Julien's Star Trek Universe: Star Trek: Lexus CHAPTER ONE

 Copyright © 2025 by Julien Gregg 
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Star Trek Lexus
Lexus
By Julien Gregg 



Chapter One
Stardate -107457 Starship Voyager

"Captain, we're arriving at Deep Space 9," said Ensign Mary Ballanger.

"Ask nicely for permission to dock," laughed Chakotay.

"Aye, Sir," said Mary. She was a stickler for protocol. She worked at her console and said, "Permission to dock on the aft starboard side, Captain."

"Let's do that," Chakotay said as his First Officer suppressed a chuckle.

Once they were docked, Chakotay addressed the crew. He told them that though this was not shore leave, they could move freely around the station per the guidelines of the station security staff. He was picking up Admiral Kathryn Janeway and getting several new crew members. One he was not sure of was Doctor Julian Bashir. They had The Doctor, who cared for them all through the Delta Quadrant. Why was he no longer good enough for the crew of Voyager? 

A pair of crew members he was looking forward to seeing again were Tom Paris and B'Elanna Torres-Paris. They had a five-year-old daughter named Miral as well. Tom and B'Elanna had been crew members until Voyager reached Earth. Then they were in training for something that Chakotay knew nothing about. It was classified. He wondered but would never ask them. He was just happy to have them back. Then, of course, there was Lieutenant Takor, the Vulcan Science Officer, whom he was forced to add to his crew. He knew very little about Takor but knew he was Vulcan. The only Vulcan that he liked in that slot was Tuvok. However, Tuvok was at Starfleet Command doing something for the Vulcan High Council. He'd recommended Takor, so Chakotay was prepared to have an open mind and accept Takor in the position.

What he knew about Takor was that he was half Betazoid and half Vulcan. This would make for an interesting mix in a Science Officer. He'd been raised on Vulcan, so it was that side of his genetic makeup that he would favor, Chakotay was sure. Still, it would be interesting to have the halfling on board. He went to Quark's to meet Kathryn. She was there at a table by herself. He joined her. She'd cut her hair again, and it was short. He liked it.

"Admiral," he said as he sat down.

"Chakotay, you can still call me Kathryn," she said with a smile. "Oh, how I miss being Captain of the ship. Is she fitting you right?"

"Just right," he said. "Though I'm a bit upset at being forced to take on a doctor when we already have a capable one on board."

"Dr. Bashir is going to be part of The Doctor's staff, Chakotay," she said. "He's not taking over Sickbay."

"That makes me feel a bit better," he said. "What do you know about Lieutenant Takor?"

"I know that Tuvok recommended him," she said. "I was surprised because he's half Betazoid, but he did recommend him and thinks highly of him."

"Well, okay then," said Chakotay with a smile. Then he switched topics. "It'll be nice to see Tom and B'Elanna again."

"Yes, I've enjoyed spending time with my Goddaughter while here," she said. "You're taking me to Earth, so I'll have more chances to play with her."

"Seven is talking about reproduction," he said with a smile.

"Really?" she asked. "I'd have thought she'd be against it."

"Well, I was at first," he said. "A Borg maturation chamber, but I've warmed up to the idea. The Doctor has modified one to work as a womb of sorts. It even has an umbilical."

"Is that right?" she asked, smiling.

"You know about that then?" he asked.

"The Doctor got his instruction from a doctor at Starfleet Medical," she said. "Doctor Nina Bejenton has been working with many Borg components to change them into things that could benefit the Federation."

"It's about time their technology worked for us," Chakotay said. "They don't have a presence in the Alpha Quadrant anymore."

"No, they don't," she said. "The weapons and armor technology we brought back chased them off. Of course, the new hyperphasic torpedoes are even more effective than transphasic torpedoes. I'm still blown away that a teenager invented them."

"How is Icheb?" Chakotay asked.

"Fitting in well at the academy," she said. "I'm headed to Earth to teach a class on the Borg at the academy."

"Yes, I'd read that," Chakotay said. "You'll be with us for more than a month along the journey, longer if we encounter anything that requires our attention."

"I'm looking forward to it," she said with a smile.

"So what's new on the station?" he asked.

"Well, I was here to install a new Captain now that Sisco has been assigned a ship," she said. "Jake is at the academy with several teenage children from the station who have no parents. The new Captain of the Station is Ben Fallion. He's fresh off the Ulysses."

"Shame what happened to that ship," he said, remembering the Dauntless-class ship and how it was destroyed. 

"Yes, it was a shame," she said. "No one was more upset than Captain Fallion."

"I'm sure," Chakotay said.

"Picard has been promoted," she said. "Enterprise now has a new captain."

"Really, who?" Chakotay asked.

"Captain Adam Chin-Riley," she said. "He's Illyrian."

"Ah," he said. "Any relation to the legend?"

"Una?" she asked, smiling. "He's a distant relative."

"So Picard is a regular admiral now?" he asked.

"Yes," she said. "He's not as excited as I'd have thought. He did handpick the new Captain, though."

"That says something for Captain Chin-Riley," Chakotay said. "That he's Illyrian is amazing. I'd have thought Will Riker would take that ship."

"He's still Captain of the Titan," she said. "Said he loves his ship and wouldn't leave her for anything."

"I see," he said. Then he looked around the room. "Shall we?"

"Yes, you have new crew to meet," she said.

"Yes, I do," he said with a resigned smile.

They made their way to the umbilical and then to Voyager. Kathryn looked around and smiled. "It's good to be home," she said. She followed him to her quarters. She didn't need to address the crew. Hers were spacious, almost as large as Chakotay and Seven's. Kathryn put down her stasis case and smiled. "This will do nicely."

"I'm glad you approve," he said. "I was afraid you would ask for my quarters."

"Never that," she said, shaking her head slightly. "Those are the Captain's Quarters, and you're the ship's Captain."

"I'll see you a bit later," he said, smiling at her.

A few minutes later, he stood in the transporter room as Lieutenant Takor beamed aboard. He was at least six feet tall, with jet black hair and dark eyes. His gray skin was like a Vulcan's, but his eyes moved around the transporter room with interest. Chakotay stepped forward.

"Welcome aboard, Lieutenant Takor," he said as he held out his hand.

"Thank you, Captain," said Takor, taking his hand and shaking it. "I'm sure you've been briefed on my genetics. Let me be the first to promise you no hijinks will take place. I keep my abilities in check unless they are called upon for a task."

"Good to know," Chakotay said, though he hadn't thought of that. "You're to be the new Chief Science Officer."

"That's what I was told," he said. "I have a diagram of the entire ship and know where my quarters are."

"Well then, I won't keep you," Chakotay said. "Be sure to stop in at Sickbay for your induction physical."

"Of course," he said, holding his hand up in the classic Vulcan sign of peace. "Live long and prosper."

"You as well," Chakotay said, holding his hand up and mirroring the sign.

Then he had his reunion with Tom and B'Elanna. He also got to see Miral after several years. B'Elanna hugged him, which wasn't acceptable for protocol, but these were long-time friends. He shook hands with Tom and picked up Miral. They walked out of the transporter room and to the quarters he'd assigned the family. Then they went to Sickbay, where he found Dr. Bashir already at work with The Doctor. He smiled at this. He left his friends in the capable hands of The Doctor.

In all, he accepted twelve crewmen and one Doctor. Then, they disembarked from the station and headed toward Earth. Kathryn, Tom, and B'Elanna met him in the Mess Hall that they were now calling Foodbay. They had drinks and dinner together, but it stretched into the night. Chakotay finally joined Seven at two in the morning. He was stretching out as she went to regenerate. It seemed he'd just closed his eyes when the night shift suddenly called for the Captain. He yawned and stretched.

"Go ahead, Lieutenant Gill," he said as he tapped his communicator.

"Captain, we've come across a small ship floating adrift in space," said the Lieutenant. "All attempts to hail the vessel have gone unanswered, but scans indicate at least three people on that ship."

"I'm on my way," he said.

He got up and put his uniform back on. He passed Seven in the hallway and told her about what was happening. She shrugged but followed him to the Bridge. Once there, he saw the ship. It was cone-shaped and larger than he'd thought it would be. It was small enough to be beamed to the cargo bay, and he decided to do that. Seven took a six-man security detail with her to the cargo bay. Chakotay followed, and when he got there, he was shocked. On the hull of the ship, there was a logo. This was a cryo pod put in Earth's orbit in 2107. What it was doing this far from Earth was a mystery to him. He told Seven to stand down and opened the pod's hatch. There were five stasis tubes, but two of them contained skeletal remains. The other three were operational.

He alerted the Doctor and had the three people beamed directly to Sickbay with their cryo tubes. Then he headed to Sickbay. Seven followed him, but her six-man crew had been left behind. What it turned out to be was two live teenagers and one recently dead man. The Doctor pushed buttons on the tubes, and they opened. He used the Sickbay transporters to transport the two teens to biobeds. Then he administered the cures for their diseases. They were still coming out of cryostasis, and he injected them with hyposprays to help ease the transformation.

"It'll be hours before they wake," said The Doctor. "You might as well go back to bed for what remains of the night. I'll call you if there are changes. Seven, security is not needed for two teenagers from another era."

"Still," she said. "I'll post a man here for the duration."

"As you wish," he sighed. He tapped his com badge and said, "Sickbay to Dr. Bashir."

"Bashir here," came the reply.

"You're needed in Sickbay," said The Doctor. 

"On my way," said a sleepy-sounding Dr. Bashir.

"I'll have Dr. Bashir monitor them for the rest of the night," said The Doctor. "He can sleep when it's over. I won't need him for anything."

"Very good," Chakotay said through a yawn. "I am going back to bed."

He returned to his quarters, wondering how and why those kids had gotten so far out of Earth's orbit. He asked who their parents had been. If the pod was from 2107, then those parents were long dead. He shook his head as he thought about it. Then he crawled back into bed and was asleep almost as soon as his head touched the pillow. Four hours later, he was awake, in uniform, and ready for the day ahead. He went to Foodbay and got a cup of coffee.

Then he stepped into the turbo lift and headed for the Bridge. Once there, he took his seat beside the First Officer. His First Officer was Commander Alexander Munro. He was a thirty-year-old man with dark red hair and green eyes. He smiled at Chakotay when he sat down. He'd been there just an hour when he was summoned to Sickbay to meet the two teenagers. He went and found them awake and looking around Sickbay when he arrived.

"Captain, may I present James Randall Kirk and Chadwin Michael Dodds?" said The Doctor. "Chadwin was suffering from Cancer, a strain of the disease that reared its ugly head right after the other forms were cured. James was suffering the effects of HIV-87. They're both cured and completely healthy, though Chadwin would benefit from a few good meals, if I do say so myself."

"I have had quarters prepared for them," Chakotay said. "I assumed you both would want to share a room, so I had them prepare a two-man set of quarters for you on Deck Ten. Mr. Mackleroy will show you the way when you're ready. Now, do either of you know how to use a replicator?"

"Yes, Sir," said James Kirk. "Replicators are standard in every kitchen in 2107."

"Okay, then," he said. "You can use the replicators to get food any time you want. If you need anything, there are communicators on the table in your quarters. I suggest you wear them all the time so that we can contact you if we need anything from you, and you can contact someone if you need anything."

"Yes, Sir," said James. Chadwin nodded.

Mr. Mackleroy was a Master Chief Petty Officer who was serving aboard Voyager. He still had a year to go in the academy before being promoted to Ensign. Still, Takor was set to hold classes to ensure that happened if he wanted them. As it was, he and the other non-commissioned men and women on the ship would be disembarking once they reached Earth. They were doing their on-ship rotation and would return to their classes. He escorted their twenty-first-century guests to their quarters. Chakotay sent a message to Starfleet Command about the two teenagers and how they were found. He received orders to let them go with the cadets when the ship reached Earth. He agreed and ended the transmission.

"What do you think of the fact that it's 2215?" Jim asked Chad when they got to their quarters.

"I think everyone we know and love is dead and we're alone," Chad said sadly.

"Why were we in stasis for over a hundred years?" Jim asked. "And what were we doing so far from Earth? I thought we'd be in orbit."

"Something must have knocked us off course," Chad said. "As for why we were in stasis for over a hundred years, I guess they just hadn't found the cures by the time our parents died. There was no one to demand that we be retrieved."

"That sucks," Jim said with a sigh.

"I'm getting food," Chad said. "I'm starving."

"So am I," Jim said.

They both got meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and corn with peach cobbler for dessert. They replicated mango juice for Chad and peach tea for Jim. Then they sat at the table. Each boy put on their communicators and then started to eat. Jim wondered if there was anyone on Earth who shared his genetics. They were just refreshing the dishes when someone came to their door. Chad told them to come in, and a man who looked a bit like Chad came in the door.

"Hello," he said. "My name is Chase Dodds. I think you are my great-great uncle Chad."

He had the same blonde hair and blue eyes as Chad. His jaw was squared like Chad's, and he had the same upturned eyebrow over the left eye. He could have been Chad's older brother if he'd had one. As it was, he'd only had a younger brother: Carter Dodds. Chad sat down with Chase, and they discussed it. During the conversation, Jim learned that Chase's great-great-grandfather was Carter Dodds. Chad had found his family.

Chase was in Science. He was a Lieutenant Junior Grade and served under Lieutenant Commander Takor. He liked souped-up transport vehicles and science. He had a cat in his quarters that he called Kitty, of all things. He was dating someone from Astrometrics. Her name was Alyssa Shummings. She was a Lieutenant Junior Grade like Chase, and they had gone to the academy together. As the days went on, Chad spent much time with Chase. Admiral Janeway spent time with Jim and showed him how to find those who shared his genetics on Earth. He found a thriving Kirk family living in Iowa.

She showed him how to program the Holodeck, and he spent some time at various amusement parks during his time there. He also went to beaches and water parks. Kathryn joined him on the beach a few times. She wasn't about to join him at a theme park. Chad and Chase joined him at Six Flags Magic Mountain four different times. Then the ship was diverted to a skirmish between two peoples, extending their trip.

Then they met Lieutenant Jason Kendrick. He was an engineer and helped them program the Holodeck with a ship so they could enact scenarios. They chose the Prometheus-class and created the USS Lexus NX 01. It had fifteen decks, multi-vector-assault mode, and they made a restaurant from their time instead of a mess hall. This was Murphy's Bar and Grill. They used replicated food in the restaurant, which didn't leave their stomachs when the program was closed.

They set about manning the ship with holographic representations of real people. They were both fascinated by Seven of Nine and chose her as their head of security. Commander Munro stood out, so they chose him as First Officer. After a lengthy discussion, Chad said he wanted to be the Lieutenant assigned to Con. Jim didn't care. They decided on a Betazoid Ship's Councilor, Juliette Jurote, and they found two files for a former Borg Drone named Icheb. They chose the man and assigned him to Astrometrics as a Science Officer. When the ship was fully manned, the crew was one hundred eighty-six. They were all holo representations of real people.

They had fun acting out scenarios on their ship. Several times, they spent entire days on the Holodeck on their ship when they weren't being debriefed about 2107. There wasn't much to tell them that wasn't in the history of Earth. First Contact happened in 1969, and Vulcan became Earth's first Alien friend. They didn't know anything about James T. Kirk because he'd been Captain of the Enterprise while they were in stasis. Jim was related to the man, which was nice, but he was long dead and of no help to him now. Chad had one year of academy training and was eager to return to the academy to finish his training, though he'd probably need help. Jim told them that he'd passed the entrance exam for the academy but had been diagnosed with HIV-87 during the induction physical. Plus, he hadn't been sponsored or found a scholarship for the academy by then.

They were astounded to learn that Jim needed a sponsor or a scholarship to attend the academy because tuition was free in 2215. They could go to the academy when they got to Earth, and they were both happy about that. They weren't satisfied that they'd need a foster family to house them. Jim didn't understand why they didn't just contact their families to see if they would take them. He was told they were doing just that. They hadn't heard back from anyone yet.

But it wasn't to Earth that they went. It turned out that they were on the Holodeck on their ship when Voyager was faced with Q, a being that they knew nothing about. They later found that they were now in space beside Voyager and another ship that turned out to be the USS Ranger. Then it was like reality blinked, and they were alone in space. Then a being appeared on the Bridge. All of the crew were frozen, save Jim and Chad. The new man looked at them and smiled.

"I am Q," he said. "I have made your ship and its crew real. You are now in the Andromeda Galaxy. You wanted to play at being Starfleet. Well, good luck. You're going to need it."



USS Lexus Stardate Unknown.
Andromeda Galaxy

Then he snapped his fingers and was gone. They looked at each other, but the crew wasn't frozen now. Jim knew that he had to be the Captain. They all knew him as Captain James R. Kirk. He just acted like he had been on the Holodeck. It was all that they could do. He sat forward in his chair and called for a report. He was told that the stars were in the wrong place and something strange had happened. He called for Icheb, asked if he would map the stars, and told the crew that they were now in the Andromeda Galaxy. He got gasps and stares for this information. Icheb said he would do his best. Seven of Nine, now called Anika Hanson, went to assist him. She had Borg knowledge of Andromeda that would help.

"We're not on a holodeck now," Chad said when they were alone later that night. "There are no safety protocols to enact."

"I've thought about that," Jim said. "For now, we're just cruising along in space. We can use the slipstream drive, but where are we going?"

"We'll look for a wormhole or something," Chad said. "There has to be a way back to our galaxy."

"From your lips," Jim said. "I have to be the Captain. It's harder now that I know there are no safety protocols and I can't end the program and return to the new regular that my life has become."

"I know exactly what you mean," Chad said. "I know how to fly this ship because we designed it so I could. We don't even know if the slipstream drive works. It worked on the Holodeck, but that wasn't real. Now it is."

"And what if we encounter the Borg?" Jim asked.

"We have weapons and technology that can defeat them," Chad said. "Q made the ship real. Everything on the ship is real, even our hyper-modulating shields and armor technology. Even our stealth mode should work."

"We might get to test that soon," Jim said. "We have no idea what is waiting for us here in Andromeda. Some species could destroy us with technology far superior to our own."

"Well, our technology came from the future," he said. "Most of it. Some came from the teenage version of our Lieutenant Commander Icheb, currently working in Astrometrics."

"Right," Jim sighed. "We're in over our heads."

"But we have no choice but to ride this out," Chad said. "I'm the Lieutenant assigned to the conn, and you are the Captain of this ship. She's a great ship, Jim. She'll keep us safe."

"I certainly hope so," he said.

They both had trouble sleeping that night. It was their first night in Andromeda, and they were both afraid of what could happen while they slept. But sleep they did. Jim was awakened by his alarm. He stepped into the sonic shower and then got dressed. He went to Murphy's for coffee and a Danish. Then he was on the Bridge, sitting in his chair with Alex Munro beside him. Juliette looked bothered. Her curly, dark hair shook with her shivers.

"Juliette, what is it?" he asked.

"The crew's emotions are so crisp now that we're in Andromeda," she said. "I can't explain it properly. I'm feeling them a lot clearer than ever. It's like the entire crew has been altered in some way."

He knew what she was saying, but couldn't tell them what had happened. There'd be chaos on the ship, and he couldn't have that. No, they needed stability, and keeping the secret would give them the stability they needed. He would just have to let Juliette think something else was happening. He had no reassuring words for her. She would remain in the dark about who and what they all were.

"Can you perform your duties?" he asked.

"Yes, Captain," she said after a moment.

"Very well," he said. "Report."

"Captain, we passed by a class-two nebula and sensors detected space dust," said Mark Pearlman, the Lieutenant assigned to the Bridge on the night shift. "Nothing worth your attention to report, Sir."

"Very good," he said. "Get some sleep, Lieutenant."

"Very good, Sir," said Mark. He and the others from the night shift left the Bridge.

For weeks, that's all there was. Finally, they decided to use the slipstream drive. They were not anywhere near a planetary system, but Jim was worried that it wouldn't work. The phase variances had been solved by the Holodeck. They were no longer on a holodeck. Did that mean the phase variance was still solved? He was about to find out. What the Hell, he thought. If it didn't work, they'd all die. That was at least more comforting than being killed by some alien race in Andromeda that they hadn't met yet.

"All hands, this is the Captain," he said as he tapped his com badge. "We're about to engage the slipstream drive and go into slipstream velocity. Senior Staff, take your stations. All hands hang on to something."

"Slipstream in five, four, three, two," Chad said, and then they had penetrated the quantum field and were in slipstream velocity. The computer was rapidly changing the phase variances to keep the slipstream stable.

They traveled via slipstream for ten hours and then returned to normal space. Nothing was around them, but an M-Class planet was twenty light-years away. They'd traveled halfway across the Andromeda Galaxy. There were no wormholes or transwarp hubs around them. Jim breathed a sigh of relief that slipstream was possible outside the Holodeck. Then he sighed in frustration at not finding any way back to their galaxy.

"Captain, a ship is approaching at high impulse," Chad said. "It seems to have come from somewhere near the planet."

"Yellow alert," Jim said. This was what he'd feared. What would they do if these beings were hostile?

"We're being hailed," said Lieutenant Adam Strong.

"Open a channel," Jim said. "On screen."

The picture that appeared on the screen was impossible. The Bridge of the ship he was looking at was precisely like that of a Starfleet vessel. The man in the Captain's chair was human! He was a dark-haired older man who appeared to be in uniform. His shirt was purple with a planet on the left breast. He was surrounded by other humans, all dressed the same. They wore purple shirts and black pants. Jim didn't know what to think of this.

"Who are you and why are you in our space?" said the Captain.

"With whom am I speaking?" Jim asked.

"I am Captain Thomas of the Earth Ship New York," said the man. "Who are you?"

"I am Captain Kirk of the Federation Starship Lexus," Jim replied. "We mean you no harm and had no idea we were in anyone's space."

"Captain, he's terrified of us," Juliette said.

"There is no need to fear us, Captain Thomas," Jim said. "We mean you no harm."

"So you say," said Thomas. "Yet you arrive out of nowhere in a ship designed for war."

"Our ship is a ship of peaceful exploration," Jim said. "We were brought to this galaxy by a being I don't understand. We're trying to find a way home."

"This being you speak of, what was it like?" Thomas asked, shocking Jim.

"Dark hair, middle-aged, and male," Jim said. "He snapped his fingers and was gone."

"You're talking about The God," Thomas said.

"Captain, he's excited now," Juliette said. "He feels that we are like them."

"Like them?" Jim asked.

"Their ancestors were brought here by such a being," she said.

"He called himself simply Q," Jim said.

"We know all about Q," said Alex from beside him. "He's a being that causes all kinds of trouble for others in Starfleet."

"That is a discussion for another time," Jim said. To Thomas, he said, "The God?"

"Q," he said. "He is the God that brought The Six here."

"Okay," Jim said. "Tell me about The Six."

"You do not know?" Thomas asked.

"No, I'm sorry, but I don't," Jim said.

"The Six are the first humans to live on this planet," said Thomas. "All of us can trace our ancestry back to The Six."

"I see," Jim said. He was really starting to.

"It is said that The Six had God's favor," said Thomas. "He brought them here from the bad place."

"The bad place?" Jim asked.

"We do not know what it was," Thomas said. "We just know it was bad, and God brought The Six here to save them."

"Did The Six come in a ship?" Jim asked. "Anything like the two of us are currently flying in?"

"They did not have a ship," Thomas said. "It is said that they materialized on this planet in their clothing with nothing else. Two of The Six were great designers of clothing. The other two formed the Earth Defense Squad."

"How many are on your planet?" Jim asked.

"Millions," Thomas said. "We had thought we were what was left of the human race."

"I assure you that in the Milky Way Galaxy, there are billions of humans across many planets," Jim said. "Our home planet is also called Earth."

"How many are on your ship?" asked Thomas.

"One hundred eighty-eight," Jim said.

"So many?" Thomas asked, amazed.

"It's a huge ship," Jim said. "That many are needed to run it smoothly. Plus, there are children and the elderly on board."

"You brought a civilization," Thomas said.

"I assure you there are this many, or close to it, on many Starships much like this one all over the Milky Way Galaxy," Jim said.

"Where is this Milky Way Galaxy?" Thomas asked.

"It borders this one on one side," Jim said. "It's larger than this galaxy with many more planets and people."

"There are people here in this galaxy as well," Thomas said. "Not all of them are friendly. That is why we have the Earth Defense Force."

"I understand," Jim said. "We really do not mean you any harm, Captain Thomas."

"I'm starting to see that," Thomas said. "Perhaps you'd like to visit our planet and see what home is like."

"I'm sure that we'd like to see the planet and meet the people that live and thrive there," Jim said with a smile.

"If you would please wait for a moment, I will announce your presence," Thomas said. "Then you can put your ship in orbit. I assume you have a shuttle craft?"

"We do, but we also have transporters and can beam directly onto the planet from the ship," Jim said.

"I do not understand these transporters," Thomas said. "We do not have those."

"My Chief Engineer can tell you more about them," Jim said. "We will wait here."

"I don't have to go anywhere," he said. "We've told Earth Force that you're here. They're awaiting your arrival on the planet."

"We'll take a shuttle craft to the planet," Jim said.

"Very good," Thomas said. "If you will follow me."

Chad flew directly behind the ship and settled into orbit around the planet. Jim stood and told Chad, Austin Chang, the Chief Engineer, Anika, and Juliette to follow him to the shuttle bay. They boarded the first shuttle, and Chad piloted it off the ship and down to the planet behind a shuttle that looked a lot like it from Thomas's ship. They landed on a smooth surface, which was stone. A huge skyscraper stood just a few yards away from them. A huge banner flew over the doors to this building. It was purple with a picture of the planet in the center. This was Earth Force, Jim was sure.

He turned and looked at the other side. Apartment buildings and houses lined the streets in many directions. It looked like Earth, his Earth, or the Earth he had come from. Transport vehicles were going up and down the streets, people were out in yards, playing with children or pets, and there were so many of them. Jim felt a connection to them. These were human beings that Q had brought to this planet generations ago for some strange reason. He didn't begin to try to understand why Q did anything.

"Captain Kirk, if you will follow me," said Captain Thomas.

He led them into the building. Inside, it looked like a Starship. This was much the way that Starfleet Medical and the academy looked at the other Earth. Jim felt like he'd almost made it home. They went down a hallway to a set of sliding doors at the back of the hall. Thomas used a badge to open the doors, and they went inside. Here, there were desks with what looked like old-time computers. People sat at these computers, working away. They bypassed these people and went to another door at the back. He used his badge to open this door as well. There was a man behind a desk in this room. This man was blonde-haired and younger than Thomas. He had blue eyes, and he had light skin. He looked like so many others that Jim had seen on Voyager and Earth.

"Admiral Pike," said Thomas. "I bring you people from the other galaxy."

"Excellent, Captain," said Pike. He looked at Jim and his entourage silently for a moment. Then he sighed. "So, you come from the other Earth?"

"Yes," said Jim. "We were put in this galaxy by Q. You call him The God."

"Well, he has reasons for what he does," said Pike. "We don't question him, but it has been generations since any on this Earth has seen The God."

"It is my understanding that he brought six of you to this planet and left you here," I said.

"He did so much more than that," said Pike. "He filled the land with animals to hunt and vegetation for us to tend and eat. He made the first buildings. They are the houses of The Six. Their direct descendants live in those houses. There is one in every city on Earth."

"So, there are six cities on Earth?" Jim asked.

"There are seven. There is Denver, where we are now," said Pike. "Los Angeles and Miami are on the coast near the sea. Chicago and New York are in the middle of America, and the land mass is on this side of the ocean. Tokyo is a region without a House of the Six. It is across the sea in the mountains."

"You must be a descendant of one of The Six," Jim said after realizing that the man was too young to be an admiral and had probably been given the rank because of who he was.

"You're very astute," Pike said. "My forefather was left with his five companions on this planet to thrive. Are you important on your Earth?"

"I'm important as a Captain in Starfleet," Jim said carefully. "I'm no more important than any other citizen of the Federation."

"What is the Federation?" Pike asked.

"The United Federation of Planets," Jim said. "A group of planets and peoples that are allies, who believe in the principles of the Federation, and help each other when needed."

"Much like The Six," Pike said, though Jim thought it was nothing like them. "We are having a summit of the Six families tonight. I'd like to invite you and your people to join us."

"We accept," Jim said. "We'd like to get to know The Six."

"Tonight will be a meeting of friends and allies," he said. "Your presence will be greatly enjoyed."

"Thank you," Jim said.

"Your Starfleet is like our Earth Force?" Pike asked.

"Starfleet is made up of men and women from all over the Federation," Jim said. "Not just Earth."

"But it functions much like Earth Force?" Pike asked.

"We are explorers mostly, seeking to find new life and civilizations," Jim said carefully. "We will defend ourselves when we need to, but we are not a force of military strength."

"I see," he said. "This will be a great topic for tonight's summit dinner."

He took them to tour the academy. This was nothing like the academy on their Earth. This was a military training site. There were barracks buildings and classrooms. There were firing ranges and small ships, bigger than shuttles, for men and women to learn to fly. The barracks were just bunks in rows in each building. The classrooms were set up like training places. Jim got a bad feeling about this Earth Force. He looked at Juliette, and she nodded. That made him feel worse.

They had lunch at the academy in the Mess Hall, and Jim got to see the soldiers in training. It was nothing like the academy on Earth. These men and women were being taught military strength and tactics. Though that was a small part of what the academy on Earth taught, there was so much more that these soldiers didn't get. He was quiet about this because he sensed Admiral Pike would not like it if he voiced the differences.

It was much worse than he thought. These soldiers were also the police force. Some were medics who responded to injured people in need. Most of the police force enforced the laws of the Six families. The laws changed with whoever was the highest in the Six families. Jim was dismayed to learn this. This was so unlike their Earth. It was so unlike anything that Jim had ever seen. He didn't know how much longer he wanted to be on this planet.

The summit dinner was nicer, but it was just a way for the Six families to get together and discuss the laws in their cities. There was no unification. Jim could see that the members of each family were jealous of the members of other families. Jim and his people's presence there was only a momentary distraction. He wanted to get back to the ship and leave this place. He was sure a conflict would arise between his people and this planet if they stayed much longer.

Fortunately, they went back to the ship for the night. Juliette had plenty to say about them when they returned. Jim told Munro all about the military force that was Earth Force and what they really thought about Q. They had a long discussion about what Q really was. Then they talked about what to do if they decided to fight with them over anything. Of course, the Lexus would come out on top. They had to know that.

Jim wanted to utilize the slipstream drive and get out of there. He knew he couldn't, though. He had to see this through. He'd deal with it if he had to stomach The Six anymore. He just didn't know what to think of them now. They were training to become people bent on war with others. Of course, he didn't know how many unfriendly people were in this space section. They had talked about hostile planets. Maybe he was overreacting. He hoped so.

He got his first chance to fight with one of those unfriendly people when three ships that looked nothing like what they were used to appeared in space before them. They weren't hailed, they were fired upon. Jim called out Red Alert, and the hyperphasic shields were brought up. They deployed armor. Then they returned fire. The first ship was destroyed. Then Thomas's ship was in the air. He didn't come to their aid but watched as the Lexus took out the threat. Then he hailed them.

"Those were Kzinti ships," he said. "You were right to destroy them. They're a reptilian species that uses us for food. They're bent on controlling this sector of space and all of the planets in it. They're very destructive people and hate everyone who isn't like them."

"Where are they located?" Jim asked.

"You passed their planet when you came here," he said. "They are on the three planets at the edge of this sector. They aren't even in orbit around our star. They're part of another star system."

"Well, we're headed in the other direction away from the Kzinti," Jim said.

"What was that armor technology?" Thomas asked. "Where did that come from?"

"Our Earth," Jim said.

"And your shields," Thomas said. "I've never seen anything like them. You seemed to shimmer in space."

"Hyperphasic shielding," Jim said. "The shields constantly modulate repeatedly, changing frequencies every ten seconds. It keeps us safe most of the time."

"And you said yours isn't a warship," he said, smiling.

"It isn't," Jim said. "But we will defend ourselves when threatened until the threat is neutralized."

"I saw that," he said. "My people will be very interested in your shields and armor."

"I'm afraid they're integrated into our systems," Jim said. "We can show you how, but you must make the materials yourselves. Have your engineers ready tomorrow, and mine will come and discuss armor and shield technology with them."

"Very good," Thomas said.

Then the screen went dark. Then it showed them the front of Thomas's ship and the space around him. Jim sighed. This could have been the fight that they got into if he hadn't decided to share technology with them. He supposed he could do that. He wasn't showing them the hyperphasic torpedoes, though. They didn't need that kind of advantage. The armor and shielding would help them a lot. It was almost like shooting a fish in a barrel to give them this edge in the system, but they were human if they were anything. Jim felt he needed to help them when it came to things like the Kzinti coming to eat them. He didn't feel wrong about sharing this technology at all.

Jim told them to leave the armor deployed and the shields up while they slept. He didn't want to take any chances that the Kzinti would return in the night. Then he went to bed, sleeping like the dead, safe under his armor and shields. The next day, he took Anika and Austin down with pads of information on how to add hyperphasic shielding and armor technology to their ships. They were there for the better part of the day before they had a working ablative armor generator on one ship. After that, they could copy what they had done on the other ships. Hyperphasic shielding was just inputting information into the ship's computer. Once they'd done that, they went back to the ship. They had parted with the humans of this Earth and would be getting underway.

They broke orbit and headed straight on in space at impulse speeds until they were back to twenty light-years from the planets. Then they used the slipstream to get the Hell out of there. Six hours later, they turned off the drive and looked around them. They were in another star system. There were twelve planets in the system. Sensors indicated that four of them were inhabited. No one came to investigate why they had materialized in space in front of their system, though. They didn't go looking for them either. These people could be as bad as the Kzinti for all they knew.

"Do you think it was wise to give the humans of this Earth a tactical edge against the species here in Andromeda?" Munro asked him later.

"I think it was human to give them an edge when it comes to the Kzinti coming to eat them," Jim said.

"When you put it that way," Munro said slowly. "Still, they could use that technology to conquer."

"So could we," Jim said. "We don't, and I believe they won't either. I saw their military training and know what kind of humans they are. But they're still human. They'd all be in Starfleet if Q hadn't meddled with them. Alex, I won't second-guess my decision to help them."

"Well, it didn't violate the prime directive," Alex sighed. He clearly didn't think that Jim had made the right decision. Jim thought he had made the only decision that had kept them out of conflict with the humans of Andromeda.

They kept going. They utilized the slipstream and used it for three more hours. Then they turned off the drive and got the shock of their lives. Here was a wormhole. They saw a ship go through it. They didn't know where it went, but Jim was prepared to investigate. He utilized the stealth technology and deployed armor. Then he went through the wormhole. On the other side of the wormhole, they faced a horror. Borg. They were everywhere. There was a federation ship of all things in the middle of them. The Borg were firing on it. He hailed them.

"This is Captain Sparks of the Federation Starship Ranger," came a woman's voice.

"This is Captain Kirk of the Federation Starship Lexus. How can we assist you?" Jim responded.

"Get this cube off my tail," she snapped.

"Fire hyperphasic torpedoes," he said. "Full spread."

They fired, and the Borg Cube was destroyed. They then targeted the second cube and destroyed it as well. Then, they targeted the third cube and destroyed it. The others moved away from them after that. He hailed the Ranger again.

"Can we be of more assistance?" he asked.

"You can beam my people aboard and get out of here," she said. "We're about to experience a warp core breach."

"Transporters lock on to as many as you can, use all three transporter rooms," he said to his com badge.

The ship exploded in space before them. The shockwave rocked them but did not cause any damage. He took Alex and Anika to the transporter rooms. Captain Sparks was a short woman with long blonde hair that she kept pulled back into a bun behind her head. Her First Officer was Commander Tucker. He was about six feet tall with dark hair and eyes. He greeted them and Sparks looked him up and down. She looked at Tucker and sighed.

"Starfleet Captains get younger and younger every day," she said.

"I'm sort of a special case," Jim said. "Welcome to the Lexus."

"Why couldn't we see the ship in space?" Tucker asked.

"We were using stealth technology to be invisible to the Borg," Jim said. "If I needed proof that the Borg are present in the Andromeda Galaxy, I just got it."