Sailor Trek DS9
soton@aol.com (Soton)

Chapter 5 - Return to yesterday...

     Luna hopped down from O'Brien's shoulder onto the top of Sisko's chair.
"Now, let me
see if I've got this straight," she said.  "Three ships from what you call
the
Dominion
were accidently transported to our universe nine months ago our time.  They
were then
somehow captured and controlled by the Negaverse.  They used the changeling
in
and
attempt to kill all three Scouts, but only were successful in kill... in
killing Sailor Moon."
Her voice broke at the last, and she paused as the memories of that terrible
day raced
through her mind.  After a time, she was able to control the emotions that
had
inevitably
risen up from them.  "Still, that was more than enough to alter the course
of
events for
our world.  Then yesterday, as Queen Beryl was about to mount her main
attack
and the
Sailor Scouts went to face her; this ship," she nodded to the main
viewscreen
which still
displayed an image of the unfortunate starship, "the Enterprise, crossed
over
from your past to our universe. It was subsequently attacked by the Dominion
ships and destroyed,
thus altering your past."

     "That about sums it up," Dax replied.  "About the only thing you missed
was the fact
that there are now two quantum fluxes in this system, where there should be
only one."

     "How can I leave something out if I don't know about it?" the balck cat
wanted to know.

     Dax smiled.  "Sorry."

     "Do you have any information about that second flux, Dax?" Sisko asked.

     "You could say that."  She pulled up a sensor schematic on the main
viewer.  "I sent a
probe through the second flux and programmed it to return after taking some
sensor
readings.  The exit point is in the Gamma Quadrant.  The probe's astrometric
readings
indicated that it's been several months since we left DS9."

     "Months?" O'Brien exclaimed.

     Dax nodded.  "That's right.  And the coordinates that the flux emerges
into the Gamma

Quadrant are identical to where the Defiant observed three Jem'Hadar ships
vanish a few
days before we left the station."  She paused.  "The thing of it is, I had
just
come to that
conclusion, that they had gone through a quantum flux, just before the
wormhole
began
acting up."

     "But you have no idea where the second flux came from?" Sisko asked.

     "Not a clue," the science officer admitted.

     "It's a moot point anyway," Sisko said.  "Without a method to travel
back
in time, we
have no way to correct the timelines."

     "Great," Mars mumbled.  "So we're back to square one."

     "I'm afraid so," the captain agreed.

     Dax bent down to check an alert that had just started flashing on her
screen.  "I'm
picking up a large neutrino emission..."  She looked up, surprise evident on
her face.
"Benjamin, it's the wormhole!"

     "On screen," Sisko ordered.

     On command, the image of the now open wormhole appeared on the main
viewer.  Sisko
noted that it still had a shimmering appearance, as well as the red
coloration.

     "That's incredible," Mercury said, awe evident in her tone.

     "Yes," Luna agreed, "it is."

     Mars would ordinarily agree as well, but she was perceiving something
else
entirely
from the phenomena.  Her eyes narrowed as she tried to sort out the
impressions
she was
getting.  "There's something wrong with it, isn't there?"

     "Yes," Kira said.  "It doesn't look anything like it normally would."

     Bashir voiced a question that each member of the Defiant crew were
asking
themselves.

"We've been stationary here for hours.  Why would it open up now?"

     Sisko could only think of one reason.  "It's an invitation from the
wormhole aliens."  He
seated himself in the command chair and faced the viewscreen.  "And I intend
to
take them
up on it.  Dax, decloak the ship and take us into the wormhole."

     "Yes, sir," Dax said, moving to the helm.

     "I hope you know what you're doing, Captain," Luna said uneasily from
her
perch  just
behind Sisko's head.

     "We'll find out soon enough," Sisko answered her just as the Defiant
entered the
wormhole.  At once the ship began rocking as it was buffeted by the
gravimetric
distortions
that were still echoing through the spatial corridor.  All present on the
bridge immediately took a seat or grabbed onto a firm handhold to avoid
being
tossed about.

     "All stop," Sisko ordered soon after they entered.  Dax touched a
control
on the helm and
the Defiant slowed to a halt within the wormhole.  But even at rest, the
ship
was pitching
about as if on a heavy sea.

     "Can't you do something about that?" Mars asked, starting to turn a
light
shade of green.

     "I'm trying," O'Brien replied.  "But the gravimetric waves are strong
enough that the
inertial dampeners are having a hard time..."

     The ship vanished around them.

     "... compensating for it," O'Brien uncertainly finished his statement
as
he took in his new

surroundings.  The others looked about themselves feeling an equal sense of
astonishment.
To all appearances, they were back in Ops on Deep Space Nine.

     Sisko knew instantly that they had been brought to the reality of the
wormhole aliens.
It seemed that he was correct about being given an invitation.  One that
seemed
to extend to his crew and the Sailor Scouts as well.

     The Scouts and Luna were more puzzled than any of the crew.  Mars was
casting about
the place, trying to sense something about it, while Mercury deployed her
visor
and then
frowned.  "I don't understand.  I'm not getting any readings."

     "Don't be worried about that," Dax told her.  "If I'm right, we're not
in
our own reality at
all."

     "Then were are we?" Luna asked.

     "In the realm of the Prophets," Kira answered in a hushed, reverent
tone.

     "That is correct," a new voice said.  They all turned to the entrance
of
Sisko's office.
Standing there was a woman Sisko recognized from the last transit through
the
wormhole --
Sailor Pluto.  "You are in the realm of the Prophets.  However, at the
moment
they can't
greet you personally at the moment, as they are otherwise occupied."

     "Occupied?" Kira asked.

     "Yes," she replied, stepping down the steps into the lower level of
Ops.
"You see, you are
not the only ones affected by the turmoil in the timelines.  The Prophets
themselves are in
danger.   Mortal danger."

     Kira's jaw dropped, but before she could say more Mars asked, "Hold on
a
minute.  Who
are you?!?"

     "I can answer that," Sisko said.  "Everyone, meet Sailor Pluto."

     "Pluto?" Luna gasped.  "The guardian of the Gate of Time?"

     "That's correct, Luna," she replied.

     "You know her?" Mercury demanded of the cat.

     "She does," Pluto said, "But it has been a long time since we last met.
During the days of

the Silver Millennium, to be precise.  And the long time she spent in the
cold
sleep capsule

undoubtedly affected her memory."

     "I'm glad to finally meet you," Sisko said, walking up to Pluto. "But
just
what did you
mean when you said the Prophets are in danger?"

     The background scenery then changed, disorienting the Defiant crew.
But
the new
backdrop was a very familiar sight to Mars, Mercury and Luna, as it was the
temple Raye
lived and worked at -- the Hikawa shrine.  But Pluto answered Sisko as if
nothing had
changed, "Exactly what I said, Captain.  But it will take some explaining.

     "You see, Beryl won't be content with just Earth... or even just this
universe.  Her lust
for power and conquest is nearly unlimited.  She will send her forces
through
the second
quantum flux Commander Dax discovered, invading your Gamma Quadrant.
Empowered
by the
Negaforce, her troops will overrun the Dominion in short order."  The
Defiant
crewmembers
seemed stunned by this announcement.   To them, the forces of the Dominion
seemed nearly
unstoppable.  The fact that Beryl's troops could conquer the Gamma Quadrant
power that
quickly seemed incredible to them.  Pluto continued, "And still she will
hunger
for more...
And she will send her forces through the wormhole into the Alpha Quadrant."

     "The Federation will fight them," Worf stated firmly.

     "They cannot," Pluto said.   "Because in this timeline, there is *no*
Federation."

     "No Federation?"  Even the usually unflappable Odo seemed shocked by
this
announcement.

     "I see what she's getting at," Sisko said.  "Without the Enterprise
returning from it's
five year mission, there'll be no one to confront Vejur shortly afterwards."
     Pluto nodded.  "Correct, Captain.  The advanced probe will reduce the
core
worlds of the

Federation to lifeless husks before it leaves; rendering what is left of the
Federation easy
prey to a concerted Romulan/Klingon attack."

     Again the background changed, forming into one of the briefing rooms on
Deep Space
Nine.  Each of them was seated at the table, save for Pluto.  She moved
around
the table
still speaking, "In this altered Alpha Quadrant, three main powers vie for
supremacy: the Klingons, the Romulans, and the Cardassians.  Nothing remains
of
the Federation, save for a few isolated colony worlds."

     Kira leaned anxiously forward, "What about Bajor?"

     Pluto cast a sympathetic look to her.  "I'm afraid it's still dominated
by
the
Cardassians."  In a blink of an eye, they found themselves on the Promenade.
"This is the
station as it appears in what you would call the present."  Sisko, Kira and
the
others looked
about, but there was not a Starfleet uniform to be seen.  Nor were any
uniforms
of the
Bajoran militia visible.  All they could see were Cardassians troops... and
Bajoran slave
laborers shuffling to and from the station's ore processing facilities.  "Of
course, it is still
called Terok Nor."

     Kira looked horrified.  "May the Prophets save us."

     "They cannot," Pluto replied evenly.  "Now it is up to you to save them
from the
Negaforce."  The Hikawa shrine reformed about them, but Kira seemed
oblivious
to the
changes.  She walked up to Pluto and stared evenly at the mysterious Sailor
Scout.

     When she spoke, her voice was low and tense.  "How can the Prophets be
in
danger from
the Negaforce?"

     Mercury spoke up.  "When Beryl sent her forces into the Alpha Quadrant
through the

wormhole, she sent the Negaforce as well," she theorized.

     "Correct," Pluto confirmed.  "And it was during it's passage through
that
it came into
conflict with the Prophets."  She cast a sympathetic gaze to Kira.  "Their
power may be
great, Major, but even they have their limits.  And the Negaforce surpasses
them.  They
*are* fighting the Negaforce... But it is a fight they are slowly losing."

     "Then that's the reason for the wormhole's odd behavior -- and for the
changes in it's

appearance," Dax said.  "It's a result of the struggle between them."

     "Correct," Pluto said again.

     "Since the wormhole aliens exist outside linear time," Dax continued,
more
so for Mars',

Mercury's and Luna's benefit than anyone else's, "a struggle between them
and
an equally

powerful opponent would have repercussions in all areas of time -- past,
present, future...
It's all the same to them."

     "There's just one thing I'd like to know," Sisko said as they found
themselves once more
in Ops.  "How did all this start?  I know the Jem'Hadar ships coming through
the flux was
the trigger for the changes to the timelines, but where did that second flux
come from?
They don't just appear out of thin air."

     "You're quite correct, Captain.  They don't."  Pluto looked to Worf,
"But
if you want to
know how it appeared, you should ask Worf... for he helped bring about it's
creation."

     The Klingon looked confused.  "Me?"  Pluto nodded.

     "Of course," Dax said in sudden realization.  "I should have seen it
before."

     "Seen what before?" Odo asked.

     "This isn't another quantum flux... It's the same one traversed by both
Enterprises.  But
when the Enterprise D attempted to seal it, all the torpedo did was to
relocate
the flux
through time and space on both sides of it.  Thus in our universe, one end
of
the flux was
relocated to the Gamma Quadrant, while here, the other side was shifted to a
point halfway
between the orbits of Earth and Mars and a point in time a hundred years
earlier."

     "Essentially correct," Pluto confirmed.  "Picard's desire to seal the
flux
was well
intentioned, but it led directly to this temporal paradox we find ourselves
in
the middle of."

     "My God," muttered O'Brien. "Then Q was right.  Captain Picard is going
to
have a fit when

he hears about this."

     Worf grimaced at the thought of Q being right about anything, then
straightened as he
heard laughter echo through his mind, followed by, "I told you so,
Microbrain."

     Pluto frowned.  "Q may lack in several in the area of social graces,"
she
said pointedly to
the air above them, "but he does tell the truth... For the most part, at any
rate."

     "You sound as if you know him quite well," Bashir observed.

     "We've been... acquainted with each other for several centuries," she
replied.

     "Centuries?"  O'Brien looked over Pluto closely.  To all appearances,
Pluto seemed to be a

woman no older than her mid-twenties.  "How old are you?"

     Pluto raised an eyebrow and her expression showed slight amusement.
"Really, Chief

O'Brien.  As a married man, I would expect you to know better than to ask a
woman her age."

The scenery shifted to the temple once again while O'Brien tried to avoid
looking to
flustered.   "Ignoring that, what must be done to repair the timeline..."

     "...is to prevent the Negaverse from taking control of the Dominion
ships," Sisko said.

"Failing that, we must prevent them from interrupting the normal flow of
history."

     "In short, keep them from killing Sailor Moon," Mercury added.

     "And either one of you," Worf said.

     "Correct," Pluto said with a nod.

     "OK, so we know what to do," Mars said.  "But there's still the small
problem of time
travel.   Or have you got a way around that?"

     "I can provide a means for several people to travel in time," Pluto
admitted.  "But that
would be of little value to us, for to properly contain the threat you...
*We*
will  need the
Defiant.  That would be extremely difficult for me to handle alone."  She
paused and smiled.
"But not when one has the assistance of the Prophets."

     They blinked, disoriented at finding themselves back on the Defiant's
bridge. "We've
emerged from the wormhole," Kira announced after checking her panel
readouts.

     "Chief, get us back under cloak.  Dax, I need a report on out
location...
Both spatially and

temporally."  Moving to comply with Sisko's orders, O'Brien tapped the
controls
activating
the borrowed Romulan cloaking device installed in the Defiant.  Meanwhile,
Dax
consulted
with the navigational computer.

     "Spatially, we're still in the Terran system right where the wormhole
opened up on us.
But temporally..."  She paused to recheck the astrometric readouts.  "We've
shifted back in
time just about nine months."

     "Confirmed," Mercury said, checking with her own computer.  "We're now
four days

before..."

     "...before Sailor Moon was killed," a voice from the bridge rear said.
Sisko turned, but he

wasn't surprised to see Sailor Pluto standing there.  "But a full day before
the Jem'Hadar
ships emerge from the quantum flux into this universe.  You have that long
to
prepare for
them."

     "Very well," Sisko said.  "Now..."

     "Hold on a minute.  There's something I want answered first."  Mars
went
up to Pluto and

glared at her.  "You've just about admitted that you could have brought the
Defiant here at
any point  in the timeline."   Her voice became more strident the longer she
spoke.  "What I
want to know is, why the *hell* didn't you bring them before Serena was
killed
in the first
place?!?"

     "I think I can answer that," Odo said.  The constable moved over to the
two Scouts.  "So
that there would be no shred of doubt with the Defiant's crew over the
decision
to interfere
with events in this universe."

     Mars seemed astounded at this.  "What?!?"

     "I'm afraid Odo is correct," Pluto put in.  "Whenever Starfleet crews
have
found
themselves in the past, they are reluctant to take action unless they are
absolutely certain
that action is required."  She turned to Sisko, "Not that this is a bad
thing,
you understand."

     "But why..." Mars began.

     "Mars, please try to understand," Pluto said gently.  "If there were
another way to do
this, I would have taken it.  But I must do everything I can to ensure that
the
timeline is corrected.  It would have been difficult to convince them that
they
should interfere is I had brought them here prior to the formation of the
paradox.  And given that we would have only
one chance to restore the timeline, it was a risk I was unwilling to take."

     "But still..." Mars tried again.

     "Raye..." Pluto stopped for a moment before continuing.  "If Captain
Sisko
and his people
are successful, then the events you have lived through since Sailor Moon was
killed;
including the deaths of Lita, Mina and Artemis; will have never happened.
All
will proceed
as it should have before the Dominion ships arrived.  And your past self
will
be totally
ignorant of what might have been."

     "And we're going to stop it from happening," Sisko said forcefully.
"But
we haven't got
time to waste.   Chief, Dax, Worf: Begin a full systems check of the ship,
and
concentrate on
the tactical systems.  We're going to have company in twenty four hours, and
I
want to be
ready for them."

     Each of the three officers nodded in affirmation.  But O'Brien added,
"Sir, just so you're

aware; the ablative armor over the aft section was degraded thirty percent
in
our last
battle.  And there's not much I can do to repair it without the facilities
at
DS9, or a
starbase."

     "I understand, Chief.  Just do what you can."  He turned to Kira.
"Major,
there's a
possibility that they may get past us.  To that end I want you and Odo to
work
in
coordination with Mercury, Mars and Luna and devise a plan to protect Sailor
Moon on the ground... just in case."

     Kira nodded.  "Yes, sir."

     "And just what are you going to be doing?" Luna inquired.

     "Having a long discussion with our guest over the course of future
events," the captain

answered, giving Pluto a long look.  "Dismissed."

     The others moved off on their appointed tasks, but Dax took Sisko aside
for a moment.

"Benjamin, I don't know if this will have any bearing on the mission, but I
thought you
should know."

     "Know what, Dax?"

     "I scanned Pluto a few moment ago."  She paused momentarily, seeming
uncertain.  "For
the most part the readings from her seemed consistent with those I got from
the
other
Scouts, except for one thing."

     "And that is?"

     "The orb atop her staff."  Dax paused again.  "I'm not sure what it
means,
but the readings
I got from it are *very* similar to those I've gotten from the Orbs of the
Prophets."

     Sisko considered this.  "Given the nature of her duties as described by
Luna, I can't say I
find that too surprising."

     "This is going to be a *long* night," Kira said after entering the mess
hall.  She went up
to the replicator, "Raktajino, extra strong."  As soon as the mug finished
materializing, she
picked it up, took a sip and sighed gratefully.  "I'll say this much for the
Klingons, they sure
know how to make a good coffee."  Then to the Defiant's guests, "Help
yourselves before we
get started.  We've got a lot of ground to cover."  She didn't bother to
make
this suggestion
to Odo... She knew quite well that he didn't require any nourishment, nor
did
he ever drink anything, either.

     Mars waited while Mercury got ordered another hot chocolate and a
saucer
of cream for
Luna, then she hesitated at the replicator, remembering the multitude of
choices in the
computer for tea.  "Do you have any suggestion for a kind of tea?" she asked
Kira.  "Anything except Earl Grey."

     "Try Tarkalian tea," Odo suggested.  "I've observed it to be a favorite
among humanoids
at DS9."

     After Kira nodded in confirmation, Mars said, "Computer: Tarkalian
tea."
In short order a

steaming mug appeared.  She took a cautious sip and her eyes widened.  "This
is
great!"

     "OK, let's get started," Kira said.  "Mercury, why don't you download
all
the info
regarding the day Sailor Moon was killed into the Defiant's main computer."
The blue haired
Scout nodded and immediately set to the task.  "Odo, when that's done, make
a
review with
Luna about the actual battle itself... Tactical setup, lay of the land...
You
know the drill."
     "Right, Major."

     "Meanwhile, the three of us are going to go over the events leading up
to
it, so we can
plan to cover Serena and your counterparts."

     "I don't see why we have to go into all this planning," Mars said.  "We
know what the
changeling will masquerade as.  Just let me get one good shot at it, and
I'll
kill it before it
can even begin to shapeshift."

     "There are two problems with that," Odo said, looking disturbed by
Mars'
statement.
"One, you only know what the changeling was just before it killed Sailor
Moon.
It could be
anything else before that point."

     "You've got a point there," Mars said.  "What's the second problem?"

     "I'd like to avoid killing the changeling, if at all possible."

     "What?!?  Sailor Moon's life is way more important!"

     "In regards to the timeline, that is correct," Odo said calmly.
"However,
in the history
of my people, no changeling has ever harmed another..."  A shadowed look
came
over him.
"At least, not until recently."  He shook off the lingering memory of that
day,
several
months previous in the Defiant's engine room, when he inadvertently killed
another changeling in a struggle.  It hadn't given him much choice, but it
still haunted him that he was responsible for it's death.  "I don't want to
abet in the killing of this one... if it can be
avoided."

     Kira intervened before Mars could object even more vocally than before.
"We'll try, Odo.

After all, the objective is to save Sailor Moon, not kill the changeling."
She
looked evenly
at Mars until the hot tempered Scout subsided, then turned back to Odo.
"But
Odo, I want
you to understand.  If it comes down to it, if it's a choice between the
changeling and Sailor

Moon..."

     The constable nodded.  "I understand, Major.  Securing the timeline is
of
paramount

importance."

     "Good, now that that's settled... Let's get to work."  Kira motioned to
a
table and sat
down with the two Scouts.  Meanwhile Odo went over to the monitor and pulled
up
a tactical
outlay depicting the sight of Sailor Moon's last battle.  He was startled to
feel something
land on his shoulder, and saw Luna sitting there.

     "Sorry," she said apologetically with a cat-like shrug, "but the view
from
the table isn't
that good."

     Before the constable could respond, he heard a burst of laughter from
behind him.  He
turned and saw Kira struggling to keep from laughing uncontrollably.  Beside
her, both
Mercury and Mars were smiling as well.  "Is something funny, Major?"

     "I'm sorry, Odo," she said not so sincerely, "But if you were viewing
it
from this angle..."

She stopped, trying to control her mirth.

     "I fail to see what is so amusing," Odo said.

     "Neither do I," Luna added.

     "Well, I can," Mars said.  "Don't you Mercury?"

     "Of course."

     Odo snorted and turned back to the monitor.  "Humanoids!  Sometimes I
can't understand
them at all."

     "I couldn't agree with you more," Luna said.

     Sisko led Pluto into the small and scarcely used captain's ready room.
"Have a seat," he
said, before doing likewise behind his desk.

     "I have a feeling I know what you're planning, Captain," she said as
she
did so.  "Don't you

think it would be wiser to attack first, rather than try to negotiate with
the
Dominion
ships first?"

     "It's not Federation policy to attack on sight, at least outside of a
wartime situation,"
Sisko explained.  "If this can be resolved without bloodshed, then I have to
take the chance."

     "I'm not overly optimistic about the chance of that."

     Sisko grimaced.  "Knowing the Dominion, neither am I.  But what I need
to
know from you
is, do I have the chance to even try?"

     "Perhaps," Pluto conceded.  "Originally, the Dominion ships were here
for
two hours before the Negaverse made any move against them.  But I would take
great care with using that figure, Captain.  The future is ever in motion."

     "Don't worry about that," Sisko said, leaning back in his chair.  "I
intend to be ready for

anything."

     Nearly twenty four hours later, Sisko took a quick glance around the
bridge, checking on
the readiness of all systems.  But as usual, his crew was extremely
efficient.
The Defiant
was as ready as they could make her.

     He swung his chair around to face the three Sailor Scouts.  "It's
almost
time," He said to
them.   "You had better get out of sight before we make contact with them."

     "I hope you know what you're doing, Captain," Mars said to him.  She
had
been extremely

vocal when he had informed them of his plan to attempt to talk the Jem'Hadar
back through
the flux first.  "I still think you should attack the first chance you get."

     "Tactically speaking, you're right.  However, even with the element of
surprise, three to
one odds against Dominion ships aren't odds I like to face.  And a I told
Pluto
earlier:  If
there is a chance this can be resolved without bloodshed, then I have to try
to
do so."  He
turned toward the main viewscreen.  "But don't worry.  If it comes to a
fight,
they'll find us
more than a match for them."

     "Don't worry Mars," Pluto assured her.  "Captain Sisko is more than
aware
of the urgency
of this situation.  He'll do what is required."

     A sensor alarm sounded.  "Picking up a tachyon surge," Dax reported.
"They're coming

through."

     Sisko nodded.  "Out of sight, you three.  If the situation does get
nasty,
I want you as
aces in the hole."  Silently the three left the bridge as Sisko seated
himself.
 "Here we go.
Red alert."  Around the bridge, the alert lights flashed and the klaxon
sounded.  It really
wasn't needed, as the crew were already at their action stations.

     Sisko kept his attention on the screen, which was focussed on the
quantum
flux.  There
was a brief burst of light along with a slight ripple effect, and three
Jem'Hadar ships
appeared as if from out of nowhere.  "Right on schedule."

     Worf checked the tactical scanners and frowned.  "Their shields came up
the moment
they passed through the flux.  Also, their main power and weapon systems are
online and
fully active."

     "Both the Enterprise and the Enterprise D suffered severe power drains
during their
passages through the flux," Bashir noted.

     "It seems that's not a problem for the Dominion," O'Brien groused.

     "Considering how different their technologies are, I can't say I'm all
that surprised,"
Kira said.

     Sisko took a deep breath.  "Mr. Worf, decloak the ship.  Major, hail
them."  The two
officers complied, and Sisko noted subconsciously the cloaking field being
lowered.  Within
seconds of Kira's hail, the screen flickered, centered on a Vorta.

     "I am Fiden, lead Vorta for this group."

     "Captain Benjamin Sisko, commanding the Federation starship Defiant."

     The Vorta immediately broke into a wide, and Sisko thought wholly
insincere, smile.
"Captain Sisko!  A pleasure to make your acquaintance.  But I am puzzled by
what you are doing here, so far from Deep Space Nine."

     "We're both a long way from home," Sisko noted.  "A whole universe
away,
in fact."

     "Universe?"  Fiden seemed genuinely confused.  "I'm afraid I don't
understand."

     "I can explain, but we had better make it quick."  Sisko paused for
effect.  "That is, if
you want the Founder on board your ship to survive."

     The smug look vanished from the Vorta's face.  "Threats do not become
you
, Captain," Fiden noted, with some anger in his voice.

     Sisko raised an eyebrow.  "I wasn't making one.  But I do have some
inside
knowledge about this universe... Which you had better listen to."

     Mercury watched Mars pace in the hallway.  "Raye, could please you stop
that?  You're
making me nervous!"

     "I can't help it," Mars replied irritably.  "Whether or not Serena dies
depends on what's
being said in there.  I can't stand being left out of it!"

     Mercury sighed.  "You're not helping matters, either.  Captain Sisko
knows
whom he's
dealing with."
     "Mercury is correct," Pluto said.  "I had extensive talks with him
about
the timing
involved.   The last time, it was two hours before Neflyte took control of
the
shapeshifter.
We should have at least an hour before they mount any move."

     Mars stopped and stared coldly at Pluto.  "And if you're wrong?"

     "Even if she is," Mercury said, intervening, "We should still have
three
days before
Serena is in any danger.  And Kira has outlined a good plan to protect her."

     "I know, I know," Mars said.  "I helped make it, remember?"  She turned
her gaze to the
bridge door.  "I just wish I was in there."

     As if in response, the bridge door snapped open, and Sisko and Odo
exited.
 Each of the
three Scouts looked expectedly at him.  "Well?" Mars asked.

     "The Vorta, Fiden, has agreed to meet with me, to see the proof we have
regarding the

situation."  He turned to Pluto, "I'd like you to be there, since you have
first hand knowledge
of how the timeline should go."

     "Very well," she responded reluctantly.  "If you wish it."

     Sisko noted the unhappy look on Mars' face as well.  "Don't worry," he
told the hot
tempered Scout.  "I told Worf to fire on them the moment they do anything
suspicious, or if
they attempt to get closer to Earth.  Since communications with them are
closed, you can
monitor the situation from the bridge if you wish."

     Mars nodded and watched them go.  "I hope this works," she said.  "If
it
does, maybe
things will work out better for me and Darien in the real timeline."

     Mercury hesitated on the verge of entering the bridge.  "Raye, about
that..."

     "What?"

     Amy paused again, the began manipulating her computer.  An image
quickly
appeared on
the screen.  "I think you should look at this first."

     Raye frowned, but complied with Mercury's request.  But the second she
did
so, she
gasped in astonishment.  Though she wasn't aware of it, the image Mercury
showed her
came from the logs of the Enterprise D, taken shortly after Rubeus' Borg
ship
had been destroyed.  It showed Tuxedo Mask and all five of the Sailor
Scouts.
But it wasn't Mars he
was embracing.  It was Sailor Moon.   "What's this about?"

     "I've read a good many of the logs about the Sailor Scouts available
from
the Enterprise
and the later Enterprise D," Mercury responded.  "From all of those, it
seems
evident that Tuxedo Mask from the original timeline was intimately involved
with Sailor Moon... And not
you."

     Mars shook her head.  She found this hard to believe.  "Why?"

     Amy hesitated.  "Luna, you remember how you always said that one of our
primary
missions was to locate the Moon Princess?"

     The cat nodded.  "Yes, of course I do."

     "Well, we had.  According to the logs of Picard's Enterprise, Serena
was
the Moon
Princess."

     "And since Darien was the Prince of Earth, they were involved during
the
Silver
Millennium," Raye concluded.  "Somehow, I always knew his heart belonged to
someone else."  She paused and looked at the image again.  "And now I know
why."

     "Raye, I'm sorry..."

     She shook her head.  "It's not your fault, Amy.  It's just what has to
be."  She went through the bridge door, and went directly to Worf.  The
Klingon
stared expectedly at her.
"You knew," she said, not phrasing it as a question.

     The other crewmembers exchanged questioning glances, but Worf regarded
her
evenly.
"Yes."

     "Why didn't you tell me?"

     Worf paused a moment.  "You had to find out for yourself.  After all,
in
your mind, you
were his par'mach'ai."  The usually even minded Dax turned to them, eyebrows
upraised.

     "Uh, could you translate that?"

     "The closest human term would be lover."

     "WHAT?!?" Luna screeched, causing Raye to turn a dark shade of crimson.

     "We weren't *that* close," she said.  "But I appreciate the sentiment.
But would you
guys stop treating it as if I'm going to lose him?  I mean, my counterpart
on
Earth will
never feel the same way if we're successful."  She paused, staring into
space,
then added
softly, "Besides, I'd give anything for her to have a chance to live."

     Pluto stood next to the large monitor in the mess hall, doubt evident
in
her expression.
"I am uneasy at being present at this meeting, Captain."

     "All I need you for is to confirm what I tell them about what will
happen,
to both the
Founder on their ship and to the Dominion."  Sisko half turned to her.
"That
is, if it won't
cause any disruption to the time stream."

     Pluto hesitated, considering her answer carefully.  "No, I don't
believe
it will."

     "Why are you so uneasy?" Odo asked.  "I thought you knew the future."

     "I have certain knowledge about future events in the proper timeline,
and
how things
have progressed in the alternate," she responded.  Sighing she added,
"However,
while we
are involved with this process of restoring time, I am as in the dark about
future events as
you are."

     The door opened before Odo could respond, allowing Fiden and
Komentac'lan
to enter the

room, escorted by two security officers.  Sisko dismissed them with a nod
and
they quickly

departed.  Fiden smiled broadly, "Captain Sisko, it is a pleasure to finally
meet you face to
face."  He turned to Odo and half bowed to him.  "And you as well, Odo."

     "Do tell," Odo said blandly.

     Fiden straightened himself and approached Pluto.  "And who might this
lovely young
woman be?"  Pluto said nothing, but arched an eyebrow at Fiden's description
of
her as
young.  "Her... uniform clearly isn't Bajoran issue, nor is it Starfleet."
He
turned to Sisko.
"Unless, of course, you're planning on changing them again?"

     "She's a guest on the Defiant," Sisko explained.  "She's a resident of
this alternate
universe we've entered.  Her name is Sailor Pluto."

     "Sailor... Pluto?"  Fiden looked her over again, puzzled.  "A rather
odd
name."

     "Not for a Sailor Scout," Pluto said, addressing the Vorta for the
first
time.

     "She's the reason for our being here," Odo said.  "So that we can save
your lives, as well
as the life of the Founder on your ship."

     "You have made that threat before," Komentac'lan snarled.

     "Not a threat," Pluto stated flatly.  "Merely a statement of what will
occur if you do not
return to your own universe."

     Sisko went to the monitor.  "This will help you to understand."  He
tapped
a control and
played a visual log, extracted from Mercury's computer, of the battle that
had
resulted in Sailor Moon being killed.

     Fiden watched the action for a silent moment.  "Mildly entertaining,
but I
fail to see how
this..."  His voice trailed off as the changeling suddenly revealed itself,
and
the expression
on his face shifted to sheer horror when Mars was shown destroying it. "It
can't be."

     "It can, and it will."

     "Why are you showing me this obvious fabrication?" he demanded harshly.

     Pluto took a step towards Fiden, causing Komentac'lan to put his hand
to
his weapon.  "It
isn't a fabrication.  This recording is of an event that *will* happen three
days from now,
if you do not return to your own universe."

     "So you say."

     "Yes, I do.  And further, your failure to act will also result in the
utter and complete
destruction of the Dominion itself."

     Fiden stared back at her, appalled.  "Impossible."

     "No, it is a certainty."

     "The Dominion has stood for over two thousand years," Fiden protested.
"And it will
continue to exist long after your civilization crumbles to dust!"

     Pluto heaved an exasperated sigh.  "I should have expected this.  Some
people must be
shown, not simply told."  To Sisko, she added, "We'll be right back."  With
that, she and Fiden
both vanished.

     Komentac'lan drew his weapon and looked wildly about the room.  "What
have
you done
with Fiden?" he demanded.

     "We've done nothing to him.  And Pluto said they'd be back."  Sisko
watched as the Jem'Hadar continued to search the room.  "Now put that weapon
away."

     "Why should I?"

     "Because I said to," Odo replied, marching up to Komentac'lan.

     Komentac'lan stared at Odo, indecision evident on his face.  While
Odo's
status with the
other Founders may be in doubt, he *was* still a Founder and Komentac'lan
was
bound to
obey him.  For now.  Reluctantly he holstered his weapon.

     It was in that moment that Pluto reappeared with Fiden.  The Vorta had
a
shocked
expression on his face.  "Unbelievable.  Simply unbelievable."

     "But true nevertheless," Pluto responded.

     Fiden nodded and turned to Captain Sisko.  "I have no choice other than
to
believe what
Pluto has shown me.  We will return through the quantum flux."

     In the heart of one of the Dominion ships, the changeling rested in
it's
gelatinous state,

oblivious to the discussion going on aboard the Defiant.  The affairs of the
solids were of
no concern to it.  It's only worry was how the current situation was going
to
affect the long
range plans of the Dominion. Could this new universe fit into those plans?

     A shimmering in the room interrupted it's planning.  Amidst it appeared
a
humanoid
male, dressed in a grey uniform.  Immediately the changeling assumed a
humanoid
shape of
it's own.  The appearance of this humanoid was an unknown factor, and that
was
troubling to it.  "Who are you?" it demanded.

     "I am Neflyte," he responded, raising a hand that was surrounded by a
glowing aura.  "And your new master!"  The light shot forth from his hand,
surrounding the changeling.
Desperately it tried to summon help from the Jem'Hadar on the ship, but it
quickly found
it's will suborned.  Within seconds, Neflyte's spell had brought the
changeling
completely under his power.

     Neflyte paused to examine the creature's mind.  'So the creatures on
these
three ships
regarded this shapeshifter as a god, hmm?  That could prove useful,' he
thought.  But he also saw that the Defiant was not under it's control.
Indeed,
it had proven a formidable
adversary in the past.  "Well," he said with a chuckle, "We'll just have to
destroy it.  This shapeshifter should be more than enough for our purposes."
He concentrated a moment,
summoning the power of the stars.  "Centaurus the Centaur and Aquila the
Eagle,
come
forth!"

     Mars frowned, staring at the three Dominion ships on the viewscreen.
"Something's
wrong.  I'm getting bad vibes from over there."

     Worf glanced at her before returning his attention to the main viewer.
So
far the
Jem'Hadar ship hadn't moved, and until they did so, he could take no action
against them.
But Mars had proven herself quite perceptive in the past.  Indeed, in many
ways
her abilities
were almost as good as Counselor Troi's.  "Chief?"

     "Nothing," he replied.  "No unusual energy emissions, nothing to
indicate
they're going to

attack."

     "I don't care what your sensors show.  Something's up," Mars growled.
"You've got

anything, Mercury?"

     "I thought I detected something a few moments ago, but it's not there
now," she replied.

     Dax found her attention drawn from the conversation around her to the
sensors, which
were indicating a spurious reading.  She tapped the console, refining the
readings for more
detail.  Her eyes widened in alarm when she saw that it was indicating a
spatial anomaly
forming on the bridge.

     Before the science officer could give any warning, a burst of light
announced the arrival
of one of Neflyte's constellation avatars, specifically Centaurus the
centaur.
Reacting
first, Worf sprang from the command chair, his hand going for his phaser.
This
action was
enough to save his life, for the centaur fired an arrow that passed through
the
space the
Klingon's head had been mere moments before.  It impacted on the far side of
the bridge, narrowly missing Sailor Mercury as well.

     Kira reacted next, firing her phaser.  The creature winced at the
beam's
impact but little
other effect was evident.  Centaurus cried out loudly and reared back,
lashing
out with it's
hooves at the Major.  She ducked below it's attack, and rolled for the far
side
of the bridge.

     Mars moved to confront it next, summoning her power.  "MARS..."

     She got no farther, as Centaurus quickly nocked and fired off another
arrow.  Worf again

reacted quickly, shoving her out of the arrows path so the missed her
throat.
However, this
action put his left arm in the line of fire.  The Klingon grimaced at the
pain
as it embedded
itself in his forearm, but he ignored it as best he could and fired his own
weapon at the
intruder.  His shot met with as little success as Kira's.

     Mars gave Worf a silent look of thanks and gathered herself for another
try.  "MARS FIRE
IGNITE!"

     The fireball raced at Centaurus, but it proved to be very agile.  It
shifted to it's left so
that Mars' attack missed completely, impacting instead at the rear bulkhead.
The floor and
several nearby consoles were set ablaze, and an alarm instantly sounded.
"Warning: fire
detected on the main bridge," the computer intoned.  Several jets of white
vapor sprayed
out over the flames, further adding to the confusion while simultaneously
suppressing the fire.  "Fire control systems activated."

     Boretkat'lyn stared in amazement at the Founder.  It had just announce
that they were
going to Earth, bypassing the blockading Federation starship.  He found it
hard
to believe
that they would be leaving such a threat behind them.  It was unlike a
Founder
to make such
an obvious tactical error.  "Why don't we fire?!?" he demanded to know.  He
glared at Neflyte
before addressing the Founder again.  "If it is the destruction of the
Defiant
you wish, then
let us bring it about!"

     "Enough!" the Founder exclaimed, glaring at the Second.  Boretkat'lyn
immediately stood
to attention.  "I trust you remember who is in command here?"

     "Of course," Boretkat'lyn immediately responded.  "You are the
Founder."

     "See to it that you remember that," the changeling snarled.
Boretkat'lyn
allowed himself
a momentary glance with the Third.  The Founder's behavior seemed to be most
uncharacteristic.  Still, it was not the place of the Jem'Hadar to object to
the wishes of
the Founders.

     "As you wish it," Boretkat'lyn stated, adding, "Obedience brings
victory."

     The Founder nodded, seemingly satisfied, "...And victory is life.
Good,
you remember the

lessons we instilled in your kind."   It paused for a moment, then smiled
evilly.  "In any
event, do not concern yourself with the state of the Defiant.  It's
destruction
has been
assured."  The changeling concluded the statement with a laugh that chilled
Boretkat'lyn to the bone.

     And there were few things in the universe that could frighten a
Jem'Hadar.

     "...as a gesture of good will, Captain, I am willing to give the safe
conduct through the
Gamma Quadrant until you reach the wormhole," Fiden said.

     Given what he already knew about the Dominion, Sisko found that hard to
take at face value.  "I'm gratified to hear that.  However, there's still
the
matter of the flux itself.  I
hope you understand that I would like to eliminate any possibility of
anymore
ships from
our side from crossing over."

     "Yes, of course," Fiden agreed.  "But I can assure you that the
Founders..."  He broke off in

midstatement as the alert klaxon sounded, alerting the rest of the ship to
the
fire alarm on
the bridge.  Sisko was in the process of activating his comm badge when a
loud
cry resounded through the room.  They turned and saw a large eagle,
measuring a
meter and a
half tall, standing at the other side of the mess hall.  Fiden was only able
to
say, "What is
that?" before it leapt to attack.

     For all it's size the creature was amazingly quick and agile.  It
landed
atop of them with
talons extended before any of them could react, it's attention centered on
Captain Sisko.
Pluto managed to pull him to one side before it could strike him but Fiden,
being next to
Sisko, was savagely slashed by the creature.  The Vorta had time for a
strangled cry before
he collapsed.

     Komentac'lan drew out his weapon and fired two quick shots.  Aquila
looked
irritably at
him and swept a wing in his direction, throwing the Jem'Hadar down against
Sisko's left
leg.  The captain went down, grimacing at the sudden pain shooting through
his
knee.  The
creature advanced towards him again but it's path was blocked by a grim
faced
Pluto, her
staff at the ready.

     Before either could do anything more, Odo jumped atop the eagle, his
limbs
reverting to
a gelatinous state and wrapping themselves around it.  The eagle cried out
in
frustration as
the constable restrained it's wings and claws.

     By this point, Komentac'lan had regained his footing.  Unwilling to
take
the chance of
hitting a Founder with weapons fire, he charged into close quarters with the
eagle and hit
it across the beak with all his might.

     Though Odo had restrained it's limbs, it's head was still free to move
and
Aquila took

advantage that fact by seizing the Jem'Hadar First within it's beak.  It
swung
him to and fro
like a ragdoll, then flung him against the far wall where he collapsed
bonelessly.  It was
obvious to anyone that he was quite dead, his neck having been broken.

     Now Pluto moved in to take action.  She couldn't use her powers on it,
as
that would
likely kill Odo, so she chose an alternative course of action.  Instead she
brought the top of
the staff down atop Aquila's head.  Her enhanced strength being greater than
a
Jem'Hadar's,
it stood dazed from the blow.  Pluto followed the blow up by grasping the
staff
with both
hands and shoving it into the eagle's chest.  The eagle was nearly flung
into
the air, striking
the wall in nearly the same spot Komentac'lan had seconds before.  It stood
there shaking
it's head, obviously dazed.  Taking advantage of this, Odo immediately
reverted
to his
natural form and oozed away from it, thus giving Pluto a clear shot.

     Lying on the floor, Sisko blinked, trying to clear his mind.  He saw
Pluto
confront the
creature and it glared back at her, having regained it's bearings.  It
uttered
a loud cry and
flew at the Sailor Scout.  Simultaneously, Pluto swung her staff in front of
her.  In his
dazed state, Sisko wasn't sure, but he thought he heard her whisper
something.
But what
followed was impossible for him to miss.

     Dark green energy coalesced along the staff as Pluto swung it along
it's
arc.  As it the
midpoint, a sphere of energy of the same color shot out from the staff and
struck the
Negaverse creature.  The flare of Pluto's attack hid it from Sisko's sight,
but
he heard it cry
out loudly again, though this time in pain and despair.  When the light
faded,
he saw no sign
that the creature had ever been there, other that a pile of rapidly fading
dust.

     Odo reformed himself next to Pluto and nodded approvingly.  "Well
done."

     "Thank you."  She turned Sisko.  "Captain, are you well?"

     "My leg hurts like hell, but I'll live."  He indicated the spot where
Aquila had been
moments before.  "I thought you said it was two hours before the Negaverse
tried anything."

     "I warned you that could change," she reproached him.  "Though I admit
I
didn't think they

would move this fast."

     "The presence of the Defiant may have spurred them into almost
immediate
reaction,"
Odo theorized.

     "We can guess later," Pluto said.  "But we must make sure the ships
don't
reach Earth."

     "Agreed," Sisko said.  "With the Negaverse on the move, the time for
talk
is over."  He
tried to get up on his own, but fell back after yelping in pain.  "Help me
to
the bridge."
Pluto moved to one side of Sisko while Odo went to the other, and together
they
helped the
captain up and out of the mess hall.

     Mars grimaced.  The bridge was too confined for her to use her firebird
attack, along
with the fact the Worf was now grappling with the centaur, despite his
injured
arm.  "We
need cover!" she said to her fellow Scout.

     Mercury nodded.  "Coming right up.  MERCURY BUBBLES BLAST!"

     Instantly the ambient temperature dropped and a thick layer of fog
formed
on the bridge.
Dax noted that the creature seemed to lose sight of them, while she (and
presumably the others) could still see it clearly.  "Worf!  Get down!"  The
Klingon immediately released his
grip on the Negaverse creature, and fell back to the bridge fore.  For it's
part, the centaur
reared back and unleashed a volley of arrows through the  room.
Fortunately,
no one was
hit, thought several of the stations took damage of one sort or other.

     Mars took advantage of a clear shot.  "MARS FIRE IGNITE!"  This time
the
flame struck
true and it cried out in pain while it's bow was incinerated.

     "Now!" Kira exclaimed, and five phaser beams converged on the centaur,
staggering it.

"Mercury, Mars... Hit it again!"

     "Right!" Mercury said.  While the bridge was too confined for Mars'
more
powerful attack, it was more than wide open enough for hers.  "MERCURY ICE
BUBBLES FREEZE!"

     "MARS FIRE IGNITE!" Mars yelled, striking simultaneously with Mercury.
The twin
attacks of fire and ice struck the centaur, and the Defiant crewmembers
maintain their
phaser fire as well.  The combined might of all these attacks was too much
for
the centaur,
and it disintegrated to dust amid a cry of despair.

     "Dusted!" Mercury exclaimed as the fog lifted.

     Kira turned to Dax.  "Dax, see if there are anymore of these things on
the
ship."

     "There was one in the mess hall," a voice came from the starboard door.
Everyone turned
to see Sisko limp in, aided by Odo and Sailor Pluto.  They helped him
towards
the command
chair.  "But it's been taken care of."  Sisko grimaced as he seated himself.
His leg was throbbing intensely, there were more important concerns at the
moment.  He could see the
three ships receding on the viewscreen, obviously on their way to Earth.
"Dax
--"

     Dax had already taken her place at the helm and was working the
controls.
Fortunately,
it had emerge from the recent conflict unscathed.  "I'm already on it,
Captain.
 We're on an intercept course at full impulse."

     Bashir spoke up from nearby the tactical station, where he had been
tending to Worf.
"Captain, we should get Worf down to sickbay."  He paused for a quick scan
of
Sisko.  "And
yourself as well.  You've got torn ligaments in that knee."

     "I can wait until this is over, Doctor," Sisko responded.  "But you can
get started on
Worf."

     "Sir, I can maintain my post," the Klingon protested, trying to ignore
the
pain from his
injured arm.  He turned back to the tactical station but stopped when he saw
the arrow protruding from the panel.  The panels flickered randomly,
indicating
the station had been heavily damaged.

     Kira saw it as well, and began working furiously on her console.  "I'm
transferring weapons control to my station."

     "There's nothing more you can do up here, Mr. Worf.  Get that arm taken
care of."  Before

Worf could object further Sisko added, "That's an order."

     "Yes, sir," Worf said reluctantly and left the bridge with Bashir. On
the
main viewscreen,
Sisko could see two of the Dominion ships break off and turn to face the
Defiant.

     "Major, the moment they're in weapons range, I want you to open fire."

     "Yes, sir."  Kira kept her attention on the distance indicator, waiting
for the other ships
to enter range.  In a matter of seconds, the distance between them had
closed
to a scant
few thousands of kilometers.  "Entering weapon's range -- firing!"

     The Defiant's powerful pulse phaser batteries spoke, sending a barrage
of
high energy
bursts on the ship on the right.  The first couple were absorbed by it's
shields but the next penetrated, exploding the Dominion ship.  It's
companion
managed banked right and flanked
the Defiant, firing on it all the while.

     On board, the ship rocked under the incoming fire.  Kira retaliated
with
the other phaser

batteries mounted on the ship, but these weren't nearly as powerful as the
pulse phasers
and the Jem'Hadar ship was able to absorb these.

     "Dax, do what you can to avoid fire, but keep on that lead ship.
That's
the one with the

changeling on it!"  Dax nodded and programmed a series of evasive maneuvers.
But tied as
the Defiant was to an intercept course, it could only avoid a small fraction
of
the incoming
fire.  Fortunately, the ablative armor seemed to be holding for the moment.

     "The ablative armor is being degraded.  It's not going to last much
longer!" O'Brien
shouted over the din of battle.  As if in response, the ship shook again.
"That did it.  The aft
ablative armor is gone!"

     "Just keep her together for a few more seconds, Chief," Sisko told him.

     Mercury came up behind Kira, her computer open.  "Major, according to
my
scans their
shields are weakest over their dorsal section.  Concentrate your fire
there,"
she suggested.
Kira nodded and adjusted her firing pattern.  Her next shot from the upper
phaser array hit the area suggested by Mercury and penetrated the other
ship's
shields, damaging it's hull.
The Dominion vessel broke off on it's current attack run and began a series
of
evasive
maneuvers, trying to avoid other incoming fire.

     "Nice shooting!" Sisko complimented.  He checked the tactical situation
again and noted
the lead ship was nearly in weapons range.  "Kira, prepare a full spread of
quantum
torpedoes."

     Kira nodded.  "Torpedoes ready and locked on target."

     "In weapons range!" Dax announced.

     The Defiant rocked again, as the other Jem'Hadar ship made a new run on
it.  "The aft
weapons array just went offline," O'Brien reported.  "We've got damage to
the
impulse
engines, too."

     Sisko gave no other indication he heard the engineer other than a curt
nod.  "FIRE!"  The
Defiant pitched slightly as four of the powerful torpedoes were launched.
The
lead ship
dodged at the last moment, evading two of the torpedoes.  But two still
struck
the
Jem'Hadar ship on it's port side.  Designed as they were to penetrate the
tough
shields employed by the Borg, the torpedoes tore through the attack ship's
shields, shearing off the
port warp nacelle.  Suddenly unbalanced, it spun around several times before
exploding.
"Two down, one to go.  Dax, hard about!  Kira, lock phasers and fire when
ready."
     Free now from their previous constraints, Dax put the small starship on
a
tight turn,
quickly bringing the Defiant nose to nose with the remaining ship.
Immediately, Kira triggered a burst from the pulse phasers, scoring several
direct hits.  The last of the
Jem'Hadar ships became an expanding fireball.  "Get us back under cloak,
Chief."  If we
*can* cloak, he added silently.

     "Cloak engaged," O'Brien reported.

     "You did it!" Mars cried.  "You got them all!"

     "I wouldn't start celebrating just yet," Odo said glumly.  Lacking any
other function
during battle, the Constable had been keeping an eye on the sensors.  "I
detected a spatial
anomaly forming on the lead ship just before we destroyed it."

     Dax went over and stood behind him and eyed the readings for herself.
Meanwhile,     Mercury opened up her computer once again and began working
on
it rapidly.  "Uh oh," Dax said.

     "That doesn't sound good, old man."

     "It's not good," she responded apprehensively.  "I detected a similar
spatial anomaly
reading just before Zoisite appeared in front of us, and another one before
that centaur
appeared on the bridge.  I think this is some method of teleportation
employed
by the
Negaverse."

     "So some or all of them might have been able to get off before it was
destroyed," O'Brien

stated.

     "See if you can determine a possible destination, Chief," Sisko
ordered,
despite having a
sinking feeling where they had gone.

     Mercury answered before O'Brien could even begin scanning.  "I've got
it.
They teleported
to the arctic regions."  She paused and looked to Mars.  "Specifically, D
Point."

     "Right to the Negaverse," Dax said.

     Kira grimaced at the news.  "Damn!  I thought we had them."

     Mars felt and looked suddenly very tired.  "It's going to happen
again...
Just like before."

     "That must not be allowed to happen," Pluto said.  "Otherwise, all will
be
lost.  The
timelines of both universes will forever be in chaos."

     Mars felt someone place a hand on her shoulder and she turned to see
Sisko
standing
behind her despite his injured leg, determination etched on his face.
"It's
not going to
happen again, Raye.  Not if I can help it," he resolutely reassured her.
"Whatever it takes, no
matter the cost, we're going to prevent history from repeating itself."

Next time: The Dominion ships have been destroyed, but they still have to
keep
the
survivors from causing trouble on Earth.  To that end, they begin to
implement
Kira's plan to
protect Serena in chapter 6, "Surveillance".

Bill Harris

Sci-Fi quote of the month:
"Arrogance and stupidity all in one package.  How efficient of you." - Londo
Mollari in "Babylon 5: In the Beginning"