Chapter Thirteen

Captain Geordi Laforge sat in the ready room, his ready room, still adjusting to his promotion, barely a week old when Worf's voice came over the inter-ship intercom, "Shields up! All crew to battlestations, Captain Laforge to the bridge! Geordi practically vaulted his desk and entered the bridge as the inter-ship channel closed. "Status report Mr. Worf!" Worf looked up from the Tactical station and said, Captain, a Borg cube is coming out of a warp now and all weapons systems on the Redemption have just powered up!" As Worf finished speaking, a transmission was received, ""We are the Borg. Your technological distinctiveness will be added to our own. You will be assimilated. Resistance is futile."

Before Geordi could begin issuing any orders, Worf said, "The Redemption is firing!" As Geordi looked at the viewscreen, he could barely believe his optic implants as the Redemption opened up and quickly reduced the cube to debris. A childhood memory came unbidden to Geordi as he remembered a vaguely remembered quotation from when, as a child, he read the Bible, "Dear Mary, mother of God in Heaven!" Worf's exclamation was a Klingonese/English hybrid of, "Holy Khest!" Geordi fell into the Captain's seat, suddenly weak in the knees and mused out loud, "To think that Warlord Regis only fired on us twice and nearly destroyed the Enterprise D! To actually see what a ship like the Redemption can do when commanded effectively!" Worf unconsciously said, "I concur."

Aboard the Titan and Voyager respectively, similar exclamations of shock and barely grasped comprehension followed suit. Bridge officers of both ships as well as their respective Captains and XO's simultaneously thought back to the start of the mission, when they came into the sector, weapons hot, ready to fight and probably die to prevent Regis from trying to conquer the Federation.

Back aboard the Redemption, Janeway contacted all three Starfleet vessels for status reports while the Borg drone debris was handled with a joint effort between Armis and Ryu using the Force to levitate all the pieces to the nearest waste disposal chute, jettisoned and promptly incinerated by the point defense laser crews. An hour later, after ensuring that the three Starfleet vessels under her overall command had remained uncompromised by the Borg, Janeway caught up with Picard as Armis was saying to Michelle and Deanna, "Just as your Starfleet Command is primarily exploration with an inescapable element of military, so too is the Jedi way. We are usually called in as mediators and instruments of peace, but there is an element of the warrior that can't be denied. As I mentioned earlier, the Jedi Order has been granted limited police powers in all sectors. We don't actively pursue criminals but may sometime be asked to assist as Investigators or bodyguards. Speaking for myself, I would much rather meditate in the Force and refine my understanding of it, but sometimes, I am called to fight. As you learn of the Force, you will gain your own understanding and find your own place in it. Deanna, you would make an excellent diplomat since you're already empathically inclined. Michelle, you would probably do well as a general purpose member of the Order, much like your cousin Ryu but as I said, you both will find your own path; no one will choose one for you. If either of you have any second thoughts about training, I will completely understand if you decline now. I too went through my own phase of deciding whether or not to train as a Jedi. Overall though, I believe with all my heart that it was the best choice I could've made."

Michelle answered without skipping a beat, "I'm in. I want to explore this potential I have, and I want to meet more of my extended family." Deanna said, "I too will follow through with my decision. Training as a Jedi can only help me become a better Counselor, and I already feel the desire to teach others after I gain my own proficiency. I remember back aboard the Titan when you told Will and I that it would take several years to recruit the Force Sensitive people we'll need to start our own branch of the Jedi Order." Armis smiled, "Very well. Starting tomorrow Michelle, Ryu will be your training partner for now and it will give you both more time to get to know each other as the family you are. Deanna, I'll start working with you at that time too. For now, you're free to do as you wish. You can stay and listen to what I have to say to the Admirals or not; your choice." Michelle bowed shortly and said, "Yes Master Rau," and left the Command Deck. Deanna hesitated a moment then said, "If you don't mind, Armis . . . no, Master Rau, I'd like to spend tonight with my husband. Until the hub-station on your side of the rift is online and the station on my side likewise, I won't be able to speak with Will." Armis nodded and said, "Please do so. I want you both to be certain that you want to separate for the time required for your training. My Master, Ronin, told me about the time he had to be separated from his wife Gabrielle while she was away completing her training. He told me how difficult it was at first, to be separated from her, but in the end, it was for the better that she finished her training." Deanna duplicated the short bow that Michelle used and left the Command Deck to arrange transport over to the Titan as that she no longer carried a com-badge on her person.

Turning his attention back to Admirals Janeway and Picard, Armis said, "How are the others? Problems? Did the Borg try to board them too or just us?" Janeway said, "After the cube was obliterated, Captains Chakotay, Laforge and Riker-Troi coordinated focused sensor scans on each other's ships and visual searches of their own and found no sign of any Borg. It seems they were after you. The three science departments have theorized that the energy discharge of the Redemption coming through the rift acted like a beacon to this cube, which was probably and hopefully the only one in the quadrant. Our studies of the Borg in general support their observed behaviors that each cube usually operates on its own, assimilating and expanding its piece of the Collective until or unless a meeting is called for by the Queen, at which point, they will meet at a trans-warp hub and decide what to do from there."

Picard spoke now, "I confess to curiosity as to when the Redemption had torpedo launchers installed. None of the information you provided when we first met even suggested it." Armis said, "That's because it's pretty much specific to the New Republic. During the Rebellion, one of the Empire's greatest weaknesses was in underestimating the effectiveness of such weapon systems. The Empire was very much a 'speak loudly and carry a big gun' kind of mentality. The Rebellion operated in small units and a cell structure hierarchy. Each piece of the Rebellion was quite capable of doing a significant amount of damage on its objective and then jumping to hyperspace to evade capture. When you get around to it Admiral Picard and you too Admiral Janeway, look up the Battle of Yavin in our history archives and you'll get a glimpse of how our galactic civil war was won. Make no mistake, it was a bloody conflict and one we hope never happens again."

Armis said, "I know it's a change of subject, but do you like your protocol droid Admiral Picard? Will she be sufficient for the needs of your duties as Ambassador-at-Large?" Picard said, "Quite sufficient Armis. Thank you for assigning her to me. While it will take some getting used to having Emerald following me about, we have a saying back on Earth, a very old saying, 'When in Rome, do like the Romans.' Armis sensed the humorous intent and chuckled. He said, "If I understand the reference correctly, it's quite accurate. We have one similar, it goes, 'If someone calls you a Hutt, ignore them. If two people call you a Hutt, begin to wonder. If three or more people call you a Hutt, get yourself a drool bucket and start hoarding spice." While neither Picard nor Janeway knew what a Hutt or spice was, they both could sense the humor in the comment and chuckled.

Janeway directed her attention towards Picard and said, "It's time I returned to the Voyager and prepared for our trip home and I imagine you as well have a few last minute things to take care of before you officially begin your duties as Ambassador-at-Large Jean-Luc so I'll bid you fair winds and following seas, wherever you find them on your journey. Maybe someday, I'll be able to visit." Picard said, "It's been a pleasure working with you Kathryn and I look forward to the reactions my first reports generate in the Federation Council and your visit as well. I hope you too find fair winds and following seas."

Janeway smiled, tapped her com-badge and said, "Janeway to Voyager, one to beam over." The on duty transporter chief said, "Very well Admiral. Standby . . . energizing." With a shimmer of energy, Janeway was enveloped by the transporter effect and vanished a moment later. Armis said, "I do look forward to seeing that technology on my side of the rift. It will cause quite a stir, that's for certain." Turning to face Picard, he said, "If you or your wife have any questions or concerns Admiral Picard, please don't hesitate to contact me through Emerald or Commander Mythril. For now, I must attend to our preparations to return through the rift." Picard nodded in understanding and left the Command Deck, already looking forward to speaking with Beverly about her experiences of the day and also looking forward to the journey through the rift and his duties as Amabassador-at-Large. He decided to start with a trip to the ship's library to look up The Battle of Yavin that Armis had mentioned.