Star Trek: Phantom Menace.
USS Nova, NCC-59285.
Chapter 1: Fate Calls To Those That Answer.
The multiverse. A complex and anomalous infinity full of possibilities.
Each reality affecting another through the decisions made by the residents of said reality.
In one, the Milky way galaxy is invaded by the borg and all life is forcibly assimilated.
In another, the Federation's ideals are perverted and they are instead a greedy empire of conquering psychopaths with no regard or empathy for other life.
Alas, I could explain all the different alternate or parallels in their fullest. But we would be here for well...forever. After all they are infinite.
Instead I will tell the story of one noticeable timeline where two separate galaxies, so different to the other, suddenly crossed paths and changed the predetermined destinies of entire civilizations.
Some would call it coincidence, others Fate or the will of the force. Alas, We may never know what truly caused the first contact of these two galaxies.
But we do know what happened after.
[Starfleet Research Facility Near Vulcan, Theoretic FTL division.]
Admiral Charles Decker was one of the most decorated officers of starfleet. He served under Captain Sulu as a teenage prodigy, where he developed several defence technologies that would later be used on the Enterprise C. (Unfortunately they wouldn't be much help to her during her final battle)
Due to Decker's skills in tactics and navy warfare, as well as his exemplary record, Starfleet rewarded him with the chance to captain a Galaxy X Dreadnought, The USS Nova.
He accepted.
This lead him to serve in the dominion war, helping capture key strategic points while leading various mixed task forces, ending up helping secure the Federation's eventual victory.
He was supposed to have reported to Jupiter Station in order to take command of a new prototype ship. However due to the recent... incident. (The Borg's return) that ship was now being redesigned.
Starfleet Command did offer other, slightly newer vessels for the man to take command as his Flagship, but he politely declined.
He did not want to split up his command staff, his family and friends that he has trusted for years. Therefore he decided to remain in command of the USS Nova until further notice.
'Stardate 2401.35'
Captain's Log supplemental. It has been a long few weeks since the Frontier Day massacre.
With starfleet ordering every newer ship of the entire fleet to be scanned and checked so as to make sure the Organic Borg virus has been cleansed and all Changeling agents have been apprehended.
Meanwhile the Nova has been run riot by mission after mission.
With so few vessels in the alpha quadrant fully operating right now, the fleet has been stretched thin.
Meaning a lot of us who are still in command of older ships have to conduct missions a newer vessel would usually undertake.
First contacts, deep space missions and many others. Including the most important of them all.
Advanced systems testing.
Usually a next generation vessel would be chosen to house and test new weapons, computer technologies and possibly even an experimental FTL drive.
But due to recent events that currently isn't possible and the job has fallen to us.
Once the more modern ships are back in service, I will officially be requesting some shore leave for me, my crew and our friends on the USS Kentucky and USS Vanguard.
Because we damn well deserve it...'
After finishing his log, a low clicking sound could be heard, notifying Charles that someone was trying to contact him.
"Computer end log, Decker Here." He stated, tapping his commbadge so as to reply to whoever had commed him.
"Captain, Professor J'taug and his assistants are ready to test the Quantum Hyper-Warp drive. Again." Came the voice of his first officer and much younger brother, Commander Jameson Decker. Although he goes by his first name so others don't get confused.
Their parents died during wolf 359, and their deaths inspired the younger Decker to join up with starfleet.
"Understood, im on my way. Let's hope the damn thing actually comes online this time." Decker replied, muttering the last part of the sentence under his breath.
The man then got up from his chair and walked out of his ready room, stepping foot onto the Bridge of his starship.
Said ship had three powerful nacelles instead of the regular two, not to mention some additional tactical technology.
Technically, due to its age, the Nova shouldn't really be classed as a prototype anymore. But due to there having only been four others of its variant class ever built, and with the Nova being the only survivor of said class. Starfleet deemed it worthy to keep the Prototype title and the NX registry, Even with the ship being over thirty five years old.
Decker took his seat in the captain's chair, just in time for the viewscreen to come online and show a video link where an excited Professor J'taug stood.
He and his team were getting the Prototype FTL drive ready in a temporary housing that currently was connected to the aft section of the main hull.
"Ah, Admiral Decker. I am glad you could join us, today we make history." The older Trill male greeted the man with a smile.
Decker nodded. "Let's hope this time, those words are indeed true." He replied, causing his command crew to smirk.
The professor's attention however, had already wondered. And the man was now focused on his invention instead of the captain and therefore didnt understand the joke.
"Sir I'm seeing a large build-up of unusual particles in the FTL's charge chamber." A science officer reported.
"Don't worry about that, those are Hyper-photons. Stick to your energy readings, let me worry about the drive." Professor J'taug waved the concern off. Confident of his success.
After a few more seconds, a strange electronic almost gargling like sound began to echo around the ship.
"Admiral, foreign energies are appearing in the charge chamber." The same officer from before stated.
"What, but I shielded the chamber from anything but the charged particles. Nothing else should be there!?" The Trill scientist exclaimed, typing furiously on his console now.
Several members of his team were rushing back and forth between consoles, obviously trying to stop whatever was taking place.
"Admiral, a strange anomaly has appeared around us and the two other ships." Commander Jameson told his older brother from his console.
"Professor J'taug, I'm officially ordering the shutdown of this test. Halt the experiment." Decker ordered.
"I'm trying, I've been trying since the energies appeared, but the sub systems aren't responding. The drive won't shut down-"
The video link shut off, and an explosion could be heard and felt throughout the whole ship.
"Admiral, Engineering reports they had to eject the extension pod housing the experimental FTL and the scientists, but it has now exploded. Its gone sir, completely." Reported an ensign.
"The doctor and his assistants?" Decker asked.
"They are gone sir, Transporters couldn't differentiate between the foreign energies and the people. They're dead." The ensign revealed sadly.
"Sir, that anomaly is shrinking in on us and the other ships!." Warned another officer.
"Shields up, helm get us out of here." Decker ordered, a slight amount of worry evident in his tone.
"I can't Sir, the warp drive isn't responding." The helm officer replied, typing out the same command, only for his console to fritz out and glitch before sparking, sending electrical arcs across the whole screen before powering off.
Thankfully the officer had backed away from the console as he saw the arcs.
"What the hell is happening to the stars..." Commander Jameson muttered.
That got everyone's attention, and the crew turned back to look out of the viewscreen, and sure enough, space itself looked like it was collapsing in on itself.
"Send out a distress call, all channels and frequen-"
Before Admiral Decker could complete his order, the anomaly had disappeared with a pop.
And with it, three Federation vessels...
Starfleet command would deem it an unfortunate tragedy due to the debris they would find of the FTL housing.
However, the reality of something is often very different to what we believe it to be.
[-{In a galaxy, Far Far Away}-]
"Viceroy, three ships have appeared on our scopes. Their configurations don't match any in our database. It could be from a new civilisation or perhaps the outer rim." One of the Bridge officers told her superior.
"We cannot allow anything to stop our plans now, destroy them, First Contacts aren't usually profitable anyway." Gunray replied, a frown on his grey face.
He could not and would not let the Queen of Naboo escape!
His assistant merely nodded as he stood beside him, always agreeing with the man on everything.
"First the queen manages to get off planet, then this. That dark Lord's plan better be worth all this trouble." Gunray muttered, watching his turrets open fire on the Naboo royal starship.
~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~
"Is everyone alright?" Decker asked the moment the ship stopped shaking.
It had only been a few seconds, but he swore after today that he would never use any rollercoaster program on the holodeck ever again.
He had just experienced enough aggressive movement for a lifetime.
The console in front of the helm officer sparked once or twice more before powering back on, as if nothing had happened.
"Minor damage to decks seventeen through twenty one, but the auto repair systems have come online. No casualties thankfully, just a few minor injuries and one report of a broken leg." Commander Jameson reported from his brother's left.
"What about the Kentucky and Vanguard?" Decker asked.
"Weapons are offline on the Kentucky, but no injuries reported. The Vanguard has some damage to its port nacelle and impulse engines but besides that they are okay Admiral." His brother replied.
"Okay, helm, try and figure out where the hell we are. Tactical I want Shields up, who knows where we have ended up, could be the middle of nowhere or hostile space, I don't want to take any chances." Decker ordered.
Before he had even turned around to sit back down in his chair, the Communications officer got his attention.
"Sir, Im picking up a distress call, audio only."
"Put it through."
"This is Queen Amidala of Naboo to any and all Republic allied vessels in the area, Naboo is under Trade Federation Blockade. My life and the lives of my people are under threat of death by Viceroy Nute Gunray and his armies. I am calling for help, my ship is currently under attack by Vulture Droids."
"I've heard enough, tell the Kentucky and Vanguard to stay back and continue repairs, we shouldn't be long. Helm, intercept course." Decker ordered.
~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~
Immediately the three thousand feet long starship turned around at great speed and accelerated at full impulse, aiming to intercept and protect the ship that was being attacked.
In under a minute, the Nova found the Naboo vessel and instantly put itself in front of her.
The vulture droids decided to focus on the larger, more destructive target, than the small one. Their programming reasoning that once the big hostile was destroyed, the Royal starship would be easier to get rid of.
Unfortunately, the scanning range on the droid fighters were not very far or powerful, Because if they had been , the entire group would have turned around and returned to base as soon as they possibly could.
This was due to the fact that while the galaxy class Starship was never designed to be a vessel of war, its Dreadnought variant had been.
And with said ship having fought and survived in not just two, but three different galactic wars and over seventy different battles. It was safe to say that the vulture droids had no idea what they were messing with.
(skip four paragraphs if you dont like technical stuff)
Six Type XII phaser arrays, seven photon torpedo bays, three Quantum missile launchers, two type X quad phaser cannons and one heavy Polaron cannon. Reinforced armour plating with primary and secondary energy AND particle shielding.
And that was just the defensive capabilities.
It's impulse engines and Duranium Hyperalloy hull allowed the 5,230,000 metric ton ship to manoeuvre like a small man fighter, and accelerate enough to outpace even the quickest of smuggler ships.
Long story short? The fighters had no chance.
"Lock phasers, Attack pattern delta 13, lets keep their attention on us." Captain Decker told tactical command, who did as ordered immediately.
Orange particle beams of phased nadion pierced through light Alclad alloy, and each and every fighter was destroyed with relative ease.
"Well that was...Quick, wrap our Shields around the Naboo ship and then hail them." Admiral Decker ordered.
"Aye sir."
~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~
"Captain, the ship that saved us, it's sending us a transmission. What shall I do?" The Naboo pilot asked his superior.
Typho took a moment to frown before sighing. "Put it through to the Royal Chambers the moment I arrive there, the Queen will want to talk to whoever they are."
"Understood." The pilot acknowledged.
- - - - - -
"This is Queen Amidala of Naboo, whoever you are you have my thanks. Our ship was severely damaged in the escape and it seems you saved us in the nick of time." The young woman stated, gratitude in her eyes.
"Think nothing of it Your Majesty, I am Admiral Decker of the USS Nova. Are you in need of any medical assistance?" The man asked, eyebrow raised.
The woman took a second to respond, seeming to pause for just a moment before saying: "Yes actually, several of my guards are injured. With one in critical condition." The Queen replied.
'Odd.' Decker noted mentally. 'Perhaps she doesn't know if she can trust us or not.'
"Understood, My chief medical officer and her team will be with you shortly. I also offer our assistance regarding repairs to your ship, it seems just small enough to fit into our main shuttle bay. My engineers can get to work right away the moment you dock." He stated, listing off what services he had that they could make use of.
Starfleet protocol was clear on first contact, make a good impression, list what the federation has to offer and vice versa before finally sealing the deal and adding another planetary member/species group to the organization.
The rest was up to the ambassadors,
simple yet effective.
Queen Amidala looked off screen for a moment, as if looking for advice or permission to accept the generous offers. She then nodded and turned back to look at Captain Decker. "I accept, thank you again. Naboo is in your debt."
~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~
"You are sure they can be trusted?" Captain Typho questioned Jedi Master Qui Gon Jinn.
"I cannot feel them individually, they seem somehow devoid of the forces influence, but the feeling it projects around them is that of warmth. Like that of accepting in a friend from long ago. I can't sense any hints of deception, hate or any hostile intentions at all."
"If that is the case, then I see no reason as to continue being reserved. We are among newcomers, newcomers who at the first sign of trouble have gone to a strangers aid. If that doesn't say anything about their character, I don't know what does." Queen Amidala added with a small smile.
~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~
(Back on the Trade Federation Ship)
"Well, has she signed the treaty?" A hooded figure asked over a holographic channel.
"She has umm, disappeared my lord. Her Nubian cruiser got past the blockade." Gunray revealed with a wince, trying not to look too scared before the sith.
"What?!." Sidious growled out, turning his head to look at Gunray's assistant, as if asking if what he was saying was true.
The assistant was too afraid to speak and merely nodded.
"W-We sent out squadrons of our fighters to force her back, but they were destroyed." Gunray continued as the room turned cold.
"By who!?" Sidious spat, glaring at the Viceroy from under his hood.
"We don't know, all we have are glitched black box recordings of last moment scans. The droids were almost completely lost, I have not seen such destruction before.." Nute Gunray replied, fearful that Sidious would be even more enraged by that news.
However the opposite became reality, his lord was silent, seemingly thinking over the information he had been told.
The sith's very careful plan was being undone by an unknown party, one with immense firepower and advanced technology. He had to find out more, he needed to know everything.
That way he could adjust the situation to fit his needs. Information was power after all.
"Send me all the data you have, I will have my specialist's look it over. Now, I want that treaty signed, no matter the excuses you have." Sidious ordered.
"But...My lord. The ship is now out of our range, it is impossible to locate her." Gunray replied.
"Not for a sith." Sidious smirked.
A tall figure stepped into view at his side, garbed in similar dark robes to that of Sidious. He was obviously a Zabrak male, with his skin tone being a mix of black and crimson red. Despite not being there in person, he still commanded a fierce presence. Adding to the fear of the Neimoidians.
"This is my apprentice, Darth Maul. He will find your lost ship." After that statement was made, The holocall was ended and Gunray and his assistant was left alone in the conference room.
"This is getting out of hand... now there are two of them." Gunray groaned, cursing the foolishness of his past self.
"We should never have made this bargain." His assistant muttered.
- - - - - -
Decker entered the briefing room, flanked by two security officers who stood either side of him. To his amusement, he managed to hear the ending of a no doubt long conversation.
"-If whatever or whoever lives on that planet is so important to the Jedi, Then Padme should bear witness as to why." Queen Amidala insisted.
"Very well your Majesty." Qui Gon Jinn replied with a sigh.
Admiral decker cleared his throat, gaining the attention of everyone in the room. "I see you've made yourselves comfortable. Before we begin I would like to introduce my wife, Ambassador Jalena Decker, and my Brother and First Officer, Commander Jameson, they will listen in on and help guide this and future briefings." The man explained, gesturing to the short beautiful human woman to his left, and then the tall young man to his right, who then took seats at the table before he did.
"Now, Let's get down to it, you said you needed to speak with me?" Decker added.
"Yes, we need to make a stop at a nearby planet. It's called Tatooine. It is very important we head there immediately-." Qui Gon began to say.
"Hold on, Tatooine?" Admiral Decker interrupted with a blink. That was a weird name for a planet.
"An utterly inhospitable desert planet with very few outposts. The natives are quite hostile to offworlders, as are the Hutts." Obi Wan told the man, sensing Decker wanted to know about the planet.
"Hutts?" Ambassador Jalena Decker frowned, having not heard of them before. They have only just arrived in this new galaxy after all.
"Yes Hutts. The hutts are rulers of a vast criminal empire that spans the whole galaxy, imagine a giant slug with two arms, two large eyes and a wide mouth. Those are hutts." Captain Typho explained.
"Which Hutt rules Tattooine?" Captain Decker asked.
"Jabba the Hutt, he is the current head of the Hutt family." Qui Gon revealed.
"Then I'm afraid we cannot help you. The Prime directive clearly states that we cannot interfere with the development or fate of a planet and its people If they are not part of the federation or her allies."
Ambassador Decker stated.
"But-"
Admiral Decker raised his hand. "please let me finish."
The queen nodded, gesturing for him to continue.
"However that rule does not exist for Section 31. Does it Commander?" Decker revealed.
"Indeed it does not Captain, your Majesty, I will assign three Operatives to accompany the Jedi and your handmaiden." Jameson stated with a smirk.
Amidala blinked. Surprised by how generous and accommodating her now allies were being. It showed their character.
"Now don't get me wrong, we usually wouldn't even divulge the existence of our intelligence organisation. But due to the fact we are nowhere near home, we are forced to use every advantage we can, within reason of course." Commander Jameson added.
"I see... in that case I accept, Master Qui Gon, are you okay with this?" she asked.
"I have no issues with this arrangement." The Jedi replied.
"May I ask why you are so insistent as to head to this planet just after a firefight?" Admiral Decker asked.
"I am following my instincts, the living force is directing me to that planet." Qui Gon replied, much to the confusion of the Starfleet officers.
"I'm sorry, the living force?" Jameson blinked, not understanding that phrase at all.
"You have never heard of the force?" Queen Amidala asked, bewildered. Almost everyone in the galaxy knew of the force.
"No, I don't believe we have. We aren't from around here remember. Please, Explain it to us if you could?" The commander requested.
"The force is the energy field that lives in all things. Plant life, sentients, fauna, etc. It binds the galaxy together in life and in death. There are those that are sensitive to its energy, that can feel and even manipulate said energy. They are known as force users. It is not just an energy source however. It has its own path, its own way of things. It is alive in a way. Obi Wan and I are what are known as Jedi. We study and use the force to help others, we are peacekeepers and warriors. We follow the light side and protect others from the dark." Qui Gon explained, using the force to pick up a glass of liquid and move it about the table in front of the surprised officers.
"I'm sorry, dark?" Ambassador Jalena asked, astonished by this information.
"The dark side of the force. It taints everything it touches, those that use it only thirst for power and control. They use negative emotions such as hate, fear and passion. It is... barbaric." Obi wan replied, a look of disgust on his face.
"So yin and yang?" Commander Jameson joked, only for Captain Decker to glare at him slightly.
This force reminded him of the various entities that existed back home, such as the Q, the prophets and others. But they all had their own unique sources of energy, while this Force seemed to roam the whole of this galaxy as one source.
"I think I understand. But if this...force is telling you that you need to go to Tatooine, then I have no problem with taking a detour." Decker stated.
Perhaps they could learn some things about this 'Force'. What was it's will, could non force users interact with it?
They would have to see.
(End of chapter one)
Hopefully you like the rewrite!