Peacekeeper Dax: The answer is in this chapter. "Spirit of the Abyss" Mmmm.
Senator Pardek is from the TNG two-parter "Unification." It was mentioned in it that he sat in the Senate for about 90 years, so he was a senator at the time of Khitomer.
Imperial Senate, Ra'tleihfi, Romulus
Senator Pardek, representative of the Krocton Segment, glanced at the ferocious Imperial bird clutching the two homeworlds in its talons above the main entrance into the Senate chamber. Its wingtips grazed the high domed ceiling. What a fitting crest for the Star Empire. Yet it also didn't fit the Empire. This species of bird was known for its mastery of the skies and aggressiveness in pursuing and capturing its prey. The Empire had so long hid behind its borders, preferring to parry with other powers through agents. And it has not mastered the galaxy. Yet. He hoped that one day the Empire could break through its borders and realize its manifest destiny of mastery over the entire galaxy. But not now. Not with enemies like the Taurhai and the unknown attackers smashing through the Taurhai Unity. And not with the new alliance between the Federation and the Klingon Empire.
Pardek looked down across the Senate chamber from his seat at the admiral speaking directly to Praetor Saren. The middle-aged woman has been presiding over the Senate from the Praetorial throne for decades. A capable politician. She'd even survived the scandal with Ambassador Nanclus' involvement in the anti-Khitomer conspiracy.
"...are defeated. The Imperial Fleet has observed the cube-shaped vessel destroy and disable most of the combined Klingon-Federation fleet near the Klingon outpost at Klach D'kel Brakt."
A senator stood up and said, "Praetor, I recommend we offer reinforcements to the governments of the Klingon Empire and the Federation."
The Romulan admiral scoffed.
Praetor Saren raised her eyebrows at this disrespect shown to an Imperial Senator. However, this admiral was a powerful figure within the Star Empire. "Admiral Vokar, you disagree with the motion."
"Yes, sir. The unknown hostile devastated the Taurhai Unity and decimated the combined Federation-Klingon forces. The Federation is still reeling from the loss of its two premier starships at Starbase 10. The alien vessel has been observed to leave any ship alone so long as we do not make any threatening move towards it. We are untouched. Let it strike at the Klingon barbarians and the Federation! After the vessel is undoubtedly destroyed, we can move to pick up the pieces. If we are the strong, is this not the signal for war?"
Senator Pardek frowned as many of the senators clapped their knees in support of the admiral. Even though he was a firm believer in the Romulan manifest destiny, he thought it was hardly time for war. Any war with either the Federation or the Klingons would now mean a two-front war. Undesirable in any but the best of military situations. He spoke up over the knee-slapping noise, "Admiral, must it be so? We are alone, never mind the alien invader. We attack and millions, if not billions, will die. And this time, the Federation may not stop at Cheron. You do realize that the Outmarshes dividing the two territories is only 10 light-years away from Romulus itself? Besides, Admiral, the alien vessel could be a reconnaissance force. It could be a vanguard for a stronger vessel or even a fleet."
"Hah! I don't think so. Praetor, we have a pretext! The Federation has arrogantly destroyed an Imperial warbird."
"A warbird where it wasn't supposed to be," said Senator Pardek dryly. In the 15 years in which Pardek had his seat in the Imperial Senate, he had never known an admiral so narrow-minded and so bent on war. Granted, the Star Empire was still sore about the humiliating defeat at Cheron during the war with Earth, but too many died to satisfy a few people's lust for conquest, power and a grand triumphal parade on the river through the capital.
Vokar fumed. Senator Pardek continued to speak. "Besides, an alien fleet was reported to have attacked the Federation base where the Khiem'Ra disappeared. Praetor, I move that both incidents be investigated by the Tal Shiar before we can consider any military action." It was too bad that Mr. Spock whom he had met at Khitomer was gone. He could have been useful for the very young and small Reunionist movement.
One of Pardek's few allies, Senator Dalek, stood up. "I second that motion."
Praetor Saren nodded. "So moved. I will instruct Vice-Chairman Jekri Kaleh myself in the next meeting of the Imperial Continuing Committee."
Admiral Aventeer Vokar almost growled in frustration.
Starbase 10
Commodore Basil Quinteros looked over the heads of the Starfleet science officers transferred from the Daystrom Institute on Earth. Sensors on the starbase and ships connected to the base had been working overtime to figure out where the alien fleet, the Excelsior, the Ki'tang, and that Romulan warbird had gone.
An officer turned from her tactical station, attracting attention from Quinteros. "Commodore, tactical sensors are detecting a minor subspace disturbance separate from the aliens' subspace portals."
"Analysis," ordered Commodore Quinteros.
One of the scientists studied the tactical sensor reading received at his console. He frowned at the data scrolling down his monitor. "It appears to be a quantum fissure in the space-time continuum." He went over to another console. "We cannot see it, but we could use a warp field to make it visible."
Quinteros ordered an Oberth-class science ship to take a position as close to the quantum fissure as safely possible. The small starship activated its warp drive and created a warp bubble around itself. Since all impulse engines and thrusters were carefully shut down before that, the science ship didn't take off. The warp field expanded as far as it could go.
"There," pointed out one of the scientists on the starbase as she put it on the main viewscreen. They could now see the quantum fissure. A small glowing irregular speck distorting space just around itself.
Quinteros squinted at the speck. It appeared to be too small for a starship to go through. A shuttle, perhaps?
The female scientist spoke again. "I am detecting a quantum flux from the fissure...." She looked up in surprise. "It doesn't match normal matter!"
Quinteros said, "What?"
The woman appeared to be putting herself into a lecturer's stance. Quinteros didn't want to feel like he was back in the Academy, but for the sakes of Sulu and Kirk, he would tolerate it this time.
"All matter in the universe resonates on a quantum level with a unique signature. This signature is a constant. It can't be changed at all. Not by any known process, of course. It is the basic foundation of existence."
"Okay, if I'm following you right, the quantum signature of the flux around the fissure is different from our signature."
"Correct," said the male scientist. He was getting excited. "This means the quantum fissure leads to a different quantum universe!"
Commodore Basil Quinteros turned to look through the windows of the starbase out to space, at the invisible quantum fissure near the Oberth starship. Perhaps they're all still alive somewhere in another universe....
If the alien fleet or the inhabitants of that universe didn't kill them.
IKS Ki'tang
The planet revolved under the K'Vort-class bird-of-prey. White clouds roiled across the face of the planet with a hint of green that came from the sun reflecting off the emerald oceans and the jungles that climbed around and over the mountains of the planet. Part of the cloud cover roiled more violently and bright light briefly and periodically flashed from that part. A thunderstorm on the planet. On the night side, there were few lights on the surface, indicating the presence of cities. But these lights were too dim for an industrial civilization or above. Two moons shone purely in the distance in orbit.
General Moghar shook his head in wonder. It was all here, yet it was not. Like the moons, for example. The second moon should have been dark, heavily polluted by industry and mining. It was a wonder to see Praxis being so pure and whole, not shattered, not exposing its recently broken core to the vacuum of space.
The female tactical officer spoke loudly. "General, the scouting team has beamed back."
"Good! Send them here!"
Three Klingons, two of them men and the other a woman, Kullor, soon arrived on the bridge. They saluted the general proudly, but their faces had new worry lines on them.
"Speak!" ordered Moghar.
"It is Homeworld, yet...it's not," said one of the men.
Moghar frowned. "I know it's not our Qo'noS. This is a different universe! I want to know why this Qo'noS is not like our homeworld."
Kullor growled with contempt for the two men in her group. "We beamed down to First City. Soon, we have discovered that Klingons here knew honor as taught by Kahless. But they have forgotten his lesson in unity. The whole planet is covered in petty states and small empires constantly at war with each other. All are still in a global struggle with the Fek'lhri of this planet. The Sacred Peace of Kahless still holds in First City and it is still capital of an empire, but what a pitiful empire!"
Moghar frowned at this insult to his home city. Because this was a different universe, he didn't have the right to hit Kullor. This Qo'noS still had its own Fek'lhri. It was certainly not a colony or homeworld of those Fek'lhri who called themselves Centauri. He remembered something about Preservers creating and seeding worlds. It wasn't for a general to think about. Only a Federationer would be interested in that. He gestured for the scouting team to continue.
One of the men took up the report. "An emperor still sits in the Grand Hall of the High Council, but he rules in name only. The noble houses constantly wrestle each other for control of tiny parts of the not-empire. A civil war is now being fought among several of the Great Houses even though the First Empire is at war with the Ketha Lowlands."
Kullor sniffed at the man. "General Moghar doesn't want to know about the politics! He's not a Romulan!" She turned to the general and said, "Here in this universe, the Karsid Empire doesn't exist. Or at least, the Old Kings didn't come to Qo'noS and take the homeworld under their stewardship." Her face was troubled. Moghar could understand why.
Klingons had always thought that they achieved space flight because the teachings of Kahless inspired them to look to the stars. Of course, the Old Kings helped the Klingons with an education in science, but did not Kahless' teachings inspired the Karsids' generosity?
"And the Hur'q? Did they attack them like they did to our homeworld?" Moghar was hard put to not say 'us' for these Klingons were not his Klingons.
Kullor nodded. "They attacked, all right. The First Empire was at an industrial level like it was on our homeworld. Like us, the attack shattered civilization. Because there were no help from the Old Kings, this planet never fully recovered from the attack. Instead, the infighting between the Houses got fierce and made the resulting Dark Age darker. Just before we beamed up, we heard that the lord of Qam-Chee burned his own city to root out potential traitors. Shameful."
The two men growled at Kullor. One of them said, "Shameful? This is glorious! The chance at honor in combat everywhere! We must stay here and—"
General Moghar backhanded him hard. "Have you forgotten Kahless' lessons as well? Any third-rate star power could come here and conquer this planet! And I won't entertain thoughts of staying! We are not Kahless! Worse, we are not the Tyrant Molor!"
A beep sounded from the scanner console. Kullor quickly went over to it and shoved aside the substitute scanning officer. "General, spatial distortion anomaly forming ahead!"
The Hur'q? Moghar had seen the escape of the three bioships into subspace. "On viewer!"
Light suddenly appeared to pierce through the fabric of space. The light appeared to act like pliers prying through the fabric of space and suddenly a blue vortex expanded from the pierced point. Definitely not a Hur'q subspace portal. A star flashed in the dark center of the swirling vortex and a ship slipped out of the fading star, convincing General Moghar that it wasn't the Hur'q.
And apparently not Fek'lhri. The ship's divided hull/armor was painted in zigzags of black and red with white lines separating the black from the red. Fragile-looking wings curved from the bottom around the sides to support what must be their bridge above the center part of the ship. The center part between the painted hulls had an incomplete look: gray metal beams and modules. Oversized fusion engines were set in the back of the ship. Weapons similar to what the Fek'lhri had on their purple ships bristled at the sides of the curving wings and in the front of the gray center. Definitely a warship. A big one, being 1400 meters to the Ki'tang's 350 meters.
"Shields up!" ordered General Moghar. They were probably here to conquer the planet. It may not be his Qo'noS, but it was Qo'noS nonetheless. This warship was just one, not an entire fleet. They could handle it this time.
Kullor called out. "We're being hailed on tachyon."
"Viewer!"
An alien appeared on the communication viewscreen below the tactical viewscreen. The alien was vaguely reptilian with mammaloid aspects. Red eyes stared from under a dull golden-tan dome mottled with black spots. Nostrils flared from under a wide nose as the alien spoke. The universal translator struggled with the new alien tongue for a while. Finally, the Klingons could understand him.
"This is the Narn Regime heavy cruiser K'sha Na'vas under command of War Leader Vin'Tok, attached to the Golden Fleet of Narn. Identify yourself and state your intentions."
"I am General Moghar of the Imperial Defense Force for the Klingon Imperial Empire. If you claim this planet for yourself, we will fight you." The general signaled the gunner, Kazj, to prime the weapons and target the Narn cruiser.
War Leader Vin'Tok chuckled bitterly. "We are not in a condition to claim any planet. Especially when our government doesn't exist anymore. We came to find repair supplies. We are not aware that this planet supports an advanced species or at least claimed by an empire." Vin'Tok leaned forward, warily squinting at Moghar. "You don't look Orieni. The only empire we know to be in these parts is the Orieni Imperium. Are you a member of a species that broke free from that broken empire?"
"No. I don't know this Orieni Imperium. We are Klingons. This planet is Klingon. But we are not from this universe."
Vin'Tok made an expression of startled surprise. "Truly? Like the extra-universal ship we've heard so much?"
The Narn must be referring to the Enterprise that the Federation had been wailing about. The general nodded. "You said that your government has fallen." Moghar open his lips in a toothy sneer. "Do you think to use this planet as a base of exile?"
"No, General. I said we are not in any condition to make any planetary claims. We are fighting for the Narn Regime even if it has treacherously been conquered by the Centauri."
Moghar raised his eyebrows. So the Fek'lhri were also as adept at making enemies in this universe as they were in his home universe. Judging by this Narn cruiser, the Narn Regime must have been an empire before falling to the Centauri. Surely, there was a resistance movement now. "The scum you speak has found an enemy in us." The general extended an open palm towards the viewscreen. "The enemy of our enemy is our friend. Are you open to an alliance with us?"
War Leader Vin'Tok grinned with gleeful surprise.
Tower of the One Above All
The Tower built of unbreakable black stone rose from a hill in a valley on an empty, but dangerous planet. Carvings in the black stone of the tower were reminiscent of the gothic cathedrals on Earth. Thin slender pillars supported pointed arches in the niches and dark windows of the tower while gargoyles jutted out. Close to the top, short spines that reminded knowledgeable people of spines on Shadow vessels curved upward. The top of the Tower itself was a crown of sharp horns reaching for the sky. In a room in the middle of the Tower, the light in the crystal globe set atop a short pillar in the center of the room faded.
Elric bowed his shaven head in awed respect as he glanced over the crystal globe at the figure on the throne hidden in shadows. The silver embroidery showing a mix of circuitry and astronomical diagrams on his black robe glittered in the soft light that had no source within the Tower. He was a little miffed that Galen went over his head to the very top of their order, but he could now understand the urgency.
The small still voice of the ancient figure on the throne came forth from the darkness. "The Darkness rises and has yet to reach its blackest. I cannot see if the Candle and the Star can hold against the Darkness and shine thereafter. The change that Brother Galen has shown us means the future teeters on the edge of the blade. Even I cannot see where the future might fall."
Elric was impressed. The One Above All could have used any of the technomagical tricks of creating a form of sepulchral voice. Instead, the figure on the throne used his own ancient small still voice. Elric felt grateful that Jamis, the One Above All, lord and master of the technomages, High Seat of the ruling Circle, and the only one of whom Elric was in awe, did not feel the need to use parlor tricks with him.
"Lord, what should I do? This change means we cannot know our universe anymore. I doubt we can know this other universe."
"Such pessimism, Elric."
"The Shadows know of this change and seek its secrets. You know how powerful this terrible and black storm can be. The change means the storm would become a hurricane sweeping the naked stars. The Dark One now reaches from his prison to touch the Shadows and their servants. We must begin preparations for the storm."
"Why must we? Let the abominations do what they will about this. We have chosen to hide ourselves away from both the Light and the Darkness to preserve our knowledge against potential abuses. We cannot change our decision."
Elric glanced down at the crystal globe. "One of the brethren is pushing the Circle to openly ally ourselves with the forces of the Light. Tamyrlin sees the change as a hope. What was it that Tamyrlin said? 'Without change, something sleeps inside us and seldom awakes. The sleeper must awake. We must realize our potential to serve all.'"
A small sigh sounded from the throne. "We are singers, shapers, dreamers and makers. The Shadows are the enemies of logic, the jugglers of truth and the molders of beauty." The One Above All leaned forward on his throne, revealing his ancient, yet ageless, face in the sourceless light of the chamber. Jamis' eyes gleamed with the full power of his age and wisdom. Elric, who had been a full adept for what seem to be centuries and has seen much of the wonders and terrors of the universe, cringed before that gaze. To him, Jamis was more than any of the First Ones.
"Those who fear the Darkness have never seen what the Light can do."
City of Great Dis, Z'ha'dum (Alpha Omega 3)
"OK, so who's this Great Lord of the Dark?"
Justin smiled tolerantly at Liria Satarah as the middle-aged man swirled the dark red wine in his glass. "He.... Well, the Great Lord is neither male nor female by any known standard. We usually use the generic male label for him. He has no true physical form. The Great Lord is outside and beyond this universe, but he can still affect us."
"If he's so great, why haven't we seen him walking about?"
Justin smiled again. Liria would be a great asset for them. "In terms that we can understand, the Great Lord is in a prison, unfairly put there at the moment of Creation. He is now able to touch the universe only through a hole just large enough for your little finger to slip through." Justin demonstrated by thrusting his little finger into a ring formed by a thumb and finger of the other hand.
"Before that, the Great Lord was only able to look out, being the Eye for Z'ha'dum. Actually, it's the clumsy way that your ship and the Enterprise handled the transition into this universe that made this hole into his prison. When he finally breaks free from the prison, he will remake all the multiverses that are, can be, might be and ever shall be. Remake them all in his own image and allow those who prepared the way to rule in his name. Faithful service will be rewarded with immortality. Those of us who are chosen can be demigods."
Liria frowned, skeptical. It sounded too much like the raving of a lunatic in a cult. However, she could sense that Justin was telling the truth, but he wasn't exactly answering her question. She knew from her training on Betazed that as long as the person absolutely believes something to be true, empaths would sense only truth in that person. "You told me what the Great Lord is and what he does. Not who he is."
Chuckling, Justin said, "That's not a Shadow question. The Great Lord has been called many names by the undevoted and ignorant: Father of Lies, Prince of Darkness, Sightblinder, Grassburner, Lord of the Grave, Shepherd of the Night, Lord of the Evening, Soulsbane, Father of Storms, Heartfang, Dark Lord and countless other equally foolish names." Justin tossed his head side to side as he said each name, rolling his eyes contemptuously. "The First Ones generally call him the Dark One. His true name...well, it's blasphemy to say it, but you have a need to know." Justin set his glass of wine down on the coffee table, took a pen from the table and wrote on a small piece of paper set aside for that purpose. Liria leaned forward to see what Justin has written. 'Shai'tan'
Arching an eyebrow, Liria looked back up at the aging man sitting in the couch. That name, in various forms, was also known on the worlds of her universe. "Fine. Mr. Morden said I could speak with this...Great Lord."
Justin nodded. He gestured to the handsome human man. "Mr. Morden will lead you to the Abyss."
Morden nodded for Liria to follow him.
After climbing stairs through tunnels melted from the bedrock stone of Z'ha'dum, they came to what seem like a small maze of caverns with strange small torches burning at intervals on the walls. Mr. Morden looked back at Liria. "Keep close. You don't want to be caught by the Watcher."
"Watcher?"
"Yes. It's not recommended for any of us mere mortals to be caught by it."
They came to an entrance that looked more like a crack in the stone, only wide enough for two persons to step through. Morden stopped before it and turned to Liria. "Go through here. The Abyss is on the other side. And...the Great Lord." Wistful memory and envy crossed his face before Morden left Liria to herself.
Liria walked through the crack. Unlike the tunnels outside, this tunnel had stalactites, stone teeth hanging from the ceiling, barely brushing her hair. Odd. In front of her and behind, the stalactites hung lower than her hair, yet they somehow only brushed the top of her hair lightly as she passed under them. The tunnel suddenly opened out onto a wide stone shelf or balcony with no safety barrier. She looked down over the edge. All she could see was darkness. It seemed bottomless. She recalled a phrase from the Earth philosopher Nietzsche: 'Stare at the abyss and the abyss stares back at you.' Abyss indeed. She looked up. Above was only a hole stretching far up. But instead of the glint of the glass dome over the city above, roiling clouds that looked full of acid rain appear to rush past the opening of the Abyss, forced along by gale winds. The clouds' striations of orange, red and black mixed with occasional flashes of lightning. It reminded her of the description and appearance of hyperspace.
Liria could sense a presence, a vast intellect within that other-sky, behind...a thinness. She wasn't sure how to put her psychic finger on the sense of that thinness. The hole in the Great Lord's prison that Justin spoke of? She also felt awe and wonder. It didn't come from within herself. The wondrous awe came from everywhere in the Abyss. She waited. And waited. Liria opened her mouth to call out.
LIRIA.
Liria gasped. To call that a voice was to call a supernova a candle. She almost felt like she was on a starship going to warp, but with the inertial dampeners shut off. Rapture filled her, forcing her to go down onto her knees. That...voice filled her brain again.
LIRIA. WELCOME, CHOSEN.
The Betazoid-Deltan gasped as the euphoria got so strong, it almost hurt. She twitched, sweated. Her loins were constantly on fire, burning her entire body. She strained to speak through parted lips. "Great Lord.... I...Chosen?"
THE CHOSEN MULTIPLY, LIRIA. THE HOURS TO MY DAY OF RETURN DWINDLE. THE ANCIENT ENEMY REMAINS UNAWARE. WOULD YOU SEAL YOURSELF, BODY AND SOUL, TO ME, LIRIA?
Liria hesitated. In the intense ecstasy, the hesitation seemed to last an hour. "As you command, Great Lord, so shall I obey."
SO YOU SHALL.
"Great Lord, I wish to.... I can have the galaxy know of your rapture. I can deliver my galaxy. I—"
WOULD YOU ACCEPT A MELD?
Surprise was quickly washed out by the ecstasy of being in the Great Lord's presence. Somehow she knew that the Great Lord wasn't talking about a Vulcan mind-meld. "I...I...I only wish to serve the Great Lord of the Dark so that I may realize my wishes."
THEN YOU SHALL BE ANNOINTED WITH ONE WHO SAW THE FALL FROM GRACE.
Liria Satarah screamed as blinding light suddenly shone on her face. Tears of joy rolled down her cheeks as the light burned into her mind, searing bliss into her very being.