Storm Shadows – Suspiration:

A Star Trek Voyager/Next Generation Crossover

Part 1:

Side Notes: If you haven't seen or read about my fanfiction Storm Shadows, please do before reading this fanfiction. It'll make more sense this way, because it's a sequel to that fanfiction set as a second fanfiction in a Star Trek crossover trilogy.

For understanding this fanfiction's continuity, there are a few quick things to note.

There are a few moderate hints at my fanfiction Afterthoughts. But, reading it is not required to read this fanfiction because it's revealed in brief.

There are also some moderate hints for the Deep Space Nine episode Chrysalis and the Deep Space Nine two parter What You Leave Behind. So, if you haven't seen or read about either, it's recommended you do before reading this fanfiction. But, for either, it's not required.

In a wave of scattered memories and unfolding reality…

Images of two edged crystal shards are coming down like a endless snowfall. Images of the devilishly laughing Gul Dukat, of a flaming Bajor, of mistreatment in the Classroom and double edged rivalry out in Section 31 territory… And on and on it goes.

But…then the images shatter. And one image gets larger above it all. Of all the horribleness of Cass's life… Of all the sickly misfortune… Lady Q appears. In a echoic voice, she addresses her, "you think you can hide who you really are? So irresponsibly negative. Sooner or later…you'll come with us."

Cass appears there. She faintly chuckles, "it's going to take more than that to get to me, Q. I got enough power as it is without you getting up in my case about it."

Lady Q slightly sighs, "for now. Don't say I didn't warn you." She vanishes…as a second coming of images rains down for Cass.

She tries to run between the images. But, they soon close in as giant mirrors. In the mirrors are mental images…enlarging to overwhelmingly impossible heights. Mental echoes thunder…as memories and unfolding reality become the bright white lightning flash:

Dukat thunders, "full of fire…like your parents…your foolish efforts for inspiring…"

Delicately low, Sarina asks, "why can't we?" Strictly, Admiral Ross counters, "if she finds out… Heavy sigh. All hope of reasoning with her is gone. And, I don't need to tell you what that would mean."

In a harsh like way, Cass thought thinks, "yes, yes, yes: Another resistance called the Maquis. But why…?!" Sarina thought explains, "Section 31 wouldn't take anymore risks with you if they knew what you're slowly gathering from Dukat's knowledge. In reality, I'm saving you again."

Sisko reasons plain as day, "you wanted me to get this far. And, now you're asking me to believe my sacrifice is for the good of the Prophets?!" The Prophets cryptically echo, "no sacrifice…is being asked. The gate…stays open…for us. The gate…stays open…for hope."

With a phaser ready, a teary eyed Four tries to reason, "but…if you go through with this… You would be destroyed." Cass uncomfortably adds, "most likely. You don't think I'm scared too?"

In jet black, Agent Janeway sighs hard, "I'm worried about her, Seven." With slightly curly long parted hair, Seven in jet black weighs in her viewpoint, "these are very…unsettling times for everyone. No doubt it was a matter of time before Cass would become unsettled again." Agent Janeway considers, "I know. I just wish there was more we can do."

Cass shrieks in mental overload…with echoes of herself falling into unconsciousness one by one before unfolding timelines of Borg Queens assimilating her. And then…Cass herself falling unconsciousness before the hot red glowing fire of the Pah-Wraiths.

Physically…

Cass wakes up from a silver sheeted bed…shaken and glancing nervously about. But, no one is there. Teary eyed, she mutters under her breath, "you know…I'm getting real tired of this memory "gospel". So, if anyone is there…come out and get it over with!"

And still…no one is there. Cass just angrily sighs to herself, before lying back down on her bed. And, out of the window of her darkly shrouded quarters…is one out of many on the side of the USS Voyager's hull: Painted over with darkish gray, along with its USS insignia.

A hour or so later, in Cargo Bay 2…

With her present long parted hair, Seven is recording:

Daily log, Seven of Nine, Stardate 53852.0404. Sigh. In the past five days…we have been conducting comprehensive scans extending from Ocampa to the Nekrit Expanse.

The circumstances are worse than we originally thought: We have detected Borg Probes crossing the Nekrit Expanse. No doubt the Borg have developed a flight plan to traverse the constantly shifting spatial grid.

With Interwarp, we remain undetected so far. But… Slight nervous sigh. I believe it will only be a matter of time before the Borg adapt to our warp capabilities. And, without the Doctor… There is very little margin for error in this unsettling time.

Not long after, on the Bridge…

Borg panel circuitry lines the sides of every starboard and port Bridge console. The whole Bridge has been redesigned like a secondary Astrometrics. But, with Helm, Engineering, and Science stations in one large circular silvery metal rim: All facing a wide viewscreen split into two.

Working in primary Astrometrics is Seven's father: Freed from the Borg with help from a two way transmitter. But, not de-borgified by choice. At least, in the short term sense.

Sitting in the Captain's chair…is Agent Captain Janeway herself in jet black. She's nervously tapping her fingers in the Captain's chair, with a fold out metal tray that magnetically holds her coffee cup for her. But…she doesn't feel like drinking coffee right now.

She inquires nervously, "Miss Anderson…any sign of Borg Cubes or Borg Probes?" On the right section of the viewscreen is a section of a Astrometrics chart. On the left section…there seems to be nothing but asteroids and open space.

Curtly solemn sounding, Lydia Anderson reports from Tactical, "no, ma'am." Harry Kim adds, "affirmative. Not even a single Transwarp signature within a light year."

With all the modifications made to Voyager, the Bridge's sensors can only reach so far without compromising sensors range for the primary Astrometrics. And, vice versa. In effect, the Bridge's Astrometrics are shorter range while the primary Astrometrics is longer range.

The turbolift is opening…with Seven walking onboard the Bridge. She passes Harry Kim at sensors, who faintly smiles back. His smile fades just as quickly…looking like he's seen too much for a hundred years.

He along with the rest of the crew wears jet black clothes. The rest of the crew consists of Section 31 Agents: Both Vulcan and human. Even the Main Engineer.

Agent Captain Janeway nods, "uh-huh. Keep me informed. We don't want any surprises." Lydia Anderson confirms, "yes, ma'am."

Seven makes her way to the First Officer's chair, sitting uncomfortably next to Agent Captain Janeway.

Courteously, Agent Captain Janeway turns to her, "nice of you to join us, Seven. Is something troubling you?" Seven slightly sighs annoyedly, "not more so than usual, Captain. Not more so than usual."

Agent Captain Janeway freely admits, "uneasy sigh. No one said resistance was easy work. But, for us humans…it doesn't hurt to get our minds off things once in a while. Clear our heads."

Seven insists, "I…am familiar with the human practice. But, your concern is irrelevant."

Agent Captain Janeway shrugs, "can't blame a Captain for trying." She takes a sip from her coffee…almost as though this is just another day in the Delta Quadrant.

Across the Milky Way, deep in the Beta Quadrant…

Planetoids of a unnatural dusty yellow circle a silvery sphere of a space station, ready to detonate in resonance waves. And, of all things…this space station is Section 31's base of operations.

It's been a month and a half since Team Red Hour's first mission. In that time, Section 31 has managed to locate and form a uneasy alliance with the Hazari: The only mainly intact race still fighting the Borg.

In exchange for a shared Metreon gas planetoid perimeter spanning the few habitable planets of the Beta Quadrant, Section 31 has agreed to share replicator rations and resources with the Hazari until the Borg are defeated. As far Section 31 is concerned…the bounty would be "no object".

But, for here and now, it's insurance against the Borg. If any Borg vessel goes near the base…the entire Beta Quadrant would be wiped out with the press of a single button.

In the Section 31 Base are a handful of docking bays for Section 31 ships, windowless Quarters, a yellow rimmed holo-emitter network for control panels that double as a security network, and disconnected gray Borg implants from Borg drones refitted as highly adaptive phaser arrays. But, from inside… Section 31 chooses to keep the base looking as gray and bland as ever.

The base is overseen by Reia, who in turn oversees main operations for all of Section 31 from the touch of a viewscreen wall in her Quarters. Though, she's only jointly in charge: With Admiral Ross…and a kind of familiar face with now medium length curly brownish blond hair over the sides of her face.

She's known in Section 31 as Gemma Elinor. But, some years ago…she's only been known to Voyager's crew as a science officer. The very same science officer there on the Bridge when Captain Braxton came back in time to return Voyager from the twentieth century to the Delta Quadrant…and who purposely screened out the sensor logs and information of the mobile emitter from Captain Braxton's Timeship to keep the mobile emitter from being taken back to the future. She had hoped the EMH Doctor would become overconfident to the point of replacing and possibly even disposing of incompetent crewmembers.

This plan ultimately failed. But, the information she has discreetly copied from Voyager's five year journey across the Delta Quadrant has made her a invaluable agent to Section 31. Even Captain Janeway herself still doesn't know she's a agent. And that's just the way she wants it to be.

With a soft toned but nearly chillingly shrill voice, Gemma Elinor reports, "Agent Valar. I'm receiving a message…from the Doctor." She's reporting from her Quarters, facing a viewscreen wall full of cluttered Delta Quadrant Astrometric readings and Section 31 communications logs. Yet, she seems to read it all just fine.

Fairly doubtful, Valar inquires, "how?"

Gemma Elinor admits freely, "I do not know. But, it's coming from Sector 53611. Mission Priority Two."

Valar figures coldly, "understood, Agent Elinor. Proceed with Team Red Hour as planned."

Gemma Elinor nods, "understood."

Both their viewscreens time out…going to black and terminating all log records and sensor readings before resetting themselves. But, Section 31 doesn't need PADDs or logs. Their minds are conditioned to be the only kind of memory they could ever need.