Diclaimer: It's all Paramount's, cept for Verla, T'Valk, and Rachel. Maybe
a few Maquis.
A/N: And another... I should really write longer chapters.
Chapter 4 – Shades of the Past
"Are you sure there's nothing out there?" Picard asked Worf, who had just taken his console from Ensign Hagan.
"Yes, sir. There is one M-class planet, though, in the middle of the Neutral Zone. Fourth planet of it's sun. Uninhabitable, unfortunately. The entire planet is covered in ice age conditions, except for a small band around the equator. There is primitive plant life there - but no wreckage of any kind," Worf reported.
Riker's hands were sweating. "What do you suggest we do, sir? You aren't thinking of going in there are you? I'm sure there's nothing here . . . "
"Yes, I think we can see that, Number One. Maybe the station drifted off course, or it was repaired by another Romulan ship. Why don't we-"
Worf suddenly cut in. "Sir, there is a Romulan Warbird uncloaking directly across the Zone from us, D'Derdix-class. They are hailing us, Captain."
Picard nodded. "On screen, Lieutenant." He adjusted his shirt quickly, and continued. "This is Captain Picard of-"
Sela's image appeared on the screen. "The U.S.S. Enterprise, yes I know. Hello, Picard. And I'm in command of the Khazara, a name I'm sure you'll remember." Picard nodded, and Sela gestured for someone to come on screen. "This is my first officer, Subcommander Toreth-"
"You!" Subcommander Toreth cut in, as Troi stepped back with a gasp. "Excuse me, Captain," Deanna whispered, and disappeared into a turbolift.
"We've met," Picard said dryly.
"Yes, I can see that," Sela returned. She paused for a moment, and glanced at someone off the screen, with a frown. "I assume you're searching for Space Station ARK-7?"
Picard glanced at Riker, who fidgeted under the Captain's gaze. "Yes, we are. How did you know that?"
She smiled, almost sweetly - but in a chilling way. "Because we are too." Her smile
disappeared, as if her next words tasted acrid in her mouth. "I was thinking we should word
together."
"Could I have a moment to talk it over with my crew?"
"Of course. I'll be waiting." The Romulan symbol appeared, and the starscape graced the screen again.
Worf snorted. "Work together? Bah! What would they gain? They know something!"
"Are you so sure? Worf, you've heard about the treaty! They know we could borrow a cloak from our allies the Klingons. No deceptions - they'd be losing too much. Number One?"
"Uh . . . That sounds right . . . Maybe you could have her come over here to talk about it."
Picard nodded. "Like during the Klingon Civil War?"
Riker glanced back and forth uncertainly. "Uh, yeah, like that."
"Put Sela back on." Her image appeared on the viewscreen again, and she nodded her head once. "Sela we have decided to accept your offer. We could meet here to discuss strategy." Picard adjusted his shirt.
Sela frowned. "That would be fine, but neither of us can transport all the way across the Zone." She paused apprehensively. "Do you have clearance?"
"No. Do you?"
"No, or else we'd already be there. It would take months to get that kind of pass from the Praetorial Senate."
"Yes, same with the Federation Council," Picard said with a sigh.
Sela let out a quiet chuckle. "The Senate has better things to do, like raise taxes and fight among themselves. I say we just go in."
Captain Picard looked uncomfortable. "But, Commander, isn't that in defiance of the Treaty of Algeron?"
"Damn the treaty! This will benefit everyone, won't it?" When Picard nodded slowly, she continued. "If this works, no one will really care! We'll have completed the mission, and - hopefully - have saved all the scientists aboard ARK-7!"
"True . . . " Picard said, still slightly uncomfortable.
"Then it's agreed. We will meet at the M-class planet - I'm sure you've seen it - in the middle of the Neutral Zone, in thirty minutes," Sela said.
Picard cleared his throat. "Yes, of course."
Sela smiled again. "Then I'll meet you there, Picard." With that, the message terminated.
Captain Picard turned to look back at Worf. "Is it just me, or did she set that entire thing up?" he asked.
"I assure you, Captain, it was not you."
He shrugged and turned back to CONN. "Set course into the Neutral Zone, warp 5.
Engage."
As soon as Picard's image faded from the screen, Toreth spun to face Sela. "Neral's not going to like this!" she howled.
Sela scowled viciously. "What do I care. It's not my job to make Neral happy, it's his wife's."
"Neral's not married."
That made Sela lift her eyebrows. "Is that why he's so nasty?"
"Sela, this may very well be a trap!" Toreth hissed.
Sela shook her head. "They would gain nothing by deception. Besides, Picard wouldn't hurt me anyway."
"Why?"
She smiled sadly. "My mother served aboard the Enterprise."
A/N: And another... I should really write longer chapters.
Chapter 4 – Shades of the Past
"Are you sure there's nothing out there?" Picard asked Worf, who had just taken his console from Ensign Hagan.
"Yes, sir. There is one M-class planet, though, in the middle of the Neutral Zone. Fourth planet of it's sun. Uninhabitable, unfortunately. The entire planet is covered in ice age conditions, except for a small band around the equator. There is primitive plant life there - but no wreckage of any kind," Worf reported.
Riker's hands were sweating. "What do you suggest we do, sir? You aren't thinking of going in there are you? I'm sure there's nothing here . . . "
"Yes, I think we can see that, Number One. Maybe the station drifted off course, or it was repaired by another Romulan ship. Why don't we-"
Worf suddenly cut in. "Sir, there is a Romulan Warbird uncloaking directly across the Zone from us, D'Derdix-class. They are hailing us, Captain."
Picard nodded. "On screen, Lieutenant." He adjusted his shirt quickly, and continued. "This is Captain Picard of-"
Sela's image appeared on the screen. "The U.S.S. Enterprise, yes I know. Hello, Picard. And I'm in command of the Khazara, a name I'm sure you'll remember." Picard nodded, and Sela gestured for someone to come on screen. "This is my first officer, Subcommander Toreth-"
"You!" Subcommander Toreth cut in, as Troi stepped back with a gasp. "Excuse me, Captain," Deanna whispered, and disappeared into a turbolift.
"We've met," Picard said dryly.
"Yes, I can see that," Sela returned. She paused for a moment, and glanced at someone off the screen, with a frown. "I assume you're searching for Space Station ARK-7?"
Picard glanced at Riker, who fidgeted under the Captain's gaze. "Yes, we are. How did you know that?"
She smiled, almost sweetly - but in a chilling way. "Because we are too." Her smile
disappeared, as if her next words tasted acrid in her mouth. "I was thinking we should word
together."
"Could I have a moment to talk it over with my crew?"
"Of course. I'll be waiting." The Romulan symbol appeared, and the starscape graced the screen again.
Worf snorted. "Work together? Bah! What would they gain? They know something!"
"Are you so sure? Worf, you've heard about the treaty! They know we could borrow a cloak from our allies the Klingons. No deceptions - they'd be losing too much. Number One?"
"Uh . . . That sounds right . . . Maybe you could have her come over here to talk about it."
Picard nodded. "Like during the Klingon Civil War?"
Riker glanced back and forth uncertainly. "Uh, yeah, like that."
"Put Sela back on." Her image appeared on the viewscreen again, and she nodded her head once. "Sela we have decided to accept your offer. We could meet here to discuss strategy." Picard adjusted his shirt.
Sela frowned. "That would be fine, but neither of us can transport all the way across the Zone." She paused apprehensively. "Do you have clearance?"
"No. Do you?"
"No, or else we'd already be there. It would take months to get that kind of pass from the Praetorial Senate."
"Yes, same with the Federation Council," Picard said with a sigh.
Sela let out a quiet chuckle. "The Senate has better things to do, like raise taxes and fight among themselves. I say we just go in."
Captain Picard looked uncomfortable. "But, Commander, isn't that in defiance of the Treaty of Algeron?"
"Damn the treaty! This will benefit everyone, won't it?" When Picard nodded slowly, she continued. "If this works, no one will really care! We'll have completed the mission, and - hopefully - have saved all the scientists aboard ARK-7!"
"True . . . " Picard said, still slightly uncomfortable.
"Then it's agreed. We will meet at the M-class planet - I'm sure you've seen it - in the middle of the Neutral Zone, in thirty minutes," Sela said.
Picard cleared his throat. "Yes, of course."
Sela smiled again. "Then I'll meet you there, Picard." With that, the message terminated.
Captain Picard turned to look back at Worf. "Is it just me, or did she set that entire thing up?" he asked.
"I assure you, Captain, it was not you."
He shrugged and turned back to CONN. "Set course into the Neutral Zone, warp 5.
Engage."
As soon as Picard's image faded from the screen, Toreth spun to face Sela. "Neral's not going to like this!" she howled.
Sela scowled viciously. "What do I care. It's not my job to make Neral happy, it's his wife's."
"Neral's not married."
That made Sela lift her eyebrows. "Is that why he's so nasty?"
"Sela, this may very well be a trap!" Toreth hissed.
Sela shook her head. "They would gain nothing by deception. Besides, Picard wouldn't hurt me anyway."
"Why?"
She smiled sadly. "My mother served aboard the Enterprise."
