Debates & Discussion Between Merida Kax & Ezri Dax

Ezri Dax

Trill  isn’t occupied by a foreign power. It constitues part of that power. It  is a legitimate member planet of the Federation and is allowed to still  wield significant internal sovereignty. It’s just when it comes to  interplanetary issues that Trill - and all member states - answer to  each other to support each other about far-reaching issues.

The  Klingon high council has been coercing certain members, those within  and without the Council to cover up the crimes for its leaders. My  ex-husband, Worf, has been one of those manipulated into protecting the  identity of traitorious and power-hungry leaders. I’d like to believe  that it was only the threat of the Empire splintering that kept him from  exposing the corruption, but it was also that he turned his back, for a  long time, on his empire and its dealings.

We  would be allowed to leave the Federation, but by now, our space is  surrounded by Federation space. We could become the Switzerland of the  Alpha Quadrant, but really, how effective is neutrality when you are  enclave? It’s merely a title then. (Switzerland was an Earth country  famed for its unwavering neutrality for over two-hundred years, even  amidst two world wars. It is now part of a larger, consolidated  political entity in the Northern Hemisphere of Earth called the European  Union.) (( I hope no one gets offended by this fictional historical  projection. ))

It  might be possible… or it may just be dissenters. I’m not going to spout  propaganda. I just want to say that I am proud to serve in Starfleet  and serve the Federation, even despite the sometimes amoral decisions of  Section 31. I am aware of the Federation’s problems, as far as what  I’ve observed since its inception, but I believe in many of its  principles. Call me a romantic, but I believe in and want equal civil  rights and liberties for all, equal opportunity, freedom of speech and  of the press, peace, cultural and technological exchange. I also believe  in the Prime Directive -noninterference with the internal development  of alien civilizations. I know that even the most innocuous principle  can have a dark side, but then that makes such a debate moot. I choose  to serve to better the quality of lives around me, and I learn along the  way about some methods I thought may have worked but do not in certain  outlying situations.

I would welcome you to Trill and to see the Federation. I hope I can introduce you to my friends.

My  fifth host, Audrid, was head of the Trill Symbiosis Commission a  century ago, but It’s odd that I do not recollect any knowledge of a  symbiont named Kax. How old is yours? It’s possible that it is a  relatively new one or it may have spent time in the Symbiont pools.

Kax  is a few decades off four hundred but I don't know it's exact age and  it's had several hosts before it and hasn't been in Symbiont pools since  first being joined. I'm surprised you haven’t heard of it but perhaps  the Kax Symbiont doesn’t exist in your universe or has a different name.

Merida Kax

The  Federation could still influence or change Trill  policy if Trill were  to do something they didn’t like, is that truly  independence or  sovereignty?

It sounds more like a problem with the current   leadership then the Klingon Empire or Klingon society in it self. Why   did this Worf turn his back on his own planet and empire? is it because   he felt betrayed by it? Or did he have another reason.

It could be merely a title and nothing else, or it could be a chance to have full control of your foreign affairs.

In  my universe we maintain our independence and  neutrality while at the  same time interacting with other worlds and  sometimes keeping the peace  between them. We haven’t always been  completely neutral we’ve twisted  treaties in order to favour the powers  that have our interests at heart  and isolate those who don’t, but this  common policy for diplomacy I’m  sure the Federation does that as well. I  think we’ve done well as an  independent power but then you may think  differently.

Yes, I look forward to meeting your friends and seeing your world.

Kax  is a few decades off four hundred but I don’t  know it’s exact age and  it’s had several hosts before me and hasn’t been  in a Symbiont pool  since first being joined. I’m surprised you haven’t  heard of it but  perhaps the Kax Symbiont doesn’t even exist in your  universe or has a  different name.

Ezri Dax

It’s  not true sovereignty, no, or we wouldn’t be part of the Federation. But  we have been happy with the arrangement, since we are free to leave.  The freedom of self-determination is there, as much as it can exist now.  The Federation isn’t trying to forcefully usurp our culture or  anything. Maybe it won’t work out in a century or two, maybe it will.  But right now as things stand, it’s very rewarding to be part of a union  of different species, serving aboard starships with them, being  intimately acquainted with them, sharing our wealth of knowledge… it’s a  wonderful thing in many ways.

It  may pose a risk to our culture years down the road… but who is to say  what should or should not be preserved? It’s just one way things work  out. Maybe Trill might be better of sovereign or it might not or it may  not matter much - maybe both ways will work out. Who knows. I’m  relatively happy.

No,  the problem is not only with the current leadership, unfortunately. It  has been this way for many cycles. The culture was once dynamic and can  be so again, but that would mean, keeping in tradition, that constant  war would be a way of life. Then there are those, like Worf and General  Martok, who believe that allowing the Klingon empire to keep expanding  unchecked will only serve short-term stability for the Empire. They are  trying to find a middle ground. And that’s what I think needs to happen  more. There needs to be some change and advancement, not stagnation in  perpetuating old norms and values despite a change of context that may  not be conducive to them any longer.  I would think you’d tend to be particularly fond of a ‘non-static’ philosophy ;).

Perhaps  it has a different name. If that is the case, then I think only you  could be able to tell. It would be interesting to discover its alternate  name. I hope it is alive.

Merida Kax

It  does sound like it has it’s advantages but being  independent can bring  the same, our neutral status allows us to serve  with different species  as part of exchange programs and mercenary work, share knowledge that they wouldn’t be used against us and yes having intimate relationships with them as well.

Of  course if they continue to fight constant wars  against everybody would  make them an enemy of the entire galaxy. However  I couldn’t imagine  the Klingons being warriors with nothing to fight,  you’re not saying  that the Klingons should stop being warriors are you?

 

What  other kinds of changes do you think should  happen in the Klingon  Empire other then finding more middle ground with  negotiations and so  on?

 

It would be interesting to find out it’s name and   where it is but I don’t know how that would be done I might not have   even been born in your universe so it might not have even been joined  to  me. Unless, does the Federation have an archive of citizen names?   perhaps you could find my own name on there.

Ezri Dax

I’m  not saying Klingons should stop being warriors. But then again, the  Federation is a warrior culture in its own right. We’re just more of a  defensive type. When provoked, we retaliate, but we do not actively go  looking for conquest. At least not in the same way… we conquer with the  promise of technological advancement and ideas. A popular criticism of  the Federation goes: once a civilisation gets in bed with us, it’s too  comfortable for them to get out. We’ve thus been accused of being no  better than the Borg - effectively, speaking only - when it comes to  assimilation. Some even think it’s worse because we use our consciences  to dictate the direction of our civilisation, whereas the Borg just  think and do what’s in their nature. And if that’s the case and we  virulently deny that we insidiously assimilate with one face but gladly  accept the outcome with the other… well… but again, there are only a few  people who think that manipulatively. Manipulation is a necessary tool -  sometimes an evil - of survival, but I’m more of a straight-up kind of  person and I really do not like to resort to manipulation. Persuasion,  as a form of manipulation, but with honesty, openness, and the  acceptance of refusal. And I support and follow my superiors who think  the same way.

I’m  saying they’ll need to knock it down a peg, basically, if they’re to  have any allies. If they don’t want allies, then I guess we’ll cross  that bridge when we come to it. Time has proven once and again that a  conquering, expanding force will reach a tipping point whereby it has  grown too far (usually, too fast) to keep its conquered systems in  check. Ignite a fire, and you have a revolution on your hands.

Besides  that, I’m not exactly sure. I’d say, internally, there needs to come  about a greater self-reflection into the issue of cultural dynamism vs.  stagnation - for starters. I’m not saying they have to become a race of  scholars and poets, just a greater openness of though around internal  struggles instead of corrupt politicians covering their crimes and  abusing the traditions of honor and integrity by bending it to serve  their own selfish aims. Those are beautiful traditions and I would like  to see them preserved but for there to be a way that they can without  the stagnation and corruption that is present now. I believe people like  General Martok, Worf, and Worf’s son, Alexander Rozhenko, are the  future of the Klingon Empire. Warriors, but those tempered with the  original values that Kahless forged - the so-called “true heart” of the  Empire. That is the expression Klingons use in my universe.

I  would be happy to look into the matter, Merida. (( How do you want this  to play out? Do you want Ezri to find your alternate? ))

Merida Kax

So  the Federation does conquer through  ‘kindness'then, maybe those who  make that criticism are right even if it  becomes cheap with the Borg  comparison.

Despite what you’ve said before it’s clear that the   Federation has complete control over Trill’s foreign affairs and a   certain amount of control over our domestic affairs as well, How much   internal sovereignty does Trill really enjoy in your Universe?

Your  at war right now, did Trill want to get dragged  into this war? And if  the Federation went to war again would Trill be  able to question the  reasons behind the war or would you just have to go  along with it?  These are questions you should be asking yourself.

Of course  Manipulation is necessary for survival and  diplomacy as well, my Trill  has had to use manipulative strategies in  order to both maintain our  independence and survive, I wouldn’t call  that evil just a necessity.  But does the Federation use it’s  manipulation for good? Or for it’s own  self-interests and control.

Yes it sounds like that the true  heart of the empire  should restored but how would Martok, Worf, and  Alexander go about  removing this corruption? I would personally suggest  a purge of some  kind after all there has been successful purges before  in Klingon  history. But what do you think?

Thank you

((Well  I don’t know really, I don’t know what Merida  Kax would be like in the  Prime\ USS tumblr universe. Probably much like  she is now but there  would also be quite a few differences obviously.

I haven’t even  decided what her past hosts were like  that much, I’ve come up with some  ideas and that’s it. So a lot of  Merida is very undeveloped at the  moment, one of the reasons I started  this was to flesh out her  character more.

I know I should have thought this out a bit more  but  in the view of keeping character and all that, I thought that it  would  be something that Merida would probably ask about almost straight  away  when meeting a parallel universe))

Ezri Dax

I  never said it didn’t have significant influence and I’ve established  that Trill, in my universe, does not have full sovereignty over its  affairs like it would if it didn’t involve itself in an intergalactic  federation. But control? No, the Federation doesn’t. There are strict  guidlines, the Prime Directive being foremost, that prevent any forceful  interference in the internal matters of state amongst Federation  worlds. I say forceful because the culture of the Federation will  permeate and change Trill culture. It already has. Is it bad? In some  way yes, in other ways no. I think that’s all that can be said. However,  of course, at some point, the vices would outweigh the virtues by  anyone’s calculation, if the Federation were to tighten the proverbial  noose around Trill’s internal affairs. Or any other member planet’s. But  if that were to happen, you can bet there’d be an uproar. The  Federation would be betraying one of its pillars - to respect individual  planets’ rights to govern their internal affairs, aside from military  deployment. But everyone is on equal playing field there. It makes it  unlikely for say, Betazed, to attack Trill. We have many more allies  this way and we may have to sacrifice having our own private army, but  we do so in order to work as a collective. But a collective that uses an  old Terran system of checks and balances to seek a middle ground  between fewer interplanetary alliances and total hegemony. All I can say  is that I think it works pretty well so far. The more I have contact  with other non-Federation cultures the more I learn about the  Federation. More weaknesses and strengths come to light. So yes, I do  see the merit in self-governance and I would not want the Federation to  take over the entire galaxy, say. Fat chance of that ever happening. But  it works now and it works fairly well.

I find that there  are many things I can learn from serving with other species, and better  ways of exploring the universe through a multilateral effort. Starfleet  provides that opportunity. That is the appeal this system has for me  and the main reason why Trill and other planets have joined the  Federation.

Your at war right now, did Trill  want to get dragged into this war? And if the Federation went to war  again would Trill be able to question the reasons behind the war or  would you just have to go along with it? These are questions you should  be asking yourself.

We are at war right now, yes. We  would have eventually been dragged into the war whether we wanted to or  not. The Dominion is bent on controlling the Alpha Quadrant because the  Founders (changelings) have made it clear that they will not trust  humanoids. They may not conquer every humanoid civilisation in this  quadrant. But, if left unchecked, they would become the dominant power  and they would remain so for a long time due to their technology and  cloning facilities. I do ask those questions to myself. There have been  times where Trill has disagreed about going to war before, such as with  the Klingons about a century ago (that’s why Curzon, my former host, was  sent to Qo’nos as a last attempt at facilitating diplomacy). But more  times than not, it’s been a benefit to work as a collective. We’re  stronger, in terms of defense, working closely with our allies than  alone, but there are times that I do lament a certain level of cultural  distinctiveness as we had before.

By its definition,  manipulation is used to maintain one’s self interests and control, so  there is no choice between that and using it for “good”. There are  always corrupt people who come into power and so there may be a few  individuals or a certain time in history where the Federation performs  less nobly.

I always hope a non-violent solution can be  implemented. Say, a purging of certain laws that enable the corruption  to continue. But I understand that from a Klingon’s perspective, a purge  can be seen as a noble thing. Either way, corruption eventually finds  its way back. I think that it’s more effective, in the long run, to  enact solid laws and their strict reinforcement than it is to have  posturing through bloodshed. Again, I can understand the idea of  nobility from dying a warrior’s death and the romanticism of a purge,  but purges will always create bitter enemies out of those who survive  it. On the other hand, corruption can stew pretty badly when you know  how to manipulate a legal system and its system of reinforcement so…  sometimes a little violence is necessary I’ve realized.

I’m  not sure why this host is having so much difficulty in accepting using  violence for necessary means. It’s more than a little frustrating with a  war going on and having killed people already… I’ve been performing  Vulcan meditations and thinking of how to find inner peace, but I don’t  want to do that and become detached and cold - killing without remorse.  Or is it more accurate to say that killing without conscience is bad? As  remorse is only the emotion we feel. But I would think that detaching  ourselves from it may serve to sever our link to morality. But then  again, morals are so subjective so is it better to follow logic like the  Vulcans do? GAH. I’ve got so many questions for Ambassador Spock when I  get back.

(( Okay, I’ll follow your lead on that issue. Glad to help you flesh out her character :) ))

Merida Kax

We  have the opportunity to serve with other species,  after all we do have  allies and we make contact with other civilisations  on issues we have  are both having. There are also of course species  that choose to live  in our colonies and on our homeworld. Of course  we’ve been to war as  well with over planets but that was to claim back  colonies that were  previously ours, that happened a few decades ago and  we aren’t at war  with those planets any more.

I assume that the Dominion started  the war then,  where did they come from and is my Trill in any danger of  being attacked  by this Dominion?

Say if the Federation went to  war that the government  on your Trill feels is unjust, you would still  have to along with it  wouldn’t you? What elements of our culture did  you have to give up of  the Federation influence?

But what if it’s  manipulation of larger powers to  ensure a larger conflict doesn’t  start out? or the manipulation of other  powers in order to make sure  they don’t attack you? Aren’t they  examples of just manipulation? After  all isn’t all diplomacy and  politics manipulation to some extent?

I  say they should do both, purge the corruption of  the council and an  enactment of solid laws in order to prevent further  corruption. It  would be the honourable thing for the Klingons to do and  it’s happened  many times before in Klingon history, just this time they  might put a  few laws to stop further corruption as well.

Hell the federation  could even influence some of  those laws to be more in their favour,  after your previous hosts was  married to this Klingon Worf so he must  have been involved with the  Federation somewhere. Having a Klingon with  pro-Federation views start a  coup d'etat in the Klingon high council  could be very beneficial to the  Federation and I’m not insinuating that  you’re going to put a  Federation puppet as head of high council or  saying that you should but  still.

If your enemy is truly bent on  destroying you then  you should have no problem in killing them it is  after all self defence.  There is nothing wrong in defending yourself  against an aggressor, you  won’t become detached and cold you are doing  what is necessary.

You still have your friends, family and allies  you’ll  stay close to them, so there’s no danger of you becoming this  cold  unfeeling monster that you think you are turning into. After all  it’s a  cold universe out there and sometimes it’s a matter of kill or  be  killed.

 

(( Your welcome :)

 

Well I  require some help, As I said I had some ideas  for some previous hosts  of the Kax Symbiont and I had a great idea for  one and one whose  influence on Merida I could even bring into this  debate, a sort of  Trill verson of Peter the Great with similar politics  (I.e. making  Trill a power while visiting other galactic nations like  the Empire  Klingon and Romulan for inspiration on how to improve Trill,  like Peter  did with Russia) and Drinking and partying habits ((i.e.  Drinking a  lot and even getting diplomats drunk so they would spill  their  secretes, being very promiscuous and so on)  an interesting former  host  who gives some more background to this AU and Merida, as well as   adding to the in character debate.

 

This of course  sounding great until I realised how  much like the character of Curzon  Dax this sounded and if this was  Merida’s previous host then Merida Kax  would sound very much like an AU  Jadzia Dax which is something I  wanted to avoid so how do you think I  could avoid that and have this  person as Merida’s previous host?))

Ezri Dax

That’s very good to hear! :)

Yes  and no… relations were already strained from the start because the  Founders really despise the humanoids and distrust them. Though, that  distrust has been warranted on some accounts where innocent changelings  had to endure ridicule and contempt by the humanoids they came into  contact with. The Federation, on the whole, had a touch and go reception  of them, and things actually did look to be fairly promising for a  brief period of time when the Dominion seemed to give relations a bit  more thought. But what forever changed any hope of cementing an alliance  was the joint Obsidian Order and Tal Shiar attack on the Founders’ home  world in the Gamma Quadrant.  Betazed has just fallen… and Trill is  already being attacked by the Dominion as we speak. Even Earth was  attacked. Starfleet headquarters was partially destroyed.

Yes,  we’d still be obliged to go to war, unless we withdrew our membership.  Official protests would be made first, but if we withdrew and promised  to stay neutral, that’s what would happen. The Federation I know today  wouldn’t just turn on Trill then. They’d probably ask us to come back.  Who’s to say what would happen at that point. But there’d always be  negotiations of some sort. Well, one thing is that Earth pop culture  has, since joining the Federation, become widespread on Trill. Our  peoples have shared similar ideas, social norms, humor, and values, so  their culture became easily enmeshed in ours. We still hold onto  traditions such as the zhian’tara, though.

What  I mean is, by strict definition, I see manipulation as a tool. It’s  like your gun. Your gun isn’t moral or amoral. It’s the person who  wields the gun that uses it for just or evil purposes. So to attribute  ‘good’ or ‘evil’ to the tool (manipulation), is, I feel, a technical  fallacy. But I just want to point that out. It’s a common mistake to  make. I see what you mean, though - if you imply asking if I agree with  using manipulation to those ends. My answer is ‘yes’. My former host,  Curzon, was actually a Federation ambassador to the Klingon Empire. He  trained under my universe’s Sarek of Vulcan.

Yes, Worf  has been serving in the Federation for many years now. At my urging, he  took some time to think over what I told you earlier about the state of  the Klingon Empire. From what I’ve heard while on Cardassia, he  challenged Chancellor Gowron to a duel and defeated him, thus making  himself Chancellor. But he gave up the seat to General Martok, another  man whom I trust will be a fine leader. Worf never sought power, but  only to be remembered, to live on through a family line. Now that is the  heart of the Klingon Empire right there: glory for remembrance’s sake.  Not for the sake of power. He’s one of the best men I’ve ever known….  *sighs softly* I miss him…

Ah but at any rate…  I… don’t really like the sound of putting a Federation puppet as the  head of the high council. I do see the benefit… but were you not just  arguing for self-determinism for the Klingon Empire? It would seem cheap  to do that to them. I would like them to remain allies with us on their  own terms.

Truer words were never spoken… I  just worry because one of my former hosts was a serial killer. I’ve had  to kill already and sometimes I feel the same urges he felt. I don’t  want to and I’m frightened, but I do everything I can to control it.  Still, it hasn’t been getting much better. Everything I’m doing with the  Vulcan meditation, I feel, is only enough to keep it at bay sometimes.  Am I weak of mind? Probably. I’ll admit. I wasn’t prepared for the  Joining like other Trill were. But I will fight to be able to say that I  can still function as a properly joined Trill. And for more. For  myself. Yes. You are absolutely right. What works the best is to remind  myself that I’m fighting to protect those that I love.

((  He does sound like Curzon (and even more nefarious, which is awesome,  tbh!), but I mean, I think it’s completely acceptable for some Trill to  have had similar past hosts. He wouldn’t be an ambassador, but a head of  state, I take it? Similar professions, but still reasonable. I get a  Khan Noonien-Singh vibe from him a little.  Maybe that could be an  inspiration.))

Merida Kax

How  did you get to the Gamma quadrant? That’s  thousands of light years  away and is that where the Dominion is located?  If so then how did they  get to our quadrant? Why did the Cardassians  and Romulans see fit to  try and destroy the Dominion?

Starfleet was founded on earth well  that explains a  lot, it explains why there is no Federation in my  Universe for the  nuclear wasteland I’m in right now is earth. It seems  in my world Earth  almost completely wiped themselves out and never  recovered.

This only makes me more suspicious of the Federation   from what I see of earth it’s a savage brutal planet were it’s   inhabitants are still fighting, enslaving and killing each other for  the  ruins of their planet. Where those in power performed experiments  on  people who took shelter from the bombs. Maybe your Earth is a lot   different from this one and I certainly hope so.

The Federation would probably put a lot of pressure on Trill wouldn’t they?

Earth  culture you mean like Nuka Cola and such or is  earth culture  completely different in your Universe. But seriously I  don’t have a  problem with outside culture, in fact it can enrich a  culture further.

My  former host Lorent Kax a powerful figure in the  Trill government  introduced a lot of culture and ideas from  civilisations such as the  Klingons, Vulcans and Romulans to Trill. He  often went on trips to the  governments of other planets where he learned  about the way things were  run there.

What he learned from both Klingons and the Romulans   he used to strengthen the Trill military into a more formidable force.   He loved Klingon culture apart from the religious aspects as he always   hated religion even traditional Trill beliefs such as Mak'relle Dur   annoyed him, but then he didn’t like tradition either.

So the  crisis in the Klingon Empire is over then,if  General Martok is a  capable Klingon Leader I’m sure he’ll start a purge  of the corrupt  officials and restore the honour Klingons had. But please  resist your  feelings for Worf, don’t commit reassociation be more  promiscuous and  start new relationships, reassociation as I said before  is clinging to  the past.

As I said I wasn’t arguing that you should really go   ahead and put a puppet leader in the Klingon Empire, I was playing   devil’s advocate on that one and also showing you what some Federation   officials might be thinking. But as Worf who had the connection to   Federation has chosen not to take power that won’t be an option for the   Federation anyway.

(( That’s good. Peter the Great was probably a  lot  like Curzon or at least a Russian version of Curzon, you know  there’s an  entire article about his drink habits online, well Peter was  a tyrant  as well as reformer in Russia so probably a bit like Khan  Noonien-Singh  too.))

Ezri Dax

I’d  say that I’m not at liberty to tell you because I wouldn’t want any  information I give to radically alter your universe. A simple exchange  of ideas, however, already led to your Spock to alter the course of the  Terran Empire significantly. Unfortunately, the more peaceful reforms he  instituted left the Empire vulnerable to the Klingon-Cardassian  alliance, leading to this wasteland you speak of. It sounds terrible…

I’m  sure you would be able to figure it out if you have not already.  Question is if the wormhole that exists in our reality exists in yours.  It’s a stable wormhole that connects the Alpha and Gamma quadrants over  70,000 light years. The Cardassians and Romulans sought nothing more  than a preemptive strike against the Dominion before they gained footing  in the Alpha quadrant.

My universe’s Earth is radically  different. Poverty and disease have been eliminated. Earth nations are  at peace. It’s pretty much a utopia. Nearly all of the Federation worlds  share the same technology, if not the same prosperity. Why are you  suspicious of the Federation? Is it because you don’t trust human  nature?

I think they call it Coca Cola over  here. The name has an interesting origin. The beverage was crafted in  the late 19th century, originally as a medicinal drink. The “coca” part  comes from the use of coca leaves, what cocaine is made out of, and the  “cola” denotes the use of kola nuts. Coke was promoted as a patent  medicine, which would cure all nervous afflictions such as headaches,  Neuralgia, Hysteria, Melancholy, etc. Kola nuts were often used to treat  whooping cough and asthma, both quite prevalent at the time. The  caffeine they contain acted as a bronchodilator-expanding the bronchial  air passages. … What do they put in Nuka Cola? Should I even ask?

I  agree, learning about outside culture can enrich one’s own culture  further, and I’m glad we see eye-to-eye on that subject. Your former  host sounds a bit like mine, Curzon Dax. He also loved Klingon culture,  and like Lorent, he did not care much for religious beliefs. He  respected them, but just didn’t believe in them himself. In fact, many  of my hosts were never ones for upholding traditions or believing in  religions all that much. It took a very long time for my former host,  Jadzia, to be able to look at the aliens that live in the wormhole as  more than aliens. She began to believe in them as the Bajorans do, as  demigods. I still share some of the same feelings, but I find myself  less sentimental about it. I see them as spiritual guides, but I feel as  though I have a deeper understanding because of her leap of faith. I  should explain here that they are beings that evolved from a species  akin to Bajorans. I’m not sure why - it may be partly because of that -  the aliens have taken an interest in gently uplifting the Bajoran  people.

Can you tell me a little more about Lorent? He  sounds like an interesting and very intelligent character. Did he serve  in the capacity as ambassador? Or did he serve as a soldier, fighting  with the Klingons and Romulans? Sounds like the latter if he was so  familiar with their military tactics.

Merida Kax

Earth  in this universe destroyed it’s self through  nuclear war between two  of it’s major powers I haven’t heard of any  Klingon or Cardassian  involvement. They did have a group called the  Enclave who might be like  Terran Empire, they attempted genocide around  hundred or so years  after the nuclear war and their group existed before  the war. I met one  of their top agents once and he told me that if they  knew of any  extraterrestrial on earth they would make sure they all  died. So it’s a  good job they don’t know about me.

If the Dominion is coming  through a wormhole then why  not destroy the wormhole, no wormhole no  way for the Dominion to get  through. You may loose a connection to the  Gamma quadrant but you would  save many lives in the processes and stop  the Dominion from controlling  the Alpha quadrant.

From what I’ve  seen of earth in this universe humans  are pretty untrustworthy it may  different in your universe but still.  Earth definitely sounds a lot  different though.

It’s called Nuka Cola because it has small  amounts of  radiation to the drinks and some ‘special’ brands of Nuka  Cola even  glow in the dark.

I can see now why Jadzia was flushed  out of the  program, perhaps they saw a weakness of mind in her the kind  that makes  you see some aliens as gods. I like my former host have a  distaste for  religion and spirituality, perhaps even more so.

Even  if a 'god’ was to come before me now and prove  to me that they are  divine I would not worship them, I am the maker my  own destiny not some  supernatural being or higher power.

When you start bowing to some  imagery 'gods’ you  become a slave to that which really exists life!  After all why should I  fear life? Because it’s life that makes your  flesh throb. Life feeds  your feelings, and if you aren’t strong you’ll  be defeated when you face  it.

Lorent  Kax was a larger then life figure he was  leader in the Trill  government but he often acted like more of an  ambassador then a leader.  He constantly took trips aboard to over  civilisations, one of the  reasons was to find out more about how the  great powers ran their  nations. At first he did so in disguise but he  later started to go more  openly.

At the time Trill was very weak militarily so one of  the  things he did when he went aboard was to find ways to strengthen our   military, so we could defend ourselves and also take back some of the   colonies that had been taken from us. So he went abroad on diplomatic   missions, studied their military tactics and ship designs in exchange   for . These reforms allowed us to take back several colonies like the   ones on Caldik and Temecklia that the Tzenkethi coalition had taken  from  us.

Though socially he could be a menace he hosted wild   drinking parties in which sometimes the guests were not allowed to stop   drinking or go to bed until Lorent was ready to. He even held parties   like this when he was abroad and gained a reputation for trashing the   houses he stayed at in his drunken parties. He his own drinking group   with one of it’s rules being that nobody is to go to bed sober. He was   very promiscuous as well he used to take mistresses, and if planet he   visited had any 'pleasure houses’ he would make good use of them, he  once even bedding ten people in one night. Though when on other planets   he often didn’t pay attention to the rules and this got him in some   trouble because of that.

Ezri Dax

Perhaps I was mistaken, then. I thought that since the Terran Empire enslaved other races, such as the Klingons and Cardassians, that once they stopped and shifted policies, the Klingons and Cardassians took advantage of it and formed an alliance, seeking to conquer the Terrans and use them as slaves in turn. Geez. It’s good that you were able to fool him, then. What did you do about your spots, however? Just cover them up? Or do you have a portable holoimaging device that can cover them up so that you appear human?

This solution has been considered and actually was performed. Although, when it was, we had been taken by the Dominion, rendered unconscious, and put through a group simulation. They were using us to determine what we’d do if Starfleet considered an alliance with the Dominion. This was a few years ago when Ben and the rest of us had just been beginning to realise an alliance may never be feasible as tensions kept mounting despite efforts to keep the peace on our part. There was just no trust, as I’ve said before. We could not collapse it because the wormhole is resident to the aliens, remember? They also have been capable of thwarting our attempts. The only thing that was able to collapse the wormhole was a Pah wraith (or so it is called - it’s the same species of alien, but it had been imprisoned in a region of Bajor called the Fire Caves. I know very little of what they are and nothing about how it was able to collapse the wormhole, except that it was able to generate a very powerful gravometric pulse).

Why would people drink something radioactive? I mean, yes, the glowing is kind of cool, but in a place where, I assume, modern medicine is not easy to come by because it is fought over and (presumably) hoarded, why would people subject themselves to something that can be lethal? That’s just crazy.

Jadzia was not flushed out for any weakness of mind… when she shadowed Curzon as his initiate, he fell in love with her and washed her out because he wanted to be with her so badly and since he knew he could not, he never wanted her to find out that he was in love with her. It was Curzon who had the weakness of mind and he eventually did admit to it when Jadzia had her zhian’tara. In fact, in a way, he made her stronger for it. Not that he should have done it of course, but Jadzia became the only Trill in history to be re-accepted into the program after being washed out. She fought all the more thoroughly for it because she wanted to prove she had what it took. What have been some of the high and low points of your past lives? If you don’t mind me asking?

I agree about being the maker of one’s own destiny. But there’s a difference between religion and spirituality. I said that I can see the aliens as spiritual guides. Not unlike the Buddha of Terran culture. But I don’t believe you become a slave to religion if you believe in it. Kira certainly is no slave. She still believes in the Prophets and yet strives to shape her own destiny. It is what you make of it. You can still be religious and a free spirit. I think that’s the main difference between piety and zealotry. And not every religion makes you feel ashamed of your body or feelings or make you fear life. Even ones that seem like it, may not really be the more you go back to their roots. I think it’s just the way some sects have interpreted the scripture many centuries later. Go back to the basics, I think, is what’s needed. All else is… superfluous. Like not being able to eat raw shrimp on the fourth Monday of every month or something like that. Maybe at the time, there was a good social reason for certain things. Limitations, sanitation, anything. But in modern context it is out of place. Too much advice was never cut out because, I think, nobody dared to do it since they didn’t know how to separate the true laws and essence of faith from, well, historical context.

I am happy for your Trill and their rise to power. Lorent sounds like he led an amazing life. I admire his risk taking and genius. That’s something to be proud of. And no wonder I’ve been feeling as though I’ve been talking to someone very smart. Also explains your knack for survival on Earth. The disguise sounds exciting and also a bit like a certain Cardassian I know, Elim Garak. I could see the two of them possibly having some very interesting discussions. What kinds of covers would he have? Would they be assigned to him or would he create them himself? Wow. My past host, Curzon, would be impressed, and that is saying something. Curzon and Jadzia were the party animal hosts of Dax. I sometimes feel the same urges. And sometimes I do let lose, but I’ve turned out more mellow. Sometimes I miss it. In fact, when I get back from Cardassia, I think that certainly calls for a celebration. And there may or may not be cage dancing… *whistles innocently*

Could you tell me more about what the Wasteland is like? Has there been any successful attempts and creating an organised government? Surely I’d think there has been success somewhere on the planet.

Merida Kax

I had them covered up at the time and when I see anyone when I haven’t got them covered up I just tell them that they’re tattoos.

You should have seen this man thought, he was 12 foot tall, in power armour and so buff that he looked more like a monster than a man, I hear he’s genetically enhanced super soldier that they pumped full of steroids in order to create the perfect soldier. He might of existed in your universe as well he was called Frank Horrigan.

So these wormhole aliens are allowing the Dominion to come through? Well certainly they don’t sound trustworthy let alone like ‘gods’. What are they the gods of anyway letting violent conquering empires in your territory and sitting back while their mortal slaves fight for their own survival. You could find a way to produce such a gravometric pulse yourself I heard that the Tigan race was capable of such a feat.

((http://memory-beta.wikia.com/wiki/Tigan_%28species%29 http://memory-beta.wikia.com/wiki/Gravimetric_pulse I don’t know how Merida would know about this but it was the only Trek related article that came up when I searched for “gravometric pulse” So I thought Merida could use it in her argument))

These Pah wraith are the same species as the prophets so why were they imprisoned? Never the less they a probably just as untrustworthy, I suppose they’re worshipped as well aren’t they?

I think at the time Nuka Cola was being made there was enough medical care available to make up for it, either that or they were just unaware of the damage it was doing. Now after the war most of the food is so irradiated that it doesn’t really matter.

If it wasn’t a weakness of mind that caused Jadzia to believe that wormhole aliens were gods then what was it? Trill society has become free of most of it’s superstitions and outdated beliefs and she kneels to these wormhole aliens.

That still makes you a slave asking a non existent being for advice or to believe that these wormhole aliens have control over your destiny. You become weak because you fear what you don’t know. I am free. Therefore, I am stronger. What is the purpose in belief and worship other then to make you a slave? Did worshipping some wormhole aliens really bring anything to Jadzia’s life apart from illusions and lies?

Lorent Kax would disguise would change for what he need them for he would go diplomat or a student or as an ordinary Trill citizen, this also allowed him to go out and mingle with people in the planets he visited without Being recognised as a member of the Trill government or even as a Joined Trill.

I guess I’m not like you in that regard at all, after recovering from my bullet wound in Goodsprings I spent all my money on drinks in the town saloon and then realised that it was better to save it for things that I would actually need to survive.

I did tell you that I got myself banned from all the Casinos in New Vegas didn’t I? Well that wasn’t just down to my skill at gambling, I also bought an implant from a humanitarian organization called the followers of the apocalypse, that increases probability in my favour. Kind of cheating I know but the money went to a good cause.

The Wasteland is a desert with lots of dangerous mutated creatures, raiders quite a few destroyed buildings and amongst it all settlements trying to survive.

There has been quite a few governments there’s the NCR or New California Republic who base themselves on pre war government they seem well meaning but are incredibly corrupt and overstretched. Most small communities don’t like the idea of the NCR pushing themselves on to them. The NCR have been around for more then a hundred years and are a war with the NCR.

Caesar’s Legion based themselves on one of earth’s first empires, Rome. They are quite like the Klingons in the sense that they have a strong warrior culture and often go charging in with melee weapons rather then use guns. They also like to execute their victims in quite nasty ways but despite this they might be the best bet for bringing stability to the wasteland. I have other things about them though, that they make women sex slaves, ban technology and medicine but I haven’t seen any direct evidence of this yet so it could just be NCR propaganda. If these rumours are true then I will probably loose any respect I have for them.

((Merida does realise what the Legion is truly like later and ultimately goes against them when she finds out that they ban alcohol))

There’s also the Enclave which I’ve already mentioned.