Capital City, Terra Alpha – 2420

An Alternate Reality To Our Own

A great battle was being waged. Great buildings burned leaving streamers of black smoke in the sky. Alliance and Jase’dasis fighters duked it out as troops from both sides met on the battlefield below.

In the command center Dominus stood next to his lover Bellitor with a table displaying the progress of the battle. Across from them their generals gave progress reports.

Born Nicholas Ryder, Dominus, was in his eigth decade,  but with genetic manipulation he looked half that age. His concubine and closest confidant, Bellitor had been born Rebecca Sandoval,  and she too had recieved the same genetic manipulation.

“The Scots Highland Regument under the command of General Dougal MacDonald has flanked our right line and our defenses are crumbling,” one of the generals replied.

“We were able to repel the Narlin charge at our center,” another General announced,  but our numbers are thin.  Our clone soldiers were not trained in hand-to-hand and mowed them down.”

Dominus growled in frustration.  They had committed their whole force in this invasion banking they would catch the Alliance unprepared,  and for a time they were successful.   New Kanto was firmly under their control but the Scots put up and unexpected fight in New Scotland.  “Damned the Scots!” Dominus growled.   He hadn’t expected the new Scottish King would have already formed an army, and he thought Inverness and Bauriggon would have been soft targets. Nothing was going as planned.

Dominus pounded his fist against the screen of the table and shattered it.  The action split his knuckles open and breaking a few bones.  Dominus didn’t mind.  He relished the pain. The Generals stepped back fear in their eyes.

“Regroup our troops and have them fall back to the reserve line,” Bellitor said calmly.  “We can support them with our artillery.”

The generals nodded and saluted before practically running out of the command center happy to still be alive. Dominus watched them scurry out with a malicious smirk on his face, “You should have let me make an example out of one of them.”

“And then you wouldn’t have any generals,” Bellitor responded coldly but with logic.

Dominus sighed, “Can we win this?”

Bellitor shook her head,  “No. Our hope was surprise and speed.  The Alliance has the numbers, and now they are mobilized.” Dominus wanted to smash and kill, and Bellitor could see it in his eyes.  “There will be time to get your frustration out, but now we must think of the future.”

The two complimented each other.  Dominus had the ambition and ability to strike fear into his enemies.  Bellitor was no less evil, but her actions were more methodical.  She brought reason and focus to his actions.

“Mistress,” a clone soldier announced,  “We are being hailed by President Ryder.”

“I have a plan,” Bellitor said,  “but it may take some time.  This could buy us time we need. Ian wake our clones,” she said to their son who was standing close by.

“Don’t wake the Empress’ clone,” Dominus added. “I tire of her failure.”

Bellitor glanced over at Dominus and shrugged.  She had never liked his wife, and there was no love lost there,  but this was unexpected.

“On screen,” Dominus said suddenly. 

The viewer switched on and five people stood on the other end of the line. President Nick Ryder stood in the center with Preator Tomarah of the Romulan Republic to his right. Emperor Magus Stormtalon of the Narlin Empire, and President Michelle Ortiz of the New United Federation of Planets stood to his left. Fleet Admiral Angelica Ryder, Commander of all allied forces stood next to Tomarah. 

“Your forces have been routed, your space fleet is in shambles. Surrender,” President Ryder demanded. 

Dominus moved forward, “What are your terms?”

“Unconditional. Your troops and officers will be offered their own planet that will be off limits to all travel.  You and your family will stand trial.”

Dominus made a show of thinking about it.  “I accept, but I will need an hour to get my affairs in order.”

President Ryder looked at the others, and they all reluctantly nodded in agreement. “We accept, but no funny business.  You have one hour and not a second more.”

“You will have your surrender,” Dominus said dryly. “Dominus out.”

The screen winked out as Ian was escorting the cloned versions of themselves into the command center with Empress Julie Lei in tow.  “Dominus what is going on?  What are you up to?”

Dominus smirked, “It’s liquidation time.”

Julie stopped dead in her tracks. She was the only one without a double and that implication was clear. Her eyes were wide, but to her credit she didn’t flinch as Dominus shot her with a phaser and then turned it on the clones, his officers and anyone else in the command center that wasn’t his son or Bellitor.  To the Alliance it would look like he chose suicide over facing the consequences.

“Should I tell our soldiers to stand down?” Ian asked.

Dominus smirked, “Let them fight to the last clone. Kill as many of those Alliance dogs as possible.”

Ian smiled and nodded approvingly.

“Bellitor to Vindicator, three to beam up,” Bellitor said.

ISS Vindicator-

Órlaith stood from the center seat of the battleship she was commanding as Dominus and Bellitor entered the bridge. “Mother, father, Ian,” she greeted.

“Status?” Dominus demanded.

“Station keeping.  The Alliance is unaware of our presence.  Cloak is engaged,” Órlaith replied.

“Power up the Quantum Rift drive,” Bellitor ordered.  “Let’s go back a few years this time.”

“Dominion War?” Dominus asked.

Bellitor nodded, “I agree. The Federation is already weakened, and Angelica Ryder will still be a child at that point.”

Dominus laughed, “I like it. Kill the biggest thorn in my side while still a helpless pup.  Oh I will relish making that as painful as possible.”

Bellitor sighed, “And I guess I’ll go back to work cloning you a new army.”