Without many answers to go on, Captain Kirk was running out of ideas as to how to help the fleet, comprised from help from other galactic powers, engage the approaching V'gr anomaly. Then without warning, a strange human holding a cat in his arms appeared out of nowhere inside the briefing room, before the gathered alien commanders of the fleet.
"My name is Gary-7," the man said. Kirk was about to interject, when Gary-7 held up a hand. "Please Captain, your questions to me will be answered. However, I am here to tell you that not only is mister Decker not being forthright in what he is here to do," Gary-7 said, "the Romulans are not being forthright as well, are you?" Gary-7, with a warm smile on his face, asked Praefectus'alae Tnofie. "Perhaps you should both tell Captain Kirk and his guests about Dr. Sevrin."
The statement from Gary-7 brought the room to a dead silence. Kirk, not seeing the intruder as a threat, backed off from attacking him.
"Could you please tell me," Kirk said to Gary-7, "how you were able to gain entry to my ship?"
"Captain Kirk," Gary said. "I have technology at my disposal that allows me to transport in such a way. I wish I could elaborate more, but my employers would not appreciate such openness."
"Exactly which employers are you referring to?" Spock asked.
"That would also violate my standing with them," Gary said. "I will tell all of you this however," Gary said to Kirk and the assembled aliens at the briefing table "They are of no threat to any of you."
"Excuse me," Sarek said as he stood up and faced Gary. "You are human. How can you explain being employed by anyone not of Earth? You are obviously not of Romulas as well. So how is it you are among the stars?"
Gary nodded in agreement.
"I am indeed from Earth, Ambassador Sarek," Gary said. "Ten-thousand Earth years ago, far before the Vulcans began visiting Earth and the eventual departure of the Romans with your kind, I was enlisted by my suitors. I have been working with them since that time."
"Do you expect us to believe," Captain Kirk said with doubt in his voice and a slight chuckle as he observed the cat that Gary now held in his arms, "that you are over ten-thousand years old?"
"I do," Gary said.
Gul Dukat was about to interject when Kirk stopped him.
"We'll delve into your unique pedigree later," Kirk said to Gary, and then Kirk turned to face Will Decker who had remained silent ever since Gary-7's arrival and astonishing statements as well. "What is our new friend referring to Mr. Decker?" Kirk asked, while also shifting his glance towards Praefectus'alae Tnofie, the female Romulan representative. "Who is Dr. Sevrin?
"You will not demand answers from me, Earther," Praefectus'alae Tnofie shot back at Kirk. "My fleet is here to help save your world, so how dare you question our motives?"
Sarek stared over to her as well, and then he looked back to Sevrin.
"Perhaps you should elaborate," Sarek said to Gary-7.
"Oh," Gary said, "I will indeed. Over a hundred Earth-years ago, a Romulan named Sevrin came to Earth, after being exiled from Romulas."
"What?" McCoy asked from where he sat. "He came to Earth? Where is he now?"
"He is no longer alive, having died sixty years ago. However, his legacy, a following based on the archaic beliefs he had been banished from Romulas for even having, exists even now, in the here and now, on Earth, and mister Decker here is the leader of that group now; as ordained by Sevrin a hundred years or so ago."
Decker shook his head in mock anger.
"Do you know how mad you sound?" Decker said. "My great-great grandfather helped design the probe that now threatens us all. That is the only reason I am here now."
Kirk walked over Gary-7.
"I'm afraid," Kirk said to Gary, "that mister Decker is right. Your story is a bit hard to believe."
"Captain Kirk," Gary said with genuine concern. "Two other agents, also employed by my suitors, lost their lives while trying to ascertain Sevrin's reasons for coming to your world. I suggest we ask her if what I say is true," he finished, aiming his words at Praefectus'alae Tnofie.
Sarek, who in the meanwhile had been in contact with one of his aids on the Vulcan ship which was near the Enterprise's position in the fleet via secure com-unit attached to his ear, spoke next.
"According to our historical information," Sarek said to Kirk, "a Romulan by that name, Sevrin, was indeed banished from his world over a hundred Earth years ago, for what seems to be illegal ideology laws on Romulas. I think you should look at this."
Sarek motioned to the viewing screen on the main wall. An image of the deceased cultist leader from Earth who had died sixty-years in Earth's past was being displayed. Then the image of the exiled Romulan was put up on the screen as well, side by side with the other picture. They were obviously the same person.
Kirk looked over to Praefectus'alae Tnofie and then Decker.
"That is more than mere coincidence," McCoy said from his seat, reveling in this ability to state the obvious.
"Yes," Kirk replied softly, "it is." Kirk stared directly at Tnofie.
Tonfie and her male Romulan aide stood up and prepared to leave.
"I will not tolerate this inquisition any longer," Tnofie stated with anger in her voice. "I am officially withdrawing the support of the Romulan Empire in this vain attempt at diplomacy."
"Praefectus'alae Tnofie," Sarek said suddenly. "Did your government know of Sevrin's existence on Earth?"
"I will not reveal any confidential information to an Ambassador of the Federation," Tnofie replied with standoffish words.
Kirk walked over to Tnofie briskly and then stood toe to toe with her.
"I have been about as accommodating as I can tolerate, trust me," Kirk told her. "My world, your former world I might add, is facing possible destruction and you're sitting here acting as if you're offended." Kirk tapped the com-unit, which was positioned within the delta shield badge of his uniform. "Engineering, this is the captain. Raise the shields now."
"Aye sir, shields up," A voice from the com-unit replied.
"What are you doing?" Tnofie demanded.
"You will not be able beam off my ship," Kirk told her with scorn in his eyes, "until you tell me what you know about that thing."
"Who are you to put demands on your guests?" Gul Dukat asked from the chair he sat in next to Kirk.
"I'm a human trying to save his world," Kirk told all of them. "And if that means I have to ruffle the feelings of visitors; then so be it."
"I hate Romulans with every fiber of my blood, huuman," the Klingon commander, Kgr, spat out. "However, taking on an entire alien armada shows us that you have no intelligence or honor!" Kgr yelled as he stood up from where he sat. "You have angered me as well!"
At that moment, emerging from the large anomaly that the alien fleet was approaching, were several bolts of energy; they were spherical in shape.
-
"RED ALERT", a voice yelled through the com-system of the Enterprise. Kirk engaged the main viewer. Sulu's face appeared.
"Bridge, what's going on?" Kirk asked.
The tension in the briefing room for the moment subsided as they all watched the events transpire on the screen.
"Sir," Sulu reported, "several energy pulses have emerged from the cloud."
"Where are they headed?" Kirk asked. Chekov's face came on the screen. "Sir," she told Kirk. "According to our computations, the energy pulses will hit every ship in the fleet except," Chekov paused, "for the Enterprise." "Put it on screen," Kirk ordered. The view on the screen switched from the Enterprise's bridge to an image of space. Several ships from the alien armada, including Klingon, Cardassian, Romulan, and other vessels, could be seen. And then without warning, balls of energy streaked into the fleet, striking every ship in sight. Instantly the stricken ships exploded, causing the Enterprise to take evasive actions. The evasive actions of the Enterprise were so sudden that even those in the briefing room were thrown to the floor. The image on the screen never faltered, and one by one every ship in the fleet, except for the Enterprise, was destroyed, including the other two Federation starships which had joined the armada as well. "Sulu," Kirk shouted out as he regained his bearings and stood up, helping Sarek up as he did. "Report!" "Captain," Sulu replied. "Every other ship has been destroyed! And according to our sensors," Sulu added, "a signal was sent from this ship seconds before the anomaly fired on the fleet." "A signal," Kirk repeated. "Who sent it?" "I did," a voice replied from inside the briefing room. It wasn't Decker's voice, Kirk quickly realized. It was the voice of a woman. Kirk looked over to where the words were spoken, it was Decker's assistant. The rather strikingly beautiful woman named Ilya. Continued….
