Chapter XXVI
'Very good work, Mr. Ferrier.' The human manager of the power plant smiled at the accolade from the Kai of Bajor.
As part of her official duties, Kai Nerys was visiting a large power plant newly built on one of the rivers on Bajor. It had been nine years since the end of the war, and Bajor had been steadily rebuilding with help from all of the allied races. This power plant was the first part of Bajor's new independence.
Her husband was on Earth, but she would be visiting him in a few days. Ben Sisko had been very busy with presidential duties, putting the finishing touches to the treaty between the Federation and the Vidiian Sodality, or at least, what was left of it. The treaty would allow the Delta Quadrant race to join the Galactic Federation. It would herald a new era in galactic politics, as the Vidiians were the first Delta Quadrant government to join the new Federation.
'Thank you, Kai.' The young man's voice brought Kira back to the present. She examined Harry Ferrier. The youthful official was part of the generation that had been very young at the time of the war. 'It means a lot.' Kira nodded.
'Shall we get it up and running, then?' The man nodded, and started yelling orders. This brought a smile to Kira's face as she remembered the multitudinous times she had given similar orders to personnel long ago on Deep Space Nine.
Sparks began to fly suddenly, and Ferrier rushed up a metal flight of stairs and shouted something indecipherable to a Bajoran worker. He yelled back, but then a crack resounded through the chamber, and a massive flash illuminated the room, blinding everybody and drowning out the young man. Kira looked at her technical advisor. 'What's going on?' He shook his head.
'I don't know, Kai - Kai!' A huge arc of electricity flashed across the room, connecting with Kira, and as everything went white, Kira Nerys' world went black.
Benjamin Sisko, first President of the Galactic Federation, hero of the Aralla War, Emissary of the Bajoran people, smiled as he put his light pen to the treaty. He looked up at the figure of the Vidiian leader. 'You are now formally members of the Galactic Federation.' As he shook hands with the representative, and as applause broke out around the great hall, an aide rushed to Sisko's side, and whispered something in his ear. He nodded, and after congratulating the Vidiian once again, he excused himself, and left the hall for his small office.
When he saw who was on screen, he smiled. 'Captain Thames, what can I do for you?' Captain Thames gazed at him, full of sympathy and unsure of how to tell him her news.
'Mr. President,' she began hesitantly, 'we're orbiting Bajor on the Enterprise. I regret to have to inform you, that your wife, Kai Nerys, is dead.' For a moment, time seemed to stop, and then Sisko fell back into his chair, stunned.
'H - how?' he whispered, his voice tortured.
'She was caught in an industrial accident on a visit to a power plant. Her body is resting in state on Bajor.' Sisko nodded, trying to keep a rising tide of emotions from overwhelming him.
'I'll be there as soon as possible.' He switched off the screen before Thames could see his collapse. He slumped back in his chair, and let his emotions take their toll in a wave of crushing despair and sorrow.
Twenty years after the death of Nerys, Sisko was sat, alone, in a space station orbiting Bajor in the same co-ordinates as Deep Space Nine had once done. Built to Sisko's own specifications, it occupied a place in the legends of the Bajoran people. Having already experienced one nervous breakdown, Sisko was now a recluse from all.
Sisko had already transmitted his resignation as President to Earth a few hours before, including his declaration of his intentions, and they would be received in the next few minutes. Immediately, Starfleet would despatch a message, begging him not to do what he was about to do, but the former captain of Deep Space Nine had already made his mind up. He had also transmitted his thanks and blessing to the Kai of Bajor, Kai Fromar.
Sisko shut down all of the systems in the station, except for the launch mechanism. He stood, slowly and painfully, for age and illness had taken their toll on his body, and hobbled to the airlock. He moved into it, and sealed the hatch for the last time. He moved into the docking bay, sealed off for atmosphere release during launch.
The USS Rio Grande sat before him, still battle-scarred from the Aralla war. Sisko smiled. The only runabout to survive his troubled captaincy of Deep Space Nine would carry his body back to Earth for his burial. The course and speed were already laid in. He would have his last sight of Earth as he died.
A poor symbol, but it was the only one he had left. He smiled vaguely, imagining for a second that he heard Kira and Dax's voice, telling him that he was being foolish.
He shook his head, and climbed into the runabout.
The Rio Grande launched quietly from the launch pad and accelerated from the space station. Behind him, the station flashed into fire and debris. It would provoke wonder from the Bajoran people, who were about now being told about the death of the Emissary. Sisko felt oddly proud of the way in which he had told the Bajoran people of his impending death.
He locked the Rio Grande on course and sent it into warp speed. As he did so, he picked up an incoming message. 'Earth to Rio Grande! Come in!'
Sisko was about to shut off the message when he suddenly recognised the voice. 'This is the Rio Grande. Admiral,' he acknowledged.
Jean-Luc Picard's aged but still intimidating face glared back at him. 'What the hell do you think you're playing at, Ben?'
'Something I should have done years ago.'
'I just got a message from a very upset Kai Fromar, and a strange message of resignation coming from you personally. I hope you've got a good reason.'
Sisko smiled painfully and without humour. 'At the battle over the Borg Homeworld, I lost my best friend. At Bajor, I lost my command. Twenty years ago, I lost my wife and the same thing happened seventeen years before that, I lost Jennifer at Wolf 359. I have been widowed twice, Admiral, and I am tired of life! Somewhere in all of that, I lost my soul as well!
'You are the only one who came through that war with anything! I lost everything in the Aralla conflict and I do not wish to continue in that sort of empty life any longer!'
'I understand your feelings, Ben, but you have a duty –'
'I have no duty!' he thundered, a trace of his old force returning. 'I am not Captain Benjamin Sisko and I am not President Benjamin Sisko! I am...' He slowed, and shook his head sadly. 'I don't know what I am anymore.' He glared at Picard again, the fire coming through again. 'Except that I am a tired and weary old man, only wanting to rest.'
Picard nodded slowly, regretfully. 'I do understand. If this is your decision....' Picard smiled sadly. 'I am sorry to lose such a good friend, that's all. Farewell.' The screen blanked out for the last time.
Sisko glanced once at the readouts, and slumped his head back onto the headrest. He had done enough. It was time for rest.
He closed his eyes.
Saw a –
A few years later, Jean-Luc Picard looked around his San Francisco office one last time as he deposited the last of his belongings in a case and lifted it onto the small transporter pad that was in the corner of his office. Walking back to his desk, he tapped the communicator switch and said, 'Energise.'
The case was enveloped by the blue glow of the transporter and vanished in a haze of blue sparks. Picard sat in the chair that faced the Bay and relaxed for a moment. After all that he had done and achieved, it was now time to retire forever. Admittedly, he had retired from his official post in the Federation, but he had accepted a teaching post at the Academy, and was still consulted by the new President, Serisa, for advice. He grinned for a moment, remembering the day that she had been appointed to command of her Battlegroup. She had nearly fainted with shock. And now she was President. Martok had died only two days after Sisko, and that had left the door open for her. And, Picard knew, she was making a good job of it.
After all of the future becoming the past, Picard realised, he had little left. And there were no more questions to answer. No more places to explore. Nor did he wish to do so.
All questions had been answered in his life, except one. Q. Q had said, so long before, that he would see Picard one last time. That might be interesting.
The communicator bleeped. Picard tried to ignore it, but it bleeped again insistently. Picard sighed in annoyance and tapped hid commbadge. 'Picard here. What the hell do you want?'
'Admiral, we're ready to transport you.'
'Okay.' Picard levered himself out of his chair and walked over to the transporter.
Standing on the pad, he glanced one last time around the room, and he tapped the badge again. 'Energise.'
The blue beam deposited him in a dark room, and he peered into the gloom. 'Where am I?'
Suddenly, bright lights flashed on, and a shout roared out. 'Surprise!'
'What the –'
As Picard's eyes adjusted to the change in the lighting, he finally made out the large group of figures that surrounded the transporter. He identified faces, including – 'Rosanna!' he shouted joyfully.
Rosanna Thames-Picard rushed to him and they embraced. His wife kissed him, and Picard said, 'When did you get back?'
'I took a fast shuttle from the Enterprise back here. They're in the Elleris Sector, running scans, and I decided they wouldn't miss me for a few days.'
'Why are you here?' Thames looked at him in mock indignation.
'It's the day of your retirement, and you're asking why we're here? We're celebrating, and I am determined that you have a good time. Come on.' She gently persuaded him from the transporter pad, and steered him towards the rest of the group.
There were a surprisingly large number of people there, and Picard recognised Admiral Truper, Dr. Bashir, and Legate Garak among the sea of happy faces. 'You're all here to make sure I retire?' he asked dryly.
`Somebody needs to, Admiral,' said a familiar voice, and Picard turned and smiled as he saw Seven of Nine and B'Elanna Torres making their way towards him.
`Seven of Nine!' The ex-drone shook her head, making the long blonde curls shake.
`Not anymore, Admiral. Annika. Annika Hansen. My old name.'
Picard smiled at her resumption of full humanity at last, and knew that Captain Janeway would have been proud. And also pleased that he had fulfilled the debt that he owed the long-dead Captain of Voyager.
Several hours later, Picard finally stole away from his guests and walked outside to the balcony that overlooked the small town he had chosen for a retirement spot.
Darkened by night, the little town nevertheless glowed with the light of houses full of activity; a sight Picard had once only dreamed about at night in the darkest depths of the Aralla War.
He smiled and shook his head. His dream of a rebuilt Earth and, indeed, the galaxy, was fulfilled.
As he stared out into the darkness, however, he began to see images from his life flashing by. Faces of those he had known and who had died during the war. The events that he had participated in. He shook his head and covered his eyes.
To his amazement, he found that his hands were wet with tears.