"USS Normandy, acting Captain's log, supplemental. Victor Starwind recording. It took about four hours to totally abandon the Destiny and transfer computer records. Edwards and Talara took runabouts to tow Tabernacle into the Warp Facility's field generator. I have taken command of the Normandy, since this entire mission was under my command to begin with."

Starwind entered the bridge of the Normandy, the viewer showing the Destiny drift into Earth's orbit. He stood still in the center of the bridge for a moment or two. Sarah Winters and Wesley Ralston stood next to him.

"We're ready to go, Victor." Sarah reported.

Starwind nodded. "Since Edwards and Talara are using shuttles to drag Tabernacle into place, and since I've more or less stolen your ship here, Wes, I hope you don't mind. VonBach, to tactical, Winters take the helm, Captain Ralston, Operations if you would be so kind. I'll take command. Watson take Science, and bring McKay up here to help care of calculations."

"Aye." They all nodded.

"Normandy to Runabout Valliant, is Tabernacle in position?" Winters opened a channel.

"Yes she is, Normandy." Talara replied.

Starwind sat in the command chair at the center of the bridge. "Watson, get into Warp Facility controls."

Two armed guards walked McKay onto the bridge.

"McKay, work with Watson to calculate the right warp field harmonics to open a gateway home." Starwind ordered.

McKay walked right in front of Starwind. "Victor, at long last we meet. Face to face."

Starwind stood up, "I believe I made myself perfectly clear, Doctor Roger McKay."

McKay smiled. "Vic, do you know what this has been? This last week in another universe? A moment in history. Not the first of it's kind, but a rather important one. Because you will return home, and one of us will tell everyone! We are not alone! There are infinite possible dimensions! We have proven the rumors of the 'Mirror Mirror' encounters are true! We have proven wrong a number of decrees by the Vulcan Science Directorate. We have seen things no one would have seen. This is exploring strange new worlds. This is seeking out new life and new civilizations. We, my friends, have boldly ventured into the unknown. We have gone where no one has gone before. And we are not afraid, ladies and gentlemen. We have ushered in a new era for the Federation!"

"Roger, we may have crossed the knoll, but that's all we did. We can't even call this fact. The Federation will stamp 'Classified' on this, make up some story about the loss of the Destiny, and we will be kept quiet, either by choice or by force. This is a secret, like Omega Particles themselves, and it's a secret I agree with. Federation citizens are barely accustomed to their own universe. What's worse is that Starfleet has been busy; the Romulans, the Son'a, the Borg, the Dominion, et cetera. We can't handle an infinite number of these problems. It's too much. Some times there is a good reason to keep things from the people."

McKay stared at Starwind, "You would really hide the truth from your own people?"

"To protect them, yes." Starwind nodded.

"But how is that different from humans hiding knowledge of extraterrestrials after the Roswell incident in the mid-20th century?" McKay glared

"Maybe it's not." Starwind sat down, "And though it's too much to admit it, maybe it's enough to write a holonovel or something, some work of fiction, that shows what happened here. Maybe that's enough to make people believe. And then, in time, the believers will be proven true."

"You're sure?"

"Crossing the knoll is one thing, Doctor, making it a tourist attraction is another." Starwind nodded, "Yes, I'm sure. I'm sure that this is the right thing to do. Only Starfleet Command will know of this past week at all. And someday, in the future, someone will expose the existence of infinite parallel dimensions, and then the Federation will face it's test. But for now, it is my belief that the universe in which we dwell isn't ready. Who knows? In a hundred years, Zeon may consider us nothing more than some legend. The only real evidence of which is the Destiny. But our society isn't ready for this yet. Theirs wasn't. If the door we are about to open were permanent, this universe would be gone too quickly. We have the technology, as dangerous as it is. And that technology must be locked away until it's hour comes round." Starwind paused, "Doctor McKay, please begin calculations to open a trans-dimensional rift back to our reality."

"Yes, Captain Starwind." McKay walked over to the science station.