Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek, nor do I own any of the characters used in the story, unless they are my creation. Paramount and CBS own all things Star Trek.

Author's Note: This story continues in the same century with Khan and his newly established colony with a setting of about five years later.

Language Note: Where applicable, alien languages will be bracketed.

Chapter 2 - Iconian Gateway

Space is an endless sea of nothingness, interspersed with various gaseous anomalies, stars, planets, rocks, and other cosmological items that have yet to be discovered. Despite only two centuries of exploration, mankind has yet to grasp how big space can be. Using FTL drives that limited their distances to within the galaxy, mankind only mapped about 2% of the known galaxy, the Milky Way.

The Starfleet exploration vessel, ESS Excelsior sped through hyperspace in pursuit of this ongoing exploration. Since the introduction of the hyperspace FTL propulsion, Starfleet vessels have increased their scope of range and increased their ability to explore surrounding space. Along with the introduction of hyperspace FTL, an advanced AI system had to be incorporated to monitor the minute navigational changes required when traveling in hyperspace. Human or even other sentient navigation skills could not keep up with the complexities involved in hyperspace travel. This newly installed AI sometimes became sentient in its own right but was forever subordinate to Human control. Hyperspace FTL had expanded the explored area of the galaxy within the last five years of a renewed golden era of exploration. In addition to the hyperdrive, numerous other technologies have been developed within the Federation, bringing a new wealth of prosperity and well-being to its people. As already stated, leaps in AI or artificial intelligence experienced tremendous advancement. AI systems enhanced every time of technology throughout the Federation. From agriculture to shipbuilding to planetary terraforming, AI worked alongside its biological partners seeking new ways to better Humanity. Along with Augment influence throughout society, Humanity was on the verge of a golden era of enlightenment and scientific discovery.

Due to some angst among certain segments of the Federation's population, some systems became wary of Starfleet's sudden militarization and adaptation of centuries' old military doctrine. Regardless of the previous war's success, many member worlds worried that Starfleet's militarized version would project the wrong vision of what the Federation stood for. A compromise was struck with the Federation Council, and Starfleet Command decided to create two distinct branches within itself. One branch was the military arm that trained and maintained a defensive readiness for the Federation. This branch also coordinated and worked with the newly established Federation Army in its operations. The other branch, designated as the Starfleet Exploration Services or SES, carried out dedicated exploration missions. Although the SES's ships were strictly for exploration, these vessels enjoyed greater range due to the new hyperdrive, better defensive armament, and advanced sensor suites. Dropping the NCC, these SES ships held the designation as Exploratory Ship Services or ESS. Along with numerous support ships and planetary bases, they made up this new exploratory branch's bulwark.

A bonus to establishing the Exploration Services branch was the appointment of former Captain James T. Kirk as its Chief of Operations. Reluctantly accepting a promotion to rear admiral, Kirk became the figure for Starfleet and its new branch. Using former crew and promoting others to critical roles, he led the exploration branch with a reborn zeal for exploration never before seen in Federation history. Without the need to dual role his ships, he could focus all their energy on exploration. As a bonus, Kirk advocated for the inclusion of a Federation Marine Corp platoon on each of his ships, noting that exploration missions warranted a certain security amount. Though it seemed like overkill, the platoon's deployment was strictly under the control of each ship captain and restricted to defensive operations in most situations.

His former helmsman, Mr. Sulu, promoted to Captain, was assigned to one of the newest hyperspace prototype ships to built, the USS Excelsior, ESS-2100. By the third year of its five-year mission, the Excelsior mapped an impressive number of star systems. Several hundred new civilizations had been discovered, many of them pre-warp; thus, no contact at this time and fifteen new potential Federation memberships pending. Captain Sulu had stretched the limits of his new ship and exceeded them.

-Unidentified system -

The Excelsior finished its jump to the outskirts of the unidentified star system.

"Captain, we're secured from hyperspace," Lt. Rikenson reported. "Our position is two two seven mark three five nine."

"Viewer on," he commanded.

The viewer came on displaying the faint yellow star and its circling planets dead ahead.

Captain Sulu ordered the ship to proceed at full impulse within the system. He looked over to the science station and his science officer, Lt. Tuvok manning it, "Lieutenant, commence, a full scan of the system."

Tuvok inputted several commands into his console, reading the output as the Excelsior's scanners targeted the system ahead.

"Sir, scans indicate eight planets, three gas giants, one class-M, and several class-D planetoids. No active indications of any civilization on the class-M planet."

Sulu looked to him, "Nothing, not even any life on that class-M planet?"

Tuvok shook his head, "No, sir. There are indications that there may be remnants of something on the planet, but I cannot be certain at this distance. Recommend we orbit the planet for more detailed scans."

Sulu agreed, he looked at the helm, "Take us in, assume a standard orbit over the third planet."

"Aye, sir," Rikenson acknowledged.

As the Excelsior assumed orbit, Tuvok conducted more detailed scans. "Captain, I am detecting several structures of extreme ancient design. All major cities were destroyed. The pattern suggests a large scale orbital bombardment. It appears to be an extinct civilization. The scanners estimate that the destruction occurred over 200,000 years ago."

Sulu got up and moved over to the screen and his first officer, newly promoted Lieutenant Commander Valtane. Looking over the readouts, both of them were interested in finding out more.

"Sir," Valtane said, "permission to take an away team down to the planet. The air looks good, ...a little thinner than Earth norms, but breathable."

"Granted, Dimitri. Take a Marine fire team with you and two other science specialists."

Valtane nodded, he looked at Tuvok, "Tuvok, you are coming, plus comm Ensign Sanders to meet us in transporter room 2." As he and Tuvok walked towards the turbo lift, he then looked over to the security chief, "Commander Burke, inform Gunny Ortiz to send a fire team to the transporter room."

"Aye, sir." the security chief acknowledged.

- Planetside -

The landing party materialized planetside. As the seven members of the away team solidified, the Marine fire team all positioned themselves defensively around the first officer and the two science specialists. The party looked around at the desolate looking landscape. Looking down at the surface, it was barren and rocky without any hint of life. The sky was a burnt red hue with small, almost translucence clouds floating above. The planet had one natural moon-like satellite, but it looked just as barren as its surface.

Valtane pulled out his communicator, "Valtane to Excelsior, transport successful. Proceeding to the buildings to start our survey."

"Acknowledged, Commander," Lt Rand spoke over the communicator. "Captain Sulu recommends caution, but hopefully, you'll find some interesting."

"Thanks, Lieutenant, Valtane out," he closed his communicator and put it back on his belt.

He looked to his group, "All right, gentlemen, let's head in that direction. That seems to be an interesting structure." He looked over to the Marine fire team leader, "Corporal Jenkins, take the lead. We're headed in that general direction."

"Aye, sir," he responded as he moved out. Typically, Federation Marines, when going into combat, wore anti-phaser armor and enhanced exoskeleton suits. Still, the standard duty wear was a battle dress uniform or BDU when assigned to exploration vessels. It was a comfortable jumpsuit with an adjustable camouflage pattern on it with numerous pockets on the pants and the shirt. The shirt contained embroidered name tags, qualification badges, and rank on their collars.

A harness complemented their ensemble with the ability to hold a first aid kit, power packs for their phaser rifles, and other necessary tools required during landing party assignments. Headgear was optional for the most part but sometimes used at the discretion of the Marine. When working alongside their naval counterparts, many Marines wore as little as possible to ensure a better working relationship. The Marine fire team's focus was security, but the away team's overall command fell to the senior Starfleet officer.

As the away team moved towards their objective, the rest of the Marine fire team fell around the Starfleet officers. Ensuring that all sides were covered, they took positions at each side and to the party's rear.

As they moved, Lt Tuvok was conducting scans of the area and environment. "Sir, my tricorder is not registering any life at all. Not even insects. This is only a preliminary scan, but I would surmise that this planet is completely devoid of animal and plant life."

Shaking his head, Valtane responded, "Have you gotten a better estimate of the decay we see around us?"

"Not yet, sir. I will have to conduct some focused scans on one of those structures up ahead before I speculate."

"Understood. This place is dead...literally dead. Just from looking around, I can't even begin to speculate how long it's been this way," he mused.

As the away team came near the structures, they found one that was apparently in good repair. Leading them into the structure, Lt Commander Valtane looked around the room they'd entered. The walls are covered with controls and conduits. Directly across from them is a wall that contains three silver gateways. In the center of the room is a pentagon-shaped "table" about waist high. At the center of the table is a large, softly glowing, translucent blue dome. It is flecked with the same bits of reflective material as the probe. Around the dome, extending to the edge of the table, are countless colored keys. There are also flat screens set in each of the five angles of the table. Each screen is a different geometric shape - a square, a triangle, an octagon, a pentagon, and a rectangle. There is an alien script beneath the screens and on certain parts of the control walls.

Tuvok and Sanders are scanning with their tricorders. "Sir," Tuvok looked up from his tricorder. "Have you ever read about the Iconians?"

"Can't say I have, Tuvok, why?"

"I believe that we are in an Iconian structure of some sort. The tricorder is struggling with the alien script, but it brings up vague references to Dinasian characters and tying similarities with Dewan and Iccobar languages."

"Tuvok, elaborate, please."

"If I run a comparison between some simple words in Dinasian, Dewan, and Iccobar, I should be able to see if this script is an earlier version of the Iconian language."

"Do it. Now you've got me curious." Valtane said.

"Acknowledged." Tuvok set up the tricorder to run the analysis. After a few minutes, the results came back. He raised his eyebrow. "Fascinating. My theory was correct. This script is the parent or root language of those aforementioned languages."

"So, can you read any of the displays on this table?" he asked.

"You realize that this may not be exact, but somewhat of a guess, sir."

"Yes, I know you hate to guess, Tuvok. So, let me put it this way. What is your best estimation? Is it safe to interact with this device?"

Tuvok compares his readings from the tricorder and reviews the symbols in front of him. He touches the keys, and a LOW HUMMING fills the room. The light within the globe intensifies. The fire team stiffens with their hands gripping their phaser rifles. Suddenly rays lance out from the globe. The rays strike the panels on the back wall and intersect in the room to form the gateway. It spins slowly. Each time it comes around, a new image appears through the opening. It makes one full revolution every couple of minutes. Appearing is a courtyard of a house with an alien-colored sky, a desert scene with a city in the distance, a street with iron balconies and pastel stucco walls, a grassy field, and the Excelsior bridge.

Tuvok looked over, "Again, most fascinating."

Valtane and the rest of the team look over and look at the revolving scenes they project on the wall.

Sanders speculates, "They could be holographic, sir."

"I highly doubt that Ensign. Legend has it that the Iconians possessed considerable technology in their time. Although, much of it is lost to time. Some of the stories indicated they were able to travel the galaxy without the aid of ships." Tuvok explained.

"So, you're saying that could be a 'gateway' to another place in the galaxy?" Valtane asked.

"Most likely, sir. There is one way to prove it. When the Excelsior's bridge comes into focus again, I suggest we or one of us goes through it."

Valtane was skeptical. He didn't like the idea of sending someone somewhere that they could potentially be hurt. "I have a counter to that Tuvok. Let's send a tricorder or an object through and see if the Excelsior receives it. Then we'll talk about a person going through."

"Acknowledged."

So, the team tests the gate by sending one of the tricorders through the portal onto the Excelsior's bridge.

Immediately, Lt Commander Valtane's communicator beeped. "Valtane, here," he answered.

"Commander, do you want to explain to me how one of your tricorders came out of thin air and knocked over my teacup on my bridge?" Captain Sulu asked.

"Sir, I think you need to get down here ASAP. We've found something that is very significant. I recommend that the ship put on Yellow Alert. It's pretty serious. I think we need additional science support as well."

"Acknowledged. I'll be there shortly. Since you're recommending yellow alert, do you require additional ground security?"

"That would be a good idea, sir," Valtane responded.

"Ok, we'll be there in a few minutes with the rest of the platoon and additional science support." With that, Captain Sulu closed the communicator channel.

As Valtane hooked his communicator back on his belt, he looked around to the team, "the rest of you, continue what you're doing. Corporal, take the team and secure a perimeter around this building. Do not touch anything. If you see anything, report it immediately. This looks like very advanced technology, and we don't know what it will do to our systems or how it will react to our presence."

The corporal acknowledged the order and left with his team. Tuvok and Sanders continued their examination of the console and attempted to penetrate the room's computer systems. "Sir, my tricorder is unable to obtain scans of the system beneath it. I would recommend that we have the science department beam down a portable, self-contained computer core to see if we can obtain some information from this console."

"Go ahead and do what you have to Tuvok. I don't want any of this technology infecting our systems.

- Minutes Later -

Having joined the away team, Captain Sulu, Valtane, and Mr. Tuvok discuss some of the discovery implications.

"So, what we've found is some Iconian technology?" Sulu asks Tuvok.

"Yes, sir." he replies, "This facility or building as it were, houses what may be an intergalactic gateway. The destinations you see on the wall could be here in the Milky Way or even in our neighboring galaxies. There is no way to tell until we do a full examination."

Valtane chimes in, "Sir, I recommend a full communications blackout on this discovery. This technology could have a significant impact on the Federation. If one of our adversaries get a hold of this technology and utilizes it before we do, then it would be severe."

Sulu nods, "I agree. I'm going to contact Admiral Kirk and request some more security in-system. I'm sure once I inform him of this discovery, he'll send more security our way."

He looks to Tuvok, "Continue your research into this facility." He looked to Valtane, "Stay here, I've brought the rest of the Marine platoon, and they have secured the outside area, no one will be coming here anytime soon. I'm going to beam back up to the Excelsior and send that message."

A chorus of ayes from Valtane and Tuvok came as Sulu opened his communicator to the Excelsior.

"Sulu to Excelsior, over."

"Excelsior, here, sir." came the voice of Lt. Rand

"One to beam up," he replied.

As the transporter effect took him back up the ship, the science officers continued examining the technology.

- Onboard the ship -

As Captain Sulu came back on the bridge, he walked by Lt. Rand's communications board.

"Janice, set up a secure link to Earth. I need to speak to Admiral Kirk ASAP."

"No problem, sir. I'll send it to your ready room," she replied.

"Thanks," he replied as he left the bridge.

- San Francisco, Earth - 02:47 hours

The communicator beeped at this nightstand, waking up Jim Kirk. He rolled over and opened it up. "Kirk, here."

"Admiral, we have a priority communication from Captain Sulu." the operator said.

"Send it to my comm unit," he replied as he walked to his home office.

"Aye, sir. It's encrypted for your eyes only." the operator responded.

Before he sat down, he got a cup of coffee from his resequencer. Toggling the communication screen on, he accesses the console. The holographic keypad comes up to his left, while the holographic monitor comes into focus in front of him.

"Computer, request access, Kirk, James T., SC 937-0176." The monitor projected a small light into Kirk's retina, confirming his identity.

"Working….verified. Access granted."

"Computer, connect me to the incoming call from Captain Sulu."

The computer opened up the channel, "Admiral Kirk, sir, I apologize for waking you, but we've discovered something out in here in the Beta Quadrant that warrants some additional scrutiny and protection."

"What could it be?" Kirk asked.

"Sir, without going into too much detail, we've found some very advanced technology that could make FTL travel obsolete, even the hyperspace drive," Sulu explained.

"Are we talking interdimensional travel? Wormhole?" Kirk continued.

"My science team is examining it now, but I would say it's a portal that can put you anywhere in the galaxy instantly. Very advanced technology. The team hasn't even figured out what powers it, yet."

"Ok, I'll reroute the ESS Potempkin and Bon Homme Richard to your location."

"Sir, I would recommend you ask for a military vessel on this one, maybe a contingent of Fed Army troops to my location?" Sulu countered.

"If I do that, Hikaru, our adversaries, especially the Romulans, may pick up on that movement, unless we can spin it as a training exercise….mmm. Give me some time, but I'm sending those other ships for backup. Maybe they could assist in the evaluation. I'm placing you in charge of that ad hoc fleet." Kirk finished.

"Thanks, sir. Again, sorry to wake you." Sulu smiled on the other end.

"No problem, Hikaru. Stay safe. Keep me posted on any new developments. Kirk out."

As he closed the connection, he got and looked at the time...almost 3:30. Well, he thought, might as well get up. It's going to be a long day. Fortunately, he allowed himself to be 'augmented' to a small degree. Though still ambivalent about some of their changes, he didn't want all of his genes to be tweaked. If you'd call it, the only' augmentation' was that he was able to 'fix' his allergy to Retinax 5 and boosted his immune system a bit, but otherwise, he was still as normal as they get for a Human.

Kirk got up, got dressed, and left his apartment. Since there was very little traffic at this time of the morning, he elected to walk to his office at Starfleet command.

As he approached Starfleet headquarters, activity was higher than usual, and guards slowed down all access into the building. They were doing physical security checks in addition to the scanners in place. Kirk noted the increased activity and wondered if it was related to heightened tensions on the Romulan border a few days ago.

Going through the entrance, Kirk was stopped by a young commander before making it to his office.

"Sir, I need you to come with me immediately. Admiral Nogura is conducting a briefing in 20 minutes, and he would like you there." Commander Williams finished.

Kirk nodded, "Ok, I'll follow you." He looked to the commander, "Can you tell me why there is such an increase in security?"

"I'm not at liberty to tell you. It would be better if the admiral briefs you, and all your questions will be answered."

"If that's the case, then I have something I need to speak to the admiral about right away then," Kirk said.

- TBC -