T'Bumo hated this feeling. She felt helpless. Useless. It was like back on her homeworld of Telair. After the Hobus supernova which had destroyed Romulus Telair had begun taking steps to secede from the Empire. It was near the Federation and had strong economic ties to Federation worlds in the area, Bolarus in particular.

Aided by allies among the Vulcan delegation, the reunificationist faction in particular, Telair was placed on a 'fast track' to Federation membership along with a few other outlying Romulan worlds.

This was not unnoticed by the Romulans. Raiding parties would harass the breakaway planets, but not publicly acting under the orders of the Empress Sela to avoid provoking the Federation. But anyone with any sense would know who was behind these 'pirate' attacks.

Until the Federation could intervene, Telair formed a small self-defense corps. She had been adamant about joining. T'Bumo was not one to sit idly by while pirates and brigands terrorized Telair. Due to the status of her grandfather being one of the few veterans of the Dominion Wars who had settled on Telair, T'Bumo had gotten a quick promotion to Centurion.

T'Bumo demonstrated a keen tactical sense that proved her worthy of the title. But more importantly T'Bumo was in control. Or at least high enough up the ladder to have some control over what happened. It made her feel secure. But this situation…

This was chaos. Crewmembers were falling victim to some…illness. Possibly due to some energy form T'Bumo had never heard of before. She felt helpless. T'Bumo found her way to Engineering. Maybe she could keep some order there.

After all, the British Empire was the only thing keeping order in these parts of the world…

Commander T'Bumo entered the Engineering Room dressed in a red jacket and dark blue trousers. "Alright lads, let's heave to and prepare to deal with a possible mutiny. I've noticed quite a lot of skullduggery on this vessel of late and it seems certain mutinous elements may be taking this chaos and disorder to make their move."

Revei looked at her. "Looks like Commander T'Bumo has finally flipped her rocker," he said to Azrio.

"Sure seems like it," Azrio answered.

"What are you doing?" T'Bumo asked.

"Watching the warp core. Will told us to while he runs off to get to know Lieutenant Commander Ayanami," Revei said with a grin, "If you know what I mean."

"Ba-rum-rump-bum!" Azrio added.

"Bow-chicka-wow-wow," Yuri threw in for fun.

"How dare you say such things about your superior officer," T'Bumo said, "You are a disgrace to the service."

"Well what else would you call it?" Azrio asked.

"Will take Lieutenant Commander Ayanami to secret room. Alone. Yuri say that definitely call for bow-chicka-wow-wow," Yuri said.

"He wants to wrestle her tongue," Revei said.

"Do the horizontal twist even," Azrio said, "And shouldn't you get to sickbay Commander?"

"I will not go to sickbay! I will stay here and keep an eye on you foul minded sods!" T'Bumo said.

"Fine. Just stay out of our way," Azrio said.

"What are you doing?" T'Bumo asked, "Gambling?"

"I wish," Revei said, "Alright, I tap this land card…"

Beth climbed down the ladder in the tube. She was already at deck three. With a kick she knocked the plate cover from the tube's exit. Switching her phaser to heavy stun she scanned the hallway. Content it was clear she quickly moved to the turbo lift. Flipping the manual override, the door popped open. The Turbolift was jammed about two meters above her head.

Beth tapped her commbadge. "Delvok. Cut power to the turbo lifts," she ordered.

"Done," Delvok said.

Beth leaped across the shaft and grabbed the ladder on the other side of the shaft. She quickly climbed the ladder and switched her phaser to cutting beam mode.

Luzan climbed the emergency ladder to deck one. The bridge was so close. "Warriors of Sharian, power your disruptors up. Kill any that resist. They will be plenty of prisoners to question later," he commanded.

The circle in the bottom of the lift Beth had cut fell away. She jumped and grabbed the ledge, pulling herself inside the lift. Beth quickly surveyed the situation. An access panel on the roof had been blown apart. Carbon scoring on the debris of the panel on the floor were indicative of disruptor fire.

Who had a disruptor on board?

Beth took out her tricorder, still attached to her belt from when she and Rei had investigated the crate. A quick anti-proton scan of the debris revealed that a Romulan made disruptor had caused this damage.

Beth's eyes narrowed.

"Captain to bridge," Beth said.

"Rythor here, Captain. Go ahead," Rythor said.

"Red alert. Intruders on board. Probably Romulan," Beth said.

"Going to red alert," Rythor said.

"Seal the bridge," Beth ordered.

"But Captain…" Rythor protested.

"Someone is on my ship," she said, "Alert engineering. Whoever is attacking will need both the bridge and engineering to take over."

"Yes, Captain," Rythor said.

Beth cut the link. "Time to go hunting," she said. She jumped up into the hole in the ceiling.

A doodling sound was heard among the three yellow dressed men sitting at a table next to the warp core.

"What in the name of God and the Queen is that?" T'Bumo asked. She had the perfect accent of an upper class British Officer by now.

"My comm badge," Azrio said, tapping it. "Go ahead."

"This is Ensign Delvok. Captain Hawkwood has ordered that Engineering seal itself and make ready to resist boarders," he said.

"Aha!" T'Bumo shouted, "I knew the ratings were planning a mutiny! Lashings for the lot of them!"

"…is that Commander T'Bumo?" Delvok asked.

"Yeah," Azrio answered.

"Is she…effected by the…" he asked.

"Apparently," Azrio said.

"Shouldn't she be taken to sickbay?" Delvok asked.

"Yeah, I think so," Azrio said.

"So why hasn't she been taken there?" Delvok asked.

"Because we are under lockdown," Azrio answered.

"Ah. So we are. Well then, carry on," Delvok said.

"Any idea on who is boarding us? While we are at warp?" Azrio asked.

"Captain Hawkwood said they may be Romulans," Delvok said.

"Okay then. After having this Romulan harpin' on us for a while she is under a dose of the crazy, shooting a few will feel nice," Azrio said.

Delvok was silent for a moment. "While I hope it doesn't come to that, I am glad to hear you are prepared."

"Azrio out," Azrio leaned back and flicked a switch.

"Shouldn't we seal the room?" T'Bumo asked.

"Done," Azrio said.

"Will installed a monobolic shield on the door to Engineering. Meaning we can see out, but they can't see in. On the other side it looks like a shimmering mirror. From our view, nothing has happened," Revei explained.

"We'll see who is at the shield and if they are friendly, we let them in," Azrio added.

"Astounding. And Professor Will installed this?" T'Bumo asked.

"Uhhh, yeah. 'Cept he isn't a Professor," Revei said.

"You know, I think you are actually getting worse," Narshu said.

"Ahhhh!" Tashar raged.

"Relax Tash. It's just a game. Etrum has been trying for months to beat the Captain's score but he can't do it," Narshu explained.

"What is her secret?" Tashar said, "And did you just call me Tash?"

"Dunno her secret. And yeah I did," Narshu said.

"Stop. Don't call me that," Tashar said.

"Why. I think Tash sounds neat," Narshu said.

Tashar thought for a moment. "Really?"

"Yeah. Would make a sexy nickname," Narshu said.

Tashar was still thinking. "It does have a stylistic ring to it."

"Yeah, like 'Tash is in control'," Narshu said.

"'Tash is in control…that does sound agreeable. Yet still authoritative," Tashar said.

"Must be getting close to the hanger," Will said, "This is solid steel here."

"How long until the radiation starts to effect us?" Matt asked.

"Unknown. It seems to vary from person to person," Rei said, "In my cursory examination of the medical files of the afflicted crew I was unable to find a common medical condition among more then two of them."

"So we need to hurry up and save the day Newbie," Will said.

Rei's comm badge came on. "Lieutenant Commanders Ayanami and Thomas, Captain Hawkwood has sent us to red alert. There are intruders possibly aboard. Be careful," Rythor explained.

"Thank you, Lieutenant Sivar," Rei said.

"Great. Just what we needed. Intruders," Will said.

"My grandfather, Luous, said troubles always come in threes," Matt said.

"Great, so we have a third trouble to look for," Will asked.

"Maybe," Matt said.

"Well if we do come across it, I am blaming you," Will said.

"Very well, sir," Matt answered.

"Very strange. Why would Newbie so eagerly accept the blame," Rei asked.

"Aw, now Lieutenant Commander Ayanami is calling me Newbie," Matt whispered.

"Because Newbie is a good guy. Despite being a Newbie," Will said.

"And how is Newbie a good guy?" Rei asked.

"He always gets our drink orders right," Will said, "And I think this is the door." Will was at a screw hatch. He started loosening the screw holding the hatch closed. With a metallic grinding sound the door opened.

Will hopped out of the passage and looked around. "Yep, hanger bay," he said. Matt tumbled out like a sack of potatoes. Will gracefully helped Rei out of the tube.

Rei flipped on her tricorder. "This way. The intensity of the Alabaric radiation has increased from when I took my readings earlier," she said.

Red lights began flashing around them. The Romulans looked around. "This what the Federation calls a red alert. It is how they warn the crew of danger. It seems we may have been found out," Luzan said, "We must hurry."

"What's that?" Tashar asked.

"Red alert. It means something bad is happening," Narshu said.

"Damn you Luzan!" Tashar shouted as his fists formed into balls and he thrust them skyward. It was a very clichéd dramatic spectacle.

"Who is Luzan?" Narshu asked.

"Luzan is the man I am…was working for," Tashar said, "No doubt he has followed me and…stuff."

"Oh. Sounds terrible," Narshu said.

"Yes. He is very cruel, even by Romulan standards," Tashar said, "And that is why he must be killed on sight. He must not be taken prisoner. In fact, any Romulans he has with him should be killed to. And don't listen to what they say."

"Oh. Okay. I better tell the Captain that," Narshu said, "Excuse me a moment."

"So he wants us to kill all the Romulans," Beth asked.

"That's right. Seemed suspicious to me," Narshu said.

"What's more suspicious is that he knew there were boarders the moment red alert started. And he knew they were Romulans. And that there were more then one," Beth said, "Narshu, arrest him."

"Gotcha," Narshu said.

"Well I have alerted the Captain," Narshu said.

"Good," Tashar said.

"So gonna get back to the game?" Narshu asked.

"Yes! I can't let Luzan find me or else he might do things to me!" Tashar said. He started walking towards the Space Invaders game. Narshu hit him in the back with a chair.

Luzan knocked on the door to the bridge.

"Who is it?" Rythor answered.

"I am Commander Luzan of the Romulan Empire! I am taking over this ship," he answered.

"Oh, is that so?" Rythor asked through the door.

"Yes! It is!" Luzan said, "Open this door or I shall kill you all!"

"Threatening to killing us doesn't exactly make me want to open the door for you," Rythor said.

"Yeah, kinda makes me want to do the opposite," Etrum answered. He licked the last bit of tapioca off the spoon he was holding.

"Got that right Etrum. Now if he was saying open the door and I will bring you snow cones, I would open it," Rythor said, "You know, some positive incentive to get us to open it."

"Snow cones? Man, you really put me in the mood for one," Etrum said.

"Isn't that the truth? You know Andorian snow cones are the best in the galaxy," Rythor said.

Etrum was quiet a moment. "How? I mean there's not much you can do to a snow cone," Etrum said.

"Silence!" Luzan shouted, "Open this door immediately!"

"No, you don't get it. Andorians know their snows and ices. We come from a snowball in space, remember," Rythor said.

"Is it in the flavoring?" Etrum asked.

"No. The secret is in the snow. See there are different kinds of snows…" Rythor started explaining.

"Quit your prattling and open this damn door!" Luzan shouted while banging on the door.

"Why should I?" Rythor asked.

"Because if you don't I will kill you!" Luzan answered.

"And how would you do that? You are out there. I'm in here. The way I see it I am safe as long as I am in here," Rythor answered.

"Fine! Then I will destroy the door. Uhlan…whatever your name is, open fire!" Luzan ordered.

So there were Romulans aboard. Beth hurried down the passage. She heard another weapon discharge. An angry voice shouted, "I said destroy the door!"

"I apologize, sir, but my weapon is malfunctioning," someone answered, "I have it at maximum power yet it can barely damage the door. They may have a force field protecting the door."

"Obviously you were too incompetent to properly carry the weapon," the first shouter said. Another weapon discharged. "Hmmm, odd. That should have disintegrated him."

That was odd? Was the changes to the ship also effecting their weapons? Beth checked her own weapon. A quick diagnostic read multiple power failures on the unit. Since she meticulously cared for the weapon, Beth guessed it probably was related to the changes on the ship. At max output she should manage a stun though.

Beth took a deep breath and leaned out the corner. Six Romulans were at the door. This wasn't going to be easy. Clausewitz said to avoid battles where you were outnumbered by more then three to one. But this was her ship. Her crew. She would not let the Romulans have either. She would have to play this smart. Superior tactics could make up for the loss of numbers.

Beth fired a max power shot well aimed at the backmost Romulan. It hit, sending him down. For a bit at least. She followed up with a spray of phaser bolts that while not aimed were still fired into a tight formation. Another Romulan went down.

Beth ducked back into the corridor and started running. She needed to pick them off one by one to defeat them.

"A Federation kal wants to play hero!" Luzan shouted, "Kill him!"

The four Romulans set off after Beth.

"Is this Engineering?" one of the Romulans asked.

"According to the diagram, it is," another answered, "And that sign there says Engineering in English."

"Looks like a mirror to me," the first said. They were looking at the monobolic field's mirror face. "And why is it called English?"

"It's a human language," the second said.

"Well then why not call it Human?" the first asked.

"I don't know. Maybe English means something in English that doesn't translate very well," the second said.

"Look at them. Like they have never seen a monobolic shield before," Azrio said, looking at the Romulans from the table he and the others were seated at.

"Want to shoot them?" Yuri asked.

"In a bit. We need to finish this hand first," Revei said.

The field flickered.

"What? There was something behind it! It's a force field of some kind," the second Romulan said.

"Yeah!" the first said and ran into the field. It stopped him.

"Don't be stupid. It is obviously designed to keep us out. But the power is flickering. Commander Luzan is probably working to short it out right now. In a moment it will fall and we will gain access to what is beyond," the second said ominously.

"Oh, I love it when you talk like that. It makes you seem so evil and in charge," the first said, throwing his arms around the second.

"…Get off," the second said angrily.

The first unwrapped his arms and looked down dejectedly.

"So…what was that?" Revei asked.

"Power flux," Yuri said in his burly Russian accent, "Something is draining power from ship."

"Any ideas?" Azrio asked.

"That box thing that Will and Ayanami are checking on," Revei said.

T'Bumo drew a revolver from a holster on her belt. "Well men, here we shall make our stand as loyal soldiers of the Queen."

"Queen?" Revei said.

"Just roll with it," Azrio suggested.

"What I want to know is where did she get that gun?" Yuri stated.

Azrio popped the emergency phaser pistol drawer open. "What the…all these pistols are almost drained of power. Who has been playing with the pistols and not inviting me?" He looked accusingly at Yuri.

"Hey! Not me!" Yuri said defensively.

"Probably nobody. It's probably the same thing that is draining the ship's power," Revei said. He looked at T'Bumo's pistol. "Good thing she is here."

Rei looked the readings over. "My tricorder is loosing power."

"Mine has lost power and transformed into a notepad," Will said, tossing a notebook over his shoulder. "Wasn't right anyway."

"Any idea how to stop it?" Matt asked.

"We could blow it up," Will suggested.

"Memory Alpha wants to study it. It could be an effective device to use against enemies of the Federation without killing them," Rei suggested.

"Hmmm, good point," Will said, "I still say we blow it up though."

The walls had changed suddenly. What was the neutral grey tone of the Federation hallway had become hard steel. Luzan was getting angrier. "What is going on here?" he demanded.

None of the three other Romulans with him dared answer.

The lighting was poor. Only simple lamps lit the passage. Shadows abounded. Despite the material changes to her ship, Beth still knew her way around. She was hiding behind what had been a replicator on the officer cabin deck but was now…something she didn't recognize.

Her pistol was dry. She hoped the Romulans were empty as well. Still, a Romulan was stronger then a human. And in a fist-fight numbers were a big advantage.

"Where is that Federation scum?" Luzan demanded, "He can't have gone far. That way!"

Beth followed the group closely. She passed by her quarters and stopped. She smiled. One of the most popular sports on New Essex, her homeworld, had been fencing. Beth had been a regional champion and she had taken her saber with her. It was hanging up above her desk.

She popped her cabin open and crept inside. There it was. It had apparently been unaffected by whatever strange powers were coursing through the ship. Beth was beginning to see that pattern here. Everything was being transformed into a Victorian period equivalent of what it had been before.

But her sword was different. It relied on technology and techniques that had long before Victoria been in use. She looked the blade over. Although no longer made of the fleximite it had been made of, it was still sharp and serviceable.

Beth holstered the pistol and set out after the Romulans, sword in hand.

"So how good are you with that?" Revei asked T'Bumo, as he hefted a piece of pipe.

"I am an officer of the Queen," T'Bumo said.

"Which means what?" Azrio said, "I mean have you ever fired it?"

"Of course…I…have…" T'Bumo said. She remembered. She had never fired it before.

Wait. What was going on here? Why do I have a revolver, T'Bumo thought. And why am I asking about a Queen? I'm an Officer in Starfleet, not some archaic old Earth institution.

"What's going on, Commander? Your uniform just changed back," Azrio said.

"I think…I remember," she said.

"My tricorder has started working again," Rei observed.

"Mine…is still broken," Will said.

"This is Commander T'Bumo, broadcasting to all crew on Kagutsuchi!" came a staticy voice over the commbadges, "Just focus on now. Don't let your mind wander. If you do then you could fall under the power of whatever is transforming the ship! If someone has been transformed, confront them with a confusing scenario that would incongruous with what they claim to be or are using. It should snap them back."

"Well that is helpful information," Selvok said, "I was wondering how we were going to get the crew back to normal."

He turned to Crewman Rawlins. "Who are you?" he asked.

"Able Seaman Rawlins," Rawlins said.

"And have you ever been to sea?" Selvok asked.

"Can't say that I have…" Rawlins started, "Oh dear God! What happened?"

"Yep. It works. Let's get them reverted," Selvok said.

"Stop right there!" Beth ordered. She had caught up with the Romulans.

"So this is the Federation dog that has been evading me. Shoot her!" Luzan ordered,

The disruptors weren't working.

"You idiots," Luzan said, "Fine! I will do it myself!" He tried to fire. Nothing happened. "What have you done? What trickery is this?"

"This is called luck," Beth said, "Now hands in the air. Drop the weapons." She was pointing her sword at the Romulans.

The three uhlans did as ordered.

"No! I will finish you!" Luzan raged. He charged Beth.

Beth nimbly dodged to the right, pirouetted on her left foot, and delivered a blow to the back of Luzan's skull with the hilt of her sword. Luzan was out.

"There. See what happens when you try to take over my ship," Beth said.

The shield fell. The Romulans charged in, pointing weapons at the three crewmen and the ship's XO. They pulled the triggers. Nothing happened.

"Your weapons are useless," T'Bumo said to the Romulans, "Drop them and put your hands over your head before I shoot you."

"Or I hit you with my pipe," Revei threatened.

"Or my wrench!" Yuri said, hefting his metal long wrench.

"Uhhh, Yuri. Where did you find that?" Azrio asked.

"In the closet," Yuri said.

The Romulans dropped their weapons. One threw his arms around another Romulan. "Hold me!" he shouted.

"I told you to…never mind," the other said resignedly.

"The radiation level is dropping dramatically," Rei said.

"Ship is still transformed though. Warp stresses are really wearing on these rivets," Will said.

"Perhaps we create an anti-Alabaric radiation field," Matt suggested.

"We barely know anything about Alabaric radiation, let alone anti-Alabaraic radiation," Will said, "I don't even know if there is an anti-Alabaric radiation. Is there?"

"There is not," Rei said.

"See. There isn't," Will said.

Beth slid the bars shut. The force fields in the brig had been transformed into metal bars. Twelve Romulans, three wearing Victorian period outfits, sat glumly in individual cells.

"Any ideas to reverse the effects of the Alabaric radiation?" Beth asked T'Bumo who was standing behind her, having escorted the Romulans she had captured in Engineering to their cells.

"Afraid I do not Captain," T'Bumo said, "And Lieutenant Commander Thomas estimates the stresses of warp will cause the rivets to break apart in under an hour."

"Damn," Beth said, "Have we tried anti-Alabaric radiation."

"Lieutenant Commander Ayanami informed that such a thing does not exist," T'Bumo said.

"Oh. Did you ask about it?" Beth asked.

"No. But Lieutenant Commander Ayanami postulated that since Lieutenant Commander Thomas asked about it, you might as well," T'Bumo explained.

"Can we reverse it?" Beth asked.

"Interesting idea," T'Bumo said.

"Reverse it?" Rei asked as Beth and T'Bumo looked at her.

"Well…I guess it would work. All we need to do is figure out to reverse it," Will said.

"I say we open it up," Matt said, "Maybe there is a reverse switch."

"Worth a shot," Beth said. Beth walked over to the crate. "So…how do we open it?"

"Unknown, Captain," T'Bumo said.

"Well, you know the old engineering adage, don't force it, get a bigger hammer," she said.

"That is one of my favorites," Will said.

"Do you have a hammer?" Beth asked.

"No," Will said.

"Oh well, let's try this," Beth said, holding her sword. She thrust it into the wood. Surprisingly it cut right through. "Ooops, too far," Beth said.

"No Captain, look," Will said, pointing to a light coming from the hole.

Rei scanned it with her tricorder. "The sword is reacting with whatever is inside the crate."

"And what is happening?" Beth asked.

"Radiation flow is…reversing?" Rei asked.

"How?" T'Bumo asked.

"Maybe…that is what it is supposed to do? Maybe it was converting the stuff around it to steel so it could acquire it to do whatever it's doing?" Will suggested.

"Sounds…convenient," T'Bumo said.

"No, I think it's deeper then that. This machine harkens back to an earlier, simpler time. And by ramming my sword into it, I somehow showed it we still respected our history and thus restored it to it's natural balance of things," Beth said.

"Oh that is deep," Will said.

"So you are saying this is all metaphysical and philosophical?" T'Bumo asked, "All of this is just a setup to remind us of a historical time period and you by putting your sword through it showed that history and tradition had not been forgotten."

"I am," Beth said.

"Works for me," Will said.

"I can find no fault with that hypothesis," Rei said.

"Okay. So I guess that's what we go with then," T'Bumo said.

Revei and Yuri slammed the crate down unceremoniously on the floor of the landing pad at Memory Alpha.

"There ya go!" Azrio said to the scientists.

"And if ever have problems with it, stick a sword in it," Revei said.

"Naturally the Romulan boarding incident has called the data stick into question," T'Bumo said, sitting in a chair opposite Beth in her office.

"From what I have seen, the data stick seems pretty spot on. The question is, do the Romulans know," Beth asked.

"They will know that Luzan is in our custody," T'Bumo said, "But Luzan is gloating that it was supposed to be a double cross and the stick was a fake. Tashar says it's real and he didn't expect the Romulans to sneak aboard."

"Tashar is trying to save himself," Beth said, "He is telling the truth. Luzan is gloating. I trust Luzan right now. As far as he knows, he is telling the truth. Tashar was trying to double-cross us both, I think."

"You would make a passable Romulan, Captain," T'Bumo said.

"Ah, but the real question is, who is Tashar working for," Beth said. That was the really troubling question.