He kissed her again. "It is now."

"A toast," Picard said, standing up from the table and raising his champagne gla.s.s. He waited for his dining companions to lift their own flutes, and he continued, "May our friendships, like fine wine, only improve with time's advance, and may we always be blessed with old wine, old friends, and young cares. Cheers."

"Here, here," replied Will Riker, who saluted Picard with his gla.s.s and then took a sip, cuing the other guests to drink.

Picard returned to his chair beside Beverly, who sat on his left. Riker occupied the other seat beside her, and past him was Deanna Troi. An empty chair separated Troi from Ezri Dax.

"What an amazing dinner," Dax said, gathering another spoonful of chocolate mousse. "Thank you for inviting me."

"Every new commanding officer deserves to be treated at least once to a meal in the Captains' Lounge," Picard said with a collegial grin. "Not only is the cuisine exquisite, but the view is spectacular."

His comment turned everyone's eyes to the vista beyond the restaurant's concave wraparound wall of flawless transparent aluminum. Set against a perfect black curtain of star-flecked s.p.a.ce was the majestic, looming curve of Mars's southern hemisphere.

The real focus of attention, however, was the newly arrived vessel in the docking slip below the VIP guests' table. The Columbia NX-02 was being swarmed over and doted on by a small army of engineers, mechanics, and technicians, who had begun the task of restoring the ship so that it could return under its own power to Earth orbit, completing the ill-fated journey it had started more than two centuries earlier.

Riker sighed with admiration of the vintage starship. "They really knew how to make 'em back then, didn't they?"

Dax replied with mock injured pride, "I think they make 'em just fine now, thank you very much."

"It is amazing, though," Troi said. "To think of how much of history was shaped by the fate of that one ship."

"Like the b.u.t.terfly effect," Beverly interjected. "One decision today can spell life or death for a billion people a hundred years from now. You just never know."

"True," Riker replied. "Maybe the universe is more like the subatomic realm than we normally think-full of invisible effects and unseen consequences." He smirked at Picard. "What do you think, Jean-Luc?"

"I think perhaps you've all had enough champagne," he said, trying to hold a stern poker face and failing as a smile cracked through his mask of propriety. It felt good to grin and laugh and be the man he'd hidden from view for so many years. He felt as if he had come home to himself at long last.

His friends chortled good-naturedly with him, and then Riker said, "Seriously, though, what do you think?"

Picard permitted himself a moment of introspection. Until recently, he had dreaded such self-reflection, because his inner life had been haunted by the shadow of the Borg. Now, granted a measure of peace and solitude, he thought about the sensations and impressions that had lingered after the Caeliar's transformation of the Collective. He sipped his demita.s.se of espresso and appraised his newly altered worldview.

"I think that we're all echoes of a greater consciousness," he said. "Cells of awareness in a scheme we can't understand. At least, not yet."

Beverly seemed taken aback by his answer. Leaning toward him, she rested her hand on his forearm and said, "Is that really what you believe, Jean-Luc?"

He arched one eyebrow. "I hesitate to call it a belief," he said. "Let's just say it's an idea that I'm entertaining."

"Pretty big idea," Riker said, flashing his trademark smile behind his close-cut salt-and-pepper beard.

Picard shrugged. "Why think small? Thinking is free."

Dax folded her napkin and set it on the table. "Sorry to eat and run, but I have to get back to the Aventine by 1900. We're expecting new orders from Starfleet Command."

As she got up, Picard and Riker stood as well. Smoothing the front of his tunic, Picard said with genuine optimism, "An exploration mission, perhaps?"

"Not likely, I'm afraid," Dax said. "I spoke to Admiral Nechayev before I came to dinner. She told me the Aventine'll be needed to help coordinate rescue and recovery efforts inside the Federation for at least the next few months." She frowned. "Seems like a waste of a perfectly good slipstream drive, if you ask me. Now that it's fully online, I was hoping we'd get to visit a new galaxy or something."

Riker gently chided her, "A new one? Do you mind if we finish exploring this one first?"

"Don't be silly, William," Dax teased, standing on tiptoes to plant a chaste kiss on his cheek. "That's what Starfleet has you for." The sweetness of her smile took the sting out of her jibe. To Picard, she said, "Captain, it's been a pleasure and an honor. I hope our paths get to cross again someday."

"I'm certain they will," Picard said. With a nod at the table, he added, "But next time, you're buying dinner."

"You're on," the diminutive Trill captain said. Then she turned, said her farewells with Beverly and Troi, and left the restaurant in quick strides, without a backward glance. By the time she had finished her exit, Troi and Beverly had risen from the table to stand with Riker and Picard.

"She's something else," Beverly said, with a combination of admiration and exasperation.

"Yes," Troi said. "She's exceptionally sure of herself."

Picard and Riker traded amused glances, and Picard said to the two women, "She can't help it-she's a Dax."

Crusher poked Picard's chest. "And I'm a Howard woman."

"And I'm a daughter of the Fifth House, heiress to the Sacred Chalice of Rixx and the Holy Rings of Betazed," Troi said. After a horrified pause, she added, "And I'm turning into my mother."

"G.o.d, I hope not," Riker muttered.

"What was that?" Troi snapped.

"Nothing."

"Mm-hmm."

Sensing that it might be a good time to change the subject, Picard said, "Does t.i.tan have its new orders yet?"

"Nope," Riker said. "We're moving to McKinley Station tomorrow at 0800 for some upgrades and refits. We'll find out what's next once we're done with repairs." He shook his head and after a rueful grin, added, "I do love a surprise."

"Listen to you two," Beverly said to the men. She and Troi looked irked with them as she continued, "You talk like the biggest things in your lives are light-years away."

Troi added, "Did you forget your new a.s.signments already?"

Knowing glances of mock dread pa.s.sed between the two men.

"Parenthood...," Riker began.

"...the final frontier," Picard finished.

Beverly smirked at their exchange but pretended to ignore them as she asked Troi, "Have you two picked out a name yet?"

"No," Troi said. "You?"

Beverly shook her head. "Not yet. It's been a matter of some...contention."

"I know the feeling," Troi said, wrinkling her brow in frustration at her husband, who rolled his eyes.

"We should go," Riker said. He reached forward and shook hands with Picard. Before the elder captain could speak, Riker added, "Don't tell me to be careful."

"I wouldn't dream of it," Picard said. "Be bold."

"That sounds like the Captain Picard I know." He let go of Picard's hand, slapped his shoulder, and added more softly, "Good to have you back." He and Troi bade Beverly farewell, and Picard saw them off with the hopeful valediction, "Au revoir."

Then he and Beverly were alone in the Captains' Lounge, which had been closed for his private event. Sometimes being a famous savior of the Federation had its perquisites.

Beverly took his hand, and they stood together, staring in wonder at the austere majesty of the universe. A grim chapter of his life now felt closed, and a new, brighter chapter was about to begin. Old debts had been settled, and old promises had been kept. His obligations to the past were fulfilled, and for the first time in decades, he was free to contemplate the future.

Wistfully, Beverly asked, "What will you do in a universe without the Borg, Jean-Luc?"

He didn't answer right away. It was not a glib question.

Squeezing her hand in his firm but gentle grip, he met her reflected gaze in the window and said, "I'll hope that our son is born healthy.... I'll hope that we can be good parents.... I'll hope that he can grow up in a galaxy of peace."

He regarded his own reflection with a smile.

"I'll hope."

Terminat hora diem, terminat auctor opus.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.

Kara, my lovely and patient wife, thank you for being so good to me, and so understanding even as I spent most of my nights for more than fifteen months secluded behind closed doors writing this trilogy. It would have been unbearable without you.

Marco Palmieri and Margaret Clark, my esteemed editors, I thank you for tolerating my bouts of uncertainty, my moments of dudgeon while I received your eminently reasonable story notes, and my adolescent practical jokes. ("All work and no play makes Mack a dull boy.") I couldn't have done this without you both.

Geddy Lee, thank you for taking an hour of your time to talk with a stranger, and for sharing your lovely anecdote about French vineyards, and the way that vines are like people, in that adversity adds depth and complexity to their characters. I hope you will forgive me for making use of it in this tale, and that you will approve of the manner in which it was applied.

Keith R.A. DeCandido, Kirsten Beyer, and Christopher L. Bennett, thank you one and all for going above and beyond the call of duty to help me vet all three books of this trilogy. My thanks also go out to Michael A. Martin and Andy Mangels, who graciously tweaked their novel Kobayashi Maru to track with situations I had established, and for suggesting that Ree ought to bite Counselor Troi. Nice idea, gents!

To revive an old tradition of mine, I wish to thank the composers who helped create the numerous original film and TV scores that serve as my link to my muse while I write. Many of my favorite moments throughout the trilogy were coaxed from my imagination by the music of Bear McCreary (Battlestar Galactica, Season Three), Tyler Bates (300), Alan Silvestri (Beowulf ), Javier Navarette (Pan's Labyrinth), Thomas Newman (The Shawshank Redemption), Hans Zimmer (the Pirates of the Caribbean scores) and Dario Marianelli (V for Vendetta).

Last, I need to thank author Robert Metzger for having made me aware of the concept of catoms, in an article he wrote for the SFWA Bulletin. Astute readers might have wondered if the character of Johanna Metzger in G.o.ds of Night and Mere Mortals was named in his honor; she was.

Until next time, thanks for reading.

APPENDIX I.

2156.

Featured Crew Members Columbia NX-02 Captain Erika Hernandez (human female) commanding officer Commander Veronica Fletcher (human female) executive officer Lieutenant Commander Kalil el-Rashad (human male), second officer/science officer Lieutenant Karl Graylock (human male) chief engineer Lieutenant Johanna Metzger (human female) chief medical officer Lieutenant Kiona Thayer (human female) senior weapons officer Ensign Sidra Valerian (human female) communications officer Major Stephen Foyle (human male) MACO commander Lieutenant Vincenzo Yacavino (human male) MACO second-in-command Sergeant Gage Pembleton (human male) MACO first sergeant

APPENDIX II STARDATE 58100 (early February 2381) Featured Crew Members U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-E Captain Jean-Luc Picard (human male) commanding officer Commander Worf (Klingon male) executive officer Commander Miranda Kadohata (human female) second officer/operations officer Commander Geordi La Forge (human male) chief engineer Commander Beverly Crusher (human female) chief medical officer Lieutenant Hegol Den (Bajoran male) senior counselor Lieutenant Jasminder Choudhury (human female) chief of security Lieutenant Dina Elfiki (human female) senior science officer Lieutenant T'Ryssa Chen (Vulcan-human female) contact specialist U.S.S. t.i.tan NCC-80102 Captain William T. Riker (human male) commanding officer Commander Christine Vale (human female) executive officer Commander Tuvok (Vulcan male) second officer/tactical officer Commander Deanna Troi (Betazoid-human female) diplomatic officer/senior counselor Commander Xin Ra-Havreii (Efrosian male) chief engineer Lieutenant Commander Shenti Yisec Eres Ree (Pahkwa-thanh male) chief medical officer Lieutenant Commander Ranul Keru (Trill male) chief of security Lieutenant Commander Melora Pazlar (Elaysian female) senior science officer Lieutenant Pral glasch Haaj (Tellarite male) counselor Lieutenant Huilan Sen'kara (Sti'ach male) counselor Ensign Torvig Bu-kar-nguv (Choblik male) engineer U.S.S. Aventine NCC-82602 Captain Ezri Dax (Trill female) commanding officer Commander Samaritan Bowers (human male) executive officer Lieutenant Commander Gruhn Helkara (Zakdorn male) second officer/senior science officer Lieutenant Lonnoc Kedair (Takaran female) chief of security Lieutenant Simon Ta.r.s.es (human-Romulan male) chief medical officer Lieutenant Mikaela Leishman (human female) chief engineer Lieutenant Oliana Mirren (human female) senior operations officer

ABOUT THE AUTHOR.

David Mack is the author of numerous Star Trek books, including Wildfire, A Time to Kill, A Time to Heal, and Warpath. With editor Marco Palmieri, he developed the Star Trek Vanguard literary series, for which he has written two novels, Harbinger and Reap the Whirlwind.

His other novels include the Wolverine espionage adventure Road of Bones and his first original novel, The Calling, which is scheduled for publication in 2009 by Simon & Schuster.

Before writing books, Mack cowrote with John J. Ordover the Star Trek: Deep s.p.a.ce Nine fourth-season episode "Starship Down" and the story treatment for the series' seventh-season episode "It's Only a Paper Moon."

An avid fan of Canadian progressive-rock trio Rush, Mack has attended shows in all of their concert tours since 1982.

Having recently fled corporate servitude, Mack now resides in a secret location with his wife, Kara. Learn more about him and his work on his official Web site (www.infinitydog.com) and on his blog, http://infinitydog.livejournal.com.