STO Writing
This just... yeah. Wow.
City on the Edge of Never
Captain's log. We were on a routine mission to rendezvous with the USS Kirk for scientific surveying. However, on arrival, we discovered the Kirk badly damaged and unable to fight back under fire from a number of Klingon ships. Though we were able to dispatch the ships fairly quickly, the Kirk had been boarded, and I beamed down with a tactical team to help sweep the ship. We arrived just in time to see B'Vat of the Klingons abduct Lieutenant Miral Paris. Captain Thelin has provided us with her commbadge's tracking frequency, and after clearing space of the Klingon ships that the Klingon captain Targan left behind to destroy us, we're following his ship, the IKS Baj, to the Gateway system. My officers and I are deeply concerned - Targan mentioned having Miral in "the right place at the right time", and the Gateway system is a system where "time" is a word with a very specific meaning...
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"Lieutenant Paris's signal is now on the planet," Ampaak informed them as they came out of warp. "A landing party may have transported to the surface." Wayas nodded to the Klingon, who stood at a tactical station on their new ship's bridge. There were enough consoles for both engineering officers to be on the bridge at once; indeed, it was practically required to manage the vessel. Ydam had handed over the title of chief engineer to T'Raal, and now served as the ship's pilot. Wayas had been surprised when he himself recommended it, but his only reply was, "I know what I'm good at, and I know when someone's better."
As the ship cruised insystem, the captain sat in her chair, restless. This was one of the last places she wanted to see any Klingons going. The Gateway system was under Federation quarantine. They'd had to call in for permission to enter the system on the way there, and it had been hasty; even Admiral Quinn had been interrupted in the middle of a meeting. She didn't blame them for being alarmed. She was, too.
Rylia Wayas had never dreamed she'd end up in the same system as the Guardian of Forever.
Ampaak's console blipped a warning, and he checked it quickly. "Captain, sensors are picking up Klingon ships in orbit of the planet. They're arming disruptors." The Lieutenant Commander sat a bit straighter in her chair. "All hands, red alert. Ampaak, Ydam, let's give them a loud hello."
There were three Birds of Prey waiting for them. The moment the first came in range, the ship shifted as it went into a tactical maneuver of Wayas's own devising, she'd taken to calling Attack Pattern Alpha. It was a short-lived maneuver, but when they could get the positioning for it, it made hitting a ship's vitals all the easier. At the same time as the maneuver began, Ampaak unloaded all weapons, including a high-yield quantum torpedo burst. She had been impressed with the quantum torpedo launchers; they took longer to rearm, but they tore through ships like rocks through wet paper.
The combined assault ripped the first Bird of Prey apart before it could do much of anything, and the other two came about in a panic. The skirmish was fast and brutal, and by the end of it, the Wayfarer was the only one of the four ships left standing. But there was one other ship still in orbit: the Baj. Wayas narrowed her eyes. "We need to cut off their escape. Ampaak, what do you recommend?" The Klingon looked at her and deadpanned, "Torpedoes."
The Wayfarer might've been an older ship, but she was tough as nails. She could take far more of a beating than the Traveller had been able to manage, and she could dish it out just as well. She wasn't fast on the turn, but then she didn't have to be.
The Baj had been a somewhat bigger ship, but it couldn't hold off the heavy fire of the Federation craft, and it finally crumpled under the assault. As the explosion used up its own oxygen and winked out, the Wayfarer came to a stop. "The area is secure, sir," Sivak informed them calmly. She nodded, then looked around the bridge. "Amp, Ydam, T'Raal, Sivak? Let's gear up. We're going down."
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Two things greeted the quintet when they arrived on the planet, weapons at the ready: a light dust storm that barely impeded visibility, and a large number of Klingons. They fought their way up the path slow and steady, stopping long enough to clear out Klingon forces then moving on.
As they finished off a last group of Klingons, she made a quick handgesture. "Move up!" The four officers pushed ahead, just in time to see the Klingon ambassador B'Vat running into a glowing, irregular archway ahead. "Your friends have arrived, we must make haste!" he growled, pushing a smaller girl - Miral Paris - ahead of him.
The four officers fell into a two-by-two formation in the clearing ahead of Wayas, and then after confirming that there were no more Klingons present, stood up. As one, the five turned to fully look at the artifact before them. "So this is it," Rylia murmured, the wonder showing through in her voice. It was... strange. She wished she had more time to admire it. "Who or what are you?" she said, more to herself than anything.
"I KNOW ALL. I AM MY OWN BEGINNING, MY OWN ENDING." The voice of the Guardian startled her. It was... booming, and yet ephemeral. Like it rocked her to her core and brushed by like a breeze at the same time. "I WAS HERE LONG BEFORE YOUR SUN BURNED HOT. I WILL BE HERE LONG AFTER." She frowned. Time was ticking by, and yet in the same sense, time was a non-issue. And this chance... they'd never have it again. "Who made you?" "SEEKERS IN SEARCH OF A QUESTION. SHAPERS CREATING A DREAM. EXPLORERS WHO BELIEVED THAT A UNIVERSE WAS TOO SMALL."
Ampaak growled quietly. "Why do you always answer questions with riddles?" Wayas was forced to fight back the smile when it replied, "I ANSWER AS SIMPLY AS YOUR LEVEL OF UNDERSTANDING MAKES POSSIBLE." But as amusing as it was, even she couldn't fight the nagging feeling that there wasn't time for indulging curiosity. Time... that word kept cropping up, didn't it? Strange how this thing made her realize that.
"What's happened to Miral Paris?" the captain asked, trying to get herself back on track. The Guardian's answer was enigmatic. "THE ONE KNOWN AS MIRAL PARIS FINDS HER FUTURE IN THE TIME BEFORE HER TIME. SHE IS THE KUVAH'MAGH. HER PEOPLE FOLLOW HER FOOTSTEPS BEFORE SHE HAS MADE THEM." Rylia paused, thinking about that for a moment. 'The time before her time'... so she'd been taken back to a time before she'd been born? It would make sense. B'Vat seemed to have some aim in the past. But this was worrying. "And what will happen if she's not rescued?" The answer was the least mysterious thing the Guardian had said thus far, and it chilled the officer to her core.
"HER PRESENCE IN HER PAST ALTERS THE RIVER OF TIME. THOSE WHO TOOK THE KUVAH'MAGH ARE CONQUERING BEFORE THE WARRIORS ARRIVE. THEY HAVE BROUGHT THE WEAPONS OF YOUR WORLD TO A TIME THAT WILL BE HELPLESS TO RESIST THEM." Its voice took on a tone of impending doom. "YOUR REALITY, YOUR WORLD, YOUR BEGINNING? ALL THAT YOU KNOW IS GONE."
"We have to stop it," she blurted out, before she realized what she was saying. To her surprise and relief, the four officers with her simply nodded. Ampaak declared, "We will fight with you wherever we must, captain." Turning to the Guardian, Wayas took a breath. "What must I... we do?"
"BRING THE FUTURE TO THE PAST, OR LOSE THE PRESENT. YOU WILL NEED YOUR VESSEL TO FACE THE CHALLENGES AHEAD. STEP THROUGH MY PORTAL, AND IT WILL BE RETURNED TO YOU."
So... they had to go to the past, and bring their technology with them. Wherever they were going, the technology wasn't advanced enough to stop B'Vat and his goons. The Wayfarer was the only thing that stood between B'Vat and the end of the universe as they knew it. "Well," she said, for lack of any better words to speak. "Here goes."
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The next thing Wayas was aware of was her seat on the bridge. She was back - they were all back. The ship was at full power, yellow alert, and everyone was at their station. On the viewscreen in the near distance was a battle between three ships. Sivak took it in stride; he immediately began running a full suite of scans. "Sir, I'm getting some unusual readings from the sensors..." About that moment, the ship's communications synchronized with the Federation's network. "We have been transported to the year 2270!" It was a rare incident that could earn surprise from Sivak.
She didn't blame him.
"Sir, this is strange," he continued. "It appears that even the history files in our computer have been altered. According to the computer, this is the battle in which the Enterprise and all aboard her are lost. This defeat sparked a series of events that led to the downfall of the first United Federation of Planets." He looked up at her. "That's all incorrect, captain." 'Incorrect' was an understatement.
"Captain, I'm detecting a Raptor from our time. It's B'Vat's ship, the IKS Worvig, and I'm reading Miral Paris's comm signal. She's onboard." He continued running his scans, but spoke at the same time. "The Worvig is attacking the Enterprise, sir. We have to stop it. Contamination from our time cannot be allowed to change the past."
"Bring us up to one quarter impulse," Wayas declared smoothly. "All hands, red alert. Power to weapons." As the Wayfarer accelerated, Sivak spoke again. "Sir, the Enterprise is hailing us." That wasn't good. That wasn't good at all. "We can't let them see our face." "The ship's communications array is badly damaged, captain," Sivak observed. "We can only pick up audio. I'm patching it through now."
The voice that spoke up was one that Lieutenant Commander Rylia Wayas had never expected to hear over a communicator. She had only heard it in holorecords and audio recordings. It was one of the most famous voices in the Federation, but it sounded... younger. "Unknown ship, this is the USS Enterprise. Please respond."
Ambassador... no. Commander Spock.
Wayas turned to look at Sivak. The vulcan quirked an eyebrow. "Captain, I'm transmitting a text-only message to let them know we are friendly and here to help. The less interaction we have with them, the less chance we have of altering the timeline ourselves." She turned to face the viewscreen again. "Very well. We're coming in range. Everyone ready...!"
The two vessels assisting the Worvig were older Klingon vessels. D7s. Their 23rd-century shields and weapons were ill suited to dealing with the relatively massive firepower that their 25th-century technology had, and they fell apart under brief barrages. The Worvig was circling the Enterprise like a hawk, but the much older vessel was holding its own to an impressive degree. It was losing, but it was giving the future ship a black eye for it. The Wayfarer's presence quickly turned the tide; with two ships hitting it, one of which was a match for it already, the Raptor was completely outmatched.
Before they could fire the final shot, however, the Worvig broke away, banking out of both ships' lines of fire. It started picking up speed, and then its nacelles lit up as it entered warp.
Sivak looked up from his console as the Worvig accelerated out of the system. "Sir, the Enterprise is hailing us again. Patching it through now."
"Unknown vessel, this is Commander Spock of the USS Enterprise. Thank you for your assistance."
Sivak's fingers played over his console, and he added, "They are unable to identify our ship and are asking for more information. Captain, it would be unwise of us to respond. Any contact we have with anyone in this time could be a violation of the Temporal Prime Directive, sir." She inclined her head. "Agreed. We're already flying a Constitution Refit years before they started the refit program. We're pushing it as it is." Not to mention she had no doubt they'd see the NCC registry number. No one on the Enterprise was foolish by any stretch. They probably already had their suspicions.
Sivak returned his attention to his console, but spoke again. "We should concentrate on finding Lieutenant Paris and correcting the damage that the Klingons have done to the timeline. The Worvig warped to a nearby system. I can get a lock on its warp signature, and we should be able to follow it."
"Do it," Wayas ordered simply. She took one last look at the Enterprise. They could almost use the ship's help. They were outgunned, but they'd still been holding their own... but no. It was too much of a risk.
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The Wayfarer pulled into the system on the outskirts of a large asteroid belt, and Ampaak reported, "Sir, I have a lock on the Worvig and Lieutenant Paris's signal. The Worvig has some new friends, captain," he noted, already working on the targeting data. "We should be prepared to defend ourselves."
It was another fight, then. "One quarter impulse. Red alert."
The D7 that was with the Worvig wasn't dangerous, but the Worvig kept them on their toes. They focused on it, but this time the tide seemed reversed; the Wayfarer was at a disadvantage. Several hits managed to get through their shields, and the ship rocked under the strain. However, they were still winning, and midway through the fight, the Worvig disappeared. Ampaak swore in Klingon, and then roared, "The coward has left these men to die so that he can run!"
The D7 didn't cease its assault, so neither did the Wayfarer. As it exploded, Ampaak let out an angry growl, but managed to restrain any further outbursts. "The Worvig has escaped again, captain. It must have cloaked. However, sensors are still detecting a trace frequency that could be Lieutenant Paris's comm signal. I don't think the Worvig has gone far, and it won't be able to maintain its cloak for long. It's taken too much damage."
The captain nodded. "Then let's find it and teach that rat a thing or two about Klingon honor."
They moved ahead into the asteroid belt, and before long, a Klingon D7 appeared on sensors, decloaking in open space. "It's a trap," Ampaak declared without even thinking." Wayas nodded. "Agreed. It makes sense. Lure us into attacking, then blindside us." She paused. "Shall we spring it?" "Indeed," he responded, voice full of iron.
As predicted, the Worvig showed itself the moment they entered battle, and their target shifted to that ship instantly. They couldn't destroy it, with Miral on board, but Ampaak was a good enough shot that the Raptor was disabled before long at all. And the D7 wasn't nearly enough to take on the Wayfarer on its own. Once it was dealt with, they came about, and moved into position over the Worvig. "Their shields are down, captain," Ampaak confirmed. "Recommend we take this opportunity to transport an away team to the Worvig." Wayas nodded. "We're going in. Mr. Sivak, make a note," she added as they stepped into the turbolift. "Sir?" he inquired, quirking an eyebrow.
"We need to have equipment lockers installed on the bridge so that we can suit up without taking a detour."
"Aye, sir."
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After they materialized on the ship, Sivak opened his tricorder and ran a brief scan. "I'm reading Lieutenant Paris's comm signal in the Klingons' mess hall, sir." She nodded, and flicked her hand. "Let's move." They took up positions in a doorway; Wayas ducked around and took a brief look. There were several Klingons. She made a quick count with her hand, stepped out long enough to fire off a surprise shot, then ducked back in.
When the enemy came running, Wayas did not know what to make of what she saw. There were a few of the Klingons she had expected, but most of them looked... strange. They were like Klingons in stature, but their foreheads were smooth, their faces much more humanlike. Once the fighting had stopped, she nudged one with her plasma rifle. "What in the hell-" "They are Klingons," Ampaak stated, with a tone of... embarassment? She stared at him. "Ampaak, what-" "We do not discuss it," he said sharply. After a moment of bewilderment, she said, "Well, uh, all righty, then. Let's keep moving."
Strange-looking or not, they fought like Klingons, and the away team's battle down the corridors of the Worvig was pitched. They made it through foot by foot, until at last they arrived at a forcefield barring the way. Sivak scanned it. "Captain, I'm picking up Lieutenant Paris's signal just beyond this force field. The controls for the force fields are located on the bridge, sir. We will need to go there before we can free her." The Lieutenant Commander nodded, doing her best to recall the rough layout of a Klingon Raptor. "This way," she indicated, heading back towards a side door they'd passed up.
The bridge was guarded by a pair of Klingons who were easily bested - and on their defeat, Captain B'Vat himself stepped out. Wayas couldn't help a gasp. B'Vat was one of the smooth-foreheaded, humanlike Klingons, and more than that, he was young. And he was a fierce fighter in his own right; even with all their tricks, he was able to hold the five of them at bay for some time. He was losing, though, and after a brief bit of skirmish, he held his hands up. "Hold your fire, Starfleet, we must speak!"
Wayas held her hand up, and all weaponsfire stopped; they kept their weapons trained on him as he stepped out of cover. "You've got ten seconds to explain before we stun you, arrest you, and move on," Wayas barked. "Mev'yap! I am not your enemy, Lieutenant Commander!" He shook his head. "I know you are not of this time. You are from the future. Your presence here was forecast." Wayas stared. "I'm sorry. What?"
The Klingon folded his arms behind his back. "Many years ago, time-traveling beings came to the Klingons. They wanted us to join in their temporal war." He snorted. "We are no one's puppet. We refused to help them." He began to pace slowly, explaining. "However, they told us many things about the future in an attempt to gain our allegiance. We listened, and since then a group of Klingons has used that knowledge to guide the Empire."
That was not good. A large-scale breach of the Temporal Prime Directive at the very least. But it also meant they had a purpose for taking Miral. "What do you want with Miral Paris?" she asked sharply. The Klingon inclined his head as if expecting the question. "She is the kuvah'magh. We walk in her footsteps before she has made them. Her destiny is to be the one who cures the Klingon people of the stain of the Augment virus that has smoothed our brows and put fear into our hearts."
When he mentioned an 'Augment virus', the captain looked over her shoulder at Ampaak, who looked somewhere between irritated and embarassed. "I'll... tell you later."
B'Vat eyed the exchange between the two, then continued. "The kuvah'magh has a unique genetic sequence that will allow my physicians to completely transform us back to the mighty warriors we once were. No more will we be ridgeless and honorless! We will be Klingon!" Passion had seeped into the Klingon's voice. "We will follow in the kuvah'magh's footsteps, and walk in the path of honor and glory."
Wayas began to lower her weapon... slowly. This was a difficult situation, and there was a lot going on. She needed to know more, know what she was getting into. "Alright. Tell me more about the kuvah'magh." B'Vat stopped his pacing. "Some call her a savior. Many among my crew see her as a traitor. It is strange to see a mythological being wearing the emblem of your enemy!" He gave his head a faint shake. "I don't know what I believe of the old ways. The prophecies say she will be a Voyager, and that the Klingons will know her before she knows the world." He met Rylia's eyes. "What I have seen in these past days makes me believe this is true."
"What about the Klingons who brought the Worvig here?" she asked next. His reply came with a frown. "Most of them are crazed by their contact with the augmentation process. Their leader tells me they were experimented on by a man named Amar Singh. They will do anything, kill anyone, in their quest to be whole again."
So they were Singh's experiments after all. The captain and her officers had arrested Singh a while back, after catching him in the act on one of B'Vat's research stations doing genetic augmentation experiments. He'd ranted on about wanting to recapture the glory of Khan Noonien Singh. Something wasn't adding up here, though.
"They arrived here a month ago. They brought with them the kuvah'magh, and they asked me to keep her safe." He looked around. "They left for a time, and then they returned two days ago with this wonder of a starship. They told me that it was the first of a mighty fleet that would rule the galaxy!" But his face was not pleased. She could see something there. "Their leader... it is my greatest shame to see him. I have come face-to-face with my future self, and I see that I will walk a path of great dishonor."
Wayas found herself staring again. "Are you saying Miral was kidnapped by a future you?" And again, the Klingon nodded. "Ambassador B'Vat is the man I will become." He cursed. "Time travel is such a tricky thing! Now I understand why Klingon Intelligence hates predestination paradoxes so!" He sighed. "Ambassador B'Vat will not surrender the kuvah'magh without a fight. It appears that the years have made him... made me... quick to anger and quick to judge." The alien stared off into nothing for a moment. "I do wonder what has happened to make him such a bitter, manipulative man." And then, of all things, he chuckled. "I would advise you not to volunteer for many more time travel missions, Lieutenant Commander. They tend to complicate your life."
She finally lowered her weapons, and after hesitation, her officers did as well. "So, now what do we do..." To her surprise, B'Vat answered. "You are the defenders of the kuvah'magh. You will find Ambassador B'Vat at her side. He will not surrender her without a fight." The Klingon captain uncrossed his arms, and turned to face the viewscreen. "Give him a good death. That is all any Klingon desires." He began typing on a small pad in his hand. "Now go. All of you. I fear that the present cannot take much more of your interference." And that was when the transporter beam pulled him off the bridge. "There must be another Klingon ship out there," she muttered. "Oh well. Gentlemen, we've got a job to do."
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The moment they swept into the mess hall, B'Vat was on them. "You cannot take her!" If anything he was a much fiercer opponent than his young counterpart. But they were ready, and in a combined hail of fire, they brought the Ambassador down. Without speaking a word, Ampaak stepped over to the body, and looked into the dead Klingon's eyes. Wayas knew what was going to happen next; she held a hand up, and the officers were silent as Ampaak bellowed to the heavens.
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"I don't appreciate being held captive, but if I can help the Klingons I will gladly do so. Think of it this way, Lieutenant Commander," Miral added. "If we can find peace here, there is hope for the future. The Klingons of this time have the genetic samples they need from me, and I'm more than ready to get back home." Wayas nodded. "Alright. The Wayfarer's ready to take you. We've even got you a temporary quarters ready." At that, Miral smiled. "Thank you, Wayas. I won't forget that you travelled through time to save a fellow officer." Wayas nodded, reaching for her badge as she did so. "That's what we do, Paris. We're all in this together, right? Wayas to Wayfarer, six to beam up."
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The Worvig was empty. B'Vat and his men were gone, and the ship was disabled. There was nothing left for it. "Open fire, Mr. Ampaak." The Wayfarer's weapons lit up, unleashing a torrent of phaser fire and several quantum torpedoes. The shieldless, motionless ship was torn to shreds; explosions rocked it, and it was nothing more than a floating cloud of debris. The future technology was as destroyed as it could be.
"We've done what we can to restore the timeline, sir," Sivak observed. "I recommend we return to the Gateway system. The Guardian should be able to transport us back to when we belong." Settling back in her chair, Lieutenant Commander Wayas nodded. "Mr. Ydam, take us there at maximum warp." "Aye, sir."
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"Sir, the Guardian has opened a portal," Sivak said after a glance at his sensors. "But there are Klingon ships blocking the way." His console blipped, and his brow wrinkled. "The Klingons are hailing us, captain." "Onscreen."
It was one of the virus-affected Klingons, and he looked triumphant, somehow. "This is Lieutenant Commander Wayas, captain of the Wayfarer," she began. "You are currently challenging a ship with technology more than a century ahead of yours, captain, and you are standing between us and our road home. There's a difference between bravery and stupidity. I'm offering you one chance to stand down." The Klingon captain snorted, derision evident in his face. "The kuvah'magh and that lovely ship of yours are staying here! We'll have a grand time dissecting both of them!" He grined an almost feral grin. "Surrender now, and we'll give you a quick death!"
Wayas's reply was calm. "It sounds like today is a good day to die, then. Be thankful. Red alert. Full power to weapons. One quarter impulse. Mr. Ampaak, clear the way." "Aye, sir!" They closed to battle distance with the pair of D7s that were in waiting. Weapons fire lit up the cold darkness of space, and projectiles danced back and forth in pinpoint barrages. The Wayfarer rocked under the assault; for being old ships, these were pretty well-equipped, and the two of them agains the Constitution-class made for tough odds. One went down, and then the other, but the Wayfarer was the worse for it. But they were fin-
Sivak interrupted her thoughts. "Klingon ships decloaking."
Two more D7s appeared on either side of the Wayfarer. The captain swore. This was about to be really rough. Just as she was prepared for another fight for life, though, Sivak spoke up again - this time with surprise in his voice. "Sir, another ship is warping into the system." A pause, and then with just as much surprise, "It's the Enterprise." Rylia's eyes went wide. About the time Sivak declared the ship's identity, a phaser blast lanced out from the new arrival, striking one of the D7s amidships. Wayas grinned. "They always said Kirk was good at being the hero. Ydam, bring us about! We've got a fight to finish!"
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The last ship exploded, torn apart by the combined fire of two Constitution-class vessels. The fight had been rough, but for her ancient technology, the Enterprise was a scrapper. Then again, her crew was the stuff of legends. "Sir, the Enterprise is hailing us again," Sivak informed her. "Commander Spock says they can assist us. He has deduced that we came through a portal opened by the Guardian of Forever, captain, and he wishes to speak to you." Spock. Wanted to speak with her.
"Go ahead and open the link," she ordered.
"I am not unfamiliar with time travel, captain. We will endeavor to engage the Klingons until you escape." They were offering to buy time. She almost decided to warn them off... but this was the Enterprise. Any one officer on the ship had more experience than her entire crew combined. And they had Jim Kirk. She blew out a sigh, then spoke up cautiously. "Commander, my crew and I thank you for your assistance. As soon as we're in the clear, get yourselves out. We'll try to get in as fast as we can." "Very well, captain," the Vulcan on the other end replied. "Live long and prosper." "Peace and long life to you," Wayas replied.
As the Wayfarer accelerated away, her captain switched the viewscreen to rear view; she watched as the Enterprise banked around, fearlessly turning to meet the Klingon ships that were arriving. Fighting alongside the USS Enterprise under Captain James T. Kirk... how many people would gladly die just for even the brief contact they'd had? It was sobering. "Risking life, limb and ship for someone they barely know, just because it's right..." She shook her head. "Maybe some day I'll be half the captain he was." "If you ask me," Ampaak spoke up, "You already are."
She couldn't help a smile. "Well, then maybe I'll climb that other half yet. Let's go home."
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"TIME HAS RESUMED ITS SHAPE; ALL IS AS IT WAS BEFORE." The Guardian's booming voice rocked Wayas's mind as she found herself back on Gateway. "FAREWELL."
It was at that point that Sivak spoke again, adjusting his tricorder. "Incoming message from Starfleet, sir. I'll link it to your commbadge." The voice that spoke up was no less than Admiral Quinn. Wayas wasn't surprised. "Congratulations on a job well done, Wayas. Miral Paris will return to duty, and you have ended the threat to the Federation." "Thank you sir," she replied, unsure of what else to say.
"But we do have some questions, Lieutenant Commander. Time travel isn't a routine mission, you know." Oh boy. This was going to be a headache, she knew it. "Don't be surprised if you get a visit from the Department of Temporal Investigations, Wayas. Predestination paradoxes can be troubling for them." She raised an eyebrow. "Ah, thanks for the heads-up, sir. I think. Wayas out."
She looked skyward. "Well, we might as well get back to the ship. Wayas to Wayfarer, five to beam up."
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City on the Edge of Never
Captain's log. We were on a routine mission to rendezvous with the USS Kirk for scientific surveying. However, on arrival, we discovered the Kirk badly damaged and unable to fight back under fire from a number of Klingon ships. Though we were able to dispatch the ships fairly quickly, the Kirk had been boarded, and I beamed down with a tactical team to help sweep the ship. We arrived just in time to see B'Vat of the Klingons abduct Lieutenant Miral Paris. Captain Thelin has provided us with her commbadge's tracking frequency, and after clearing space of the Klingon ships that the Klingon captain Targan left behind to destroy us, we're following his ship, the IKS Baj, to the Gateway system. My officers and I are deeply concerned - Targan mentioned having Miral in "the right place at the right time", and the Gateway system is a system where "time" is a word with a very specific meaning...
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"Lieutenant Paris's signal is now on the planet," Ampaak informed them as they came out of warp. "A landing party may have transported to the surface." Wayas nodded to the Klingon, who stood at a tactical station on their new ship's bridge. There were enough consoles for both engineering officers to be on the bridge at once; indeed, it was practically required to manage the vessel. Ydam had handed over the title of chief engineer to T'Raal, and now served as the ship's pilot. Wayas had been surprised when he himself recommended it, but his only reply was, "I know what I'm good at, and I know when someone's better."
As the ship cruised insystem, the captain sat in her chair, restless. This was one of the last places she wanted to see any Klingons going. The Gateway system was under Federation quarantine. They'd had to call in for permission to enter the system on the way there, and it had been hasty; even Admiral Quinn had been interrupted in the middle of a meeting. She didn't blame them for being alarmed. She was, too.
Rylia Wayas had never dreamed she'd end up in the same system as the Guardian of Forever.
Ampaak's console blipped a warning, and he checked it quickly. "Captain, sensors are picking up Klingon ships in orbit of the planet. They're arming disruptors." The Lieutenant Commander sat a bit straighter in her chair. "All hands, red alert. Ampaak, Ydam, let's give them a loud hello."
There were three Birds of Prey waiting for them. The moment the first came in range, the ship shifted as it went into a tactical maneuver of Wayas's own devising, she'd taken to calling Attack Pattern Alpha. It was a short-lived maneuver, but when they could get the positioning for it, it made hitting a ship's vitals all the easier. At the same time as the maneuver began, Ampaak unloaded all weapons, including a high-yield quantum torpedo burst. She had been impressed with the quantum torpedo launchers; they took longer to rearm, but they tore through ships like rocks through wet paper.
The combined assault ripped the first Bird of Prey apart before it could do much of anything, and the other two came about in a panic. The skirmish was fast and brutal, and by the end of it, the Wayfarer was the only one of the four ships left standing. But there was one other ship still in orbit: the Baj. Wayas narrowed her eyes. "We need to cut off their escape. Ampaak, what do you recommend?" The Klingon looked at her and deadpanned, "Torpedoes."
The Wayfarer might've been an older ship, but she was tough as nails. She could take far more of a beating than the Traveller had been able to manage, and she could dish it out just as well. She wasn't fast on the turn, but then she didn't have to be.
The Baj had been a somewhat bigger ship, but it couldn't hold off the heavy fire of the Federation craft, and it finally crumpled under the assault. As the explosion used up its own oxygen and winked out, the Wayfarer came to a stop. "The area is secure, sir," Sivak informed them calmly. She nodded, then looked around the bridge. "Amp, Ydam, T'Raal, Sivak? Let's gear up. We're going down."
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Two things greeted the quintet when they arrived on the planet, weapons at the ready: a light dust storm that barely impeded visibility, and a large number of Klingons. They fought their way up the path slow and steady, stopping long enough to clear out Klingon forces then moving on.
As they finished off a last group of Klingons, she made a quick handgesture. "Move up!" The four officers pushed ahead, just in time to see the Klingon ambassador B'Vat running into a glowing, irregular archway ahead. "Your friends have arrived, we must make haste!" he growled, pushing a smaller girl - Miral Paris - ahead of him.
The four officers fell into a two-by-two formation in the clearing ahead of Wayas, and then after confirming that there were no more Klingons present, stood up. As one, the five turned to fully look at the artifact before them. "So this is it," Rylia murmured, the wonder showing through in her voice. It was... strange. She wished she had more time to admire it. "Who or what are you?" she said, more to herself than anything.
"I KNOW ALL. I AM MY OWN BEGINNING, MY OWN ENDING." The voice of the Guardian startled her. It was... booming, and yet ephemeral. Like it rocked her to her core and brushed by like a breeze at the same time. "I WAS HERE LONG BEFORE YOUR SUN BURNED HOT. I WILL BE HERE LONG AFTER." She frowned. Time was ticking by, and yet in the same sense, time was a non-issue. And this chance... they'd never have it again. "Who made you?" "SEEKERS IN SEARCH OF A QUESTION. SHAPERS CREATING A DREAM. EXPLORERS WHO BELIEVED THAT A UNIVERSE WAS TOO SMALL."
Ampaak growled quietly. "Why do you always answer questions with riddles?" Wayas was forced to fight back the smile when it replied, "I ANSWER AS SIMPLY AS YOUR LEVEL OF UNDERSTANDING MAKES POSSIBLE." But as amusing as it was, even she couldn't fight the nagging feeling that there wasn't time for indulging curiosity. Time... that word kept cropping up, didn't it? Strange how this thing made her realize that.
"What's happened to Miral Paris?" the captain asked, trying to get herself back on track. The Guardian's answer was enigmatic. "THE ONE KNOWN AS MIRAL PARIS FINDS HER FUTURE IN THE TIME BEFORE HER TIME. SHE IS THE KUVAH'MAGH. HER PEOPLE FOLLOW HER FOOTSTEPS BEFORE SHE HAS MADE THEM." Rylia paused, thinking about that for a moment. 'The time before her time'... so she'd been taken back to a time before she'd been born? It would make sense. B'Vat seemed to have some aim in the past. But this was worrying. "And what will happen if she's not rescued?" The answer was the least mysterious thing the Guardian had said thus far, and it chilled the officer to her core.
"HER PRESENCE IN HER PAST ALTERS THE RIVER OF TIME. THOSE WHO TOOK THE KUVAH'MAGH ARE CONQUERING BEFORE THE WARRIORS ARRIVE. THEY HAVE BROUGHT THE WEAPONS OF YOUR WORLD TO A TIME THAT WILL BE HELPLESS TO RESIST THEM." Its voice took on a tone of impending doom. "YOUR REALITY, YOUR WORLD, YOUR BEGINNING? ALL THAT YOU KNOW IS GONE."
"We have to stop it," she blurted out, before she realized what she was saying. To her surprise and relief, the four officers with her simply nodded. Ampaak declared, "We will fight with you wherever we must, captain." Turning to the Guardian, Wayas took a breath. "What must I... we do?"
"BRING THE FUTURE TO THE PAST, OR LOSE THE PRESENT. YOU WILL NEED YOUR VESSEL TO FACE THE CHALLENGES AHEAD. STEP THROUGH MY PORTAL, AND IT WILL BE RETURNED TO YOU."
So... they had to go to the past, and bring their technology with them. Wherever they were going, the technology wasn't advanced enough to stop B'Vat and his goons. The Wayfarer was the only thing that stood between B'Vat and the end of the universe as they knew it. "Well," she said, for lack of any better words to speak. "Here goes."
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The next thing Wayas was aware of was her seat on the bridge. She was back - they were all back. The ship was at full power, yellow alert, and everyone was at their station. On the viewscreen in the near distance was a battle between three ships. Sivak took it in stride; he immediately began running a full suite of scans. "Sir, I'm getting some unusual readings from the sensors..." About that moment, the ship's communications synchronized with the Federation's network. "We have been transported to the year 2270!" It was a rare incident that could earn surprise from Sivak.
She didn't blame him.
"Sir, this is strange," he continued. "It appears that even the history files in our computer have been altered. According to the computer, this is the battle in which the Enterprise and all aboard her are lost. This defeat sparked a series of events that led to the downfall of the first United Federation of Planets." He looked up at her. "That's all incorrect, captain." 'Incorrect' was an understatement.
"Captain, I'm detecting a Raptor from our time. It's B'Vat's ship, the IKS Worvig, and I'm reading Miral Paris's comm signal. She's onboard." He continued running his scans, but spoke at the same time. "The Worvig is attacking the Enterprise, sir. We have to stop it. Contamination from our time cannot be allowed to change the past."
"Bring us up to one quarter impulse," Wayas declared smoothly. "All hands, red alert. Power to weapons." As the Wayfarer accelerated, Sivak spoke again. "Sir, the Enterprise is hailing us." That wasn't good. That wasn't good at all. "We can't let them see our face." "The ship's communications array is badly damaged, captain," Sivak observed. "We can only pick up audio. I'm patching it through now."
The voice that spoke up was one that Lieutenant Commander Rylia Wayas had never expected to hear over a communicator. She had only heard it in holorecords and audio recordings. It was one of the most famous voices in the Federation, but it sounded... younger. "Unknown ship, this is the USS Enterprise. Please respond."
Ambassador... no. Commander Spock.
Wayas turned to look at Sivak. The vulcan quirked an eyebrow. "Captain, I'm transmitting a text-only message to let them know we are friendly and here to help. The less interaction we have with them, the less chance we have of altering the timeline ourselves." She turned to face the viewscreen again. "Very well. We're coming in range. Everyone ready...!"
The two vessels assisting the Worvig were older Klingon vessels. D7s. Their 23rd-century shields and weapons were ill suited to dealing with the relatively massive firepower that their 25th-century technology had, and they fell apart under brief barrages. The Worvig was circling the Enterprise like a hawk, but the much older vessel was holding its own to an impressive degree. It was losing, but it was giving the future ship a black eye for it. The Wayfarer's presence quickly turned the tide; with two ships hitting it, one of which was a match for it already, the Raptor was completely outmatched.
Before they could fire the final shot, however, the Worvig broke away, banking out of both ships' lines of fire. It started picking up speed, and then its nacelles lit up as it entered warp.
Sivak looked up from his console as the Worvig accelerated out of the system. "Sir, the Enterprise is hailing us again. Patching it through now."
"Unknown vessel, this is Commander Spock of the USS Enterprise. Thank you for your assistance."
Sivak's fingers played over his console, and he added, "They are unable to identify our ship and are asking for more information. Captain, it would be unwise of us to respond. Any contact we have with anyone in this time could be a violation of the Temporal Prime Directive, sir." She inclined her head. "Agreed. We're already flying a Constitution Refit years before they started the refit program. We're pushing it as it is." Not to mention she had no doubt they'd see the NCC registry number. No one on the Enterprise was foolish by any stretch. They probably already had their suspicions.
Sivak returned his attention to his console, but spoke again. "We should concentrate on finding Lieutenant Paris and correcting the damage that the Klingons have done to the timeline. The Worvig warped to a nearby system. I can get a lock on its warp signature, and we should be able to follow it."
"Do it," Wayas ordered simply. She took one last look at the Enterprise. They could almost use the ship's help. They were outgunned, but they'd still been holding their own... but no. It was too much of a risk.
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The Wayfarer pulled into the system on the outskirts of a large asteroid belt, and Ampaak reported, "Sir, I have a lock on the Worvig and Lieutenant Paris's signal. The Worvig has some new friends, captain," he noted, already working on the targeting data. "We should be prepared to defend ourselves."
It was another fight, then. "One quarter impulse. Red alert."
The D7 that was with the Worvig wasn't dangerous, but the Worvig kept them on their toes. They focused on it, but this time the tide seemed reversed; the Wayfarer was at a disadvantage. Several hits managed to get through their shields, and the ship rocked under the strain. However, they were still winning, and midway through the fight, the Worvig disappeared. Ampaak swore in Klingon, and then roared, "The coward has left these men to die so that he can run!"
The D7 didn't cease its assault, so neither did the Wayfarer. As it exploded, Ampaak let out an angry growl, but managed to restrain any further outbursts. "The Worvig has escaped again, captain. It must have cloaked. However, sensors are still detecting a trace frequency that could be Lieutenant Paris's comm signal. I don't think the Worvig has gone far, and it won't be able to maintain its cloak for long. It's taken too much damage."
The captain nodded. "Then let's find it and teach that rat a thing or two about Klingon honor."
They moved ahead into the asteroid belt, and before long, a Klingon D7 appeared on sensors, decloaking in open space. "It's a trap," Ampaak declared without even thinking." Wayas nodded. "Agreed. It makes sense. Lure us into attacking, then blindside us." She paused. "Shall we spring it?" "Indeed," he responded, voice full of iron.
As predicted, the Worvig showed itself the moment they entered battle, and their target shifted to that ship instantly. They couldn't destroy it, with Miral on board, but Ampaak was a good enough shot that the Raptor was disabled before long at all. And the D7 wasn't nearly enough to take on the Wayfarer on its own. Once it was dealt with, they came about, and moved into position over the Worvig. "Their shields are down, captain," Ampaak confirmed. "Recommend we take this opportunity to transport an away team to the Worvig." Wayas nodded. "We're going in. Mr. Sivak, make a note," she added as they stepped into the turbolift. "Sir?" he inquired, quirking an eyebrow.
"We need to have equipment lockers installed on the bridge so that we can suit up without taking a detour."
"Aye, sir."
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After they materialized on the ship, Sivak opened his tricorder and ran a brief scan. "I'm reading Lieutenant Paris's comm signal in the Klingons' mess hall, sir." She nodded, and flicked her hand. "Let's move." They took up positions in a doorway; Wayas ducked around and took a brief look. There were several Klingons. She made a quick count with her hand, stepped out long enough to fire off a surprise shot, then ducked back in.
When the enemy came running, Wayas did not know what to make of what she saw. There were a few of the Klingons she had expected, but most of them looked... strange. They were like Klingons in stature, but their foreheads were smooth, their faces much more humanlike. Once the fighting had stopped, she nudged one with her plasma rifle. "What in the hell-" "They are Klingons," Ampaak stated, with a tone of... embarassment? She stared at him. "Ampaak, what-" "We do not discuss it," he said sharply. After a moment of bewilderment, she said, "Well, uh, all righty, then. Let's keep moving."
Strange-looking or not, they fought like Klingons, and the away team's battle down the corridors of the Worvig was pitched. They made it through foot by foot, until at last they arrived at a forcefield barring the way. Sivak scanned it. "Captain, I'm picking up Lieutenant Paris's signal just beyond this force field. The controls for the force fields are located on the bridge, sir. We will need to go there before we can free her." The Lieutenant Commander nodded, doing her best to recall the rough layout of a Klingon Raptor. "This way," she indicated, heading back towards a side door they'd passed up.
The bridge was guarded by a pair of Klingons who were easily bested - and on their defeat, Captain B'Vat himself stepped out. Wayas couldn't help a gasp. B'Vat was one of the smooth-foreheaded, humanlike Klingons, and more than that, he was young. And he was a fierce fighter in his own right; even with all their tricks, he was able to hold the five of them at bay for some time. He was losing, though, and after a brief bit of skirmish, he held his hands up. "Hold your fire, Starfleet, we must speak!"
Wayas held her hand up, and all weaponsfire stopped; they kept their weapons trained on him as he stepped out of cover. "You've got ten seconds to explain before we stun you, arrest you, and move on," Wayas barked. "Mev'yap! I am not your enemy, Lieutenant Commander!" He shook his head. "I know you are not of this time. You are from the future. Your presence here was forecast." Wayas stared. "I'm sorry. What?"
The Klingon folded his arms behind his back. "Many years ago, time-traveling beings came to the Klingons. They wanted us to join in their temporal war." He snorted. "We are no one's puppet. We refused to help them." He began to pace slowly, explaining. "However, they told us many things about the future in an attempt to gain our allegiance. We listened, and since then a group of Klingons has used that knowledge to guide the Empire."
That was not good. A large-scale breach of the Temporal Prime Directive at the very least. But it also meant they had a purpose for taking Miral. "What do you want with Miral Paris?" she asked sharply. The Klingon inclined his head as if expecting the question. "She is the kuvah'magh. We walk in her footsteps before she has made them. Her destiny is to be the one who cures the Klingon people of the stain of the Augment virus that has smoothed our brows and put fear into our hearts."
When he mentioned an 'Augment virus', the captain looked over her shoulder at Ampaak, who looked somewhere between irritated and embarassed. "I'll... tell you later."
B'Vat eyed the exchange between the two, then continued. "The kuvah'magh has a unique genetic sequence that will allow my physicians to completely transform us back to the mighty warriors we once were. No more will we be ridgeless and honorless! We will be Klingon!" Passion had seeped into the Klingon's voice. "We will follow in the kuvah'magh's footsteps, and walk in the path of honor and glory."
Wayas began to lower her weapon... slowly. This was a difficult situation, and there was a lot going on. She needed to know more, know what she was getting into. "Alright. Tell me more about the kuvah'magh." B'Vat stopped his pacing. "Some call her a savior. Many among my crew see her as a traitor. It is strange to see a mythological being wearing the emblem of your enemy!" He gave his head a faint shake. "I don't know what I believe of the old ways. The prophecies say she will be a Voyager, and that the Klingons will know her before she knows the world." He met Rylia's eyes. "What I have seen in these past days makes me believe this is true."
"What about the Klingons who brought the Worvig here?" she asked next. His reply came with a frown. "Most of them are crazed by their contact with the augmentation process. Their leader tells me they were experimented on by a man named Amar Singh. They will do anything, kill anyone, in their quest to be whole again."
So they were Singh's experiments after all. The captain and her officers had arrested Singh a while back, after catching him in the act on one of B'Vat's research stations doing genetic augmentation experiments. He'd ranted on about wanting to recapture the glory of Khan Noonien Singh. Something wasn't adding up here, though.
"They arrived here a month ago. They brought with them the kuvah'magh, and they asked me to keep her safe." He looked around. "They left for a time, and then they returned two days ago with this wonder of a starship. They told me that it was the first of a mighty fleet that would rule the galaxy!" But his face was not pleased. She could see something there. "Their leader... it is my greatest shame to see him. I have come face-to-face with my future self, and I see that I will walk a path of great dishonor."
Wayas found herself staring again. "Are you saying Miral was kidnapped by a future you?" And again, the Klingon nodded. "Ambassador B'Vat is the man I will become." He cursed. "Time travel is such a tricky thing! Now I understand why Klingon Intelligence hates predestination paradoxes so!" He sighed. "Ambassador B'Vat will not surrender the kuvah'magh without a fight. It appears that the years have made him... made me... quick to anger and quick to judge." The alien stared off into nothing for a moment. "I do wonder what has happened to make him such a bitter, manipulative man." And then, of all things, he chuckled. "I would advise you not to volunteer for many more time travel missions, Lieutenant Commander. They tend to complicate your life."
She finally lowered her weapons, and after hesitation, her officers did as well. "So, now what do we do..." To her surprise, B'Vat answered. "You are the defenders of the kuvah'magh. You will find Ambassador B'Vat at her side. He will not surrender her without a fight." The Klingon captain uncrossed his arms, and turned to face the viewscreen. "Give him a good death. That is all any Klingon desires." He began typing on a small pad in his hand. "Now go. All of you. I fear that the present cannot take much more of your interference." And that was when the transporter beam pulled him off the bridge. "There must be another Klingon ship out there," she muttered. "Oh well. Gentlemen, we've got a job to do."
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The moment they swept into the mess hall, B'Vat was on them. "You cannot take her!" If anything he was a much fiercer opponent than his young counterpart. But they were ready, and in a combined hail of fire, they brought the Ambassador down. Without speaking a word, Ampaak stepped over to the body, and looked into the dead Klingon's eyes. Wayas knew what was going to happen next; she held a hand up, and the officers were silent as Ampaak bellowed to the heavens.
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"I don't appreciate being held captive, but if I can help the Klingons I will gladly do so. Think of it this way, Lieutenant Commander," Miral added. "If we can find peace here, there is hope for the future. The Klingons of this time have the genetic samples they need from me, and I'm more than ready to get back home." Wayas nodded. "Alright. The Wayfarer's ready to take you. We've even got you a temporary quarters ready." At that, Miral smiled. "Thank you, Wayas. I won't forget that you travelled through time to save a fellow officer." Wayas nodded, reaching for her badge as she did so. "That's what we do, Paris. We're all in this together, right? Wayas to Wayfarer, six to beam up."
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The Worvig was empty. B'Vat and his men were gone, and the ship was disabled. There was nothing left for it. "Open fire, Mr. Ampaak." The Wayfarer's weapons lit up, unleashing a torrent of phaser fire and several quantum torpedoes. The shieldless, motionless ship was torn to shreds; explosions rocked it, and it was nothing more than a floating cloud of debris. The future technology was as destroyed as it could be.
"We've done what we can to restore the timeline, sir," Sivak observed. "I recommend we return to the Gateway system. The Guardian should be able to transport us back to when we belong." Settling back in her chair, Lieutenant Commander Wayas nodded. "Mr. Ydam, take us there at maximum warp." "Aye, sir."
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"Sir, the Guardian has opened a portal," Sivak said after a glance at his sensors. "But there are Klingon ships blocking the way." His console blipped, and his brow wrinkled. "The Klingons are hailing us, captain." "Onscreen."
It was one of the virus-affected Klingons, and he looked triumphant, somehow. "This is Lieutenant Commander Wayas, captain of the Wayfarer," she began. "You are currently challenging a ship with technology more than a century ahead of yours, captain, and you are standing between us and our road home. There's a difference between bravery and stupidity. I'm offering you one chance to stand down." The Klingon captain snorted, derision evident in his face. "The kuvah'magh and that lovely ship of yours are staying here! We'll have a grand time dissecting both of them!" He grined an almost feral grin. "Surrender now, and we'll give you a quick death!"
Wayas's reply was calm. "It sounds like today is a good day to die, then. Be thankful. Red alert. Full power to weapons. One quarter impulse. Mr. Ampaak, clear the way." "Aye, sir!" They closed to battle distance with the pair of D7s that were in waiting. Weapons fire lit up the cold darkness of space, and projectiles danced back and forth in pinpoint barrages. The Wayfarer rocked under the assault; for being old ships, these were pretty well-equipped, and the two of them agains the Constitution-class made for tough odds. One went down, and then the other, but the Wayfarer was the worse for it. But they were fin-
Sivak interrupted her thoughts. "Klingon ships decloaking."
Two more D7s appeared on either side of the Wayfarer. The captain swore. This was about to be really rough. Just as she was prepared for another fight for life, though, Sivak spoke up again - this time with surprise in his voice. "Sir, another ship is warping into the system." A pause, and then with just as much surprise, "It's the Enterprise." Rylia's eyes went wide. About the time Sivak declared the ship's identity, a phaser blast lanced out from the new arrival, striking one of the D7s amidships. Wayas grinned. "They always said Kirk was good at being the hero. Ydam, bring us about! We've got a fight to finish!"
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The last ship exploded, torn apart by the combined fire of two Constitution-class vessels. The fight had been rough, but for her ancient technology, the Enterprise was a scrapper. Then again, her crew was the stuff of legends. "Sir, the Enterprise is hailing us again," Sivak informed her. "Commander Spock says they can assist us. He has deduced that we came through a portal opened by the Guardian of Forever, captain, and he wishes to speak to you." Spock. Wanted to speak with her.
"Go ahead and open the link," she ordered.
"I am not unfamiliar with time travel, captain. We will endeavor to engage the Klingons until you escape." They were offering to buy time. She almost decided to warn them off... but this was the Enterprise. Any one officer on the ship had more experience than her entire crew combined. And they had Jim Kirk. She blew out a sigh, then spoke up cautiously. "Commander, my crew and I thank you for your assistance. As soon as we're in the clear, get yourselves out. We'll try to get in as fast as we can." "Very well, captain," the Vulcan on the other end replied. "Live long and prosper." "Peace and long life to you," Wayas replied.
As the Wayfarer accelerated away, her captain switched the viewscreen to rear view; she watched as the Enterprise banked around, fearlessly turning to meet the Klingon ships that were arriving. Fighting alongside the USS Enterprise under Captain James T. Kirk... how many people would gladly die just for even the brief contact they'd had? It was sobering. "Risking life, limb and ship for someone they barely know, just because it's right..." She shook her head. "Maybe some day I'll be half the captain he was." "If you ask me," Ampaak spoke up, "You already are."
She couldn't help a smile. "Well, then maybe I'll climb that other half yet. Let's go home."
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"TIME HAS RESUMED ITS SHAPE; ALL IS AS IT WAS BEFORE." The Guardian's booming voice rocked Wayas's mind as she found herself back on Gateway. "FAREWELL."
It was at that point that Sivak spoke again, adjusting his tricorder. "Incoming message from Starfleet, sir. I'll link it to your commbadge." The voice that spoke up was no less than Admiral Quinn. Wayas wasn't surprised. "Congratulations on a job well done, Wayas. Miral Paris will return to duty, and you have ended the threat to the Federation." "Thank you sir," she replied, unsure of what else to say.
"But we do have some questions, Lieutenant Commander. Time travel isn't a routine mission, you know." Oh boy. This was going to be a headache, she knew it. "Don't be surprised if you get a visit from the Department of Temporal Investigations, Wayas. Predestination paradoxes can be troubling for them." She raised an eyebrow. "Ah, thanks for the heads-up, sir. I think. Wayas out."
She looked skyward. "Well, we might as well get back to the ship. Wayas to Wayfarer, five to beam up."
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