Chapter 2 - The Widening Gyre
Melissa and Jack made their way to the turbolift. Jack tapped the control next to the door as Melissa finished fastening three rank pins to her shirt collar.
"You better have those on before we reach the bridge," Jack chided her playfully.
"If a certain captain I know had..."
Her voice trailed off as the doors opened. Inside the car, they found Mei-Wan. For a long moment the three of them stood in silence.
Mei-Wan forced a smile. "Good morning."
Jack returned it. "Hi, Mei. You headed to the bridge?"
"No, up to Deck Two. I've got an appointment with Negev."
"Mind if we ride with you?" Jack immediately felt stupid for having asked.
"Of course not. Get in."
Jack and Melissa entered the car.
Melissa finished fastening her rank pins as the turbolift started up again. "How's that?"
"Jack's the last one you should ask," Mei-Wan said with a grin.
"She's right. I'm terrible with those damn things."
Melissa turned to Mei-Wan. "So how are they?"
Mei-Wan gave the pins a quick look. "They're fine."
"Thanks."
Mei-Wan watched as Jack and Melissa stole brief glances at one another. It reminded her of a time not very long ago when she had been the one Jack did that with.
Seeing them together confirmed her feelings about what she'd decided several weeks earlier. It was time for her to put the past and its pain behind her and move into the future--- her future.
The turbolift came to a stop, jarring Mei-Wan from her thoughts. But the doors remained closed.
"What the hell's the matter with this thing now?" Jack asked, turning to look at the control display behind him. He tapped the darkened panel. "Is Kristy tinkering around with this system again?"
Melissa touched her comm badge. "Vargas to Bishop." They waited, but nothing. She tapped it again. "Okay, Kristy, this isn't funny."
The door finally opened, but not onto any deck of the U.S.S. Chamberlain. The space beyond was totally white.
Jack scowled. "Oh for crying out..."
"What is it?" Mei-Wan asked more curious than concerned.
"The Vedala." Jack walked out of the turbolift into the small room. Mei-Wan and Melissa followed. "Unlike the time you saw one of them, this is their usual method for contacting me."
"You sure this is such a good idea?" Melissa asked as she took her last step out of the lift. The doors closed, leaving only white where they had been a moment before.
"If you're worried about our safety, we should be okay."
"'Should be'? That isn't very reassuring," Melissa stated while she looked cautiously about the ten by ten room they now occupied. "Now what?"
Jack caught sight of an edge in the opposite wall. "Now we find out what this is about." He pushed at the edge and a section of the wall swung outward into a bright green forest.
"Exactly where are we going?" Mei-Wan asked, standing her ground behind Jack and Melissa.
Jack took a step toward the opening. "I have no idea where the forest is, or if it even exists, but we won't get any answers staying in this room."
Jack led the two women through a maze of towering pines toward a small clearing. Waiting for them was the strange creature that called itself Kalastia.
The eyes of the five and a half foot tall creature starred at them. But Mei-Wan saw something different in them this time.
Two other figures stepped out from the shadow of the forest's canopy. Starfleet CinC, Admiral Bartholomew James let only the hint of a smile cross his features, but Ambassador Cyrus Wakernaggle showed no such restraint.
"Hello, Jack!" The ambassador brought his hands together with a faint clap. "It's so good to see you again, my boy."
Jack gave the gaunt man only a short nod.
"Since security concerns were the reason for coming here," Admiral James interrupted. "We should get this over with before anyone notices we're missing."
The blue and white fur-covered Vedala stood to its full height. "As you wish, Admiral." The creature regarded the new arrivals. "By now you should have received word that the Ladeo Jutamfa, the beings who call themselves the Volmvas, have attacked the Federation colony on Ivax."
"Yes, we heard," Jack said.
"What you don't know is that your father sent a warning before the attack, allowing us to evacuate all but fifteen personnel," Admiral James told them.
"My dad? He's escaped?"
"We do not believe so," Kalastia answered. "However, it is obvious he has gained some measure of control over Setacvas, the Volmvas who occupies his body."
Melissa gave Jack a quick smile. "Then we can rescue him."
"No," James said. "We see this as an opportunity for something far bolder."
Mei-Wan didn't at all like the sound of that.
"The result of the evacuation of the colony is that the Volmvas did not replenish their life energy to anywhere near full strength," Kalastia stated. "And with Setacvas acting against their interests, turmoil will begin to consume the Volmvas."
Mei-Wan, having silently observed up to this point, joined the conversation. "And while they're occupied, you plan on attacking the G'voda on Nybiros."
"Actually Starfleet will strike at the G'voda," Wakernaggle said.
"What?" Melissa asked with a surprised look. "Our last attack succeeded only because their fleet was off attacking other worlds. I can't believe they'd be stupid enough to allow that to happen again."
"We're counting on the full G'voda fleet being there, my dear," Wakernaggle proclaimed with a wide smile.
"That's insane!" Melissa turned to Admiral James. "Forgive me sir, but with all due respect, there's no way a hundred starships could win against a single G'voda vessel, let alone all of them."
"Yes they could," Mei-Wan interrupted, finally having pieced it together. "The device on Dalvanax Two could render the entire G'voda fleet powerless in the blink of an eye."
"Quite right, Lieutenant." James folded his arms across his chest. "And because you discovered that device in another timeline, neither the G'voda, nor their Volmvas masters, will know we possess it."
"You've dug it up already?" Mei-Wan asked.
"No, that job has been left to you," the admiral said with a raised eyebrow. "Since you already know where it is and have activated it once before, I presume you can prevent it from being accidentally set off so that we can preserve the element of surprise."
"But how are you going to convince the Dalvani to let us take it?"
"Jack will have to find a way to persuade them."
"Excuse me," Melissa began. "I know I'm not high enough in the chain of command to hear about such things, but what exactly is this weapon?"
"It neutralizes all high energy sources within about a one billion kilometer radius." Mei-Wan stopped to stare at the Vedala. "You've known about this machine all along, haven't you?"
"The Vedala knew of its existence, but not its location." Kalastia said.
"This weapon was built by the Ancient Progenitors?" Melissa asked.
"Yes," the Vedala replied.
"You have to know that's not true," Mei-Wan said. "It was built by a group of beings called the Wubon."
The Vedala's eyes widened. "How do you know that name?!"
"I have seen this weapon before, remember?" Mei-Wan let a slight smile emerge on her face. "The text on Dalvanax Two mentioned a race called the Wubon build the device for the Ancient Progenitors. I translated the word to mean caretakers. I don't suppose you'd want to enlighten us as to who they were, would you?"
"The Wubon..." Kalastia said, correcting Mei-Wan's lack of a long 'u' in her pronunciation. "…did play a part in the device's construction, but before it was finished, they turned against the path of the Ancient Progenitors. Their sentimentality consumed their sense of duty."
"Sentimentality for what?" Mei-Wan asked.
But before the Vedala could answer, Wakernaggle leaped into the discussion. "Now, Lieutenant, I do think it best we not get into pointless bickering with our friends. We do face a common enemy and the Vedala have..."
"The Vedala have never been honest with us." Mei-Wan's gaze remained fixed on the fur covered creature. "You sent Ahwi Dasari to help us, knowing we'd end up in the other timeline when you asked us to go to Folam, didn't you?"
The Vedala regarded Mei-Wan for a moment. "There are some things it is best you never know."
"And what about the truth?!"
"There are some things more important than truth."
Mei-Wan shook her head. "What could possibly be more important?"
The Vedala took a step toward her, but there was nothing aggressive about its posture. "Beings like ourselves know there are things which must be believed even in the face of a truth that says otherwise."
Mei-Wan was building up to a full out fury. "I've just about had my fill of the condescending attitude of beings like yourselves," she spat.
"Lieutenant," Admiral James said. "You're not helping the situation."
"Sir, the Vedala are using us yet again!"
Wakernaggle wore a syrupy grin. "We have mutual interests with the Vedala. That is often the basis of many relationships, especially political ones."
"Since I'm the guy who lost five years of his life the last time you asked a favor of us," Jack started, looking at the Vedala. "I'd like to know what it is we're being asked to sacrifice this time, before we do it."
"Your not knowing takes nothing away from the nobility of what you have done."
"Nobility?" Jack asked with a hollow laugh.
"The timeline is now as it should be," Kalastia said.
"We have only your word for that."
"We trust the Temporal Engineers in these matters."
"Well, I don't," Jack said. "James Butler Hickok died without ever knowing why."
"Hickok would have died regardless. The only change was the time and manner of his death." The Vedala thought a moment. "It is doubtful he could have understood if he had been told."
"Is that the excuse you use for everything you do?"
"We do what is necessary. Your small sacrifice of five years gave uncounted millennia to trillions of beings."
"Five years isn't so small a thing for us humans."
The Vedala leaned toward him. "Do not speak to me of the size of your sacrifice, human. I have given more than you could ever imagine."
"The difference is, you had a choice. I didn't."
The Vedala's features softened. "There are times when one must simply have faith that the goal being sought is for the greater good, even if it cannot be seen."
"Why do you need us? Why not do it yourselves?" Jack asked.
"Have you so quickly forgotten the Volmvas? We embark upon a perilous course. To stop the G'voda, we must be careful not to attract the attention of their masters."
"Have you even attempted to contact these Volmvas?" Jack asked.
"There is no point in doing so. Their very nature is destruction."
Jack turned to Admiral James. "How can we go along with this, sir? They're asking us to attack the G'voda for them."
"We are asking you to defend yourselves," Kalastia stated.
"And what happens if the G'voda's masters come to their rescue?" Jack asked. "We've seen what they're capable of."
The Vedala stared at him a moment before speaking. "We shall be standing by if the Volmvas attempt to aid their foul servants."
"But I thought you feared them."
"Fear does not always necessitate retreat, Captain. We shall do what we must."
Admiral James finally stepped in. "As must we."
Jack spun about to face James. "Sir, we're about to attack an enemy whose technology exceeds ours in every respect. If this goes wrong, the G'voda are certain to attack the Federation and I believe we'd be powerless to stop them."
"It is precisely for that reason the Federation Council authorized this mission, Captain--- to stop a future attack by the G'voda."
Jack shook his head, but held his tongue.
"There are political realities you seem unaware of," Wakernaggle said.
"Since when does Starfleet let politics send it into war?"
"It's something called democracy, dear Jack." Wakernaggle's eyes narrowed.
"Ever since the end of the Dominion War, Federation politics have been consumed with avoiding the next fight," Admiral James said. "How do you think a monster like the Oceana class starship ever got approved? Anyone with half a brain knows the damn things are nothing but battleships."
"Check the debates on Andor, Tellar, even Betazed," Wakernaggle said, folding his hands in front of him. "The people of the Federation are tired of being the target of choice for every marauding band of cutthroats with a reputation to make. The people want peace."
"We have created a society where every necessity is provided, every anxiety is tranquilized, and every boredom is amused." A sardonic smile blossomed across Admiral James's face. "The people depend on us to make certain their utopia is not troubled."
"How does starting a war with the G'voda do that?"
"If the general populace knew about all the threats that existed to its way of life, it wouldn't be long before an entire fleet of Oceana class starships were built, and then soon after that, those ships would be sent to deal with those threats proactively, turning the Federation into nothing more than another conqueror on the galactic stage." Wakernaggle walked up to Jack. "Can't you see we're trying to preserve the Federation?"
"How? By betraying everything it has ever stood for?!"
"Tough choices are sometimes necessary. If we can deal with the G'voda without the general population taking much note of it then the Federation can retain the ideals which have made it what it is."
"I don't believe that's the choice that stands before us, Ambassador."
"One day, dear Jack, you'll learn that reality is not nearly as simple as you imagined the day you walked out the doors of the Academy."
Jack was about to answer Wakernaggle, but James held his hand up, signaling an end to the discussion.
"We have been charged with preventing the G'voda from attacking the core of the Federation. This weapon on Dalvanax Two will make certain they never do." Admiral James handed Jack a PADD. "This contains your new orders. You will take the Chamberlain and rendezvous with Admiral Grant aboard the Venture at the enclosed coordinates."
Jack didn't even bother looking at the PADD. "Admiral, I wish you'd reconsider this course of action. If the Vedala are wrong, we could be bringing total destruction down upon every world in the Federation."
"There's nothing for me to reconsider," James said. "These orders come directly from the Federation Council."
"The people have spoken through their representatives, Jack. It falls to them to make these choices." Wakernaggle said. "And it falls to us to carry them out."
Jack shook his head. "I still believe this is a terrible mistake."
"That's the one flaw of democracy," James said with more than a hint of melancholy. "The people get their way even when they're wrong. And in this case, they don't want that perfect world it has taken so long to build troubled by wars and rumors of war from afar."
"In my opinion, sir, the Federation Council isn't giving the people they represent the facts, or enough credit to understand those facts."
"Since I don't remember you being given a veto over the Council, Captain, the issue is settled. You have your orders."
***
Five minutes later, Jack, Melissa, and Mei-Wan exited the forest via a set of turbolift doors back onto Deck Four of the Chamberlain.
"So this is what you've been so secretive about the last year or so?" Melissa asked. "The Vedala?"
"That among other things," Jack said with an absent look on his face.
"I'm going to go find another turbolift," Mei-Wan said. "I don't trust this one."
Before she started down the corridor, Jack snapped out of his brooding. "Mei, you better go talk to Sunita and get her up to speed regarding the device on Dalvanax Two."
She gave a quick nod and walked away.
Jack waited until Mei-Wan was gone to speak again. "Sometimes I wonder if we haven't paid too high a price for this utopia we're so damned proud of."
"Overall, it's a better world," Melissa told him.
"Is it?"
"If the people of the Federation don't believe in its ideals any longer, who are you, or me, or even Admiral James to force the people to follow them?"
"The people don't know what's going on in the Kel-j'na Region," Jack said. "I think that's the whole point behind what the Council is doing."
