Nexus crossings, chapter 2

"Hello Colonel, I have been instructed by my superiors to open a peaceful dialog with your government for the purposes of safe travel and space exploration. With your permission, I would like to discuss the details in person," the captain said.

Kira swallowed before responding, "That's... quite a request. Please wait a moment." Kira motioned to the ensign to suspend the commlink. "Is the Vulcan Ambassador still on board?" she asked her.

"He's on a transport waiting to return to Bajor ma’am," she responded.

"Well have someone go get him and inform him on our situation."

"Yes ma’am"

Kira looked briefly at a display of the stations docking ring then at another screen showing the docking ports on the ship. She then nodded to the ensign to resume communications. A second later the screen changed back to show the two people standing on the bridge.

"Alright Captain Avries, you can dock at upper-pylon three. A beacon will direct you."

"Thank you Colonel. Before we arrive would you have some medical staff standing by? I only ask this to insure that we aren't carrying any biologics that would be harmful to your people."

Kira only smiled faintly not really sure how to properly respond, "... Thank you captain, Deep Space Nine out." The screen winked back to the view of the ship before shutting off completely.

Kira let out a long heavy sigh. "Kira to Bashir," she said taping her combage.

A few seconds later he responded, "Bashir here."

"Can you meet me at the upper-pylon three docking port? Oh and bring your med kit."

"Is there someone injured?"

"No, we have visitors that came through the wormhole. They insist that we give them a medical scan for our safety."

"On my way," Bashir said.

Cocking her head while rolling her eyes, Kira walked up to the turbolift. "Upper-pylon three," she told the computer.

An instant later the lift was carrying her down through the station stopping briefly at the promenade to admit a very displeased Vulcan.

"I trust you can explain why my return to Bajor was delayed?" Ambassador Savan said with distaste.

Kira scoffed inwardly, Vulcan’s might claim to have rid their emotions in favor of logic, but the only emotion she never seen them display was honest happiness. “A new ship has come through the wormhole. I thought it'd be in the best interest of first contact to have an ambassador on hand. And since you were the only Federation ambassador on board I thought it would be appropriate to have you with us."

"Logically," he responded with a thinly veiled patronizing tone.

Kira bite her tongue to force herself to stop before she said something she'd regret later. It'd be useless to argue with any Vulcan let alone Savan and remained silent for the rest of the ride up.

Bashir greeted them at the turbolift doors, his fingers thumbing the med kit in his hands, "Colonel, Ambassador," he said curtly.

Kira returned his greeting with a nod while Savan responded with an audible sigh of displeasure. Moving on, they were soon waiting in front of the docking port. A Bajoran engineer stood by the door controls.

"Port seals are good and the airlock is pressurized," the engineer told them.

"Okay, open it," Kira said taking a quick breath.

The Bajoran tapped a few buttons and the massive doors turned revealing three people standing in the airlock. Kira immediately recognized Captain Avries and the woman in light blue robes from earlier, the third being unknown to her.

"Permission to come aboard, Colonel?" the captain asked.

"Of course, allow me to introduce Ambassador Savan, he's a representative of Federation interests."

"The United Federation of Planets," Savan said dryly as if to correct the colonel.

"Greetings Ambassador, I am captain Ryan Avries. I have been selected to represent the "Descended Earth Systems" of my government," Avries said while extending a hand.

Savan looked at Avries' hand with all the emotionless distaste he could bring forth with his raised eyebrow. Fearing he somehow insulted the diplomat; Avries quickly returned his hand to his side.

In an effort to move pass the growing awkward moment Avries then introduced his accompanying crew. "This is my communications specialist," he said referring to the woman. "And this is me science officer Matthew Ridge."

Kira was confused, "Forgive me for asking, but why did you introduce your science officer by name but not her?" she asked referring to the smiling woman.

"My People have long ago grown out of the use for personal names for ourselves," she said. "In fact, we have long ago forgotten what to call our species," she added.

Avries then spoke up, "We have since our first encounter taken to calling their species the "Phoenix Clan" in due part to their biology."

"Interesting," Savan said.

Kira turned in surprise to Savan. He never before went beyond the duties and protocols of his position.

"Well captain, if you would follow us, we have a room set up so we can talk in private," Kira said abruptly.

"Before we go, maybe we should have your doctors check us over just in case," Avries said.

"Oh, right. Um, this is doctor Bashir. He's in charge of the stations infirmary."

Bashir nodded and waved his hand slightly, still with his med kit in hand.

"Doctor, if you would?" Kira urged.

Bashir walked to Avries and pulled out his medical tricorder and proceeded to scan him. "I'm not detecting any exotic pathogens. You seem to be in perfect health. Nothing but some scaring and... My god…"

"What is it Bashir? What's wrong?" Kira asked worriedly.

"... Nothing colonel, it's just that according to these scans, Captain Avries had been impaled. There's scar tissue on the spinal cord and on the heart. You should have been either dead or paralyzed! What happened to cause these injuries?" he asked.

"It's an old war wound, I got careless and paid for it when I boarded an enemy ship," Avries said grimly, "Sufficed to say, I got lucky in my recovery."

"Well, the captain checks out," Bashir said moving over to the Phoenix woman. "Hmm... your core body temperatures higher than most species I've come across, but I'm not detecting any viruses or biological infections," he said astonishingly.

"It is a natural side effect to how my people live," she said. She seemed to be in a permanently good mood which Bashir found infectious.

"Well beyond that, I'm not detecting any pathogens ever having been in your system."

"Thank you doctor, and by the way, the scans tickled."

Bashir just smiled, not sure if she was joking or not, as he stepped over to the science officer to scan him. As he ran the tricorders removable sensor over him he became perplexed. It was a minute later when he realized.

"Excuse me, but are you an android?"

"Well we prefer the term "ArtForm", a sort of short term for artificial form, but yes I guess I am one. Though it wasn’t something I chose to have happen."

"Okay. Colonel they all check out."

"Alright, if you'll follow me please," Kira said. Before turning to the turbolift, she noticed some sort small cylinder-like weapon holstered on the hips of the captain and his science officer. "Actually before we go though, I’m going to have to ask you to leave any weapons you have on your ship. We don't allow weapons on the station unless given special permission."

"An understandable precaution," Avries said pulling out his weapon and handing it to Matthew who then reentered the ship.

While they waited for him to return, Kira looked at Avries who was absently flicking his empty holster with his thumb. Avries looked over then down at his hand and immediately stopped.

"Sorry, Its been standard practice on all vessels to be armed since the war in my universe began. I feel a little underdressed," he said sheepishly.

Kira could somewhat understand having spent much of the Dominion war with some sort of weapon, especially when she was helping the resistance in Cardasia with Domar and Garak. She had to admit on some days she felt naked herself without the reassuring weight of a phaser on her hip. Soon enough their science officer returned and she lead them to the turbolift.

Avries was startled somewhat by the design while they rode it down. While there was a door at each level, the car itself didn't have its own set which was clearly evident as he watched each level pass as they descended. Avries wasn't sure if it was a design oversight or if it had been intention, either way, Avries made sure to keep a safe distance away from the opened frame.

When the turbolift stopped, they stepped out and walked through the dark colored corridors passing the odd person now and then. They had made so many twists and turns that Avries felt as if he were in a maze till the colonel stopped in front of a door. Walking through it as it opened Avries and Matthew stopped just inside the room staring at the window across the room as the door behind them slid shut.

"Is there a problem?" Kira asked standing at the head of the table which dominated the room.

"... No, there's no problem. It's just been awhile since I've seen an actual window in space," Avries said as he unconsciously rubbed his empty holster again. He, his science officer, and the Phoenix clan woman sat down facing the window.

"Well captain Avries," Savan began, "I believe it is only logical to start by telling us of this war you were apparently involved with."

"First of all, It was more of a battle for survival against a race called the Jikoran...”

"How can you be sure of that captain? Perhaps it may have been a case of miscommunication on your governments part," Savan accused with a raised eyebrow."

"Forgive me for saying so Ambassador," Avries said stressing Savan's title, "But you’re just a damn go between, an appointed "dignitary', who's too caught up in his cushy job to care about anyone else but your own damn safety! I was there at one of the first colonies to get hit. We hailed them and they answered with plasma fire. Tell me. Have you ever tried to defend a colony against FIFTEEN HUNDRED ships with only a handful of small ships? Seventeen thousand colonist and we only managed to evacuate a few hundred before we were overrun and had to retreat. The last transmission from the colony was from a scared little girl asking if someone could save her from the monsters. Now, if you insult me like that again, I WILL knock you on your pointy eared ass!!!" Avries shouted down a Savan then sat down again.

Taken aback Kira kept glancing at Savan and Avries until she stood up, "Ambassador Savan can I speak to you out in the hall a moment?" Kira asked.

Savan let out an annoyed sigh before replying, "If you must Colonel"

Once they were out in the hall Kira spun around and spoke in a low hiss, "Alright Savan, what the hell was that you just pulled in there?"

"Colonel?" Savan asked not sure of the nature of the question.

"You know damn well what I'm talking about! From what Avries just told us, he and his people barely held onto their lives against what seems to be impossible odds. And the first thing that comes out of your mouth is questioning whether they started it?"

"Colonel, as the Federation ambassador to Bajor it is my duty to analyze whether diplomatic ties can be conducted and sustained. Since I have been posted here I have read through the station logs and found them... "Interesting"."

"What do you mean "interesting"?"

"During the relatively short time the station has been under Bajoran control there have been a continuing string of incidents on board the station involving various plagues, one of which the Bajoran are accountable for, insurrections, numerous coup attempts as well as alien invasions and finally a reemergence of extinct species. I believe one of those were Tribbles colonel. But to list an incident related to this situation I would have to refer the time when some of the senior staff, yourself included, interacted with a largely hostile parallel universe. Some of those inhabitants stole highly classified technology. It is only logical to assume a similar stance that these people are hostile to some degree if they do come from an alternate universe. Do you agree with my assumption colonel?" Savan asked finally.

Kira opened her mouth to rebuttal Savan's "theory" then closed it. As much as she hated to admit when Savan of all people raised a valid point but she didn't want to give the smug Vulcan the satisfaction of it so instead she changed tact. "Even if that were a possibility, do you really think what you just said in there was "diplomatic"?" Kira asked.

She smiled inwardly as Savan stood mentally going over what he had said in the briefing room and had to concur with the Colonel. The bluntness of his inquiry had more than likely made any future possible negotiations more strenuous then before.

"Very well colonel. I will use more carefully chosen words when speaking to these humans. Shall we return to the... discussion?" he asked.

"No!," Kira said sharply, "You just proved how useless you are in there. Now, where would the "logic" be if I let you back in there?"

"Colonel, regardless of what had transpired in there and what your "instincts" or emotions may be telling you, if this is truly is a first-contact scenario then it is by Federation directives that I must remain present until the appropriate personnel arrive to take over," Savan said with almost an air of smugness having used Federation charters and simple logic to out maneuver Kira at her own game.

Kira just smiled before responding, "Well then, I guess it's just too bad that Bajor still isn't officially part of the Federation then."

Whatever satisfaction Savan allowed himself immediately dropped.

Kira continued, "You said it yourself that Bajor won’t be inducted until you were completely satisfied, and so far despite our best efforts, you haven't given us the go ahead. And just so we're clear. This is now officially a Bajoran affair. So if you want to join us you'll have to speak to our ambassador." As she finished, she caught a passing Bajoran deputy, "Please escort Ambassador Savan to his ship. He's ready to go back to Bajor."

The deputy responded with a curt, "Yes ma’am," and stood by in the direction of the closes turbolift. Savan gave Kira a look of disdain before turning to follow the deputy.

Kira waited until Savan was out of sight before letting out a long satisfied sigh. Turning around she reentered the briefing room, "Sorry for taking so long. I "regret" that ambassador Savan for the rest of this meeting." she stated as she returned to her seat.

"No apologies are necessary. Your doctor was just telling us about the Prophets that inhabit the wormhole," Avries said.

"Well I'd hate to interrupt a topic like that but I'm afraid we really must continue. So, you were saying about the Jikoran?"

"Yes, well as I was saying, the Jikoran are essentially like locust but instead of consuming resources they willfully fight any type of perceived resistance. Some evidence we've collected suggests that the Jikoran are responsible for the extinction of the previous dominant species on my planet. Information recovered from a few ship boarding’s indicating that they move from one side of the galaxy to the other doing this. Beyond that there's not much else we can tell you about their culture," Avries said as he made a motion to hold something in front of him and a green translucent holographic pad appeared in his hand, small strings of light could be seen dancing back and forth from his arm brace.

While thumbing through the display, Avries continued, "The Jikoran usually stands between seven and eight feet tall and resemble an Earth mythological creature called orcs. The only exception is that Jikoran do not initially seem to have an epidermis layer." The holo pad in his hand changed to a 3-D rotating statue of a Jikoran soldier to which Avries tossed onto the briefing table where it grew to presumably actual size. The still rotating image showed that it indeed seemed to be without any skin thusly showing the fibers of its muscles. The only clothing it was wearing seemed to be a mismatched stitching of various metal plates for armor, some of which had alien writing that didn't match those found on other parts of its armor. In its hands was a large rifle that could arguably be called a cannon. Following the length of the barrel above and below it were two blades that ended seven centimeters past the nozzle of the weapon in deadly sharp points.

Avries continued, "Its weapon fires a unique form of energy which seems to have a slight numbing effect to prevent the initial shock of impact. This is probably so they can prolong the battle..."

Bashir interrupted, "Why would they want to prolong a battle? It seems so unnecessary."

"Their entire culture and society is based around fighting the opposition. They probably figure that since they already have a numerical advantage then it wouldn't be "sporting"."

Bashir and Kira each gave one another a look before nodding for Avries to continue.

Avries again pointed at the rifle, "From studying the weapon we found that it can't be rearmed in the field so once the energy in the weapon is depleted it's then used completely as a melee weapon to... Great effect," Avries finished while rubbing his chest remembering his injury.

He was about to continue when he saw the wormhole opening. Kira turned to look and watched as a Federation ship come through heavily damaged and on fire where breaches in the hull could be seen.

Standing up, Kira tapped her commbadge, "Kira to ops, report!" she ordered worriedly.

"Ma’am, it's the Melbourne. We’re trying to beam out the crew but we only got eight of the crew out, radiation is preventing us from getting a lock on the rest."

"Damn it," Kira spat.

Avries brought his wrist up and activated the comm unit in his arm guard, "Hathaway. I need an emergency transport on the crew of the ship that just came through."

"Aye sir," there was a pause, "Twelve are aboard, adjusting for the radiation, stand by."

The nacelle struts connecting the saucer to the secondary hull exploded severing the ship. The engineering section blew up the resulting explosion breaking apart the saucer section.

"Hathaway, report!"

"We only got two more out before the ship exploded sir. We sent them to the medical compartment."

"Are they alright?"

"Some burns and concussions. Some are psychologically scared and had to be sedated. One was shouting about something before he was put under. Something about a "Borg""

Kira and Bashir just looked at each other realizing what was to come.