"Captain, that bolt from Kostemojen traveled up the beam and set up an overload. We have a warp-core breach in progress and there is nothing we can do about it."
Kira heard the report from the Engineering station and ran back to her chair.
"All hands, this is the Captain. Abandon ship, I repeat, abandon ship."
Alarms blared all through the ship as everyone raced for the escape hatches and transporters.
"Captain," Bara started, "we're too close to the planet. If the core breaches here, it will poison everything on the surface."
Kira understood. She was the captain and it was her responsibility to make sure the Tsalagi was far enough away from el'Aena when it exploded.
"OK then, Major, I'm counting on you to see to the safety of all hands."
"Captain, I..."
"No arguments, Bara. No get to the transporter room."
Bara stepped toward the turbo lift, then stopped short.
"I'm sorry about this, Captain" and he shot her with a phaser before she could protest. Bara jumped up to the tactical station and pressed the commands he knew would be there. Kira shimmered as the transporter beam enveloped her and then, Bara was alone.
"Computer, status of the evacuation."
"All hands except for the XO have left the ship. Ninety seconds until warp-core breach."
"Computer, set heading away from the planet and engage at warp 8."
"Acknowledged," replied the female voice from the computer.
Bara watched as the stars slipped away and became long streaks of light in the view screen and he walked down to sit in Kira's chair.
"I'll see you later, Nerys, in the Celestial Tem..."
He heard a large boom, then he heard nothing.
Scott ran to Adoyi Nvda when he was finally finished materializing on the surface. He scooped up her sweat-soaked form in his arms and held her close. She was breathing and although she was injured, not severely. She had won.
"You did it, Megan" he said and lightly kissed her wet face.
She smiled and stroked his cheek. "No, my dear, we did it."
He wiped the hair that clung to her forehead away and helped her to sit. They both looked at the misshapen lump of wood that still quivered. They watched as one by one, the leaves fell from the arm-like branches until the quivering stopped and the last leaf touched the ground. It was dead and Kostemojen was trapped within it, with luck, forever.
"Commander, look up" Rachel barked on his badge.
They both looked up and watched as the Orb hovered over them, then leaped into space. It went out and stopped several thousand kilometers away.
"Commander, something weird is happening."
"Beam us both up."
When they had stopped materializing on the bridge of the Defiant, Scott helped her up and they stood together and watched as the Orb glowed more and more brightly.
"Commander, I'm picking up a tremendous amount of radiation from the Orb and its increasing exponentially. I think its going to explode."
Nobody knew what to expect. Scott turned to the sound of the door opening and greeted Kira as she joined them. Kira looked at the screen and then turned to Scott and Adoyi Nvda and shrugged. She had no idea either what was about to occur.
The Orb continued to glow brighter and then, Scott noticed a blue glow at the center of the Orb, growing bigger until it out shined the rest of the Orb. Without warning, the Orb blew out and resembled a supernova. A ring of glowing energy went out, then stopped and collapsed in on itself before rebounding again in a shower of sparks and bolts of energy.
"You're not going to believe this!" Rachel yelled out. "Everybody, I'm reading elevated neutrino emissions from the center of the explosion. The readings are identical to the wormhole. If I didn't know better, I'd say we just witnessed the formation of another Celestial Temple, another wormhole."
Adoyi Nvda pulled away from Scott and looked sadly into his eyes.
"Yes, it is. It is my new home for some time to come. Come with me and enter it. The New Prophets have a gift for all of you."
Scott turned and looked at Kira, then to Tayna at navigation.
"Set a course, half-impulse and let's see where this takes us."
Tayna pushed a few buttons and the Defiant slowly entered the blooming door the welcomed them. It was as beautiful as the original as colors and patterns moved past like a giant kaleidoscope. When they reached the other side, Defiant turned and looked back. The entrance closed like a flower un-blooming.
"Where are we, Rach?"
Rachel was already sorting through sensor readings and comparing them to star charts.
"Scott, we're in the Delta Quadrant, not far from where Voyager started it's journey home. We're just out of Kazon territory."
"That is indeed a gift" Scott sighed out. "Take us back, slowly."
Adoyi touched Scott's arm as the Defiant re-entered the bloom and softly kissed his cheek.
"I have to go now, but I will be checking in, so no tom-foolery. Goodbye, my love."
Like a soft whisper, she was gone. Scott reached out to the place where she stood and let his head drop.
"Goodbye."
Station Log: Stardate 51998.3. Starfleet has dispatched several ships to guard the Delta Wormhole, as it has been officially christened, until a more permanent starbase can be built and established. We all agree that while the wormhole must be protected, the el'Aenians must be left alone. Far too much interference has already taken place. There will be a memorial service tomorrow for Major Bara. It will be known that he gave his life in the performance of his duty.
Scott finished the log entry and walked back into the Ops area. It was already a busy morning. More ships have made DS9 a stop on their way to the new wormhole and Ops was busier than ever.
"Scott?"
He looked over to Rachel who was hooking her finger in the "come here" motion. Scott dutifully obliged.
"Yes," he answered as he joined her at her station.
"I could use a little company tonight and I'm sure Megan would appreciate me keeping an eye on you."
Scott smiled. He could believe that Megan had asked her to watch him and keep him straight.
"Fine, but I'm bringing the hot-dogs."
"Excuse me?" Tayna asked, looking somewhat nauseated. "You're not really going to eat dogs, are you?"
Scott and Rachel laughed together.
"Umm, no. Tell you what, you bring the potato salad and the buns and join us. You'll find the recipe in the replicator."
"Sure, I'll be there, but I mean it, no dogs, hot or otherwise."