Chapter Text
The ships had clearly collided before crashing. Philippa imagined them entangled, the Terran warp nacelles locked around the Cardassian ship’s front hull, as they spiraled down to the surface of Doctari Alpha.
“Spread out. Look for Cardassian survivors,” she ordered her contingent. “I don’t want this battle to have been a complete loss.”
Katrina remained beside her. “Not as easy to conquer as you thought?”
Philippa grinned. “I enjoy a challenge.”
For a moment, they looked out at the wreckage together. Fires dotted the expanse of twisted metal.
Abruptly, Katrina cocked her head. “Do you hear something?” She strode over to a giant fragment of hull and disappeared behind it. “Oh...Philippa.”
She emerged carrying something...something mewling.
Philippa looked on impassively. “It’s annoying. Make it stop.”
Katrina opened her mouth to object but was interrupted by the return of several Terran soldiers, dragging an injured Cardassian.
“Emperor,” the leader saluted. “This one won’t talk.”
Katrina smirked. “Sounds like it’s my turn to try.” She dumped the baby in her lover’s arms and walked away quickly.
Philippa froze, staring down at the tiny, swaddled human, then glanced up with barely concealed panic. “Kat, come back. Kat, it’s still crying. Don’t you dare walk away from me. I am your Emperor. Kat!”