4 Season 6 Page

Title: "The Switch" (Part 5 of 10)
Author: Lieutenant Johnathan Valdago
Stardate: 2460496
Earthdate: June 30, 2383
Location: USS Virgo

After his original spat with *Commander* Lataro in the Day's End Lounge, Admiral Valdago was a bit reluctant to return, but he did. This time, he sat at the bar and talked with an odd fellow called Dweezle. Soon it was time for Dweezle to leave. He said that Lazarus would be showing up soon. Valdago made sure his drink was full before the creature left. He sat in silence and drank for minutes.

That's when a friendly looking trill entered the room.

"Hello," said the man. "Are you feeling a little less violent today?"

Normally, a man making fun of him wouldn't have kept his balls, but something about this man made Valdago calm.

"Yeah, I'm doing better. I tink I got rid of Lataro for a vile too."

"I'm sure he go the hint." Lazarus filled up his drink and began wiping off the bar. "So, you're from another universe, I'd like to hear that story."

"How about you tell me yours? I'm not in the mood to talk."

Lazarus, always the patron pleaser, began. "Well, I'm a Trill."

"I know you're a Trill; I'm not stupid," said the Russian, who actually began to show signs of intoxication after drinking for 24 hours straight. "Just don't get too cocky, you're not going to live forever, someday you'll get thrown out of an airlock or... burn up in some planet's atmosphere." Valdago remembered the fate of his wife.

"I know, but his is my first life. I'm pretty new to this world."

"Yes, I'm sure," Valdago replied untruthfully.

"Yes, the very first Kox host. It's quite an honor."

Valdago sobered up. His face became brighter. "Did you say your symbiote is Kox?"

"Yes. Currently Lazarus." Valdago's eyes began to squint.

"Anything wrong?"

Valdago actually began to cry for the first time in five years. Lazarus moved around the bar to support him. Valdago latched on to him like there was no tomorrow. "I'm so sorry, I should have done more, I should have helped, but I was too damn busy." He was babbling nonsense as far as Lazarus was concerned.

"Now, now," he said. It was the first time a man like Valdago had cried in his arms, at least in this lifetime. "Slow down. Let's move to a table."

The two walked to a nearby table, and as they did, Valdago began to tell the story of how Betriata Kox was incinerated as she crashed into Setra IV. "I was in the science lab trying to figure our where Nori was headed. I SHOULD HAVE BEEN ON THE BRIDGE, I COULD HAVE SAVED HER!" He began to weep again.

"No, you couldn't, you couldn't have known. It wasn't your fault."

"I just shut myself up, I lost all dose morals dat I had fought for during the war. I just moved up in da ranks faster dan ever. I became Admiral shortly after, and then Maruu followed. I just took control and wouldn't let the crew rest until I found Nori. Part of me blamed her because I was chasing her when Betriata died."

He cried more and more into Lazarus's arms. Lazarus, always the patron pleaser, just held him.
______________________________________________

Inside the library Garek Loran noticed that there had been no civil war in this universe.

"Franny, it obviously occurred at least 15 years ago."

"Well, if you can remember when the civil war started..."

"No, that won't be it. The occurrence that changed our universes and stopped a civil war would have occurred years before the actual war began. Some event that caused one thing to happen, or *not* to happen. It's going to be a long time of sitting here. I hope we find it though."
______________________________________________

Lieutenant Commander Benton was searching.

He had been following the alternate Johnny Chee when the man quickly ducked around a corner and into a Jeffries tube. Evidently Chee was much more familiar with the inner workings of the *Virgo*. Benton found his com badge in at a junction and realized that he had lost him.

Now he was trying to determine where he might have gone. He was headed to the bridge to talk to the doctors about the situation when someone jumped him from the back.

Benton fell to the ground and Johnny Chee jumped on top of him again. But, Chee wasn't quite as strong as the Kelvan. Benton rolled out of the way and grabbed Chee's arm throwing him over his body to the ground. Then he stood up, twisting the man's arm.

"What are you up to?"

"Oh about 200, what do you bench?" Chee followed that with a sweeping kick that knock Benton to the ground again. Chee then pulled a knife from his boot and gave Benton the chance to stand up. "Come on."

"Sure, let me up but keep the knife, you are quite a man, aren't you?"

Chee answered him with a slash that was easily dodged. Benton kept his position and watched carefully for another attack. It came within seconds. Johnny threw what appeared to be the knife, but as Benton dodged it vanished. It was merely a holographic projection. Johnny used the distraction to plunge the knife deep into Benton's gut. Benton stammered back and fell against the wall, holding the knife.

"That's the way we do it where I come from. You could learn a thing or two." Chee raised his hands in the air and began to strut around the corridor. "I TRULY AM THE KING!"

Benton looked up and spoke. "Johnny, there's one thing that we can teach you." Chee turned and looked at him. "NEVER GIVE UP!" Benton jumped up, pulled the knife from his stomach and ran for Chee. Johnny attempted to dodge but Benton gave it his all and jumped full force into him. The knife went deep into the Human's throat. Benton twisted it so that the wound would open up.

"Well, at least one good thing came out of the war with the Horde."

Chee's body stopped moving, but his throat did not. Benton began to look closer and noticed that something was inside of Chee's body. A small fist sized creature crawled from Chee's mouth. Benton was shocked. He immediately hit his com badge.

"Benton to Transporter Room Two."

[Hawkings here.]

"Hawkings, there is a small creature in my vicinity. Can you get a lock onto it?"

[I've got it, sir. Where would you like it?]

Benton thought for a moment. Then it hit him. "Are there any life signs in my quarters?"

[Negative.]

*Just like Spot to get out of every cage.* "Hawkings, beam the creature directly into Spot's cage, the coordinates are in the computer banks; I've done it enough. Oh, and how long can you keep the creature in the buffer before rematerialization?"

[Something that size, a good minute, easy.]

"Do it, as soon as you get him, site-to-site transport me to my quarters and then send the creature."

[Gotcha; commencing transport.]

A beam of energy engulfed the creature on the floor as it tried to crawl away. Seconds later, Benton also disappeared.

He reemerged in his quarters. He ran to Spot's cage just in time to see the creature rematerialize. He picked up the cage and began heading for sickbay. "Computer, locate the captain and have him meet me in sickbay."

Benton began to increase his speed, and so did the flow of blood from his wound.
______________________________________________

Inside sickbay, Lieutenant Karalin Xianna was in charge. With both Dana Maruu and Sandra Yosh gone, there main medical team was quite empty. They had been close enough that if anything major were to happen they could be contacted, but now, they was no way. *I'm sure glad nothing major has happened.*

No sooner did she finish her thought when Lt. Commander Benton ran into the room, bleeding heavily and carrying a cage with some sort of insect creature inside. Benton put the creature down onto a counter and fell onto a bed.

"I must be out of shape, I haven't puffed this hard since I fist took Human form." He coughed up some blood.

Immediately Xianna grabbed some equipment and ran to the Kelvan. She administered some Vitamin E to the wound in an attempt to help it heal. Then she gave Benton a shot of platelets to help the blood to clot. She also gave him and anesthetic.

"Just relax. Breath slowly. You've lost a lot of blood."

Captain Maruu entered the room. "What's going on here?"

"Not sure," answered Xianna. "Benton just ran in here with that cage and fell onto the biobed."

Maruu walked over to the thing and took a look. It looked like a beetle, but was much larger than most he had encountered. "How's Benton doing?"

"He's stabilizing, but he's had some major damage to his inner systems. He may need surgery, if that's the case, we're in trouble. Two surgeons are required for that type of surgical operations."

"Sir," Benton managed to speak, "the alternate Chee. He did this. He's dead, in the a corridor near the brig. That thing in Spot's cage crawled out of his mouth."

"Now we need an autopsy. Can anyone do that?" asked Maruu.

"Again, no. You need two surgeons and the only other officers we have that can open a body are your wife and Yosh."

Maruu stood staring at Benton as he lie dying on the biobed. "Transporter Room, do you have a lock on that body that was next to Benton?"

[I can get one.]

"Do it, and send him directly to sickbay. Maruu out. Xianna, watch Benton and get ready for surgery."

"Where are you going, sir?"

"To get some surgeons, of course." He left Sickbay.
______________________________________________

Nori sat in the brig. She was half sleeping, half thinking about escape. It was pretty quiet. The ensign on duty didn't talk, he just worked on projects at his terminal.

Captain Maruu entered the room. He immediately excused the guard with a nod of his head.

"I'm going to make this quick. I need your help."

"You need *my* help. Well, that's a first. Why should I help you?"

"Don't you even want to know what it is?"

"Well, I'm guessing from your goody-two-shoes attitude that your not lonely for your wife, if you know what I mean. That leaves either some sort of help in getting me out of here and back home, which I'm all for, or you need some doctoring in which case I want to know what's in it for me."

"Your last guess was right. I need you and Yosh to save the life of one of my crew, and I also need an autopsy of Johnny Chee."

Yosh stood up and walked over to the force field which held her in the cell. "You said that Chee was dead?"

"Yes, Benton killed him but was wounded in the fight. He needs surgery."

"Say no more, I'm in. Anything to cut apart that son-of-a-bitch Chee."

Nori couldn't see Yosh from the angle but looked in her direction. "Don't you think you should confer with me first?"

"I don't give a damn what you do, Dana. I'm there. I'm gonna cut that man apart."

Nori looked at Maruu. He looked back at her as if to say, 'What are you gonna do now?'

"Fine, but I want a full pardon."

"I'll do what I can, you haven't been charged with any crime in this universe, although I doubt you'll be allowed to roam the galaxy freely."

"Understood, now take me to your wounded."
______________________________________________

In the library Garek noticed that the civil war that he remembered never occurred here. He began looking at the time the war started, about 17 years ago.
______________________________________________

"Benton will recover, now. It's a good thing we got to him, he had sever internal damage," Nori stated.

"I'm glad I convinced you two to help."

Yosh looked up at Stephen. "You know, I remember when I first joined the medical corps. My first assignment was on a planet infested with a plague. I was faced with a death to life ration of ten to one. Every patient that died in my arms hurt me, for a while. Soon it became common place. I guess that's why I lost my sense of the importance of life.

"But I had forgotten that even if the death lost its meaning, the life never did. Every time I saved a live, I felt that life flow inside of me. I had forgotten what that felt like." She put her hand out. "Thank you Stephen Maruu, for returning my humanity."

"Any time," he accepted her handshake. "Any time. How about you Dana?"

"Well, after that speech I guess all I can say is thank you Stephen Maruu," she smiled, really smiled, for the first time in years, "for returning my Bajoranality." The two smiled at each other.

"Now let's check out that body over there."

The two began work on the autopsy. Using the computer to compare where the creature had been, they began to learn what it was.

"It certainly isn't a Trill or any subspecies, but it is a parasite. Much like a Trill it can't survive without a host of very special treatment. It seems to be 90% brain, 10% exoskeleton. Unlike a Trill, it totally takes over it's host. Whatever Johnny Chee was doing, his mind had absolutely zero control over it."

Yosh added some more information to Nori's report. "I've searched your database and although I've never heard of it, apparently this isn't first contact with this species. They attempted a takeover of the Federation about 20 years ago. They took over the bodies of top Starfleet officials, but some men named Jean Luc Picard and William Riker stopped them. I'm not much of a history buff."

"So in your world they've returned. Maybe they have here too," Maruu thought aloud.

"If they have returned, they've been here for a while. This creature was in control of Chee's body for about eight years."
______________________________________________

"Franny," asked Garek, "What the hell are the Borg?"

Title: "The Switch" (Part 6 of 10)
Author: Lieutenant Johnathan Valdago
Stardate: 2460496
Earthdate: June 30, 2383
Location: Alternate USS Virgo

Johnny Chee was trying to get the knife that had been plunged in his back out. He couldn't, however, reach it. Soon his arm began to lose energy, it started to sting, then go numb. Finally, it reached a point where he couldn't do anything but lie there and lose consciousness.
____________________________________________

Lieutenant, now Admiral, Valdago was walking down to the brig to break the news to Dana and Sandra when he heard something odd. It was a small murmuring which suddenly stopped. Valdago began running down the
hall until he found the unconscious body of Johnny Chee.

"What the hell happened here?" He noticed that knife and made a move to remove but then remembered that it was better to leave it in.

"Transporter Room Two, I need a medkit at my coordinates right now, can you beam one over?"

[Hawkings here, I have a better idea, you're fairly near the brig, there is one located in the panel just behind the guard's desk.]

"Thanks, Hawkings, you're a life saver, literally I hope."

[No problem, sir. By the way, may I ask what happened...]

Valdago quickly cut him off. "Later."

Valdago ran to the brig and was surprised to see no one on duty. *Of course, they needed to be away when the attack was made.*

"Jonathan!" yelled Sandra from her cell. "I'm so glad to see you again. Get us out of here and I promise I'll never make a joke about your penis again!"

"I've got bigger problems on my hands right now." He ran to the panel and accessed the controls. "Computer, open the cells."

"I'm the highest ranking officer on this vessel!"

"Fine then, grant me access on my authority."

<Granted.>

"Now open the damn cells."

The two cells' force fields dissipated, and Dana and Sandra were free. Valdago grabbed the medkit, and when he turned around he was greeted by Sandra jumping on him and giving him a big kiss.

"You don't mind," Dana added, "if I just shake your hand."

"Right now I'd rather you save Johnny's life."

"What?"

"Come on!"

The trio ran down the corridor to Chee. Dana grabbed the tricorder and scanned him.

"He's still alive, barely. We're going to have to do surgery."

"Transporter Room..." Valdago started.

"NO!" yelled Dana, "you can't transport someone in his condition."

"...have a good day," Valdago finished.

Dana and Sandra began working on Chee. It took quite a while before they removed the knife, and when they did, a lot of blood poured from the wound. Dana was able to stop it, but closing the wound was difficult. Finally he was stabilized.

"Who would have done this?" asked Sandra.

"I don't know, but they'll probably try again," added Valdago.

"Well, I wonder if it was an attack on Johnny or whoever the Johnny that's on our ship is."

Valdago thought but couldn't figure it out. "I don't know, but I do know we need to hide him. From everyone on board. Actually it won't be long before that guard returns. Come on."

The two doctors followed Valdago who carried Johnny over his shoulders as easy as a bag of feathers. When they got back to the brig, the two women got back in their cells, and Valdago closed them in again.

"I'll find us a way out of here. Maybe Garek has already got a way. I've got to hide Johnny before anyone finds him."

"Johnathan!" Sandra said as Valdago began to walk out the door. He turned and looked at her. "Hurry." He nodded and headed off into the corridors.
____________________________________________

Lataro was tapping his fingers on the desk in Maruu's office. The Admiral was taking too long. Finally he walked in the door.

"There you are, what took so long?"

"Shut up, you little wuss. If you're going to kill someone, you have to be careful. Can't be accused of murder, can I?"

"But you said..."

"Oh, get off it; you know how long it takes to kill someone, or don't you?" He started laughing, and as always, Lataro got defensive.

"That was not my fault. I didn't kill that woman. I didn't even transport off the ship. You transported me and drained the ship's power."

"Of course I did. You were too stupid to think about it. Just thank whatever God you worship that I saved your ass. I've regretted it fairly often, but you were such a promising Human back then, who'd have know you'd turn in the turd you are."

"But, I took the blame. I took the blame! I still see the hate in Valdago's eyes when he looks at me, and I don't like it."

"Shut up, that Valdago isn't here anymore and in a few more hours it won't matter. Is 97401 ready?"

"Yes, I've got the surgical team getting him ready to insert into Valdago's body at midnight tonight, same time as the execution."

"Splendid. Everyone will be there, and no one will have a chance to see Valdago's operation. By tomorrow, he'll be one of us."

Lataro sat for a minute. Maruu could tell he had a question and waited to see how long it took for him to ask.

"Why did you do it?"

"What?" Maruu questioned back.

"Kill his wife, what did she do?"

"She held him back. He may never have had the drive to be Admiral if it hadn't been for her death. He should thank me."

The chimed went off and Lataro jumped. Maruu gave him an evil look. "Enter."

*Speak of the devil,* thought Admiral Maruu as Valdago entered the room.

"You get right on that and don't be late, okay?" Lataro nodded and stammered out of the room. "What can I do for you?"

"I just needed to inform you that Johnny Chee was attacked and killed today."

Maruu had to keep his smile to himself. "Oh my God, no? Do you know who did it?"

"No, not at all; they covered their tracks pretty good."

"We will have to have a full service for him."

*Time to see if those poker skills can pay off in real life,* Valdago thought. "Done, sir. In my world a body is disposed of in an orderly fashion. No time for funerals with the body. We simply have a short ceremony in remembrance."

"Very well, I shall be at that ceremony if you wish to plan it."

"I would, now if you excuse me, I'm going to sit alone in my quarters. Johnny was a good friend of mine."

"Of course." Valdago left. "All you'll be planning is how to take over the Alpha Quadrant."
____________________________________________

Garek was continuing to work when he noticed that in this world the Borg had never shown up. In fact, there was no mention of Q either. Those were some pretty major events and people and Garek knew they had something in common.
____________________________________________

Jacobsen snuck into the transporter room. He opened up a panel near the controls and began to crawl inside. Once there he opened an access panels to the control wiring. Inside was a mirror-like object that was attached to the transporter controls. He carefully removed the device and replaced all the paneling. He got out of the crawlspace and returned its door.

He left the transporter room and headed back to the intelligence office.
____________________________________________

Valdago was sitting in *his* quarters watching Johnny Chee and making sure that he was okay. His readings were improving quickly. *That's right, Johnny, you'll make it.*

That's when he was transported to sickbay.

Maruu stood over the table that Valdago was strapped into.

"So glad to see you again. I suppose you're wondering what you're doing here at 2200 hours, hmm? Well, this is..." Maruu began to cough a bit, and his throat began to pulsate. He opened his mouth and a giant beetle creature began to crawl out into Stephen's hand. "This is 97401. Just a number now, but in two hours he will control what you feel, think, see, and say."

Maruu was delighted by the confusion the the monster version of Valdago's eyes.

"Well, it's quite simple, he'll crawl into your body and burrow directly into your spine, then he simply controls all the messages that leave and arrive at your brain. Aren't we great creatures? I've been saving 97401 just for you. 95232... sorry... Lataro has been working with it, teaching it all your idiosyncrasies so that no one will even know that it isn't you, unless they take your collar down, see?" Maruu pulled his odd huge collar down and showed a little gill protruding from his neck.

"That's how we breath. You'll breath that way too soon. It'll be grand."

"Why me?"

"Isn't that the big question? Really? Well, I'll tell you. When we tried to slowly take over the Federation years ago we were almost successful, but some goody-goodies noticed that our ideals were changing a bit, so soon two factions began to start up. In other words, me versus you. Well, a war came about and the Federation was all but destroyed, but the goodies won. So, I waited. I found my big war hero, someone that everybody would trust, that's you. I've been working with you, getting you high in the ranks and getting you higher in popularity so that I could do this. Granted, you were unexpected, but that's okay; I only need your name.

"Now, I'd love to stay and watch Lataro put 97401 in you, but I have an execution to attend to. Those two poor innocent women. And they would have made such lovely concubines. Too bad. It's for the good of us all. Goodbye. Have a good time having your mind and personality erased."

Maruu left sickbay but his face was replaced with that of Lataro, although Valdago doubted that it was actually him inside.

"I would suggest getting used to the idea of losing your mind, because I'm going to take it very soon." *Lataro* laughed.
____________________________________________

"That's it! Picard. Jean Luc Picard was involved with Q, who introduced him to the Borg. My God, that's the link. Computer, what is Jean Luc Picard doing now?"

"Captain Jean Luc Picard is deceased."

"Shit. That would do it, wouldn't it?"

Title: "The Switch" (Part 7 of 10)
Author: Lieutenant Johnathan Valdago
Stardate: 2460496
Earthdate: June 30, 2383
Location: USS Virgo

He left the transporter room and headed back to the intelligence office. Once he got there, he handed the PADD and the mirror to Sinclair without saying a word. Then he turned and left the office. The two didn't speak. That way they would never smile at each other in the corridor or do anything to connect them.

Alysa began to take a good look at the controls on the PADD an noticed that the settings would have connected it to a very specific timeline. Sloan know what he was doing.

"Computer, open channel to Officer 003, authorization Sinclair Delta Five Omega."

<Authorized. Channel open.>

It seemed ages before Sloan actually opened his side of the communication.
___________________________________________

Admiral Valdago was taking a walk down the corridors when he happened to hear some talking. He stopped at noticed that the door to the intelligence office was open slightly. *Figures, with Garek spending all his time trying to get us home, dis ship is falling apart.*

Then, as he listened a bit he became interested.
___________________________________________

"So, do you plan on telling me the details of our plan?"

[I'm very sorry, but I knew that Maruu knew who you were and who you were connected with. I simply had to be careful. It was nothing personal.]

"I fully understand. The business we are in does not allow for any holes. But, which reality did the mirror connect to?"

[Well, that's quite a story. We had originally acquired the information about the mirror to study it and learn to manipulate the transconnection of alternate realities. We haven't found a major one yet. But, while using it, we received a communication from a reality that was also busy using transconnection technology for a different
purpose.

The screen split, and two Sloan's were on the screen, but the new one had a time code dating it three months ago.

[Hello, Luther,] said an alternate Sloan, [It seems the alien race that attempted to take over the Federation year ago is gaining force. I'm sure you remember the incident on Earth, stardate 41775. That's when, in your reality, Jean Luc Picard stopped the invasion of the Kullinari: that's what we call those damned roaches. Well, over here
Picard has died and wasn't able to save us. A civil war broke out years later when nearly half of the top brass at Starfleet was controlled by these things. Luckily, our crews were able to realize the changes and rebelled. No one ever figured out what had happened, but it didn't matter since we one the war.

[However, the aliens have begun to gain force again. They all but own a ship. It's the *USS Virgo*, located in the Gamma Quadrant on a mission of capture. I believe their mother lives inside of Admiral Stephen Maruu. He's been working on a war hero, Johnathan Valdago, to make him the leader of the people before he puts a roach in him. I'm afraid that if that happens the people may follow blindly into the trap this time.

[I've noticed some interesting aspects of your reality which is why I've chosen it. First, your people defeated the Kullinari before they got too big, second, your Valdago is half-Kirusan. For that reason I want him. Switch him with ours. With a Kirusan for an Admiral, the people will never trust him, and we'll be able to combat the Kullinari after the fall of their plan which has taken them 10 years to manipulate correctly.

[We never beg, but I'm asking you. Help. I'll await you're communication.]

The second screen closed, and the first Sloan continued where the second left off. [This may seem odd to you, but the truth is that I, we, took an oath. An oath to protect the Federation at all costs. Now, in that oath it didn't say *our* Federation. It said *the* Federation. I think this alternate reality counts. That's why we're involved in this whole thing. That's why we sent Valdago over there. That's all for now. Sloan out.]

The screen cleared. Alysa had a lot to consider. But before she could, she heard footsteps, and before she could turn around, she was knocked unconscious.

"Dare's noting I love more dan being da pawn of an alien race," said Valdago as he headed for the library.

Holding the mirror and the PADD with the information, he was basically running to the library when he rounded the corner and saw Jonathan Lataro and a baby waiting for the turbolift. Valdago almost stopped and waited, but decided that time wasn't his option. *I've got to get back to my world so I can stop Stephen and save dat alternate me from my fate. Hell, sounds like I have a conscience again. I'm actually vorried for someone else, even if it is me.*

He walked around the corner and faced his most hated enemy. Lataro saw him and got a look on his face that said, 'Here comes trouble.'

"Hello Jonathan."

"Hello Johnathan."

"Who's dat it your arms?"

"This is my son, T'Lan."

Valdago was astonished. The same man that killed his wife had a baby. *No, dis isn't da same man. Dis is a different man, vith different values. *Actually,* he thought, *Lataro is Maruu's right hand man, maybe da're both Kullinari.*

"That's right," he said, confusing Lataro, "you didn't kill my wife. You're a different man."

"Uh... well," stammered Lataro, "I probably am."

"I'm sorry about da other day. My life is a bit troubling and I took it out on you." He extended his hand for a handshake. "Vill you accept my apology?"

"Any day," Lataro accepted the handshake.

"Now come on, ve have to get to da library."

"Okay, I guess T'Lan will need to go there someday anyway."

The turbolift arrived, and the three got in. The doors closed and they headed to find Garek.
___________________________________________

Inside the library, Garek had discovered the man named Jean Luc Picard. He had also discovered the discrepancy that they were looking for. He vaguely remembered an incident when a Federation salvage team
had come across the remains of the *USS Stargazer*. The ship had been destroyed, including the captain: Jean Luc Picard. However, in this universe, Picard survived the attack. That was the time they were looking for. *Now I just need to know how to connect two realities.*

Admiral Valdago, Lataro, and baby T'Lan walked up to him. Valdago held some sort of mirror.

"I've figured out the time of the separation. I just need to find out how to set up the transporter."

Valdago handed him the mirror and the PADD. "Vill dis help?"

Garek quickly glanced over the PADD's information and soon realized what it was. "Yes, it will. Come on."

Valdago, Garek, Wallace, Franny, Lataro, and T'Lan ran for the transporter room.
___________________________________________

"It's all set up," Garek said. This will transport in exactly two minutes so that it correct. Luckily, the PADD displayed the *exact* time to set it for. Five people will go, five will return."

"But vait," said Valdago. "Dare are only four of us here."

"That's right," Garek remembered, "Chee's dead. If this machine goes off, it will take five people, whoever is closest to the machine!"

Luckily, Maruu was a quick thinker. He ran to the control pad and transported the dead remains of Johnny Chee to the transporter pad. "That should do it."

"Yes," replied Garek.

The room was full, all the senior officers and then some were there.

Lataro spoke up, "It's going to be weird. You're leaving, but coming back at the same time." Baby T'Lan seemed to be squiggling a lot more than usual.

"Vell, I'm sorry if I offended you. Tings are going to change over dare. I tank you all for dat."

Garek began the countdown. "Ten, nine, eight, seven, six..."

Smoke and sparks began to spray from the panel that the mirror was in. Some of the sparks landed on Lataro and began to burn through his uniform. As he jumped away and tried to shake off the flames, he began to lose his grip on T'Lan.

"Five, four..."

Valdago could see that the baby was going to fall.

"Three, two..."

His reflexes kicked in and he jumped to catch the child. As he passed Captain Maruu, Maruu turned to look as he realized what would happen.

"One..."

Valdago dove to the ground and caught the baby in his arms. Then, he realized what would happen and turned to look at whoever it would be.

"Captain!" yelled Wallace.

"Oh sh..." Nori said as the transporter engaged and sent herself, Yosh, Garek, the dead body of Chee, and Captain Maruu back to her universe.

The five were gone but the sparks continued.

The five forms of Dana Maruu, Sandra Yosh, Lieutenant Valdago, Garek Loran, and Major Johnny Chee appeared on the transporter pad.

"EVERYBODY OUT!" Lataro, now in command, again, ordered.

The crew, including five confused people, moved to the exit swiftly. Admiral Valdago ran out first and got the child to safety. K'Lara came over, and the Admiral gave him to her. She cradled him as Lataro ran over, horrified at his own action.

The computer spoke about depressurization as Admiral Valdago leaned against a wall and slowly slid to the floor.

After a few moments the room was safe to enter again and Garek walked in headed for the panel. He opened it and pulled out the machinery. He took them out to the corridor where everyone waited.

"Good news and bad news. The good news is: the mirror is fine. It seems to be undamaged by fire or electrical shock. Bad news: the PADD was." He held up the PADD which was melted beyond recognition.

The crowd turned to look at the Admiral who was sitting on the ground. His hands covered his face. Lieutenant Valdago walked up to him and looked at what he had been.

The Admiral screamed. "VUT HAVE I DONE!"

Title: "The Switch" (Part 8 of 10)
Author: Lieutenant Johnathan Valdago
Stardate: 2460496
Earthdate: June 30, 2383
Location: Alternate USS Virgo

Inside Sickbay Valdago was strapped down to a biobed, waiting to have the Kullinari implanted in him.

"Now, I'd love to stay and watch Lataro put 97401 in you," stated Maruu, "but I have an execution to attend to. Those two poor innocent women. And they would have made such lovely concubines. Too bad. It's for the good of us all. Goodbye. Have a good time having your mind and personality erased."

Maruu left sickbay but his face was replaced with that of Lataro, although Valdago doubted that it was actually him inside.

"I would suggest getting used to the idea of losing your mind, because I'm going to take it soon." *Lataro* laughed. "It looks like it's all over for you, all the hatred and resentment will be gone. Hell, you'll probably love me. I'll be the one that will awaken you from your dormancy, well the Kullinari at least. Your brain will be
inconsequential."

"You know Jon, I've been thinking."

"About what?"

"Well, you and I know that I'm a different person than the one that you wanted to take over. I'm taller and stronger."

"All the better, someone tougher for our side. And like I said, your mind will be gone, it's inconsequential."

"Well, I admit that. But there is one thing you never knew about me."

"What's that?"

"Look into these eyes." Lataro did. "There not normal eyes like yours, or even the other Valdago's."

"No? How's that?"

"These are phasers."

Lataro's eyes widened for just a second, after that, there was no Lataro. Valdago fired a burst of energy that reduced him, and the creature inside him, to ions. Then, more carefully and with less power, he worked to free himself from the straps. Luckily no one else was in sickbay. Valdago walked over to a giant storage facility that
he didn't recognize from the *Virgo*. The door was sealed.

"Computer, give me access to this cabinet."

*Okay, I'll do it the old fashioned way.* Again, using his eyes, he fired a continuous burst of high energy at the cabinet. It got hotter and hotter until it actually was glowing. The ship's environmental controls couldn't keep up and the room began to get hotter.

<Warning, at 340 degrees Kelvin, the Human body will shut down.>

"I'm not Human."

<Warning, the room temperature is 325 degrees Kelvin.>

"Understood." The metal began to melt. Valdago stopped, but the metal was much hotter than the air and continued to heat the room.

<Warning, the room temperature is 330 degrees Kelvin.>

"Yes, I can tell." Valdago entire uniform was dripping with sweat. He ran to the replicator. "Computer, I need a bucket of water."

"One gallon, 274 degrees Kelvin, keep them coming!"

Instantly at bucket of almost freezing water appeared.

<Warning, the room temperature is 340 degrees Kelvin.>

"Blah blah blah! SHUT UP!" He threw the bucket of water on the metal. It practically boiled in the air. Valdago ran to get another bucket that was waiting for him. His brain started to get dizzy, and his vision was blurred with headaches and sweat. He ran to the cabinet and again threw a bucket of water on it. This time the water was able to splash on the metal and it warped. *Almost.*

He ran and got a third bucket, this time when it hit the metal, it cracked. He moved over to a nearby biobed and pushed it into the cabinet.

When the biobed hit the cabinet it all but shattered.

Valdago grabbed a few more buckets of water and threw them onto the cabinet until it stopped steaming. Then he moved the biobed and look inside.

What was inside was a giant cage, inside lay hundred of dead Kullinari. Obviously they couldn't take the hundreds of degrees it must have been *inside* the cabinet if Valdago barely stood up *outside* the cabinet.

Suddenly a viewscreen came on and showed Admiral Maruu. He was going to perform the execution live for the crew.

Valdago ran out of the room and headed for the shuttle bay that was being doubled as and execution hall.
________________________________________

"We have here two enemies of the Federation waiting for their death!"

The crew cheered as the end of their ten-year mission began.

"With these two dead, the Federation will gain control of such major systems as Risa, Betazed, Vulcan, and over half the the old Romulan territories!"

Again the crowd cheered.

"I have here, in my hands, the orders directly for Admiral Jellico himself. 'To Admirals Maruu and Valdago of the starship *Virgo*. I hereby grant you the authority to capture, dead or alive, the rebels Sandra Yosh, and Dana Nori. I also grant you the authority to dispose of them how you see fit.' Well, here's how I see fit!"

Dr. Richardson pushed a cart up to Maruu. Maruu picked up two hyposprays. "In one, a deadly poison that will kill a Human in one hour! In the other, the antidote. Open the doors."

"The doors to the shuttle bay began to open. A force field held in the warmth and environment that the Humans (and other races) on board *Virgo* desperately needed. Outside were two hyposprays, floating in space and also a giant cage made of transparent aluminum. It had five sides and the sixth, which faced the hyposprays, was a force field like the one in the shuttle bay. Inside were Dana and Sandra.

"We injected them with the poison 45 minutes ago. They now have fifteen minutes to live. But, being the fair and just man I am, I've given them a chance. The force field holding the environment in the cage can be deactivated. Also, they can transport to a spot, right here next to me. If the force field is gone, they may die of exposure. If they transport here, they'll die of poisoning. They have to drop the shield, manage not only to get the hypospray, but using only their bodies' natural propulsion (either blowing air out of their mouths or other orifices)..."

The crew laughed.

"...steer themselves back into the cage, and hit the transport button to safety bring them back to the oxygenated atmosphere.

"Now, crew of the *Virgo*, tell me, is that entertainment or what?!"

The crew cheered. Most of the crew in the shuttle bay were controlled by Kullinari, but a few had lost so much of their humanity that they may as well have been. As for the rest of the crew, they knew what was going on was wrong and didn't wish to watch, but they had lost they ability to care.

"Now, without further adieu, let the show commence!" Admiral Maruu walked over to a replica of his command chair and sat down to watch the show.

For the first few minutes nothing really happened. The two doctors were trying to figure out what to do.

Then, oddly, the two hyposprays disappeared. The crew began to murmur to themselves, wondering if it was a trick. Then the two doctors disappeared. Maruu stood up. "What the hell?"

[Hello, people, this is your Admiral speaking.] Everybody recognized the voice of Admiral Valdago; most knew that he was supposed to be a Kullinari by now.

[I'm preparing to dock in Shuttle Bay Two. Please clear for landing.]

All looked around at each other, realizing that they were in Shuttle Bay Two, but none could see any ship. That's when the *Cochrane* suddenly whipped around the top of the *Virgo* and began heading inside the shuttle bay at a speed that could never be stopped by anything but the wall.

The crew began running for the sides of the shuttle bay. Maruu tapped his com badge and was transported away. The *Cochrane* flew into the shuttle bay, taking about half the people in there to the wall. The other half began banging on the shuttle and trying to open the door.

[This is your Admiral speaking. I'm preparing to open the shuttle bay. Please, stick around.]

All the crew began to run for the doors, the ones that made it noticed that they were sealed. Then, the thin field of energy that covered the door disappeared. Most of the dead and all of the living were blown out into space. Some of the crew held to the sides of the door but didn't stay long as the door was then closed, also by Valdago.
________________________________________

Yosh was busy hugging and kissing Valdago as he attempted to get back to the transporter.

"Yes, yes, you're welcome. I'm taking it that the antidote worked?"

"No," said Dana, "it was just another dose of poison, but since I knew what the poison was I was able to use the medkit in the shuttle to get antidote for both of us."

"Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you," Sandra barely let Valdago stand up.

"Chee," he called to the back.

"Yeah?"

"Are you well enough to run the transporter?"

"Sure, were would you like to go?"

"Garek's room. We need to get out of here. Maruu may still have a hold on the Humans and who knows how many Kullinari are still on the ship."

"Excuse me?" said Dana, confused at the discussion.

"I'll tell you, Sandra, and Garek when we get to his room. Energize."

The four of them disappeared from sight.
________________________________________

Garek was in his quarters and had just discovered that the key moment in time was when the *USS Stargazer* was destroyed. But, now he needed for find the rest and adjust the transporter.

Suddenly he heard the hum of the transporter and four forms appeared.

"Speak of the devil..."

"Garek, do you know when we need to set the transporter to?"

"Yes I do. Why did you transport?"

Valdago looked at the others. "Let's just say that there will be a mutiny pretty soon."

The door chime went off.

"Computer seal door. Authorization Valdago Alpha Four Beta! Let's get out of here.

Garek ripped open a panel and rushed everyone inside. Then he entered and closed the panel, just before Maruu and some security entered the room.

"Computer," ordered Maruu, "locate Admiral Valdago."

"Where does that lead?"

"Let's go." The search team ran out of the room.
________________________________________

At the door to the holodeck, the search team had to manually open the doors. Inside was a corridor of the *Virgo*.

"Computer, what is this program?"

"Smart. Computer, end program."

"Very smart. Lan, work on those controls end this program. Computer, locate Admiral Valdago."

"The *Virgo's* Holodeck Ywo, or the Holodeck *Virgo's* Holodeck?"

"Damn it!" He began running for the holodeck, again. The four members of the search team followed, except Sitto Lan who kept working on the controls.

When the team got to the holodeck inside a holodeck, they again had to manually open the doors. Again, inside was a *Virgo* corridor. Maruu and the other three walked inside.

"I'm sick of this game. Arch."

Next to the search teamed appeared a control arch. Maruu picked up is phaser and blasted it. The image of the *Virgo* dissipated and the grid of the holodeck was all that was left.

"Where's Lan? Computer, arch."

Another arch appeared. Maruu shot that as well. Again the world around them dissipated into the grid of the holodeck, but this time Sitto Lan was standing by the door. In the corner Maruu saw five com badges.

"Damn them. Come on." The search team ran out of the holodeck.
________________________________________

Inside a crawlspace, the five crewmembers of the *Virgo* that didn't belong were heading for the transporter room. But, as they passed the intelligence office they overheard a conversation between Alysa Sinclair and Luther Sloan. Luther was explaining that he had received help from the alternate universe and that Valdago was suppose to never gain the support of the crew.

After the communication ended Valdago literally dropped in.

"What the..." Sinclair managed to get out before Valdago stunned her with his eyes. He picked up the mirror and the PADD and got back into the crawlspace.
________________________________________

"We're all ready, this thing will transport in exactly thirty seconds," Garek stated.

"I can't wait to get to my quarters and sleep for a week," noted Yosh.

"Yeah," added Valdago, "I can't wait to get to your quarters and sleep for a week either." Yosh smacked him on the arm and the five had their first real laugh since they beamed into this universe.

A banging began to be heard at the door. They started to pry open, but it was too late, the transport began and Dana Maruu, Sandra Yosh, Garek Loran, Major Chee, and Lt. Valdago were gone. Then Dana Nori, Sandra Yosh, Garek Loran, a dead Chee, and Captain Maruu appeared.

The search teams entered the room, luckily for the five Admiral Maruu was not one of them.

"Admiral?" Sitto Lan said, "you found them. But where's Admiral Valdago?"

Maruu stared at his new surroundings. "Oh boy."

Title: "The Switch" (Part 9 of 10)
Author: Lieutenant Johnathan Valdago
Stardate: 2460496
Earthdate: June 30, 2383
Location: Alternate USS Virgo

Maruu looked at the many security officers that were holding phaser riffles. He figured that his crewmembers barely made it out, but wasn't sure exactly what was going on. What he could know was that most likely his alternate was one of the roaches and that he was still wandering the halls.

"Lan, come over here." Sitto Lan walked over to who he thought was the Admiral. "How many of these officers are with us?" he whispered.

"With *us*?"

"You know, *us*." Maruu tried to get his idea through without giving away too much. Luckily Lan got the hint.

"Well, sir, after you transported out of the shuttle bay, all the rest were either killed by the impact of the *Cochrane* or blown into space by Valdago. Also, he destroyed the entire nest in sickbay. There is only you, me, and a handful of others, none of which are in this room. By the way, what happened to Chee?"

"It's too bad about him, evidently Valdago got to him."

"Well, tell them all to meet me in my quarters in thirty minutes. Be very careful, only mention this once and then never again, not even to me. We can't run this risk."

"Understood."

Maruu spoke in a normal voice again. "I'm taking these three to my quarters. Everyone, fan out and find Valdago. I may be out there with you."

Immediately the room cleared. Garek ran to the access panel and found a fried PADD and mirror. "Sorry, sir, it's worthless. I don't know how we'll get you back."

"Well, lets worry about that later. We need to finish off the last few roaches and my alternate before we can do anything. Transport us directly to my quarters. And send that," he pointed at the deceased Chee, "out in space with the rest of them."

Garek went to the controls and set up the appropriate coordinates. The five beamed away to their separate locations.
_____________________________________________

Inside the Admiral's quarters Maruu, Garek, Nori, and Yosh got to work. Garek was giving the job of getting phasers for them all. It wasn't too hard, Maruu had about twenty in his room.

Stephen looked on the computer to see what had happened in sickbay and how Valdago had destroyed the entire nest. "Computer, playback visual footage from sickbay starting at... say.. twenty hundred hours." The footage began to playback, and Maruu quickly sped through it looking for what he wanted. But, before he got there he found something more interesting.

"Captain!" Garek said. "I've got four phasers."

"Good, set them on a wide band. I've got a plan."
_____________________________________________

Maruu watched as ten men and women stood waiting. Sitto Lan walked in last.

"All right, we're all here. What are we going to do?"

"Well, Kullinari," Maruu had figured out the names of the roaches and the story behind them, "you're going to die." Nori, Yosh, Loran, and Maruu all picked up their phasers and took all the the Kullinari out.

After being stunned, each of the roaches inside the crewmembers crawled out of their host's mouths. One by one they were phasered out of existence.

"Computer, locate Admiral Maruu."

"Computer, close off that section of the ship. Then activate a view screen that he could get access to. Patch me in."

The viewscreen showed an empty room. "Admiral!" yelled Stephen, trying to get his attention. "Oh Admiral!!!"

He heard the noise of a panel being opened. Seconds later Maruu thought he was looking in a mirror.

"Oh, Lord," said the Admiral, "you're here now. What are *you* doing here?"

"Just screwing you over. Computer, open a channel to the entire ship and patch both of us in as well as the footage marked Maruu123."

<Complying. Complete.>

"What are you up to, *Captain*?"

"Crew members of the *USS Virgo*. I am not Admiral Maruu, the other man you see is. But, he isn't really Admiral Maruu either. He is controlled by a race of aliens called the Kullinari. But, don't take my word for it. Computer, playback that footage."

On the screen appeared the scene between Maruu and Valdago when Maruu told Valdago what was going to happen to him.

"Computer, locate Admiral Maruu."

"All right, everyone. Let's finish this alien bastard off!"

Even though the communication was one way, the uproar from the entire crew was loud enough to hear. But, they weren't fast enough. Maruu immediately transported away.

"Computer, locate the Admiral."

Maruu and the rest in the room ran to the bridge. By the time they got there, however, the *LaForge* had cloaked,
_____________________________________________

The entire crew, composed entirely of free minded humanoids, was in Shuttle Bay One. The crew size was fairly low, only 150 left.

Captain Maruu addressed them. Garek Loran stood next to him.

"Fellow Starfleet officers. I am not one of you, but I do follow the rules of the Federation, the old Federation. Do you remember a time when the Federation stood for justice? Do you remember the Prime Directive? Do you remember a Federation that was good?

"I do, and I want that Federation to return. I think we all do. But, much of the Federation is possessed by Kullinari. We need to fight them and finish them off once and for all. We need a new crew, however. I think that we'll be able to recruit some new officers on our trip back to the Alpha Quadrant. There's a lot of work to do, and I'll need help. Help from you and help from our new first officer, Garek Loran."

The group cheered. They finally were getting the leadership they needed and had a mission that meant something to all of them. Freeing the galaxy from the Kullinari.

"So, we've got work to do. Let's go home!"

Maruu and Garek left the podium and headed into the crowd which had now turned into a celebration. As Maruu walked through the crowd he was getting handshakes and compliments. Then, he bumped into a woman.

Dana Nori turned and looked at him.

"Shouldn't you be headed back to Risa or someplace?"

"Well, you were right, you do need help. All of your medical staff have been killed, and I've seen sickbay; it's in shambles."

"So what are you saying?"

"Well, you may need someone who can perform an autopsy some day. You'll never find someone with better connections in the Alpha Quadrant. I mean, I could get you weapons you've never dreamed of."

"Really, and what about Yosh?"

"Look for yourself." She pointed in another direction, and Maruu noticed Yosh dancing with about four other officers. "She seems to like it here."

"That she does. Well, I guess my next order will be to appoint you CMO. But, you'll have to start recruiting nurses and doing some training."

"No problem. So what made you decide to stay?"

"I didn't have too much of a choice, and I did state an oath to protect the Federation, whichever one it may be."

"Well, we're in good hands."

"Now, if you'll excuse, me I'm going to take a nap." Nori laughed as Maruu exited the shuttle bay.

He walked down the corridor and thought about what his new life would be like. Then, he disappeared.

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