Chapter One - The Reflecting Pool

Seven opened her eyes.  The crash had been very sudden and with no explainable cause.  There was no way to tell how long she had been out or if anyone else was even alive.  Taking a deep breath she steeled herself and sat up, wincing at the pain in her shoulder.  Blood stained her clothing there she noticed, from a large cut.  Wiping some of the blood away, she winced.  She surveyed the fallen shuttle.  Tuvok lay unconscious nearby, Paris stirring beside him.  "Are you damaged?" she asked, grabbing a tricorder and crouching near
him.

He opened his eyes and looked around.  "I don't think so," he said, pulling himself up.  Are you okay?"  He looked down.  "Here," he said, taking the tricorder and running it over Tuvok.

"I have a large gash on my shoulder," she said.  "Otherwise I am functional.  How is he?"

Tom took a breath.  "He's badly hurt.  We need to get him to a comfortable place."

She nodded.  "I will help you move him back here."  She knelt down and gripped the Vulcan's shoulders as Tom took his legs and they lifted him, placing him in a cleared spot on the floor.  "Ensign, while you treat him I will go outside and see what our surroundings consist of."

Tom looked up and nodded.  "Be careful.  It could be dangerous out there."

Seven grabbed a stray phaser and said, "I will be."  Outside the fallen shuttle were trees and a road.  Seven looked from side to side and proceeded carefully down the road.  Something was odd about the air.  Not exactly wrong, but different and she couldn't put her finger on what it was.  Whatever it was, it drew her down the road.  Her trip wasn't a long one.  On down the road she found a large clearing within which was a citadel or temple.   The large front doors were open, but there seemed to be no life within.  Normally she should have turned back, but something kept her going.  Stepping onto the dirt she suddenly felt a jolt of fear run through her.  She looked to either side of her, a cool breeze making her shiver, but the trees were still.  Though odd, she took no notice of it.  Instead she fixed her attention on the inside of the large structure.  She stepped inside the wooden doorway and looked around.  There was not a soul within. Only that lonely breeze that seemed unable to stir anything.  As she crossed over the threshold into the large citadel she shivered.  There was something very odd about this place.  It was almost as if the wind were whispering to her...Seven.  She shook her head, the seeming trace gone and returned to the shuttle.

"Find anything?" Tom asked gingerly as he hyposprayed the now conscious Vulcan.

She nodded, that strange sensation still there.  "A large structure about ninety yards west of the shuttle.  It appears to be empty."

Tom thought about it.  "I think we should move Tuvok there."

Tuvok shook his head in protest.  "It might be dangerous."

Tom sighed.  "Look, Seven said it was empty and this broken down shuttle is no where for you to be in the condition you are in.  Seven, would you be opposed to moving him there?  Did it look like it's been empty long?"

Seven considered.  Something just told her that no one would return.  "I believe the place to be secure enough."

Tom frowned.  Not exactly the response he was wanting, but good enough.  He nodded.  "Okay.  Can you help me carry him there?"

Seven nodded and once again gripped the Vulcan's shoulders with her supieror Borg strength.  He felt weightless to Seven, so unfocused she was.  The trip didn't seem like it took any time at all, whereas Tom was struggling to keep a good grip on the Vulcan for the full ninety yards.  Inside the citadel Seven became even more unfocussed as she laid Tuvok down within the opened doors that lead into the temple.  Gripping the phaser she looked around the dusty and ruined room.  "I don't believe we will be having company," she said to Tom and Tuvok.

Tom nodded.  "Go find a place for Tuvok to rest and I'll stay here with him."

Seven nodded and went off on her own.  Tuvok closed his eyes.  "You were lucky this time, Ensign.  Next time you might not be so fortunate and it could get us killed."

Tom sighed.  "Sorry, but as ranking medical officer I have to do with an injured patient as I see fit."

"I would have survived the shuttle, Ensign Paris."

Tom shook his head and rubbed the back of his neck absently.  "Okay," he muttered.

Tuvok, after a moment, said, "It was not my intent to cause you any hard feelings, Ensign Paris.  And I thank you for your concern for my comfort."

Tom grinned.  Great, the Vulcan words for, "I didn't meant to hurt your feelings."  "None taken.  You welcome."  Tuvok nodded and didn't say another word.  Tom stood and looked around the large room.  The walls were simple gray stone with a few plain purple tapestries hanging, dusty and torn.  "Must have been some castle," he muttered to himself, touching a dusty stone table.  Suddenly he heard the roll of thunder in the distance.  "Great," he said, walking back to the door and looking outside as the trees wept raindrops to the grasses below.  He had wanted to go back to the shuttle to try and activate some sort of homing beacon, but with the storm that was brewing it would've been foolish to do so.  Lightning struck the dirt road not far from the citadel.  Suddenly Seven came running back.

"I have found a bedroom not far that will serve the purpose."  She knelt down and picked up Tuvok by the shoulders again as Tom retook his position at feet and led the way to the bedroom in which they could lay the injured Vulcan.  It was certainly big, with a large comfortable bed.  Tuvok groaned as they lay him down and Tom took out the tricorder he's managed to carry.

"One of us has to be with him all the time.  We could take turns sleeping.  When this storm clears I want to run back to the shuttle and send out a distress call for Voyager.

Seven nodded.  "I'm going to explore this castle futher while the storm is going on.  I will return shortly."  Tom didn't get a chance to answer as she walked from the room.  The halls were very dark deeper into the massive fortress, but Seven didn't pay that any attention as she continued on.  It fascinated her for some unknown reason and she blindly walked the halls as if she knew them already.  There was light ahead though, and that made her press on even further.  The sound of the rain falling and thunder became louder and louder and she could see the lightning flashes.  Finally she reached the source, finding a large room with no roof and a non-functioning fountain in the center.  She stepped into the clearing, rain falling so fast that it only took a few minutes to soak her hair to her head.  But the rain didn't bother her.  She sat down on the ledge of the fountain and ran her fingers through the crystal clear waters below.  It was then she noticed the whispering.  Staaaaaay stillll.  There'ss nooo where for you to gooo.  Staaaay with uussss.   She looked around, but there was no one there.  Taking a breath she touched the waters again and looked at the gray stone floor below her.  She felt so weighed down for some reason.  It was as if the very stones at her feet and the air around her were heavy with sadness.  The whispers became more intense, begging her to stay...coaxing their sadness into her.  She could also faintly make out screams of agony.  But she didn't want to run.  The voices lulled her into not moving.  Don't listen to them, Seven.  She heard someone say it above the other voices. Look into the waters.  This made her snap to attention.  She looked about and then into the clear water of the fountain.  At first nothing happened, but gradually an image appeared.  Whether it was in the water or her mind was unclear.

"You're finally getting what you deserve," a woman wearing white robes said calmly.  There were dozens of people tied to stone slabs with dark ones hovering over them.  "You will never win."  Her tone was deathly cold and yet sickeningly sweet.  There was something about that voice.  Her long hair was as red as blood and her skin like the pale of a first snow.  "Begin," she said darkly.  Then, to Seven's horror, the dark ones began torturing and mutilating the poor people before them.

"Stop!" Seven screamed, becoming part of the nightmare.  But none of the dark ones could hear.  She looked down.  Her clothing had changed.  She now wore a brown robe with clothing beneath, much like what the ones being totured were wearing.  A braid casecaded down her right shoulder.  "Stop this!" she screamed again.

She looked at one of the people, a young girl with a braid like her own.  "Nizana," she choked, reaching out for Seven.  Seven shook her head.  For some reason it seemed right for her to be called Nizana but that couldn't right.

"I am Seven of Nine, tertiary adjuct of unimatrix 01," she said firmly, moreso to remind herself.

"Help us, Nizana," the young woman said.  Jehara.  That was her name.

Tears spilled from Seven's eyes.  "I...I'll try."  She took the girl's hand and nodded, wiping her cheeks with the sleeve of her robe.

Jehara smiled, despite the torture she was enduring.  Seven stood and instinctively her hand went to her hip to grip her weapon...an elegant weapon unlike anything she'd ever used.  No! she heard someone yell into her mind. We must escape!  Seven searched frantically for a source to this raspy voice, but found none.  "Master," she said softly, not knowing exactly why.  "Where are you?" Come!  the voice commanded and she found she instinctively knew where to go.  Closing her eyes tightly and trying not to listen to the agonizing screams she ran and ran until the screams could no longer be heard.  When she opened her eyes she was in a dark room, a man with a red glow lamp creeping closer to a coffin.  For a while nothing happened, but Seven knew to be still.  Then someone arose from the coffin.  It was the woman with the blood red hair.  She has been awakened, a voice whispered.  Then it was over.  Seven once again was in the roofless room, sitting on the fountain.  She was panting.  That woman.  She was the one who had entered her mind in sickbay a few days ago!  The horrors she had just witnessed were terrible and she knew without a doubt that they had happened here, in this temple.  Seven felt faint as she remembered the confusion and sadness and despair.  All those young people killed...their mentors elsewhere and unknowledgable to what was happening to their students. Staaaaaay heeeerrrreee, a voice filled with despair whispered and without blinking Seven stood and ran back to the room where Tom and Tuvok were.

"Sev?" Tom said.  "What's wrong?"

Seven sank to the floor.  "It was aweful," she wailed uncharacteristically.  "All those children.  Dead.  Killed by the evil of the dark people."

Tom jumped up and went to her.  "What?  What's happened?"

Seven looked into his eyes.  "I don't know," she answered, tears welling up in her blue eyes.

Tom took a breath and sedated her.

"Captain," Harry Kim said from his post.

Captain Janeway smiled and said, "Yes, Mister Kim?"  The day was going rather smoothly.

"I'm picking up a small ship not far.  They are sending out a distress call."  He furrowed his brow.

"Answer them, Harry," Janeway commanded.

"Aye, Ma'am.  Channel open, audio only.  Their viewers are incompatible with ours," Harry answered.

"Thank you, Harry.  Unidentified vessel, this is Captain Kathryn Janeway of the starship Voyager.  Can I be of assistance?" she said pleasantly.

"Thank you for responding," a male voice said.  "Actually we could use some help.  It seems our hyperdrive is malfunctioning and we aren't going anywhere.  Could you perhaps tow us back to Coruscant?"

Janeway's eyebrow rose as she looked at her first officer.  "I would be pleased to help you out.  I believe your ship will be able to fit in our shuttle bay.  If you would like we could lock a tractor beam onto it and we'll give you a place to stay aboard Voyager until we reach your home planet."

"That would be very kind of you," the voice said.  "Thank you, Captain Janeway."

Janeway smiled.  "It's no trouble.  If you could transmit the coordinates to Coruscant, did you say?"

The person on the other end paused, but only for a moment.  "Yes, of course.  Transmitting now."

Janeway looked at Harry.  "Lock onto their shuttle and bring it aboard," she said to him, then turning her attention to the comm, "I will meet you in our shuttle bay, Sir."

"Thank you," he answered.

Janeway took a breath.  "I'll return shortly.  You have the bridge, Chakotay."  He smiled his characteristic grin as she left.  When she made it to the shuttle bay the small ship was already there.  The hatch opened to reveal a very tall man with long hair and wearing a long brown robe.  A shorter man with shorter hair emerged with him.  "I'm Captain Kathryn Janeway," she said, extending her hand to the tall one.

"I'm Qui-Gon Jinn and this is my Padawan, Obi-Wan Kenobi," he said with a quiet smile.  "We would like to thank you for your assistance."

Captain Janeway smiled.  "You're welcome.  I'm pleased to meet you both however I'm sorry, but I'm unfamiliar with the term Padawan."

The stranger's eyebrow rose in slight puzzlement.  "It means apprentice.  I'm a Jedi Master."

Her smile widened.  "You'll have to forgive me.  We're not from around here.  Actually, we're from the Alpha Quadrant."

He smiled.  "Ah, I see.  Our titles would naturally be unfamiliar.  Are you familiar with the Force?"  Janeway shook her head, dark blonde hair swishing.  "Well, this is going to take some time to explain, if you'd care to hear it."

Janeway smiled.  "I would be pleased.  Would you mind, though, if before we returned to you Coruscant we met with one of our shuttles?  We're supposed to pick them up very soon."

Jinn nodded.  "We are subject to your hospitality, Captain."

"Well," she said with a grin.  For some reason she liked these two already.  "I'll show you around the ship and you can explain this "Force" to me."

"I would enjoy that, Captain."  Jinn smiled, a pleasant if quiet smile and awaited her lead.

Obi-Wan sighed as he walked behind his master and the captain of Voyager.  He was starting to get slightly restless.  There is only serenity, my Padawan, his master said through use of the Force.

Obi-Wan smiled.  Just slightly homesick, Master.  And tired.

Jinn smiled at the Captain.  "Truly, this is a fantasic marvel of technology," he said to her as she explained transporter technology to him.  Ah, the life of a Padawan never gets dull, does it, Obi-Wan?

Obi-Wan could have snorted in irony.  Never, my Master.  Do you also sense the few Force-wielders on this ship?

"When we first came to the Delta Quadrant our ship was state of the art.  I have to wonder what the Federation has come up with in the past six years," Janeway was saying. I have.  I'm not sure what to do about it yet.  Why don't you get something to eat?  I can feel your hunger, Padawan, and it's getting irritating.  Jinn sent his teasing feelings through the Force.

Obi-Wan grinned as Jinn stopped Janeway.  Irritated?  You?

"Captain, Obi-Wan has expressed his hunger to me.  May he return to your mess hall?"  As irritated as a Jedi Master can be without endangering himself to the Darkside.

Janeway smiled, still adjusting slightly to the fact that her guests could talk telepathically.  She had to wonder what they were thinking.  "Of course he may.  I'm sure Neelix would love to try his latest dishes on a newcomer."

Obi-Wan smiled.  "Thank you, Captain Janeway," he said.  "Master, I will return to my quarters when I'm finished."

"If you need anything you may contact me over the comm," Janeway said, showing him the panel on the wall in the hallway.  "Press this and say my name and tell me if you need anything.  You'll find another panel in your rooms."

"Again, I thank you," he said quietly.  He bowed and left his master and the captain, noticing his hunger a little stronger now that his master had mentioned it.  Voyager was a truly wonderful ship.  He did notice however, that there were no droids.  Still, the ship's atmosphere rang of efficiency.  Obi-Wan smiled in relief as he found the mess hall.  There were a few occupants within.

"Hello," said the cook, as Janeway had introduced him.  Feelix?  Neelix.  That was it.  "Can I get you something?" he said with a jovial hopefullness.

Obi-Wan smiled.  "I was hoping to get something to eat, actually."

Neelix took him by the arm and lead him to where the food was.  "You'll want to try a little of everything," he said, picking up a plate and putting different things on it.  Obi-Wan had to grin.  "And you'll want something to drink...something fruity?"

"That's fine," Obi-Wan said politely with his amused smile.

"Damn, he's cute," B'Elanna said, getting a giggle from Harry.

"Forgetting about Tom, are we?" he asked playfully.

B'Elanna shook her head.  "Not at all.  Just looking."

Harry grinned and stood up, going to where the stranger was.  "Excuse me," he said to the stranger, looking back at B'Elanna whose face was unamused.  "Would you care to have dinner with my friend and I?" he asked.  "I'm Harry Kim and that over there is B'Elanna Torres."  He pointed to B'Elanna.

"Pleased to meet you, Harry.  I'm Obi-Wan Kenobi.  I would be pleased to join you."  He held up his tray, indicating he was ready after Neelix had loaded nearly a sample of everything onto his plate.

Harry giggled.  "That's Neelix for you," he said, leading him to the table and sitting.  "You gotta forgive him."

Obi-Wan laughed.  "He's very hospitable."

B'Elanna smirked.  "And very proud of this stuff he calls food.  I'm B'Elanna."  She held out her hand.

Obi-Wan grasped it.  "Obi-Wan Kenobi.  Pleased to meet you, B'Elanna."

B'Elanna stirred her food.  "Are you enjoying your stay so far?"

Obi-Wan smiled.  "Yes.  Voyager is wonderful."  He took a bite and winced.  "What is this?" he asked, nose scrunched.

B'Elanna frowned.  "It's called hethneret.  It's better when Neelix doesn't prepare it."

Obi-Wan shook his head slightly and tried something else while Harry eyed something at his hip.  "What's that?" he asked curiously, pointing.

Obi-Wan chewed a bite, pleased with what he had tried.  He swallowed and said, "It's called a lightsabre."  He unhinged it from his belt.  "Kind of like a laser sword."  He held it up and turned it on, it's hum drawing everyone's attention.

B'Elanna marvelled at it's blue light.  "I like that," she said simply.

Obi-Wan handed it to her, then took a drink from his cup.  "It requires alot of skill, but it's the preferred weapon of a Jedi."

She held it up, testing it's weight.  "But what about when someone uses a phaser?"

Obi-Wan thought for a moment.  "I'm uncertain as to what a phaser is, but if it's anything like a blaster, then once someone becomes skilled enough, they can use the lightsabre to deflect the blaster shots."

B'Elanna bit her lip and handed it back.  "I'd like to take you to the holodeck and have you teach me how to use it," she said hopefully.

Obi-Wan smiled, pleased he was fitting in with these strangers.  "I would be very happy to, B'Elanna," he said.  Suddenly he gasped and grasped his head.

"Obi-Wan?" Harry said, grasping the young man's shoulder.

Obi-Wan closed his eyes.  "I'm all right," he breathed.  "There's been a great disturbance in the Force...not the first time this month." Master...

B'Elanna looked to Harry, uncertain.  "Disturbance in the Force?" I sensed it too, Obi-Wan.  I'm not certain, but I feel these people are tied into these disturbances we've been experiancing.

Obi-Wan drew in a breath.  "It's a long story."  What do we do?

"We could take you to sickbay," Harry offered.  We proceed to Coruscant.  I will try to convince Janeway to stick around until I understand what's going on.

"I'll be fine.  It's gone," he said.  "Sorry for the disruption."  He smiled reassuringly.  "My master will investigate the disturbance." Yes, my Master.  "When would you like to go to this holodeck, B'Elanna?"

B'Elanna looked slightly uncertain, but said, "After we eat I'm off duty.  I think Commander Chakotay is too and I think he'd be interested in this too, if you wouldn't mind him coming.  How does that sound?"

Obi-Wan smiled.  "Sounds good to me."  He took another bite of his meal.  These disturbances were unnerving and dark.

The dark apprentice fell to the ground, death's grip taking her.  Adara shook her head.  "You should have taken me to him," she informed the corpse as she pulled her white robes up and stepped over the body.  "Still," she said, turning back.  "Your weapon might be more useful than dear Sedaro's.  You must have been very important to your master to have one of these.  All poor Sedaro had was a pathetic blaster."  The weapon flew to her at her command.  She ignited it, it's red light reflecting in her black eyes.  Hearing a sound, she turned.  Ateran stood at her side protectively, his long black hair hanging down against his silver and clammy cheeks.  His navy colored eyes flashed as he gripped his scythe.

"What have you done?" the man in black robes demanded.  "You have killed my apprentice!"

Adara seemed unfazed at his anger.  "I also killed Sedaro.  Still, I must thank you for sending him to awaken me."

He stared for a moment, unsurprised.  "I have need of you," he said, turning around and walking.

Adara grinned, amused at his arrogance.  "And your request of me, Lord Sidious?"

He turned his head and looked her over.  "Every Jedi Master on Coruscant probably felt your little display.  If you truly needed to kill her, you should have simply shot her or had this beast of a companion run her through."

Adara hissed at the word 'Jedi' and frowned.  "They don't know where it came from.  I made it so they couldn't pinpoint it.  You do realise that I am now in control?"

Sidious stopped.  "Take what you want," he said, knowing from the beginning that dealing with her, manipulating her would be tough.  "But remember that those fools in the Republic will listen to me; can be controlled by me.  Manipulated.  Unless, of course, you have an army somewhere?"

She laughed.  "Don't make the mistake of thinking that I can't see through your manipulations.  Back in my time the Dark Ones took control and I will see that happens again.  I do not, however, have an army.  I will require as many Dark Force-wielders as I can get.  You are very strong...perhaps nearly as strong as myself.  I would hate to kill you."

Sidious frowned.  "Do not underestimate me.  I will not be manipulated either.  I have a plan to overtake the Republic, but as you said, we will require as many supporters as possible.  I have some a few supporters who have armies of their own which we will need.  I awakened you with the hope that you could infiltrate the Jedi and turn some of them to the Darkside."  He began to walk again, leading them through the mute gray hallways to where they would stay.  "I already have control of a few of the master's at the Jedi Temple, but to take the Republic, we'll need as many Force-wielders as we can get.  We need to turn as many as we can.  The others can be killed."

Adara thought about it.  "I want the Jedi dead," she spat angrilly.  She hated them.  "However, if we could turn them to the Darkside they might prove useful."  She thought back to the time of Darkness many centuries ago when torturing Jedi was an amusement to her.  But that was another story.  "No need to explain any more details.  I've already taken them from your mind.  And you have a back-up plan in case we can't engineer this one to work.  Very good, Sidious.  You would have been a great Dark One back in my time.  All right.  I'll go along with your little plot.  I'll join the Jedi and see if we can't turn some of the young ones to the Dark.  When the time comes, we'll kill the rest.  I believe we might have another to add to our ranks.  A few days ago I encountered a woman whose potential in the Force was greater than mine.  She will be my apprentice.  I forsaw it."

Sidious considered.  "Excellent," he said.  He frowned when she opened the door to her quarters, knowing exactly where they were before he even told her.  Dealing with this Ancient One was going to prove tough.  He hated her arrogance and her power.  He hated needing that power.  Only she had enough power to sway the Jedi and kill the rest.  She smiled at him as she entered her room, Ateran following her.  Sidious wordlessly left, sensing her amusement as he did so.  But that was ok.  He let her know all of his plans, but one.  The plot to kill her when he was done with her.  And so far she had not discovered it, safely hidden within the darkest place in his mind, the place he had learned to create that would keep even the strongest Force-sensative out.  She would do his bidding, this apprentice she sought and the Jedi would fall to his command and the Republic would sink to it's knees.  And then he would strike them down and up would rise an empire of darkness.  His empire.
 

 <<Fiction | <<Preludes | Chapters 4-6>>
Preludes: Star Trek prequel
Seven has a nightmare...or is it?
Rated PG13