good.
Bashir	It gets less unpleasant the hungrier you are.
Sisko	I’ll wait until I get hungry, thank you. What sort of things did they question you about?
Worf	They got nothing from me except my name, rank and serial number.
Sisko	I believe you, but what sort of questions did they ask?
Worf	He began by asking about security codes, and fleet movements and Federation armaments. He wanted to know how you had become the Emissary and how you contacted the wormhole aliens.
Bashir	Similar for me, he wanted to know about human, Vulcan, Romulan and Klingon physiology. What their lifecycles were, what their tolerances were. Funny, he did ask me about you and the prophets, about whether you were hallucinating or on drugs.
Kira	Now you mention it, he asked me about you as well Captain. I thought they were just afterthoughts, when he had finished trying to get information about Bajoran defence capabilities.
Sisko	So there’s a bit of a pattern. Why would they be so concerned about me and the wormhole aliens?
Worf	The last time the Dominion attempted to bring an invasion fleet through the wormhole they were…..well the aliens made them vanish into nothingness.
Sisko	I wonder if that’s what’s happened this time. I was sure DS9 was about to be destroyed, the Dominion ships were retreating from the station and then……..
Bashir	We woke up here with disrupter burns.
Sisko	Maybe they weren’t after DS9 at all, maybe they were just after us.

Act Four

Picard	Good afternoon everybody. I don’t need to tell you that this meeting is in strictest confidence and will not be minuted. The briefing is not to be discussed outside of these walls.
	Seated around a long oval table are a number of senior starfleet personnel and captains Riker, Bateman, Shelby, Casey as well as Vulcan, Klingon and Romulan captains.
Picard	Since the fall of DS9 6 months ago we have been engaged in a war of attrition with the Dominion and Cardasian forces. The Dominion managed to bring through a mother ship (displayed on a screen behind Picard) codenamed dreadnought which has tipped the advantage to them. In every battle the dreadnought has been engaged in it has defeated our allied forces. The destruction of DS9 caused a sub space bubble to form around the entrance to this end of the wormhole (displayed on a screen behind Picard) but which has restricted the diameter of the entrance in the Gamma quadrant to a little over 30 meters. This has meant that the Dominion have been unable to bring through any more of these dreadnoughts. They have continued to bring through small fighters and supply ships to aid their war effort. We have developed a number of scenarios for how the war will pan out. The news is not good. 98% of our projections show that between 6 and 24 months time, our resources and reserves will be depleted to the point where the Dominion forces will overrun the Alpha quadrant. We presume that the Dominion scientists will be working on a way to return the wormhole to normal, and when they do they will undoubtedly bring through more dreadnoughts. We believe there are over 20 waiting in the Gamma Quadrant to come through. Our simulations predict the fall of the Alpha Quadrant within 7 days of restoration of the wormhole. We have other intelligence sources that suggest a new dreadnought is under construction in a Cardasian shipyard.
	There is shock around the table, some side conversation.
Bateman	This can’t be. You cannot be seriously telling us that there is no option but to lose.
Picard	No, I did not say that. I said, under 98% of projections the Dominion will win the war. Its a question of sooner or later.
Bateman	I don’t understand.
Picard	We have to stop the war. We are going to negotiate for peace.
Bateman	But you know what they’re like. Look what they did to their own kind, destroyed Odo at DS9. They are not interested in peace, they’ve broke every cease-fire agreement we’ve had with them. Even Captain Sisko couldn’t make them listen.
Picard	We have one of our most venerated heroes to lead our negotiations. Ambassador, if you please.
	A tall, slender figure wearing a cloak and hood walks to Picard’s side. He faces the ensemble and draws back his hood to reveal Ambassador Spock.
Spock	Admiral, my thanks for your time and trust. Dear colleagues, we are faced with the greatest challenge the Alpha Quadrant has ever met. We can be destroyed, along with our way of life, our families, our heritage. Or we can join the Dominion and continue. Those are the stark facts of the choice we face.
Bateman	Ambassador Spock, I am honoured. But surely you must recognise that negotiating with the Dominion is hopeless. They have refused all overtures to live side by side before, they only want to rule. We are all free races here, what you are suggesting is heretical to the founding principles of the Federation.
Spock	Your reaction, as a human, is understandable. Emotional and not entirely logically. If we want our respective species to continue and in due course flourish again, then the logical course is to accept the Dominion’s rule. As with all great empires which seek to impose its rule over others, time will be its downfall. Perhaps in a thousand years, maybe ten thousand. However, if we do not accept their rule our worlds will be slaughtered.
	There is a period of quiet to let the situation be absorbed.
Bateman	I, I just don’t know whether I can accept this line, I may have to resign my commission and live like the Maquis used to, only, instead of fighting to get away from the Federation, I’ll be fighting for the Federation.
Picard	I know how you feel. Its taken me a while to come to terms with the situation. Those of you who know me well though, know that, like a great captain I once met, I do not believe in the no win scenario. The Federation council has authorised Ambassador Spock to negotiate directly with the Founders for peace. He will be empowered to settle on whatever terms he believes are necessary to achieve that peace.
Riker	Excuse me Admiral, how will ambassador Spock meet the Founders, we don’t know where they reside.
Picard	We have new intelligence that identifies their homeworld, the Great Link.
Riker	And how will Ambassador Spock get there with the wormhole collapsed and guarded by Dominion forces on both sides.
Picard	Lieutenant Barclay, if you please.
Barclay	Tha…, Thank you admiral. Well, you see,…. I’m sorry I’m not used to speaking to large groups… Commander Riker……Sorry Captain Riker….. you may recall that when I served on the Enterprise -D I was taken over by an alien lifeform who showed me how to adjust the warp engines to achieve Warp 23. Of course all that expertise dissipated as soon as we met the aliens face to face and they only allowed us to use it once more to return home. Well, I’ve been working on remembering it and developing new theories of warp field dynamics. I think I can make a starship fly at Warp 23 again.
Riker	Reg that’s brilliant, that could turn the war back in our favour.
Barclay	Well, there is a teeny, weeny problem. The engines are one use only.
	Riker looks bemused.
Riker	Are you saying its a one way trip?
Barclay	Possibly.
Riker	Possibly?
Barclay	Well, if you flew 2 ships very close together, within the same warp field, you could use one to get there and one to get back.
Riker	Waste a ship for every return journey?
Barclay	Well, you’d waste two because the second ships engines would be destroyed on the return journey as well.
Riker	Reg, (sarcastically) you amaze me.
Picard	Captain Riker, what this does is allow us to get to the Founder’s homeworld to negotiate.
Bateman	Are there no other alternatives?
Picard	We considered the possibility of destroying the wormhole, but that carried an unacceptably high risk of killing the aliens who inhabit the wormhole. We have pooled armaments knowledge with the Romulans, bought technology of the Breen, improved our shields and weapons efficiency but not by a margin that will make a difference to the end result. Only the timing. The 6 to 24 months I referred to earlier. The 24 months is nearly all due to the Klingon Kamikaze Torpedo. It has the highest strike and efficiency rate of all our weapons. Without it our projections vary from 6 to 9 months. We have developed one possibility that the president of the Federation has sanctioned, but only if this final attempt at negotiating fails. It is not a pleasant one. You will all be familiar with the Omega particle. (the omega symbol and then structure appears on the screen behind Picard) Research was banned into this phenomena a century ago, however because of the protracted war and its potential as an energy source new research work was commissioned. Our scientists believe that we could transport the technology to create an omega particle and set off a chain reaction on the Gamma Quadrant side of the wormhole. The explosion would destroy sub-space for thousands of light years around. Warp travel would no longer be possible in the Gamma Quadrant and the Founders would have the privacy they so desire. It would also strand the crew who delivered it in the Gamma Quadrant. It would be quicker to travel to another galaxy than attempt to visit the Gamma Quadrant. It would not solve the problem of the 20 dreadnoughts stationed on the farside of the wormhole but, hopefully they will realise the implications and try and return to protect the Great Link, it may take them 4oo years but given the Jem Hadar programming, we think that is the most likely outcome
Bateman	So the strategy is to negotiate an acceptable peace or abandon the Founders in the Stone age of space flight. That’s a high risk strategy.
Picard	Yes it is. Over the coming days we will be making final preparations for the mission. Some of you around this table will be asked to take part. There is a parallel activity, which will be to destroy the existing dreadnought and the one under construction. This will create sufficient of a diversion to allow us to travel to the Founder’s world as well as demonstrating our determination to fight to the end if peace is not forthcoming. If there are no further questions this briefing is finished. I suggest you ensure all your crews have a good 48 hours R&R. And then get them into shape for whatever your part in the mission will be. Please do not discuss nor refer to this briefing outside of this room.

Act Five

Warder	Let us try again. What is the megajoule output of the phaser banks on the USS Defiant?
Sisko	(who is sprawled on the floor, doubled up in pain) I…….respectfully….re….refuse…..to ……..answer the question.
	The warder activates the device and Sisko spasms in pain.
Warder	I thought an Emissary was someone who liked to talk to new people?
Sisko	The Bajorans believe I’m the Emissary for the prophets.
Warder	What do the Prophets need you for? Why didn’t they choose a Bajoran?
Sisko	That’s for the prophets to know.
Warder	Do the prophets tell you what to say to the Bajorans?
Sisko	Not in words, they, they give me insights to what they want done.
Warder	And what have said about the Dominion?
Sisko	They are not concerned with the Dominion.
Warder	Can you talk to them?
Sisko	Only if they want to talk to me, or if I insist when I’m inside the wormhole.
Warder	How is it that no one else can talk to them in the wormhole?
Sisko	I don’t know, they choose who they talk to.
Warder	Would you talk to them for the Dominion?
Sisko	I….I don’t know. Yes, yes I would as long as it would mean peace between our peoples.
Warder	Mmm, that will be all for today. Guards take him to his cell and when he’s recovered to the mess hall.
	Cut to scene of Sisko coming into the mess hall and walking up to the table where his crew are seated.
Worf	How are you Captain?
Sisko	I’ve been better.
Kira	They look like they’ve given you a real going over.
Sisko	They have (he begins to cry) He wanted to know about the prophets, and…I said I would talk to them for the Dominion
Kira	(she puts her arm around him) Its OK, the Emissary would only help to save Bajor, not to sacrifice it.
Sisko	Thank you,…thank you.
Worf	Captain, Dax and I may have discovered a way out of here.
Sisko	Go on.
Dax	There are only three of them visible at any one time. The doors appear to be controlled by devices similar to that which the Warder uses to activate the pain units. We could distract and then overpower the guards and use the devices to open the doors.
Sisko	And what if we find more guards on the other side of the door? We may be 10 or hundred levels to the outside.
Worf	It is dishonourable not to try.
Sisko	They have stopped questioning you have they not? What is that old saying, ‘give me the courage to change the things I can, the knowledge to accept when I cannot, and the wisdom to know the difference between the two’
Worf	Are you saying we must do nothing?
	Sisko does not speak, he lifts his shirt and touches the pain device and raises his eyebrow at Worf in a knowing way.

Act Six

	A darkened bedroom, a semi- restless figure is under the covers on the bed.
Q	Bonjour mon capitanne. Or should I say mon admiral?
	The figure sits upright, clearly annoyed.
Picard	Q!!! What in the hell do you want now. I have to tell you I have no time for your games.
Q	Has promotion gone to your head, have you no time for your old friends? Or us mere captains? (Q is dressed in TNG captain uniform)
Picard	You know very well what I mean. Whenever you visit from the Q dimension you interfere with whatever mission I’m on.
Q	Quel horrere! I am most offended. I demand satisfaction.
	Q clicks his fingers and Picard and Q are instantly in a field between two large oak trees. Picard is still in his night clothes and does not look impressed. Q looks at Picard and smiles to himself. He clicks his fingers and both are suddenly dressed as musketeers. Q draws his sword and assumes the pose.
Q	En guard!
Picard	Q!! Take me back to my quarters, I told you I have no time for your games.
Q	Jean Luc, how could you? You know humans are one of my favourite species since I met you.
Picard	Q, I have extremely important business back at Star Fleet headquarters and I could do with some sleep before tomorrow.
Q	Jean Luc you seem to be forgetting your old friends in favour of your petty squabbles with the Dominion.
Picard	What do you mean?
	Q clicks his fingers and the two of them appear on the bridge of the Enterprise -D invisible to the crew as they watch the jellyfish alien ascend from Farpoint.
Picard	Q why have you brought me back to Farpoint? Q, I’m well aware of our previous encounters, we have you to thank for bringing us into contact with the Borg and nearly destroying us with that anti-time explosion in the neutral zone.
	Q clicks his fingers again and the two are transported to the Earth’s surface where the anti-time explosion was visible in the sky.
Q	Jean Luc, you appear to have forgotten, it might have been better for every other species, including the Borg if mankind had never been allowed to come into existence.
	Q clicks his fingers and Picard is stood in front of a baying crowd. Q approaches seated on a chair, dressed in black.
Q	Jean Luc Picard, when we last met I told you my judgement was merely a stay of execution, that your progress would continue to be watched very closely.
Picard	Q, I do not recognise your authority over me, we are at war with the Dominion, and since the fall of DS9 the Federation has begun to lose the war. The Jem Hadar are conquering more and more planets, last week three fell. You do not need to remind me that mankind or the Federation’s future is threatened, I am only too well aware of what lies ahead. In less than six months the Federation could fall, 900 billion people will die unnecessarily.
Q	You flatter yourself with you insignificant plans, the Jem Hadar, Klingons, Romulans, Vulcan, Betazoids, humans, you’re all from the same gene pool, what you do to yourself is up to you. Just remember not to overstep the mark.
	The crowd shouts and cheers louder. The chair Q is sitting on levitates and draws backwards, slowly into a hole in the wall. Q raises an eyebrow and tilts his head slightly looking knowingly at Picard. The crowd’s shouts get louder as doors close shutting Q from view. The camera circles Picard as the crowd shout at him. Then suddenly he wakes from sleep in his bed.

Act Seven

	The scene is the interrogation room
Warder	Captain Sisko, I want to understand the differences between Federation and Romulan engines. Tell me about the graviton drive and the warp core.
Sisko	I am not obliged to answer your quest…….arghh….no!
	The warder activates the pain device.
Warder	You really are the most difficult company Captain. I have no wish to hurt you unnecessarily, you simply need to answer my questions, its really that simple. Now, how long have you been a Captain?
	Sisko is still in pain on the floor.
Warder	Were you a Captain when you became the Emissary.
Sisko	I am Captain Benjamin Sisko, commander of the Deep Space Nine station in the Alpha Quadrant. I do not know why the prophets chose me. I have been visiting them, and they have sent me visions when they want me to.
Warder	There, now we are starting to get somewhere. I’ll just give you a little twinge as you haven’t properly answered my question.
	Sisko, buckles over about 45 degrees holding his stomach and then regains his composure.
Warder	Were you a Captain when you became the Emissary?
Sisko	No.
Warder	Good, very good. I must admit it normally only takes a day or two to break DNA based lifeforms, but you are very different. I know drugs and mind control have been known to get quicker answers but my methods always give us *lasting* results. Now, why do the aliens inhabit the wormhole?
Sisko	They just do.
Warder	Now Ben, you’ll have to do better than that, that’s no answer at all.
Sisko	Its the same as asking why we are here, we inhabit our region of space, the prophets inhabit the trans- dimensional link between four dimensional space.
Warder	So, its their home?
Sisko	As far as I know.
Warder	Why do they talk to you and not a Bajoran?
Sisko	They are able to visit our space-time continuum and one of them shared my mother’s body for a while.
Warder	Are you one of the prophets?
Sisko	No, they do not occupy space and time as we know it, they do not have blood or corporeal life. They do not experience time in a linear mode, they can jump from any point to any point.
Warder	They sound fearsome foes.
Sisko	They are not your enemy, nor are they ours.
Warder	They are your allies. They destroyed an entire Dominion fleet of over 7,000 ships 5 years ago. They stopped access to the wormhole 4 years ago and have restricted access to it again.
Sisko	Its their home, wouldn’t you look after your home?
Warder	Ben, you’ve forgotten the rules, I ask the questions.
	The warder presses the button and Sisko collapses again.
Warder	Ben, how would you and your friends like to go home?
Sisko	Right now, that sounds very nice.
Warder	I want you to ask the aliens to allow free passage again.
Sisko	I don’t understand.
Warder	When we ‘*rescued*’ you from your space station the wormhole was hit by a sub space explosion which appears to have inverted the access dynamics. Or that’s what we thought initially, our attempts to restore the correct sub space strata have not proved successful and we believe the aliens are deliberately squeezing the wormhole together. I want you to ask the aliens to put it back the way it was.
Sisko	I…..
	The warder picks up the pain device controller and rolls his thumb over the button.
Sisko	I…will.
	Sisko holds his head in deep shame. The guards take him by the arms and walk him out of the room, tears are rolling down his face, he is speaking very quietly to himself.
Sisko	Forgive me, please, forgive me.

Act Eight

	The Enterprise bridge is awash with engineers and technicians working at various panels.
Riker	How long to repair the damage to the impulse drive
Geordie	Repairs are going well, that’ll be 100% operational by tomorrow morning, its already at 70% efficiency.
Riker	Good. We have to get slicker at some of the manoeuvring when we are engaged in battle, have you run any diagnostics on improving the lateral and station keeping thrusters to work in tandem with the impulse drives.
Geordie	I’ve got a team in Holodeck three running simulations. Although in theory we can link them to work together as soon as we take a hit to our shields it blows out the link. We’re looking at manual controls but that’ll mean more crew, and more drills.
Riker	That’s not good enough we have to improve both our pitch and roll if we are to compensate for Jem Hadar manoeuvrability. We can’t rely on picket ships all the time.
Geordie	Yes sir. We’ll have options for you.
Riker	Good.
Geordie	I’ll go and see where they’ve got to in Holodeck three.
	Cut to scene of Geordie making his way through the ship. Jeffrey tubes panels are open, energy conduits are being probed, steam emanates from removed grills, arc lighting is seen from along adjacent corridors. Geordie enters the Holodeck. Inside are three engineering crew at the battle bridge controls practising manoeuvres.
Koning	Commander, we were just running through re-routing the command link from thrusters to the life support system controls. Our supposition was that the computer would maintain life support during an attack.
Geordie	That’s a good approach, although emergency power will automatically switch life support to automated mode.
Koning	Yes sir, that’s why we were considering rewriting the basic command codes to include thrusters.
Geordie	That’s dangerous, especially if we cannot track through all the possible consequences from simulation.
Koning	Yes sir. I respectfully point out that we are at war sir, and risks that would be unacceptable in normal operations may be considered if the benefits outweigh the downsides.
Geordie	Who dares wins? Eh Lieutenant.?
Koning	Yes sir.
Geordie	Carry on then, can I be of any use?
Jurgen	Sir, my tricorder is displaying some anomalous readings, however I checked it out in engineering this morning and I couldn’t trace a fault.
Geordie	I presume you’re not trying the oldest Holodeck trick in the book by giving my a holographic tricorder?
Jurgen	That’s correct sir.
	Jurgen hands his tricorder to Geordie who spends some time examining it.
Geordie	It seems like there’s more photonic energy than the hologram images here. Hmmm, I wonder if the ship’s systems are interacting with the Hologram programmes on the museum ships moored alongside us. I suggest you check the readings with a fresh tricorder and then check the holodeck shielding and transmitters for flux seepage. Its possible they were damaged and just not been spotted yet.
Jurgen	Aye aye sir.
Koning	I’d appreciate it if you would take the command chair sir so I could observe the ergonomics of the manual control option.
Geordie	I’d be delighted.
	Geordie sits in the command chair and Koning steps to the side of the deck.
Geordie	Computer, load random Jem Hadar encounter training programme utilising present enemy weapons and tactics knowledge. Four attack ships.
Computer	Acknowledged, programme loading… Four Jem Hadar attack ships approaching, diamond formation, vector three, three, seven, warp two.
Geordie	Red alert, shields up, ensign Jurgen, bring us about, show our face to them.

Act Nine

	Bateman is sitting in the briefing room from the day before. A high ranking Federation official enters. Bateman stands up to greet her.
Bateman	Good to see you again.
Official	And you. Does anyone know you are here?
Bateman	No. my crew is on shore leave, I’m afraid we’ve been through a lot recently and they need a break.
Official	What did you think of yesterday’s briefing?
Bateman	I’m afraid I have no idea what your talking about.
Official	I know you’re from the old school of the Federation, where we didn’t sacrifice ourselves just to let others could kill us.
Bateman	I’m afraid you have me at a disadvantage, as despite recognising each of the individual words you have said, I’m afraid I haven’t the slightest clue what you’re talking about.
Official	Its OK Captain, I know you’ll do your duty. Remember the admiral said not to be discussed outside this room. People are being briefed individually so as to ensure resilience and redundancy in the plan.
	Bateman shakes his head as if to say ‘no, I still don’t understand’
Official	Bateman, I need you take on board a contingency plan to the ‘official’ contingency plan.
	Bateman acknowledges the words by turning and inclining his head without saying anything.
Official	Your ship will be a picket ship escorting Ambassador Spock aboard the Enterprise. The Enterprise will have the Omega furnace on board. However, should anything happen to the Enterprise, or Spock’s mission ends in failure, I’d like you to take a genesis device and destroy the Founders by reordering and resequencing every atom and molecule on their homeworld. I should point out that I do not have the support of the whole council in this, though the logical ones can see the sense. However, once done we could not undo it, just you and I would have it on our conscious, but the war with the Dominion would be over, over for ever.
	Bateman takes a breath to speak.
Official	No. No questions. This is a mission for someone who knows how to follows orders and understands the magnitude of the consequences of failure. Do you?
Bateman	Yes, yes I do.
Official	Good, in a few days time you will receive your personal belongings in a standard crate aboard a shuttle to avoid detection by transporters. Inside the crate will be a completed genesis device, the proto- matter will be shielded inside a separate housing, you will merely needed to replace a standard quantum torpedo warhead with the two elements.
Bateman	I understand.

Act Ten

	Lieutenant Barclay is working in a lab with a window looking out onto the Spacedock museum. Riker and Geordie enter the room.
Riker	Good morning Reg.
Barclay	O. Commander Ri…. I’m sorry Captain Riker, Commander La Forge
Geordie	Good to see you again Reg, I thought we might have seen you at the launch party for the museum.
Barclay	I’m not really very good at official engagements.
Riker	Well that makes three of us.
Geordie	Speak for yourself.
Riker	I was, I was also remembering how little Captain Picard relished his ambassadorial duties.
Geordie	So I hear you’ve been doing work on the Hologram doctor programmes.
Barclay	Yes, I’ve worked on the three live programmes installed on all fleet vessels over the last 10 years. Its a shame that so many vessels have had to use them so often over the last few years.
Geordie	Don’t beat yourself about that, your programmes have managed to save thousands of lives in damaged ships.
Barclay	I was honoured by Starfleet for it.
Geordie	I know, I was very proud when I heard. So what have you been doing lately.
	Barclay looks at Riker suspiciously.
Riker	Admiral Picard asked us to meet him here, (Geordie takes a sideways look at Riker as if to say that’s news to me) we popped in a few minutes early to catch up with you. Tell me were you involved in the development of the holographic programmes on the historical ships out there?
	Riker points out of the window at the original Enterprises.
Barclay	Umm, I wonder what Admiral Picard wants. Yes, I was involved. Reconstructing the famous stories from verbal log records was quite problematical. We tried to interpret and cross reference between all the personal logs to build the storylines, I’m sure some of its wrong, but we had Captain Scott visit us and he was quite amazed by what he saw on the original Enterprise. I don’t understand why but the programmes have started playing up, just as we open to guests!
Geordie	O, what sort of thing? We’ve been having problems with a holodeck programme ourselves, perhaps you could drop by and compare notes with Koning.
Barclay	I’d be happy to.
Geordie	So what else have you been up to, I’m sure the museum programmes were fun to do but they wouldn’t have been more than a hobby to someone like you.
Barclay	I’d really rather not say.
	The penny drops with Geordie.
Geordie	O right, I understand, I’m sorry Reg I didn’t mean to pry, ‘walls have ears’ and all that.
	The sound of automated doors can be heard and Picard and Data enter.
Picard	Good morning gentlemen.
Data	Greetings.
	They all greet each other and Picard walks over to the replicator.
Picard	Earl Grey, hot.
	Picard takes the drink which appears and walks over to the group while stirring the drink.
Picard	Geordie, I guess you must be wondering why we are all here.
Geordie	Sort off, I nearly offended Lt Barclay here because I didn’t know you were coming until a minute ago.
Picard	Geordie, gentlemen, what I’m about to tell you must go no further than the five of us.
	The four nod and move fractionally closer to each other.
Picard	Reg, engage the cloaking device.
	Barclay activates a device he has been holding all along. The scene fazes slightly in and slightly out. The external scene stays the same but the room has changed significantly with many scientific devices now in view.
Picard	Gentlemen, we are now zero point zero four two seconds out of phase with the rest of the galaxy. If another person entered this room we would be able to see them but they would not be able to see us. Our conversation is perfectly safe. Captain Riker, the discussion we had on Monday was similarly phased to prevent detection and rephased to avoid suspicion. Geordie, Lt Barclay has recreated the ability to travel at warp 23, as a one way trip. We have come by intelligence as to the actual location of the Founder’s homeworld, the Great Link. We plan to provide passage to the Great Link for Ambassador Spock to open final negotiations with the Dominion. We will be using Reg’s technology to travel there and back.
Geordie	That sounds good, but I thought our previous overtures to negotiate had been rebuffed.
Picard	That’s correct. That’s why we’re going to take this equipment with us. Its a new design for an Omega furnace device.
Geordie	What, all work on the Omega particle was outlawed a hundred years ago. You know how dangerous this stuff is?
Picard	Commander, we are fully aware of the dangers. If Ambassador Spock’s negotiations fail we are ordered to create an Omega particle reaction.
Geordie	But that’ll destroy sub space for light years around.
Barclay	My calculations suggest the blast will reach for 3,236 light years.
Geordie	How many other species will you affect?
Picard	They are all under Dominion rule, by cutting them off from all warp or faster than light travel they will be able to evolve under their own steam. We’ll be setting them free. Our mission is to transport these devices without anybody else knowing of their existence. We will each be issued with a phasing device. Should any of us fall in battle, it will the others’ responsibility to see the mission through. They are activated by voice command on a timed countdown basis. Captains Data and Riker, both your ships need to be adjusted for the trip, Data your ship will create the warp field for both ships for the outward journey, Will, the Enterprise- E will bring us all home. If all goes well we will be able to re-install new warp engines after our return, if things go badly, we won’t need warp drive engines again. Barclay, will you liaise with both Data and Geordie to oversee the modifications necessary to both engines.
	Barclay, Riker and Geordie have glum resigned faces but nod in acknowledgement.
Picard	There’s one more thing gentlemen. Captain Riker, this has not been discussed yet but it is my belief that the Federation will take the steps necessary. If the negotiations fails and then we fail to ignite the Omega furnace in the gamma quadrant, the Federation will decide whether to set off smaller Omega devices at the wormhole and throughout Federation space. We will lose contact with our sister worlds in order to preserve our respective ways of life. It will be the end of the Federation. I know both the Vulcan and Romulan leadership are in favour of such a fallback. If so, it’ll take more than 100,000 years before sub space will repair itself and warp travel will be possible again in the Alpha Quadrant. Failure is not an option for this mission.

Act Eleven

	The scene is the interrogation room
Warder	Ben, how are you this morning?
Sisko	I’ve been better.
Warder	Is there a note of defiance in your voice?
	Sisko holds the pain device in one hand.
Sisko	Yes. I’m sorry. I’m feeling much better now, I’m relieved my crew have been washed and properly fed. Thank you.
Warder	Good, now let’s go over the plan again. We are to travel to the wormhole where you will engage in conversation with the aliens and ask them to restore it to normal passage.
Sisko	I understand.
Warder	I will be with you before, during and after the meeting. You will not do anything that will hinder the mission.
Sisko	Yes.
Warder	Tell me about meeting the aliens in the wormhole.
Sisko	Its not something that’s easy to explain, its more of an experience that anything else.
Warder	Go on.
Sisko	Its something like dreaming, you step outside your perception of the world around you. The aliens take on the physical manifestations of people around you, or old friends. They don’t have form like you and I.
Warder	My form is nothing like yours Ben.
Sisko	Are you a changeling?
Warder	Ben, we are so close to you understanding your role but there’s still just a little of your basic instinct left. Please remember I ask the questions.
	The warder clicks the device and Sisko convulses in enormous pain, crying out to stop it and saying sorry.