DISCLAIMER AND AUTHOR'S NOTE: All Xena stuff is the legal property of MCA/Universal and Renaissance Pictures and all Star Trek stuff is the legal property of Paramount, I think. No copyright infringement was intended in the writing of this fiction. All other characters that appear belong to me. This story cannot be sold or used for profit in any way. Copies may be made for private use only and must include this copyright notice and disclaimer. This story takes place before the Insanity Series, though it's not exactly a part of it.

Voices from the Future
By Kristjan Brezovnik

Callisto was riding alone through the forest when she suddenly saw a fireball descending through the sky. At first she thought that Zeus had something to do with it, but then she noticed that the fire was gone and only smoke trailed the descending object.

She stared at the strange object, trying to determine where it would crash. Then she spurred her horse and rode to investigate.

"Where will they crash?" Worf asked.

"Somewhere in southern Greece."

"Population?"

"From what I can tell not many."

"The less, the better. Time to crash?"

"Thirty seconds."

"Time to orbit?"

"Ninety seconds."

"Jadzia, prepare an away team."

"Yes, Sir. O'Brien."

Dax and O'Brien left the Bridge.

"Can you tell me the status of the Jem'Hadar ship?"

"All I can tell is that their port nacelle is damaged and that they've lost all shields."

"Keep scanning."

"Yes, Sir."

Callisto saw the crash site. She saw strange creatures moving around the crashed object. She wanted to ride closer, but she suddenly felt that something was not right. She dismounted and took her sword and chakram. She slowly proceeded closer.

When the away team beamed down, Dax checked her tricorder.

"There's too much interference."

"They probably set up some guards," O'Brien said and looked around. "Be ready to shoot at any disturbance in the air."

The team carefully proceeded closer. When they got close enough, Dax checked her tricorder again.

"I can pick up the ship and one lifeform."

"Only one?" O'Brien asked. "I hope that's the Vorta and that the Jem'Hadar are in the ship."

"Actually, Chief, the lifeform is a Human."

"Human?"

"Yes."

"Where?"

"On the other side of the ship."

"I wonder who it is."

The team moved on, but when they got to the clearing, they all stopped, shocked. On the grass lay the Jem'Hadar and a Vorta and they were all dead, killed by a bladed weapon.

"Who the hell did this?" O'Brien asked no one in particular.

"Sir!" one of the security people called.

Dax and O'Brien went to her and dropped their jaw.

"Here, piggy, piggy, piggy," Callisto called childishly. "Oh, come now, you're not afraid of the little old me, are you?" she asked tauntingly.

Suddenly behind her something shot towards her. Callisto turned and sliced it.

The away team stared at the strange woman as she fought a Founder with her sword. It didn't take the woman long before the Founder was in pieces.

"Oh, this is getting boring," Callisto declared as she watched the strange creature pull itself together. "And besides, we've just got company."

She went to a dead Jem'Hadar and took his weapon. She looked at it and squeezed the trigger. Several bolts shot out and nearly hit Dax.

"Oops," Callisto said innocently and aimed the weapon at the Founder. "It's been nice knowing you, jellyfish," she said and squeezed the trigger.

She held the trigger until the Founder exploded. Then she approached the remains and observed them for a few moments, curious. Then she examined the weapon and finally threw it away. She picked up some grass and wiped her weapons clean. Then she turned to the away team and approached them.

"And who might you be?" she asked and examined them one by one.

The one with spots said something, but she didn't understand.

"Not from around here, are you?"

The spotted one made some gestures and Callisto interpreted them as a request to wait. She considered the request and decided to grant it. The spotted one touched a broach one her dress and said something.

Nothing happened for a few minutes. Suddenly Callisto saw a man materialize. She rose her eyebrows, not impressed at all. The newcomer gave something to the spotted one and the spotted one made a few gestures, showing what should be done with the thing in her hand. Callisto took the thing and did as the spotted one showed her.

"Can you understand me?" the spotted one asked.

Callisto rose her eyebrows. They were definitely not gods.

"Yes," she said.

"I'm Comm… Dax."

"So?"

Dax was confused.

"Did you kill all those… creatures?"

"Yes."

Callisto noticed that the strangers were impressed.

"O'Brien, go inside and find out the crew complement. Dupuis, count the bodies."

"Yes, Sir."

"Who were they?" Callisto asked.

"Ah, we call them the Jem'Hadar."

"And the one with the pale skin and blue eyes?"

"Vorta."

"And the jellyfish?"

"Jellyfish? Oh! He's a Founder."

"Of what?"

"Of Dominion."

"Aha. And what were they doing here?"

"We're not sure yet."

"Are there any more around?"

"No, just this ship."

"That's a ship?"

"Yes."

Callisto looked at the Jem'Hadar vessel.

"A space ship?"

Dax was surprised.

"Yes," she confirmed.

"So, they're not from Earth?"

"No."

"Thought so," Callisto said and observed Dax for a few moments. "You're not Human, are you?"

Dax was surprised again.

"No. How did you know?"

"I didn't. You don't feel like a Human."

"I see."

Suddenly Callisto looked into the distance. Dax followed her gaze.

"Well, well, look who's coming," Callisto said, obviously amused.

"You can tell who that is?"

"Of course, they can't be mistaken for anyone else. It's Hercules, Xena and their pets."

"Hercules?" Dax asked. The son of Zeus?"

"Aha."

"I thought he was a myth."

"A myth?" Callisto thought. "Don't tell me, you're from the future, right?"

Dax jerked, surprised.

"Who are you?" she asked.

Callisto smiled.

"I'm sure they will tell you all about me. Tell them I said hi." Callisto was about to leave when she remembered the device behind her ear. "I believe this is yours."

Dax took the universal translator and stared after Callisto.

"Commander, there are more people approaching," O'Brien said.

"Yes, I know. Guess who it is."

O'Brien rose her eyebrows.

"Who?"

"Hercules."

"Hercules? He was only a myth."

"Apparently he wasn't. Have you got the numbers?"

"Yes. There were a total of twenty-seven Jem'Hadar aboard. They're all dead."

"Good. Go vaporize the corpses behind the ship and inside the ship, I don't want a trace of them left. And also look for anything that doesn't belong in this time."

"And those in front of the ship?"

"We'll wait until Hercules and his friends leave."

"Okay."

O'Brien left.

"Dax to Defiant."

"Worf here."

"The Jem'Hadar are all dead."

"All?"

Worf sounded surprised.

"Yes. I'll tell you all about it later. We're going to vaporize the corpses. We're getting company right now. I'll let you know when you can descend."

"Understood. Defiant out."

Dax waited.

Finally, Hercules and his friends came closer.

The strawberry blond woman with a staff said something and Dax decided it was a greeting.

"Hi," Dax said.

She noticed that the woman didn't understand her. She demonstrated the use of the universal translator and gave one to each. The redhead was the boldest and tried it on first.

"Can you understand me?" Dax asked.

The woman jerked.

"Yes!" she said excited and turned to her friends. "I can understand what she's saying," she told them.

The trio put on the devices.

"Hello," Dax said and the trio looked at each other, surprised. "I'm Dax."

"I'm Gabrielle."

"Xena."

"Iolaus."

"Hercules."

"Hercules? The son of Zeus?"

Hercules smiled.

"Yes."

Dax was surprised.

"What happened here?" Xena asked.

"They crashed."

"What are they?" Gabrielle asked.

"Jem'Hadar."

"Herc, does it sound familiar to you?" Iolaus asked.

Hercules shook his head.

"No."

"Who killed them?" Xena asked.

"A woman. I think you know her."

"Callisto?"

"I don't know her name."

"Blond, brown eyes, black leather, chakram and an innocent attitude?"

"Yes, I think that's her."

"And she let you live? You're lucky."

"Why?"

"Well, she usually kills everybody she meets."

"They were not so lucky," Iolaus said and pointed at the Jem'Hadar.

"Anyway, she told me to tell you that she said hi."

"Just her style," Iolaus said.

"And who are you?" Xena asked.

"Dax."

"I mean what are you doing here."

"Oh. They came here to cause trouble and we came after them. Fortunately Callisto got to them first and saved us the trouble of killing them."

"What is this thing?" Gabrielle asked and pointed at the Jem'Hadar ship.

Dax hesitated.

"It's a ship."

"A ship?" Iolaus asked. "It's pretty far away from the water."

"Somehow I don't think it's meant for sailing," Hercules said. "What are you going to do with it?"

"We're going to repair it and take it with us."

"Where?" Iolaus asked.

"Home."

"And where are you from?"

"Ah, far away from here."

O'Brien approached.

"We're done, Commander."

"Then start repairing the ship."

"Understood."

O'Brien left.

"Can we see the inside?" Gabrielle asked.

"Ah, I'd rather you don't. You've seen too much already."

"Why?"

Dax thought. She thought about the Prime Directive. Damn, was she in a mess. Then she remembered that the blond woman, Callisto, knew about time travel and space ships. She decided to give it a try.

"Well," she started hesitantly, "we're from the future."

"The future?" Gabrielle asked, excited.

"Yes. You see the Jem'Hadar came back to change something. Had they succeeded, then the future would change. Even a small change here can cause a major change in the future. That's why we would prefer that you don't see the ship."

"Oh."

Gabrielle was disappointed, but she understood the problem.

"I would appreciate, if you wouldn't talk about this," Dax said. Gabrielle nodded. "Thank you."

"Looks like they've got things under control," Iolaus said. "Let's go see what Callisto's up to."

"Nothing good, I bet," Xena said. "Here."

They returned the universal translators and left. Dax relaxed.

"Dax to Defiant."

"Worf here."

"You can come down now."

"Understood. Defiant out."

Dax turned to the guards.

"Let's vaporize the corpses."

The End