Star Trek: Deep Space 9
Disclaimer: I do not own nor did I invent Star Trek: Deep Space 9 or any of its concepts, nor do I own or did I invent Warhammer 40k or its concepts. Extant characters are used for recreational reading only and no profit. Any characters I have created are purely for interaction purposes with the universes borrowed and portrayed. Please enjoy this bit of challengefic fluff. Reviews are welcome, flames will be laughed at. Glory to the Emperor of Mankind!
The Distant And Not-So-Bright Future, Phase III- For Emperor's Sake, Behave!
Captain Sisko leaned against the long conference table wearily, massaging his temples and wondering what to say. Mister Andraeus stood before him, once again in the bodysuit they had synthesized for him. His injuries from the battle had healed with remarkable speed, even the polaron wounds, which seemed to be no match for the Larraman's Cells that coursed through his enhanced structure.
Normally Sisko would have conducted this 'debrief' in private, but he felt a need for the others to be here as well- Dax, Major Kira, Constable Odo, Chief O'Brien, Doctor Bashir and even Mister Garak were present. Like Andraeus, they waited quietly while the Captain considered his words.
Finally Sisko spoke, his words slow and measured. "Mister Andraeus, everyone here owes you a debt of gratitude," he began. "I will be the first to admit that without you, the station might very well have been overrun and we might all be dead."
Andraeus nodded. "Mayhap, captain, but we are not here to discuss victory, it is plain that something is bothering you. I do not need my psychic powers to see that."
"You're right, of course," Sisko continued wearily, the wound on his head aching, even though Bashir had healed it. "Something very distressing is on my mind. You are, without question, the most formidable warrior and weapon in the known galaxy, regardless of whether the story of your origins is true or not. You almost single-handedly defeated a Jem'Hadar battleship, something that no one in the Alpha Quadrant would consider even remotely possible."
"But what is bothering me, Mister Andraeus, is the effect you are having on my men," Sisko said tightly, not letting his temper get the better of him. "Answer me plainly and honestly, please... did you use your telepathic powers to influence my human Federation troops, to make them fight harder by inducing an irrational hatred of aliens within them?"
"There is nothing irrational about it, captain," Andraeus said levelly. "Where I come from, we-"
"This is not where you come from!" Sisko raged, slamming his palm on the table, standing and beginning to pace back and forth. "You generously let me see the future, a time I am so horrified by that maybe I understand humanity's xenophobia forty thousand years from now... but understand, Andraeus, you are not in your Imperium and for all you know, humanity must have this period of peace and understanding with aliens in order for your galaxy and reality to come about!"
Andraeus said nothing, letting the captain continue.
"Dammit, man!" Sisko hissed. "You were inspiring to watch; even the Klingons were stunned by what they saw! But you cannot turn your fellow humans against the other races of our time! The Federation is built on trust between the species that compose it and while humans are the most numerous, we do not consider ourselves an elite or superior ruling class! Much of our wisdom came from the Vulcans, much of our diplomatic skill comes from the Betazoids and the Trill provide us with exquisite scientific knowledge."
Sisko stopped pacing and looked at Andraeus, his eyes flashing. "If your emperor is indeed immortal and walks amongst us now, what makes you so sure he is not currently a diplomat on Vulcan or learning from the scientists of Trill? Was he a xenophobe like the rest of you?"
Much to his surprise, Andraeus found he had no answer for the captain. He had never really dared to consider the emperor's life or desires before. Every Space Marine knew that the emperor clung to life now, against all odds, to continue guiding humanity through this perilous period in its evolution, waiting for the race to realize its psychic potential and no longer be prey to the terrible entities of the Warp.
It was the noblest calling in history, and the most difficult- to will oneself to survive for years uncounted until your own race was like yourself... immortal and beyond harm. What manner of man did a person have to be?
The emperor at one point had walked amongst these ancient people, been a member of this Federation. Had he approved of harmonious relations with the aliens of this period? Had he been so prescient as to know that one day all aliens would be considered the enemy of humanity, a plague to be eradicated form the universe?
"I know you have told me that this emperor of yours is the most powerful telepath to ever live, and part of me finds it very heartening to know there may be someone like that out there," Sisko said. "But this galaxy is full of perils, Mister Andraeus, and beings we cannot fathom. There is a race we call the Q, and near as we can tell, they are omnipotent and omniscient. The only interference they endure comes from one another. I somehow doubt even the Dominion would be a concern for one of them."
Andraeus considered what the captain was telling him- could these Q entities belong to the warp? Were they perhaps the gods of Chaos? If not, what had become of them in his time?
Sisko marched over to a large screen and activated it. Quark's bar filled the screen and everyone watched the raucous party as the security details celebrated their victory over the Jem'Hadar.
Only Federation humans were celebrating. Any aliens still within the bar were staying far away, even Quark and the Dabo girls.
The troopers were singing songs and composing rhymes and limericks that dealt with the deaths of aliens. O'Brien watched wordlessly while Doctor Bashir turned away, unwilling to witness any more.
"Mister Andraeus, you were a godsend for that battle, but I am not sure the Federation can survive you." Sisko muttered, finally turning off the hateful scene. "I understand that we have a philosophical divergence, but we must also be practical."
"Please elucidate, captain." Andraeus said.
"I appreciate your continued concern for the well-being of your species, but I fear that if you were allowed to assert your will over them, you might tear us apart. I cannot coerce you into refraining from using your powers in that manner, no one can. That much is obvious. But if you Ultramarines are men of honour, as your claim to be, then will you promise me that you will never tamper with the minds of my troops or their allies again?"
Andraeus nodded, knowing he had little choice. "It shall be as you say, captain. I shall exercise restraint and also tolerance while I live amongst you. You may be right, the Emperor might approve of your Federation's forbearance and acceptance and maybe the xenophobia of my own time sickens him. But I will not impose my own era's burdens upon yours."
"Thank you," Sisko said emphatically, appreciating how agreeable Mister Andraeus was being since there was little they could do to control him. "We will continue to work on the temporal anomaly that brought you here and perhaps how to get you back home. But in the meantime, we have other issues to deal with. First, Star Fleet is still on their way to meet our visitor. Second, we also have our changeling prisoner to deal with. Constable, what is the status of the Founder?"
"Stoic, of course, and refusing to confer with anyone aside from myself," the constable replied in his gravelly voice. "The security systems are in place and the destabilizer field within the holding cell is keeping the prisoner in their natural liquid state. I allow the field to be turned off when I enter to interrogate the prisoner since I do not trust to link with them."
"Your caution and diligence is appreciated, constable," Sisko said, nodding. "Major Kira, when is Star Fleet due to arrive so they may examine Mister Andraeus?"
"Within sixteen hours, sir," she said, handing him a databoard. "They were originally going to be here within seventy-two hours, but they met up with a task force and are coming at Warp Eight due to the Dominion attack."
"I must admit, captain, I am not terribly eager to be poked or prodded like a lab ratling or kept penned up like a grox." Andraeus stated.
"I am less than thrilled about it myself, Mister Andraeus," Sisko agreed. "The events I am going to be forced to explain will make things exceedingly difficult around here for a while and I am already up to my pips in reports."
"Perhaps I can... mitigate the effects and recollections of their visit?" the Ultramarine suggested. "In a completely safe and non-lethal way, of course."
"I was hoping you might suggest that." Sisko admitted.
"Captain!" Major Kira blurted, stunned by what she was hearing. "Are you actually condoning the falsification of Star Fleet records and hindering an investigation? We can't do that!"
"I am just being practical, major," Sisko pointed out. "How would we stop Mister Andraeus from doing exactly what he wants? If he is going to alter their memories of the visit, how do you plan to stop him?"
"I... it's one thing for him to do it on his own," she said in exasperation. "But it's another thing entirely for us to be in on it. That's collusion! Captain, the leeway you are giving this man is absurd. No offense, but are you sure he's not psychically influencing you already? I have never known you to be this tolerant of interference in running the station."
"She has a point, captain," O'Brien admitted. "If this'd been anyone more manageable, they'd've been in a holding cell after the fight with the Klingons and still be there."
"Exactly, Chief, thank you for taking my side on this." Sisko agreed.
"What?" O'Brien queried, bewildered. "I did no such thing."
He looked at Kira. "I didn't, honest, I was agreeing with you."
"But you yourself said it, Chief, someone more manageable," Sisko reminded. "Remember how you told me that Captain Picard didn't bother wasting time trying to contain Q when he was aboard the Enterprise? What was the point? He could not control Q and we cannot control Mister Andraeus. So why try? As for him tampering with the memories of the personnel currently en route to meet him, you must admit it makes a certain amount of sense for me to know it's happening, even if I cannot stop it."
"Your captain is right, of course," Andraeus added. "I cannot afford to allow your Star Fleet to detain me or keep me from finding my way back. More than that, what if they did examine me? Can you say with complete certainty that your biological sciences community would not be tempted to try and emulate me in some way?"
Andraeus looked at Doctor Bashir. "Doctor, tell me you are not desperately wishing that you could study and replicate my various organs and physiognomy in order to help advance your research in the healing arts."
"I cannot deny that," Julian admitted. "It was be a truly remarkable gift for helping to aid people... temporary, replacement or supplemental organs for people in need. But if I am correct, these organs of yours are engineered to belong inside a killing machine, and that has no place in my research, if for no other reason than the potential abuses are terrifying."
"At least one of his organs is a deadly weapon..." Dax muttered under her breath.
"Then it's settled," Captain Sisko announced. "Leave Star Fleet to Mister Andraeus and I. We have a station to run and a war to fight, that has not changed. Return to your stations."
The staff rose and exited, leaving Sisko alone with his guest. The titanic warrior waited silently, knowing that there was more the captain wished to discuss.
Sisko sighed and massaged his hand along his head for a few moments, avoiding irritating the scar. "Well, even in the middle of a war like the galaxy has never before known, you certainly have a way of keeping things interesting, Mister Andraeus."
Andraeus smiled grimly. "And here I was just thinking that my life hasn't been this calm in over three centuries."
"I admit I am still in shock about the far future and what it quite possibly holds for us." Sisko admitted. "I will be blunt; I frankly hate the sound of your reality."
"The Imperium of Man is dark, cruel and bloody beyond all imagination, not to mention corrupt and amoral. But for all that, it is humanity's only hope, captain. If the Imperium were not as strong and centralized as it is, our entire race would have been annihilated thousands of years in my past. The Imperium may not be what the Emperor intended, but it is still our best hope."
"Do you ever wonder if things might have been different had another tact or line of thought been tried?" Sisko asked.
"No," Andraeus said plainly. "I fully believe the Emperor was correct in his assessments. Keep in mind, captain, that if the lore of the Astartes chapters is correct, then he was born some fifty-thousand years prior to my own time and ten thousand before yours. All that accumulated knowledge and wisdom is unparalleled. What other being would one trust in preference?"
"Difficult logic to argue against, granted," Sisko said reasonably. "But something about all this is still incongruous to me. Even forty thousand years from now, how can things have changed so very radically? Where are the alien races I know? Can they have all been obliterated so completely that no traces remain?"
"Our scientists do find traces of ancient civilizations on some worlds, cultures and races we have no record of, so quite possibly those would be your Trill, Vulcans and Klingons, I surmise." Andraeus suggested.
"And what of these races you have told me about, the Eldar, Orks and Tau? You said the Eldar are an ancient race that precedes our own. Where are they in my time?"
"I have pondered that very question already, captain, and I freely admit I have no answer for you." Andraeus admitted. "But I do have another question for you, an issue that has bothered me since my arrival."
"And what would that be, my friend?"
Andraeus strode over to a port window and gestured out. Sisko joined him and saw the Marine was indicating the wormhole.
"Tell, me, captain, what you know about the entities that live within that anomaly."
"You mean the Prophets of Bajor?" Sisko asked. "They consider themselves the guardians of the Bajoran people who live on the planet below. As to what they are, nobody really knows and they have not seen fit to explain themselves to us. Judging by the look on your face, you have detected their presence with your abilities."
"And they have sensed me," Andraeus confirmed. "Their minds touched mine and recoiled, so clearly they know not what to expect of me. In my own time, we could consider them beings of the Warp."
"And the warp is where the psychic entities that you say have become the gods of Chaos live and wait to feed on humanity." Sisko continued.
"Aye," Andraeus said. "And your technology allows you to travel through warpspace so freely. In our own time, the device we call a Geller Field protects us from the entities that claw at ships as they travel through the Warp. To lose a Geller Field while in the warp is a fate worse than death, it is an eternity of torturous damnation."
"That would explain your unease during our trip back to the station from Thelos," Sisko concluded. "Even our warpspace here must resonate with you."
"In an odd way, yes it does. For a psychic like myself, travelling through the warp is a cacophonous experience, a distressing symphony of promised madness. For those of us who distrust the Warp and know its true nature, your cavalier attitude about using it as a tool with no will or mind of its own is strange indeed."
"How does your Imperial government deal with it?" Sisko asked.
"The Administratum suppresses knowledge of the beings of the Warp and the threat the powers of Chaos represent." Andraeus stated in a matter-of-fact tone. "The beings of the Warp whisper blasphemies and seduce those who can hear them, not only subverting the victim's mind but also finding ways to enter our universe vis-à-vis their complicity. Therefore, Imperial citizens exposed to the Warp are purged, or at the very least mindscrubbed. What they do not know cannot hurt them or tempt them."
"I find the notion of such repression appalling, I will admit." Sisko said. "The Federation embraces knowledge, we do not fear it."
"Mayhap, but your Federation is not aware of the dangers that we face in my own era," Andraeus countered. "You have strictly banned eugenics and genetic engineering in this age. because of its potential abuse and the lessons you have learned from those wars. In my own time, it has been concluded that humans with psychic abilities are not yet ready to face the perils of the Warp on their own. By your own censure of my government's methods, you should be allowing eugenics and not fearing its potential abuse out of principal."
"I acknowledge the point, Mister Andraeus, though I believe the Federation Council approaches such difficulties from the other end of the spectrum than your ruling body. We assume freedoms and look for the reasonable limits whereas your own methods are to have restrictions in place and freedom is the exception or loophole."
"A dear and fanciful blessing, I must admit, I cannot conceive of such meliorism working effectively in my own reality." Andraeus said thoughtfully.
"It must pain your Emperor deeply to see such repression if he is or was as benevolent as you believe him to be." Sisko mused. "You said he was an atheist who believed in the triumph of reason and science."
"So say our most ancient documents and codexes, long considered anachronistic and even heretical these days," Andraeus admitted. "The Imperial Truth was meant to liberate humanity from superstition and repression but seemed to have been doomed from the beginning. Even one of the Space Marine legions, the Word Bearers, attempted to proselytize the worlds they fought on, deifying the Emperor. They believed that he, as the greatest human to ever live, should be worshipped as the god of our race and should not settle for being a mere figurehead."
"Ironic, then, that they turned traitor and fought against him in this Great Heresy you have mentioned." Sisko added.
"Undone and subverted by the whispers of Chaos," Andraeus said ruefully. "Even those of us created from his genetic legacy are not immune to such sedition. His sons, the Primarchs were not, nor are we, their descendants."
"So he created these super-beings, some of whom remained loyal and others were subverted by the Warp, yes?"
"As you say," Andraeus confirmed. "The Primarch of my own Ultramarines chapter, Roboute Guilliman, remained loyal, as did Lion El'Johnson of the Dark Angels, Leman Russ of the Space Wolves, Rogal Dorn of the Imperial Fists and Sanguinius of the Blood Angels, to name a few."
"Their names must be very highly regarded in your Imperium, then."
"Only the Emperor is revered more than the loyalist Primarchs, who were the greatest warriors and strategists humanity has ever known. Sanguinius of the Blood Angels is almost deified and has countless holidays throughout the Imperium dedicated to him. As formidable as I must seem to you, mere Space Marines like myself pale in comparison to our forebears the Primarchs. We are shadows of their true glory."
"I find the notion somewhat disconcerting, given how powerful you seem." Sisko said. "I think I am also somewhat distressed by the vision of a galaxy so fraught with peril that the creation of such beings was necessary. That being said, I am eager to get you on your way back to your own time, where you are doubtless needed."
"I am finding it somewhat tame around here, captain." Andraeus agreed readily.
The Federation cruiser Samarkand was holding at a steady Warp 8 as it approached the Bajoran system with an ETA of eight hours. The sudden Dominion attack had made all other matters seem less pressing. If Deep Space 9 fell, the wormhole would be open and there was very little the Federation would be able to do to stop the onslaught that would follow.
Aboard the bridge, Lieutenant Arcand was waiting impassively, pondering what he would find once he reached Deep Space 9. He had been accompanied by a team from Star Fleet intelligence, as well as several doctors and biologists. The medical reports of Doctor Bashir were making no sense to anyone and the scattered reports of what this guest was capable of were nothing short of ludicrous. If he was indeed capable of everything that the reports indicated, there was much research to be done and whomever had created this being had much to answer for.
Arcand had graduated from Star Fleet Academy well ahead of schedule and his keen, inquisitive and distrusting nature made him a natural to join the Intelligence branch. He had extracted information from members of the Romulan Tal'Shiar, he held no doubt he would find what he wanted easily from the crew and their visitor. Though only a lieutenant, the executive powers he could invoke were truly impressive if the need arose.
"This mission is ephemeral. Isn't there a war you should be fighting?"
Arcand blinked and frowned for a moment, wondering where that sonorous voice had come from. Why was he questioning his mission to himself?
"Erratic reports are suddenly more important than fighting the Dominion? Since when has that been the case for Star Fleet Intelligence?"
He felt a stir of irritation, seemingly because what his inner voice was saying made perfect sense. Why were they chasing down these obviously embellished findings when the Dominion remained such a dire threat? The Romulans were still not a factor in the war and the Klingons were spread thin while the Federation regrouped. The defection of Cardassia over to the side of the Dominion was a perilous blow to the safety of the Alpha Quadrant.
He had heard of Dr. Bashir before, a rather whimsical sort, with a tendency to bloviate. Apparently the good doctor was a product of unauthorized genetic modification but it had happened when he was a child and therefore held faultless, allowed to keep his rank. Given that this 'patient' he was working with was ludicrous in terms of his proclaimed abilities, Arcand assumed that the bits and pieces of information he and others were receiving was actually some sort of literary diatribe on Bashir's part, a fanciful 'what-if' that got sent over the network by mistake.
The more he thought about this mission, the less important it seemed to him. Even if some manner of altered individual was aboard Deep Space Nine, the war had to come first, didn't it?
"Sir, we're receiving a report that a Jem'Hadar strike cruiser has been detected in the Bronix System," reported an ensign manning the comm system of the Samarkand. "It is not attacking any targets yet but it hasn't been engaged, either. Reports indicate it might be badly damaged."
Arcand furrowed his brow as he considered his options. His orders were clear, but the Samarkand was first and foremost a military vessel, dedicated to defending the Federation from all threats. More than that, if he managed to capture the Jem'Hadar vessel intact, it might prove of great tactical value, not to mention be a very large feather in his cap…
"Any reports, Chief?" Sisko asked as he patrolled the bridge. "What news of our visitors?"
"Sir, I just received a communique from the Samarkand saying they would be delayed, the length of time unknown," O'Brien said, making a wry face as he read the screen. "Somethin' about having found a crippled Jem'Hadar vessel in the Bronix System and they're going to attempt to capture it…"
He now looked at Sisko. "We've had no reports of Dominion activity out that way, captain. It makes no sense, the Bronix system is so strategically irrelevant that even the Ferengi would recognize that fact. Certainly the Dominion knows that."
Sisko pursed his lips and nodded before striding off the bridge and into the turbolift. "Computer, find Mister Andraeus for me."
"Mister Andraeus cannot be located."
"Damn," Sisko muttered. "Alright, find Lieutenant Dax."
"Lieutenant Dax is in Holosuite Number Four."
Sisko stepped into Quark's bar, fixing the Ferengi with a pointed look. Quark nodded up at one of the holosuites on the second level and shook his head in despair. Not really sure he wanted to know, the captain made his way up to Holosuite Four and was about to enter when the doors slid open, allow Lieutenant Dax to exit. She was positively glowing and smiled brightly at him.
"Hello, captain…" she purred before sauntering down to the Dabo tables, a decided swish in the way she walked. Sisko pinched his eyes and entered the holosuite. He found Mister Andraeus sitting on a lovely beach, casting his piercing gaze out over the blue waters and seemingly contemplating the colours of the sunset.
"You wish to know how and why the Samarkand was diverted, yes, Captain?" Andraeus said without looking away.
"I suppose it can wait, if you're busy." Sisko replied as he approached the titanic Space Marine and sat down nearby, taking a moment to appreciate the scenery.
"I was just meditating," Andraeus added. "It is something we Librarians of the Astartes are trained to do, to help keep our psychic abilities in check."
"If my mind were getting clawed at and whispered to constantly like yours apparently is, I'd probably look for some inner peace once in a while too." Sisko allowed. He looked around at the program they were sitting in. "Ah, Maui. Specifically the black sands beach near Hana. I love this program."
"These islands are no more in my time," Andraeus said quietly, his voice holding perhaps the faintest whisper of emotion or regret. "Earth, such as you know it, is long gone. It is one massive city and the oceans are little more than reservoirs of black sludge. The air is unbreathable and the atmosphere permanently polluted. To see this earth, to know what had once been…"
Sisko waited with silent respect while Andraeus composed his thoughts.
"I cannot even fight for it," he said finally. "This might as well have never existed. I am in awe of it and yet it means nothing to me."
"I am sorry to hear that," answered Sisko. "To me, your reality is so grim that it almost doesn't seem worth fighting for, at least to my sensibilities. Without freedom, without the pursuit of knowledge and self-determination, it seems almost better to be dead."
Andraeus nodded. "And yet dead is exactly what we would be if people were given that self-determination. Countless planets would be independent and develop psychics who were not controlled and the entire population would soon be lost to Chaos. The universe hates us, captain, and we Astartes are all that stand in the way of oblivion."
Sisko smiled. "Well, I must admit I am far more likely to turn around and fight if I thought the universe was out to get me. I've never been one to get pushed around. But yes, I did come to ask if you were the one who somehow diverted the Samarkand and if so, how?"
Andraeus shrugged his massive shoulders. "I probed a few minds up on your bridge to find out who was coming and where they were. I let my mind reach into the Warp and found Lieutenant Arcand and his crew. I implanted a false impression in their heads about a Dominion vessel in the Bronix System."
"But there is no Jem'Hadar ship in the Bronix System." Sisko pressed.
"No, captain. The crew will remain unthreatened. At best all I have done is impeded Mister Arcand's career in your Star Fleet's intelligence division."
Sisko sighed and looked out at the sun again, feeling the gentle breeze. "Even after they find nothing, they'll be delayed because Star Fleet will want to know what the hell they were doing in Bronix. Just be thankful no other ships got diverted to assist, we need every vessel we've got."
"I made sure that Lieutenant Arcand told Star Fleet that no assistance was necessary." Andraeus pointed out.
Sisko actually laughed. "That is very deep and far-reaching thinking that you do, my friend."
"I take the safety of my race very seriously," the Librarian said without humour. "We Space Marines were created to make sure fewer humans would have to die. It is an honour but also a serious obligation."
"But the Samarkand was over six parsecs away," Sisko mentioned. "Am I to understand that your mind can reach across light years of space?"
"The warp knows few or no physical boundaries, captain." Andraeus explained. "I am certainly an accomplished Librarian, respected by my peers for my strength. But there are Librarians far more powerful than myself, I assure you. Brother Tigurius of my chapter and Lord Mephiston of the Blood Angels are probably the most powerful psychics in the Imperium. Their minds can span the galaxy, given just cause. If they were here, they probably could have compelled someone back on Earth to call off the mission."
Sisko let out a deep breath. "Well, thank you for telling me, because I know I couldn't stop you. At least now my people and I are in the clear."
"My pleasure, captain." Andraeus said agreeably.
"But I have just one more question for now, if you don't mind." Sisko added.
"Please ask then."
"Why was Lieutenant Dax smiling like that when she exited this holosuite? I haven't seen her smiling like that in a long time."
"No offense, captain, but are you sure you want to know?" Andraeus asked, turning to look at Sisko.
The captain sighed, thinking better of it. "You are correct, Mister Andraeus. I will leave you to your meditations."
He exited the holosuite and went back to his ready room, muttering about how hard it would be to get any work out of Dax for at least two days.
Chief O'Brien was staring at a console, working out the matrices that unfolded before him. He barely nodded and Dr Bashir came up and leaned over him, ever curious to know what was going on.
"What particular element or angle of our extraordinary guest's trappings are you examining now?" queried Bashir.
"At the moment it is the composition of his armour, this stuff he calls 'ceramite'," replied the engineer. "For all the apparent barbarity of his Imperium and his insistence that so much technology has been lost, some of his equipment is incredibly impressive."
"Take a look at this," he said, pointing at the screen. "The armour is composed of thousands of layers of some advanced ceramic material. The polymers are arranged in a lattice-type structure, giving them incredible tensile strength. It feels and reacts like a dense metal to shock and impact in that regard but because it is a ceramic, its heat distribution properties are incredible. It would take extended exposure to a high-intensity laser or phaser before it could be penetrated."
"That is impressive." Bashir agreed.
"More than impressive," O'Brien added. "Our closest equivalent is the ablative armour used by the hull on the Defiant."
"So what you're saying is that Mister Andraeus is strong enough to wear as personal armour a substance what we might protect our most advanced warships with." Julian mused. "Makes you wonder what kind of enemies his Imperium has to deal with."
"Aye." O'Brien said, changing the image. "I've tried to synthesise it, but not much luck yet. The ceramite doesn't scan very well and I cannot exactly ask him for a sample of it."
"What about his weapons?" Bashir asked.
"Well, the bolt rifle itself is simple enough, the only complication being that you would need to be his size and strength to use it effectively. Maybe smaller versions could be used by some of our more physically fit troopers here on the station, but I'm pretty sure the recoil of that rifle would break my whole body off if I tried to fire it. The propellant is incredibly volatile and the explosive charges inside the charge are just brutal."
"Brutal weapon for a brutal universe." Julian observed. "What about the sword?"
"Afraid I'll need your help with that one," Miles admitted. "The material is an unusual metal that is incredibly hard but it also reacts strangely to certain types of energy waves."
"Let me guess… theta waves." Bashir guessed. He nodded as O'Brien showed him the readings that they managed to glean from the weapon. Indeed the sword did seem to resonate with the theta waves emanating from Mister Andraeus.
"Even if I could replicate the material of the sword, there's no way to reproduce any sort of psychic matrix that would allow it to function like it does for him."
"Best not to waste your time trying then," Julian concluded. "I have gleaned a lot from my readings of his physiology but little that we could use. They all seem to be tied together on some basic level; they don't really operate independently of one another."
"I've been watchin' him train in the holosuites," added O'Brien. "Damned scariest thing I've ever seen. There's nothin' that man can't kill- Jem'Hadar, Naussicans, Klingons, Borg…"
"Even the Borg," Julian exclaimed, impressed. "Can his bolt rifle penetrate their personal shields?"
"That's just it, I don't rightly know," Miles replied, turning away from the screen. "He didn't use his rifle or sword, he just wore his armour and used some sort of oversized combat knife. Sensors indicate he didn't even use his psychic talents, just his raw strength and training. I watched him grab a Borg drone by the ankle and slam it off the ground repeatedly until it broke. Literally, man. He broke it!"
"He does seem to have a rather merciless mindset," Julian mused. "From what he has told me, the Space Marines are not exactly a subtle tool, they are used to pitilessly annihilate whatever target they are pointed at. Humanity's other defenders are left to hold the line, the so-called Astartes do what they cannot."
"I would love to be able to simulate so much of what Mister Andraeus talk about, even if I don't want to see his reality," O'Brien said. "It is certainly presents an interesting hypothetical scenario."
"I know exactly what you mean," Julian replied, smiling slyly. "Perhaps we should ask our guest some more questions…"
"I had been told that you were not exactly the talkative sort, that you were a man of action," the Cardassian named Garek said as he strolled up beside Andraeus while he looked out one of the portal windows on the Promenade. "I think we all witnessed the truth of this during the battle. On behalf of everyone you saved on the station, I thank you, Captain Parmenio."
"The gratitude of aliens means nothing to me," Andraeus said bluntly. "You would do well to remember that, Cardassian."
"Really?" Garek replied, smirking. "Would that include the good Lieutentant Dax?"
For a moment, Andraeus considered causing Garek's brain to boil and explode within his skull, but he had promised Captain Sisko he would not kill any more aliens out of hand, no matter how annoying they were.
"I must tell you that everyone was astonished by your prowess during the engagement with the Jem'Hadar, captain," Garek said. "It has led to much speculation about what conditions must be like in your own time where a single Space Marine is more than a match for the best the Dominion can throw at us. What terrible foes you must face when we count as little more than practice and target dummies for you."
Clearly the alien was insinuating something to Andraeus. Garek spoke softly as if not wishing to be heard, even though this part of the Promenade's upper deck was bereft of any activity. "Do you not find it incongruous that there is absolutely no trace or remnants in your Imperium of any of the races of our time, except for humans? It is rumoured that you live in a galaxy-spanning empire. If such a thing is true, where are the ancient civilizations and ruins of the Romulans, Klingons, Cardassians and the Dominion?"
"More than that, you are inferring that several alien races that pre-date humanity are missing from your own time," Andraeus added, sensing where Garek was headed with this line of questioning. "Where are the Eldar and the Orks and the Tau?"
"A most astute question, my friend," Garek said, beaming a big smile. "Such things are impossible. The complete eradication of all the races we know today? Impossible. The fact that ancient races such as you describe nowhere to be found in the galaxy right now? Equally impossible."
Garek now leaned in, smiling conspiratorially. "And when you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth."
"You are suggesting an alternate dimension or reality." Andraeus stated.
"You would not be the first such person to cross in such a matter," Garek confirmed. "Just the most destructive."
"Since you have reached this theory on your own, I will tell you that I have considered such a possibility myself," Andraeus said, nodding. "That would make a great deal of sense, given the many contradictions I have seen thus far."
"So the warp of this time may not be the threat it is in your own time and it is entirely possible that your immortal God-Emperor simply does not exist in this time and never will. Between you and me, speaking as an alien, if you will, I find that notion rather comforting." Garek intoned.
Andraeus felt a small surge of fury at the Cardassian's heretical words, but calmed himself, admitting that there was a distinct chance that Garek was right. There were too many disconnects in the logic equation here for him to ignore such a possibility.
What if this was an alternate dimension? What if the only similarity between the two realms was the existence of humanity? What if the warp of this dimension never became the realm of Chaos and simply remained a convenient method of hyperspace travel?
As a Librarian of the Ultramarines, Andraeus had scrutinized some of the oldest and most ancient records available to his Chapter, the Administratum or even the Inquisition- the Gods of Chaos had begun to take form in what was considered the first of Terra's many Dark Ages, maybe a thousand or so standard years in the past of these people.
"You're searching for something, aren't you?" Garek interrupted smiling slyly. "I can see my words have piqued your curiosity and you want to know what's out there now."
Andraeus ignored the Cardassian and continued to focus.
"How vulnerable are you in this meditative state?" asked Garek.
"Pull out the miniature disruptor pistol in the hidden compartment of your boot and find out." Andraeus growled, regretting his promise to Captain Sisko. He reached out with his mind, easing through the soup-like depths of reality and pushing into the warp- he sensed discord and not even the least fractal of logics. Mathematically, this warpspace was simply waiting to be given an equation, no doubt the hyperspace travel that these beings imposed upon it.
He sensed consciousness, many of them, but they were not native to the warp. Countless beings inside their ships, protected by their screens, but no malevolent, free-floating minds indigenous to this dimension.
"Well now, what are you?" asked a rather snide voice amidst all the white noise of warpspace.
"That is none of your business, alien." Andraeus said tersely, annoyed at the intrusion.
"Well based on that response you're a human, that much is obvious," replied the entity. He could feel the being's burgeoning power and psyche bearing down on his own, threatening to overwhelm even his considerable mental shields. If he could not hold it off, perhaps there was some advantage to letting it see into a part of his mind...
"Vileness! Anathema!" the being spat as it retreated from his mind, repulsed by the images of Andraeus' universe and the glory of the Emperor. "You do not belong here!"
"What are you, alien?" Andraeus demanded, using the momentary unbalance to discern a flash of the being's purpose and nature. He could not defeat it, but at least now he had an inkling of what he stood against.
"I am Q," declared the entity in a haughty tone, meant to awe and intimidate. "I can see Captain Sisko has mentioned you to me."
"He mentioned happily punching you in the face," answered the Space Marine, enjoying Q's discomfiture at his response. "You need not worry, alien, you are not a threat to me, nor of any interest."
"That is for me to decide, not you," Q said, having recovered from the unpleasantries of touching Andraeus' mind. "And your suspicions are correct- you have crossed realities or dimensions, as your limited species understands such matters. The plane of existence you come from and this one diverged uncounted thousands of years ago."
"That much is obvious, because you do not exist in my own realm, not as you do here," Andraeus confirmed. "In my realm and time, your kind has mutated and corrupted in the Warp, becoming the fallen entities we call the Ch-"
"Get back to where you come from, you abomination, and trouble my galaxy no more!" Q shouted in his head.
And then the being was gone.
Andraeus opened his eyes and sighed. That had been singularly unpleasant. If the beings known as the Q truly were the entities of Chaos in his own time, they had become something else entirely here. They had evolved differently and now roamed this universe freely, more like omnipotent children rather than the reality-destroying horrors they were in his own. The only similarity seemed to be the endless caprice.
"Are you alright?" Garek asked, leaning around slightly to look up at Andraeus. "You went almost rigid for several seconds and did not respond to my questions."
"That might normally have been boredom, but yes, I was occupied." Andraeus growled. "And as much as it pains me to admit it, Cardassian, you are correct. I am indeed from another reality."
"Then you should tell the good captain, he might be very pleased to know this." Garek suggested.
"No," the Space Marine said firmly. "Now is not the time, a complication has arisen. I must do what I can to correct this matter on my own."
"I am not sure I agree," Garek said, now taking a step back warily. "If you will not, that I-"
"You will do nothing," Andraeus said, his tone dire as he turned to glare at Garek. "I would hate to break my promise to Captain Sisko by killing you, but I see I must bind your will, to make sure you can tell no one, nor have any desire to."
Garek could not look away as Andraeus trapped his mind in what felt like jaws of steel. He winced as the Space Marine's unearthly will subsumed his own and forced his own desires far from his mind. Garek's teeth clench as he fought, but to no avail. He collapsed to his knees, panting.
"Know that I will release your mind when this is all over, Cardassian," Andraeus said, looking down at Garek without remorse. "It might be the first time I have ever done an alien a favour."
He now turned and strode away, already considering what he needed to do to accomplish his goals. It would not be easy, but there was little choice. Things were far more volatile than he had guessed.
And there was precious little time if he was to save this galaxy from a fate worse than death.
Quark had just locked up the bar and wiped his brow, quite worn out from what had been a frantic few days. While the wild celebrations courtesy of the Federation's human crew members had been very good for his business and profits, it had also proven very unnerving, since they were gleefully cheering about their triumph over aliens and their deserved demise. Whatever hold the Space Marine had on these people, Quark could not see it being a good thing for the harmony of the station.
And even the dumbest Ferengi knew that disharmony was bad for business, unless you were an arms dealer.
He turned a corner on the way to his quarters and stopped dead- towering over him, quite possibly twice his height, Andraeus Parmenio stared down at him coldly, seemingly trying to think of reasons not to step on him. Quark swallowed nervously, he had not been close the visitor from the future before while he was standing up. Even Klingons didn't make him this nervous.
"So…" he said somewhat weakly, desperate to break the silence. "Killed anyone yet today?"
"The day is not over yet." Andraeus said flatly.
"Oh, true," Quark allowed, his mind racing. "Ummm… can I interest you in a tailor-made holosuite program or two? I'd be happy to open my bar and-"
"Let us make sure that we are clear on something, alien." Andraeus growled, kneeling down so he was eye to eye with the little being. "I care neither for your discourse nor your company. But there is something I believe you can do for me."
"I see," Quark replied, sensing a deal to be made and recovering some of his composure. "What is it I can do and what kind of payment or compensation are we talking about?"
"No payment." Andraeus said in his deep monotone. "Though I may let you live."
Quark's eyes hardened. "I would rather die than do something gratis for a close-minded hu-man like yourself. Dr Bashir told me you said you cannot read Ferengi minds, so let me make this clear for you, Space Marine. Kill me if you want, but that'll break your promise to Captain Sisko, which I doubt will please him. On the other hand, if you want to do business, try acting a little politer for a change. If it kills you, I promise not to tell anyone."
Andraeus reached out and used his huge hand to cover Quark's face and gripped it firmly. Clearly he was demonstrating that he could squash the Ferengi's head like a grape if he so chose.
"Ftill not intimidated." Quark said in a muffled voice.
Andraeus sighed and released the little alien's head. Quark huffed and straightened out his clothes. "I'm sure the security cameras will get a kick out of that. Now, let's try this again. What can I do for you?"
The space marine drew in a deep breath, reminding himself to be tolerant. "It has been intimated to me from various sources aboard the station that you are the per- the being to go to if one wishes to acquire less than legal resources. Am I correct?"
"Maybe," Quark said in a non-committal tone. "What is it that you seek to acquire, hu-man?"
"Though I believe in many ways that the Federation's scientific knowledge surpasses that of my Imperium, there are substances in this universe that hold unknown qualities for you people. I wish to procure such a substance."
Quark looked around the corridor warily for a moment.
"The station's monitoring systems cannot hear us," Andraeus said simply. "I need what is called dilithium."
"Is that so?" Quark mused, rubbing his chin with his fingers. "Maybe something can be done about that, but there is one small hitch."
"And what would that be, alien?" Andraeus asked darkly.
"What could you possibly have that I would be interested in?" replied the Ferengi. "If you even have money it is of no use to me except as a curio, and there's no profit in that."
"Have I not already offered to let you live?" the space marine growled.
"Life without profit isn't worth living," Quark said simply. "You want dilithium, which will be tough for me to get hold of and I am simply asking for compensation equal to the risk. Do they not have commerce in this Imperium of yours?"
"You seem to know an awful lot about me and my time for someone who hasn't been part of the command briefings." Andraeus warned.
"I hear things," was the dismissive reply. "Information can be profitable, but only when used correctly. Now… if I get you dilithium, how would you want to pay me?"
Andraeus clenched his fist reflexively several times. This was even more irksome that fighting the Tau. "I don't need to be able to read your thoughts to see that you have something in mind already. Say what it is, alien."
"There is a nearby system called Heraklion and the moon of the fourth planet is a haven for the Orion Pirates," Quark began. "One of the warlords there is making my life difficult when it comes to moving my merchandise, since he often monitors and flexes his muscles on the commercial shipping lanes in these parts. Your muscles are a lot bigger than his, I was thinking that maybe you could flex back on my behalf."
"You want me to travel to this planet and eradicate this nest of pirates?" Andraeus asked.
"No, nothing that drastic," Quark said hastily, realizing it would not take much for the Space Marine to obliterate all illegal activity in the region if he got too happy with his boltgun. "What I meant was that maybe you could change his mind about discriminating against my activities the way he does."
"Surely the Federation would do this for you." Andraeus reasoned.
"If the Federation moved on Heraklion IV, they'd clean it up entirely, meaning that no one would get anything smuggled through this region again for a long time," Quark pointed out. "No, I like Heraklion IV as the den of iniquity that it is. What I am saying is that if you were to give my tormentor a not-so-subtle hint and convince him to lay off, then I could increase my latinum income quickly and you would have your dilithium for whatever it is you plan to do. Seems fair, yes?"
"What if he proves intractable to your winning personality?" asked the man from the future.
"Well, I suppose if a few people had to suddenly no longer be with us it wouldn't be a terrible thing. If this pirate captain won't be persuaded, perhaps his replacement could be."
"I don't want to kill humans, alien." Andraeus said stonily.
"Assuming that this person could only be a human, so typical," Quark lamented, shaking his head. "If memory serves, he's a Naussican. Does that help?"
"Not as much as if he had been a Ferengi," Andraeus muttered. "Still, I somehow doubt that Captain Sisko would approve of my involvement in such a scheme."
Quark shrugged. "So who says he has to know? I heard O'Brien whining about the fact that you can't be found unless you want to be found, not to mention you could make everyone forget you were missing to begin with. You promised not to make the hu-man crew hate aliens and this has nothing to do with that promise. I can get you to Heraklion IV, you can do your thing and be back for physical education with Dax in no time. Now do you want the Dilithium or not?"
Andraeus assessed the alien warily. "You can get this substance for me? No tricks or deceit or substandard material?"
"I assure you," Quark said readily, holding up his hands. "You could kill my by forcing air away from your bicep when you flex it, I have no intention of double-crossing a space marine. Not to mention the fact that giving you flawed dilithium could have very bad consequences from an entire quadrant. I'll be true to our bargain."
"Very well." Andraeus said, standing up, towering once again over the Ferengi. "Find this ship that you intend to use and I will make sure my absence is not noticed. How long do you need?"
"Meet me at Docking Ring 12 in twenty standard hours." Quark said before nodding and scurrying off. His pulse was racing and he had broken out in a cold sweat. Even if Andraeus couldn't read his mind, he must have heard Quark's heart thundering in his chest. Even drunk Klingons didn't intimidate him the way the space marine had. He rounded a corner and leaned back against the wall, breathing heavily.
Still, he had managed to negotiate a good deal for himself. True, getting the dilithium crystal would be no small challenge, but in return for having the Orion Syndicate off his back, it would be well worth the risk. It also occurred to him that this was one deal he could not expect to back out on, because he couldn't imagine Andraeus failing to complete his end of the bargain.
With any luck, only a few Syndicate members and henchmen would die, since Quark, like everyone else on Heraklion, did not want the scrutiny of any interstellar governing bodies, Ferderation or otherwise. Legitimate organizations made trade difficult, if not impossible, trying to regulate things with moral codes and other superficial nonsense. Wasn't the simple mathematical precision of profit good enough?
He turned around another corner and bumped into Major Kira, who stared down at him impassively.
"Going somewhere, Quark?" she asked, eyebrow raised.
"Uh, just back to the bar, Major," he said warily.
"I see," the Bajoran woman mused, not letting him by. "You need to know that Mister Garak will be accompanying you and Andraeus to Heraklion IV on your little trip. He needs something of his own there and this will be convenient. Do we understand one another?"
If Quark could have gone pale, he would have. He tried to think of what to say. Clearly Major Kira had overheard at least part of the conversation and if Mister Andraeus had noticed her then he had decided not to mention it.
"I don't know how you convinced our guest to go to Heraklion for you, but since we can't really stop him, just let me say that you will be held responsible if anything goes wrong and Captain Sisko has a mess to clean up. Are we clear?"
"Oh, very clear, major. So clear…" Quark said hastily as he moved around her and quickly down the hallway, rubbing his forehead and trying to organize his thoughts. Alright, maybe she knew about taking Andraeus to Heraklion and maybe he now had to bring Garak, but she obviously didn't know about the dilithium or she would have had him in a holding cell by now. The problem now was that she knew he was up to something and would be watching him. How was he going to work this out?
"Oh, I don't know, brother," Rom said in his somewhat impeded timbre. "I think either choice sounds… well, bad to me."
"I didn't ask you to think, I asked you to choose," Quark replied, exasperated with his brother's reticence. "One of us needs to procure the dilithium and the other one has to make the run to Heraklion."
"Normally I would say the shuttle run, but not with that hu-man on board," Rom protested, looking worried. "His fist is bigger than my head."
"Trust me, I know," Quark muttered. "But we don't really have much of a choice. If we don't help him, he could crush both our skulls and make everyone forget it happened. Besides, at least this way we will be able to access the Trelanian commercial lanes against and make some good latinum. Don't you want the Syndicate off our backs?"
"Well sure, brother," Rom agreed readily. "But I'd like to still have my spine intact when that happens."
"It'll be fine, Rom," Quark said tightly, losing patience. "Now if you're going to make me do this all by myself, I'll make sure you see none of the profit. No risk on your part, no dividends. Got it?"
Rom thought quietly for several moments and finally asked a question. "Uh, which job do you think is safer?"
"If you can keep from annoying him, I would say staying with the space marine is the safest bet," Quark replied. "Even if all of Heraklion IV comes after you, you're likely to not see a scratch once he gets going. If you stay here on the station, you'll have to try and outwit Odo and his security teams to get the dilithium.
"Outwit Odo?" Rom asked warily. "I don't like those odds. I… I'll go in the ship."
"That's what I thought," Quark said, relieved he wouldn't have to spend more time with Andraeus. "Just shut up and do the job, try not to talk to him. Besides, if I know Garak, he won't shut up long enough for you to get a word in edgewise in any event."
Deterred by the thought of matching wits with Odo, Rom now acquiesced to the notion of taking Andraeus to Heraklion. Quark sighed as he watched his younger brother scurry off to begin getting the runabout ready.
"Splendid," he muttered to himself. "What kind of universe do I live in where trying to outwit Odo is the safer of my options?"
He wondered what sort of living a Ferengi might have made in Andraeus' Imperium.
Author's Notes: Sorry about the unacceptably long delay, been working as many hours as possible and getting ready for my wedding in August. for all that, though, my stories that I am writing are still on my mind and I am determined to finish them all.
Hopefully I am getting the DS9 personalities right and everyone finds them tolerable. Now that the cat is out of the quantum bag about Andraeus' origins, get ready for some fun twists along the way while he tries to get home.
Hopefully you're all enjoying the good weather. Glory to the Emperor!
- Management