This story takes place shortly after Ahida's graduation and beginning her first assignment.
Captain Hikaru Sulu was very satisfied. Three weeks of training and war games had just concluded with the fleet Excelsior commanded in better shape than he had ever seen it. It could withstand anything an enemy could throw at it.
Sulu turned to his first Officer, "Chekhov, take the con. I'll be in my quarters."
"Aye, sir." The Russian said as he took the command chair.
Sulu stepped into the turbo lift. "Deck five."
The lift dropped and slowed to a stop at deck two. The door opened and Lt. Ahida Uhura stepped in, her eyes and face down turned towards the floor.
"Ahida, you're up awful late."
"Yes sir. I was in the lab examining the specimens we collected on Lento four. I think they are a combination of both plant and animal in one being."
"That's fascinating. Tell me have you heard from your mother?"
"Not since our falling out after graduation. I think she's still in Africa with her people there."
"That's what I've been told as well."
The lift stopped, the door opened for deck five, Sulu stepped out.
"Captain?" Ahida asked. Sulu turned back. His eyes widened in shock as looked down at the dagger she had plunged deep into his chest. She pulled him back into the turbo lift and slammed him against the wall. The doors closed.
"Bridge." She said. "You didn't see this coming? The meek, little science officer. A plot has unfolded right under your nose, and you never suspected."
She twisted the knife deeper and watched the life drain from his eyes. She pulled the knife out and wiped away the blood on Sulus uniform. She released him and let his lifeless body slump to the floor. The lift stopped and the doors opened.
Someone gasped. The bridge crew stood up and watched as she strode onto the bridge. The two guards standing inside bowed as she passed.
"See to it that the lift is cleaned."
"Yes, your highness." One of the guards said.
"Captain Chekhov, signal the fleet to assemble and lay in a course for Earth." She turned to communications, "Hail the ISS Lorca."
A moment later the bearded Spock appeared on screen.
"Father." Ahida bowed slightly, "The plan is in motion."
"Sulu?" He asked.
She held up the dagger. There was still fresh blood on it. "He resigned his commission."
"A pity. I could have used such a man. When we are in transporter range, your mother and I will beem aboard."
The screen faded out. Ahida turned to the tactical display. Twenty five starships were taking positions around the Excelsior.
"Die, or abdicate. When the Emperor sees what is arrayed against him, those will be his only two choices."
"He vill abdicate." Captain Chekhov said. "Kirk is a coward or a survivor, take your pick. If he lives, he vill spend the rest of his life, trying to regain power."
"Father will see to it, that doesn't happen."
"You look awful." Curzon Dax said, as Ahida sat at the table with only a cup of black coffee for breakfast. "It's not the dreams again?"
"Yes." She said. "And it's getting worse. I killed Sulu last night. It was so real. I felt the knife slide between his ribs, I smelled death and looked into his eyes. The worst part, I enjoyed it. I got out of bed, threw up and cried for an hour."
"Call off today's research and go to sickbay. They're used to dealing with that here. The Guardian of Forever, that dead city right out there. As they say on Vulcan: it gives everyone the heeby jeebies."
"That's an Earth saying." She corrected.
"Well, you get the point. Almost everyone reports bad, weird dreams here."
"No, research will help take my mind off of it."
"Suit your self. Excuse me. I'm going over there. I've been dying to talk to that Betazoid technician since I got here. Enjoy your coffee."
As coup attempts go, it was one of the quickest in the history of the Terran Empire. The former Emperor James Tiberius Kirk, hands tied behind his back, stood defiantly facing Emperor Spock.
"Is this my punishment? Are you just gonna stand there and stare at me?..." He screamed, "Say something you miserable half breed."
Kirk felt the point of Spock's dagger under his chin. "Your unexpected survival has left me with an undesirable conundrum, what to do with you."
"Well I'm sorry to be such an inconvenience on your first day on the job."
"You are too dangerous to be left alive. Killing you would go against the principles of my New Dawn plan for the Empire. However, there is the former Klingon prison planet Rura Penthe. There, you can live out whatever life you are able, as long as you can survive. But you will not die at my hand or by my order."
"How typical. You lack the courage to kill me yourself or even give the order. I swear, somehow I will find a way off that rock and one day you, your wife and that mongrel thing you call a daughter, will lay dead at my feet."
"Captain Chekhov get him out of here."
"Vith pleasure." Chekhov nodded to the guards. They began dragging Kirk towards the back door of the Throne Room. Kirk was screaming.
"I'll be back, mark my words, I'll be back. Do hear me Spock? Do you hear meeeee?"
In keeping with Spock's New Dawn vision, the coronation ceremony was short and simple.
Afterwards, Ahida strolled the halls of the Imperial Palace. The cleaning staff was busy removing the last vestages of the Kirk regime. They bowed as she approached. As she rounded a corner, she was struck by a blinding blue light.
"Anything?" Curzon asked as Ahida broke off a mind meld with the Guardian.
"Still not responding." She said, Her frustration evident.
"What am I even doing here?" Curzon asked. "I negotiate the Kihtomer Accords and Starfleet sends me here to negotiate with a rock, that won't even talk to the one it supposedly trusts." He noticed her hands shaking. "Sweetie you really need to go see the doctor."
"You're right, I'm not doing any good right now."
"Good. Let's call it a day. I saw this really cute Andorian archeologist the other day. I'm dying to meet."
"You're trying to get me out of the way, aren't you?"
"No. Not really, well sort of. I have to have something to do while your at the doctor's."
She laughed. "See, feeling better already."
They gathered their things and started down the path to the guard station. They had only gone a few steps, there was a flickering blue light, a footstep. Ahida turned a thought she was looking at a mirror.
Curzon gasped, "By the Gods of Trill, Ahida that's you!"
The mirror Ahida, looking more like a savage than a civilized being drew her dagger. Ahida pulled a phaser. The savage backed away. Eyes darted from one to the other. She turned and leaped into the Guardian. Nothing happened. Like a wild animal she scampered into the ruins, and disappeared.
"Take this." Ahida said, as she handed her phaser to Curzon.
"I don't won't that."
"Take it, go to the guard station. Keep the guards there. I have to do this alone."
"I can't..." Before he could finish, she had already vanished into the ruins. "Great. A diplomat with a phaser. These things never end well."
Ahida picked her way through the rubble of the ancient city. She closed her eyes. Deep down, an essence passed from the family sehlot Teela at death now took control.
She opened her eyes, nostrils flared. I know where you are. You will not harm this one, who I have protected for so long. I feel your breath and hear your heart. You are now my prey. She heard the small pebble as it sailed over her head and bounced to her right.
You're mine.
Ahida's left arm came up struck her attackers wrist, deflecting the fatal blow. Her right hand reached for the base of the neck. But the savage was fast enough to avoid the nerve pinch. But not her left leg. She tripped, stumbled, fell, but managed to roll and came up in a defensive stance. The blade angled at Ahida.
"You baited me into my own trap. I should have known, you were making it too easy."
"Who are you?"
"Your father never told you about the Mirror Universe? Mine encountered some of your people years ago. I believe the Guardian sent me here to kill you."
"Why would you think that?"
"Because I wished it. Every night I see you in my dreams. You're weak and pathetic. Last night you cried for Sulu. Is he a mentor a father figure?"
"Something like that. He was there when I was born."
"Same here. But he used me to get to my mother. She always rejected his affections." She pulled down her collar, revealing a scar. "He did this when I was five. I cried and ran to mother after he left. She beat me and told me never, ever cry over anything again. That's my universe. Now, you've shown you can use a simple defensive move. But, what if it's more serous?"
The savage walked over to a small pedestal the statue long gone. She laid her blade on it.
"Come here." Ahida complied. The savage held out her left hand. "Give me your left hand." Ahida again complied. The savage squeezed until it hurt. "Squeeze mine. Good, now neither can escape." She raised her right hand, Ahida did the same. "I'm going to count to three, pick up the blade and kill you. Or you can kill me. But you are so pathetic, you can't commit such a violent act, you'll stand there. Ready?...One...Two...Thr...SMACK!
Ahida punched her square in the nose. She staggered back and fell flat on her back. Green blood trickled down her cheek. She tried to move, but Ahida's foot was on her throat. The point of her own blade inches from her face.
"Don't move."
"Why didn't you go for the blade?"
"Your nose was closer. I maybe pathetic, but I'm not stupid."
"You just committed an act of violence. Go somewhere and throw up."
"Maybe later. Right now I am enjoying myself."
"I wasn't really going to kill you."
"How was I supposed to know that?"
"I lie a lot."
"At least you're honest." Ahida blinked realizing how absurd their conversation must sound.
"Hey girls, playtime's over." Ahida stole a quick glance. It was Curzon and a five man security squad, brandishing Mark nine phaser rifles.
Ahida backed away from the savage. "I told you to stay at the guard station."
"They were a little impatient. Besides, I had a hunch you two weren't going to play nice. Here take this, before I cause some real trouble." He handed the phaser back. Ahida pocketed the dagger.
The savage sat glaring at her captors. Ahida, Curzon and one of the guards were huddled together.
"Mam," the guard asked, "what are gonna do with her?"
"She doesn't belong here. We have to send her back through the Guardian."
"Will it work?" Curzon asked.
"I don't know. The Guardian must have sent her here for a reason. First, I'm taking her to my quarters."
"Your quarters! Oh, that's a great idea. Give her a phaser too while you're at it. What could go wrong?"
Ahida walked away. "I'd rather negotiate with a Klingon." Curzon said to the Sgt. "At least they listen."
"Follow me." Ahida said.
"Of course, your Majesty." The savage replied.
It was lunch time on the base, as the group passed through the main compound. Everyone stared at the sight. The Ahida they knew, followed by a bloody nosed savage, with an arrogant strut, the security team and Curzon bringing up the rear.
Outside her room, Ahida handed her phaser to Curzon.
"Oh no, not again. You're determined that I get to shoot someone today."
"Stay outside. I'll be all right."
"You girls start throwing things, I'm busting in."
Inside, the savage surveyed the room.
"I've seen this in my dreams." She picked up a stuffed sehlot from Ahida's bed. "Last night you sat in that corner crying over Sulu and cradling this thing."
She tossed it back on the bed. She continued to look the room over. A large framed picture caught her eye. She took it off the wall and sat on the bed.
"I know these people. From the silly uniforms you're wearing must be graduation day at War College."
"Starfleet Academy."
"Oh what a frightening name." She laughed and pointed at an Asian woman. "Do you really know her? I recognize her from our history. Emperor Phillipa Georgio. Only a Terran smiles like that. The rumors must be true. After her over throw, many believe she escaped to your universe."
"Many rumors surround the Admiral. I never believed any of them. If what you say is true. She assimilated fairly well to our ways."
"She was a vile human being, even by our standards." She continued to scan the picture. "Mother, father without a beard, no one would take him seriously. My grandparents, I never knew them. My Cadet Captain Steve Riggs, he's moving up fast. Three assassinations already. Sulu, Chekhov the useful idiot. Is that Fenton Mudd? Don't tell me, he's a respectable businessman."
"Hardly, lieing con man. But, he did save my life. That's why he was welcome there."
"Mudds are the same in my universe. Just after I joined Excelsior, he was arrested with a stolen phaser rifle. Sulu had him put to death in an Agonizer booth. He screamed for hours."
Then she noticed a smiling face poking out from behind Ahida's shoulder. "Is that Jasmine?"
"Yes, my best friend at the academy."
"Mine too. Is she alive?"
"Tactical officer on the Excalibur."
"She was a Mudd, but she earned her uniform. Near the end of our third year an upper classman recognized her. His family had been cheated by Mudds. He beat her to death. Received a reprimand for not planning a proper assassination."
She stared at the picture for a long while. "Every one smiles. No body smiles in the Empire. Not like this. My father just became Emperor. He has a plan, he calls it A New Dawn. He wants to reform the Empire to be more like your Federation. I told him he's a fool. It would never work. But he's stubborn and insists it will."
"Sounds alot like my father."
"What's it like? To walk among people and not fear a knife in the back? Or an ambush around every corner?"
"I've never thought of that."
"Can you get me home?"
"I think so."
The savage waited in front of the Guardian. Ahida pulled the dagger from her pocket.
"Here, you'll probably need this."
"Yes. The old ways will die a long slow death. I'm afraid I will need it many more times." She sheeved the weapon and moved close to Ahida. "I still think you're pathetic. But you've given me something to think about. Next time I want to stab someone, maybe I'll just punch them in the nose. That got my attention."
"You could try random acts of kindness. That can go a long way."
"Kindness. A foreign concept to me. But I'll consider it."
A blue light appeared in the Guardian. Without another word, the savage walked into it.
She was walking down the corridor just a second after she had disappeared. A sore nose told that what had just happened was real and not a dream.
An old man, a member of the cleaning staff bowed as she approached. She stopped in front of him, he trembled in fear.
"Look at me." He didn't move. "I want you to look me in the eye." Slowly, he raised up and looked into her eyes. She placed a hand on his shoulder.
"There is no need to fear us. My father is in charge now. The old ways will die. Your grandchildren and their children will live in a better Emp...better world. For the Empire, it is a new dawn.