Chapter Two
Janeway materialized in the middle of a large room, lined with chairs. It was some kind of auditorium, she reflected, glancing around as the rest of her crew appeared in various places. On a stage in the front there was a large screen. Glancing upwards she noted a projector. This technology is much too primitive to be related to whatever just snatched my crew away from Voyager. Is this some kind of holographic projection? Next to her, Lieutenant Joe Carey was slowly turning, getting the full picture of the room. They'd been together in Engineering when the crew had been taken, trying to ensure that the microfracture in the warp core wouldn't cause a breach.
"Just one floor, ma'am," he murmured. "It looks like most of the crew is here. And those flags on the stage… they look familiar for the most part, but I'm having trouble placing them." Janeway glanced back towards the stage herself. One of the flags she recognized – the now defunct flag of the old United States of America. She raced through her memories of 20st century Earth history, trying to place the others. Most of them she knew were from Earth's history, but there were a few that looked completely foreign.
She walked up the center aisle to where a group of her crew had congregated at the base of the stage. Tom Paris and Harry Kim were looking up, evidently trying to figure out where the flags were, the same as she was. "Look, Harry… that's the old flag of the USA. The one next to it is England. The others are other western states from the late 20th century. But some of these…" he gestured at the second half of the flags, including one of the most prominent ones, which stood next to the American flag, "…I simply don't recognize. I swear they're not from any Earth history I know."
Janeway interrupted. "I had come to the same conclusion, Mr. Paris," she said. She glanced towards the remainder of her crew. "Does anyone recognize these flags?" she asked. Most of the crew remained silent, although some whispered to one another. Janeway turned back to the flag and stared at it. There was something about it now that she recognized. It wasn't from her Earth history though, she knew that for sure.
The flag had a yellow background, a solid bright color that filled a solid box. Most of the box was filled by something that looked vaguely like a scorpion – it was a sickly green with a black outline. That looks like a helmet, on the top of the symbol. Those sloping curves… almost like inverted wings… I know this symbol. Where do I know this symbol from? Staring at the flag, it suddenly came to her. Her breath caught in her throat and the memory overwhelmed her for a second.
She was in trouble. Her uniform, with the black shoulders and trousers and blue base separating them, was torn in several places. The combadge she carried had long since been confiscated, and she missed its reassuring presence on her chest. Her hand wandered up to her collar and she felt for the presence of her rank pip. It was still there, at least. And through the thin walls of her cell, Ensign Janeway heard Owen Paris screaming.
They'd been captured in one of the Al-Batani's shuttlecraft while doing some routine research for Janeway's first project out of the academy. They were near the border, and Janeway knew that tensions were high and rising – if nothing else, it was something her father had always been talking about at home while she was growing up – and she knew that Admiral Paris was out here for more than just scientific reasons. But she didn't know anything of real value.
Janeway flinched as the screams momentarily grew in intensity, and then died back down. There was very little light in this chamber, but Janeway could see the walls and the locked door. She staggered to stand, crouching down, and stumbled over to the door. There was a symbol on the door, one that was familiar. Thinking back to her father's study, Admiral Edward Janeway had been intimately involved in the Federation's relationship with Cardassia. She knew the symbol of the Cardassian Union very well – it was shaped in the same style as their warships. A helmet on the top, with two black slits for eyes. Two bulges underneath, spreading out like a cobra. Then it narrowed to a slim point – on a Cardassian ship, the engines would be at that end.
But this symbol, on the wall of her cell – it was not the symbol of the Cardassian Union. No… but it had the characteristics. It was like someone had taken the symbol she knew and carved out the middle – as if someone had removed the light and left only the shadow. That's what it was, her fogged mind realized – as if someone had taken the Cardassian Union emblem and held it up to the light, then adopted the shadow as their own.
"That's what it is," Janeway whispered, looking again at the flag. It didn't have the sloping end, and the cobra-characteristics weren't as defined. The details were different. The helmet lacked the slits for the eyes. She could see its Cardassian nature now, on the flag that stood next to an American flag up on the stage. It was essentially half of the Cardassian Union symbol. It wasn't like the symbol she had seen while in detention – it was more like the ones from her father's study. "It's Cardassian… a flag that belonged to a predecessor of the Cardassian Union, I think. It has to be." She glanced at Owen's son. Tom was looking at the symbol with renewed interest, and nodding steadily as he now saw it too. Suddenly, she glanced around the room once more. "Speaking of the Cardassians… where's Gul Evek and his crew?" she asked.
"At-ten-tion!" Most of Janeway's crew started as the voice blazed through the room. She glanced about. A loudspeaker? Where'd that come from? As Janeway mused on the origin of the command, she began to hear footsteps. Soldiers marching. This room… this is a representation of 20th century Earth. The soldiers fit that timeframe, but that doesn't explain why there's a Cardassian flag on the stage. Suddenly, from either side of the stage two groups of soldiers marched in, wearing old military uniforms. That didn't surprise her – it was to be expected, given the content of the rest of the room. But her eyes widened as she took in the soldiers. Half of those men are Cardassians… wearing American uniforms?
The soldiers had taken up residence on stage and were at-ease as another man walked in smoothly. He was an older figure in a military uniform, past middle-age, but who was in good shape. A general's uniform, I think, Janeway thought.In the back of the stage Janeway could see another man – one leaning heavily on a cane. He stayed in the shadows, analyzing and observing. Janeway suspected he was looking for something. She glanced away for a second to take in the rest of the men entering. When she glanced back, he was gone.
The General faced the crew of Voyager. "You may be seated," he said.
Janeway paused for a second, then sat. For now, it's time to stay quiet and learn what the situation is. Her crew followed her example, taking seats in the auditorium. The General watched and waited as they did.
"Welcome to the first unification conference between our own United States of America and the Soviet Union. I would be appreciative if you would refrain from calling the Russians 'commie bastards' for the duration of your stay – we're here to try to find a way to live with these people, not make war with them," the General said. Then he nodded to a booth above the back of the auditorium. On the screen that towered over the stage, a film began to play. The film recited the story of a history that Janeway was vaguely familiar with – although she suspected that the real Cold War didn't feature both Humans and Cardassians on either side.
Next to her, Tom pointed out things that weren't quite right about the history, even beyond the fact that Cardassians seemed to be playing a prominent role in the story, both as "Americans" and as "Soviets." Different things were wrong, he said – like open skirmishing between the two sides in Eastern Europe. The video came to a point which it called the Cuban Rebel Crisis – and Janeway watched intently as it told a history about how the Americans turned Cuba over to the Soviets in order to ensure that there would not be war, but the Cuban population revolted and almost created the very war they were all trying to avoid. Tom again pointed out that it had actually been the Cuban Missile Crisis, and that the events had been drastically different. Not to mention the emphasis on "unification," Tom said, something that never seriously crossed anyone's mind back during the late 20thcentury.
Well, she thought, someone has clearly been looking into our historical database. They've turned this "Cold War" of Earth history into a scenario we're living right now, and created this scenario so that it parallels the situation created by the Treaty of 2370, with the Cubans as the Maquis, the Cardassians as the Soviets, and the Federation as the United States. There was still one pressing question, however. Why? And for that matter, where the hell are we, anyway?
"Captain Janeway!" the General called as the projector flickered out, ending the video. "You have been selected as the American representative to the conference! Choose one person to accompany you, then come with me," he said. Then he turned military style and strode back from the direction he had come.
Janeway paused, then turned to Tom. "You're with me, Mr. Paris. I have a feeling I'm going to need the histories you've got stored away in that brain of yours about this time period, even though it doesn't seem to be quite what we remember it being," she said. Then she turned to Lieutenant Carey. "Mr. Carey, watch after the crew while we're away." Tom and Joe both nodded, and then Janeway and Paris walked up to the stage and climbed up to follow the path of the General.
As she exited through the door in the back of the stage, a man reached out from the shadows and caught her arm. Paris moved in to protect her, but she stopped him with a hand. She recognized this man – it was the old man with the cane, who had been stooped in the shadows earlier. She looked at him closely now. He was wearing an old suit and glasses, resting heavily on a black cane, but the fingers wrapped around her arm were not lacking in strength. "Here, Captain," he said. He released her arm and reached into a pocked in the breast of his jacket, then handed Janeway a small black box with a latch. She flipped it open, and inside was a red button and nothing else. "In case the price of peace is too high," he whispered, and then he vanished back into the shadows.
Janeway and Paris were led down a stark white corridor. At the end of it, two guards – one Cardassian, one Human – protected the doorway. As they approached, they moved to allow them entrance, and Janeway walked into a large conference room. There was a table with four chairs, two on either side. One wall featured a huge open window that overlooked a massive city. "It's Berlin," Paris murmured to her. "Sort of."
Behind them, the door on the other side of the conference room opened and in walked two men. One Janeway recognized instantly – it was Evek. "Gul Evek, I'm glad you're all right. This is Tom Paris, Starfleet observer on our mission to apprehend the Maquis," she said. Evek nodded once at Paris, and then each took their respective seats at the table. Janeway eyed her Cardassian counterpart – he had set a black box, like the one she carried, down on the tabletop. She did the same.
Evek gestured to his companion. "Captain, this is Glinn Talek, my executive officer from the Vetar." Talek nodded to her, then Evek cut to the chase. "It appears we are experiencing a historical fiction based on events from both of our worlds – events similar to the ones we are experiencing took place on Cardassia five hundred years ago, during the process that allowed for the creation of the Cardassian Union," Evek said.
Janeway rested her hands on the tabletop. "And this 'cold war' is a historical event from Earth, from about four hundred years ago – a conflict between the two most powerful nation states that almost erupted into open fighting, but which never ended up doing so. My question, however, isn't about the historical inaccuracies or the events. We're currently in an unspecified location, without contact with whoever or whatever has placed us here, and have been thrown together in order to forge a peace accord for a conflict that isn't even taking place."
Talek was nodding. "Gul, I agree with the Federation captain. Despite the curiosity of this situation our primary mission is to find a way to regain control of this situation, return to our ship, and then find our way back to Cardassian space with Chakotay and Seska," he said. "Our orders were very clear – it is crucial that we expedite this mission."
Evek frowned. He eyed Janeway uncomfortably, but responded positively. "I concur as well. Despite whatever the person behind this… illusion… is attempting to do, or convince us of, we each have missions that are of a more pressing nature, not the least of which is finding out how we got to the Delta Quadrant, why, and how to get back to complete our missions and return to our families." Janeway found herself in complete agreement with him – quite possibly the first time in her life she had completely agreed with a Cardassian about anything, she reflected.
Talek shrugged. "I believe I can get the attention of whoever is controlling this simulation," he said. Evek and Janeway both turned to him. Next to her, Paris eyed the Glinn uncomfortably.
Evek looked at his first officer. "Very well, you may proceed," he said simply. "We don't have time to sit around waiting for them to come to us. If you have an idea, we should try it."
Talek shrugged again and reached across the table to grasp the black box that Janeway had rested there, and then palmed Evek's as well. Janeway's eyes widened, but before any of them could react Talek pressed both buttons.
Startled, Janeway quickly rose to her feet, followed by Evek. Their eyes were filled with shared shock – and fear – and there was a flash in the window overlooking the city. Janeway spun towards it. Giant clouds mushroomed up into the sky, blackening out the sun. The ground began to shake and the window shattered, spraying glass into the conference room. Suddenly the door burst open and the General from before burst in. He started to scream something, but Janeway watched in shock as he just disappeared – vanishing into nothingness. Then the walls began to disintegrate. The ceiling and the floor – the holodeck that was producing this simulation was failing, Janeway realized. It can't handle the strain of those explosions. I just hope the explosions are as illusionary as the rest of this scenario.
Then, finally, the conference room vanished, the projection splitting and collapsing around them. Janeway, Evek, Talek, and Paris were all standing in a small square room, lined with technology and painted a light blue. The shaking didn't stop when the projection faded – Janeway suspected the holographic explosion had done some real damage. Indeed, the rumbling carried on for several minutes – Janeway grasped one of the walls to keep her balance. What was Talek thinking? Janeway thought in amazement.
There was a door on one side of the room, and Paris inched forward and opened it. There was a long room beyond. Lining the walls were almost two hundred people, sedated and restrained in medical beds – people Janeway recognized. One was the renegade captain, Chakotay. Another was her missing tactical officer and friend, Tuvok. She recognized a number of Cardassians – Evek's crew, she realized. Then she saw Joe Carey and Harry Kim. "Oh my God," whispered Paris, his eyes scanning the seemingly endless line of unconscious men and women, lingering on Harry. "What are they doing to them?"
They inched down the corridor, lined with the prone bodies of the Cardassian, Maquis, and Federation crews. Each person was, thankfully, alive. At the end of the hall there was a simple door. Janeway opened it and walked in. Sitting in a large chair was the old man in the suit. The cane rested across his lap, and looking at him Janeway suspected that he was not well.
His eyes, though, blazed with a great fury. "You imbeciles!" he hissed. "I thought your peoples knew better! I thought you had evolved past the need to fight and war with one another for no reason but your own petty self interest. Not even the conflicts hundreds of years ago on your worlds resulted in that kind of destruction, and the more mature forms of your races go and make the same mistakes over and over again! I was giving you a chance to see your conflict in a new light – a chance to look at the past and see what you did right in the past to guide the present – and you went and threw it away! Do you have any idea the damage you have done?" he roared. He stood, leaning on the cane, and continued to rage. "I have not enough time to deal with you! There is not enough time left! I must keep looking and you have just made my mission that much harder! Do you KNOW what you've DONE?"
The man was breathing heavily. "This is why I had to remain here. This is why I stay and I care for the peoples below. This is why my mission must be carried out. If I did not stay and care for Ocampa, other races like you and the Kazon would come and destroy them for no reason but you own lust for power. Men like you," he pointed the cane at Talek, "are the cause of more destruction than any other in this universe!"
He stopped and stared at Paris. "Men like you," he said slowly, "would follow men like him for lack of a better cause – for lack of a reason to live. Find one, young brat, or your life will end as it has begun."
He turned to Janeway. "You, dear Captain, need to put the past behind you. Your apprehension is as dangerous as their ambition. Fear has killed more people than anything else in this universe, and for what? For what?" he growled.
Finally, he turned and pointed the cane at Evek. "And you, Gul Evek, would lose your last son as you lost the others," he said harshly. "You try so hard to keep your people strong and powerful, keep the Cardassia that you know in the place that you know… to take your 'rightful place' in the galaxy… but your misguided sense of duty will kill Veroz as surely as it killed Ghosar and Hogue."
Evek flinched as if he had been struck. "To a Cardassian," he whispered harshly, "there is nothing more important than family. All I've done is to protect my people, and by protecting Cardassia I protect my son. I protect all our sons," he asserted.
The man ignored Evek's words and turned away to rest heavily on his cane. "Just get out of my sight. I don't have time to deal with the likes of you," he said tiredly. "There's just not enough time. And now, thanks to you, all my efforts may have been in vain."
Janeway tried to move, to take a step forward, but she faltered. Next to her, Evek was slowly sinking to his knees. Her consciousness fled, and Janeway fell to the ground to meet the darkness.