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All characters appearing in Star Trek, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek Deep Space Nine, and Star Trek Voyager are copyright Paramount Pictures. All characters appearing in the Star Wars saga are copyright Lucas Arts and the Walt Disney Cooperation. No infringement of these copyrights is intended and is not authorized by the copyright holder.
All original characters are the property of Celgress.
Star Trek/Star Wars – Galaxies Divided Episode Five – Mission of Mercy
by
Celgress
Star Trek Galaxy - January 2nd, 2397 C.E (1 ABY)
A nameless planet somewhere in the Delta Quadrant, afternoon
Over twenty Kazon pirates could not move. They were frozen in place as were their blaster bolts. "Pointy eared bitch!" Roared the one-eyed leader. "We'll skin you alive after we have our way with you!" He threatened.
"That's no way to talk about a lady much less my lovely wife." Quinlan Vos said activating his green lightsaber. "You had best apologize." With a blur of motion, Vos cut in half every blaster.
"I think they've learned their lesson, right boys?" Kes said releasing the Kazon from her powerful force freeze.
"Die bitch!" The leader screamed. Pulling a jagged knife from his belt he charged at Kes.
Kes activated her pink lightsaber and disarmed the pirate leader so fast he did not know what happened. He stood there stunned. He stared at the sizzling hilt of his ex-knife perplexed for several long seconds. Kes sent him tumbling with a strong force push. He scrambled to his feet the pirates then beat a hasty retreat.
"They were barely worth our trouble." Quinlan Vos said.
"Remember we need to identify what they looted," Kes said.
"I sense it's over there." Quinlan Vos said tilting his head towards a cave entrance. The area around the cave was strewn with odd debris something had obviously crashed.
A short while later our duo located an unexpected sight inside the cave. "A Borg maturation chamber?" Kes questioned inspecting the green and leaden diamond-shaped structure.
"Careful, don't get any closer. It could be dangerous." Quinlan Vos warned before adding. "How do you know what it is?"
"I've one before when I was a member of the Voyager crew. I can sense life inside, can't you?" Kes said.
"Yeah, now that you mention it, I can." Quinlan Vos peered at the structure. Inside barely visible was a Borg fetus of some type.
"We should contact the Macao," Kes said.
"No way Captain La Forge will let us beam this thing aboard. It could assimilate the entire ship." Quinlan Vos said. "We should destroy it while we can." He raised his lightsaber to deliver a killing blow.
"Stop," Kes yelled blocking his strike with her pink blade.
"What are you doing?" Quinlan Vos said.
"We can't just kill it because it's a Borg. We are Jedi. Study of the Force teaches us that all life is precious." Kes reasoned.
"Natural life is the will of the Force but there isn't anything natural about the Borg." Quinlan Vos countered.
"Granted, however, I feel killing it is wrong. I think us finding it, saving it from the pirates, was the will of the Force." Kes explained her actions. "If not for my Force training the excessive force sensitivity all Ocampa possess would have accelerated my metabolism and burned out my body long ago (Ocampa now have lifespans on par with other humanoids if they train with the Force). You and the other members of our order saved my life and the lives of so many other Ocampa by teaching us to use our power rather than let it build up becoming toxic. When the Force speaks I listen. The Force is telling me the Borg infant should live, please Quinlin." Kes begged her husband to reconsider his rash action.
"I'm not going to convince you otherwise, am I?" Quinlin Vos grumbled withdrawing his lightsaber from their saber lock. "Fine, Captain La Forge and the rest of the crew won't be happy, but fine."
USS Macao,time minutes later
"Level five quarantine field established." Chief of Security Lt. Commander Nog reported from the console he was operating. Encircling the Borg structure stood six security officers with phaser rifles at the ready.
"Is such a high level of security truly necessary for a fetus in a stasis chamber?" The ship's Doctor Vadiian scientist Danara Pel asked.
Other than light scarring on her face and parts of her covered torso there was no evidence Danara had ever been afflicted by any disfiguring condition (thanks to extensive Romulan-led reconstructive surgery). The dread Phage had been eradicated over a decade ago by the introduction of Bacta to Vadiian society. The Phage proved no match for a Klingon gene therapy-Bacta cocktail created by Federation doctors. Although free from the Phage most Vadiians seldom left their home sector due to the fear and hatred their past actions inspired in other denizens of the Delta Quadrant. The Talaxians, Ocampa, and every other Delta Quadrant Federation member balked at any talk of the Vadiians joining the UPC and threatened to leave the organization should they ever be granted consideration.
"You can never be too secure especially when Borg are involved, doctor. Rule of Acquisition number twenty 'he who dives under the table today lives to profit tomorrow.'." Nog said.
The room rocked violently. "Captain La Forge please report to the bridge. We're under attack." A female voice said over in-ship communication.
"La Forge here. I'll be right there." Captain Geordi La Forge said tapping his Starfleet badge.
The Bridge, a short time later
"They dropped out of hyperspace and opened fire." Commander Kira Nerys reported.
"Hail them," Geordi said taking his seat. To his right sat his first officer Kira to his left sat his wife ship's counselor (and semi-retired Jedi) Barriss La Forge. The image of a seated Narissa filled the viewscreen. "This is Captain Geordi La Forge of the USS Macau. We are a volunteer crew on a mission of mercy to search for survivors of the USS Titan Titan disaster. Our activities may not be interfered with by order of the Office of the Federation President and Starfleet Command. Who are you and why have you fired on us?"
"Captain La Forge you have something that belongs to me return it at once," Narissa demanded.
"And what would that be?" Geordi said.
"A Borg device from the planet you are orbiting," Narissa said.
"Funny, you don't look to be Borg," Geordi said.
"Surrender the Borg fetus or be destroyed. Your vessel is a retrofitted Nebula Class starship which is no match for my ship a Defiant Class warship." Narissa said delivering her ultimatum with gusto.
"I'm not giving up the Borg device, identify yourself. And how did you know the device contains a Borg fetus?" Geordi said. "I repeat, identify yourself."
"I am Narissa captain of the Section 31 warship USS Monitor," Narissa said smugly. Hand over the Borgling or I'll take her by force. She belongs to me. I paid a large sum for her delivery. I shall have her one way or another."
"You won't intimidate us into giving a thug like you any sentient life form, Borg or otherwise. She doesn't belong to you, or me, or anyone else. The Federation charter strictly prohibits the ownership of sentient lifeforms aka slavery. You can't have her. I must admit, I'm curious you know a great deal about our guest care to share how?" Geordi said.
"You have no idea what you fools have stumbled into. I need her everything depends upon her." Narissa ranted.
"Sorry, no," Geordi said.
"How dare you defy me. I'm doing what is best for the Federation for all of us. Do you have any idea what she'll become without my oversight?" Narissa insisted. She became increasingly unhinged as the encounter continued.
"Enlighten me," Geordi said.
"A Borg Princess perhaps someday a Queen. A ruthless oppressor who will destroy countless civilizations but I can prevent that, and protect our Federation at the same time. Give her to me and we can peacefully go our separate ways." Narissa offered.
"My answer is still no," Geordi said without hesitation.
"Then let that aging ship be your tomb." Narissa spat.
"The Borg fetus might not survive the destruction of my ship," Geordi observed accurately.
"I'll take that chance. Better she is destroyed than remain out of my grasp." Narissa said breaking the communication link.
"We can't outfight them," Kira said stating the obvious.
"Make for the spatial anomaly maximum impulse speed. I doubt they follow us inside." Geordi said.
"And if you're wrong?" Kira said.
"We'll be in deep trouble unless there are friends waiting for us in the other galaxy, something I very much doubt," Geordi said.
Geordi's hunch proved right. The USS Monitor did not follow the USS Macau into the spatial anomaly. The spatial anomaly that had only existed for less than a week shuddered and then imploded once the USS Macau passed inside.
USS Monitor
"Damn it all," Narissa said bouncing up and down in her seat like a petulant child. "Perfect, using that Borg bitch Epsilon's little sister against her would have been perfect! We lost our weapon, our leverage! We might never have an opportunity to capture a Borg Princess alive again, arghhhhhhhhh!"
"If life has taught me anything my dear, it is that you win some you lose some. What counts is how you bounce back." Garak said imparting his words of wisdom to the extremely upset young Romulan.
Narissa glared at her advisor but internally admitted he was correct. There would be other times other opportunities. She would eventually gain the upper hand over Epsilon, somehow, because there was no other option.
Star Wars Galaxy –January 2nd, 1 ABY (2397 C.E)
Unknown Regions
"A vessel of interest has been detected matrix one-seven-five, grid three-one. Cube five move to intercept the target." Thundered the multilayered voice of the Borg Collective. "Scan completed vessel identified - Alliance-Starfleet Nebula Class, four-hundred-fifty-three lifeforms. Prepare for interception and assimilation."
"Negative, abort the operation," Locutus commanded from his far away tactical command cube. "All battle-ready vessels are to rendezvous with my command vessel and take part in the assimilation of the Chiss Ascendancy. The Starfleet vessel is irrelevant. We already possess the requisite bio-technological distinctness." Locutus would have commanded otherwise if he knew of the special cargo this Starfleet vessel carried. Luckily for those aboard the USS Macaudid not know about their guest.
"We comply," The voice of the Collective thundered.
Exegol, night (it was always night on Exegol or so it seemed)
"I'll take this as a souvenir of our adventure." Darth Maul laughed snatching away Anakin's Kyber crystal fragment necklace. Held fast by vine-like ropes strong with the dark side Anakin could do nothing to prevent the theft.
"Mark my words, Maul. I foresee you'll meet a dreadful end unless you soon change your ways." Anakin warned. The only illumination that pierced the darkness was that of an occasional lightning strike.
"Is that a threat, Jedi? If so it is must unwise." Maul said igniting his crimson blade. "I wield the power of life and death." Maul declared proudly. The pair of Sun Guards who stood watch over the prisoners did nothing they merely continued their vigil.
"If you measure your worth by the power to inflict harm you have nothing, you are nothing. I don't fear you. I pity you." Anakin said. To Anakin's right, Lal hung limp in her semi-conscious state. Anakin deeply wished he could do something for her, sadly, fixing her was beyond even his considerable skill given current circumstances.
Maul growled he prepared to strike down the defenseless Jedi Master but instead laughed. "I'd be doing you a favor. I'm certain death by lightsaber is a far easier and cleaner demise than the one that awaits you. Enjoy being the plaything of Plagueis the oh so wise." Maul deactivated his lightsaber and strolled off into the darkness.
"He's right." A raspy male voice some distance from Anakin said. Anakin squinted peering through the gloom. He was just able to make out a gaunt form in rags hanging from a stone wall off to his left. "Death is our only hope of release." The bearded visage said between coughs.
"Where there is life there is hope," Anakin argued.
"When you've been here as long as I have you'll feel differently." The filthy man said.
"I'll never give up. I'll see my family again I know I will, and I'll save my niece." Anakin said.
"I thought the same once. I've since learned the futility of hope on Exegol. Hope fled from here along with light before our ancestors' ancestors drew breath. There is no hope here only unending despair." The filthy man said.
"Aren't you a ray of sunshine in a sea of darkness," Anakin said.
The filthy man chuckled. "I like you. I know you'll lose your spark soon enough but in the meantime, you remind me of someone I once knew, an old friend." The filthy man said.
"I'm glad I amuse you. I'm Anakin Skywalker by the way. What is your name?" Anakin said.
"A lifetime ago before I came here I was called Wesley, Wesley Crusher." The filthy man said.
To Be Continued
Next Up –
The Scourge of Mandalore
Author's Note One -
I based the much-lengthened lifespan of Kes on events seen in the Voyager episode Cold Fire. In that episode, it was shown that Ocampa could live much longer than nine years if they harness their exceptionally strong latent psychic powers. In this continuity, Ocampa are akin to Yoda's species the major difference being that unharnessed Force power eventually burns them out because they are so naturally gifted with the Force. On this subject, it is seen several times in Star Trek canon that Kes is psychically strong even by Ocampa standards thus I went with that idea here. She is not Vader/Anakin (or their children) tier but she certainly is only a bit below Yoda or Sidious tier in terms of raw power (potentially, not any actual application as of yet).
Author's Note Two -
The last two chapters were supposed to be one chapter. My work schedule has been crazy so you all have my apologies for dividing the chapter.