No Stones unturned
Deep Space Nine
The nurses woke Lt. Danny Green and Lt. Lui Chen, the third and fourth member of Commander David's Sheppard's team. They were still groggy from the materialization process, but as they began to come to their senses, they looked around and saw Dr. McKay sitting up on the bed. They exchanged confused glances with each other before turning their attention back to their commanding officer and the unfamiliar man standing next to him.
Lt. Danny Green and Lt. Lui Chen stood up from their biobeds, stretching their limbs and massaging their necks to relieve the lingering discomfort from the materialization process. As they stood to attention to their commanding officer, Commander Sheppard ordered them to be at ease.
"At ease Lieutenants."
"I can't believe it worked." Rodney said with excitement. "But I was 65 percent sure it might not work. It was a gamble."
"Rodney," David tries to get him to shut up. The man hasn't shut up since he's woken up, and David is starting to wonder if that's even possible. He turns to Sisko, who just shrugs with a small smile. "Shut up for moment."
"Sorry." Rodney grinned. He took a moment to collect his thoughts. He looked at Sisko and Sheppard, then at Bashir. "So, what now?"
"Well, I would like an explanation on how you four traverse into our galaxy." Captain Sisko said. He gestured to Dr. McKay. "Perhaps you can give us a brief summary?"
"Ah, that's easy." Rodney said, a bit too excitedly. He cleared his throat and began to explain when David cleared his throat.
"Not now Rodney." David cautioned. He turned back to Captain Sisko.
"We'll hold a debrief in 1 hour, I will let you four get acquainted with this universe." Captain Sisko said. He smiled at them and turned to leave.
"Sir, we can't wait 1 hour." David said as he follows the captain to the Promenade.
"You are not going anywhere Commander." Sisko said firmly. "Sif brief me on your mission. In the meantime, feel free to explore the station, get to know the men and women in uniform."
"Oh met our artificial intelligence?" David ask.
"Yes." Sisko said with a smile. "She's quite an interesting character."
As they walked along the Promenade, they went to Quarks bar to get a drink. The bar seems to be busy with a variety of people from different species that David haven't met or recognized as they went up to the bar.
"Quark!" David said as they walked up to the bar.
"Yes, Do I know you?" Quark replied with a sneer.
"Quark, be polite to your new customer." Sisko interrupted. "This is Commander David Sheppard.
"Ah, Commander!" Quark exclaimed, his demeanor changing instantly. "Welcome to Quark's! The finest establishment this side of the wormhole! What can I get you?"
"A bottle of your finest whiskey." David said, looking around.
"Coming right up, Commander!" Quark said with a wink. He went behind the bar and pulled out a bottle. He carefully poured a glass and set it in front of David. "three strips of latnium."
"Quark!" Sisko said, drawing the Ferengi's attention.
"How can a Ferengi make an honest living giving away drinks for free?" Quark grumbled.
David took a sip of his whiskey and nodded appreciatively. "This is good. How much for the whole bottle?"
"It's a bit pricey." Quark said, "But as a special favor to your good Captain and yourself, I'll let you have it for four strips."
"What's equivalent to Tau'ri credits?"
"Ha, Tau'ri credits..." Quark laughs out loud. "I see, you're not from around here."
Meanwhile, Rodney Mckay, Lt. Danny Green and Lt. Lui Chen had been wandering around the Promenade as well. They were fascinated by the various alien species they encountered and the bustling atmosphere of the station. They decide to join Commander Sheppard and Captain Sisko at Quark's bar.
"There you are." Mckay said as he slid onto the barstool beside David, followed by Danny and Lui. "I didn't realize how much I missed a good, old-fashioned Earth-style bar." He glanced around at the aliens milling about. "Quite the colorful crowd, too."
Quark heard the newcomer comparing his bar to Earth. "I am offended, comparing this bar to your Earth."
"Oh, no, no." David said quickly. "He means it in a good way. This place is unique, a breath of fresh air compared to what we have back home which is more advanced."
"That will be 4 strip of gold press latnium." Quark said to David.
David searches his pocket and pull out a single black coin, a coin that's worth more than the whole bottle of whiskey. He tossed the coin on the counter. "One naquada coin for the bottle. I'll take a few more glasses to go."
"Listen pal, I don't care what you say, you don't get this bottle for this coin of yours!" Quark protested, grabbing the coin. "What's the value of this coin on your planet?"
Rodney taps on his gauntlet to activate a heads-up display floating about the gauntlet. "Connecting to exchange rate database..." he mutters to himself, as the display shows the value of the coin. "Ah, one naquada coin is equivalent to about two thousand bars of gold and other precious metals."
Quark stares at the gauntlet that Rodney fiddling with, "How about the gauntlet of yours," he says. "I'll trade you the bottle of whiskey for it."
Captain Sisko, sitting across the bar, laughs, "I don't think so, Quark. You're not going to start dealing in advanced technology."
Quark scowls at Sisko, but reluctantly pulls out a new bottle and pours a glass for David. "One glass on the house. The rest will be ten strips."
"Put it on my tab Quark." Sisko said.
"You know how much the Federation owes me?" Quark muttered under his breath. David chuckled as he took the glass from the Ferengi, nodding his thanks. The rest of the group also thanked Quark as they accepted their drinks.
"Take your complaint to the Federation Quark." Sisko said with a straight face. He doesn't like the man, but he has been beneficial to the station.
One hour later, in the captain's office small as David glances at trinkets and pictures that adorn the walls. The desk, a sleek black finishing. a baseball displayed on the edge of the desk, several pictures of his wife and kid Jake. Sisko sits down, motioning for David, Rodney, Green and Chen along with his senior officers. Major Nerys, Lt. Commander Jadzia Dax, Commander Worf and Chief Petty Officer Miles O'Brien.
David notices a small oval shape stone that's next to his baseball, it had glyphs that he recognized as ancient writing written on it. "Sir, where did you get this?"
Captain Sisko paused, glancing at the stone before picking it up. "Oh, this? It's a family heirloom passed down from my mother's side. There's suppose to be a pair, but I only ever saw this one. My grandmother claimed they were good luck charms, but I've always wondered if there was something more to it." He held it out for David to examine, the curiosity in his eyes evident.
David activated his multi-function tactical interface gauntlet, hovering it over the stone and begins to scan it.
"What does that gauntlet do?" Captain Sisko ask.
David explained, "it's a standard issue Multi-function Tactical interface, much like your tricorder but more advance."
The gauntlet sensors chirp, and a holographic projection hovers over his gauntlet to reveal that the stone is a long range communication stone, but the ancient writing that's etched on the stones "time sit still." David didn't know what that meant.
"Usually the communication stones work in pairs, but this one seems to be inert." David said, handing the stone back to Captain Sisko.
"Communication stones." Sisko repeated, holding the stone and staring at it intently. "There's more that you are not telling me."
David turns back to Captain Sisko and decided to tell him. "A Long-range communication stone is a device created by the Alterans before their society divided into the Ancients and the Ori. It is used in tandem with the Long-range communication device."
Rodney activated his gauntlet, showing a holographic display of the strange device about his gauntlet's forearm. "It allows the wielder with an ancient gene to view each other's memories."
Miles O'Brien laughs. "Well, that explains it."
"Explains what?" Major Kira Nerys asked.
"Every night, I would dream of myself writing a script of a show called Star Trek under a pseudonym name of Gene Roddenberry." Miles O'Brien chuckled. "The dreams were so vivid and real that I could even remember the dialogue and the plot of each episode. Sometimes, I would wake up in the middle of the night and have to write them down before I forget. I always thought it was just a figment of my imagination, until now."
"Huh," Rodney said, looking at Miles with newfound respect. "So you've been experiencing the memories of Gene Roddenberry?"
"I guess so," O'Brien says. "It's not the first time I encountered the stone."
"Your doppelganger, must have the other stone." Rodney said. "but I don't understand how Captain Sisko got this."
"Wait a minute." Captain Sisko held up his hand, "I had this stone since I was a kid."
David thought for a moment, "It's because you don't have the ancient gene sir."
"Ancient gene?" Captain Sisko repeated.
"I have the ancient gene sir." O'Brien spoke up.
"I saw it happen when he enter the ship," Jadzia Dax said. "I'm a bit jealous."
"Puddle Jumper." Rodney corrected the joined Trill which brough a scowl from Jadzia.
Now O'Brien remembers, it was his first day on the station after transferring from the Enterprise, Commander Sisko at the time wants to meet and welcome Chief Petty Officer Miles O'Brien to the Deep Space Nine.
4 years ago
Chief Miles O'Brien is outside of Commander Sisko office, waiting to meet the station commander. He adjusted his uniform, took a deep breath and enters the office. Commander Sisko was sitting behind his desk, looking at a family photo.
"You needed to see me sir?" O'Brien asked, the door automatically closed behind him as he stood to attention, with his hands behind his back.
Commander Sisko glanced up, a small smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "At ease, Chief. I just wanted to welcome you aboard Deep Space Nine. I understand you've just transferred from the Enterprise."
"Yes sir," O'Brien replied with a nod. "I'm looking forward to serving under your command."
"Please have a seat." Commander Sisko gestured to the empty chair in front of his desk. As O'Brien sat down, he couldn't help but notice the strange black stone sitting on the desk. He fought the urge to reach out and touch it.
"I understand you want your family here on the station." Commander Sisko said as he leaned back in his chair.
"Yes sir," O'Brien said as he touches the stone, the stone seemed to do nothing. "My wife and daughter means everything to me, and I'm hoping they can join me soon."
"Of course." Commander Sisko nodded. "Where are they now?"
"They are on Earth sir, waiting permission. " O'Brien explained.
"Chief, I run a tight station." Sisko said. "It's not like the Enterprise where civillians can just walk around. But I'm willing to make an exception for your family. They'll be assigned to the habitat section and will be able to live with you."
O'Brien was stunned. "Thank you, sir. I appreciate that more than you know."
Commander Sisko smiled. "Dismiss."
O'Brien rose to his feet, saluting. "Aye, sir." As he turned to leave, he couldn't help but feel a sense of relief and gratitude wash over him. He knew that he was going to do everything in his power to prove himself worthy of Captain Sisko's trust.
4 years later
Enough with the stones." Sisko said, putting away the stone and standing up. He walked over to the port window, staring out into the stars. "Commander Sheppard, your A.I, stated this Ba'al is in our universe and you are here to apprehend him."
David nodded. "Yes, Captain. We believe…our Federation Intelligence believe he controls the Dominion."
"Who's this Ba'al." Major Nerys ask, she wants to know more about this character.
David transfers the data from his MTI gauntlet to the computer interface that's attached to the bulkhead. The screen flickers to life, displaying an image of a tall, slender figure with a short, black hair and a well trim goatee. He is wearing his gold robe adorned with precious stones and metals. His piercing, brown eyes seem to stare right through you.
"This is Ba'al,, David stated. "It's not the man, it's the parasite. They're called Goa'uld. A parasitic race that burrows themselves into a human or humanoid host, taking control of the host body."
Nerys listened, trying to understand what David was saying. "So, this Ba'al, he's not really a person but a parasite?"
"Like my symbiote?" jadzia asked. She had been quiet for a while, thinking about her own connection to the Trill symbiote.
"Your symbiot doesn't take control." Rodney added.
Captain Sisko walked over to the monitor and stare at the picture of Ba'al. "I wouldn't want one of things to burrow into me." Sisko stated. "How long you been at war with the Goa'uld?
"The war with the Goa'uld ended over 300 years ago," Rodney added. "This one guy made clones of himself and managing to take over Earth top corporations."
Captain Sisko raised an eyebrow. "So this Ba'al, or Goa'uld, is some sort of a corporate raider?"
"No sir, he took over the 'Trust'." Lt Green stated. "A group of terrorist made of corporate executives, politicians and the rich; they're main goal is to acquire technology to protect the Earth from alien invasion."
Captain Sisko nodded. "And you say this Ba'al controls the Dominion now?"
"Yes sir."
"So, we are dealing with a megalomaniac." Jadzia said, more to herself than anyone else in the room.
"More like megalomaniac of godhood." David added. "He believes he is a god and his goal is to conquer every species in the universe and make them worship him."
"In our universe, the Goa'uld ruled and enslaved the humans of Earth for thousands of years, implanting them in other planets." Rodney started. "But, in the end, we were able to defeat them, thanks to the S.G.C."
Jadzia spotted Rodney looking at her and gave him a small smile. "What does he get out of it? I mean, what's his endgame?"
Captain Sisko frowned. "You mean besides ruling the universe and being worshipped as a god?"
Worf, who have been quite during the briefing, spoke up. "The Klingon dont worship gods, we slay them."
"That's not what I meant, Worf." Sisko said, trying to calm the situation. "I'm asking what this Ba'al gets out of it?"
"Olma didn't tell you sir?" Commander Sheppard asked Captain Sisko.
"No," Sisko responds as took a blue cylindrical object and places it on the table. "She just handed me this."
"What is an Olma." Worf asked.
"Olma Desala is an ascended being," Commander Sheppard responds. "Much like the Bajoran prophets that lives in the wormhole." Sheppard glances at Major Nerys who took in the information.
Rodney on the other hand had his eyes glued to the data rod on the Captain's desk.
"She's a representative of the Federation Security Council after the others in the higher planes allows her to represent the Ascendacy."
"Why would an ascended being get involve with this?" Captain Sisko asked.
"Because, Ba'al somehow ascended after he escape to the Ori Galaxy."
There's so much information for Sisko, Jadzia, O'Brien, Worf and Nerys to take in at one time. The idea that an ascended being, a being that had gone beyond the physical realm and become one with the divine, could still be involved in the petty politics and schemes of the universe was a fascinating concept. It raised questions about the nature of divinity and the purpose of ascension. Was it merely a selfish pursuit of power and influence, or was there some greater good that these beings were working towards?
"Can you transfer the data to our computers?" Jadzia ask, her curiosity getting the better of her. She couldn't help but wonder what else they could learn about their universe.
"Yes ma'am, all of the data have been uploaded to your computer databanks." Sif said as she shimmers, appearing before them as a holographic projection.
Captain Sisko looked at the hologram. "Thank you Sif."
"Commander Sheppard." Sif said as she addressed the military officer.
"Yes Sif." Commander Sheppard nodded.
"The Alternate Reality Drive Anchor is at 99 percent." Sif reported.
"What happen at 100 percent?" O'Brien, the curious engineer, asked. He was eager to learn more about the technology that could allow them to travel between universes.
Sif's big round eyes blink as she begins to explain before she was interrupted by Rodney as he insert the data rod into his gauntlet and began.
"All the data is here." Rodney says as the gauntlet chirps.
Otherside of the universe
Weyoun and a squadron of Jem'hadar attack ships enter the rift; with their tritanium and duranium alloy hull protecting them from the extreme radiation coming from hyperspace, they are able to pass through the rift and avoid the gamma bombardment. The deflector shield shielded them and the their immunity helps them not turn into a gooey mess.
Weyoun immediately sent a subspace message to the Dominion fleet massing at the border to attack the Tauri Federation as a diversionary tactic. The changeling spy who is working at Tauri Federation Command disguised as an attaché to a high-ranking SOC General for the better of 3 months sent a coded message that the weapon is located in a top-secret location on Earth.
25 Jem 'Hadar attack ship accelerates to the Aurora battleships, firing their torpedoes and polaron beams. Their torpedoes had no effect on the battleships as some of the Aurora fires their drones at the attack ships, phasing through the shields and impacting the hull and taking out key systems before the attack ships exploded.
The surviving attack ships return to the battle and make a kamikaze run on the Asuran battleships, causing minimal damage as their shields flicker.
Weyoun studies the reading on the sensors and orders all the attack wing and battleship to the same tactics. To hit, run and ram the Tauri Federation ships. The tactics will keep the Tauri busy as he and the 300 plus ships warp to Earth.
Fleet Admiral Aeolus, the Commander of the Aurora 3rd Battlegroup; he braces the command chair as two Jem'hadar attack ships ram his ship. Sparks flies from the conduit on the bulkhead and consoles; injuring the human crew and a possible death.
"Admiral, our shields are at 45%. The shield emitters can't take much of a beating."
"Our drone compliments are expended."
"We have to hold off the enemy ship before reinforcements gets here."
"It wouldn't be a problem if our government haven't accepted the treaty." Stated the the Captain as he braces his chair from another impact.
"Sir, sensors detecting hyperspace window opening."
A Jem'hadar attack ship fires a volley of torpedos at the flagship's bridge, weakening the shields; as another attack ship ram the bridge. It went through the window, killing everyone inside. It automatically activates the forcefield to keep the bridge from venting atmosphere. The asuran and humans didn't have time to evacuate as the Jem'hader ship exploded; causing a chain reaction as the entire flagship is destroyed.
The captain of the other ships saw the tactics of the Dominion and changes their tactics. The other smaller ships protect the 20 Aurora battleships. They fired their beam and pulse weapons at the Jem'hadar attack craft as the Tauri ships form a protective wedge around the Auroras battleships
Operations Specialist Ensign Weylin Chen and other NCOs are hard at work monitoring the subspace, normal space, Naval and civilian ships entering and exit out of hyperspace. His task is to monitor 300 Dominion ship that slipped through the battle with the 3rd Battlegroup at the Dominion lines and somehow they masked their warp signatures.
"Petty Officer Perez, remodulate our sensors to 3.45 variance and cancel out the background radiation."
As soon as the petty officer remodulate the sensors and cut out the background radiation from the terminal, he displayed the result to the holographic display and zooms out the galactic map. Ensign Chen stares at the new contact.
"Thor, extrapolate the Dominion course and speed."
It took a moment for the Asgard AI to calculate the 300 plus Dominion ships course. The holographic display changes to show the Dominion ships on the galactic map and shows a course to Earth.
"Put the station on battle alert."
"Yes sir"
Antarctica became the bedrock of a massive city, a futuristic skyscraper built around the Ancient outpost tower. It's the hotbed for commerce, trade and center of government of the TAURI Alliance, bringing billions in Tau'ri credits to the capitalist utopia.. Poverty, famine and hunger been eliminated with the deployment of food synthesizer; no need for livestock or farms to grow food.
The weather of the planet is controlled and monitored by Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency, a government entity responsible for the perfect weather on Earth. No hurricanes, tornadoes, floods and drought. The control hub is located at the northeast dome, where the power distribution center and communications center is housed.
The changeling is in the promenade of busy marketplace; sitting outside on a warm day. It's actually midnight in Antarctica. Aliens from different races conducting their business, eating their meals and some are taking pictures of the city as tourist would've doing. Being in disguise as a female Tauri Naval officer; attache to the chairman of the joint chief. The benefits of being an attaché is being in a high level meeting and a security clearance to access government and military database. On the other hand, she has been researching, looking for a cure through the Tau'ri medical database for her people. She sent a sample of herself to Tau'ri Medical, falsifying the documents that the specimen is suffering from a morphogenic virus; a degenerative disease that's killing her people.
Tauri Medical alerted state department that they found a cure, the cure for the Morphogenic virus that's killing a species of people; but the state department denies no knowledge or made contact of a species that's dying of the disease. Intelligence official became aware and didn't want to raise suspicion on the changeling spy that the Tau'ri Intelligence is on to her or whatever form the changeling takes. The President is also aware of the spy and gave an approval to send a Re'tu unit to monitor the changeling closely. They even fed her a fake location of a weapon that she been looking for but held the cure as Top Level clearance.
She took out her scanner and scans the area, since the Re'tu spies are impervious to scans. Then her communicator beeps indicating that It's Weyoun on the line.
"We are 2 hours out from Earth, have you located the weapon?"
"I am sending coordinates to the location of the weapon." She said as she tap a few commands on her paper-thin tablet and uploaded the necessary information.
"Lord Ba'al will be please." Weyoun said with a smile. "How many vials you have left?"
In her opinion, she doesn't like the idea of siding with Ba'al and his conquest to the two universes, but he has the dosage she needs for the illness the great link is suffering from. The problem with the inoculation is that it's temporary for the time. She inoculates herself every week for her to turn into a liquid state.
All of a sudden, she's engulfed by a bright light and disappears out of the table she was sitting in. Other people in the surroundings looks and went on their business like it's a natural occurrence for military officers beaming in and out instead of using public shuttles.
By the mere second she rematerializes in the transporter room facing a port side view of earth and a massive space station orbiting the planet; she could also witness navy ship out in the distance forming up in a delta formation as anticipation of an attack coming. As she turn around, she is surrounded by 3 fully armored marines with their weapons trained at her.
"None left." She taps her earpiece to turn it off and said. "About time you got the clue I left."
"Stand down marines."
She recognize the male voice, an elderly Japanese man in his 60s in his battle fatigues approaches her with his hands behind his back.
"Admiral Fusako Sir."
Admiral Hiro Fusako is Co Chairman for the Joint Chiefs and oversees Research and Development in the Tauri Navy. When the intelligence official contacted him that his attaché is not what she claim to be, he wanted to see proof.
The marines lowers their rifle and stood to attention. At the moments notice or any threatening action the changeling makes, they have the authority to subdue her with a specialized weapon created to stop her kind.
"Cut the formality whoever you are." The japanese Admiral said as he approaches her. For an old man in 60s, nanotechnology in his bloodstream regulating his health; he could live 200 years past his prime since medical technology is so advanced that all diseases and deformities been eradicated since the creation of the Tau'ri Alliance.
"I'm sorry?"
"You are a Dominion spy," a female voice said as she approaches. She have black hair, short and Asian descent.
"Who are you?"
"I am agent Sharon Vallerii, Tauri Intelligence."
Admiral Fusako paces around and grabs a cylindrical device with a nozzle on top from his pocket and showed it to her.
The Changeling steps forward but was stopped by a forcefield that's surround her. "I seek asylum."
Sharon is skeptical why a Dominion agent wants to aid the Tauri Alliance. "What's in it for you?"
"My people wants freedom and the cure to the morphogenic virus."
"We'll cross that bridge when it comes to it." Admiral Fusako says
Then an alert sounded, the lighting in the entire station dims; alerting the station personnel to man their battlestation.