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 (2/2)

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)

Part Two

"Nerys!"

"Nerys, wake up!"

"Come on, somebody answer me!"

Someone was yelling.

Kira slowly came to, the world coming more into focus, more alive, and someone was screaming, trying to get her attention.

"I'm very thirsty here!"

A woman's voice, she was sure of it. Wright? She didn't know. Kira blinked, shook her head and sat up. She was near the back of the bridge, crumpled in a corner. And her head was pounding. She slowly rose to her feet and assessed her situation.

The bridge was a mess. She saw Baker first, his head crooked to the right, his body slack in his chair. She ran over to him, checking his pulse. He was dead. She softly touched his forehead as her other hand fiddled with the controls. They seemed to have crash-landed successfully on a nearby moon.

"You did it, kid," Kira said to him.

She then saw Craig, jammed into a corner like he was. She checked him and found that he was also dead.

"Sir..." a weak voice called.

She looked around and saw Wright sitting in her chair, her body lying across her communication board, her face turned toward her commander. Kira could see from where was standing that Wright's back was broken, possibly her neck as well.

"Wright," Kira said and rushed over to her station.

"You're alive, sir," Wright said.

"Yes," Kira said, putting a hand on Wright's head and unconsciously stroking the woman's hair. "So are you."

A smirk creased Wright's lips.

"Not for long," she said.

"Don't say that."

"It's true," Wright said, coughing. As she coughed, she twisted in pain. Probably a few ribs poking into her lungs.

"No," Kira persisted.

"Hey!" a voice called over the intercom. "Hey, I'm talking here!"

It's Ro, Kira thought. Of course. How did she get on the intercom?

"She's been yelling for the past few minutes," Wright managed. "I think. You should check on her."

"Not while you're suffering," Kira said.

"No," Wright said defiantly. "You two have a chance. I'm a lost..."

But there she trailed off. Her eyes fixed on a vacant point in space and didn't move.

"Wright!" Kira shouted. She felt for a pulse and couldn't find one. Franticly, she unbuckled the woman from her chair and, carefully as she could, laid her on the floor on her back. She desperately tried CPR and mouth-to-mouth, but it was useless. She was gone.

Kira pushed her despair and defeat down into her gut, not letting it touch her. She wasn't going to give up, she wasn't going to show her distress. That wouldn't be for the best.

"Are you all dead?" Ro asked on the intercom, her voice now resigned and soft. "Must be."

Kira stood up and proceeded downstairs.

Ro was sitting on the floor of her cell, her back to the wall, looking depressed. She looked as if she were contemplating her apparent future: slowly starving to death in her cell. Kira watched her for a few seconds, then made her presence known. She strode into the holding area. Ro looked up and she couldn't hide the mixed emotions of relief, anxiety and affection. She tried her damnedest, though.

"Took your sweet time, didn't you?" she asked Kira.

The Bajoran Commander wasn't fooled. Ro was happy to see her.

"Is everyone all right?" Ro asked.

Kira shook her head.

"Any of them make it?" Ro persisted.

Another shake of the head. Ro looked away to a point on the ground and said no more. Kira knew she had to turn the conversation in another direction.

"How did you get on the intercom?" she asked.

Ro looked back up.

"Oh," she said. "It wasn't that hard. There's already one in the cell, but it's only supposed to receive transmissions, not send them. I popped it off and got it working in no time."

Kira smiled in spite of herself. The woman really was resourceful. And she needed her help.

"I'll have you out of there in a second," she said.

"So I'm worthy enough now?"

"Don't test me," Kira said seriously.

"Of course not," Ro said, tight-lipped as the other woman began to work on the control panel.

"How far away is it?" Major Teage asked. He was acting commander of Deep Space Nine while Kira was away.

Away.

He insisted on thinking that she wasn't dead, that she had somehow survived the fatal battle light years away, even though the reports indicated that no one had and no ships had checked in. Yet. Some part of him knew that it was highly unlikely, that the chances were one in a million that the Defiant could have survived the attack. But he didn't listen to that part of himself. Kira was a one in a million kind of person.

"At the rate it's traveling," the radar man said now, answering his question, "it will be within firing range in six hours."

"Are there any Federation ships that can reach us in that time?"

"All available ships are on their way, sir."

"Thank you, ensign," Teage said, then to himself, "Come on, Kira. On your feet, soldier."

The first thing Kira and Ro did was carry the bodies of the three dead crew members into the cargo area and covered them with make-shift shrouds. As they did this, Kira filled Ro in on the situation, telling her the whole story.

"What was his name?" Ro asked, a worried expression on her face.

"Rabban," Kira said and carefully pulled a shroud over the last body. It was Wright.

"Damn," Ro said, looking away in thought.

"What?" Kira said, standing up.

"He used to be Maquis," Ro said. "I had heard rumors that he was gunning for Deep Space Nine. Never thought he'd take it this far."

"What does he have against the station?"

"He was caught there. They found him trying to plant a bomb on the station."

Kira vaguely remembered the incident. The guy had seemed strange, more than most Maquis.

"Anyway," Ro continued, "he escaped. Well, my esteemed colleagues broke him out, and he's held a grudge against the Federation in general, and the station in particular, ever since."
"Any idea where he got that...thing?" Kira asked. "That ship?"

"None. Last I heard, he was on a pilgrimage to Wyrn."

"I thought that planet was deserted."

"It is," Ro said.

Kira sighed. "Think we can get this hunk of junk working?" she asked Ro.

Ro shrugged. "Worth a try."

"I hope so," Kira said. "It's only our lives and all the lives of the people on Deep Space Nine that hang in the balance."

"Good to know there's no pressure," Ro said and smirked.

A moment later, they got working.

Buried under a tangle of wires and the hard plastic of the communications station, Ro cursed.

"Damn!" she yelled. A loud spark emanated from her station accompanied by a loud pop. "Damn!" she said again.

Kira poked her head around a corner near the back of the bridge.

"You all right, Lauren?" she asked.

"Yeah," Ro called back warily. This was followed by a series of angry mumbles and grunts. Then a few bangs as Ro struck her tool on the damn thing in frustration.

"Take a break," Kira said.

"I have to get this thing working," Ro nearly screamed. "What is wrong with you?" she shouted at the control panel.

A few more sparks and pops.

"Son of a bitch!" Ro screamed and began to wiggle her way out from under the station. Kira decided that it was time for her break and walked over to the other woman. Ro finally emerged from under the communications station, her face a mask of sweat and frustration. Kira offered her a hand. Taking it, Ro rose to her feet.

"Problems?" Kira asked.

"It's shot!" Ro shouted. "The board is fried! I can't fix it."
"We have to keep trying," Kira said calmly.

"This whole damn ship is dead, I'm amazed that life support is still functioning!"

"It's not that bad."
"How could it possibly be worse?!" Ro turned to Kira, arms raised in question.

"We could be dead," Kira said implacably.

"Right," Ro said, one hand going to her forehead and massaging her temples. Hard. "Right. It's just...I'm so tired and I'm still thirsty. And I'm on edge! How can I work under these--"

Kira approached the woman and, with no hesitation, slapped her. Ro looked at her, shocked.

"Wha...?" she said.

"Get yourself together," Kira said.

"What I need is comfort, a massage maybe, not a slap," Ro said, incredulous.

"I'm sorry," Kira said, stepping closer to the other woman, one hand going to Ro's neck. She began to rub Ro's neck hard.

"That's better," Ro said, eyes closing.

Kira's other hand went to work on the opposite side of Ro's neck. The former Maquis' eyes rolled open again.

"You're wearing my earpiece," she said.

"What?" Kira asked.

"Your Bajoran earpiece," Ro insisted. "That's the one I left for you."

Kira touched her earpiece and looked away, embarrassed.

"Oh," she said, no longer massaging Ro's neck, "yeah. I wear this one whenever I'm not wearing one of my two others."

Ro nodded. She took a step towards Kira and before the commander knew it, Ro had her face in her hands. The kiss was tentative, questioning, but full of passion and excitement. It was also long. Kira was surprised, but not put off. The exploratory kiss broke after a few minutes.

"I've wanted to do that for so long," Ro said.

Kira said nothing.

"I love you," Ro said, then immediately went crimson. She backed away from Kira and turned away from her. She spoke into the floor.

"You probably find me repulsive," she said. "Besides, you're not that way."

Kira closed the distance between them and this time, it was she that took the other's face in her hands.

"What way?" she asked and they kissed again. This time less tentative, more passionate.

"This is about us," Kira said after the kiss had ended. "Not anyone's perception of us. I think I love you too, Lauren."

Ro looked up into the woman's eyes.

"I've never really been attracted to other women," Kira said. "Well, not really. But there's something about you and I think maybe it's love."

"I felt it the first time I saw you," Ro said.

"Me too," Kira said, not thinking.

"Really?" Ro said, amazed. "I thought you despised me."

"Well, I did despise you. At first. But there was something else under that, something more powerful. A connection, maybe."

Ro began to unbutton the Commander's uniform.

"A connection, yeah," she said, slipping the top of Kira's uniform off her shoulders.

"I think we just need to cool off," Kira said. "We need to relax a bit. Is it hot in here? We should think things ov--"

Ro tentatively took ahold of the Commander's breasts.

"Oh," Kira muttered, closing her eyes. Ro, encouraged by the other woman's response, slipped her hands under the cups of Kira's bra, wanting to touch them without the nuisance of clothing. Both women fell to their knees, fumbling each other out of their clothes, touching, feeling. Kira collapsed onto her back as Ro straddled her, thrusting into her with her hand. After a few moments of this, Ro's other hand made it's way to Kira's face, touching it, as if the former Maquis were blind and wanted to create a mental picture of her lover. Kira kissed and licked Ro's palm, relishing the taste of her, the taste of sweat and passion.

Kira sat up, now pushing Ro onto her back and administering to her needs. Ro was more vocal than Kira, the bridge filling with the sounds of her pleasure. Kira was inside her, nearly her whole hand breaking through. Ro had never felt anything so intimate, so right. It was that something, that proverbial it that she had been waiting for her whole life.

Now Ro was sitting and the two woman made love to each other with such force, such feeling, that the mighty ship seemed to rock. Maybe it did. They were kissing, connecting as they climaxed, screaming into each other's mouths, which weren't powerful enough gags to dull that sound from deep within them. They were one at that moment, the same person.

They held each other, simply comforted one another, for a while after the act. Ro's head was in Kira's lap when Kira said, "Psychic ships."

"What?" Ro asked, her eyes opening, rudely awakened from sweet thoughts.

"Aren't there legends about Wyrn?" Kira said, starting to stand. Ro sat up, upset to be out of her lover's warm lap. "Legends about psychic ships?"

"I don't know," Ro said, still not thinking straight, still not fully recovered from the celestial event which had so recently transpired.

"Yeah," Kira continued, "I'm sure of it. Psychic ships. Indestructible ships. Made out of the earth."

Ro just shook her head. She still didn't know.

"I'll check the computer," Kira said. "You get working on the ship."

Ro nodded. She didn't like being pulled out of lovely feeling of existing in her lover's embrace, but she admired Kira for the way she thought, her actions. Here was Kira the Commander. She was resourceful and had a hell of a memory. Ro smiled and got to work.

"We stand ready to assist you," Captain Grainer said.

"Thank you, Captain," Major Teage said.

The captain signed off, the viewscreen going blank.

"Thirty ships," he said, more to himself than Ezri Dax, the station's counselor, who was standing near him. Nonetheless, she heard him.

"Not enough?" she asked.

"Who knows," Teage said. "That thing destroyed almost that many not too long ago."

"Do you think Kira's dead?"

"No," Teage said instantly. "Do you?"

"No." Her response was just as emphatic and final as his. "I know she's still out there."

"How?" Teage asked.

"I just do," Ezri said, a small smile bisecting her face.

"It checks out," Kira said, approaching Ro. "The stories say that Wyrn was devastated do to a force that existed in the planet itself. It's said in some legends that the planet itself is living, that it's evil and feeds off negative emotions. The force would align itself with someone who was obsessed with revenge and soon, unstoppable weapons were created. All the inhabitants were either killed or left. So the legend goes."

"So," Ro said, "assuming that the legends are true, Rabban went there and, what, the planet created this ship, this weapon, for him to destroy DS9?"

"Right," Kira said.

"Right. What's the ship made out of then?"

"Well," Kira said, thinking, "rock, maybe?"
"But our phasers and torpedoes don't affect the ship."
"Right," Kira said, thinking. "We'll think of something. We better get this baby working and get to DS9 as soon as possible. How's our communications?"

"I could only get short-range to work."

"Damn," Kira said. "We can't get a hold of the station."

"Figures," Ro said.

"Let's get to work on the propulsion drive."

"Right."

Rabban could feel it in the back of his mind.

It was his helper.

It had created this marvelous weapon for his use.

It was his best friend.

It wanted him to succeed in his revenge.

It was hungry.

Although he would never admit it to himself, he was a little scared. It was getting more demanding. But, fear was a part of everything. Fear was good. This was what he told himself. He did want revenge on Deep Space Nine, didn't he?

Yes, of course he did.

So, why was he worried?

Best not to think about such things. Best just to let things take their course. He would have his revenge, no matter what the cost.

Ro and Kira waited anxiously, sweat dripping off their foreheads. Ro sat at the main controls, Kira standing behind her, one hand on the former Maquis' shoulder.

"Come on," the Commander muttered under her breath.

"That's it, baby," Ro said, touching a few buttons.

They were awarded with a loud humming sound as the ship powered up. Kira now had both hands on Ro and kissed her cheek. The former Maquis smiled and leaned back in her chair. Kira walked over to her command chair and sat down.

"Best speed to Deep Space Nine," she said.

"Yes, sir," Ro said.

The ship jerked to life, rocking them slightly, and sped off it's lunar station into space.

"Sir," the radar man said to Major Teage.

"Yes?" he answered.

"The Necrosis will be in range in one hour."

"God save us," Teage said.

Behind him, Ezri hung her head. Maybe Kira really was dead.

The Defiant came upon the Necrosis in just under an hour. At first, they saw nothing, although they knew the massive ship was there, having detected it on their radar. Then, behind the glare of a star, there it was. That gargantuan, stone monster floating in space.

"By the prophets," Ro said, having never uttered those words in years, "it's huge."

"Maybe it's made out of extremely dense rock," Kira said, an epiphany coming to her. "Magma, perhaps."

"That fits. Our weapons aren't designed to destroy planets. What's used these days to break up dense rock?"

Kira thought for a moment.

"Sound," she said.

"Sound?" Ro asked.

"Yes. Sonic blasts. If we could alert one of our torpedoes to deliver a sonic blast, we could break up the ship."

"It's a long shot," Ro said.

"At least it's a shot," Kira said.

"Got a point."

"Can you keep him busy?"
"I can try," Ro said, shaking her head.

"Do it," Kira said, getting out of her chair. "I'll go modify a torpedo."
"Right."

Kira exited the bridge. Ro thought for a moment, then hailed the Necrosis. After a moment, Rabban's image appeared on screen.

"Ro," he said. "I should have expected that you, of all people, would get in my way."

"Oh," Ro said, "I'm good for all kinds of things."

Rabban's hideous visage smiled sardonically.

"Ready to die?" he asked. "Ready to die like the coward you are?"

"You first."

Several pieces broke off of Necrosis and made their swift way to the small, mighty ship. Ro banked the ship right, dodging the first shard. Piloting Maquis ships in extremely dangerous and illegal situations over the past few years had sharpened her reflexes and she would need them all in the ensuing battle.

"Look," Ezri said, pointing at the radar screen.

"What?" Teage said.

Ezri just smiled.

"It's the Defiant, sir," the radar man said, unable to contain his joy. "She's fighting Necrosis."

"I knew it," Teage said, exuberant. "Hang in there, Kira. Fend him off."

Ezri just couldn't get rid of her smile.

Ro swerved the ship left now, just barely missing a rather large, deadly piece. She looked out the viewscreen and could now see Deep Space Nine, looming steadily larger on the horizon. About thirty ships stood by, waiting to assist. She opened a channel to them and told them not to approach the battle. They would just get themselves killed. Then, she hailed the torpedo bay.

"Better move faster, Nerys," she screamed. "We don't have much time!"

"On it," came back Kira's voice over the intercom.

Rabban hailed Ro. She just put on his voice, not wanting to smear the viewscreen with his horrendous image.

"Still fighting, Ro?" he asked, contempt filling his voice.

"You know me," Ro said, still rocking the ship right and left, dodging shards of rock. "Cowards are always running."

"I should be destroying that damned station," Rabban said. "But this is just too much fun."

"Glad to be of service."

Ro banked around a massive meteorite and was rewarded with the dark, looming shadow of Necrosis just on the other side. She raced towards the ship's dark, rock skin, trying to slow her powerful ship down. She didn't know if she could avoid ramming into the thing.

"Looks like it's over," Rabban said over the comm. "Goodbye, Ro. It's been amusing."

"My god," Teage said. "They're not going to make it,"

"Come on, Kira," Ezri said, sweat pouring down her face, her hands tightly gripped on a control board.

"It's ready," Kira's voice screamed over the comm. "Fire!"

Ro grinned and pressed the torpedo trigger. The missile came flying out of the Defiant and sped to the monstrosity directly ahead of it. Ro was nearly deaf at this point, the torpedo was emitting a devastating noise and Ro turned off the comm, realizing that the sound was coming over Rabban's channel. The missile was already doing it's work.

Rabban stood up in his command chair, covering his ears. What is that? he thought. That isn't a regular torpedo.

He looked on, the light of comprehension in his one living eye. And then the torpedo smashed into his hull. It crashed into the skin of the ship, not bouncing off it. That was when the ship started to come apart.

Kira bounded onto the bridge, just in time to see Necrosis come apart. The shards of rock fell off the main body like dead skin, flaking away. The pieces drifted into space, not returning to the main body. Soon, the massive ship was no bigger than an average medium-sized ship. Soon after that, all the rock was gone, revealing a normal Maquis attack ship.

"No!!" Rabban screamed. "No!! This is not happening! This can not be happening!!"

He slammed his fists onto the control board in frustration and anguish.

"Fire," Kira said calmly.

Ro sent off three more torpedoes; regular ones, this time. They hit the Maquis ship's hull and a spectacular explosion destroyed it. And with it, it's mad captain, Rabban.

Everyone on Deep Space Nine, as well as Ro and Kira, were cheering. Ezri slowly nodded her head, a small smile on her lips. She knew Kira would come through.

"Are you sure you won't stay?" Kira asked. "The Federation has given you immunity on all your crimes for your part in stopping this attack."

Ro smiled, tightening her knapsack around her shoulders. The two were standing in the hall outside Kira's quarters.

"I have to get my head together," Ro said.

"Of course," Kira said. "Will you be back?"

"I don't know."

"Then kiss me," Kira said.

Ro followed orders, giving her lover the best, most passionate kiss she had ever delivered.

"No regrets," Ro said after the kiss was over, turned and walked away.

No regrets, Kira thought. Was that a statement or a question?

She didn't know, so she went into her quarters, sitting on her bed. She tried not to cry, but couldn't do it. What was wrong with her? She was supposed to be strong, unbreakable. So, why was she crying?

Ro Lauren, of all people, had broken down that wall that she had put up between herself and everyone else after Sisko had disappeared. After Worf had left. After Miles had departed. After Craig, Baker and Wright had been killed.

After Odo had left her.

Tears streamed down her cheeks.

"Please don't go, Lauren," she said, although she knew that the former Maquis couldn't hear her, she was already gone down the hallway and the commander was in her room. "Don't go."

That little electronic doorbell sounded then. Kira sighed and grabbed a handful of sheets from her bed, wiping her eyes.

"Enter," she said.

The door opened and there stood Ro Lauren. Kira was on her feet halfway to the door before Ro could even enter. A second later, she was in her lover's arms. The two kissed and paid great attention to each other's bodies. They were one again. After a few minutes, they stopped, looking into each other's eyes.

"I changed my mind," Ro said. "My head's never gonna get to together. Not fully, that is."

Kira smiled and slowly led Ro to her bed, to their bed, where they spent the rest of the day.

" 'You know what the difference is between you and me, Violet?'

'No.'

'Me, neither.' "

--Corky (Gina Gershon) and Violet (Jennifer Tilly), Bound

Epilogue

The shards of deadly rock were now grouped once again. Not solidified, like they had been around the Maquis ship, but in formation, much like a flock of birds. They drifted through space, heading steadily and slowly to their home, to Wryn, where they would wait. Where they would wait for another lost soul, another outlet for their undying hate and destruction.

And if they happened to find one on the way...

Well, that wouldn't be so bad.

In fact, that would be quite good.

That would be just fine.

The End

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