"Odd that there should be a door here.", he said.
He kneeled down, and began to examine the lock.
"This is odd also. This lock seems to be designed to keep people in, rather than keep people out!"
"The power source is behind this door.", said Kira. "If we can shut it down then I can contact Sisko and get out of here."
Standing upright, Odo began to use his abilities, and inserted three 'fingers' into the locking mechanism.
For minutes he grappled with the lock, trying everything he knew to get the door open, and eventually, he did, but what they saw they were not expecting.
The first thing they saw as the door opened was a light, and then they saw something they were not expecting. Four Imperial Storm Troopers, each armed to the teeth, stood before them.
They were both shocked by this. They had no idea that the Galactic Empire had a foothold in this part of the Gamma Quadrant.
The storm troopers grabbed hold of them and dragged them inside the cave.
They were pulled down a long corridor until they came to what seemed to be a large control room.
There, they saw the man who was regarded as one of the most evil men in the universe, the man who had orchestrated the Empire's attack on Deep Space Nine and the Alpha Quadrant.
"Vader!", Kira gasped.
Odo, too, was shocked when he saw who was with Vader.
Standing next to the Dark Lord was none other than the female changeling, the one who had guided him ever since he had arrived home.
"Have you been captured by Vader as well?", Odo asked.
"No, Odo. I came here of my own free will. Your original mission was to find the Dominion, and the Founders. You have found them, Odo."
"The Galactic Empire is the Dominion?", asked Kira.
"No, Major.", Vader boomed. "The Dominion is only a part of the Galactic Empire. We have many arms, all over the galaxy, here, in what you call the Gamma Quadrant, and in the distant Delta Quadrant also."
"And what about the Founders?", asked Odo.
"We are the Founders.", said the changeling. "We were powerful before we joined the Galactic Empire. Now, we are very powerful! You can join us, Odo, and enjoy the power! You can enjoy the Link!"
"Heed her words, Changeling!", said Vader. "We offer you everything you have ever dreamed of."
"I've encountered you before, Vader.", said Odo. "I know what you're capable of, of the evil that lurks inside your very being. I cannot join you!":
"That is a pity.", said the changeling.
Vader signalled over to the storm troopers that had brought them in.
"Take them to my ship. We leave within the hour. The Emperor will be pleased when he finds out what we have."
"No.", said the changeling. "Leave Odo here, with us."
"You will not be able to change his mind.", said Vader. "I know. I have encountered his like before. The Emperor, however, may be able to. Take him aboard."
They were dragged away onto a nearby Imperial shuttle. Moments later, they had left the planet, and were soon aboard a huge Imperial Star Destroyer.
On the bridge of the Voyager, Janeway looked around. Where once Starfleet and Maquis crews stood, different in their attire, now stood a Starfleet crew.
"We are alone.", Janeway started. "Thousands of light-years from home. We have made new friends, and a few enemies. But if we are to get home, then we're going to have to work together as one crew, a Starfleet crew. We have a long voyage ahead of us. We'll be looking for wormholes, new technologies, and another life-form like the Caretaker. One way, we'll get home!"
Janeway then turned to Paris.
"Mister Paris, set a course for home."
Doing as he was ordered, Paris set a course for the Alpha Quadrant.
As they began their long journey, Tuvok called Janeway over to the tactical station.
"May I speak with you in your Ready Room?"
A few minutes later they were in the Ready Room.
"Captain, I think there is something you should know about. I have just finished reading the scans we took during the battle with the Kazon ships. I detected something that no Federation vessel has detected for two years."
Tuvok switched on the computer terminal, and called up the information.
"The warp signature here, from the Kazon ship, was last detected two years ago, by the Valkyrie, in the Bajoran sector, near Deep Space Nine."
"It was two years ago when the Galactic Empire tried to gain a foothold in the Alpha Quadrant. I attend a conference held a year afterwards to discuss the threat. From the looks of these scans, the warp signature and the weapons fire matches that of the Galactic Empire exactly! Could it be...?"
"It would appear that the Kazon Ogla was affiliated with the Galactic Empire. If this is true, then our journey home would be a most hazardous one."
"If we ever get home, that is. If they discover a Federation vessel in one of their sectors, then there will be no hope for us!"
Twenty-eight hours later, the Defiant docked with the Pegasus station.
Pendragon greeted Sisko as he left the airlock, but Pendragon was not the man Sisko wanted to see.
"Where is Magus?", he asked.
"He left over a day ago.", Pendragon replied.
"I trust you have seen the news?"
"Yes. I've had a chance to study the treaty as well. It looks like Servalan is giving the Dominion the key to the front door!"
"Not much longer! We destroyed the entrance to the wormhole."
"But they could find another way of re-opening it.", said Pendragon.
"It is possible.", said Dax. "An Istarian could do it, if they had enough power!"
"Tell me, Commander, do you bring anyone else from Bajor with you?"
"We didn't have the time. I just hope the Jem'Hadar doesn't hurt them!"
"There is one thing that could help us.", said Pendragon. "The election result is due in a few hours. We just have to hope that Ambassador Spock wins."
"And if he doesn't?"
"Then we're in for a lot of trouble!"
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