Open Admiral's Log, Stardate 58499.34. I now take my place among the admiralty. It is with some trepidation, but being able to keep the Enterprise has lessened some of those feelings.

We depart for Stabase Babylon to pick up a new fist officer before heading back across the Gateway to Chiss territory. There we shall begin aiding them in rebuilding efforts. I shudder to think what we shall find there after the Borg's deprivations.

The newly-promoted Admiral Picard sighed and rubbed his forehead. He closed down the log recorder program and glanced about the ready room from his desk-soon to be Data's ready room. His personal effects had been moved to a new command center located near his quarters. Several items of Data's had been moved in, including a deerstalker hat and two of his paintings. Picard wondered for a moment if Spot would be brought in before dismissing the idea.

Picard rose and walked to the hatch. It slid open and he entered the bridge. He spied Data sitting in the captain's chair and smiled, noting the four pips on the android's uniform collar.

Data suddenly glanced up and to his left. "Admiral on the bridge!" he half-shouted, almost jumping out of his chair. The rest of the bridge crew turned to Picard, stiffening to attention.

Picard grinned and held up his hand, waving them off. "No need for that," he said. He fingered his own new rank insignia, a gold rectangle with three pips inside marking him as vice-admiral. He looked to the main viewsceen and the image of Hapes Prime on it. "Status?"

Data's head cocked slightly to the side. "All sections report green, sir. We are ready for departure." He rubbed his chin. "I am rather interested to see how Commander Kadohata handles herself as first officer."

Picard nodded and patted his old friend on the arm. "We shall see, Data. Well, time to get going?"

Data nodded. He turned and faced the viewscreen. "Helm, set course for exit out of the Hapes Nebula at warp five. When we leave, set course for the Gateway, warp seven."

The helmsman nodded and inputted commands. "Aye, sir," he said.

The captain sat down in his chair. He delayed ordering for seven-tenths of a second to allow his emotion chip a bit of pleasure at being captain. "Engage."

The Enterprise's main impulse engines flared, sending the battlecruiser out of orbit. Within seconds, the warp grilles mounted dorsally on the nacelles flared, sending the ship hurtling forward at faster-than-light speeds.

An hour later, the Enterprise reentered 'normal' space with a bright flash of light, approaching one of the few areas of non-ionized space in the Consortium. Hails and IDs were sent out to battle dragons and cruisers of the Hapan Navy, allowing the ship to cross through out of the nebula past Telkur Station. As soon as it left the bright-purple gasses behind, the Enterprise's nacelles flashed once more, sending it along its way to the next great adventure.

A small, battered police box flew through tunnels of space and time, spinning about. The TARDIS moved through the Void as easily as a car with flat tires down a rainy street at midnight.

In the control center, the Eleventh incarnation of the Doctor ran about, flipping switches and turning dials on the central control pedestal. "Well, that was fun!" he shouted. He paused and looked up at the other occupant of the room. "Thanks for the invite," he said to Setsuna, grinning and flashing his pearly-white teeth.

Setsuna took a step down, her Time Staff clutched in her gloved right hand. "I figured you, Amy and Rory needed a bit of a vacation after dealing with the Vong." Her scarlet eyes narrowed. "When I learned what Q had done I nearly had a fit!" She suddenly smiled. "But I'm all better now."

The Doctor's Adam's apple bobbed up and down. "Well... great." He looked over his shoulder to the door. "Well, no adventuring for a while. Rory and Amy are due for vacations, especially after our near-miss with those Weeping Angels in Manhattan."

Setsuna chuckled and shook her head. "You three should have a nice, relaxing time wherever and whenever you land next."

The Doctor waggled a finger at her. "Ah, ah! No peeking into the future." He let out a sigh and leaned on the console. He looked up again and past Setsuna. "Well, where is it?" he asked, pointing.

The guardian of time furrowed her brow. "Where's what?"

"The Time Gate," The Doctor finished. He stood up straight and wobbled a bit on his heels. "You don't need it anymore, do you?" He pointed behind Setsuna. "The Time Gate. You don't need it to travel. That's some upgrade."

Setsuna shrugged. "It has some advantages over being tethered to one place for most of the time." Her gaze flickered to the high-arched ceiling and she sighed. "And now even I must leave. One with my power has great responsibility, after all." She looked up to the door and smiled. "Enjoy your time, Doctor."

The Doctor groaned. "Aw, come on, Setsuna! No good ruining the surprise! That's a rule even for you!"

A mysterious smile crossed her face. "Sorry, Doctor. I just love teasing my grandfather. Good bye." A bright light suddenly enveloped her and, when it faded, so did Setsuna.

The Doctor nodded and chuckled, walking around the control console. "Well, of course. Who doesn't love... teasing..." He suddenly stopped, his spine stiffening. He looked back to where Setsuna had stood. "Setsuna?" he whispered, walking forward to where she stood. "Susan?"

Coruscant
A shuttle dropped out of hyperspace, flashing into existence and quickly inserting itself into orbit. In the passenger compartment, Borsk Fey'lya smoothed out the fur on his cheeks, pacing back and forth. "It was necessary," he repeated, waving his free hand around. "Just in case the Borg won. Someone had to be ready to form a government-in-exile!"

The comm system crackled and the pilot's voice came over. "Senator, the RSS Ralroost is approaching. Orders?"

Fey'lya swallowed and his fur rippled. "Hail them," he croaked out, sitting down.

Traest Kre'fey's voice came over, anger laced through. "Stand down and prepare to enter the Ralroost's shuttle bay, Borsk. If you don't comply, we'll blast your shuttle out of the sky. Out." The comm clicked, going dead.

The shuttle touched down on the shuttle bay's deck plates, gas venting from several ports. A platoon of Defense Force soldiers approached the main hatch, blaster rifles in their hands. Traest stood at the end of the line, hands on hips and teeth bared. "Come out!' he shouted.

The main hatch slid open with a hiss, the landing ramp simultaneously extending. A human male in a pilot suit stumbled out, hands up. He walked down the ramp, eyes wide with fear.

Traest held a hand up. "Lieutenant Desw, according to records you weren't aware of Fey'lya's treachery and were acting under what you believed to be his lawful orders. There will be a hearing, but I'm fairly sure you'll be all right." He motioned to the aft of the bay. "Report to the deck chief."

Desw straightened up and saluted before walking off. Traest glanced at him as he left before turning his violet eyes back to the shuttle, his white fur almost on end. "Come out and face your punishment, Borsk. Don't make me drag you're kriffin' carcass off of it."

Fey'lya peeked his head around the edge of the hatch. "What's my guarantee of safety?" he sqeaked out.

"Don't shoot and we won't," Traest responded. He motioned to the soldiers. "They'll only fire on my command."

Fey'lya ducked his head back. A second later his hand appeared, a Merr-Sonn 'Quick Six' sporting blaster dangling from his clawed fingers. "Don't shoot!" he shouted, dropping it to the landing ramp with a clatter. He stepped out into full view, hands out. "I surrender," he muttered, walking down to Traest.

Traest held his hand out and one of the soldiers handed him a pair of stun cuffs. He slapped them onto Fey'lya's wrists. "You are under arrest for violation of military orders and violating a no-fly zone."

Fey'lya chuckled and bared his fangs. "So, Triebakk finally has a half-decent excuse to get rid of me, eh?" He leaned forward. "Let me go and I promise you power, Traest. More power than you could possibly dream of!"

The Bothan general chuckled. "Gaining power for yourself is one thing, but doing it at the expense of the group is another. I am not you." He stepped back and looked to the soldiers. "Take him away."

Corellia
A cold wind blew across the remnants of Coronet, the Corellia System's capital city. Borg machinery littered the landscape and hung from the buildings, depowered and lifeless. The air was gray and thick with carbon monoxide and other poisonous gases, clouds of it hanging low in the sky.

Iella Wessiri-Antilles choked back tears, willing herself not to cry. With her helmet on and sealed up, any tears would simply blur her vision and cause discomfort. "It's all gone," she murmured, staring down the streets from her shuttle's ramp. She stepped off and walked up to a regeneration alcove on the sidewalk. "This will take forever."

Wedge stepped off the shuttle, a group of engineers, scientists and soldiers following. One of the scientists held up a scanner and waved it around, staring at the screen. "No one take off your helmet," she said. "There's enough poison in the atmosphere to choke a Hutt." Her brow furrowed. "Don't Borg need to breathe?"

"Apparently not," Wedge replied. He walked up to Iella and the alcove. He pulled a laser torch from his suit's belt and ignited it, sending a low blue flame from the nozzle. "Come on!" he shouted as he began cutting through the alcove's exterior plating. "We've got nine class-four industrial replicators from the Federation just waiting for raw material to convert."

Iella suddenly banged the side of her helmet and pulled out her own laser torch. She stepped to the opposite side and began cutting through the Borg technology. "One step at a time," she said, shutting off her torch. She grabbed a chunk of the metal and tore if off, sending it to the ground.

Star destroyer Errant Venture, Corellian orbit
Corran Horn, former Rogue Squadron pilot and Jedi Master, ran through a third relaxation exercise in ten minutes as he looked over a hologram of his homeworld. "I should've been there," he said, clasping his hands together. He looked around the Errant Venture's bridge as he felt two familiar presences approach.

Booster Terrick and Mirax Terrick-Horn walked up. Corran glanced up at them, his brow furrowing at the grizzled old man. "Booster?" he asked.

Booster chuckled and held his hand up, brushing his left cheek and the new bio-synthetic implant replacing his older model photo-receptor. "A little bit of a change too much for you, CorSec?" he barked out, smiling. He looked to his daughter. "I thought he had some brains, Mirax."

Mirax elbowed her father in the ribs before hugging Corran and kissing him lightly on the mouth. "I'll let Dad explain," she said, winking.

Corran looked to booster over Mirax's shoulder. "Well?"

Booster looked to the deck plating. "When we first arrived," he began haltingly, "we did our best with the assimilated. But when they saw me and my prosthetic, a lot of them recoiled in terror." He looked back up and locked eyes with Corran. "To my enemies, I'll show no mercy. But to people who have been through this?" He closed his eyes and shook his head. "I'm hard, but I have a heart."

Corran slowly slid his arms away from Mirax's waist and took a step to the right, extending his hand. "Never doubted that for a moment," he said, smiling. "Now it's time for Corellia's children to help her heal. Up for the task?"

Booster's face twisted in a grin as he clasped Corran's hand. "All the Five Brothers need our help." He let go of Corran's hand and walked up to the hologram of Corellia, rotating above the console. He leaned forward and let out a breath. "It takes a lot to frighten me. This... frightens me. The Borg frightened me."

Corran hesitated before placing a hand on Booster's shoulder. "They frightened me, too. I wish I could've done something-anything to stop them!" He wiped his eyes. "Valin and Jysella, Force they were here visiting family-" He slammed his hand on the console, tears streaming down his face. "I don't even know if Rostek's alive or not!"

Mirax wrapped an arm around Corran's shoulders and pulled him into an embrace. "Well find him," she half-whispered, rocking him back and forth. "We'll find him and we'll help him restart his garden."

Shivers ran through Corran's body as he felt the link he shared with Mirax and the love she had for him. He breathed out, closing his eyes and focusing not only on her, but Booster as well. After a few minutes, he let himself let go of Mirax. "Thanks." He glanced back at the hologram once more. "No more time for tears. No more time for anything but healing and helping."

Csilla
Jane Smith ran a fusion torch along the icy-cold walls of the former hangar, slicing away at Borg circuitry. She picked up a simple crowbar and thrust it into the crack she had made, prying away the nanoprobe-constructed material from the bare rock wall.

She took a moment to glance around at the rest of the hangar, site of the last stand of the Ascendancy before the Collective had conquered it. She closed her eyes as the memories flooded her mind, memories from the drones once under her control. A growl escaped her throat. Not anymore. I must... I must repent. I must do this for them, for all I hurt...

"Excuse me, are you all right?"

Jane's eyes snapped open as Jagged Fel walked up. Her mouth dried at his sight. I didn't even sense him, she thought, chuckling internally. I must be out of it. "I'm fine, thank you," she said, waving him off. Like him but not like him and why did I send him away? What's my Jag doing now? She turned back to the wall, but stopped as she felt his presence still behind her. "May I help you?" she asked over her shoulder, jabbing at the seam where Borg technology met rock wall with the crowbar and prying more away.

Jag shook his head. "Forgive me. It's just you seem... familiar." he extended a hand. "My name's Jagged Fel. What's yours?"

There was a pause before Jane turned around. She glanced down at his hand, then back up at his face and the lingering prosthetics still implanted. "Jane Smith," she said, grabbing his hand for a half-second before letting go.

Jag's brow furrowed, shifting the small band of metal right above his left eye. "Jane Smith? That's an unusual name. Where are you from?" He rubbed his chin. "I don't recall seeing you anywhere, although you do look like my friend Jaina Solo."

Jane snorted and waved him off, buying her time to organize her thoughts. "Brown hair and eyes? Oh, yeah. So rare." She forced a chuckle, then schooled her expression into one of neutrality. "Jane Smith is an Earth name," she provided, letting him fill in the blanks.

Jag snapped his fingers. "Ah, Starfleet?"

"Military, yes," she confirmed, sticking to the truth. "I was assimilated early on. My family is gone, so I'm just helping out where I can." She pointed to the Borg technology all around, the gray-hued pieces that seemed to leech light from their surroundings. "It's all I can do."

Any response was cut off by the earsplitting screams of an elderly Chiss dropping to his knees, screwing his weathered and gloved hands over his surgically-reconstructed ears and shutting his eyes. "The voices!" he screamed. "I can't hear the voices!"

Jag and Jane were by his side in an instant. Jane placed a hand on the old man's quivering shoulder, letting the touch carry a bit of the Force with it. "You don't need the voices," she said in a soothing voice. "They'll only hurt you. You're stronger than that."

A pair of medics in green jumpsuits with scanners and other equipment raced over, but Jag held up a hand, stopping them dead in their tracks. "I think she's onto something," he said, half-smiling. "Let's let her continue for a bit."

The Chiss tilted his head and looked up at Jaina as she stood over his shoulder. His red eyes focused slightly and he opened his mouth slightly before finally speaking. "I... I am?" he half-whispered.

Jane nodded and smiled. "You are. You all are. The Collective's gone, sir. But you're not alone." She motioned to Jag and the medics standing off to the side with one hand and held out her other to him. "We're here for you."

The Chiss swallowed and wiped his eyes. He accepted Jane's hand and slowly stood up. "Thank you." He looked to the medics and swallowed, licking his lips. "I think I might have to lie down," he muttered, his blue cheeks turning purple.

The medics led him away while Jag walked up to Jane. "Nicely handled," he commented, half-smiling. "Do you have experience in this sort of thing?"

Jane shook her head. She glanced off to the side, her eyes darting back and forth. "I just remember what it's like to be a drone and my recovery. I'm simply channeling it through my words." She turned back to the wall and began walking forward, but stopped when she felt Jag's hand on her shoulder. She spun around on her heel, the touch electric even through her heavy coat. "What?"

Jag hesitated a moment before speaking. "I..." He dropped his hand from her shoulder and scratched the side of his head. "Would you care to get something to eat from the cafeteria? I hear the protein resequencers from the Sojourner are set up and you can almost think it's not regurgitated nutrient paste."

Jane blinked. She scanned him lightly in with the Force, not detecting any deceit but sensing earnestness about him. She looked away and shook her head. "Sorry, no. I have work to do." She turned away, but soon felt him grab her arm. She snaked it out, spinning out of his reach. "We've got work to do!' she half-shouted.

Jag reached for her again, walking forward and keeping pace with her. "Yes, we do!" he said after her. "But we can't work all the time, Jane. All work and no play, as your people say." He pasted a bitter smile on his face. "Drones never had a vacation, after all."

Jane speared a chunk of rubbery, brownish meat and brought it to her lips. She took a bite, gnawing it off. After a minute, she swallowed it, washing it down with some water. "And we don't have proper replicators why?" she asked, wrinkling her nose.

Jag shrugged. "Takes up too much power, I think." He speared an odd-looking orange vegetable and nibbled on it. "Not too bad." He grabbed his glass and raised it at Jane. "To the future."

Jane paused and looked at him. Feelings of love and self-hatred and loathing and lust waged in her soul before she merely picked the glass up next to her elbow and nodded at him. "To the future."

Epilogue
Five years later, 2386. ISS Chimaera, en route to Earth
Gilad Pellaeon looked himself over in the mirror, smoothing his shock-white hair back and adjusting the medals and rank cylinders on his old dress uniform. He coughed into his hand and smiled. "Hello, Nanietta," he rehearsed, bowing slightly. The door chime to his VIP quarters sounded. "Come in."

The door slid open and a younger man in a pilot's uniform stepped in. Mynar Devis walked over to his father, smiling and flashing a toothy grin. "Looks like you're ready for a night on the town," he said, looking Pellaeon over. He picked at the shoulders. "I think you missed a dust molecule, Dad."

Pellaeon growled and his mustache bristled, but his eyes twinkled. He looked back into the mirror and sighed. "How precisely did it come to this?" he asked his reflection. "Some harmless flirting at the Hapan Accords, and now a date at a..." He paused and wrinkled his brow. "What was it again?"

"Baseball," Mynar supplied. He shook his head and rolled his eyes. "Come on, Dad. You've been dating President Bacco for how long and you still can't keep that game straight?"

Pellaeon turned and locked eyes with his son. "You fell asleep during the first explanation." He turned back and frowned slightly. "Are you... all right with this?" he said, words catching in his mouth.

Mynar scratched his head, ruffling his short, jet-black hair. "Dad, Mom's been gone a long time." He tapped his respirator, right over his heart. "I think she wouldn't want you to be lonely for the rest of your life."

The Old Man glanced over his son. "When did you grow up?"

A laugh escaped Mynar's lips. "Probably about the time I said 'I do' to Vana."

Pellaeon grunted. "I do believe the elder Dorja nearly had a coronary when he learned his darling daughter was marrying a TIE jockey." He paused as the deck shifted beneath his feet. "Bridge, status?"

The intercom crackled slightly before a gruff male voice came over. "We've just exited hyperspace and are approaching Earth, Admiral. We were just about to contact you."

A sigh escaped Pellaeon's mouth. "Maybe I've been in space too long," he muttered before clearing his throat and speaking up. "Send out greetings to Starfleet and the Federation Council. And for the love of the Force, make sure the weapons are on cold standby. I don't want my ship blasted to dust before the third inning."

Paris, Palais de Concorde
Federation president Nanietta Bacco adjusted her dress and fluffed her hair slightly, groaning. "It's just an informal meeting between two figures in a setting that will produce meaningful talk."

Behind her, Chief of Staff Esperanza Piniero rolled her eyes. "You're worse than a teenager," she groused, pacing back and forth behind the head of the most powerful nation-state in half the Milky Way Galaxy. "It's a baseball game, Nan. You're going to see the Boston Red Sox face off against the Jalanda Pride. The only talking you'll get done is trying to explain obscure baseball references to Gilad over the screams of eighty thousand baseball fans."

Bacco rolled her eyes. "He knows most of it," she countered.

The intercom sounded. "Madame President, the Chimarea has entered orbit and Grand Admiral Pellaeon is requesting permission to beam down."

"Permission granted," Bacco shouted, heading for the door and barely giving her MACO guards to form up around her and Esperanza. The quartet made their way down a corridor to one of several transporter rooms in the Palais. She nodded to the Benzite transporter operator. "Energize."

Four silvery columns of light appeared, coalescing into Pellaeon, Mynar and pair of Imperial Navy soldiers. Pellaeon patted himself down and looked himself over. "I've done that a hundred times and it still feels weird," he admitted. He looked at Bacco and swallowed, wiping his suddenly-slick forehead. "Madame President," he said, stepping off and bowing.

Bacco held out her hand and smiled as Pellaeon took it, kissing it lightly. "An honor to see you again," she said, smiling. She looked to her right at Mynar as he stepped forward. "Mynar, you're looking finer every day. Where's that lovely wife of yours?"

Mynar coughed into his hand. "She's off on maneuvers... somewhere. Classified, you know?" He looked around. "So, any holodecks around?"

Esperanza barked a laugh, bringing her hand up quickly to cover it. "Sorry, allergies," she said, blushing slightly. She motioned to the door. "I'll give you a brief tour of the place, Captain Devis. The lovebirds probably want to be left alone."

Bacco's head snapped around as Pellaeon's cheeks turned slightly red. "Esperanza!' she hissed, even as her old friend left. She turned back to Pellaeon and sighed. "Sorry about that, Gilad. She can be such a pain in the butt."

Pellaeon smiled and shook his head. "No, it's all right. I get the same thing from some of my command staff." He held his arm up and smiled. "Well, shall we?"

Bacco threaded her arm through his. "Well, hopefully Barrx Fedh knows when to switch up the pitchers, otherwise the Red Sox's lineup will be hitting homers past the green monster by the seventh inning stretch. And don't get me started on his decision to trade one of the best batters since Buck Bokai for a pair of infielders that can't catch a fly ball to save the quadrant!"

Pellaeon's brow furrowed. "I... see." He chuckled nervously. "Of course that would be a mistake. Anyone could see that." He tugged at his collar. Help me...

Hapes Prime

"Boom! Crash!" Sara Djo-Solo shouted out, waving about a toy X-wing and a TIE defender about. The five-year old jumped up and spun about her playroom, smiling and making whoosh sounds. "Don't worry! Rogue Squadron will save you!"

The door to the playroom slid open and a striking redhead with storm-gray eyes entered. "But who will save Rogue Squadron?" Princess Tenel Ka Djo-Solo said, grinning as she knelt down and scooped her daughter into her arms. She kissed Sara on the forehead. "And how are you?"

Sara dropped her toys as she was picked up by her mother, wrapping her arms around her mother's neck. "Mommy!" she cried out, smiling a gap-toothed grin. "I had fun today at school. I learned numbers and played in the mud and splattered the kids with it!" She paused and her tiny face scrunched up slightly. "The other kids weren't happy about it, but I don't know why. Playing in the mud is fun!"

Tenel Ka chuckled slightly. "Yes, but others aren't you, Sara. It's not nice to splatter other people with mud if they don't like it." Her eyes narrowed slightly. "I hope you apologized to them when the teacher told you to."

Sara squirmed slightly. "I did..."

A smile crossed Tenel Ka's face as she felt her daughter's sincerity. "Good. Now, what did you do with Robert, Ernest and Frederick today?"

Any answer was interrupted as both ladies turned their head back to the door. Jacen slid in, smiling. "Oh, she had a lot of fun with them, and the others." He slid up to Tenel Ka, sliding his left arm across her lower back and pulling her close to kiss her on the cheek. "Hello, love."

Tenel Ka returned the kiss, pecking him a bit closer to the mouth than he did to her. "Hello," she said, enraptured by what she felt from him through their bond. She shifted Sara in her arms. "Did you have fun with Daddy?"

Sara nodded. "Daddy took me outside and I played with my friends and had fun!"

Jacen shrugged. "Well, some fun." He noted worry from Tenel Ka and locked eyes with her. Nothing bad, Tenel Ka. Just a little rembunctious today.

With us as parents, rambunctious can be a bit misleading a term. We shall discuss this later.

Jacen swallowed. "Yes, dear."

Captain's log, stardate 63432.98. Voyager hangs near the edge of our neighboring galaxy's area called 'Known Space'. We await the RSS Qui-Gon Jinn and their passengers-Admiral Janeway and a scientist from the New Republic named Danni Quee. I'm anxious to find out our mission.

Captain Chakotay, Commander Thomas Paris and Lieutenant Commander Harry Kim stood in one of Voyager's transporter rooms, awaiting a signal from the Kenobi-class battlecruiser Qui-Gon Jinn. Chakotay scratched his cheek, right below his ceremonial tattoo. "They'd better hurry up," he said, looking to his first officer and chief tactical officer. "How long does it take for this Danni to get ready?"

Tom's brow wrinkled. "Maybe it's Admiral Janeway who needs the extra time?" He let out a sigh. "I hope whatever's going on gets over with."

Harry let out a chuckled and elbowed his best friend in the ribs. "Hot date with B'Elanna tonight?"

Tom's eyes narrowed and he placed his hands on his hips. "We do, actually. Holodeck three awaits us while Lieutenant Stone watches over Miral for us." He grinned slightly. "Drive-through theater, cheesy movie from the 1950's and a big bucket of popcorn."

Harry sighed and glanced to a bulkhead. "Lucky," he muttered.

Tom's response was cut short by the intercom's whistle. "Captain, the Qui-Gon Jinn apologizes for the delay. Admiral Janeway and Danni Quee are ready to beam aboard."

Chakotay nodded and glanced over his shoulder at the transporter operator. "Energize."

Two silvery columns of light appeared on the transporter pad, quickly resolving into Admiral Janeway in her admiral's uniform and a younger human female with blond hair and blue eyes wearing a pair of white pants and shirt. Janeway held a small valise and a smile on her face as she stepped off the pad, extending a hand to Chakotay. "Oh, it's good to see you again!' she said as she shook Chakotay's hand, then Tom and Harry.

"Glad to have you back, Admiral," Tom said, grinning. "All we need is Seven and the Doc and we'd have a grand reunion."

"Don't forget about Neelix or Kes," Harry said right after shaking Janeway's hand. He glanced up at Danni and his face suddenly flushed. "Umm, hello. Welcome to Voyager," he said, straightening up and tugging on the bottom of his uniform jacket.

Danni blinked. She patted herself down and looked herself over. "Wow," she whispered. She glanced up at Harry and smiled, showing off a toothy grin. "Thanks," she said, stepping off the pad. She looked around the room and shook her head. "I'm still wondering if I'm in the Qui-Gon Jinn's transporter room!"

Harry smiled back and leaned in slightly. "You've never been transported before? I thought it was getting more common in the New Republic."

Danni shook her head. "Not as common as you think."

Janeway slapped her forehead lightly. "Sorry, Danni. I'd like to introduce you to Captain Chakotay, his first officer Tom Paris and the young man you're speaking with is Voyager's very capable tactical officer Harry Kim," she said, motioning to each person. She then waved her hand at Danni. "And this is Danni Quee, formerly of ExGal."

Tom's brow wrinkled. "ExGal? Weren't they involved in searching for life outside your galaxy?"

Danni snorted. "Yeah. Old shame, there. Nothing's coming our way for a long time from outside the galaxy. And the group disbanded after the Borg Invasions of 2381. However, it did prepare me for what we'll be doing."

Janeway looked to Chakotay. "Captain, while Danni's and my personal effects are transferred over, I'd like to give you a briefing before meeting with the senior staff. Call a meeting in an hour, please."

Chakotay nodded and tapped his combadge. "Senior officers, report to the briefing room in one hour."

One hour later
Chakotay looked around at the others seated in the briefing room. Some were old friends from their travels in the Delta Quadrant, while others were somewhat 'newer' but no less familiar. In addition to Tom and Harry, chief engineer B'Elanna Torres, ops officer Lyssa Campbell and alpha-shift navigator Lasren were in attendance. The doors slid open and Janeway and Danni entered. "Sorry for the mystery," the admiral said, holding up a hand and smiling.

B'Elanna looked up from a PADD and grinned. "About time," she said, smirking. She leaned forward as Janeway and Danni walked around the table. "So, why the big mystery? What's going on?"

Danni spoke up. "Actually, I'm why you're here." She leaned over Harry and pressed a few buttons on a control panel mounted into the table. A large viewscreen mounted behind Chakotay lit up, projecting an image of Danni's home galaxy. Political boundaries and scrolling text appeared, with major systems highlighted. She walked over to it and motioned to a section mostly blanked out, near the Chiss Acendancy. "This is the area the Collective established their beachhead in our dimension. It's mostly unexplored, with no safe hyperspace routes through."

Lasren raised a hand. "Unexplored? I thought you folks had mapped out every star in the galaxy."

Danni focused on the young Betazoid. "We've mapped them out, but Known Space is made up of only about two million worlds scattered across the galaxy like dust." She pressed an area on the viewscreen and one of the text boxes enlarged, slowing a list of numbers and letters. "Here's a list of the stars in the Unknown Regions. Thing is, we haven't even sent automated probes to them. We've no idea what's out there."

Tom's eyes widened. "And... we're going out there? Into the Unknown Regions? But we've only got warp drive!" he tossed his hand up. "It'd take years to get anywhere!"

Janeway shook her head. "Not really, Tom. Voyager's now got a type-one hyperdrive nestled besides its warp core."

Lasren's brow wrinkled. "But what good will that do?" He suddenly noted everyone's eyes on him and he swallowed, shifting in his seat. "Sorry."

Janeway held up a hand. "All right, Lasren. Good question there. There's no hyperspace routes through the Unknown Regions, but using a combination of warp and Starfleet sensors, we can chart a path through the wilderness, so to speak."

Harry suddenly snapped his fingers. "I get it! We use our sensors to map out paths through the Unknown Regions and then use the hyperdrive to go as far as we can before hitting any anomalies. Then we drop out and warp around until we find a path around." He smiled at her. "Quite clever, Miss Quee."

Danni returned the smile and bobbed her head. "Thanks, Harry!" She looked to B'Elanna. "I'll have to go over some specifics of the hyperdrive with you. It's pretty complicated."

B'Elanna snorted, her small forehead ridge bobbing slightly. "That thing? Please. After so much time around warp cores, something like that's a piece of cake."

Chakotay placed his hands on the table, leveraging himself to his feet. "Well, check it out with Danni anyway, B'Ellana. Lord knows we don't want to get stranded on the other side of this galaxy." He looked around the table. "Lyssa, check with the other department heads for readiness. Lasren, start looking over the navigational info we've got. Harry, schedule drills for our security and MACO teams. Any problems, bring to Tom. Any questions?" he looked around at everyone, then smiled. "All right, let's do it."

The senior staff and Danni filed out, but Chakotay and Janeway stayed behind. Chakotay looked across the table at her. "Well, interesting little mission you've got for us," he said, his smile not quite reaching his eyes.

Janeway held up a hand. "Sorry, Chakotay. I wish I had an alternative. But Ackbar and Kre'fey wanted a mission like this. And sadly, Voyager fits the bill. We're Starfleet, so we're used to dealing with the unknown. Voyager's also fast even without hyperdrive and has an experienced crew. It all adds up." She spread her arms out and smiled sadly. "At least this time Starfleet Command knows where we are."

Chakotay let out a sigh and placed his hands on the table, leaning forward. "All good points." He looked up and smirked. "Do I have the admiral's permission not to like it too much?"

Janeway laughed and wiped her eyes. "Only if the admiral can not like it either." She shook her head and walked around to the map, tapping the Unknown Regions. "Thirty thousand years and they can't send out a probe. Now the Collective gets their butts in gear."

Chakotay straightened up. "A big chunk of territory, there."

The admiral nodded, then looked over, a twinkle in her eye. "Best to get started as soon as possible, then?"

A pair of heartbeats passed before Chakotay grinned. "Yes, ma'am."

Bajor
Dawn broke over Dakhur Province, the sunlight brightening the landscape. Farmers were already up, tending to their crops. Merchants opened up shops in the cities. And up in a temple carved into the mountain, vedeks and ranjens readied themselves for the day.

One person approached the temple. Not for prayer or supplication, but for theft. She moved from shadow to shadow, avoiding the Bajorans clad in their orange robes in the edifice built before even her civilization had formed.

Darth Lumiya, last of the Sith, moved from the courtyard to the inner sanctum, down steps carved into the living rock until she came upon a small room in the lower levels. There was a single desk covered in books and scrolls, with one old Bajoran sitting there, hunched over and looking through a book with wrinkled pages. He looked up as she approached, frowning slightly. "Hello? Can I help you?"

Lumiya's mouth turned up in an approximation of a smile. She held up her hand and reached out with it and the Force. "Show me the last copy of the Book of the Kosst Amojan," she commanded.

The Bajoran stood up and shuffled to a door near the back, leading to a large room with shelves almost stuffed with books and scrolls. Lumiya stood near the entrance, using the Force to subtly deflect anyone away while she waited. Ten minutes later, her patience was rewarded when the old Bajoran emerged, carrying a large book with a seal locking the pages shut. He held it out with trembling hands. "The Book," he said with a wavering voice.

Lumiya snatched it from him. "You will remember nothing of this," she said, waving her cybernetic hand at him. She turned and walked off, cape trailing behind her.

The Fire Caves were dark, shadows inside shadows as Lumiya made her way to the bottom. All sounds were muted, the echoes ceasing before they even began. No bats or rats or anything else living occupied the Fire Caves, at least not for a long time.

Lumiya walked down a long stretch of cave, finally emerging into a large open cavern. She stood on the lip of a great precipice overlooking a wide chasm and held the Book out. She felt the raw hate and evil from the eldrich tome and channeled her powers of the Dark Side into it. Her hands glowed and electricity crackled around each metallic digit, her entire body trembling from the energy she summoned. "Open!"

The seal on the Book burst into flames, burning away into a fine ash that scattered on a wind that sprang out of the ether. The Book's pages fluttered, finally stopping on a blank page. A fine sheet of flame swept over the paper, burning ancient words into the sheet but leaving everything else intact.

The Sith looked at the words, suddenly comprehending what each one meant. "Tarna pur-ono ull-kess Pah-wran! Lano ka-la bo'shar lanu! Dorrah tolka bretri Pah-wran. Kosst Amojan, come to me!"

The entire cavern suddenly burst into flames from floor to ceiling. Motes of plasmatic flame danced about the upper edge, whirling about. Lumiya lowered the book and stepped forward, scarred mouth open in shock.

Several of the motes flew over to the precipice, flying around before converging and melding together. It expanded, quickly taking on humanoid form. The flames died down, revealing a Cardassian male with characteristic neck ridges and spoon-shaped depression in his gray-skinned forehead. He wore the black armor of their military and his eyes were blood-red. "Ah, we've been waiting for you!" he said, grinning.

Lumiya stared at him for several seconds before speaking. "Who-who are you?" she asked, breathing increasing slightly as she felt the raw power leaking from his body.

The Cardassian placed a hand over his abdominal armor and bowed slightly. "Gul Skrain Dukat of the Second Order. Well, in my former life." He motioned to the flames behind him. "I now serve our true masters, the Pah-wraiths."

Lumiya's brow wrinkled. "'Our' masters?" she repeated. She held up the Book with one hand and unclipped her lightwhip emitter with the other. "I serve-"

Dukat sighed and held up his hand. A stream of fire shot from it, striking Lumiya in the chest and blowing her back. The Book and emitter handle flew from her grip, the Book floating into Dukat's outstretched hand. "Yes, Lumiya. Our masters." He flipped through the book and nodded. "Hmm, good. With this in our possession, the good Admiral Sisko won't be able to close the door."

He looked over as Lumiya stumbled to her feet, clutching her ribcage. "Good. Now that we've established who is in charge, kneel before Them," he said, turning and dropping to one knee.

Lumiya plodded over, one arm over her ribcage as she induced a light healing trance. She slowly dropped to one knee beside Dukat, groaning. After a minute, both rose. She looked the Cardassian over. "Even if I'm on the bottom rung, I know we both want revenge against our enemies. I want the Jedi dead and you want the Federation conquered."

Dukat threw his head back and laughed. "Oh, my dear Lumiya!" he said, wiping his eyes. "How can you think so small?" He turned and motioned to the flames as several more motes separated themselves from the main flame. "the Jedi? The Federation? Try the whole GALAXY!" Flames engulfed his hand. "They will burn, burn... and both galaxies, both realities shall be no more."

The End

Thank you for reading this. It's an older story, but hopefully it still checks out. ;) One day I'll get to the sequel.