STAR TREK
THE NEW DEAL
The broken hulls of three Galaxy class Starships drifted lifelessly through space. They had been dispatched by Starfleet to intercept the Planet Killer, but were unable to stop it. The forth ship of the small armada was trying desperately to escape the communications jamming ability of the appropriately named Doomsday Machine, to warn Starfleet of the failed attempt to stop it.
Captain Worf and his crew of the USS Hood, a refitted Excelsior-class starship, were being chased by the Doomsday Machine. The casualties were many. The three Galaxy-class ships, each with just over thousand crew members, had been destroyed, their crews were dead. On the Hood there were over two hundred confirmed deaths. Worf’s first command had turned into a nightmare.
Blood streaked Worf’s. He had been wounded early in the battle, a blow to the head from debris, which had left the right side of his head smashed.
“Lt. Cazai,” Worf yelled from the helm, which he now manned due to amount of casualties, “are we out of jamming range!”
“No sir,” the Trill communications officer replied. “In another three minutes or so and I think we will be.”
As Worf worked the helm, one of the younger officers came over from trying to save a fallen crew member.
“Sir,” Ensign Walsh said, “I’ll take over for you sir.”
Worf relinquished the control of the ship to the young, but very able, ensign.
Worf limped over to the command chair and sat down. His wounds were many. A cracked skull, a gouged leg, crushed shoulder had left him battered and torn. Yet Worf knew there was far more at stake than just the small armada that had attacked the device, but perhaps the safety of the Rigel colony.
The battle with the Doomsday Machine started off good, Worf recalled. But even at point blank range, the Quantum torpedoes had no effect on the outer skin of the device. It was almost as the Armada was being played with, like toys, Worf thought. After each ship had gotten in a volley or two the Doomsday Maching began to use its Anti-proton cutting beam, and one by one, the shields of each ship were sliced through, and the battle turned in favor of the Doomsday Machine.
It was then that Commodore Menton ordered the Hood to get out of jamming range and warn Starfleet command. It had been the only ship that still had a working warp drive. Reluctantly Worf followed orders, and had left the scene of the battle to warn Starfleet.
“Sir,” Cazai said, “look!”
Worf, who had been setting his own shoulder, looked up at the main screen.
A fleet of twenty ships, mainly Starfeet, but with a few Klingon ships thrown in, headed straight for the Hood, and then past the smashed ship, and then engaged the pursuing Doomsday Machine.
“What do we do now sir?” Cazai asked.
“That fleet was already in route to the area,” Worf told Cazai. “Continue on course Ensign Walsh, so that we can contact Starfleet, and then we can get back into the battle.”
“Yes sir,” Ensign Walsh replied.
--
Deep Space Nine
Colonel Kira was at her desk when Commander Nog came in with a status report.
“So much is happening at once Nog,” Kira said to him. “Do you have any good news to report?” Kira asked.
“No,” Nog replied honestly, “I am afraid I don’t Colonel. There is still no word of any arrests in the death of Admiral Picard.”
“What about Garak?” Kira said. “Have we been able to contact him?”
“Constable Javah is still trying, as is my uncle.” Nog said.
“If anyone can contact Garak, it’s your uncle. When is Doctor Bashir due back from Bajor?” Kira asked.
Nog looked at the clipboard he was holding.
“His shuttle should be docking in the next couple hours.” Nog reported. “As soon as he gets here I will escort him to Quark’s. If anyone should be able to get through to Garak, it is Doctor Bashir.”
“My exact same thought,” Kira said. Then she smiled. “Are you trying to take my job, Commander? You are being far to efficient.”
Nog became flustered.
“Um, no Colonel,” Nog said, “I’m sorry if I over stepped there by telling you what I was going to do when Doctor Bashir returned.”
Kira chuckled, “No, no, you don’t understand,” Kira said with a smile, “I was using sarcasm. I had trouble identifying it as well when Captain Sisko used it. Nog,” she said with a soft but firm tone, “you are doing just fine as my executive officer. What about this other report I read on your last update about a fleet of starships near the Rigel system encountering some kind of automated machine that could destroy planets?”
“No update, as of now. I will see what I can find out.” Nog said, and with that he left her office.
Kira called up the Memory Alpha Database to read more about the Doomsday Machine. Suddenly the door alert signaled.
“Come in,” she replied.
The door opened and in walked Smiley and the MU version of Jean Luc-Picard. Kira could not help but noticed that the Starfleet crew members manning posts on Ops staring at the exact double of the recently slain Admiral.
“I hadn’t known your Picard had such a legacy,” Smiley said Kira, also noticing the stares. “He must have been a great man.”
“He accomplished a great deal, and will be missed.” She told them both. “What are your plans now?”
“Things are so much different here,” Smiley said.
“I wish to join Starfleet,” Jean Luc Picard said. “I believe I could have much to offer this Federation.”
Smiley shook his head. “That isn’t going to happen, for obvious reasons.” Smiley said in an annoyed tone.
“Didn’t we discuss this?” Kira asked Picard. “You’re age might pose a problem when it came to the physical requirements.”
“Maybe, maybe not,” Smiley said. “We have been in contact with an Admiral Janeway, on Earth. She contacted us a couple days ago and offered to help us decide what we wanted to do with our lives over here in your universe.”
“I think it’s a good idea to go there, to Earth.” Kira said. “I know Admiral Janeway; she is a good person.” She looked to Picard. “How long had you been part of the Borg collective over there?”
“Nearly twenty Earth years,” Picard said. “Before that time I was part of the resistance effort against the Alliance.”
“How are you managing?” Kira asked him. “I guess things must be very disorientating for you after being assimilated for so long. Did you have family back on your Earth?”
“No one had families on our Earth,” Smiley cut in. “Earthlings are treated no differently than animals. After Earth was enslaved by the Alliance, all children, including myself when I was a child, were taken from our mothers and sold on the open market to any off-worlder. Such is our existence. It is still this way on our Earth.”
“How long has your Earth been treated like this?” Kira asked.
“Nearly sixty years,” Picard replied.
“And all this happened because of our Kirk?” Kira asked.
“Thanks to your Kirk,” Smiley said, “our place in the universe was shattered. The reforms our Spock implemented, due to Kirk’s meddling, led to a weakened Earth.”
“Maybe,” Kira said, “but as I recall, the Empire on Earth, before it fell, was just as barbaric as the Alliance had that defeated it.”
“Tell that to my daughter Molly, who I only saw once; when she was born.” Smiley said. “My wife gave birth to her on Deep Space Nine, in the small tent city they let maintain in one of the cargo-bays . But even that didn’t stop our Odo from putting up my little Molly on the market for credits.”
Kira shook her head. They had indeed had it rough over in the Mirror Universe. Enslavement and resistance movements. Even the way they talked to her, Kira could tell they had had rough lives with very little joy and laughter. Her past had more in common with them than her own Picard and Obrien.
“Anyway,” Smiley said, “since we still don’t have our Federation Citizenship papers back, Janeway asked us if you could book us on a transport back to Earth, with your signed release forms.”
Kira smiled, “Of course,” She told them both. “You saved us all, including Bajor, by agreeing to let the Admiral use your implants,” Kira said to Picard. “It’s the least I could do.”
At that moment, Nog came back in.
“Colonel,” Nog reported, “a Federation wide alert has been acivated. Starfleet Command is demanding all available ships head in the general direction of the Rigel system.”
“Inform Captain’s West and Paris to prepare their ships for departure.” Kira replied.
“They’re both ready to go,” Nog said, “I guess they had prepared for this possibility.”
“Then give them my regards, and clear them for departure.” Kira ordered.
“Yes sir,” Nog said, and then departed.
“Sounds like your universe,” Smiley said, “has its own share of concerns.”
“Yes,” Kira replied softly as she thought about Picard’s death, “We do.”
--
RIGEL 7
Jake Sisko, Thomas Riker, and Marax were searching the small vessel, when finally Thomas came upon a secret switch, hidden behind one of the old style bookcases. He pressed it, and then the bookcase slide open, revealing a hidden compartment. It was a large room, and then a very regal woman greeted them.
“Hello,” she said in a very friendly matter, “can I help you?”
Then, out of nowhere, a man appeared behind her.
“Ahh,” Professor Moriarty said to Jake, “Mister Sisko.” He motioned to the woman. “This is my wife, the very elegant Countess Regina Bartholomew-Moriarty.”
Thomas cut Jake off before he could reply.
“Listen,” Thomas said, “We have come for Jake’s wife. Right now, with the planetary alert going off, I would suggest for all of our sakes you just give Koreana to us; immediately.”
“I can not do that my good man,” Moriarty said. “Koreana Sisko was brought here, by me, for a reason. In fact,” Moriarty said as he motioned them to come into the room, “there is more going on here than you think.”
Cautiously Riker, Marax and Jake came into the room. Marax was looking at his tricorder.
“Mr. Riker,” Marax said to Riker, “the planetary alert has moved to Red. The Planet-killer’s course has been plotted. It will arrive here with in the hour. We have to get out of here.”
Then Jake saw what Moriarty was talking about. Kassidy, along with Joseph, were tied up to chairs with gags around their mouths. Jake ran over to them.
“Jake!” Kassidy said as soon as Jake removed the gag.
As soon as Jake removed Joseph’s gag, the young boy leaped into his arms.
“I knew you would save us!” Joseph said with a broad smile.
“What is going on here?” Jake demanded of Moriarty. “What are you doing with my family?!!” He added with anger.
“Perhaps I can answer that question.” A voice answered from behind Thomas and the others.
They turned around to see a Cardassian; but not just an ordinary Cardassian.
“You!” Jake said with fear and anger, “Dukat!”
Dukat smiled. “Why yes, Jake, I am so glad you remember me.” And then Dukat’s smile faded, “You’re father and I have some unfinished business. Thanks to the Wave, and Sisko’s meddling in affairs beyond his realm, he has given me this opportunity to come back to finish this once and for all. But, I need leverage; and now I have you.”
Moriarty came over to Dukat. “As you can no doubt see,” Moriarty told Dukat, “My attempt at finding immortality as an android failed. So, I have considered your counter offer of life through divine intervention.”
“And you have done well,” Dukat told Moriarty. “Your reward will be granted once my domain is returned.”
“Sorry, not if I can help it!” Riker said suddenly.
At that moment Riker fired his phaser at Dukat. Dukat stumbled back, but it was clear the beam had no real affect on him. Then Riker pulled out the Katana he kept in a shoulder sheath on the back of shoulder.
“I guess,” Riker said a smile, “we’ll have to do this the old fashioned way.”
“No,” Dukat said, “you just simply have to die.”
Dukat raised his left hand, and a red electrostatic burst arced out of his fingers. But, in an act of pure heroism, Marax shoved Thomas Riker out of the way. The moment the red energy hit Marax, the Benzite ignited in pure flame and was incinerated.
Kassidy screamed at seeing this, and seeing Dukat turn toward’s Jake, who was still holding her son. Joseph buried his head into Jake’s shoulder.
Riker, watching all this transpire, pressed a button on his sleeve. Instantly he, and Jake, who was holding Joseph, vanished.
“They’ve escaped!” Moriarty said.
“No matter,” Dukat said with a smile. “We have Kassidy,” Dukat said as he came over and place his fingers on her chin.
“Ben will defeat you,” Kassidy said with pride. “He will defeat you just as he did before.”
“Really,” Dukat said to her, “Then why is it that I am the one who is standing here, touching his female as I please, while he is no more than a whiff of smoke.”
“Our designs may be foiled now that they have Sisko’s child.” Moriarty said.
“What is going on here? What do you have us involved with? You must tell me my love.” The Countess demanded of Moriarty.
“What’s going on here,” Kassidy said to the Countess, “is you your husband has made a deal with the devil.”
--
Continued
NEXT TIME...TALOS-IV!!
