"So, what is it?" Kramer asked.
The answer came from an unexpected quarter – the portal itself.
"A question…since before your sun burned hot in space and before your race was born, I have awaited a question." The voice was strange, disembodied, as if it was being heard from a great distance away.
T'Katha regarded the object carefully. "Fascinating. This is the first occasion on which I have observed you interact with those around you."
Impatiently, Kramer repeated, this time to the portal, "If someone doesn't start making some sense I'm going to get very annoyed! Who are you?" she demanded.
"I am called the Guardian of Forever," the portal replied.
"Oh," Kramer replied in a very puzzled voice. Clearly, she didn't have the slightest clue what that meant.
"A Guardian of Forever is one of the most ancient examples of advanced alien sentience known to exist in the galaxy," Travis explained quickly. "As it has just indicated, they're billions of years old. We don't know who created them or for what purpose. Up until now, only one was known to exist. It was discovered over a century ago by Captain James Kirk of Enterprise fame, and Starfleet has made knowledge of the Guardian's existence strictly classified."
"Why?" Kramer asked, intrigued.
T'Katha interjected, "Because the Guardian of Forever is a time portal, Doctor. It is capable of transporting you to any point in time and space in the universe. Once there, changes can be made to the timeline, which can forever alter the course of history."
"Many such journeys are possible," the Guardian spoke up. "Let me be your guide. Observe!" it urged.
Looking at the portal, Kramer was startled to see that a number of scenes, like watching video clips on a monitor. Snippets of action from different times and places flashed before her eyes, disparate points in history. Some she recognized, others she did not. It was difficult to follow all the scenes, though, because they were flashing by in front of her eyes at such a rapid pace.
"These are the events of what you would call your past," the Guardian explained. "You need only to step across my boundaries, and you will be transported to what was."
"How do you know who I am, what history is meaningful to me?" Kramer asked. "I mean, if you can take me to any place in the galaxy, how do you know what I'll recognize and what I will not?"
"I am my own beginning and my own end," the Guardian replied enigmatically.
Kramer put her hands on her hips, pursed her lips and retorted, "That's not very helpful."
"To me, you are both what was and what will be," the Guardian elaborated. "I see you not only as you stand before me, but as you exist in the great stream of what you call time. To me, events that have preceded you are connected to you."
"Hold on a minute," Julie said. "Captain, you said that information regarding the Guardian was highly classified. I assume that means captain's-level security clearance or better?" she asked.
"That's right."
Turning an accusing eye at T'Katha, she continued, "Then how do you know so much about the Guardian, T'Katha? You're not even in Starfleet."
T'Katha nodded. "That is correct. However, I have…a unique perspective on this matter. An immediate family member of mine was present with Captain Kirk when the original Guardian was encountered."
"Who?"
"My father, Ambassador Spock. At that time he was serving as the first officer of Captain Kirk's Enterprise."
Kramer's eyes widened. "You're Spock's daughter?" she asked, incredulous.
"I believe I just stated that," T'Katha replied.
"None of this matters," Josh interjected. "We're not going anywhere. Temporal Prime Directive and all that," he deadpanned.
"Incorrect," the Guardian replied. "You already have."
Josh felt a headache coming on. "What?" he asked.