A note from the author:

This series is going to start a story arc rather early with limited introduction for the characters. I do this as a challenge to me to get you to know the characters, while allowing a plot development. This series will have many mysteries that will play on each other. Try to keep up best you can and enjoy!

"Dancing in the Dark, Part I"

President Jentre Unick sat at his desk on the sixteenth floor of the Palais as he listened to his chief of staff, T'Son, read aloud his schedule.

"At 0800 hours," T'Son began, "You will have a meeting with the Commander Starfleet. At 1000 hours, you have a meeting with the Klingon Ambassador to the Federation. At 1200 hours you have lunch with the new council member from the planet Uratuck, don't forget how to pronounce the name." T'Son pulled out a PADD with a list of social races for the new species which recently joined the United Federation of Planets, the Uratuns. "At 1600 hours you have a meeting with Mr. Ross, at 2000 hours you have a meeting with me to discuss next weeks agenda. At 2200 hours you have a meeting with Tuvok about next week's grand council session and at 2400 hours you go to sleep."

"Thank you T'Son," President Jentre said as he put down his coffee mug, "according to the computer it's almost 0800 hours, send Fleet Admiral Nakamara in when he arrives." T'Son nodded in approval. "This is my first meeting with him, have to look sharp...dismissed!" T'Son nodded and left the room. Jentre looked out his large windows out upon Paris. It was indeed a beautiful city. The chiming sound on his door interrupted him; obviously it was the Fleet Admiral. "Come in!" Jentre said as he straightened up his traditional attire. Nakamara walked in and Jentre motioned him to take a seat. "Hello Admiral," Jentre said as he touched his right shoulder, the Centarian signal of greeting.

"Mister President." Nakamara said as he returned the greeting. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you."

"Same here," Jentre said as he allowed a small smile, "I hope I can get along with starfleet as well as my predecessor."

"Oh you will," Nakamara said, "As long as you don't mess with our affairs, and by no means ally with the Klingons unless I tell you to."

"I didn't realize you had a sense of humor admiral!" Jentre said as he let himself have a laugh.

"I wasn't joking," Nakamara, said seriously, "Those are the two terms of your presidency."

"With respect Admiral," Jentre said, "It's up to me to..."

"The President does not dictate Starfleet policy!" Nakamara interrupted.

"Starfleet," Jentre began, "Is a division of the United Federation of Planets. You will..."

"No!" Nakamara shouted as he banged his hand on the desk. Jentre was taken aback...Nakamara didn't usually act like this. Jentre's security officers became alert and primed their phasers...just in case.

"Admiral," Jentre said sternly, "This administration will respect Starfleet and we will attempt to avoid getting in your way. However, I will not have my policies dictated by you. Understood?"

"Mr. President," Nakamara said as he turned around to the door, "Mark my words when I say, this is going to be a hard term for you." Nakamara walked out and Jentre sighed.

"I hope all meetings won't be this tough." He thought to himself as he sat back in his chair. Right before his meeting with Tuvok, his door chime rang again. Jentre allowed the person to enter and was surprised to find that instead of the Vulcan adviser Jentre was expecting, it was his Vice President, Heather Livingston. "What can I do for you Ms. Livingston?" Jentre asked with a smile.

"What?" Heather inquired with a confused look, "You called me here." Jentre raised his eyebrow. He tapped the COMM button on his desk to here the computer shrill, communications were offline. Jentre stood up.

"What is going on here?" Jentre heard an alarm throughout the building...it was an intruder alert. Jentre looked urgently at his security guards. "Gentlemen, call in the cavalry." The security guards nodded as security guards filed in from the security room on the sixteenth floor. Unfortunately, only two other security guards were on call making a total of four security guards. "Oh my," Jentre said quietly. His Vulcan Aide, T'Son walked in with three compression rifles.

"Something is wrong," He said blandly, "I suggest you take these," he said as he threw a compression rifle to the president and vice president. They quickly set them to stun and moved up the power setting. "We need to get to the emergency bunker, unfortunately, turbolifts are offline, and so are the transporters."

"Why don't we have emergency power?" Jentre said cautiously.

"Unknown," T'Son said, "Luckily, right before power went offline I was able to ascertain that ten unauthorized personnel entered the sub-basement, containing the core."

"Not many people know that the core is down there, much less that it exists." Jentre said with a sigh. "Well, we're going to have to get out of here." A phaser could be heard, it was coming from below, the fifthteenth floor. Jentre sighed as the guards huddled around the president.

"Hey!" Heather said with a smile, "Can you make yourself glow Mr. President? I mean, more so than usual. It would allow see where we're going."

"...And a good target!" The security guard interrupted.

"Nonsense!" Heather replied, "He's surrounded by you guys. Well, can you Jentre."

"Yes," Jentre sighed as his glow raised to a level where the whole room was visible, "Follow the glowing president." He said with a frown.

"You heard him!" Heather said with a smile, "Follow the glowing president!"

"You will never let me forget this will you?" Jentre said as he turned to his Vice President.

"Nope!" She said with a smile. After hours of countless crawling down a Jeffries' tube and avoiding patrols, they finally reached the sub-basement.

"Ok guys," Jentre said as he turned to his security detail and his Vice President. "We're about to enter a classified area known about only to me and the people who built this place many many years ago...the Sub-Sub basement of the Palais." Everyone's jaw dropped.

"Impossible!" One of his security guards exclaimed, "I run scans down here every week, there's no sign of any door!" Jentre smiled.

"What I'm about to do is our secret," Jentre smiled as he turned to his Vice President, "I might even have to erase your short term memories.

"You wouldn't!" Heather said with a sneer, "Would you?" Jentre turned and pointed to a small spot on the wall.

"Push this button here," he said as he focused his glow on the spot, "And you'll be transported to the sub, sub basement."

"Wait," Heather said with a frown, "I thought transporters and power supplies were offline."

"Well," Jentre said with a smile, "It's a transporter by itself and has its on power supply." Jentre pushed the button and he was transported to the sub-sub basement. The others did the same and were surprised to be in a lighted room. "We're about 14 kilos under the Palais, I've activated its separate power source and I've accessed the Palais computer. Now, let's see what's going on!" Jentre said as he lowered his glow and accessed the computer systems.

"Please state the nature of the planetary emergency!" A holographic figure that resembled the Mark-1 EMH said as he materialized in the air.

END PART I