Disclaimers

All characters appearing in Star Trek, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek Deep Space Nine and Star Trek Voyager are copyright Paramount Pictures. No infringement of these copyrights is intended, and is not authorized by the copyright holder.

All characters appearing in Doctor Who are copyright the BBC. The Daleks are copyright the BBC and the estate of Terry Nation. No infringement of these copyrights is intended, and is not authorized by the copyright holder.

All original characters are the property of Celgress.

Star Trek Voyager/Doctor Who Crossover – Worst Case Scenario: Chapter 15: Web of Intrigue

By

Celgress

Former Nightmare Child current Liberty Station Delta Quadrant, six month after seizure

"Incoming friendly vessels unlocking entry aperture Alpha-Twenty-Three," Data said from his standing station in the improvised command center. "Sensors indicate the vessels have suffered heavy damage."

"Receiving communication from General Martok," Harry Kim said from a separate standing station.

"Patch General Martok through," Captain Picard said from his position in a large chair placed in the center of the command chamber; Tomalak was seated to his right Dukat to his left. A life sized hologram of General Martok appeared in front of the command chairs. "Greetings General, what did you discover while on reconnaissance duty?"

"Trouble," Martok said.

Twenty minutes later most of the senior personnel had gathered in a large chamber converted to staff meetings. Before being taken over from the Daleks the room had been wasted space. Repurposing it hadn't been difficult once there was enough free time. They were seated around a large oblong shaped table.

"The Daleks are gathering a massive fleet near Tholian Space, made up of over two thousand Dalek, Jem'Hadar and Bree ships half are Dalek. My patrol accidentally encountered this fleet. My four vessels barely escaped intact."

"If the Daleks overwhelm the Tholians then only the First Federation will remain to resist them in the Alpha Quadrant." Tuvok commented. "Logic dictates we must intervene." Unnoticed by Tuvok his daughter Asil rolled her eyes at her father's emotionless comment, but said nothing.

"With what," Gul Dukat said. "Even with the Doctor's multitronic weapons, adaptive armor and force shielding we don't have enough ships to mount a concentrated attack against a numerically superior force with any hope of success."

"Aye, I must agree. Much as it pains me." Scotty said. "Twenty-two well equipped ships cannot defeat two thousand equally well equipped ships."

"What about the Phage's forces?" Kira said. "We could ask the Master for assistance."

"Perhaps," Sisko mused. "However if we are victorious the Phage will no doubt occupy whatever territory we take from the Daleks."

"Captain Sisko I get the distinct impression you do not completely trust our Phage allies." Tomalak said provocatively.

"Do you completely trust them Commander Tomalak?" Sisko said turning the crafty Romulan's tactic against him.

"I asked you first Captain Sisko." Tomalak said smiling.

"With all due respect, I decline to answer." Sisko said smiling back.

"May I ask on what grounds?" Tomalak said.

"Irrelevancy," Sisko said.

"People," Picard said verbally stepping in before the situation could further escalate. A role he'd sadly been forced into more times they he cared to admit over the past six months. "We need a plan. These circular hypotheticals are getting us nowhere."

"Can we possibly increase ship production speed?" Riker said.

"Not by much," Geordi said. "We are already running at maximum capacity given current matter intake levels. If we fully understood how this technology works perhaps we could squeeze out more production."

"Or if we were willing to consume great amounts of raw materials." Damar grumbled.

"We can't crank the production up to full capacity until we know what effect the continual destruction of solar systems is having on our galaxy." Chakotay reminded.

"Meanwhile we are losing this war." Damar said sullenly.

"We haven't lost yet." Riker said.

"A win without honor is no win at all." Worf said.

"Certain things trump honor, such as survival." Tomalak said.

"I would expect such comments from a Romulan." Worf growled as did Martok.

"And I would expect such blind arrogance from a Klingon." Tomalak shot back.

At Tomalak and Worf's heated exchange every Romulan and Klingon in the room, of which there were several security officers each, reached for their weapons and took up positions besides their respective seated representatives. "Please," Picard said once again playing the role or level headed arbitrator. "We should be fighting the Daleks and their minions not each other. Need I remind you they are our true enemies?"

"Quite right Captain Picard." Weyoun said. "Such wasted effort is, beyond distasteful."

"I move this meeting be adjourned." Janeway said. "It is obvious we aren't going to make any headway at present."

"I agree," Picard said. "Meeting adjourned until further notice."

Research Section

"I'll never understand you Garak." Bashir said.

"My dear doctor what is there to understand? I'm an open book as they say." Garak said in his usual glib tone.

"An open book written in heavily coded text." Bashir laughed.

"If you insist," Garak said shrugging. "In my own mind I will always remain plain, simple Garak the tailor."

"Please after everything we've be through the past five years drop the pretense Garak." Shelby said from her nearby workstation. "We know you are a former Obsidian Order operative. A rather high ranking one from what I can gather."

"Commander Shelby you flatter me. Yes, I was the gardener of their compound on Romulus for a time. It was a contract position. However I technically was never part of the Order itself." Garak said.

"Gardener," Odo snorted.

"Excuse me constable, is there a problem?" Garak said turning to Odo who had wondered into the area while on his off time. Although in all honesty it wasn't in Odo's nature to take a break of any sort. Because of his unique nature and his unquestionable integrity, he was devoted to maintaining law & order above all else, Odo had been picked to lead internal security on Liberty Station. Beside the Doctor, who was an outsider of another order, Odo was the only entity universally respected and implicitly trusted by the diverse factions that made up the population.

"No problem Mr. Garak." Odo said. "I simply find it, interesting that you were a gardener on Romulus during an unprecedented spat of poising deaths of high ranking Romulan officials involving exotic plants."

"Yes, I can see why that might peak your interest constable." Garak said the ghost of a smile played across his features. "I assure you I had no direct involvement in the events in question."

"I'm sure." Odo again snorted. Shelby and Bashir smiled.

The Tardis somewhere in Space/Time

"Don't worry old girl." The Doctor said patting the central island gently. "We'll be leaving soon as I sort this lot of interfering Daleks and their puppets out. I know you don't like it here, but hold on awhile longer."

After over six months spent in an alien universe both the Doctor and his Tardis were feeling the effects. Everything was wrong, off here at least from their perspectives. The Doctor had no idea how his enemies, the Daleks and the Master (in the Master's case far longer due to temporal displacement), had dealt with the off putting atmosphere long as they had. Five plus one half years here without going stark raving mad was unfathomable to his mind. What was their secret? Another problem was the longer The Doctor and Tardis spent here the harder it would be to cross over back where they'd came from. While the Doctor felt obliged to help his new found friends out of their terrible predicament he had no intentions of becoming trapped here permanently.

"There's only one solution. I must speed things along, question is how?" The Doctor muttered to himself.

Phage Command Ship outside Liberty Station nebula Delta Quadrant

"Intelligence indicates the Alliance leadership is seriously contemplating coming to the military aid of the Alpha Quardrant power known as the Tholians." A humanoid Phage reported to the Master and Kes.

"Leave us," Kes commanded from her throne waving the humanoid Phage out of the royal room/command bridge. "Interesting, how should we precede my love." Kes said turning her attention to her right where the Master sat upon his own throne.

"With utmost caution," The Master answered.

"Could we not send a portion of our own considerable forces to covertly assist these Tholians? Pre-empt the Alliance's design, and gain favor with a new alley who we could potentially later be vassalize?" Kes said.

"If we did that my treasure the Alliance would quickly discover our betrayal. Then as they say the game would be up. No, the wiser course of action is to do nothing, unless first approached by either the Tholians or Alliance." The Master said grinning. "In the meantime we shall not sit idle."

"What new scheme is percolating in that devious mind of yours my king?" Kes said.

"I think it is high time we draw another player into this game my queen. A secret friend, in a manner of speaking, we can retrain as a trump card and unleash when the time is right." The Master said.

"I like it." Kes said smiling wickedly along with her husband. "Tell me who or what do you have in mind my lord and master?"

"That's a surprise," The Master said. "Suffice to say once my friend is unleashed the Doctor will lose all will to continue the good fight."

"This person, thing, or group will have that pronounced an affect upon him? Will he/she/it/they kill him?" Kes inquired captivated by the Master's macabre hints.

"Kill him the fun is over." The Master said joyously. "My beloved Kes our game, his and mine, has never been about destroying the Doctor outright. That would show a lack of creativity on my part. Instead I wish to break him, mind and soul. Show him the error of his ways and demonstrate my superiority in all things. My latest gift will do just that, and more."

"I freely admit I'm intrigued." Kes said. "Do tell me more, at least a hint."

"Very well, there is an arrow that can both create and destroy." The Master stated cryptically.

"I don't understand." Kes said frowning. "Please one more hint, please my world."

"Of course I can deny you nothing my sweet Kes. One who does not value his own life offer places the preservation of another above himself." The Master said mysteriously.

"Hmmmm," Kes said but did not offer any guesses. "I'm stumped."

"Don't be too hard on yourself." The Master said. "When my friend is brought here all shall be made clear."

"And you're sure this 'friend' can bring the Doctor to his knees?" Kes said not at all convinced.

"I rest my reputation as a transdimensional tyrant upon it." The Master said with conviction. "The Doctor will become a nonissue once my friend arrives, trust me he's finished." The Master's laughter echoed throughout the mother ship.

To Be Continued