Chapter Five

At exactly 1845 local time, the shuttle carrying Admiral Janeway, Captains Picard, Riker and Chakotay, Counselor Troi and Commander Worf departed the Enterprise for the short flight to the Redemption. As soon as the shuttle's course was laid in, the escort fighters took up their stations around it. Janeway turned to Picard in her seat and said, "What do you make of our escorts Jean-Luc?" Picard looked over the sensor readings and what he could see through the cockpit window and said, "Quite an eclectic flight group I must say. The X-Wing I recognize because that was what Armis was flying in when we first picked him up. The TIE Fighter I recognize from the after-action reports that Will Riker, Worf and Geordi filed. As for the rest, according to the files we got from the captured hardware of Regis's, they are an A-Wing, B-Wing, Y-Wing, a TIE Interceptor, a TIE Bomber and a TIE Defender.

Chakotay said, "I remember reading up on the scans that Commander Laforge took of the X-Wing and the captured TIE Fighters. I was thoroughly impressed by their hardware specifications. All that firepower wrapped up in so small a craft shouldn't be possible but somehow, for the galaxy that Master Rau comes from, its old technology that has managed to keep pace with the rest of their science but for the occasional refit. We're lucky if we can get twenty years of service life from a front-line starship. To think that they have vessels flying around that have quite literally been in service for a generation or more is almost mind boggling."

Riker and Deanna chuckled at this comment. Chakotay turned to face them with a questioning look. Riker said, "No disrespect intended Captain Chakotay, Deanna and I were just thinking what Data would have made of a thought like that is all. Picard smiled then and said, "Too true Will; too true. I'm sure he would have calculated the odds to the tenth decimal point or so, just like he used to after he first joined us for the Farpoint mission. Chakotay said, "I understand now. No offense taken Captain Riker; now that I think about it, Data and Seven might have had a truly fascinating discussion over that." Silence reigned for the last few minutes of the flight when the comm-panel lit up. The pilot activated it to receive the landing instructions, "Starfleet shuttle, this is Redemption Flight Ops, standby for landing. Place your vessel in a linear alignment with the flashing signal straight ahead of you and ensure you have equilateral clearance to port, starboard, fore and aft. After acquiring position, shut down your primary engines and go to attitude thrusters. After clearing the docking bay ledge, follow the landing tech's signals to a landing. Welcome aboard. Redemption Flight Ops out."

Five minutes later, the shuttle gently touched down in the precise center of the landing grid, as per instructions and shut down its systems. As the shuttle's aft hatch began to lower, Picard stood, gave an unconscious tug on the hem of his dress uniform and took up a position on Janeway's right side as second senior officer. Chakotay stood to her left while Riker took up position behind and to her right, Worf behind and to the left, and Deanna on Riker's right. As the shuttle hatch finished opening, the group was greeted by an arrangement on each side of a length of red carpet of New Republic troopers and Imperial Remnant Stormtroopers in alternating places. The New Republic Troopers were dressed in black boots, gray pants and shirt with a black vest over the shirt and oval white helmet with raised blast shield. The Stormtroopers were in their standard white armor. Both sets of soldiers held their weapons at port arms directly in front of them, each piece of armor or accessory was polished clean and bright.

At the head of the honor guard stood Armis Rau, an unfamiliar blue-skinned officer next to him and a few others behind them including some droids. As Janeway stepped down onto the carpet a voice came over the intercom, "Now arriving, Commander United Federation of Planets strikefore, Admiral Janeway, now arriving Commander U.S.S. Voyager, Captain Chakotay, now arriving, Commander U.S.S. Enterprise, Captain Picard, now arriving, Commander U.S.S. Titan, Captain Riker. The four commanding officers, followed by their respective subordinate officers walked down the carpet in a measured pace neither too fast or too slow. At the end of the carpet, Janeway extended her hand which Armis accepted in a firm grip.

Meeting each person's eyes as he spoke Armis said, "Welcome aboard the Star Destroyer Redemption Admiral Janeway, Captain Picard, and Captain Chakotay. Congratulations to you Captain Riker; and congratulations to you Commander Worf." Each person expressed their gratitude to the warm welcome. Armis spoke again, "Allow me to introduce you to my Executive Officer, Commander Mythril." Mythril gave a click of his heels and short nod to the group. Also, I'd like you to meet my good friend and fellow Jedi, Ryu Jayks. He's the son of my teacher, Ronin Jayks whom I mentioned to you back when we first met Captain Picard." At the introduction, a man stepped forward. He was tall, 6'0", in the old measurement and wore a red headband across his forehead and tied in the back to keep his light brown, semi-shaggy hair out of his hazel eyes. He wore a neatly trimmed goatee on his chin and wore a perfectly tailored suit of black pants and top, lightsaber hanging on its hook at his left hip. Behind him could be seen Armis's droid Creak and another droid, this one with an inverted flowerpot of a head, standing next to Ryu Jayks.

Admiral Janeway said, "Thank you for the magnificent welcome aboard your ship Master Rau. Rarely have I seen its like anywhere in the Federation. I sincerely hope with all my heart that this will usher in a time of great cooperation and learning between our three societies." Armis nodded and smiled as he said, "I can sense your sincerity Admiral. I too hope this marks a great beginning for our peoples. Would you like a tour of the ship? Or would you prefer dinner first and then a tour?" Janeway said, "I think a tour would be a perfect start. Captains; do you concur?"

Picard, Riker and Chakotay all nodded agreement. Armis said, "With your permission Admiral Janeway, I'll let Captain Picard dismiss the honor guard." When she nodded, all eyes turned to him. Picard felt himself start to blush. Before he could politely decline, Armis said, "Captain Picard, I can sense your willingness so please don't try to decline." Picard mentally swore to himself, he did want to dismiss the troops though he wasn't an infantry man by inclination or training. Clearing his throat, he called out in an unexpected, sharp staccato tone, "DETACHMENT . . . STAND-DOWN!"

Both rows of troops executed a beautiful about-face in exact time and marched out of the V.I.P. bay. Picard wondered to himself, "Where did that come from?" The same thought echoed through the minds of the Starfleet personnel who knew Picard best though no one else knew it at the time. Armis motioned with an arm, "This way please. I'll be happy to lead the tour myself."

As the tour began, by unspoken agreement, Picard, Riker, Troi and Worf all gathered with Armis, while Janeway, Chakotay and Ryu accompanied Mythril with the droids following. Picard spoke, "When did you become a Jedi Master, Armis? From what you told us of the structure of the Jedi Order, it usually takes many years before a Jedi is raised to Mastery. I'm also curious in that I see two lightsabers on your belt." Armis said, "After I returned to my galaxy, I had to play tag with Regis for a time before I caught up with the joint New Republic/Imperial Remnant taskforce whose mission was to stop him. Regis was so focused on me that he jumped right into the trap. He was arrested, tried and imprisoned. Shortly thereafter, he committed suicide in prison. The Ragnorak was recommissioned into the Redemption and added to the joint taskforce. It's been quite a few years since then. I undertook several missions for Luke Skywalker, the head of the reconstituted Jedi Council. In that time, I've learned how to commune with my father, Cestus Rau, who died when I was still a teenager. It may be hard for you to believe, but my father had become so strong with the Force that he was able to retain his identity in it after his physical body died. My father gave me additional training in the use of two lightsaber combat. After Master Skywalker saw my proficiency and listened to my story, he raised me to Master rank about two years ago or so now. Since then, I've been responsible for a task that started as a conversation between my Master, Ronin Jayks and Master Skywalker several years ago."

While Picard cogitated this, Riker said, "I won't pretend to understand how you can speak with your Father, but that is flat out amazing that you can. What task have you been working on then Armis?" Armis said, "As the tale was related to me, it seems that several years ago, before Master Ronin died, when he first met Master Skywalker, Ronin said to him that if there had been several Jedi Temples spread out across the galaxy instead of only one, on Coruscant, the Emperor probably wouldn't have been able to find them all and destroy them. Hindsight as the say is 20/20. I agree with my teacher's thought on this. So I and a few others have been traveling around the galaxy starting Jedi Temples. Some large, some small, some hidden, others in plain sight; each with its own database of recovered Jedi Lore that Ryu's adopted brother, Dieter Jayks-Bree helped find and restore. Only a few of us know where they're all at. This way, if ever another Emperor comes to power, the Jedi of that time and place will have at their disposal, the tools and knowledge necessary to end his or her rule before another eighteen years of darkness, blood and suffering can elapse.

Deanna spoke now, "Armis, just how long has it been for you since we first met on the Enterprise D?" Armis thought a moment and said, "For me it's been about ten years or so. Why do you ask? How long has it been for you?" Deanna said, "From our perspective, it's only been about seven years. I guess time passes differently for our galaxies." Armis nodded, "It seems you're right but it's not so bad. When you think about the possible permutations to the space-time continuum, it could have been decades or even longer between our meetings." Addressing Captain Picard, Armis said, "Please tell me what's been happening for you and your people."

Picard said, "Where to begin? So much has happened since we met you Armis. A few years after our meeting, the Federation was involved in a fearsome war with the Dominion, an empire built by a race of shape-shifting changelings from the Gamma quadrant. After the Dominion War ended, the Enterprise D was destroyed on a mission and the Enterprise E built to succeed her. We've had to face down the Borg queen when she attempted to go back in time and stop humanity's first contact with an extraterrestrial race. That was a close thing. We've also helped to root out a conspiracy within Starfleet to displace a gentle race of humans whose planet has rings of incredibly rare radiation. The radiation extends their lifespan by centuries. From there, we entered into formal peace negotiations with the Romulan Star Empire after their Praetor died trying to use a clone of me for a failed espionage mission. On that mission, Data sacrificed his life to stop Shinzon's superweapon. Will Riker and Deanna were married and he went on to command the Titan, Worf formally transferred back to the Enterprise from Deep Space Nine and was promoted to my Executive Officer after Will Riker's original replacement found the Enterprise not to his liking and requested transfer elsewhere."

Questions and answers alike flowed between the Starfleet personnel and Armis or Mythril for the remainder of the tour. Afterwards, the group went to the Flag Conference Room and sat down to a sumptuous dinner of several courses. During dinner, Picard unconsciously performed a wine test. He said, "This wine is elegant. Where does it come from?" Armis said, "It comes from Ryu Jayk's homeworld, a former colony, now a New Republic Territory. It's one of New Hope's staple exports and has found quite a following in both the New Republic and the Imperial Remnant." By dinner's end, the Starfleet personnel were conversing with Armis and Ryu like old friends with the slightly taciturn Commander Mythril looking on. Over the dessert course Armis asked Deanna, "Have you given any thought to beginning your studies to become a Jedi, Deanna?" She laughed lightly and said, "I had almost forgotten about that Armis. Will and I need to talk it over. I'll get back to you though." Armis nodded. Turning back to Janeway, he said, "Admiral, on our side of the rift, a scientific station and trade hub will be built so that vessels can come and go freely if these negotiations come to the successful close that I foresee if we continue as we are. Will the Federation be able to do likewise?"

Janeway said, "The decision is not solely mine but my report will go a long ways towards it though. As to building a station or some such, time will tell." Picard said, "Admiral, do you think that the Cardassians would be interested in selling their abandoned station Empak Nor to us? I would imagine that the financial arrangement would be very helpful to their economy." Janeway said, "They might be interested at that. Commander Worf, I've read over several of the reports from Deep Space Nine. Do you think Chief O'Brian would be interested in heading up that project, if it goes through?"

Worf looked over at the Admiral from his conversation with Mythril and said, "If Chief O'Brian is ordered to, he will do so of course. Otherwise I think the human phrase 'Not a snowball's chance in hell', would be his most likely answer. Even though he had worked out most of the interface problems between the Cardassian, Bajoran and Federation hardware and software by the time I reported for duty aboard DS9, he was and still is plagued by the occasional glitch or programming conflict. It might be more cost and labor effective to build our own station after all, if this alliance comes to fruition." Janeway nodded in understanding. Then she said, "Excellent points Commander Worf, I'll be sure to include them in my report to Starfleet. For now though, it might be for the best to get someone out here from the Diplomatic Corps."

Ryu, who had had little to contribute to the conversation to this point, asked Riker, "Captain Riker, as soon as it's convenient for you, I need to go to your ship. The Force is telling me that I need to go there very soon. Can it be arranged?" Rider said, "I don't see why not. Can you be more specific though? Is it something that I should worry about as the Captain of the Titan?" Ryu said, "Not at all. I feel that there is something over there, calling to me. It's very hard to put into words. I'm sorry I can't be as specific as you'd like." Riker smiled, "Don't worry Mr. Jayks. Being married to an empathic woman as I am, I regularly encounter situations like yours." Deanna playfully slapped her husband's shoulder and said, "You've never complained Imzadi." As Riker smiled at his wife, attention was drawn back to the head of the table where Janeway, Picard and Armis were sitting. Armis said, "Admiral, I can't think of anyone better suited to the duties of Ambassador-at-large than Captain Picard."

Elsewhere, many, many light years away, Miles O'Brian sneezed. Rubbing his nose, he mused to himself, "Oh no. As Keiko would say, someone must be talking about me somewhere," and went back to troubleshooting the panel he was working on while mentally cursing yet another interface glitch between the Cardassian, Bajoran and Federation hardware.