A Universe of Change: Realized Probability
Disclaimer: see chapter one.
Author's Notes: Hope u enjoy this.
Summary: The Enterprise C and D blunder into the borderland between the Scarren Empire and The Peacekeepers. This fic is a part of AlbertG's Ruinations series and has been written with his express permission.
Chapter Seven Welcome to Katratzi
This is going to be an interesting mission, mused Sisko, if we don't get ourselves killed.
After the Leviathan ship Moya had left the two Enterprises behind, Commander Crichton and the other natives of this dimension, along with Sisko and Dax, had pilled into the strange ship that Sisko had seen on his way into Moya's docking bay. The Luxan, Ka Dargo said that this was his ship, Lo'la, a powerful ancient Luxan warship that they had found. Needless to say with the two Starfleet officers and the others it was very crowded. Sisko and Dax were sitting at the rear of the cockpit; Aeryn and Dargo were piloting the ship. Behind those two sat and John and Sikozu, with the last three squeezed together in front of Dax and Sisko.
Sisko noticed that John was fiddling with something in his lap. "What do you have there?" he asked curiously.
"This is Humanity's gift to the absurd…a thermonuclear bomb," replied John calmly.
Sisko exchanged a worried with Dax. "What are you going to use it for?" Sisko asked in concern.
John looked back at the two Starfleet officers and smiled smugly. "You'll see…just keep up your intimidation act and everything will go according to the plan." He turned his back to the two, now, very disturbed officers.
"Uh, you never explained what your plan actually entailed," remarked Sisko dryly.
The Nebari girl, Chiana, looked at him and remarked seriously, "Trust me you don't want to know."
"On that note I would just like to repeat…this is Madness!" the deposed Hynerian Dominar chose to add emphatically at that point.
"Could be genius Sparky," John retorted quickly, "You know there's a fine line between them."
Sisko for his part didn't like anything he was hearing.
"Geniuses make plans," retorted Rygel pointedly.
The Dominar had a good point, conceded Sisko, a very good point.
Without looking up from the controls Aeryn replied, "We're going to walk into the most heavily guarded base in the Scarren Empire, start a civil war and walk out with Scorpious in the confusion. What part of that didn't you understand?" she asked in annoyance.
John grinned.
Dax's reaction was almost immediate. "We're going to WHAT?" he exclaimed in disbelief.
There it was, Sisko had been waiting for the other shoe to drop, and there it was. They were going to save their friend and along the way they were going to spark off a civil war. Sisko closed his eyes momentarily, almost in pain, inciting a civil war to rescue this Scorpious was not the sanest plan he'd ever heard in his career…not by a very long shot.
Sisko put a hand on Dax's shoulder to stop him from continuing. "Relax Lieutenant."
"But sir!" Dax protested, "I didn't join Starfleet to start wars!"
"Yeah well you're in Starfleet now Spots," quipped John sarcastically.
"Captain Garret would not have agreed to let us come if she knew we were going to be starting a war," Sisko said gravelly, "Is there not some other way for you rescue your friend?"
All of the aliens except Sikozu turned to stare at Sisko.
"What?" asked Sisko of the five pairs of eyes that were staring at him incredulous.
"Are you insane? Grasshopper's not any friend of ours!" retorted John irately, "Where'd you get such a dumb idea?"
Sisko blinked, what? "But you're going to rescue him?"
John rolled his eyes in disgust, "I told you already, we're going to prevent my knowledge from coming out of his mouth."
Sisko just stared at John trying to get his head around all this. Deep down inside, he felt as if there was something…something crucial to his understanding of this situation that he was missing.
"You're insane!" declared Dax in horror.
John shrugged. "Yeah, I've been told before. Right guys?" he retorted while asking for confirmation of his shipmates.
An enthusiastic chorus of yes, absolutely and frell yeahs assailed the Starfleet officers. In response Dax held his head in pain and opened his mouth to curse the day that he had joined Starfleet.
He was cut off by Dargo saying, "We've been spotted."
Sisko looked out the forward window and saw several average sized ships ahead plus one massive vessel that had large rings attached to a central long narrow body. The large strange looking planet behind them overshadowed them all. "What kind of ship is that?" he asked indicating the big ship.
Aeryn answered him, "It's a Peacekeeper Command Carrier."
The Peacekeepers are here as well? Sisko thought in shock. He opened his mouth to speak but was cut off when a deep gruff voice suddenly began speaking in the ship.
"Unidentified Vessel, state your purpose here or be destroyed!" the voice said as Sisko's UT translated for him.
Sikozu answered. "We come bearing John Crichton, he wishes to join the negotiations."
Sisko and Dax shared a look both had the same question in their minds, Negotiations? What Negotiations?
"What did you just say?" demanded Chiana.
"Don't you ever listen to the plans?" said Sikozu in disgust and annoyance, "I told them we were accompanying John Crichton and that he wanted to join the Negotiations," she explained a long-suffering tone.
It became obvious to Sisko that the rest of crew hadn't understood what Sikozu had said.
"Oh great now they're guaranteed to blow us the hezmana up!" Chiana declared in irritation.
The deep voice spoke again. "You are cleared to dock," it stated and to Sisko's ears it sounded a little intimidated.
"They've given us clearance to dock," Sikozu translated for the others.
"That's it, 1812, I need it now," John declared.
The DRD scooted over to John as Rygel suggested, "You know that it's not too late for us to…"
"Sorry to disappoint Sparky but we're heading in, besides there's the Scarren freighter-that means that Grasshopper's already on Katratzi. We are going in!" John said meaning every word.
Sisko thought, like it or not He and Dax committed in, with no way out. He turned to Dax and nodded. He and Dax checked the settings on their phasers and phaser rifles one last time before they entered the lion's den.
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Several Scarren ships escorted in Lo'la. The bay was empty of guards by as they disembarked they were by Scarren and Charrid guards. Sisko took one look at the Scarrens and realized that if things blew up in their faces as he suspected then hand to hand combat was out. The Scarrens looked like they could be a match to a Gorn and humans simply couldn't match that kind of physical power. He could also see three distinct types of Scarrens, one with a humanoid neck and head, another with a long sinuous neck holding the head slightly in front of the Scarren, while the third was a almost a something in between the other two. The third type had a wedge shaped head with a slightly longer neck.
The guards quickly escorted them to a conference room, but not before John quietly told Sisko to remain quiet and let him do the talking and just stand around looking intimidating. To which Sisko had dryly replied that he'd try.
The door to the conference room opened and they entered.
"…But we have a guest that could make these talks more amusing," said a deep resounding voice.
Sisko quickly looked around, the speaker was a Scarren in red leather and was undoubtedly the Scarren in charge of the base. There was a large conference table at which sat a varied group of aliens. Sisko recognized the Scarren, Kalish, and Charrid members. That left behind two others that Sisko realized had to be Peacekeepers. He also realized why they'd been attacked at the Commerce planet despite the fact that they hadn't provoked anybody.
Sisko quickly studied the two Peacekeepers, one was female the other a male. Both were of average height and build and wearing black leather uniforms. The male wore a closed form fitting black leather jacket and had a submissive air about him. The female though, was also wearing a leather jacket, but here's was open and she was wearing a white shirt that was open almost from the neck down to her navel showing a very respectable amount of cleavage. She had both an air of seduction and authority about her-not to mention the look of arrogance she had in her deep blue eyes.
"John Crichton," stated the blue-eyed female in black with the very, very low, and open neckline white shirt in arrogance.
John smiled lazily, "And partner. What did we miss?" he asked, managing to come off both sarcastic and insolent.
"You've taken a great risk coming here. Why shouldn't I just have you seized, right now?" said the red clad Scarren gruffly.
John took a step forward and pulled back his coat, revealing the bomb, which was strapped to his side, "Well, maybe this," he replied simply.
A female voice coming from a Scarren with a very tall hat, "What's that?" she demanded sharply.
"Plutonium core. Tritium shell. Does that translate?" he said straightforwardly.
The red clad Scarren's head came up slowly in comprehension. "A fission bomb."
Several of Scarren guards moved menacingly towards John. One of them growled and pointed his gun at John.
The red clad Scarren's reaction was immediate. "Put those down!" he growled in command.
John turned a measuring eye towards the red clad Scarren. "Nice threads. You must be the Emperor."
The Emperor of the Scarren Empire? thought Sisko in alarm; the situation was becoming more alarming by the minute and he still felt in the dark.
The Emperor growled quietly.
John took a couple of steps towards the table. "Now, before anybody decides to get clever, you should know I have multiple deadman sensors from every culture on my ship and a few cultures I haven't heard of," explained in a serious tone.
Disbelief and unease filled Sisko's being as he looked at John, his face clear of emotions; the bomb was active and attached to John. It looked like John was taking himself as a hostage…though the question was what could a twenty-first centaury man have possibly have that two powerful space faring cultures could want?
The female Peacekeeper sat down and folded her hands in front of her on the table, to Sisko's eyes she appeared unsettled, but she was hiding it well.
John continued on with his explanation, "My heart stops... we all go boom. My heart speeds up…it's boom again. Too hot, too cold, too happy, too sad, thirsty, hungry bored... it's John Lee Hooker time! Boom, boom, BOOM!" He stooped and looked pointedly at the female Scarren that had spoken earlier, "And you try your little psychic trick... ka-boom. And we're all pushin' up day-glow daisies."
"Why do I doubt that?" retorted the female Scarren arrogantly.
John shrugged idly, "Because you lack imagination?"
The Emperor looked at John and cut to the chase, "What do you want?"
John looked at him incredulous, "What do I... want? What do I want? I... have not been chasing my ass all over the galaxy trying to pull out chunks of my brain. I... have not been sneaking fembots..." he looked pointedly at the female Scarren, "and Skreeths into the places where I live," he looked at the female Peacekeeper. "You want something! You. You want... what's inside my head," he continued whirling around to point fingers the assembled group of aliens before finally tapping his temple. He took a breath before continuing in a harsh tone, "You want... what I know about wormholes. Because I... " He climbed up onto the conference table, " ... can leap tall galaxies in a single bound. I can scorch planets with a wave of my hand... and you... and you... and you..." he pointed at each alien before finally pausing and continuing in a much softer tone, "You can't do jack."
Suddenly for Sisko and Dax, the situation made a great deal more sense, he shared a look with Dax. John was offering them some type of Wormhole technology, and given the rant that John went through, it was probably pretty impressive, despite his obvious exaggerations.
The female Peacekeeper rebutted John hesitantly, "That's... not... true."
John looked at her and sneered, "Oh, really?" He crouches down, continuing to look at, "You command the stars to do your bidding? I know you can't. And you can't. And you can't. And you won't. But I have," he boasted, once more pointing to each alien representative.
Aeryn looked on and smiled at the confusion written on the faces of the assembled aliens.
The Emperor asked in confusion. "Then why are you here?"
John stands back up on the table: "Because…I am an American. And what does an American want? Democracy? Capitalism! I want to sell out and settle down. For one day only, it's a blue light special on aisle three. My wormhole technology... and a free set of steak knives for all the tea in China and anything you can imagine to pay me!"
"Pay?" said the female Scarren in disbelief.
"Yes! Pay... cash," affirmed John firmly.
A Kalish male that as sitting at the table scoffed at the offer and declared, "He's crazy."
Aeryn just continued to smile and merrily. "Isn't it fun?"
John climbed over the front of the table, knocking things off with his boots as he sat on the edge. He clapped his hands and rubbed them together: "Welcome... to my cold war. Now... what am I offered for all the powers of the Universe?" he said with glee.
Sisko looked at John in shock. He was going to start an intergalactic war not a civil war!
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo
A short time later, Sisko and Moya's crew were alone in the conference room.
Dax completed a sweep of the room with his tricorder removing all the listening devices in a few short moments.
"All right I'm impressed," said Dargo. "Were can I get one of those?" he asked Dax wistfully.
Dax shrugged, "It's standard issue with the uniform," he replied offhandedly.
Sisko turned to John and quickly cut to the chase. "Just what have you dropped us into?" he demanded angrily.
"Cool your head, Mr. Intimidation," retorted John sarcastically. "It's nothing we can't handle."
Sisko's eyes narrowed, "From what I heard you're about to start an intergalactic war."
John waved his allegation off. "Naaah, Commandant Cleavage and the Emperor are both too afraid to lose a war against each other."
Sisko shook his head at the naivety of that comment but let it slide for now. He needed more answers now to fill the void that had begun to get larger with each passing moment during John's tirade and offer. "What kind of wormhole technology were you offering them?"
John looked at Sisko as if he was the crazy one, "I'm bluffing, there's absolutely no way in hell I'm giving either of them my wormhole knowledge."
Finally, the situation was starting to become more understandable. "So they will not attack us, what now?" Sisko asked.
"Now we spark a riot between the Kalish and Charrids-and while they're busy killing each other we grab grasshopper and Lo'la then blasts us out of here…simple as hell right?" John said reassuringly.
Sisko frowned, "That's it?"
"What? You want me to have Big Red and Commandant Cleavage jump through some hops before we blast out of here? Not that that wouldn't be fun, but I'd rather get out of here before our luck runs out," quipped John sarcastically. He turned to Aeryn. "Aeryn?" he prompted.
She nodded and said, "Pilot's enhanced the encryption so our comms should be secure."
John turned to his other shipmates. "Anyone have any problems, phone home. Fat man and I will throw our weight around."
"You all know the plan," Aeryn added.
"Ooh!" Noranti cried out as Chiana jumped past her, onto the table. "Uh... no. Refresh me," the three-eyed woman requested.
Chiana whispered in annoyance, "Wrinkles."
Noranti turned to face her. "Yes?"
John let out a sigh of long sufferance and pointed at Rygel, "Charrids."
Rygel mumbled to himself.
John pointed at Sikozu, "Kalish." He then pointed at Noranti with both hands at Noranti. "Recon," he finished.
Noranti lit up with a smile and pointed back at John with both her hands: "Peacekeepers!"
John nodded in affirmation.
"What about us? How shall we help?" Sisko asked.
John looked at them thoughtfully for a few seconds before responding, "You can go look intimidating with D…Spots can go help grandma and Pip with Recon."
Sisko nodded and as they prepared to leave the conference room he heard Chiana comment coyly to Dax, "Just how far down do those spots go?"
Dax gave her a rakish smile before replying, "All the way."
Then they were gone from the room leaving Sisko alone with Dargo who just growled at their disappearing forms.
Sisko understood the look and mentally set a reminder to warn Dax from trying anything with the Nebari girl.
"Let's go," growled Dargo in Sisko's direction.
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Everything had been going splendidly before Crichton arrived, cursed Commandant Grayza, as she paced in her office on the Command Carrier. Now everything was much more uncertain, especially given her new understanding of John Crichton and Earth's capabilities.
Captain Braca walked into her office and for the second time in a very short time, cut into her musings. "Ma'am, Crichton and Officer Sun are here to see you, their ship is docking even as we speak," he reported.
She turned to face Braca her nostrils flaring with surprise at this turn of events, why were they here? "Have the Deck Officer show them her, quickly," she commanded.
Braca nodded and then commed the Deck Officer to relay her commands. A few short moments later John Crichton walked into her office, Aeryn following him.
They both looked around before Aeryn stated evenly, "A peace conference with the Emperor. Very brave of you to enter Scarren space."
Captain Braca retorted quickly, "We could say the same for you."
Grayza looked pleadingly at Crichton, "John Crichton... please do not destroy the Sebacean people," she beseeched him.
John snorted in derision. "You don't need me for that. You're doing a great job on your own."
Grayza steeled herself and she bit her lip before continuing. "I beg of you, I know the truth now. We do not wish to be your enemy when your fleets arrive!"
John shared a bewildered look with Aeryn, before looking at Grayza as if she was insane. "Is this a bad time? Have you been drinking? Should we come back later?" he asked in confusion.
"Enough charades, we saw how two Earth light cruisers annihilated that Scarren Dreadnaught that challenged them!" she retorted angrily. "We know why you've come to this region of space; you're softening us up for your invasion!"
John turned to Braca. "She does realize that I'm John Crichton and that Earth has no fleets right? I thought we'd already established that a long time ago?"
Braca looked at him in disquiet. "Your lies are no longer necessary. We've seen your Earth ships in action."
John threw up his hands exasperation and turned to Aeryn. "That's it, it's official-they've finally lost it."
Aeryn in response just stared at the two PKs in suspicion, something wasn't adding up and at the same time something was seemed very familiar.
"Captain," cut in Grayza. "Show them the recording of the skirmish over the Commerce planet," she commanded.
Braca quickly produced a small circular holographic projector. He placed it on the Commandant's desk and activated it. The image quickly resolved itself into the image of a Scarren Dreadnaught. A microt later two smaller silver-gray ships appeared and John and Aeryn's eyes widening in understanding. They paid close attention to the recording as the two Federation vessels quickly dealt with the Scarren fighters that the dreadnaught launched at them. The two Federation ships moved elegantly and at speeds that shocked John and Aeryn but then the Enterprise stuck at the Dreadnaught itself with three red glowing missiles that quickly consumed the entire warship in a short and efficient amount of time. The two Federation ships then accelerated away and disappeared in two flashes of white light.
The recording ended and John exchanged a disturbed look with Aeryn. "Excuse us just a sec," John said grabbing Aeryn and pulling her to the far side of the room to confer.
Grayza watched while they talked quietly. She swallowed, so much depended on her reparations to those two.
A few microts later John and Aeryn turned back to face and speak the Commandant; Crichton had a strange glint in his eye as he said. "Well done Commandant, but now that you know our secret what do you have to say for yourself?"
Grayza's stomach collapsed into itself as a she suddenly saw her deepest worries becoming reality in front of her eyes. She could practically feel the doom that was Humanity about to fall on the collective heads of the Peacekeepers…and it wasn't a pretty image, not by a long shot. She swallowed nervously; she hadn't felt this nervous since she been a lowly Peacekeeper cadet. "I…I…I wish to profoundly apologize for any and all actions take by any past and present Peacekeepers against you and the crew of Moya."
John smirked at her, "It's a start…"
Grayza swallowed again; fully aware of her thudding heartbeat that was trying to jump out of her chest, "Perhaps…Perhaps if you could give me a few hundred microts, I can have full unconditional Peacekeeper pardons for all members of Moya. Will that suffice you?" she asked in fear of what could happen if it wasn't.
John shared a slow look with Aeryn before answering, "It's not…"
The sight of burning Peacekeeper worlds flashed across her eyes.
"…But it will have to suffice…for now," John continued arrogantly.
She let out a sigh of relief as the vision of Peacekeeper annihilation was washed out of her body in a flowing tide of relief. She cleared her throat and asked seriously, "Was there anything else you wished to discus, Commander Crichton?"
John haughtily looked her over once before answering, "No, for now nothing else…ah, before I forget; do not breathe a word of this to the Scarrens," he ordered gruffly.
Grayza nodded immediately. "Of course, as you wish. Please let Captain Braca show you back to your ship," she answered submissively.
Crichton and Aeryn, along with Braca left Commandant Grayza's office, leaving behind a very worried Sebacean female that was still very much afraid of what would happen to her people when the Humans exerted their full strength in her part of the galaxy.
Author's Notes: Hope you like this chapter, as always Read, Enjoy and Review!
