The Fall of Iconia

Chapter 20

A/N: Sorry for the delay in this chapter being posted. The standard disclaimer still applies. Please review!

Chapter 20

Neelix set his ship down on the docking ring around Colorado Springs. He was in awe as he gazed at the huge city, floating serenely in space. As he powered down his thrusters, a shield formed over Baxial and he heard the rush of an atmosphere collect outside.

"This is incredible," Kes said, giving voice to both of their thoughts.

The sensors showed that the atmosphere was complete outside the ship, so Neelix cycled the door open, and they stepped out onto the deck. A moment later, they saw two men hurrying toward them. "Welcome to Colorado Springs," the taller of them said said, holding out his hand. "I'm Kevin Riley, Special Federation Ambassador to the delta quadrant."

Neelix shook the man's hand, then turned to the other. He was shorter, and his hair was longer, and seemed to be both hair and moss. "I am Nefreyu of the Nox, Special Ambassador from Iconia to the delta quadrant."

Kes stepped forward and shook hands with both men, and when she touched the Nox's hand, she recoiled as if she had touched a hot stove. "What are you?" she asked. "You feel like an Ocampa, but you're obviously not."

"I am Nefreyu of the Nox," he said again, as if that explained all. He smiled and gestured toward the door he and Riley had come through. Neelix and Kes followed as Riley led, and Nefreyu brought up the rear.

Before they reached the door, they sensed an incomprehensible amount of power building up, followed by what seemed to be the universe shrinking around them. Neelix and Kes both stopped and stood transfixed as they watched the entire city flying through a wormhole to some unknown destination.

The two ambassadors didn't push them to follow. They stood and gazed at the phenomena. It was an awe inspiring sight, and they enjoyed watching with someone who was seeing it for the first time.

A few minutes later, they arrived at the gateroom of the city. They were ushered to the navigational system and Walter showed them where they were travelling in the quadrant. Neelix quickly oriented himself to the charts being displayed and showed where Dominion space began. "At the edge of their space, things get kinda tricky. There are some planets that have held out against them, while others, farther into the delta quadrant, have caved. Things become very fragmented as you get closer to the gamma quadrant."

"Do you know of any Jem'Hadar strongholds in this area?" Walter wanted to know.

Neelix quickly pointed out a couple of star systems near their present location, and they thanked him. Once they left, Walter ordered the computer to plot a course to the farthest of those systems, and relayed the information to the battlestars.

Jord...

Two weeks after the gamma quadrant strike force left Jordian space, a Cylon basestar jumped into orbit and launched fighters. This was the cue for Graystone's daughter, Zoe, to step through a gateway, along with Carson Beckett and Zeus.

Thor, Helena, and Graystone launched their fighters and held off the attack, neither pressing any advantage, nor backing down.

On board the cylon resurrection ship, Zoe Graystone, Beckett, and Zeus emerged from thin air, startling the centurions on duty. Zeus was behind the other two, pulling an antigrav cart laden with explosives. Zoe strode right up to the gold centurion who was obviously in charge. "Do you know who I am?" she asked.

"You are Zoe Graystone."

"And I'm the first Cylon," she stated.

"That is correct."