Queen Preta Naraka stood a short distance away in her imperial gown, wearing a headdress which Jack assumed was some sort of crown. Her green skin glowed in the morning sunlight.

“Captain McCall,” she called out to him. “It is a pleasure to meet with you.”

Jack nodded. “It is my pleasure, your majesty. My people pride ourselves on our spirit of exploration not only of space, but meeting new cultures.”

The queen nodded . “I suspect you did not come to my world to meet us as friends.”

Jack looked down a moment. She wasn't stupid, nor was she naive despite appearing to be in her mid-twenties.

“I wish we had,” Jack said. “I believe there is much we could learn from your people.”

“You are here at the urging of the Zeparans.”

Evidently she knew far more than he suspected.

She smiled. “We have agents spread throughout space,” Queen Naraka said. “Once your Federation came through the Kel-j'na wormhole, we sent some there as well. But I was surprised to hear you had met with Xaphon prior to coming here.”

“Why did you let us enter your system?” Jack asked.

Her smile widened. “Because I was curious, and because Doctor Lau said I could trust you.”

“Curious about what?” Jack asked.

“What Xaphon could have said to convince you to come here.”

“The power system you use to generate your defensive field,” Jack said. “It uses a technology which the Federation views as dangerous and destructive.”

She nodded. “We have used it for five hundred years without incident.”

“That has not been our experience with what we call the Omega molecule.”

“It was my ancestor, five hundred years ago who discovered it,” she said. “It turned the tide in the war we were losing, saving us from extinction. Our people named him Sovereign Lord of the Geryon system. As his descendant, I carry that same title.”

“I take it the Zeparans were the people you were fighting.”

“Yes,” she said. “They had boasted they would conquer this area of the galaxy. We stopped that conquest. It proved to be a wound to their collective pride which has never healed.”

“I am surprised a man of science would take on the title of Sovereign Lord.”

“He had to choose between using his discovery to annihilate our enemies, or erect a shield forever protecting us from them, and others such as the Borg. The former would have made us become our enemies, so he chose the latter. We are extremely civilized when not confronted by a threat. But threaten our existence, and we become monsters of the worst sort. So just as I am imprisoned in this palace, avoiding the temptations of power and ego, our people are imprisoned in our system, protecting us from the same temptations.”

“And you've never been tempted?”

She grinned a moment. “We have become accustomed to our seclusion. Our culture has prospered and our people are happy.”

“I wish that were enough to satisfy my superiors,” Jack said.

She stared at him a moment. “Then that is the kind of man you are? An errand boy?”

“I'd like to think I was more than that.”

“Mei-Wan assured me you were.”

Jack nodded. Of all the people he could imagine defending him, he never would have thought it would be Mei-Wan. Perhaps she has gotten past the hurt.

“As I said earlier, our experience with Omega has been to see its destructiveness.”

“And is that what you see in us?” she asked.

“I don't know your people well enough to say one way or the other.”

“But your superiors, they see us that way,” she said.

Jack nodded.

“Your people fear what they don't understand. You would rather bend someone to your will rather than find a compromise which benefits everyone. Do you know what that is the definition of, Captain? A monster. You bring pain and suffering with you wherever you go. Then you blame your victims for any of it which bounces back onto yourself. We have seen those like your Federation before. You think so highly of yourself, but refuse to truly look into your soul, and see the creature which needs redemption. Perhaps seclusion is best for you as well.”

“Not all of us are that way,” Jack replied.

She took a step toward him. “I believe you are far more dangerous.”

“In what way?”

“You see yourself as the savior, a hero, the only hope for the galaxy, out to right wrongs, and to protect people from things they are unable to protect themselves from. If it weren't for you, evil would crush all the rest of us unfortunates. We aren't able to take care of ourselves, requiring you to do it for us.”

“Says the woman who sits upon a throne.”

She nearly snorted at him. “You see someone in fine clothes in a mansion like this, and think I fit a pattern from your world's past. This is all to remind me of exactly what I am not. I operate within very strict guidelines and am constantly under review. Any citizen of this world can question my actions, and that question could very well end my tenure in this seat and give it to another member of my family. I serve here at the pleasure of my people.”

“And ego has nothing to do with you being here?”

“Of course it does,” she said. “But that doesn't last much past the first few hours. Someone in my position quickly realizes I am more a prisoner than a warden.”

“Then what motivates you to do this?”

“I realize my failings, and took this position willingly to learn how to better myself by serving everyone. I hope most of that ego you asked about will be humbled by the time my term is up.” She leaned forward. “Now tell me... what checks your ego, Captain?”

“My crew, and ultimately my conscience.”

She smiled. “The self made man... what a marvel you are!”

Jack grinned. “I was once, but that was a long time ago.”

“So what are you going to do, Jack McCall?”

“I was ordered here to destroy your technology." He paused a moment. "But I don't want to.”

She gave a quick nod. “Perhaps you're not as lost as I had assumed. But understand this, Captain. I could pulverize your ship and your crew into a quantum fog within moments.”

“Given I was sent here to destroy you, why haven't you then?”

She seemed as if she might cry. “The war the Zeparans brought five centuries ago convinced us destruction is the way of the coward, the fearful. We do not wish to become that.” She leaned toward Jack. “Is that what you wish to become?”

“No,” Jack said. He began to walk off the terrace, but stopped a moment. “I would suggest you not allow any Federation ships to enter your system for the next few hundred years. They would surely attempt to implement the orders I was given. Consider us a menace until we prove otherwise.”

“We have endured five hundred years of being alone. We can endure longer,” Queen Naraka said.

GO TO CHAPTER 10