Koval's eyes burned in anger. He stood up from his armchair and paced nervously. The large ostentatious room was full of exotic objects, each of them taken from a different world, many lately acquired from the Gamma Quadrant. They told everyone who entered the room just how rich and powerful he was. Once a too outspoken man who considered himself a friend had told him that maybe he was trying to make up for the lowly upbringing of his father's House; he had just smiled at him at that moment, he had killed him and his family later. No one mocked him. He had not created such an impressive display for people to mock him, but to admire him, and fear him.

Luther Sloan had never feared him; maybe because he thought of himself as a kindred soul. The Federation agent could not hide his certain apprehension now, though. Behind him, Colonel Coltan was in equal parts enraged and frightened. He had good reasons to.

He stopped pacing to squarely look at them again. None of his interlocutors actually appreciated the gesture. The colonel shifted uncomfortably. "So what does the Federation really know?" His voice did not sound really angry or menacing; his eyes, however, continued saying otherwise.

"Just the official version I gave Admiral Ross, and Admiral Saavik not even that!" Sloan dismissively said.

"Saavik…" he repeated the Romulan name; he did not like the way it sounded when applied to a Starfleet officer. "She didn't take her usual flag ship, the…" he looked up for the word "…El-Nar. Weird, isn't it?"

"She knows nothing," Sloan reassured him again.

"But she was the one who frustrated our attempt to destroy the Jem'Hadar's ship first!" the colonel interjected. "And she isn't going away! You aren't being very persuasive." He was glaring at Sloan now.

"I can say the same about you. It's your dear Romulan admiral the one who is threatening to blow us up," Sloan bit back.

"Maybe I should let her do so."

Both men kept deadly quiet at the moment and turned to look back at Koval. He loved to see fear in other people's eyes; to his disappointment, Sloan simply stared at him, his eyes as cold as ice. Koval really wanted to let all his team die for their dangerous mistake, but he realized he could not let Ajeya go free with the enhanced Jem'Hadar, the living proof that he had been researching without the Romulan government's authorization and with the help of the Federation intelligence agency. It just did not look well, not especially considering Ajeya had accounts of several other doubtfully legal activities. Koval remembered wryly young Asfastr and his load of incriminatory material he had distributed to his disgraced mother's former acquaintances. He regretted now not having killed the timid man, not having made him confess how he had come with the information and where he kept the documents now. But then, he had not expected anyone to pay credit to the hilarious story, and much less Ajeya. He had yet to understand why she was so interested in making him fall. Koval thought for an instant that maybe she was just being patriotic.

"Ajeya said she would not attack us if we surrender her Sloan," Coltan insisted on that; it was his last resort, somehow, to blame the Human of their failure.

Then, Koval thought dryly, Ajeya was never simply patriotic. The ruthless admiral had an impressive military record, but she was just too sour to fail to the idealistic feeling of patriotism. She had something else in mind.

"She said she might," Koval pointed out; he knew well she had not won so many battles by conceding to her enemies.

And then there was the other unkown in the equation: the half-Romulan Starfleet officer. Even if her point of just trying to stop an armed confrontation between the Romulans in her own area of influence was legitimate, it was not very likely. The Federation disliked getting involved in others' affairs if it was not strictly necessary. And then it was her assertion that she knew of the mission and wanted to put an end to it. He had to wonder if that could be true; he knew very well the weak Federation Council would not approve of their experimentation. But still, something else bothered him: the fact she had presented herself in the area and with an unexpected vessel. Something personal, perhaps? Just the many possibilities gave him a headache. Probably Ajeya's crusade is also personal. Two battles to win at the same scenario. Each as a time. Koval came up to a decision.

"How much are you willing to sacrifice to ensure our success, Sloan?"

The Human spy tensed and remained quiet; he only drilled his cold eyes in him, his jaw firmly set.

"Your surrender to Ajeya will win us some time. We may be able to convince her to join us to get rid of the Federation ship before turning against us again. Make them retreat."

"She will kill me the moment I set a foot on her ship!" Sloan protested; this time he raised his voice, hardly controlling his fury.

Koval, however, was feeling better. "That's a possibility." He grinned.

Sloan bristled. Coltan, however, relaxed a bit. If his boss did as he suggested maybe he would be spared. Inwardly, he smiled with satisfaction.

Then, an unexpected noise was heard: a door suddenly opening. Instantly, Koval turned his back on them to look at the noise's direction. Everybody in the Firebird's bridge heard Koval's gasp.

"Don't say a word. Don't move." The newcomer's voice sounded strangely familiar to all of them.

Koval did as he was told.

"You feel quite safe here at your home, don't you? Aren't you carrying any weapon with you? That's pity."

The intruder was still moving outside the Firebird's visual range, but Koval followed him with his gaze as he went directly for his personal security console. He deactivated all communications with his service and guard, blocked the room's only door. Koval was dumbfounded, powerless and utterly enraged. He clasped his hands into fists, gritted his teeth. He tried hard to understand what was going on.

Next, his unwanted guess moved towards him, but out of his reach, and positioned himself in front of the projected Firebird's bridge, opposing Koval. Now everybody could see him: a perfect copy of Sloan pointing a phaser pistol at the chairman of the Tal Shiar.

The man shifted his gaze for an instant to look at the people Koval was talking to. His eyes glittered as seeing the other Sloan, but his hand never quivered. "Hello, brother," he simply said, as he focused his attention again on his nemesis.

"What the hell-?" Coltan blurted out, alarmed.

"Who are you?!" Sloan thundered at the same time.

Once more, the intruder only dedicated them a brief glance. "Me? I am you, obviously, I am Luther Sloan, one of many. Welcome to reality, brother. I don't think you're going to like it."