Chapter Title: Treasures of Yesterday
Chapter Synapses: The discovery of ancient ruins on Bajor raises astonishing questions. As Hyperion tries to determine the link between the Bajoran ruins and the Tal'Nori temple, other similar ruins are discovered.
Written by: Seraph Koji
Previously…"Captain it is better to roam the galaxy with friends, than roam alone." The leader of the planet Tenkia reassured Starwind, "We will be glad to join your Federation."
"We call it the Shrine of the Fallen Star. Your word, Hyperion, it looks like the symbols we saw on the temple… your ship… well…" The Tal'Nori leader pointed over the cliff just ahead of them.
"USS Hyperion." Starwind's voice shacked with horror.
Watson began, "After comparing notes with Phral, the reason for the time travel was a reaction in modified deuterium injectors reacting with a chronotron emission."
"Can we prevent the destruction of Hyperion." Collins asked.
"Yes. The effect on the Tal'Nori is immeasurable, but we can." Watson nodded.
Phral protested, "I think, with the right tools, there will be no effect on the Tal'Nori."
And now, the continuation.
"I can't wait to dock at DS9." Winters said from her station, "I grew accustomed to Raktajino. The replicators don't do it justice."
"You may not have that chance." Talara looked up from her console, "I'm receiving a formal request from Colonel Kira of DS9." Talara paused, reading, "She asks we divert to Bajor and have all available science labs devoted to temporal science and archeology."
"Archeology and Temporal Sciences?" Watson, the science officer, asked, "An odd mix."
"One we've seen before." Starwind said in reflection, "At the Tal'Nori homeworld."
"You don't think…?"
Starwind stood from his chair, "Ivano, maximum warp. Watson, Winters, you're with me." Starwind made for the turbolift, "Starwind to Sen and Phral, meet me in Transporter Room Two."
Four beams of light turned into Starfleet officers on a rock face protruding from a vast lake on Bajor. It was a long slope, and ahead was what appeared to be another large rock protrusion.
"It looks like some sort of… pylon." Phral raised an eyebrow.
"Look!" Winters pointed to their right with her phaser rifle. It was another rock face in the distance, identical to this one, with strange rock connections to a large central spire.
Starwind glared in disbelief "Sarah, is it just me, or does this look a lot like…"
"Terok Nor." Winters confirmed, "Deep Space Nine."
"Captain's log, stardate 57775.0. We arrived as Colonel Kira requested and were greeted by a rather disturbing site. It would appear a bit of a phantom, like that on the Tal'Nori Homeworld, was discovered in what is now being called the Emissary's Sea. This was a version of Deep Space Nine. Watson and his archeology teams confirm that the Deep Space Nine incident occurred prior to the Hyperion incident, but due to decay of the on-board computer system, he cannot pinpoint an exact stardate. We just received word from Starfleet Command that a third site, far better preserved, was discovered on Tenkia, a world we made First Contact with nearly a year ago. Leaving a team of our archeologists and the plans for a temporal shield on Bajor, we've set course for Tenkia and hope to be there in a couple days."
"This is amazing." Phral said, examining the console of the space station embedded in the Tenkian rockface a few days later.
"What is?" Collins asked, scanning the dark room.
"This, Commander." Phral tapped the console, and lights rose around the room, "minimal damage to the power systems. We might even be able to reconstruct log entries."
"About time." Starwind said over an open comm. channel, "We finally get a few answers."
Collins glanced over a newly lit console, "I'll transmit everything we've got here to you, sir."
"Now, this is information!" VonBach motioned for Collins to come to a console, "Captain, Commander, I have a stardate. 57802.8. This computer has on file that this is the date of a battle at Deep Space Nine in which a Federation Captain loses his life." VonBach pauses, "It gives the name of this Captain. Sir, it says his name is Victor Starwind."
There was a chilling silence.
"We have a month. Continue gathering information." Starwind ordered.
"Receiving a hail from the archeologist Professor Takiyaru." Talara reported on the bridge.
"Put it through." Starwind ordered, at a loss as to what Takiyaru could want, "Professor?"
Takiyaru stood in front of a large metallic pillar, "What you see behind me, Captain, is a Borg Monolith-class ship. It's been on this planet for all of the world's recorded history." Takiyaru paused, "We know the Monolith is a more recent development among the Borg. We are also reading a slight temporal variance." He paused, "Captain, it gets worse. We have a DY-100 class crashed on Altair to go with the findings here, Tenkia, Bajor, and Tal'Nori."
"DY-100?" Starwind asked, "So they attack out past, too? "
"Who?" Takiyaru asked.
Starwind shook his head, "It's none of your concern. We'll send you the information you need to shield the sites from changes in the timeline."
"Changes?"
"Hyperion out." Starwind turned to Talara, "Talara, tell Collins she has twenty hours, then we set course for DS9 again. And report to Starfleet Command." Starwind started walking off, "I'll be in my ready room in case Admiral Janeway wants to speak with me."
Collins was pouring over data. "This is… amazing."
"What?"
"Tons of encrypted data about the Krenim. Weapons, defenses, how they got here…" Collins said, astonished, "My clearance code isn't working, though. I'm gonna transmit the data to Hyperion. Phral!" Collins called, "I've got something for you to work on decrypting when we get back."
"We can probably pack up now, ma'am." Phral said, "At least my team can."
Collins nodded, "Tell Vic we'll be a bit longer."
Phral nodded and motioned for his team to join him. He then tapped his badge, "Phral to Hyperion, five to beam up."
"Vedek Lios!" Sen approached a man in religious robes on Bajor.
"And you are?" The Vedek asked, impatiently.
"Sen Asim of Torvan Province." Sen replied, "Starfleet lieutenant." He added.
The Vedek smiled, noticing the uniform, "How can I help you, my child?"
"The Station in the Sea… is it a message from the Prophets?" Sen asked, "Are we on the wrong path?"
"My son, when Kai Winn allied herself with the Pah-Wraiths she put Bajor on a dark path Kai Crea has spent much time deviating from." The Vedek explained, "Perhaps this new discovery is a sign from the Prophets that we are not yet back on the path they have laid out for us."
"Vedek Lios, I've never been a very devout believer in the Prophets, but this… it makes me wonder. First I see my ship like this, then Deep Space Nine…" Sen started.
"Be calm, my child." Lios said, gently.
Sen's eyes filled with reverance for the first time in years, "Vedek, is this the beginning of the end?"
Lios chose his words with caution, meticulously selecting a response that would mask his true feelings, "Asim, my child, be calm! You need not see the end of days in a simple dark hour. If we made it through the Occupation, we can make it through this."
Janeway's face appeared on Starwind's terminal. "Thought you'd never call."
"You know, Admiral Judge recommended I not." Janeway said. "But when it comes to arguing with history, I like to think I'm the first in line."
"Judge? Alex Judge, the new hed of Starfleet Intelligence?" Starwind asked, "Why does he want me dead?"
"He's the head of Starfleet Intelligence, Vic. We can gather useful information on this war from these archeological sites, and if you change history, you negate that information." Janeway responded. She then decided to progress to her orders, "Hyperion is to report to Deep Space Three. I'll take Voyager and meet you there. No matter what, Vic, you are forbidden from setting course for Bajor, or even contacting the Bajor system."
"I have officers on Bajor, Admiral." Starwind said, candidly.
Janeway shook her head, "No, Vic. Not until a week after you're supposed to die."
"Admiral!"
"Not open for discussion. I'll contact the Bajoran Government. They'll inform your crewmembers." Janeway responded.
Sen sat on the outer hull of the downed Deep Space Nine. Some of the archeologists were inside the station, exploring, but a few were still installing the temporal forcefield. Sen's badge blipped.
"Vedek Lios to Lieutenant Sen, I have a message from Starfleet Command for you and your team."
"Yes, sir?" Sen asked patient but slightly annoyed at the interruption. He needed the meditation on the events of late. Was he becoming a believer? A true follower of the Prophets? He'd always been skeptic, but now, in this trying time, a higher power seemed comforting, and therefore more believable.
Lios, however, insisted on breaking this moment of discovery for Sen, "Hyperion has received orders to report to Deep Space Three. Starfleet says the ship may be as much as a month late."
"A month?" Sen asked, upset.
"The Vedek Assembly has contacted Deep Space Nine, and you and your team have been offered quarters for the time being." Lios offered, trying to be polite.
Sen sighed, "Thank you, Vedek. I'll tell my men."
"Sen Asim's personal log, stardate 57780.2. Encode for transfer to USS Hyperion. Somehow, Hyperion has been delayed. Starfleet Command is being vague with me. In fact, they told Colonel Kira to send my team and I off the station, but the Colonel, being a Bajoran Militia officer, disobeyed Starfleet's orders. I wonder, just what is going on? Did the Captain find something on Tenkia?"
