Captain Kirk glared at the self styled 'Guardians of Forever" defiantly. The luminous beings had gathered around him and his second in command, Mr. Spock in the main plaza of their strange ancient, and ruined city.
Kirk gnashed his teeth and opened his mouth to protest. Crewman Beckwith, that murderous criminal, must be caught! Kirk paused and took a deep breath, something about them; something about their enigmatic character, made him pause to think the situation through more carefully.
"We are the Guardians of Forever, all times, all places are open to us," The chorus of deep voices, like temple bells echoed through the streets. The slender beings stood wreathed in flowing robes suffused with a glowing nimbus of light. Kirk could hear their voices resonate in his skull, but saw no evidence of the locomotion's of speech on their impassive faces.
"Fascinating," Spock breathed. He turned, "Captain, this would explain Crewman Beckwith's disappearance. If these beings truly have that power he could conceivably be anywhere, in any time period."
Mr. Spock continued to record all that transpired on his bulky tricorder device that he slung around his neck on a carrying strap like an ancient terran purse.
"I am tired of these 'elder beings' controlling us, meddling in our fates," Kirk grumbled to his second in command.
The Federation officer set his jaw and glared at the so-called 'omnipotent' beings, "I don't care how difficult it is, whether it's against your by-laws, of how much I may offend your philosophy; you send us after Beckwith! Nobody defames the Enterprise and Starfleet. Nobody murders a member of my crew."
Spock interjected, "Captain, logic dictates that we establish a means to return before we embark on this mission."
The luminous strangers spoke again, "you must choose to step forward now or return to your vessel."
Kirk glanced to his companion, "Spock?"
"We must assume that they mean what they say Captain. To delay means the we will lose any hope of catching Beckwith or undoing any damage that eh does in his new location."
Captain Kirk's communicator chirped as he flipped it open.
"Kirk to Enterprise, Mr. Sulu, do you read?"
"Yes Captain we read you," Sulu replied.
"Has there been any temporal distortion within sensor range since Beckwith beamed to the planet's surface?"
Sulu's voice returned after a short pause, "negative Captain."
"Good work Mr. Sulu. Wait a moment," he turned to his second in command, "Spock prepare to send all relevant data from your tricorder to the Enterprise."
"Aye, Captain."
Kirk took a deep breath and squared his shoulders, "Can we assume that Beckwith has not gone back in time then?"
Spock raised an eyebrow, "Interesting premise Captain, it would stand to reason that if Beckwith had gone into the past, any changes to out timeline would have caught up to us instantly. Thus our perceptions would be altered as well, and none of us would be able to discern the changes. The new reality would seem perfectly normal to us."
"We can't afford to philosophize about this Spock, even if Earth's timeline is safe, he could be doing damage somewhere else, or even in the future!" Kirk tossed his head and brought the communicator back to his lips.
"Mr. Sulu?"
"Yes, Captain?" The basso voice of his helmsman came back within moments.
"Prepare to receive a data transmission from Spock's tricorder. This is everything we have on this planet, the guardians, and their offer. I expect you to include all the information on Beckwith's alleged crimes, the murder of Ensign Lebeque and his dealing in the highly illegal 'jewels of sound'. If we don't return in eight hours break orbit and return to Starbase 113."
"Aye, Captain," Sulu replied, "transmission received."
"Good luck, Kirk out," he flipped his communicator closed then turned to Commander Spock, "Are you ready?"
"Of course Captain. Shall we?" The Vulcan gestured towards the center of the circle of guardians.
They strode forward and with a building white light vanished.
Two humans sat drinking refreshments in silence. A silver protocol droid moved jerkily to refill their cups and to serve pastries.
What is thy bidding, my master? Senator Palpatine of Naboo sipped placidly at his drink and inclined his head slightly to the older and more powerful of the pair.
"More tea sir?" the droid asked.
The older man lifted a claw like hand from within his voluminous black robes and waved the mechanical servant away.
Have you allowed the Jedi master Sifo Dyas to learn of the looming threat to the Republic? The old man returned to his brooding, slumped motionless in his seat.
Yes master, he is one of the few Jedi that knows the worlds of economics and galactic geopolitics. He believes completely that civil war is now inevitable. The representative to the galactic senate from the idyllic planet of Naboo smiled and set his cup down with a small motion of his hand rather than use his considerable talents of with the Force. His master may not approve of such a trivial use of the power of the force.
And you have left a trail for him to follow? His master asked silently.
Yes my master, he should be at Kamino now to sign the agreement, and will soon after that, meet his destiny.
Excellent, you have done well my pupil. Now, leave me. Go tot eh bridge and command the Nemoidians to set a course for Geonosis. I have dealings there. Also, bring me one of the slaves, I desire nourishment.
Palpatine kept his smile rigidly in place and rose with a soft rush of his senatorial robes, the only sound in the chamber besides their soft breathing. He used his powers with the Dark side of the force to subtly cloud his master's perceptions, allowing him to hear only those thoughts that Palpatine wished.
As you command my master. Soon the republic will be plunged in to chaos and our time will come.
Darth Plagueis moved his head slightly to follow his protégé around the table and to the door. He gave a mental grumble. Your thoughts betray you Darth Sidious. Be mindful of your pride and zeal. I too was once like you, the through the long centuries I have learned great patience, a lesson you would do well to learn
Yes my master. (If you would only teach me the secrets of immortality your miserable existence would already be at an end, you sermonizing old fool!)
Darth Sidious, or Seantor Palpatine to his friends, bowed low and backed out ot the room. He waited motionless for the door to close completely.
(You will learn another lesson master, to your very great displeasure, once Jedi Master Sifo Dyas returns with the bounty hunter it will be you who will face his wrath, not I. A dry old man will be no match for this young warrior, and then, I, Darth Sidious, will be the Sith Lord.)
Palpatines musing were cut short. He sensed a small disturbance in the force in a distant part of the ship. He glanced in that direction and then quickly back at the door to sense his master's awareness. He felt his master reach out, probe the disturbance briefly, then return to his endless, life sustaining, meditations.
Sidious stifled his sense of relief, and then probed the disturbance himself. It was two beings, one human, and a boiling cauldron of emotions, held in check but very powerful. The other was human-like but cold and emotion-less.
"Interesting," Palpatine murmured, "Droid, inform security of two intruders in section 43, engineering deck, and both humanoid. Suggest that they be detained. We should not have violence if it can be avoided."