Transitions

U.S.S. Destiny – Ready Room – Babylon 5 – In Transit

-Next day-

"Captain's log, supplemental. We are on our way back to Babylon 5. Unfortunately, we weren't able to spend time on Earth. The crew would have enjoyed it, I think. It would have been interesting, to be sure. The current situation there made that impossible. Hopefully, we can return there and allow the crew to enjoy some time off soon.

I also felt that time is of the essence to capitalize on the mood surrounding the Shadow War victory. I know that Delenn is doing her best to continue in my absence; however, we've achieved the most success when both of us have been able to work together. With her help, I've been able to find my voice diplomatically. The motivations of the governments here are similar but different than what I am accustomed to.

I continue to appreciate Admiral Picard giving me complete autonomy to conduct diplomatic affairs in whatever capacity I see fit. He could easily step in and perform this role. I will continue to do everything possible to help establish a lasting alliance and peace in this universe.

End log."

-A few minutes later-

Sheridan had arrived a few minutes earlier. He wanted to talk to Garrett to compare notes on the latest events taking place on Babylon 5. As usual, Garrett was seated on the sofa, where Sheridan also joined her.

"Thanks for the drink, Rachel. The last few days have been rough."

"I know that look, trust me. That's synthehol, by the way. I can replicate the real thing if you need something stronger."

"No, that won't be necessary, at least not yet. So, tell me, what have you been able to learn from the League members about joining a permanent alliance?"

"Delenn and I had some initial difficulties; however, once I promised that we would help expand the jump gate network and trade routes, everyone became far more interested. There is, of course, significant interest in our technology."

"What did you say? I didn't know that you were willing to begin trading technology."

"We're not. I did commit to offering educational opportunities to learn about a select number of our sciences once we've established a colony, whenever and wherever that might be."

"Why do you need to establish your own colony? I'd assumed that your human crew members would want to settle on Earth."

"Well, the Earth Alliance has its issues right now, and I would rather not be in the middle of them. Besides, not all of our crew members are human. We'll see what happens, but for now, it's best if we maintain our distance."

"I'll drink to that."

"John, there is something else that I wanted to talk to you about."

"Sure, go ahead."

"If we're successful in getting the interested races to join the alliance, it's going to need a strong leader. Someone with a strong character, impeccable leadership skills, and is well respected. As I'm sure you realize, the list of qualified candidates is very short. I think that you should let it be known that you are interested in the job if it becomes available."

"It's funny. Admiral Picard basically told me that I would be wasting my potential by remaining in Earthforce. I didn't necessarily agree with him then. However, my meeting with the Joint Chiefs yesterday confirmed it. They will allow me to remain in command of Babylon 5, but I will never be promoted."

"That's not fair, John. I will contact them now and inform them that if they want our continued support, you need to be fully reinstated into Earthforce with no conditions."

"I appreciate that, Rachel; I really do. But, as I told my father yesterday, I joined Earthforce to make a name for myself based on my own merits, not due to my connections. My father made some good points, but, ultimately, I keep coming back to what Admiral Picard said. Someone needs to step in to fill the power void left by the Vorlons. I told him he was the best person for the job, but he refused and said that I should take it. I didn't believe him at the time, but now that I've had more time to think, I believe my time in Earthforce is finished. Once we arrive, I'll start asking around and talking to people before making a final decision about running for office."

"That's great, John. I think that would motivate people to get on board. Needless to say, you have our complete support."

"Thank you. I appreciate it; I really do. Your support thus far has been invaluable. I hate to imagine how things would have been if you hadn't arrived when you did."

"I haven't made it a secret that I wanted to stay out of the war and the general politics of this universe. From my perspective, we didn't belong here and had no role to play in the events happening here. I was wrong, but it took me quite a while to accept it. I'm fully committed to making this galaxy a better place for all of us. Under your leadership, I believe that the potential here is limitless. I never dreamed of being a part of something so important. Becoming a starship captain was the crowning achievement of my life. Like you, I've come to realize that I've outgrown it. I can make a much more significant difference and impact the lives of so many more people.

I can't see the future, but it would seem that our destinies may be larger than either of us realizes and perhaps linked in unpredictable ways."

"You've given me a lot to think about. I admit that I was a bit depressed when I walked into this office, but not anymore. I'm excited about the future. If I am elected to lead the alliance, I expect you to serve with me in an official capacity."

"We'll see. We'll see."

Betazed – Main Square

-Three days later-

The intelligence captured from the planet had been processed. Very little had changed since Starfleet's previous visit, to the relief of the Betazoid crew. It was noted that the population was well aware that the Vorlons, their long-time protectors, had left them and that they would have to fend for themselves. There was still some anxiety about this based on news broadcasts, but there didn't seem to be a mass panic.

Gam and Troi were transported to the planet. Gam decided that only he and Troi would go to the planet to lower their profile. They transported down to a low-traffic area on the outskirts of town to avoid attracting any attention. Gam and Troi enjoyed the mild temperature of a late spring morning and noted the fresh air. Despite the advanced filtration and recycling systems installed on starships, one could always tell that the air was processed, even when on the holodeck. Gam was surprised by the fresh air considering that they were within an enclosed dome. Sensor scans had confirmed that the dome completely sealed the town, with no external air exchangers present. 'A mystery for another time,' Gam thought.

Gam and Troi walked two kilometers along the tree-lined road until they reached the town center, noting the familiar buildings and landscape. Gam and Troi hadn't realized just how much they missed being home until this visit. Once they realized that they had learned enough by walking around the town, they walked to the main square, where several merchants were selling various goods.

Troi picked up several items at one of the stands and recognized the items immediately. She had seen these items as antiques back on her Betazed. Gam was also surprised by several items he discovered in the stall next door. Before Troi could put the item back and walk away, the proprietor looked at her with a curious eye.

"Excuse me, miss. Might I ask you your name?"

"Troi had been distracted and was surprised by the question, especially in her native language. "Deanna Troi."

"Troi? Any relation to the Trois in the manor?"

Troi wasn't sure how to answer the question, so she answered it honestly. "Yes, that's my family."

"Funny. I've never seen you here before. The Trois are good, generous people."

"Thank you." Troi picked up an item that she was looking at earlier. They had replicated local currency just in case. "I would like to buy this."

"Of course. You have an eye for quality. Will that be all?"

"For now, yes. I plan to come back soon to buy more. "

"You do that, young lady."

Troi and Gam began to walk away when Troi recognized a very familiar face.

"Libbon, that's my great-great-grandmother! I can't believe it! I'm going over to introduce myself."

"Are you sure that's a good idea? We need to meet with the governor and the council."

"Is it a good idea? Probably not, but I'm going to do it anyway. Are you coming?"

The two walked over to the elder Troi and introduced themselves.

"Excuse the intrusion, but I wanted to introduce myself. My name is Deanna."

"It's no intrusion at all. Deanna, you say? That's my name as well. Hmmm, you look very familiar. Have we met before?"

"No. We've never met."

"This is strange. I'm very good with names and faces. What is your family name?"

'This is it,' Deanna thought. "Troi."

"Troi? I'm sorry, that's not possible. Who are your parents?"

"You probably wouldn't believe me if I told you. Would it be possible to meet you later? I promise to bring proof of my lineage."

"Very well. You may come to the manor later today. I have a few appointments that I must attend to."

"Thank you. I will be there, I promise."

"Ok. Good day then."

The older Troi walked off, and Deanna's eyes followed her. Gam stood next to her. He was going to mention that as being a bad idea, but he reconsidered. If he had the chance to meet his great, great grandparent, we would jump at the opportunity.

"Are you ready to go, Deanna?"

It took a couple of seconds for Troi to respond to his voice. "Um, yes. Let's go."

Betazed – Local Restaurant

A block down from the market, there were several restaurants and other small businesses. Several people were walking along the sidewalk, but it was hardly busy. Troi and Gam tried to blend into the best of their ability, but they still couldn't help themselves and realized they probably looked like tourists as they walked along the sidewalk. They stopped in front of a restaurant that had its menu posted near the front door. Intrigued by several of the options, they decided to go in and sample a few.

"Deanna, I don't think that I've had many of these dishes," Gam said as he read the menu.

"I've had a few. My grandmother would make dishes from her childhood for my birthday. She used to tell me that she wanted me to respect the old ways.

I'm looking forward to trying the dishes here to see if they taste the same," Troi told Gam after she made her selection.

A few moments later, the waiter walked over to their table and placed two glasses of water. "I haven't seen you here before. My name is Adugras. What's yours?

"I'm Deanna, and this is Libbon. This is our first time here, but I hope we'll be able to come here more often in the future."

"I'm happy to meet you both. Hopefully, you'll find our dishes irresistible."

"I'm looking forward to the experience," Gam told the waiter.

The waiter walked away, and the two newcomers continued to take in their new surroundings and the people around them.

"Libbon, this feels so much like home, but different. It's hard to explain," Trio said, with a mildly confused look on her face.

"I know what you mean. This place reminds me of the historical towns my family used to visit when I was younger. There is significantly less technology here that we're accustomed to."

"You're right. That and the clothes that everyone is wearing. I'm starting to like it here already."

"I am too. We can't get too comfortable yet as we have a couple of critical conversations to have later today."

"I know. I'm not sure which conversation concerns me more, the one with the governor or with my family."

"If it were me, it would be my family. Imagine the odds of finding family members in a different universe. It's exciting and terrifying all at the same time."

"I just hope that they believe me," Troi said.

"I do too."

A few minutes later, the waiter returned with their dishes. As expected, the food was fantastic.

"This is great, but something is different about the flavor and texture. It's close, but not quite as I remembered," Troi said to Gam on her dish.

"It's the seeds. The plant grows in the north on our Betazed, far beyond the dome's perimeter. They've had to use a different plant for the seeds," Gam observed.

"You're right. The other dish tastes just like I remember, which makes sense since it's a local specialty."

"Once the dome is taken down, perhaps they will be able to use the original seeds."

"Maybe, but we'll probably have to help them. They may not even know the original recipe."

"You might be right. Though, given how good these dishes taste, maybe that's not such a bad thing."

"True, but at least we'll have something to share with them."

"A project for a later time. Let's finish and then make our way to the governor's office."

"Good idea."

Betazed – Government Center

Gam and Troi walked several blocks before they arrived at the Government Center. They could have taken transportation, but they wanted to experience as much of the city as possible. They arrived at a white building, built using a material that resembled marble. The lawn leading up to the building was well-manicured, with several colorful plants adorning both sides of the walkway leading to the front door.

They walked into the grand lobby and noticed that the walls were adorned with several paintings. Troi recognized a few of the pictures, but the others were a mystery. There were other displays positioned throughout the lobby. They decided against spending more time looking at them, given the need to speak to the governor. They walked over to the information desk to see if they could get an audience.

"Hi. My name is Libbon, and this is Deanna, and we would like to see the governor."

"Do you have an appointment?"

"No, we don't."

"Then I'm afraid that you won't be able to see the governor. He's extremely busy and doesn't have any available time for anyone who doesn't have an appointment."

Deanna joined in the conversation. "If we told you that we have information regarding the Vorlons, would that make a difference?"

The mention of the Vorlons got his attention. "That depends. What kind of information?"

"We've been working with them for the past several months. We know when they left and where they've gone. We also have information about why they were protecting this planet," Troi told the assistant.

"Ok. Excuse me for a moment while I speak with the governor. I'll be right back."

Gam and Troi stood silently as they waited for the assistant to return. A few minutes later, the assistant returned.

"The governor will see you now. Follow me, please."

The three walked up a flight of stairs and then through a set of double doors. Behind the desk sat an older male who looked curious about the strange people entering his office.

"I'm Governor Enken Utunik. I understand that you have information regarding the Vorlons."

"Yes, we do. First, allow us to introduce ourselves. My name is Libbon Gam, and this is Deanna Troi."

"Deanna Troi? That's impossible. I know Deanna Troi very well, and you're not her."

"No, I'm not. I'm her great-great-granddaughter. If you allow us a few minutes to explain, many of your questions will be answered."

"Ok. Go ahead."

Gam pulled out a PADD and handed it to the governor. Gam then began to tell their story. Taking note of the governor's skeptical expression, Troi revealed that she was a member of the Troi family and shared information about her family history. She also told him that she would meet the Trois later to show them the evidence of her lineage.

"This is compelling evidence, but do you have anything more? It's hard to believe that you were able to travel through the dome," the governor said, a skeptical expression evident on his face.

"Of course. You can instruct your observatory to find our ship in orbit at these coordinates," Gam said as he wrote down the coordinates on the governor's desk.

A few minutes later, the confirmation was received. The governor, now joined by his closest aides, knew that the Vorlons were truly gone and that the people in front of them were Betazoids not born on Betazed, this Betazed.

The older Deanna Troi, a member of the Betazed royal family, stared at the woman she now knew to be her great-great-granddaughter from another universe. For once, she was at a loss for words.

"Libbon, Deanna, would it be possible for you to leave your PADDs with us? I would like our experts to review this information in more detail," Utunik asked.

"Of course. We would be happy to provide any additional information you may need to help authenticate what we've shared today."

"I, for one, plan to review this information thoroughly. Much of what you've told us is, frankly, unbelievable," said Horava Choik, the head curator for the Betazed museum.

"I don't need to see anything else to convince me that this is my great-great-granddaughter. I knew there was something about you from the moment I met you. You are returning with me to the manor when we finish with this meeting. You need to meet your family," the older Deanna told Troi.

"I propose that we adjourn for today, but I would like to meet again early tomorrow morning. I will clear my schedule because it's clear that there is much to discuss," Utunik told the group.

"We look forward to it," Deanna said, and Gam nodded in agreement.

"Fine. Fine. Deanna and Libbon, let's go. Dinner is in 45 minutes," the older Deanna told them. Faced with no other choice, Deanna and Gam followed her out of the office to the waiting vehicle.

Betazed – Troi Manor

Gam and the Troi's arrived at the manor by car. As they entered the main gate of the estate, the younger Troi was brought to tears. The estate was almost the same as she remembered, though some of the trees were smaller. Her great-great-grandmother put her arm around the younger woman and embraced her. Gam couldn't hear what the older Troi said as the words weren't meant for him. A few moments later, the car came to a stop in front of the manor. The two ladies broke their embrace and exited the vehicle, followed by Gam. They then walked up the stairs and into the building.

"Good evening, Madam."

"Good evening, Nele. We'll be having two guests for dinner tonight. This is Libbon and Deanna. Nele is the head of the manor. She can get you anything you'd like. Just ask."

"Absolutely. Deanna?" Nele noticed the name, and she could see the family resemblance between the ladies. Trois seemed to share a similar nose. "Are you related to the madam?"

The older Troi answered before Deanna could respond. "Yes. She's my great-great-granddaughter. We'll need to prepare accommodations for her."

"That won't be necessary since we'll be returning to our ship this evening."

"Nonsense. I won't hear of it. You are a Troi and deserved to be treated like one!"

"Yes, Madam. It will be taken care of."

"Thank you, Nele. Is dinner ready to be served?"

"Yes, Madam. The kitchen staff completed everything only a few minutes ago. The servers are preparing the table right now."

"Excellent. Deanna, you'll be able to meet several of your family members at dinner tonight, including my mother, your great-great-great-grandmother. Unfortunately, papa died a couple of years ago. I will organize a family gathering soon to introduce you to the entire family formally."

Troi wanted to decline the offer; however, she knew that Troi women rarely took no for an answer, so she decided to take the path of least resistance. Gam gave her a sympathetic look, which she appreciated. "Thank you. What should I call you?"

"You call me Grand, which is short for Gran Deanna. How about that?"

"Yes, that's perfect."

"Come, let's go meet your family. You too, Libbon."

Dinner proved to be an exciting experience for everyone. The younger Deanna met her great-great-grandfather, her young, 20-something great-grandmother, and several other family members. Everyone took turns sharing stories about themselves and their respective families. The Troi family also shared Betazed history and the role the Vorlons played over the centuries.

After about three hours, Gam told everyone that they needed to report back to the ship. Troi nodded in agreement; however, she did commit to returning as soon as possible. After much negotiation with her family, Troi agreed to ask the admiral for permission to reside, at least temporarily, at the manor. That satisfied Grand, for the moment. Gam and Troi excused themselves and returned to the ship.

U.S.S. Destiny – Ready Room – Babylon 5 – In Transit

"Hi, Delenn. I just had a fascinating conversation with the Brakiri ambassador. I don't know what you've done, but he seems very eager to join the alliance."

"It's good to see you, Rachel. I assume that the mission was successful if ISN is to be believed."

"Yes, it was. Everything went perfectly. Captain Maxwell will remain there to support Earth during the transition."

"I'm glad to hear that. To answer your question, I haven't had to do much convincing. I've had several ambassadors approach me with questions concerning our trade and defense proposals. I've provided the answers as we've discussed, and things have progressed from there. The League members have requested a meeting for later today to discuss the next steps. We're very close to achieving what I thought was impossible. I wish that you and John could be here to participate. You've done just as much as I have in seeing us get this point."

"We're still a day away at current speed. I could increase speed and be there in eight hours if that would help."

"I can certainly handle it by myself but would prefer for the both of you to be here, if possible."

"Ok. We'll be there."

"I'll go and make the arrangements. I look forward to seeing both of you soon."

"Thank you, Delenn. See you soon."

Earth - Undisclosed Location – Leeds, England

In a nondescript building on the outskirts of Leeds, several of the most wealthy and influential men and women in the Earth Alliance had gathered for an unusual but critical meeting. Each of the attendees' arrival times had been staggered not to draw any unwanted attention to the building. The attendees didn't have anything to hide, which was the purpose of the meeting.

Several small conversations took place among the assembled attendees when a man in his late 60s entered the room. The room, like the building, was unremarkable. The walls were plain, and there were no windows. He walked over to the table and knocked loudly to get everyone's attention.

"Ladies and gentlemen. We all know why we're here, so let's get down to business. We have a situation that, if left unresolved, will lead to grave consequences for each of us. The question I want to be answered is what can we do about it," said Mohammed Hassan, Chairman and CEO of the Earth Alliance central bank.

"I want to know as well. I believe Clark can keep his mouth shut; however, I don't trust some of his people. We can't afford one person flipping, or it's over for us," Lucy McCall, the chair of a large defense contractor, said.

"I've reached out to my law enforcement contacts, and they have confirmed the information broadcast on ISN. Clark and his people are being held on that new ship outside the jurisdiction of the Earth Alliance. Direct contact with Clark and his people is very tightly controlled. I understand that lawyers are currently being vetted before being allowed on the ship. None of the prisoners will be allowed to leave until the trial begins," said Bill Richards, the managing partner of the largest law firm in the Earth Alliance.

"Can we get people on the legal teams? We need to confirm who will stay loyal and who's at risk of exposing us," Chris Chen, a bank CEO, asked.

"I'm investigating that now. I've been told that security is extremely tight, with extensive background checks being conducted for the entire legal team of each defendant," Richards answered.

"Damn. That eliminates the use of my normal assets. As much as I dislike this, maybe we can employ a more direct approach. It's not unheard of for pirates to operate in this system," another attendee, Andrea Acardi, the head of a leading security and contracting firm, suggested to the group.

"Impossible. I've already contacted my friends in Earthforce, and they tell me that ship is a fortress. He wasn't even sure if every ship in this system combined would be enough to destroy it," McCall said in response to Acardi's suggestion.

"What?!" several people said, while others used more expressive language.

"That was my initial thought. I've since confirmed this information with a very senior Earthforce intelligence officer. There's a reason they're keeping Clark on that ship. As long as he's there, he's untouchable, and so are the others," McCall said, obviously unhappy with the information she shared.

"I don't accept that. Everyone has a weakness, and we need to find a weakness here to exploit, or we're all going to pay the price," Chen said, spoken with the conviction of someone used to getting results.

"Earthforce has assigned their best people to work on developing countermeasures to the technology on that ship. From what I've been told, they don't even know where to start. No known science allows for invisible ships and teleportation. However, that ship possesses both technologies, plus very formidable weapons systems. I take it you haven't watched the Shadow War video on ISN," McCall said matter-of-factly.

"I have. If that's real, then no one would be willing to accept a bounty for Clark or the others regardless of how much we offered," Acardi said, who knew that none of her assets could mount a successful attack.

"The video's legitimate. I'm afraid that we have very few options. Our best chance is to try to get people on the legal teams. Outside of that, we need to impress on certain family members that there will be consequences if people don't keep their mouths shut," Richard voiced the only solution he could think of.

"If we do this, then discretion is absolutely paramount. The authorities can't find out," Chen said with strong emphasis.

"Don't worry, I know just the right people," Acardi said as she accessed her tablet for a list of potential candidates.

"So do I. We're going to need the very best, and I believe that we'll need to pool our resources to get out of this mess," McCall added.

"I agree. We know what we need to do. You'll be informed of our next meeting time and location. Rest assured, it won't be here. Until next time," Hassan told the group as he closed the meeting.