I know this isn't a Star Wars fic, but still… May the 4th be with you! 🌟 ️

Shypunk, thank you for the review. Hopefully, the longer chapter will make up for the slow update. : )

10 ~ The Battle

Still cloaked, they were almost there. Martok would lead his fleet to victory, but first, he wanted Jacob's report. Martok watched the lone ship disappear. He patiently waited, and a few minutes later, the ship returned.

"We are receiving a message," the communications officer reported.

"On screen," Martok ordered.

Jacob appeared on the view screen, though he wasn't looking up.

"There's a fleet on the other side, just as large. Dominion and Goa'uld. Scans indicate that they can switch back and forth between universes."

"Then we will have a glorious victory," Martok replied. "Keep your distance." He knew the small ship that Jacob flew had neither weapons nor shields.

"I'll keep you updated for as long as I can." Jacob disappeared.

As they moved in, Martok ordered half the ships to decloak, and they began firing. The other half would ambush any new ships coming to this universe.

Worf, meanwhile, was no longer on the Rottarran. While the largest part of the battle would be in space, ship to ship, the most dangerous part of the battle would be on the ground. There, it was Worf who would lead. While Sisko was his captain in Starfleet, this was a Klingon mission, and Worf was Second Officer of the fleet.

On a ship still cloaked, he, the Tok'ra, and the rest of the Starfleet Officers waited.

"We must decloak before we can be transported to the surface," Bashir reminded.

Soon they and many, many Klingons were beamed down. They were immediately attacked by Jem'hadar and Jaffa.

"Definitely working together!" Dax called out, almost amused.

"The phasers are not working," Martouf noticed quickly.

"Bladed weapons!" Worf ordered as if finishing the thought.

The Tok'ra had mostly opted for the mek'leth blade, except Amb, who had selected the Gin'tak spear. They still couldn't figure out how anyone actually fought with a bat'leth.

Unfortunately, the Jaffa staff weapons did work, firing balls of fire. The group had to take cover. Plans were formed, and they moved swiftly. A few Klingons were hit.

Dax managed to trick a Jem'hadar into taking a hit meant for her. She moved to help Aldwin, only to see that he didn't need her help.

"We need a distraction," Sisko said, gesturing to the Jaffa.

Bashir, Amb, and multiple Klingons volunteered, soon getting the Jaffa to fire on them as others ambushed the Jaffa from behind. Many of the Jaffa picked up on the plan before it was finished, and they were backed up by Jem'hadar.

Sisko took just a moment to catch a much needed breath, and another Jaffa seized on that. Thankfully, Worf was there.

More Klingons died, but they broke through the defense and disarmed some of the Jaffa. Lantash tossed Aldwin a staff weapon, having one himself. Worf grinned as he shot his own staff weapon. He liked shooting actual fire.

"More soldiers coming your way," Jacob's voice came through the com.

Sam frowned in worry. Her dad was not yet supposed to be close enough to monitor the planet.

He's stubborn, Kela'an thought.

Don't I know it.

Many Klingons guarded their backs as they made their way through the building. Worf and his main team fought their way to a room with a mirror.

"That's the way to the other side," Sam informed.

"What do we do?" Sisko.

"We touch It."

"That's it?!" Dax had expected something more complicated than that.

"Destroy the base from this side," Worf ordered to another Klingon.

"It will be done!"

Malek ran towards the mirror. Bashir watched him touch it, then appear to be inside it. He immediately followed, and swiftly found himself in another fight. The rest of the Tok'ra and Starfleet officers followed.

"Destroy the mirror," Worf ordered. "Start placing charges."

Amb shot it with the staff weapon twice, and that was enough.

"I hope your dad finds us," Dax said as she glanced to Sam while fighting a Jem'hadar. The Jem'hadar fought with a renewed vigor. "I don't think they are happy that we stranded them!" She yelled, half amused.

Sam almost laughed. The comments during battle reminded her of Jack. She helped Dax with that particular Jem'hadar.

"Set the charges."

"Will do." Dax grinned. "Julian."

The two of them worked together quickly as the rest held up the enemy soldiers. The charges began counting down as soon as they were placed.

"In about two minutes, we won't want to be here!" Dax yelled across the room over the commotion.

Multiple Jem'hadar stopped fighting to run to the charges, and this allowed the Tok'ra and Starfleet officers to escape much more easily.

"Disable the bombs," ordered one Jem'hadar as he began working on one of them. "Victory is life!"

Except it wasn't two minutes. It was only one.

At least, it was suppose to be, but a ship flew over to attack those who were fleeing. They hit one of the charges, causing multiple explosions that the ship itself was caught in.

The ground rocked. Shrapnel flew. They felt heat blast over them as they were thrown off their feet.

"That was a little too close," Dax said, then winced. She had been hit in the arm with jagged metal.

"Jadzia…" Worf said in worry.

"I'm just glad it wasn't my head," she half joked as he helped her up. "Did anyone else get hit, or was I the only lucky one?"

"Not just you," Aldwin replied as he moved a healing device over a very dazed Amb.

"Sorry." Jadzia felt bad about the jokes when she realized that Amb had been hit in the head.

Bashir immediately began working on Amb as well.

"Is Malek conscious?" Martouf asked in worry.

"Yes, but he's injured…bleeding."

"Symbiote blood is poisonous to humans," Bashir said, letting them know why that was an issue. He had noticed that when Selmak was injured.

"I see you," was Jacob's voice. "Stand still."

They saw his tel'tak coming for them.

"We need to fit in a small space," Sam reminded, and they all moved around Amb, who was sat up by Aldwin.

The tel'tak stopped over them just as more ships could be seen coming from the clouds. Rings came down, and they were blinded with white light before being lifted up to the ship.

"We have got to go," Jacob said as the ship was immediately fired on.

"Back to the other universe," Sisko said.

"That might have taken damage," Jacob replied as he tapped.

"Might have?"

"We can fix it," Jacob replied as they were being shot at, "and we have got bigger problems. You destroyed the base here?"

"Yes," Martouf answered as he held Amb's hand. It was the only thing he could do.

"We've done all we can then. Now we just need to avoid getting blown out of the sky." He activated the hyperdrive as soon as they were in space, then let out a sigh of relief.

Worf was not happy to leave mid-battle, but they had succeeded in their part, and he was confident that Martok would complete the victory.

"Amb, can you hear me?" Aldwin asked.

"Cerebrospinal fluid," Bashir informed as he saw the clear liquid coming from Amb's nose. "Pupils are dilated." He snapped his fingers over Amb's face. "He's awake, but he's not responding."

"Test Malek," Aldwin ordered as he ran a healing device over his husband. He had to stop that bleeding.

"Malek, can you hear us?" Martouf asked as he placed his hand over the back of Amb's neck. He gave a short nod. "He wiggled 'yes.'"

"Is Amb aware?" Aldwin asked.

"He says 'no.'"

"Malek, we both need to focus on stopping your bleeding."

"He doesn't like that idea," Martouf replied.

"Don't argue with your healer. We work on you. Doctor Bashir will work on Amb."

"He might be confused due to the blood loss," Bashir said. "Dizzy…if symbiotes get dizzy."

"We do," Aldwin replied. "Malek, you lost more blood than you realize. Amb will die if we don't stop your bleeding."

"He has agreed to your order," Martouf said.

"Good."

They worked for several minutes.

Meanwhile, Worf worked on Dax's arm, though she barely seemed to notice, at least until he had to remove the shrapnel.

"Ow!" She glared. "Warn me, next time."

"You were not paying attention."

After they stopped Malek's bleeding, Aldwin began working on Amb again.

"Jacob?" Aldwin called.

"Three days to the base, but a stargate is an hour away."

"Send a message to the Tok'ra. He needs blood antitoxin."

"I'll send the message," Sam said. "Dad, where are we meeting them?"

"Rire."

Aldwin gave a brief smile. "Ah, you will all see where Gete grew up. The stargate is in his front yard."

"Captain," Jacob said as he glanced over to Sisko.

Sisko walked over.

"Unfortunately, I don't think we can start repairs until I get this ship to the base."

"So, we're going to be here a while." Sisko could see that pleased Dax and Bashir while annoying Worf.

"We get to be your guests," Dax said.

"I'm afraid we don't have holosuites," Jacob replied. "And you'll probably find the food to be bland."

"Very bland," Sam added, "and no coffee. Actually, I have the only coffee, but I don't have any at the moment."

"No coffee? Ben, how are you going to wake up?" Dax joked.

Sisko smiled.

Martouf smiled slightly. He was still sitting by Amb, who was partly leaning against Aldwin.

"You have a head injury," Jacob realized when he looked to Sisko.

"Minor," he replied.

"I'll soon be the judge of that," Bashir assured, still working on Amb.

"How is he?" Sisko asked as he approached Amb.

"Right now, the blood is causing more damage, and he's in a great deal of pain," Aldwin replied.

"Can you give him something?"

"They are so different that any drugs I give for Amb could have the averse effect on Malek," Bashir replied. "The only one that might be best would make Malek tired."

"If he falls asleep, they'll both die," Aldwin added.

~+~+~.

An hour later, they approached a planet. Sisko's head had been healed by Sam, but Bashir had also looked at it before deciding he had been healed.

"Do they know we are coming?" Worf asked.

"Their technology is the equivalent of Earth Middle Ages," Jacob replied.

"Then they might be hostile."

"If the Tok'ra have already arrived, they know we are coming," Aldwin informed. "If they have not been informed, they'll hide."

"Hide?"

"Remember, you are in a universe ruled with fear," Martouf reminded. "If we were Goa'uld and they attacked us, everyone in their country, maybe in their entire world, would be killed. The people of the galaxy learned to submit to superior forces many generations ago."

They arrived at the planet. After they landed, a female Tok'ra came in, immediately heading to Malek.

"This is Freya," Jacob introduced.

She injected Amb with the blood antitoxin before preparing a second shot.

"Let me," Aldwin said.

"Very well," she replied, her voice indicating that the host was in control. Freya handed over the medicine.

"Malek, you are going to feel this one," Aldwin said as he grabbed the needle. He carefully felt for Malek before injecting it into him.

"What is that?" Bashir asked.

"It's specially designed to heal symbiotes, which in turn, helps them heal hosts better. Even if a symbiote is not directly injured, it briefly amps up their ability to heal."

"We have a stretcher ready for him," Freya informed.

"The pain will ease soon," Aldwin promised as he gave Amb a soft kiss. He wiped away tears.

Martouf left, returning with the stretcher. They carefully moved Amb on to it. He and Freya picked it up.

Sisko followed them out, and saw that they were next to a castle.

"Wow. He really did grow up in a castle," Dax said.

"Grandfather," greeted a young man, holding the hand of a young boy.

"Grandpas!" The boy greeted. "Father didn't know you were coming."

"I didn't know," the young man admitted.

Aldwin retreated. "I will visit you later, but right now, this man needs me." Gete gestured towards Amb. "He's severely injured."

Dax followed the Tok'ra, finding herself surprised. Gete looked around Sisko's age. He could be a young grandfather, but a great grandfather?

"You must not see the address," Aldwin said as Dax looked at the symbols on the dialing device.

She looked to the stargate. "The stargate is a ring?"

"It will form a wormhole to another planet." Aldwin tapped six symbols.

Dax grinned as she watched the ring start turning. It stopped, and a triangle glowed. Then it spun again, stopping again, and a second triangle glowed. It continued to do this until water seemed to form and shoot out before pulling back. It now rippled within the ring.

"That is impressive," Sisko said as he walked up.

Martouf and Freya immediately walked through with the stretcher, followed closely by Aldwin. Bashir also followed as he still considered Amb his patient.

"You just walk through a wormhole?" Dax asked.

"It pulls you through," Sam said. "You can't move inside it, and it does take some getting used to. The first time might make you sick."

"The sooner I take off, the sooner you all get to go back home." Jacob headed back to the ship. "I'll see you in a few days."

Sisko gave him a nod of goodbye, then they walked up to the stargate.

"Just step through," Sam said.

Worf did just that, and he felt a strange sensation that reminded him of being transported while also feeling like he was being pulled. He saw blue lights all around him, and he felt, much to his dissatisfaction, cold.

Then he walked into heat. He felt it on his eyes immediately, and the gravity was a little lighter than the planet they just came from. His stomach turned.

A warrior does not get sick, he thought to himself.

"Oh, that's unpleasant," Sisko said as soon as he came out, looking ill.

Dax came through. "That was fun." Then she frowned. "I think I'm going to be sick."

Sam waited for them to adjust, though she really wanted to be by Amb's side. She hoped he would understand.

I doubt he has noticed, Kela'an thought.

Sam nodded slightly in response. "The Tok'ra have been informed that you are coming, but they aren't the most…welcoming."

"Sounds like a challenge," Dax replied with a grin. "I like a challenge."

"We should not go out of our way to bother them," Worf said.

Sam laughed. "Well, Jadzia, you'll definitely have their attention, and being rude isn't their intent. We just aren't used to visitors."

Dax grinned, and they followed Sam. They saw the others ring downward.

"Underground?" Bashir asked.

"Underground," Sam replied.

Worf looked around as they approached where the rings would be.

"Something wrong?" Dax asked.

"We are being watched."

"We always have guards," Sam replied.

The sand was slightly disturbed where the others had gone down. Sam knew the guards were waiting until after they went down to make it appear as if no one had been there. She activated the rings.

After they rung down, Sisko was amazed they were in a tunnel made entirely out of blue crystals.

"Wow. Quark would love it," Dax said.

"He'd want to mine it," Sisko added.

"They aren't worth that much," Sam said. "They can be grown faster than he could sell them." Watching their amazement reminded her of the first time she had seen the tunnels. "Well…welcome to our home."