As I waited for my appointed advocate to arrive, I began using the Dragon Pulse and the Force to try and suss out how this part of the base was staffed, while also attempting to use my powers of Comprehension to attempt to figure out if anything in the room would help me to escape. All told, I was able to sense four guards in the next room over, two who felt like they were on guard, were standing outside the door, and two who seemed more relaxed who were a few feet away. Aside from them and Tuvok, there wasn't anyone else nearby, which was fortunate. Unfortunately, there wasn't anything in here I could use to escape. The table and chairs were bolted to the floor, the walls were solid duranium slabs, and the lights were chemical lights, meaning I couldn't use Ferromancy to futz with them. Tuvok did his homework, it seemed. That didn't mean that I was helpless, however.
"You are looking for ways to escape." Stated Tuvok, shocking me out of my analysis.
"Wouldn't you?" I questioned.
"Perhaps. However, you will find I have prepared this interview room specially to hold you." Intoned Tuvok.
"Apparently. Chemical lights without electronics or mechanical parts, door controls that will lock the door in place when tampered with, solid durasteel walls, and the furniture was bolted to the floor. It's almost enough to be flattering." I chuckled.
"Indeed." Sniffed Tuvok. Then Tuvok's Padd chimed and the Vulcan looked down at it, noted whatever it was that had chimed with a nod, then turned back toward me.
"It would seem your advocate is on the way. A Lieutenant Jadzia Dax." Remarked Tuvok.
"You mean the Trill with Curzon Dax's Symbiote?" I queried.
"You are remarkably well-informed." Mused Tuvok.
"It pays to be remarkably well informed." I smirked.
As he said that, I noticed through the Dragon Pulse and the Force, the approach of someone new. They felt odd like two people overlayed onto each other as if two separate entities had joined into one combined whole. That had to be Dax, the Trill, and her Symbiont would likely feel something like that. Idly, I wondered if a Symbiote like Venom or Carnage would feel similar? I wasn't sure, after all, Klyntar Symbiotes tended to be a lot more malevolent. I looked up at Tuvok and Grinned, attempting to show off and flex my powers a bit.
"Three, two, one." I counted down.
Tuvok cocked an eyebrow at me as I counted as if confused. When I reached the number one, however, the door to the interrogation room opened with a whooshing noise revealing Jadzia Dax. The Trill was beautiful, an after-effect of her actress when this had been a TV Show being a former model, with her brunette hair pulled into a ponytail and her blue eyes sparkling with curiosity, interest, and a hint of excitement. Trill spots ran down from her forehead, to her temples, and down the sides of her neck to disappear into the collar of her teal uniform, where a Lieutenant Junior Grade's rank pips were attached. She hadn't yet made full Lieutenant, it seemed. That made sense, given where we were in the timeline. Jadzia flashed a grin of pearly white teeth as she nodded to Tuvok and I.
"That is a neat trick. It is, however, just another trick." Insisted Tuvok.
"I'm Lieutenant Jadzia Dax, I'll be your advocate for this interview." Introduced Dax.
"Jan Kowalski. Traveler." I responded.
"Let us begin. Why were you in President Amitra's Office?" Asked Tuvok.
"I told you, it was an accident. I need more practice with Apparition." I answered.
"Apparition being your teleportation trick?" Pressed Tuvok.
"That's correct." I nodded.
"And how did you come to be able to perform such a feat? Our scanners could detect no byproducts of Transporter Use and no exotic particles." Questioned Tuvok.
"You don't have to answer that." Advised Dax.
"It's all right, I don't mind. I told you before, Lieutenant, it's magic." I grinned.
"There is no such thing as magic." Scoffed Tuvok.
"Oh? You think so? What would you call the powers of the Q, then? Or the Organians? Or any number of Elder Beings that have interacted with Starfleet over the years?" I challenged.
"That is hardly the same thing. It is merely science we do not understand yet." Huffed Tuvok.
"Yeah. After all, it is not as if warp drive, phasers, transporters, and so on wouldn't be thought of as magic by a more primitive culture. That's sort of a reason the Prime Directive exists, to avoid some random expedition landing on a primitive world and being seen as gods with magic powers." Reminded Dax.
"Then perhaps it is magic. The magic of the human heart, focused and made manifest by technology. Every day you here create greater miracles than a burning bush." I offered, shamelessly ripping off my answer from Elric the Technomage from Babylon Five. I'd make it up to him if I ever planeswalked to that universe somehow.
"You are claiming this magic of yours is a form of advanced phenomena similar to the Q?" Queried Tuvok.
"Has it not happened before?" I asked.
"It has. Gary Mitchell's Esper Capabilities were supercharged thanks to contact with a Strange Energy Barrier back in twenty-two-sixty-five. It's why Human Espers are no longer allowed in Starfleet." Shrugged Dax.
"I detected no Strange Particles on your person. How do you explain that?" Questioned Tuvok.
"I learned these abilities. I have no clue about whether or not I can teach others." I shrugged.
"How? Are you not a full-blooded Human? I have doubts as to your claim of Vulcan ancestry. The scans would have picked that up." Queried Tuvok.
"I don't see how that's relevant." I protested.
"He's right. He doesn't have to answer questions unrelated to the incident." Added Dax.
"Very well. You are capable of teleportation, disrupting electronic and mechanical devices, shape-shifting, Telekinesis, and some sort of stunning bolts. Those have been confirmed, what else are you capable of?" Asked Tuvok.
"Much." I responded. Tuvok frowned at that, placing his Padd on the table and fixing me with an unimpressed, flat, deadpan, stare.
"As your advocate, I'd advise you to not poke the Lieutenant too much." Grinned Dax.
"Regardless, it isn't relevant." I pointed out.
"It is relevant to assigning you a threat assessment." Retorted Tuvok.
"I assure you, I mean the Federation no harm. In fact, I can offer you some advice, if you'd care to listen?" I hedged.
"What advice?" Questioned Dax.
"Sometimes, when you go out poking your nose into the unknown, you may come across things with the capability to poke back. When that time comes, it's best to be ready for it if you don't want your nose cut off." I responded, cryptically.
"Nice mixed metaphor there." Snorted Dax.
"Thanks, I try." I chuckled.
"I find this advice illogical. I understand the Metaphor, but surely there will always be a way to negotiate with these new unknown beings?" Queried Tuvok.
"Only if you assume that every alien in the unknown vastness of unexplored space thinks and acts in the same ways you do. What would you do, if, for instance, you came across an alien race whose entire diet consisted of the brains of Sentient Beings and who considered every species other than their own little more than cattle?" I tried.
"Is that sort of thing out there?" Asked Dax.
"It could very well be. There are species out in the Galaxy who want nothing more than to subsume entire civilizations into themselves, wiping away all individuality to create more of themselves. There are species whose paranoia against those who do not have the same sort of biology as them has given them an intense psychological need to dominate everyone and tread the galaxy beneath their boots for eternity. The Galaxy isn't safe and you will be forced into situations that make negotiation non-viable sometimes." I admitted.
"We would defend ourselves." Protested Tuvok.
"You would try. Unfortunately, everything I've seen of the Federation so far has reeked of utter complacency. Right now, you would lose a war against the Klingons or Romulans, much less any of the Horrors lurking in unexplored space." I scoffed.
"So what? We should re-arm?" Demanded Dax.
"Yes. Before it's too late and you can't deal with whatever hornets nest you stir up." I nodded.
"I find it illogical that such measures would be needed. After all, the sort of civilizations that you claim are out there would be incapable of cooperation. It then follows that they would be penned in by enemies on all sides and unable to pose a threat to the Federation." Refuted Tuvok.
"Unless they were strong enough to overcome any enemies." I returned. Tuvok frowned at that, hitting a few buttons on his Padd before nodding at me.
"I have forwarded your recommendation and warning up the chain of command. I find it unlikely that it will go much further than my direct superior, however." Informed Tuvok.
"Take me seriously or don't. It's your funeral." I shrugged.
"We should move onto the charges." Cut-in Dax.
"Right. One count of unlawful entry into a restricted area, eight counts of Assault on Starfleet Security Personnel, one count of Disorderly Conduct, and two counts of Destruction of Property. If found guilty on all counts, this carries a Maximum Sentence of Twenty Years in a Federation Penal Colony. Those are serious charges." Listed-off Tuvok.
"Now is when you say something in your defense." Prompted Dax.
Just as Dax said that, however, an explosion rocked the Facility, cutting power to various sections of the Utopia Planetia Base. The Chemical Lights of the interrogation room stayed on, owing to their nature as chemical rather than electrical, but my powers of Comprehension informed me that the humming noise that just kicked in was Auxiliary Power switching on. That wouldn't last very long, though. Tuvok and Dax seemed startled, Tuvok immediately rounding on me with an accusatory look. For my part, I simply put both hands up in a conciliatory gesture to placate the suspicious Vulcan and shook my head no.
"Don't look at me, Lieutenant. This wasn't my doing." I insisted.
"Lieutenant, we need to figure out what's going on! If Utopia Planetia is under attack, we need to arm ourselves." Remarked Dax.
"You are correct. There should be phasers in the Guardroom attached to the Interrogation Room. Follow me. Mister Kowalski, if you will aid us in dealing with whatever this is, I will see if we cannot get the charges dropped. There are several, critical, projects being developed here that we cannot allow to fall into the hands of bad actors." Nodded Tuvok.
"Sure. I'm clearly not doing anything right now." I snarked, much to Tuvok's annoyance and Dax's delight.
Rolling his eyes, Tuvok made to head for the door controls while they still had Auxiliary Power only for the door to Open with a whooshing noise and a Vulcan in a black uniform and bowl cut to enter. She had a phaser in one hand and pointed it at me. With a cold, dispassionate, expression, she pulled the trigger just as I put up a Wandless, Wordless, Protego. The shield spell absorbed the Phaser Blast and I immediately disarmed the Vulcan with a bout of Telekinesis via the Force, pulling her Television Remote-shaped Weapon out of her grasp. I frowned as I saw the Phaser was set to kill. Whoever these people were, they weren't playing around. With a snarl, I knocked out the surprised Vulcan with a wordless, wandless, Stunner. The Vulcan fell to the floor and convulsed, revealing that she wasn't a Vulcan at all.
The Tripodal Alien had grayish-purple skin, lanky arms with long-fingered hands, and lacked a mouth, nose, or ears. Its pupils were cruciform in shape and it stood roughly three meters in height, or nine-point-eight feet tall in Freedom Units. Unfortunately, I knew exactly what this was, which meant nothing good, as this shouldn't be happening in the timeline for at least a decade. The Undine, AKA Species Eight-Four-Seven-Two, the apex of biological evolution. Shapeshifters from Fluidic Space who could resist even Borg Assimilation and were one of the more deadly threats out in the Unexplored Reaches of Space. They were also massive imperialists, seeking to conquer and rule all other so-called 'inferior' races with an iron fist. The issue was, that they shouldn't be here just yet. Of course, STO had also had them infiltrating the Alpha Quadrant for years by the point of the Game's Start, so who knew how long they'd been here.
"What is that?" Hissed Dax.
"I do not know, though it seemed to have taken the guise of a member of the Vulcan Isolation League." Blinked Tuvok.
"I do. That is an Undine, one of the threats out there in the Unexplored Parts of the Galaxy you aren't ready for. They're imperialist xenophobes who have been considered the Apex of Biological Evolution by some. They're shapeshifters, psionically gifted, and technologically advanced. These ones have probably infiltrated the Vulcan Isolation League to use them as puppets. That's ironic, at least." I explained.
"Why is that Ironic?" Questioned Dax.
"Starfleet Intelligence currently suspects the Vulcan Isolation League to be a Tal Shiar operation aimed at weakening the Federation. I am curious to know how you know that, however." Intoned Tuvok.
"Later. For now, we need to head out and stop your precious data from being stolen." I pointed out.
"Logical." Affirmed Tuvok.
He collected the hand-phaser from the fallen Undine and moved into the Guardroom, firing it at a Vulcan who was rummaging around in a weapons locker. The stun bolt slammed into the Vulcan's back and was followed by a second as the Vulcan's Adrenaline analog flooded his system and activated his burst strength to shrug off the first bolt. The second took him down, revealing that this one, at least, was a normal Vulcan. Tuvok moved to the weapons locker and handed a phaser rifle to Dax before taking one for himself. Then he sealed the locker before I could grab one for myself. The joke was on him, though, as I snatched up the phaser the Vulcan had dropped. It was an older model from the Twenty-Two-Nineties, around the time of the Praxis Explosion. It still had the pistol shape and would be less powerful than the ones used currently, but far more accurate thanks to better ergonomics.
Tuvok gave me an unimpressed look at my looting of the Unconscious Vulcan, to which I responded with a shrug and a shit-eating grin. Try and lock me out of getting a weapon, would you? Well, to paraphrase Doctor Ian Malcolm, life finds a way. Regardless, Tuvok simply turned away and headed for the doorway into the rest of the Utopia Planetia Base. I followed closely after, with Dax taking the rear. We had to stun two more Vulcans in the corridor as we went, both of whom were in the middle of removing wall panels to get at the Jeffries Tubes behind them. If they got into those, they could bypass whatever lockdown protocols got put into place. Tuvok and Dax realized that too, because I could feel their emotions via the Force, even through Tuvok's vice-grip on his.
"Come on. No point in worrying about it. We'll just have to stun everyone we see who's trying to get into the walls." I insisted.
Then, the three of us continued down the corridor, reaching the main part of the Base shortly afterward. What we found there was a scene of chaos. Gold-shirted Starfleet Security personnel were trading fire with Black-Clad Vulcan Isolationists and Starfleet Security, predictably, was losing. Tropes were tropes for a reason, it seemed. As we entered, one of the Security Personnel wearing a Lieutenant Commander's Pips took a phaser bolt to the collarbone, falling back with a scream and throwing the defense into disarray as the command and control of the Security Force broke down. That was our cue to intervene. With a nod at Tuvok and Dax, I opened up on the Vulcans, hitting the Vulcan that had killed the Security Lieutenant Commander. My phaser scorched through the unarmored Vulcan's side and he went down, dead. The Vulcans turned toward us, splitting their focus between us and the Security Troops, and leveled their weapons.
Then the battle began in earnest and there was no more time for thoughts, only actions. . .
XXXX
AN: The next chapter is already up on my Patreon, so check the link in the threadmarked post if you guys feel like throwing me a couple bucks to get chapters in advance. Everyone who does is super appreciated and I can't thank my patrons enough.
All right, here's the next chapter! The Undine being here is foreshadowing. Someone has noticed an Omniversal Traveler and has decided to stir the pot a bit for shits and giggles and see what comes of the resulting stew. I'll give you three guesses who exactly that is and the first two don't count. After all, Q Who happened because the Continuum kicked Q out for his shenanigans and he wanted to join the Enterprise Crew. When Picard wouldn't let him, he pulled Q Who to prove to Picard that his crew needed someone like Q and that they weren't ready for everything.
Of course, Tuvok and Dax are being brought along for the ride because they're both there and I couldn't not use them. Why would I not use Dax when I had the chance to do so, after all? It boggles the mind, especially given her status as Best Girl of DS9 and I will fight people on that point.
At any rate, the next chapter will continue the fight in the Base.
Stay tuned. . .