Authors Note: I don't own Stat Trek, Star Wars, or any of their subsidaries, i have just taken the liberty to combine the two universes. This is a work in progress, please feel free to send me edits and recomendations for future chapters. I'll see what I can do to integrate them. Just nothing with the Borg please, I already plan on having them totally wiped out about eighty years, in the timeline, after this tale. Enjoy!
Captain's Log Stardate 63520.6: It has been a year since Starfleet placed me in charge of the Wolf-359 Memorial Project. I have recently taken the liberty of removing the Invasion from her duties at Wolf-359, to pursue a matter of utmost personal importance. I must find a way to prevent Admiral Picard's death on his new assignment. The Force trembles with the knowledge of his impending death. There must be a way to prevent the loss of such a nobel man.
Starbase Twelve
Maelstrom
Stardate 63520.6
Mid 2386
As he stepped out of a turbolift, Picard looked about the command deck of the mighty starbase, noting that there was an engineering team repairing a console under the portal that looked out on the starship hanger. Walking around the outskirts of the deck, Picard gathered quick reports from each officer in the expansive room, until a lieutenant across from the giant screen on one side of the room spoke up.
"Admiral, priority one transmission from Starfleet Command."
"Put it through, Lieutenant," Picard ordered, moving to the center of the deck. Positioning himself so he faced the viewscreen, he readied himself.
"On screen," the Lieutenant replied. As the gold and blue crest of the Federation appeared on the screen, all activity ceased on the command deck.
Shortly there after, a woman with red hair that was graying with age and stress, but still looked young for her age, appeared on the viewscreen.
"Jean Luc, It's been a while."
"That it has, Katherine, how are you?" Picard replied with a slight bow of his head.
"You're still quite the charmer, Jean Luc," Admiral Katherine Janeway stated, smiling and reaching for the padd in front of her.
"May I ask for an explanation of the rumors that I've heard about me getting reassigned?" Picard inquired, his features deepening.
"I was actually getting to that point," Janeway stated calmly, and unperturbed by the change of topic. "You should be aware that, for several years now, Starfleet has been organizing a mission into the Endocrine Galaxy with the other major powers in our own galaxy."
"I think I have heard some about this, though there has been nothing but rumors across the news feeds about who in Starfleet is leading the mission," Picard replied, standing erect despite his age.
"Jean Luc, the Enterprise is being assigned to the mission, and you are being placed in command."
"Commander Smith, tell Commander Worf to assemble the crew and ready the ship for launch," Picard ordered turning towards the officer whose station overlooked the hangar bay. Turning his attention back towards the viewscreen, Picard asked, "Katherine, if I am to be reassigned to the Endocrine Galaxy, who will be assigned to replace me here?"
"Commander Dorak is being transferred here from the Sunseed. Captain T'Pec is not pleased with our choice but told us she would deal with it, I wouldn't push her too far, Jean Luc," Janeway stated sternly.
"Excuse me sir, the Sunseed and the Challenger have just dropped out of warp."
"While we're on the subject, the Challenger is commanded by Captain Aferden Laarson, and was reassigned from patrol on the demilitarized zone. He was rather upset when I told him that he is to guard the Enterprise with his life."
"Katherine, there's no need for that. The Enterprise is entirely capable of fending for herself," Picard replied tensely, returning Janeway's stare.
"I'm sending a missive to the Enterprise with the remaining details for the mission, Just don't get yourself killed Jean Luc," Janeway kindly ordered, her face softening.
"Understood. Picard out," Picard replied. Turning towards a turbolift as the screen displayed the Federation's emblem again, he said, "Lieutenant-Commander, you have the Conn until Commander Dorak arrives."
"Aye sir," reached Picard's ears as the turbolift closed around him.
"Enterprise Gangway," Picard ordered as the lift swept away, its lone passenger feeling no perception of motion.
USS Enterprise NCC-1701-E
Stepping across the threshold of the gangway, Picard looked around and felt at home. The gunmetal colored corridor in front of him seemed to brighten several shades as the lights finished coming on. Walking out into the corridor, towards a turbolift, he noticed the scent of fresh paint hanging in the air, remembering how recent the flagship's latest refit was. Upon reaching the turbolift, he found that it was occupied by Lieutenant-Commander Triast and Lieutenant S'Lemma, his Selan security chief and Operations officer, respectively.
"Admiral, we weren't expecting you to be aboard for a while yet," Triast stated as Picard stepped into the lift.
"Bridge. I had nothing to do between the station command deck and here, Commander," Picard replied, thoughtfully glancing at the bulkheads, curious as to why the scent of fresh paint was still present after two years out of drydock.
Stepping out onto the bridge, Picard noticed that with his arrival and the arrival of Triast and S'Lemma, all the stations were occupied with people of all shapes and sizes. Looking around the bridge, he noticed the changed colors and the persistant slight musky smell of fresh paint. As Triast and S'Lemma slipped past him, headed to their posts, Picard thought he could smell a lilac or some sort of flower. Walking down to the command chair, he observed that it had been reupholstered since they arrived at Starbase Twelve, his Klingon first officer, Commander Worf, rose, relinquished command, and took his station to the right of the command chair.
Looking around the bridge at the anxious faces that surrounded him and keying the intra-ship comm., Picard stated, "Attention all hands. We're going out beyond the furthest reaches of the Federation and even that of Starfleet. I have been informed that while it may be safe to proceed as far as we are, we may be attacked and subjected to defending ourselves with more than words. I know that pains many of you who went through during the Dominion War, I myself saw enough bloodshed to last a lifetime during that conflict, the following years of recovery time, and the Romulan war, but I need you to forgo that grief and stretch out a hand of friendship and equality to those we come across during the voyage. The Enterprise is hereby on yellow alert for the entirety of the mission. Picard out. Helm, take us out, one quarter impulse once we're clear."
"Aye sir. Taking her out," the helm officer replied, his hands flying over the controls with practiced accuracy.
Watching the viewscreen, Picard saw the moorings that had linked the mighty starship to it's berth fall away and then slowly swing out of view, as the Enterprise maneuvered towards the starbase's giant space doors. A young, fresh out of the academy ensign brought him a data padd with the missive that Admiral Janeway had said she would send. As he read, he caught glimpses of starships assigned to the Maelstrom that were in for repairs or had just arrived and were awaiting assignment to a portion of the contested region. As the Enterprise pulled out of the Starbase, he felt the great starship rumble as her drive engines started up, powering the ship as a whole. Soon he was able to see two starships hanging in space, as if waiting on some all-important diplomat.
"Commander, Open a channel to the Sunseed," Picard ordered, standing and stepping to the center of the bridge, just behind the Helm and Operations consoles.
"Sshannel open ssssir," hissed Triast, after pressing the appropriate keys on his panel.
"Captain T'Pec, this is Admiral Picard of the Enterprise," Picard began. As the image of the Vulcan female appeared on the viewscreen, Picard continued, "I want you to proceed to Battlestation Alacala, in anticipation that the Romulans and Klingons will be there before the Enterprise."
"Yes sir," the Vulcan replied stoically, her dark eyes flashing. "Is there anything else sir?"
"Not at this time Captain. Picard out," Picard replied straightening his uniform. As he made his way back to his seat, Picard ordered, "Helm, lay in a course for Deep Space Nine at Slipstream."
After a flurry of movements over his board, the helm officer replied, with his finger poised over the key to engage, "Course laid in."
Sitting, Picard ordered, "Engage."
As the ship accelerated out of normal space and into subspace, Picard's chief engineer walked out of a turbolift. Picard looked over at him and said, "It's been a long while Mr. La Forge."
"That is very true Admiral," La Forge replied checking a display. "Sir, I need more time to get her fired up. I fear that almost a year without use may have greatly affected her performance. I recommend we slow to warp six."
"I trust your judgement, Commander," Picard stated. Turning back to the blue tunnel stretching in front of the ship on the viewscreen, he added, "Helm, stand-by for warp six. Raise the Challenger."
"Standing-by for warp six."
"Sshannel open, sssir."
"Starship Challenger, there is something we should discuss," Picard started, watching the image of the Challenger on the viewscreen. After a moment of radio silence, the viewscreen changed to show the bridge of the proud Galaxy-X Class starship, with an andorian sitting with his head in his hand. "Captain, is something wrong?"
"No sir," the andorian replied, his head jerking up sending his long white hair flying. "How can I help you?"
"Captain, my chief engineer needs more time to get the ship battle ready, so we will be proceeding at warp factor six," Picard stated, noticing the relief that flashed across the andorian's face.
"Yes sir. Trygstad, pace the Enterprise. We will hold at ten kilometers off your port."
"Thank you, Captain. Picard out," Picard stated bowing his head slightly. After the image of the Challenger's bridge turned back into the view of the subspace tunnel, Picard ordered, "Engage."
"Slowing to warp six, sir," the helm officer reported as the Enterprise moaned with the deceleration.
As the stars began to Doppler past, Picard quickly asked, "Ship status Commander?"
"All sssysstemssss regisssstering at Yellow Alert. Primary weaponssysstemsss are on hot ssstand-by. Sssecondary weaopnsssysstemsss are at cold ssstand-by. Quantum Sshieldsss are online, all sssecondary sshieldsss are at cold sssstand-by," Traist reported almost instantaneously from the tactical station to Picard's right.
La Forge spoke from his station, "The warp drive, quantum slipstream drive, and impulse drive are running optimally sir."
Picard seemed puzzled, "Commander, I though you said that the ship needed more time to be battle ready?"
"Yes I did sir. The ship is cold, which composes an extremely high power consumption curve, as the ship warms up the curve will fall to where it belongs," La Forge replied, turning from the board. "We're still three hundred percent higher than where we should be."
"Commander, I want the ship battle-ready by the time we reach Deep Space Nine," Picard ordered turning towards the back of the bridge. Staring into La Forge's questioning stare, he asked, "Is something wrong Commander?"
"No sir. I'll see what I can do," La Forge replied. Turning into the turbolift, he muttered, "I wish Data were here."
"As do I, Commander, as do I," Picard added as he thought of his late second officer and dear friend Lieutenant-Commander Data, who died saving the Enterprise from a clone of Picard.
"Admiral, is something wrong?" Commander Worf spoke up, breaking Picard out of his reverie.
"No, Commander. You have the bridge. Alert me to any developments," Picard stated, rising to his feet.
Once he set foot in his ready room, his mind cleared, and he felt as if a burden had been lifted. Looking around he saw his desk, polished to a sparkle, an aritst's rendition of the Enterprise at warp on a wall, newer than the ship herself, and a small aquarium. The walls, he noticed, were also a shade lighter than when he last set foot in the room. As he sat behind the desk, he noticed something that seemed out of place, a small grey cylinder that had absolutely no dents or markings of any sort.
"Picard to Commander La Forge. Please report to my ready room, and bring a tricorder."
"On my way."
"Computer, where did this cylinder come from?"
"Unknown," the computer intoned as the door beeped.
"Come," Picard replied looking up from the cylinder that he now held in his hands as Commander La Forge walked in. "Ah, Mr. La Forge, what do you make of this?"
"From what I can see, it has a high power signature, and it all seems to be focused at one end." La Forge replied, as he took the cylinder from Picard when he offered it. Setting it on the desk and taking out the tricorder, he continued, "It appears to be a beacon or transponder of some sort. There's an activation switch here but I can't figure out how to turn it. Although, I might be able to decode the message for you."
"Where is the switch?" Picard asked cautiously, considering activating it. When La Forge showed him, Picard reached over and wrapped his hand around the cylinder at the level of the switch that the tricorder had found.
As his hand tightened, Picard felt something click. Reflexively, Picard jerked his hand back. Looking at the cylinder again, he saw a small ring through where his hand had been. La Forge proceeded to examine the cylinder more closely, finding a series of holographic emitters arranged inside the object and under what appeared to be the cap, which he removed, and upon seeing no mechanism that would have caused it to lock so seamlessly into the base, he instantly thought of a highly esteemed Starfleet officer, though he made no mention of it. Picard, however, had his own thoughts.
"Picard to Commander Worf," Picard began, his face contorted with disgust.
"Worf here, go ahead sir," came the klingon's gruff reply.
"Do the sensor logs report any unusual transporter activity that could be linked to the Borg?"
"Personally, I don't know. I'll have them checked and the results sent to you. Anything else sir?"
"Not at this time, Commander. Picard out. Any ideas Mr. La Forge?"
"Well, the only people I can think of that would use a device of this type is Captain Genova and Star-," La Forge began before a holo-image of Captain Gabri Genova suddenly eruptedfrom the device, cutting him off.
"Congratulations for figuring out my little puzzle, Commander La Forge," The hologram stated, bowing to the Lieutenant Commander. Turning to Picard, it continued. "You might not have realized it, but I have been arguing with Command for the past eighteen months to have you left at Starbase Twelve rather than sent on this assignment. I only wish they had not decided that you were the best choice for the job. My advice to you is not to follow the Integrity's path to the letter but instead fly a couple lightyears to one side of her path. I would accompany you myself but Command rejected the idea without due consideration. I don't like that you are going, but I have no more voice in the matter, and I sense that you were officially assigned to the Endocrine Galaxy mission by Admiral Janeway herself, whome you are incabeable of turning down. I just don't want to hear you died in an ambush. Though I fear I have said too much. Just don't go and die on all of your friends back here in the Milky Way," the hologram said, rather breathlessly.
"I'll try not to Captain," Picard replied. Then raising his hand into the traditional Vulcan parting sign, he added, "Live Long and Prosper, Gabri."
"I'm not a Vulcan, Admiral. Anyways, Peace, Long Life and May the Force be with you," the image replied raising its hand in reply before the image faded into nothing.
"I guess it's a very powerful communicator that transmits visually and audibly," La Forge stated breaking the silence that had filled the room.
Silence once more filled the room until the door chime sounded announcing that there was someone waiting to be let in.
"Come," Picard said as Commander Worf stepped through the door.
"Sir, there has been no transporter activity since sensors came online," Worf reported handing a PADD to Picard. "I've ordered diagnostics of sensors, in case they're not operating properly."
"Thank you Commander. All though it is no longer necessary, because Mr. La Forge figured it out," Picard replied accepting the PADD. As Worf turned to return to the bridge, Picard added, "Commander, How far from our present position is the last known position of Starship Invasion?"
"I don't know sir. To my knowledge the Invasion was assigned to the Wolf-359 memorial project."
"Thank you gentlemen, that is all," Picard stated dismissing them. If he's at Wolf-359, then how did he get over to Starbase Twelve to put this here? A flash startled him out of his thoughts. "Q. I though I had seen the last of you."
"What no simple hello?" the man replied, looking flabbergasted. But there was Q, standing tall and proud, and worst of all, wearing a Starfleet uniform.
"Why are you here?" Picard asked, his voice growing softer as his temper rose.
"Haven't you figured that out already?" Q asked in response, indicating the cylinder that was still on Picard's desk.
"Yes we have figured it out and received the message, Q. Why do you ask?"
"Because I delivered it. Captain Genova is a very, very convincing person."
"You, a slave and messenger for a mortal. You won't even do anything for me," laughed Picard, his anger at Q vanishing in an instant. "That is the stupidest thing I've ever heard."
"Have you ever tried to duel Captain Genova?"
"What type of duel are you talking about?" Picard asked, his interest snagged.
"A duel of swords, of course."
"You fence?"
"On occasion, yes. Now I must take this back to Captain Genova or he will have my head on a silver platter," Q stated picking up both parts of the cylinder.
"Before you go, answer this question for me, how exactly did he beat you with the sword?"
"As Captain Genova would put it, and I quote, 'The Force has many uses,' " Q replied abruptly before he vanished in another flash of light taking the cylinder with him.
"Good riddance," Picard muttered as he stood to head back onto the bridge, suddenly feeling like he was needed there.
As he stepped out onto the bridge, Worf rose from the command chair and reported, "Admiral, we are approximately five minutes out from the outer reaches of the Bajor system."
"Any word from engineering on our status?" Picard asked noting the klingon's report.
"No sir."
"Very well. Picard to Engineering. Mr. La Forge, what's your status?"
"We're still two hundred percent normal power consuption, sir. I'm going to try routing warp plasma directly through the power conduits and see if that will drop us the remaining hundred percent."
"Would a battle simulation help?"
"Admiral, now that I think about it, just going to red alert code blue might be enough," La Forge replied thinking aloud. He continued, " Yes, I would recommend going to full battle alert."
"What do you think, Number One?" Picard asked turning to Worf.
"I would go with Geordi's recommendation, sir, but add in the battle simulation."
"Helm, slow to impulse when we reach two minutes out from the Bajor system. Triast, raise the Challenger," Picard ordered turning back to the veiwscreen.
"Commander Toren on sssscreen ssssir."
After the Challenger's Tellarite first officer appeared on the viewscreen, Picard asked, "Commander, where is Captain Laarson?"
"He is below deck, sir, is there a problem?" Toren asked fidgeting, having caught Worf's almost permanent glower.
"Commander, in two minutes we will begin a combat drill with the goal of shocking the Enterprise into full battle ready status," Picard ordered while the two mighty starships slowed to impulse.
"Yes sir. Armament type?" the tellarite asked motioning to officers on his bridge who reacted wordlessly.
"Phasers only. I don't want to actually damage the hulls of the ships," Picard replied as the Challenger's bridge darkened to a dark reddish hue.
"We will be ready for you sir. Challenger out," Toren replied, vanishing from the viewscreen.
"Red Alert, all hands to battlestations!" Worf bellowed.
"Mr. La Forge, reroute power from torpedoes and secondary weapons to phasers." Swinging around to Worf and Triast, Picard continued, "Mr. Worf, take tactical. Mr. Traist, take the secondary station."
As the two officers acknowledged their orders, Picard turned back to the viewscreen and ordered, "Helm, stand by attack pattern alpha-three."
Waiting for the two minutes to end, a near constant stream of reports was the only thing that kept time feeling like it was moving.
"Admiral, hostile vessel off the port side, coming in fast, visual range now," reported S'Lemma from ops as the viewscreen changed to show the imposing silhouette of a Galaxy-X class battleship.
"Initiate evasive pattern gamma-beta-three," Picard ordered lowering himself into his chair as the Enterprise surged forward around him.
"Weaponss range!" shouted S'Lemma as the Challenger opened fire, causing the ship to buck.
"Returning fire," Worf reported as fine lines of bluish-green fire streaked out of the Enterprise's phaser arrays.
When the Challenger flashed past the Enterprise, ending up infront of her, Picard ordered, "Initiate attack pattern alpha-three."
"Initiating attack pattern," the helm officer replied while inputing commands into his board.
The Enterprise then surged forward and instead of attempting to avoid it's assailent, the massive warship maneuvered to become the assailent. The Challenger reacted by vigorously changing directions appearing to almost tear herself apart.
"See what she can do, Mr. Worf," Picard ordered while the ship veered away from the Challenger, preparing to for another attack run.
"Helm, heading three-four-two-point-six mark-three-point-four."
"Aye sir."
"La Forge to bridge. We are live down here. I'd say were good to end it here."
"Understood," Picard replied. Turning to Worf, who had a blood-thirsty look on his face, he asked, "What's your plan, Commander?"
"Helm, stand-by maneuver Genova-alpha-six," Worf ordered, some of the malice slipping into his voice.
"Aye sir, standing by maneuver," the helm officer replied knowing not to question the Klingon.
"S'Lemma, what's the Challenger's status?"
"Holding directly aft, ssssir."
"Worf, Do you have any idea what that could do to the Enterprise?!" exclaimed La Forge over the still active comm..
"Geordi, would you transfer power from all systems but shields, phasers, and engines to the inertial dampners and structural integrity fields?" Worf part asked, part ordered, part demanded.
"Aye sir. I'll see what I can do," La Forge replied while the warp core and slipstream drive roared happily in the background.
"Just keep her together, Mr. La Forge," Picard ordered kindly as the ship shook from a phaser impact.
"I always manage to do so sir," La Forge replied while the noise of the drive engines grew louder. "That's all the power you'll get Worf, so take it easy."
"Helm, initiate maneuver."
"Aye sir."
Slowly, the Enterprise began to somersault in space, her impulse engines keeping her moving through space at an unchanged rate with computer calculated accuracy. All through out the action, the bridge seemed to still, and time seemed to freeze, save the moving stars on the viewscreen. Slowly a Galaxy-X class warship came into view, hesitating, not sure what to do next. Then came a voice that shocked everyone but its owner.
"Fire."
As soon as the word had left Picard's mouth, streams of quantum fire lashed out at the Challenger, impacting her shields with enough force to annihilate a Borg Cube. Then the Enterprise, which at this point was soaring in reverse at the same velocity it had been before the maneuver, flung past the Challenger, firing a couple final shots to mark the end of the simulation.
"Stand down red alert. All hands, normal posts," Picard stated calmly, not even showing any sense of glory. "Helm, resume course to Deep Space Nine."
"Aye sir."