Together

[Jonathan Price]

"Indeed." Jon agreed and sighed. "Too many of our friends getting hurt... or worse." he closed his eyes. "I'm thinking once this term is up, I'm done with politics. I know in your future reality I served more than one but... I don't know if I can keep this up. And yet the former Starfleet officer in me is like 'this is what has to be done, it's what we all signed up for.' Still... the only thing that actually gets me into the office every day, is you."

[Isabella price]

"Then I'm not doing something right." She joked as she worked on her crepe.

[Jonathan Price]

"Well I wouldn't go in at all but I'm pretty sure I'd be impeached if I spent all day in bed with you." Jon said with a laugh. "In any case... at least we can blame Dominus for our 'private briefing sessions'." he cleared his throat. "We're turning into Jason and Kassie... you do realize that."

[Bellatrix]

- Meanwhile

A solitary shuttle launched from the back of the I.S.S. Vindicator. It banked and decended into the atmosphere of a planet that was known to very few deep within the Badlands.

The shuttle broke through the clouds of a red-orange sky and skimmed over a barren wasteland. The shuttle's engines kicking up dust. Cresting over a hill within a massive impact crater from a celestial object sat an ancient Ajem'dasis temple. Beyond that were rows upon rows of ships waiting for the order for them to be fired up.

The shuttle landed close to a towering building. It was out of place with its glass siding and towering 238 stories above the rocky rust colored earth. It was the only modern structure around.

Bellatrix and Ian stepped out of the shuttle, hot dry wind whipped at their robes. And ancient looking Cardassian hobbled down the concrete path, "Mistress Bellatrix, we didn't know you would be coming."

"Relax," Bellatrix said with an edge to her voice.

"I trust that your clone troopers are to your satisfaction." The Cardassian said as he held the door open for her. The lobby was done in a a modern style with a stainless steel security desk as you walked in flanked by elevators, and a three story waterfall directly behind the security desk. There was a uniformed human sitting, and there were armored troopers standing behind him with rifles in their hands.

"Your clones have exceeded expectations," Bellatrix said.

"Good. We understand that the human known as Benjamin Sisko was quite a capable adversary. He had quite a reputation."

"I shall take your word for it. Galum, how many clones do you have available right now?"

The Cardassian hesitated, "150,000, and we can have another 500,000 available over the next six months."

"Good. I fear my daughter and her father have done something rather rash that will incur the wrath of the Alliance and I will need to move up our time table. How soon can my new troopers be deployed?"

"Give me a week and you will have your clones, and 500 of the best ships the Ajem'dasis Empire ever built."

[Bellatrix]

"Excellent," Bellatrix said.

The Cardassian smiled, "Would you like your see your new flagship?"

Bellatrix nodded, and they were lead to a small transporter pad and with a few clumsy imputs by their host they were beamed inside the bridge of a ship of an alien origin. The control consoles were in recessed pits on either side of a central walkway with massive windows looking out towards rhe desert landscape. "500 meters long, and a beam of 200 meters and 42 decks. Most of the ship's systems are autonomous with droid assist. The entire ship can be effectively ran with a crew of thirty. There are fifteen phaser arrays and four torpedo launchers fore, and three aft. You have a top speed that can keep up and even outrun any Alliance or Imperium vessel."

"Impressive," Bellatrix said with admiration. "I will call it the Vengeance. Ian the Vindicator is yours. Now, we have much work. We have a war to prepare for."