ltwjmarx

In a parallel dimension, one of unbearable cruelty, a huge dagger-shaped starship cruised, gliding on silent engines towards a planet of tranquility and hedonistic pleasures. The ship, long in development in the Empire's Antares Shipyards, culminated years of development into the ultimate engine of death. Nearly 60 turret-mounted Type IX and X phaser cannons and flexible photon torpedo tubes provided the bulk of the offensive capabilities. But those cannons were mere pellet guns to the more potent battery of main weapons-twenty-four experimental Type XII phaser cannons, each one capable of rending an Excelsior-class starship in two or vaporizing a Grissom-class science vessel before the crew could react; more than enough firepower to render a decent sized Class-M planet uninhabitable. This didn't include an extremely powerful cloaking device, or close to two hundred starfighters. The Empire had her appropriately named as well-ISS Executioner, NX-666-and her mission was to destroy the Rebellion and cow the rest of the Empire into submission. All this immense firepower, however, didn't prevent it from falling into the hands of the Rebellion. A small handful of freedom fighters snuck aboard the 1600 meter long battleship while she was in drydock, managed to infiltrate and steal the warship. Six Imperial vessels--two Excelsiors and four Constitution-class starships-were destroyed in a very one-sided battle, and the battleship made her way towards a known area of interdimensional instability-Rhydin. On the bridge of the battleship, since rechristened Liberte, Rebel Commodore Christopher Marx, Junior, sat in the command chair of this magnificent warship as she cruised towards the planet of his home. Except that the lake he knew as he grew up was poisoned, the cool forests long since burned to the ground, the ashes of his wife and children scattered to the four winds on Rhydin. Yes, she had been a pleasure slave purchased by his father, but Alex had, since his defection, been a constant companion and friend as well as mate. She had been in the house when the Empire struck, with phaser and photon fire that eradicated not only the ranch house and forests, but most of the smaller communities surrounding the lake. His son and daughter were playing in the woods when the first photon torpedo hit the house. Bolt after bolt of phaser fire lanced down from the heavens, as photon torpedoes followed. Only one ship was capable of such precision fire, a ship that haunted him from the first time that he laid eyes on her-the ISS Arcadia, NCC-1742-D. And yet, Marx thought, my wife still lives, in a parallel dimension, where the Empire is the Federation, and not bound together by violence, but by mutual understanding. "Helm, Engineering, begin dimensional interface. Tactical, once we're in the other dimension, activate cloak." Marx was feeling the weight of his dishonor of serving in the Empire. His parents and baby brother and sister dead by his hand while commanding the Kuznetsov. His twin sister, a member of Imperial Intelligence, was probably dead by now because of his own supposed treason against the Empire. A hail of "Aye sir's" was his reply. Within moments, space began to crackle and warp, and the battleship found herself cloaked, orbiting Rhydin. A much different Rhydin than they were used to. The Tactical officer spoke up. "Commodore, I'm detecting Federation registries in the vicinity. We are in the mirror universe, sir." "Thank you, Mr. Lafayette. Communications, tap into Starfleet's database. I want the location of the USS Arcadia" "Aye sir," the communications officer replied. He went to his task, tapping into Rhydin Sector Headquarters network. Marx stood and walked along the catwalk past the crew pit to the forward portion of the bridge. He stood there, his hands clasped behind his back, looking through the viewports at the planet below them. The Liberte's prow pointed like an arrow towards the peaceful Federation planet. "Commodore?" "Yes Commander Edison?" "Sir, last communication with Starfleet that the Arcadia, NCC-1742-E, had reported she was leaving the Dugher system for Risa." "Thank you, Commander. Mr. Lightoller?" The helm officer looked up. "Sir?" "Set course for Risa, maximum warp." "Aye sir." Lightoller replied. He looked at the quartermaster mates. "Set course for Risa, ahead warp factor 8." The cloaked starship oriented on her new course, and streaked into warp. ----- Risa SD 10211.20 "Now approaching Risa, Commodore. Christ, traffic pattern is packed." Commander Lightoller said. "Thank you, Commander. Intercept the Arcadia, and maintain position 40 thousand kilometers away." "Aye sir." The massive ship, difficult to maneuver in such potential close quarters, swung on to an intercept heading and quickly found the Federation ship. "Commodore, I have the ship on sensors." "Thank you, Mr. Lafayette. On screen." The small monitors above the viewports showed the newest incarnation of Arcadia, navigation and running lights shining like jewels on black velvet. "Forty thousand kilometers, Commodore. Holding station." The battleship easily held her position above the Federation starship. "Captain Thompson, you have the bridge. I'm going over there." "Understood, Commodore. But should you have someone go with you?" "No. Only my counterpart's biopattern is in that ship's database. Anyone else would trigger an intruder alert, and I do not want that." "Aye sir." The ship's executive officer replied as Marx left the bridge and headed for the nearest transporter room. The Commodore walked into a combat transporter room, capable of beaming 100 Marines into a ground assault or boarding action. This happened to be one of about 25 scattered throughout the ship. "Chief, lock into my counterpart's quarters. I'll beam directly to there." "Aye sir." The transporter chief began scanning. "Sir, I'm not picking up your counterpart's signature. I do read two that are close, one mixed, and one not quite identical. Which one shall I beam you into, sir?" "Go for the latter, Chief." Marx walked on to the pad and waited as the transporter chief locked in on the room. "Energize." With a swirl of disorientation, Marx appeared in a set of quarters on the Arcadia. He looked around; saw his counterpart's claymore sitting in a case on the wall, his father's awards hanging next to it. Marx looked at the desk and saw a photo of his baby brother with two girls, one a redhead, the other with purple locks, smiling and laughing as they hung on him. "So," he said quietly, "my baby brother is alive and well and on this ship. That would mean that my baby sister should be alive as well." He walked out of the quarters and looked on the doorplate. "'William John Marx, Lieutenant (jg), Helm.' So my baby brother drives this ship. I wish him all the best." Marx pulled out his tricorder and headed down the corridor to Commander Alexandra Dane's quarters. Stopping, he hit the chime. A faint "Coming," was heard. Marx smiled. It had been some time since he last heard that voice. The door slid open. "Hello Alex." Alex's eyes went wide when she saw her late husband's doppleganger. "Ch…Ch…Chris! Oh my god, you're alive!" tbc