The Price of Freedom: untitled

By jessicaferroni | Published May 27, 1997

The Price of Freedom:
By Jessica Ferroni

Kathryn Janeway sighed, her head dropping to
rest for a moment in her hands. After a grueling
five-hour long questioning session, the Maquis
were finally allowed to go own with their lives.
Those who’d opted to remain with Starfleet had
been asked to remain on DS9 until further transfer
orders came through from Starfleet.
Janeway scrolled the list of Voyager’s crew sadly.
She’d never had a better crew, and she doubted she
ever would. She’d had the best of both worlds in
the Delta Quadrant.
She’d lost some crew members out there, though,
and each time a bit of her had stayed there with
them. But she’d lost the biggest piece to the Gamma
Quadrant, with the remains of Tom Paris’ shuttle.
Voyager herself would be completely restored,
with Chief Engineer B’Elanna Torres overseeing
repairs. In a galaxy of constant changes, Janeway
reflected, it was nice to know there were a few
staples.
So B’Elanna would remain on Voyager.
The rest of the crew were going their separate
ways, at least until Voyager was refitted.
Tuvok had accepted a teaching job at the Academy;
T’Pel and their children would be joining him on
Earth. Janeway and Chakotay, too, had accepted
temporary jobs, but only, they stressed, until the
Voyager was ready to go once again.
The Doctor would remain on Voyager; no one could
bear the thought of getting rid of the snarky
hologram they had all grown to love.
Kes and Neelix would be staying on Earth; Kes
wanted to continue her training with Tuvok, and
Neelix still couldn’t bear to part with her.
Harry Kim’s beloved Libby had remained true —
she would be arriving at Deep Space Nine within
a day. Harry could barely contain his excitement,
but he’d said, more than once, that he wished Tom
could be here to meet her.
Janeway sighed. Harry and B’Elanna hadn’t given
up hope on Tom. They believed he was still alive
and were watching anxiously for any news at all
from their missing friend.
Sometimes she wished they would give up and
accept the fact that their friend was dead,
but another part of her cheered silently at their
vigil.
“Captain?” B’Elanna poked her head into the room;
she looked exhausted, with dark rings under her eyes
and her normally neat uniform rumpled. “We’ve
finished up for the night and Harry and I are going
to get something to eat before Libby shows up.”
She hesitated. “Would you like to join us?”
“I’d love to, but I have to finish up these
reports,” Janeway replied automatically. Torres
looked disappointed, so Janeway smiled and
pushed her chair back. “Of course, they could
wait until later….”

Tom Paris sighed. Getting a transport to Earth
hadn’t been as easy as he’d hoped, but he was
finally here. The sky had darkened with the
onset of night, and the air was crisp and chilly.
He jammed his hands into his pockets as he
looked around for a shuttle, a transport, anything
that would get him out of the open. Laren had been
right; not much had changed at all. He’d just narrowly
managed to avoid being caught before he’d made it to
the transport bound for Earth, and he’d really
rather not have a repeat performance.
Of course, nothing ever, *ever* turned out the
way he’d hoped, and Tom absently wondered what
he’d done to get such a string of rotten luck.
A heavy hand clamped down on his shoulder.
“Tom Paris. How *nice* to see you again,” a voice
sneered. Tom tensed, muscles tightening. Why?
Why, why, why?

He ran. He could hear them behind him, but he
didn’t stop. If they were going to catch him,
they’d have to take him running. He’d managed
to break away, and now he ran as if his life
depended on it — which, incidentally, it did.
Tom cheered mentally at the sight of a transport
booth just a few more meters ahead….
A flash of light clipped the side of his vision
and a horrible pain began to spread through
his right arm. He staggered and almost fell at the
intensity of the pain, but, gritting his teeth,
he resolved to make it the last few feet.
Stumbling into the transport booth, Tom racked
his brain quickly. He needed somewhere he’d
be safe….somewhere he could get medical
attention….somewhere….
“Location: Marseilles,” he whispered as he
fought off the pain.
A transporter beam enveloped him and he
disappeared in a wash of sparkles.

The End? Naah…..just continued. 🙂
_____________________________________________________________________________
) Copyright March 1997 by Jessica Ferroni on all original story content.
Not meant to infringe on copyrights held by Paramount or any other
copyright
holders of STAR TREK: VOYAGER. Please do not reproduce for anything
other
than personal reading use (including fanzines) without written consent
of
the author. Comments are welcome at jessica@p24818.cle.ab.com.

Posted in Voyager | Tagged , | Leave a comment

The Price of Freedom: ????

By jessicaferroni | Published May 27, 1997

All credit for this chapter in the series goes to
Claire Daniels for going above and beyond the
Paris-ite call of duty and making me really jealous
that SHE got to see RDM at a con and sending us
all a great review. Anybody know if RDM is coming
to Cleveland anytime soon??? 🙂

The Price of Freedom: ????
By Jessica Ferroni

“I don’t understand — ”
“What’s the last thing you remember, Tom?”
Ro interjected.
Tom concentrated for a moment, thinking back.
“I was….talking with Evek. I said something
he disagreed with, and the next thing I
knew, his fist had connected with my face,” he
said wryly, “and I was on the floor.”
Ro nodded. “Do you remember anything else?”
she prodded gently. She hated to question him
— he looked pale and gaunt, with a swelling
bruise near his temple where Evek had struck
him — but it was necessary, for the sake of
all involved.
“The guards took me back to my cell,” he
said slowly. “After that, nothing.”
Ro paced quietly, ticking off events in her
head. Tom watched her warily. Could he trust
her? Yes. With his life. Could she help him?
Possibly.
“So, what did happen, Laren?”
She smiled at his use of her name. They had
always been close, in Starfleet, and later, the
Maquis. He was one of the few who could call her
Laren and get away with it.
“We attacked the Cardassian vessel you were
imprisoned on — and knowing you, Tom, I probably
don’t want to hear how you ended up there.”
He ignored the jibe. His thoughts had turned
instantly to — “Laren, what kind of comm
gear do you have here?”
She looked surprised. “Sophisticated enough,
I guess. Why?”
“I need to send a message to Deep Space Nine.”
“Are you crazy??” she asked disbelievingly.
“Starfleet would pick us up in an instant,”
He closed his eyes. “I need to go there, then.”
It was possible that most of the crew would still
be there, awaiting orders and reassignments from
Starfleet. It was possible she might still be there.
“You’re crazy! Evek must have hit you harder
than we thought,” she murmured.
He sat up quickly, ignoring the sharp pain in
his head. “What do you mean, I’m crazy? Laren,
it’s important!”
She shook her head. “I’m sorry, Tom.”
He stood up slowly, testing himself. “I need
to go there,” he repeated stubbornly.
She stared at him in disbelief. “Tom, you’re
not listening to me! You can’t leave.” She said
each word slowly and deliberately. “Why is it so
important?”
He hesitated. “There’s someone I need to see.”
“Who?”
He eyed her warily. “Bit nosy, Laren?”
She half-smiled. “It’s my job.”
“B’Elanna Torres.” He didn’t think she’d recognize
B’Elanna’s name, and he wasn’t surprised. Ro half-
shrugged.
“Never heard of her. Starfleet?”
“Chakotay’s Maquis.”
“Hmph.”
“So was I,” he pointed out.
“That’s different,” she protested.
“Laren, she’s important to me,” he said
sharply. Ro sighed. She’d always had a soft
spot for Tom Paris. Her normally grim features
softened for a moment.
“Sesh nokur, Balij?”
He smiled. “Sesh nokur, Senja.”
She moved to stand beside him, resting a
hand on his shoulder briefly. “After you eat,
we’ll talk.”

“Tom,” Ro was saying, “I’ve been trying to get
the point across to you: we can’t use the comm gear
to contact anything remotely Starfleet, and we have
no ships to spare. If you think we’re just going
to waltz up to DS9, drop you off, and then saunter
away, you’ve got another thing coming.”
He eyed her midly. “No other options?”
She shook her head firmly. “None.”
He sighed, dropping his fork with a clatter.
“Wrong.”
She raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”
He leveled gazes with her. “Drop me off at the
next planet you stop. I’ll get a transport to
DS9.”
“You’re crazy.”
“Do you have a better idea?”
She sighed. “No. It’s going to be dangerous.”
“I’m willing to chance it.”
“You can’t possibly think you won’t be recognized.”
“It’s been five years, Laren.”
“So?” she challenged. “How much has changed here?”
“I don’t know,” he retorted. “I haven’t seen
much since I’ve been here.”
“What if you get noticed by a bounty hunter?
You’re dead.”
“What do you want to do, Laren?” he asked,
exasperated. “Grow a beard and dye my hair?”
She eyed him critically. “That’s not a bad
idea, Tom.”
“No.”
“You’ll have a better shot at making it.”
“I’ll take my chances,” he retorted.
Ro frowned. “Have I ever won any arguments with
you, Tom?” she asked wryly.
“One,” Tom replied, grinning cheerfully.
Ro shook her head. “Why do I bother?”
“Because you’re as stubborn as I am and three times
better-looking?” he teased.
She smiled. “Maybe.”
“Flattery will get you everywhere.”
“Except maybe safe passage to DS9,” Ro replied.
“And Tom, I’ve been thinking; maybe your chances
will be better if you try for Earth instead. That
way you won’t have to go through all of DS9’s
security checkpoints. You can find a place to bury
yourself where you won’t be found and send a piggy-
backed message to Shores or whatever her name was at
Deep Space Nine.”
“*Torres*. B’Elanna Torres.”
Ro waved dismissively. “You’ll be better off
doing that instead of charging your way in like
you always do.”
“Good point,” Tom said thoughtfully. “Laren,
you’ve now officially won two arguments. Congratulations.”
“Thanks,” she said dryly.

“Now, Tom, please be careful.” She tried not to make
her voice sound pleading, but she’d always felt an
almost sisterly concern for the man standing across
from her. `Senja’, in fact, meant `sister’. He surprised
her by reaching out and hugging her warmly.
“Thanks,” he whispered.
Ro felt a blush creeping its way up her face. “You’re
welcome. They’re staring.”
She could feel him grin into her hair. “Don’t want
the other Maquis thinking you’re soft, Senja?” he teased.
“Don’t push it, Balij,” she warned.
“Right.” He released her and stepped back. “Thanks.
I mean it. And thank them, too.” He waved at the other
Maquis, who were busily loading cargo into the Maquis
ship. “Take care of yourself, okay?”
“You, too. And, Tom?”
“Yeah?”
She tossed him a wicked grin. “Invite me to the
wedding, okay?” She had the pleasure of seeing
him blush and she laughed. “Good luck.”
He half-grinned. “I’ll find her,” he promised.

Eventually to be continued…..;)

_____________________________________________________________________________
) Copyright March 1997 by Jessica Ferroni on all original story content.
Not meant to infringe on copyrights held by Paramount or any other
copyright
holders of STAR TREK: VOYAGER. Please do not reproduce for anything
other
than personal reading use (including fanzines) without written consent
of
the author. Comments are welcome at jessica@p24818.cle.ab.com.

Posted in Voyager | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Star Trek Helix: The Crossing, Part I

By toddkelley | Published May 27, 1997

writen by: Todd Kelley <toddk@Cadence.COM>, or <TMedia1000@aol.com>

PRELUDE: PREVIOUSLY ON STAR TREK HELIX

It began Stardate: 44001.4

Without warning, they invaded the Alpha Quadrant and spread across the
known galaxy with an unstoppable hunger for power. The Federation was the
first to fall. With their technology and skill assimilated, the enemy went on the
conquer the Breen next. The Romulan & the Klingon Empires united as a front
to stop the marauding invaders. But they were quickly overwhelmed in size and
numbers. The Cardassians never had a chance. Even with detailed information
and newly designed weaponry, their stand at Cardassia Prime was nothing more
than a refueling station for assimilation…
Scattered across the galaxy, refugees from most of these conquered worlds
pulled together to form The Maquis; the resistance force to oppose The New Borg
Order.
Now, in the aftermath of their major strike against the enemy, only one
ship remains. In a last ditch effort to free the planet of Bajor: one of the few
planets left inhabitable for life, the Borg have reaffirmed their programmed battle
cry…

———————————-

CHAPTER ONE: RESISTANCE IS FUTILE

Stardate: 47988.3

Space above Bajor was littered with what was left of the Maquis
Resistance. Borg Drones; small pyramid-shaped attack crafts tumbled end over
end, releasing disruptor shots from each of their four points; each shot finding a
target somewhere upon the last resistance warship. The Helix weaved and
bobbed its way around debris and laid plasma-charges which seemed to be their
most effective defense.
“In coming!” Tash yelled as the Romulan-trained Vulcan braced himself.
Plasma torpedoes erupted as they struck the ship’s rear shields. It banked hard
left causing the three surviving crew members to fall from their stations. Captain
Alex Garrett crawled his way to the communications station. Without a second
thought, he pushed aside the body in the chair and tried and reestablish their link
with any surviving Maquis warships.
Mia, Tash’s older sister frantically tried to relay information to her
captain. “We got three Drones decloaking ahead of us! Damnit!! I can’t get any
response from the automated defenses or the nano-tech repair systems.
“ETA to the Borg-Prime?!” Alex asked.
“Four minutes…if we last that long!” she called out from the weapons
station.
Alex tried to patch a distress call out to anyone listening, but his cries for
help fell upon dead ears.
The Helix flew in directly for the large cubed ship which loomed in the
background. Sensing the incoming threat, the Borg ship unleashed it’s own
defenses in the form of a melee of plasma torpedoes.
“Damnit! We’re not gonna make it!” Alex struggled to the Captain’s
chair and laid in a rough course. “Tash, get us close in on the small ships! They
won’t be too quick to fire with us too close!!
Their small cruiser banked a hard left and then streaked directly at it’s
pursuers. The Borg-Drones maneuvered outward and responded with a barrage of
torpedoes. Two struck the Helix, and blew off small pieces of hull.
Mia’s station exploded, throwing her backward. She quickly rose to her
feet and stumbled to the science station; not even noticing the large bloody gash
on her forehead . “The warp core is still stable! But we got three plasma
conduits blown!”
“We’ll have to manually reroute power to the main deflectors from
engineering. Can you get down there?” Alex stumbled to her position.
“Negative! I’m reading hull breaches ship wide, and containment-field
power was diverted to the shields! There’s no one else alive except us!” She
furiously ran her fingers over the console. “I think I can get some the tactical
patterns the auto-phaser systems reinitialized. But I’m not promising anything!”
“Do what you can!”
The pursuing Drone ships continued to bombard the Helix with phaser
power, slicing off the small ships hull piece by piece. It dipped and dodged,
trying to use debris for cover as two more ships decloaked and joined to pursuit.
Flickering lights and damaged equipment covered the floors while the
remaining three bridge crew-members did what they could to keep their ship
together.
“Alex. We can get a thirty percent power boost to the shields if we
shutdown all life support, save the bridge.” Tash reported.
“Do it!”
Tash suddenly pulled the ship with a hard right angle. Two drown ships
decloaked in front of them. And it became apparent that the Borg were corralling
them into a trap.
By the end, twelve pyramid ships surrounded the Helix in a spherical
formation, and the giant cube ship slowly approached toward them. But unlike
previous attacks, the pyramids didn’t pound the small ship into submission. They
seem to pause in mid-space, as if waiting for the Helix to make the next move.
Alex, Tash, and Mia stared at the flickering viewscreen. The picture was
fuzzy, but they could see the enormous Borg foreshadowed in the distance.
“What the hell’s going on?” Tash said. “Why aren’t they attacking?”
Tash rerouted power to the sensors and attempted to scan the enemy.
“Their weapons are powered and locked on us, but their waiting for something.”
his console beeped. “Wait a minute. Their attempting a full sensor scan of the
ship. But something’s wrong.”
“What?” Alex walked behind Tash.
“I don’t know. Their sensors are being disrupted by our shielding
technology. But that doesn’t make any sense…”
“Alex” Mia turned to him. “There’s an incoming message from the
mother cube.” After a few moments of silence, he nods to her. Through the haze
of static and smoke, a face slowly materialized on the screen. It was the first of
his race to be assimilated. The former humanoid captain who first encountered
the Borg at sector J-25.
“I AM LOCUTUS OF BORG.” The figure wore a mesh of gray and black
technology. The only human parts revealed were on third of his face. “YOUR
ATTEMPTS AT ESCAPE ARE FUTILE, HUMAN.” the thing said forcing an
automated grin on what was left of it’s face.
Alex kept his calm. “That seems to be the case, Jean-Luc.”
There were ten seconds of uncomfortable silence and then…
“RESISTANCE IS FUTILE….” the thing broke the ice.
Alex grinned. “I know, I know. We figured that out a while back.” he
started to pace, as if projecting an aura of confidence to comfort his crew. “Tell
me something…uh… Locutus, is it?”
“CORRECT.”
“Why are we still hear? Why haven’t your little pyramid ‘do-hickeys’
blown us away?”
“THE CONSCIOUSNESS HAS TARGETED YOU AND YOUR CREW
FOR ASSIMILATION. WE HAVE SCANNED YOUR SHIP AND FOUND IT
UNFIT TO WITHSTAND OUR ATTACK. YOU WILL DROP YOUR
SHIELDS AND PREPARE TO BE BOARDED.”
Alex was caught off guard. The Borg had already scanned them, so they
should have been able to penetrate the shields and disable the ship. Or they could
have just destroyed the ship altogether. There was more this than they were
letting on. Could it be that through all the humanoid asimilation, The Borg had
learned how to lie?
He decided do a little fishing. “I’m sorry Locutus, but in your scans you
should known that your attack disabled some primary ship operations. We don’t
have access to the the shield controls or any other technology at the moment.
Their was another long pause. “THAT IS CORRECT…”
Alex glanced over toward Mia. He saw her hands slowly moving over her
console. She glanced up toward him and winked.
Alex continued to fish… “Uh…If we don’t fix the systems locks, this ship
will…self destruct in seven minutes. With the three of us working …we should be
able to power down in…in five minutes. According your initial evaluation, isn’t
that a correct assumption, Locutus?”
Their was another long pause. “THAT IS CORRECT, ALEX GARRETT.
YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES…..”
The screen change to a forward view and Tash and Mia turned to Alex,
who was still pacing.
“O.K. people, we gotta figure out what the hell’s goin’ on here. One:
they’re having trouble penetrating our shields, Two: for some reason, they’ve
target only us for assimilation. And three: the freakin’ Borg are trying to lie their
way onto the ship. The missing piece of the puzzle is right in front of our faces,
and we got five minutes to find it.”
“Let me check something.” Tash said running his fingers along his
console.
“What’s up?” Mia asked.
“Just give me a minute….”
Mia jumped from her seat and dashed for the engineering console. Alex
followed behind her. Her fingers raced across the console until the data she
requested sprang to life. She smiled.
“What do you got?” Alex asked.
Mia brought the data on the main viewscreen. “You were right. For some
reason, they’re scans didn’t show that we still have a few tricks up our sleeve. We
got major damage across the board. But….” she pointed to the screen. “This
subsystem still has a couple things intact. Yes!! The Trans-Fold system is still
online, and what appears to be some type of …disruption field generator.”
“What does it do?”
“I don’t know, It’s some of the tech we acquired from the Borg-Core near
Vulcan. Captain La Forge didn’t have any time to run field testing. But it is some
type of weapon.”
Mia’s words awakened something in Tash’s memory. He frantically
analyzed his theory.
“Can you get them operational in time?” Alex asked Mia.
“They already are…as of thirty seconds ago.” she brought up the comm
system. “The problem would be….”
Suddenly the comm system began to light up.
Tash turned to Alex. “It’s Locutus hailing us. He must think something’s
up.”
“Just a second. Continue Mia.”
“The only problem is the Fold System takes up a lot of energy. If we use
the disruption field as the diversion, it’ll take about 90 seconds to channel what
power we have left to the Fold Systems for the jump; that’s barring any damage
from enemy fire when we take the shields offline.”
“What if we don’t drop the shields?”
Mia shook her head in frustration. “Anywhere between five to seven
minutes.”
“Dammit!!” Alex yelled as he began to pace again. He glanced at Tash’s
direction and saw the Vulcan tense and staring at Locutus’ hailing signal. “Patch
me through.”
In an instant, Locutus was back on the viewscreen.
“HAVE YOU RESTORED SYSTEMS, ALEX GARRETT?” the Borg
asked.
“Almost. Two minutes until assimilation…” Alex smiled at the man-thing.
Locutus forced the artificial grin again and the screen went black.
“I got it!” Tash yelled. The other two looked at him.
“Fill us in.” Alex said.
Tash took a moment to gather his thoughts, and then… “Our shields…the
protected systems…the primary core. It’s all derived from Borg technology we
acquired from the assault on the Core at Vulcan.”
“Yeah.” Mia responded. “And that should make it easy for them the
override and assimilate the ship with no problem.”
“Wrong!!!!” Tash yelled with enthusiasm. He put his findings onto the
main viewscreen. “We’ve always assumed since the Borg ships are made up of
individuals forming one unison collective, that all Borg Cubes were linked the
same way!”
“A natural assumption…”
“But what if we’re wrong?” Tash played with the console. “When we
attacked and destroyed the Cube at Vulcan and acquired the technology, all Borg
ship which derived from that specific Core either shut down or self-destructed. I
believe each cube is like an independent colony! They don’t automatically share
information like individuals in a collective.”
“It makes sense. Score one for my little brother” Mia replied and Tash
grinned.
“My god.” Alex said with a smile. “That’s why they didn’t kill us. They
don’t want us, they want the freakin’ ship!”
“The Cube at Vulcan developed this technology, but didn’t get a chance to
upload it to the other collectives! Now they plan to get it from us.”
Alex knew they had to capitalize on Tash’s theory. “Mia, get the Fold
system ready as soon as possible, for when we make a run for it!”
Mia agreed as she ran back to her station.
Alex took a deep breath. “Tash, on screen.”
“HAVE YOU RESTORED SYSTEMS, ALEX GARRETT?” Locutus
blankly asked again.
“Yes. Yes we have. We are ready to drop shields and give command of
the ship to the Borg.” Alex slowly walked to his seat. “Locutus?”
“YES, ALEX GARRETT?”
“What can we expect from becoming part of the Borg. Is it different from
our present existence?” he glanced over at Mia, hoping to give her enough setup
time.
“EXPECTATION IS IRRELEVANT. DIFFERENCE IS IRRELEVANT.
YOU WILL BECOME ONE WITH THE BORG…”
“And another thing; this assimilation crap… Is it painful?”
The thing smiled again, but this time with a little more enthusiasm. “PAIN
IS IRRELEVANT. YOU WILL BE ASSIMILATED.”
“Uh-huh. That’s what I thought you’d say.” Alex replied. His two Vulcan
officers looked back at him nervously. “We’ll drop shields in fives seconds. Stand
by…”
The screen went blank. All three warriors sat in their assigned areas
awaiting their final chance at escape.
“Get ready….” Alex said.
Tash ran his fingers over the console. “Our shields are down….. Their
shields have dropped!”
“On my mark…” Alex replied.
Suddenly, the faint appearance of four transporter signals started to appear
on the bridge.
“NOW!!!” Alex yelled.
The bridge’s lighting dimmed and a thundering rolled across the bridge.
“Mia!” Alex yelled. “What the hell is happening?”
“The disruption-field generator juicin’ up. Hold on!!!”
The four transporter signals suddenly began to shake violently and rip apart.
Outside: from the Helix’s deflector mechanism on the underbelly of the
ship, a spherical shockwave pushed outward toward the small Borg-Drones. The
Borg cube tried to raised it’s shields but the shockwave engulfed all of them in a
matter of seconds. The low edge of the Cube erupted in a blaze of firestorms
which spilled over to nearby smaller ships. The Borg-Drones were overtaken by
an explosion; their shields couldn’t withstand.
“That’s our cue!” Alex ordered.
The Helix pushed its way through all the commotion and raced a
maximum impulse. The Cube, damaged and all, picked up speed for pursute.
Alex watched in awe at the destruction they left behind as his ship slipped
into warp. He hoped to at least disorient the enemy long enough to get out of
weapons range. But this was extraordinary.
“God, what was that?” he whispered.
Tash replied. “According to the sensors. It some sort of shockwave
generated by the shield generators. Apparently the wave grew exponentially. It
had some type of phase harmonics which allowed it to synchronize with the
shields frequency. The cube suffered 28% damage on it’s lower left edge”
“The others?”
“The Drones were heavily damaged. None are fit for pursute.”
“Why didn’t anyone tell me about that thing! We should’ve used that in the
first damn place! What about the Fold System, Mia?”
She scurried across the bridge to the engineering station and then the
tactical station. “Give me 75 seconds! The anti-matter and plasma needs a stable
transition for the fold process…”
The Borg cube gained enough distance to shadow the Helix from the
nearby sun. The small ship banked hard to the right and pushed away from it’s
pursuer.
“They’re having trouble getting a weapons lock, but I don’t know how long
I can keep this up!”
Alex stumbled to the command chair. “Come on, Mia!”
“Thirty seconds…” she replied…
Locutus’ face popped up on the screen. “ALEX GARRETT! YOUR
ACTIONS ARE IRRELEVANT; YOU CANNOT DEFEAT THE BORG!
ESCAPED IS IRRELEVANT; THERE IS NOWHERE TO HIDE!”
“Well, we’re sure as hell not gonna make it easy for you” Alex responded.
As the others turned and looked at him,
Mia shook her head and smiled. “Way to go, Alex. That showed him.”
“That’s why I’m the Captain.”
“ESCAPE IS IRRELEVANT! RESISTANCE IS FU–” suddenly the
screen changed to a forward view.
Tash turned around. “I hope no one minds…”
“Fifteen seconds!” Mia shouted. “I’m configuring the warp nicelles to
initialize the fold temporal sync.”
From the Borg cube’s under-belly, a trio of shimmering, spinning orbs
rushed toward the Helix.
Tash was the first to see them. “Alex, we got three type-5 multi-quad
torpedoes locked on us! Impact in twelve seconds! I’m adjusting course to
dodge…”
“No!!” Mia yelled. “We’ll loose the trajectory for the fold-system! If we
change course, it’ll take another minute to realign our course.”
“How long until we fold?” Alex asked.
“Eight seconds! It’s gonna be close!”
“Sir, with the shields offline, if one of those type-5’s explode anywhere
within 200 kilometers, the ships gonna be ripped apart!”
“We have nothing else to lose, Kid!”
The Helix’s main thruster ,which burn white luminescent plasma, turns a
rich gold as the fold system initialized. The Borg-pedoes aligned with the ships
course; constantly gaining speed.
Tash and Alex watched the aft view of the torpedoes gaining on their tails.
Mia intently watched the powerbars on her display slowly reach optimum levels,
as if by sheer will she’ll push the system faster. The lights on the bridge dimmed
and Helix began to tremble.
“Five seconds until jump! Fold system’s initialized! Grab something and
hold on!” Mia shouted.
“Too late!” Tash cried. “Torpedo detonation activated!!!!”
Inside of a half second, the Helix folder system emitted a temporal field
directly in front of them. A small hole in space was suppose to open and
transport them across 163 light years instantly. But as the small rip in the
time-space continuum opened and the ship began to enter, the three Borg-pedoes
detonated 50 kilometers behind them and engulfed the Helix as it passed through
the rift.
On instinct, Tash dove for the floor. When the torpedoes’ detonation
shockwave met the ship, his station exploded ripping his chair apart. Mia wasn’t
as lucky. The front viewscreen tore open, and large fragments knocked her from
the comm-station and into the air. And as Alex saw her toppled end over end at
him and slam hard into his chest, he was lucky she went limp; allowing him to
absorb most of the impact. But his head sprung backward and slammed hard on a
piece of railing. And as he blacked out, perhaps for the last time, the last thing
that ran through his conscious mind was the image of the borg-afide Jean-Luc
Picard reaffirming what every resistance fighter figured out before those last fatal
seconds: …RESISTANCE IS FUTILE.
———————————-

CHAPTER TWO: FOR WHAT I HAVE DONE

Stardate: 44001.4

The systems around Wolf 359 was littered with what was left of The
Federation Fleet. An all out assault on the Borg before they reached earth was
suppose to be enough to disable the threat. Using a make-shift plan, 40 starships
in teams were suppose to ambush the large cube from different directions,
hopefully too confuse them. Unfortunately, reinforcements didn’t arrived on
time, and instead they were picked off like shooting ducks for target practice.
Only two ships were close enough to continue the fight…
The Federation flagship, U.S.S. Enterprise was the first to encounter the
Borg at sect J-25, and they were the first to engage them outside of Sector 001.
After being disabled and mounting repairs they proceeded on to intercept the
enemy at the Earth system.
The other, the U.S.S. Craven was on routine maneuvers near the Neutral
Zone when they received word. When they reached Wolf 359, all that was left
were the shattered remains of what use to be Starfleet. On contacting the
Enterprise, they were instructed to round up survivors in the area until further
noticed. And even through Admiral Cynthia Porter outranked, the Enterprise’s
interim captain, Commander Will Riker, she agreed with his suggestion and
initiated reliefs efforts at Wolf 359…
———————————-

“Attempting to commandeer as Federation Transport, assaulting Starfleet
officers, aiding in the escape to several known criminals…” Admiral Cynthia
Porter read off of her message pad. “Kyle, Kyle, Kyle… What the hell am I going
to do with you?”
“The same thing you always do with terrorists on your leash, Admiral. Let
me go.” Sitting across from her, in a holding cell and on the opposite side of a
defense barrier, a warrior calmly sat in the shadows. By just looking at Kyle
K’nar, you’d place him in his mid-fifties and in good shape. What you wouldn’t
know is that he’s lived several lifetimes; all of them as a soldier against one dying
cause or another. It’s one of the perks of being a joined species.
“Not this time.” Porter stood up. “Before, The Federation was content with
your raids on Cardassian ships. But now you’ve graduated to Starfleet robbery,
and that really pisses me off.” She walked close to the barrier. “Between you and
me? I don’t give a damn what you do to them. For all I care, you and your
Bajoran ‘friends’ could blow up Cardassia Prime. It makes no difference to me.
“But you’re stepping on my toes now. I can’t allow that!”
“We needed those supplies.” He pleaded.
“You could’ve just asked.” she replied
“And you would’ve given them to us?”
“No..” she smiled. “But at least you wouldn’t be in a holding cell, would
you?”
As the Admiral began to walk out of the room, Kyle had to play his last
card. “Maybe under interrogation, I might slip about your little operation.” He
smiled when she stopped in half way through the doorway. “You know how
Starfleet security gets when they want answers. Maybe all those things you’re
keeping from everyone will accidentally come out. You hear me, Admiral?”
She stood silent in that spot for roughly ten seconds. It was one thing to
use any means to get yourself out of a predicament. But to even suggest betraying
The Program was something which drived her violently insane.
Without turning around, she replied. “I don’t thinks that’s a problem, Kyle.
Because I don’t think you’d survive the the trip to Earth. You hear me, soldier?”
Without waiting for a reply she exited the room, leaving Kyle to ponder her
threat….
One she very much intented to keep…
On her way to Engineering, Admiral Porter suddenly heard the sound of
loud voices in extreme turmoil. Her first thought was that word of the Borg’s
conquest of Earth had just come in. Her heart rose into her throat and she stopped
to lean on the corridor wall. Her thirty plus years in Startfleet, and her quick rise
up the latter seems to have been all for nothing.
“Admiral!” a voice called from the down the hall. Admral Porter glanced
up and saw Leuitenant Commander Katherine Brooks, her second in command,
rushing to her side. “Did you hear the news?”
“No…”
“The Enterprise engaged the Borg at Earth. Don’t ask me how they did it,
but I have a confirm report from Commander Riker that the Borg cube was
destroyed. We won!!” Kathy was estatic.
The Admiral smiled for a second. “Son of a bitch. They did it…”
“Are you coming? Everyone with time is going to the lounge to celebrate.”
“No. I’m not and neither are you.” The Admiral’s voice was stern. “We still
have a minor mystery to solve.”
Kathy nodded. “Right…our visitors. I have Lt. Mathews working on it. We
should have something by now.”
Together, they started to engineering.

———————————-

Lt. Mathews went over his recent finds while the Admiral Porter and
Kathy stood by.
“What’s the word on our guests?” Kathy asked him.
He was quickly formulating the best way to break the news to them. He
led them to the main computer console which was an island piece of equipment
in the middle of the room; the large warpcore luming in the backdrop. A series of
holographic files popped up in front of them
“I ran a check on all of them like you asked. The two Vulcans came up a
blank. But the human…” he isolated a file. “His name is Alex Garrett, and
according to Starfleet records, he served as an Ensign aboard the U.S.S.
Melborne.”
“He’s a Starfleet Officer?” the Admiral asked.
“That’s what the records say. But I think…” Mathews paused again.
“Ma’am, this whole situation is wrong. What we know and what my findings read
are totally off the mark.”
“Explain?” she ordered him.
“Well obviously, Ensign Garrett shouldn’t be hear since the Melborne was
destroyed. Secondly, the data records say he’s twenty one years old. But the
examination the doctor performed states that’s he’s closer to a man in his thirties.”
“Then one of you is wrong.”
“No Admiral, that’s the point!” he shouted at her, more in excitement than
in defiance. “I’ve traced Ensign Garrett’s starfleet records; birthdate, education…
everything. He is suppose to be a twenty one year old man. I also check the
doctor’s findings and ran diagnostics on all the equipment. The man in sickbay
right now is Ensign Garrett, and he is in his late twenties / early thirties.”
Admiral Porter turned to Kathy, who’s expression showed her just as much
puzzlement. “Do you have a hypothesis?”
“I have…a hunch.” Mathews brought up Garrett’s medical logs. “The first
thing that caught my eye, was the tens of internal and external injuries we found
all over his body. This man has been under heavy fire for a number of years.
There are lacerations which suggest cauterized disruptor and phaser wounds.
Some of the wounds are so old, they suggest Garrett has seen constant combat for
the past five-six years.”
“Is this going anywhere, Leuitenant?” Kathy asked sternly. The Admiral
had to smile, she loved when her ‘Number One’ exerted some of her newfound
authority. She was gonna mold this one into her own image.
“Yes ma’am.” Mathews brought up more data. “On Garrett’s initial
medical scan, we found certain anomallys in his genetic structure. During the
biospectral analysis, we found Tripamine residue in his cerebral cortex.
According to the Doctor, it’s found mostly from temporal shifts. We found the
same in th two Vulcans and the other 38 corpses onboard, This makes me think
that he was involve in some type of time~space disruption.”
Kathy interrupted. “That would explain his excellerated aging. Maybe
something happened to him when the Borg attacked the Melborne?”
“High-level photon emissions in the right settings could cause temporal
rifts.”
The Admiral interseded. “But that still doesn’t explain the Vulcans. The
scars on his body suggest he’s lived those missing years. And we still have the
ship.”
“Yes…” Mathews said enthusiastically. “..the ship.” He ran his finger along
the console, and the holographic images changed. The image of the small craft
they have in tractor apeared. “I ran this craft through the computer and came up
with nothing. But I accidentally came up with….this.” another image popped up
alongside the previous. “Admiral, I give you the U.S.S. Defiant.”
She stared at the image. “That doesn’t resemble any Starfleet vessel I’ve
ever heard of?”
“You shouldn’t, Ma’am. I doesn’t exist. I retrieved this record from the
data files we got from the survivors of the U.S.S. Saratoga. Apparently, it’s an
experimental attack cruiser designed to fight the Borg. Unfortunately, they never
got a chance to finish it.”
Kathy stepped forward. “I still don’t see the resemblence?”
Mathew played with the console again. “This is the final design of the
Defiant. But it went through several earlier revisions. It first started out as the
Dante-Class, then the Moreau-Class, and then this -” The image which appeared
was the craft they had in tow; although more sleek and finely tuned. “This is the
Havok-Class U.S.S. Helix. According to the files, it never made it off the drawing
board.”
“But, we have it..or something resembling it in tow.” The Admiral
pondered her next question. “What have your internal scans come up with on the
ship.”
Mathews looked at both of them. “During the outer-hull scan, we picked
up traces of Romulan, Klingon, and Federation technology – along with a metal
composition unknown to us.” He figided with the console. “But when we tried the
internal scan, we received nothing but feedback.”
“Feedback?”
“Yes Admiral. We even tried to beam an away team over. The transporter
logs showed a successful beam-over, but the away team never left the pads. It
seems the ship is emitting some type of deflector shield which repels any physical
penetration.”
“Wait a minute…” Kathy said. “I thought you said the ship only had
enough power to limited life support?”
“Yes..it did.”
“It did?” the Admiral repeated.
“It seems the ship has managed to increase it’s power output from 7% to
68% on the past eighteen hours. It has some type of self-contained regenerative
repair systems…” he shut the console down. “…similar to the Borg, ma’am.”
The Admiral’s face look grim. Only minutes before, she had been given
the good news the Borg’s destruction. Now she was about to find out the the
nightmare may have just begun.
She stepped closer the the engineer in order to whisper. “What are you
trying to tell me, Leuitenant?”
He met her gaze. “I think the ship we have in tow, at one time was
assimilated by the Borg…”

———————————-

When the door swung open in sickbay, Alex didn’t even flinch. He kept
his head between his legs and his hands covering his head. He had tried to walk
away before., but the containment field had other ideas. Admiral Porter slowly
walked in; staring at what was suppose to be an Ensign with an adequate record
and a bright future.
When Alex acknowledged her presence in the room, he bursted out in a
huge belly laugh and wiped his face with a shaky hand.
“What’s so funny, Ensign?” Cynthia asked sternly.
Alex laughed a little louder. “You… You and this whole…freakin’ setup!”
his laughter dwindled to a slight chuckle. “I don’t know why you’re still keeping
up the act! You got the ship… you got us…” he leaned forward so his face was
almost touched the containment barrier. “Why don’t you get rid of all this virtual
bullshit and get it over with?”
The Admiral waited until he was through. “I don’t know what you think
this is, Ensign. But you need to realize you’re in serious trouble.”
Alex acted as if he didn’t here her words. “This is a nice choice though.”
he said.
“Pardon?”
“The time period, I mean. Good times for me. Man, this Federation local
is exquisit! I know you guys had holographic technology, but I never figured it to
be so life like. It even smells like I remember.”
The Admirals patients was growing thin. “I don’t know what you’re talking
about, Ensign. But I’ll answer all your questions as soon as you answer mine.”
“Deal!” Alex replied with enthusiasm. He quickly stretched out on the
medical table like at a psychiatrists office and closed his eyes. “Fire away…”
“How did you make it off of the Melbourne before it was destroyed. Their
was only one surviving shuttle and you weren’t on the manifest.”
“A-ha! You just slipped up, Locutus” he yelled outward, as if referring to
some unknown observer.
“Explain…”
“Your records are incorrect. The Melbourne wasn’t destroyed. It was
disable and we drifted for a good two weeks until we were discovered by the
Saratoga. Then, we used it for parts to repair the Saratoga. You need to update
your records.
“Look. I don’t know what you’re talking about, Garrett. Both of those ships
were destoyed in the first attack.” The Admiral fearcly slammed her fist on the
barrier. The loud sound startled Alex. “Whether this…delusional world you’re
trying to sell is a lie or from some type of head injuried to suffer, I don’t care. We
arrived hear at Wolf 359, we found you and two Vulcans aboard a Borg-a-fide
Federation ship that isn’t suppose to exist!” she saw that Alex’s grin had
disappeared and he stare confusingly at her. “Listen, the cube was destroyed a
couple hours ago in sector 001. The Borg threat is over…”
Alex slowly sat up. “This isn’t amusing anymore! Are the Borg so
chicken-shit that they have to play games with their captors?”
“Ensign Garrett, you’re not making sense.”
“Will you stop it!!! I know there is no Earth! There is no Starfleet! It’s all
gone! So cut the bullshit and lets get this over….” Alex paused for a second.
“Wait. Why am I not dead?” he jumped off the table. “The torpedoes detonated
before we got away. This can’t be happening…”
“But it is Ensign..” Cynthia stared into his eyes. She then knew that this
wasn’t some elaborate scheme he was playing. He truly believed what he was
saying; whatever it was… “Right now, we need to piece together what has
happened. This is not a Borg trick.”
Alex didn’t hear her. His mind was racing through the infinite possibilities
was what could’ve happened. “The Fold system activitated. We…entered the rift,
but…torpedoes detonated and….and…that was it….”
“We have your ship in tow.” the Admiral jumped in.
Alex quickly looked at her. For the first time, he truly took a good look at
his surroundings. The link and minor burns on the Admiral’s uniform, the slight
discoloration of the workstations from excessive use, the nausiating feeling he
used to get from breathing in a Starship environment. “Oh God. This isn’t a trick,
is it…Ma’am?”
“No Ensign.”
“But…all this…it never happened. Earth was assimilated, along with the
Enterprise at Sector 001. And that was back when…”
“You’re mistaken.”
Alex’s eye grew glassy. He leaned back on the table to catch his balance.
“Admiral…ma.am?”
“Yes, Ensign?”
“What….stardate is this?”

———————————-

An hour had passed since Mia and Tash had been teken from sickbay to a
holding cell. When the security officers came to their cell and said they were to
be escorted to the Admiral’s quarters, they left the confined area with great
enthusiasm. They studied the detail of the starship’s structure. Mia had studied
Starfleet specifications during the construction of the Helix, and she came to the
conclusion that there was too much detail for this to be an illusion.
When they reached their destination and the door swung open, the two
siblings found Alex and the Admiral sitting and talking.
“Tash…Mia. Please have a seat. Your Captain and I have some things to
explain to you.” Adm. Porter said. But the two Vulcans stood their ground.
Without even acknowledging her presence, they focused their attention on Alex.
“Sir, if everything aright?” Mia asked.
“You could say that.” Alex responded with a half smile and scratching the
back of his head. He gestured toward the sofa across from him and they sat
down.
“How is all this possible?” Tash asked. “There are no more Federation
ships left.”
“Not where we’re from.”
The Admiral got up and walked to replicator. “Two hot cocoas.” She said,
and in an instant two cup materialized. She handed them to the Vulcans. “Alex
told me you two had a fondness for chocolate. They swiftly took it. It had been a
year and a half since ‘pleasurable’ supplies had run out in the Maquis Resistance.
“So what you’re saying is we’ve slipped into some type of ….alternate
universe?” Mia asked.
“No. Same universe, but…” Alex paused and looked at the Admiral for a
second. “…Just a different point. It seems we’ve traveled back in time.”
Their Vulcan expressions went from puzzled to shock. Time travel was
an option the brother and sister discussed in the holding cell, but it was a longshot
at best.
“But even if that’s true, this is still wrong.” Tash intruded. “The
history logs stated that there weren’t any Starships left after the Borg’s initial
attack.”
The Admiral continued. “We have a theory. I’ve had my people working
on a what could’ve happened.” She activated a viewscreen and Alex’s Starfleet
Record popped up. “At this point in your and my timeline, Alex Garrett served as
an Ensign aboard the U.S.S. Melborne. According to Alex’s memory, when the
Borg’s attack started, the Melborne engaged in the first strike. They were hit hard
and lost their right warp nicelle. They had to eject the warp core and ended up
floating dead in space for the next weak or so. That was until a badly damaged
U.S.S. Saratoga found them. They used parts from the Melbourne to repair the
Saratoga and escaped to the badlands.”
Alex took over. “A couple hours ago, the Admiral sent a recon team to
find the Melbourne. The only thing they found was debris and large fragments.
The Melbourne was totally destroyed…along with the Saratoga!”
“I still don’t understand?” Mia said.
“The Alex Garrett in this timeline died with the Hathaway! Somehow, our
accident changed the timeline.” He walked to the window, a grin on his face.
“The Borg never made it to Earth. Starfleet managed to destroy it.”
“That’s impossible…” Tash whispered to his sister.
“The torpedoes!” Mia shouted. “We activated the Fold system at the same
time the torpedoes detonated. The navigational must’ve been damage somehow!
The explosion amplified the rift ten fold. Instead jumping us across space, also
sent us across space and time!”
“We must’ve appeared in this time before the initial attack. Maybe we
altered the Borg’s trajectory, or something just as significant which cause history
to change from the way we remember it.”
The two Vulcans sat back and exhaled. For so long they lived in constant
oppression. Pitifully watching the Borg consume entire planets and slowly eating
away at life as they know it. Even through they fought to free themselves from
the nightmare, no one ever saw any chance for victory. They fought for who
would survive the longest. Now they had rewritten history; the immediate threat
was over, but Mia knew they Borg were out there – waiting for he right time to
strike.
“So, what do we do now?” Tash asked.
The Admiral turned off the view screen and walked to Alex. “I offered
Mr. Garrett his Starfleet commission back, but he declined. And since his
counterpart in this timeline is dead, he can resume his life. You two on the other
hand are another story. If you two would like to be taken to your home, I can get
that arranged by…”
“That won’t be necessary.” Mia said. “We made a vow to stand at Alex’s
side for as long as we’re breathing. That hasn’t change.” She looked at him and he
nodded back.
“Good. I was hoping you’d say that.” Adm. Porter sapped her combadge.
“Porter to Brooks.” She called out.
“Go ahead, Admiral.” A voice called back.
“Secure the Helix for travel, and then plot a course for the designated
coordinates outside of Bajoran space.
“Yes, Ma’am.”
“Then, Meet me in the conference room exclusively. I’m ready to proceed
with what we discussed.”
“Understood.” The voice replied.
She returned her attention to her guests. “If you’d just follow me, there’s
something I’d like to discuss with you three…”

———————————-

CHAPTER THREE: WHEN IN ROME…

“Federation OPS Program…” The Admiral started her briefing. Alex and
the others sat around the table in the Craven’s conference room. Along with
Admiral Cynthia Porter, sat Lieutenant Commander Katherine Brooks at her side:
one of only seven other people in Starfleet are aware of this secret agenda. “It’s
the cover name for covert activities not sanctioned by Starfleet. Six years ago, a
host of Federation high-ranking officials decided that the binds of various treaties
and agreements were hampering relief efforts to certain ‘questionable’ allies. To
remedy this, they decided to contract outside individuals to follow through with
these operations. Known smugglers, prisoners, double agents – anyone who could
be coerced into line.”
“That doesn’t sound like the Federation I remember.” Alex interrupted.
“Desperate times call for desperate measure, Mr. Garrett. In a time when
we have the Cardassians coming at us from one end, and the Romulans from the
other, we could use as much help as possible. And the results have been
profitable.” She activated the viewscreen and short list of assignments appeared.
“Alex, remember three years ago, when the Cardassians invaded Gelmanis
Prime?”
He paused. “Vaguely. As I recall, we were able to get inside the defense
perimeter and smuggle weapons into the slave pens to instigate a revolt.”
The Admiral smiled. “Well, the ‘we’ turned out to be a Ferengi spy
network and four Bajoran Militia squads we enlisted in exchange for weapons
and supplies.”
Mia looked and her brother and smiled. “I didn’t know the humans had
such balls.”
“Really big one, Vulcan..” Lieutenant Brooks replied. “And we’re willing
to do whatever it takes to keep the peace in this quadrant. Even if that means
pushing a few people around.”
The Admiral returned to her seat. “You ship. How did you get it?” she had
been wait for a chance to ask.
“Ingenuity…” Alex smiled. “After the Borg’s initial attack, we had to us
what we had to fight back. We found the schematics aboard the Saratoga and
decided to build it. When we reached the Mars Shipyards, we repaired what we
could and quietly built the Helix…”
“But the Borg technology…”
“One of our last victories came at the Borg Installation above Vulcan. We
lost a lot of people but we destroyed their nerve center for that system. We took
and studied what technology we found and integrated it into the ships. The best
being, a hybrid of nanite and Borg repair systems…”
“Incredible…” the Admiral whispered. “We tried to get our people aboard,
but it wouldn’t allow us.”
“DNA Specific security system. Any visitor has to be escorted by one of
us. It’s not something we wanted, but it came along with the rest of the package.”
The Admiral nodded with acceptance. She realized that gaining access to
the technology would have to a task for a later date. Right now, more prevalent
things were at hand.
“If you three agree to this, I’ll supply you and your allies with equipment,
supplies, …anything you need. And keep in mind that you’ll be doing a service to
protect our homes from the horror you’ve come from. Besides..” she smiled.
“Everybody needs a job.” Her smile was nothing to laugh about. It was more
of a carefully orchestrated grimace. A frightening grimace…
Alex pondered his few options. “We’ve been freedom fighters for too long.
It’s going to good to fight for a bright future for once..” he accepted. The
Admiral’s grimace became wider.
The door slid open and three security guards entered with a prisoner
binded in wrist and ankle shackles. Alex noticed he was an older person, but the
look in his eyes screamed warrior. He was a force to recon with.
“Undo the restraints.” The Admiral ordered. As they uncuffed him, the
prisoners stood his ground; maybe waiting for the right time to make his move.
The Admiral was intent on not letting that happen. “Alex, this is Kyle
K’nar. He’s one of the leaders of the Bajoran Militia, and a prison as of late.” She
turned to Kyle. “Have a seat, soldier. I have a proposition which should satisify
us all.”
“I’m not interested in anything you have to say, Admiral.” Kyle replied; his
stare circling the room.
“Oh I think you’ll love this, soldier. It’s an offer you can’t refuse. Our
debriefing is tomorrow, so why don’t you four gets some rest…”

———————————-

Kathy Brooks led Alex’s team and Kyle into the hall and toward the guest
quarters. Kyle walked beside the Alex and they both momentarily glanced at each
other.
Kyle stopped Kathy Brooks in the hall. She gestered to security gaurds to
escort Alex and his crew to the guest quarters.
“Alright Brooks…” Kyle started. “You and the old lady have me where you
want me. I want ot know here and now, what you plan on doing with me?”
Kathy smiled at the seasoned warrior. “Quite frankly, were going to help
do what you and your friends couldn’t do for Bajor. We’re going to finish what
you started with the help of your new…teamates….”

———————————-

An hour after everyone left, Admiral Porter sat in the darkness of the
conference room and studied her latest Fed-OPS mission objective. Only six
hours before, she saw Alex’s second coming as a new Borg threat. But now she
sees it as the final link in a chain which spans the entire quadrant. She now
posessed the final player in her Grand scheme.
She stared at the view screen- the image a beautiful green planet
enprisoned by the enemy. Years of conflict with the Cardassians had cost the
Federation dearly. But now it was time to strike back. It was time to show
everyone how powerful the Federation really is was-
…how powerful she really was.
She had to send a subtle message to the enemy that the days of Terran
passiveness were ending quickly. What better way then to send her most powerful
weapons of war to aid in the downfall of the Cardassian Occupation of Bajor.
She laughed outloud as she studied all her pawns in place. All that was
needed was the pull the right strings. And with the help of her timelost soldiers,
she will single-handedly bring about the end of the Occupation, and place Bajor
and all it’s wonders where it belong…
…in the hands of the United Federation of Planets.
And as she watched her reflection in the viewscreen devilishly giggling at
these thoughts, she came to realize that the ideals and morals; literally the identity
of a beatiful woman named Cynthia Porter no longer existed…
… and only a Starfleet Admiral remains in her hollow shell.

— THE BEGINNING —

Posted in Miscellaneous | Tagged | Leave a comment

Captains

By adamcollings | Published May 27, 1997

Star Trek

TITE: Captains (TOS BEF/BET)
AUTHOR: Adam Collings (acolling@lawson.appcomp.utas.edu.au)
Parts: 3 plus intro (this file)
Summery: Captain Chris Pike gets caught in the nexus while beaming up
and finds himself on the Enterprise B.

NOTE: Star Trek is copyrighted by Paramount. All the main characters
alien races, starships etc… are the property of Paramount.
The storyline itself was written by Adam Collings based on episodes of
The Original Series, and the Movie Star Trek Generations.

I have tried to make sure I have not contradicted anything that has
happeden in real Star Trek. If you notice any places where I may
have failed to do this then please feel free to let me know at:
acolling@lawson.appcomp.utas.edu.au

BLURB
—–

While exploring a new planet, Captain Christopher Pike encounters a strange
and hostile alien race. As he beams back to the Enterprise a strange energy
ribbon is passing through the system and Pike vanishes.

30 years later the Enterprise B is headed back to Earth after its maiden
voyage where James T. Kirk died. Among the El Aurian refugees Commander
Chekov finds Captain Pike. Now, Pike and Captain Harriman of the Enterprise
B will confront those same aliens together and attempt to ensure that the
timeline is not damaged.

*************************************************************************

/——-\
| o o | Adam Collings
| | | Bachelor of Applied Computing
\ — / University of Tasmania
——-
“If they’ll buy poison, they’ll buy anything”
Quark
Star Trek Deep Space Nine “Little Green Men”

************************************************************************

Star Trek Captains
__________________________________________________________________
| |
| S T A R T R E K |
| |
| |
|________________________________________________________________|

Captains

Based on Star Trek Created by Gene Rodenberry

Based on Star Trek Generations Written by
Rick Berman, Ronald D. Moore & Brannon Braga
Screenplay by Ronald D. Moore & Brannon Braga

Story By Adam Collings

Source Used: Star Trek Generations. A Novel by J.M. Dillard

NOTE: Star Trek is the property of Paramount Pictures.
The Star Trek Universe belongs to Paramount along
with all of the characters and ships.
This is a work of fan fiction by Adam Collings.

If you wish to make any comments you may email them to
acolling@lawson.appcomp.utas.edu.au

I am particularly interested in whether people think
that I have contradicted anything in real Star Trek
such as explained a technology wrongly or something.
Since I have very little knowledge of Star Trek in the
time that Captain Pike was in command there may be
mistakes.

Prologue
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The transporter effect to began to wear off. Captain
Chris Pike cleared his head and looked around. He was
standing in a room. It looked like, yes it was Starfleet
Academy. That was odd. Still feeling half asleep Chris
looked around. On the far wall was a huge model of his
ship, The Enterprise. Above the model were the words
“A Tribute to one of the Greatest ships in the history
of Starfleet
USS Enterprise NCC-1701 ”
Pike couldn’t explain it but when he saw that model he
felt wonderfully happy. Suddenly his body was enveloped
with another transporter beam. This one was blue. When the
transporter effect wore off once again Chris was standing in
a sickbay full of people. Finally he was himself again. He
looked around surprised. This wasn’t the Enterprise. He
had just been down on the planet. His first officer had
beamed up a few moments earlier. He had then signalled the
ship to beam him up but instead of appearing in the
transporter room of his ship he had found himself at the
academy and then here. What had that room like the academy
been? Was it a dream? Chris didn’t think so. This wasn’t
the sickbay on his ship, it was too big, too modern looking.
The people in here were all screaming. They looked
terrible. Suddenly three people entered the room. One man
was speaking with a heavy Russian accent and he wore a red
uniform of some kind. The other two wore civilian clothing
and were carrying something that looked a little like
Holocameras. They were probably journalists. The three
began to move among the injured people in the room.
Chistopher Pike turned when he heard a man nearby speak.
The man had thinning hear and his face was cut.
“Why? Why?”
One of the journalists came over to him to give comfort.
“It’s all right. You’re on the Enterprise.”
The Enterprise? That was impossible. Chris wanted to
speak up. He wanted to say “That’s not true. The
Enterprise is my ship and it doesn’t look like this,” but he
didn’t. He kept silent.
“No No I have to go back. Please I have to go back!”
said the man with thinning hair. He was screaming now.
“Let me go back! LET ME GO BACK! LET ME GO BACK!”
The Russian man in uniform came up and pushed a
hypospray into his neck. The man immediately fell to the
floor, unconscious.
“What was he talking about?” asked the journalist.
“I have no idea,” said another.
Captain Pike shook his head in confusion. This was
impossible. What was he doing here? Suddenly feeling very
tired Chris Pike closed his eyes and fell to the floor.
Just after Chris fell the intercom beeped.
“Bridge to Sickbay. Commander Chekov, Captain Scott and
Captain Harriman wish to meet you in the deflector relay
room Deck 15 Section 21 Alpha.”

Chapter 1
Pike’s Enterprise
/\
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\______________________\ \_______________________/
|| / /
/———————/ /
___| NCC – 1701 |-|
\________________________/

2254 AD Old Earth Date

Captain Chris Pike sat in the Captain’s chair on the
bridge of the Enterprise. He watched through the viewscreen
as the stars glided by.
“One minute until we enter the solar system, Captain,”
reported the officer sitting at the helm.
“Acknowledged,” replied Pike. He Then Turned to his
young Vulcan Science officer. “Mr Spock, begin a long-range
scan of the planet.”
“Aye Sir,” replied the Vulcan. Pike was pleased with his
scientist and second officer. He was young and fairly
inexperienced on a Starship but he had an amazing knowledge
of science. There was always some uncertainty around a new
posting but Spock hid it well.
“Captain, I am reading four planets in the system. Two
of them are M Class, the third and fourth. Neither seem to
show any evidence of Civilised life.”
“Thankyou Lieutenant,” responded the Captain.
“We are now entering the System Captain,” reported the
navigator.
“Drop to impulse.”
The viewscreen changed as he stars stopped gliding past.
The captain stood and walked a little closer. He examined
the viewscreen and then walked to sit behind Mr Spock. The
Captain stared at the sensor readouts before turning to his
first officer.
“Well, the Third planet looks like a good place to
start. What do you think Number One?”
“It’s fine with me Captain,” she replied.
“All right then. Enter orbit of that planet. Mr Spock,
your have the bridge. Number One you’re with me.”
The Captain and First Officer left and entered the
turbolift. Mr Spock stood up and walked over to the command
chair and sat down.
The Enterprise’s mission in this system was pure
exploration. This was a system that had never been visited.
The two commanding officers entered the transporter room
and were met by several Ensigns. The captain walked over to
the controls and the others stepped onto the transporter
pads.
“Beam us down to a suitable location on the Planet,” The
Captain said to the transporter chief.
“Aye Sir,” replied the officer in a Scottish accent. He
pressed several controls and then said “Coordinates set
Captain.”
Pike took his place on the transporter pad and said
“Energise.” They were immediately surrounded by green. It
started at their feet and slowly moved up engulfing their
body and turning it into energy.
The landing party appeared in a glow of green light.
Captain Pike began to survey the area. He noticed the plant
life, the clouds, the climate. Just as the sensors had said.
This was a very Earth-like planet. One of the ensigns took
out a tricorder and began scanning.
“Captain I am reading some animal life forms over that
way, approximately three hundred metres.”
“All right. Let’s go and check it out.” The away team
started walking.

Back on the Enterprise a new crewmember was now sitting
at the science station. Spock was in command.
“Sir,” said the science officer. “I am reading a
strange energy formation travelling through space. It isn’t
in visual range yet.”
Spock stood and walked over to the science station. The
officer stood and allowed him to sit. The readings were
unusual. There appeared to be a ribbon made up of highly
disruptive energy. It followed a course just like a comet.
Spock pressed some controls and the computer plotted the
course of the ribbon.
“The energy ribbon will pass through this system.
Between the third and fourth planets.”

The away team reached the point where the tricorder had
indicated the lifeforms. They moved very slowly, Pike in
the lead. He turned his head one way and then the other
until he spotted an animal. It looked like an emu. It had
long legs and a long neck but it had absolutely no feathers.
It’s skin was dry looking and it had a head similar to a
lizard. It also had very short arms. These limbs ended in
an unusual claw. It looked very similar to a humanoid hand.
This creature could probably manipulate physical object much
the way that people could.
The creature had not yet spotted the away team. It
walked swaying its head left and right. The away team
looked on in wonder. This creature was amazing to watch.
Suddenly the creature spotted them. It opened its mouth
looking like it was about to scream but it didn’t make a
sound. Then it slowly turned and trotted off into the bush.
“Let’s keep exploring,” said the Captain. “We will
split up into pairs. Phasers on stun. Number One, come with
me.”
The group separated into pairs and set off in opposite
directions. The Captain and First Officer came to a large
clump of trees. They all appeared to be the same species.
They had a very strange fruit. The First Officer took out
her tricorder and began to scan them.
“These fruits appear to be edible Captain. They have a
high concentration of Vitamin C.”
Pike picked one of the fruits and examined it. He loved
this part of his job, discovering new worlds. Completely
alien planets that no one had seen before. His communicator
beeped.
“Pike here.”
“Captain,” said the voice on the other end. “I think
you should come and see this.”

“The energy ribbon is in visual range now Sir,” reported
the officer at the science station.
“Onscreen,” ordered Spock.
The viewscreen shifted to show a huge crackling ribbon
of energy. It was very impressive to look at.
“Conduct a full scan,” ordered Spock feeling slightly
uncomfortable that he was sitting in the command chair
giving orders to conduct a scan. Science was his area, not
command. No; feeling was not the word. As a Vulcan Spock
was able to control his emotions. And yet the human half of
him cried out to him, this is not where you belong, you
should be sitting at that science station.
“Aye Sir.” The officer began the scan
“Sir, I am having difficulty penetrating that energy. I
cannot scan inside that thing.”
Spock walked over to the station.
“Allow me to attempt.”
Spock sat down and began to work. It was very difficult
to get a reading. This was indeed a fascinating anomaly.
“Fascinating. I am detected a slight temporal
disturbance inside the energy ribbon. Other that that I
cannot tell anything about it.”
Spock returned to his chair and pressed the communicator
button.
“Pike here.”
“Captain,” began Spock, “There is an energy ribbon
approaching the ship. It will pass through this solar system
between the third and fourth planets. I am detecting a
temporal disturbance inside it.”
“Will the ribbon has any harmful effects on the ship?”
“Impossible to be certain but logic would suggest we
will be safe as long as we keep our distance.”
“Very well, raise the shields when it enters the system.
We will continue down here it is fascinating.”
“Yes Captain.” Spock closed the channel.

Pike put away his communicator. He and the First
Officer entered a clearing. Standing there was another pair
from the away team.
“Quick, come and look Captain!”
The two hurried into the clearing and stared in awe at
what they saw.
There were the ruins of a huge city. It was enormous.
There was very little stone. Most of the buildings appeared
to be made from some kind of metal. What looked like an
aircraft was lying on one of the streets. This was the
remains of an ancient advanced civilisation.
“Tricorder indicates that these ruins are three thousand
and fifty years old Captain.” Pike was the first to begin
walking towards the ruins. They stepped onto one of the
streets. There was evidence of machinery everywhere.
“I believe this is some kind of energy weapon Sir. It
could fire beams ten times more powerful than our phasers,”
reported one officer.
“According to the tricorder this is a subspace radio
Sir,” reported another. Pike was overwhelmed by this place.
It was amazing to walk the streets that had been made
thousands of years ago by an unknown species.
All over the walls of the buildings were pictures of the
same animal that they had seem earlier. The featherless emu
with arms. Perhaps the aliens had worshipped these animals.
“Mr. Spock said that there was no evidence of Civilised
life on the planet and yet the people who made these ruins
were at least as advanced as we are. what happened?” the
Captain asked.
“I think I have an explanation for that Sir,” said the
First Officer.
“This hole city seems to be surrounded by a forcefield that
blocks our sensors. it’s almost as if the entire settlement
is cloaked.”
“Except that it can be seen with the naked eye.”
“Yes Captain, but not with sensors. You would have to
come down to the surface of the planet and look at it with
your eyes like we have done.”
“This is closer to cloaking technology then we have ever
come,” said Pike.
“Yes. It is quite impressive.”
“Let’s look around. Some of us can check the insides of
the buildings.”
They all strolled off in different directions. Pike
entered one of the buildings and began to explore its
contents. There was furniture and machinery everywhere.
Some of the machines might even have been in working order.
His First Officer entered the building.
“The other buildings seem to be much like this one.
They are probably houses.”
“Yes probably.”
Pike walked into the next room and the First Officer
bent down to fiddle with one of the machines. It looked
like it was supposed to generate food. possibly some kind of
advanced replicator.
She stood and followed the captain into the room. He was
staring silently unable to move out of amazement. She
turned to see what was so relevant and then she saw it. A
picture of the same emu creature but it was using a machine.
It wasn’t just shown as a dumb animal, this picture showed
that the animals were in face intelligent beings, probably
the very ones who had created these ruins.
The captain’s communicator beeped. He answered it.
“Pike here.”
“Captain, we are under attack!”

“Sir, the energy ribbon is now entering the system,”
reported the officer at the science station.
“Raise shields,” ordered Spock.
“Shields up Sir.”
Spock pressed a key on the side of his chair putting the
ship up into yellow alert, just in case.

Captain Chris Pike burst out into the street with his
phaser ready. He saw his people ducking for cover and he
saw the emu-like creatures, all holding energy weapons.
They fired frequently and with great power.
Pike took aim and fired. His beam had no effect at all
on the target. He quickly increased the power of his phaser
up to kill and then dived out of the way of enemy fire. He
took aim once again and sent a beam of red energy towards
the creatures. There was still no effect. He pulled out
his communicator.
“Pike to Enterprise.”
“Spock here.”
“Beam us up now!”
“Aye Sir.”
Pike waited for agonising seconds but nothing happened.
“Captain, I canna get a lock on you. The energy ribbon
is interfering with our systems,” came the voice of the
Scottish transporter chief.
“Try harder Lieutenant Scott.”
Pike ducked several more shots before the voice came
again.
“I can only beam three at a time.”
“Beam up ensigns Grahams, White and Koovok.” The three
officers were surrounded by green light.
“This way,” yelled Pike as he motioned in the direction
of a more easily defendable street. The remaining officers
ran off.
“Transport successful Sir.”
“Bring up Ensigns Phillips and McRed and Number one.”
Again the transporter whirred and all the officers
except Pike were transported away. Pike was now surrounded
by the alien creatures. One of them aimed its weapon and
fired. There was nowhere to duck, there was nowhere to
hide. Pike stood silent and waited for his death. Just as
the deadly beam was centimetres from his face the
transporter took him away from the planet.
The transporter effect to began to wear off. Captain
Chris Pike cleared his head and looked around. He was
standing in a room. It looked like, yes it was Starfleet
Academy. That was odd. Still feeling half asleep Chris
looked around. On the far wall was a huge model of his
ship, the Enterprise. Above the model were the words
“A Tribute to one of the Greatest ships in the history
of Starfleet
USS Enterprise NCC-1701 ”
Pike couldn’t explain it but when he saw that model he
felt wonderfully happy. Suddenly his body was enveloped
with another transporter beam. This one was blue.
When the transporter effect wore off once again Chris
was standing in a sickbay full of people. Finally he was
himself again. He looked around surprised. This wasn’t the
Enterprise. He had just been down on the planet.
His first officer had beamed up a few moments earlier. He
had then signalled the ship to beam him up but instead of
appearing in the transporter room of his ship he had found
himself at the academy and then here. What had that room
like the academy been? Was it a dream? Chris didn’t think
so. This wasn’t the sickbay on his ship, it was too big,
too modern looking.

“Spock to transporter room. Did you get them?”
“I got them all but Captain Pike Sir. He
just….vanished.”
“Your statement is not logical. Explain.”
“I can’t sir. He dematerialised but then his signal was
absorbed by a stronger energy force.”
Spock looked at the viewscreen and saw the ribbon of
energy. He knew what had happened. He knew the only
logical solution.

Star Trek Captains
__________________________________________________________________
| |
| S T A R T R E K |
| |
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|________________________________________________________________|

Captains

Based on Star Trek Created by Gene Rodenberry

Based on Star Trek Generations Written by
Rick Berman, Ronald D. Moore & Brannon Braga
Screenplay by Ronald D. Moore & Brannon Braga

Story By Adam Collings

Source Used: Star Trek Generations. A Novel by J.M. Dillard

Chapter 2
Harriman’s Enterprise.
2293 AD Old Earth Date

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|| |—-|
/——————————-
\_______ NCC – 1701-B |
\_____________________/

The Enterprise was being smashed to pieces by the energy
ribbon. Captain Harriman saw the flashes spring out and hit
the hull of the ship. Scotty pressed an intercom control.
“Bridge to Captain Kirk.”
“Kirk here.”
“Captain, I don’t know how much longer I can keep her
together.”
The Enterprise shook once more. Harriman nearly fell out
of his chair.
The voice of Captain James T. Kirk came over the intercom
“That’s it! Let’s go!” Captain John Harriman immediately
jumped into action.
“Activate Deflector.”
The deflector dish fired out a wide blue beam. The blast
seemed to disrupt the energy ribbon’s hold on the ship.
They were breaking free. It was working. Harriman watched
as the ribbon grew smaller and smaller.
“We are free,” came Scotty’s voice.
“That’s it! You did it Kirk!” Harriman was excited. He
turned to his helmsman, Demora Sulu. “Damage Report
Ensign.”
“There is some buckling on the starboard nacelle. We
also have a hull breach in the engineering section.
Emergency forcefields are in place and holding.”
“Where?” asked Harriman.
“Sections twenty through twenty eight on decks thirteen,
fourteen and..” she paused. “fifteen.” The entire bridge
crew were suddenly gripped with emotion. Section fifteen
was where Captain Kirk was.
Scotty pressed the intercom. “Bridge to Captain Kirk.
Captain Kirk please respond.” There was no response.
Harriman couldn’t breath. Could Kirk be dead? Was it
possible? Scotty stood up. He turned to the captain.
“Have Chekov meet me on deck fifteen.”
He strolled to the turbolift. Harriman walked after
him. Demora Sulu just sat there. All her life Her father
had told her stories about when he had been Kirk’s helmsman
and now, on her very first mission, the greatest Starfleet
officer ever known had been killed.

In Sickbay Chekov was busy helping the wounded. He had
just used a hypospray on a man who was screaming, begging to
be able to go back. To where Chekov didn’t know. The man
was probably delirious. Checkov moved on and tended the
next patient. He didn’t notice a man wearing an old style
Starfleet uniform fall to the ground.
“It’s all right,” Chekov said to a dark skinned woman.
“You are going to be okay. You just need to rest.”
Chekov continued to help patients with the aid of the
two journalists until the intercom sounded. The voice of
Demora Sulu came through.
“Bridge to Sickbay. Commander Chekov, Captain Scott and
Captain Harriman wish to meet you in the deflector relay
room Deck 15 Section 21 Alpha.”

Harriman ran into the deflector room after Scotty. He was
quickly joined by Chekov. The three looked out into the
vastness of space. The entire room had been blown open.
The far wall was completely missing.
“Was anybody in here?” asked Chekov.
“Aye,” came the reply from Scotty. It was all that needed
to be said.
By the look on his face and the tone of his voice Chekov
knew. He knew that
The great Captain Kirk was dead.

Harriman sat in his chair on the bridge. He didn’t do
anything but sit. What was there to do. Scotty walked up
and stood next to him.
“Captain, there is nothing more we can do. We must
return to spacedock.”
“Agreed,” replied Harriman slowly.
“Demora, what is our maximum possible speed?”
“Our warp power is severely limited due to the buckling
on the starboard
nacelle. We can’t go much past warp 1.5.”
“All right. Set course for Spacedock warp 1.5, engage.”
The ship moved up into warp speed. The ride was a little
bumpy but bearable.”
Harriman turned to Captain Scott.
“Mr Scott, you have the bridge.”
It was unusual of course to hand over the bridge to a
retired observer but nobody thought twice about the order.
Scotty was a legend. Harriman entered the turbolift.

Chris Pike slowly returned to consciousness. The Russian
man was standing over him.
“How are you feeling?”
“Apart from a headache I’m fine. Where am I?”
“You are in sickbay, on the Enterprise.”
“The Enterprise? This isn’t my ship.”
“What do you mean?”
“I am Captain Christopher Pike of the Starship
Enterprise. NCC 1701.”
The Russian looked back slightly surprised.
“That is not possible. Captain Pike was injured during a
mission. He is restricted to a wheel chair. Many years ago
he beamed down to a planet where the local aliens gave him
the illusion that he had no injury.”
“That is absolutely ridiculous. What is this ship.”
“It is the USS Enterprise NCC 1701-B. I am Commander
Pavel Chekov.”
“1701-B? Are you saying that this is a new ship modelled
on the original?”
“It is Starfleet’s newest ship. Now please tell me who
you are and vhy you are wearing that old style uniform.”
“I told you I am Captain Chris Pike. Check my Starfleet
records. Check my DNA.”
Chekov walked over to a computer panel and pressed
several keys. An image of Captain Pike came up. It looked
identical to the man lying on the biobed.
“Tell me Keptin, vot year is it?”
“What year?”
“Yes, please. I have a theory which would explain our
confusion.”
“It’s 2254.”
“Vell from my point of view this is 2293. You are a time
traveller Keptin.”
Pike said nothing. The theory certainly made sense. The
huge sickbay, the new uniforms, the new Enterprise.
“Keptin, what is the last thing you remember. what were
you doing aboard the Lakul?”
“Lakul?”
“The transport ship you vere beamed from.”
“I wasn’t on a ship, I was on a planet. We were being
attacked by alien creatures. They were quite fascinating.
Due to an energy ribbon that was passing through the system
we could only beam three up at a time. I was the last to
go. I beamed from the planet to your sickbay.”
Chekov made no response. This all sounded quite strange.
“There was something else. In between my leaving the
planet and arriving here I found myself standing in a room
that looked like part of the academy. There was a model of
the Enterprise. After a second or two I appeared here. It
must have been a dream.”
“That is strange. Many of the El Aurian refugees that ve
beamed aboard have described similar experiences. They
described dreams. It vos as if their strongest desires had
become reality. We assume it is something to do with the
energy ribbon that the Lakul was trapped in.”
Pike had no explanation for this.
“There is an energy ribbon here as well?” he asked.
“Yes”, replied Chekov. “It could be the same one that you
described. Perhaps you somehow got caught in the ribbon and
beamed through time.”
“Well I don’t know. I never got to see any sensor
readings on this ribbon. I never even got to get a look at
it. I have no idea what it was like.”
Just that moment the sickbay doors swished open and
Captain Harriman entered.
“Report Mr. Chekov.”
“There are no more serious injuries Sir. We do have a
problem however, this man is Keptin Chris Pike from the
original Enterprise. We beamed him aboard along with all
the refugees.”

Pike, Chekov and Harriman entered the Bridge. Pike had
already been briefed on the current situation. Chekov and
another man named Captain Scott were guests aboard the ship.
Scott was a retired engineer and was helping with repairs on
the understaffed ship.
“Captain Pike, this is Montgommery Scott, the man I was
telling you about.”
“Hello Captain. It has been a long time.” Pike was
speechless. He heard the distinctive Scottish accent and
looked at the man’s face. He looked a lot older. He had
grown a moustache and his hair had gone grey but this was
definitely Lieutenant Scott, his transporter chief.
“Scotty, is that you?”
“Aye Sir. It is strange to be seeing you like this, so
young.”
“It is strange to be seeing you so old!”
“Aye. Time travel is a funny thing.”
“How long until the warp drives will be capable of running
at higher speeds Scotty?” asked Harriman.
“Oh, we won’t be able to do much until we get to a
starbase but I can get a little more speed out of them if
you give me a few hours Captain.”
“Good, get to work Mr. Scott.”
Scotty entered the turbolift and Harriman turned to face
his communications officer.”
“Lieutenant, contact Starfleet Command. Request that they
send another starship to assist us and to take the civilian
crewmembers back to Earth. Suddenly the intercom beeped.
“Forward Lounge to Chekov. We have a drunk refugee in
here, please assist us at once.”
“On my way.”
Since the Enterprise B did not yet have a security chief,
Chekov was filling that role. He took the lift down to the
forward lounge and stepped in. He saw the drunk refugee
immediately. She was the dark skinned woman who he had
helped in sickbay. She was screaming and throwing bottles
around. It was times like these that Chekov wished that
Spock could have taught him the Vulcan nerve pinch.
“They just ripped us out of there! They didn’t ask us if
we wanted go! They just took us. I want to go back there!”
she screamed. Strange, why were so many of the El Aurians
acting this way. Chekov stepped in front of her.
“Please. Calm down. You must relax.” She punched
Chekov in the face and he fell to the floor. She then
picked up a bottle and threw it at the crowd. Several
people screamed. Chekov stood, set his phaser to stun and
fired. The drunk woman fell.

Harimman and Pike were still on the bridge. Pike looked
in awe at all of the instruments on this new starship. The
ship was moving very slowly. Just then the science officer
spoke up.
“Captain, I am picking up an object near to the ship. It
appears to the remains of a vessel of some type.”
“Is it far out of our way?” asked the Captain.
“No Sir,” she replied.
“Well then. It will take us a long time anyway. We may
as well check out the odd things we find along the way.”
Turning to his helm officer he said “Ensign Sulu, lay in an
intercept course.”
“Aye, Captain,” she replied. The ship began to turn.
Harriman turned to Pike.
“You have the bridge, Captain.”

John Harriman sat in the forward lounge holding an empty
glass. He sat it on the bar and asked for a top up.
“You should be careful with that stuff, too much of it
can make you go crazy. I know because I drank too much a
few hours ago and they had to call in security.” Harriman
turned to see a dark skinned woman sit down beside him.
“My name is Guinan.”
“I’m really not interested in conversation at the
moment.” Guinan ignored him.
“You’re the captain of this ship aren’t you?”
“Yes, John Harriman.”
“And you are upset because the Enterprise was so badly
damaged on its maiden voyage?”
“I’m upset because I’ve just murdered the greatest man
who ever lived!”
“Who are you referring to?”
“I’m talking about Captain James T. Kirk. I am
responsible for his death. I am in command of this vessel.”
“Now you’re being silly. You are not to blame for what
happened to Captain Kirk. As I understand it the room he
was standing in was smashed by the energy ribbon. It was a
natural disaster. You had nothing to do with it.”
“Kirk was my responsibility while he was on this ship.”
Guinan sighed and then spoke. “I shouldn’t be telling
you this but Kirk is not dead. He is in the nexus.”
“What’s the nexus?” asked Harriman, not really interested
in the answer.
“It’s the same place you beamed me out of.” With that
Guinan stood and left.
What was that person on about? Harriman didn’t care. He
happened to know that Kirk was very dead and he wouldn’t be
told otherwise by an alien who had been drunk a few hours
earlier. But she had been right about the alcohol though,
Harriman was captain of this ship and he couldn’t afford to
get drunk. He had to be ready to serve his ship.

We are coming in to range of the object, Captain Pike,”
informed the science officer.
“Thankyou. Pike to Harriman, we have arrived at the
wreckage. Lieutenant put it onscreen.”
The view shifted to a large metal capsule floating in
space.
“Full scan.”
“Sir, there are lifeforms on board that ship.
“What sort of lifeforms?”
“The computer does not recognise them. They are a new
race.”
The door opened and Captain Harriman entered the bridge.
“Report.”
“We have found a large capsule floating in space. There
are lifeforms of an unknown race aboard.”
“We should beam over and take a look,” Harriman said
thinking out loud.
“I would like to join you on the away team Captain,”
stated Pike.
“Agreed.”
“Sir,” put in Demora. “Starfleets new rules say that the
Captain is not to risk himself on away missions unless
absolutely necessary.”
“What?” questioned Pike, unable to believe his ears. Back
in his time nobody would dream of leading an away team but
the Captain himself.
“You’re right Ensign Sulu. Captain Pike, you will lead
the away team. I will remain on the Enterprise.”
“Captain Harriman, this is foolishness, I.”
“Captain Pike, these are Starfleet’s new rules and they
must be obeyed.
“Very well,” Pike conceded. “But I happen to think that
it is an insane rule.”

Captain Pike materialised on board the alien vessel.
Around him were Chekov and several other crew members that
he did not recognise. Although he thought Starfleet’s new
rules about Captains on away missions were stupid he was
glad to be able to lead this mission himself.
Chekov pulled out a tricorder and began to scan the area.
“The lifeforms are this way Keptin. They appear to be in
some kind of cryogenic sleep.”
“Okay, phasers on stun, let’s go.”
The small team walked off in the direction that the
tricorder had indicated. The interior of the ship was
unusual. The walls appeared dark and they seemed to be made
of a substance that looked like pottery. The ship was not
large and after taking about ten steps they were standing in
a round chamber. Around all of the walls were sleep cells.
Pike walked up to one of them and wiped the glass. What he
saw inside shocked him; It was the same emu-like creatures
that had attacked him back on the planet! It had seemed
like a lifetime ago but it was actually less than twenty-
four hours since he had been back in his own time on his own
ship.
Suddenly the whole group jumped as the eerie silence was
replaced by the aliens words of some kind of computer
system. Pike flipped open his communicator.
“Pike to Enterprise. Tie the universal translator into
our communicators.”
Immediately the alien voice was understandable.
“Warning. Intruders Detected. Defence Procedure
Initiated. Level 1 Wakeup Sequence Initiated.” The message
kept repeating itself.

“Captain,” said the science officer suddenly. “The
capsule has suddenly raised some type of energy shield. We
cannot beam through it. There are energy fluctuations all
over the thing. Systems appear to be coming back on.”
“So we can’t bring the away team back?”
“No sir.”
Harriman turned to his communications officer.”
“Get me Captain Pike.”
The officer worked his controls for several seconds that
seemed like an eternity. “I can’t sir, the shields are
producing too much interference.”
Pike looked at the screen in dispair, a slight panic
welling up inside him.
“We’ve got to get Captain Pike back from there, if we
can’t return him to his rightful place in history then the
time line could become terribly polluted.”
This was not good. Could Harriman end up killing two
legendary Enterprise captains on his maiden voyage?

Back on the alien capsule things were getting frantic.
Several deadly looking robot drones had entered the round
chamber and were firing energy weapons with lethal
precision. The crewmembers ducked out of the way and fired
their phasers. Pikes beam hit its target but the robot
appeared uninjured.
“Increase phaser power to kill, the stun setting doesn’t
appear to have any effect on these things!”
One of the alien beams hit a member of the away team that
Pike didn’t recognise. Her body was totally vaporised.
“Stay out of the way of those beams!” warned Chekov. “One
hit will kill you.”
Pike noticed a small opening in the wall behind one block
of sleep chambers.
“Quick, everybody through that opening. It is a more
defendable position.”
“The away team members scrambled into the hole. Pike went
in last blasting with his phaser all the way. They now
found themselves in a small tunnel. Pike pulled down the
cover, blocking the opening. They were now safe from the
alien fire, at least for the moment.

Harriman stood staring at the readouts on the science
station. He turned to the officer seated there.
“Any success yet?”
“No Captain, I can not find any way of breaking through
the shields.”
“If we can’t beam through them then we have to get rid of
them. How would they react to phaser fire?”
“Unknown Captain, but I think I can safely say that by the
time we beat the shields down low enough to transport
through there would be little left of the hull and the away
team would most likely be dead.
Harriman walked over to the command chair and pressed the
intercom button.
“Harriman to engineering.”
“Scott here.”
“Captain Scott, we are having trouble transporting or
communicating through the alien capsule’s shields. Can you
give us any suggestions?”
“I’ll try Captain. Give me some time to go over your
scans and see if I can make some sense of it all.”
“Very well. Harriman out.”
The Captain strolled over to the science station and
looked over the officer’s shoulder. He stared at the scans
of the aliens shields, taking note of the peculiar
configuration. He then had an idea.
“Lieutenant, could a gavron pulse penetrate those
shields?”
The science officer thought for a moment.
“I think so Captain,” she replied. “Why would we want to
do that?”
Harriman turned to his communications officer.
“Could we use a gavron pulse as a carrier for a comm
signal?”
“Yes Captian. The new comm system on the Enterprise B
should be compatible.”
Harriman turned back to his science officer.
“How could we generate the pulse?”
“Usually I would do it with the main deflector dish but
that is not possible since it has been destroyed. However,
I may be able to modify the phaser banks to emit a gavron
pulse.”
“Good, make it so.”

Captain Pike Pushed open the grating at the other end of
the passage and climbed out into another room. There were
computer panels around the room. He was followed by the
rest of the away team. Chekov looked around cautiously,
phaser in hand.
Pike moved to take a closer look at one of the panels and
was shocked by what he saw. On the screen was an image of
the Enterprise, his Enterprise. It was firing its weapons
on a dark alien ship. The Alien vessel exploded and then
the image began to repeat itself.

On the bridge of the Enterprise Captain Harriman sat
patiently in his chair.
“Modifications complete Captain, we are ready to try it
now.” Reported the science officer.
“Good. Initiate the gavron pulse.”
The science officer pressed some controls and the invisible
pulse emanated from the phaser banks towards the alien
capsule.
“The pulse has penetrated the alien shields captain.”
“Good, prepare to.” Harriman was interrupted by the
intercom.
“Scott to Harriman.”
“Disengage the pulse. Harriman here. Go ahead Captain
Scott.”
“Captain, I almost have a working plan for beaming the
away team back.”
“Good. What’s the problem?”
“The alien shields are simply too strong. If we could
lower the power just slightly I think I could get my plan to
work.”
“All right. What is your theory.”
“Well, I have been studying those shields and they are
quite unusual. I believe that we could re-program our
shields to operate on the exact same modulation and
frequency. We could then a shuttle craft with the modified
shields alongside the capsule so that the two shields
collide. That should cause an energy bubble due to the
strange technology used in the alien shield.”
“An then we could send a transporter beam through the
bubble!” added the science officer, excitement clearly
showing in her voice.
“All right Scotty, make the modifications on one of the
shuttles.”
“Aye Captain.”
Harriman then turned to his science officer.
“Re-establish the gavron pulse and prepare to activate the
comm signal.”

End of Part 2.

Star Trek Captains
__________________________________________________________________
| |
| S T A R T R E K |
| |
| |
|________________________________________________________________|

Captains

Based on Star Trek Created by Gene Rodenberry

Based on Star Trek Generations Written by
Rick Berman, Ronald D. Moore & Brannon Braga
Screenplay by Ronald D. Moore & Brannon Braga

Story By Adam Collings

Source Used: Star Trek Generations. A Novel by J.M. Dillard

Chapter 2 – Continued
The away team had not left the room where they had found
the computer panels. There were no doors and the passage
only led back to the sleep chamber where the drones for
waiting for them. The safest thing to do was to stay put.
Pike was surprised when his communicator beeped. He had
tried calling the ship numerous times without success.
“Pike here.”
“This is Harriman. We may have a way of beaming you back
aboard. What have you found down there?”
“The aliens here are the same ones that I encountered in
my time. They look like emus but are highly intelligent.
They’ve got robot drones all over the place trying to kill
us.”
“I take it that you are ready to beam back.”
“More than ready.”
“Okay. You’ll have to find a way to decrease the power in
the shields a bit. It doesn’t matter how, re-route the
power, disable some systems, sabotage the computer,
whatever. Just get the shields down as far as possible and
Scotty will do the rest.”
“Got it. We’ll call you again when we’re successful.”
Pike turned to Chekov who was looking back over tricorder
scans.
“Keptin, Using the tricorder and the universal translator
I think I can understand these systems. The computer is
supplying power to two major systems, shields and drones.
These systems are only readouts, We cannot change anything.
However, if we were to encourage them to increase their
production of drones then the power should be diverted from
the shields.”
“But how do we do that without getting ourselves killed?”
“We run fast.”

Chris Pike lowered the cover and looked cautiously out.
The drones were circling the room. If he used his advantage
of surprise he might have a chance. The theory was simple,
if each officer went in a different direction then the
computer would create more drones to send swarms after each
intruder.
He put his phaser power up to full and fired. He
destroyed one of the drones and dived out into the room.
The other away team members quickly followed. Pike heard
the screams as one of the officers was hit by a beam and
killed. He couldn’t tell who it was. He ran down a
corridor as fast as he could. He could hear the drones
coming behind him. He couldn’t afford to slow down, he had
to keep going.

“Captain, the alien shields have dropped to an acceptable
rate.”
“Good.” Harriman pressed the intercom control on his
chair.
“Mr Scott, report on the shuttle. It’s all ready to go
Captain.”
“Good.” He turned to the science officer. “You have the
bridge.” He then turned to Ensign Sulu. “Demora, you’re
with me.”

The shuttle departed the Enterprise rapidly. They didn’t
have a lot of time. Ensign Sulu was at the helm, Captain
Harriman was beside her. They were approaching the alien
capsule. Harriman pressed the intercom button.
“Harriman to Pike.”
“Pike here,” Pike’s voice sounded strained and he was
puffing. Prepare for transport. We’ve only got the
emergency transporter on the shuttle so we’ll have to bring
you up one at a time.
“Take me last,” said Pike well aware of what had happened
last time he had given that order.
“Stand by,” reported Harriman.
“We’re in range now Captain,” report Demora Sulu.
“All right, engage.”
The shuttle thrusters fired and they jolted towards the
alien capsule. Both shields glowed brightly as they merged
and the bubble formed. Pike was already at the transporter
controls. He brought up Chekov first, then several other
officers. The bubble was dissipating quickly. He didn’t
want to loose another Enterprise Captain, he had to save
pike.

Captain Pike gasped in dispair. He had just come to a
dead end. He turned and saw the robot drones almost on him.
He leaned against the wall and prepared to die. It was all
over. He closed his eyes just as the transporter beam
engulfed him. He opened his eyes and saw the interior of a
shuttlecraft. Captain Harriman was standing at the
transporter controls.
“Welcome Aboard.”

On the bridge of the Enterprise the science officer was
sitting in the command chair. Her replacement officer at
the science station spoke up.
“Lieutenant, we have a problem.”
“What is it?”
“A small hatch has just opened. It looks like some kind
of weapon is being enabled.”

“Captain,” said Demora Sulu.
“What is it Ensign?”
“The alien capsule has just locked an energy weapon onto
us. They watched through the window as the large ship fired
a bold of energy towards the shuttle. The ship shook
violently and everybody but Sulu were knocked to the ground.
“Captain, our shields won’t handle another attack.”
The Captain pressed a button on the communications panel.
“Harriman to Enterprise. Beam us out of here.”

Several seconds later the crew on the bridge of the
Enterprise watched as the shuttle exploded on the
viewscreen. The science officer grabbed for the intercom
control.
“Transporter room, did you get them?” She waited an
agonising second.
“We’re find Lieutenant,” came the voice of Captain
Harriman.

Harriman, Pike, Sulu and Chekov jogged out of the
turbolift onto the bridge. Demora took her post at the
helm. Harriman sat down in the command chair which the
science officer had just vacated. Pike and Chekov stood
either side of him.
“Report,” order Harriman.
“Captain, the alien capsule appears to be leaving. It is
travelling towards unexplored space at sublight speed.”
“Should we pursue it Captain?” asked Sulu.
“No. It is no longer a threat. Let it go.”

“Captain’s Log. Stardate 9642.5. Our repairs are well
under way. Several starships have arrived to assist us.
The El Aurian refugees and the journalists have been shipped
back to Earth. Now only one task remains, returning Captain
Pike to his own time in order to restore the correct flow of
history.”

On the bridge the crew were discussing how they were going
to solve the problem of Captain Pike.
“Perhaps we could beam him back into the energy ribbon
Sir. He could then leave the nexus and return to his own
ship,” suggested a crew member.
“That wouldn’t work,” replied the science officer. “If we
went into transporter range the Enterprise would most likely
be destroyed.”
“I have an idea,” put in Ensign Sulu. “I remember my
father often talking about the times that he went back in
time to the twentieth century. He used a method that he
called the Slingshot Manoeuvre.”
“What’s that?” enquired Captain Pike.
“You take the ship at high warp velocity around a star.
If you calculate it right you will be thrust into time warp
and be slingshoted back through time,” explained Harriman.
“But that’s never been done with a ship the size of the
Enterprise B,” added the science officer.
“The Enterprise is in no shape for sling shotting anyway,”
said Harriman. He then turned to his communications
officer. “Get me the captain of the USS Surak.”

Chapter 3
Captains
/\
_______________________ /———————–\
\______________________\ \_______________________/
|| / /
/———————/ /
___| NCC – 1701 |-|
\________________________/

2254 AD Old Earth Date

“Spock to transporter room. Did you get them?”
“I got them all but Captain Pike Sir. He
just….vanished.”
“Your statement is not logical. Explain.”
“I can’t sir. He dematerialised but then his signal was
absorbed by a stronger energy force.”
Spock looked at the viewscreen and saw the ribbon of
energy. He knew what had happened. He knew the only
logical solution.
The turbolift doors opened and the First Officer stepped
onto the bridge.
“Report, Mr. Spock.”
“Sir, I believe that Captain Pike’s transporter signal has
been absorbed by the energy ribbon.”
“And what does that mean exactly?”
“There is no way to tell. However, it is most logical to
assume that he is no longer living.”
“I’m not going to give up on him so easily Lieutenant.
Conduct a full scan of that ribbon. Find our everything you
can. If we can somehow separate the Captain’s signal from
the rest of the energy we might be able to save him.
Spock sat at his post. The navigator spoke up.
“Sir, there is an alien ship approaching us. It has just
been launched from the surface of the planet.”
“Onscreen.”
The screen shifted to show a large black ship coming
towards them.
“They are raising shields and locking weapons.”
“Red Alert. Raise our shields and lock phasers.”
The appropriate officers obeyed their orders. The alien
ship fired and the bridge of the Enterprise shook.
“Report.”
“Shields down to seventy percent. Minor structural damage
to the secondary hull.”
“Prepare to return fire. Phasers on full power. Fire!”
“The Enterprise phasers fired at the alien vessel. It’s
black hull glowed white as the shields absorbed the fire.”
“Minor damage to the alien ship Sir.”
The aliens fired again this time the lights flickered off
and on again while the bridge shook even more violently.
“Our shields are down to sixty seven percent. Hull breach
on decks fifteen and sixteen.”
“Lock three photon torpedos onto the same location and
fire. We’ve got to get those shields down.”
“The torpedos fired and all hit the same part of the alien
shields which glowed brightly.”
“Sir, the alien shields are weakening on that location,”
reported Spock.
“Lock phasers and torpedos on that position and fire,”
commanded the first officer.
The alien ship was hit by a huge swarm of torpedos and
several phaser beams. It fired it’s weapon again.
The bridge of the Enterprise shook knocking several
officers out of their chairs.
“Sir, our shields are down. We cannot survive another
attack!”
Continue firing on that same spot,” she commanded.
The weapons continued to fire at the alien and it suddenly
burst into flames. Nobody noticed a small capsule depart
the vessel and slowly drift out into space.
Everybody on the bridge gave a sigh of relief. It was all
over.
“Stand down from red alert. Bridge to Engineering, begin
repairs immediately.”
“Commander,” said Spock. “I am getting some strange
readings from the sun in this system. A vessel had just
appeared.”
“Appeared? What type of vessel?”
“It is giving out a Starfleet Signature but it’s
technology is more advanced than we currently have. The
markings on it identify the ship as the USS Surak.”
“They are hailing us.”
“Onscreen.”
The screen shifted to show two people. One of the was
wearing a red uniform but the man standing next to him was
Captain Pike!”
“Captain!” exclaimed the First Officer.
“Hello Number One.”
“What happened to you? What are you doing on that ship?”
“Its a long story. I’ll beam aboard and tell it to you.”

“Captain’s Log, Supplemental. We are about to return to our
time, having brought Captain Pike back to his rightful
place.”

Harriman and Pike stood in the transporter room of the USS
Surak.
“I must ask you not to tell anybody about what you have
witnessed in the future Chris.”
“Don’t worry, I won’t.”
“Then you better get back to your ship. Goodbye Captain.”
Pike stepped onto the transporter pad.
“You’ll make a good Enterprise Captain John.”
“Thanks.” Harriman replied. Pike turned to the
transporter chief.
“Energise.”

On the bridge of the Enterprise Pike and his first officer
stood watching the Surak approaching the sun. Suddenly the
ship leapt into warp speed and pulled around the sun. As it
came around the other side it was propelled into time warp
and vanished.
Pike turned to his first officer.
“Well Number One, I think we should leave these aliens to
themselves. It has been an interesting mission but these
aliens are not very friendly.”
“Perhaps one day they will have diplomatic relations with
the Federation.”
“Perhaps Number One. Helm take us out of orbit and depart
this system, Warp 3.”
The Enterprise slowly drifted off; heading towards its
next adventure.

End of Part 3.

THE END.

Posted in Crossover | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Space Station Mir

By chrisbarker | Published March 1, 1996

Space Station Mir
by Chris Barker

When someone travels back through time, and destroyes the Space Station
Mir, and thus also destroying a legend, the Atlantis is sent back in
time to repair the damage.

Dmitri Andreyevich raced down the hall. He had a meeting, well a
brifing on the next mission, that the Atlantis would embark on. He
entered the dimly lit, room, for his briefing.

“Commodore Andreyevich, you are to take the Atlantis to the year 1997.
Someone has disrupted the timeline, and destroyed the space station Mir,
repair the time damage, and return. Here is your briefing you may pick
your own mission support crew, good luck,” And in that moment Dmitri was
out of the officer, glancing over a Data PADD that would erase, once he
had read it.

——–
U.S.S. Atlantis

Commodore Andereyevich sat in his ready room. He had narrowed down, who
would be joining the crew. Finaly he selected. Lieuteanant Drake Spencer
of the U.S.S. Myers. He was an excellent historian, and knew how people
acted in the 20th century.

———
U.S.S. Myers Galaxy Class Starship

Captain Bondar sat in his command chair. The subspace message had just
arrived. “Computer locate Lieuteanant Drake Spencer,” “Drake Spencer is
on holo-deck 2,” the computer replied. Bondar tapped his commbadge,
“Lieuteanant Spencer report to the bridge,” Then he sat back and waited
for Drake to arrive.

———-
20th Century

The mans eyes grew wide, as he saw the hulking mass of a flying space
object. Then a beam of energy lashed out from the mass, and the space
station known as Mir was destroyed.

———–
Renegade Craft-Runabout Class

The man leaned back and laughed. The mission was complete. With Mir
destoryed, his most hated enemy would never be born. He laughed again,
before opening the temporal gate, and returning to the 24th century.

———–
Runabout Hunter-En Route to U.S.S. Atlantis

Drake leaned back, and watched the viewscreen. The stars streaked by, as
the runabout made its way to the U.S.S. Atlantis, at warp 9. “Now
droping to impulse,” the piolit called. The small ship droped out of
warp, and made a gracefull arch upwards to the U.S.S. Atlantis. *What a
ship* Drake thought to himself.

————
U.S.S. Atlantis

“Sir the runabout Hunter has docked, Lt.Commander Casey announced.
“Have, Lieuteanants Spencer and Gerard report to my ready room,”
Andreyevich said. He stood and walked into the ready room. Casey opened
the commlines to both crewmen.

Lieuteanant David Gerard and Lieuteanant Drake Spencer where both in
Andreyevich’s ready room a few moments later. He briefed them on what
was to come, and wanted everything he could from both of them, since
they where both great Historians.

“Engaging time drive,” Kollos announced. “Time shift in
9…8…7…6…5…4…3…2…1… the ship shook and crewmen where
thrown from thier stations. “Timeshif has occurred,” Kollos said,
vacating the navagation spot, and Lieuteanant Saar resumed the post.

“Engage, phase cloak,” Commodore Andreyevich, ordered. Lt.Commander Zam
Poldegin tapped at his engineering control board. “We are cloaked,” the
Zakdorn announced. “Good, report on Mir?” Andreyevich asked. “Sir the
space station was just hit with a phaser blast. It has been destroyed,”
Casey announced. “Check the records, see if Pavel Chekov is still
alive,” “Pavel who?” Casey asked. “Do it,” he repeated. “No one by that
name has ever excisted.

“Prepare for another time-shift,” A few moments later, they where time
shifted again, this time, just before Mir was hit. A runabout was about
to attack the station. “Thier is a bulidup in thier weapens systems,”
Krag announced. “Fire!” Andreyevich shouted. “To late, the space station
was hit, as a photon torpedo shot away from the Atlantis. “Damn!” he
shouted.

“Captain, if we go back as far as a week, we can set up a shield
generator on Mir, that would protect it from the attack,” Lieuteanant
Spencer announced.

“Do it,” Andreyevich ordered. “Casey ready your away team,” Andreyevich
said. “Spencer, Krag, Gerard, Poldegin, with me,” Casey announced
heading for the transporter room.

——–
Space Station Mir

The shimmering effect of the transporter faded. All crewmen that where
not human, had been altered by the Matter Stream Modifier. Krag was
scanning with his tricorder. They where wearing anit-gravity boots,
since the space station, had no artifical gravity.

“This way,” Krag announced, pointing down a tunnell. Krag led, followed
by Casey, then Spencer, then Poldegin and pulling up the rear, Gerard.

The away team made its way forward to a place where they could fit the
generator to the station. It would be transported aboard, once they had
found a site for the generator.

——
U.S.S. Atlantis

Commodore Andreyevich sat in the command chair. He was thinking about
what hung on the balance of this mission. From his briefing Chekov had
been a great starfleet officer, serving with James T. Kirk. The voice of
Lt.Commander Casey broke him out of his thoughts. “Where ready sir,” her
voice said from the intercomm. He tapped his board, “transporter room 2,
energize,”

——-
Space Station Mir

The shield generator came into clear focus as the effect of the
transporter faded. “Get it hooked up fast!” Casey shouted. Krag, and Zam
went straight to work. It was amazing it only took the two, three hours
to hook the shield generator up.

“Atlantis, energize,” she spoke through the commbadge. The transporter
gripped them, and beamed them back to the Atlantis.

——-
U.S.S. Atlantis

On the bridge, the crew was preparing for time shift. “Shield generator
on the space station is activated,” Lieuteanant Spencer called.

And then they had shifted. They saw the runabout heading for Mir. “Are
the shields up around the station?” Andreyevich asked. “Yes sir,”
Poldegin announced.

The runabout fired, and the phaser blast was absorbed by the shields.
“Tractor the ship into the main shuttlebay,” Dmitri ordered.

The main tractor beam lashed out, and caught the small runabout. It
pulled it in. “Commander Casey, remove the shield generator from the
station, and prepare to return home,” “Yes sir,” she responded. “Krag,
your with me,” Andreyevich, said. The Nausican, met the Commodore
half-way to the turbolift.

“You will be returning with us, where you will be handed over to the
proper people,” Dmitri, explained to the man in the brig. Krag stood a
few feet away, his hand resting on his phaser. Anger,fear, and hate
where the emotions on the mans face.

“Commodore to the bridge!” the voice of Casey, came over the intercomm.
“Krag, attend to our guest,” Andreyevich said, turning to head towards
the bridge.

———

He sat in the office, as the Unknown Black Man looked over his report.
“Very good, Commodore another mission that went well. All has been
restored.” “Good, was all that Dmitri said.

After he left he was already thinking about what the next mission would
be like. Being in charge of the Atlantis, was a big job, but one that
was fun. He looked forward to the next mission.
————————————————————————

Hope you liked it. Send comments to,
Chris_Barker@hotmail.com

Posted in Miscellaneous | Tagged | Leave a comment

Shopping, a la Ferengi

By pearlanderson | Published March 1, 1996

SHOPPING, A LA FERENGI

by Metadine

Not everyone has had the dubious pleasure of shopping at a Ferengi
establishment. For those who have that experience yet before them, a few
pointers might be useful.

First, it’s wise to understand at least a few of the Ferengi Rules of Acquisition.
The most important ones to remember : Rule 1, get their money; Rule 2, never
give it back. Let me give you an example.

I had finally wrangled an invitation to the Gala Celebration of, well, let that be
my little secret. The important thing to know is that I desparately needed a new
tunic . Shopping at Deep Space-10 is still limited since the facility is still under
construction, and there was no time to catch a runabout to Deep Space-9. The
only clothing establishment open at DS-10 was owned and operated by Keerlu, a
Ferengi. With no other options available to me, I entered the shop and asked
how long it would take to fit me with a new tunic.

“It is a waste of material to clothe a female, even a hew-mon female,” Keerlu
snapped. “Why should I waste good material?”

I have to admit, his attitude irritated me. “I would assume the possibility of a
profit would gain your attention. And, not that it’s any of your business, I am
NOT a human female!”

He looked at me carefully then, a crafty gleam coming into his eyes. “Hmmm,
perhaps so. You require a dress, a special outfit?” All his teeth were showing in
his grin.

“No, just a simple, well-fitted tunic will do. That is all I require,” I told him
firmly. “How long would it take?”

“One day. No problem, special work order and we guarantee delivery of
merchandise within 24 hew-mon hours.” This sounded acceptable. I ordered a
standard Starfleet cut, tailored to my rather generous proportions. “We have
much material here. That will
be 2 latinum-pressed gold strips.” (Ferengi First Rule of Acquisition – get the
money.)

The 2 gold strips was a shock to my finances, but as I said, I really needed that
tunic. Keerlu scanned my measurements and said to return at 1400 hours the
next day. I left, serene in the knowledge that the problem was solved. Now all I
had to do was finish my travel arrangements and go.

The travel arrangements were the least of my problems. An old friend offered to
let me “ride free” in return for acting as security officer on the trip. That settled, I
packed, got a good night’s sleep and at the appointed time, went to gather up my
tunic
.

That was when the real trouble started. I had indicated a preference for red and
black (a hangover from my security forces days I guess) and Keerlu had
cheerfully agreed they were nice colors for me. However…. what the Ferengi
handed me was ….startling, to say the least. Instead of black, the main body was
light tan. Where it should have been red, there was a strange mingled
orange-purple-gold vague pattern. Some of the “finishing touchs” will NEVER
be seen on a regulation Starfleet tunic. Worse, the fit was perfect, so I could not
refuse it on those grounds. But the COLORS!!

“This will ABSOLUTELY not do,” I fumed at Keerlu. “I said red and black,
not….not whatever THIS is! I want my money back.” ( That was when I
encountered the Second Rule of Acquisition.) I suffered through a full hour of
oily, insincere flattery .

“These colors suit you so well. You will be a fashion leader and set the pace for
the party.” Flattery Keerlu had in great abundance, but no refunds. Somewhere
in there my chrono chimed. It was time to catch my free ride!

“Come again soon – tell all your friends about how well Keerlu has treated you ”
He had the audacity to expect me to recommend him to my friends and give him
more orders. At that point, the only order I would happily deliver to Keerlu was
one to shut down his business forever.

Needless to say, everywhere I went wearing that blasted tunic, there were snickers
and sometimes outright guffaws. I had to wear the thing – (You don’t really want
to know what happened to my other tunics….) there was no choice. I have never
especia
lly liked Cardassians, but at least they have the common sense to deliver what you
order.

On my return trip, I had time to formulate a few rules of my own –

Rules of Defense when dealing with Ferengi.

Rule 1: Never depend on a Ferengi when you need something very badly. (They
will say they have it, even if they don’t. Furthermore, they will charge ten times
its worth.)

Rule 2: Always expect to get cheated – because you will be cheated.

Rule 3: Never give a Ferengi credits until he has delivered what you actually
want.

Rule 4: Best of all, shop somewhere else, anywhere else.

I hope this will be of use to anyone faced with future shopping expeditions,
particularly if the shop keeper is Ferengi!

Posted in Miscellaneous | Tagged | Leave a comment

Do Ghosts Lie?

By lisachilton | Published March 1, 1996

Lisa’s Star Trek: Dep Space Nine Home Page

LISA’S STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE 9 HOME PAGE
AND DEEP SPACE 9/CARDASSIAN ORIGINAL SCRIPT

Hello and welcome!

Thank you for visiting this page. I hope that the script is of interest and
that you will enjoy it. I’d welcome any comments you have, and to this end
have included my email address at the bottom.

The script, “Do Ghosts Lie?”, is entirely my creation, and describes Gul Dukat
being tried by the Bajorans for war crimes committed while he was Prefect of
Terok Nor. It was sent to Paramount Studios November 1995 as an unsolicited
or “spec” script, and was duly considered but wasn’t something they could use.
This is not surprising, as only two spec scripts from fans such as myself have
ever been accepted in Star Trek’s history. I would encourage any aspiring
script writers to go ahead and submit spec scripts anyway, as it is reward
enough to know that the people behind the magic we see each week have
considered your work. In that small way, I’ve become part of the Star Trek
world. Further, who knows how one may influence the writers and their
thoughts on the various characters with one’s script… So, if you’re
interested, make a point of reading the appendix concerning script writing in
the Making of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (by Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens)
then put that thinking cap on and start writing!

Hope you enjoy!

Sincerely,

Lisa Chilton

(Chilton@acs.ucalgary.ca)

Ps. Please note that I’ve removed the indentation required for correct script
format to accommodate the changes needed to place the script on the net. Be
sure to study the page set-up required before you start writing.

Good luck!

STAR TREK DEEP SPACE NINE

“DO GHOSTS LIE?”

TEASER

1 Fade in to the replimat, late afternoon. BASHIR comes to a table where
O’BRIEN, DAX, and a Star Fleet officer DALA HOLLANDER, are seated. Hollander
is an attractive human woman, and is clearly interested in O’Brien. He is
also attracted to her, and unsure how to deal with these new feelings. Dax is
certainly not trying to stop the flirtation blossoming between the two.

DAX
Julian! Have you met our new science attache, Lieutenant Dala Hollander?

BASHIR
Yes, last night at Quark’s. Not only did she rout me at darts, but she gave
our resident champion here quite a scare.

HOLLANDER
Quark’s is quite the place! I had no idea that life on the frontier would have so much to offer!

BASHIR
Oh?

DAX
The Chief has been telling Dala about Quark’s holosuites…!

O’BRIEN
I’ve been telling her about the kayaking program!

BASHIR
Ah!

O’BRIEN
(Glares at Dax)
And nothing else!

HOLLANDER
Why do I get the feeling that Quark has… other programs that I might find
more interesting… with the right company?

O’BRIEN
(quickly changes subject)
Julian! Join us!

BASHIR
Normally, I’d love to join you, but I’m meeting Garak for an early dinner. I
see he’s here. Enjoy yourselves, in whatever holoprogram you choose!

Bashir nods to the group as they respond, then goes toward the entrance of the
replimat, where GARAK is standing so as to look out into the promenade. He
nods to Bashir, but clearly he’s distracted by something he’s watching for
outside the shop. Bashir glances out but cannot determine what has captured
Garak’s attention.

BASHIR
Well, Garak! Hungry…?

Garak glances at Bashir before returning his attention to the promenade.

GARAK
Famished, Doctor! But let’s not sit down just yet!

BASHIR
Oh? (looks out searchingly) Are you expecting someone?

GARAK
Oh yes… None other then my… old friend.

BASHIR
Ah! Our old friend, returning to stand trial…?

GARAK
Trial…? My dear Doctor! ‘Trial’ implies that justice will be served.
‘Farce’ is a far more accurate word for this spectacle!

BASHIR
Really. I’ve never considered rape, torture, and murder to be elements of a
farce…

GARAK
How very limited of you. And how typically human…!

BASHIR
Oh, come on! Surely not even Cardassians consider-

GARAK
Though I admit, you humans do have a few sayings that I find refreshingly
Cardassian! My favorite is ‘the end justifies the means’. Another, more
applicable, one is ‘all’s fair in love and war’!

BASHIR
What we humans mean when we say that is-

GARAK
Forgive the interruption, Doctor, but he comes. Behold, the ‘sacrificial
lamb’!

Both men turn and look down the promenade.

2 Promenade, beside an air lock door. KIRA and ODO stand together with a
Star Fleet security guard, looking at the air lock door. It slides open and
Gul DUKAT steps from the air lock. Kira is trying to remain professional but
her mixed feelings that Dukat will stand trial are showing. No words are
spoken as they escort Dukat along the promenade outside the replimat and past
out of sight. Garak and Bashir are seen among the avid spectators, mostly
Bajoran; QUARK is also notable for watching closely.

3 Replimat. Once they are gone, Garak turns to Bashir and waves toward an
empty table.

GARAK
Shall we, Doctor? There’s nothing like a good melodrama to whet the appetite!

Fade out as they take their seats.

ACT I

4 Fade in to exterior DS9.

SISKO (V.O.)
Station log, Star Date XXXXX.X. With Gul Dukat under arrest on DS9, the
Federation starts a new role in the complex political relations between Bajor
and Cardassia. The Cardassian Detapah Council has only agreed to release
Dukat to Bajor on the condition that I, as Emissary, preside over his trial.

5 Ops, next morning. Dax and Bashir are present. SISKO comes from his
office and joins them.

SISKO
Well, it’s official: Star Fleet Command and Bajor have accepted Cardassia’s
request for me to judge Dukat at the upcoming trial.

DAX
Obviously a role you relish.

SISKO
(Ironic)
As you can see. I don’t see how, as a religious figure, I’m eligible to judge
a Bajoran trial. I need a crash course in Bajoran jurisprudence! Where is
Major Kira?

BASHIR
Haven’t seen her yet. Don’t you think that, as Emissary, you’re ideally
suited to judge this matter? After all, the Bajorans respect you and so may
accept a decision influenced by Federation ideals. That insures that the
trial will be fair.

DAX
Especially if Dukat turns out to be innocent!

SISKO
True. Still, this is one tangle I wish I was clear of! Why did the
Cardassians specify that I should be Dukat’s judge? I wish I knew what
they’re up to!

Kira enters and joins them.

SISKO
Well, Major: you’re in a very good mood!

KIRA
Sorry I’m late, Captain. I’ve been talking to Bajor. Kai Winn will soon
arrive to prosecute Dukat herself! We’ve finally got him! Now he’ll pay for
his crimes against Bajor!

SISKO
Easy, Major. Dukat is innocent until proven guilty.

KIRA
Dukat?! Innocent?! Ha! He’s guilty, alright!

BASHIR
I- I thought that you and Dukat had lately found some common ground, Major…?

KIRA
Maybe we did… (beat) It doesn’t matter: nothing Dukat does now could
mitigate the horror of what he’s already done! I only wish we could bring more of the Cardassian was criminals to justice.

DAX
You’ve never challenged Dukat before. Why now?

BASHIR
The new treaty.

KIRA
Dabo.

BASHIR
Now that Kai Winn has secured an admission from the Cardassians that they were
wrong in occupying Bajor-

KIRA
Vedek Bariel secured that treaty, not Kai Winn!

SISKO
We’re all aware of Bariel’s sacrifice to bring peace between Bajor and
Cardassia, Major. Continue, Doctor.

BASHIR
Thanks to Bariel, Bajor now has legal recourse to prosecute those Cardassians
accused of atrocities against Bajoran civilians.

KIRA
Exactly. Now the butchers who tormented my people will have to face their
crimes!

DAX
Still, Dukat has never struck me as a prominent figure on Bajor’s ‘most
wanted’ list…?

KIRA
Dukat was never one of the really sadistic ones, but believe me, he caused
suffering enough! Not that we don’t want the ones who made Dukat look tame to
stand trial, but so far, Dukat is the only Cardassian we’ve accused who has
been released into Bajoran custody.

BASHIR
I wonder why the Detapah Council did that?

SISKO
So do I.

DAX
Perhaps, being a civilian government, they’re sensitive to crimes against
civilians, even Bajoran ones. And Dukat isn’t exactly their favorite person
right now.

SISKO
I’d hate to think that the Cardassians are letting us do their dirty work for
them.

KIRA
Their motivation doesn’t interest me: they complied, that’s what matters. The
old Central Command ignored us altogether. Still, we would have far greater
success if we didn’t need survivors to bring the charges against their
tormentors. That Cardassian proviso put a lot of war criminals out of danger.
The most sadistic Cardassian overlords were all too thorough when
exterminating my people. (beat) Too bad ghosts can’t speak. Their tales
would put more than one Legate in prison! (beat) Oh well: we’ve got Dukat!
A small victory, but a start!

SISKO
What is the general feeling on Bajor about this situation?

KIRA
People are very emotional about the whole affair. Dukat’s victim, Tessaro
D’Argan, was only 12 when he killed her parents. She’s haunted by the pain of
that trauma.

DAX
Do you think that Bajorans see Miss Tessaro’s plight as symbolic of their own
suffering?

KIRA
I know I do. In many ways, she’s me, or what I could so easily have become.
D’Argan’s suffering is our suffering, both on an individual level and as a
people. We all need to heal.

SISKO
Who took her accusations to Cardassia?

KIRA
Kai Winn. D’Argan was in counselling with Vedek Eskaia when the truth came
out, but Winn herself took the charges to the Cardassians.

SISKO
Kai Winn…

BASHIR
The truth came out…? What does that mean, Major?

KIRA
I’m not sure. Kai Winn used those words in one of the public statements.

DAX
I notice that Winn always refers to Miss Tessaro by her first name too.

KIRA
Yes, but it feels right. Even though she’s 20, D’Argan still seems to be that
12 year old girl who saw her parents being murdered. You’ll understand when
you meet her later today.

SISKO
Hum. I think it would be best if I stay away from both parties until the
trial, since I’ve been appointed judge. Major, you will act as my liaison
with Kai Winn. I’ll also need your help in learning Bajoran jurisprudence.

KIRA
I took the liberty of gathering a number of important documents for you. The
provisional government is still re-establishing our legal system after the
farce the Cardassians made of it.

Sisko takes the data pad Kira offers him.

SISKO,p>
Thank you, Major.

Sisko nods dismissal to Kira and goes to his office. Kira notices that she’s
not the only late Ops officer.

KIRA
Where’s the Chief?

Dax and Bashir both react.

KIRA
What’s so funny?

DAX
The Chief must have been up rather late last night…

KIRA
So?

BASHIR
He and Lieutenant Hollander seem to have hit it off rather well!

DAX
When I saw them late last night, Dala was dragging Miles off to Quark’s for a
round of darts and drinks.

KIRA
Are you saying the Chief can’t handle Quark’s?

DAX
No… I’m saying the Chief can’t handle Dala. Unless I’m mistaken, she was
determined to try out Quark’s holosuites with Miles last night!

KIRA
What?! What about Keiko?

BASHIR
Dax is exaggerating. Miles was telling Dala about the kayaking program.

DAX
Am I exaggerating? Dala wasn’t talking about kayaking, nor is she shy about
her goal!

KIRA
Which is?

DAX
Miles O’Brien, prostrate at her feet.

KIRA
Not the Chief!

BASHIR
Why couldn’t it be me she wanted at her feet? I’d go to the holosuites with
her!

DAX
Perhaps Dala likes the challenge of married men.

KIRA
I don’t believe this. Chief O’Brien..?!

BASHIR
It’s not so hard to believe when you see how she looks at him.

DAX
If you don’t believe it, then, where is he?

KIRA
Computer: location of Chief O’Brien?

COMPUTER VOICE
Chief O’Brien is in Science Lab 3.

DAX
And where is she?

KIRA
Computer: location of Lieutenant Dala?

COMPUTER VOICE
Lieutenant Dala is in Science Lab 3.

DAX
Believe it!

BASHIR
I think I’ll just go and see how the Chief is this morning. Nothing more than
professional curiosity, of course.

DAX
Of course. Julian. Fill me in later!

Bashir nods and turns to go. As he leaves, Odo enters and goes over to Kira.

ODO
Major. I understand that a party of Bajorans including the victim and Kai
Winn are arriving very soon.

KIRA
That’s right. I’ll be meeting them within half an hour. I’m not sure yet how
many will arrive.

ODO
I see. Do you think we need any special security measures in place while the
trial takes place?

KIRA
I don’t see the need, Odo. Kai Winn’s not coming to instigate riots!

Odo reacts to Kira’s statement, leaving her and heading toward Sisko’s office.

6 Sisko’s office, interior with Sisko working at the desk. The door hail
sounds.

SISKO
Come in.

Odo enters.

SISKO
Constable! The very man I want to see!

ODO
Oh? Why?

SISKO
Frankly, I’m unsure of how to handle Gul Dukat. As judge, I don’t even want
to see the man until I have to preside over his trial. Will you talk to him?

ODO
Me?! About what?

SISKO
Ask him if he’s pleading innocent! If so, ask him what he has on his
Cardassian mind to save his skin!

ODO
I doubt that he’ll plead at all, Captain, especially in front of Bajorans. I
also doubt that he’s innocent. Rest assured he has something up his sleeve!
(beat) Why me? Why not a Cardassian?

SISKO
Such as who? Garak? Ziyal? (beat) All I want you to do is find out what’s
really going on! Dukat might trust you, being that you still hold a position
in his own legal system. I trust you to ensure the trial is just. I’d hate
to be forced to declare a mistrial.

ODO
You’d certainly be very brave to do so… Alright: I’ll talk to Dukat.

SISKO
Thank you, Constable. Now, what can I do for you?

ODO
Just tell me I can deal with Kai Winn and her Bajoran mob as I see fit.

SISKO
I have complete confidence in you.

ODO
As you should.

Odo turns to go.

SISKO
Keep me informed, both on Dukat and on any problems with the Bajorans.

ODO
I will.

Odo leaves.

7 The hallway outside Science Lab 3, where Bashir meets O’Brien as he
leaves the lab. They head back toward the main promenade.

O’BRIEN
Julian! What brings you here?

BASHIR
You bring me here! What’s this about you and Dala enjoying late night
holoprograms?!

O’BRIEN
Who’s been talking about Dala and me?

BASHIR
Dax has. What were you up to?! You look like you didn’t get any sleep!

O’BRIEN
Dax?! Dax should mind her own business! If you must know, Dala and I did
some late night kayaking. She chose a very tough white water rapids program.

BASHIR
Are you sure that’s all that Dala chose?

O’BRIEN
Of course I’m sure! What else do you think we were doing? Though I’ll admit,
she wore me out! What a physical woman! Demanding, too: no sooner did I get
out of bed this morning then she’s asking me to modify some of the systems in
the Science Lab!

BASHIR
Asking you over breakfast, I suppose…

O’Brien’s response is drowned out by the mob scene that greets the two men
when they reach the promenade. Under Odo’s unimpressed watch, WINN, Kira,
D’ARGAN, and a bunch of exuberant Bajorans sweep by. Fade out on the charged
scene.

ACT II

8 Fade in to Keiko’s old school room, set up for the trial. Sisko is
seated facing two rows of chairs, with Winn, Kira, and D’Argan to his right.
A chair awaits Dukat on Sisko’s left. Bashir is standing near Sisko.

The door opens to allow Odo and a Star Fleet security guard to escort Dukat
in, revealing a mob of Bajorans in the promenade outside, held back by more
Star Fleet security personnel. Dukat stands by his chair, while the guard
stands behind him and Odo takes up a position where he can watch all the
players.

Sisko stands.

SISKO
This court is now in session. Let the log show that, as agreed by the Bajoran Provisional Government and the Cardassian Detapah Council, I, Captain Benjamin Sisko, will judge Gul Dukat, Chief Cardassian Military Advisor,
innocent or guilty of the charges brought by Bajor on behalf of Miss Tessaro
D’Argan. Gul Dukat, you are formally accused of the torture and murder of
Tessaro Elar; the rape, torture and murder of Tessaro Eshta; and the rape and
torture of Tessaro D’Argan. How do you plead?

Bashir monitors Dukat with his bioscanner.

DUKAT
How do I plead…? I don’t plead before Bajorans, or humans, Captain!

SISKO
Are you innocent or guilty of the charges?!

DUKAT
How very monochromatic of you. As though this witch-hunt has anything to do
with that girl’s pathetic accusations…

KIRA
This is a Bajoran trial. Of you. And it specifically concerns your treatment
of this girl and her parents. It’s about justice for her and for Bajor.

WINN
You waste your breath, child. A Cardassian cannot understand the concept of
justice.

DUKAT
There, you see, Captain. I am guilty, of course, just because I’m Cardassian.
Just because I dared rule Bajor. And rule it well. What really happened is
irrelevant. This isn’t about justice, as they claim, this is about revenge!

Dukat sits. Winn moves forward to take control of the situation.

WINN
Enough, Emissary! Let’s get this unpleasantness over with! Child, tell the
Emissary when you were on this station.

Bashir moves forward to monitor D’Argan with his bioscanner throughout her
testimony. Sisko sits.

D’ARGAN
My parents were laborers on Terok Nor 10 years ago.

WINN
When did you leave Terok Nor?

D’ARGAN
Seven years ago.

WINN
How old were you when this Cardassian killed your parents?

D’ARGAN
M-my parents were killed when I was 12.

WINN
What happened when you were 12, child?

D’ARGAN
He… (glance at Winn)… the Cardassian! A Cardassian kept watching me in
the Bajoran area…

WINN
In the common quarters on Terok Nor, where the Bajorans were housed?

D’ARGAN
(Voice flat on first sentence)
In the common quarters. He’d show up and stare at me and frighten me. I was
so scared without my parents, when he was there…

WINN
Where were your parents?

D’ARGAN
They worked all day.

WINN
In ore processing.

D’ARGAN
(Voice flat on first sentence)
In ore processing. I’d try to hide, but he’d find me… he always found me.

WINN
What did this Cardassian do when he found you, child?

D’ARGAN
H-he scared me. I’m not sure… he hurt me, touched me. (beat) He took me
somewhere where there weren’t any other Bajorans, except my parents, they were
there. I tried to run to them, but he…

WINN
The Cardassian.

D’ARGAN
(Voice flat on first sentence)
The Cardassian. H-he stopped me. He made me stay quiet while they hurt my
parents…

WINN
Who hurt your parents, child?

D’ARGAN
(Voice flat on first sentence)
They hurt my parents. Cardassians… hurt my parents. He said that if I made
any noise, he’d kill my parents. And, it would be my fault! And he
laughed… laughed!… while my parents screamed. But I didn’t: I was silent!

WINN
Tell the Emissary how the Cardassians orphaned you and destroyed your life.

D’Argan tries to but cannot speak. Winn seems impatient.

WINN
The Cardassians raped and tortured your mother, didn’t they, child, right in
front of you?

D’ARGAN
(Voice whispered and flat)
Raped and tortured my mother…

WINN
And they tortured your father!

D’ARGAN
(Voice whispered and flat)
Tortured my father…

WINN
And did the Cardassian who took you from the Bajoran quarters rape and torture
your parents?

D’ARGAN
(Voice flat on first sentence and soft throughout)
The… man who took me. Y-yes. He… laughed while he raped my mother and
when he hit and hit and hit them. And when he told me that if I made a sound,
he’d kill them. But they were… already dead.

WINN
Who killed your parents, child?

D’ARGAN
A Cardassian killed my parents.

WINN
Who, child?

D’ARGAN
(Glance at Dukat, then with flat voice)
Him.

WINN
Him? Gul Dukat?

D’ARGAN
(Voice flat)
Him. Gul Dukat.

WINN
What happened after he murdered your parents?

D’ARGAN
He hurt me…

WINN
Who hurt you, child?

D’ARGAN
Him… (pause) Gul Dukat.

WINN
How did he hurt you?

D’ARGAN
He raped and beat me. (pause, then hint of anger) He wouldn’t stop. He
wouldn’t stop laughing…

WINN
Did this Cardassian leave you alone after he murdered your parents and
brutalized you?

D’ARGAN
(Angry)
He wouldn’t stop! Wouldn’t stop! Make him stop!

WINN
There you have it, Emissary. The Cardassian before you wantonly tortured,
raped, and killed this child’s parents right in front of her, scarring her for
life. Not content with that, he raped and brutalized her. You see how she
has suffered. You see his guilt!

9 Science Lab 3. Dax and Hollander are working together, focusing on a
centrally placed console. Hollander is imputing parameters while Dax watches.

HOLLANDER
That should do it… All the parameters and constraints have been entered.
We’re ready!

DAX
Computer, establish containment field.

A force field forms around the console as the ladies step away. Hollander
picks up a hand-held control unit.

HOLLANDER
Well, here goes years of research into forming wormholes! Let’s hope it
works!

DAX
Let’s hope it doesn’t overload the Chief’s carefully modified power grid!

HOLLANDER
Oh, Miles wouldn’t mind the extra work if it does! And I won’t mind being
able to tease him about it, though I hope it holds. Initiating the space
matrix.

A swirling cube of particles appears, gaining stability and form as Hollander
adjusts her controls.

DAX
The space matrix reads as 68% stable. What level of stability do you need
before you can try to create a wormhole within it?

HOLLANDER
80% will do, but I’d feel better at 90% or greater stability within the
matrix. Increasing matter and electromagnetic radiation levels within the
field. How are the power generators holding up?

DAX
So far, so good. Miles must have spent extra time on them! Watch your
balance: I’m reading energy fluctuations.

HOLLANDER
Got it. I guess I just… inspired Miles to give the systems extra
attention…! What’s the stability up to now?

DAX
86% and climbing, with no sign of imminent system overload. Inspired him
indeed!

HOLLANDER
Oh yes! At a matrix stability of 90% or greater, I’ll initiate the wormhole.

DAX
Understood. All ion generators on line and ready. Stability 92% and holding.
Go ahead.

As Hollander manipulates her controller, a glowing tube slowly forms within
the energy matrix, starting as a ball in the center and elongating until
rudimentary funnels open on both ends. It stays like that only a fraction of
a second before collapsing and disappearing.

HOLLANDER
The space matrix is breaking down! Unable to balance!

DAX
Computer, increase strength of containment field!

The containment field flickers. Within seconds, as both ladies punch
controls, the space matrix blows up.

HOLLANDER
Yes! Success! However brief! That’s science for you: years of work, a few
seconds of fruition.

Dax and Hollander study a computer assessment.

DAX
True, but the preliminary analysis suggests that the matrix can be stabilized!
Congratulations: you did it!

HOLLANDER
Thank you! (beat) I think this analysis is enough to allow me to compare my
rudimentary wormhole with the Bajoran Wormhole. I’ve tried to match my
composition with the data on your wormhole, but I suspect there are many, many
subtleties yet to be discovered within your wormhole. Perhaps we could
resurvey it with one of your runabouts?

DAX
Good idea. I like the idea of establishing a wormhole when and where you
like, for as long as you need it.

HOLLANDER
If I’m successful, it’ll be the next advance in space travel. Perhaps even
time travel, if I can force wormholes through time as well as space.

DAX
We’ve got lots of time to survey the wormhole now.

HOLLANDER
Excellent! I’ve been looking forward to seeing your wormhole! (beat) It’s an
experience I’d enjoy sharing with Miles…

DAX
Really. What a surprise! Sharing with Miles and me or with Miles only?

HOLLANDER
Oh, with you too, of course. Your presence won’t change my behavior any,
though, so be warned. I left shyness behind with all the uncertainties of
adolescence. But if my forward behavior does bother you, I’ll try to control
myself. It’s landed me in trouble before.

DAX
It won’t bother me. I gave up shyness too, after Tobin Dax, who was so timid
that the mere thought of talking to a woman paralysed him! My only concern is
that the Chief will be uncomfortable. He is a happily married man.

HOLLANDER
I know: Keiko and Molly are all he talks about when we’re alone. I understand
his situation. I’m also happily married to an absent spouse. I can’t stop
living. Joshua understands that, as I understand that he needs female
companionship in our long separations. I don’t think Miles is so different,
with Keiko three hours away.

DAX
He loves them no less for the distance.

HOLLANDER
I’m not trying to replace Keiko. All I want is the comfort of Mile’s
companionship. As for Keiko, all’s fair in love and war! What do you think
she’s doing with the men on Bajor?!

Dax does not believe Keiko is having affairs on Bajor.

HOLLANDER
Anyway, Miles is a big boy. He can make up his own mind.

DAX
True. Why don’t you find O’Brien and ask him while I transfer this data to
the Orinoco. We’ll meet there.

HOLLANDER
Excellent. See you there.

Fade out.

ACT III

10 Fade in to Keiko’s old school room. Winn comforts D’Argan while glaring
triumphantly around. Bashir shows Sisko the results on his bioscanner.

SISKO (V.O.)
Station’s log, update. D’Argan’s testimony on the murder of her parents and
of her own suffering rings all too true to the horror stories I so often hear
the Bajorans tell of the Cardassian occupation. And yet, I can’t help but
wonder how much of it is Kai Winn’s contrivance rather than the truth. Kai
Winn has much to gain politically by successfully prosecuting Gul Dukat.

SISKO
Does the Accused wish to respond?

WINN
What?! You can’t-

DUKAT
I do, Captain. Is Star Fleet ‘justice’ based on innuendo and not on proof…?

KIRA
Innuendo?! Julian, you monitored D’Argan’s biosigns throughout her testimony!
Was there any indication that she was lying?!

BASHIR
N-no, Major. She… believes what she has told us.

WINN
That Cardassian is a murderer, Emissary. He is guilty! Why do you hesitate
in sentencing him?

Sisko reacts, obviously still unconvinced, and very concerned. Odo is also
unhappy.

ODO
Permission to speak for the Accused.

KIRA
Odo?!

SISKO
Let the log show that Constable Odo has offered to act as Nestor to the
Accused. Gul Dukat, do you accept his council?

WINN
This is a Bajoran trial! I will not tolerate the insult of that criminal
twisting this child’s pain to his advantage!

SISKO
This may be a Bajoran trial, but a Federation officer is presiding over it! I
wish to hear what Constable Odo has to say. Dukat, do you accept?!

DUKAT
Odo! Does this burlesque insult your precious notion of justice? Well, then,
go ahead. Speak for me. But don’t be too hopeful that you can drag this
mockery up into the light of justice!

SISKO
Go ahead, Constable.

ODO
Miss Tessaro, you told us that you and your parents were the only Bajorans
present when your parents were killed. Are you sure that no one else saw what
happened?

D’Argan is panicky and looks to Winn for help.

D’ARGAN
I… It’s hard to remember.

ODO
What is hard to remember? You seemed very clear earlier in remembering that
you and your parents were the only Bajorans present.

D’ARGAN
(Starts to get angry)
They were there!

ODO
Who were there? When did this happen, day or night?

D’ARGAN
(Angry)
They were there! The Cardassians!

ODO
Are you sure? A moment ago, you didn’t seem sure of anything. Now you are?

BASHIR
Easy, Constable.

D’ARGAN
T-the details are so h-hard to remember…

ODO
Are they. So, you’re not sure of the details, but you are sure of Dukat’s
involvement?

D’ARGAN
(pause, as if gathering anger for courage)
Yes! He murdered my parents!

WINN
You’re as bad as he is (gesture to Dukat), scaring her like that!

ODO
Madame Kai, I’m interested in the truth, not scaring young women. I don’t
understand how she can remember Dukat so clearly as the perpetrator but be
unsure who was present during the offense.

WINN
Her memories are fragile! She only recovered her knowledge of the crime a
short time ago! Her healing has only begun, poor child, but with the blessing
of the Prophets, she will heal. Seeing him pay for his crimes will help her!

ODO
If memories are all the evidence you’ll have to base your judgement on,
Captain, then I’d like to hear Gul Dukat’s side of the story.

WINN
How dare you!

SISKO
I agree, Constable. Gul Dukat, would you describe what you remember of these
events?

WINN
Emissary-!

Dukat talks over Winn.

DUKAT
Most certainly. (beat) Captain, you yourself have described Cardassians as
being “famous for their photographic memories”. I hope that you will take
that into account while I describe what I remember of this Bajoran’s
experiences here at Terok Nor. I was prefect of Terok Nor 10 years ago, yes,
and many Bajorans died while laboring in ore processing, yes. I don’t deny
those facts. But while I do recall Tessaro Elar and Eshta, it’s only as names
on a list of casualties from an accident in Ore Processing. The list was
prepared by the overseer, Firek, and relayed to me by my second-in-command,
Glin Rayeth. My first recall of this girl is when she was in the care of the
Vaatriks following her parent’s deaths. (continued)

At Dukat’s mention of the Vaatriks, Kira and Odo both react, remembering them
from the events described in the episode “Necessary Evil”. D’Argan reacts
with panic at the name.

DUKAT
(Continued)
After Vaatrik’s murder, she was removed to Bajor together with Mrs. Vaatrik.
Beyond that, I have no idea, as I did not keep track of either of them.

11 Exterior shot of DS9. Voice over of Sisko is continuous with Scene 12.

SISKO (V.O.)
Gul Dukat’s testimony only reinforces my suspicion that the charges are based
solely on uncorroborated memories. How am I to judge the trial, when I
believe that D’Argan was indeed hurt by Cardassians, and yet, to be true to my
Federation values, I feel compelled to dismiss all charges against Dukat
unless hard evidence can be produced to support Kai Winn’s charges?

Continuous with:

12 Keiko’s old school room. Dukat sits, having just finished his
testimony. Winn is comforting an emotional D’Argan. All others present have
their attention on Sisko.

SISKO
This court is in recess. Major, Constable, Doctor: I’d like you three to
remain.

The three mentioned nod. Odo gestures for the security guard to escort Dukat
away, and goes with them as far as the door to watch the mob still outside.
The extra security personnel keep the mob under control as Dukat is escorted
from sight. Winn does not move, and keeps D’Argan with her.

SISKO
Kai Winn, perhaps you would escort Miss Tessaro to your quarters until this
court reconvenes…?

WINN
I’m disappointed that you allowed that Cardassian criminal to speak, Emissary!

SISKO
I may have more disappointments in store for you yet, Kai Winn…

WINN
Might you, Emissary? I’d hate to be forced to appoint another judge in this
matter…

Kira steps in.

KIRA
Kai, it would be better if you let me talk to Captain Sisko. I’ll tell you
what he says as soon as I can.

WINN
I see. Very well, Emissary. I know you will follow the wisdom of the
Prophets! D’Argan and I will be in the temple, praying that they guide you
well. Also that they comfort D’Argan’s pain, and give her patience to survive
until you hand her tormentor over to justice! Come, child!

Kai Winn helps D’Argan leave. As the door closes, she is seen stopping to
play the mob outside the room.

SISKO
Major, unless Winn can come up with something more concrete than a girl’s
recovered memories, I’ll be forced to dismiss the charges against Dukat and
let him go!

KIRA
Let him go?! What type of justice is that?! What about D’Argan?!

SISKO
It would be a grosser affront to justice to find Dukat guilty solely on the
basis of Miss Tessaro’s… carefully scripted memories. Look, its obvious
that she has suffered, and easy to believe that her suffering was at
Cardassian hands, but it is not clear that those hands were Dukat’s! I want
the real perpetrator to face retribution! If that person turns out to be
Dukat, then I’ll hand him over to Bajor to punish as you see fit. But first,
I must be certain beyond reasonable doubt that it was he!

KIRA
How can any of you look at Dukat and not see his guilt?! I hate what he’s
done to D’Argan! I hate that he duped me into respecting, even liking him!

ODO
I agree with Sisko. Otherwise, this fiasco has as little justice as a
Cardassian trial!

KIRA
You don’t get it, do you?! He’s a Cardassian! He can rape and torture and
kill without any feelings of guilt! He can stand before you and lie and he’ll
never blink… because he’s a Cardassian! Subterfuge is as natural as
breathing to them!

SISKO
I know what he is, Major! But it’s possible- however unlikely- that he’s
telling the truth! Remember Marritza, the Cardassian who came here and tried
to trick you into believing he was the Butcher of Gallitep?

KIRA
The Cardassian who claimed to be Gul Darhe’el?

SISKO
Yes! Marritza tried to address Cardassian crimes he couldn’t stop when they
occurred, and all he got was death at unforgiving Bajoran hands! Major, the
hatred must stop somewhere! How about here?

KIRA
With Gul Dukat?! Marritza was a helpless file clerk! Dukat was the Prefect
of this station, answering only to the Central Command! There’s a world of
difference between them!

ODO
I also think it unlikely that Dukat is innocent. If he tortured that girl and
her parents, then we’ll find the proof, Major. If not, then we must let him
go and face that fact.

KIRA
You’re right. This isn’t supposed to be a witch-hunt. I’ll start checking
for witnesses and other sources of corroborating evidence. We’ll nail Dukat
your way, Captain!

SISKO
Good. Doctor, I need you to evaluate Miss Tessaro as well as the counselling
techniques used to help her. Could they have affected her testimony? Major,
see that the Vedek who counselled Miss Tessaro releases her file to Dr.
Bashir.

KIRA
I’ll see to it immediately, Captain. Dukat mentioned that the Vaatriks had
custody of D’Argan after her parent’s deaths. Mrs. Vaatrik is on Bajor. I
think that I should talk to her.

ODO
Huh. The Vaatrik woman is about as trustworthy as Dukat! I’ll go with you.

BASHIR
Wasn’t it Mrs. Vaatrik who tried to have Quark killed a few years ago?

KIRA
She’s the one!

ODO
Too bad she didn’t succeed!

BASHIR
You may as well admit it, Constable: you’d miss Quark if he were gone!

ODO
I’d survive.

SISKO
Mrs. Vaatrik may not be the most reliable source of evidence, but right now
any evidence is better than nothing. Get whatever you can, and report to me
at 0900 tomorrow with it. I’ll decide then if you have enough for the trial
to continue. Until then, advise Winn and Dukat that the trial is in recess.
Dismissed!

13 The infirmary. Bashir looks up as Kira enters with D’Argan. Kira gives
him a data pad. D’Argan hangs back.

KIRA
Here’s D’Argan’s file. D’Argan, this is Dr. Bashir. He’ll be examining you.
I want you to cooperate fully with him, ok?

Kira turns to go.

D’ARGAN
Don’t leave me! Please!

KIRA
D’Argan, you’re safe. Dr. Bashir will make sure that no Cardassians come near
you, I promise! He’ll take care of you. Ok?

D’Argan looks unconvinced but lets Kira seat her on one of the examining
chairs, then sits silent and eyes downcast. Bashir walks with Kira to the
door.

BASHIR
Thank you, Major: with my luck, Garak will decide to visit!

KIRA
I expect you’ll be able to protect her if Garak has some sudden urge to
measure her clothes size!

Fade out as Kira leaves and Bashir turns back to D’Argan.

14 Fade in to Quark’s bar, where Quark is hobnobbing with Dax, O’Brien,
Hollander, and Bashir.

BASHIR
I’m surprised that you didn’t spend some more time in the gamma quadrant.

HOLLANDER
As tempted as I was, I really wanted to get back to the lab and analyze the
new data.

QUARK
Believe me, Lieutenant, laboratory experiments are nothing compared to the
thrill of exploring the gamma quadrant!

O’BRIEN
You mean the thrill of having the Jem’Hadar chase you screaming back into the
alpha quadrant!

QUARK
If I screamed- once or twice- when Captain Sisko and I first met the
Jem’Hadar, it didn’t stop me from being pivotal in our escape!

DAX
You were brave, weren’t you Quark?

QUARK
Not at all. Bravery only gets you killed. Rule of Acquisition # XX: (a
coward lives to reap a profit on another day)!

HOLLANDER
How exciting! Sometime, I would like to see more of the gamma quadrant!

QUARK
Easy! Just step up to one of the holosuites! I’ve got lots of holoprograms
which concern the gamma quadrant, and at very reasonable prices too!

BASHIR
Reasonable, Quark?

QUARK
Adventure isn’t cheap, Doctor!

HOLLANDER
What do you say, Miles; shall we take this good Ferengi up on his offer?

O’Brien seems noncommittal. Quark looks at him pointedly before addressing
Hollander.

QUARK
Unless there are other programs that you two would prefer…?

O’BRIEN
Like what?!

HOLLANDER
Let’s play darts instead! Come on, Miles! Dax, Julian: care to play?

BASHIR
I’ll pass. I’m ready for bed.

DAX
I’m late for a date with a Klingon. He’s all yours, Dala. Don’t wear him
out!

HOLLANDER
I won’t, at least not at darts!

Quark looks knowingly at them as Hollander draws O’Brien away.

QUARK
I’ll have those two lovebirds in my holosuites yet!

ACT IV

15 Bashir’s quarters. Bashir enters to discover Garak is there waiting for
him.

BASHIR
Garak?!

GARAK
Good evening, Doctor! Forgive me for startling you in your quarters.

BASHIR
I’ll forgive you if you’ve got a good reason for being here!

GARAK
You know I would be loath to disappoint you! I understand that Captain Sisko
is going to dismiss the charges against Dukat unless evidence arises to
support Kai Winn’s claims…?

BASHIR
How do you know that?

GARAK
Oh, come now, Doctor! People on the promenade are a buzz with the trial! I
would have to be deaf not to know.

BASHIR
And you have some evidence against Dukat?

GARAK
On the contrary.

BASHIR
You have proof of Dukat’s innocence?!

Garak hands Bashir a computer file. Bashir goes to his terminal to review it.

BASHIR
This is the report Dukat mentioned describing the accident that claimed
D’Argan’s parents! How did you get it?

GARAK
Oh, someone must have left it in a pant pocket or something. It is quite
authentic, I assure you. Give it to Captain Sisko, will you?

BASHIR
I will.

Garak turns to go.

BASHIR
Garak! I don’t understand! Dukat is your sworn enemy. Why would you help
him like this?

GARAK
Help Dukat…? Yes, I suppose it does look like help, on the surface.

BASHIR
But…?

GARAK
But you’re being naive, Doctor. (beat) Perhaps my notion of justice is old
fashioned. Certainly, watching Dukat sacrificed as a martyr on the Bajoran
alter does not satisfy me! I know better than any one on this base both the
nature and the extent of Dukat’s crimes. When it is time for him to pay, his
exposure and humiliation will be for all Cardassia to see. As will his
execution. Good night, Doctor; pleasant dreams!

Bashir reacts and Garak leaves.

16 Holosuite or exercise room. WARF looks up as Dax enters. Both are
wearing karate type dress. Dax lines up beside Warf and they start the Tai
Chi style exercises.

DAX
Sorry I’m late. I got so caught up in the Miles-Dala tangle that I didn’t
keep track of time.

WARF
Ah yes. The Chief come to me today for advice on that woman.

DAX
Did he…? Then I guess he’s really tempted by her.

WARF
I fear he paid little heed to my words, if he was with her tonight. For
Klingons, the weakness of infidelity makes such actions dishonorable. There
would be no temptation or pleasure in such a mating.

DAX
I know. Curzon often cursed that particular Klingon custom.

WARF
I have long observed that humans- among others (looks at Dax)- seem to have
little control over their sex drives. I cannot say that I am surprised at
Chief O’Brien’s temptation, though I am impatient of his weakness. What I do
not understand is the farce Captain Sisko is being forced to judge!

DAX
Farce?! Why do you call it that?

WARF
The Bajorans accuse the Cardassians of the dishonor of killing defenseless
victims, like that girl’s parents, even though the Bajorans are guilty of the
same crime. It is the Bajoran’s hypocracy that I neither understand nor
tolerate!

DAX
I wouldn’t try telling Kira that she’s as guilty as Dukat, if I were you!
(beat) Doesn’t it matter that decades of Cardassian brutality drove the
Bajorans to their acts of terrorism?

WARF
Had the Cardassians- or anyone else- dared occupy a Klingon planet, we would
kill their soldiers in glorious battle! We would not harm either their or our
own elders and children, as the Bajorans have done in their terrorist acts.
There would be no dishonor, only glorious conquest!

DAX
You almost sound sorry that you didn’t join Gowron in his campaign against the
Cardassians…

Warf dismisses Dax’ teasing.

WARF
You are well aware of my opinion on the Klingon Empire’s attacking Cardassia,
Lieutenant!

Dax nods as they continue their exercises.

17 Quark’s, by the dart board.

HOLLANDER
You know, Miles, Quark is right!

O’BRIEN
Hum? About what?

HOLLANDER
What do you say to the two of us enjoying one of his erotic holoprograms…?

O’Brien doesn’t know what to say, and is self-conscious that Dala might be
overheard.

HOLLANDER
Don’t act so surprised! You know I want you! I know you want me too!

O’BRIEN
Whoa! Wait a minute! You want try one of Quark’s sick holoprograms?!

HOLLANDER
Ok, the holosuites are out. Then come back to my quarters with me! You won’t
regret it!

O’BRIEN
Keep your voice down! (beat) Look, Dala, it’s not that I don’t… like
you…

Hollander stops O’Brien by covering his mouth.

HOLLANDER
Shh. Don’t talk yourself out of a night such as you only dreamed of in
adolescent fantasies! Spend tonight with me!

O’BRIEN
Tonight! No! I mean, it’s way too late! I should be in bed already!

HOLLANDER
Yes, with me. Tomorrow night, then.

O’Brien is clearly tempted but uneasy.

O’BRIEN
(whispers)
Ok, ok!

HOLLANDER
Yes! You’re going to love it: dinner, soft music, a fire, and then… You
know, I think you should hit the sack, O’Brien! You’ll need all your strength
tomorrow night!

19 Keiko’s old school room (or Sisko’s office), the next day. Sisko,
Bashir, Kira, and Odo are present.

SISKO
Report.

KIRA
We’ve had… some success on Bajor, Captain. Vedek Eskaia gave us a list of
Bajorans who have come forward since D’Argan’s plight was made public. They
are all survivors of that time on Terok Nor.

ODO
We were able to interview all the people on the list. Most of them were
unable to comment directly on the crimes we’re investigating, but 6 did
remember various aspects of the Tessaro’s deaths.

Kira gives Sisko a data pad.

KIRA
Here’s our report.

Sisko studies the pad briefly.

SISKO
Good. I’ll study it before we reconvene the trial. For now, summarize.

Kira and Odo exchange looks.

SISKO
Why do I get the feeling that this report is of no help…?

ODO
It’s of some help, Captain. The 6 were consistent in their memories of
certain aspects of the crimes, despite giving their testimonies independently
of each other. Most of them believed that Miss Tessaro could not have
witnessed her parent’s deaths, however.

SISKO
Explain.

KIRA
All 6 remembered the Tessaros being killed by an explosion in the L wing of
Ore Processing, around 1600. D’Argan would normally have been in the Bajoran
common quarters with the other children.

ODO
But only 2 of the 6, a couple, actually recall going to the Bajoran quarters
to find her. The wife says she found Miss Tessaro with the Vaatriks in their
shop. The husband disagrees, recalling that they found Miss Tessaro in the
common quarters.

SISKO
What does this new information tell you about the accuracy of Miss Tessaro’s
memories?

ODO
None of the 6 survivors doubt for a second that Dukat was responsible.

KIRA
But, neither do any of them seem to think Dukat was directly responsible for
the parent’s deaths. While none of them were surprised that there is
suspicion about the deaths, all seem to think the Tessaros were the victims of
the shoddy Cardassian workmanship on this station!

SISKO
So Miss Tessaro may be wrong about her parent’s deaths.

ODO
It would appear so, though we still lack any hard evidence one way or the
other. I think that she really believes her version of the story.

BASHIR
I agree. If she’s lying, I don’t think it’s conscious.

KIRA
Wait a minute! It would have been just like the Cardassians to kill some
Bajorans at their sadistic leisure and then report them as ‘accident victims’!
I’m willing to bet that D’Argan’s parents were killed shortly before the
‘accident’, and that Dukat used it as a convenient way to hide his crime! Or
maybe Dukat wasn’t the ringleader, and it was some other Cardassian, but I’m
still convinced the Cardassians are directly responsible!

SISKO
I think we all expect the worst of the Cardassians, Major. But suspicions
without evidence have no place at this trial!

BASHIR
Here, Captain. Garak gave me this last night.

SISKO
And this is…?

BASHIR
It seems to be the report of the accident that Gul Dukat mentioned. Garak
assures me that it’s authentic, though of course he wouldn’t tell me where he
got it.

Sisko puts the file into the computer and the four look at the report.

BASHIR
I’ve read the whole report. It starts with the list you see there of the
Cardassian and Bajoran ‘casualties’, prepared by someone named Firek. It also
has the comments of both Dukat and the second-in-command he mentioned, Glin
Rayeth. There is no mention of blame or cause of the ‘accident’, and it would
appear that little if anything was left of the victims to be buried, so there
aren’t any bodies we can disinter to check for cause of death.

KIRA
That report means nothing.

ODO
I agree. Knowing Dukat, he probably wrote it on his way to the station!

SISKO
Do you have any evidence that Dukat was involved in the parent’s deaths?

Kira and Odo exchange looks again.

KIRA
(simultaneous with Odo)
Yes!

ODO
(simultaneous with Kira)
No.

KIRA
Maybe. Mrs. Vaatrik gave us a different story.

SISKO
She supports Miss Tessaro’s version of the crimes?

KIRA
Yes. On all charges.

SISKO
But you have a problem with her testimony, Constable?

ODO
Again, it’s her word against Dukat’s. And she has nothing to lose and much to
gain from helping Winn convict Dukat.

KIRA
True, but I wonder if she knew things the other Bajorans wouldn’t have. When
she and her husband were on Terok Nor, they were selling out Bajorans to
Dukat. She might have known about Cardassian crimes because of her own
criminal involvement. She vehemently accused Dukat of abusing D’Argan while
the girl was under her husband’s guardianship, and said that they were
powerless to stop him.

SISKO
Doctor, what did your examination of Miss Tessaro reveal?

BASHIR
It’s possible that the way Vedek Eskaia helped Miss Tessaro influenced her
memories of the crime. It appeared from the medical file that Vedek Eskaia
may have projected her own expectations onto Miss Tessaro.

KIRA
By that you mean that Vedek Eskaia expected D’Argan to have suffered as she
did?

BASHIR
Yes, and Miss Tessaro fulfilled her expectations.

KIRA
The Cardassians were… consistent in the way they abused my people, Julian.
D’Argan’s suffering is exactly the same as hundreds of other Bajoran’s
suffering. That doesn’t mean her memories are false or implanted!

BASHIR
True. And without the aid of a telepath, or an empath, we won’t be able to
tell. We could call in a Betazoid or a Vulcan, if you think it necessary,
Captain.

KIRA
I doubt that Kai Winn will allow more Federation outsiders into the trial.
Right now, I think she’d replace you, if she could, Captain!

SISKO
I’m not surprised! Continue, Doctor.

BASHIR
As to Miss Tessaro herself, I found extensive scars hidden under her clothing.
Miss Tessaro wondered if the scars are from Dukat torturing her, though she
admitted she couldn’t remember what had caused them. It wasn’t Dukat: all her
scars are too new to be from the Occupation. And according to her medical
file, at least some of the scars are from self-inflicted wounds. When I did a
psychological assessment, I found clear evidence of Post-Traumatic Stress
Disorder, but with symptoms not fully consistent with the suffering she
remembers. Her characteristics are far more diagnostic of children being
abused by people they trust and need.

KIRA
So, it still comes down to our word against the Cardassian’s.

ODO
I think it would be best if Major Kira and I could cross examine both Dukat
and Miss Tessaro.

SISKO
Major, do you think Winn will allow that?

KIRA
I think so, but I’ll have to ask her.

SISKO
Do so. If she agrees, advise her that the trial will reconvene at 1300 hours.
Constable, see that Dukat is also alerted. Dismissed.

Fade out.

ACT V

20 Fade in to Keiko’s old school room. Sisko, Kira, Odo, Bashir, Winn,
D’Argan, Dukat, and a security guard are present.

SISKO
This court is now in session. Let the log show that new evidence has been
entered that necessitates further questioning of Miss Tessaro D’Argan and of
Gul Dukat. Major Kira, your questions.

KIRA
Thank you, Captain. D’Argan, we need you to clarify a number of points. Do
you think you can do that?

D’ARGAN
I-I don’t know. (pause) I’ll try.

KIRA
You told us that Gul Dukat took you from the Bajoran common quarters…?

D’ARGAN
Y-yes.

Kira activates a computer monitor which displays still pictures of a number of
places on DS9, including L wing, Ore Processing.

KIRA
These are pictures of various places Dukat might have taken you. Do any of
them look familiar?

D’Argan tries to concentrate, looking repeatedly to Winn.

D’ARGAN
I’m not sure- (beat) Yes! Here!

Kira carefully shows the monitor, making sure Dukat cannot see what choice
D’Argan has made. Sisko, Odo, Kira, and Bashir react as D’Argan’s choice
matches the information from the other Bajoran survivors.

KIRA
D’Argan, what time of day did Dukat hurt you and kill your parents?

D’ARGAN
Tea time!

KIRA
Tea time? What, about 1500?

D’ARGAN
Yes! He said that his favorite treat at tea time was Bajoran blood! And he
laughed… I’m haunted by his laugh every time I close my eyes…

Again, the four officers react.

KIRA
What happened after he’d killed your parents and hurt you? Do you know what
happened to your parent’s bodies?

D’ARGAN
I don’t remember! I don’t know!

KIRA
It’s alright, D’Argan; just do your best. Mrs. Vaatrik claims she and her
husband adopted you. Is that true?

D’ARGAN
(very small voice)
Yes.

KIRA
What happened while you were under Vaatrik’s guard?

D’ARGAN
(PANIC!)
I don’t know!!! I don’t remember!!! I don’t remember!!!

KIRA
Did you tell the Vaatriks what happened?

D’ARGAN
W-what happened…?

KIRA
Yes. To you and your parents?

D’ARGAN
I was afraid to tell anybody. No one would believe me…

KIRA
Not believe you…? Why?

D’ARGAN
I don’t know! I don’t know!!

WINN
I fail to see how this is relevant!

Kira turns her attention to Dukat.

KIRA
Gul Dukat, what time of day does your ‘perfect memory’ recall her parents
dying?

DUKAT
The report I received stated that the accident occurred at about 1600 hours,
Major. It was no more specific than that.

Looks are exchanged as this information matches that of the other Bajoran
survivors.

KIRA
The ‘accident’. What accident?!

DUKAT
I was informed that a power relay overloaded in the L wing of Ore Processing.
The energy surge apparently ignited the uridium ore, causing an explosion and
then a fire. The heat and smoke finished off the Bajorans- and Cardassians!-
that survived the explosion.

KIRA
How many people died?

DUKAT
Everyone present, Major. Firek listed 25 Bajorans and 3 Cardassians.

KIRA
Why was the cause of the ‘accident’ of so little concern that your report
never considered it..?

DUKAT
You’ve seen the report..? But, when I went looking for it prior to arriving,
it was lost! Who gave it- Garak?!

KIRA
Just answer my question, Dukat.

DUKAT
The power systems were heavily taxed throughout the ore processing sequence.
Power surges and failures weren’t that uncommon. Neither myself nor Rayeth
nor Firek had any suspicion of Bajoran sabotage, despite the loss of 3
Cardassians. As no inquiries- Cardassian or Bajoran- were ever made, the
damage was repaired and the matter dropped.

KIRA
But you didn’t drop your persecution of D’Argan, did you?

DUKAT
Major?

KIRA
Mrs. Vaatrik was very clear on how you abused D’Argan while she was in their
care, and of how they were powerless to stop you!

D’Argan panics as Kira speaks.

DUKAT
Mrs. Vaatrik is a criminal. She lied to you, Major. Are Bajoran trials
always dependent on the testimony of convicted felons?

WINN
How dare you! Emissary, do not listen to this… criminal!

SISKO
Kai Winn, please be seated.

Kira looks as if she’s going to retort, but she catches Sisko’s eye and
remains under control. She nods at his unspoken question, indicating she is
finished with her questions. Sisko nods to Odo.

SISKO
Your questions, Constable.

ODO
Something has been puzzling me throughout this entire trial… Miss Tessaro,
why do you seem little more frightened of your accused tormenter, than of the
Captain, or the Doctor, or of me…? And yet, you panic at each mention of
the Vaatriks?

All react, with Bashir particularly struck as he realizes that abuse by
Vaatrik rather than Dukat would be more likely to cause the specific symptoms
of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder that D’Argan shows.

BASHIR
That’s it! That makes sense! It was Vaatrik not Dukat who abused D’Argan!

WINN
What are you saying?!

BASHIR
Her self-inflicted wounds, her inability to interact maturely, her low self-estem
are consistent with abuse by a trusted guardian!

D’Argan is beside herself. Kira is still reacting to Bashir’s revelation, but
tries to calm her.

SISKO
Miss Tessaro, is that true?

WINN
Of course it’s untrue, Emissary! A Bajoran hurt this child, especially one
given responsibility for her wellbeing…?! Nonsense!

SISKO
Kai Winn, I will have you ejected if you answer for Miss Tessaro one more
time! Miss Tessaro, was it Vaatrik and not Dukat who abused you?

D’Argan is too panicked to answer.

KIRA
Try to calm down, D’Argan. Now is the time for honesty. Don’t be afraid to
tell us the true cause of your pain.

D’ARGAN
Yes! Yes! It was him, Vaatrik! (to Kira and Winn) I’m sorry! I’m so
sorry!

ODO
So your description of your parent’s deaths was all a lie?

D’ARGAN
N-no! I only lied about Vaatrik! It was Vaatrik who took me to see my
parents die, and who, afterwards… afterwards… (beat) But Vaatrik didn’t
kill my mother and father! I swear!

KIRA
D’Argan, did Dukat kill your parents?

D’ARGAN
Yes! Yes! Yes!

Both Odo and Kira step back, giving Sisko their attention. Sisko looks long
and hard at Dukat.

SISKO
Let the log show that Gul Dukat is found innocent of the charge that he raped
and tortured Tessaro D’Argan. The charges of rape, torture, and murder of
Tessaro Elar and Eshta are hereby dismissed due to lack of evidence. Gul
Dukat, you are free to go.

DUKAT
Thank you, Captain.

Winn seizes D’Argan and storms out.

21 The promenade, by the air lock where Dukat earlier entered custody on
DS9. Kira and Odo escort Dukat there, Odo and security guards ensuring the
angry Bajoran crowd won’t hurt Dukat. Just before he leaves, Dukat turns back
to Kira and laughs.

KIRA
I don’t see what’s so funny, Dukat!

DUKAT
You are Major, as is your whole race! When will you realize, all’s fair in
love and war! Vaatrik understood.

KIRA
Get out.

DUKAT
As you wish. Oh, by the way, Major, I laughed then too!

KIRA
What?!

DUKAT
We all did!

Dukat turns away as Kira and Odo react.

22 The living room of someone’s quarters, set for romance. O’Brien gets a
tray with two glasses of champagne and fruit from the replicator, then turns
back toward the room. He moves toward a couch before a fire, handing one
glass to a woman whose identity is not seen. As he puts the tray on the table
and joins the woman, KEIKO is revealed.

KEIKO
Miles, I can’t believe you let this Hollander woman think that you’d spend
tonight with her!

O’BRIEN
Well, when she propositioned me, I had to say ‘yes’! It’s true! She’s the
type of woman who doesn’t take ‘no’ for an answer! Maybe this way, she’ll
realize, as I did, that you’re the only woman for me!

KEIKO
Thank you for coming to Bajor, Miles.

O’BRIEN
I couldn’t stay away.

THE END!

Notes

***Please note that D’Argan’s character is based on attributes of incest
survivors as described in E. Sue Bloom’s Secret Survivors and in Elizabeth
Loftus’ The Myth of Repressed Memory. Also, Hollander’s science project is
easily modified to be a continuation of the work presented in the episode
“Rejoined” or changed to another aspect of wormhole science altogether.***

PRONUNCIATION GUIDE

DALA DAH lah

TESSARO tess SAR oh

D’ARGAN DAR jon (soft j, as in Jean Luc Picard)

ESKAIA ez KYE ah

ELAR ee LAR

ESHTA esh TA

*DETAPAH This is meant to be the new governing council on Cardassia,
as introduced in the episode “The Way of the Warrior”

ALTERNATE TITLES

1. “War Crimes”

2. “Ghosts”

3. “Do Ghosts Tell Lies?” or “When Ghosts Lie”

4. “Do Ghosts Speak Truths?” or “Do Ghosts Tell Truths?”

5. “When Ghosts Stir” or “When Ghosts Cry”

Lisa Chilton (chilton@acs.ucalgary.ca)
ÿ

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