Make sure you read chapter 25, as I posted them at the same time!

A/N: We would like to reiterate that the BSG portions of this story do not necessarily follow canon. Nor do people act exactly the same way they did in canon.

Standard disclaimer applies...

Chapter 26

Pendergast slowed to sublight. They were in interstellar space, and were rendezvousing with Equinox. Andy Lawson, the first officer of Equinox was replacing Pendergast's first officer, who was leaving Starfleet to set up a cultural exchange office on Jord.

As soon as the exchange of personnel was completed, Pendergast jumped to hyperspace again, and was gone. Andy entered the bridge.

"Commander Andy Lawson, reporting for duty," he said, coming to attention.

"Welcome aboard, Commander," Shelby told him. She stood and beckoned to her ready room. "Would you join me?"

Andy smiled. "I'd be glad to, Captain Shelby."

"Do you ingest food, Commander?" she asked as she sat down behind her desk.

He smiled. "Not usually, Sir, but I can."

She looked at him as she ordered some coffee from the replicator for both of them. "We really don't stand on ceremony on this ship, Andy. Everyone on board is ascended. Except you, I mean."

He nodded as he took the offered coffee. "That's what I understand. How cool is that! You should have the best record of any starfleet captain!"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, none of your crew can die." He frowned as he remembered something. "Well, at least they're very hard to kill."

Shelby cocked her head at him, wondering what he knew. She was tempted to ask him, but figured she'd rather not know. "You're pretty resilient as well, Commander."

"Actually, I'm pretty easy to kill. It's just that what would kill a normal person won't necessarily kill me.

She grinned. "I won't ask what type of things will kill you, Commander."

"That's ok, Captain. Most of them are listed in the computer."

"Do you prefer being called Commander Lawson, or Andy?"

"Regulations say…"

"I'm not asking what the regulations say, Commander. I can quote every one of them. I'm asking what you prefer?"

"Well, Captain Shelby, I prefer being called Andy."

She nodded. "As I said, we don't stand on ceremony here. If you don't call me Captain, I won't call you Commander. I used to be really stuck on ceremony. You can ask Commodore Riker. When I ascended, I realized that I didn't need to prove anything, so the ceremony went out the window."

"You have a deal," Andy said. "I have a rather strange request, though."

"What's that?"

"Can I call you Boss?"

On Jord…

Jack O'Neill stepped out of the jumper, onto the town square of New Caprica City. The sound was deafening, as the people were celebrating the return of Galactica and Pegasus. As soon as he was recognized, a chant went up from the people.

"Cain, Cain, Cain!"

He almost turned and went back into the jumper, but Sam's hand was firmly on his arm, stopping him. He looked down at her, and saw that she was smiling up at him, offering her own silent support for the cheering.

He sighed disgustedly, then plastered a warm smile on his face and turned to the crowd that was swarming around his jumper. Slowly, he started moving toward the governmental building whose stairs stopped just ten feet from those leading up to the stargate. As Jack and Sam made their way up the stairs, the crowd started to thin out, most of the people realizing they would not be allowed in the building.

When they finally made it inside, Carson Beckett was standing to one side of the entranceway. "You've got quite the following, Jack," he said as soon as the door closed, blocking out the din.

"Seems kinda out of proportion for what we just accomplished," Jack commented.

"Well, Jack," Sam said as they walked down the hall, "It is Colonial Day, or had you forgotten?"

"I'd forgotten," he admitted as they entered President Adama's office.

Laura Adama was seated behind her desk. As they entered, she looked up from the stack of papers she was methodically working her way through.

"General O'Neill. Samantha." She used their Iconian names because she knew they preferred them. It was still disturbing to her that Elizabeth Cain was alive, but she was determined not to show it. "We have a couple more representatives that will be here in just a moment."

As if on cue, the door opened and John Evansville and John Cavil entered the room. Jack and Sam stood, both rather abruptly at the sight of the Cylon.

There were polite hellos, and then everyone sat.

"We are here to discuss the use of land on Jord," Laura began. "General O'Neill is here to represent the Iconians and the Federation, while John Cavil is representing the Cylons."

"What do the Cylons need with land on Jord?" O'Neill asked, rather belligerently.

"The Cylons are no longer at war with us, General," Laura said.

"I understand that, Madam President, however, just because we're not at war, doesn't make us fast friends. I think I speak for several people who would sleep better knowing that the Cylons aren't on the same planet with us."

It was hard to tell, but O'Neill got the distinct impression that Cavil was staring at him. "Would a different planet really make a difference, General?"

Sam answered for her husband. "Obviously, no, but it wouldn't hurt."

The president was shaking her head. "I understand how you both feel, but we need to extend an olive branch to the Cylons."

Jack wheeled on her, fury plainly visible on his face. "Madam President, I would have no problem extending an olive branch, except that Mister Cavil is holding out."

"What do you mean?"

He turned back to the Cylon and said, "You have the memories of the final five, locked away in the computer on the resurrection ship. If you want us to trust you, you need to replace those memories."

"I beg your pardon?" Cavil said, hedging.

"You know exactly what I mean. Tigh has been a friend of mine for a long time. His wife is not actually dead, either. You can resurrect her."

Laura was shocked. "Is this true?"

Sam turned to her friend. "Yes, it is. Lucifer holds a grudge for a long time."

On Pendergast...

Elizabeth Shelby was in her quarters. After her shift on the bridge and dinner, she sat down to read through her new first officer's service record. It didn't take her long to go through it, and when she had finished, she sat back and contemplated Andy. She saw how he had started out as a law enforcement android created, interestingly enough, by Doctor Fargo.

As she digested the information, she saw that Andy's best friend was Jack Carter, a Q who was married to Enterprise's chief medical officer, Doctor Allison Carter. He always referred to Jack as 'Boss'. She wondered if he was simply lonely for his friend when he asked for permission to call her the same name.

Pendergast arrived without incident at Altair and the crew began setting up the equipment.

The surface of Altair had once been destroyed in a natural disaster. Its moon had been destroyed, somehow, creating dozens of devastating meteors. It had taken a long time for it to become habitable again, and even now, was only marginally so. Fargo stood looking out over a plain. There were few features on the landscape.

"Not a lot here, is there, Doctor Fargo?" It was Andy.

Fargo looked around at the android and smiled. "Not really."

They stood on the plain for a long while, feeling the wind and listening to it as it howled through rock formations.

"I'd hate to spend a lot of time here," Andy commented after a while.

On Jord…

Jack O'Neill stood eye to eye with Cavil. "So help me, if you don't give them back their memories, I'll consider our deal null and void. You will die right here - right now."

The Cylon made no move for a time, then said, "I will need to go to the resurrection ship."

Jack considered, then nodded. He knew that whatever Cavil decided to do, he could control it. Rather than allow him to travel there unaccompanied, however, Jack flashed all five of them to the ship. As well, he transported Saul Tigh, Galen Tyrol, Tory Foster, and Samuel Anders.

As soon as he realized where they were, Tigh asked, "What is the meaning of this?"

"Cavil has something for you all," Jack said. "Actually, I think he has more for you, Saul."

"Whaddya mean?"

In response, Cavil turned and touched a spot on the wall. O'Neill had known exactly where to bring them. The wall lit up from some inner light, and they could see a computer interface built into it. In a moment, the interface was active, and he turned to face everyone.

"This is a dedicated resurrection node. It holds only five minds. Yours. I can return your memories to you."

"How do we know that you're telling the truth?" Tyrol challenged.

"Sam and I know," Jack told him.

"You're not who we thought you were," Tigh said. "I'm not sure I trust you much more than I trust Cavil."

O'Neill nodded his acceptance of what Tigh was saying. "I suppose I deserve that."

Sam shook her head. "Not really. You didn't decide to become Marcus Cain. The only reason I chose to become Elizabeth Cain was to stay with my husband."

"I'll accept that," Tigh said, "But if you're as powerful as you claim to be, why don't you return our memories to us instead of this thing doing it?"

"Because we made a deal with the Imperious Leader." The speaker was Daniel Jackson, who appeared, walking toward them. "He has to live up to his end of the bargain."

"Not with my mind, he doesn't," Tigh asserted.

Daniel shook his head, smiling. "Even though you don't remember your life before John took your memories, you are very much the same person. Maybe a bit more stubborn."

"You think he's more stubborn?" Jack asked.

"Maybe a bit," Daniel responded.

"I'm not sure I agree."

"Well..."

"Guys!" Sam interrupted loudly. Both of them turned to look at her. "I think the thing to do is bring back your mother, Daniel. That should convince all five that we have their best interests at heart."

"You're right."

Jack was about to wave his hand when he suddenly stopped.

"What is it, Jack?" Daniel asked.

"You should get Teal'c."

Daniel didn't even hesitate. "You're right, however, he might do something seriously nasty to Cavil."

"You're going to bring Teal'c here?" Cavil asked, nervously backing away.

"How do you know about Teal'c?" Tigh asked suspiciously.

"You told me about him long ago."

"How would I have known Teal'c long ago?"

A voice that Tigh had thought he would never hear again answered him. "Because Teal'c considers you his father, Saul."

Tigh turned and his mouth dropped open as he took in the woman walking toward them. "Ellen!" he finally managed.

On board Enterprise...

"I don't understand," Lwaxana said. "I don't know Anubis any more than I know Khan."

Riker glanced from his mother-in-law to Picard. The second Q was seated at the curved table, on the Commodore's left, rather than his former position at the head.

As commander of the battle group, and the one who had coordinated the rescue of the people from the surface, Riker was conducting the briefing. He looked back to his mother-in-law, at the other end of the table, and caught a sense of her grief and confusion over Anubis' actions.

Picard nodded in understanding. "I know that you are confused, Lwaxana." He used only her first name, because Jaffa had no last name, and to refer to her as 'Mrs. Troi' seemed to somehow slight her marriage to Bra'tac. "I have the answers you desire, but I cannot divulge the information without telling you of your future. To do that, could lead to the partial destruction of the timeline."

Lwaxana shook her head. "I'm not asking you to change the timeline. I'm just wondering why I've been singled out by Anubis."

"Mother," Deanna said, hoping to deflect the line of questioning, "Unfortunately, for Admiral Picard to answer that question would be telling you about your future."

Lwaxana stared at her daughter for a few moments. "So you're telling me that in the future, I'm going to run across this Anubis person, and he's going to develop a very intense grudge against me. For some reason, he's going to hate me enough to destroy almost everyone on Betazed."

Daniel Jackson was seated across the table from Picard. "Minister Troi," he said, using her proper title as the Prime Minister of Betezed, "I doubt that it will help how you are feeling, but in the past, Anubis has been willing to destroy every living thing in the galaxy for his own personal gain. Destroying a single world is nothing to him."

The resurrection ship...

Another Daniel Jackson was standing, watching Ellen and Saul Tigh reunite. It was a poignant moment for him as well, because four of the Cylon models that the final five had designed were made from the Tigh's DNA. For all intents and purposes, Saul and Ellen were Daniel's parents. They were also the parents of D'Anna and Sharon. Their fourth Cylon child was no longer organic.

Teal'c had arrived unnoticed, but now he stepped up to the mechanical Cylon. "You know of me?"

"Yes, I do," Lucifer answered.

"Your mind is that of John Cavil?"

"Yes." He started to back away from the Q.

Teal'c held up the index finger on his right hand, and indicated that Cavil should approach him. The Cylon lifted off the floor and floated gracefully back to Teal'c. He set down and the Jaffa grabbed his neck and lifted him off the floor. "I would have no problem taking your body apart circuit by circuit, Cavil. The only thing stopping me is that Daniel informs me that you are our brother."

"How are you my brother?" Cavil asked, scared for his life now.

"The man that Tigh was... Indeed, who he is... I consider to be my father. You will restore his memories now, or our relation will no longer stay my hand."

"But..." The Imperious Leader stopped. He did not want to say what he now had to. "To restore their memories..." his voice trailed off.

Ellen explained. "The way this works is that to restore the memories, the person has to resurrect."

"So I have to die to know who I was?" Tyrol asked disgustedly.

"We have a shortcut," O'Neill said.

"Yeah," Anders speculated. "A forty-five caliber hemorrhage in the brain."

"I think we can do it in a less extreme manner," Sam offered.

Enterprise...

Bra'tac and Lwaxana were standing on the observation deck of Enterprise, gazing down at Earth.

"It's a beautiful planet," the Jaffa master commented.

"Yes, but it's not home. It's not ours, and our people will forever be guests there."

"The humans won't intend that." He put an arm around his wife as they gazed at the world lazily turning beneath them.

"No, they won't. In fact, it probably won't be their problem. It will be ours."

"What do you see as the solution, my dear?" Bra'tac asked.

Once she spoke her mind to Bra'tac, it crystallized her resolve. She talked to Riker, and he spoke to Kirk and Sulu. Then the ball began rolling.

Kirk dispatched a nova class starship, commanded by a young biologist named Tory Foster, to be at their disposal. They were to search for a world that the Betazoids could colonize.

The resurrection ship…

Teal'c reached out and touched the computer interface with one hand and Saul's shoulder with the other. The light behind the interface glowed brighter as Teal'c pulled the memories directly from the computer, and placed them into the mind they had once occupied.

When the glow faded, Saul looked around blankly for a moment, then it was as if he woke up. "Teal'c!" he said, but this time, the inflection behind the name was different. There were years of friendship behind his simple utterance.

"Yes, Old Friend," Teal'c said, smiling at his old teacher.

Bra'tac turned and faced Jack. "O'Neill," he said, and when he spoke now, it was not in Tigh's Caprican accent, but in the curious formality of the Jaffa. "Thank you for insisting that we receive our memories back." He looked at the three remaining members of the final five. "I remember who I am, now. These people are our friends. They will not harm you. Trust them to return to you, what my renegade son took."

Teal'c placed one hand on the computer, and one on Sam Anders' shoulder and the light began to glow again, as Bra'tac turned to his wife.

"Hello, Bra'tac," Lwaxana said, beaming at her husband.

"Lwaxana!"

A few minutes later, the final five once more remembered who they were.

"It's as if I've awoke from a coma," Tyrol remarked.

"I find myself now in the nightmare," Tory said, looking sadly at her former fiance.

The chief returned her gaze. He had been married to Cally for quite some time, and the remembrance of what he and Foster had once had cut like a knife.

Iconia Prime…

Marie Picard, the Borg Queen, stood where Daniel and Vala had talked to her that first night. She had spent several days in the sphere, speaking with different ascended people and Q, trying to figure out where she belonged. No one that she spoke to seemed to think that she should remain a Borg. Instead, they seemed to think that she should denounce that part of herself and turn into energy again.

As she was standing, contemplating, another person materialized near her. It was a blonde girl, approximately sixteen or seventeen years old. She walked up to Marie and faced her, not saying anything.

"You are Annika Picard, are you not?" Marie asked.

"That is what I am called now," the girl replied. "At one time, I was Borg, as you are."

"You were never as Borg as I am," Marie said, humorously.

"You think that you are unable to become energy again?" Annika asked.

"How do you know that?"

"I am Q, Aunt Marie. I can see what is in your mind. Please do not misunderstand, however. I am not trying to eavesdrop, but my mind is very much attuned to the Borg. It is harder for me to block your thoughts than to hear them."

Marie considered. "You are correct, Annika. I do not believe I can generate enough organic energy to shed my Borg confines."

"I can help you."

The queen shook her head. "I do not want you to break any laws."

"How would I be breaking any laws?"

"It is against the law of the Q to turn someone into a Q. Would it not be against the law to ascend me?"

"No," the girl said simply, "and besides, even if it were, you are already ascended. I am just giving you some energy to replace the matter you have shed."

"I've shed a lot of it."

"I understand that, but I have a lot of energy to give."

Marie looked hopeful, but apprehensive as well. "I was once told by the ascended to keep your father under control. Keep an eye on him so he couldn't get out of hand without them knowing about it. They didn't know he was Q at the time."

"Why would they not have known he was Q?"

"He hid the fact, or will hide the fact, from most people outside of Starfleet. Those in Starfleet know how to keep a secret, so they will not tell." Marie shook her head. "I didn't know what he was when I left here either."

Annika didn't respond. She looked expectantly at her aunt, and finally the queen said, "If you are willing to assist me, I would accept it."

The girl smiled and nodded. "Alright." She raised a hand and touched her aunt on the shoulder. The woman's skin started to glow, then she flared brightly. The flesh on the woman's body became energy, and the metallic skull underneath melted. The black outfit that she wore caught fire, and smoke started to billow out of her body. The ball of energy that was Marie was a tiny thing at first, but it grew in intensity and size very quickly as Annika fed her aunt more and more.

Finally, the orb was like those made when any ascended being took the energetic form, and she lowered to hover by her niece. She coalesced into flesh and bone, and once more looked like the woman who had recently left the alpha quadrant.

"Thank you, Annika," she said, giving the girl a hug. Then, she turned to the burnt out husk that she had just vacated. It was still smoldering, putting out an acrid smoke that burned the lungs of anyone unlucky enough to breath it in. "Sarah?"

"Yes, Marie?"

"Could you please dispose of this… thing?"

"Gladly."

Deep Space Nine…

Jean Luc Picard was on edge. He was a man of action, and now, there was little to act on at this moment.

"A penny for your thoughts?" Beverly said, coming into the room.

"I would be overcharging you again," he said.

"Shouldn't I be the one to decide that?" she laughed as she sat down beside him. She folded her legs beneath her, and leaned against his shoulder. "I may see value where you don't."

He laughed as he placed an arm around her shoulders.

"What's bothering you, Jean Luc?" she asked.

He considered a moment before he spoke. "I am not one who can sit around doing nothing for extended periods of time."

She laughed. "I'm aware of that. I know how hard it is to get you to take a vacation."

"I want to do some archeological work. Do some digging. Actually get dirty."

"Where would you like to go?" she asked.

At her tone, he turned his head and gazed at her. "You're serious, aren't you?"

"Jean Luc Picard, do you think I could know you all this time and not know when you're discontented?"

"It has nothing to do with you, Beverly," he said hurriedly.

"I know that," she said standing up. There was a flash, and she was no longer wearing the dress she had been. Instead, she was in khaki shorts, shirt, and a pith helmet. "Let's go, Jean Luc. I'm bored too."

He stood up, and changed his clothes similarly. He gave her a crooked grin and said, "Allow me." He waved his hand, and they were gone.

Ops…

"Contact Merlin at Iconia Prime," Sisko told Dax.

"We should also contact Admiral Kirk," Kira said. She had gotten somewhat used to being a changeling, and had settled into her new life rather well, although she hated spending time each day in a gelatinous state.

"That's a good idea, Kira," he said to her. Turning to Dax, he ordered, "Split screen, Lieutenant."

A moment later, Kirk and Merlin were on the screen, looking at those in ops. "Captain Sisko," Kirk said, "to what do I owe the pleasure?"

"We have a problem, Sir." The station commander was standing with his hands clasped behind his back. "Yesterday afternoon, I paged Admiral Picard. I received no response, but since the Admiral is a Q, I was not terribly concerned. However, sensors show that he is not on the station, and hasn't been since yesterday around noon. That is not like him."

Kirk indicated Merlin. "Obviously he's ok, Captain."

"I understand that, but there is a large fleet requiring the Admiral's attention, based out of my station."

"I'm sure he'll be back…" Kirk's statement was cut off by the wizard.

"No."

"I beg your pardon?" Kirk was surprised to be cut off by his great grandson.

"I doubt that he'll be back, Sir."

Kirk's eyes narrowed as he asked, "Would you mind explaining that?"

Merlin looked at ops, and took in the people waiting expectantly there. "Admiral," he said to Kirk, "I recommend that we do not broadcast this through subspace. If you will join me in Sisko's office?"

"Very well," Kirk responded. There was a flash, and both Q disappeared from the screen.

Sisko waited for them to flash into his office, but they didn't.

Two hours later, he contacted Sulu at his office in San Francisco. He explained what had happened, and concluded, "I have a very bad feeling about this, Mister President."

"So do I, Captain," Sulu nodded gravely. "So do I."

A/N… And so ends, The Fall of Iconia. We sincerely hope you've enjoyed this part of the series. Stay tuned for book 4, The Hope of Iconia.