Editor's note: The following story takes place 3 years ago, the members of the crew are accurate to that timeframe, and I hope this story will explain the differences in crew from there and now. Due to popular demand however, there is also a new story starting up in the next issue that takes place in the present day. Think of this as the 'pilot' episode, and the other story as the ongoing series.

Star Trek: Maximillian

Beyond the Final Frontier

Chapter Four: Contact

What has come before:

A mysterious and undetectable object has emerged into the far reaches of the Alpha Quadrant, and has fired the first shots in what could result in an intergalactic war. To make matters worse, this unpredictable adversary has set it's target on sector 001. Earth.

A Battle-weary federation, already half destroyed from the losses from the Dominion and Borg incursions, has sent one ship to meet up with a small task force escorting the object through space. The U.S.S. Maximillian, newly captained by Captain S'quid Tai Septaric, and her first officer Kragnar, have just arrived to the force the even now has itchy trigger fingers…

"But Captain, surely you cannot expect…"

It had gone on for hours now, the hastily agreed-to conference on board the Maximillian, and the heads of each vessel were there. The Captain of the K'Pak, the Klingon ship, and the loudest one there. The Romulan Commander Seral who glared at her associates, the strangely silent Gorn Captain Maktar, and of course, the Klingon Captain of the U.S.S. Maximillian, S'quid Tai Septaric. Silently sitting in the background were the three Admirals, Robert S. Lyon, Blobbin, and Turok T'Kill. They had offered nary a word, though Blobbin had wanted to chime in several times but thankfully for decorum was reigned in by the other Admirals, especially Turock, who eyed the Romulan with an uncertainty, for he himself was a half Romulan, and that half cried out for some sort of vengeance for those lost at the destroyed observatory. He was wary because he knew Seral's entire self also thirsted for this object's destruction, and while he didn't entirely deny that this thing needed destroying, he was wary of igniting a full scale war. Lyon was silent, overseeing everything, much as he had since he had arrived on board. Captain Septaric shook her head and interrupted the Klingon Captain T'Mar in mid-speech.

"I expect you to do as you must, T'Mar, much as I and each of us will. As I have said many times before, however, the willful and unwarranted destruction of this object is not an option.

Seral spoke quietly. "After it has already attacked us in our moment of peace?"

"We do not know for sure what happened at the Observatory…it is possible that this could be a misunderstanding…" Septaric said slowly.

"There is no misunderstanding murder, Captain Septaric. Many Klingon lines ended that day, and you now hide behind your precious Starfleet?" T'Mar pressed his point.

"I am not hiding."

"Then what are you doing? I know you…I know how your blood thirsts for revenge…as does mine. We all feel it here, even our Gorn."

At the mention of his name, Maktar finally looked up, and stared at Septaric. "…I am ssssorry, Captain, but I cannot sssupport you on thissss. I am making the recommendation to declare war on thisss….whatever thissss isss."

Seral spoke. "As am I."

T'Mar simply looked at Septaric's unchanging face. "You are Klingon, and you still deny what is right?"

Septaric faced him down. "I am Starfleet, and I will do what must be done. And the Maximillian is in charge here, despite your protests. From Ambassador Worf and Chancellor Martok themselves. If you won't listen to Starfleet, listen to yourselves."

"Paah, Worf has been a puppet of the Federation for longer than I can remember, and he has drug Martok into it with him."

"Nevertheless, my orders stand. Any ship attempting to attack the vessel will be committing an act of treason against this temporary agreement."

"Then know this, Septaric. To attack my vessel will be the end of your days, and will ignite a war that will make the Dominion battles look like brushfires." With that, the Romulan, Klingon, and Gorn Captains left the briefing room, and after a minute, with a glare from Lyon, Blobbin and Turock left as well, Blobbin pudging out the door slowly.

Lyon was silent for another moment, then finally spoke. "You did well."

Septaric stood up angrily. "Not good enough, that should have been diffused easily."

"Who could have? A Klingon, a Romulan, and a Gorn all in the same room with their minds made up facing down one Starfleet Captain…you expect too much."

"I expect to solve problems."

"And you do so well. Do you really think T'Mar will risk staring a war? Or Seral? Or the Gorn? You should know by now that just because one thing is said does not mean it will be done."

With that said, the conn beeped. Septaric answered quickly. "Yes?"

"You're needed on the bridge, Captain, the Klingon vessel is powering weapons."

Septaric glared at Lyon as they walked briskly out of the room. "You were saying?"

The Sovereign class Command deck is truly a sight to behold, at least it is when there is peace. But during times of stress and danger, it is a cluttered, ugly looking thing, with an eerie red glow, signifying a red alert that Captain Septaric had called the moment she stormed in, shining down over the chairs and the consoles. "Status?" Septaric called.

LCDR Critch Starblade, a mysterious android that had joined the Federation only five years before after being found floating in space, answered, punching buttons on his console much faster than any human ever could have. "The K'Pak charged it's weapons, but has taken no further action. It looks like they're waiting for something…"

Kragnar grunted. "Probably our challenge."

Septaric nodded. "Well, if this was a Klingon ship, they would be atoms, but we are what we are, and that means stand down. We fire if, and only if, we have to."

The Communications chief, LCDR Cynthia Ayers, suddenly spoke. "We are being hailed from the K'Pak."

Septaric sat in her Command seat, and scowled at the viewer. "On screen."

T'Mar scowled an equally fowl grimace at Septaric. "This is your last warning, Septaric. If you are not with us, then you are our enemy."

Septaric fired back. "And this if your last warning as well, T'Mar. Power down or prepare to fight."

In the end, it really didn't matter anyways.

The Klingon vessel fired a photon torpedo as an act of defiance most likely, no-one would be able to say for sure after, and it sailed endlessly towards the object, and Septaric would later note in her log that she never felt so helpless in her life as when the shot neared it's target, the direct center of the crystal-like object. She closed her eyes on instinct when the shot hit…or rather, should have hit, for the torpedo flew through the object, as though it wasn't even there. This gave the Romulans and Gorn time to strike, and while all their shots were all exactly on target, as a credit to their aging ships, none of them hit the target itself, and instead all the shots did as the first, flying straight through the center and off into space, where the torpedoes would later explode harmlessly.

Although there was no harm done to the object, it reacted angrily, firing it's heat phazer, for lack of a better term, simultaneously from 3 sides of the crystal, and all three hitting their targets, the Klingons, Romulans and Gorn. The phazer went through their shields as though they weren't up, and each ship instantly vaporized and exploded into dust. Only the Gorn cruiser was lucky enough to respond in any way, and even then it was only a sensor drone, designed specifically to return to the closest base, in this case Septarus 3, and deliver the logs and information needed from the ship that no longer was.

Septaric and the rest of the bridge crew were stunned by this sudden display of firepower, and were even more stunned when a voice, without coming through the Comm systems, began speaking to them. It was a deep, masterful voice, and there was no doubt in Septaric's mind that it sounded entirely like Kahless himself.

"You have been chosen as the Observers. You have been chosen for your wisdom in not attacking, and you will be rewarded by witnessing our conquest. You shall accompany us."

Septaric's and the rest of the crew's eyes grew wide as the message ended, and then began to repeat itself.