"Parallels, Part V"
The Nova-class U.S.S. Vitality dropped out of quantum warp, spinning into a totally new universe. As the ship slowed to a stop, Captain Chain pulled himself up onto his chair.
"Well, that was dizzying," he commented.
Sev checked the helm display, "Sir! This new universe isn't on the drop-down menu of pre-approved universes!"
"Dammit, Sev. Did you keep clicking? You know that just makes the system freeze even more."
Sev shook his head in disappointment. "It's just that my patience is at a constant wits-end!"
Engelina stood from her seat at the sudden approach of a giant Jem'Hadar battleship.
"Greetings," a Vorta blinked on screen. "My name is Feylou of the Dominion battleship Korisnor, and I am here to welcome you to the Dominion."
Chain stood up. "The Dominion? But our war with you ended five years ago when you signed the Treaty of Bajor??"
"Preposterous. Everyone knows the Female Founder simply shape-shifted spike-arms into killing every one in that room."
The Captain pointed. "No! Her mind was changed by Odo's mind meld and an agreement to return to the Great Link!"
"All of which was the opposite of what happened, in that she turned Odo to her side with the bonus agreement he'd return to the Great Link!"
Chain paused. "Ah. You know, I think I'm going to quit while I'm ahead."
"Quite the contrary, Captain. But our scans topped with your naiveté has led to me conclude that you aren't from around here, are you? Based on these readings, I think you are from a parallel universe."
Chain turned to his crew. "My incompetence has revealed us! Quickly! Evasive maneuvers in an effort to save face!"
But the Korisnor locked several tractor beams onto the Vitality, holding it, stone-stopped.
"Relax, Captain," Feylou concluded. "Your openness actually saved your lives. I was going to destroy you. Ha! Well, that may be more funny from my point of view."
---
Later, the crew of the Vitality found themselves detained in a large open cell, free to move about as desired.
"One thing about Jem'Hadar imprisonment, is they're not very clever about it," Devon commented. "Look, the guards are on the inside, holding weapons-- easily overcome by us as a group if we wanted."
Chain and Engelina approached one of the Jem'Hadar guards, who was standing near Road. "I demand you lock this man up. He's a cold blooded murderer where he comes from!"
"It's true," Road nodded. "I once killed five men for looking at me right. Seriously, they did nothing wrong and in fact did everything as I would have preferred, if not, exceeding my expectations."
The Jem'Hadar looked at Road. "You are a Lethean, are you not?"
"Uh, my species has no name. A small group of us live on the Thelvon home world, just hating it." Road explained.
The Jem'Hadar snarled. "My name is Dagatek. In this universe, your species is called Lethean, and you have telepathic capabilities."
"I do!? Okay, now do Engelina. She's a Thelvon." Road insisted.
Dagatek turned. "In this universe, your species is supremely sarcastic."
"Fascinating," Chain pondered. "Why didn't I pick that up before? I guess I'm not that observant."
The Jem'Hadar calmed. "You have had a lot on your mind, from trying to make sure things ran smoothly between your people and hers. If you are curious as to my council here, I am a Jem'Hadar therapist."
"Those exist?" Engelina asked.
Dagatek nodded. "Since the expansion of the Dominion throughout the Alpha Quadrant, Jem'Hadar specialties of all kinds have opened up all over the place. My Second in Command is a Jem'Hadar flower botanist."
"Well, great. The Federation is obliterated, but at least the Jem'Hadar are prospering on social levels," Chain commented sarcastically.
Suddenly, the entire ship shook from a torpedo hit. Then again, and again. A quarter of the crew suddenly dematerialized.
---
They all rematerialized onto the Bridge of a Schimitar-class warbird. On it, a Reman commander slammed his fist into his chair.
"Damn! I meant to beam you all into guest quarters. Sorry about that. But I just wanted to operate the controls myself. It's a step-down learning program I've initiated with my crew."
Chain turned. "Any place was better than that. Although, we have just allowed the Dominion to keep a universe-jumping warp drive."
"Should we do introductions first? I am Zahkti of the Romulan warbird Molaram, members of the anti-Dominion Force-- or Third Maquis, as some have named it."
Chain tilted his head. "Who were the Second Maquis?"
"Some maddening pro-Borg group of Humans who wanted everyone in the Alpha Quadrant to be assimilated. They were wiped out by the Borg, who deemed them 'stepping on their toes'."
Chain nodded. "Definitely. The Borg did the right thing."
"You two are going to be doing the wrong thing if you let the Dominion get away with adapting our quantum warp drive to their ship!" Engelina interrupted.
Another Remen, Chelkten, interrupted her interruption: "She's right! The Korisnor is initiating some kind of radical, hippie warp field!"
"They're about to quantum jump," Engelina realized. "We have to follow them and repair whatever damage they may seek to do."
Chain turned to her. "Wouldn't we have to wait for said damage to occur before initiating repairs? Also, how can we possibly follow them anywhere?"
"The quantum jump can be followed if we initiate a warp jump ourselves in the exact same vector, at the exact same time," she explained.
Zahkti rubbed his grotesque chin. "Hm. A death move in the name of anti-Dominioning? I like it. Chelkten, prepare the warp things! I haven't learned the name of them yet."
"You mean, the drive, sir?" Chelkten clarified.
Zahkti pointed. "Ahhh! Yep."
The Molaram turned in the direction of the Korisnor and as the Korisnor initiated its quantum jump, the Molaram followed right through.
