David Mack is the national bestselling author of more than twenty novels and novellas, including
Wildfire,
Harbinger,
Reap the Whirlwind,
Precipice,
Road of Bones,
Promises Broken,
Rise Like Lions, and the
Star Trek Destiny trilogy:
Gods of Night,
Mere Mortals, and
Lost Souls. He developed the
Star Trek Vanguard series concept with editor Marco Palmieri. His first work of original fiction is the critically acclaimed supernatural thriller
The Calling. In addition to novels, Mack’s writing credits span several media, including television (for episodes of
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine), film, short fiction, magazines, newspapers, comic books, computer games, radio, and the Internet. His upcoming works include the new
Star Trek Vanguard novel
Storming Heaven, an epic 24th-century
Star Trek: The Next Generation trilogy, and a new original supernatural thriller. Mack resides in New York City with his wife, Kara.
Greg Cox is the
New York Times bestselling author of numerous novels and short stories. He has written the official movie novelizations of
Daredevil,
Ghost Rider,
Death Defying Acts, and the first three
Underworld movies, as well as books and stories based on such popular series as
Alias,
Buffy the Vampire Slayer,
CSI,
Farscape,
The 4400,
The Green Hornet, The Phantom,
Roswell,
Star Trek,
Terminator,
Warehouse 13,
Xena: Warrior Princess, and
Zorro. He has received two Scribe Awards from the International Association of Media Tie-In Writers. He lives in Oxford, Pennsylvania. Visit him at www.gregcox-author.com.
Dayton Ward served for eleven years in the U.S. Marine Corps before discovering the private sector and the piles of cash to be made there as a software engineer. He got his start in professional writing by placing stories in each of Pocket Books’ first three
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds anthologies. He is the author of dozens of
Star Trek novels, many written in collaboration with coauthor Kevin Dilmore. He recently penned a tie-in to the cult classic television series
The 4400, and is currently at work on a new
Star Trek novel to be released in Fall 2010.
Though he currently lives in Kansas City with his wife, Michi, he is a Florida native and still maintains a torrid long-distance romance with his beloved Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Readers interested in contacting Dayton or learning more about his writing, or who simply need proof that their website is cooler and better looking, are encouraged to venture to his Internet cobweb collection at www.daytonward.com.
Still reeling from the knowledge that Star Trek was a live-action series before it was a Saturday-morning cartoon, KEVIN DILMORE is continually grateful for his professional involvement on the fiction and the non-fiction sides of the Star Trek universe for nearly a decade. Since 1997, he has been a contributing writer to Star Trek Communicator, penning news stories and personality profiles for the bimonthly publication of the Official Star Trek Fan Club. He has written for magazines including Amazing Stories, Star Wars Kids and FLIcK. Kevin’s interviews with some of Star Trek’s most popular authors appear in volumes of the Star Trek Signature Editions, published by Pocket Books. On the fictional side of things, his short stories include "The Road to Edos" in the Star Trek: New Frontier anthology No Limits and "Home on the Strange," the first installment of Reality Cops: The Continuing Adventures of Vale and Mist for Phobos Books. With Dayton Ward, he has written the Star Trek: The Next Generation novels A Time to Sow and A Time to Harvest, a story for the anthology Star Trek: Tales of the Dominion War, eight installments of the continuing e-book series Star Trek: S.C.E. and the short story "Enemy Unknown!" for Rocket League—The Thrilling Roleplaying Game by Playus Maximus. Kevin lives in Kansas City, MO.
Chapter One Serenity.
It was the only thing Her Imperial Majesty, Sato I, required of the oikeniwa surrounding Kyoto Palace. The tranquility offered by the meticulously maintained arrangement of ponds and gardens allowed her a brief respite from the demands of ruling the Terran Empire. The residence of Japan's imperial family between the fourteenth and nineteenth centuries, the palace had served as a tourist attraction since the end of the second world war. Hoshi had visited the grounds many times, having spent much of her childhood in Kyoto. Upon her return to Earth six months ago, the palace had naturally become her chosen home. It amused her that the city of her birth was now the center of the universe.
Hoshi watched the sun rise above the horizon, illuminating the lake beyond her veranda. She observed this simple morning ritual whenever possible, enjoying the few moments of solitude before turning her attentions to the issues of the day. It was one of the few indulgences she granted herself, but it also was her favorite, since she could enjoy it without interruption.
Most of the time, at least.
"Your Majesty," a voice, deep and masculine, said from behind her. So lost in thought was Hoshi that she had failed to hear the approach of the man, an oversight that might prove fatal anywhere else but here. In this place, however, she was perfectly safe.
Turning in her seat, Hoshi looked up to see Solomon Carpenter, her personal bodyguard, standing several paces away near the entrance to her bedchamber. In keeping with her directives, the bodyguard was dressed in dark trousers with the cuffs tucked into polished boots that came up to his knees, and a vest that left bare his muscled chest and arms. Around his waist he wore a wide leather belt, strapped to which was a dagger in its sheath as well as one of the phaser weapons taken from Defiant's armory.
Just one of the many treasures to be found aboard that wondrous vessel.
"What is it?" she asked, already knowing the answer. Given the schedule for today, there was only one reason Carpenter would come to her at this time of the morning.
"I apologize for the intrusion, Your Majesty," the guard replied, "the general has arrived."
"Show him in." Hoshi rose from her seat, pulling the folds of her blue silk kimono tighter around her trim form. While she knew this meeting was necessary, it was one she had been anticipating with more than a bit of dread. After all, the next few minutes might well decide the future of the Terran Empire.
The Empress smoothed the wrinkles from her robe, realizing as she heard the sound of approaching footsteps that the motion made her appear nervous or tentative or -- worst of all -- weak. Momentarily irritated with herself for the lapse, Hoshi clasped her hands behind her back, drawing herself to her full height as Carpenter reappeared from inside the villa, followed closely by three Andorians.
All of the new arrivals were dressed in identical black leather uniforms, with varying numbers of small silver rectangles affixed to either side of their collars. Two of the Andorians, obviously subordinates, each carried a rectangular box perhaps one meter in length. The leader of the group would have been easy to identify even if Hoshi did not know him; his status was evident by the numerous medals pinned to his uniform. His left eye was a pale, dead orb, and he was missing his right antenna. Other, smaller scars adorned his face, the most visible signs of a long and distinguished military career.
"General Shran," Hoshi said, offering a polite nod.
Thy'lek Shran bowed at the waist, his hands locked at his sides. "Your Majesty," he said. "I bring you greetings on behalf of the people of Andoria." As he straightened his posture, Shran indicated his two escorts and the containers they carried. "I also wish to present to you gifts which are but a taste of the spoils collected from our recent occupation of the planet Beta III." Shaking his head, the general released a sigh. "It is almost criminally inappropriate to call it a conquest, given their utter lack of resistance. They are little more than sheep."
Hoshi waved in the direction of the general's party, dismissing them and their gifts. As the other guard removed the Andorians, she turned to Shran. "General, walk with me."
The Empress and the general made their way toward the narrow wooden bridge leading from the palace out into the gardens, with Carpenter following but maintaining a discreet distance to afford them some privacy. Hoshi walked slowly, her arms folded across her chest, saying nothing as they crossed the footbridge and entered the inner perimeter of the oikeniwa.
"Leadership suits you, Your Majesty," Shran said after a moment. "You have weathered the obstacles facing you with great poise and dexterity."
It was a shameless compliment, even by the general's standards. Shran was being uncharacteristically deferential this morning, and with good reason, Hoshi knew.
"The ease with which you acquired the loyalty of Starfleet and the late Emperor's followers was simply -- "
Maybe I should have him killed and spare myself any more of this.
"General," Hoshi said. "Shut up."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
An uncomfortable silence hung in the air. "I need your counsel," Hoshi finally said as they walked together along the narrow path winding through the garden. "This war is deadlocked -- we're making no progress. Starfleet is still recovering from the losses we suffered at Tau Ceti. So far, we've been lucky -- the rebels seem to be reluctant to launch a major offensive against Earth."
"I imagine you have the Defiant to thank for that," Shran replied.
It was true that the rebels -- a loosely organized coalition of Vulcans, Andorians, Orions, Tellarites, and several other species conquered by the Empire over the years -- had aborted their planned attack on Earth, thanks to the timely arrival of the starship from the future and, incredibly enough, a parallel reality.
The sudden appearance of Defiant in orbit above Earth had been enough to send the rebels scurrying for cover, bolstering the flagging morale of imperial forces. Hoshi knew the effect was only temporary -- the rebels would eventually redouble their efforts and launch an all-out offensive. The Empress needed something more than a tactical advantage.
She needed a victory that everyone believed to be inevitable.
To that end, Hoshi had taken steps to ensure that knowledge of Defiant's true origin in a parallel reality remained suppressed. As far as her subjects were concerned, Defiant was from the future of this universe -- a future in which the Empire had not only defeated the rebellion, but thrived well into the next century. In the months since her ascension to the throne, she had used the imperial media to disseminate these revelations of "future history," allegedly garnered from the vessel's historical database.
As news spread on every subspace channel, a renewed optimism swept across the imperial territories. Skeptics need look no further than Defiant itself -- definitive proof of the Empire's eventual triumph. Word eventually filtered back through operatives in the field that the rebels, too, were believing the story. Some had already abandoned their cause; many more were considering their options.
She had broken their spirit; now she would crush them.
"The rebels are using the pause to rebuild their forces," Hoshi said after a moment. "When they strike, we may not be able to drive them off, even with Defiant."
Shran nodded. "Of course, you have considered a counteroffensive?"
"I can't order an attack if I don't know where they're hiding. We've been searching for their fleet for months." Hoshi could send Defiant and its advanced sensor array to hunt for the rebel fleet, but the moment the starship left orbit, Earth would be open to attack, something she was not prepared to risk -- at least, not yet.
"The rebels will not hide forever," Shran said. "Earth is too tempting a target, even with Defiant as its protector." He bowed slightly. "How may the Andorian Guard be of service?"
Stopping her leisurely stroll through the oikeniwa, Hoshi turned to face the general. "You could stop supporting the rebels."
Shran's shocked expression was almost comical to behold. "Your Majesty, I..."
Hoshi's eyes narrowed as she glared at Shran. "Elements of the Guard have been providing aid and supplies to resistance cells for months. The rebels would never have been able to acquire seven decommissioned vessels from one of your most well-protected surplus depots without assistance. Those ships -- and the tactical assistance you personally provided -- may have made the difference in our defeat at Tau Ceti."
Shran said nothing for several seconds, during which Hoshi heard nothing save the sounds of rippling water and the call of some exotic bird she could not see. Regarding the general, she noted that his expression was no longer that of denial. Instead, Hoshi saw guilt and even a hint of fear in his one good eye. Stepping closer, she folded her arms across her chest. "Save us both the embarrassment of denying any of this, General." She noticed Carpenter moving up behind Shran, his hand drifting to the handle of the phaser on his belt. A subtle shake of her head halted him in his tracks, but the bodyguard maintained his alert stance behind the Andorian.
To his credit, Shran said, "I will not deny it, Your Majesty, but you must understand that I was acting in defense of my own people. The former Emperor saw Andoria as nothing more than a subject world to be pressed to the ground under his boot. He considered us no better than Orions or Tellarites, despite the fact that we helped build this Empire. Even the Vulcans did not show our level of devotion!"
"Is that your rationale for treason?"
Shran remained silent, and Hoshi caught him glancing over his shoulder to where Carp...
