Sorry for the really long delay between chapters. I had a ton of time, but didn't write and then got really busy. The rest of this story is written (just needs to be edited) and my goal is to release the next chapter on Friday and the remaining 2 chapters the Fridays after that. Also for fun, I'll put a chapter with the original story written back in high school. I've come a long way in writing since then.

Note: I should have made this note a long time ago, but if you don't want to read the backstory on the Prophets/Pah-wraiths feel free to skip it. I wanted something to explain some of thing and really like it, but I know it got kind of long and is probably not that interesting to some people. This is the last chapter of it, but it's a bit longer here than before too.

Chapter 10: Dark Clouds Growing

Prophesies have been told throughout the ages. When they turn out to be true, they can become the centerpieces for whole religions. Rare was it in history however to have two men together who are central figures in two seemingly unrelated prophesies from completely different cultures.

In a ship traveling through the new galaxy from Coruscant to Bajor, Ben Sisko and Anakin Skywalker sat each caught up in their own fears. Anakin, exhausted, was finally in an uneasy sleep as the ship approached its destination.

Sisko meanwhile needed to make a decision on something he wasn't even sure he knew the question to. He finally let his mind drift. He knew who would have an answer to this. He used to ask her everything. Could he still truly see her as she was? He closed his eyes.

Sisko pictured his quarters as they originally were on the Saratoga. There was a cradle for Jake to the side of their bed. Pictures of their wedding hung on the wall along with holographic image from the last World Series. He looked to the side and he could see Jennifer. He remembered her as she had been as best he could. The image wasn't perfect, but as he concentrated harder the image seemed to clear. She was gorgeous as ever.

Jennifer stared right at him, "What do they want you to do?"

As Anakin slept, he could see Coruscant.

Padme, confident and in charge as always, turned to the security chief as he rushed to the door initiating several locking sequences. Padme asked him, "What is it now?"

"Borg have entered the building. We need to lock down this room."

"Here. How?"

"I don't know, but they are on the floor above us."

A half dozen guards surrounded the door as two others pushed Padme back to the corner of the room. Outside, the sounds of automated blasters could clearly be heard.

Jennifer repeated the question. "What do they want you to do?"

Sisko shook his head in frustration. "I don't know! I don't even really know what the question is, but if I say no I'm not sure what will happen."

Jennifer smiled. "What will happen if you say no?"

The security locks only lasted a moment. The door opened and the guards started firing their blasters as the drones poured in. The blasts accomplished nothing, bouncing off personal shields of each drone.

From the corner, Padme watched as the drones overpowered the guards and injected them with something. She reached for her own blaster and started hitting a few buttons. Let's see if what they can handle a lot more powerful blast.

Sisko rubbed his head. "I think the stakes are high. We have two universes combined together for whatever the Prophets have in mind. If I say no, there is no telling what could happen."

"Do you trust them?"

Sisko thought about the Prophets; he hadn't been thrilled to be named Emissary or to have his life intertwined with them. Time had changed a lot though. Bajor had become his home. When he retired, he imagined he'd buy a house on Bajor and grow old there. Grown too had his sense that the Prophets would do whatever they had to defend Bajor. Sisko shook his head, "Yes."

Jennifer put her arm around him. "But you are worried to say yes. Worried about what they'll do to you."

Sisko looked into her eyes. "They don't even want me to be a father."

The Borg started toward the back of the room. The 2 remaining guards rushed forward to confront the drones hand to hand. They didn't last long.

Padme looked at the blaster. The safeties were off and it was about to overload. It was now or never. She threw the blaster toward the Borg and the explosion knocked her to the ground.

"Do you think they will take away your free will?"

"What?"

"Your free will. If you say yes, are you going to become a mindless drone?"

Sisko shook his head. That wasn't how they operated. "No."

Jennifer hugged him. "Then this choice isn't a final one. You might have to leave us behind for a while, maybe even longer that that," She glanced back at Jake in the crib, "but agreeing to join them now isn't going to mean you stop loving us or mean you won't protect us if you get the chance."

A tear dropped down Sisko's cheek. "I miss you."

She touched his cheek. "We'll be together again someday."

Three Borg were down on the ground severely injured, maybe dead, but others slipped past them. Padme fought as they grabbed her. She resisted as one picked her up, but resistance was futile. The Borg put his assimilation tubes into her neck. She screamed, "Anakin!"

Sisko came back from his daydream knowing his decision was made. Whatever it was the Prophets wanted, he was going to have to go along.

Anakin snapped back awake. It had been exactly like his dreams about his mother. The agony, the feeling that his time was slipping. He wasn't going to let it happen again.

Sisko didn't notice what Anakin was doing with the controls until the lines of hyperspace disappeared. "What are you doing? We won't be there for a half hour."

"We're turning around," said Anakin.

"Turning around?" said Sisko. "You can't turn around."

"Watch me," Anakin said. "Sorry, but I've got to get back."

"Surely whatever it is can wait."

"I'm not adding an extra hour!" said Anakin yelling. He hit a few buttons and the ship started to turn.

"I have to get back now. Bajor is in trouble."

"So is Padme and I'm not abandoning her."

Sisko desperately tried to find an alternative. He would overpower Anakin if he had to. He could feel the time slipping away. He looked at the computer starcharts Anakin had pulled up. Then it hit him. How had he missed it before? "The wormhole!"

"What?" said Anakin as he instructed the computer to make the calculations to return to Coruscant.

"It leads to the Gamma Quadrant and is closer to Coruscant than this location. You can save time by going through the wormhole."

Anakin would have ignored Sisko, but he could sense he was telling the truth. "Alright, but I'm not slowing down when I get there."

"That won't be necessary."

Dooku made himself put down the book. The Pah-wraiths were connected to the Dark side and they wanted him to read the book regardless of any protections it had. He could feel them calling him through the book. He had been successful. He had broken through all of its safeguards; all it was costing him was his mind.

Dooku looked at the book, wanting to read it, knowing he could read it, he could see the Force signature of the Pah-wraiths all over it. Was this really what he wanted though? He knew what he wanted for the galaxy. He wanted a more ordered, more civilized galaxy. One were the Sith would maintain a peace and order that the Jedi had never been able to accomplish. Was that still what he would want with the Pah-wraiths? Was this power worth the cost?

Dooku resisted picking up the book for another moment and then felt powerless to avoid giving in.

A sense of calmness and acceptance had come to Sisko. He could see that the same feeling was not shared by the young Jedi. "What's wrong with Padme?" Sisko asked.

Anakin didn't reply at first and Sisko didn't think he was going to at all. "I had dream," Anakin said finally, as if that explained everything.

"Of the future?" Sisko asked confused.

"Not if I can help it," said Anakin.

Sisko gave a short almost pained laugh. "I would have done the same for Jennifer."

Anakin didn't say anything. Sisko thought of the Saratoga again. This time he thought of leaving Jennifer's body there as he was dragged off. "Get back to her quickly. I'm sorry I took you away."

Anakin finally turned to him. He gave a weak forced smile. "Good luck to you too. I hope these Prophets don't have too much they want you to do."

Sisko nodded. Anakin turned back around and hit a few buttons. "Are you going to help them like they want?"

The ship exited hyperspace. Sisko didn't answer Anakin's question. He clicked his combadge, "Sisko to Deep Space 9."

After a few moments he heard Kira. "Captain, it's good to hear your voice."

"What's going on?"

"The kai is dead. Someone broke into the interior archives and stole the Book of the Kosst Amojan. It's said the book holds the secret to releasing the Pah-wraiths. There is panic all over Bajor and we've had at least 10,000 Bajorans asking where you are."

"Prepare to beam me back."

"Understood."

Sisko saw Deep Space 9 approaching and he looked to Bajor. If he wanted to protect this, he was going to have to be prepared to make a sacrifice, to finally completely embrace his role as emissary.

"Are you ready Captain?"

"Belay the order," said Sisko, slowly realizing the station wasn't where he needed to head.

"Captain?"

"The Forest is still on the other side of the wormhole negotiating with the Dominion?"

"Yes."

"Just in case, tell them to be prepared to beam me up."

"Just in case…Ben what's going on?"

"I'm not sure." He paused for a minute. "Major, take care of the station. Sisko out."

Anakin looked at Sisko, but didn't question what had just gone on. The ship went past the station and the wormhole opened.

Anakin couldn't help starring at the bright blue colors. The Force felt different here, as though its will was quite different here for some reason. The feeling didn't disappear until he left the wormhole.

As the ship entered the Gamma Quadrant and the blue disappeared, Anakin turned around. Sisko was gone. Anakin didn't dwell on it. Now wasn't the time. Anakin calculated the jump to hyperdrive.

He was the last person ever to go through the wormhole.

Tebor 5 Research Center, Cardassia Prime, Dominion Space

Janice had been the lead scientist for this center for more than 20 years. Of all the things that had come here to be studied, nothing had ever fascinated her as much as the orbs from Bajor. She walked up to one now.

Years of study on the orbs or not, they really had discovered very little. Whatever secrets the Prophets kept, they hadn't been revealed yet. "When did the spike in energy readings start?"

An aide spoke up, "About an hour ago…"

Both Janice and aide were cut off as the orb lifted itself up and burst through the air and through the roof. Ten minutes later, Cardassian ships detected it moving quickly away from the system on a course toward Bajor.

"Say that again," said Kira to Odo over the comm.

"The orb is gone. Its case is still here, but it flew through the wall."

Worf spoke up from behind his station. "I've detected the orb approaching a location on Bajor. It appears other orbs are joining it."

"OK," said Kira to herself. "Why?"

"Major!" said Worf. "I'm detecting major distortions in the wormhole."

"On screen."

The wormhole opened, and for a moment, Kira saw it bright and powerful. The blue was beautiful as it had always been.

Then it stared to fade. The wormhole remained opened, but its light seemed to dim. After a few seconds Kira couldn't see it anymore.

"Report!"

Worf hit several buttons and looked at Kira in disbelief. "I'm not detecting any signs of the wormhole."

Raje Adams walked along the bridge of Device B. The reports were coming in that the Malkans' fleet would be here within the hour. President Monroe, is spite of many pleas from Admiral Rachelas refused to withdraw. Adams knew this meant the end of Destiny was approaching. Now was the time for him to make the raje title worth something again.

Adams ducked down as blaster fire went off all around the bridge. Half the command crew was knocked out before they knew what hit them. Adams looked up and nodded with satisfaction. So far, so good.

He spoke to one of the men still standing. "Do it quickly. I'll be in the shuttle."

Ten minutes later, Raje Adams was in a shuttle approaching the wormhole. It opened with the light grey color he had seen when it first appeared. Within 10 seconds though, the grey was replaced with a bright fire red. He entered the wormhole and slowed down.

"Who are you?" said someone behind him.

The raje turned around and gulped. This is what he wanted, but it was still startling to have someone appear like that with no warning. Even more startling was the man before him. He was glowing red; he almost seemed to be on fire.

"I am Raje Adams. I am the spiritual leader of the Constanians who live on the nearby planet. I am trying to make contact with the gods, or else someone else who can help us."

The man looked at Adams for a good twenty seconds before responding. He smiled. "You wish to destroy your enemies."

"Yes," said the raje. "They threaten us unjustly. "Who are you?"

The man's smile widened. As he did, Adams got the chills and goose bumps formed. "We are the Pah-wraiths. We will destroy your enemies, but we need to form a more permanent connection with your world outside of just this temple."

"Temple? You mean the wormhole?"

"Yes, wormhole," the being said absently. The man looked at Adams again, seemed to be reading him in some way the raje couldn't see. "There is a place on your planet which should do nicely."

"Good," Adams said.

"If you want our help though, you'll have to swear allegiance to us."

Adams gulped, but didn't back down. This is what he wanted. "I swear."

On board the Salvation, Admiral Reachelas looked over the readings. The Malkans would be here soon and he had no doubt that his life would end then.

"Admiral! Device B has started sending signals toward the wormhole and it has affected the wormhole's energy output. A shuttle has also entered the wormhole."

Reachelas could see the whole thing in his head instantly. Adams had been spending too much time over there. He had never dreamed Adams would go this far, but he didn't have a question who had done this. "Dam that fake raje. Transport troops onboard the station. Adjust the wormhole's energy outputs back immediately."

Reachelas went to a station and hit a few buttons. "Captain Strung. There is a shuttle in the wormhole. Destroy it!"

Several minutes passed and Rachelas received reports the bridge of Device B was secure. The crew was having difficulty switching the energy levels back though. Precise control of the wormhole had only been possible when both Device A and B had both been available. Still they tried and the wormhole started alternating between the fire red color and a new bright blue color.

The man's smiled faded. "We are losing our connection to your realm."

Raje Adams looked panicked at his controls. The navy had responded quicker than expected.

The Pah-wraith started fading in and out. He grabbed Adams hands. Adams hands burned badly as something appeared in them. "Take this!" said the being. "It can only be read by you, the religious leader of your people. On the nearby planet, there is a cave which has the right composition to give us a full connection to your realm. Use blood to see these instructions. Once we have returned, we will destroy all of your enemies."

The being started to fade completely and Adams hit the navigation buttons on his control panel.

As Adams exited the wormhole he was fired on. He dodged the next couple of blasts and took his shuttle into Destiny's atmosphere.

"Admiral, the shuttle has left the wormhole. We still can't get the energy level right."

Rachelas shook his head. "No time for that now. Stop messing with it. I don't want to draw the Malkans attention to the wormhole. Tell the crew of Device B to not let the station fall intact. Last thing we want is for the Malkans to have the ability to change the wormhole themselves. Once the current link is severed the wormhole should be independent right?"

"In theory yes," said a scientist.

"Good. Now…"

Rachelas was stopped in mid-sentence as the screen switched to show a massive Malkan fleet entering the system.

"All hands prepare for battle."

Captain Strung hit the shuttle again with a torpedo, but its shields were strong. It looked like it was trying to land, but Strung wasn't going to let that happen. He fired again.

His communicator blinked and he listened to the raje's message.

"I can save our people. Please just let me finish what I've started. The navy doesn't need to be involved at all."

Strung didn't respond. His next shot hit perfectly and he saw the shields phase out for a moment. Good. Just one more blast should do it.

Strung got the ship in sight and paused for just a moment. Could the raje really save them? He shook his head. The gods had chosen not to reveal themselves and he would live with that decision even if it ended his people's existence. He fired a perfect shot that penetrated the shields and hit the raje's engine. The ship exploded and its lone occupant, the last raje of the Constanians died. The explosion left no piece of the ship bigger than a nickel with the exception of one lone book which fell to the ground seemingly undamaged.

Captain Strung took his shuttle back out of the atmosphere to engage in the main battle. As he came up, he saw thousands of enemy ships. They were inferior in design, but their numbers easily made up for their short-comings. He looked in another direction just in time to get one last look at the Salvation. They had travelled for 60 years to get here and succeeded in creating the wormhole, if not in contacting the gods. He personally had spent his entire life on that ship. Nothing of this world last forever though and the Salvation exploded.

Dooku laughed hard as he set the book down. All of this time with planning and sneaking around and tricking the Jedi was pointless. He would overpower them directly.

Dooku's heard his communicator and picked it up annoyed. Palpatine appeared on the other side. Dooku dispensed with the normal signs of respect. "What do you want?"

"Darth Tyrannous, your mission has been a success. The Prophet's connection to this universe has been severed. They have left behind toys which we must deal with, but no more."

Successful? They hadn't unlocked the true power here yet. "The Pah-wraiths have yet to be released. With them, we will be unstoppable."

"I foresee no future for the Pah-wraiths in this universe."

"Maste…" Dooku laughed. "Did you ever have any intention of keeping the promises you made to me, any of them?"

Sidious didn't even attempt to hide his deceit. "No."

"You would have killed me in the end."

"Yes."

Dooku smiled. "You will be my servant before this is over."

Sidious didn't smile. "You were a valuable pawn. You will be difficult to replace."

Dooku crushed the communicator and Sidious disappeared. It was time to see who was the real master of the Dark Side. Dooku started walking to the fire caves.

It had taken hours, precious hours for Picard to work his way through the Republic's chain of command and finally get to talk to someone who could actually do something. He had finished talking to a Jedi a few minutes ago and was now talking to Palpatine himself. "Yes, I am completely confident that the Borg are coming here in force."

"How strong do you think they'll be?"

"I don't know, but the Borg wouldn't send any fewer ships than they calculate will be needed."

"Your Federation's information so far has been extremely detailed and useful. I'm going to assume you are correct. Thank you Captain."

"Padawan Nu, you undervalue your own skills. The Jedi need people with your skills more than they'll ever need another expert with a lightsaber."

Nu could see a burning camp fire.

"Master Nu, you will assume duties as the Chief Librarian of the Jedi Achieves."

Nu saw a city burning.

"Master Nu," said Dooku, "You are one of the few that really understand the problems the Jedi have."

Nu could see a whole planet burning.

Nu pushed herself back into consciousness. She saw Bajoran doctors standing to the side. Halcyon was over her trying to use his healing techniques to help her recover.

She felt extremely weak, but pushed herself to sit-up anyway. She was in a hospital somewhere.

"You need to rest," said one of the Bajoran doctors. "You're lucky to be alive."

Halcyon said, "She's right. Even with the Force, you'll need time here."

Nu, in spite of a pounding headache ignored him. "We must get to the Fire Caves."

The Bajorans seemed to take a jump back. Halcyon just said, "The Fire Caves?"

Nu moved her legs of the bed and concentrating with the Force tried to put weight on them. She could, but this wasn't going to be a fun trip. "Dooku is going to try to release something the Bajorans call the Pah-wraiths. If he went to all this trouble, they must be real and of the Dark Side."

Halcyon wanted to protest, but he knew no one would know better than the women in front of him. "All right, but I lead."

Picard felt himself rematerializing on the Enterprises transporter pad. He was utterly exhausted, but he'd sleep in his ready room if he slept at all. He had spent the last couple of hours going over information about the Borg with Republic commanders. While he didn't add much that hadn't filtered back through the Republic forces in the Delta Quadrant, far from all were up to date on many of the strategies for effectively fighting the Borg.

Picard slept on the turbolift until he heard the door hiss open and walked onto the bridge. "Report."

Data spoke up. "While we have difficulty differentiating all Republic military ships from their civilian counterparts and ships from other civilizations, I estimate that the Republic currently has almost 1200 capital ships, with the average mass about the same as the Enterprise. This is supplemented by tens of thousands of fighters which have left hanger bays."

"Ships are continuing to arrive," said Riker. "We're also pretty sure the Republic has gotten a few allies who are supplying additional ships. There are better than 500 warp drive ships that have entered formation with the Republic ships."

The red alert siren blared. Everyone looked to Data. "I am detecting a large mass of ships exiting hyperspace. It is the Borg."

"On screen."

The viewscreen was completely full of Borg ships. None of them had ever seen anything like this. "My God," said Riker. "How many?"

"201 cubes sir."