Title: The Defiant Ones

Author: Hansome Alvin (hansomealvin@my-deja.com or hansomealvin@yahoo.com)

Series: Star Trek: Next Generation/Deep Space Nine crossover

Code: Kira/Ro Lauren

Rating: NC-17 for graphic sex and some sci-fi violence

Parts: 2 (1/2)

Disclaimers: Characters from Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine are property of Viacom/Paramount Pictures, Inc. No ownership is implied by the use of them in this context, nor do I gain any profit from their use. If graphic sex between women offends you, if this is illegal where you live or if you’re under eighteen, do not read this story.

Summary: Drifting through space is the most fearsome weapon ever unleashed upon the galaxy. Piloted by an insane, violent, powerful enemy, the weapon is heading straight for DS9. As the station's crew scramble to defend themselves, Commander Kira is off dealing with another problem: her old friend (and adversary) Ro Lauren. Can Kira and Ro get back to DS9 before it's a smoldering pile of rubble? Note: although it is not necessary to have read the DS9 novel "Wrath of the Prophets" (by Peter David, Michael Jan Friedman and Robert Greenberger) to enjoy, and follow, this story, I am assuming the events of that novel did take place for the purposes of this story. Basically, it describes the first meeting of Kira and Ro.

Genre: Slash/Sci-Fi/Space Opera

Spoilers: TNG-- "Preemptive Strike" DS9-- "What You Leave Behind"

Archive: FFF, ASCEM, my website: http://www.oocities.org/hansomealvin/ThinkMeWicked.html

Note: Part of the Femme Fuh-Q Fest – http://www.oocities.org/femme_fuhq_fest/

The Defiant Ones

by Hansome Alvin (hansomealvin@my-deja.com or hansomealvin@yahoo.com)

"Kira's full weight was now being supported by the Maquis. For a fleeting second, her eyes met Ro's, and she saw the determination there. Her companion wasn't going to let her go--not for anything. Not even if the two of them tumbled to their deaths."

--Peter David, Michael Jan Friedman and Robert Greenberger, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine "Wrath of the Prophets"

Prologue

The Thing moved through the vast expanse of space at a steady, slow speed. It didn't seem to be in any sort of hurry. It was a ship, a massive, dark, organic machine that lumbered through the stars. If one were inclined to set it down in the middle of Paris, it would have resembled a Gothic cathedral, albeit one built by a madman. It was all angles and nightmares, shadows and arches.

The Thing emitted a loud, gruff, churning sound, the sound a large factory might have made. It was impossible to tell what it's intentions were, of course, but trouble would have been a good bet.

The USS Ascent picked up The Thing on it's radar long before it could be seen on the viewscreen.

"What in God's name is it?" Captain Halson asked to no one in particular as the Thing came within viewing range.

"The computer doesn't any information on it, sir," the science officer said. "But I detect no weapons or shields are down."

"Hail them," Halson said. "Open a channel."

"Go ahead, sir," the communications officer said.

"This is Captain Halson, of the USS Ascent. Please identify yourself. You are entering Federation space."

For a moment, Halson was sure that he wasn't going to get any response, but the viewscreen came alive and a bald man, older, with the physical characteristics of a Bajoran appeared. The left side of his face was dominated by a long scar, which bisected his eye. The eye was completely white, obviously dead. The right was a deep, piercing blue. This eye regarded Halson and gave away no signs of emotion. A perfect poker face.

"This is Rabban," the Bajoran said, "of the Necrosis. And I am well aware that I am entering Federation space."

"Captain Rabban," Halson began.

"Rabban will do just fine," the Bajoran interrupted.

"What is your business with the Federation?" Halson asked.

"I mean to destroy one of it's bases."
"What?"

"Don't insult my intelligence, Captain. I know you heard what I said."
"Don't you think that will be hard to accomplish with no weapons?"

Rabban smirked, amused.

"Necrosis is a weapon, Captain," he said. "I need no others. Would you like to see a demonstration?"

"No, that's--" Halson began as Rabban disappeared from the viewscreen.

"Captain," the science officer shouted, "incoming!"

"Raise shields!" Halson screamed.

It was too late. A piece of Necrosis broke away from the rest and went flying for the Ascent. The piece was somewhat cylindrical, large and sharp on all sides. It smashed into the Federation ship, shearing away a section of it.

Halson lost his balance and braced himself against his chair so he wouldn't fall. Several other crew members weren't so lucky, they went flying across the bridge.

"Damage report," Halson demanded.

"Sections 27 to 40 of Decks 3, 4 and 5 are gone, sir!" the science officer reported, amazed.

The deadly section of the Necrosis circled around the Federation ship and returned to it's body, re-attaching itself.

"Photon torpedoes, now!" Halson said.

Three torpedoes made their way from the Ascent to Necrosis. They hit their marks...and ricocheted off the massive ship's hull.

"That's impossible," Halson said. "Are their shields up?"

"No, sir," the science officer said, perplexed.

"Get us out of here!" Halson shouted.

At that moment, over a dozen deadly sections of Necrosis broke off and came speeding towards the Federation ship.

"Evasive action!" Halson managed just as the ship was hit by the first section.

In less than two seconds, Ascent was torn into innumerable pieces. After the destruction, Necrosis moved steadily forward, collecting it's deadly weapons and, with a deliberate, mechanical intensity, eating Ascent's remains. The massive ship seemed to chew on the Federation ship's pieces, devouring them. Soon, nothing remained of Ascent and the Gothic monstrosity that was Necrosis moved steadily toward it's destination.

Which was, of course, Deep Space Nine.

Part One

It was too empty on Deep Space Nine, Kira reflected. The place seemed almost devoid of it's crew. This was an exaggeration, of course, but sometimes it felt true. Kira was on her break, sitting at a table in Quark's. And just as Kira was about to become depressed, Ezri joined her at her table.

"This seat taken?" the Trill asked.

"Only by you," Kira said, inviting her friend to sit.

Ezri sat and looked at her friend.

"What's the matter?" she asked.

God, she was quick, Kira thought. Although it probably wasn't too hard to tell that something was wrong just by looking at the Commander.

"Nothing," Kira began, then thought better of it. "Well, it's just...so empty."

Ezri looked around.

"I see some folks," she said, smiling.

Kira knew that her friend was trying to cheer her up, but it wasn't helping.

"You know what I mean," she said.

"Yeah, I do," Ezri said. "Miss Odo?"
"Yes, and Miles and Worf and Benjamin."

"I know the feeling," Quark interrupted, approaching their table.

"Don't patronize me, Quark," Kira said.

"No, really," Quark insisted, taking a seat with the two women. "I miss Rom and..."

"Odo?" Ezri offered.

"I wasn't going to say that."

"Sure you weren't," Ezri said.

"I mean," Kira continued, now with the added company of Quark, "there hasn't even been any action around here lately. If there were, then maybe that would break up the feeling of emptiness around here."

"Don't say that," Quark warned. "You're gonna ruin it."

"What?" Kira asked.

"You're right," Quark said, "ever since the Dominion war ended, not much has happened. And that's a good thing."

"Maybe you're right," Kira said. There was silence for a moment, then Kira looked at Quark once again. "Don't you have customers waiting?"

"Thank you for putting my mind to rights," Quark said, standing up. "I'm glad we talked."

And then he left.

"How are things with Julian and you?" Kira asked, hoping to change the subject.

"All right," Ezri said.

"You seem a little unsure."

"It's just..."

"Just what?"

"I don't know."

"Come on," Kira prodded, "you can tell me."

"Okay," Ezri said. "I think he's in love with Jadzia and not me."

"That is a problem."

"Yeah. Sometimes, he still orders a Ractagino for me even though he knows that I hate the stuff. Jadzia liked it, not me. Maybe I'm overreacting. It may be positive, really. That means he loves Dax, the internal part of me. But..."

"Dax is not the only part of you," Kira said.

"Right. I'm Ezri. And although I have Jadzia's memories, her feelings, I'm not her. I'm my own person. Julian loves a dead woman."

Kira could see that this really upset her friend. Ezri's gaze drifted away from the table and concentrated somewhere on the ground.

"I'm sorry I brought it up," Kira said.

"No," Ezri said, returning her attention to her friend. "I needed to talk about it. Thank you."

"Glad to be of service," Kira said with a smile. "Unfortunately, I have to get back to running a space station."

"Curses," Ezri said, smiling as well.

"Two days!" Ro Lauren nearly shouted.

"These things take time," Hummel said.

"What a coincidence," Ro said, "the very thing I don't have."

"I know you're upset," Hummel said, putting up his hands as if saying, "Don't hurt me!"

"Really?" Ro asked. "What was your tip-off, the fact that I said I needed a transport within twelve hours and now you're telling me I can't get my hands on one for two days?"

"I can't do it. I can't do it, Ro."

"Then I'll just have to steal one."

"What?!" Hummel asked, looking around. The Ferengi's large ears also perked up. Every little bit helped, it seemed. There was no one else in the cargo area, of course, they'd made sure of that. "I thought we had a deal."

"We did," Ro said, "and I'm breaking it."

"You can't do that."
"Watch me," Ro said, turning and starting to walk off.

"Wait!" Hummel shouted. Ro stopped and looked back at him.

"What?" she asked, running out of patience.

"I can get one for ya in thirty-six hours," Hummel said.

"Oh, I get it. First, you say two days, now it's thirty-six hours. Give me a break. Besides, I have be out of here in under twelve hours."

"Why?" Hummel demanded. "Tell me that."

"Hummel," Ro said, walking up to him until their noses were nearly touching, Ro ducking her head to do so, "we're on Deep Space Nine, a major Federation outpost. There are people here who know me. I have to leave. Now, I agreed to come here to meet you, because I heard that you were the man to talk to about getting a good transport. I'm sorry I wasted your, and my, time."

"All right," Hummel said, "all right. Twelve hours, Docking Bay Five. I'll figure something out."

"You better," Ro said, turning and leaving. She pulled a dark cloth hood over her head as she left the cargo bay and entered the hallways of Deep Space Nine.

Ro walked toward the docking bay at the twelve hour mark, nothing on her person except her clothes. Ro had learned to travel light. She ran into Hummel right outside the docking bay.

"What are you doing out here?" Ro asked, alarm bells starting to go off in her head.

"What do you mean?" Hummel returned.

"I mean," Ro said, her voice hostile, "what are you doing out here in the hallway and not inside with the transport? What if someone stumbles across it?"
"No problem there. I've got it all arranged."

"No," Ro shook her head. "No, something's up.

"What?!" Hummel looked at her as if she were crazy. "You think I got something planned? What do you take me for?"
"I take you for a back-stabbing little weasel," Ro told him. "And I know when to walk away from a bad situation. Goodbye."

She turned, meaning to get out of there and find some other way off the station. That was when she felt the blaster press against her back.

"Huh, uh, sweetheart," Hummel said in her ear. "You ain't goin' nowhere. Now open the docking bay door."

Ro put her hands up and turned back.

I'm dead, she thought. There's three or four other guys waiting for me in the docking bay and they're going to vaporize me. Why?! For what?!

She opened the door and Hummel shoved her inside. Preparing for death, Ro held her head high, wanting to show her killers that she was going to take it like a fighter, like a Klingon, perhaps, with honor. She was understandably surprised when she saw at least a half-dozen Federation security officers, led by Kira Nerys.

"Nerys," she said.

"Keep your mouth shut, Ro," Kira said to her. Then, to the officers, "Take her in."

The security officers took Ro by her arms and clasped a pair of sonic handcuffs on her wrists. They walked her out the door.

"Don't mess with a Ferengi, Ro," Hummel said as the guards paraded her down the hallway.

"I won't forget this, Hummel," Ro said. "You hear me, you little weasel? I know you do!"

"I said keep you mouth shut, Ro," Kira said. She was walking beside her fellow Bajoran. The walk towards the Detention Center seemed very long.

"This is ridiculous, Nerys," Ro said an hour later, sitting in her cell. Kira was sitting on the ground outside the cell.

"Don't give me that, Lauren," Kira said.

"The Marquis don't even really exist anymore," Ro tried.

"That doesn't excuse your crimes."

"Then how about friendship, Nerys? How about that? I thought we at least respected one another."

"I do respect you," Kira said, suddenly looking at Ro very intently. "You know I do."

"Yes," Ro said, falling to her knees to look at Kira on her level, "I do. Then what is this about?"

"I couldn't ignore the offer."

"Hummel's offer?" Ro's voice was full of contempt.

"Yes. Starfleet has very clear regulations about Maquis members. We are to arrest them on sight and follow up any evidence that might lead to their capture."

"That's nonsense! There is no Maquis! We're scattered across the galaxy, wandering by our lonesome. We're harmless."

"I know that, Lauren. But I can't break the law."

"I helped you," Ro said, her voice suddenly becoming quiet and reflective. "I helped our people. When they were inflected with that disease, the 'Wrath of the Prophets'. I was there for you. Now, be there for me."

Kira got up, not looking at the Maquis. Ro stayed on her knees. If not for the forcefield between the two women, she would have looked like she were asking for Kira's hand in marriage.

"I can't do it, Lauren," Kira said, still not looking at her friend. "We'll be transferring you to Camp Kitamer for trial in the morning. I'll take you there personally."

Ro finally looked away as Kira walked out of the Detention Center.

The Defiant was coasting along at warp two, Kira in command, Ro carefully locked away in the ship's holding facility, when the distress call came in.

"Commander," Ensign Wright, a young human woman said, "the Phoenix is hailing us. It's a may-day."

"Put it on screen," Kira said.

Captain Green, a middle-aged human, appeared on the viewscreen. Chaos reigned behind him. Sparks and small fires we raging on the bridge.

"Commander Kira," He said.

"Go ahead, Captain," Kira said.

"A ship, at least I think it's a ship, is attacking us. We can't seem to damage it! Nothing works!"

"We'll be right there, Captain," Kira said.

"No!" the captain shouted, putting up one hand. "It's too late for us. Commander, it's heading for Deep Space Nine. It means to destroy it. Get as many Federation vessels as you can and stop it."

"But, Captain--" Kira began.

"Just do it, Kira," the captain said. "Our life support--"

A loud crunching noise cruised over the airwaves and the screen was filled with static.

"Captain?!" Kira demanded. "Come in, Captain."

"Commander," Ensign Wright said.

"What?"

"The Phoenix is gone, sir."

"Gone?"

"It's gone. I'm not picking it up on the radar."

"Not even any debris?"

"No, sir. But I'm picking up a large ship heading this way."

"How large?" Kira asked.

"Large, sir," Wright said.

"We better contact as many ships as we can," Kira said after a moment.

"Yes, sir," Wright said, getting to it.

Twenty-seven ships amassed just outside a planet about a hundred light years from Deep Space Nine. The Defiant was resting just behind the Galaxy class ship Encounter. The planet's moon was large and awesome from DS9's flagship.

"Thank the Prophets the Thing moves as slow as it does," Kira said.

Wright smiled despite the obvious stress she was under. Since this flight started out as just a simple prisoner transfer, Defiant was operating under a skeleton crew. There was Kira, Ensign Wright, Luitenent Craig, Human, and Ensign Baker, Bajoran, not counting Ro, of course.

"Sir," Wright said from the communications area, "The ship is almost here. It'll be upon us in one and a half minutes."

"Thank you, Ensign," Kira said. "Ready yourself, everyone."

Ensign Baker was piloting and a look of confusion and distress came over his face. He was green, just like Wright, never having faced combat. The fact that Kira and, to a lesser extent, Craig had been in many battles was a little comfort, at least.

"The ship is in range, sir," Wright said.

"Put it onscreen," Kira said.

The Gothic monstrosity loomed large, dwarfing the screen by seer force of it's presence. It inhabited the depths of space like it had always existed, that it had always been one with the stars and, for all Kira knew, it had.

"My God," Baker proclaimed, eyes wide, "it's massive."

"Keep your focus," Kira said, but she couldn't hide the awe in own voice. It was massive.

Wright, monitoring communications between the ships, picked up many comments transmitted from ship to ship.

"Look at the size of it," one comm officer offered.

"It's gotta be at least fifty kilometers wide," another said. "God knows how tall!"

And similar chatter.

Captain Seylos, the respected female captain of the Encounter, was the one to deliver the message.

"Unidentified vessel," she said over all lines of communication, "desist any further advance towards Deep Space Nine. Any further action will be considered an act of war."

For a moment, no one thought the Thing was going to answer, then, all at once, a man, a Bajoran with a hideous scar and a horrid smile on his face, appeared on all the Federation ships' viewscreens.

"I am Rabban, of the Necrosis," he said. "And I will do no such thing. I mean to destroy that station. And you and your ridiculous fleet cannot stop me."

"It's twenty-seven to one, Rabban," Seylos answered, all confidence and strength. "You don't have a chance."

"Believe what you want," Rabban said. "If you continue to block my route, I will crush you into oblivion."

Crush, Kira thought. Not 'blow' or 'blast'. Crush. That's odd.

"We will not move," Seylos said flatly.

"Very well," Rabban said and disappeared from the viewscreen.

"Prepare for battle," Seylos said to the fleet.

"Brace yourself," Kira told her crew.

Sweat was pouring down Baker's forehead and Wright unconsciously began to crack the knuckles of one hand, the noise loud and stark in the bridge. Kira remained seated, not wanting to alarm her crew by standing.

"Ready weapons," she said.

"Yes, sir," Ensign Craig said, powering up the phasers and photon torpedoes.

Necrosis moved steadily forward, intent on keeping it's course. The small Federation ship Grant was the first to fire upon the Thing as it moved forward. Two photon torpedoes blasted from the ship and made their way swiftly to Necrosis. The fleet as a collective body made an almost audible gasp as the torpedoes hit the Thing and ricocheted off the hull, if that was the word for the monstrosity's thick, almost living skin.

"How can that be?" Baker asked no one in particular, complete and utter shock in his voice. "That can't be."

"Do you read any shields on that thing?" Kira asked Craig.

"No, sir," Craig said miserably.

That was when they were cursed with the awesome, terrible sight of the Necrosis in attack mode.

It seemed to almost fall apart. Large, murderous pieces broke away from the main body and went flying into the fleet. Grant, in the front of the group, was obliterated, having been smashed into at least five pieces by one of the shards, for lack of a better word. Three other Federation ships bit the dust seconds later.

"Break formation," Kira shouted. Now she was standing, spine straight, feeling the hairs on the back of her neck standing up.

Baker banked the Defiant right, Kira falling back into her chair as he did so.

"Commander," Wright said, pointing at the viewscreen.

Kira looked up in time to see the Encounter, desperately firing photons and phasers to no effect. Two shards of the Thing crisscrossed into the massive Galaxy class ship. It broke apart, it's sections flying in all four directions. Kira saw this and knew, absolutely knew, they were going to be hit.

"Brace for impact," she screamed.

A large section that had been part of Encounter smashed into the Defiant. Instantly, Kira was sent flying out of her chair and propelled backwards, where she rammed into a wall and landed on the floor, unconscious.

"Commander!" Wright said and turned in her chair. The communications board she was manning sent a large, spectacular shower of sparks into the air. Wright was peppered with small burns and involuntarily yelped, shielding her face. Baker was desperately trying to keep the mighty ship under his control. They were spinning, swirling away from the combat. Or perhaps slaughter was a better word for it.

"We're gonna hit that moon," Wright shouted, pointing.

Baker could see the moon and was trying with all his might to avoid it. They were still spinning and Craig's safety restraint broke suddenly. He had a split second to assess his situation before her was hurled out of his chair. He smashed into Wright, twisting her neck and back into lunatic angles and sending her crashing into her station. She didn't even have time to scream. Craig hit the wall after running into Wright and was flung away from it like a ragdoll, finally coming to a stop in a corner.

Baker had decided that he couldn't avoid the moon, it was looming large on the viewscreen, so he made up his mind to crash land the small, powerful ship. The first jolt that accompanied the ship's collision with the planetary satellite was devastating and almost rocked Baker out of his chair. He managed to stay at his station, if not in complete control. The ship was skipping across the surface of the lunar surface like a rock thrown across a lake.

"Come on," Baker said. "Come on, baby."

When the ship started to skip more and at faster intervals, he knew that it would remain intact. They were going to come to a stop.

"Yes!" he screamed. "All right, you bitch!"

The ship was rocked by a final, awesome jolt and Baker's head snapped back, a loud crack audible as his neck broke.

The ship skipped once, twice, three times and finally came to a halt on the surface of the dead, barren moon. Baker's body slumped forward, a small, satisfied smile still on his lips. Life support held defiantly as many of the ship's other systems began to shut down.

They were dead in space.

Necrosis, victorious, slowly ate the remains of the Federation fleet. That finished, it regained it's course, and it's destination.

Deep Space Nine was doomed.

To Be Concluded...

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