Mere Mortals

Summary
On Earth, Federation President Nanietta Bacco gathers allies and adversaries to form a desperate last line of defense against an impending Borg invasion. In deep space, Captain Jean-Luc Picard and Captain Ezri Dax join together to cut off the the Collective's route to the Alpha Quadrant.

Half a galaxy away, Captain William Riker and the crew of the Starship Titan have made contact with the reclusive Caeliar — survivors of a stellar cataclysm that, two hundred years ago, drove fissures through the structure of space and time, creating a loop of inevitability and consigning another captain and crew to a purgatory from which they could never escape.

Now the supremely advanced Caeliar will brook no further intrusion upon their isolation, or against the sanctity of their Great Work. … For the small, finite lives of mere mortals carry little weight in the calculations of gods.

But even gods may come to understand that they underestimate humans at their peril...

(2381) The Enterprise-E engages several Borg cubes inside the Azure Nebula, taking heavy damage despite the effectiveness of their transphasic torpedoes. As their targeting sensors are knocked offline, they send out a general distress call. Miraculously, the USS Aventine answers their beacon, and acts as the targeting system for the torpedoes, allowing them to finish the engagement. As the two vessels work to repair and heal themselves, the two command crews discuss how the Aventine came to be inside the nebula, reporting on the subspace tunnel that linked their position to the crashed planet of the Columbia. Captain Jean-Luc Picard finds it curious that a tunnel's terminus is at the suspected site of the Borg Collective's continued incursions, and orders a mission to search, obstruct, and then destroy any other potential tunnels which the Borg could be using.

(1519) On the city-ship of Axion, the four remaining Columbia officers wait out their days as they hide in the blackness of space. Although it had been some time since they saw any of the Caeliar, Inyx eventually approached Captain Erika Hernandez and informed her that the Quorum wished to speak to her in regards to the actions of their mutinous MACOs. Hernandez takes her first officer Veronica Fletcher along to Quorum Hall which they must walk to due to the energy saving measures. Once there, Inyx presents evidence on behalf of the humans which indicate that the extragalactic signal that triggered the collapse of their Great Work was specifically crafted and the only reasonable explanation is that it was the Caeliar themselves. Since one of their other vessels was able to escape, it must have traveled through a tunnel to the beginning of time and completed the self-consistent causal loop. The humans are absolved of any guilt, but will remain as permanent guests on Axion.

(2381) The away team of the USS Titan is welcomed to the surface of New Erigol and Axion by Erika Hernandez, Inyx, and Edrin. As with the Columbia team prior, they are accepted but informed they are to be permanent residents of the planet. The Titan is given a voice-only message of the same. Inyx speaks with Erika alone, who suggests that the Caeliar must take these actions to protect their privacy. The Quorum wishes to separate the Titan personnel by gender to prevent breeding and the creation of a new civilization, but Inyx intends to counter-propose diving the crew into small groups according to genetic incompatibility to allow for mixing of the genders but preventing offspring. Even though Hernandez hopes that the crew accepts their position, Riker and the Titan begin investigations into breaking away from their capture.

As the Enterprise and Aventine remain in position outside the Azure Nebula, considering the best options for protecting and collapsing the subspace tunnels. Even though Captain Dax and the senior staff of the Enterprise argue against destroying what could be an invaluable exploratory tool, Captain Picard insists that they must be closed to prevent the Borg from continuing their assault. Dax draws on the technology of the self-replicating minefield used at Deep Space Nine to protect the Bajoran wormhole and plans are made to create a similar field inside the nebula. However, further sensor readings from the Aventine indicating that the opening of any of the subspace tunnels would cause an intense repulsion wave, causing the mines to detonate against each other or be thrown into shipping lanes. Furthermore, the collapse of the tunnels could have repercussions such as the destruction of star systems and destabilization of nebula arms. Unable to take the unnecessary risks, Starfleet Command orders that an expeditionary force be sent through the tunnels to determine which is being used by the Borg, and to hold the battle line at the far terminus. In order to accomplish such a task, Starfleet drafts a plan and presents it to President Bacco to create a joint allied force of local space faring governments.

Federation President Nanietta Bacco meets with a collection of ambassadors from neighboring starpowers to discuss a joint attack force. Initially, few of those present support her or the Federation's plan, but a few more are eventually convinced to throw in their support. Those who do not initially agree are kept behind for further negotiations as the others leave to prepare their fleets. Starfleet Command is also extremely busy planning the next strategy - CinC Edward Jellico has been working for nearly sixty hours straight, and is finally convinced by Admiral Alynna Nechayev to delegate certain tasks to allow him to rest. Elsewhere, a think tank including former Borg drone Seven of Nine considers their possible tactics and weaponry, with Seven pointing out the failures and shortcomings of every former weapon available to them. She endorses the fleet taking the fight to Borg space, and deploying a thalaron weapon to destroy any fleet found there, as it is the only weapon capable of destroying with one shot that the Borg have not been subjected to thus far. However, the idea is rebuked by the others in the group, despite Seven's insistence that the Borg have no moral qualms about completely eliminating their lives.

(1519) The Columbia officers left on Axion attempt to adjust to their new lives separated from their former selves. Following the loss of most of the Caeliar, the gestalt is weaker, necessitating giving the four officers ground level dwellings to prevent unnecessary use of the elevators. Valerian's mental state continued to decline - she refused to talk to any of the other Columbia officers, and barely ate and must be forced to go out to obtain artificial sunlight from the lamps. The others attempt to find past times to occupy them - Fletcher took up writing, but Hernandez finds she lacks any artistic abilities, and petitions Inyx to allow her to contribute to the Great Work. Over dinner, the three regularly discuss those things that they miss most - meat, wine, constellations - until Fletcher brings up sexual urges, a topic they had previously agreed not to mention. Metzger stormed off, and Hernandez suggested that it might be possible to have one of the Caeliar mimic one of the more handsome MACOs, a thought that repulsed Fletcher, who sees the Caeliar as the enemy, forcing their imprisonment upon them unfairly.

(2381) The Enterprise and Aventine continue their research at the subspace tunnels, which Captain Picard feels is taking too long to find the frequencies. Compounding the difficulty is that one vessel must remain behind when the other goes through; the vessel left behind will have to defend from potential Borg incursions while the other vessel must reopen the remote end of the portal alone. After dismissing La Forge to continue working, Picard asks Worf if he feels the security department is up to the task of close quarters combat with Borg drones; Worf responds that he has full confidence in them. On the Aventine, Captain Dax is frustrated about her current situation, feeling as though she is unsuited to her current position which is only due to a set of lucky circumstances. However, Commander Bowers insists that it is not situations but her reactions that have distinguished her as a good commander. While the two vessel's chief engineers work to upgrade the Aventine to allow it to send the necessary pulses to operate the subspace tunnels, Dax beams aboard the Enterprise to speak with Worf. Worf reveals to Dax that he is satisfied in his current position as first officer to Captain Picard, and he is pleased in Ezri's successes, which honor the memory of Jadzia.

Aboard the Titan, a strike team is prepared to rescue their captive crewmates. Hoping to use a folded-space transporter to bypass the sphere surrounding the Caeliar planet to beam in a jump strike team, a specific feedback pulse scrambles the systems, thwarting the plot. Captain Riker addresses the crew, hoping to stem off the hopelessness, vowing to continue to fight while their away team is held prisoner. Elsewhere on the Titan, Counselor Huilan visits Pazlar, suggesting that she has spent an extreme amount of time in the stellar cartography lab, and is worried that she will lose her muscles' abilities to utilize her exoskeleton as well as lose the line between reality and her protective environment. His point is made when he asks her to locate her armature, and she cannot, as it is hidden behind the holographic environment of the lab which had been redesigned to appear as her quarters so she never has to leave. Meanwhile, on the surface, Keru and Torvig make a reconnaissance of the city of Axion, discovering a strange instrument that makes harmonic sounds and a Caeliar manipulating liquid into spherical shapes. Torvig admires the easy control that the Caeliar have over their environment at the level of matter itself, as it is the state that the Choblik have desired for some time. Vale, Tuvok, and the security officers watch as Caeliar come and go from certain structures, and determine that they are constantly being monitored. They speak with the Caeliar who has been observing them, Avelos, and learn about their makeup of claytronic atoms. Finally, Erika Hernandez meets with Deanna Troi, and informs her that the Quorum will soon meet with her. Troi asks about the Caeliar civilization and mannerisms, and about Erika's time amongst them, learning of their xenophobic ways.

(1525-1573) Hernandez continues to assist the Caeliar in their mission to locate a new planet, under the tutelage of Inyx. Inyx points out another potential candidate for later investigation, but the lengthy distance means that it could be decades until they make a closer survey. Hernandez suggests a scout vessel, with her crew aboard, but Inyx refuses. Erika becomes frustrated, and reveals that she finds it unacceptable to be on Axion that long, suggesting that they be dumped off on a habitable planet or that the Caeliar shift themselves out of the galaxy to preserve their privacy. Inyx dismisses the suggestions, but is determined to arrange a better situation for their guests and has a holographic chamber designed where they can escape to an ocean surrounding. Although Sidra Valerian is delighted in the fake environment, Fletcher and Metzger are outraged, refusing to enjoy the gifts being given to them, lest they surrender to their imprisonment.

After many years amongst the Caeliar, age has taken its time on the four humans. Metzger has lost her sight, and depends on Valerian to move about for their daily trip to the ocean, where Sidra was able to enjoy herself. When she was younger, Metzger would leave Sidra to enjoy herself and instead escape to the tallest spire in the city to watch the passing space. However, one day, Valerian decided to fall from the tower, committing suicide. The loss sends Sidra into a catatonic coma, and her condition deteriorates quickly. Inyx refuses to euthanize her, but offers suggestions - management of the pain until she expires, or attempting to infuse her body with catoms, linking her to the gestalt and hoping to improve her condition. After a few days, Erika changes her mind to allow Sidra to pass quietly, and asks Inyx to help. They take Sidra to an operating laboratory, and begin to add catoms to her system to repair the organ failures. Fletcher watches from above and Hernandez from the floor as Valerian's body rejects the catoms and goes into complete synaptic failure, causing the additions to lose synchronization with the others, eventually turning her body into nothing more than a pile of black dust. Later, Inyx finds Erika under the tree where the Columbia crew used to meet, where she has been self-doubting her decisions since the attacks. Weeks pass until Fletcher is willing to be in the same room as Erika following the loss of Sidra. Eventually, they are able to sit over a chess game, where Fletcher reveals to Erika that she is dying.

(2381) The Aventine emerges from its first subspace tunnel in the Delta Quadrant. The same frequency does not open the portal back, so they investigate while they work on the challenge. A debris field is nearby, but as they set course, two vessels approach. As the Aventine approaches the debris field, they note it to be very uniform as if hundreds of identical ships were destroyed. The hull fragments read decay consistent with tetryons and chroniton exposure, similar to Borg vessels. As the two mysterious contacts approach, they read as neither ship nor lifeform but energy shells filled with superhot material teaming with life readings. The bridge conn officer is possessed, through whom they communicate, and inform the Aventine that because they are not Borg, they will live only if they leave immediately. The aliens insist on no contact, and the Aventine departs back for the tunnel. Back on the Enterprise, Worf enters Sickbay with several broken bones and ribs, claiming that he increased the intensity of his calisthenics program. As Crusher works on the first officer, security chief Choudhury enters with similar injuries, claiming a rock climbing program. Crusher realizes the two have been intimate, and agrees to keep the discovery discrete.

After receiving various threats from their governments, President Bacco meets individually with the ambassadors who have not sided yet with the Federation's plan to fight the Borg. Her first meeting is with Ambassador Garak, who insists that the Cardassian Union cannot afford to join the force due to a lack of resources. Bacco offers the Union three planetary systems along the border with Minshara class planets which could greatly improve the Cardassians' agricultural abilities. She meets with the Gorn and convinces Zogozin to offer their support, then meets with Derro. Although Grand Nagus Rom has offered his vessels, she asks Derro to act as intermediaries to hire the Breen, to prevent the Tholians from taking advantage of the Federation's mostly defensless state. The Tholian Ambassador, Tezrene, confronts President Bacco, and refuses to stand as allies with the Federation. Elsewhere on Earth, the Starfleet think tank continues to consider their options against the Borg. Despite the hopes of the Admirals, Seven of Nine insists that they cannot stand against a full scale invasion, and the best option is to use one of the subspace tunnels to travel to a distant galaxy and collapse the tunnel behind them. Seven assures the think tank that nothing will stop the Borg until the Federation is annihilated, and attacks Admiral Jellico to make her point, which ends with her being escorted out of Starfleet Headquarters.

(1574) The city of Axion settles onto its new planet, selected in part by Erika Hernandez. She and Fletcher watch from the edge as it descends, and Fletcher immediately asks to disembark. They travel by disk to a small hill with three trees, a location that Fletcher declares perfect for her grave. The Caeliar set about on restoring their city based on native flora and water, and the chief engineer Edrin designs a house for the two humans on the surface. The two live together for some months until one morning Fletcher does not arise for breakfast. Erika finds her barely alive, and calls for Inyx, who takes them towards the selected grave site. Fletcher left specific instructions that her death be naturally and uninterrupted, even though Erika pleads with both of them to do something. With her dying breath, Veronica begs Hernandez to refuse the Caeliar's gifts because the price is too high. After her XO's death, Erika finds no peace in the house built for them, and asks Inyx to raze the house and allow her to come back to reside in Axion. Once there, she is witness to the next steps in the Caeliar Great Work, including building a protective shell to hide the planet, a construction that Erika feels oppressive. Greatly depressed, she throws herself down a flight of stairs, but only succeeds in greatly injuring herself. She wakes in a sterile facility where Inyx has taken her to discuss their options - she does not wish to die, but feels as though she cannot go on alone. Although the Ordomo and the Quorum forbade Inyx from continuing his genetic research, he did so anyway and offers Erika the technology that failed for Sidra, asking that she remain because he has grown to enjoy her company greatly. She agrees to the procedure, and awakens a youthful invigorated person. Inyx begins to show her how to use her new powers, but they have limitations and wane when apart from Axion's quantum field, making her a prisoner of the Caeliar forever.

(2381) The Enterprise watches the Aventine return through one of the subspace tunnels and receives word from Admiral Nechayev of the incoming reinforcements. Second Officer Kadohata is able to find a few moments to contact her husband, and discretely suggests that he take their family far out of the way, hoping to spare them from the invading Collective. The Enterprise enters one of the subspace tunnels and emerges in a high-gravity area of supermassive black holes and harnessed stars. They attempt a general hail, but receive no response, and Worf suggests that they remain focused on their mission to locate the Borg staging area.

Counselor Troi meets with Ordomo and the Quorum, and fails to sway their thinking, saying the same things that Hernandez claimed many years prior. Aboard the Titan, Xin Ra-Havreii continues to push himself, hoping to find a way to escape the bounds of New Erigol. Counselor Huilan visits him, and suggests that the intense amount of effort Xin put into Melora's holotank is actually a reflection of the isolation and superficial life the engineer has sought. After Huilan leaves, Xin comes up with an idea to tap into the Caeliar subspace tunnels to observe that they observe. On the surface, the away team eats breakfast and discuss their options in code language to prevent the Caeliar from understanding their conversation. Troi suggests befriending Erika Hernandez, but the others consider her allied with their captors. Troi presses the issue to Vale when the two talk seperate from the others, but Vale stubbornly insists that she has made her decision - and that the counselor requires a medical checkup as soon as possible. After Doctor Ree inspects her, he declares that the medications are no longer functioning, and they need to operate soon to save Deanna's life.

(1574-2095) After being infused with catoms, Erika Hernandez finds her existance to be significantly altered - she no longer feels the need to sleep or eat, and her memory allows her to recall everything on command. She also finds that she has access to the Caeliar gestalt, but feigns as though she does not to Inyx. Decades pass and the Caeliar complete their protective shell around the planet. To protect the environment, an artifical sun is created to provide heat and energy, but the nights are completely dark and starless, a fact that depresses Hernandez. The shell also contains the apparatus to continue the Great Work, rather than have it on the surface. Hernandez spends her days in artistic pursuits and wandering the city which eventually takes her to the same tree that the Columbia crew used to meet under, which is now petrified - a dead relic preserved forever, just like her she muses.

(2381) The Titan crew on the surface of New Erigol plan and put into motion an escape attempt, kept secret from the Caeliar via extensive use of the Vulcan mind-meld. Creating a diversion to occupy the Caeliar, the crew is able to tap into the Mance and activate the transporter to beam back one of their officers. However, the Caeliar disable the shuttlecraft before it can do anything more than make a localized scan. Troi continues to attempt to sway over Erika Hernandez, but the Columbia commanding officer continues to resist.

The Aventine and Enterprise continue to open and traverse subspace tunnels, coming close to completing their surveys but still unable to locate the Borg staging area. As reinforcements arrive and shore up the Azure Nebula, both vessels decide to make the next passage together, and emerge in the middle of a binary star pair, and the ships take a significant amount of damage. Captain Picard begins to hear the muted voices of the Collective, and in particular the Borg Queen, but a fleet of incoming vessels are discovered to not be Borg, but a Hirogen hunting pack.

(2168-2381) In Axion, Erika Hernandez watches as the Caeliar observe the great Catyclism that marked the destruction of Erigol. Now that the time has passed, Erika requests to see what occured on Earth in their absence, but Inyx suggests that she not worry about it and make a clean break from her former life. However, Erika steals into Inyx's laboratory and uses his machines to access Earth history and learn of the Earth-Romulan War and its outcome. Her efforts are detected before she can attempt to contact her former lover, Johnathan Archer, and she and Inyx are summoned to face the Quorum. Inyx is tasked with taking full responsibility for Hernandez's actions in the future and the Quorum suggests that if she cannot be controlled, she will be banished to some distant galaxy. Erika begins to subtly defy the ruling of the Quorum, first attempting to send an SOS embedded in a soliton wave, then reprogramming one of the backup relays, then finally attempting to build a soliton emitter of her own in secret. Each time, the Caeliar were able to stop her actions before they could be completed. Inyx begs her to cease her actions, for fear of losing her forever, but revealing that she would grow old and die away from New Erigol, living for some time. With the arrival of the Titan, her hopes for escape renewed themselves; after the botched escape attempt, the Titan crew begins to consider winning over Erika and using her for their escape. Meanwhile, Erika secretly observes the Quorum, who have detected the usage of the subspace tunnels, and begins a series of soliton pulses to shut down their former passageways. Simultaneously, Troi's condition deterioates to a critical stage, which forces Doctor Ree to undertake a rather unorthodox medical procedure.

(2381) Repairs to the Enterprise and Aventine continue, but will be complete too late to prevent an engagement with the Hirogen. In light of this fact, the crews rededicate their efforts to their tactical and defensive systems and prepare for the attack. Back at the Azure Nebula, Captain Chakotay and the USS Voyager lead up the allied forces while the two ships are gone when the Borg fleet emerges through the aperature with thousands of vessels, overwhelming the combined fleets. The Aventine and Enterprise are attacked and boarded by the Hirogen hunters, who kill several security officers and employ some unusual tactics, including extra-vehicular excursions to bypass security forces. They are able to defeat their Hirogen boarders, but find that they have precious little time to return through the subspace tunnel before it destablizes. They make it through and emerge into the graveyard left from the Borg assault. Captain Dax refuses to sit back and do nothing, and sets course for Earth, with the Enterprise in chase.

Back on Earth, President Bacco receives word of the Borg armada, and is overwhelmed by the sheer scale of the assault. Unable to do anything else, she dismisses her staff and contemplates what possible courses of actions they could hope to undertake.

In orbit of New Erigol, the Titan is able to tap into the Caeliar soliton pulses and witnesses the Borg's emergence into the Azure Nebula. Erika Hernandez suddenly appears on the ship's Bridge and insists she has a way to return the vessel to that location but only if they leave before the Caeliar realize she is gone. Captain Riker reluctantly agrees to leave his away team behind and return to the Federation to face the Borg threat...

Characters

 * Jas Abrik • Amavia • Nanietta Bacco • Abby Balidemaj • Borg Queen • Sam Bowers • Braddock • Torvig Bu-Kar-Nguv • Carr • ch'Kerrosoth • Chakotay • T'Ryssa Chen • Jasminder Choudhury • Corinne Clipet • Erin Constantino • Beverly Crusher • Cruzen • Lucy D'Odorico • Peter Davila • Ezri Dax • Hegol Den • Dennisar • Derro • Doss • Dossok • Edrin • Dina Elfiki • Endar • Joanna Faur • Veronica Fletcher • Gallivan • Elim Garak • Randolph Giudice • Maureen Granados • Svetlana Gredenko • Gren • Fo Hachesa • Hastur • Gruhn Helkara • Erika Hernandez • Inyx • Edward Jellico • Jovis • K'mtok • Miranda Kadohata • Kalavak • Talia Kandel • Lonnoc Kedair • Ranul Keru • Kezal • Harry Kim • Alan Kistler • Rennan Konya • L’Sen • Geordi La Forge • Harley de Lange • Larsen • Mikaela Leishman • Lovak • Mars • Maurnier • Ofelia Mavroidis • Johanna Metzger • Miltakka • Sean Milner • Mimouni • Oliana Mirren • Gaff chim Nak • Mamoru Nakamura • Alynna Nechayev • Ellwood Neil • Newaur • Nina • Ordemo Nordal • Ormoch • Tom Paris • Melora Pazlar • Jean-Luc Picard • Esperanza Piñiero • Xin Ra-Havreii • Sariel Rager • Shenti Yisec Eres Ree • Bryan Regnis • Padraic Rhys • Holly Hostetler Richman • William T. Riker • Rriarr • Rymond • S'ti'ach • Safranski • Huilan Sen’kara • Seven of Nine • Pava Ek'Noor sh'Aqabaa • Elizabeth Shelby • Raisa Shostokova • Simmerith • Sivak • Aneta Šmrhová • Gian Sortollo • James Talenda • Tare • Taurik • Tezrene • Neshaal th'Chun • th'Shelas • Tharp • Deanna Troi • Tropp • Tuvok • Christine Vale • Sidra Valerian • Manfred Vogel • Gary Weinrib • Steven Wexler • Worf, son of Mogh • Zogozin • Zseizaz

Adams • James Leonard Akaar • Dante Alighieri • Jonathan Archer • Arithon • Avelos • Babur • Bednar • Ugo Boncompagni • Mackenzie Calhoun • Chaotica • Hernán Cortés • Dax • Curzon Dax • Jadzia Dax • Dexar • Donatra • Emra • Erem • Leonardo Fibonacci • Stephen Foyle • God • Irene Hansen • Kathryn Janeway • Tiris Jast • Judi • Locutus • Martin Luther • Ferdinand Magellan • Martok, son of Urthog • Franka Metzger • Jörn Metzger • John Milton • Miyamoto Musashi • Montgomery • Ralph Offenhouse • Owen Paris • Captain Proton • Claudius Ptolemaeus • Richard Réti • Rom • Rosado • Saransk • Sedín • William Shakespeare • Shinzon • Benjamin Sisko • Sozzerozs • T'Lara • T'Vala • Tal'Aura • Tayvok • Tovak

Starships and vehicles

 * Borg cube • Columbia (NX-02) • Ferenginar Transport •  •  •  •  • Lotan • Shuttlecraft Mance • Tiamatra • USS Antietam • USS Athens • USS Aventine  • USS Defiant  • USS Destiny • USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D)  • USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-E)  • USS Excalibur (NCC-26517-A)  • USS Mendeleev • USS Ranger • USS Saladin • USS T'Kumbra • USS Templar • USS Tiamatra • USS Titan  • USS Voyager

Locations

 * Adelphous IV • Andoria • Argaya system • Axion • Azure Nebula • Bajoran Wormhole • Berlin • Beta Quadrant • Beta Thoridor • Betreka Nebula • Britain • Cancún • Cardassia • Carina Arm • Cestus III • Clark Canyon • Deep Space 9 • Delta Quadrant • Devnar IV • Dundee Ridge • Earth • Egypt • Erigol • Europe • Ferenginar • Gamma Hromi II • Gamma Quadrant • H'Atoria • Hell • India • Kennovere • Khitomer • Klorgat IV • Limbo • London • Lyshan system • Mantilis • Mexico • Milky Way Galaxy • Mount Everest • Neutral Zone • New Erigol • New Zealand • NGC 5078 • Palais de la Concorde • Perseus Arm • Pollux IV • Port Shangri-La • Purgatory • Qo'noS • Quorum Hall • Risa • Romulus • Roth Dining Room • Sakoura • San Francisco • Sector 001 • Shrouded Galaxy • Solarian IV • Solarian system • Starbase 234 • Star Chamber • Starfleet Headquarters • System J-25 • Tanis • Taurus Reach • Typerias • Unimatrix 01 • Wolf 359 • Xibalba

Races and cultures

 * Andorian • Bajoran • Betazoid • Bolian • Borg • Breen • Caeliar • Caitian • Cardassian • Chalnoth • Chelon • Choblik • Deltan • Denobulan • Efrosian • Elaysian • Ferengi • Gorn • Hirogen • Human • Jem'Hadar • Kaferian • Klingon • Kobliad • Nausicaan • Pahkwa-thanh • Orion • Pangean • Reman • Rigellian • Romulan • Saurian • S'ti'ach • Takaran • Talarian • Tellarite • Tholian • Trill • Tzenkethi • Ullian • Vulcan • Zakdorn

States and organizations

 * Bacco University • Bajoran Militia • Borg Collective • Breen Confederacy • Cardassian Union • Council of the United Federation of Planets • Dominion • Earth Alliance • Earth Starfleet • Federation Department of the Exterior • Federation Diplomatic Corps • Federation Security Council • Ferengi Alliance • Gorn Hegemony • Imperial Romulan State • Klingon Defense Force • Klingon Empire • Klingon High Command • Military Assault Command Operations • Mughal Empire • Quorum • Romulan Star Empire • Starfleet • Starfleet Academy • Starfleet Command • Starfleet Intelligence • Starfleet Research and Development • Talarian Republic • Tholian Assembly • Tholian Ruling Conclave • Tzenkethi Coalition • United Federation of Planets

Other

 * amoeba • apple • Asian • axe • bat'leth • Battle of Acamar • Black Death • blanc • boot • bread • burgundy • cabernet • Celtic • chardonnay • chariot • chess • chianti • Children of the Storm • coffee • cream • d'k tahg • dagger • dog • Dominion War • Drake Equation • duranium • EEG • egg • Egyptian • Emergency Medical Hologram • English • English Civil War • Eugenics Wars • European • ferret • Fibonacci sequence • Flashpoint Sinister • French • french toast • German • gi • Great Work • gree-worm • Gregorian calendar • Gurkha knife • Hide-and-Seek • Inferno • influenza • Japanese • jazz • Jefferies tube • judo • jumpsuit • king • King's Indian Attack • knife • knight • Kytherian crab • L'Allegro • Lightning Shy • malbec • margarita • merlot • Mok'bara • Nausicaan sword • noodle • PADD • Palais Control • pancake • pasta • pawn • pinotage • quantum torpedo • queen • ratatouille • regenerative phaser • Réti Opening • Revenge of Chaotica: A Captain Proton Adventure • riesling • Rigellian voulge • rioja • rodinium • Russian roulette • sari • sauvingnon • semirigid polyduranide • shampoo • silver • Slug-o-Cola • Spanish • Stockholm syndrome • strawberry • stun baton • syrup • sugar • sword • Tayvok's Gambit • terminium • thalaron • theremin • Tholian silk • toga • TR-116 • transphasic torpedo • Tree of Life • triox • tube-grub • Vegemite • viper • wine • zinfandel

Timeline
The story is primarily set in February 2381, following immediately on from the events in the preceding novel in the trilogy Gods of Night. The flashback chapters begin in 1519, immediately after prior events in that era in Gods of Night and continue all the way through to February 2381. Specific dates and periods of time are indicated for some parts of the flashback narrative, while others are more ambiguous, and/or cover large continuous stretches of time.