Star Date: (Terran) 2647
Location: 234 light years from Terra. The Federation Starship "Tau Kei".
Main Bridge, several minutes before the Halliwell family arrival.

A very quiet but unusually tense group of beings from several species monitored and sometimes adjusted the controls on consoles depending what was shown on the various computer screens in front of them. Most of the time however they had little to do as the computers handled all of the important decisions. Such as adjusting the energy fields that kept the ship from tearing itself apart as it travelled between destinations at many times the speed of light. Decisions that had to be accurately and swiftly made thousands of times every second. These were being monitored by the ship's Tydic contingent located in their own environment controlled rooms.

Around the room flowed two long multi legged beings who carefully polished and cleaned the floor, consoles and walls. Another was carrying a two large trays which were covered in a wide range of refreshments, ranging from liquids to solids. The reason for the crews tension was obvious. Despite it being the ships notional night time, the primary bridge team was unusually still crewing the bridge. They should have gone off duty almost two hours earlier but the Captan had ordered them to remain. It was allowed but for the first time, he had refused to provide any reason. As a result the "night" Captain and bridge crew was enjoying some extra time off. One of the reasons for the tension. More importantly, the entire senior command team was also present along with both the ship's senior witch and the two senior members from the Federation Contact team that had joined them at their previous stopover at Deep Space Nine. For reasons that even the usually reliable ships grapevine had been unable to determine. But it was obvious something was going to happen and probably very soon. Even the aliens could pick up on the small behaviour clues given by the tense Captain and the two human team members. Similar clues were also visible on the non human individuals present by those who could read these signs. What really raised the tension level was the prompt arrival of the remaining senior members of the Contact team that had joined them at DS9. Even the Tydic, one of the largest the crew had ever seen, enclosed in an armoured environmental suit floated in. At this point the three Orts finally decided that the tension level was now high enough. They departed the bridge at speed.

As a result, those present with little to do, now carefully watched both the Contact team and the ships three senior humans present out of the corner of their eyes. Something very easy for those species with wrap around vision and or more than two eyes. If something happened, it could be demonic in nature. It would not the first time that demons had possessed senior ship members in an effort to gain control of a Federation spaceship. It was widely known that humans were particularly susceptible to this. Only the presence of the Tydic and several Erasions, all well known to be highly resistant to magical influences, prevented several from taking some form of action.

Then the intrusion alarm went off. Immediately the entire bridge team focussed on what the main screen and secondary screens now showed. Screens showed several different 3 dimensional views of what appeared to be a mixed group of humans exit a magical portal in Storage Bay three. While this was probably a demonic intrusion, there was a chance that these were actually humans. Magic, especially involving magical human children had a justified reputation for causing strange phenomenon. It had happened before. And these beings certainly did not act as demons would have. Confusion was obvious and they clearly did not know were they where. Demons would have already begun to both loot the room and or further invade the ship before its defences could ready themselves. And the portal would have remained open rather than promptly closing.

Standing in front of the large central screen Captain Sajja Ling watched as the computer displayed the people now exploring the room. Each with a series of icons showing various biometric information attached. And appearing on the smaller screens, that surrounded the main screen, appeared closeups pictures of first the adults heads and then the children. Unusually the computer refused to attempt an identification. Something that several other crew members present showed confusion as they made a rapid identification based on their own knowledge. Several turned to communicate with the Captain, only to stop as he held up one hand to indicate silence.

After a sigh and with some relief, Captain Sajja Ling turned to Sara Edwards. "Well now it begins".
Turning to his very alert and highly paranoid Security chief Kar uc Khan. He said "Sent your two nearest security personnel to investigate". As his Erasion security chief immediately protested such a minimal response, Captain Sajja Ling brusquely told him to carry out his orders. The Erasion ordered the closest two crew to proceed as rapidly as possible to carefully investigate what was happening in Storage Bay three. Then as he then attempted to contact additional security personal, he jerked as all his screens and console went dark. Instantly he tried to activate the general alarm but this time magic was clearly used to prevent this. Turning to look as his Captain, he quickly reached for several weapons using both his arms and one proto-arm. Several other crew also drew their weapons while others paused, uncertain. None of the other senior federation beings showed any alarm. Only amusement from the humans and Si-Si could be seen. Only to pause as Captain Sajja Ling ordered them to stand down. It was obvious that Sara Edwards had been responsible as she used her Telekinesis to switch the security chiefs displays to a secondary blank mode and then power down the rest of his console.

"Stand down Kar uc Khan. This is something that has to happen. Look to your primary screen" said Captain Sajja Ling. "It will show you what you need to know".

Kar uc Khan kept pointing all three weapons directly at his captain and the witch still standing along side him then after a pause he carefully lowered them somewhat. No one present doubted how fast he could re-aim and fire if need be. Turning his primary eyes to his main screen, he carefully kept at least 2 of his secondary eyes on the captain and the level seven witch standing along side him. The others roamed around the bridge keeping a constant surveillance on the remaining beings on the bridge. Something felt wrong and the highly experienced Erasion could only assume that hostile magic could be involved. It would only take milli seconds too over ride the lock outs on his station and activate the General Alarm if it was. Other crew members present would only be marginally slower.

His primary screen powered back up instantly to show a message on his screen containing the highest security and identification header codes he had ever seen. Holstering one gun allowed him to quickly place a true hand on the screen which allowed the computer to ID him instantly through physical parameters and his DNA. The rest of the message quickly scrolled across the screen. Within seconds he had absorbed the message, understood its implications and his orders. Turning to face his captain, he holstered the other two weapons and slowly said in Terran "I understand. Your orders Sir". A quiet, almost unheard sigh of relief went around the remaining bridge crew. Weapons were returned to their holsters and beings relaxed. If the highly paranoid Kar uc Khan was happy to accept the current situation, then so was everyone else. It was generally safer.

Captain Sajja Ling replied "For the moment, nothing. But soon it going to get very interesting. The two personal you have dispatched will come to no harm. That I can guarantee". Turning to his now equally alert human Exec, he added "Get ready to activate the General Alarm for an intrusion in Storage Bay three. Just wait until we have more information on what is happening. And tell the secondary bridge to stand down. We will handle this". As his Exec turned to carry out his orders, the Captain turned to face the rest of the bridge personal. "Yes we know who they are. What is happening now has been expected. We know this as we were told both where, when and who, several centuries ago. Man your stations. History will be both made and explained today".