Prologue

Echelon Prime

Stardate 55728.6

Old Earth Calendar 2378

"Amar Kol," Kevlix smiled warmly as he approached the Kerovi planetary leader. Kol turned at the sound of his voice, brushing a strand of brown hair from her yellow eyes, her orange skin blushing just slightly. Kol adjusted the white dress she had worn to the event, gold slashes tore through the fabric and were accented by the gold jewelry the Amar wore around her neck and wrist.. Kevlix diplomatically extended his hand and took her four fingered appendage in his, bowing slightly before kissing it gently.

The expansive room in which they stood amiably, lit by the enormous windows filled by the setting Echelon sun, seemed almost like the mountain home of the former Earth gods. Flowing curtains of gold draped each of those enormous windows, white marble tiles, struck through by veins of the same gold color, reflected the sound of each footstep on their surface. Massive antique wooden furniture of the old earth wood mahogany added strength and substance to the gigantic diplomatic theater. The only thing missing from the illusion were servants dressed in togas, serving every whim of their masters. Not that the Federation hadn't supplied servants, even if it was of the holographic type, dressed in tuxedos and sporting trays of delicacies from every member world.

Kevlix tried to remember the name of the mountain home of those Gods, but failed. Not that it mattered, clearly the Federation had spared no expense to treat their guests like the very gods this hall recalled. It was no surprise that they had "rolled out the red carpet", as it were, for these government representatives, especially considering the seriousness of the situation, as each of the worlds represented at this meeting were seriously discussing secession from the Federation itself.

Currently, the Federation representatives had called another break in the meeting and the Denobulan ambassador wanted, perhaps needed, to meet with the influential woman that was Amar Merin Kol. Secretly, Merin Kol wanted to stay within the Federation, but her needs and the needs of her people were two vastly different things. Kevlix continued in his jovial Denobulan manner, noticeably skipping the small talk, he ventured on, "I understand you, that is the Kerovi, will withdraw from the Federation?"

Merin Kol smiled sadly, before, "Indeed, it is with great regret that we've decided to secede from the Federation." Amar Kol stopped momentarily to take a proffered drink and thank the holographic waiter before returning her attention to Kevlix. "The Kerovi have been Federation members now for just over forty years, but the Denobulans," Kol paused dramatically, "your species has been with the Federation since the first warp five starship the….Enterprise, I believe?"

"That's correct, a doctor Phlox." Kevlix seemed to bristle a moment, adjusting the collar of the black tunic he wore, before continuing, "Quite a famous physician among my people really. They still tell stories of the great Phlox." His voice held awe, tinged with a hint of disgust.

"So tell me," Kol continued and eyed the Denobulan fiercely, "why is it that the Denobulans wish to withdraw from the Federation?"

"That is a guarded matter, Amar," Kevlix said, his joviality faltering. The truth was, the matter was so closely guarded that even Kevlix hadn't been privy to the full explanation. It had to do with a planetary exodus, that much he knew, but he didn't understand what that meant. With the manner in which his government kept secrets, Kevlix wasn't sure he would know until the exodus occurred. He shrugged more to himself than to Amar Kol. "Suffice to say that when it is time for me to know and understand, all will be made clear." Kevlix tugged at his dress tunic, pulling the black garment down over his ample body. "And you, Amar, why are the Kerovi withdrawing from the Federation?"

"We feel that peace can only be brokered by the neutrality that only nonalignment can bring, Ambassador." Kol sipped the tranya, absent-mindedly unaware that the very beverage she consumed was a gift of the First Federation to this, the new United Federation of Planets.

Hippocrite, Kevlix thought angrily as he watched her drink the delicacy with great delight. His people needed to withdraw from the Federation, to prevent their people from being drawn into this inexplicable exodus which threatened to consume his home planet and its peoples. But this trite woman withdrew for what could only be described as the selfishness of a small-minded peoples.

The Dominion didn't care about allies and enemies, only that you align yourself with them, lest they roll over you. The same could be said of the Klingons one hundred years ago, the Borg, and the Romulans, had Praetor Shinzon been successful in his revenge. The few, brave enough to stand in their way, have always been the humans and their United Federation. All of this screamed through Kevlix's mind even as he said a cordial farewell to Amar Merin Kol. Good riddance, he thought when she'd gone.

 All of this screamed through Kevlix's mind even as he said a cordial farewell to Amar Merin Kol. he thought when she'd gone.