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Chapter 7

The Adamas were staring at Jackson. "You're a Q?" Bill asked, skeptical.

"Yes," Daniel confirmed, "I can prove it if you'd like."

"How?" Kara demanded.

"How what? How can I prove it, or how am I a Q?"

"How are you a Q, I suppose," she answered.

"Well, several years ago, a friend of mine accidently turned me into a Q when my life was in danger." He saw the skepticism in their eyes, and said, "Look, the bottom line is this: You are humans. They are humans. They want to help. The only question is, will you accept their help?"

"Madam President," Riley said, "As I said before, knowing who you people are, changes things considerably."

"How?" Laura asked.

Merlin spoke up. "My understanding is that your history teaches that I was the one who took your people to Kobol."

"Yes," Bill said.

"And does it relate where I took you from?"

"A place of war, death, and destruction," Bill answered.

"It was definitely that," Fargo said, nodding his head sagely.

"So the myths are true?" Kara asked. "You actually did take us to Kobol?"

"Your father and I did, yes."

"My father?" She looked at Jackson and asked, "How could he have had anything to do with it?"

"Time means little to the Q," Nefreyu explained. "For example, Moros was born only sixty years ago."

"However," Guinan added, "I'm approximately eighty thousand years old."

Laura smiled as she realized the implications. "Do the Q often engage in time travel?"

"Enough to where I am well over fifty million years old," Moros informed them.

"And you were only born sixty years ago?" Lee asked. He shook his head as he thought of the information McKay had given them about the twists and turns in time.

"As Nefreyu said, time means little to us," Kirk supplied. "Are you aware of how much time has actually passed since Moros took you to Kobol?"

"Roughly five thousand years," Bill answered.

"It's been a bit more than that," one of the Olympians said. He spoke with a gruff voice, in a caprican accent, and his hair was braided into rough dreadlocks. He saw the Adamas staring at him, waiting. Finally, he said, "Oh... yeah... I'm Ronan, er… Hermes."

"How much time has it been, Hermes?" Laura asked.

"Around three hundred thousand years."

"Andy said that he had spoken English for over three hundred thousand years," Laura remembered.

"Andy was one of the men who helped make sure the stasis chambers were correctly set up before Daniel and I moved them to Kobol," Moros explained.

"I still have a hard time thinking that it was over three hundred thousand years ago, and you were there, Moros," Lee commented.

"People tend to think of time as sort of a straight line," Doctor Smith told him, "but in reality, it's sort of a wibbly, wobbly ball of timey wimey stuff."

"I've always liked that line," Rose said to him, almost under her breath.

"So have I," Smith answered in kind.

"Wibbly Wobbly, timey wimey?" Kirk asked, shaking his head.

"Can you think of a better way of describing it?" Smith asked in all seriousness.

"It is an apt description, if rather colorful," The First answered for his friend.

"Yes, but the key, First, is that it's apt. Time wibbles and wobbles this way and that. It turns back on itself in ways we might eventually understand. The Guardian understands it, but the computer that we built to allow it to, well…" Smith's eyes got wide and he finished, "that was something impressive."

Deep space nine…

Jean Luc Picard was talking to the duplicates of SGA-1, whom collectively were being referred to as SGA-1A.

"I still don't understand," John Sheppard said. "Who are we? If we're not the real SGA-1, then what does that make us?"

"That, Colonel Sheppard, is exactly what we are trying to determine," Picard told him.

"I've been told by Lieutenant Dax that we are three hundred thousand years into the future from our time in Atlantis," McKay told his friends.

"Who's Lieutenant Dax?" Ronan asked.

"She is the science officer on board this station," Beverly said as she entered the room. She had been away from the quarters from some time, consulting with Dr. Bashir regarding some disturbing finds on the other side of Cardassian space.

"Ok," Sheppard said, "at least there's one question answered."

"Yes." Picard stood and walked to the view port. He looked out at Enterprise-E as it glided smoothly in to dock at one of the pylons. Turning his head the other way, he could see Kirk's ship, A, as it was already docked at one of the upper pylons. A and E, he thought. Just like this SGA-1. A later version perhaps? He wondered where Sheppard's B model was, and then he remembered something. He spun and faced his wife.

"Beverly, did you read the records on Atlantis and their gate teams?"

She appeared taken aback, but answered, "Yes."

"Do you remember what Sheppard reported regarding Oberoth duplicating them?"

"Yes, you know I don't forg…." Her voice trailed off as she realized what he was getting at. "You don't think these people are another copy made by Oberoth, do you?"

"They're certainly a copy, and Oberoth demonstrated that he could make one copy. Why not two?"

"Well, certainly he could, Jean Luc, but…" She paused to gather her thoughts. "Where have they been all this time?"

"Automated machinery?" Ronan suggested.

"That just happens to churn out a set of duplicates now?" McKay scoffed.

"For what purpose?" Teyla asked.

Sheppard had walked over to another port and looked out at the station. Now, he turned to look at Teyla. "There's another possibility," he said quietly.

She saw it in his eyes. "You think Oberoth could still be alive. After all this time?"

"He lived for ten thousand years after the Lanteans made him. He's just a group of replicator bugs. Why couldn't he live for three hundred thousand more years?"

"SGA-1 reported that Oberoth died when Dr. McKay destroyed Assura," Beverly said, shaking her head.

"I… destroyed Assura?" McKay asked, a grin starting to form on his face. "How did I do that?"

"You talked them to death," Ronan quipped.

Galactica…

They had decided to take a recess for a few minutes to allow the Colonials to absorb what they had already been told.

Bill Adama stepped up to Jackson. "It's good to see you again, Daniel. I'm very glad you're not dead."

"Well, I would have been if it hadn't been for Teal'c," Daniel answered gravely.

Adama nodded, then said, "I'd sure like to see the Federation. So far, I've seen two very small ships, and that's it. Granted, they're very powerful, but it seems that there must be more."

Jackson glanced at Kirk, who nodded and then added, "And see if Sulu will come back with you."

Daniel looked at Laura and asked, "Would you like to come?"

"I'd dearly love to, but I'm not sure I should leave right now," she said smiling.

"You're going to the Federation?" Kara asked. "Right now?"

"How?" Lee asked.

"The actual mechanics, I still don't understand," Daniel told his son-in-law. "I just know it works."

"How long will it take?" Kara asked.

"No one here will even notice any passage of time." He turned to Laura Adama. "I promise."

"I suppose," she began, and found herself in a different room.

"What the…" Lee sputtered, then stopped. Standing on the other side of the room, with a startled expression on his face, was Karl.

"Sharon?" Karl gasped, his eyes widening.

Bill turned, and was surprised to see his daughter standing beside him, her eyes starting to tear as she saw her husband. Then, she was running forward, her arms outstretched. Karl caught her as she threw herself at him, then held her tightly as they kissed passionately.

Finally, he set her down on the carpeted floor and turned to see his in-laws. He stepped forward and held out his hand to Bill. Galactica's commander was having none of it, however. Instead of a handshake, he grabbed his son-in-law in a bear hug, tears welling up in his eyes as he slapped the younger man's back.

A door opened on one side of the room and the familiar sound of a cylon's optical scanner was heard. "What the frack?" Kara exclaimed as she drew her pistol. However, it disappeared from her hand just as quickly as she drew it.

"Kara," another voice said from behind the cylon. "Let's not put any holes in Cy, okay?" Vala said as she stepped around the centurion.

"Mother!"

Vala stepped forward and embraced her daughter, then motioned behind her. A teenaged girl stepped through the door and presented herself beside Vala.

"I know you've had a lot of surprises today, but I have one more for you, Kara." She gestured at the girl and said, "This is your sister, Adria."

"It's nice to meet you, Kara," Adria said politely.

Bill turned to face the cylon. He walked up to the mechanical being and said, "I understand you saved Karl's life several times." He took a deep breath and held out his hand. "Thank you, Cy."

"You're welcome," came the monotone voice. The cylon held out his hand and they shook. "Starbuck has told me much about you. It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Sir."

Bill's eyes narrowed as he took in what the robot was saying, then smiled. "Likewise," he said.

"Where are we, anyway?" Lee asked once he had hugged and been hugged.

"Come here," Karl told him, clamping a cigar in his mouth as he gestured to his friend. He manipulated a control on the wall and a screen lit up. It showed a blue and green world placidly turning. "This is what's outside."

"Is that…?" Sharon stopped as she stared in astonishment at the planet.

"That's Earth," her husband confirmed.

San Francisco...

It was morning, shortly after ten AM, pacific time. Hikaru Sulu sat behind his desk, reading a brief from Marpaplu, a world that had joined the Federation almost a century before. As he was reading the briefing, he saw the name of the ambassador who had dictated it. He was the great-grandson of Nice Housenik, the first Marpapluan he had ever met. He chuckled softly at the remembrance of that mission on board the original Enterprise.

He turned to the replicator behind him, and requested some green tea. As he was turned away from his desk, he saw a flash reflect off the wall. He didn't bother turning until he had picked up the cup and saucer. He knew that no Q would flash into his office uninvited.

When he turned back, he saw that there was a formal envelope laying on the closed document from Marpaplu. He sat down his saucer, picked up the cup and took a sip. He smiled as he tasted it. He always enjoyed this morning tea. Finally, he picked up the envelope and opened it. His eyes widened as he read the invitation. He looked up, and said into the air in front of his desk, "Doctor Jackson?"

There was another flash, and the Iconian was standing in front of his desk. "Hello, Hikaru," the Q said, smiling.

"Hello, Doctor. It's a pleasure to see you again." He held out his hand.

Jackson shook the president's hand, and then indicated the invitation in his other. "Would you like to see the delta quadrant, Mr. President?"

Sulu looked at the office around him, immaculately neat, and cared for. He thought of the adventure of his time on Enterprise and Excelsior. He had risen to the rank of Commodore in Starfleet, then had gone into politics. He had talked to Riley, his friend from the Enterprise days, and had been steered to the correct people.

Eventually, he became the representative from Earth, and drew the attention of the Federation president. Instead of running for a third term as his home's representative, he became the vice president of the entire United Federation of Planets. When the president died, twelve years later, he moved into that position.

He had been president for almost fifty years now, and found that he was restless. He was craving adventure, and the thought of travelling to the delta quadrant appealed to him greatly. "How long will we be gone?"

Jackson smiled and told him, "I can have you back the moment we leave."

Sulu's face broke into a wide grin, and he said, "That sounds just fine."

Galactica…

Kirk watched as Daniel made a slight movement with his hand. Rather than he and the Adamas disappear, however, several people appeared around them.

"Sulu!," Kirk exclaimed as he approached his former helmsman.

"Hello, Admiral," the Federation president said smiling.

Kirk next turned to the Adamas and asked, "Did you enjoy your trip to Earth?"

Very much," the young woman holding Karl's hand said.

Kirk smiled at her and said, "Am I to assume that you are Sharon?"

Karl put his arm around her shoulders and smiled as she nodded.

Everyone mingled for a time. Sulu sat and talked with Riley and Nefreyu, discussing what the ramifications were of the colonials being from Earth. Eventually, after Kirk and Merlin had joined the three and talked for some time, they reconvened at the tables.

"Before we continue," Laura Adama said when they were all seated, "I think we should bring John Evansville and a group of his advisors up here. After all, the colonies are allied with the Jordians, and we are citizens of that world now."

"Madam President," Riley said, "I understand your feelings on the matter, however, our discussion here has to do with your own mythology and the truths behind it. Not theirs."

Fargo nodded his agreement with what the diplomat was saying. "We would like to clear up some misconceptions regarding the colonies and cylons."

Daniel Graystone entered the room, escorted by Guinan. He sat him down beside Doctor Smith, who turned to him and greeted him warmly.

"Doctor Graystone," Kirk began, "I understand that you're the creator of the cylons, is that correct?"

Graystone sighed. "Yes, that's true, and I've had nothing but flak about that ever since then."

"I can well imagine," Merlin stated. "Can you explain how the cylons obtained human form?"

"Yes," Graystone said. "Several years after the first war with the cylons began, I was approached by some people. They told me they were the last of their race, and that they didn't want to see a race of people go the way theirs had. Because of that, they had ended the war between the cylons and man."

"How did they end the war? "

"They gave the cylons resurrection technology. "

"How would that end the war? " Kirk wanted to know.

"It would give them a new path to follow. You see, the first living cylon's mind was based on my daughter, who had died. Now, death was something they need not fear ever again. "

Merlin had heard this type of idealism before. "Did it not occur to you that making one side of a war not fear death would be a bad idea? "

"Of course it did!" Graystone said, raising his voice, "But it had already been done, before they came to me. "

"Why were they telling you this?" one of the Olympians asked.

"I'm sorry," Graystone said, "I know you're one of the Olympians, Sir…" He trailed off.

"Oh," the man said, "I'm Sheppard, but you know me as Aires. I'm sorry we didn't introduce ourselves." He indicated the woman beside him: "This is my wife, Teyla, or Demeiter. You've met Ronan. On the other side of Ronan is Atlantia's chef, Vince, or Dionysus." He pointed across the table to a dark haired woman. "This is Jo Donovan, or Artemis. Her husband Zane, whom you know as Hephaestus. Beside him is Cameron Mitchell, or Poseidon as you would know him. Next to him is Aphrodite, who's name is actually, Commodore Elizabeth Shelby."

Sheppard turned to Merlin and said, "Now that we've all been properly introduced…" He turned back to Graystone and asked, "Why were these people telling you this?"

"Since I was the creator of the cylons, they wanted to let me know that my creations should not be a danger to humanity again."

"Nice of them," Mitchell said sarcastically.

"Yes," Graystone said, choosing to ignore Mitchell's sarcasm. "What was nicer was the fact that my creations were now furthering the cause of medical science by leaps and bounds. These 'final five', as they referred to themselves, had technology that our medical science had only dreamed of, and they were giving it to us."

"They told you that their civilization had died?" Kirk asked, wanting to be clear on that point.

"Yes, Commander," Graystone confirmed.

"The final five," Adama asked, "They were normal people? "

"Biologically, yes. Technologically, they were something else."

"And idealogically, something else entirely, " Merlin interjected gravely

"They were scientists, Sir," Graystone told him. "Sometimes scientists get caught up in their ideals. I did when I transferred my daughter's avatar into that first cylon. "

"That's also what can happen with a parent," Guinan commented. She turned to Merlin and said, "Father, I don't think it's our place to judge Dr. Graystone, or the final five. I understand what you are saying about removing the fear of death from the cylons, and I agree with you. That wasn't a good idea, but it's done."

Merlin looked appreciatively at her, and said, "Thank you, Meribor. I always have been able to count on you for succinct words of wisdom."

On Equinox...

Henry Deacon had helped rebuild much of the ruined equipment aboard the little ship, and although he and Grace had always wished to explore the galaxy, this was not the way they had envisioned it. Now that the ship was back in prime condition, the Deacons were planning on taking their leave.

They were just finishing packing the few things they had brought on the shakedown cruise, when there was a knock at the door. "It's open!" Henry called out, as he shut his laptop case.

The door slid aside, and Jack Carter entered the room.

"Jack!" Henry said, happy to see his friend.

"Hi Henry," the former sheriff said. "Are you ready to go?"

"Yeah, but first I'd like to let Andy know we're leaving."

"No problem," Jack replied, as he waved his hand and they were standing beside Andy's chair on the bridge.

"Hey, Boss!" Andy said as soon as he saw Jack. "Are you taking Henry and Grace back?"

"Hi, Andy. Yeah, we're headed back. Just wanted to stop in and see you before we left." Carter looked around the bridge and then asked, "Are you still in command?"

"Only on the night shift," the android replied. "Captain Ransom is off duty right now, so I've got the bridge." He turned to Henry. "Drs. Deacon, it's been a pleasure to have you both aboard." He shook hands with the scientists.

"It was our pleasure, Andy."

"Tell Sarah I love her, Boss," Andy told Carter, then the three flashed to the alpha quadrant.

Iconia Prime...

They reappeared in Henry's Garage, on the docked city ship of Eureka.

"Welcome back, Dr. Deacon and Dr. Deacon," came the voice of Sarah from all around them.

"Hello, Sarah," Grace answered, smiling. "It's good to be back."

"Hi, Sarah!" Henry greeted the sphere. "Do you greet everyone when they return after being gone?"

"Only those who lived in the original Eureka," she answered.

"Hi, Sarah," Carter said.

"Hello, Jack. Did you see Andy?"

"Yes, I did. He said to tell you he loves you."

"That's sweet, Jack. Do you know when he'll be back?"

"Sorry, Sarah. We just don't know right now," he told her.

"I hope it's soon," Sarah said. "I'm really looking forward to seeing him." She turned her attention to Henry again. "Doctor Deacon, Admiral Picard would like to meet with you."

"I'm assuming you mean me," Henry guessed. "Where and when, Sarah?"

"As soon as you're able."

Henry looked to Grace who nodded, then said, "No time like the present. If you'll let the Admiral know…" His voice trailed away as he was flashed out of the garage.

Deep Space Nine...

Henry appeared, seated, in Picard and Beverly's quarters aboard Deep Space Nine.

"Hello, Dr. Deacon," Picard said from his seat opposite the scientist. He leaned forward and picked up a cup of tea and took a sip.

"Admiral," Henry said, then turned to Beverly who was seated beside Picard. "Dr. Picard."

"Hello, Henry," she said smiling.

Henry turned back to Picard and asked, "What's this all about, Admiral?"

"Doctor, have you read the stories of Sherlock Holmes?"

Henry smiled. "Sure, Holmes, Doctor Watson, Moriarty. Great stories."

"Yes, well…" Picard took another sip of tea, then set the cup down in the saucer held in his other hand. All the while, he held Henry's gaze. "What would you say if I told you that Moriarty is a real person?"

Henry chuckled a bit, "That seems rather unlikely, Admiral."

Picard smiled as well, then said, "Nevertheless, it is the truth."

"You mean that the stories of Sherlock Holmes were true, just like our myths of so many gods?"

"No," Picard said patiently. "Sherlock Holmes is a fictional character, as was Moriarty."

"As was Moriarty?"

"Several years ago," Picard explained, "my ops officer, Commander Data, and my engineer, Commander Geordie Laforge, were taking a break on a holodeck. Data found Sherlock Holmes fascinating, and had committed every story about him to memory. The two were going onto the holodeck with Data as Holmes and Geordie as Watson."

"Sort of a role playing game?"

"Like a child's imagining themselves as the detective, only on the holodeck, all the props are real, not imaginary," Beverly explained.

"And your holodeck made real people?" Henry asked, aghast.

"Not normally," Picard explained. "In this case, however, Geordie asked the computer to make an opponent that could beat Data."

"Since Data is alive," Beverly added, "The computer had to make the opponent sentient."

"And so Moriarty was born," Henry said. "I'm not sure what I think of a real life professor Moriarty running around."

"He is still only an AI," Picard explained.

"Good!" Henry exclaimed. "That's the best thing I've heard about this situation so far."

"He has rights, according to your laws and ours," Picard said.

"Those rights end with criminals."

Picard was shaking his head. "Dr. Deacon, I know more about your past than that. You were jailed for something you felt you had to do. So was your wife."

"James Moriarty was written to be evil," Henry argued. "If your AI of him is true to form, then he is evil as well."

Picard said nothing. He simply took another sip of tea and waited.

"Alright," Henry finally admitted, "that's assuming that he follows the programming that made him. As an intelligence, I suppose that means he doesn't have to."

"No, he doesn't," Picard said, smiling. "Data used to write subroutines which he would execute in different situations which would change his abilities. Moriarty displayed that ability as well."

"I have to admit, I've seen the same thing with several different AIs in GD." Henry paused for a moment, then asked, "Why are you telling me this?"

Picard set down his tea cup, and then sat up very straight. "Professor Moriarty wanted to become a real person. He wanted a body that would allow him to leave the holodeck."

"And with the body printing technology, we can give him what he wants," Henry finished. He sat and thought for a time, then asked, "Has the professor been active all this time?"

"Yes," Picard acknowledged simply.

"Doing what, may I ask?"

"He and the countess were placed into a virtual holodeck by an officer of mine, one Reginald Barclay. There was enough memory in the module to keep them occupied for a lifetime."

"Countess?"

"Moriarty created her to be the love of his life."

"Ah," Henry said, as if that explained everything, "of course."

"Obviously, you're not one of my officers, Henry, therefore, I cannot order you to do this."

"Yes, you can," the scientist said. "You can simply wait a few million years, and as Merlin, tell me to do it. For that matter, you could simply ask your older self to order me."

Picard smiled as he said, "That is true, Henry. I could, but I'm hoping I don't have to"

"No, you don't have to. I know they have rights under both Federation, and Iconian law." He stood. "Is that all, Sir?"

Picard stood as well. "For now, yes."

PIcard raised his hand to flash Henry away, but the scientist held up a finger. "Why don't you simply make him a body with your powers?"

Beverly answered. "If we rely on our powers for everything, we could lose touch with our friends."

Henry nodded, then was gone.