A Universe of Change: Realized Probability

Disclaimer: see chapter one.

Author's Notes: IT LIVES!Hope u enjoy this. Sorry for the delay, anyway as always Read, Enjoy and Review please!

Summary: The Enterprise C and D blunder into the borderland between the Scarran Empire and The Peacekeepers. This fic is a part of AlbertG's Ruinations series and has been written with his express permission.

Chapter 12

Escape

Rygel looked around the corner of the wall they were hiding behind and watched as another Charrid and Scarran patrol walked past them.

He kept watching as they passed down the corridor and the last Charrid's back passed out of view.

"It's clear," Rygel whispered back at Noranti.

The edged out of concealment and dashed down the corridor towards where they believed the real Stark was being kept.

"We're almost there," whispered Noranti to Rygel.

He didn't answer her just kept his floating throne moving forward at a quick pace.

His comm chirped and Crichton's voice came out, "Ryg, you got Stark yet?" he asked impatiently.

Rygel huffed gruffly, "Not yet, now be quiet!"

"Change of plans, we're coming to get you guys, get to Stark then signal us," Crichton ordered before closing the channel.

Rygel huffed again, another change of plans...as usual.

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"I've got them on my tricorder, heading towards them now," Dax reported, "hopefully they'll have reached their target by the time we reach them."

The Rabrokator continued onwards, drilling through the solid rock of the base. The crowded elevator shook as they drilled, but everyone managed to stay on their feet.

Crichton looked around at everyone, "Things are going very smoothly..."

Sisko gave him a look but didn't say anything.

"And that's a bad thing?" snorted Dax.

"It's a new thing for us," muttered Crichton.

"Things always go smoothly for us...until they don't," commented Chiana quietly.

Sisko shared a glance with an exasperated Dax.

The two Starfleeters were used to quick, surgical and precise operations. The crew of Moya not so much, and apparently it was starting to get on Dax's nerves.

"Just focus on getting us to the others old man," Sisko ordered gripping Dax's shoulder reassuringly.

All the while Scorpius's dark reptilian eyes just watched evaluating everything.

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Two Charrid and one Scarran patrol later, Noranti and Rygel finally reached the chamber that held the real Stark in stasis.

The chamber was large, but empty several rows of the bioloid machines could be seen be seen but only one was apparently operational. It was the only one that was lit up and a soft machinery murmur was coming from it. The size and quietness of the room amplifying the quiet sound.

Rygel reached the bioloid machine while Noranti kept a lookout at the entrance of the chamber.

Rygel opened the chamber and he found Stark's peacefully sleeping form.

"Stark," he hissed.

Stark opened his eye and stared at Rygel as if waking up from a peaceful nap.

"Rygel." Stark lazily blinked his single eye, "What are you doing here?"

Rygel sighed and face palmed, "Uh, moron."

"Didn't anybody ever tell you not to get into other people's private business?" demanded Stark's angry voice from behind him.

Rygel dropped the lid on the chamber, shutting in the real Stark again. Rygel turned and saw the false Stark stalking towards him.

Rygel gulped and started to move his floating throne away from the bioloid machine.

The False Stark moved fast and grabbed Rygel by the neck raising him above the Hynerian's floating throne.

"I'm going to enjoy snapping your scrawny neck," the false Stark gave Rygel a cruel smile as he wrapped both hands around the Hynerian's small neck.

Rygel's breath became ragged as the false Stark began to squeeze.

A rumbling sound filled the room and the false Stark stopped strangling Rygel and looked around the room in confusion before turning back to the captive Rygel.

A loud, violent crash filled the room as the Rabrokator broke through the floor of the room, scattering the arranged bioloid machines. The edge of one of the flying machines clipped the false Stark, he dropped Rygel and went sprawling on the floor.

The Rabrokator came to a halt and Sisko stepped out into the devastated room, phaser at the ready, with Dargo and Crichton covering his rear.

"Come on," Sisko shouted gesturing to Rygel and Noranti, "Get your friend and lets go" he pointed at the false Stark.

"That's not him!" Rygel screamed angrily, as he floated as fast as he can back towards the bioloid chamber holding the real Stark.

"You think you can take him? He's mine!" screamed the bloodied Stark bioloid at Sisko, as he rose groggily from the ground, bleeding from the cheek below his real eye.

Sisko just raised his phaser at him, "Stand down."

The false Stark sneered at him, "You think you can stop me? I will make your soul scream!" he reached up and lifted up the mask covering half his face exposing what was underneath.

Instead of flesh, an unearthly light came from underneath the mask and Sisko froze as he felt his muscles seize up. Waves of pain came at him and he clenched his teeth, fighting the overwhelming desire to scream out in pain.

The maddened Stark ranted on, "I will take your soul! I...what is this? You're incomplete! A Fragment! And...What power is this?!" his voice lowered to a whisper, his face turning pale with fear, " How can you have such power? It's hidden..."

A pulse blast rang out through the chamber as Dargo shot the bioloid and the false Stark dropped dead like a puppet with it's stings cut.

Sisko reeled back as Stark's attack cut out as suddenly as it had began. He staggered back, Crichton reached out and steadied him.

"You ok?" Crichton asked, hand on Sisko's shoulder.

Sisko blinked several times composing himself, he focused on Crichton, "What was that?"

Crichton shrugged, "Stark's a Stykera, he's part energy-it's a long story, escape first, explain later...cause I'd really like to know what the frell he was talking about." He gave Sisko a suspicious look.

"If you are quite finished here then can we get the hezmana out of here now?" cut in Rygel. Behind him the real Stark was being supported by Noranti, a blank look on his face, "Before the Scarrans and Charrids come to investigate?".

Sisko nodded ,"Let's go".

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They made it to the docking bay without any other mishaps but Sisko was still shaken by his encounter with the false Stark and his declarations.

Fragment? Of what? And What power did the creature mean? Mused Sisko darkly.

"We're here, everyone out!" Dax exclaimed as he locked down the Rabrokator's controls.

They opened the doors and they stormed out, weapons at the ready, but thankfully the bay was deserted. They ran towards Dargo's ship. With a shouted command from Dargo, the ramp lowered and they all piled in.

The crowded ship powered up as Dargo took the controls, "Hold on, its going to get bumpy!" Dargo warned gruffly.

Lo'la rose from the deck with a loud roar and rotated to face the docking bay doors. With a flip of a switch Lo'la's weapons armed and fired blasting the doors out of existence. The ship roared out of the bay buffeted by the atmosphere and debris escaping along with them as alarms blazed loudly around them.

The ship accelerated at full speed out of the bay, weaving though space in the general direction of Moya.

Dargo grinned wolfishly, "Now all we have to do is reach..." he was cut off as Lo'la was rocked and sparks erupted from one of the ship's panels.

"We're hit!" Sikozu screamed worriedly.

"What hit us?" demanded Aeryn.

Dargo stared at his flickering sensors and continued to take evasive action as he waited for the sensors to became clear.

"Best guess-they did," Dargo angrily reported.

Arrayed before them was not one, but two Scarran dreadnaughts supported by their full battle groups. Fighters and Scarran Strikers heading towards them in advance of the dreadnaughts and other heavier ships.

And on the other side of the Scarran armada was the disguised Moya.

"Now would be a good time to shroud," suggested Crichton.

Dargo nodded and pressed the button for the shroud.

Dargo looked at his displays did a double take and then pressed the button for the shroud a second. His displays didn't change.

"Uh oh." Dargo verbalized lamely.

"Uh oh? What do you mean uh oh? You're not allowed to say uh oh!" screeched Crichton, "You can't say that here!"

Dargo put Lo'la through a tight twist to evade more fire from the Scarran fighters.

"The shroud is down."

"And there's the other shoe," lamented Crichton, shaking his head mournfully. "Any good ideas? Suggestions? Bad ideas?"

"I have an ace up my sleeve," remarked Sisko simply.

"Well now's definitely the time for it!" Crichton retorted, staring out at the assembled armada between them and Moya.

Sisko pulled out his tricorder and quickly pushed several buttons, before just as rapidly putting it away, "Contact Moya, tell her to leave. We'll meet them at the rendezvous coordinates." he paused, "Our ride will be here in a moment."

Crichton raised an eyebrow but didn't argue, he shared a quick glance with Aeryn before speaking into his comm, "Pilot! We can't get to you, Starburst the frell out of here! We've got another ride coming."

"Are you sure Crichton?" came Pilot's voice over the comms.

"Just go Pilot! Lo'la is not getting through all of that!" Dargo ordered gruffly, sparing a moment to command Pilot.

"As you wish Captain, Starbursting...now!"

A ship beyond the Scarran armada lit up and in seconds disappeared in a flash of light.

Crichton turned to Sisko, "Our ride better not be stuck in traffic!"

Sisko checked his tricorder, "Keep heading away from the Scarrans...Twenty seconds."

Dargo huffed but didn't say anything he was too busy dodging Scarran fire from the fighters, whose number kept increasing with every second. He weaved Lo'la though evasive maneuver after evasive maneuver pulling out every piloting trick he knew to evade.

Lo'la began to rock as the Strikers came into range and the fire towards them increased. He growled as more damage began to register on his displays.

The only thing they had going for them was that the Scarrans were shooting to disable them, not destroy them. If they wanted them dead, they would already have been dead.

This was the only thing keeping Moya's crew and the Starfleeters alive.

A flash of light almost blinded Dargo and suddenly there was another ship almost on top of them. It took a second for Dargo to recognize the Enterprise.

Lo'la jerked and suddenly Dargo's controls weren't working.

"They've got us in a tractor beam! Don't try to break free. This is how they're getting us out of here." Sisko barked sharply.

Dargo froze mid maneuver before cutting thrust and allowing the Enterprise to tow them unopposed.

Crichton nodded at Sisko, "Nice timing."

In the back of Lo'la, Scorpius remained silent his dark intelligent eyes following everything but he said nothing. Who were these new allies of Crichton's? Where had these humans come from?

There were too many unknowns.

Too many unknowns.

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"All weapons fire! Clear the area." commanded Captain Picard.

The Enterprise arced through space dragging along Lo'la. The Scarran fighters and Strikers scattering in all directions to avoid being run over by the larger ship.

Not all of them made it, and several fighters impacted Enterprise's shields. They exploded but caused little damage to the Galaxy-class cruiser's shields.

The scattered Scarran fighters started exploding as Enterprise opened fire. Scarlet beams reached out from the saucer section and fighters exploded. Many went evasive but the second salvo from Enterprise still found its mark among the initial survivors and the Scarrans continued dropping like flies.

The Strikers didn't fare any better. They died as easily and quickly as the fighters.

"We're clear sir!" reported Tasha Yar from Tactical.

Picard gestured with hand, "Take us to Warp! Engage!"

The nearing Scarran armada watching impotently as the Enterprise seamed to elongate and then disappeared in a flash of light.

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On Katratzi, Staleek was silent.

He stood in his command center his displays showing the devastation that had been wrought in such a short time. The unknowns had dared to strike at Katratzi...and they were in league with Crichton!

None of the officers around him dared to speak, not even War Minister Ahkna.

He boiled with rage, he stared at the now empty display. The wreckage of fighters and Strikers hanging tauntingly in space.

He turned to his officers, "I want reports in an arn," he growled menacingly, the other else hanging on his words.

Without another word, he turned on his heel and walked out of his command center.

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On the bridge of the Peacekeeper Command Carrier, Grayza and Braca shared a look, such a brazen act by the humans this deep in Scarran territory disquieted them both greatly.

Braca turned to his subordinates, "Sensors, did we get a scan of them?"

The female officer at the sensor station answered quickly, a little too loudly displaying her own unease, "Yes sir!"

"Initial analysis," Braca ordered.

The woman gulped and quickly tapped away at her station, "We didn't get much sir. It's the length of a leviathan, but energy readings are very high. Weapons-unknown beam weapon. FTL, it wasn't Hetch, sir...uh...also unknown."

"That's a lot of unknowns officer," remarked Grayza unhappily.

The officer gulped audibly, "Yes ma'am."

"Gather all the scans and take as many personnel as you need. I want more than just unknowns!" ordered Grayza sternly.

The officer saluted and then practically dashed off the bridge in her rush to start obeying the Commandant.

Grayza watched the officer scurry out, she then turned back to look at the aftermath of the short and decidedly one sided battle.

The Scarrans battle groups were regrouping and gathering up what few survivors of the quick battle there was.

There thoughts were secondary to Grayza.

Plans within plans, all ash. Burnt up, in the flames fanned by the humans and gone.

The humans were coming and their audacity was everything that she'd come to expect from Crichton. Only they had powerful weapons to back up their actions.

Unpredictability and powerful ships.

Grayza shuddered, suddenly the future of the Peacekeepers was very uncertain.

She turned back to Braca, "Contact the Scarrans, tell them we are leaving." She had work to do back in Peacekeeper space. There were preparations to be made.

Author's notes: As Always don't forget to review! :)