The Lost Years

by radara4077

Set Twenty Years after the destruction of the Enterprise-D, the Officers and Crew of the U.S.S. Hawkins must rescue the Commander of Starfleet from Romulan Space.

Star Trek

Lost Years

By: Brad Fore & Derek Kestner

Based on Star Trek™ created by Gene Roddenberry

Captain's Log: Stardate 61042.8. The Hawkins is on patrol along the Romulan Border, my old stomping ground. We are keeping a close watch on the Romulans. During the past month, there have been reports of a fleet massing near Romulus. It has been twenty years this week since the Bozeman re-crewed and I was promoted to Commander on the Steadfast. The Bozeman was my first assignment, and is still my best. Even after twenty years, I still can't forgive Derek for trying to come between Whitney and I. End of Log Entry.

The stars gleamed off the hull of the U.S.S. Hawkins. Captain Brad Foreman sat idly in his command chair. From Ops, Lt. Surav said, "Sir, receiving a message from Commander Starfleet."

Foreman replied, grunting, "Put 'im on screen." He said under his breath, "I wonder what the old dog is up to today?"

The viewer quickly changed from the Romulan starfield to the face of Brad's old friend, now deeply hated enemy, Commandant Derek Kestner, Commander Starfleet. "Captain Foreman, do your sensors confirm the reports on the Romulan fleet massing?"

Foreman replied, "Not sure yet, Commandant, but we'll be getting back the full sweep reports soon."

Kestner said, "Very good, Mr. Foreman."

Foreman answered, "And that's it, Derek, no wild goose chase across the Galaxy like before?"

Derek replied, "Mr. Foreman, your actions do not show respect for your Senior Officer. You're our first line of defense against a Romulan attack, Mr. Foreman. I need to know the moment the Romulan fleet starts to move, understood?"

Brad sighed. "Aye, sir, Foreman out." He motioned for the Lieutenant to cut the connection.

Surav spoke, "Sir, may I inquire as to what took place to cause such bitterness between the two of you?"

Foreman Replied, "Well, Mr. Surav, it all started around twenty years ago..."

Lt. Commander Brad Foreman walked down the hallway to his new quarters on the Bozeman. Captain Bateson had relocated him and Whitney to a larger quarters to live together. During the past month or so, Brad had realized that Derek had been getting rather jealous, mainly because Brad was spending a lot more time with his new wife than he was with him. As Brad turned the corner he came face to face with Derek, almost knocking him down.

"Oh, Derek, I'm sorry," Brad said in a pleasant voice.

"Sure you are," Derek replied with almost a growl in his voice. "Let me guess, you're gonna go see Whitney, right? I wouldn't want to get in your way of doing that."

As he began to walk off, Brad grabbed him by the arm, turned him back around, and said, "What is your problem? Ever since Whitney and I have been married you've acted this way. I want to know why."

Derek pulled his arm away. "I can't believe you don't know why!", he shouted. "She's taken up all of your time, every bit of it! I want to be a part of your life, too, but you wont let me. No matter how hard I try to hold on to you she always has a better grip. You know, ever since you got married I was worried that I would lose you as a friend, but then I told myself, 'No, Brad would never do that, even though he is marring Whitney, I know he will still be my best friend'. Come to find out over the past few months that I was right the first time. I never even had a chance against Whitney.

"Sure, for the first few months nothing changed, except that you retired to your quarters a little earlier, but that was it. As the weeks went by, you put more time into Whitney than you did me, I guess we weren't as close of friends as I thought we were."

Brad replied, "If that's the way you feel then we'll have to end our friendship. Even after all the times we've shared, I still have to chose my wife, the girl of my dreams, over even you."

Derek's face quickly began turning a bright shade of red. "Brad, this is not over," Derek said angrily, then turned and stormed off down the corridor. Ten days later Derek transferred off the Bozeman.

Surav spoke, "Fascinating. But, sir, jealousy is not logical."

Foreman replied, "I think by now you should know that humans are not logical."

Surav replied, raising his eyebrow, "Indeed, sir."

Suddenly, the Bridge of the Hawkins shifted it's color to red as an alarm sounded. "Report, Ms. Roberts."

Lt. Christine Roberts answered from the Conn, "Sir, a large Warbird has set course for Vulcan."

Foreman turned to Surav, "Can we catch her?"

Surav replied, "It is debatable, considering we do not know the full speed of a Romulan Warbird."

"Well, let's find out. Ms. Roberts, pursuit course, engage maximum warp."

"Aye, sir," she replied.

Foreman turned to face tactical, saying, "Mr. Johnson, Hail Starfleet, relay the message: 'A Romulan Warbird is enroute to Vulcan.'"

The Galaxy Class U.S.S. Hawkins screamed through space at warp nine-point-two, in pursuit of the Romulan Warbird. Captain Foreman said to his Ops Officer, Lt. Surav, "Are the Romulans in range of the tricobalt torpedoes?"

Surav replied, "Barely, sir."

Foreman turned to the Tactical Officer, "Mr. Johnson, target tricobalt torpedoes on the Romulan. Fire when ready."

Lt. Maxwell Johnson replied, "Torpedoes away, sir." As the torpedoes sped away, Johnson counted down, "Impact in 8....7....6....5....4....3....2....1....impact, sir!"

"Damage?"

"Can't tell at this range, sir," he replied.

Lt. Roberts cut in, "Sir, she's cloaking!"

Foreman answered, "What is her heading?"

Roberts replied, "She changed from her course toward Vulcan, it almost seemed as if she were turning around, sir."

Foreman ordered, "Raise shields, Battle Stations, all hands prepare for battle. It might get bumpy from here."

Several members of the Bridge Crew said, "Aye, sir."

The Hawkins slowed to impulse to await the Warbird's return, which took only seconds. She de-cloaked, came out of warp, and slowed to a stop directly in front of the Hawkins. Captain Foreman spoke, "Hail them."

Johnson replied, "Aye, sir, Onscreen."

Foreman continued, "Romulan vessel, you are in violation of the Federation Space Treaty, prepare to stand down and be boarded."

The Romulan on the screen sneered and said, "Captain Foreman, I do not wish to agree to your unreasonable terms. The Romulan Star Empire is looking out for it's best interests alone, and any treaty or ship that stands in our way will be eliminated." With that, the connection ended.

Foreman ordered, "Make ready all weapons."

Johnson replied, "Aye, sir." The entire Bridge awaited the Romulan offensive in silence that seemed to last an eternity. Foreman stood in disbelief as the Warbird turned back toward Earth, and, cloaking, engaged warp.

Johnson cut in, "Sir, we lost her."

Foreman looked back at him, sarcastically, "Really, Mr. Johnson?"

The Bridge crew smiled. They had grown accustom to the Captain's tendency to improvise humor into serious situations.

Foreman sat in his ready room, studying on how he could possibly prevent a Romulan invasion. Surav came over the comm link, saying, "Sir, we are entering the Vulcan system."

Foreman said, standing, "On my way."

Johnson spoke once the Captain entered, "Sir, Starfleet Command on Emergency Channel."

Foreman walked over to his chair, saying, "Onscreen."

The golden sphere-image of Vulcan changed to Rear Admiral Doss. "Captain Foreman, we have a crisis on our hands. About a half an hour ago, security cameras caught a Romulan transporter taking Commandant Kestner out of his office. We suspect it was the Warbird you reported on course to Vulcan."

Foreman nodded, taking this information in. He stood and said, "What are our orders, Admiral?"

Admiral Doss replied, "We believe the Romulans took Kestner to Romulus. We need you to rendezvous with the Klingon Cruiser Kah'Vor in the Montgomery System. They will transfer a cloaking device over to the Hawkins. Take it, and proceed to Romulus to recover Kestner."

Foreman asked, "But, sir, what makes you think they haven't already killed Mr. Kestner?"

Doss answered, "We have several sources within the Romulan Government that confirm his condition."

Foreman replied, "Aye, sir, we're on our way, Foreman out. Helm, set course for Montgomery."

Captain Foreman walked slowly to his quarters, deep in thought. His ship was due to arrive in the Montgomery system in twenty-one hours, and he was going to try to catch up on his sleep. He rounded the corner and entered the door, seeing his wife preparing for bed.

"Whitney, I guess you've heard about Derek and our mission already, haven't you?", he said lifelessly.

She replied to him, "Yes, I have, and there's something I want to show you." She walked over to a console and entered a series of commands. As she finished, a message came up on the screen, starting with the old Federation symbol, a starfield surrounded by olive branches, which was changed thirteen years ago.

Then a familiar face came on the screen. Derek Kestner's young voice said, "Brad, I'm sending this to you six years to the day after I transferred off the Bozeman. I just wanted to tell you how sorry I am for what I caused, and that no matter what happens during the Volshin War, I still consider you a friend, whether or not that friendship is returned. End transmission."

Brad turned away even as Whitney said, "There's another one."

Foreman rotated back around in his chair to see the New Federation symbol, a Sovereign

class Starship flying out of the Starfleet emblem, followed by a much older Kestner than before. "Brad, I know that you probably won't believe this message. I can't say I blame you, but here goes. I know you think all those Volshin spy missions I sent you on when I first became Commander Starfleet was an act of revenge, and that may be what they looked like. But I have proof-", an official order documentation filled the screen, "-that I was given those orders by the New Federation Council."

The viewscreen shifted back to Derek's face, "They enlisted you because of your first-hand experience with the Volshins when you and I were kidnapped. I promise you that it wasn't revenge on my part. Please forgive me. End transmission."

Brad slowly turned back around in his seat to face Whitney. "When did you receive these?"

She replied, "When they were originally sent, minus the subspace travel time."

Brad's voice rose. "And why wasn't I told about them, seeing as how they were clearly meant for me?"

She answered, "Because I knew you wouldn't believe him, and I didn't want to make matters worse."

Brad fell silent simply because he knew she was right; he wouldn't have believed Derek at the time. But, knowing that those messages were sent, and that Derek had ended the bitterness between them, at least on his end of things, made Brad feel sick. He felt so bad about all he had said to Derek over those years, and how wrong he had been. Whitney put her arms around his shoulders, and whispered, "Come on to bed, Love, you need your rest for the mission ahead." He rose and followed her to their bedroom.

"Now entering the Montgomery system, sir," Surav reported.

Foreman stood, "Slow to impulse. Is the Kah'Vor here?"

Surav's fingers played over the console, then he replied, "Affirmative, sir, he is in orbit of the fourth planet."

Foreman returned to his seat, "Set course for Montgomery IV. E.T.A.?"

Ms. Roberts replied, "Twelve minutes, sir."

Foreman said, "Very well, hail the cruiser."

Lt. Johnson replied, "Aye sir, channel open."

Foreman cleared his throat, "Klingon vessel, I am Captain Foreman of the U.S.S. Hawkins, we were scheduled to meet you in this system. Respond, please."

A gruff old Klingon voice came over the speakers, "Captain Foreman, so glad you could come. We have the cloaking device ready for transport on your signal."

Foreman replied, "Very good, Captain...?"

The Klingon answered, "Captain Gar'vok."

"A pleasure. We will be at your coordinates in approximately ten of our minutes."

"I look forward to it." With that, the connection cut.

Eleven minutes later, the Hawkins assumed orbit with the Klingon cruiser. Captain Gar'vok came over the speakers, "Captain, we are prepared to beam the device over on your next signal."

Foreman replied, "Very well, Captain, energize."

Seconds later, Johnson cut in, "Sir, Engineer McDougal reports the cloaking device onboard and secure."

Foreman turned back to the image of the cruiser, "Captain Gar'vok, thank you for your time and especially for the device."

Gar'vok replied, "Ah, anytime, Foreman, we have heard of your efforts in the Volshin War, they have not been forgotten."

Foreman smiled inwardly, "Very well, Captain, until we meet again?"

Gar'vok answered, "Q'apla, Captain Foreman, until we meet again." The transmission ended.

Foreman tapped his comm link, "Foreman to Engineer McDougal. Paul, how long will it take you to install the device?"

McDougal replied, "Better part of the day, sir, it'll take time to convert all this Klingon mess to something our computer can recognize, not to mention testing, power conduit additions, and trial runs. Rome wasn't built in a day, you know. Sir," he added quickly.

Foreman smiled, "I know, Paul. Just try and have her ready by this time tomorrow, ok?"

McDougal replied, "No problem, sir. McDougal out."

Foreman sat in his ready room, deep in thought. He was trying to come up with a way to rescue Kestner, assuming the Romulans hadn't already killed him. He was also still troubled by his attitude toward Derek over the past two decades. Has it really been that long? He thought to himself as he sipped his coffee.

His train of thought was broken by the familiar blip signaling an audio message to follow. "Captain Foreman?"

Foreman blinked and said, "Yes, Christine?"

Lt. Roberts replied, "Sir, the Bozeman is entering the sector. She wishes to enter orbit with us."

Foreman smiled, "I'm on my way."

Captain Foreman stood as a very familiar Bridge came on the Viewscreen. In it were several familiar faces, as well as one in particular occupying the center chair. Foreman exclaimed, "Admiral Bateson!"

Bateson smiled and replied, "Captain Foreman! It's been a long time."

Foreman answered, "Yes, it has, sir. How have you been?"

Bateson said, "Pretty damn good for seventy-three. I'm still kickin', but nothing like I was back when you and Whitney were onboard."

Foreman snapped his fingers. "That reminds me. Whitney Foreman, report to the Bridge. So, I see Starfleet hasn't been able to pry you from the Captain's Chair yet, have they?"

Bateson chuckled, "Heh, most of my Bridge crew's already made Captain, they just won't leave. Gotta stick together, I guess."

Foreman smiled, "Yes, sir."

The turbolift doors suddenly swooshed open, and Whitney Foreman came walking out of them in her usual brilliant manner. She gasped as she saw who was on the Viewscreen. "Captain-er, uh Admiral Bateson!," she exclaimed. "How are you?"

Bateson stood and smiled, "How long has it been, sixteen years? My, oh my, you haven't aged a bit, still as gorgeous as ever."
Whitney smiled and said, walking down to stand beside Foreman, "Thank you sir, and you're looking good, too."

Bateson replied, "Always am."

Brad cut in, "Admiral, how would you like for you and your Senior Staff to join us for dinner tonight. We can't leave the system until Chief Engineer McDougal can make that cloaking device compatible with our system, and we'd love to have you."

Bateson said, "I'd be delighted. What time?"

Foreman replied, "How does nineteen-hundred hours sound?"

Bateson answered, "Sounds perfect. I'll see you then."

Foreman smiled, "Great, nineteen-hundred it is. Hawkins out."

The Observation Lounge on the Hawkins was full of small conversations gathered around the central table. Bateson sat at one end of the table, with Foreman on the other. To Foreman's right was Bateson's crew: Andy, Mike, Karl, and Michael, as well as a few faces Brad didn't recognize. To Foreman's left was his own bridge crew, and Whitney in the first seat. Foreman raised his glass, "To the crews of the Hawkins and the Bozeman, may we find friendship among colleagues."

The entire table followed Foreman's motion, raising their glasses in the air. Bateson said, "In light of this joyous occasion of reminiscing, we must be reminded of our dear friend who is in dire situations tonight. We must remember Commandant Kestner, and the man he is."

The table fell silent as the crews nodded their heads in agreement. Foreman looked around nervously.

As the meal came to a close, Bateson said, "Well, Mr. Foreman, this has been a very memorable evening, but my crew must be on our way. We are already several hours behind at Allendon III." Bateson stood, and his crew followed his motion. He walked up to Foreman, and said, shaking Foreman's hand, "It's been a pleasure, son. I know that what has went on between you and Derek has been hard on both of you, but you've gotta put that behind you, son. It's not everyday one gets a chance to correct past mistakes."

Foreman nodded, and clenched Bateson in a tight hug, the way old friends would. Bateson turned to Whitney, and said, smiling, "Mrs. Foreman, this night has been a pleasure, you make quite a hostess."

Whitney smiled back and said, "Thank you, Admiral. I've really enjoyed your company."

Bateson reached out and hugged her, as well, but more gently and loving than with Foreman; he knew how to treat a lady. Bateson then turned and motioned to his crew to exit, and they all said "thank you" and "good-bye" as they left. when the Observation Lounge cleared of all personnel, Foreman smiled as he wrapped his arms around Whitney.

Foreman moaned and rolled over in bed. Glancing at the chronometer on the table beside Whitney and his bed, he groaned. Surav better have a good reason for calling me at oh-two- hundred, he thought. As he got his uniform on, he heard Whitney stir in bed. She said sleepily, "What are you doing?"

Foreman replied, buttoning up his collar, "Surav called me to the bridge."

She moaned a reply that resembled something like, "Couldn't he have waited until morning for this?"

But Foreman was already out the door.

When he reached the Bridge, Surav was one of only three on duty. The Vulcan Lieutenant turned to face the Captain as he stepped off the turbolift. "Ah, good morning, sir. I trust you slept well?"

Foreman replied drowsily, "I was sleeping very well, thank you."

Surav continued, "My apologies, sir, but I thought you would like to be here for the initial trail run of the cloaking device, sir."

At that, Foreman became more alert. "Very well, get me Engineering."

Surav replied, sitting down at Opps, "Aye, sir."

McDougal came over the comm link, "McDougal here, sir, we're ready for the trail run."

Foreman answered, "Very good, Paul, whenever you're ready."

McDougal replied, "Initiating cloaking sequence. Bridge, after the first run, I'll reroute cloaking control to the Bridge."

Foreman replied, "Acknowledged."

"Cloaking device full power in 5...4...3...2...1...full power sir." The Hawkins suddenly vanished in orbit around Montgomery IV.

Foreman ordered, "Report?"

Surav replied, "The starfield distortion is consistent with our records of cloaking technology."

Foreman said, "McDougal?"

McDougal replied, "She reads cloaked, sir."

Foreman then ordered, "Very well then, set course for Romulus. Alter our course to come within short sensor range of the closest Starbase to our heading, understood?"

Surav replied, "Aye, sir, but may I inquire as to why?"

Foreman answered, "We need verification of our cloak, do we not?"

Surav raised both his eyebrows, "Indeed, sir. Most logical."

Foreman smiled, "Always am."

Starbase 31 was your standard Starbase, nestled in orbit around the third planet in the Churchill system. It was heavily armed, as were all Starbases on the Galactic Rim, and it's sensors were of the highest sensitivity. Admiral Kayla Cromer was stationed as the base's Commander, and it held a crew of two thousand. Unbeknownst to the Starbase's crew compliment, the U.S.S. Hawkins was already well within sensor range. Her Captain, Mr. Brad Foreman, suddenly came over the speakers, "Starbase 31, this is the U.S.S. Hawkins, come in please."

Back on the Hawkins, Foreman patiently awaited a reply. He repeated, "U.S.S. Hawkins to Starbase 31, come in."

Admiral Cromer came on over the Hawkins audio system, "Hawkins, this is Admiral Kayla Cromer of Starbase 31. Um, what is your present position?"

Foreman looked at Surav. The Vulcan said, "Two-point-two kilometers from the Starbase."

Foreman relayed the data to Admiral Cromer. She came back on, clearly surprised, "That can't be, Hawkins, you're not on our sensor readout."

Foreman smiled slyly. "Locate a visual on coordinates three-three-two-mark-eight-seven."

Several seconds of silence followed, then Cromer said, "Nothing out of the ordinary, Hawkins, what are we to look for?"

Foreman replied, "Look very closely at the starscape."

Several more minutes of silence followed, then Foreman heard a gasp and then a warm chuckle from the other end. "Captain, are you telling me that the Federation allowed you to receive a cloaking device? From whom?"

Foreman replied, "Admiral, I wish I could say, but that information is classified. All I need to know is if your sensors picked up anything at all."

Cromer replied, "Call me Kayla, and, no, we're still reading nothing. Anywhere."

Foreman smiled. "Good, that's what we're looking for. Admira-uh Kayla, sir, I wish we could stay longer, but we must be going, our mission can't wait. Thank you for your time."

Cromer replied, "No problem, Brad, anytime. Starbase out."

Captain Foreman slept peacefully that night, until his comm link woke him. "Captain Foreman to the Bridge, Captain Foreman." He drowsily lifted himself out of bed, pulled on his uniform and gulped down a cup of coffee as he headed out the door.

The turbolift doors swooshed closed behind him as Foreman walked down to his chair. "Status?", he asked.

Thomas Owens, Foreman's first officer, replied, "We're about to enter the Romulan Neutral Zone."

Foreman ordered, "Yellow alert. Raise shields."

Surav replied, "Impossible while cloaked."

Foreman nodded. "E.T.A. to Romulus?"

Ms. Roberts replied, "Two days, five hours, present speed."

Foreman continued, "And that is...?"

Roberts checked her console. "Warp nine."

Foreman ordered, "Increase to maximum warp."

Roberts replied, "Aye, sir, nine-point-two."

Romulus is located near the center of the Romulan Empire, about forty-eight hours from the Neutral Zone at warp nine-point-two. Any normal ship would set off every alarm within the Romulan Empire if it crossed the border uninvited. Any ship, that is, except a cloaked one using Klingon technology. The Romulans have developed beacons to track all cloaking devices using their own cloaking technology, but since there is no Klingon equivalent in Romulan possession, the Hawkins was virtually invisible.

As she screamed through space undetected, Captain Foreman sat once again in his ready room, trying his best to think of a plan to get Kestner out Romulan space alive. He's surely under a forcefield, Foreman thought in desperation. Well, I guess once we get there, since we are cloaked, we could orbit for a while, see if they move him or anything. He repeated aloud, "Since we're cloaked. Hmm."

"Captain, you might be on to something," Engineer Paul McDougal said after he had heard Foreman's plan. "Duplicating the cloaking device and transferring it to an environmental suit has only one problem: You'd have to recharge the suit periodically, and that would mean de-cloaking for a few seconds every ten minutes or so."

Foreman replied, "But it would work, right?"

McDougal stared into the warp core, crossing his arms. "It should, but whoever went down there would have to find a hiding place out of the way to recharge the suit."

Foreman answered, "All right, Paul, I want it done by the time we get to Romulus."

McDougal uncrossed his arms. "Aye sir, but that'll be cutting it pretty close."

Foreman smiled, "I can handle that."

Foreman stood on the Bridge, replaying the plan in his head. Lt. Johnson, due to his strength and tactical ability, would beam down there in the suit near Kestner's location. He would then find and disable the forcefield holding Kestner, and both would be beamed up as soon as possible. McDougal had put a homing device in the suit, broadcasting on a Federation Emergency Channel, so they wouldn't loose track of him. Foreman's train of thought was broken by Surav, "Sir, we are approaching Romulus."

Foreman walked up in between Ops and the Conn. He ordered, "Slow to impulse for Romulus orbit."

Lt. Roberts replied, "Aye, sir."

Foreman could feel the engines pull back out of warp, even as Roberts reported, "Full Impulse, sir."

Foreman walked back to his seat and tapped his comm link. "Foreman to McDougal. Is our suit ready?"

McDougal replied, "Ready and rarein' to go, sir."

Foreman turned to tactical. "Max, are you ready?"

Johnson answered, "Aye sir, whenever you're ready."

Foreman turned back around, "Then head for Engineering on the double."

Johnson replied, leaving his station as an Ensign took his place, "Aye, sir."

Foreman turned to Surav, "Scan for Kestner."

Surav worked his console, and after a few moments, replied, "I found his bio-signature on the major continent."

Foreman ordered, "Assume a geo-synchronous orbit over his exact coordinates. Inform me when Johnson is ready to beam down."

Brad Foreman sat in his ready room, looking across his desk to his wife, who was sipping a cup of tea. Normally after Whitney left Starfleet, she didn't want to have anything to do with the Bridge, but she was the only other person on the Hawkins with experience at Tactical, so Brad convinced her to run that console until Johnson returned. She said to Brad, "I still don't see why you need me, we're cloaked."

Foreman replied, "We might have a Warbird see the visual distortion of the stars. If they do, they can double-check for Romulan presence, then blow us out of the stars if we don't react. Reacting means de-cloaking and holding off a fleet of ships until Johnson finishes his work."

Whitney replied, "Whatever you say, Brad, I still think you're just trying to get me back on the Bridge after what happened."

Brad answered, "Whitney, I can't help it that you got injured in the first Volshin battle of the War, or that you gave up after that, but I do know that you miss Bridge Command."

Whitney stood. "Just wait a minute, I never 'gave up' on anything, Starfleet decided I was no longer physically able to perform my job."

Foreman smiled, knowing he had the upper hand, "A decision that was invalid; you fully recovered."

She sat back down, knowing she had lost, "You're right, but I still say you just want me back on the Bridge."

"As do you."

Whitney was about to protest all over again, when Surav came in over the speakers. "Sir, Johnson reports he's ready to beam down."

Foreman stood along with Whitney, saying, "I'm on my way."

Surav reported, "Sir, Transporter Room reports Johnson on the pad, sir."

Foreman replied, tapping his comm link, "Foreman to Johnson."

Lt. Johnson answered, "Johnson here, sir, ready for transport."

Foreman ordered, "Good, engage cloak and energize."

Seconds later, the Transporter Chief came over the speakers, "He's on the surface, sir."

Foreman replied, "Good, keep me posted and beam him out of there at the first sign of trouble, understood?"

The Chief replied, "Aye, sir."

Johnson came in over the speakers, "Sir, I am successfully on the planet. I have arrived in what appears to be a corridor of some kind, I am not sure which direction to travel."

Foreman replied, "Stay to one side of the corridor, almost against the wall, and await further instructions."

"Aye, sir."

Foreman turned to face tactical. "Whitney, which direction is Kestner from Johnson?"

Mrs. Foreman studied her readout for a few moments, then replied, "To Mr. Johnson's left, sir."

Foreman smiled, thinking of the few times his wife had called him "sir" back on the Bozeman. He turned back around, saying, "Johnson, proceed to your left, and stay close to the wall, you don't want to run into anyone."

Johnson replied, "Aye, sir." After several seconds of silence, Johnson replied, "Sir, I've come up on an entrance. It says something in Romulan I can't understand."

Foreman answered, "Use your internal camera, let's have a look at it. Whitney, relay his transmission to the Main Viewer."

Seconds later a dark green tinted doorway appeared on the Screen. In it's center was a brief line of Romulan text. Surav spoke, "The message reads, 'Holding Cell'."

Whitney added, "Sensors say that Kestner could be located behind those doors, sir."

Foreman turned to face her, "What do you mean could?"

She continued, "Well, the distortion of the cloaking device, along with an atmospheric storm system that is passing over Johnson's location is somewhat blurring my reading, sir."

Foreman turned back to the Viewer, staring at the doors. He said, "Johnson, proceed with caution and with your phaser drawn. Once you go through that door, anyone on the other side will know something's up."

Johnson replied, "Aye, sir, proceeding." The swoosh of a door was heard, followed by several phaser and disrupter shots. Johnson suddenly spoke, "Sir, I see Commandant Kestner, he's alive. There were two Romulan guards, I disabled them."

Foreman spoke quickly, "Hurry, secure the doors."

Johnson replied, "Aye, sir, attempting to secure doors. Doors are secure, sir."

Foreman continued, "Can you locate the forcefield's power source or controls?"

The blip and hum of a tricorder was heard, followed by Johnson saying, "Found it sir, deactivating."

Foreman said, "Good. Hurry, Max!"

Johnson answered, "Done, sir, I have Commandant Kestner."

Foreman spat out, "Captain to Transporter Chief, get them out of there!"

The Transporter Chief replied, "I can't get a solid lock, Captain, the Romulans have activated some kind of magnetic shield. I've lost their signal."

Foreman said, "Damn. Whitney, can you locate it's power source?"

She replied, "Working on it, sir."

Suddenly, the Hawkins shuttered violently. Foreman yelled over the blast, "Report!"

Surav replied, "It appears the Romulans have found us."

Foreman whirled around to face Tactical, "Whitney, have you located it yet?"

She replied in desperation, "No, sir, it's being crossed with several other systems down there, I can't make sense of it."

Foreman ordered, "De-cloak and raise the shields!" The Hawkins suddenly appeared in orbit around Romulus, only to be bombarded with several torpedoes.

Foreman slammed his hand down on his comm link, "Max, do you read?"

Johnson replied, "Aye sir, awaiting beam out." Suddenly, disrupter blasts were heard, followed by cries of pain.

Foreman said, "Johnson?"

Whitney cut in, "Sir, the shield has dropped, I'm no longer reading either of them."

Foreman turned to Surav. "What about his beacon?"

Surav paused momentarily through the disrupter blasts hammering into the ship, then said, "It has stopped transmitting. His suit's computer shows massive failure due to missing sections of the suit."

Foreman turned somber, then angry. "Return fire on those ships! Red Alert!"

Whitney yelled over the torpedo hits, "Shields at fifty percent!"

Foreman looked at Surav, "Can we cloak?"

Surav was about to speak when McDougal came in over the speakers. "Sir, that last torpedo found a hole in our shields just above the warp nacelles. We're looking at a Warp Core breech in less than five minutes."

Foreman wasted no time in his next order. "Prepare for emergency Saucer separation. All hands evacuate the Star Drive Section."

Surav continued, "Sir, we may be able to cloak after the separation, but the power drain will prevent the use of the life support systems if we are to use the Impulse Engines."

Foreman replied, "That's a risk we'll have to take, make the necessary preparations."

Roberts cut in, "Core breech estimated in four minutes, twenty seconds, mark."

Foreman asked, "Mr. Owens, what is your estimate on the time it will take to evacuate the Star Drive Section?"

Commander Owens replied, "I estimate about three minutes, sir."

Surav answered Foreman's question before he could ask it by saying, "That will give us ample time to clear ourselves from the Star Drive Section."

Foreman nodded, then said, "Time to breech?"

Roberts replied, "Three minutes, fifty-one seconds, sir, mark."

Owens said moments later, "Everyone made it out ahead of schedule using the transporters, we're clear for Separation."

Foreman replied, "Verify, Tactical."

Whitney answered, "There are no life signs on the Star Drive Section, sir."

Foreman said, "Good. Separate the Saucer."

Roberts replied, "Aye, sir."

The docking clamps on the Hawkins released the Saucer Section as it floated upward and forward. Foreman ordered once she was clear, "Full impulse, engage cloaking device."

Surav and Roberts both replied, "Aye, sir."

Before Roberts could carry our her cloak order, Whitney cut in, "Sir, the Warp Core is breeching!"

Just after the shields lowered for the cloaking device to engage, Foreman saw the first hint of explosion emanating from the Star Drive section, only meters away. Even as the Hawkins' Saucer Section began to disappear in orbit around Romulus, Foreman yelled, "Cancel cloak! Raise shields!"

The words barely left his mouth when the first shockwave left the explosion that was once the Star Drive Section. Roberts attempted to carry out her order, but the cloaking procedure was already too far under way to reverse; they would have to continue cloaking without their shields.

Foreman yelled as the first shockwave came speeding towards the Saucer, "All hands, brace for impact!"

As the words left his mouth, Foreman was thrown to port along with his entire ship as the first wave slammed into the saucer. Foreman didn't have time to ask the damage report, although the computer was already damaged beyond the capability to respond. As the ship fought to right itself, Foreman thought he heard Roberts yell, "Hull breech on decks two through ten!"

The only thing on Foreman's mind at the present was to reach his wife. He ran up the ramp to the rear of the Bridge, but dropped to the floor only feet from his wife as the second wave hit. He picked his head up and crawled the remaining few feet to where she lay motionless. He picked her up in his arms, yelling, "Whitney? Whitney?"

She slowly opened her eyes and said, "I'm here, Brad."

Foreman heard Surav from his post shout, "Inner hull decompression on decks three through nine!"

Foreman yelled to his wife, "I love you, Whitney!"

She yelled in reply, "I love you too, Brad!"

Foreman held her in his arms as the third and final shockwave hit. He saw the Bridge around him begin to decompress and implode. He brought his head down and kissed Whitney as his ship, along with everyone on board, became a memory .

Epilogue

Foreman woke with a start. He looked around, disoriented. He asked a woman in an old-

style Starfleet uniform standing near his bed, "Where am I?"

The woman turned, and said, "Dr. Hayter, he's awake. You're on the Bozeman, Mr. Foreman."

As Brad looked around and let that sink in, he noticed he was visibly younger when he looked at his hands. Then Dr. Karl Hayter came walking in. The Doctor said, "Good Morning, Mr. Foreman, how are you feeling?"

Foreman replied, "I'm feeling dead. How did I get here?"
Hayter answered, "You were severely injured."

Foreman nodded. "I expected as much. How did the Bozeman get way out here, and why do you look so much younger?"

Hayter looked puzzled. He said, "Brad, you were part of an away team on an archeological dig on Allendon III."

Foreman lay there for several moments, letting that sink in. He then said, "What happened?"

Hayter replied, "You were accidentally struck with a laser digging tool, sending your body into shock. We thought you wouldn't recover."

Brad answered, "But there's no way, I was on a mission to retrieve the-did you find Derek?"

Hayter's face turned even more puzzled. "Brad, Derek didn't go on the away team, it was only you, Commander Bush, the Captain, and myself."

Brad continued, "Is the rest of my crew all right? Surav? Whitney?"

Hayter asked, "What are you talking about, Brad?"

Brad thought for a few moments, then said, "Don't you remember? The Bozeman met us in orbit around Montgomery, you all even had dinner with us, then you said you had to depart, and left the system. We continued on with our mission."

Hayter asked, "What mission?"

Foreman replied, "To retrieve Kestner from Romulan Space."

Hayter snapped his fingers. "Brad, we did monitor heavy activity in your brain while you were un-conscious, it appears you had a long-term dream."

Foreman suddenly gasped. "So you're telling me twenty years haven't passed since Derek transferred off the Bozeman?"

Hayter replied, "Derek's still on the Bozeman."

Foreman's eyes widened as he sat up, "Then it's not too late!" Brad jumped out of the bed.

Hayter said, grabbing Brad's shoulders, "Wait a minute, do you want to see Derek?"

Brad replied, "Yes, immediately!"

Hayter continued, "Just sit back down, I'll call for him."

Foreman sat back down on the edge of the bed. As he waited for Kestner, he thought to himself, If it was all a dream, then why do I have twenty years worth of memories embedded in my mind? Foreman shook his head to clear it of any wandering thoughts as Derek came walking into Sick Bay. Brad rushed over to him, grasping him in a tight hug. Derek smiled awkwardly and said, "Okay, I'm glad to see you, too."

Suddenly, the doors opened again, and Whitney came rushing in. Brad walked over to her, embraced her in a loving kiss, and then said, "You don't know how glad I am too see you."

She replied, "You're the one who's been out cold for two weeks."

Brad backed away from her only slightly. "Two weeks?" It all finally came back to Foreman, and he said excitedly, "Oh, I remember! That laser struck me square in the forehead!" He reached up, feeling the raised area on his forehead. He then smiled, and said to himself, I'm gonna get it right this time. He reached over and took Derek and Whitney in his arms, hugging them both. Wait a second, he thought. If it was all just a dream, then why do I still have twenty years worth of memories in my mind?