Author's Notes: Just a short comment to reassure readers. As usual, this Chapter answers a few questions and raises some new ones. Fear not. Eventually... ALL will be revealed!!!!

Star Trek Enterprise: Infinite Diversity

Through The Looking Glass

Concealed Stronghold, Surface of the Tholian Home World, July 28, 2268

Jonathan Archer was the last to be hauled up through the holographic force field concealed slightly more than three meters above the mountain's base. Exhausted by the long walk and extensive physical work, he lay on his stomach for a moment and allowed himself a few seconds of respite. Moving the heavy torpedo warhead had proven to be an extremely difficult and challenging task, one that was even more daunting when the slightest tear in his space suit would lead to an instantaneous, fiery death. Overall, however, he was an athletic man and in excellent shape, so his energy returned quickly.

It didn't take long for his curiosity to get the better of him, and he glanced back over his shoulder with interest at the strange, scarlet-tinged barrier. From his new vantage point on the inside, Archer noticed that the threshold they had passed through was now completely visible. A shimmering, translucent oval crackled across the entrance, allowing him to see the basic outline of the barren, alien landscape on the distant horizon. The view hadn't really changed all that much – except now it was partially obscured by the protective, holographic energy field.

"I wonder how long that hidden entrance has been here," Archer mused thoughtfully, studying the strange alien gateway. From somewhere unknown, a hidden power source kept it sizzling.

Sisko turned slightly and smiled. "Estimates by some scientists regarding similar locations discovered in the future date the existence of this technology as far back as 2,000 centuries."

The Enterprise Captain stared in awe. "And all this time, the Tholians had no idea any of it was here?"

"None." Sisko waited patiently, arms folded in front of him. "The race that built this facility had a nasty reputation – they were perceived by many as being 'ghostly'. According to legend, they were known as 'demons of air and darkness'. Races on many worlds still entertain old superstitions within their culture as a direct result of Iconian interference in the affairs of their ancestors."

"Iconians?" Hoshi's eyes widened slightly. "I've heard of that race… from an archaeology course during my early days with Starfleet." She nodded confidently, remembering. "Demons of air and darkness is definitely how they're remembered." She glanced toward Mayweather to gauge his reaction.

"Don't look at me," Travis told her. "I'm just the pilot on this mission. Aside from assisting with the grunt work, my job is basically done until we're ready to leave."

In front of them, Commander Tucker and the others had also risen to their feet and were busy dusting themselves off. Tucker, in particular, was the first to turn around and take a good look at the interior of the hidden, underground complex. "Captain," he gasped, eyes widening in utter astonishment. "You've really got to take a look at this!"

Turning around, Archer and Sisko gazed with fascination at a spacious, dimly lit underground cavern. The floor was made of stone and relatively flat, but the ceiling high above was clearly dome shaped. Long ago it had been meticulously carved out of the mountainous rock. In the center of the chamber was a large, sophisticated computer system that – like the force field shielding the entrance – was clearly still receiving power from somewhere. Bright blue, red and amber lights still winked colorfully along the surfaces of its consoles. The mission team was standing on the southern side of the device.

Directly in front of the rocky wall on its other three sides were tall, rectangular energy portals. They were obviously energy gateways of some sort, and an unknown technology held them firmly in place approximately half a meter above the surface of the rocky floor. As the seconds passed, the images in each of the three gateways began to shift to something entirely new. The sight of them utterly captivated the Enterprise crew in particular, most of whom had never encountered anything similar to what they were currently observing.

Mayweather studied the computer first, noticing that there was no accumulated dust despite the passage of centuries. "Have those gateways been here all the time?" he asked. "Or did they activate when we entered the chamber?"

As though reading his thoughts, the number of blinking lights on top of the computer began to increase and the system instantly sprang back to life from its long-term 'standby' mode. T'Pol's interest got the better of her, and she reached down with her gloved hands and ripped open a pocket on her space suit, breaking apart the transparent gel serving as its outer seal. She removed a handheld scanner from inside, along with a thin, cylindrical laser cutter. Activating the device, she waved it slowly back and forth before finally turning back toward the cavern entrance.

"This is extremely interesting. We did not merely pass through a force field on our way in," the Vulcan Subcommander promptly informed them. "It appears to be a portal of some sort that transported us higher up toward the mountain top. I estimate that we are standing in an underground chamber only a few hundred meters from the mountain's peak." She proceeded to scan the rest of the surrounding area. "There is indeed a breathable atmosphere in here. If the need arises, it should be safe to remove our helmets and gloves."

"Hopefully, we won't be here long enough to require that," Janeway commented. "A prolonged stay is unnecessary – Captain Sisko and I can accomplish our task in minutes." Her mood turned somewhat somber. "I don't mean to interfere with your inquisitive nature, Subcommander," she continued, "but I'm afraid you're going to have to shut off that scanner immediately. In fact, I strongly suggest that you leave it behind when we're done here."

"Why?" Phlox glanced back at her, clearly perplexed by her request.

Janeway waved a gloved hand in the general direction of the massive alien computer. "That machine is running a sophisticated defensive system capable of wirelessly infiltrating and confusing alien hardware. Once it uploads data files into your scanner, everything else that your device comes into contact with will have its own software similarly infected. Trust me, a considerable number of lives have been lost because of this problem. Unless the uploaded programming recognizes friendly Iconian technology, the defensive subroutines automatically activate and will cause random, dangerous malfunctions. An entire starship was once lost because of this programming."

"What about weapons?" Tucker pointed toward the supply cases. "I brought along a couple of phase pistols, just in case we run into trouble."

"Fortunately, since we've reached our destination unchallenged, they won't be needed," interjected Sisko. "It's very possible that they won't work in here anyway… I guess we'll just have to stick to the basics on this mission."

Archer had been paying close attention. "What about the photonic warhead? The detonator attached to it relies on an electrical trigger."

"I strongly suggest that we tackle one problem at a time Captain." Janeway moved toward the computer confidently, her trim, space-suited figure dwarfed by the rounded cone of consoles that encircled the system at ground level. A slender, cylindrical tube of metal emerged from its and reached upward for approximately one meter. Attached to its peak was a large, transparent sphere with a smaller, crackling blue globe of power sizzling at its center. Without a deliberate search or intensive scan, there was no way to determine whether or not it was the source of the computer's powerful energy supply.

Following her, Sisko nodded toward the brightly colored lights. "I memorized the entire sequence too, just in case you have questions."

His red-haired counterpart smiled in response. "I learned to be a quick study during my years aboard Voyager," she told him firmly. "Trust me… this process will go smoothly as long as we don't inadvertently trigger any of the computer's defensive programming. As a matter of fact, I'm going to do my best to shut down most of those functions."

"Captain," said Tucker, his cautious nature once again getting the better of him. "That looks to be a very powerful, alien computer system. How do we know that what they're going to do will actually help us? I hate to sound like a paranoid stick in the mud, but if these two do something disastrous… well, it's hard for someone like me to just stand by without knowing the entire story."

Moving to stand beside his Chief Engineer, Jonathan Archer placed his gloved hand on Tucker's left shoulder. "I know what they're about to do, Trip," he said reassuringly. "Trust me… we need to let them do this thing." He pointed toward the torpedo. "Why don't you and T'Pol use her laser to break the seal on the supply cases? That way, you and Major Hayes can begin setting up the warhead's detonator."

Currently the Subcommander was intently watching Janeway and Sisko. "I think it is good that we have come here. If this technology ever fell into the hands of the Tholians…" she trailed off, glancing sharply toward Archer with obvious Vulcan concern.

"Yes," nodded Janeway as she stepped up to the nearest computer console. "It's a frightening thought, isn't it? This technology, in the hands of the Tholians, could devastate your future just as easily as the other threat Data warned you about. By sending us here he has basically offered Earth two chances at a better future… I'd call that a pretty solid plan in any century."

Tucker nodded in acceptance. "I hope you can understand why I just wanted to be certain."

"Of course." Sisko smiled dryly.

Hoshi and Phlox had drifted forward slightly, and the Ensign pointed excitedly toward the portal on the left. "That looks exactly like Earth!" she said suddenly, watching as the gateway shifted again and an image of San Francisco's golden gate bridge leaped sharply into focus. "It is Earth!"

"This system is capable of detecting and automatically translating humanoid neuro-transmitters," continued Janeway informatively. "It is quite literally extracting the locations of places that we are familiar with directly from our thoughts and cross-referencing them against its database of star maps. The computer's artificial intelligence will continue to display those locations randomly until we reset the software and gain full access. Once we are successful, we can quite literally choose wherever we want to go simply by bringing up a specific destination in one of these gateways."

"Go?" Phlox's gaze shifted from the image of the golden gate bridge to Janeway, then back to the portal. Even as he watched the image shifted again and he could see another destination. "Risa," he gasped in recognition. "Are you seriously trying to say that if I simply step through that doorway…"

"…you'll literally be walking on the beach again," Archer finished for him. "Are you starting to understand why the Iconians had a reputation for being 'spirits and ghosts'?"

"But we're nowhere near Risa," the Doctor protested. "We're light years away from it, in fact. To accomplish what you're suggesting would take… well, it would take…"

"…a room full of alien technology?" The smile on Janeway's face was almost triumphant – she was clearly enjoying Phlox's amazement. "Relax Doctor, we won't ask you to take that big a leap of faith. Once we're done here, we'll simply use one of the gateways and return to the shuttle."

Hoshi caught on almost immediately. "Captain Janeway, are you saying what I think you're saying?" she grinned hopefully, remembering the powerful, fiery outside atmosphere.

"That's right," the Voyager Captain replied with a light chuckle. "Once we're done playing around in here, we're skipping the walk back to your shuttle pod!"

It took Kathryn Janeway less than ten minutes to familiarize herself with the alien computer. "Iconian systems are notorious for dealing with unauthorized intruders. That's why I would have much preferred to have my friend Seven of Nine here," she commented warily, "but so far so good." Her helmet swung around briefly to face T'Pol. "If you have another scanner, you should be able to safely make use of it now. I believe I have disabled all defensive functions, so we have full access. Destroy the other scanner or leave it behind – I am certain that its software has been contaminated."

Tucker and Hayes had moved the photonic warhead next to the computer system and were working to attach the detonator to its matter/anti-matter pod. The Commander touched a keypad on the device and it instantly sprang to life, flashing friendly green and gold lights at them. "Our stuff is working now too," Tucker noted triumphantly. "Well done, Captain."

T'Pol set her scanner on the rocky floor next to her boots and then retreated several paces. Major Hayes handed her a phase pistol and she proceeded to use the weapon to completely vaporize the device. Then she knelt down next to one of the open supply cases and retrieved a second scanner. Activating it, she conducted a much more detailed study of the massive amount of power still emanating from the centralized equipment. "The Iconian computer is consuming a great deal of energy," she observed cautiously. "Its level of usage has increased by more than one thousand percent since my initial scan."

"Believe me, Subcommander, what you are currently measuring is only the tip of the iceberg," promised Janeway. "Right now each portal is only displaying the images from other worlds, relayed back to us through a microscopic wormhole. The system doesn't actually increase its power usage and widen the wormhole until someone physically steps through one of those doorways."

"Nevertheless, the increased output has grown sufficient in size for the Tholians to notice… they will be able to detect the increase, even through the force field barrier."

"Yes, that is why it is now in our best interests to work swiftly." She began tapping a series of amber, blue, and red-colored indicators in a predetermined sequence. "I'm activating a temporal beacon that our good friend Data should be able to detect and follow through subspace."

In front of the north portal, Data's isomorphic image suddenly appeared. Although everyone by now was fully aware that he was using a projection of a physical body, the android still appeared out of place amidst all of the space-suited people surrounding him. "Your work thus far has been excellent Captain Janeway," Data told her, walking slowly over to stand beside her. "This facility has reached deep into subspace, and I was able to trace its signal even without the accompanying beacon."

The female starship Captain shrugged indifferently. "So far, I've entered everything you wanted me to, just like we rehearsed while aboard the Relativity," she told him, waving casually toward the glowing console in front of her. "Would you like to take over for me?"

"Unfortunately I cannot, on this occasion, interact with the technology in this environment," the android responded. "I will need you to physically key in the final sequence for me. Please do so right away."

The Voyager Captain nodded, accepting his response without question. She reached out and touched the lighted console with her gloved fingers. "Ready." Pausing for a moment to mentally review the proper sequence, Janeway began to enter the remaining commands needed to accomplish the rest of her mission. "The first sequence is red, red, amber, blue, red, blue, amber, amber," she stated crisply, pressing the colored buttons – one by one – on the triangular keypad. "The second set is blue, blue, red, amber, red, blue, amber, amber, blue…"

Standing nearby, Benjamin Sisko was busy watching Janeway continue her work for Data, but he was not so focused that he failed to notice Hoshi Sato move closer to him. "Is something on your mind Ensign?" he asked her.

"Yes," she responded truthfully. "What exactly is it they are doing?"

The Deep Space Nine Captain smiled at her. "What we are dealing with is an extremely complicated matter," he told her. "And unfortunately, we Captains – regardless of what time frame we live in – take an oath that prevents us from revealing classified data. However, with that said…" He paused, thinking through his next words carefully before continuing. "Data and Captain Janeway are searching for what is commonly known to time travelers as a 'pentatonic scale'."

Both Hoshi and Phlox appeared puzzled by his response. "Pentatonic scale?" Doctor Phlox repeated the words while moving closer to join the conversation. "Isn't that a musical term?"

"Normally. I understand the general concept of what they are doing because I myself have had the opportunity to conduct long-term studies around a stable wormhole. In this case, the term 'pentatonic scale' references a five dimensional set of coordinates."

"Five dimensions?" Exhaling with frustration, Hoshi smiled almost shyly at her lack of understanding. "Captain, my specialty is linguistics… I'm not really a scientist."

"You don't have to be. Think of it this way. The Iconian facility we are currently standing in uses the settings we're looking for as markers to identify this specific location – they are hard-coded somewhere deep inside the central computer. The system relies on the five dimensional coordinate set and uses the data to anchor each wormhole and thereby 'lock in' the exact location for this side of each subspace tunnel. In order to continue to assist us with his plans to save your future, Data needs to know that set of numbers." Sisko mulled the matter over silently for a moment before speaking further. "I must confess that I don't totally understand everything myself at this point. The power Data possesses from his vantage point within subspace is considerable… it genuinely surprised me to discover that he needed our help in order to obtain the information stored here."

"And once we have those numbers, we're just going to blow everything up?"

"Unfortunately we have no other option. The Tholians could use these gateways for military purposes… to place troops or destructive devices on any world they choose to attack. The existence of this site here on this planet is a grave threat to all peaceful civilizations."

"I think it's a shame that interstellar politics is the vehicle forcing us to sacrifice all of this wondrous technology so casually," decided Phlox. "After all, how often will we have the opportunity to interact with ancient devices like these – equipment that allows us to instantaneously cross the galaxy? I can only imagine what it must be like to step through one of these doorways and end up standing on the surface of some strange new world. It's a wondrous opportunity that demands further study."

"Starfleet will have two additional opportunities to interact with Iconian facilities such as this one," declared Sisko. "Unfortunately, neither location is within a reasonable range of your starship's warp five engine. That is why Data needed you to bring us to the Tholian system… why he asked you to move forward through time. This is the closest surviving Iconian installation, and he needed the fastest Starfleet vessel available in order to accomplish that objective."

Continuing to work with the photonic warhead, Tucker listened curiously before glancing up sharply. "Well everyone knows that I've been as doubtful as anyone about all this, but I'll admit when I'm wrong. Data's tactical information proved to be as accurate as promised. We literally marched right through the entire Tholian defense force without firing a shot."

Sisko chuckled in response to the Commander's comments. "Well here's hoping that the Tholian fleet remains preoccupied for another few hours," he declared thoughtfully. "We're going to need to move Enterprise back through their territory in order to return to friendly space."

As they continued to visit, Kathryn Janeway worked steadily, inputting each series of commands as provided to her by Data. Eventually she reached the final sequence, and the colored, blinking lights on the computer consoles increased their intensity. Finally, the red, blue and amber lights disappeared completely and the system lost power. There was a loud electronic clicking noise and the triangular panel she had been working with popped open. Janeway was unable to open it further using her gloved hands, so she briefly walked over to one of the supply cases and retrieved a small metal tool.

"I took great care and memorized the entire sequence, but it still required a significant effort to remember all of that," she stated in mild protest. "Red, blue, amber… are you telling me that we had to go through all of that nonsense simply to open this panel?"

"Yes." Data watched her pry open the access port, moving closer as she removed the metallic black console cover. As expected, he could see a lengthy string of alien characters printed on the silver metal beneath in the odd scrawl of the long dead, Iconian language. "After referencing Preserver records, I have learned that the Iconians made use of a simpler, color coded system as a final barrier to confuse any intruder intelligent enough to translate their language. The sequence printed on the red, blue and amber buttons – while they are powered up – is not the correct one. Only another Iconian would know this and ignore the printed instructions on the console's surface. Anyone else – including my own ancestor – tend to fall for the trick and assume they have complete access simply because they have deciphered the symbols."

She stepped back to let him take a better look at the peculiar characters. "These symbols would appear to be your pentatonic scale. The Iconians no doubt printed them on top of the hardware just to be safe, in case the internal data node was damaged. I don't believe we will need to remove anything else."

The android's projection bent over the console, allowing Data to instantly memorize the entire set of numbers. Then he turned toward the Enterprise crew and their expectant faces. "This has been excellent work by all of you. Captain Archer, you and your crew have my sincere gratitude… I could not have accomplished this difficult task without you."

His projection backed away from the computer and allowed Janeway to carefully fit the console top back in place. As soon as it snapped firmly shut the console's power returned, relighting the red, blue and amber indicators and the strange, alien language inscribed on them. Once she was satisfied that everything was once again operating normally, she approached a supply case and removed a second laser cutter. Using the lightest setting, she proceeded to cut through the hardened, transparent gel protecting her EVA suit. Then she removed her gloves and tossed them on the floor. In her right hand the thin, cylindrical tricorder she had brought with her from the future glistened in the dim lighting.

"What's the next step?" asked Archer curiously.

To his left, T'Pol was busy using her own tools to cut off samples of the alien metal. Beside her on the floor, another scanner was busily whirring away and recording everything – especially the energy signatures generated by the wormholes that anchored the Tholian side of the three portals. The edges of each shimmered with mild distortion, but the center images remained crystal clear… as perfect as the view through any clean window. "I could use some more time to study all of this," she pointed out.

Data's gaze shifted toward Captain Archer. "You have fulfilled all of the objectives I set for you and assisted me in obtaining all of the information that I require." He paused, glancing next toward Commander Tucker and Major Hayes. "Set your warhead timer and then return immediately to the shuttle pod. The Tholians will detect the increased power output from this complex and launch an investigation, if they are not already on their way."

"Sorry T'Pol, but it looks like you're going to have to wrap things up." Archer shrugged his shoulders helplessly and then nodded sharply toward Tucker. "Set the timer and prepare to activate it Trip."

"Aye aye, sir. We're just about ready."

Data returned his attention to Janeway and the Iconian computer. "Captain, can you align one of the portals with the interior of your shuttle pod?"

"Affirmative. I have the coordinates stored in my portable tricorder." She returned to the active console and began inputting another rapid series of commands. The north gateway's image shimmered briefly and then refocused sharply on a very familiar sight – the interior of their planned ride home. "Done," she replied confidently. "I have deactivated the auto-shifting process and stabilized the gateway on both ends, so we don't have to worry about it changing unexpectedly on us and sending us somewhere we would rather not be."

"Leave as soon as possible," the android cautioned them. "That will give you your best chance at returning safely to Federation space." His isomorphic body faded to a transparent state for a brief second and then disappeared completely.

"That's it?" Tucker was bent over the warhead, but he stood up suddenly. "This is what we've all risked our lives for… a stupid set of numbers?"

"This is only the first step – a very important one – toward something much, much larger," confirmed Archer, smiling at his doubtful engineer. "Set the warhead for five minutes. That will give us plenty of time to evacuate. As far as the supplies go, leave behind everything non-essential." He walked slowly past the console and paused directly in front of the north gateway. The image within the portal was now clearly depicting the interior of their shuttle pod as though a camera had been placed on the helm console. All of the extra supplies, including the oxygen synthesizer, were still stacked along the rear bulkhead… exactly as he remembered them.

"An impressive display of technology, isn't it?" This time it was Janeway who smiled wryly.

"If I step through this, it will instantly transport me back aboard our shuttle?" Archer asked her with growing curiously.

The Voyager Captain nodded affirmatively. "Each of us must go through, one by one. Once you do, move immediately to the rear of the pod. Fortunately for us, the system is intelligent enough to prevent us from transporting on top of one another… However, it won't allow the next person to enter until those who travel through first move out of the way."

Archer paused for a moment to think matters through and then ordered everyone else to begin evacuating. "Trip and I will go last," he told the others. "We'll make certain the warhead is counting down properly and then join you."

T'Pol was obviously the most disappointed of anybody, but she promptly gathered together the samples she had collected – including pieces of rock from one of the mountainous cavern walls.

Slowly, one by one, the members of the mission team stepped through the Iconian gateway and returned to their shuttle.

Columbus Mission, Tholian Detention Center, Alpha Quadrant

James T. Kirk paused in the shaky, makeshift walkway that comprised the temporary Tholian airlock next to the open Columbus shuttle hatch. His weight caused the short, six meter enclosed tunnel to sway back and forth even after he stopped moving. Glancing up through the transparent fabric stretched across the ceiling, he paused for a moment to study the glittering orange strands of energy webbing surrounding the captured ships in orbit above. The Enterprise was closest to them, and its massive frame looked abnormally dark and vulnerable without the normal warp power needed to sustain its vital systems and fully light its exterior hull. As he had hoped, the bright white running lights were using battery power and blinking normally – a key necessity that he had at first intended to take full advantage of.

The Captain promptly changed his mind, something that didn't happen very often. At the time he had set up the prearranged plan to communicate via use of morse code, there hadn't been a lot to talk about. 'Are you ready?' would have been his first question, followed – he hoped – by a simple reply… something like 'Ready when you are sir'. Now things were much different and he knew much more about the alien detention facility. Thus Kirk made the decision to speak firsthand with his senior officers aboard the Enterprise. He paused in the walkway for another few seconds, and then reversed course back toward the Tholian airlock. His intention was to locate Dr. McCoy and let him know about his change of plan. The Captain now intended to take the Columbus all the way back to the Enterprise for a short time, taking him temporarily out of contact with his away team.

The airlock door opened and Kirk nearly ran into Montgomery Scott. Behind him, another red-shirted crewman followed close behind. Astonished by the unexpected presence of more people from his ship, a familiar grin of recognition crossed his face. "Scotty!" he exclaimed almost triumphantly. "It's good to see you… I trust you're not shirking your responsibilities in order to gain a few hours of shore leave."

The dark-haired Chief of Engineering chuckled. "I would na'er even consider it sir," he replied proudly. "Mr. Spock and I have made significant progress, and he felt that your plan to use morse code would only slow us down during a time when moving swiftly is crucial to our success. So, crewman Michaels and I hopped aboard the Galileo II and came down to provide you with an update. I saw Mr. Chekov inside the Tholian base, and he told us where you were docked."

"As far as the morse code plan goes, I came to a similar conclusion myself," Kirk nodded firmly. "Mr. Spock has also reminded us, on occasion, that only bad plans are never subject to change." Waving a hand toward the Columbus hatch, he smiled warmly. "Why don't you two join me for a conference?"

Scotty was extremely eager to talk, and he began providing his Captain with information as soon as the three of them were seated inside the shuttle. "The TR- series of weapons that we provided you with really got us thinking down in Engineering," he told Kirk. "One of the lads mischievously asked me if I had a cannon or two stored somewhere, and that kind of talk ended up inspiring us in all sorts of ways."

Intrigued, Kirk leaned forward. "Explain," he requested briskly.

Crewman Michaels opened a small case that he was carrying. Inside of it were a series of detailed color photographs, but Michaels instead removed a small chunk of what looked like black concrete. "Remember the temporary roads we were building at the Riga colony during our most recent assignment?" he asked. "This is the material that we were using. It's called 'Sweet 7', short for SWT7 – and is essentially a combination of simulated asphalt and concrete. After it is mixed with plain water, this substance fully hardens and cures within a matter of hours."

Accepting the sample, Kirk examined it carefully. "A projectile?" He shook his head with obvious dismay. "Scotty, you're not telling me that you've got an actual, functional cannon up there, are you?"

"No sir," grinned Scotty in response. "We've got something even better… our torpedo launchers."

The Captain listened to the two men with growing interest. "Okay… so we make use of the launchers," he mused. "But firing this substance out of them would require battery power… and a lot of it. How do you know that shooting this stuff at the Tholians will accomplish anything meaningful? Unless we have no choice, I'd rather not use up what little power we have left. The crew won't last very long without functional life support systems, and I'd rather not make this place our permanent home."

Scotty handed Kirk several photographs from Michaels' case – close up displays of the web strand contact points on the Tholian starships. "We don't have to fire anything until the final seconds before the lads and I complete a cold restart on our warp drive. In less than five minutes, we can have warp power fully restored. The launchers will never use up what's left in the batteries before we get a fresh supply of energy flowing."

"It's a very interesting concept, and I would agree that the simplest way to tackle a problem is usually the best way." Kirk studied the photographs, one by one. Each Tholian vessel apparently utilized a slender, cylindrical probe extending outward just far enough to keep the powerful web strands from damaging its hull. "As Mr. Spock would say, these are quite fascinating." He flipped slowly through the rest of them, noticing that the web technology was exactly the same on each of the photographed enemy ships. A long, tapering tip extended out from an open port on all of them, obviously the key device used to control the collection and disbursement of multiple energy strands.

"Without sensors we can't confirm for certain, but Mr. Spock believes – based on visual evidence – that each ship generates up to six primary web filaments along with the smaller, secondary and tertiary strings. This probe has dozens of alternating collector and transmitter ports, some of which accept the streaming energy from other ships while others relay them on to other probes participating in the link. The whole thing is an astonishingly simple design that allows multiple ships to quickly put in place a large, complex web. We've seen firsthand just how devastating this field can be when used in combination with their dampening field. Unless we can do something significant and simultaneously nullify both energy fields, the Enterprise will remain totally under Tholian control."

Kirk studied the dark black rock in his hand. "I see your point The photon launchers could accelerate this stuff almost instantly to a velocity of several kilometers per second," he nodded, beginning to understand. "If we could get it through the web, the impact of this substance against partially shielded hulls would be devastating. At minimum, it would knock their ships around, throwing their web system completely out of alignment…"

"With respect sir, we can do even better than that," promised Scotty, sorting through the printed photographs until he found a particular, telescopic close-up of the cylindrical web relay system. "All evidence to date indicates that our projectiles can safely travel between the web strands – it's only when an object comes in actual physical contact with them that it becomes damaged." The engineer was clearly elated by the results of his analysis. "Michaels and I chose this particular substance because it doesn't burn easily. The Tholian web may slice apart some of our torpedoes or even scorch the outer surface, but it won't significantly reduce the speed of the separated pieces or the force of their impact. You wanted a way to disrupt their web, sir, and I firmly believe this will do the job."

"Nice work Scotty… very nice."

"That's n' all sir," he continued. "While you've been down here, we've been mixing together everything we have left. We poured it into plastic barrels and then stuffed a fistful of conventional explosive into the center of each. Once it dries, all we have left to do is attach proximity detectors that can be armed from Chekov's weapons console the instant they're fired. All we have to do is load the final, hardened product into standard photon cases and they'll be even better than simple projectiles. We can detonate some of them at the edge of the web shield, throwing rocky chunks of debris in all directions." He chuckled with obvious pride. "The lads in engineering are already calling them 'sweet potatoes'."

Considering Mr. Scott's words carefully, Kirk nodded slowly in acknowledgement. "That will definitely wreak havoc with a web shield," he admitted finally. "What about the dampening field… how do we defeat that very important matter?"

Scotty leaned back in his seat, taking a deep breath while mentally reviewing his response. "Like the web, the strength of the field relies primarily on the number of ships available to power it. Mr. Spock stayed behind to isolate key ships in the network surrounding us. Those will be the targets we hit first, along with vessels that aren't damaged when the web is thrown out of alignment. And trust me Captain, once we knock some of those ships on the proverbial noggin, their own web will cause all kinds of chaos with their systems. The Tholians will have no choice but to divert power to their shields in order to avoid catastrophic damage. Once they do that, large sections of their defenses will come down."

Kirk was silent for some time as he mentally reviewed the plan. "I like it. Is that all?"

"Not quite. We're planning on timing everything so that warp power returns just as the dampening field begins to deteriorate. That will allow us to beam up the civilians from the detention facility. After that, it'll be a standard, toe-to-toe fist fight. The only remaining variable is the question of whether or not we can escape before one of those enemy ships damages us enough to interfere with warp drive." The Engineer smiled proudly. "Once we're underway, the Enterprise will be able to outrun and out maneuver anything the Tholians throw at us. I'd bet a year's pay on that."

"I would too." The Enterprise Captain studied Scotty and Michaels thoughtfully. "Okay," he continued after a pause. "You've convinced me that there are lots of pros to this plan. So let me play devil's advocate for a moment. Are there any cons?"

Scott chuckled. "A few. No matter how you slice it, Captain, we're only going to get one shot at this. If we fail to disable their networks – both the web and energy dampener – they'll be able to put us out of their misery with very little effort. When you issue the final order to proceed, we're going to need everyone to execute flawlessly."

"We knew even before we entered Tholian space that the risk would be high," Kirk pointed out. "For me the risk is perfectly acceptable… I believe in our people. Is there anything else that I should know?"

"Aye." Nodding slowly, Scotty held up the photograph with the closest visual of the Tholian's web relay probe. It showed the oval-shaped rows and rows of collection and transmission ports in flawless detail, but it was the base of the device – the spot where one end connected to the enemy ship – that the Engineer pointed to next. "Do you see the clamps at the base of this beastie, holding it tightly in place?" he asked the Captain curiously. "Mr. Spock believes there is only one reason for these to be present."

Kirk was momentarily confused, but not enough to avoid speculation. "At this point I'm only guessing. However, if someone attempted to do what we're about to do, I would think that the Tholians would want a way to eject the probe away from their ship. A network thrown out of alignment would present a threat to all vessels in the area. The capability to fire these devices out of range would keep any redirected web strands well away from friendly vessels."

"That was my initial assessment as well Captain." Scotty sighed heavily, pausing before delivering his next statement. "Although his conclusions are based solely on observation, Mr. Spock has concluded that each probe contains a highly efficient battery," he noted, watching Kirk's surprised expression. "If the Tholians consider a vessel to be a major threat, he believes that these devices can be ejected toward the vessel trapped in the center of a web. In other words, the software in the ejected, drifting probes would essentially take over management of the network and the entire web confinement field thus becomes self sustaining while it collapses."

The Captain considered the Engineer's words carefully. "Well we certainly can't allow that to happen. We need to disable our targets as quickly as possible… unless they damage each other there will be too many of them for us to conduct a successful escape."

"With respect, that's n' my point sir," Scotty corrected. "If the Tholians get wind of what we're doing and decide to destroy us, this is the best way. As a self-sustaining web collapses in size, its shrinking strands become more and more powerful. If the Tholians make a determination that the Enterprise is a threat to them, they'll be able to destroy us in a matter of seconds. Even if we manage to get full shields back on-line, they'll never be able to repel that kind of attack. Our hull will be cut to shreds and our engine core destabilized."

"Message received and understood." Kirk held up a pair of fingers for emphasis. "That leaves me with two remaining questions. One… How confident are you that the cold restart of our engines – essentially a controlled implosion of matter and anti-matter – will in fact succeed? I realize you've done the procedure once before at Psi 2000, but it's still a very risky, unreliable process."

"Captain…" Scotty looked at his commanding officer with sincere amusement. "I've done this before… it's no longer just a theory on paper to me. Trust me, I'll handle the mixture manually and we'll have main power back on-line in plenty of time to catch the Tholians by surprise."

"Okay." Kirk shifted his gaze to Michaels. "Number two on my list: Crewman Michaels, I need an objective opinion from you."

The young man looked up sharply, caught by surprise at the unexpected attention. "Sir?"

"Mr. Scott is known for enthusiastically endorsing anything I decide to do," the Captain stated factually. "Therefore I need you to offer me a different perspective." He glanced upward through the open shuttlecraft windows toward the glittering orange web shield in place above their position. "Put yourself in the minds of the Tholian engineers for a moment. If you suddenly detected a captured enemy battle cruiser attempting to reactivate its engines, what would you do? What would you tell your Captain?"

Caught somewhat by surprise, Michaels thought about his answer much longer than he expected. Finally, he cleared his throat awkwardly, glancing uneasily toward Scotty. "Speak your mind lad," the Chief Engineer told him brusquely.

"I think the Tholians will lean toward over-confidence," decided Michaels. He waved a hand toward the windows. "They've got an entire fleet surrounding us, and most of them are used to dealing with the civilians trapped here." He shook his head with contempt, remembering the treatment of prisoners he had observed firsthand during his walk through the station's prisoner ring. "It goes without saying that the crews from a lot of the other captured ships no doubt attempted to restart their engines too. If I were a Tholian, I would tell my commander to let the humanoids waste their time. As long as they're confident that we can't break their defenses, why would they concern themselves with engines that will remain powerless even if they're successfully restarted?" He laughed sharply. "They'll consider us to be just as helpless as the civilians so long as their dampening field retains power."

"Yes, that makes logical sense," said Kirk confidently. "All right then. Let's do this… let's get to work setting up an overall timetable and then get the hell out of here."

"Aye Captain," Scott agreed. "We're with y' all the way."

Together the three of them continued working for well over another hour, laying out a specific plan of attack. Shortly after, Kirk's communicator beeped abruptly for attention. The Captain removed it from his belt and expertly flipped it open. "Kirk here."

"This is Sulu. All spyware devices have been deployed."

"That's good to know Lieutenant," said Kirk gratefully. "How did things go?"

"Completely as expected sir. The entire outer ring contains a Tholian atmosphere, so I have a few brief images on video. Other than that, the cameras were lost almost instantly to the interior heat."

"Understood. Return to the Columbus as soon as possible and reposition yourself between the lower nacelles for the trip home. We're returning to the Enterprise very soon, and when we do all hell is going to break loose."

"Acknowledged Captain. Sore knees won't keep me away from the helm."

He was about to close the communications device when it beeped again. "McCoy to Captain Kirk."

"This is Kirk. What can I do for you Doctor?"

"We've got a situation developing here Jim. One of the doors leading to the center of this complex just opened. The Tholians made an announcement over an intercom and are demanding that two people go in there within the next ten minutes. If we don't comply with their deadline, they've promised to increase the number to four."

"I'll be right there Bones... stand by." The Captain closed the communicator and nodded confidently toward Scotty and Crewman Michaels. "You two take the Galileo back to Enterprise immediately. Allow Mr. Spock to review our plan and make any adjustments he deems are necessary. When we're done here, our team will follow you up in the Columbus and I'll sign off on the final plan."

"If I may ask sir, what will you be up to?" wondered Scotty curiously.

Kirk hefted the TR-110 rifle and stood up. "I'm going inside that open doorway," he promised heatedly. "I want to know what the Tholians are doing to our people in there."

Shuttle Pod One, Orbiting the Tholian Home World, July 28, 2268

By the time the photonic warhead detonated, Ensign Mayweather had already piloted the shuttle pod out of orbit. Once again he was navigating solely by computer, but at Archer's prodding he left a single, subtle sensor pulse temporarily peeking aft as they rocketed back in the general direction of the system's central star. Only minutes after they passed back out into open space, a circular shock wave erupted from inside the cavern they had just visited – a detonation that was only two hundred fifty meters from the mountain's peak. The warhead blew off the entire top – it rose noticeably on the sensor map before falling slowly back toward the planet's surface below. Idly, Mayweather wondered what the blast must have looked like to the approaching Tholians. Even on instruments, the explosion proved to be an impressive display.

"Mission accomplished sir," Mayweather pointed out.

Standing next to him, Captain Archer nodded and turned to face Janeway and Sisko. "That's it," he informed them. "The Iconian installation is history." Turning back to Mayweather, he placed a comforting hand on Travis' shoulder. "Stay with the civilian traffic," he suggested softly. "Even if you detect military signals in the commercial lanes, stick close to the merchant ships. The Tholians will be watching everything in this system much more closely now, looking for anomalous signals."

Mayweather took a deep breath and nodded, exhaling slowly.

Nudging the shuttle gradually past the sun, he angled them on course back toward Enterprise.