It was a usual day for the crew and inhabitants of the space station. It was Day One of the investigation. Odo, as usual was watching the Promenade and Quark for any excuse to arrest him. Odo noticed a new man sitting and watching at Quark's. This man occasionally noted things on a pad. Odo became more curious about this new man than he was with Quark. This man was humanoid in appearance, but with Vulcan like ears and other smaller features that were not human. He had small ridges on his forehead, smaller yet similar to that of a Klingon. He also had a nose with slight ridges on it like a Bajoran. His neck also had markings on it and a skin that almost looked reptilian.
He spoke with several people in the bar, asking them questions. He even spoke with Morn. He gave Morn some items that Odo could not see. He then approached a Bajoran that was seated at a table.
"Did you get the information I requested?" asked the man.
"Yes, the complete plans of the city and of the areas that these unidentified structures were found. There is a pattern, showing that the underground structure is very large. We have found only one entrance. The walls that were found cannot be cut into by any means we can think of," replied the Bajoran.
"And the part of the city is on the outskirts where this structure is?"
"Yes. This is a section of the city that is little used at present. An area where a new market is planned. That is how the first area was found."
"Thank you."
"And the information about the Cardassian problem?" asked the Bajoran.
The man handed him a pad and then the Bajoran left. The man approached Quark and placed three bars of latinum on the bar.
"These can be yours if you have the information I need," stated the man.
"What kind of information?" Quark asked.
"Two missing people, their location," stated the man.
"Description?" Quark asked.
The man gave him a pad with their images. Quark started to take the three bars, but was stopped.
"Payment on delivery," stated the man.
"Oh, very well then," returned Quark.
"Double if you find them alive and bring them to me," stated the man.
The man left Quark with a smile on his face thinking of six bars of latinum, then walked out with a scanner of some kind. Odo proceeded to follow him. In the hallway, Chief Engineer Miles O'Brien came up to the man while Odo was watching.
"Is that you sir?" asked Miles.
"Miles O'Brien! I would not have expected you to be here. I thought you were on the Enterprise or something?" the man asked.
"I am the Chief Engineer on Deep Space Nine," he replied.
Odo approached and asked Miles, "Do you know this man?"
"Of course, this is Admiral John West of...," started Miles.
"Miles! You know I prefer to remain anonymous!" exclaimed West.
"I am sorry sir. This is Constable Odo, our Chief of Security. He has all the clearances...," attempted Miles.
"It is rather too late now, but he is with the Bajorans is he not?"
"Yes, he is..." attempted Miles as Odo attempted to speak also.
"This does not matter. I must remain in secret for this mission." West interrupted. "I have these orders from Starfleet and from the government of Bajor that grant me permission for this investigation," he said handing Odo some identification and orders.
"This is totally unacceptable. I am the one authorized to handle all investigations on this station," demanded Odo.
"You see the orders? I am investigating a situation in which either the Federation or Bajor could be found involved. It will not do for my client to have anyone that could possibly be in a position to prevent the truth from being found. Neither of you may tell anyone at all of my presence here," West stated.
West continued with his investigation, taking back the pad and walking away. Odo was still perplexed, he did not like having his authority circumvented.
"How well do you know this man Chief?" asked Odo.
"I have run into him from time to time. He saved my life in one battle with the Cardassians by showing up with information that allowed us to avoid an ambush. In another situation he arrived with his ship just in time to drive off a larger force that would have severely damaged if not destroyed our ship. He has frequently come and gone with the speed of his ship without as much as a please and thank you," explained Miles.
"Sounds interesting. I still don't like it. I plan to keep an eye on him," Odo said.
"It might be easy to say, but harder to do," Miles returned and walked off.
"We'll see about that!" Odo said as he returned to following him.
West continued to use his scanner to follow some kind of trail or something. Odo was perplexed as to what he was doing, but continued to watch. West went around a corner, Odo followed. When Odo went around the corner the hallway came to a dead end and nobody was there. He stood there for some time and then returned to his office. He again asked Miles to speak with him. He wanted to know more about this man. Odo could not stand being out of the loop and was more curious when told he could not do something that he normally did. Miles told him what he could.
"His race is not really known," Miles stated.
"Oh really?" Odo returned.
"He made a comment that no one really believes. That is why we are not so sure about it."
"What did he say?"
"He said he was from Atlantis."
"Atlantis? Where is that planet?"
"It's not a planet. It's a location on Earth, in ancient times, several thousand years ago, perhaps two or three thousand BCE. It is a legend or myth mostly, no one knows if it actually exists. Many theories have been circulated and many claim to have found it in one place or another," Miles explained.
"Oh. I see. You have been so helpful Chief O'Brien."
"Sorry Odo. We never had much information on him."
"You just trusted that what he said was true?"
"Would you question the man that has saved your life on more than one occasion and has provided intelligence and information that no one else was able to?"
"I suppose not. Still, it is highly irregular."
"Besides all that, he does have the credentials doesn't he?"
"I suppose he does."
"So, I guess he lost you. Gave you the slip?"
"I decided to return here and gather more intelligence."
"Oh, sure."
"I am going to access the computer and see what I can get."
"Good luck. I have some upper pylons that need some more work. Let me know if you need anything else."
Odo proceeded to use the computer to search records all night. He had to try to get into classified files but could not. It was now Day Two of the investigation. It was then that Quark came in to complain about something and noticed that Odo was using the computer to gain access to files on the computer, as he looked over his shoulder.
"What are you doing here?" asked Odo as he turned around quickly.
"I came here to because there is someone that is bothering my customers and not buying anything. He's costing me a lot of money."
"I don't care about your petty problems Quark. I am busy."
"I can see that. If I help you with that, will you help me with this man?"
"You can get into this file?"
"Yes."
"Just who is this man asking questions? Is he wearing blue, with a notepad and a scanner?"
"Yes, that's right. How did you know?"
"He is the man I am trying to find out about on this computer."
"I see."
Quark began to work on the computer and in moments he had the file open. Odo read a few details. It was not believable. This man had been in Starfleet from the very first time it was created. He even helped with the construction of the first warp drive created on Earth. It was his funding among others that created Starfleet. He remained in the background, providing designs, technology and funding. He was always in the background and rarely recognized. Several different Admirals worked with him and knew him, but he would always disappear for a while and return later using another alias. Odo looked at the date of birth, and thought it had to be an error. It was 1955!
"This has got to be a total fabrication," Odo declared.
"If you think that, then you should leave it alone. You are not authorized to be in that file!" yelled West.
"How did you get in here?" Odo asked.
"That's the man putting me out of business!" stated Quark.
"Questions, questions, questions. Always with your questions. Some things we just have to accept, because we cannot change it," West stated.
"And I keep getting no answers to them," stated Odo.
"I guess there will have to be other ways to handle this. Perhaps my client will have to investigate on his own. I certainly doubt you will find him as accommodating as I am," stated West and turned to leave.
Odo turned to look at the computer screen, only to find the file gone. He blamed Quark for it. Odo tried to get the file back but not even Quark could get it. Odo kicked Quark out of his office, while he was complaining about his bar and again.
"We had a deal!" Quark screamed.
Odo ignored him and went to talk to Commander Sisko. He then stopped when he saw the man in the office in uniform.
"So, what can I do for you Admiral?" asked Sisko.
"It's what I can do for you. There is a person from another world, very far from here, that has to find some missing people of his. He will arrive, and I expect you to give him every courtesy and give him all the room you can," stated the Admiral.
"Can you tell me anything about this person?"
"He is from an empire that has not yet contacted the Federation or any of its members, nor for that matter, any of its enemies either. They sent an ambassador to this station to contact several worlds and to open negotiations for trade. Their Ambassador is missing after arriving at this station. They received a message that the Ambassador had arrived and was looking around to acquaint herself with the station and the people."
"So, it is a woman then?"
"Yes, but more than that."
"How so?"
"That is not to be disclosed, they wish it to be kept unknown for now. She arrived with her son. I wish I could give you more, but no more information is available. This pad has her picture, her name and vital statistics, the dates she arrived, the schedule she was to follow," West said, handing him the pad.
"Thank you Admiral."
West shook his hand and then left for one of the docking ports. He boarded a small shuttle and left the station. Odo just watched and said it was interesting. He returned to his office.
It was the next day, Day Three of the investigation when the regularity of the day-to-day docking of ships was severely interrupted by something the crew had not seen before.
"Commander Sisko to the bridge" Kira stated on the comm link.
"What's going on Major?"
"We have detected an anomaly," stated Dax.
"It's emitting several different types of radiation. Its messing up our systems," stated Miles.
"Shields up," ordered Sisko.
A large circular, blue light appeared not far from the station and just as suddenly as it appeared, a large ship appeared from the light and then the circular light closed like the pupil of an eye, by the edge closing in on itself. The ship slowly moved forward toward the station.
"We are being hailed Commander," announced Kira.
"Put it on the screen," requested Sisko.
A humanoid in shiny armor with a face shield appeared on the screen. The metal was very bright, silver in color, as was the face shield. A cape was draped over the shoulders and a belt of some sort was over one shoulder diagonally across the chest.
"I am Commander Sisko, the commanding office of this space station, who am I speaking to?"
"I am the investigating officer, a warrior of the Zamorans for the Boltarian Empire and the Council of Worlds. I am here to investigate the disappearance of our Ambassador and her son. Interference and opposition to this investigation will be dealt with in an appropriate manner using whatever force is required. I request permission to dock and proceed with my investigation," the man said, in a metallic sounding monotone voice.
"If we choose to deny your request?" asked Sisko.
"You have that option. I will proceed with the investigation with the fact that you are already resisting an investigation of the High Counsul. This process can be easy or it can be painful. It is your choice."
"Do you have a shuttle vessel to dock with the space station?"
"That is not necessary, we have transporters."
"Our shields are up," Sisko attempted, but the comm screen went blank. Suddenly a small bright blue dot appeared near the turbo lift. It then expanded to a vertical line and then opened up left and right to form a doorway. The man in armor stepped through the doorway and then the doorway closed in the same way, closing to a line, then a dot, then nothing.
"My name is Zuros. I am a Zamoran Warrior of the Royal Boltarian Order of the Dragon, a Centurian. I am capable of destroying this station as easy as it is for you to breathe. Resistance is futile," announced Zuros.
Odo stepped forward to introduce himself to Zuros. He was interrupted by Zuros.
"I know who you all are. You are Constable Odo. Do not interfere with my investigation. I have already met your kind on the way here. A glutenous collection of gelatin like liquid that allows you to form yourself into other shapes. Your kind felt they had some ownership over the area of space. I showed them they were wrong by terminating their ships. Do not think that you can claim anything in this investigation. You have no standing with the Boltarian Empire."
"This is a Bajoran space station," stated Kira.
"Extraneous, irrelevant. This is an investigation by the High Counsul of the Boltarian Empire sponsored by the Council of Worlds involving the abduction of the Ambassador sent to your station. You cannot investigate a crime in which you are a suspect. Resistance is futile!"
Zuros left to go to the Promenade. He proceeded into Quarks and approached him at the bar.
"Information that was requested from you," Zuros ordered.
"Can I expect payment immediately?" he asked.
Zuros lifted his hand, palm outward, then slowly closed his hand into a fist. Quark began to experience severe pain. He then lowered his hand and Quark relaxed a bit.
"You can be rewarded with your life! You had the chance, they have been missing for fifteen of your days. Time is up, deliver now or die."
Zuros then raised his hand again, Quark tensed up. This time Zuros held his hand with the palm sideways. Slowly he closed his fingers and slowly raised it up. Without touching Quark, he raised him up. Quark grabbed his throat.
"Resistance is futile. The information?.... A ship.... A Ferengi ship and a Cardassian ship.... Planet Bajor.... Yes.... Why did they go to Bajor?... Ancient dig.... Unknown writings.... Artifacts found.... Entrance to chamber, cannot enter.... Noises inside.... Spectacle and crowd outside.... Visited and then disappeared.... This is all?" Zuros asked, relaxing his hold, dropping Quark to the floor.
"Hey! How did you do that? I was promised three bars of latinum," protested Quark, holding his throat.
"If you do not like Quark, then maybe you are not so bad after all," Odo stated.
Zuros spoke into his communicator, but the crew of DS9 could not understand it. The station computer could not translate it. The blue dot, line and doorway appeared again. Zuros walked through the doorway and left.
"This is getting very irritating. O'Brien, I want our shields to stop this now!" ordered Sisko.
"I'll get right on it sir," returned Miles.
"Get me Starfleet Dax, I want to find out more from Admiral West!" ordered Sisko.
There was no immediate reply from Starfleet. It was apparant that a lot was going on at Starfleet Command. The first reply was that they would answer back in two days. The next day however, a reply was received."
"I have Admiral Jarrod for you Commander," announced Dax.
"Finally!" exclaimed Sisko.
"He is calling us on an urgent matter, not answering our query," Dax replied.
"In my office Dax," Sisko ordered, leaving for his office. He sat down and opened the communications screen.
"Admiral...." attempted Sisko.
"Commander. I have had many calls about a situation building up on Bajor. They have found some artifacts and a structure that has intrigued several researchers in Starfleet. I am also getting reports of some new species that has arrived in your area. Is this correct?" Jarrod asked.
"Admiral. I have questions about Admiral West that concern me,"
"Admiral West? He can't still be alive? He was at least a hundred when I was an Ensign."
"Then you know him? He appeared here, but he doesn't look much over forty."
"We have never known his age, he just keeps appearing, making changes directing things, updating technology or whatever. Then he leaves. He is not well liked among the staff at Starfleet Command," stated Jarod.
"I should think not, since this would make him the highest ranking admiral in the fleet."
"His position is not documented well. He is however, the most trustworthy, the most loyal I know, despite my dislike of him. He has provided key information, technology or military intelligence just when we needed it. If he says something, believe him. What about the dig on Bajor?"
"I have not had the opportunity to go to Bajor yet. There is a being here conducting an investigation. It seems that a race sent an Ambassador with her son and they are both missing."
"Oh great! We already are getting a lot of bad news around here. There is an enormous fleet of at least a thousand ships on course for our solar system. It is about fifteen days away from earth at maximum warp. Some of those ships are massive. We sent one starship to investigate and it was thrown back to earth in one second. See to that dig Commander. I have been told that the information is crucial to many issues with Bajor, Cardassia and Deep Space Nine. It may tell us something about this new race that has arrived. It seems a lot of races are starting to make claims about Bajor. I don't want to lose the station just because some archaeologist makes some comment about some ruin that is two thousand years or more old."
"Admiral, I am not an archaeologist, nor do I have one here. I need help with this new race, to find out more from Admiral West."
"We cannot contact him. I am depending on you Commander to see to it that the information from that structure is not going to hurt the Federation," he stated just as the communication screen went blank.
"Dax, Major, O'Brien, Odo! We are going to Bajor," Sisko announced as he stormed out of the office and entered the turbo lift, quickly followed by Dax, Major Kira and Odo.
The group went to the planet to find the dig site. Upon arriving at the dig site, they could tell that it was causing a great deal of controversy. Each faction on Bajor were claiming possession of the structure or that they alone knew the history of it. Sisko arrived and attempted to get these groups to stop arguing. Odo and O'Brien were looking at the writings on the structure. No one seemed to know what the symbols meant. They seemed as though some were symbols meaning words or phrases, others were smaller and seemed like letters of an alphabet. Suddenly, the shiny clad warrior appeared. He placed his hands onto the symbols in a particular order. He spoke some words in that unknown language and a large doorway appeared. A burst of flame came out of the entrance, enveloping the warrior, causing him to vanish from sight. The flame went down as the doorway closed, but the warrior was not seen.
The people outside waited for what seemed a long time, but was only a few minutes. Suddenly, the noise of stone grating on stone was heard from around the other side of the structure. As they attempted to find what the noise was, a very large dragon appeared. It breathed flame onto one of the Bajoran security guards causing him to vaporize. The dragon quickly spread large wings and took to flight. It was immediately followed by another dragon who alos took to flight. A Bajoran fighter attempted to intercept these dragons. The fire from the first dragon destroyed the fighter.
Afterwards they did find the courage to look into the structure, only to find it was empty. O'Brien and Odo inspected the inside. They found a set of chains. These chains were well rusted, but they had apparently just been opened.
"Curious," stated Odo.
"What do you see Odo?" asked Sisko.
"I was just thinking that we saw two dragons leave this place," stated Odo.
"Yes we saw two, unbelievable as it is," stated O'Brien.
"Yes. The problem I see is, that there is only one set of chains," explained Odo.
"Your right. Was one held captive and the other not?" asked O'Brien.
"No way to really tell. But, in that we know that a changeling is possible, would it be impossible that one of them entered the structure as we watched?" Sisko pointed out.
"Yes. Curious." repeated Odo.
Sisko and O'Brien returned to Deep Space Nine to report their findings. Sisko was not happy as he had no real answers for Starfleet. He did not look forward to getting chewed out by the Admiral again. He was also concerned about the large fleet of ships. The factions continued to argue over the structure, making it hard for the researchers to determine what the symbols meant. Even the researchers argued over the findings. Violence began to erupt in the cities of Bajor as prophecies were interpreted and doom was forecasted. Other factions were more concerned over the many artifacts found inside and large caches of gold, silver, and other precious metals and gems. There were many old artifacts and documents that were written in Bajoran that puzzled the researchers.
Will Bajor errupt in a civil war over this dispute?
Will Cardassia return to claim these ruins?
Will the Federation be able to keep the factions together?
Will the ones responsible be brought to justice?
Will the Ferengi steal the artifacts?
Will this warrior return?
Find out the answers to these and more questions as you read part two.
