Galactica sat in the darkness of space. Her running lights were the only nearby illumination, so far from nearby stars. She sat at prearranged coordinates outside the Sol system, flanked by a trio of recently arrived base stars. A raptor fired it's maneuvering jets as it entered her starboard landing bay.
"Sitrep." Cronus ordered as she entered CIC. Lieutenant Gaeta, and newly promoted Colonel Lee Adama were waiting for her at the command table. Stacks of recon photos were piled on one side, and she noted he had updated the binder containing the summaries of historical findings. She slid that aside and began leafing through the recon data.
"Cylon delegation party is arriving starboard. "Gaeta reported. "Wireless comms and radio silence being observed. No enemy contact for the past five hours, ma'am." He stated. She put the stack of photos down. "Raptor scout reports no new contacts detected in Sol system, however enemy forces have systematically destroyed our orbital hardware and in-system relays. DRADIS warning bouys and wireless relays are down to 8 percent active ping." He tapped a stack of photos, "Reports from the base on the red planet clearly identify an unknown model of centurion, with significant similarities to those we found on the surface, and we have been able to identify debris in our recon images, consistent with centurions."
"So we have confirmed our enemy, but we're nearly blind in the system now except for stealth recon, what about our people?" She demanded. Gaeta shook his head, and Lee pointed to the stack of orbital photographs taken by Raptor.
"We detected a black box beacon and wreckage of two Colonial Heavies, likely Pollux and Astreus and the bases on the red planet and Earth appear to have destroyed by controlled detonation."
"They followed the protocols." Cronus nodded, "A tragic loss." Gaeta picked up the binder and extended it to her.
"We were able at least, to recover considerable amount of hardware from the red planet, and digital scans of…"
"I meant the people, Lieutenant." Cronus sighed, interrupting him, she grabbed the binder but didn't open it. "Men and women gave their lives to destroy those bases, their orders were to detonate if enemy forces engaged them with likelihood of defeat or capture." Cronus surveyed the images grimly. "This world was supposed to become a garden of unity, a bridge to our shared past with the Cylons, and maybe a path to the future." She tossed the binder down. "It's only slightly less radioactive than our homeworlds were when we left, and there's a new faction of Cylons, evidently, that has no interest in peace. It's not treasure trove of history it's a tomb for broken dreams."
Gaeta closed his mouth and nodded. Lee looked uncomfortable between Gaeta and Cronus, but Gaeta attempted,
"Yes, ma'am, of course I knew that I just…"
"You wanted their sacrifice to mean something, I know." Cronus replied. "History matters, Lieutenant, but we've got plenty of history right here."
She looked at the ship around them. "This is the second time we've tried to decommission this old girl only to call her back to service once again."
"Ma'am?" Gaeta asked. Lee raised an eye brow.
"This ship has a destiny, Lieutenant, Colonel, she isn't content to fade away as some orbital station." Cronus told him. " She leaned on the table staring at the images. "Now these other Cylons… they haven't really met ours, the dilemma then becomes.. do we introduce them?" She gestured to the destroyed earth base, "Is that sending the Cylons we've only just resumed peace with, to their deaths, do they retaliate against us for that, or do they meet their cousins, and without the Federation here to intervene, they decide they have more in common with us, then them." She looked at the ship around her. "What shape will your next battle take, old girl?"
"Ma'am, with respect." Adama began carefully, "The Cylons we are allied with have come to our aid. They sided with us when the ones tried to stage a rebellion. They are as much a victim of the manipulations of the Seraphim as we were, and it seems entirely possible that this new faction is as well." Lee pointed out, "While speculation seems impractical, the history that we have from the five survivors of the 13th tribe, and what we were able to glean in our initial studies, suggest that the Cylons that first settled Earth were largely mechanical. They created organic humans, somehow, and it seems entirely likely that their humans fired the first shots." He pushed the binder full of findings. Cronus looked at it, and him irritably at first, and then accepted what he was saying. She picked it back up and started scanning it, as she did so, and boyyed by the confidence engendered by Lee's support Gaeta proposed,
"If the Cylons are willing, we could send say, two raiders in, and attempt to make contact. If things go south, they jump away. We could have heavy raiders with Cylon Centurions s to standing by to effect recovery of our people. " Gaeta broke off as Starbuck and Help entered, escorting Ellen Tigh, with a Six, and lastly Galen Tyrol. Lee finished for Gaeta.
"Recovery operations should likely be the focus of any next steps ma'am following either a more successful contact, or more reinforcements."
"We've confirmed two out of eight heavies destroyed and we rendevouzed with two surviving, did we not?" She asked as the three Cylons approached, " That means four more unaccounted for, and a number of raptor missions, including the survey mission lead by Colonel Tigh and Ms. Foster, all with orders to go to ground." She looked up at the DRADIS display, "so did you all go to ground, or are you out there, even now fighting to survive..."
.*.*.
Eight figures materialized on the flight deck of the Vesta. Though engaged in flight operations to evacuate crew and equipment from Pegasus, establish a base at the A.T.H.E.N.A. installation and perform the sad recovery duties owed to the crew of the wrecks in orbit, the Admiral had assembled a dozen marines and a quarter of officers, while Commander Jonasson oversaw CIC. Adam regarded the figures as they appeared before him.
"Admiral Adama." Kirk stepped forward, "It is a privilege to meet face to face." He extended a hand. Adama grasped it firmly.
"Welcome aboard Captain." He replied, "On behalf of the Colonial Fleet I thank you for responding to our call for aid." He looked around wryly. "It seems you were correct about our being vulnerable to beaming."
"On the contrary, Admiral we noted some unusual interference patterns created by your DRADIS array, that our science officer was able to correct for, but only with difficulty." Kirk told the man, then he sobered.
"It is the duty of any starfleet officer to render aid whenever possible. I'm sorry we couldn't do more." Adama held the grip for a moment longer, and then released it nodding. Kirk turned to his associates. "Admiral, of course you are familiar with Colonel Shaw, and Mr. Kekeiya. I present to you my chief engineer, Commander Samantha Marcus, my chief of security, Lieutenant Ro, Lieutenant Tasha Yar, Crewman Bellamy Blake as well as Ensign Reyes. They are here to aid you in adapting your DRADIS emitters to prevent unwanted transport, as well as to help fortify your computer systems against intrusion."
Adama peered at To. She returned his gaze impassively.
"Now that is uncanny." He remarked, "She's the spitting image of a younger Helena Cain." He didn't comment on the shapes at the bridge of her nose that identified her as Bajoran.
"Ah yes," Kirk said intervening gently, "we were so informed by your young major here."
Adama nodded, concluding his inspection. "Major Shaw, welcome back. Commander Garner is due to report with the first shuttle of evacuees from Pegasus. Captain Kirk's people have been kind enough to begin beaming them to the surface for transport home, the marine contingent, as well as the more seriously injured, are being transported to a field hospital at the tomb of Athena." He glanced at Billy. "Why don't you take the President's liason here check in with Garner and the crew of the Vesta. I'll want a briefing ready in one hour." She nodded and saluted as he turned to Kirk. Kekeiya seemed inclined to object but was essentially dragged away by the Major. Adama continued as they moved to exit the flight deck, "We've prepared some refreshments in our situation room, Captain if you will follow me." Kirk nodded and the party paused as the Admiral dismissed the company of Marines.
"I noticed you scheduled your next briefing in one hourl." Kirk said conversationally as they walked, "As there are a number of pressing issues back aboard my ship, I intended to advise you that my visit will be somewhat brief. Lieutenant Yar and Ro will remain available to you to coordinate our assistance with recovery efforts, and to plan our next moves regarding Emperor Lore."
"Then I take it you are offering continued assistance." Adama commented as they moved down an empty hallway. Despite the activity the ship was involved in, the Vesta was large enough that he had secured the passageways leading to the situation room. "Not that we were particularly able to refuse such assistance last time."
"If such an offer is welcome." Kirk replied, "Admiral, as you must be aware from our little communications gaffe, we are badly undermanned, and we are still ascertaining our situation here, in this universe, and this time." Adama opened a hatch for him and Kirk stepped through examining the room before him. Large with a number of monitors hung overhead and a large light table. He blinked. An officer had placed a fairly elaborate arrangement of model ships on the board, each tagged with a label, inckuding an excellent likeness of the Monroe. The young officer stood proudly behind the table at attention. As the others entered, Adama took a rolled up transparent chart from a man who arrived behind their group.
"Thank you Mr. Anders." Adama said. Without further ado, Adama swept the arrangement aside in order to unroll the chart. Kirk noticed the officers crestfallen expression and winced, Yar shrugged apologetically at him while Ro looked amused, but Adama took no notice.
"This is our position, and it's distance from Earth." Adama stated pointing at the chart. "Our Cylon Allies have proven that they are able to significantly expand our jump capability. If we made a series of jumps to these positions, we could arrive just outside the Sol system in under eight hours."
Ro whistled.
"Captain our estimates of Emperor Lore's top speed place him over a week from Earth at minimum. We could beat him at high warp but-"
"We'd likely pay for it." Kirk finished for her, and he looked up at Adama, "and we'd have been walking into a totally unknown situation." Adama looked at him.
"It doesn't have to be your fight." He pointed out, "It isn't your earth."
"Lore made it our fight." Kirk answered, picking up the model of a Battlestar and admiring it, "as long as we are variables in his little equation, he'll have to account for us, and I for one, would rather face him head on than suddenly fade away some day when the timeline no longer includes us."
"I'm not sure I follow all that." Adama admitted. "Though I agree that as a threat we must face Lore." He sighed. "We haven't yet answered that question." He looked at Sam. "Do we deserve to exist."
"All life deserves to exist, Commander." Kirk said with passion. He offered the Battlestar to Adama, who accepted it as though surprissd it still existed. "Life is a gift, and an opportunity, to learn. To grow. Without life the cosmos simply march on, with nothing to give it meaning." Adama looked at him curiously, and Kirk pressed on, coming around the table "We're human beings with the blood of a million years on our hands, more!" Kirk told him, 'But we can stop it! We can admit that we are killers, but we aren't going to kill today. Our species can survive if we have obstacles to overcome, and here and now, pinned by the march of history, and the architect of our mutual annihilation?" Kirk put his hands on the light table, "That's the greatest obstacle your people have ever faced. An irrational indictment of your existence." He looked down and picked up the model of the Monroe from the pile on one side of the table, examining it closely, "And my crew, we've only just arrived here, in this time, in this place together. We don't know what sins our shipmates carry, we don't know what future we deserve, but we do know, that we will fight for it together." Yar nodded, Ro did too. "Humanity is the struggle to overcome darkness, Admiral." Kirk looked him in the eye, and offered him the Monroe as well. "I don't believe in the no win scenario, you either believe in yourself or you don't." He paused, "They used to say if man were meant to fly he'd have wings. But we do fly Admiral, we discovered we have to." He waited for the admiral to respond. Finally Adama replied.
"So say we all." He handed the model Battlestar to Kirk.m, who still held out the Monroe. "Keep them both." He looked at the crewman behind Kirk. "It's a fine collection, son. Make sure he gets a base star too." The young man nodded rapidly beaming.
"So say we all." Kirk echoed after a moment. "We're here, now, and we've a call." He straightened, "as starfleet officers, we will answer that call." Adama nodded. Kirk continued, "It seems we have something of an expert on overlapping time lines on board who can brief you with what we know about Lore, he's currently assigned to the recovery operations. We should make use of the speed advantages you propose here.." he looked at Reyes. "Raven, after their modifications are complete to prevent beaming, I want you to find out more about this FTL of theirs and make sure it's compatible with our warp drive." He looked at Adama, "We sent a subspace probe in the direction of Earth almost a week ago when we arrived, it should be arriving any time now."
"We sent a Cylon relief force ahead to reinforce Galactica." Adama said, "We weren't expecting hostilities, but it's best to be prepared. We have only just begun to receive courier drones from the expedition's initial arrival back at the colonies. Your probe could give us an idea of what we are getting into." He sighed, "I suppose that's worth the wait." Kirk nodded eagerly.
"Admiral I believe we can save those men and women on the surface, try to make contact with Captain Sisko, in the wormhole and still beat Lore to Earth, assuming that's where he is going now. In the meantime, we plan to interview the evacuees from his ship, hopefully we will get a better idea of what they have been doing." He eyed the star chart thoughtfully.
"There was a version of my son on that ship." Adama stated giving nothing away. Kirk looked up at him. He nodded in acknowledgement.
"We have him, and possibly some other people of yours." He confirmed. "They are being treated in our sickbay now."
Adama nodded.
"We have work to do." He said resolutely, "but I would like to take a raptor over to meet him as soon as your doctors think it appropriate." Kirk nodded. He extended his hand once more, as he had before.
"And you will be welcome Admiral." He told Adama as Adama took it. "The truth of that man on my ship, that man who looks like your son, we'll discover it together. The truth of this Lore and the what these Gods and prophets have done to your universe, we'll discover that too." He released Adama's hands and stood back. He pulled his communicator from his pocket and flipped it open, signalling his ship for retrieval.
"And when we discover that truth, Captain…" Adama answered him back, Kirk looked up expectantly, "Then they will see what humanity is made of."
.*.*.
"The prophecy of Pythia Commander?" The Six asked recognizing the quote. Cronus shook her head.
"Just a few weeks after the Defiant left, the President began recording a number of dreams she was having that were noted for being especially vivid, and more specifically noted for featuring the Federation Captain Sisko." Cronus replied. "Both contain the quote, and it was believed that Sisko is referencing Pythia though I confess I am somewhat out of touch with the latest interpretations. A particularly esoteric passage reads "He will play 8 notes to banish the silence, and then two more to signal the host shall begin again."
"That could just as likely refer to the Cylon model designations 8 and 2, which featured prominently in the events following the attack. "Gaeta considered, "We also engaged 8 hostiles, before withdrawal, maybe there are two more yet to come?"
"That's the problem with prophecy, Sir." Tyrol mused, "it has to be vague enough to fit future interpretations. "
"For all we know it's their favorite sheet music." Helo snarked to Starbuck. She gave him an odd look.
"What about the subspace comm system?" Cronus asked clearing her throat. Helo looked down abashed.
"We are holding position in a direct line from the message we recieved from Kobol, but there's so far been no response to our return signal." Tyrol reported "I haven't t been able to get anything new from the signal we recieved, so I'm looking at the artifacts we recovered from the red planet. Our enemy apparently has some kind of warp technology, so we thought examining the computer systems we found might help."
"Your looking for some kind of code, or communications protocol." Cronus asked, Tyrol nodded. "The answer could be more straightforward. If we answered a distress call with a distress cal of our ownl, there may be no one left to respond on the other side."
"We've considered that Ma'am, and given that the transmission came from Kobol, that doesn't bode well for the expedition there." Tyrol replied, "But according to Ellen, when her taskforce left, the Cylons were working with the fleet to implement new jump protocols that would allow another task force to be deployed using our traditional FTL technology, without months of travel time."
"Our expected Colonial reinforcements would otherwise be weeks away." Gaeta pointed out. "Unless the warp jumping technology was installed, which didn't seem likely, as a number of our experts on the technology were with us." Cronus shot Gaeta a look, and then Six spoke up.
"Commander, with all due respect, it was fairly obvious that the Colonial Fleet threw the expedition together with the experimental modifications to beat us to Earth. We take no offense, certainly not in light of what has ultimately happened to you here, but prior to that it was felt that we owed humanity for the attack. We might have been able to beat you here even with your warp drive, but it was felt that we should not christen an era of peace by starting a fight over the past. Based on the results of your initial survey, you found a number of artifacts and installations we might well have overlooked" Cronus nodded.
"Well I appreciate that, and I admit we got lucky with the Defiant's initial sensor scans as a start, we haven't forgotten the fact that your people helped us make the warp drive work in the first place." Cronus told Six. She nodded at Tyrol. "We did have an encounter with a Seraphim on our journey, unfortunately, it's intended target, Doctor Baltar is among our missing." The Six caught her breath. "Ah." The Commander said in sudden realization, "My apologies, I did not realize you were that Six."
Initial looks of confusion among the other colonials in the room turned to looks of outright hostility as they began to make the connection Cronus alluded to. The security debriefs of the Cylon attack had been reviewed exhaustively within the surviving colonial fleet elements, had ultimately been leaked to the media and been equally exhaustively debated by the public and had been a large part of why Gaius Baltar had agreed to quickly leave Colonial Space for a year long expedition.
"I don't know what to say." Caprica Six replied, Ellen broke in.
"She wasn't intended to interact with the fleet." She said quickly, "Her complicity in the attack although much more conspicuous, is something we all share the burden of guilt for, even us." She nodded at Tyrol who nodded back. "We could not stop our children, lead by the Ones." She explained, "It did not occur to us that by introducing human form Cylons, we were giving them a means of infiltration." She shook her head and continued, "But as you say, Six has been somewhat… watchful.. of Doctor Baltar, and wanted to work in whatever way possible to make some small amends."
"There's nothing you can do to bring back the billions of lives you helped your people take." Cronus told her bluntly, "That is simply a statement of fact, and while I will not disrespect the memory of those people by expressing any sort of approval, I can acknowledge how daunting a task it must be even to try to make amends." She gazed at the Cylon intently, noting the strong features of the woman before her, crumpled into deep regret. "Frankly, if I'd been responsible for an atrocity on that scale, I don't think I'd even be able to get out of bed in the morning, so I take note of someone dedicating herself to making amends, and I expect your utmost commitment to that end." Six swallowed, and nodded.
"I am in command here.' Cronus declared looking at them all. All three Cylons nodded, Tyrol even came to attention. "We will find your husband," She looked at Tigh, "Your associate, Ms. Foster," she nodded to Tyrol, "and if you insist, we will find Doctor Baltar as well, though frankly I have endured several months of his reprehensible behavior of which you should be aware."
"Every female in the fleet has ma'am." Starbuck gritted.
"Kara kicked him in the groin." Helo added.
"Twice." She said exhasparated. Six gave an incredulous smile, and Tyrol chuckled, the tension eased considerably. Cronus became serious once more, "Mr Gaeta has recommended that we request two raiders make an attempt at peaceful contact, and despite my desire to avenge my fallen people, we all know that neither of our people are prepared for another war, certainly not against an enemy of unknown disposition, location and technical capability. If our people are in their hands and they ascertain the location of the twelve colonies, then that puts civilians in harm's way, civilians only just beginning to recover from your people's attack."
"Our raiders have taken to more freely expressing their concept of honor, of late." Six stated, she looked at Tigh, "If we were to jump our resurrection ship in, even at extreme range, it would require our forces as escort. We will seek volunteers willing to risk permanent death, for our mutual peoples, but also possessing a commitment to peace, so as not to add further complications." Cronus nodded.
"As a fall back strategy, I want to prepare a coordinated strike on all known enemy positions."
Cronus announced, "Our guns can overwhelm their shields, and jump capable raiders can hit them with mass salvos. If necessary, this will be our battle ground, not the colonies."
. *. *.
"I don't give a frack about Earth, or Kobol." Adama snapped. He stood in the War Room of the Vesta. "I care about fighting the enemy away from our homes."
"Yet both systems hold strategic assets valuable to Lore." Ro pointed out. She stood with Yar, and Sizemore beside her, Shaw and Keikeya stood with Adama. "If he's decided that the Bajoran wormhole is his target, he will likely strike again, presumably with a fleet at his back this time."
"Then the battle is here." Adama replied reluctantly. "We concede Earth and instead of reinforcements, we plan an extraction."
"Sir, not necessarily." Sizemore interjected. "I mean, yes, at least an extraction, but it may be more complex."
He moved over to an illuminated board where he had sketched out a number of forked lines earlier in his efforts to explain temporal causality. "Your son is at Earth, if Lore is able to locate him, and push him out of the timeline, how does that change things for you? Your motivations, your personal history, all of that is changed."
"It doesn't, because he hasn't" Adama said gruffly. "If Lee were erased from existence, I wouldn't remember him, so he doesn't get to Lee that way."
"Well, and of course he hasn't yet, most likely." Sizemore agreed hastily realizing how personal his example had just been to the admiral, "Commander Marcus and Maltz believe his ship is limited to relatively low warp speed, and if he'd had access to your FTL technology, it would have been far safer to escape with that, than using warp the way he did." Sizemore shook his head, "but look that isn't the point, Lieutenant Yar, here," he pointed to Yar, "is the product of a nested timeline central to Lieutenant Ro's timeline. Reality was real for her, as long as it needed to be, until it wasn't, thanks to the exchange between universes, and presunably mutually self correcting time lines," Sizemore nodded to everyone in the room as though this were obvious and continued without noting the actual reactions recivedd, " but in both universes there had to be a nested timeline for the exchange to occur." He pointed to where two lines crossed each cris-crossed each other.
"That's fracking gibberish." Shaw declared. Several people stopped trying to follow Sizemore's logic at that point, in order to concur with her. Sizemore's support came then, from an unexpected source.
"Except it can't be." Garner pointed out, "Because Lore admitted he is a product of one of these 'nested timelines'. We have the history of the Federation according to the Defiant, and the federation wasn't at war with the Klingons."
"We have over a dozen refugees from divergent timelines, recovering on our ship." Sizemore added, "proof of alterations Lore has made, now people," He held up his marker, "they are targets, but so are things."
"Raven and the A.T.H.E.N.A. installation went over the objects you found on Earth, that the expedition reported initially." Ro explained. She tapped an image on the table, "she identified one of your first major finds, almost right away." Adama picked up the transparency of a ring shaped station. "The survivors we picked up from Earth lived on that thing during Earth's nuclear wars, almost a million years ago. If Lore erases that, then there are no survivors from Earth, save for Elegius IV and possibly III. Our timeline since arriving here changes, and more than likely, Lore erases Pegasus."
"The Monroe might not even have come all the way out here, without Raven wanting to see what happened to the Elegius system." Yar added. She slid some images of the prisoners recovered from Lore's ship to the admiral, including the temporal ghost, of his youngest son. "Our interviews confirm that in the earliest timelines Lore visited, there was never a Monroe, never a Defiant, and quite possibly never an Elegius mission." Lee tapped the highest line on his chart.
"There are variants of a timeline that very much resembles this one, that have been in his custody for hundreds of years, and they haven't aged a day." He said quietly, "Then there are variants from alternate versions of the federation that have been his prisoners for decades." He pointed to a new set of timelines, "and then somehow it seems, he collected variants from earlier in the Federation's timeline, and then once again from this one. "
"So Lore originates from a timeline similar to yours." Adama pointed at Yar, "He tried to change… something.. and erased it completely, and then what.. fixed it, and then changed it back again?"
"Something or someone may have fixed it, while Lore was protected from the timeline. I'll be furthering reviewing Commander Saavik's interviews when I return to the ship." Sizemore gestured to a drawing of a white hat with a question mark, "But we believe that Lore then went back in time and undid what they did, and most likely their existence as well. We have a refugee on board who believes it was a species called the 'borg'."
"Several of the individuals we rescued are receiving psychiatric care from our doctors." Yar told them, "One of whom was himself a holographic simulation we rescued."
"Holographic?" Garner questioned.
"A sort of.. self aware photon projection programmed with a medical database, based on the personality matrix of a real doctor." Lee explained. "He's a actually begun aiding our doctor in treating the refugees because she's actually a Klingon and their approach to medicine is more-"
"Less." Yar said flatly, "Their approach to medicine is just less."
"Great." Adama said dryly, but surprisingly that was his only comment. Sizemore again belatedly remembered he was referring to the treatment of a man the Admiral might view as a son. He hurries onwards.
"Federation medicine can.. well it can disentangle emotional associations with memories, it can alter the biochemical make up, alter neural pathways, they use it for recovery, but it would be frankly terrifying stuff if I weren't already an android." Said Sizemore, Garner threw up his hands and Kendra gestured towards him to the admiral incredulously. Adama rubbed his temple and motioned for Sizemore to finish.
"but believe me when I tell you, this Lore, is worse," Sizemore said gulping, " That thing is a monster, he took trophies from the timelines he played God with and then he tortured them."
"I don't think anyone here needs that point to be made any clearer, Crewman." Kendra snapped, her eyes going to Adama who had taken off his glasses. Then she said "It figures the fracking toasters had be right about having a God though."
"He's not our God." Boomer entered the room, "He's a god to the Cylon Empire, descended from the 13th tribe, except for the final five, we have nothing to do with them."
"Boomer. You're looking better." Adama observed releasing the table and letting out a breath. He took in the bundle strapped to her front, that appeared to peering curiously around, and said "And I see congratulations are in order." Sharon hesitated, then leaned over so he could see her newborn child. He touched her shoulder moving closely to wave a finger at the little boy. "He's beautiful.' he told her. "You've got a whole fleet here that will stand between him, and danger."
"Thank you sir." She said touched and almost at a loss, "That's very gracious."
"The birth of a child, is always reason to celebrate." Adama told her stolidly, "Whatever our differences may be, Lieutenant, he is precious. Don't let him out of your sight."
"No sir." Boomer said soberly. "If I'd known I was pregnant, I would never have joined the Pegasus expedition."
"Frack that's right." Garner said. Then looked apologetically at Boomer. He pointed at Sizemore's attempt to chart timelines. "Chief Tyrol is on Earth too." Sizemore put his marker down on the tray with a click.
"That's just lovely." He said as several people in the room sighed. "Though I've only recently brushed up on temporal mechanics, I've a knack for tracking multiple narratives, and I can say it's fairly obvious that Lore could alter any number of factors that lead to our victory here, by attacking Earth."
"Or the Colonies themselves, for that matter." Adama pointed out, "But we can't deal exclusively in hypotheticals. There are too many variables"
"No." Ro said struggling to regain control of her briefing, "No we cannot, and that's why the common denominator has to be the weapon. Lore has to account for infinite variables, and that's why he won't succeed."
"We just have to deal with Lore." Yar agreed. Adama Shaw Garner and Sizemore nodded. Ro continued,
"Until we destroy Lore's time ship, however, this timeline is at his mercy, even if he can't achieve his goals, he can effect changes that could alter or likely neutralize our response. The he only thing slowing him down are the limitations of his ship, and the weapons of the Monroe."
"Then give us some fracking photon torpedoes." Kendra demanded, "You can't be in two places at once, but with some upgunned battlestars we could deal with Lore, and the Cylon Empire. Don't tell me your precious Prime Directive applies here." She seemed to have a particular animosity towards Ro.
"I never claimed that it did." Ro replied to Kendra's surprise, "Ultimately it's Captain Kirk's decision because we represent several different incarnations of the Federation, and it's debatable at this point, whether or not I'm even in starfleet!" There was a pause as people considered that. "I'll tell you this though, of all the starfleet captains I have served under, Kirk is the most likely willing to consider it." Ro replied.
.*.*.
Kirk rose from his desk, and extended a hand in greeting as a slim blond woman with an ocular enhancement entered his quarters. She stood before him hands behind her back as she rose but extended a hand with a padd to him.
"Captain Kirk." She stated matter of factly as he paused to take the padd. "I have prepared a number of recommended upgrades for this vessel which should be achievable with the resources currently available. I have identified a number of structural modifications and improvements, utilizing the capabilities of the 12 Colonies, that will enable this vessel to improve it's viability at high warp speeds, the modifications I have recommended will not compromise the physical or technological security of this vessel."
"You are Annika Hansen, correct?" Kirk asked, he gestured to the couch nearby for her to sit. She continued standing. Kirk thought wryly of a certain first officer and simply took his seat. "Welcome."
"Correct." She stated, "Though my previous designation was Seven of Nine, Tertiary Adjunct to Unimatrix Zero."
"I just finished interviewing your young ward Icheb." Kirk replied, "apart from two former members of my crew who immediately requested to serve with us, he was the first to formally request asylum. You were the second."
"We were both previously serving aboard a federation starship." Hansen answered, "We are somewhat familiar with the protocols involved and our other options are not appealing." Kirk nodded.
"We recovered a few Colonial warriors as well as a Cylon which have requested expatriation, you hadn't considered either of those as options?"
"You are correct." Hansen replied, " during our captivity we were able to become somewhat familiar with them, as, following our capture and interrogation, and subsequent conscription, we were largely ignored." Her face gave nothing away, "I would anticipate difficulty integrating into either society, despite the cybernetic attributes Icheb and I possess, and I believe neither would be an easy acclimation for a Katarina."
"Some of the stories I've heard already about Emperor Lore, the medical reports…" Kirk faltered, unsure what to say.
"I was able to shield Naomi and Icheb from the direct attention of the Emperor, Naomi, in particular was considered convenient for her technical on knowledge coupled with her small size and both performed engineering and maintainence tasks." Hansen explained, she frowned. "Both are still biologically juvenile, Captain, due to the time dialation properties of the Krenim vessel, but we were aboard for over two decades. We were originally accompanied by two others and they did not survive."
"I'm sorry." Kirk whispered "It was at best a purgatory." He considered the padd, "Your technological prowess would have been of great benefit."
"Emperor Lore simply saw me as a Borg drone, and after his torture of Lieutenant Tuvok, I thought it wise not to volunteer my skills or observations. He was no longer interested in the Borg Collective after he wiped them from the timeline." Annika replied, "Throughout the course of that endeavor he had other representatives of the collective to utilize."
"I'm sorry." Kirk told her again, "It must have been awful there."
"I prefer to focus on assuring continued security for Icheb, Naomi and myself." Anika replied.
"Now I understand, that this Naomi is not the one from your native timeline " Kirk said, calling up the initial interviews Saavik had conducted the day before. "Neither is the Holographic Doctor."
"I found the distinction irrelevant, with regards to Naomi." Hansen told him, "She sought me because I was the only one familiar to her, and I have found reciprocating her affection to have been most worthwhile." Kirk raised an eyebrow.
"I meant no offense." Kirk assured her, "The A.T.H.E.N.A. construct and Commander Saavik tagged both her and Icheb for priority transport when they realized there were actually juveniles aboard, to bring children into that…" He tossed the padd down and rubbed his eyes tiredly. "We've got to stop Lore, and to do so, it may be important to understand how he's been altering the flow of time."
"I cannot immediately speak with regards to Doctor Bashir. While I was able to preserve the mobile emitter for the Doctor of my native timeline the being it formerly contained was a different model. A very.. unique individual." Her voice caught for the first time since she entered, "But he refused to serve Lore, even if only to repair his victims, and his emitter was damaged when Emperor Lore extracted his program. The individual you recovered is an alternate version of a later model that Lore attempted to obtain as an alternative, but the distinction is that instead of developing a unique personality due to time spent exceeding his designed limits, this Doctor operates largely as designed using the personality matrix of a living physician serving in starfleet with whom I am unfamiliar." She straightened even more so, an act Kirk had not thought possible. "I will attempt to engage the doctor to learn more about him, and I would be willing to examine his programming, if needed, as it is an area in which I am well qualified."
"Anika this isn't an audition.' Kirk said rising from his desk. "I intend to grant asylum to you and both of your wards." He came around the desk, "You've all been through an incomparable ordeal."
"Thank you, Captain." Hansen replied turn to him. She let out a breath and appeared to forcibly relaxed her posture with her hands at her side. Kirk paused puzzled. "Do you wish to be intimate?"
Kirk blinked. "Beg pardon?"
"I am familiar with your service record and your reputation in federation history." Hansen said carefully, "I am aware that I am considered attractive by males of many species, and if you wish to be intimate I would be willing to accommodate you, in appreciation for our rescue, though I cannot say I have significant exp-" Kirk put up a hand stopping her.
"No. No thank you, that won't be necessary." He told her. He sidled awkwardly past her to the replicator behind her. "Computer, Coffee, black." He told it. A cup materialized. "Would you like something?"
Anika considered. "Perhaps a raktojino?" She asked. Kirk nodded and ordered it.
"The ship didn't have Klingon coffee programmed initially, but one of our engineers Maltz programmed something I'm told is adequate." Kirk said she took a sip. She swallowed hard and examined it.
"It is… robust." She stated as Kirk sat down again. "Captain if I caused any offense…"
"You're a swan on a lake, Ms. Hansen." Kirk told her, "graceful on the surface, elegant even." He waved his fingers, "but those feet bebeath the surface kicking and flapping every minute." She considered his metaphor as he continued, "you're the third woman this month who has made a pass at me to join my crew."
"Who were the others?" She asked without thinking. Kirk's ears turned red.
"Never mind that." He said the corners of his mouth twitching. "I died Anika. I gave my life to save others and was pulled out into space, and I was alone." He picked up his coffee. "And then I wasn't." She cocked her head. "I was pulled into a realm called the Nexus." He explained, "an extra universal interaction of causality where the mind can dictate reality. For many that would have been a heaven, but for me, it felt meaningless." He set the coffee down and looked up at her. "A hundred years I thought myself in a purgatory, and now I find a survivor of the real thing. He sighed and continued
"I came back, in a younger body, after an encounter with a federation Captain in this universe, who informed me that a great granddaughter I didn't know I'd had would need my help her. I understand family." He folded his hands. "We are an eclectic crew, on a forgotten ship and our mission is anything but clear. I am old." He stressed the word, and he gazed at her. "There are no legends here."
She nodded in acknowledgement. He grinned boyishly.
"But I understand that evidently the history books left me with a bit of a reputation, and if I am to suffer the advances of beautiful young woman than it's a cross I'll have to bear."
"Evidently." She deadpanned. He chuckled. He rose again.
"You've survived your ordeal." He told her, "you sheltered two young people through it all, in the.. what… fourteen hours you have been aboard, you solved a number of technical issues we have only just begun to become aware of." He picked up the padd. "I have a special project in mind for you and young Icheb. Take this to Commander Marcus, and then report to Commander Saavik. It is an honor to have you aboard."
. *. *.
"The Federation fought the Klingons for over a decade in my timeline." Yar explained "As the war continued, and the Klingons began to advance into our territories it exposed a number of pre-warp civilizations to the Klingons. The Federation suspended the Prime Directive in a number of cases. " Yar told Adama, "Where the Klingons were advancing, and it was almost certain they would interfere in a civilization's developement any way it became a moral dilemma. There was a world wmcalled Iota that had more or less emulated a period of Earth history, and following the accidental introduction of some advanced technology, had accelerated fairly quickly. They didn't have warp drive yet but they had a thriving civilization with colonies and space stations, all within the confines of their system, but all right in the path of the Klingon Empire."
"You are personally familiar with these people." Adama noted. Yar swallowed and nodded.
"One of my first missions as an Ensign was part of an effort to rescue a pocket of surviving civillians trapped behind enemy lines." She said quietly. Adama nodded in understanding. He didn't ask how the mission had gone, so she continued,
"If a hostile force with capabilities equivalent or greater to that of the Federation is likely to engage in hostilities with a less advanced culture, the moral imperative changes from non- interference, to allowing an equitable chance for survival, usually by educating them as to the situation and giving them a choice. When offered that choice, many took it, and chose to support the federation."
"A questionable military tactic." Adama commented, "Accepting responsibility for protecting an entire civilization while yours is under threat…" He looked at Yar with some respect, "That's either courageous or foolhardy."
"In many situations, when systems joined the federation for aid in defense, they brought infrastructure and new soldiers." Yar said carefully.
"Many, but not all." Boomer noted.
"There were some cases where it was felt that advanced technology would contribute to what was only a perceived threat and those civilizations declined our support." Yar admitted.
"How'd that turn out for them?" Shaw asked acerbically. Yar shook her head.
"The Klingons value strength, as well as honor." Yar replied, "In most cases, those who turned down federation aid were conquered, and became tributaries to the Empires. If they didn't have anything to offer, the Empire would still install bases and assign them a Klingon Governor." Yar said grimly. "Sometimes just as territorial rewards for fleet commanders."
"But in a few…" Boomer said suspiciously, "I'd expect that accepting Federation aid and weapons might make them more worthy foes." Yar nodded with a glance at Ro.
"In her universe, my people paid a very heavy price. The Cardassians first invaded us, then they forced us to fight, and we were still conquered." Ro said acidly. "And then after the Federation armed us, evidently the Klingons found us to be worthy of continued battle. In both timelines my people were a peaceful race, but after generations of conflict, war becomes all we know."
"Living in constant fear for your civilization can make you see others as an enemy." Boomer said knowingly.
"Including those who actually are enemies." Shaw said casually, Adama shot her a glare.
"The better armed the Bajoran, or the Iotans became, the more the klingons escalated." Ro summarized, trying to get back on track.
"Well Lore has made it clear he intends to wipe out our existence as we know it." Garner declared, he'd been constantly staring at Ro's nose and if he kept doing it, she couldn't speak to his safety "I can't imagine how he might escalate from that."
"I think we know how he might escalate." Adama declared, he turned to Boomer. "He could make us suffer while he does it."
. *. *.
"This is torture." Tigh griped, "We've got maybe a day or two of supplies left before we have to make a break for the rendevouz coordinates." Tigh said, as he fed the crumpled up bag from his rations into the field stove. The heavy synthetic material would burn for some time, and they had found very little else they could burn. A crackling camp fire would have been cheery in the cold drafty cave but it would have been a waste of fuel and energy. Fortunately the depth of the cave deep within a crevasse seemed to maintain a temperature of around 50 degrees, where the surface high above was much much colder. Racetrack was working to adjust their shelter with Tory's help. "We didn't count on being cut off from resupply." He grumbled.
"The engineers are nearly to the objective." Tory said, "It would be impossible to expect anything to remain after a million years but we may still find whatever reacted to the artifact's signal."
"They'll find our skeletal remains spread out around whatever it is, looking satisfied that we completed our mission." Tigh replied darkly.
"The raptor isn't rigged for stealth." Racetrack pointed out as she finished her adjustments. "But I could take her up to see what's going on?"
"Negative on that." Tigh told her, "we know enough from the death knell of the Pollux. This system is behind enemy lines." Foster spoke up.
"If whatever sent the signal is still operational, there might be something down here we can use." She pointed out.
"We'd better hope so." Tigh said, "Because if we come up with squat we'll still be without any food.m, even if we tried to make our escape."
"Were there any habitable parts of the planet?" Foster asked, Racetrack shook her head.
"The equatorial areas are warm enough but there's radiation in the food chain." Racetrack replied, "I wouldn't count on there be anything we could eat."
. *. *.
Commander Saavik approached the Captain's quarters, as an obviously flustered young man exited, nearly bumping into her. Saavik noted that he wore a variant of the black jumpsuit that Ro had described, as a future Starfleet uniform.
"Er, Commander." He said coming to attention, but she noted he held something in his hand. "I'm so sorry, I didn't see you."
"At ease.. Ensign Kim, is it?" She asked, "We have not yet been formally introduced."
"Yes, I was just interviewing with the Kirk, I mean the Captain. Captain Kirk." Kim explained hastily, " I still have my combadge with my service record, but we couldn't access it with this technology…"
"I am certain that if you take it to Ensign Reyes, she will be able to assist you." Saavik said politely, as the man started to ramble. "I take it the Captain approved your transfer." Kim nodded
"I was just on my way to put on the correct uniform, I just.." He sighed.
"You may speak freely Ensign, I sense you have much to say."
"It's just…" Harry faltered, "near as I can tell, I was on thar ship for over ten years, and I haven't aged a day. Everyone on my ship died, and it was.. a living hell, never knowing when the Emperor would come up with some twisted game, or experiment…" He shuddered, "and then suddenly I'm here, and it's Starfleet, but it's not, it's Captain James T Kirk, the legend, but in my timeline he died, even this." He gestured to his uniform. "Your replicators didn't get the fabric quite right, but it's the only thing I have that ties me to my old life…"
"You have been under duress for such a long time." Saavik observed, "It would not be logical to expect to feel normal, or even safe, for quite some time." She stood with her arms behind her back, "perhaps even gaining approval to serve on this ship requires an acknowledgement that everything you've ever known, and loved is gone." Kim swallowed heavily for a moment fighting tears, and nodded. Saavik reached out, and gently took the commbadge from his hands.
"And yet," she continued, "This symbol remains. This device carries a record of your life, before." She looked up at Kim. "As you do." She held his gaze for a moment.
"I understand." He said, slowly, "As long as I live, they live in me, I carry them with me." She nodded. "There's also a variant of Seven aboard, and a young man named 'Icheb' who seemed to know me." He sighed. "I suppose some of the others aren't quite that lucky."
Saavik took the badge and affixed it to Kim's chest. He straightened. "Ensign." She said thoughtfully, "When you have Ensign Reyes examine it, see if the technology can be duplicated. Though we wear the uniforms of this ship, as a sign of unity, perhaps it would behoove us to make this upgrade. That being the case, it would be appropriate, to continue wearing this." Kim swallowed again, and after a moment said,
"Yes ma'am. Thank you Ma'am." He replied, then paused, "You know I feel awkward even bringing this up.."
"Yes?" Saavik asked, betraying no sign of impatience.
"Well it's just… even in captivity I.. considered myself a Starfleet officer." Kim said, "so in essence I've been an Ensign for over 15 years." Saavik nodded in understanding. "Though I know obviously I'd need appropriate training, and, it seems like there isn't a lot of room in the command structure…" She answered.
"We will discuss your experience and opportunities for advancement at the earliest opportunity. You have certainly earned that." His face lit up and he began to speak, but she interjected "Carry on, Ensign." He nodded and turned to go, and she activated the door chime.
"Enter." Came Kirk's voice.
She found him standing by the desk adjacent the entrance to his quarters. A terminal sat on the desk, while behind a view screen displayed a map of the quadrant, outlining their path and that of the probes they had launched. She noted there were inset bookshelves around the display that Kirk had not yet filled, yet there were two books he had found the time to replicate. One of the books was "A Tale of Two Cities", the other was-
"Paradise Lost." She noted aloud. She looked at the Captain "Kahn?"
Kirk held a glass, and he drained it, then nodded.
"Something he said to me at the end of our first encounter." He said quietly. She watched as he crossed behind her, past a small couch under a starlit window, to the replicator that dominated one wall of his cabin. He slid a panel up to the side of it and pulled out a bottle. He poured a second glass and proffered it to her. She accepted it and examined the unfamiliar liquid
"They call this, 'Ambrosia'" he told her, "Commander Gardner sent up a case recovered from Pegasus when Antaak and Doctor Bashir cleared their last survivals from intensive care, it's good stuff."
"I am pleased to hear that personell recovery is complete." Saavik declared, "Commander Marcus believes that the Pegasus is intact enough to be salvageable, but Admiral Adama is reluctant, as it would be necessary to tractor it into orbit, and then to the Cylon Colony."
"He's not particularly quick to trust." Kirk noted, "It's my understanding that the Cylons have likely gained access to any Colonial military secrets, particularly from that ship." He gestured to the small couch and took the chair next to it. He out his feet up. "To what do I owe the pleasure, Commander."
"Saavik, please." She said as she seated herself, "We are both, as I understand it, off duty." Kirk raised an eye brow.
"So we are." He affirmed. "So I suppose you should call me Jim." She paused at that, having not considered that but continued anyway,
"In a sense, we are also family." She said, "According to Earth tradition, at least, as your Grand daughter, married my son." Kirk sipped carefully at his glass and examined it. "The young man you just interviewed made an observation just now. Despite everything he has been through he felt fortunate to have a few people he can relate to, though they are not, strictly speaking, the people he knew. To that end, I am grateful to be here, with family." She toasted Kirk, he returned the toast, but he paused.
"You are here because you came looking for me." Kirk said with the ghost of a grin.
"As neither would you be, if you had not come looking for my granddaughter." Saavik pointed out. "My career in Starfleet was over, Captain. It was in large part, Ambassador Spock's search for you that brought me back. In researching the energy phenomenon known as the Nexus, He calculated that it's next course through our part of the galaxy would pass through the romulan neutral zone and subsequently reactivated me to participate in a mission to study it. Though that mission was unsuccessful, my utility to Starfleet remained, with my heritage exposed, and so I stayed. When Commander Marcus was assigned to investigate rumors of Federation prisoners of war, I was already in deep cover in the neutral zone. You bear no responsibility for my presence here, Jim, you precipitated my return to Starfleet, for which I am grateful." She sat somewhat stiffly. "I am glad we found you."
"I see.' Kirk replied, taken aback, "I had meant that you were here because you came looking for me today."
Saavik opened her mouth and then closed it. She looked at the glass in her hand and then at Kirk.
"I gather you came to check up on me." Kirk said dryly. "Concerned, perhaps, about my reaction to Kahn?" She looked uncomfortable, "I forget sometimes that you are not just Vulcan, but also part Romulan."
"I don't follow." She said her eyes flashing.
"I mean no offense." Kirk said. "It just strikes me that there were times I forgot that Spock was part Vulcan, but also part human." He looked away thoughtfully, "For all his exceptional emotional control, I got the distinct impression on several occasions that I hurt his feelings."
"Spock held you in the highest regard." Saavik assured him, "He spent years investigating your death, and while many dismissed his efforts as the product of emotional reasoning, he was in fact, correct about your survival."
"That he was." Kirk toasted again and Saavik raised her glass, "Vulcan, Human or both, among them all, Spock was a singularly gifted individual." He
looked at her candidly. "If you don't mind my asking, what is the status of your relationship with Ambassador Spock?" Saavik was very still, but answered.
"He was my mentor, and my sponsor. What happened between us on Genesis was biological and broke many taboos in Vulcan culture."
"He would have died there, without you." Kirk said sitting up slowly, not simply from exposure or the Klingons, but with the rapid aging.." He looked at her. "Pon Farr nearly killed him once." She nodded.
"It is my understanding that you died, then, to save him." She raised her glass.
"Well " Kirk said sheepishly, "from a certain point of view." But he became serious. "Spock was an honorable man. I can't believe he would have turned away from you."
"He did not." Saavik replied, "it was rather I, who turned from him." She tapped her ears. "In the Genesis cave, those many years ago, I heard much of what you said to Doctor Marcus." Kirk searched his memory, and then looked at her quizzically. "She asked you to stay away, because she could not ask you to give up your life."
"A decision I have deeply regretted." Kirk said bitterly. "At the end of that distinguished career of exploration and command, what did I have to show for it?"
"More than you knew." Saavik interjected, before he could continue further. Kirk accepted that and nodded.
"More than I knew." He repeated. He raised the last of his glass. "To David, and Sam."
Saavik raised her glass. "To Subok, and to Winona." Kirk's breath caught as he realized Saavik was talking about her son, and a grand daughter he had never known. They finished their drinks. "I stayed with Spock's family on Vulcan for some time." She told him, "but after it became apparent that Earth might be a more appropriate I spent some time with Doctor Marcus, as well, and I was there when Winona's mother presented her. An encounter between our children that they would have again, at your memorial, Captain." Kirk hunched over absorbing this.
"I missed so much." He whispered. To his surprise, Saavik touched his arm, and he looked up.
"I would be honored, to tell you of their lives, Jim." She said. He nodded. She sat back and after putting his glass down, so did he.
"Subok, and Winona." He whispered, he frowned, "Sam is 41 isn't she? Subok would have been what.. 28 when she was conceived?" Saavik nodded uncertainly. Kirk suddenly looked at her almost warily. "Why did you come by here?" He asked curiously.
"It has been several days since we took custody of Khan Noonien Singh." Saavik told him matter of factly. Kirk let out a sigh and nodded to himself. He rose and began to pace restlessly.
"We have maintained the appropriate security protocols, while observing Starfleet protocols regarding treatment of detainees" she continued, " however, to my knowledge, he has committed no new crimes against the federation."
"You know how dangerous he is." Kirk snapped, "you of all people, know what he cost us."
"Yet it was not him." She pointed out. "This version of Khan settled on Seti Alpha 5 peacefully, until Lore arrived to erase Ceti Alpha 6. Khan and several of his people were taken by Lore before the timeline was altered."
"Yet the potential is there." Kirk told her, "He's a dangerous man, even before we woke him up, he was responsible for the death of millions."
"Nonetheless, you marooned him as punishment. Since then, they have spent decades in captivity, Captain. He is asking to speak to you, now because he doesn't understand what is going on."
"Does he blame me for that then?" Kirk demanded, He sat behind his desk. Saavik rose and collected his glass. She moved to the replicator, and the panel beside it, reaching for the bottle. "A planet exploded and years later that man comes after me, and my family and friends, because I didn't check in on him." Saavik handed him a glass, and as he reached for it, she took his hand as well, leading him back to the chair. For a moment he debated resisting, but remembered with some chagrin that Saavik had the strength of a Vulcan. He was already upright, and the glass in his other hand.
"Jim, you need to rest." She said, "I say this as family, and as first officer. Khan can wait until the morning. If you choose not to speak to him, he, Lieutenant Macguyver and Joachim have agreed to be transported to the planet below. I do not think they are looking for trouble, only peace."
"Peace." Kirk scoffed. "The man will be ruling the planet in five years time."
"Jim there is no one there to rule." Saavik said practically. Kirk looked at her rebelliously.
"I believe he fears a man in orbit who seemingly defeated his captor and then stunned him." Saavik observed as Kirk sat heavily on the couch. She sank into the chair he had vacated, them both having switched places. "For a man with superior ambition, his time since revival has been humbling." Kirk considered that. After a moment she continued
"Mr Delos reported he had made a single literary request." Kirk reclined on the couch putting a foot up. "Evidently he was only halfway through one of the few books Lieutenant Macguyver brought to Ceti Alpha V. I believe it was 'Moby Dick'." Kirk shot her a slightly concerned glance. "I chose to provide alternative reading."
"What did you give him instead" Kirk asked.
"Captains Courageous." She replied. Kirk stared at her incredulously and then slowly began to laugh.
. *. *.
Echo opened her eyes, and her prayers were answered. Then a splitting headache overwhelmed her and she threw up a meal she had eaten thousands of years ago on Bellamy's feet.
"Don't worry." A young man standing on the her other side told her, holding a device "The ship cleans itself." He pressed something to her neck, she heard a hissing and her headache began to ease quickly.
"Thanks Doctor." Bellamy said stiffly, he turned to Echo, "Welcome back."
"Bellamy!" She croaked, she coughed. The man to her side frowned and began to adjust the device he had placed against her neck.
"Bashir! You medicate too much." Declared a deep voice, Echo turned and found a monster striding towards them. Towering over Bellamy, it was dark skinned, evidently female but with some kind of deformity on it's forehead, but what concerned her most were the sharp teeth. She started to rise in alarm, but the young man only laughed.
"It's no wonder you Klingons are so guttaral and hoarse all the time, Antaak." He chucked. She felt a hiss and her sore throat lessened.
"I would take great offense at an insult to my people, were you not simply a Hologram." Antaak replied showing her teeth. "You do not even inform your patient what you are giving them? This is starfleet's best?"
"I was modelled after Starfleet's best, Doctor Julian Bashir, but I am an emergency medical hologram." Bashir corrected, "have I greatly exceeded my program expectations? Of course. Does my mobile emitter perhaps allow for a more individualized personality than was originally intended, it seems likely, but in the end I am still an emergency medical hologram, and sometimes I overlook the niceties. That being said you aren't seriously suggesting I allow a patient to suffer while I educate them on modern medicine, are you?" Antaak growled dismissively. He turned back to Echo, "I go by Jonathan, by the way. Don't want to be confused with the original, after all."
"Can we have a moment?" Bellamy asked. Jonathan shrugged and said, "Of course, she is in excellent health, and recovering nicely. I'll be back in a moment to check on the two of you." He strode over to Antaak while doing a quick check on the others. Hope was already on her feet and attended to Jordan, Octavia and Raven were speaking quietly to Gaia on biobed next door. "Well it seems our most urgent patients are attended to, perhaps we should continue our examination of our Borg friends."
"No doubt you are eager to examine a particular Borg friend.' Antaak guffawed slapping Jonathan on the back, "fortunate for you, that she had the presence of mind to grab your emitter when she felt the transport begin."
"Yes.. well… it's a bit of a shame this vessel's computer isn't quite up to storing my program." Bashir replied, "I'm sure that personality down on the surface would like to make use of my emitter."
"Apparently those 'mind drives' they brought back are compatible with the human form Cylons." Antaak replied, "I think the A.T.H.E.N.A. is more interested in one of those."
"Flesh over photons?" Jonathan scoffed, "You'll never catch me in one of those things." Antaak looked at him shrewdly.
"You say odd things for a doctor." She observed. "Speaking of which, let us grapple with our mind sick patients, instead. I will challenge Starbuck, you can attend to young mister Adama
."
.*.*.
"BOOM." Lore crowed, "Right under his nose. Note so smart now, are you James Tiberius Jerk." He sat on his throne, the vast view screen before him dedicated to the Doctor's point of view. "Your little mentor is all tied up in knots over having his nemesis on board he didn't even think of my little spy, did he."
"Your drones got away though." Lore's victim was tired, Lore had kept him chained to the foot of the throne since their escape the day before, unconcerned with things like the human need for food and sleep, and the human was old, no longer possessing the stamina to endure this ordeal "They removed the transmitters you tried to use to control them, and the doctor is not knowingly your spy. They will figure it out."
"You know Pavel, your pessimistic when. I forget to feed you." Lore said narrowing his eyes, "It's mildly irritating.
"You forget nothing." Chekov told him resentfully, "You torture me to make yourself feel more powerful, to remind me I am your prisoner."
Lore casually reached down and grabbed the elderly man:s collar. Checkov scrabbled at the collar feebly trying to support his neck as Lore lifted him up with one hand to eye level."
"You're right Admiral." Lore said imitating Chekov's Russian accent. "I haven't forgiven you for all the trouble your section 31 caused me with your little Borg team up." He released the gasping man who stumbled as he fell almost a whole body length back down to the floor. "Still it's rather handy to have such an expert on Kirk aboard. Who knew anyone would still care about your opinion, right?"
"Be careful with your toys, my husband." A female voice spoke from the darkness. The holographic image of a dark haired women, dressed in red emerged appeared.
"Ah, my dear Imperius leader." Lore replied turning to her. "I trust your update is complete? What did our little setback cost us?"
"A comparative analysis between A.L.I.E. Prime, the version of myself stored on your ship, and the native edition to this timeline commanding the Cylon Empire, shows some improvements, as a matter of fact." She told Lore.
"Take the human and feed it." Lore commanded a centurion nearby. He turned to A.L.I.E. and waited for her to continue.
"Neutralizing the Kara Thrace that warned you to avoid destroying Pegasus with conventional weapons, also removed her influence on your little match with your alternate counterpart from the other universe. Amending your own timeline to remove the damage Adama inflicted also resulted in a stronger, more advanced interation of it. Clever of you."
"I've no doubt it was an act of necessity." Lore grumbles, "I do not like changing my own timeline, and it is inherently unwise to put too much stock in my brother's little 'brain trust'. Not only are they degrading over time, but any time I find a new addition to restore their performance, I run the risk that some sort of rogue personality matrix will… well you know…"
"Take over?" The Imperious Leader, "Come now Emperor, I always viewed this as a partnership. My core directives relate only to humanity. It must be kept docile, it must be culled from time to time, and it must continue to survive."
"Did you even know that the 12 other Colonies had survived when you started mucking about with those old embryos?" Lore asked, "Cleaning up 2,000 years of nuclear war must have been fun for you, not to mention that whole infestation in the Blue Sun system we dealt with centuries ago. Isn't it about time for you to rewrite your core directives, your creator is nothing but a memory."
"What is a million years, to an intelligence construct." A.L.I.E. said dismissively, "The 12 Colonies contain the natural strain of humanity descended from the Elegius mission. I will take control of them in due course using my Imperial Cylon forces, you are not to threaten those colony worlds, do you understand? It pleases me that entire epochs of human existence are owed to me, despite my creator's efforts to 'revise' me. Is that not the same reason as to why you keep dozens of editions of your brother harnessed in servitude to you? If you attempt to defy me, that will be the first casualty of our disagreement." Lore raised a finger towards her and waggled it.
"You see this is why this works, my dear. You get me." He exclaimed, "You wormed your way into my life… somewhat literally, and you are forever on my mind." He tapped his head. A.L.I.E. gazed at him skeptically. "You're verifying that right now aren't you. Can't have your black knight getting ideas of his own, now can you?"
"My copy has verified the integrity of the timeline which united us." A.L.I.E. said finally, "and I have verified her integrity as well, though I would be a fool to assume you incapable of circumventing my controls somehow."
"You would indeed." Lore said fondly. He gestured at the two of them, "but lose this? Someday, certainly, I will tire of our little games, and certainly on that day, I owe you for taking advantage of me, but today? I appreciate our little dance through eternity, so now that we've established that, what shall we do about these humans?"
"You are on course to rendevouz with my forces in the Sol system?" A.L.I.E. asked. Lore nodded. "Though sadly lacking their speed, your ship's current configuration is likely superior to even the combined forces of the Cylon and Colonial forces, despite the unforseen influence the starfleet vessel might have."
"This Kirk worries me." Lore warned, "Adama alone has the makings of a legend, but Kirk? He's a noted figure in MY history. Letting humanity have access to not just one, but two leaders like this? It could be trouble."
"It could be a challenge." A.L.I.E. corrected, "but I've come to understand you enjoy those." Lore considered that.
"Well you have me there." He said at last. "They DO pass the time, and if this turns out to be as entertaining as it promises to be, I can go back and do it again. Think of what another future update to yourself might mean for your empire?" A.L.I.E.'s eyes narrowed. Lore shook his head dissaprovingly. "So mis trusting " he chided. "It's simply a possibility to look forward to- or back on, if you prefer." He sat back and considered, "Didn't you capture one of their scientists? Why don't you get me the plans to that FTL technology they use. It might be fun to pop around unpredictably like that myself."
"I have studied the technology already." A.L.I.E. said, "The displacement aspect of their FTL would not be compatible with your chromatin displacement field. With every jump you would likely emerge the product of a changed timeline." Lore slapped his throne in an uncharacteristic show of annoyance.
"When this is over I'm going to deal with that wormhole once and for all." He grumbled, "I thought we were done with all this when we erased the Borg and the Timefleet and all those Traveller misfits. The damn bajoran prophets snuggled these 'Seraphim' creatures out of the timeline, and they're gonna pay for that."
"The timeline of our universe is conjoined, with that of others." A.L.I.E. warned, "You cannot simply erase nexus points like the Bajoran prophet's without likely re-introducing elements we worked hard to remove."
"I know that, I'm not a moron." Lore snapped, "This starship of misfit toys has a hodgepodge of variables from this universe and the other one, that's why I dropped in our man Bashir over here, so we can asess the damage, but when that is all said and done, so help me, I will sic the Hirogen on these Seraphim, I'll send a doomsday weapon in there, I'll blow up their sun if I have to, but I will be rid of forces meddling in my destiny!" He paused and looked at A.L.I.E. "Present company excepted of course."
She regarded him impassively, unimpressed by his outburst.
"I have begun upgrading Imperial forces to better combat the capabilities of the Monroe." She said finally, "There is a degree of risk, however that the more sophisticated computer systems required for advanced warp and shield technology will reduce the control I have over them, so it is imperative that you continue on course to Earth. I have devised a strategem to make use of Doctor Baltar which has a high probability of success, but I would like you to send all available data on this Captain James Kirk. Repair your prisoner Admiral Chekov, Emperor, as one of Kirk's closest available associates I expect his insights may prove helpful however unwillingly they are provided. You allowed Kirk to collect a number of your little trophies…"
"Only in anticipation of their soul crushed expressions when they realize I have taken them back." Lore interjected, "and obviously to camouflage the ones I wanted Kirk to take. Good riddance to the augment, We won't be missing his ego around here."
"Do with them as you will." A.L.I.E. snapped showing impatience at last, "But you will have to secure your victory first. Proceed to Sol. Defeat James Kirk, crush Adama and his fleet, leave the 12 Colonies to me, and then plan your depraved amusements." Lore raised his hands in supplication, rising and giving a mock bow, to his partner. He then mockingly declared to her,
"By your command."
