"So there we were, in the middle of an asteroid belt, the whole engineering staff in full environmental suits because we were leaking plasma coolant in engineering, and a brand new type 3 Galor class warship had just shown up to find out what had happened to it's friend..." Captain Edward Jelico said in a hushed voice to the collection of junior and senior officers seated around him in the officers lounge.
"We were leaking radiation like a type O star mass," he continued. "and the photon torpedo's were off line. Well, I thought to myself, this is it, we're dead, this is the end of the Starship Cairo, then-"
"Captain Shuman to Captain Jelico." the voice of Starbase 117's executive officer cut in interrupting Jelico's story.
Jelico grinned and patted his communicator. "Go ahead."
"There is a priority one sub space communication for you Captain."
Jelico sighed and shrugged to his audience. "I guess I'll have to finish this later - On my way!"
Jelico stood up and wove his way out of the lounge. He went a short way down the corridor and into an empty conference room. He walked over to the comm. panel and pressed a few quick buttons.
"Computer, route priority one communication to this terminal, authorization Jelico Delta four one four."
"Authorization acknowledge." the computer replied.
The image of Admiral Alynna Nechayev came on the screen.
"Admiral!" Jelico said warmly.
"I hope I'm not interrupting anything Ed." Nechayev said.
"Not at all," Jelico replied. "I was just regaling some of the Starbase staff with the story of the Cairo's escape from the Beralas Asteroid belt."
Admiral Nechayev chuckled softly to herself. "You always tell that one Ed, time to come up with something new."
"I can be on my way to the Cardassian border within the hour." Jelico said half jokingly. Part of him desperately wished for those exact orders. However Starfleet was unsure about sending him near the Cardassians with tensions so high. They were afraid, frankly, that he would pick a fight and plunge the Federation into a full scale shooting war.
"I'm afraid not this time Ed." Nechayev said. "Where I'm sending you is close, but no quite on the border."
Jelico straightened up, close was better than where he was now.
"How close?" he asked impulsively, then immediately regretted it.
Nechayev's expression darkened. "I'm not sending you out to look for Cardassians Captain. Your destination is system JA125."
"I'm sorry Admiral... I've never heard of JA125."
"I'm not surprised." Nechayev replied. "A few days ago Captain Sisko and the Defiant made an interesting discovery near Bajor, I ordered him back to Deep Space 9 and I want you to follow up on Captain Sisko's discovery."
"I don't understand." Jelico said. It was uncommon not to allow a Captain to follow through on their own investigation.
"We here at Starfleet felt that keeping the Defiant close to DS9 was more prudent." Nechayev said. "I'll brief you on what Captain Sisko found and later you can contact him personally and he can fill you in on the rest."
Jelico nodded. "I'm ready Admiral."
The Cairo is on final approach to system JA125 after a thirty day cruise from Starbase 117 at Warp 9. From this position we are only 4.8 light years away from the Cardassian border. So far our sensors have not picked up any unusual activity from the Cardassians or the Jem'Hadar, and have detected no other starships in the area.
"Approaching system JA125." Lieutenant Flinn, a tall robust blond haired human, said from the Conn. station on the Cairo's bridge.
"Slow to impulse." Jelico ordered.
"I am detecting several small ships," Lieutenant Commander Preston, a short craggy faced human from Alpha V, said from the ships Ops. station. Preston was also the Cairo's First Officer. "Small, one man ships, different in configuration from those reported by the Defiant."
"On screen." Jelico ordered.
The image of three Y shaped ships immediately appeared.
"They are changing course to intercept." Preston reported.
"Tactical analysis."
"They use similar plasma beam weapons to the ships scanned by the Defiant," Lieutenant Commander Grumby, a short stocky Tellarite, said from the tactical station. "A low power deflector of some kind and what appear to be several missile weapons."
"Are they a threat?"
"Negative."
"Hail them."
"Hailing..." Grumby said. "No response."
"Those ships may be to small to communicate on a broad range of frequencies." Preston speculated. "And they might not carry the equipment to translate if they do."
"I am reading more of the same kinds of ships scattered through the system." Grumby reported. "Their pattern indicates some kind of patrol is being conducted."
"There are more ships in orbit around 6th planet. These are substantially larger than the one man ships... Some are also larger than the Cairo." Preston reported.
"Hail the larger ships." Jelico ordered.
"Hailing..." Grumby said. "They are responding."
"On screen."
The image that appeared on the screen was that of a woman, mid 40's with short blond hair, dark eyes and a decidedly tired look. Jelico thought he could image himself sliding up beside her in a dark bar someplace and buying her a drink. Maybe in another reality...
"I'm Captain Edward Jelico of the Federation Starship Cairo acting on behalf of the United Federation of Planets. We come in peace and mean you no harm." Jelico said, the standard stock First Contact phraseology.
"Greetings Captain," the woman said. "I am Admiral Stardrifter of the Rebel Alliance and I welcome you, and I guess you could say we were expecting you."
"Expecting us?"
"We believed it would only be a matter of time before someone from the Federation found their way here. Or perhaps the Cardassians." Stardrifter said. "But we expected someone to show up sooner or later."
"Forgive me Admiral," Jelico said. "But I'm rather confused. Who are you exactly."
Stardrifter laughed. "No apologies needed Captain, the Story is, well, unique. I would be happy to tell you in person, you could come aboard our Flag ship the Defiance, or you could visit our base on Resthaven, or if it would make you more comfortable I could arrange to come aboard your vessel."
Jelico looked over this shoulder at Grumby at the tactical station. "Mute."
"Muted." Grumby responded.
"Scan the planet, is there a base on the surface?" Jelico ordered.
"Scanning." Preston said. "Sensor indicate several large structures on the planets surface, a power generator and several landing fields. I am also detecting a trace Warp signature on the planet."
"Can you identify it?"
"Negative the trace is to faint."
"Mr. Grumby." Jelico said.
"Aye sir." Grumby said disengaging the Mute.
"I'd like to meet with you Admiral." Jelico said. "And I'd be very interested in seeing the facility you've constructed on the planet. Our records show that this system is uninhabited."
"We haven't been here very long Captain," Stardrifter said. "And I would be happy to give you and your officers a tour of the base."
"Admiral, our ships is equipped with a matter/energy-"
"Transporter, yes I know." Stardrifter said. "Beam down to the facility closest to the magnetic south in thirty minutes, I will meet you there."
"Agreed." Jelico nodded. "Jelico out."
The screen went blank.
"They know about transporters, but they don't have them." Jelico said. "Strange."
"Sir," Grumby said. "I am uncomfortable with beaming you down to the planet. Those ships in orbit out gun the Cairo, should these people prove hostile we would be in a very poor tactical situation."
Jelico thought for a moment. "While I don't like putting myself in a poor tactical position I have the feeling that these people are not a threat... But there is something wrong..."
"Sir," Preston said. "Grumby is right. I'll take an away team down and try and ascertain what is going on here..."
"No." Jelico said. "I'm going down."
"Sir-"
"No." Jelico said firmly.
"Aye sir."
Jelico, Grumby, and Flinn materialized near the southern edge of a large Hexagonal landing field. Five hundred meters away they could see a large looming structure that seemed to be partially submerged in the reddish gray top soil of JA125-6, or Resthaven as Stardrifter had called it.
The landing field in Jelico's estimation must have been at least two kilometers across and cluttered with a wide assortment of ships and surface vehicles. The most dominating ships being four large transports with rounded top hulls and bottoms studded with maneuvering jets, engines, loading and access hatches. Parked in neat rows were twelve of the Y shaped ships flanked by twelve more of the X type ships with their wings closed. There were several of the "utility shuttle craft" that Sisko had called them - just plain shuttles to Jelico. The rest of the vehicles he could only guess at, but they were varied in their shape and size, and more importantly, many of them showed signs of battle, some recent, some old.
Animating the whole scene was the pleasant and familiar bustle of hundreds of beings moving and working together. Jelico also noticed that there were a large number of robots amongst the people, most of them seemed to be specifically designed for one task of another, but two seemed to look like tall mechanical metallic humans.
The roar of engines caught the away teams attention and they turned to watch four of the X shaped ships lift off from another landing field several kilometers away. They rose in perfect formation and roared overhead climbing rapidly into the green sky. The away team craned their necks to watch until the craft were out of sight.
"I think I'd like to learn to fly one of those." Flinn said to himself.
"It does look like fun." Jelico agreed.
Grumby tugged a tricorder out and started to scan.
"Captain." he said.
Jelico and Flinn turned, Stardrifter and another man were walking towards them.
"She's human," Grumby said. "So is the other one, however there are many beings out here of a species my Tricorder can not identify."
Stardrifter walked up and smiled warmly and extended her hand. Jelico reached out and shook it.
"It's good to meet you face to face Captain." Stardrifter said. "May I introduce General Embers, General, Captain Jelico."
Jelico shook Embers hand. Embers was easily in his late 60's in Jelico's opinion. Fit but starting to slow, he was also scarred on his neck and hand. The man had seen battle at some time in his life.
"I suppose you have a lot of questions." Stardrifter said. "I'm not even sure where to start."
"I have to admit I'm a little unsure myself." Jelico said. "Starfleet makes sure everyone passing though the Academy learns the standard First Contact procedures, and through Command School we learn them in greater depth, but some how it all seems out of place here. You're not of a new species, but everything around here looks so alien, like you were from a different universe or something."
Stardrifter nodded. "I guess that explanation is as good as any Captain."
Jelico stared at her, looking for some sign that she was joking. "You're from another universe?"
"Universe, Galaxy, time, we really don't know for sure." Stardrifter said. "But what we do know is that this place, this Galaxy, is far different and far removed from our native one."
"Would you mind telling me how you got here?" Jelico asked.
"Not at all," Stardrifter said. "Perhaps I could tell you the story as we tour the field?"
"I'd like that, I'm sure my officers have many questions about some of the equipment you have on display here."
Stardrifter smiled beckoned them to follow...
"Our Galaxy was a Republic for over 25 millennium, it was a fair and just government. There were evil forces in the Galaxy, those who sought power and influence, but they were kept in check. The Republic was defended by special guardians called Jedi Knights. For the most part the Jedi's kept the balance between good and evil and preserved peace in the Galaxy." Stardrifter was saying.
"But not for ever." Jelico added.
"No." Stardrifter replied shaking her head. "Some years ago a Senator named Palpatine gave into evil and through ruthless ambition set out to abolish the Old Republic and set up a new Galactic Empire with himself as Emperor."
They were walking beside one of the large transports, the closer Jelico got the more he realized that the craft was barely space worthy. It was not poor design, or even poor maintenance, it was battle damage. Spots where something had blasted the hull, scorch marks badly covered by thin paint. Area's where the hull had melted and run like water leaving strange creeping rivulets.
"The Jedi moved to stop Palpatine." General Embers said, the first thing he had said at all, Jelico was impressed with his deep commanding voice. "However Palpatine seduced to evil a Jedi, a powerful man called Vader. They cloned an army and made their bid for power. After the clone wars ended Vader and Palpatine set out to destroy the Jedi's. One by one the Jedi were annihilated, the guardians of the old Republic erased forever."
"Our history is filled with similar tales." Jelico said. "Not to the same scale of course, but still..."
Stardrifter nodded. "Evil is evil, regardless of where you are... However the Clone Wars were not a complete victory for the Emperor. He did get to set up his Empire, but the Old Republic still exists, they were to rule the Galaxy together, a `shared hegemony' they called it."
"But it didn't last." Embers interjected. "The Republic grows weaker and weaker without the Jedi's and the Emperor grows stronger and stronger. Now the Emperor acts with impunity and the only thing left to stop them is-"
"You." Jelico finished for him.
Stardrifter and Embers both nodded.
"It wasn't long after the Clone Wars ended that a small Rebellion formed." Stardrifter said. "The Emperor hated aliens and treated them terribly, they were the first to start to oppose the Imperial rule, from secret."
"Slowly we grew in numbers and in power." Embers said. "We're still nothing compared to the Imperial Navy but we do have many area's of popular support and we've won a share of victories against the Empire."
Jelico nodded. "So your, universe, is in a state of civil war... The whole story is fascinating, and I sympathize with you. But it still doesn't explain what you're doing here."
They stopped walking, by this time they were between a shuttle and a Y shaped craft.
"That is another interesting story." Embers said.
At that moment they stepped aside to allow a woman and a man carrying a large piece of equipment walk by, the woman looked at Jelico for and instant and quickly turned to conceal her face, but it was enough.
"Wait!" Jelico snapped lunging out and grabbing her arm and jerking her around, causing her to loose her grip on the equipment she was carrying. It struck the ground with a strange metallic sound which also elicited a strange curse from the man holding the other end.
Jelico didn't pay any attention to that, he was staring at the woman, familiar ear piece and ridged nose...
"Grumby." Jelico ordered.
Grumby pulled out his tricorder and scanned her. "Bajoran."
Jelico let her go and turned back to Stardrifter. "I guess there is more to this tale we should hear."
Stardrifter nodded solemnly, no longer smiling.
"It would seem Admiral," Jelico said to Admiral Nechayev from his ready room aboard the Cairo, "That their arrival here was more of an accident than anything."
"What do you mean, an accident?" Nechayev asked.
"It seems they were scouting a star system called," Jelico consulted a Padd where he had made notes, "the Hewitt system. They were searching for a place to build a base when they found the Worm Hole. It was a fluke of luck, the Worm Hole is small, less than a meter in diameter, and barely radiating. It was only discovered when one of the scout craft collided with it physically."
"That's very interesting Captain."
"Yes. Well they recorded it's position more as a notice to other pilots and didn't give it much thought. Then some years later a sympathetic scientist studying the phenomena came up with a method of artificially opening the Worm Hole for short periods of time. They're a curious civilization, like us. They sent a ship through and discovered that they Worm Hole was both stable and lead to a new and different universe."
"But, Captain, they brought their war with them to our universe." Nechayev said. "And that could complicate things a little if this Emperor, comes looking for his rebellious subjects."
"From my understanding Admiral these, Rebels, are the ones in the right in this conflict-"
"Captain!" Nechayev interrupted him. "Your place is not to decide what is right and wrong for another civilization in a another Galaxy, or universe, or whatever. Remember that!"
"Yes Admiral, I apologize." Jelico said honestly contrite. It was true, his sense of right and wrong did not bear on the issues facing the Federation. Any war that might be fought in this space would be a bad one, and things were still more complicated yet...
"Do you know where this Worm Hole is located in our universe?" Nechayev asked.
"Yes," Jelico replied. "The Yuridar system."
"Yuridar..." Nechayev said thinking to herself. "Yuridar! In Cardassian space?"
"Yes Ma'am."
"Damnit!" Nechayev cursed. "Do the Cardassians know? Have they had any contact with them or the Dominion?"
"No Admiral." Jelico replied. "But that is only a matter of time..."
"The Cardassians are not likely to react to well to this." Nechayev said. "And will no doubt find some way to blame the Federation and use it as an excuse for hostile action."
Jelico nodded and sighed. "On that vein it gets worse Admiral."
"Worse?"
"There's a group of Maquis with these Rebels, and they've been actively participating in their Rebellion. Their leader is a Bajoran woman named Luv Shara."
"The Maquis..." Nechayev closed her eyes and shook her head. "A single Maquis is all the Cardassians and the Jem'Hadar will need to launch an attack against the Federation, and possibly even against this new universe."
"I wouldn't worry about that." Jelico said. "If the Cardassians and Dominion go to war against this Empire I have a feeling it will go badly for them."
"Explain."
"From what General Embers has told me the Empire's fleet consists of more than ten thousand large capital ships, the largest being the Imperial Class Star Destroyer which is over sixteen hundred meters long and crews more than fifteen thousand. Each of these Star Destroyers has enough combined firepower in fighters and ship batteries to destroy anything in the Cardassian or Dominion's arsenal."
"Or ours." Nechayev added.
Jelico nodded. "Unfortunately so Admiral."
"While hostilities between the Federation and this Empire is not a foregone conclusion I think it best to prepare for the worse." Nechayev said. "Even if hostilities can be avoided with this Empire I would be willing to bet that we'll be hearing from the Cardassians..."
Jelico nodded.
"You said that this Maquis leader was a Bajoran?" Nechayev asked.
"That's right."
"Contact Major Kira of the Bajoran Militia at DS9, see what information can be found out about this woman."
"Aye Admiral."
"I want you to stay at JA125, learn all you can about these Rebels, their Empire, everything. Do not interfere with their activities."
"Admiral, they've requested additional food and medical supplies." Jelico said.
"That could be... Difficult..."
"Admiral, I know this is an awkward situation, but we can't refuse them food and medicine can we?"
"The Federation has never restricted access to food and medicine." Nechayev said. "But it's delivery by a Star Fleet vessel could make things appear bad for us, and unfortunately at this moment Captain, appearances are very important. Contact the Maquis smuggler, inform him that all the food and medical supplies he can carry will be made available free of charge at DS9. Have this smuggler make his deliveries to these Rebels."
"Admiral," Jelico said. "From what I can tell the Rebels have a type of faster than light drive that allows them to cover the distances between JA125 and DS9 a whole lot faster than conventional Warp Drive."
"The Gemarian type drive?"
"That's correct. Admiral Stardrifter has indicated that they are willing to send ships directly to DS9. It has been a long standing policy at DS9 to render aid to those who request it, I don't think it will look to bad-"
"All right Captain," Nechayev interrupted. "Have them get what ever they need from DS9. But make it perfectly clear that beyond food and medicine they will be given no other aid, no weapons, no technology, nothing. We'll have to try and observe what's left of the Prime Directive as much as we can."
"Understood Admiral."
"Good." Nechayev sighed. "Now I just have to explain this mess to Starfleet Command. For now I'm going to beef up our presence in Sector 9021 and at DS9."
"A wise precaution Admiral."
"Watch yourself out there Ed," Nechayev said smiling. "Nechayev out."
"Where do you think they went is such hurry?" Preston asked.
"I would image to take advantage of a window of opportunity at the Worm Hole." Jelico replied.
They were at their stations on the bridge of the Cairo. They had just finished watching a Rebel fleet assemble and depart for area's unknown. It didn't take any calculations to see that they were leaving in the direction of Cardassian space.
"I wonder how they know?"
"Beats me." Jelico said. "All we can do is wait and see who returns."