Evolution

Evolution was the pilot chapter and beginning of the story and introduction of several main characters. (Star Trek: Darwin)

Prologue: Mutation
The prologue begins on Deep Space Station 20, where the USS Potemkin is visiting to give her crew shore leave for a short time. Commander Anna Marie Adler is in the station's bar in order to enjoy a quick break before returning to her duties. There she meets Cody, a Freighter Captain that ran freight in the sector, however things didn't go according to plan after she kissed him, leaving him unconcious before she ran off.

Two years later, Marie had taken a transfer to the Iriquois research station, a mostly automated space station in the Dessan system. She recieves a message from her adopted mother Irene Adler before an unexpected visitor arrives. Admiral Charles Xavier and his aide Commander Jean Grey who explained that she was a Mutant, and offered her a position as the Captain of the USS Darwin.

Act One: Homecoming
Marie arrived on Earth in order to take her command, but first she wanted to take a visit to her home in Caldecott in order to see her adopted mother Irene Adler for the first time in 5 years. However when she got there, Irene revealed that she had known about Marie's powers because of her own Mutant ability of being able to see into the future. Feeling betrayed and lied to, Marie requested a beam up, leaving Irene alone.

Marie is aboard a shuttle piloted by Ensign Kurt Wagner as they approach the USS Darwin, Marie see's the ship for the first time. When she arrives on board in her ship's Ready Room, she is greeted by Admiral Xavier and Commander Grey again. Xavier informs Marie that Commander Grey would be accompanying the Darwin as the ship's Counselor and Marie tells him that she will be abandoning her name in exchange for the name Rogue. Xavier gives Rogue her first assignment as Captain to the Vantu system in order to study the Corma class ringworld built there by the Shaarot. After she leaves, Xavier and Jean discuss Rogue's brief stay on Earth, worried that something might be wrong.

Back in Caldecott, Irene is talking with a blue skinned Mutant woman about Rogue becoming Captain of the Darwin. The woman Raven comments that their boss would be angry about this turn of events, and says that Rogue will join them one way or another.

Act Two: Introductions
Rogue visits first the Darwin's Main Engineering where she meets Lt. Commander Prine Katrin in order to get an idea of what the ship's status is. Rogue also asks Katrin about the USS Independence, the ship that they had been ordered to meet up with in the Vantu system, after a brief discussion, Rogue is reuinted with her childhood friend Jessica Roland who serves as a science officer.

After leaving Engineering, Rogue comes to the ship's science lab where the Chief Science Officer Risty Wilde is working. Rogue is surprised to find out that Lieutenant Wilde is a normal Human instead of a Mutant like most of the crew, but Risty assures her that she would still perform as expected. Risty also mentions the name given to the Mutant crews under Xavier's command, the X-Men.

Back on the bridge of the Darwin, the crew goes through the final checks to make sure that the ship is ready before Rogue gives the order to set course for the Vantu system. Rogue leaves to meet with the Chief Medical Officer in Sick Bay. Once there, she meets with Doctor M'Koi, a Vulcan Mutant who's Mutation turned him into a beast-like creature. M'Koi advises Rogue that it might be a good idea for her to meet with Counselor Grey, which Rogue reluctantly agres to do.

In Jean's office, she asks Rogue about why her stay on Earth had been so short, Rogue admits that it had been because of what Irene had told her. Rogue says that she could have taken the truth if Irene had told her when she joined Starfleet. Rogue leaves, trying to figure out what she was going to do now that she has had this conversation with Jean, and about her future with Irene.

Act 3: Halo
The Darwin drops out of warp in orbit of Vantu III, a Class Y planet that has the Corma class ringworld in orbit of it. Upon arrival, they make contact with the USS Independence, commanded by Captain Althea Delgado, Althea mentions that the scans of the Ringworld suggest that it has been abandoned for at least 300 years unlike the other Ringworlds that have been encountered. And also unlike the other ringworlds, Vantu Corma is primarily ocean with several islands dotting its surface. Althea comments that the structure is unusual because most Shaarot structures are Earth-like in terms of their ecosystem. The two ships coordinate and start beaming away teams down to the ring in order to study the structure more in depth.

Before heading down to the ring, Rogue visits Katrin's Quarters, where she meets Katrin's pet dragon Lockheed from Berengaria VII. After telling Katrin that she'll be joining them on the Ring, she meets Commander Lance Alvers, the Independence's First Officer who was visiting.

Shortly after that the away teams beam down to Vantu Corma's largest island, which has several structures common to Shaarot Dyson Structures. Rogue comments that the exact origin of the Ringworlds is unknown, and it may be possible that they had been constructed by a species other than the Shaarot, and upon further investigation they activate a elevator system that takes them down into the ocean covering the Ringworld's surface.

Under the surface of the ocean, they discover an expansive city landscape that had long been abandoned, but was still holding back the ocean. However there was also a scattering field surrounding the city that kept scans from penetrating it, and it cut off communication with the Darwin and the Independence. Back on board the Darwin, Commander LeBeau checks in Astrometrics to see if the scans of the ring have given any indication, however there has been no progress. Then, something unusual is detected, something that shouldn't be there.

Act 4: Questions
Down on the Ringworld, Rogue is exploring a series of tunnels that connect the buildings in the city, when she is approached by the blue skinned woman who was talking to Irene, introducing herself as Mystique. Mystique tells her that Xavier is a fool and that Starfleet will cast Mutants aside like trash one day, offering her a place with her boss. Rogue refuses and chases after Mystique, only to have her vanish, she makes the call to return to the Darwin before anything else happened.

Back on board the Darwin, Jessica is reporting to Rogue about what she had discovered in the scans of the Ring, but not before a massive object is detected leaving the ring's surface. It is identified as a V'tok'ir, a massive ship that was native to the Telsoth Kingdoms in the Triangulum Galaxy and had never been seen in the Milky Way. They recieve a transmission from the massive ship, calling for the Mutants on board to come to the vessel in order to take part in a war against the Federation and all non-Mutant Humanoids. Commander LeBeau identifies the man who sent the transmission as Magneto, who was believed to be dead.

In her quarters, Rogue is talking with Admiral Xavier about Magneto's transmission, Xavier says that Magneto had believed to be killed during a battle on an abandoned space station. He also cautions Rogue to keep an eye out for Mystique, who's abilities as a Shapeshifter make her a dangerous enemy since she could be anyone.

In an unknown location, Mystique is talking with Magneto, she says that Rogue does not yet suspect who she is and that she has begun to sow the seeds of doubt in her mind.

Quotes
"Mutation, it is the key to our evolution. Every few thousand years, evolution leaps forward."-Chapter Quote.

“You know about Mutants from the Admiral, but the truth is that I am a Mutant as well. I can see into the future, paths and probabilities, I could see what your power was, but not when they would manifest. I'm sorry I couldn't tell you before, but you have to understand that there are always people out there who will abuse your powers."-Irene Adler to Rogue.

“Most humans aren't interested in a posting on one of the Mutant ships, but it doesn't bother me or any of the other humans aboard.”-Risty Wilde.

"I recall reading a report from Captain Telsi Dax about the ringworld in the Timu system showing evidence of a pre-Shaarot civilization. Its possible that someone else built the Ring structures."-Rogue talking about the Corma class Ringworlds.

"Admiral Xavier is a fool, he thinks that just because Starfleet's letting him play his little games, that things will be like that forever. They won't need Mutants forever, and one day you will be cast aside like trash!"-Mystique to Rogue.

"Who I am is not important, my message is. The crews of your ships are Mutants who are disillusioned to believe that the Federation has their best interests at heart. I offer you sanctuary on my grand ship, no need to fear what these humanoids will do to us. Among you are traitors, mutants who chose to betray me because of misconceptions. This is their last chance to rejoin us. Our war with the humanoids has begun, and it will not end until mutants are dominant!"-Magneto.