Lost Souls

Introduction (blurb)
The soldiers of Armageddon are on the march, laying waste to worlds in their passage. An audacious plan could stop them forever, but it carries risks that one starship captain is unwilling to take. For Captain Jean-Luc Picard, defending the future has never been so important, or so personal — and the wrong choice will cost him everything for which he has struggled and suffered.

For Captain William Riker, that choice has already been made. Haunted by the memories of those he was forced to leave behind, he must jeopardize all that he has left in a desperate bid to save the Federation.

For Captain Ezri Dax, whose impetuous youth is balanced by the wisdom of many lifetimes, the choice is a simple one: there is no going back — only forward to whatever future awaits them.

But for those who, millennia ago, had no choice… this is the hour of their final, inescapable destiny.

Summary
(2381) Starfleet Captain William T. Riker of the USS Titan made the most difficult decision of his career to that point, and agreed to former United Earth Starfleet Captain Erika Hernandez's assistance to depart New Erigol and escape the Caeliar. Doing so meant leaving behind his away team, including wife Deanna Troi, but his duty to the United Federation of Planets in light of the invading Borg Collective outweighed his personnel. Hernandez modified the vessel's shielding and deflector to allow them to pass safely through a subspace aperture, although the ship was without primary power after emerging in the Azure Nebula. On the planet's surface, Inyx of the Caeliar and the away team confronted Doctor Shenti Yisec Eres Ree after he attacked Troi, and he reveals that he injected her with a Pahkwa-thanh venom, stopping her internal damage.

(4527 BCE) The Caeliar city-ship Mantilis made a crash landing onto an unknown planet deep in the Delta Quadrant with its few survivors. The MACOs dug out of the ice and snow and surveyed their surroundings. Although Karl Graylock wanted to stay in the city and await rescue, Sergeant Gage Pembleton knew there would be no chance and they should move to the lowlands as quick as possible, hopefully to find food and water. They set out with batteries provided by Lerxst of the Caeliar, and set up camp, unable to find food their first night. As they keep watch, they see the Caeliar emerge from their city to observe the humans, pale and dying.

(2381) The USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-E) continued to chase the USS Aventine towards Federation space, with Captain Jean-Luc Picard fearing that Captain Ezri Dax would activate the ship's experimental quantum slipstream drive and head into a suicidal engagement. However, Dax finally relented and the two ships stopped to contact Starfleet Command for further orders. Elsewhere, in Klingon Empire space, Captain Korgan and the led a fleet of Klingon Defense Force ships against the invading Borg, utilizing transphasic torpedoes after the specifications were distributed by Admiral Edward Jellico. After repelling the small force, General Klag contacted the veScharg'a and ordered them to join a large fleet halfway between the Azure Nebula and Qo'noS to defend the homeworld. At Qo'noS itself, Chancellor Martok beamed aboard the and joined General Goluk and Captain G'mtor with the assembled forces ready to join the defending fleet. Meanwhile, back on Earth in the Palais de la Concorde, Federation President Nanietta Bacco tired of reading the grim reports from Starfleet delivered by liaison Leonard James Akaar. Special consultant Seven of Nine agreed that any attempts to evacuate from the quickly approaching Borg would be futile, and after making contact with the Enterprise, President Bacco gave Captain Picard carte blanche to undertake any actions, even if they violated Starfleet regulations or Federation law.

Admiral Jellico had no specific orders for the Enterprise and Aventine, but refused Dax's suggestion to activate their drive and return to Earth. He also informed the two Captains he had overridden Admiral Alynna Nechayev's security directive and distributed the specifications for transphasic torpedoes to all ships and starbases along with the Klingons. Without anything else presenting itself as an option, Picard suggested heading back to the Azure Nebula and rallying any remaining allies; Jellico consented, but suggested the ships have an exit strategy in case of the complete collapse of the Federation. Back at the nebula, Titan Chief Engineer Xin Ra-Havreii requested permission to salvage from the destroyed armada, an idea that Captain Riker reluctantly agreed to. After doing so, Riker went to visit Hernandez, entering her guest quarters without announcing himself. After a mild rebuke, she questioned her imprisonment, even though Riker had already confirmed her identity, but then accepted it. She revealed that ever since she and the Columbia had been captured by the Caeliar, she had desired escape, and the Titan had allowed her the chance; she also felt as though she had let down everyone she was supposed to have protected. The Titan was able to finally contact the Enterprise, and reported that of the entire armada, only the USS Voyager remained, and they refused assistance or evacuation.

(4527 BCE) A week after leaving Mantilis, the MACOs cling to survival. Pembleton attempted to keep up morale and keep them focused on survival, despite poor weather and lack of food. While hunting one day, Niccolo Mazzetti was attacked and killed by a predator animal. The Caeliar fared no better; without the quantum field of their planet, they quickly lost cohesion and senses, with their memories starting to fade. The youngest three eventually gave up their catoms to sustain the others even as Sedín and Lerxst contemplated proposing a merge with the humans. Lerxst reluctantly approached the MACOs with their suggestion.

(2381) In Axion, Inyx approached Ree for a sample of the venom so he could separate it from her physiology. Ree held out initially, hoping to lend his ability to assist in Troi's healing, but eventually relented. Due to the escape of the Titan, the Caeliar Quorum had decided to restrict all access to Caeliar technology and methodology. Aboard the Titan, Erika Hernandez had a nightmare where she was attacked and assimilated as Logos of Borg. Once awake, she discovered that along with sleep, her body also required food and drink, and she sampled the replicator's selections, finding them lacking. The command crews of the Aventine, Enterprise, and Titan gathered in the Happy Bottom Riding Club, and briefed each other on their recent events. Without any other ideas, Dax suggested speaking with Hernandez and gaining her further assistance. Captain Riker made the introductions, and Hernandez recognized Captain Picard as Locutus. Strangely, Hernandez was able to hear the voice of the Borg Collective, but able to filter and select individuals instead of the drone Picard often heard - including the new Borg Queen aboard a ship attacking Deneva with a single directive to destroy Earth and the Federation.

The Klingon fleet intercepts their Borg targets en route to Qo'noS, decloaking and launching barrages of transphasic torpedoes. The Borg employed ramming techniques, sacrificing a few ships to allow the bulk of their forces through and destroying seventy percent of the Klingons' strength. With the Sword of Kahless and unable to pursue, Martok communicated with Kopek in the High Council Chamber in the First City, who vowed to set aside politics for the sake of their civilization. Defending Deneva, Captain Alex Terapane and the USS Musashi led a fleet to defend the planet. When their torpedoes began to flare uselessly against the Borg's shields, he sacrificed his ship, hoping to take out as many cubes as possible. On the surface, Ione Kitain and Elieth watched the destruction of their planet, observing bodies falling from the sky as transport vessels lose power. In Paris, President Bacco received word from Esperanza Piñiero about the destruction of Deneva, along with impending attacks on close worlds, suggesting that they move to the secure bunker at Starfleet Command Headquarters.

(4527 BCE) Lexrst attempted to convince the humans, pointing out that the infusion of catoms would improve their immune systems and allow them to fight off the pathogens of this strange world, speed recovery, and survive famine. Pembleton argued that they would be on the move as soon as they could construct sufficient number of snowshoes, but Lexrst pointed out that their island was more than one hundred kilometers from a large continent. Despite the logical reasons, the humans unanimously voted not to become “meat puppets”. A short time later, Eric Crichlow died from his infection, and the rest of the team journeyed to the southern part of the island, finding no trees or other raft making materials; Thom Steinhauer became delusional, and killed himself in desperation on the shore. In Mantilis, Lerxst reported the MACO's rejection, and more of the Caeliar died, including Ghyllac, whose catoms were taken by force at the urging of Sedín. Lexrst, whose memories were fading, asked if they had been friends - and if she would recall him with such disregard if he lost cohesion. Sedín dared the humans to fight once she decided to merge with them.

(2381) After speaking with Admiral Nechayev over subspace, Captains Picard and Riker attempted to determine a course of action against the Borg. Captain Dax presented an idea proposing that Captain Hernandez would interface with a Borg vinculum and masquerade as the Queen, issuing new orders. Using the enhanced Titan stellar cartography lab, they successfully located a small scout craft and prepared boarding parties. Captain Picard felt that the Caeliar's advanced technology was too hazardous to allow to fall into Borg hands, and sent his first officer Worf to attempt to talk Dax out of her plan under the guise of joining the strike teams. Dax saw through the attempt, and remained focused on their plan. The Aventine successfully engaged and disabled the scout craft, beaming over hundreds of security and tactical personnel organized in small teams, which quickly advanced using Hirogen tactics. After securing the craft, Mikaela Leishman and a team of engineers beamed aboard to prepare the vinculum.

On New Erigol, Deanna Troi awoke in Inyx's sterile facility after he had completely flushed Ree's toxin from her system. Inyx had noted the damage to her developing fetus, and requested permission to repair her genetic damage as well as her child. Below the surface, Torvig Bu-Kar-Nguv and Ranul Keru located the source of Axion's power - a gigantic generator powered by Omega molecules.

As the Borg continued their invasion, Doctor Beverly Crusher found Captain Picard in the holodeck recreating the Chateau Picard, figuring it would soon be lost to the invasion, drawing further into himself and his misery. Jasminder Choudhury mourned the loss of her home and family on Deneva. The Aventine's Sickbay hurried to deal with the wounded from their assault, including several friendly fire casualties while Hernandez struggled to merge with the vinculum and halt their progress. Within Federation territory, the USS Atlas led a force to protect Vulcan, Piñiero urged President Bacco to escape from Earth before it came under attack, and Seven of Nine reported to the President that the Borg had adapted to the transphasic torpedo, the last effective weapon against them. On Andor, former Federation Councillor Charivretha zh'Thane waited vigil in Therin Park until its destruction, and former Starfleet officer T'Lana faced her final regrets before Vulcan's Forge was destroyed. Erika Hernandez was able to finally interface with the Borg Collective, and after some initial disharmony over two Queens, she issued the most basic of commands - sleep and regenerate. The Borg temporarily halted their progress, allowing a few of the ships to be destroyed and a few planets to be saved, but the real Queen quickly reasserted herself, psychically assaulted Erika, and transferred her presence to the scout craft.

(4527 BCE) After eight days of hiking, the remaining humans returned to Junk Mountain, where they hoped to find the Caeliar alive and still willing to merge with them. However, once there, they found Mantilis apparently empty, although the Caeliar had simply lost the ability to maintain physical cohesion. Sedín possessed all three of them, with Graylock's final thought that “I won't be...won't become...a...cy-“ -Borg. Once Sedín had control over the humans, she realized the female was most precious, and only required one male, so she had Thayer and Graylock kill and eat Pembleton for sustenance. Elsewhere on the island, a mining crew of Kindir native to the planet Arehaz landed on the island; some searching for scientific discovery, some for glory, and some for money. They located the crashed city of Manilis, and were the first to be assimilated by the newly formed Borg.

(2381) The Aventine came under attack by the Borg scout craft, and lost their ability to maintain the shields or dampening field. The ship began to attack the security forces directly, but Kedair and Hernandez were able to set a transphasic mine and escape to a beam-out point. Once they were back aboard, Captain Hernandez confronted Captain Dax with the information she had been able to glean while connected to the Collective - their conception of a hive mind was incorrect, as the Borg were an entire enslaved population controlled by a single mind, like a prison of lost souls. Although the Caeliar had considered Mantilis to be lost or destroyed until now, Erika was convinced that a botched merge between a Caeliar and the human Earth Starfleet crew left aboard had led to the creation of the Borg. Certain they were fighting a known factor, she was confident they could adapt and confront their enemy.

Erika proposed having Axion traverse the subspace tunnel they had fled through to return to the Azure Nebula. There, the signatures of their Omega molecule generator should lure the Borg towards it. Captain Picard was initially hesitant of the idea, and considered constructing a thalaron generator, but Captain Riker saw through to what was really bothering his former commanding officer - the thought of bringing a new life into a world possibly overrun by the Borg.

On New Erigol, Deanna Troi returned to the rest of the away team in perfect health and with her unborn child repaired. However, the news was tempered by Inyx reporting heavy losses throughout the Federation, an action that Christine Vale chastised him for, fearing for a loss of morale. On Earth, many of the planet's largest cities now felt like ghost towns after a massive evacuation effort which included most of the Federation Council and government officials as part of continuity of government efforts. With the Borg within ninety minutes of striking Earth, President Bacco gave the order for all Sector 001 assets to break off and flee, and refused to make any sort of final address.

The Starfleet captains finally agree to Captain Hernandez's plan, and T'Ryssa Chen helps Melora Pazlar activate the necessary modifications to connect her with New Erigol. Tanwa-seynorral Ordemo Nordal was angry with her, and the Caeliar gestalt dismissed the idea immediately, until she presented evidence of the similarities between the Borg and the Caeliar. Ordemo continued to insist that the Caeliar should do nothing to alter the flow of the timeline, until Erika pointed out that it was merely a matter of time until the Borg found Axion - and they were originally responsible.

Faced with the overwhelming evidence, the Caeliar tentatively agreed to return, and Axion was transported to the Azure Nebula, where it immediately became the Borg's singular objective. Even the attack fleet that passed Jupiter and split forces to prepare to assault Earth and Mars simultaneously halted their progress and returned on their original vector. Waiting there, the Aventine, Enterprise, and Titan sensors had been encrypted and the Omega Directive bypassed to allow continued normal operations. Erika Hernandez agreed to return to Axion in exchange for the release of the Titan's away team, a condition the Caeliar agreed to. Captain Riker was extremely grateful and met his wife and the rest of the team as they returned to their ship.

As the Borg bore down on the four ships, most personnel found themselves contemplative in the quiet wait. Torvig hid in the deflector controls, revealing to Keru that he doubted he was ready to face the Borg. Geordi La Forge found himself longing to visit Axion and explore its technology, but the thought of doing so without his companion Data saddened him. And Kedair asked to be punished for what she had done because she believed she deserved something for her actions; Captain Dax refused, considering it acceptable losses behind the fog of war. On Axion, inside the Quorum Hall, Hernandez presented her plan, much to the chagrin of Inyx, who disliked the idea of her jeopardizing herself, thinking that she had underestimated the dangers. Erika insisted that she do this, and said her goodbyes.

The Starfleet captains met secretly, making backup plans in case their plan failed and the Borg got the upper hand on the Caeliar. Captain Hernandez hailed them, apologized for deceiving them, and then opened subspace tunnels to bring the entire Borg armada instantly to their location. She then boarded the Borg Queen's vessel and was immediately assimilated. The Caeliar and Borg Collective waged a psychic war, each collective consciousness attempting to overpower the other. But where the Borg fought, the Caeliar merely calmed the aggression. They pushed beyond the presence of the Queen and found the lingering presence of their companion, Sedín. She eventually let go over her people, and the Borg Collective merged into the Caeliar gestalt, with trillions of drones suddenly freed from their oppression.

Finally freed of the voices of the Collective, Jean-Luc Picard broke down and wept on the Bridge of the Enterprise. Aboard Axion, the Caeliar welcomed the former drones, hoping to bolster their small numbers then vanished into the cosmos. On Qo'noS, Chancellor Martok toured the ruins of the former Great Hall, learning of the staggering loss of dozens of millions of Klingons, including many of the High Councilors. On Earth, President Bacco faced the Federation and the press, presenting their own grim losses - an estimated sixty-three billion lives lost between the Federation, Klingon Empire, and Romulan Empire, and the destruction of forty percent of Starfleet. However, she vowed to maintain the best goals of Starfleet, dedicating the explorers to missions far beyond their borders.

Characters

 * Jas Abrik • Leonard James Akaar • Antillea • Pava Ek'Noor sh'Aqabaa • Ashlok • Nanietta Bacco • Marta Batanides • Morgan Bateson • Jarata Beyn • Borg Queen • Sam Bowers • Torvig Bu-Kar-Nguv • Celank • T'Ryssa Chen • Jasminder Choudhury • Eric Crichlow • Beverly Crusher • Kirsten Cruzen • Darrow • Peter Davila • Ezri Dax • Denblas • Dennisar • Dyrrem • Edrin • Dina Elfiki • Elieth • Englehorn • Falgar • Aoki Farrenga • Colin Farrenga • Sylvana Farrenga • Vicenzo Farrenga • Sophie Fawkes • Felef • Frederico • G'mtor • Ghyllac • Randolph Giudice • Lena Glau • Goluk • Karl Graylock • Svetlana Gredenko • Fo Hachesa • Gruhn Helkara • Erika Hernandez • Shelley Hutchinson • Iliop • Inyx • Edward Jellico • Salaz Jestem • Jordan • Kant Jorel • K'Draq • Miranda Kadohata • Kandel • Karai • Kedam • Lonnoc Kedair • Ranul Keru • Kistler • Ideene • Ione Kitain • Klag • Kopek, son of Nargor • Krogan • L'Kem • Geordi La Forge • Aili Lavena • Mikaela Leishman • Lerxst • Liaudi • Logos of Borg • Malaya • Malfomn • ch'Maras • Marasa • Martok, son of Urthog • Niccolo Mazzetti • Meddex • Tujiro Nakamura • Narus • Navok • Alynna Nechayev • Ordemo Nordal • P7-Red • Melora Pazlar • Gage Pembleton • Jean-Luc Picard • Esperanza Piñiero • Ilar Prem • Qonqar • Xin Ra-Havreii • Sariel Rager • Ravosus • Shenti Yisec Eres Ree • Reese • Bryan Regnis • William Riker • Rriarr • Sedath • Sedín • Selidok • Seven of Nine • Sivak • Aneta Šmrhová • Gian Sortollo • Thom Steinhauer • Mark Strigl • T'Kel • T'Lana • T'Pel • T'Prel • T'Sona • Maria Takagi • Tane • Simon Tarses • Alex Terapane • Tharp • Kiona Thayer • Nexa Ko Tor • Deanna Troi • Charivretha zh'Thane • Tuvok • Christine Vale • Valk • Weinrib • Steven Wexler • Worf • Yneth

Anij • Arithon • Koll Azernal • Chakotay • Winston Churchill • Samuel Taylor Coleridge • Nella Daren • Data • Jadzia Dax • Dax symbiont • Dexar • Donatra • Doron • Fek'lhr • Stephen Foyle • God • Sonya Gomez • Gowron • Grevaq • Thor Heyerdahl • Susan Hyatt • K'Ehleyr • Kevin • Korvog • Krozek • Locutus • Fred MacDougan • Madred • Junior Mance • Oliana Mirren • Claude Monet • Miyamoto Musashi • Jaza Najem • Nargor • Rene Picard • Robert Picard • Captain Proton • Q • Qolka • Nelino Quafina • William Ross • Alexander Rozhenko • Shakespeare • Shinzon • Spock • Spot • Tal'Aura • Taurik • Thirishar ch'Thane • Winona Thayer • Tovak • Tovoj • Lwaxana Troi • Urthog • Worvan • Yaltakh • Yanas • Min Zife

Starships and vehicles

 * Borg cube • Borg scout • Columbia  •  Demial • Gillespie (shuttlecraft) •  •   •   •   •  • Mance (shuttlecraft) • USS Ajax • USS Atlas  • USS Aventine  • USS Baliste • USS Billings • USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-E)  • USS Exeter • USS Forrestal (2381) • USS Kearsarge (NCC-57566) • USS Musashi (Sovereign class) • USS Potemkin (NCC-18253) • USS Prometheus (NX-59650)  • USS Tirpitz • USS Titan  • USS da Vinci

Armstrong (shuttlecraft) • Ellington (shuttlecraft) • Holliday (shuttlecraft) • •  Scimitar • USS Destiny • USS Einstein (Nebula class)  (aka  Frankenstein Borg supercube) • USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D)  • USS Luna (prototype) • USS Tempest (Sovereign class) • USS Voyager

Locations

 * Andor • Arehaz • Axion • Azure Nebula • Captain's Lounge • Cestus III • Earth • Federation Council Chambers • First City • Great Hall • Happy Bottom Riding Club • Junk Mountain • Lacon City • Lakeside • Mantilis • Monet Room • New Erigol • Palais de la Concorde • Paris • Pike's Lake • Qo'noS • ShiKahr • Sibiran Range • Starfleet Command Headquarters • Summer Island • Therin Park • Utopia Planitia Fleet Yards • Vulcan • Vulcan's Forge

FGC-SR37-758 • Ajilon • Aldebaran • Aldrin Park • An'quat • Andor • Archanis • Ardana • Austria • Bajor • Barolia • Beta Lankal • Beta Quadrant • Beta Rigel • Beta Thoridor • Betazed • California • Canada • Castor • Celes • Champs-Elysees • Chateau Picard • Cordian • Cydonia • Dartmouth College • Deep Space 9 • Delta Quadrant • Delta Sigma IV • Deneva • Devoras • Draylax • Elas • Erigol • Gamma Quadrant • Germany • Gorath • Gre'thor • Hyralan • Johnson City • Jouret • Jupiter • Khitomer • Kintara • Korvat • Krennla • Liverpool • London • Lorillia • Luna • Mars • McKinley Station • Mempa sector • Mempa system • Milky Way Galaxy • Montreal • Morska • Mumbai • Nausicaa • Nequencia Alpha • New York • Novat • Orisha • Pacific Ocean • Pacifica • Peru • Praxis • Quebec • Quin'lat • Quorum Hall • Ramatis • Regulus • Rhaandar • Rigel IV • Risa • Rocky Mountains • Roth Dining Room • Rura Penthe • Settler's Monument • Sicily • Star Chamber • Sto-vo-Kor • Styx • Sumer • System J-25 • T'chariv • Tellar • Tezwa • Tokyo • Tolar'tu • Trill • Troyius • Tyberius • Unimatrix • Vermont • Wolf 359 • Xarantine • Yridia

Races and cultures

 * Andorian • Antican • Arcturian • Bajoran • Betazoid • Bolian • Borg • Caeliar • Caitian • Capellan • Catullan • Choblik • Deltan • Efrosian • Elaysian • Gnalish • Gnalish Fejjimaera • Human • Kindir • Klingon • Kobliad • Mizarian • Orion • Pacifican • Pahkwa-thanh • Takaran • Triexian • Trill • Vulcan • Zakdorn • Zaldan

Ba'ku • Dokaalan • Elabrej • Gallamite • Hirogen • Jem'Hadar • Kinshaya • Nausicaan • Orisha • Ressikan • Romulan • Selay • Sogstalabian • Talarian

States and organizations

 * Borg Collective • Caeliar gestalt • Council of the United Federation of Planets • Deneva Civil Defense Corps • Earth Starfleet • Federation Cabinet • House of Martok • Klingon Defense Force • Klingon Empire • Klingon Fifth Fleet • Klingon High Council • Klingon Ninth Fleet • Military Assault Command Operations • Quorum • Starfleet • Starfleet Command • United Federation of Planets

Dominion • Fourth House of Betazed • Imperial Romulan State • Order of the Bat'leth • Romulan Star Empire • Starfleet Corps of Engineers • Starfleet Medical • Starfleet Research and Development • Talarian Republic • Talarian Third Fleet

Other

 * acetylene light • acorn • The Adventures of Captain Proton • agriculture • albatross • angel • annular confinement beam • antimatter reactor • antiseptic • aorta • apple • assimilation • assimilation tubule • aurora • Austrian • avocado • bandolier • barbeque • bark soup • bark tea • baseball bat • Battle of Sector 001 • Battle of Vulcan (2381) • bat'leth • battery • bee • beer • binoculars • black beans • blood • boot • Borg drone • boronite • Bridge over a Pool of Water Lilies • Brig • bronze • bulkhead • butterfly effect • Canadian • candle • canteen • carabiner • carbon fuel • catom • cease fire • central plexus • champagne • checkers • chemical grenade • chess • chocolate • chronoton integrator • cilantro • cinnamon • cobra • coffee table • collision course • continuity of government • court-martial • cranial fluid • deflector • disruptor • DNA • Dominion War • drill • duranium • Earl Grey tea • energy dampener • engram • espresso • Eurasian • explosive • Eye of Erykron • Federation law • feedback buffer • Fibonacci sequence • fish • flagship • flare • flint • flour • fog of war • Foxtrot Blue • garlic • geothermal energy • German • Gorgon • grape • grapevine • grappling hook • gravity • Great Builders • Great Work • guacamole • hand scanner • Hero of the Empire • holodeck • hologram projector • horse • hyperphasic radiation • hypospray • iguana • Imzadi • Inuit • isolinear circuit • ivy • jazz • Jack cheese • Kolinahr • kolu fruit • latinum • latrine • Lieber exoskeleton • lime • malaria • margarita • mek'leth • meteorite • milk • mint • mojito • monofilament sword • mousse • multi-vector assault mode • nanoprobe • narcotic • Neolithic Period • nuclear fission • oak tree • oil • olive • Omega Directive • Omega molecule • Omega molecule generator • optronic cable • orchard • ova • PADD • palm beacon • parasite • phase rifle • photonic charge • pill bug • Pinor Noir • plasma • plasma fire • poker face • pork loin • prime particle generator • prison • prune juice • qIJbIQ • qelI'qam • quantum field • quantum slipstream drive • Québécoise • quesadilla • quinine • RNA • raft • raktajino • Ressikan flute • The Rime of the Ancient Mariner • rodent • rum • salsa • salt • sea urchin • seaweed • self-sealing anchor bolt • seppuku • shields • Sicilian • silver • Sioux • skillet • sledgehammer • snare • snowshoe • sofa • solar energy • Soldiers of the Empire • soliton field • soliton pulse • sour cream • Starfleet regulations • stasis field • steel • stellar cartography lab • structural integrity field • subspace tunnel • Sumerian • surgical arch • sword • tarp • Tezwa conflict • thalaron generator • thalaron radiation • tonic • torch • tortilla • Tour Eiffel • Tower of Babel • TR-116 • transparent aluminum • transphasic mine • transphasic torpedo • transporter • transporter coil • transporter pattern enhancer • triage team • tricorder • turbolift • venom • vinculum • virus • vodka • Vulcan nerve pinch •warp core • weather control grid • wine • wo'leng • written language • zero-point aggregator • zombie

Appendices

 * Prior to the cover art being finalised for the book at least one stand-in cover was issued, featuring Captain Riker on a colourful background. A very similar image of Riker was used on the final cover along side images of Erika Hernandez, New Erigol and a subspace tunnel.


 * An excerpt from this book was printed in Star Trek Magazine #141.
 * In the novel's inner title page, the 5th city listed under Pocket Books is Axion, one of the cities the Caeliar inhabit.

Front and end matter

 * The book's dedication somewhat abstractly refers to: Lerxst G. and the Professor, who inspired Mack to "get on with the fascination"; Bryan, whose generosity humbles Mack; and Randy, who made introductions.
 * This is a reference to the Canadian prog-rock band Rush. Lerxst is a nickname of Alex Lifeson, G refers to Geddy Lee, and Neil Peart is called "The Professor" on their 1976 live album A Farewell to Kings. "get on with the fascination" is a lyric from the song "Limelight".


 * The book's epigraph is a quote from Lord Alfred Tennyson's Ulysses:
 * ''Death closes all: but something ere the end,
 * ''Some work of noble note, may yet be done,
 * ''Not unbecoming men that strove with gods.


 * At the conclusion of the book there is a passage of latin: "Terminat hora diem, terminat auctor opus", which translates to "The hour finishes the day; the author finishes his work", and originates from the closing line of Christopher Marlowe's play The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus.


 * Like the other books in the Destiny trilogy the book has an appendix listing the crewmembers of the Columbia, Enterprise, Titan and Aventine.


 * The inside of the front cover features and advert for the ' anthology Shards and Shadows. The inside of the back cover promoted books to have been released shortly after Lost Souls continuing the narrative after Destiny: A Singular Destiny, Over a Torrent Sea and '.

Timeline
The story is primarily set in February 2381, following immediately on from the events in the preceding novel in the trilogy, Mere Mortals. The flashback chapters are all set in 4527 BCE.