A/N: I'm attempting to add more detail and characterization to my stories. This may lead to increase filler chapters between the really exciting parts. Please be patient.

Chapter 2

The Wait

The Republic ship dropped out of hyperspace exactly twenty-thousand kilometers from the rift. The ventral bay doors opened and the U.S.S. Agamemnon detached itself from the larger ship with thrusters then switched to impulse engines. The Agamemnon and Resolute both plunged into the rift. The ride was smoother for the Federation ship due to an adjustment to the inertial compensators, but the Republic cruiser was jostled a bit. Twenty minutes later they emerged into Federation space. The Captain sent off a preliminary report to Starfleet Command which detailed his encounters with the enemy ships and the new technology discovered aboard the Republic ship. In response Command ordered him to hold his position. The helmsmen doubled checked the position and confirmed that they were indeed in Federation space. "Captain, we're right where we should be. Shall I set a course for the nearest starbase?" asked Ensign Williams.

"Not yet. I'm going to talk with Starfleet Command and see what we need to do. We'll probably end up hitching another ride from the Resolute. Commander Trell any comm traffic?"

"We are receiving a message from Admiral Paris. Alpha Priority channel."

"Route it to my ready room."

"Aye sir."

Captain Keller entered his ready room and sat down. He turned the small laptop around and turned it on. "Enter voice authorization code." said the computer

"Authorization KellerAlphaThreeZeroFive"

"Authorization confirmed."

"Captain. We're all chomping at the bit to find out what's on the other side of that rift. I see you've brought the ship you rescued back through the rift. Your report stated you rescued them from a mercenary attack and that these people are currently engaged in a civil war. You know as well as I do that we can't interfere except if we're threatened or we're negotiating the peace. For now I'm authorizing the Resolute to travel to Starbase 82 for further repairs as well as a study group for this 'hyperdrive' technology. I'm on my way to 82 myself but it'll be a few days. I'm also ordering additional ships to secure the mouth of the rift. If the CIS comes through and attacks I want to be ready."

"Understood sir. I do have an idea however...My Chief Engineer has retrofitted a shuttle with a small hyperdrive unit. I'd like to test it by having it come to you and bringing you here. It's only going to take a few hours for us to get to Starbase 82 from here. We traveled four light years in about three hours. It took us almost a day to reach their position from the rift at warp. We estimate travel to Starbase 82 at about four hours. To come get you and bring you there, would be about a day."

"Thats...impressive. Very well, I'll await your shuttle."

"Understood sir. Keller out."

Keller walked back out onto the bridge. "Bridge to Engineering."

"Go ahead."

"Is that shuttle you were working on ready to go?"

"Yes sir. I'd like to run a few more diagnostics before I take a test flight but-"

"Good, I want you to take the shuttle to Starbase 67 and pick up Vice Admiral Owen Paris. Then bring him to Starbase 82."

"Understood sir, I'll start prepping the shuttle."

"Lt. Adams hail the Resolute."

"Channel open."

"This is the Resolute."

"General Skywalker, we're going to wait here a bit, then make our way to Starbase 82. One of our Admirals is going to come talk with you. I'm sending a shuttle refitted with a hyperdrive to get him. We'll dock with your ship again and jump to hyperspace in about twelve hours."

"Understood. I see more ships are arriving...quite a few actually. I thought you told me the Federation was peaceful."

"We are, we're just taking precautions. We've recently run into powerful threats which have forced us to upgrade the combat capabilities of our fleet. The ships you see here are normal patrol ships. I've been informed that some war-time refits are on their way as well, but we have no dedicated warships. Our ships are all multi-role starships. They can perform any number of tasks from science and exploration to escort and full fleet combat. My ship is Excelsior class, in your terms it would be considered a light cruiser."

"Sir, the shuttle has left the ship and jumped to hyperspace." Adams interjected. Keller nodded in response.

"I see. Well, we appear to have plenty of time on our hands. Mind if I come aboard and study your database while we wait?"

"Not at all. If fact we have a few technologies we want to introduce you to. We have a device that converts matter to energy then converts it back to matter at another location. We called it a transporter. Our replicators work the same way only they produce food and small items in one location."

"Interesting. I'd love to take a look at your systems."

"Stand by, we'll beam you aboard in a moment."

Keller left the bridge and went to the transporter room. The operator on duty nodded to him and said "I have a lock on General Skywalker sir."

"Energize."

A column of blue light appeared on the pad. The column quickly resolving into the form of a man. The man had a scar along his eyebrow. The result of a brush with a lightsaber. He took a breath and checked to make sure all of himself was there.

"Welcome aboard General."

"An interesting method of travel."

"That it is. If you'll follow me I'll take you to the library."

The General nodded and followed the Captain out the door. They chatted in the turbolift then proceeded to the library. Skywalker had read the technical journals and was eager to learn more, then began reading about the recent threats. "These Borg are something else. Like droids mixed with people."

"They killed several thousand Federation citizens. One of their cubes destroyed an armada of 48 starships at Wolf 359. That's how I ended up with this command. I was the first officer on the U.S.S. Melbourne, it was the same type as this ship, when we were hit. The Captain ordered all hands to abandon ship. He was about to leave himself when a Borg transporter beam took him."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"It's alright. We learned from that mistake. We're making progress towards a more powerful fleet."

"A sensible course of action in light of a threat of this magnitude."

"Indeed...so tell me...did the you join the Republic military before the Civil War started?"

"There was no military...only the growing threat of the Separatists. The Senate had to hold a debate on even creating a military. All this really started over the taxation of trade routes by the Republic. In protest the Trade Federation blockaded a peaceful planet known as Naboo. I was just a slave boy on Tatooine at the time. Until the Queen's ship landed on the outskirts of Mos Espa and tried to buy parts from my owner. They didn't have the right currency so I volunteered to participate in a pod-race. I was the only human who had the reflexes necessary. The Pod in pod-race refers to a small open-air cockpit in which the driver sits. The pod is connected to two or more larger jet engines and must pilot the craft through the course. I managed to win and my owner gave him the parts. Unbeknownst to me Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn had made another deal...one for my freedom. I was able to go with him because I had Jedi traits." Keller nodded. He knew about the Jedi. Skywalker had explained the Warrior-Monk order to him the first time they met.

Skywalker continued the story of how he began his Jedi training and ten years later was assigned to protect the now Senator from Naboo, and how they were forced to hide on Naboo itself while his master Obi-Wan Kenobi followed up on leads from the assassination attempt. He concluded with his account of the Battle of Geonosis and the six-month conflict that followed. Keller responded with a deeper history of the Federation including its laws against genetic engineering. He also commented on the Jedi Code. Specifically the parts that forbid a Jedi to form attachments. "It doesn't make sense to forbid every Jedi from having a relationship just because they believe it leads to the 'Dark Side' of this 'Force'. I would think a family would give a Jedi great inner strength and help the Jedi to resist the temptation to go to the Dark Side.

Skywalker hesitated. "Captain..."

"Bridge to Captain Keller."

"Go ahead."

"The shuttle has arrived safely at Starbase 67 sir and they've pickup Admiral Paris. They are now on their way to Starbase 82."

"Very well, begin the calculations for the jump to lightspeed on a course towards that Starbase. Helm, begin docking procedures. We'll jump as soon as we've docked."

"Understood sir."

"Now you were saying?" asked Keller

"It can wait." replied Skywalker

"I should return to the bridge."

"I'd like to come along if that's alright."

"Of course."

They made their way to the turbolift and set the destination for the bridge. Midway there the helmsmen came over the comm. "Captain...she's here."

"Who ensign?" the Captain asked with a frown.

"Big D sir. The Enterprise."