I cannot fight against myselfno more.
Self-destruction that I predicted
Not a long time ago.
Petrified, thoughts so far from me.

The power of my justice blows me away.
Just the case to repeat,
What I've never said to you before.
Celebrate, I'm alive again.

Alyssa was never treated kindly by the Klingons. Rudely shoved into their Transporter Room without another word and with only a phaser, she felt herself being torn apart into particles before their reassembly in a remote part of the marble palace. Quickly, she hid herself behind a pillar. Guards from all sectors had been roaming the hallways, all of them quite confused after Mycoff's departure. The place was in chaos. Orders had been conflicting, from easing the Klingons back to their ship to preparing the chancellor for her execution in two hours' time.

I am not too late. There's still time.

But time was of the essence, she knew. Moving from shadow to shadow and group to group, Alyssa observed the topsy-turvy routine with trepidation. It wasn't to her liking, but it hid her well. Already, she had to pretend she was a servant and then rush off to another cluster when they were directed elsewhere. Finally, when she reached a conversant corridor that had begun her adventure, she ducked inside. What had been named the Grace Guardian stood silently, its cold forked figure cutting a dashing figure for one that had so callously thrown her to the past. Indeed, it had become more human than Alyssa remembered it to be.

She glanced at it carefully. Beforehand, it was only two metal prongs that deemed it a menace and a savior all at once. Now, its feminine features between the metal glowed brighter, bringing with it a kind, gentle face that emulated pure generosity. Alyssa was startled and attempted to run away to find another sanctuary, but the voice inside her head called her back. She soon realized that it was the same one that had been plaguing her since her initial arrival with Admiral Uriah. Logic told her that it was fruitless to reason with a being that should not exist. Instinct melted that resolution and froze her feet into place.

"I would have thought of you more cunning than this." The creature chuckled when Alyssa paid her heed.

Alysa thought it callous, annoyed to be so underestimated. "You have yet to see me."

"Oh, I have," the Grace Guardian replied cheerfully. "I have, many times before. However, this instance, I hoped you would have stayed away from here."

"Why?" The question came out of Alyssa's mouth before she realized what she was saying.

"Perhaps it would be too easy to confront something unknown and gone without knowing. Perhaps it would be too simple to find a familiar place and seek refuge from the danger."

"You speak in riddles."

"That is what I do, Alyssa Elma. I am the past, present and future of this planet you are tied to. Whether you believe me or not, your roots run too deep and would remain here for years."

"What do you mean?"

"That would for you to find out, wouldn't it?" The Grace Guardian smiled warmly. "For now, it would be rational to find the chancellor. She too would learn that the past would sometimes control the future and not all things are as they appear. Her saving will be her doom."

Alyssa grew impatient with the game. She could not make her mind work through the vague sentences. "Where is she? Would you know?"

"You have been through the gardens already," the being continued mysteriously. "You must now go up the stairs to a destiny worth saving. In the tower above us, the chancellor awaits a death that should not be, years and years away. With it comes the destruction of Synprilox itself and a new beginning for you as well."

Alyssa's mind raced, thinking about where Amelia Synprilox could be. If she was in some sort of vault locked away, then it wouldn't be in her usual chambers. It could be in a sort of guest bedroom, the second best in the building. It would serve until she was summarily executed for her crime of ignorance.

And who would be the victor now?

"You have little time now," the Grace Guardian urged. "It is but an hour before they present her. Mycoff will soon come."

"And the Enterprise?" This too Alyssa worried about.

The Grace Guardian frowned. "I would not focus on that until the end. Allow your mission to be your vision. This will determine your future too."

Alyssa heard enough. She stared at the woman's face for a moment before realizing that the Grace Guardian was right. Outside, she was already hearing the cries of an angry mob. They were braying for blood, screaming for Mycoff to protect them. Alyssa may have the ability to save the chancellor, but the chance to change the minds of so many would be a challenge. Using Starfleet would be the best bet at this point, if they would come to her rescue. She would have to use her skills to remain alive sans the institution.

Without a farewell, Alyssa raced out blindly. When she heard humanoid voices in the distance, she hurled herself into another room. When there was silence, she repeated the exercise, sticking with areas that seemed hardly forsaken. She worked without reason, her only rationale following larger groups of servants. She deduced that they would provide her the way to the chancellor. She also assumed that Mycoff would have resumed Amelia Synprilox's routine until the day of her death, to avoid suspicion being placed on him.

You don't expect from methis chain reaction.
You can't imagine from me this great affection.

See the structure of my pride.
Wasn't easy to build it away from this.
I never walked away from you.
I never walked alone…

Alyssa did not check how long it took her to reach a remote area of the palace with the clusters she trailed. From her position behind some serving carts, she studied the area. She thought it the only one the chancellor would be located in was to her front on the right, nearby to their own rooms from earlier and guarded by three men. However, she did not know how or when she could make her move since there were so many people and there didn't seem to be a rotating schedule. Time was running out though. Her only indication that it was not dawn yet was the lack of green rays painting the landscape.

Fingering the phaser in her hands, she waited until the serving staff had cleared the area and announced to the other side that breakfast was being supplied. Waiting a few more minutes, she kneeled, setting the phaser to what appeared to be stun (it was difficult enough to read Klingon). Aiming, she quickly took out her three opponents. They did not notice anything amiss, slipping to the floor without complaint. Then, without looking, Alyssa rushed to the door. It was obviously locked and coded with a combination.

Damning wasting the little minutes she had left in computing the right code (although the immortal words of a certain Vulcan over this illogical decision ran through her head), Alyssa used her phaser and destroyed the simulation. This caused a red light to flash over her head, indicating that there was danger in the sector. Immediately, she acted, kicking the door open. Inside, she saw the startled figure of Amelia Synprilox. The leader had previously been sitting before her window, watching the events unfold before her outside. Seeing Alyssa prompted her to action.

"Alyssa – Commander Elma – what is –" the chancellor stuttered.

"We don't have time," Alyssa insisted, grabbing Amelia's wrist. "We have to hide."

"But where?"

Alyssa thought for a moment. There was no safe place now that the alarm was sounded. The guards would hunt them down and imprison them again. It would not help their cause and Amelia Synprilox will be killed anyway. Kirk and Spock might not even reach Alyssa in time to save her either.

But there is one place we can hide.

"Follow me," Alyssa urged, once more pulling on the chancellor and forcing her to tail her into the unknown.

Alyssa charted the same pattern as before except she took care to ensure that there was enough space to hide two bodies instead of one. It took some configuring to trace back her path, but the security officer managed to find it and hide with her partner. By that time they reached their destination though, the sun had risen and there was pounding on the ground floor, with thousands of calls for Mycoff to stand publically for his speech. The people who had beforehand been standing vigil all night to await their head of state's exit from life now were impatient. They were storming the doors of the palace in an attempt to cease their waiting and elect their new chancellor.

Amelia Synprilox stood before the room and halted. "My people…" She faltered and began weeping into her hands.

"We can't mourn their losses yet," Alyssa replied urgently. She continued to thrust her companion forward. "We must save ourselves in order to ensure a better future for them."

The chancellor was shocked to see the means of their escaped, ceasing her crying temporarily. "Alyssa, we cannot. Not while Mycoff is in control."

"We can and we will." The security officer had no qualms of using fire with fire. "We can hide on the Enterprise and work our way back."

Together, even with protests, the women faced a portal more powerful than they realized. With a deep breath, Alyssa incanted the verses that she recalled Mycoff state, allowing the pink swirling clouds to envelop her. She pictured the scene in her head, of a room on the ship that brought her annoyance and pain. It was also possibly empty of all security officers and would be a good starting point.

And there they called upon the Grace Guardian.

~00~

A pleasure makes me vibe again tonight.
I'm just thinking how fine it is
To feel myself so fine again.
Celebrate, I'm alive again.

It's time to turn the page and start.
And thendon't you think that it's time
To convince yourself it's over?
Celebrate, I'm alive again.

Kirk and Spock did not need to wait long before K'Gar called them to the Transporter Room. Two guards barged into their cell and swiftly handed them Klingons uniforms and a pack to carry their belongings. Quickly, the two changed and hid their faces behind some required clothing before exiting. Luckily, they did not need to bother McCoy or hear his sarcastic complaints. The doctor was fast asleep, exhausted from the excitement.

A team of six other Klingons met Kirk, Spock and their captors halfway and continued on. K'Gar grunted in Klingons to his subordinates, directing them to their stations as they neared the transporter. He then pointed to the Starfleet officers' positions on the pad in the back, to hide them from Mycoff and his men. The Klingon commander gave the order to energize.

Soon, they found themselves in the cargo bay of the Enterprise, behind some of the larger luggage and supplies. Quickly, Spock and Kirk assumed the same stance as their pretend crewmates and waited in the quiet that seemed to have stretched on forever. It did not take long for company to reach them either. Mycoff and what appeared to be one of the chancellor's aides arrived, rushing to greet them. They brought some Klingons with them as backup. The rest were not in sight.

Mycoff was not pleased either, greeting K'Gar with nothing but a sneer. "Where are they?!"

"Where are who?" K'Gar asked. He was angry to be addressed in a rude manner, even if Mycoff was in charge.

"I sent your men in to control the Enterprise and this is what I get!" Mycoff yelled. "Almost all of them unconscious and none of them aware of what happened. They had been stunned by phaser power!"

Kirk was pleased, inwardly coaching himself not to say anything out loud. He knew who was responsible. Yes, Mr. Scott. Go, go, go!

"And you blame me why?" K'Gar grew intimidating, his height increasing to give the impression that he was larger than he actually was. "You assigned us to get the girl and the officers. I did my duty. You do yours."

"These are not my men," Mycoff pointed out. "They are yours!"

The argument went around and around, the two accusing each other of the highest crimes and ending it with insults. By the time K'Gar reminded Mycoff that dawn was approaching and that he needed to tend to his own people, the landing party on the Enterprise was already taking places, standing like guards. This was supposed to reassure the Synprilox faction that their job in eliminating the Enterprise crew would be taken over by people more equipped to handle it. Mycoff did not like the prospect, extracting a promise from K'Gar that the activity will wait until he came back.

"I have other pressing matters to attend to, as you're aware," he plainly stated, like K'Gar had not pressed him to leave. "I will be here within the hour."

The younger man by Mycoff snickered. Mycoff nudged him in the ribs with his elbow to quiet him. Then, he told him, calling him his nephew, that they needed to depart for the chancellor's execution. Kirk thought the plan to be too perfect, all the while hoping that Alyssa managed to escape with Amelia Synprilox, when a communicator chirped. The item on Mycoff's belt rang just as he and his nephew were preparing to leave. Mycoff picked it up and listened to the news from the other side. Grinning maliciously, he said nothing and closed it.

K'Gar soon grabbed his own communicator and was issuing orders in Klingon. He closed his as well and faced Mycoff. "Anything the matter?"

"It would seem that Chancellor Amelia Synprilox has escaped," Mycoff revealed. He and his nephew pulled out their phasers and stupidly aimed them at the Klingons. "But that would not matter, would it? I mean, there are people outside that will catch her. They are the loyal ones. Some, on the other hand, are not as dedicated to the cause as others are."

Before Kirk could say anything, a red light shimmer. The two figures had disappeared, leaving them in the empty space. Mycoff and his nephew had vanished.

He approached K'Gar slowly. "Where are they now?"

"On Synprilox," the Klingon commander replied nonchalantly. "They have been exchanged for my crew. They are back on my ship. Those two are on the planet."

"What will happen next?"

"You have your people and I have mine, Captain. This ship is now yours. I would suggest taking control and soon."

Spock was already checking an intercom for communication purposes. "No power," he declared. "Our entry from the twenty-first may have caused the ship to lose power."

"Where is Scotty?" Kirk inquired, mostly to himself. "If he was still on the ship and the main power was out, where would he be?"

"In the crawlspaces, I would assume," Spock said. "The main power lines are interconnected via passageways that linked throughout the whole ship."

"He could be anywhere."

"Not just anywhere, Captain. Mr. Scott is a resourceful man. He well possibly could be near the most important section of the Enterprise if not in Engineering."

"The bridge." The realization jolted Kirk into action. He turned to K'Gar. "We cannot thank you enough for your help."

"And I, you," he responded. He put his fist to his heart. "Concentrate on the enemy. Success!"

You don't expect from methis chain reaction.
You can't imagine from me this great affection.

See the structure of my pride.
Wasn't easy to build it away from this.
I never walked away from you.
I never walked alone…

See the structure of my pride.
Wasn't easy to build it away from this.
I never walked away from you…

Kirk did not need to be told twice. He motioned for Spock and the pair exited the cargo bay just as K'Gar was summoning the rest of his men and sending out groups to retrieve those who had been hurt. Near Engineering, where they expected to see Scotty, they found only the essential workers, all of them functioning at their posts normally and ignoring the pounding in Scotty's office. Kirk tagged one of them. The man was shocked to see the captain, but soon regained his composure.

"Where is Mr. Scott?" Kirk was in no mood for pleasantries.

"Possibly the bridge, Sir," the man replied. "He used manual means."

Kirk pointed to Scotty's second sanctuary. "What's in there?"

"You mean who, Captain. That is a prisoner."

"The Romulan one?"

"No, Sir. The Romulan prisoner is in the brig, as far as I am aware. No, this one came from Synprilox."

Kirk felt a headache coming on. "Call a security team to get him to another cell. Restore all power that you can."

After he heard an acknowledgement of the orders, Kirk and Spock left. The Vulcan then found a portal that had been disturbed, most likely by the Klingons or by Scotty. Thinking it logical to use it, the two entered and closed the porthole behind them. Using the ladder and memory, they navigated to the bridge, stopping when they reached the small doorway that was underneath Uhura's feet. Spock was first, using the latch to signal the communications officer their presence. When he heard a screech, he took it as their indicator to enter.

Uhura was surprised to see visitors at her dead station attempting to gain access to the bridge. She would have called for help, but was speechless as she suddenly stood up and backed away. When she saw the emerging figures of first Spock and then Kirk, she put her hands to her mouth and pointed. The rest of the crew heard her cries and directed their attention to her. When they too saw the officers, they were up and crowding them.

Kirk put his hands in the air for silence. When that had been achieved, he lectured them. "We still have a lot of work to do," he called out. "Our main power is out and we're missing some of our crewmembers."

Uhura was the first to speak. "Captain, what happened? Where is Commander Elma and Doctor McCoy?"

"The good doctor is sleeping on the Klingon vessel that assisted us with our escape," Kirk answered. "Commander Elma volunteered her services on Synprilox."

"We had heard you were sent back in time, Sir," Uhura continued. "How did you get back?"

"It's a long story and best told for later." Kirk took his chair, despite the whispers and raised eyebrows about the Klingons uniform. "For now, man your stations. We'll need to –"

Just as the captain was about to issue his orders, several events happened at once. First, the ship's power was restored. This caused the turbolift to open behind Kirk, revealing Rand and Chekov with wires in their hands. As they stumbled in shocked, at the weapons console, another door opened. Scotty and Sulu entered the bridge, in the same state as the others when they saw Kirk and Spock alive. The last had been something nobody expected. A pink cloud blinded everyone, causing some shouts of dismay and insistent orders to find a way for clearance. However, there was no need. Within seconds, it dissipated itself, leaving behind two figures nobody expected to see.

Alyssa and Amelia Synprilox had miraculously been transported to safety.

Lyrics are from the Lacuna Coil song "Purify".