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Two Worlds
Chapter 4
“So…what do you think we’ll find on the other side of that wormhole?” Nog asked while sitting at a table with Bashir and O’Brien, and then poked and prodded at his food. “I mean, it’s a four-day trip there even at maximum warp, and that’s a pretty long time where minds wander and comes up with all sorts of fantastic expectations and fears. I mean…from what they taught us at Starfleet Academy, one way to avoid or to deal with stress is to talk about it, apart from keeping busy, of course. Though you can’t keep busy all the time or you’ll wear yourself out too…”
Bashir and O’Brien shared an amused and indulgent look at Nog’s fresh and youthful enthusiasm, something they’d all gone through in the past. More recently in Bashir’s case, but he’d since grown out of it, as would Nog soon enough. But so long as it didn’t cause trouble, until he did, Nog’s enthusiasm was a bright spot in these all-too serious times.
Seeming to realize he was running his mouth off, Nog abruptly clammed up. “Sorry, sirs.” He said. “I’ve said too much, and I might be intruding. If you’ll excuse me…”
“No, no,” O’Brien said, waving Nog and gesturing for him to stay where he was. “It’s fine. Best to let all that excess energy of yours out in times like this, otherwise you might get too jumpy when and where you shouldn’t.”
“Besides, we used to be cadets too.” Bashir said while coiling some pasta around a fork, before putting it into his mouth. He chewed and swallowed, making sure his mouth was empty before speaking again. “We understand the feeling.”
“Right, sirs.”
“And what do you think is on the other side of that wormhole, cadet?” O’Brien asked.
“Well, there’s obviously something important enough to send over five hundred ships through.” Nog said. “It could be another species or polity…that, or they found something they need to secure before bringing it back.”
Bashir and O’Brien looked at each other. “Either way,” the latter began. “Any ideas on dealing with it?”
Nog finished chewing and swallowing before answering. “Well,” he replied. “There’s Captain Picard’s new First Contact protocols, in particular the part where we need to emphasize the differences between us and the Dominion, as well as the fact that we’re not an enemy. Of course, we can’t look weak either, or the enemy might not see us worth negotiating with, and would just tell us to leave so they can focus time and effort on the Dominion. But we can’t look too strong either, as it might make us look like we’d be the next enemy after the Dominion is gone so…”
“Good to see you’ve been keeping up to date.” Bashir interrupted with an approving smile.
Nog smiled back proudly. “Captain’s orders.” He said. “I’ve got to follow them to the best of my ability. Besides, we all have a part to play if it’s a First Contact scenario, and I wouldn’t want to be the one to spoil it when the future of the Federation could be at stake.”
Bashir nodded in agreement. “Right priorities, cadet.” He said.
“Thank you, sir!”
“But that’s just for a First Contact scenario.” O’Brien returned to the conversation. “What if the Dominion found something else? An artifact or a relic of some kind, maybe even a weapon or superweapon, like something made by an ancient, long-dead civilization.”
“Well, we’d first need to find out what it is.” Nog replied. “What it’s supposed to do, and how. Without answering those questions first, we won’t be able to make intelligent decisions.”
“That’s true.” O’Brien said with a nod. “And then what?”
“…depending on what we find,” Nog said after a few moments’ thought and a couple of spoons of food. “We could try taking it from the Dominion and bringing it back with us to the Federation. If it’s an artifact or a relic, then it might have something worth learning about. I know, I know, right now our priority should be to defend the Federation, but Starfleet’s not just…no, it’s more than just a force that defends the Federation. We’re soldiers second, and explorers and scientists first. So even if it’s no use to the war, we should bring it back, so when the war’s over and won, we can study and learn what we can from whatever we found and rescued from the Dominion!”
“So confident we’re going to win.” Bashir remarked.
“Of course we’re going to win!” Nog enthusiastically said.
“And why so confident at that?” Bashir asked. “The war’s not exactly been easy going, in fact, we’re actually struggling if you think about it.”
“…true.” Nog admitted after a moment and a spoon of food. “But we can’t think of losing. Because if we did, then we’d already have lost. On the inside, at least.”
Bashir and O’Brien shared another glance at that. “Psychology…” O’Brien mused. “…not a bad reasoning, all things considered.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“But what if it’s a weapon or superweapon, though?” O’Brien pressed. “Then what?”
“Then if we can’t bring it back with us,” Nog said. “We should destroy it, if only to avoid the Dominion using it against us.”
“But we could use it ourselves too, can’t we?” O’Brien asked. “Maybe even learn something from studying it.”
“It won’t matter if the Dominion is able to use it against us.” Nog countered. “Though even if we do destroy it, just knowing it’s a weapon and even the most basic of how it works is worth something. We could put the pieces together ourselves later…if it’s worth putting together, that is.”
“And what do you mean by that, cadet?” Bashir asked.
“Well…like I said…it has to be worth putting together.” Nog pointed out. “Some weapon technologies are just too dangerous to ever be used. Like subspace weapons, which were banned at the Khitomer Accords.”
“Nog,” O’Brien began while picking up his glass to take a drink. “Keep this up, and you just might make a fine officer.”
“Thank you, sir!”
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As the
Defiant continued its journey to the wormhole, elsewhere in the galaxy, the
Enterprise-E was cruising at Warp 5 to patrol contested space in the Tellarite Sector. In his ready room, Picard sat behind his desk, reading a book of Vulcan poems while a cup of Earl Grey steamed on a saucer at his desk.
A chime sounded, asking for permission to enter the room. “Come.” Picard laconically replied, before closing the book.
The doors to the ready room opened, allowing Riker to enter. “You needed something, Number One?” Picard asked while taking his teacup and taking a drink.
“I just thought you’d like to know, sir.” Riker began while standing in front of Picard’s desk. “The
Defiant’s just two days away from the wormhole’s expected location. While they’ll scout things out first on our side of the wormhole, they’ll probably pass through it within a day of arrival.”
“Knowing Mister Worf,” Picard said. “He’ll try to expedite that as much he can.”
Riker smiled in agreement, knowing that despite what it might sound like, the captain had complete faith in Worf’s judgment. Picard saying so of the Klingon officer wasn’t a reflection of recklessness on Worf’s part, as much as it was his ability in taking swift and decisive action.
“If I may say so, sir,” Riker began. “You’d be much happier if it were us and not the
Defiant heading to that wormhole.”
“So I am.” Picard admitted with a sigh. “At the expense of giving the impression of arrogance, to my knowledge, there is no one in Starfleet more experienced in handling Q’s schemes than we are.”
“Or you, sir, specifically.” Riker said. Picard didn’t reply, but Riker had served with him long enough to know without hearing it that Picard agreed. “With all due respect, sir, there’s no solid evidence that the wormhole and what the Dominion are looking for beyond it are what Q was talking about.”
“So you’ve said in the past.” Picard said with a smile, and Riker smiled back. “In any case, Mister Worf is a fine officer. He might not necessarily make the same decisions as I would, but I trust his judgment.”
“Sisko promoted him.” Riker reminded Picard.
“So I’ve heard.” Picard said with a nod. “And it’s well-deserved. While the
Defiant will almost certainly return to Captain Sisko’s command upon her return, assuming all goes well, then I’d say
Commander Worf will be quite qualified for a command of his own.”
“That’d be something to see.” Riker said, and Picard smiled again.
Then both men were starting as alarms began to sound. “Red alert,” Data’s voice sounded across the ship. “Captain Picard and Commander Riker to the bridge.”
The two men glanced at each other, and then Picard was hurrying around his desk, striding past towards the door, Riker just a step behind him. “Mister Data,” Picard began after tapping his communicator. “Report.”
“Captain,” Data began. “Long-range sensors are picking up four Jem’Hadar attack ships on our tail. They are closing fast and charging weapons.”
Then the
Enterprise-E shook, no doubt from enemy fire. “They’ve opened fire, sir.” Data reported as both Picard and Riker entered the turbolift. “Photon torpedoes.”
“Return fire.” Picard ordered as the
Enterprise-E shook again. “Make sure to constantly-rotate our shield frequencies to deter boarders. Drop us out of warp, and standby on phasers.”
“Aye, sir.”
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Picard and Riker emerged from the turbolift in time to see a Jem’Hadar attack ship destroyed by a direct hit from a quantum torpedo. “Report.” Picard said while heading to his ship. Then the
Enterprise-E shook, the viewscreen showing a pair of Jem’Hadar ships weaving around and past, disruptors blazing away at the
Enterprise-E. Phasers lanced out in response, battering the two Dominion ships’ shields.
“We’ve destroyed two Jem’Hadar ships.” Data replied. “One before dropping out of warp, and another just now.”
“Take evasive action,” Picard ordered. “Concentrate our fire, and destroy those ships one by one.”
“Aye, sir.” The tactical officer replied.
Phasers lanced out in orange beams, hammering away at a Jem’Hadar ship despite her desperate efforts to escape. A portion of her shields collapsed, allowing a phaser to cut into her hull. A torpedo run by the other remaining Jem’Hadar ship saved her, but while it shook the
Enterprise-E, it failed to do any real damage.
“Shields down to seventy-four per cent.” The tactical officer responded. “Captain, the Jem’Hadar ship is moving to ram us.”
“Shoot it down before it can!” Riker barked.
The
Enterprise-E opened fire with its phasers, ignoring disruptor strikes by the other Jem’Hadar ship. Then blue light flashed brightly through space, as a volley of four quantum torpedoes was launched. The phasers collapsed the Jem’Hadar’s shields, and then the torpedoes blew their ship apart.
“Only one left.” Riker said. “They might as well retreat, and fight another day.”
“The Jem’Hadar have not been known for such a course of action.” Data opined.
“They’re trying to ram!” the tactical officer warned.
“Helm, take evasive action!” Picard barked. “Tactical, destroy that ship!”
The
Enterprise-E banked hard, angling and rolling away from the last Jem’Hadar ship, phasers lancing out repeatedly to hammer at her shields. Then quantum torpedoes lashed out, three collapsing her shields, and the fourth wrecking the ship. Still, the surviving Jem’Hadar tried to keep going, only for a final phaser strike to destroy their ship.
Even as the phaser was fired though, light shimmered on the
Enterprise-E’s bridge, two Jem’Hadar materializing in moments. They leveled disruptors, but one was shot dead by a trio of phaser shots to the chest.
The other Jem’Hadar initially tried to aim his disruptor at Picard, but then Data was lunging at the Dominion warrior with inhuman speed. The Jem’Hadar clubbed the android with his disruptor, but it didn’t even faze Data. Grabbing the Jem’Hadar by an arm, Data quickly forced the warrior’s arm behind his back, and then reaching around with his free hand, grabbed the Jem’Hadar by the jaw before twisting his neck with an audible snap.
The Jem’Hadar fell dead to the deck. “Sorry, sir.” Data apologized. “I was delayed by 0.024 seconds by surprise.”
“No harm done, Mister Data.” Picard said reassuringly. “Scan the surrounding area of space, make sure there aren’t any more surprises in store for us. Also, report this encounter to Starfleet Headquarters, they’ll want to know about it. Helm, once scans are complete, take us back to Warp 5.”
“Aye, sir.” The helmsman replied, even as Data hurried back to his station to perform the scans himself.
“Number One…?” Picard said with a gesture at the Jem’Hadar’s bodies, but Riker was already on the move.
“Already on it, sir.” He said, and Picard nodded once.
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“Dropping out of warp, captain.” Jadzia said as they arrived at their destination. “Maintaining our distance at one light-second from the wormhole.”
“Do we have a visual?” Worf asked.
“Putting it up on screen.” The operations officer replied.
Worf narrowed his eyes at the viewscreen, the wormhole appearing as a pool of slick oil in space, barely visible to the naked eye by the way it distorted any and all starlight falling on it. “Any sign of Dominion ships in the area?” Worf asked.
“No sign of Dominion ships anywhere within one thousand light-seconds of the wormhole, sir.” The operations officer said. “I could try extending scans further, but it’s unlikely they’d have any guards or patrols any further out, if even at our current scanning distance, without effectively leaving the wormhole unguarded. I do detect numerous tachyon trails leading into the wormhole, though so far, none leading out. At least, none within the past few days. Any trails older than that would have either dispersed naturally or by the trails of ships entering the wormhole.”
“How recent is the most recent of the tachyon trails?” Worf asked.
“…it’s approximately six hours old, sir.” The operations officer replied.
Worf hummed in thought at the reply. “The Dominion would not have left the wormhole unguarded unless they had completely secured the other side.” He finally said. “Alternatively, the guards were called to the other side as emergency reinforcements, which would mean additional Dominion reinforcements are
en route even as we speak.”
“Orders, sir?” Jadzia asked.
Worf glanced in Nog’s direction at the engineering station. “Status of the cloaking device?” he asked.
“Operating normally, sir.” Nog replied. “Though Chief O’Brien is asking permission to make some adjustments, in order to mask our tachyon emissions using the leftover tachyons of the Dominion ships which passed by earlier.”
Worf nodded in agreement. “A sound proposal,” he said. “He may proceed.”
“Yes, sir.” Nog said before relaying Worf’s approval to O’Brien in engineering.
“Helm,” Worf ordered. “Standby for emergency jump to maximum warp. There is no glory to be found in vain battle.”
“Yes, sir.” Jadzia said.
“Standby to launch probe.” Worf continued. “Have it proceed through the wormhole at one-quarter impulse, sensors set to broad-spectrum sweep. Find out everything there is to know about the passage, its dimensions and hazards, its nature and features, and how long it will take us to pass through ourselves.”
“Aye, sir.” The operations officer said.
“Continue sweeping the surrounding space with our sensors as well.” Worf said. “Be watchful for anything that seems out of place. I do not want any unpleasant surprises to our rear for when we finally pass through the wormhole.”
“Aye, sir.” The operations officer repeated.
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“The wormhole’s dimensions appear to be roughly-uniform across its length.” Jadzia explained while meeting with the
Defiant’s command crew over four hours later. “Both exits appear to have a diameter of approximately thirteen thousand kilometers across, maintained as the wormhole’s width across its whole length. Length…impossible to determine, due to temporal-spatial interference from the wormhole’s boundary. The interior is also dotted with drifting pockets of atomic hydrogen, with densities up to an estimated five hundred atoms per cubic centimeter. The probe also detected up to seven thousand dead comets inside, with possibly many more. Both the comets and the hydrogen’s origin is unknown. There are also does not appear to be any radiation sources in the wormhole. In fact, aside from its boundary’s own temporal-spatial interference, I’d say the wormhole is relatively-inert.”
“So it is safe for us to proceed?” Worf asked from the head of the table.
“It should be, yes.” Jadzia answered with a nod. “The temporal-spatial interference only prevents detailed scans of the wormhole itself, not its interior, and has no effect on objects passing through. Beyond funneling them across time and space, of course, but that is only to be expected of a wormhole.”
“No wreckage of Dominion ships have been found.” O’Brien said. “Meaning they passed through normally, and presumably safely.”
“Just in case, I recommend we should proceed with our shields raised,” Bashir began. “And with maximum possible countermeasures against known radiation emissions that practicality allows.”
“A prudent call,” Worf said with a nod. “I am inclined to agree. That said, earlier it was mentioned that the probe was destroyed on exiting the wormhole.”
“Yes, but not immediately.” Jadzia said with a nod of her own. “The proximity alert warned of a large, slow-moving, and relatively-inert object ahead of the probe. It attempted to evade, but its automated systems were unable to fully compensate.”
“It did manage to send some data about what it collided with, though.” O’Brien said. “Duranium alloys of various compositions, as well as other metallic elements and polymer compounds…if I had to guess, it collided with the hull of a ship. Could be Dominion…or someone else’s, on the other side.”
“…we won’t find our answers by simply sitting here.” Worf said after a moment’s thought. “We must find out why the Dominion crossed this wormhole, and who or what they found on the other side. Doctor, chief: make the necessary preparations to protect our crew from potential exposure while passing through the wormhole.”
“Yes, sir.” Bashir and O’Brien chorused.
Worf nodded. “By this point it’s exceedingly-likely that this will be a First Contact scenario.” He said. “All crew are to review the modified First Contact protocols while preparations are underway, and again during our passage.”
“It’ll take us about four hours to get ready.” Bashir estimated, and O’Brien nodded in agreement. “Two if we hurry things up…”
“While a reduction in delay is preferable,” Worf interrupted. “I believe prudence would serve us better here.”
Bashir and O’Brien nodded. “Assuming we go at one-quarter impulse,” Jadzia said. “It’ll take us approximately two hours to pass through the wormhole. That gives us a total of six hours to review the modified First Contact protocols.”
“Six hours will be plenty for Starfleet personnel.” Worf said, and no one could disagree. It wasn’t like they were untrained for First Contact scenarios. The protocols guiding their actions might be different, but when all was said and done, this wasn’t something they were unprepared for.
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“Approaching wormhole terminus.” Jadzia said from the helm station six hours later. “Standby to exit the wormhole.”
The trip through the wormhole had proceeded without incident, though even Worf found himself feeling anxious and apprehensive at the utter darkness of the wormhole’s interior. Some comfort had been found by keeping the viewscreen on reverse view, the starlight falling through their side of the wormhole a marked contrast to the darkness within.
But that hadn’t lasted long, the terminus growing smaller and fainter behind them, and finally fading out sight about three hours into their journey. To keep the crew’s minds on their jobs, Worf ordered them to red alert from yellow alert.
That aside, the trip had proceeded as they expected it to. Despite their precautions, there didn’t really seem a need for them, as no radiation was emitted inside the wormhole. They encountered and passed through more than a few hydrogen pockets, ran across a number of dead comets even, and needing to go around one particularly large dead comet, but everything had proceeded well, all things considered.
“Approaching event horizon,” Jadzia said, adjusting her controls and taking a breath. “Emerging from wormhole in three, two, one…”
One moment there was only darkness in front of them…
…and in the next, much of the starry expanse of the galaxy was blotted out by the drifting hulk of a Jem’Hadar Battleship. And they were heading straight for it at one-quarter impulse.
“Oh shit!” Jadzia uncharacteristically swore, sharply banking up the z-axis, practically skimming over the surface of the wreck. Officers and crew alike struggled to stay at their stations as Jadzia rolled while continuing to climb, narrowly avoiding more debris and wreckage. “That was too close.”
“That said, well done…”
Worf’s words trailed off, the bridge falling silent as they watched a battle being fought all around them. Energy beams lanced or burst through space in a kaleidoscope of light, punctuated by flashing torpedoes and the blinding explosions of breached warp cores.
“…uh, sir?” Nog began, the first to recover. “Is it just me, or is the Dominion fighting…Starfleet?”
Sounds of surprise echoed across the bridge, and Worf leaned forward in his seat. Eyes were drawn to starboard, where a pair of Jem’Hadar Battlecruisers cruised at full impulse, disruptors blazing away as they engaged a number of small ships that bore more than a passing resemblance to the
Defiant, orange bursts blazing from their forward-facing phaser banks, hammering at the battlecruisers’ shields.
Then another Jem’Hadar Battlecruiser was cruising past, cutting across their heading and forcing Jadzia to go to full impulse while taking evasive action. Polaron beams shot past across their field of view, even as another one of the
Defiant lookalikes (or could pass for one) flew past.
“I don’t recognize the ship classes,” the operations officer softly said. “Or the transponder data and encryption, but from what I can see, it’s…Starfleet…or could pass for it very closely…”
“What’s going on here?” Bashir breathed.
Then they were looking away, as the
Defiant flew within a few thousand kilometers of a Jem’Hadar Battlecruiser, as it took a direct hit from a torpedo, one which blew a wing clean off. And not just any torpedoes either.
“That was a quantum torpedo!” Jadzia breathed.
“That’s impossible!” Worf said. “Quantum torpedoes are Starfleet’s most advanced weapons! How could anyone have possibly…unless…they developed it on their own…or…”
Worf trailed off, the
Defiant coming around in a wide circle, everyone’s eyes on a ship that was exchanging fire with another Jem’Hadar Battlecruiser. Said ship had a long, elliptical main hull, sharply-contoured with an engine section directly to its rear. Two deflectors were angled back in front of the engine section, one above and another below, while a quartet of nacelles extended outwards in an x from the engine section. And as phasers shattered the Jem’Hadar’s shields and wrecked their dorsal hull, the
Defiant’s bridge crew wordlessly stared at the name written in Roman letters.
FNS Seoul.
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“Fire a tricobalt device!” Annika ordered as the
Seoul flew past the crippled Jem’Hadar Battlecruiser.
“Firing!” Melendez said.
The tricobalt device flashed as it crossed thousands of kilometers in a matter of seconds. With its shields down and hull gutted, the Jem’Hadar Battlecruiser had no chance. The tricobalt device punched deep into its hull, and then exploding, reduced the battlecruiser to superheated debris and energetic molecules flying through space.
“Incoming attack ships!” Saul warned, before something else caught his attention.
“Intercept!” Annika barked.
“Intercepting!” Melendez said, fingers flashing over her interface.
Phasers lanced out as the
Seoul banked sharply, hammering at the Jem’Hadar attack ships. They returned fire with polaron beams, but their shields failed first, and another volley of phasers turned them to burning wrecks breaking up in space.
“Captain,” Saul began. “You need to take a look at this.”
“What is it?” Annika said while bringing the matter up on her command interface. Then she blinked in surprise. “Tachyon emissions…characteristic of…Romulan cloaking devices? What the hell are they doing here?”
“Orders, captain?” Saul asked.
“Keep an eye on them for now.” Annika said. “We’ve got a battle to win, especially when we have the Jem’Hadar on the ropes. That said…Zhessesi, priority message to Admiral Garak. Tell him we might have a Romulan ship here, and that we’re keeping an eye on it until this battle ends.”
“Aye, captain.” Zhessesi said from the communication station. “Message sent.”
Annika nodded, and then gripped her armrests tightly as the
Seoul shook from a torpedo impact. “Shields down to fifty-two per cent!” Melendez warned.
“Return fire!” Annika ordered. “Knock that battlecruiser’s shields down, and fire quantum torpedoes! Send those Jem’Hadar to the depths of Niflheim!”
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A/N
And so it begins.
