Chapter 21 - When the Bow Breaks
Imperial Palace, Moscow, Terra
The vast forest of super strong alloy and transparent aluminum, that were modern skyscrapers housing billions, enfolded the newly completed Imperial Palace. These artificial tree trunks stretched their roots deep underground into the supporting bedrock and their branches high into the nebulous atmosphere of the stratosphere. Enclosed walkways connected the structures at regular intervals, allowing for the oldest method of transportation to be employed for nearby commutes and errands so as not to overly tie up the transporter net. Swimming in between these geometrically ordered trunks were level upon level of air car and shuttle routes. The plethora of small craft resembled leaves, but ones aligned in perfectly straight ranks rather than the chaotic mass of a normal tree.
Emperor Jack Chambers the First finished his contented stare at his new capital city through the perfect one way glass of his throne room's ceiling and went back to the daily grind of being a supreme ruler. Of course, his current task was much more fun than the normal decisions he made. He was like a kid in a candy store, for as Emperor of the Terran Empire, he had more power than even his wildest fantasies had prepared him for.
This power gave him the ability to activate programs that had long lain dormant under the Terran Council's inept and inefficient leadership. The schematics for a vessel bigger than even a Bastion class Monitor, and also considerably greater in firepower, were displayed on a PADD in on his desk. There was also a plan that was somewhat insane. A disgruntled Krenim scientist had approached an Imperial envoy claiming that he could produce an immensely powerful weapons system. His own government had been to timid to fund his experiments, but the Terran Council had taken him in, even if they had only given him minor funding and support. They had apparently not given much credence to his claims but on the off chance that they proved true, didn't want him in the employ of one of the Empire's enemies. That lack of funding was about to change. If the effects of this weapons system were indeed as good as his claims, he would get as much funding as he needed. Commander Bruce Maddox had requisitioned fresh funding for his work at the Daystrom Institute of Technology. He was attempting to replicate the construction of a D-class Soong type android and not having much luck. While Jack, like any student of history, was against a true, wide spread artificial intelligence given its past in the empire, he was willing to give more funding if it meant more D-class androids could be created for Section 31. If only Soong hadn't died before creating only a handful of the D-class, and if only his most promising students hadn't proved so inept at duplicating his work. Then there would be plenty of loyal soldiers to fill out both the special ops branch of Section and the shortage of skilled personnel on a starship. But looking back on the M 5 incident, the relative lack of Imperial AI's could be seen as a god send. When an AI can go bonkers and destroy 12 Constitutions before finally being brought down, having one on every ship doesn't look as good in practice as it did on paper.
The old regime had also been far to penny pinching with its budget for Section 31. How were the watchers supposed to be effective if they had insufficient and sub standard tools to work with. Unsurprisingly, Section's budget would be greatly increased, and it would have its discretionary powers widened as well. The old regime had been hesitant to grant Section broad powers, fearful that a powerful enough organization would one day challenge them for control of the Empire. Jack had no such fears, for he knew where everyone of the Section department heads and many of their underlings secrets were buried. They wouldn't dare try anything with him, for none of them would come out unscathed. But, Section connections had helped him seize power, even if they had been duped into doing so. It was sort of a backhanded thank you to his old associates there that he reward their help. But it was also a very strong desire to strengthen his hold on power that made him increase Section's powers and budget. Section would be his eyes and ears, with greater freedom than ever before to scour out dissent to Imperial rule.
Jack shifted gears, switching to fleet deployments. Second Fleet, which had been virtually stripped down to a task force thanks to repairs and the drawing off of able ships for reinforcements was ready to receive new build ships. The shipyards at Alpha Centauri, Vulcan and Sol had been putting in massive amounts of overtime to get the ships built, but now their hard work was about to pay off. With the ships of Second Fleet, the Empire would once again possess an advantage over its enemies. It was nearly time to begin obliterating the so-called Grand Alliance one faction at a time. While they might have been able to get more ships than expected from their hidden, Orion Cartel supplied shipyards, they hadn't really captured many Imperial yards intact. They couldn't hope to out produce the Empire's industry once it got up to speed. While it had been plugging away ever since the Imperial/Borg war, there hadn't been the sincere urgency to turn out ships like there was now that the Grand Alliance was a very real and evident threat. There was nothing like a credible threat to ones life to spur activity.
Second Fleet's command staff were cause for concern. While there had long been suspicions that they had sympathetic leanings towards the pacifistic teachings of the traitor Spock, there had never been any actual proof uncovered. Not even the particularly dogged Commissar he had assigned her had been able to find anything seditious. And without that proof, Jack was hesitant to purge one of the best Fleet commanders in Starfleet. Possible personal leanings aside, Jack was perfectly willing to wait till the Alliance was crushed before the made his move against T'var and her senior staff.
An alert chimed on Jack's personal office's communications console, and an aide immediately brought up the message on his board.
"Your Highness, I have an incoming message from Starbase 2000 to all Starfleet ships and bases. It is a combat alert!"
"Does the message give any specifics as to just who is launching the attack and why it warrants an Empire wide combat alert?" Jack asked as he strode over to look at the message on the aide's terminal.
"No your Highness."
Jack frowned then began to pace. About 15 minutes went by, then the com board lit up. It was only a handful of contact reports at first, but they grew into a steady widening river as bases and colonies all through the Delta Quadrant signified that they were under attack.
"Who launched the attack?! The Voth?!" Heaven help us if those isolationist dinos decide they want a bigger piece of the local neighborhood than they already possessed Jack thought, his mind going a mile a minute. Their tech is so far advanced from ours, we wouldn't stand a chance! Hell, even the Krenim Imperium is a threat, current fleet strengths in the Delta Quadrant being what they are.
Then installations and colonized systems along the Gamma Quadrant came under attack. A Starbase in the Delta Quadrant punched through the jamming to get a frantic call off. The incoming call was fed to the Imperial Palace as well as Starfleet Command.
"They're too many of them!" the panicked officer on the other end of the com wailed through the static of interference. The com signal was barely getting through, the amount of jamming that would take would have to be enormous. "We can't hold them off much longer!!" Her words were punctuated by a violent shaking of the starbase and sparks and smoke flying down around her. Grabbing the console for support, she went on. "Send reinforcements imm." The com screen flared white for a brief instant, then the com screen flashed to the Imperial seal. Two blinking words flashed under it: Connection Lost.
"What the HELL is going on? I want information NOW!"
"The listening post near Epsilon Bootis managed to get this image before it went offline your Highness". The holodisplay shifted to show a vast armada of alien ships. "Starfleet Intelligence is putting it at 99% chance that 1/3 of this fleet are Dominion ships. The other 2/3s, within 87% certainty, are Interstellar Concordium vessels. The total number of hulls in this single fleet is over 4000."
The doors to the Emperor's personal office opened just then, and Jack looked up distractedly to see his daughter enter, then shifted his attention back to the holodisplay that now showed an expanding crescent of attacked systems along the Delta and Gamma Quadrants. "What ever it is Dorothy, it will have to wait. There is a crisis developing."
"I know." There was a wet crunch behind him that didn't sound right. Turning around again with a perplexed frown, he caught sight of his two personal guards as they fell soundlessly to the ground, they heads a shattered, bloody mess. Jack's eyes bulged in surprise as what he thought was his daughter extended her arms. The amber, transparent fluid like arms struck the aide's skull, punching though it like it was wet tissue paper. "Your Highness, allow me to convey the respects of the Galactic Unity." Jack was still staring stupidly at the changeling that had so perfectly replaced his daughter when the twin liquid arms encircled his neck then tightened, growing strong as steel cables. Jack was lifted off the ground, his hands frantically clawing on the immovable binds that began to crush his neck, his feet flailing in the air feet off of the ground. "This is just the beginning of the end for your Empire, but you won't be around to see the end. It is unfortunate, for I personally would like to see you suffer till the bitter end. But I have my orders, so the least I can do is make you suffer a bit before I kill you now." And then the changeling smiled as the mimicked face of Jack's daughter fell away to the more customary visage of a Founder.
Grand Alliance Combined Command Council, Location Classified
"Look, all I know is that something major is going on. All Starfleet assets along our boarder have gone to a heightened state of alert." The Cardassian delegate, Legate Dammar, said to the assembled members of the GA Command Council. "We have received communications from our assets in place within the Terran Empire that something is launching a major offensive along their Gamma and Delta Quadrant holdings. This concurs with our observed sudden spike in communications going to and from the outlying holdings of the Terran Empire. Something big is in the works."
The Romulan representative, Admiral Jarok nodded his agreement. "I have also received word that something major is occurring in the outlying Terran Empire sectors." Just then the double doors that led to the Council Chamber swung open to admit another being.
"I'm sure that all of you have by now heard of the growing assault on Terran space." Peter O'tole said. "I am here to tell you just what is going on. As of 0600 hours local time, the Terran Empire is at a state of war with the Galactic Unity. It is they who have so graciously given sufficient resources to build your hidden building slips, and it is they that now call on you to assist them in taking out the Terran Empire once and for all time."
General Worf looked up from a report he was perusing from his seat at the oval table. "While I am all for removing the Terrans as a threat to the existence of the Klingon Empire, what are this Galactic Unity's plans for after they have defeated the Terrans?"
"Why, then all peoples will live in peace under the banner of the Galactic Unity. It is now time for all of your peoples to repay the debt of honor you owe to the Galactic Unity for their assistance in helping to free you from the Terran boot heel!"
Worf laughed heartily, his long mane of brown hair shaking as his pointed teeth showed from behind his lips. "We did not just escape from one boot heel to be placed under another. If your masters can get rid of the Terran Empire, I thank them from the bottom of my heart. But the Klingon Empire is no ones slave any longer. We shall live as WE chose to live, not how the Galactic Unity chooses for us to live." There were nods of agreement from around the table as each of the other delegates cast their support behind Worf's assertion.
"Be wary of what you chose here, while the Galactic Unity will welcome the willing with open arms, even the unwilling will be made to see the light." Peter said with a slight frown. He had underestimated his control over these pawns. He had spent to much time with their overly grateful political masters, and not enough time shaping his thoughts towards the support of their military officers. While the politicians on the Klingon High Council, Romulan Senate, Cardassian Detapa Council, and the others had been malleable enough, those actually in charge of their empire's arms were made of sterner stuff. They might even be willing to go against their political masters should the need arise. He had never thought that virtually to a man, the military leaders of the GA might be true, died in the wool patriots.
"Ah, so now the helpful Galactic Unity shows its true colors!" Worf growled.
Oh boy had he miscalculated, Peter thought. His masters in the GU would not be happy, but they had planned for this very eventuality just in case. They were nothing if not thorough.
"Take some time to think it over, I will be back in two days for your reply. Perhaps once you see just how powerful the Galactic Unity is, you will be more eager to support it." Then Peter pressed a button on one of his armband. Seconds later, a transporter beam caught him and he disappeared from the room in a swirling purple shimmer.
Imperial Palace, Moscow, Terra
The vast forest of super strong alloy and transparent aluminum, that were modern skyscrapers housing billions, enfolded the newly completed Imperial Palace. These artificial tree trunks stretched their roots deep underground into the supporting bedrock and their branches high into the nebulous atmosphere of the stratosphere. Enclosed walkways connected the structures at regular intervals, allowing for the oldest method of transportation to be employed for nearby commutes and errands so as not to overly tie up the transporter net. Swimming in between these geometrically ordered trunks were level upon level of air car and shuttle routes. The plethora of small craft resembled leaves, but ones aligned in perfectly straight ranks rather than the chaotic mass of a normal tree.
Emperor Jack Chambers the First finished his contented stare at his new capital city through the perfect one way glass of his throne room's ceiling and went back to the daily grind of being a supreme ruler. Of course, his current task was much more fun than the normal decisions he made. He was like a kid in a candy store, for as Emperor of the Terran Empire, he had more power than even his wildest fantasies had prepared him for.
This power gave him the ability to activate programs that had long lain dormant under the Terran Council's inept and inefficient leadership. The schematics for a vessel bigger than even a Bastion class Monitor, and also considerably greater in firepower, were displayed on a PADD in on his desk. There was also a plan that was somewhat insane. A disgruntled Krenim scientist had approached an Imperial envoy claiming that he could produce an immensely powerful weapons system. His own government had been to timid to fund his experiments, but the Terran Council had taken him in, even if they had only given him minor funding and support. They had apparently not given much credence to his claims but on the off chance that they proved true, didn't want him in the employ of one of the Empire's enemies. That lack of funding was about to change. If the effects of this weapons system were indeed as good as his claims, he would get as much funding as he needed. Commander Bruce Maddox had requisitioned fresh funding for his work at the Daystrom Institute of Technology. He was attempting to replicate the construction of a D-class Soong type android and not having much luck. While Jack, like any student of history, was against a true, wide spread artificial intelligence given its past in the empire, he was willing to give more funding if it meant more D-class androids could be created for Section 31. If only Soong hadn't died before creating only a handful of the D-class, and if only his most promising students hadn't proved so inept at duplicating his work. Then there would be plenty of loyal soldiers to fill out both the special ops branch of Section and the shortage of skilled personnel on a starship. But looking back on the M 5 incident, the relative lack of Imperial AI's could be seen as a god send. When an AI can go bonkers and destroy 12 Constitutions before finally being brought down, having one on every ship doesn't look as good in practice as it did on paper.
The old regime had also been far to penny pinching with its budget for Section 31. How were the watchers supposed to be effective if they had insufficient and sub standard tools to work with. Unsurprisingly, Section's budget would be greatly increased, and it would have its discretionary powers widened as well. The old regime had been hesitant to grant Section broad powers, fearful that a powerful enough organization would one day challenge them for control of the Empire. Jack had no such fears, for he knew where everyone of the Section department heads and many of their underlings secrets were buried. They wouldn't dare try anything with him, for none of them would come out unscathed. But, Section connections had helped him seize power, even if they had been duped into doing so. It was sort of a backhanded thank you to his old associates there that he reward their help. But it was also a very strong desire to strengthen his hold on power that made him increase Section's powers and budget. Section would be his eyes and ears, with greater freedom than ever before to scour out dissent to Imperial rule.
Jack shifted gears, switching to fleet deployments. Second Fleet, which had been virtually stripped down to a task force thanks to repairs and the drawing off of able ships for reinforcements was ready to receive new build ships. The shipyards at Alpha Centauri, Vulcan and Sol had been putting in massive amounts of overtime to get the ships built, but now their hard work was about to pay off. With the ships of Second Fleet, the Empire would once again possess an advantage over its enemies. It was nearly time to begin obliterating the so-called Grand Alliance one faction at a time. While they might have been able to get more ships than expected from their hidden, Orion Cartel supplied shipyards, they hadn't really captured many Imperial yards intact. They couldn't hope to out produce the Empire's industry once it got up to speed. While it had been plugging away ever since the Imperial/Borg war, there hadn't been the sincere urgency to turn out ships like there was now that the Grand Alliance was a very real and evident threat. There was nothing like a credible threat to ones life to spur activity.
Second Fleet's command staff were cause for concern. While there had long been suspicions that they had sympathetic leanings towards the pacifistic teachings of the traitor Spock, there had never been any actual proof uncovered. Not even the particularly dogged Commissar he had assigned her had been able to find anything seditious. And without that proof, Jack was hesitant to purge one of the best Fleet commanders in Starfleet. Possible personal leanings aside, Jack was perfectly willing to wait till the Alliance was crushed before the made his move against T'var and her senior staff.
An alert chimed on Jack's personal office's communications console, and an aide immediately brought up the message on his board.
"Your Highness, I have an incoming message from Starbase 2000 to all Starfleet ships and bases. It is a combat alert!"
"Does the message give any specifics as to just who is launching the attack and why it warrants an Empire wide combat alert?" Jack asked as he strode over to look at the message on the aide's terminal.
"No your Highness."
Jack frowned then began to pace. About 15 minutes went by, then the com board lit up. It was only a handful of contact reports at first, but they grew into a steady widening river as bases and colonies all through the Delta Quadrant signified that they were under attack.
"Who launched the attack?! The Voth?!" Heaven help us if those isolationist dinos decide they want a bigger piece of the local neighborhood than they already possessed Jack thought, his mind going a mile a minute. Their tech is so far advanced from ours, we wouldn't stand a chance! Hell, even the Krenim Imperium is a threat, current fleet strengths in the Delta Quadrant being what they are.
Then installations and colonized systems along the Gamma Quadrant came under attack. A Starbase in the Delta Quadrant punched through the jamming to get a frantic call off. The incoming call was fed to the Imperial Palace as well as Starfleet Command.
"They're too many of them!" the panicked officer on the other end of the com wailed through the static of interference. The com signal was barely getting through, the amount of jamming that would take would have to be enormous. "We can't hold them off much longer!!" Her words were punctuated by a violent shaking of the starbase and sparks and smoke flying down around her. Grabbing the console for support, she went on. "Send reinforcements imm." The com screen flared white for a brief instant, then the com screen flashed to the Imperial seal. Two blinking words flashed under it: Connection Lost.
"What the HELL is going on? I want information NOW!"
"The listening post near Epsilon Bootis managed to get this image before it went offline your Highness". The holodisplay shifted to show a vast armada of alien ships. "Starfleet Intelligence is putting it at 99% chance that 1/3 of this fleet are Dominion ships. The other 2/3s, within 87% certainty, are Interstellar Concordium vessels. The total number of hulls in this single fleet is over 4000."
The doors to the Emperor's personal office opened just then, and Jack looked up distractedly to see his daughter enter, then shifted his attention back to the holodisplay that now showed an expanding crescent of attacked systems along the Delta and Gamma Quadrants. "What ever it is Dorothy, it will have to wait. There is a crisis developing."
"I know." There was a wet crunch behind him that didn't sound right. Turning around again with a perplexed frown, he caught sight of his two personal guards as they fell soundlessly to the ground, they heads a shattered, bloody mess. Jack's eyes bulged in surprise as what he thought was his daughter extended her arms. The amber, transparent fluid like arms struck the aide's skull, punching though it like it was wet tissue paper. "Your Highness, allow me to convey the respects of the Galactic Unity." Jack was still staring stupidly at the changeling that had so perfectly replaced his daughter when the twin liquid arms encircled his neck then tightened, growing strong as steel cables. Jack was lifted off the ground, his hands frantically clawing on the immovable binds that began to crush his neck, his feet flailing in the air feet off of the ground. "This is just the beginning of the end for your Empire, but you won't be around to see the end. It is unfortunate, for I personally would like to see you suffer till the bitter end. But I have my orders, so the least I can do is make you suffer a bit before I kill you now." And then the changeling smiled as the mimicked face of Jack's daughter fell away to the more customary visage of a Founder.
Grand Alliance Combined Command Council, Location Classified
"Look, all I know is that something major is going on. All Starfleet assets along our boarder have gone to a heightened state of alert." The Cardassian delegate, Legate Dammar, said to the assembled members of the GA Command Council. "We have received communications from our assets in place within the Terran Empire that something is launching a major offensive along their Gamma and Delta Quadrant holdings. This concurs with our observed sudden spike in communications going to and from the outlying holdings of the Terran Empire. Something big is in the works."
The Romulan representative, Admiral Jarok nodded his agreement. "I have also received word that something major is occurring in the outlying Terran Empire sectors." Just then the double doors that led to the Council Chamber swung open to admit another being.
"I'm sure that all of you have by now heard of the growing assault on Terran space." Peter O'tole said. "I am here to tell you just what is going on. As of 0600 hours local time, the Terran Empire is at a state of war with the Galactic Unity. It is they who have so graciously given sufficient resources to build your hidden building slips, and it is they that now call on you to assist them in taking out the Terran Empire once and for all time."
General Worf looked up from a report he was perusing from his seat at the oval table. "While I am all for removing the Terrans as a threat to the existence of the Klingon Empire, what are this Galactic Unity's plans for after they have defeated the Terrans?"
"Why, then all peoples will live in peace under the banner of the Galactic Unity. It is now time for all of your peoples to repay the debt of honor you owe to the Galactic Unity for their assistance in helping to free you from the Terran boot heel!"
Worf laughed heartily, his long mane of brown hair shaking as his pointed teeth showed from behind his lips. "We did not just escape from one boot heel to be placed under another. If your masters can get rid of the Terran Empire, I thank them from the bottom of my heart. But the Klingon Empire is no ones slave any longer. We shall live as WE chose to live, not how the Galactic Unity chooses for us to live." There were nods of agreement from around the table as each of the other delegates cast their support behind Worf's assertion.
"Be wary of what you chose here, while the Galactic Unity will welcome the willing with open arms, even the unwilling will be made to see the light." Peter said with a slight frown. He had underestimated his control over these pawns. He had spent to much time with their overly grateful political masters, and not enough time shaping his thoughts towards the support of their military officers. While the politicians on the Klingon High Council, Romulan Senate, Cardassian Detapa Council, and the others had been malleable enough, those actually in charge of their empire's arms were made of sterner stuff. They might even be willing to go against their political masters should the need arise. He had never thought that virtually to a man, the military leaders of the GA might be true, died in the wool patriots.
"Ah, so now the helpful Galactic Unity shows its true colors!" Worf growled.
Oh boy had he miscalculated, Peter thought. His masters in the GU would not be happy, but they had planned for this very eventuality just in case. They were nothing if not thorough.
"Take some time to think it over, I will be back in two days for your reply. Perhaps once you see just how powerful the Galactic Unity is, you will be more eager to support it." Then Peter pressed a button on one of his armband. Seconds later, a transporter beam caught him and he disappeared from the room in a swirling purple shimmer.