Chapter 17: A monster awakened.
From his vantage point in the middle of the command and control center Lord Krnage looked down upon the screens upon which the progress reports were coming in. The command and control center was large and spacious. Over a hundred dedicated officers were busy coordinating over one million men on the ground, one thousand ground invasion support vessels and three hundred space dominance vessels. This campaign was the biggest his people had ever launched and had been in preparation for over a hundred years. He was proud he had been chosen to be the one to lead it.
The first stage of the campaign was coming to a close and it had gone without a hitch. The outer most colony of the Kaligoli Empire was now completely under their control. "Lord, I have some disturbing news" announced his most trusted officer and friend Overseer Krellg. Krnage looked over at him surprised. "What news?" he asked.
"It seems a vessel escaped the blockade. Interceptors were dispatched but apparently they were destroyed… by an alien vessel." Krellg reported, reading off the screens as the information came in. "More interceptors were dispatched which followed the alien vessel into a spatial anomaly. I'm sending the full report over to your station now my lord." Krellg continued.
As he took in the information which was relayed to him Krnage became angry, as well as worried. Though all the commanders involved followed standard procedure the outcome was not one he could use at this stage of the campaign his leaders had sent him on. He looked up menacingly at Krellg. "Let me summarize if I may to see if I understand correctly" he said, staring at Krellg. "A member of the Kaligoli royal family escaped found refuge on an alien vessel which took her through an anomaly and to a space station of considerable proportions which destroyed a large portion of a complete squadron of heavy fighters in the process." He asked.
To his credit, Krellg didn't flinch and answered simply and matter-of-factly "yes my lord". And then continued. "The matter may be more grievous than it already looks my lord. Please review the communication transcripts." He said as he punched some controls.
On Krnage's screen the communications logs appeared. As he read the communication between the squadron's commander and the commander of the alien space station he frowned. Apparently this space station was owned by a "Federation of Planets" which indicated they might have gotten into a fight with a formidable foe. This was not something the confederacy could afford right now. Not until the campaign to conquer the Kaligoli Empire was completed.
"This anomaly through which the squadron came to this station. Do we have a location on it?" asked Krnage. "Yes my lord." Answered Krellg and brought up a map of space showing their own and the anomaly's location. "We must make sure this "Federation" does not become a problem Krellg. Dispatch a scientific vessel to this anomaly and study it. I want to know everything there is to know about it and I want to know it yesterday." Krnage ordered. "Also send the carrier Indomitable and two cruisers to that location. Order them to let nothing come through that anomaly. "He added after a few seconds of thought. "Yes my lord" obeyed Krellg. As Krellg set about communicating the orders to his subordinates Krnage left the control center and went to his quarters. He had to think about these developments and see if he had to adapt phase two of the campaign as a result of them.
Chapter 18: The full story.
Miles had made his way back to Ops and was analyzing the logs together with Dax on his station when Odo was delivered there by the turbo lift. Seeing the door to Sisko's office closed and Quark was still inside he turned his attention to Kira. "I've finished questioning both Rom and the Princess. Here is my report." He said offering a padd to Kira. Kira looked up at Odo. "I think I'd better hang on to this until Sisko's done with Quark. He's waiting on the analysis of Quark's ships logs." She told Odo. He looked at Kira and told her; "The Princess refused to tell me much. She insisted on speaking with someone in charge and stressed that millions of lives were at stake. She claims her people are facing an invasion by a hostile empire and need to be warned."
Kira looked surprised at this. "And you believe she's telling the truth. Else you'd not be telling me about it." She said. At that moment O'Brien punched in a final key and uttered "done." Dax nodded at him to give her approval. Dax tapped her commbadge. "Dax to Sisko. I've uploaded the analysis of the logs as well as the logs themselves into the main computer sir." He said. "Thank you old man" came Sisko's voice.
In his office Sisko punched up the file with Dax's findings. Then he replayed the communication logs that O'Brien had uploaded. He then sat back heavily into his chair. He couldn't believe it. All Quark was guilty of, at least from the moment he got onto that ship of his, was completely honorable and legal as far as he could tell. Indeed, he had to concede that any Starfleet vessel would have responded in the same manner. "Quark. My apologies. You were right. You were only trying to help." He said in a low voice. Quark, to his credit, didn't seize this opportunity to gloat, or turn a profit. He simply nodded. "Thank you Commander. I know how hard it must be for you to say this to me." He said.
Since the moment the Venture had docked and the airlock had opened Quark had been grabbed away by Worf and Rom and the Princess were escorted by Odo to the brigg. One by one Rom and the Princess had been questioned by Odo who took their statements about the events that had transpired. Then Rom and the Princess were put into a holding cell. For a while silence had blanketed the cell until the princess broke it with a question. "Are you and your brother in a lot of trouble?" she asked. Rom looked up from his feet which had been the center of attention ever since they had sat down on the bunk. He thought about it for a moment and then answered. "I don't know. The commander was pretty pissed I guess. The Federation doesn't like fighting." Then he thought some more. "On the other hand, the Federation is pretty big on helping those in need" he told the princess. "I think that Sisko will help you though. He's pretty good at reading people and you are a good person" he added. Ch'Rox smiled at that and looked questioningly. "What makes you say that?" she asked. "Well, your people are being invaded but you're worried if me and my brother are in trouble. That's not something a bad person would do." Rom answered. Ch'Rox smile got even bigger and she leaned over to him. She kissed him on the forehead and said "You're a good person too Rom" she whispered.
Half an hour later the cell's force field winked off and Odo motioned them to come out. "Your stories seem to hold up to scrutiny for now Rom. You can go home." Odo said. Then he turned to the princess. "Your presence is requested by the commander of this station.. your highness." He said. "Thank you.. constable wasn't it?" Ch'Rox replied and followed Odo out of the office.
Minutes later Odo and Ch'Rox rode up the turbolift into ops. And walked over to Sisko's office. It was opened and so they entered. Sisko sat in his chair facing the window out into space. "Princess Ch'Rox Ch'Wafke of the Kaligoli Empire is here sir" Odo announced. Sisko turned and nodded to the shape shifter. He got up and moved to the side of his desk. "Thank you Odo, you may leave us" Sisko said. He then looked at the fragile looking princess and motioned to the chair facing his desk. "Please sit down. We need to talk." He said.
Ch'Rox eyed the man before her carefully. She could sense he was the man in charge here and the one that decided if she would be helped to warn her people or not. The man had dark skin with a texture not unlike that of her own blue hued skin. His body not unlike to more athletic specimens of her own people's males. His expression, though alien, was readable. He looked like an honest and reasonable man to her. She decided to be as open and forthcoming as she could with this man.
"Thank you Commander Sisko. Time is of the essence. I need your help." She answered as she sat down. "I take it you want to know the situation you might have become involved with. Let me begin at the beginning." She said and proceeded to tell Sisko everything about their people's history with the Kleringon Confederacy and the recent invasion. Then she concluded to tell Sisko about how she escaped the blockade of the planet she was visiting and meeting Quark and Rom, and their flight to the station. As she finished she looked carefully into Sisko's eyes to measure his thoughts.
Sisko thought long and hard after the princess concluded her story. This was a difficult position he was in. He had to do everything he could to prevent the Federation getting drawn into war with this Kleringon Confederacy. This mean he could not openly aid the Kaligoli, including warning them about the invasion. His personal moral values didn't allow him to do nothing either. His gut told him this princess was what she seemed to be and she was telling him the truth.
His experience with the Kleringon's jamming technology lead him to believe there was every reason to assume the Kaligoli colony had been unable to warn anyone when the invasion had begun. They needed to be warned, but not by the Federation. A plan was beginning to form in his mind. He looked the princess in the eye. "Highness, I represent a federation of planets which never gets involved in conflicts between unaligned political entities. We cannot get involved in your conflict. Warning your home world would be interpreted as choosing sides. We cannot do that." Sisko began.
At seeing her eyes fog up with tears he quickly continued with what he wanted to say. "However, I may have a plan by which you can warn your people without the Federation getting involved officially."
Ch'Rox visibly relaxed at this. Sisko mulled over his thoughts some more before continuing. He smiled as he knew Quark wasn't going to like this. "Princess I need you to help me with detailed information about your region of space. Borders, space stations, shipping lanes, communication ranges… everything. Work with my science officer to fill in the blanks in our star charts." Sisko told the petite woman. She nodded and got up from her chair.
"whatever it is you are planning, if it helps my people I am grateful." She told Sisko. Sisko nodded and then tapped his commbadge. "Dax, pull up a star chart of the gamma quadrant. Work with the princess and fill in as much of the blanks as you can." He ordered. He pointed out Dax to the princess and she went out of his office to join her.
He tapped the commbadge again to open a new channel. "Sisko to Quark, in my office. Now."