Disclaimer: I do not own the Star Trek universe, nor do I honestly own this plot – I got the idea from someone else. In the end, though, it all belongs to Gene Roddenberry (and the guys who own the copyright, whoever they are). I'm merely an amateur playing in it for my own amusement – this time, because I thought it might be interesting. I also don't own any song lyrics – they belong to the band Kansas.
Wayward Sons
Admiral Byzantium
Act One
Once I rose above the noise and confusion
Just to get a glimpse beyond this illusion
I was soaring ever higher, but I flew too high.
Though my eyes could see I still was a blind man
Though my mind could think I still was a mad man
I hear the voices when I'm dreaming
I can hear them say:
Chapter One
Garak's hands moved confidently, weaving over the pair of trousers that Dr. Bashir had left for him to adjust several days before. His back was towards the entrance of his shop, sitting on the promenade of Deep Space Nine. Outside he could hear the normal commotion of the mid-afternoon rush, but he was reluctant to go outside. A Cardassian warship, the Vetar under Gul Evek, had docked at the station. Garak had decided to exercise the better part of valor and remain safely inside his shop. Ever since his exile, his fellow Cardassians had not been particularly friendly. That was understandable, he supposed, given the rumors that had circulated the Obsidian Order and the Cardassian Guard. They were all lies, of course, invented by the former head of the Order, Enabran Tain, to explain away Garak's sudden departure.
Behind him, he heard footsteps in the doorway. Their weight was too heavy to be a Federation or Bajoran officer, but they were definitely military. His eyes rose from the pants under his hands, glancing towards the concealed mirror that gave him a view of the entrance. The figure was motionless, blocking the entrance. He stood just far enough away to avoid having his face revealed, although the Cardassian breastplate was obvious. Garak's hand moved subtly down to his waist, confirming the reassuring presence of his concealed phaser.
"Hello, Garak," the figure spoke. Garak recognized the voice from the old days. Curious, he returned his gaze back to the mirror. The breastplate was of the Cardassian Guard, not the Obsidian Order. He paused a second before responding, considering the consequences of that fact. Before the pause could become long enough to draw suspicion, he drew an impressive and obvious breath.
"Since when did the Obsidian Order plant spies in the Cardassian Guard? You should be more careful about with whom you speak. Some of us still recognize an agent when we see one and I would have little compunction about informing the Central Command about your obvious and completely illegal breach of protocol." Garak had barely managed to get out the final words before he saw the figure move in the mirror. He slid the pants and sewing equipment forward quickly before his face slammed into the table before him. The hand on his back slid down to his waist and removed the hidden phaser, while a second wrapped around his neck.
"You do and I wouldn't hesitate to kill you, Garak. The Order has been merciful and has let you live. You have proven useful on a number of occasions, but you are expendable. Never forget that."
Garak barked out a laugh, or as much of one as he could with an arm wrapped around his throat. "I rather like you like this. Once one of the Order's youngest agents, one of the most arrogant men I had ever had the pleasure of serving with, and just look at you now. Wearing that low-level uniform, spying on our own people. Though it suits you more than your former position ever did, I have to say. We were always too good to you. You were always trying to work above your head, to know more than you needed to know. I'm glad you have found yourself working such an unenviable assignment, having to take orders from members of the Guard who I'm sure you still detest. It's appropriate."
Garak's head slammed back into the table. In his ear, the figure whispered, "And look at you, Garak. You're a tailor living on a Bajoran space station. How the mighty have fallen – once you were the chosen of Enabran Tain himself. The heir to the throne of the Obsidian Order. Now you're an exile, forever banished from Cardassia, from your honor, your duty, you position – everything that made you Cardassian is lost to you."
Garak's face contorted under the pressure. He rasped out, "Except my pride. Something you seem to have lost." The man behind him snarled, throwing Garak across the room. He fell into a heap on the floor.
"Know this, Garak. When the Order takes it's proper place at the head of Cardassia, above the fools in the Guard and the Central Command, I will look back upon this moment and I will laugh, for you could have led us all. Instead you are here." Garak heard the heavy footsteps march towards the door, then stop. "The Obsidian Order is better off without you than with you, Garak. You were always too concerned with what was best for Cardassia. You never did learn that whatever is best for the Order is best for Cardassia. Remember that when our people are returned to their glory."
As he departed, Garak returned to his feet. He picked up the discarded phaser and returned it to its place concealed on his belt, then turned back to Dr. Bashir's pants and resumed his sewing. "He hasn't changed a bit in all these years," Garak murmured. "Talek is still as stupid and impetuous as ever. I knew I should have had him killed when I had the chance."
Captain Kathryn Janeway hated Deep Space Nine. It wasn't the crew, or the inhabitants, or the activities constantly taking place on the promenade that would have been illegal on most Federation worlds. It was the architecture. She had fought Cardassians during the last war, fought them before the war with Owen Paris, and been involved in several skirmishes on the border throughout all that time. She had been a prisoner of war and had taken prisoners of war. This Cardassian-built monstrosity reminded her too much of the past. Glancing around as she strode through the habitat ring on her way to see Commander Sisko, she forced down her apprehension. This isn't a Cardassian detention center; it's a Federation starbase. Relax, Kathryn.
Arriving at Sisko's quarters, she pressed the door buzzer and waited. The door slid aside and a young man, sixteen maybe, was standing across from her. He quickly appraised her, taking in the red uniform and the four pips adorning her collar. "Captain Janeway?" He asked. She nodded, and he extended his hand. "I'm Jake Sisko, Commander Sisko's son. My father is inside, preparing dinner. We've been expecting you," he said. All her tension evaporated as she walked inside and heard the distinct sounds of someone working in the kitchen. She grinned at Jake, who ushered her over to the couch and let her sit.
A short time later Commander Sisko emerged from the kitchen, balancing a pair of dishes precariously. "Come here and give me a hand, will you Jake?" he asked. His son grabbed one of the dishes and set it down on the kitchen table. Sisko reached out to hand him a second and Janeway intercepted it, grasping the dish with two hands. Sisko glanced at her as they both set down what they were holding. He quickly wiped his hand with a rag, then extended it to Janeway. "Captain Janeway, it's a pleasure to meet you. You know, you don't have to help us set up dinner – it is in honor of your presence. It's not often we have a brand-new starship on her first assignment going through the station and we're thrilled to have you aboard."
Janeway grinned broadly and waved his concerns away. "I've always been a bit of a hands-on officer, Commander, and that's not about to change just because Starfleet has decided to give me a shiny new starship." She glanced down at the food before them. "So tell me, Commander, what are we having for dinner tonight?"
Sisko began to gesture to the food but was interrupted as his combadge beeped. He sighed and rolled his eyes a bit at Janeway, who bit back a laugh, then tapped it. "What do you need, Major?"
"Commander, Gul Evek has come aboard and wants to speak with you before the Vetar departs. He's asking questions about Voyager, the Federation starship that just docked," said Major Kira from Ops.
Sisko sighed, and then shrugged. "Tell him I'll be happy to meet with him after dinner is complete and, if he wishes…" he glanced at Janeway who nodded, "Voyager's captain will also attend the meeting. Between the two of us I'm sure we'll be able to satisfy any of his immediate concerns." He tapped his badge to prevent Kira from saying anything more. "Now Captain, let us eat and talk before someone else decides to interrupt dinner." The three of them ate for a while, sharing stories about old assignments and strange encounters. Janeway had never met Sisko before, but she rather liked the man. He seemed a fine officer and she suspected that, given time, she would call him a friend. Besides, it's been a long, long time since I've had a meal that wasn't replicated. I'd almost forgotten what it was like.
The buzzer for the door rang in the middle of Janeway's story about the time she had knocked out power on several decks of the Al-Batani, following a story of Sisko's about the time he served under Captain Leyton on the Okinawa where he'd accidentally locked himself and half a security team in the Captain's quarters after an ill-conceived practical joke. Sisko waved Jake over to get the door as Janeway told him that the gravity went offline before the water recyclers, leading to one hell of a mess in several crew quarters.
"Uh… Dad?" said Jake from the door. Sisko and Janeway stopped their laughter and turned towards the door. Behind Jake stood a Cardassian, one Janeway recognized. Gul Evek, Cardassian Guard, Fourth Order. The head of the Cardassian efforts to stop the conflict between the Maquis and the Cardassian settlers in the new demilitarized zone.
"Commander Sisko. I need to speak with Captain Janeway immediately," Evek stated harshly. Sisko glanced surreptitiously at Janeway, who nodded towards him that it was all right. He allowed Evek into the room and led him over to a chair where he sat. Janeway sat across from him. Sisko herded Jake out of their quarters, whispering something in his ear before he exited, then sat down with them.
"Gul Evek, may I introduce you to Captain Janeway, Voyager's commanding officer. Captain Janeway, this is Gul Evek of the Cardassian Guard, commanding officer of the Cardassian warship Vetar." He turned to Evek. "Does this need to be said in private, or am I permitted to stay?" he asked.
"You can stay, Commander. Nothing that will be said here will be classified." He reached into a pocket on his breastplate, removing an isolinear chip that he reached over and handed to Janeway. She eyed it cautiously, before looking back at Evek. He met her gaze levelly. "That chip contains new orders for you, Captain. You will receive them through your own proper chain of command in the next few hours, but I thought I should brief you on our assignment before that since we will be departing shortly."
Janeway's brain froze for a second. Slowly, one eyebrow rose. "I wasn't aware, Gul, that the Cardassian Guard was in a position to give orders to Starfleet captains," she said dryly. "Maybe you had better explain what all this is about, since I already have orders from Starfleet command and they don't mention your presence except to say something about your ship being crippled while in pursuit of the Maquis raider that I have been ordered to apprehend."
Evek met her glare levelly. "The Vetar will be accompanying Voyager into the Badlands, and two of the officers aboard the Maquis vessel will be turned over to Cardassian custody once they have been apprehended. The Cardassian government has agreed to allow the rest to be detained by the Federation for trial, but we want the ship's captain, a former Starfleet commander by the name of Chakotay, and a Bajoran terrorist named Seska."
Janeway turned the chip over in her hands. "Starfleet Command has agreed to extradite these two individuals to your custody? Why?" she asked.
"That is none of your concern. I expect you will follow out your orders as stated without question," Evek said. He stood. "I've become familiar with your file, Captain. I understand you served on the USS Al-Batani during the wars between our peoples and were a combatant in many of the battles that took place in the new demilitarized zone during that time. I wonder, were you present at the Battle of Ronara Prime, when the Al-Batani and the Thomas Paine engaged and destroyed three Cardassian warships?"
Janeway's earlier tension suddenly returned. She had been present at Ronara Prime, as a lieutenant serving on the Al-Batani. It had been relatively early in her career, although after her incarceration by the Cardassians. She remembered the engagement very well – it had been one of the most decisive victories of the war. The frigate Thomas Paine under Captain Rixx had confronted the Cardassian warships approaching Ronara, as it was a world under Federation jurisdiction. Which ship fired first she didn't know, but Rixx had led the Cardassians into an ambush behind one of Ronara Prime's largest moons, where the Al-Batani had emerged from hiding and opened fire. The battle had been short and brutal. "Yes, I was. I was the operations officer aboard the Al-Batani."
Evek nodded slowly, then turned to leave. Janeway's curiosity got the best of her. "May I ask why you wanted to know, Gul Evek?" she asked.
Evek didn't turn around, but continued to walk until Sisko's door slid open and he was standing in it. Then he spoke slowly. "I lost two sons at Ronara Prime, Captain," he said. Then his footsteps took him out of Sisko's quarters and the Cardassian-style door slid shut behind him. Janeway let out a breath and shook her head, settling deeper into the chair. Sisko stood and walked over to a cabinet in his kitchen, reached out and grabbed a bottle. He filled two glasses, then returned and handed one to Janeway. She took a sip and was taken aback by the strength of the drink. She glanced up at Sisko, who sat nursing his own glass.
"Saurian brandy, Captain. I thought maybe we needed some." Janeway nodded, and she sighed.
"You know, Commander, I haven't had to deal with Cardassians for a long time. I thought I'd finally gotten over my apprehensions and fears, but maybe I haven't." She turned. "Did you serve in the Cardassian wars?" she asked.
Sisko shook his head. "Only peripherally. I wasn't at a battle like Ronara Prime or Setlik III – I did fight the Tzenkethi on the Okinawa and am a survivor of Wolf 359 – but I never fought the Cardassians. Since arriving here I've dealt with them quite a bit, but it hasn't come to open fighting."
Janeway stared into her brandy. "I served aboard the Al-Batani for many, many years, Commander. On my first assignment, I was just out of the academy shortly before the war broke out, I was captured by the Cardassians with Admiral Paris. It was an eye-opening and extremely frightening experience – if we hadn't been rescued as early as we were, I'm not sure I would ever have recovered. Later we fought them for years, in skirmishes on the border and then in open fighting, like at Ronara. Sometimes I'm still haunted by old memories." She gestured to him. "I'm sure you're still haunted by Wolf 359." Sisko nodded. "So I sympathize with the Maquis, at times. I don't agree with their methods, but I respect their cause."
It was Sisko's turn to stare into the brandy. "My best friend in Starfleet, Cal Hudson, defected to help found the Maquis. Gul Evek was on the other side of the table back then, and it seems he still is. Cal accused me and the Federation of abandoning our colonists." He took a sip. "Captain, there's something that I learned in combat, and it's a lesson I'm sure you learned too. There are times when peace comes with too high a price and war is the only answer – but war always comes with too high a price. For everyone."
Janeway nodded. "I don't like Evek. I don't know what his agenda is. But if working with him to subdue a terrorist cell is the price of avoiding paying the cost of war, then I'll willing to pay that price." She sighed. "It's just another dark spot on my soul, Commander. They're the price of command."
Sisko raised his glass. "I'll drink to that."
Janeway strode onto the bridge of Voyager the next morning. Commander Cavit stood and handed her a padd with various bits of information, and she nodded and thanked him. At ops stood Ensign Harry Kim, fresh out of the academy. She thought back to her first assignment out of the academy – one that had ended with her being a Cardassian prisoner – and decided that she would make sure Mr. Kim's did not end up as poorly as her own. Standing above the command floor was Thomas Paris, her former captain's son, who she had convinced to come on this assignment with the lure of reduced sentence after his capture while working for the Maquis. She hoped fervently that she could find the young man his father had been so proud of in years past and redeem him.
At tactical, Ensign Rollins was filling in for her oldest friend, Lieutenant Tuvok. She hadn't told Evek, and she suspected that Starfleet Command had neglected to mention it as well, but Tuvok was currently serving undercover aboard the Maquis ship they were pursuing and he was the real reason Starfleet was so desperate to capture it. In the meantime, Rollins would be an adequate replacement for Tuvok – she had selected him herself. And at helm was Lieutenant Stadi, a Betazoid, and one of the best pilots of her class at the academy. Someday, Janeway suspected, Stadi would make a fine captain in her own right.
"Very well, lets get underway. Mr. Kim, is the Vetar ready to depart?" Janeway asked, turning towards the operations station.
Kim nodded. "Yes ma'am, they've detached from DS9 and are awaiting our departure." Janeway acknowledged his response. "Captain, station operations is on the line for you," Kim said.
"Put them through, Ensign," Janeway said. On the line, Major Kira's voice came through.
"Operations to Voyager, you are cleared for departure. Safe journey and good luck." Kira's voice was warm and reassuring.
"Thank you, Major. Thank Commander Sisko for dinner for me again, please. We'll be back in a few days," Janeway responded with a smile, and although Kira couldn't see her, Janeway suspected she knew it was there anyway.
"Understood, Voyager. And the Commander really does know how to entertain, doesn't he? Kira out."
Janeway turned towards Cavit. "Commander, contact the Vetar and inform them that we are preparing to depart and that they should follow behind." Cavit nodded. "Well, let's do it, people."
Voyager disengaged from Deep Space Nine's docking pylon and slowly put distance between the ship and the station. Behind her, the Cardassian warship's engines powered up and followed behind in her footsteps. Both ships leapt into warp, journeying towards the Badlands, where the Maquis ship they were hunting had vanished. It took several hours, but they arrived at their destination. The faster and more maneuverable Voyager took point with the Vetar following behind as closely as it could to avoid the plasma storms – after all, the Vetar had been badly damaged by the Badlands while pursing the Maquis before Voyager had been dispatched.
On the advice of Tom Paris, they plotted a course through the storm. Both ships made their way cautiously, but safely, as the plasma storm raged about them. Lieutenant Stadi guided Voyager ably through the streams. Suddenly, both ships were scanned by some kind of coherent tetryon beam. Neither crew knowing what to make of it, they both continued to search for the Maquis, but then suddenly both crews became aware of a massive displacement wave hurtling towards space towards the ships. Voyager and the Vetar both turned and moved away, but Voyager's more capable engines allowed her to put more distance as the slower and less maneuverable Vetar fell behind. Then the wave struck both ships. Each shook violently, systems overloading and blowing out. The Vetar took more of the brunt of the wave and was damaged much more severely than Voyager, but both ships were effectively out of commission.
Communications on both ships was down. Nearly a third of Voyager's crew was dead, but more than three-quarters of the crew of the Vetar had been fatally wounded. Those who were left struggled with their ships, trying to keep them intact. Eventually, both ships found themselves heavily damaged, but intact – and both crews looked out their windows to see a massive Array and stars that belonged to a part of the galaxy that was seventy-thousand light years away from their own.
Then, without warning, the crews of both ships vanished from their posts, leaving only one very confused hologram between them.