24/05/2007 20:49:00

Chapter VII: Full Circle

I sat there going over past events in my head. Everything that led up to this situation. I wondered was I special or was it just my own misfortune. These thoughts wandered in and out of my head. They were clouding my judgment. I fear I may make a rash decision. It took me a while but I put these thoughts in the back of my mind. The Lert have not tried to contact us yet, which came as a surprise to both of us. We had to travel on impulse due to the immense strain the interphasic cloak put on the warp drive. Retrous III was an hour away at impulse. Dr. Mkhlian found the Lert version of a holodeck. She set up sickbay there where she programmed a close replica of the Odyssey sickbay. The exact translation is "House of Light and Mirrors." The simplistic design of the computer matrix made me question their superiority. What made the least sense is where they came from. Retan downloaded the whole database and nothing concrete about their original location. Where exactly were they from? There were no maps of their home galaxy. The only thing that resembled an answer to that, were coordinates that correspond to a location not even in this galaxy. But with less than half of our own charted, there is no possible way that we could even guess where this location is. As the time ticked on, the tension grew.

"Engineering to Bridge." Cracked the voice of Retan through the combadge.

"Proceed."

"I have found some of our technology installed here."

"Federation?"

"Cardassian." That statement confounded me. I had a contact on Cardassia. Itra, Kara's mother, contacted me every day and updated me on everything happening at Home. I did not understand why though. I was responsible for her daughter's death and yet no hatred came my way. It was more sympathetic. No news of a new alliance fell upon my ears.

"Well what exactly is it?"

"It is a discriminant broadcaster. I think the federation calls it a 'Hawk.'"

"I know what a discriminant broadcaster is. The question is what is it doing here?"

"I don't know but I am picking something up. It is a broadcast from Retrous Prime. It seems like some sort of coronation. You have to see this."

"Can you route it to the main view screen?"

"It should come up now." The screen changed to the Retrous Sector's Congressional Hall. The tall white columns made it seem like something you would find on Earth. One thing that stood out was the Retrous Flag. It was simple. Green with a spike like shape in the middle. People crammed together for miles. It was a mixture of anti, and pro Lert occupation. There was a podium. There were eleven Lert officials standing on the steps to the grand building. One stepped forward to address the people.

"Attention citizens of the Old Federation. We have come from a distant galaxy. We offer you order and protection. All we ask in return is your participation to rid this galaxy of the pathetic Federation. In order to spare your planet of slavery, we require a minimum of twenty thousand inhabitants. You have 5 paransiles to comply." There was a mixed reaction to the statement. Cheers erupted from the Anti-Federation attendees. There was an equal amount of jeering from the Pro Federation. Armed conflict seemed imminent at this point. Someone was pushing his way through the crowd. I had to strain to see due to the bad angle of the camera. It was the Gephrash of the Retrous system, Romén. He was careful to approach the podium after the Lert officials left the area. He said,

"Citizens of the Retrous system, you must know that I, in no way condone the transgressions against our greatest ally, the Federation. It was a decision made with a threat on my family. I ask you now to help me undo this terrible mistake. On the first day of the Keran, turn your heads towards the heavens and the western path will light up the East." I stared at the screen in disbelief. They were mounting full on assault. A whole army of confused citizens. The Gephrash was right. This was a mistake that needed to be fixed. We are the ones to do it. With the first day of the Keran in three days, we had to do something.

"Janson, start landing procedures."

"Sir, there is no way to land this thing. The landing equipment was damaged in the attack on the Odyssey."

"Prepare for emergency landing. This needs to be precise. Come in from the West towards the East and land on the Eastern side of town. I do not know how, but the Gephrash knows we are here. Let us heed his message."

"It will take hours to program that into this complex console."

"Take your time Janson. The First of the Keran is three days away."

"Aye sir." And with that I left the bridge for some sleep.

Nightmares tore through my sleep. There was no solace to be found in the realm of dreams. What was once a vibrant land of successful conquest, now lay a graveyard of defeat. The Lert reign supreme in my mind. It was now the 45th of the Lenik. The First of the Keran is the next day. That gives us a little more than a day. "Janson Report."

"I cannot initialize the Emergency Landing Protocol, the controls are just too advanced." The frustration in his voice was obvious.

"Do you have our flight path in the navigational console?"

"Yes sir."

"Then keep working if you cannot figure it out by tomorrow, the you better find something to hold on to. I have just been informed that the inertial dampeners are shot."

"Yes sir." His attempts were futile now, but it kept him busy. It also kept him out of the Holodeck. He suffered from holodeck addiction. A relapse is not what we need now.

"Is this a secure channel?" Asked a voice.

"Yes." I replied.

"Good. How many people do you have with you?"

"Including myself, four."

"What about weapons?"

"This Lert vessel is equipped with a self replenishing weapons locker. All of the weapons you need."

"Excellent I will see you then tomorrow?"

"Most Certainly Gephrash Romén."