Chapter 2
1986
LOS ANGELES
Beverly looked over various headlines as she sorted through the stacks of newspapers and pulled out the ones that made reference to the current problems that this Earth seemed to be experiencing for more extensive research later.
"This seems pointless. I thought we just had to eliminate a few Borg drones."
Beverly took a deep breath to maintain her inner calm before answering. They had broken up into three teams. B'Elanna Torres and Harry Kim were searching for signs of the Borg and any other people in the streets of what seemed to be a deserted Los Angeles. Major Kira Nerys was on the library roof getting some readings of the massive spaceship hovering over the city while also watching over Kai Winn Adami, one of her peoples' religious leaders. Meanwhile, Beverly got stuck with Vash as her partner. "We need to know what the governmental situation is here."
"Sorting through paper data isn't going to help us," sneered Vash and took another bite out of her Milky Way bar that she had taken from a vending machine she had broken into.
"Oh, and perhaps you can tell us why the streets of a major city are deserted and why a five mile wide vessel is just floating above the city?"
"What does that have to do with the Borg? That is our objective, isn't it?"
"Vash, the Borg would focus on two things on arrival here. One, bodies that they can use to reproduce more drones and two, the technology they can use to make them strong here. Since this city doesn't seem to have many people, the Borg may look for people in the ship above us. Also, that ship represents a greater source of technology than anything I've seen down here."
"Well, if you are sure it's the ship then why don't we just go up there and tell them they might have a pest problem?"
Beverly sighed. "You haven't had any Starfleet training, have you? I didn't think so. We need to know who these people are before we try to contact them. For all we know, they could be an enemy of this Earth."
Vash wrinkled her nose. "I'm used to finding out about a culture by digging around old ruins, not sifting through papers." In spite of her dislike, she went over to a pile of papers that were stacked next to a swivel chair. The only had to peruse the top page to see that if held some of what they were looking for. "Here is something, this say the ship above us is this Earth's first known direct contact with another world and that one day forty-nine ships like it came down and began hovering over fifty major cities on this world. When contact was actually made by an alien called Supreme Commander John, he said that they had come to establish friendly relations and share their technology."
"They would just give their technology away? That doesn't sound right," stated Beverly. "And what about the cultural problems that would cause? These aliens don't seem to be considering what their actions would do to the people here."
"Relax, Starfleet. They list a reason here. It seems that their planet was dying and needed certain compounds that Earth had in abundance. That was why they were willing to share their technology."
"Doesn't explain why there are no people around. Keep reading."
"Aye, aye, Starfleet." Vash paged through a few papers trying to get a grasp of what they told without reading the all of them. "Some of these papers seem to give conflicting reports about these aliens - the papers are calling them 'Visitors'. A couple of the earlier papers suggest that the aliens uncovered an old plot by a majority of Earth's scientists in keeping certain discoveries from the general public. Discoveries like a cure for cancer. Seemed to make Earth's scientists very unpopular. Let's see, there also seems to be a resistance movement to these 'Visitors'. They claim that the aliens are not really Human-like, as they appear, but are reptilian and are just wearing a Human covering to make it easier to fool Earth into friendship. Oh, and it says here that the real reason the aliens came was to take this world's water supply and... and the animals and people for food." Vash shook her head. "Sounds like quite a messed-up world that Q dropped us off on."
"It's been a while since Starfleet has had to deal with the sentients of one world using the sentients of another world as a food source." Beverly shivered at the thought. "I think the last time might have been when Starfleet was trying to settle a broker peace between the Antican and the Selay."
"It would explain where all the people have gone," pointed out Vash.
Beverly was aghast. "I hadn't thought of that!"
Vash looked through some more of her pile of papers. "I think whoever put these papers here was trying to create a portfolio or timeline of the events that happened."
"Then it is a good thing you found it," Beverly said. Using her tricorder, she scanned the pile of papers Vash was examining. It would take time, but the tricorder could eventually make a copy of all the words and pictures in that stack of papers.
Vash gave Beverly a look of annoyance, but didn't let it deter her. "Hmm. This paper comes at a later date and has an overview of things regarding the aliens. Seems the scientists found a bacteria to which the Visitors had no resistance. They made the whole planet poisonous to them and the reptiles turned tail and left."
Crusher looked up from her sorting. "That doesn't explain why they seem to be flying overhead right now, does it?"
"That's because the Visitor's home world, Sirius IV, was evidently in worse shape than they had originally said. Turns out they damaged the environment too badly to repair and that this is the only other known habitable star system that they could reach that could sustain a vast majority of them."
"But you said that this planet was made toxic to them," commented Beverly. "Did they find a cure?"
"Mmm, No. But the Humans did come up with a vaccine for one for the Visitors that helped them. Says they were called the 'Fifth Column'." Vash eyes scanned over the paper in front of her trying to just read the parts that seemed relevant to her. "They give some medical babble here about different things, but basically it turns out that the bacteria that the rebels put into the atmosphere could only live in areas where there were severe climate changes between summer and winter. All other areas became free of the toxin after a few months."
"So why didn't they put more of the toxin in the air over those areas?"
"Take it easy. I'm getting to it." Her eyes caught something in the paper she was reading. "Okay, according to this any more of the toxin released into the atmosphere, it would become too much for the ecosystem. It would kill all life on Earth."
"What?" The Human side of her was horrified, but the doctor side of her had her taking out her medical tricorder and analyzing the air around her and the condition of her and Vash. "Don't they test these things before they let them lose on the world?"
"They probably did. But look at what they had to work with. With this type of technology, I'm surprised that they were even able to discover that a second dose would kill everyone."
Feeling safer, Beverly put down her tricorder. "Well, at least I'm not finding anything toxic right now. Course I don't know what exactly it is that I am looking for. Hopefully, before we leave I can get a sample to study."
"Whatever." She held up a newspaper with the picture of a man on the cover. "Now here is a daring man. I'd like to see him go against some Ferengi in a Dabo game. According to this, when the Visitors returned, this man, Nathan Bates, head of Science Frontiers, made this city a 'free city'. A city where Visitors and Humans could live together with no violence. And this was while the rest of the non-toxic part of the world was being invaded by the Visitors."
Beverly ran out of papers to sort through, so she sat back for a moment to catch her breath. "A 'free city'? Like Casablanca? How did he manage that? Los Angeles is in the non-toxic zone you mentioned."
"Seems his company was in charge of the red-toxin production. He set it up so that if Los Angeles were ever attacked a bomb would go off spreading the toxin everywhere."
"But-but that would kill everyone. Humans included."
"That's the point. The Visitors didn't dare call his bluff. At least for a number of months."
"But then why are the streets empty?"
"Because that was all it was. A bluff. Norman Bates died somehow, and the Visitors just took over."
"So all those the people living here peacefully suddenly found themselves defenseless." The doctor shook her head. "It's like a bad holo-novel."
"Well, at least they weren't completely defenseless. Many of these papers mention a group they call the Resistance, which seem to have been fighting the Visitors even while the city was being occupied."
"Hurray for the Resistance," commented a returning Major Kira Nerys. Following her was a sullen Kai Winn. Both women had lived through many years of occupation by the Cardassians on their planet and both were beginning to relive some of those memories. "Got the data on that monstrous ship above us. I take it you found some things out looking around here?"
Dr. Crusher nodded.
"Good. We saw Torres and Kim coming back this way just before we came down off the roof. They should be here in a few minutes and then we can share our information."
"Sounds good," agreed Beverly. "Meanwhile, if you are hungry, Vash found some food over there. They are called candy bars. I think you'll like them."
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TARDIS
OUTSIDE SPACE AND TIME
George Fox was not having a good day. He had finally tracked down his quarry only to end up being abducted himself. "You won't get away with this!"
The Doctor had had more than enough. "Oh, grow up! You are the one who came charging onto my TARDIS uninvited, so it's your own fault that you are stuck here."
"Not so fun when the shoe is on the other foot, is it, Mr. Fox?" Scott had been mocking the FSA agent ever since he found out that his gun wouldn't function inside the TARDIS.
"Scott," Paul put his hand on his son's shoulder. "Please don't antagonize him."
"'Kay." Scott loved his dad, but sometimes he was just too much of a pacifist for Scott's taste.
"What are you going to do with me?" The FSA man was not liking this turn of events at all. His gun wasn't working and the leather-clad woman had kept him from physically overpowering them. Worst of all was when he tried to go back out the way he had come in only to find that he was locked inside with those he was unable to capture.
"Maybe we'll do the same thing to you that you had planned for us," answered Scott with a smile. He grinned even wider when he saw the sudden fear in the agent's eyes.
"Scott!" Paul Forrester turned to the man that had hunted him ever since he had returned to Earth. "Mr. Fox, I can assure you that we would never do anything like that."
"Like what?" asked the Doctor. Having finished making his adjustments to the controls of the TARDIS, he thought he would take some time to familiarize himself with his new companions.
"Oh, vivisection at first. Dissection later for sure," commented Scott candidly.
"Scott! You're only making matters worse."
Scott, with his father's words stinging in his ears, went to go sulk in a corner.
The Doctor shook his head. "You see, Mr. Forrester, landing in the Americas was your first mistake. You should have landed in a more civilized country like England. I've had many encounters with the political and military leaders there and they were usually quite reasonable even after seeing me through a couple of regenerations. There was rarely any of that 'Let's cut him up because he has two hearts' thing." He saw the various looks everyone was giving him and decided he should lighten the mood a little. Sifting through his pockets, he pulled out a bag. "Jelly baby, anyone?"
Scott shook his head, George looked at the Doctor like he was crazy, while Paul took two and popped them in his mouth. He seemed to give a great deal of thought to the tastes he was experiencing, an attitude of which the Doctor approved.
"Why are you here?" asked George. They hadn't attacked or harmed him so he figured he might as well try to get some answers.
"Because this is my TARDIS," answered the Doctor. "But I don't think that is entirely what you meant." He noticed Leela and Jenny wheeling in a tray. "Ah, tea. And some hot chocolate for you Americans. I try to be courteous." Leela laughed. A frown from the Doctor helped her to stifle her laughter. "Now why don't we all sit down for tea and hot chocolate and we'll discuss what we are up against?"
Before they could discuss anything, alarms went off and the Doctor rushed over to the controls, pushing Paul out of his way.
"Excuse me!"
The others came to crowd around the console but Leela quickly pushed them all back. The Doctor had warned her long ago of the dangers of pulling the wrong lever at the right time.
"Are we there, Doctor?" asked Paul.
"There?" asked the FSA man. "What do you mean there? You mean this room you've got stuffed in a telephone booth is actually traveling somewhere?"
"Paul?"
The fear in Jenny's face was more than transparent to Paul. Her expression spoke volumes. "It's okay." Reaching out, he took her hand and pulled her into a tight hug. "I trust this man. The Doctor is good. But he needs help fixing something that has gone very wrong. And once we help him, he says he will help us with our problem."
She looked over at George Fox, a man that she had been running from for years and was now listening to what she and Paul were saying to each other. "I just want to not live in fear anymore. I don't want to be looking over my shoulder all the time because someone won't let me just live in peace with my family."
George Fox bit his lip. He knew what he was doing was for national security. And that mattered to him more than anything else, including proving himself to all his colleagues that had been mocking him for years for chasing 'little green men' or his own personal 'starman.' His government, no, all the military leaders of the world needed to know that these beings existed and what they are capable of. How else could the people of Earth protect themselves if they didn't know what to defend themselves from?
"My word!"
"What is it, Doctor?" asked Leela.
"A massive ship five miles in diameter is hovering over one of the United States' major cities. The energy level for that sort of thing must be enormous unless they found a large amount of rare components to make one of those anti-gravity alloy metals."
Scott whistled. "So is that where we are going?"
"There seems to be a smaller vessel leaving the large one." He looked at a monitor then hit it and checked it again. "There's a bomb on board the small craft! People, too!" He pulled a lever, and then began rearranging his scarf.
"Leela. K-9. We're taking on passengers." The Doctor hurried to the door that Fox hadn't been able to exit through earlier. Bouncing on the heels of his feet, the Doctor waited for the TARDIS to fully materialize. "We must be quick. That bomb will go off very shortly. So no lollygagging. The rest of you wait here." Pulling the door open, the Doctor, Leela and K-9 quickly exited, but not before George Fox was able to follow.
The Doctor rushed from the TARDIS through the small cargo chamber it had appeared inside of. Upon opening the door into the main area, the first thing he saw was a muscular reptilian humanoid dressed in a purple vest and pants standing over a young Human man who was obviously in deep anguish. Off to the side stood a young blonde woman wearing a silk gown and a far-off look in her eyes.
Looking up, the lizard-like alien hissed in anger at the sight of the Doctor. "More stowaways! How dare you-"
"There's a bomb on board! Set to go off at any time now. Come with me if you wish to live." Having said his part, he grabbed for the young woman's hand and began pulling her back the way he had come.
Suddenly he was whirled around, and two large, scaly hands began to choke him through the many layers of his scarf. Leela leaped at the Doctor's attacker, but he just looked at her and she went flying into the wall and remained hanging there by an unseen force.
A beam of light came out of K-9's nose striking the one that hurt his master and lady. The green scaly alien fell down hard onto the metal floor.
The blonde woman started, as if waking from a dream. Seeing the young man on the floor, she hurried over to help him up. "Kyle!"
The young man groaned as he regained his feet. "I told everyone that that guy was messing with your mind. But would they listen to me? No."
The woman ignored him and instead focused her attention on the newcomers. "I believe someone said something about a bomb?"
"That would be I," answered the Doctor as he rubbed his throat. "Good boy, K-9," he said to the small robotic canine. Noticing George Fox in the doorway gaping, he called over to him. "There's no more time to look for anyone else aboard. Mr. Fox, if you would be so good as to help Leela with dragging that rude, unconscious individual to the TARDIS. I think it would be better for all of us if we were to leave here immediately."
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SHUTTLE BAY ON THE VISITOR'S MOTHERSHIP
People of all ranks rushed to the view ports to see aftermath of the explosion. Gasps of shock and horror were heard everywhere. Some even collapsed to their knees and began weeping in despair.
Mike Donovan and Juliet Parrish, the only Humans in the shuttle bay, took a step closer to their friend and secret contact to the Visitors' Fifth Column, Philip. Horror caused her voice to shake. "Oh Mike! Elizabeth was on—she was on that shuttle! And Kyle-if he snuck aboard-oh God!"
Mike nodded and took hold of her hand. "I know."
Just forty-eight hours before, they had been trading blaster fire with Lt. James and his troops. Just when it looked like the Humans were going to lose, a cease-fire was declared. Shortly thereafter, when they had returned to their hidden headquarters, Elizabeth began showing signs of being in telepathic communication with someone. Willie, a Visitor who had been a part of the Resistance for years, revealed the fact that the Visitors' leader, known as the Leader, had great mental powers and could contact a person's mind no matter where they were and that the mind communicating with Elizabeth must be the Leader's. Philip arrived soon afterwards and confirmed Willie's theory and also told them that the Leader had come to personally end the hostilities between the interstellar species. Philip explained that he had been in constant contact with their leader, trying to convince him that the two races could co-exist and benefit each other.
At Philip's insistence, Mike, Juliet, Willie, Kyle and Elizabeth returned to the mothership in Philip's shuttlecraft. To ease the tension of the situation, Philip gave them a tour of the massive ship while they waited for the Leader's arrival. True to form, Diana had set up an elaborate 'accident' for Mike but failed. Seeing all her plans failing, she tried another assassination plot, this time she accused the Humans of an attempt on the Leader's life. This, too, failed and with her plot exposed, she attempted to kill everybody on the ship and on Earth by having the infusion reactors of the mothership reach critical mass. Through the combined efforts of the Resistance leaders and the Visitors, they were able to overcome Diana and her forces.
Diana and her subordinate, Lt. James, had a ringside seat waiting for the Leader. Lydia made sure they were right on hand in case the Leader asked for the ones responsible for the attack on his shuttle. However, the two conspirators weren't even asked about. The Leader's shuttle landed and Elizabeth was asked to come aboard. Kyle had had a real problem, insisting that she was under the Leader's influence, but Juliet and Mike pointed out that this might be the only way that the two worlds could come together in peace. As soon as Elizabeth boarded the shuttle, it took off. A few moments later an explosion rocked the mothership as the shuttlecraft exploded.
"The Humans! The Humans have killed the Leader!"
Heads turned one by one from all over the shuttle bay to where Diana was bound with James.
Philip scowled at the conniving woman. "Guards! Take her away!"
"Philip must be in on it, too! You've all seen how friendly he's been with the Humans!" Diana turned to Lydia for support.
Lydia bit her lip and thought fast. Right now with the Leader dead, that left Philip in charge and Lydia as his second in command. Even though she had never been as notorious as Diana, Lydia was sure the Humans would have her name on a list of war criminals. And Philip, being the 'humanitarian' that he was, would probably hand her over to the Terran authorities. However, if she sided with Diana, then Lydia would be in charge with Diana right below her. But knowing Diana's love for power and the hatred the two women had for each other, Diana would surely turn on her as soon as it was safe to do so. Unless Lydia turned on her first. "Guards! Take the Humans away! And lock Philip up with them!"
"What do you think you are doing?" demanded Philip as a number of guards with drawn weapons surrounded him.
"Until this matter is fully investigated, you will remain in custody." Seeing that he was going to protest further, Lydia raised her voice slightly so that those further away could also here. "You can't blame anyone for being suspicious of you. You were so friendly when the Humans came on board, it seemed like you were old friends. Let an investigation be done. If you protest it will only make you look guiltier."
Philip clenched his teeth in fury as he was led away.
Turning to regard Diana, she added. "Take her and Lt. James to my office. I will interrogate them there personally." Seeing the smile in Diana's eyes, Lydia added, "And make sure they remain securely shackled."
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EARTH'S SOLAR SYSTEM
Starbuck's Viper soared through space. It had been a long flight to this star system, with little rest on the way as they were using a new, faster model of engine that required the pilots to be more alert when at high speeds. Still, Starbuck's mind began to wander as they came past the fourth planet from the sun. "Hey, Apollo, do you think we are getting our hopes up again? Do you think we are going to actually find Earth?"
Apollo's Viper dipped slightly before righting. "I don't know. I hope so." He sighed. "It would be nice to finely settle down on a planet and call it home again. Even if we would have to fight off an alien invasion force first."
"Yeah, I'm really looking forward to that!" Starbuck answered sarcastically.
Boomer interrupted the two pilots. "Either of you think that this could be another Cylon trap? They've tried things before."
"The signal was over three years old," pointed out Starbuck. "The Cylons couldn't have gotten that far ahead of us."
"We'll find out soon enough. Our vector is just ahead." Apollo adjusted his scanners as he tried to gain information of this new promising world as well as any possible threats to him and the other warriors.
"Looks like it's only got one moon, which according to my scanners is on the other side of the planet," commented Starbuck who was also checking his scanners.
"You know, I've got a theory about inhabitants that live under only one moon," responded Boomer. "They tend to be more depressed and less romantically motivated than those who live under more than one moon."
"Well, as a great romantic myself, I am more than willing to go down there and test that theory. All in the name of science, of course," chuckled Starbuck.
Boomer chuckled. "I'm sure that Cassiopeia would understand your sacrifice," commented Boomer on Starbuck's fiancée.
"Cut the chatter, you two," barked Apollo. "I have a huge ship on the western part of that northern continent. Twenty microns ago, a huge explosion appeared just off to the side of it."
"A battle?" asked Boomer, as he began pulling up the same readings on his screen.
"Possibly. Stay sharp. These people may be trigger happy." Apollo thought about it for a moment, and then decided to go down to the planet instead of doing an orbital scan. "Okay everyone, listen up. Starbuck and I are going down. Boomer, do the orbital scan and keep the rest of the squadron with you. If things get bad, it's your call, but send Boxey and Tomie back with the information from the scans."
"Dad! You can't-"
"Do not question your commanding officer's orders!" Apollo had been more than proud when his adopted son, Boxey, had followed his footsteps to become a Viper pilot, but it still rattled his nerves whenever Boxey flew into combat. "You are eighteen yahrens old and while a good pilot, you and Tomie are still the least experienced. If there is going to be fighting down there, then we are going to need to send the most experienced because we don't know what we are going to encounter. Understand?"
Apollo listened to the silence in his headphones before he repeated himself. "I said 'do you understand?'"
"Yes sir," came Boxey's mumbled reply.
He hated having to correct him like that with everyone else listening, but he had to know that he couldn't argue orders from his leaders, especially while on maneuvers. "All right, then. Boomer, they are all yours. Starbuck, follow me."
It was a few minutes later when they were clear of the other Vipers that Starbuck broke the silence. "You were a little rough on him, don't you think?" he asked when they had switched to their private communications channel.
"He's eighteen! He shouldn't even be on this mission. He should be among the warriors back on the Galactica guarding the colonists."
"True. But then how would he get any experience as a Viper pilot?"
"He'd have opportunities. Besides, my call on making sure the information we gather gets back to the Galactica was a good one."
"Yeah, I know. Soooo... why did you bring him on this trip anyway?"
Apollo grumbled in spite of himself. "I didn't. His grandfather made that call."
"Oh boy. Must have been some arguing over that."
"There was. But my father wanted Boxey to be among the first to see the fabled Earth. Probably because he couldn't be here himself."
"Ah, grandparents. You got to love 'em."
Apollo looked at his screen. "Got an incoming message. Coming from that huge ship on the surface."
"I got a visual on the ship. I can't believe it can just hover like that in an atmosphere. Can you imagine the power ratio that would take?"
"I'm going to initiate contact." Apollo adjusted a few more dials while a screen came up at the side.
"Hey! I thought we just supposed to just 'assess the situation'?"
"We are. I'm just planning on assessing a little closer." Apollo flipped a switch. "This is Viper One of the Battlestar Galactica. Do you read me?"
The screen flickered back and forth as the alien technologies on both sides tried to adjust to the different signals being sent back and forth. Finally, they came to a mutual agreement and the screen cleared. "-tify yourself and your intentions."
"This is Viper One of the Battlestar Galactica. We come in peace."
The brown haired woman in the red uniform on his viewscreen didn't seem convinced. "What are your intentions?"
"Our fleet is exploring this area of space and we were sent out as advanced scouts," Apollo responded as he gave out their cover story. He interrupted her as she consulted with someone off screen. "My scanners have detected a large explosion near your ship. Are you under attack?"
"That-that is not for me to say," answered the upset woman. "We are sending some shuttles to escort you to a shuttle bay," instructed the woman as she sighed off.
"Cute, but seemed a little distraught," pointed out Starbuck. "She didn't even ask us if we wanted to come aboard."
"I noticed that, too."
"Well, do we go aboard or do we make a run for it? The lady sure didn't look like a lizard to me."
"We've been fooled by appearances before," Apollo reminded him. "I did notice that her voice had a strange revibration to it. Of course, that could have been caused by the interference between the different technologies we have," He looked at the shuttlecrafts coming to guide them in, then over at his friend sitting in a Viper fighter a couple of yards off to his left. "I think we should give it a try. After all, the people of Earth could have defeated the invaders and taken over their ships. It would explain why we only see one."
Starbuck sighed. "I hope you are right because I've got a really bad feeling about this."
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LIBRARY IN L.A.
Sitting in a chair and leaning back as she stared up through the skylight at the massive alien vessel floating up above, Kira Nerys sighed in exasperation. Dr. Crusher had insisted that everyone come together and go over everything she had uncovered, even though the most logical place was already apparent to everybody. All anyone had to do was look up to know where the Borg would go. "So, does anyone have any ideas how we can actually get up there?"
Beverly frowned at Kira's attitude and continual interruptions. "We have to do some research if we are to take on the Borg on this world," she began to lecture.
Before the two women could argue, a flash appeared bringing three new people to the library. "Ah, Beverly. I'd like you to meet your two new allies. Dr. Samuel Beckett and Admiral Albert Calavicci." Q looked in Vash's direction uneasily. "Well, I'll just leave you all to get acquainted. Ta!" In a flash he was gone.
Five of those around the table rose to greet the two men, while Kai Wynn stayed seated, shaking her head. Introductions were made around the room as the Kai mumbled about the self-importance of Humans.
"I can't imagine that Hawaiian shirts are standard issue for military uniforms," commented Harry Kim with a smile as he held out his hand.
"It's not. I just like to look snazzy." Al held his hand out for a handshake but laughed at Harry's surprise as Harry's hand went right through Al's. "Sorry, kid. I'm just a hologram here. I may take so getting used to."
Harry chuckled good-naturedly. "I don't think it will be a problem. I've worked with a hologram on occasion before."
"Ah, good. Then maybe you can give me some pointers. It's my first time being seen as a hologram by anyone other than Sam. Maybe you know some cool move I can use to distract these Borg guys."
Harry nodded and pulled out his tricorder. "Let me get scan your programming and then I should have an idea of some of what you are capable of."
"Programming? Kid, what are you talking about? Do I look like I'm connected to a computer to you?"
Sam goodheartedly rolled his eyes at Al's antics. Then he turned to the closest newcomer to him. "Hi, I'm Sam."
Beverly held out her hand to the man in the white jumpsuit. She was almost surprised when she actually touched his hand. "For a minute there, I thought you might be like your friend, the hologram."
Sam laughed. "No. I am very happy to say that I am all here."
"You remind me of someone. I'm just not sure who." She shook her head in embarrassment when she realized she had been staring. "Sorry."
"It's okay," replied Sam, "I kinda get that a lot."
"Wait a minute. He does seem familiar," agreed B'Elanna. "I remember. I've seen his face in one of the holonovels I've been in!"
"That's right. He's an exact lookalike of Captain Jonathan Archer!" squealed Beverly.
Vash and Kira looked at each other and exchanged glances of confusion.
"That's right! The first commander of the Earth Starship Enterprise! Tom is going to be so jealous!" B'Elanna pulled out her tricorder even as Beverly did the same. They both began scanning the man while Sam began cautiously backing away from them.
Kai Wynn sighed in exasperation. "Are all Human females like this or do we just have the special ones with us?"
Major Kira Nerys bit her lip to keep from chuckling at the rude comment. "I believe this Samuel Beckett has a dimensional duplicate in our world. And if I remember correctly what little Earth history that I know, he is one of the first Human deep space explorers."
"Really?" Vash looked Sam over as he put a chair between him and the two women before him. "I always imagined that Captain Archer was taller, but I see the resemblance."
"Drop your weapons!" bellowed out a voice from behind a bookrack. Suddenly, a dozen armed men in red uniforms and dark visors appeared.
Al ducked down low and tapped on his comm-link with Ziggy. He looked up to see of the armed men reaching down for him, but suddenly Al Calavicci was no longer there.
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LYDIA'S OFFICE
Sauntering through her office doors, Lydia walked around the man and woman chained to the reinforced chairs in the middle of the room and sat at her desk. "Well now, Diana, James, what shall we do with you two?"
Diana smiled evilly. "If you are smart, you'll free us and restore our regular positions."
Lydia leaned back in her chair and returned the smile for all the venom it was worth. "Now why would I want to do that? I imagine it would be a lot quieter and safer for me if I just kept you in those chains. Or if you had some horrible accident." She looked closely to see if there was any fear in either of the two captives' eyes. She was very disappointed.
Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a blinking on her monitor. Turning her attention from her two chained enemies, she typed a password onto her keyboard. "Hmm. It appears I won't be able to give the direct attention you deserve, Diana. At least not right away."
"Experiencing problems already, Lydia?" asked Diana snidely. "What? Have the Humans attacked or is it the pesky Fifth Column again."
Lydia didn't even bother to look away from her monitor. "Neither. It appears two long-range, single-occupant crafts made contact with our vessel shortly after the Leader's shuttlecraft exploded. The pilots said they were scouting the way for another vessel which they called a Battlestar."
"Well, that is interesting," commented Diana with genuine interest.
"Do we know what species the pilots are from?" asked Lt. James.
"Human in appearance. I'll find out for sure when I interrogate them," answered Lydia automatically.
"You have them captive already. Good," commented Diana with approval.
Lydia spared Diana a quick glance. Approval from Diana was a very rare thing and for some reason it didn't feel right in this situation. "Yes. Even more interesting, a squad of soldiers went down to Los Angeles to investigate some strange energy readings that had been picked up. They found a group of people there. Two appear to be alien, another also, but possibly a Human hybrid."
"Really. I want a copy of all that information sent to my terminal. I also want all the prisoners sent to my personal holding cells."
"I think that would be rather pointless," Lydia chuckled. "Aren't you forgetting that you two are also prisoners?"
Diana smiled. "Not really." A large panel of the wall slide away revealing four guards armed with laser pistols.
Lydia ducked under her desk and reached for her sidearm.
"I wouldn't, Lydia." Diana sat back in her chair and smiled. "This situation could work for both of us. All you have to do is work with us."
"You really expect me to trust you!" She had her weapon aimed directly at her rival, but Diana didn't seem to even care. She just sat there and smiled at Lydia in the annoying way that always made Lydia want to shoot her in the back.
"If I give you reason to, then yes, I do."
Lydia hit a button underneath her desk to call her personal guard. "Like what," she asked as she stalled for time.
"Like the fact that the energy cell in your laser pistol had been replaced with a dead one."
Lydia stopped herself before she actually checked it. "Nice try."
"If you don't believe me, then go ahead and fire."
"If I shoot you, your guards will kill me," snarled Lydia. She was beginning to hate this situation the more and more she thought about it.
"You must be very distracted, Lydia. These aren't my guards. They're yours."
Lydia looked away from Diana in horror as she looked at the faces of the four guards aiming weapons at her to see the truth of Diana's statement. In desperation, she tried to fire her pistol but all it did was make a small crackling noise. "You bribed my own guards!" she bellowed furiously as she climbed out from under her desk. There was no hiding now. She had nowhere to go.
"No," answered Diana. "You forget about the mind conversion process I perfected." Both her and James began to remove the unlocked shackles they had been wearing.
"You've used your machines to brainwash the crew," Diana's blond rival accused.
"Only about five percent of those who's loyalty I wasn't entirely sure of. There was just too many to convert to my will." She dropped the last of the chains and stood up next to James. "About thirty percent, like James here, were naturally loyal to me. As for the rest of the crew, those that aren't Fifth Columnist anyway, will just follow whoever is in command."
"But why go to such lengths?"
Diana looked at her as if she was just a little child. "For control, of course. Control is power after all. And once I heard the Leader was coming, I knew he wouldn't approve of the brainwashing. Not unless he was the one doing it. So, of course, I had to kill him."
"You killed the Leader!?" exclaimed Lydia. She had suspected as much, but suspicions were one thing and confirmation something else altogether.
"Who else would dare?" stated Diana with a Cheshire smile.
Lydia saw her chances of leaving the room alive getting smaller and smaller the more she learned, but she had to ask one more question. "And what do you want with me?"
"To clear us of any connection with the Leader's death and reinstate our positions on this ship." Diana leaned back in her chair as she let Lydia think about her situation.
James, having been freed by one of the guards, meanwhile, had gone to Lydia's liquor cabinet and poured himself and Diana a glass each of a rare vintage from their homeworld. Giving Diana her glass, he leaned down and gave her a kiss that she returned with fervor. "Would you like a snack?" He held out a small transparent box with six terrified kangaroo rats inside.
Diana looked into the box with interest. "I don't think I've sampled this breed before. But then, Lydia, you always did go out of your way to try the more exotic things." James lifted the container a little and Diana's hand shot in and out, bringing a plump male in her fist. "A cute little morsel," she commented as she regarded it for a moment. Then, taking it by the tail, she lifted the squeaking creature over her head and slowly lowered it down to her upturned mouth. Her mouth stretched open as it made to accommodate the rodent, then her throat expanded as well when the creature reached that point. She smacked her lips when she was finished. "A tasty little treat. Thank you, James." She turned back to Lydia but she still had a hungry, predatory look in her eyes. "Time to make your decision. Will you be for or against us?"
Lydia knew it was no choice at all. "Very well. But I stay in charge of this ship."
Diana smiled. "I wouldn't have it any other way."
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DIANA'S PERSONAL HOLDING CELLS
"I hate being locked up!" Starbuck spat as he hit the wall with his fist.
"Trust me. Hitting the walls with your fists will not help," stated Mike Donavon as he leaned against the wall. Beside him and sitting on a bench, Juliet held onto his hand as a means of pooling their comfort and strength through the contact.
"It couldn't hurt... much." Starbuck rubbed his tender fist as he resorted back to his pacing. He shot a glance over towards Apollo who was talking with a few of the Humans locked up with them. Starbuck didn't blame his captain for their situation simply because, in the end, it was the very call he would have made. But still, it didn't make him any happier to be locked up in a cell.
Overall, the cell held twelve people: the two colonial warriors, three Visitors, and seven Humans. The initial introductions had been made when the two warriors arrived. And while the people in the cell had been surprised to learn that a long-lost star spanning colony of Humans had come to help them against the Visitors, Apollo and Starbuck were in turn surprised to learn that one of the people in the room, Juliet Parrish, had actually been the one to send the message into space that the Galactica had intercepted.
"A lost branch of the Human race? Sounds a little farfetched to me." General Hammond* had been a prisoner of Diana's for only a few days but he had heard enough of her methods to know that she might put people in with them to spy or undermine their hopes.
"Whether you believe it or not doesn't matter," responded Apollo. "We're here now and my people will do whatever we can to help against the invaders."
"Why should I believe you?"
"There's nothing that I can prove right now. But I will tell you this. A similar thing happened to my people yahrens ago." He looked the general in the eye so that the man could see the anger and hurt still there. "We lost twelve inhabited worlds to invaders whose sole purpose was to slaughter us. We will not lose another one."
A young thin man coughed slightly as he wiped his glasses on his shirt. "You-you really think that the people of Earth are somehow related to your people?" Daniel** had been a promising student at UCLA studying ancient languages before the Visitors had returned to Earth. He had been able to get out of LA alive and had made it to Redlands, CA where he joined a local Resistance group. While they did fight battles against the Visitors, Daniel's group also specialized in helping ship and distribute weapons and supplies to other Resistance groups in the Lower California area. Daniel in particular had used his knowledge of ancient languages to create code words for the military that the Visitors were unable to decipher.
"I'm sure a physician can tell us for sure once we get out of here." Apollo's hopes were high but even he wanted confirmation.
"I'll take you up on that." Juliet smiled. "I know enough about Human physiology to quickly find out one way or the other in a lab."
Apollo chuckled. "As long as we aren't talking about vivisection here."
"Personally, I'd like to study your language structure," commented Daniel. "And know how you are able to speak English so well."
"Sounds a little less painful," nodded Apollo. "I know that my father would more than willing to go over our more ancient language scrolls with you. He's the last of my people that can still translate them. He's tried to teach me but I don't seem to have the knack or interest to learn them. As for the explanation as to how we know your language so well, you'll have to talk to our more technical people so that they can explain the devices we have that can-"
"I really don't think any of that is going to matter if we don't get out of here," snapped the general.
Philip looked over from where he had been gazing out of the cell. "I agree."
"You agree? Then what are you going to do about it?" demanded General Hammond. "You're supposed to be at the top of the chain of command around here! Why don't you just get us out of here?"
Mike put out a hand onto the general's shoulder, which was immediately shrugged off. "Philip is a friend. He risked everything many times over to help us whenever he could."
"Your friend! Not mine!" The general spat at the ground and went to be by himself at the far side of the cell leaving an awkward silence behind him.
Daniel sighed. "Uh, the war has been rather hard on him. He really-"
"The fighting has been hard on us all," interrupted Philip. "Besides, I've run across other Humans that don't like me. It's not exactly a new experience for me. Mike had a friend that would rather shoot me than talk to me."
Mike laughed. "Ham Tyler is an acquired taste," Mike explained. "When it's peaceful we can't stand each other, but when it's all-out war I'm very glad that he is on my side."
Philip shook his head. "The problem is Mr. Tyler just doesn't want to accept that I am also on your side."
Juliet looked up from where she was sitting. "I don't know. I think in Ham's own way he has come to accept you. I'm even willing to go so far as to say I think he even likes you."
"Oh, he likes me alright," agreed Philip sarcastically. "The problem is he'd like me to be a pair of boots for him."
The talking subsided for a while as the comment about the boots filled everyone's mind. When Earth had initially defeated the Visitors with the red toxin bacteria, thousands of Visitor bodies fell everywhere. A few of the less scrupulous people decided to use whatever bodies they could get a hold of and use the lizard-like skin for boots and jackets. While the United States government made the practice illegal, many still sought to buy a pair of the expensive genuine Visitor-skin boots across the border in Mexico.
Willie shuddered and pulled Thelma, his fiancée, into a comforting hug. When she asked him about the boots comment, he promised he would explain later. Willie had been one of the few Visitors to remain on Earth when the Visitors had been repelled from the planet. Even though he had been acknowledged as a member of the Resistance and publicly proclaimed a hero, Willie had had more than one encounter with Humans who would only see him as an enemy. Two had actually seen him as another resource for their boot making company and were very surprised and upset when they found he had so many Human friends willing to protect him.
"Sounds extremely barbaric," commented Apollo with a frown. He didn't like the way the conversation was going but it was giving him some idea of what the Human culture was like here. And he knew that everything he learned would have to be taken into account if he and his people were to eventually settle here on Earth.
"Don't judge us by the actions of just a few." Juliet shifted on her bench to relieve some of her stiffness. "Every culture has at least some members that do not hold to the ethical norm."
Starbuck grimaced. "She's got us there." At Apollo's questioning look, he mentioned, "Count Baltar," as an explanation. Apollo just nodded so Starbuck added, "And some of the Council members," to which he got a frown.
"I have a feeling you will have to fill us in on a few things later on," Juliet remarked. "But for now I think we should concentrate our efforts on getting ourselves out of here."
Philip sighed in contemplation as he watched the guards talking with one another. "When I came to Earth and met Diana, I just knew that I'd end up in one of her special cells one day."
Starbuck shook his head in frustration. "You know, if I had been you and I thought that I was going to end up in here, I would have made a way that I could get out!"
Philip glanced at the guards to check that they still weren't paying attention to them; then he went to a corner of the room and put a small plastic square card against one of the metal panels. After a momentary glow, Philip tapped it three times and removed it. Before anyone could ask him any questions, the metal panel quietly slid aside revealing a large passageway into the ship's large ventilation system. Looking back at the others, Philip flashed Starbuck a grin. "So, what do you think of my 'get-out-of-jail free' card?"
-
AUTHOR's NoTeS
Yes, you probably recognize a few characters from Stargate SG-1. But since the invasion of the Visitors, this particular parallel universe has not had anyone working and studying on the ancient stargate that had been found in the early 1900's in North Africa. The TV show is based off of the movie the only difference is that SG-1 team get set out through the stargate to explore other worlds in the hopes of finding technology or allies to help them fight against the Goa'ulds, who are insistent on taking over the Earth.
So why am I bringing in Stargate SG-1 to this crossover? Read on and you will eventually see why I am tying it in. Until then you'll just have to guess for yourself. You should know though that on this parallel world the stargate has yet to be opened.
Gen. Hammond - He rose up in the ranks, partially because of his abilities, but also because many his superiors had been killed during the Visitors surprise return to Earth. Being in charge of the defense of the southwestern section of the United States, Hammond has butted heads with Diana on more than a few occasions. The Stargate project hidden beneath Cheyenne Mountain, being a secondary priority, had been literally buried on his orders while the U.S. military focused on the alien invaders. Recently, however, he had heard word that Diana had sent teams of Visitors to discover, and possibly retrieve, what was so important that the U.S. military was willing to bury it. While on his way to learn whether or not Diana was able to recover the stargate, Hammond was captured and made one of her prisoners.
Daniel Jackson - A student at UCLA studying ancient languages, Daniel found his studies interrupted by the Visitor invasion. After staying with a friend in Redland, CA for a time, he finally realized that the Visitors were not going to be repelled anytime soon. At least, not without a lot of effort. Joining the local Resistance movement, he began learning different guerilla tactics in fighting against the lizard invaders. His first major contribution had been devising a series of codes based on ancient languages that the Visitors had been unable to decipher. Recently, however, while on an attempt to free some captured soldiers, his team was also captured. To make matters worse, one of the new recruits had talked under torture and told about Daniel's being the creator of the Resistance's code system. This got him separated from his friends and sent straight to Diana's special cells so that she could conduct a more personal interview. Because of all the recent activities, Diana just hadn't been able to spare any time for him.
Characters in order of appearance or mentioned:
Crusher, Dr. Beverly (Gates McFadden) – from the TV series Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987-1993)
Vash (Jennifer Hetrick) – from the TV series Star Trek: The Next Generation (1990-1991), Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993)
Torres, B'Elanna (Roxann Dawson) – from the TV series Star Trek: Voyager (1995-2001)
Kim, Ensign Harry (Garrett Wang) – from the TV series Star Trek: Voyager (1995-2001)
Nerys, Col. Kira (Nana Visitor) – from the TV series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993-1999)
Adami, Kai Winn (Louise Fletcher) – from the TV series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993-1999)
Visitors– from the TV series V (1983), V: The Final Battle (1984), V- The Series (1984-1985)
John, Supreme Commander (Richard Herd) – from the TV series V (1983) (mentioned only)
Antican – from the TV series Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987) (mentioned only)
Selay – from the TV series Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987) (mentioned only)
Bates, Nathan (Lane Smith) – from the TV series V- The Series (1984-1985) (mentioned only)
Fox, Agent George (Michael Cavanaugh) – from the TV series Starman (1986-1987)
Doctor, The 4th (Tom Baker) – from the TV series Doctor Who (1974-1981)
Hayden, Scott (Christopher Daniel Barnes) – from the TV series Starman (1986-1987)
Forrester, Paul (Robert Hays) – from the movie and TV series Starman (1986-1987)
Leela (Louise Jameson) – from the TV series Doctor Who (1977-1978)
Hayden, Jenny (Erin Gray) – from the movie and TV series Starman (1987)
K-9 Mark I (voiced by John Leeson) – from the TV series Doctor Who (1977-?)
The Leader (never seen) – from the TV series V (1983), V: The Final Battle (1984), V- The Series (1984-1985)
Maxwell, Elizabeth (Jennifer Cooke) – from the TV series V- The Series (1984-1985)
Bates, Kyle (Jeff Yagher) – from the TV series V- The Series (1984-1985)
Donovan, Mike (Marc Singer) – from the TV series V (1983), V: The Final Battle (1984), V- The Series (1984-1985)
Parrish, Juliet (Faye Grant) – from the TV series V (1983), V: The Final Battle (1984), V- The Series (1984-1985)
Philip (Frank Ashmore) – from the TV series V- The Series (1984-1985)
James, Lt. (Judson Earney Scott) – from the TV series V- The Series (1985)
Willie (Robert Englund) – from the TV series V (1983), V: The Final Battle (1984), V- The Series (1984-1985)
Diana (Jane Badler) – from the TV series V (1983), V: The Final Battle (1984), V- The Series (1984-1985)
Lydia (June Chadwick) – from the TV series V- The Series (1984-1985)
Starbuck (Dirk Benedict) – from the TV series Battlestar Galactica (1978-1979)
Apollo, Capt. (Richard Hatch) – from the TV series Battlestar Galactica (1978-1979)
Boomer, Lt. (Herbert Jefferson, Jr.) – from the TV series Battlestar Galactica (1978-1979)
Adama, Commander (Lorne Greene) – from the TV series Battlestar Galactica (1978-1979) (mentioned only)
Cassiopeia (Laurette Spang) – from the TV series Battlestar Galactica (1978-1979) (mentioned only)
Boxey (Noah Hathaway) – from the TV series Battlestar Galactica (1978-1979)
Beckett, Dr. Sam (Scott Bakula) – from the TV series Quantum Leap (1989-1993)
Calavicci, Adm. Al (Dean Stockwell) – from the TV series Quantum Leap (1989-1993)
Archer, Capt. Jonathan (Scott Bakula) – from the TV series Star Trek: Enterprise (2001-2005) (mentioned only)
Thelma (Marilyn Jones) – from the TV series V- The Series (1985)
Hammond, Major General George (Don S. Davis) – from the TV series Stargate SG-1 (1997-2007)
Jackson, Dr. Daniel (Michael Shanks) – from the TV series Stargate SG-1 (1997-2007)
Tyler, Ham 'The Fixer' (Michael Ironside) – from the TV series V: The Final Battle (1984), V- The Series (1984-1985) (mentioned only)
Baltar, Count (John Colicos) – from the TV series Battlestar Galactica (1978-1979) (mentioned only)