It took six months for the Inquisitor's transport to make the journey from Maccrage to Terra. In that time the Inquisitor had given the crew a history lesson of the Imperium. They had learned of the rise of the Emperor, the Great Crusade, the Horus Heresy, and the age of the Imperium. Janeway learned that unlike the Federation, the Imperium had known only war. Before they arrived at Terra, all the aliens in the crew, with the exception of Tuvok, had been executed.
When the Inquisitor's vessel, the Dark Vigilance, finally passed through the many checkpoints, he descended with Janeway and her officers, bound of course. When the shuttle passed through the cloud layer, the Imperial Palace came into view, stretching from one horizon to the other. The crew was amazed.
The shuttle landed on a docking platform that descended down seven hundred feet finally coming to rest in a cavernous holding bay. Several guards were waiting for them. The Inquisitor descended down the ramp first, the Voyager officers following in a chain behind him. One trooper took each officer, slapping wrist binders on them, and led the group down endless corridors. They were all gaunt from the long trip with very little food. Seven was taken by a group of Skitari (Tech Guard). Finally they reached a lift that took them to one of the highest towers. They found themselves before a massive gold trimmed door.
"Within these doors," Malaki said, "the fate of your realm will be decided." The doors slowly swung open, and the guards pushed the captives in. The Inquisitor entered behind them. They found themselves in a pit with twelve desks overlooking it. At each desk was seated a man with the look of someone who knew they could do anything.
"Greetings Inquisitor Malaki," a man who looked like a tech priest.
"Greeting High Lord Tethentis," he replied, going down to one knee. The troopers pushed Voyager's officers down to their knees. "These are the commanders of the vessel I briefed you on in my report. If I may ask, may we show these heretics the current state of their vessel?" The High Lord gave a chuckle.
"As you wish," he said, tapping a rune on his desk, and a hologram flickered into focus. It showed Voyager in a Mechanicus shipyard. It looked like it was being deconstructed. Servitors were taking components and shipping them down to Mars, whose surface was covered with factories and compounds.
"We must thank you for giving us this vessel," another of the High Lords said. "It is filled with technology that will assist us in the conquest of your entire galaxy. From what we have learned of your galaxy, it appears that the Borg and the Dominion will be the only serious threats to the Imperium. So we will eliminate those threats."
"Your ships would not stand a chance against the Borg," Tuvok said. One of the troops whacked him in the head with his bolt gun. He fell to the floor, blood seeping from the back on his head.
"You will not speak!" The Inquisitor said.
"And in any case, you are wrong," the High Lord replied. "Observe." The screen changed to an image of a vast fleet in orbit of Mars. So many ships were in orbit that the surface could not be seen. "One hundred seventy thousand ships," the High Lord said. "Made possible by your matter replication technology. From the moment we recieved the skematics the rate of construction has increaded exponentally.Now the production capacity of the Imperium can match its manpower. Inquisitor, I believe we should show them the might of the Imperium. Take them to the embarkation fields."
"As you wish Inquisitor. Come with me," he said to the guards, who pushed the captives ahead of them. They traveled for over two hours my foot and transport. Eventually they arrived at a massive spaceport. Mammoth transports were descending. As the Inquisitor's transport rose above the tarmac, the captives saw more men and machines then they thought could exist. Dozens of Imperial Guard Regiments marched in perfect formation. Everything from Chimeras to Baneblades to Capitol Imperailis command tanks boarded hundred meter high transports. As a final surprise, the captives saw a full Titan Legion boarding their transport.
"My god," Chakotay breathed.
"Now you see the might of the Imperium. The Borg will fall. You see, from the drone you possessed, we have created several new technologies that will ensure the Borg's defeat. Our tech priests have analyzed her nano probes and have developed an implant that will kill any soldier who is infected by nano probes. Also, we have learned that the personal shields the Borg posses can be taken down with a sufficient amount of firepower. The Borg will fall to the Imperium of Mankind. It is our destiny to rule over everything!"
After the tour was concluded, the captives were taken to holding cells in the palace. They could only wonder what would be in store for their galaxy.
Sorry this one was so short, but I promise the next one'll make up for it. With replicators, Imperial ships can practically be built on an assembly line, and they'll have no trouble finding enough crew. The Imperium is bursting with people, many of who can crew a ship in the lower ranks.
P.S. Tau Man, in the next chapter the invasion will begin and you will see how strong the Imperium's navy can be.