I am sorry I haven't updated for some time; I have been focusing my attention on a series of short stories which I've published over the course of the last month - one of them was a new take on the Xindi war, like this one, but far more complex.

Oh, I'm going to turn this into a multi crossover story - Star Trek Voyager, Star Trek Discovery, and Stargate Atlantis. Just so you know.

A Different Future Unfolds.

On the monitoring screens of Starfleet Command, Admiral Forrest could not help but begin to agree with the opinions of several of his peers - Jackson was one of those people who believed the more ships that went out into space was the best way to explore the galaxy, but then again he had never truly agreed with the 10-year plan for the NX program, while admirals like Carstairs would have been happier if Starfleet had a much larger military presence.

With the last Xindi attack resulting in the death of 45 million, it was an opinion becoming more widespread, not just in Starfleet itself, but around the entire planet, and after seeing for himself the people being dragged out of the ruins of various cities and the ruined state of Earth as the Xindi Insectoids and the Reptilians continued their attacks.

The good news was the last attack had taken place after the visit of the mysterious time traveller who had visited the admirals during that meeting and so Starfleet had had plenty of time to organise in preparation for the next series of attacks.

On the monitors were high-resolution images from the Pacific and Indian oceans where the new shipyard building operations were going on. Teams had been working around the clock underwater in the various locations in the Pacific and Indian oceans to begin construction of the new NX-class starships. Starfleet was working with the navies of various Earth powers to seek out the best places to begin construction of the ships. As it was given top priority when the news of the Xindi's plans to wipe out the human race, the United Earth government had quickly mobilised and placed the resources they had to the aid of Starfleet.

Many in the United Earth Government had been wary of revealing just how far the Xindi planned to take their war against Earth, but there were thousands more who believed the stakes should be known.

Personally, Forrest believed the more people who knew about the danger, the better. It would make it clear to Earth and the rest of the solar system just how dangerous this whole mess was.

The easiest part had been the setting up of the deep-sea facilities; since Starfleet engineers had the experience and the expertise of working in space, and since astronaut training began in deep waters, it was relatively easy for them to start construction of the dock facilities. The most difficult part for them was constructing the facilities as free-floating structures and making sure there were no ships or submarines that would collide with them while being guarded around the clock.

As if the late Spacedock, the components for the Rigs, as they were called, were being constructed across the entire world in the remaining Starfleet facilities and even a few navies had chipped in to offer their expertise. Metals and other ores were being mined from their colonies in the solar system, where they would be shipped to Earth to become the components and hull plates for the new starships.

Forrest looked around the operations room, thankful that he was on his own without any of his fellow flag officers around. He was enjoying the peace and the quiet - the sounds from the different stations was soothing for him.

"Admiral, Rig 1 is reporting they are nearly ready to begin operations within the next week," one of the Starfleet technicians reported.

Forrest turned around in surprise. "That was quick," he commented. The rigs had been under construction for the past 2 weeks.

"That's what happens when so many people pitch in around the clock, sir," the technician grinned at him, although it was marred by a look of melancholy. "Anyway, they're preparing to test their equipment to start construction of their first ship."

"Good. Tell them to begin as soon as they've finished their trials. What about the other Rigs?"

"Rigs 2, 4, and 5 and 8 are nearly finished."

"What's wrong with the others?"

The technician checked and sighed. "Rig 3 is finishing up two of their docks; they should be done in the next few days. 6 and 7 are having problems with their life support systems. Bear in mind they were built in a hurry."

Forrest knew that was an understatement. When that ensign, now a lieutenant, suggested in the aftermath of the last Xindi attack to move all of the building operations under the sea after Spacedock was destroyed, Starfleet had needed to work really hard to construct the rig platforms to build up their new NX class ships to fight off the Xindi. The Rigs were well designed, thanks to the work of deep-sea engineers who worked for deep-sea exploration organisations, and Starfleet engineers had pitched in as well as part of the joint efforts to keep the human race safe. But while they were well designed, it was painfully obvious they had been built in a hurry.

It was also just as obvious no-one in Starfleet fully expected the rig platforms to continue churning out ships when the Xindi crisis was over. It was expected the Spacedock facilities would be rebuilt and next time, there would be more of the space stations in orbit above Earth and several other planets and bodies in the solar system, churning out ships every month. If it was over and if it meant the human race was still alive, that was.

"Make a note; the rigs are to be finished as soon as possible. In the meantime make sure the trials are done quickly but carefully. We don't want any accidents at this stage," Forrest ordered.

"Aye, sir."

"Admiral, we're getting a message from Enterprise; they say they'll be back in another 4 days."

For Forrest that was the best news he'd heard so far. "Good. What's the status of the defence grids?"

"The second batch is already being constructed on Earth, the moon, Mars, and on the asteroid complexes. There's just a lot of testing with the new weapons and computer systems."

Forrest knew that already. The time traveller, Noys Lambent, had uploaded a huge amount of advanced technical data to Starfleet R&D as well as the main Starfleet computers, and a few networks outside of Starfleet so they couldn't control the flow of information, and while some of it was well within their current abilities - some of the technologies were at least 10,30 years ahead of what they had already, there were others whose principles were 200 years ahead of where Starfleet was now.

The good news was Lambent - why the woman had chosen to be named after one of the characters in Isaac Asimov's The End of Eternity, Forrest didn't have a clue - had given them How-To guides for constructing shields, advanced transporters, and weapons and how to understand them; one of the most complicated weapon systems was some kind of energy-dampening weapon which the files indicated had been used in a war 200 years from now. She had also done the same with warp engines and more sophisticated engine technologies.

Now all they needed to do was study it enough and understand it.

"The fighter squadrons?" Forrest asked when he privately made a note to check on the research teams who were dissecting the files every day to understand them to focus on a new side of the headache.

"The prototypes are finished. They're being tested, but finding decent pilots and testing them is going to be hard; it doesn't help fighter pilots with experience of space combat are rare," the technician added.

"Yeah, well we never expected we might need them," Forrest pointed out, privately thinking it was tragic there were not fighter pilots who survived the last world war. While their experience was a century old, their insights would have been incredibly useful. However there was nothing that could be done, all they could do was simply send pilots out to do their best. "The sensor grid?"

Part of the files sent to the database thanks to Noys Lambent contained information about the subspace wormholes used by the Xindi, containing a massive amount of data that even their best sensor scans hadn't been able to touch. The first time the Xindi opened a vortex to Earth, Starfleet had only collected a shadow of the anomaly, but the second attack had taken the planet and Starfleet by surprise.

The smile on the technicians' face brightened up Forrest's day, and he knew he was going to receive good news here. "It's up and running."

Another technician seemed less content. "The only downside, sir, is we don't know for sure how good it will be."

Forrest's smile dimmed. Why was it so many people were determined to throw up negative waves? Still, he could see the point. "Well, we'll see when the Xindi come back, and boy I hope they don't right at this point. How is it going with the mothball yards?"

Calling them 'yards' was a mistake since there were only a few dozen ships there, but that was the official name for them.

"We've managed to reactivate the ships. The trouble is bringing them up to modern specs is hard; some of the technology we're using is 30 years more advanced than anything they're capable of handling."

"Nothing we can do about that. What about our other ships?"

"They're currently deployed around the solar system, sir. Some of them are being modified with the latest weapons and sensors."

Forrest licked his lips. "What about the shipyards at Utopia Planitia and on the surface of the moon?"

The shipyards of Utopia Planitia had been built years ago and luckily the Xindi had so far left them alone. They were dedicated to the construction of older starship models, but right now they needed every single ship capable of protecting Earth. Several of them were now being given the NX-class plans with orders to construct them as quickly as possible while Earth's oceans did their part in the production line.

"They're operating at full capacity, sir. Already the Utopia Planitia yards have built 20 new ships in a short period of time. Admiral," the technician suddenly looked unsure of himself, "do you think we'll have enough ships built by the time the Xindi attack again?"

Forrest wished he could answer that question, but so many things were happening, some of them behind closed doors. The shipyards were churning out older models of starships every day; small ships, capable of speeds of up to warp 1, 2 at the most, armed with the new spatial torpedo models which were being prepared alongside the new photonic weapons before the new photon and quantum and plasma torpedo models supplied by Noys Lambent appeared while the new NX class fleet was being built in bulk.

It seemed the time traveller who was 'helping them' since there was little doubt they were being played like pawns on a chessboard crossed over with other realities which made Forrest's headache really badly at the thought of dozens of other realities that were likely the same as the one he was currently in but somehow different in a tiny, almost insignificant way had somehow learnt of Enterprise's encounter with that automated station, because she had provided plans for the construction of something similar, but one which used ordinary computers contained within a linked network.

She had even dropped little hints to say they should concentrate on the construction of that for the building of their fleet, but Starfleet Command hadn't swallowed the idea yet even though an automated factory complex would really cut down on their current staff shortages… but somehow Forrest knew they would begin constructing them.

They didn't have much choice.

With the number of shipyards under construction right now, Starfleet's manpower was stretched thin. It would only take one accident…

That was why the automated plants looked more and more appealing. Something told Forrest there would be one under construction soon, or more accurately automated factories would be installed in pre-existing shipyards to make life easier. He himself had pushed for that to make life easier for the workers currently working flat out trying to construct more and more ships at a time. That little idea had been dropped in beforehand, and it was appearing appealing every day.

"I hope so," Forrest whispered.

Optimism was good and all, but they needed to be ready.

Speaking of which. ..

"Transporter mines?"

The technician looked down at his board. "The transporters themselves are finished, sir. But the mines need time to be finished. Production is now at maximum now the tests into the quantum torpedoes have been finished."

"I'm not surprised. The idea only came a few days ago."

The transporter mines were designed to buy them time, but it was a new idea that solved a set of problems since this whole mess began. Mines were good, but they were fraught with problems. Earth could deploy a full minefield around Earth, but that was dangerous since they could lose some of their own ships in accidental explosions. One ship going near a mine, next minute….BOOM!

Luckily the solution was easy; simply construct several large, industrial transporters linked to armouries which beamed large amounts of explosives into space near where a Xindi vortex was opening up, and then…..BANG! The Xindi were dead or crippled. Forrest knew several admirals who'd suggested it wanted the opportunity to steal Xindi technology and learn how to integrate it into human technology, while they also learnt about the metals and alloys of Xindi hardware and the way the technology was designed. The original probe was currently being dissected but there was nothing there, just a few pieces of half-melted metal from where the probe had hit the atmosphere.

Personally, Forrest hoped the transporter mines worked. They were being constructed in other parts of the solar system as well, to make life difficult for the Xindi when they came back for more. But Earth was simply not ready; they didn't have large numbers of ships, and they needed time to get the industrial facilities ready for the automation process. The more Xindi ships they destroyed, the easier it would be to buy them some time to study the weapons Lambent had given them.

"Excuse me, Admiral Forrest," one of his aides walked over to him.

Forrest turned. Oh no, what now? He wondered to himself when he caught sight of the aide's look and he knew it was not good news.

"What is it?" He asked hesitantly, wondering if there had been some kind of accident, or the casualty reports had been readdressed again...

"Ambassador Soval and other Vulcan ambassadors are currently in the Admiralty council room, sir. The admirals are waiting for your arrival," the aide said.

Forest closed his eyes. The Vulcans had spent the last few days watching worriedly as Starfleet began slowly but surely and methodically fortifying their solar system, introducing new technologies like forcefields and even holograms as part of their defence and communications strategies, but they were also paying particular attention to the weapons being tested, on Earth or in other parts of the home system. "Tell them I'll be there," he ordered.

He didn't want to go.

He didn't really want to say anything to the Vulcans right now. And he knew he spoke for 97% of Starfleet personnel, given how the Vulcans had done very little to help them with this mess. But he didn't want to hear the arrogance of the Vulcans, not while human civilisation was on a knife-edge.

X

"Admirals, we have been monitoring your defence strategy in the face of these attacks," Soval began slowly, while he stood in his thoughtful poise.

I bet you have, Carstairs thought to himself with irritation, hoping the Vulcan came to the point; he needed to inspect the transporter mine production soon, and he also wanted to see for himself the progress of the shipyards.

"And what have you found, Ambassador?" Carstairs had to admire Kirk for that delivery. It was more diplomatic than what he would have said, personally.

"We are concerned with the production of weapons and sensor technologies which is clearly more sophisticated than your current level," Soval said carefully, clearly knowing that the wrong word could set off an argument. "Many Vulcans are concerned you could become, as your people say trigger happy with Vulcan ships."

While the concern seemed valid, Carstairs wondered if the ambassador was sincere or just paranoid that this could signify the human race returning to their roots of arrogance and petty destruction.

"Ambassador, we all value the alliance between our peoples. We have no intention of harming you, and many of us still remember how your ship was able to shoot down a few Xindi warships when they returned. No, our quarrel is with them," Commodore Kirk said.

"The Xindi have been told lies about us - we're still not sure what they've been told, and by whom, so please don't ask. All we know is they plan to destroy our race and our civilisation. The fact 45 million of us is dead only reinforces the need for us to produce these defences and our new weapons. If we don't…everything we are, everything we have, will be wiped out forever. We cannot and will not allow that to happen," Carstairs put in.

Soval nodded. "I understand your point of view. However, many in the Vulcan High Command are…concerned about the source of these new technologies."

Forrest exchanged uncertain looks with the other admirals and commodores who were taking part in the meeting. "Ambassador, it was not our intention to make your people uncomfortable. Our people have had disagreements over the years but we have always valued Vulcan aid and advice. But right now we have to safeguard our civilisation."

"We understand. I believe you have heard who is behind these attacks?"

It was a question where Soval knew the answer only too well, he was merely seeking information.

Forrest shared another look with the others and they didn't seem interested in keeping this secret. "We do. They're a race called the Xindi; they occupy the Delphic Expanse."

It wasn't often humans had the opportunity to see a Vulcan stunned into silence. The fact the Vulcan ambassador assigned to Earth stunned as well as his aides and fellow ambassadors were one the admirals would cherish for a long time. "How do you know about the Delphic Expanse?" A female ambassador demanded.

"We're not entirely sure of the source - they have some kind of agenda, but because of the situation we're currently in, it been decided to give them the benefit of the doubt for the time behind - but they gave us a great deal of information about the Xindi. We know that they once occupied a planet, evolving into 6 separate subspecies - Aquatic, Insectoid, Arboreal or Sloth, depending on your point of view, Avian and Aquatic and Primate. The Avians became extinct when their world was destroyed during a period of infighting. An alien race helped them recover, and they gained a lot of influence among the Xindi. It was their word that made them attack us."

"These aliens have told the Xindi we plan to destroy their world when we encounter them," Admiral Leonard added.

"Why would they think you would do that?" The Vulcans were genuinely surprised by this news, although they didn't show it.

Forrest shook his head in genuine disgust over the matter. "I don't know, none of us does. All we know is its cost the lives of millions of humans, and the fact we've had to look to the bigger picture."

"What do you plan to do?"

Admiral Jackson stood up. "At the moment we plan to build up our strength and repel any further attacks. We are also preparing for a diplomatic solution to this problem."

Soval nodded. "I see, do you require aid?"

"That would be kind and appreciated, Ambassador. In any case with a neutral alien race speaking for us on our behalf, it might show the Xindi we have no plans on being a threat to them," Admiral Ivanova privately wondered how the Vulcans would react when they learnt of the time-travel bit.

"Ambassador, we have been discussing this matter for a while, and we need the help of your people. We want your help."

Instantly Soval held up a hand in refusal. "I'm afraid it is not our policy to get involved in the conflicts of other worlds-."

"We don't mean it in that way, Ambassador. We have several plans in mind, but our problem is in its execution."

"What is it you require?" Soval asked curiously.

"We need help finding and setting up worlds as colonies. We know the Xindi plan to exterminate us, but we want to ensure our culture and our people survive in some shape or form."

Soval nodded. "And you wish for us to help you relocate some of your people to a new world to colonise," he completed.

Nobody was surprised by the Vulcan's grasp of what they wanted. The conclusion itself was relatively easy to come to.

"Yes," Admiral Carstairs said.

"That is…plausible," one of the Vulcans agreed. "However the High Command might still refuse it, it is not our policy to involve ourselves in the conflicts of others."

Everyone knew that was a lie. When Ambassador V'Lar's involvement with the Mazarite business where the Vulcans had been asked for help in exposing the corrupt criminals who'd infiltrated their government, the Vulcans had gotten involved. But this was on a totally different level.

"Ambassador, we're not asking you to fire a shot on our behalf. We just wish for your aid to ensure our people survive. We may have learnt some things about the Xindi, but we don't know what other lies they've been told about us. We know they plan to come back and exterminate us, but when we don't know when. They only know we will destroy their world. But until now we'd only been content with exploring the galaxy and expanding our knowledge," Leonard said.

"We're willing to give you something in return," Jackson said.

"Such as?" Was that interest in the Vulcans' voice.

"We've recently come across a cache of knowledge of warp theories and other technologies. We're willing to part with some of it in return for your assistance," Jackson said, knowing the other admirals were not going to be happy with how he had taken the law into his own hands over a matter they'd been discussing beforehand, but in his eyes, this whole mess made such considerations irrelevant. They needed to ensure the human race had colonies too far from Earth for the Xindi to find them in case their contingency plans failed.

"I see," Soval sounded intrigued. "Very well, I shall take your request to the High Command. They will have to make a final decision, however, since the nature of your request is for aid, I see no reason why they shouldn't help you."

X

Jonathan Archer was shocked by how much had changed on Earth over the last few weeks since the original Xindi attack. The main attack caused by the Xindi probe had been bad enough, but the subsequent attacks had resulted in heavier casualties than Archer and his crew had imagined.

Archer had been left stunned by the return of Silik and Future Guy. The time traveller had told him precisely what was happening although he had already known about it, what he hadn't known was that Future Guy was well informed enough to tell him the Xindi and United Earth, on the whole, were being manipulated and aided by other time travellers.

Forest had told him since then about Noys Lambent's surprise visit and the information she had given to Starfleet. Archer was left worried about what the long term consequences were likely to be, but if Noys didn't have anything to do with the Xindi being urged to launch one vicious assault after another, Archer would be really surprised.

He had relayed his thoughts to Forrest and while the admiral was as suspicious as he was, there was little that could be done about it. Starfleet Command had already issued the order for the reverse engineering of the knowledge Lambent had given to them.

They had known about the planetary defence satellites that were being deployed throughout the solar system, armed to the teeth with beam weapons and ultra-sensitive sensors for detecting the next anomaly the Xindi used for interstellar travel - how they had come across a way to do that, Archer didn't have a clue; he knew how good Starfleet engineers were, but this was taking the cake.

But seeing was believing; Jonathan knew it and now Duras knew about it.

The moment Enterprise returned to the Sol system, the ship was attacked by the vengeful Klingon. Archer wondered what it said about a species they would choose violence - war, revenge, conquest masked by some kind of twisted honour they would just not leave things alone. Unfortunately, Duras's arrogance and Ahab-like desire for revenge had clouded his reality.

Duras's ship had managed to get a few lucky shots against Enterprise, overwhelming the NX-class starship's defences without much trouble before a small fleet of the surviving Starfleet ships which had miraculously survived the Xindi attacks had rushed to the rescue of the NX class ship. But that was nothing compared to the unexpected arrival of four starships, two of which were clearly Earth ships from a different era, and two alien ships appeared just as Earth's defence satellites turned on and started hammering the Klingon Bird Of Prey. The futuristic starships opened fire as well despite Malcolm telling them there were no lifeforms on any of the ships. One of the ships, which looked kinda like a scarab beetle, hammered Duras's Bird Of Prey with a phased polaron beam weapon which crippled Duras's ship before a strangely symmetrically shaped ship fired some kind of energy dampening weapon. After that, the other ships had destroyed the Bird Of Prey.

Duras had been destroyed, and a holographic form of Noys Lambent had appeared on Earth and on Enterprise's bridge to tell them she had brought them gifts combined with the leftover Borg technology and the database Daniels had left behind to help with Earth's battle against the Xindi.

As he walked into Forrest's office after seeing for himself the devastation San Francisco had taken along with other cities across the planet, Archer found that Admiral Forrest was by himself. Good. He wasn't in the mood to talk with other members of the admiralty right now. He had already parted ways with the Borg hardware and the Temporal Observatory, and he was dreading what the consequences of Starfleet possessing either technology would be.

"Admiral," he greeted.

Forrest stood up. Archer was horrified by how weary the older man was, and he cursed the crisis for what it was doing to Earth. He had already seen enough to see a more militaristic side of Starfleet come out after a century of peace, and he couldn't help but wonder if this was what the time traveller wanted. Well, he would tell his old friend and mentor that in a moment.

"Jon, it's good to have you back," Forrest rubbed his eyes tiredly. "You'd better have a seat."

"Thanks," Archer sat down.

"Wanna drink?"

"Er, yes. Please."

"Water? Coffee? Tea?"

Archer would have preferred something stronger, and he could tell his friend was the same. "Water, please." The simpler the better. Forrest handed him a glass of chilled water and he poured himself a glass. "I saw the defence satellites," he said.

"I know. Believe me, I wish we didn't need them, but unfortunately, whether we like it or not, we're at war. Now, what happened with this Future Guy and the Suliban?" Forrest asked.

"He wanted to tell me about the Xindi; he wasn't really surprised I already knew, but he warned me of time travellers helping Earth," Archer observed.

Forrest looked down at his hands. "I don't trust her either, Jon. When she appeared she worried me enough with her presence and how she isolated me and the other admirals from everyone else - long story - but what worried me the most was how she claimed the Xindi were being told by other time travellers than the ones who'd told them we were going to destroy their world to attack us."

Archer quickly realised what he was saying. "You think she or some other traveller is giving the Xindi advice deliberately?"

"Would it surprise you?"

"No," Archer thought about how he had been manipulated over the last two years. While it might be unfair, he had nothing but bad experiences with time travellers. Why should this case be different? "But I can't see any way we can do anything about it, can you?"

"Not really. I've already told the Command Council of my concerns and feelings, and they agree with them, thank god. Unfortunately, with the Xindi attacks, and the loss of so many people, we can't throw what she has given us."

Archer sighed. He had known that would happen, of course. One of the reasons he had always been worried about United Earth gaining access to time travel or the knowledge of the Temporal Observatory was because this might happen. Well, Pandora's Box had been opened. Who knew what the repercussions would be, even with Trip being so sure time travel had diverged the timelines, even accidentally?

Besides, there was no denying the fact without humanity having that knowledge the Xindi would be pummelling them down to the stone age.

"Jon, when you kept the observatory a secret, did you feel…odd when you decided to announce it?" Forrest suddenly asked, looking at him with concern. Instantly Archer was worried. "Why do you ask?" Suddenly Archer sat up as the reason occurred to him, his eyes spitting fire. "What did they do to my mind?"

Forrest didn't bother to hide it. "Noys Lambent told us she's changed the timeline slightly so you would reveal the existence of the Observatory, Jon."

Archer's face went pale. "Please tell me that's what made this whole mess worse than what it should be," he begged.

"I don't know, Jon. I really don't. I'm sorry."

Archer had to close his eyes to maintain his self-control so he didn't scream and lash out at his friend. But his mind was spinning and shaken by the revelation. While he personally believed time travel itself wasn't evil, he was starting to believe the people who used it was. His own instances of time travel had shown him how…. Interesting things were from a past or future perspective; he still wondered to this day, what if time travel had appeared to him before he had boarded Enterprise and he saw the future, say a few weeks? Would he see new advances? Meet children who hadn't been born from his own point in the past?

But right now he wondered if time travel had allowed people to how a form of manipulation that was beyond horrific. He wasn't surprised a time traveller had manipulated him, but if that same time traveller had anything to do with the Xindi…

Not for the first time, Archer wished he could summon Daniels and get the irritating idiot to tell him what the hell was going on.

Archer took a deep breath. There was nothing that they could do. All they could do was see about seeing humanity through this mess, but what he really wanted to do was confront Noys Lambent, and get some straight answers from her.

But would she even admit to her crimes?

Archer doubted it. Daniels had kept important information to himself about Archer's so-called destiny, but would Noys Lambent even care, especially since she was crossing who knew how many lines time travellers had set up to prevent the past getting their hands on pieces of advanced technologies?

"How much did she tell you?"

"Noys Lambent? About the future or the Xindi?"

"All of it. I need to know what she did and said."

"She implied you would take Enterprise into the expanse where the Xindi live while we waited, but at the same time we didn't accelerate the construction of new ships and build new weapons to defend Earth," Forrest replied.

"She sounds like she wants Earth to develop to a greater extent than we would have done otherwise," Archer commented, remembering his own encounters with the Suliban.

The Cabal had no patience with natural or progressive evolution in terms of biology or technology. Thanks to Future Guy, the Cabal members had been twisted by genetic manipulation and now they were capable of doing things natural-born Suliban just could not do on their own. Their technology was also advanced. Was that what was happening? It worried him that Noys Lambent was trying to recreate the Suliban in humanity's image. The idea was horrifying enough, but the implications they were going along with it worried him.

"Or wanted. Word of the time traveller is getting out; we think she is deliberately hacking our security to pass the information on," Forrest went on.

"Oh no," Archer needed to take another sip of his water-cool his mind down enough for him to work out what the consequences of that would be. "That means they'll likely be a massive rush to learn how time travel works. That will just make things worse."

"I know."

Archer closed his eyes again. "What can we do about it?"

"Not a lot. In any case, right now many people just assume time travellers are coming back in time to help us avert the Xindi war. And many in the government are reluctant to tell them the truth. Right now celebrations are going on despite the devastation in the cities over the arrival of the ships," Forrest told him.

"What do we know about them?"

"According to the information sent to us from Noys, one of the ships," Forrest tapped an icon on a padd and the monitor turned on and showed one of the ships, "this is the USS Defiant. She's a….A constitution-class starship from the 23rd century."

Archer squinted at the image. In some ways it was like looking at his own ship - the Defiant was large, of course, but the saucer and engineering hull and the nacelles were familiar. "I think I've seen that before in the Temporal Observatory."

"Yeah, well, according to this file Noys Lambent sent us, the Defiant comes from an altered version of the timeline where Enterprise would be sent to the Expanse without any kind of support from us. As a result, everything in that timeline is changed. The file also went on to claim this ship had been falling into a parallel universe where Earth was the centre of a brutal interstellar empire known as the Terran Empire, a fascistic state which only rose to power because the T'Plana Hath crew were murdered, allowing the Terran access to Vulcan technology. Once they had that they began a massive research and development program to take the Terran Empire into space, where they conquered world after world, subjugating one race after another or bombing them into oblivion," Forrest said grimly.

"What?" Archer whispered in horror as he gazed at his friend. Archer knew better than most how the Vulcans had held them back, but he also knew how easy it would have been for Cochrane or any of the others in Montana to kill and overpower the Vulcans. But they hadn't done it. To learn there was a parallel world where it had happened was shocking.

I might have, may have, a few issues with Vulcans…but to do that to them- What kind of power did the humans of that reality have to do that to them?

Forrest's own expression was just as disturbed. "You heard me right, Jon. The file doesn't make it clear what Defiant was doing before this happened, but Noys Lambent made it clear she has changed the history of this universe, maybe for the better or the worse. She doesn't care either. She wrote that herself."

"I bet she doesn't. The idea of that ship from a later century in their hands… if they could conquer a small number of worlds with a simple Vulcan scout ship, what would they do with that? What about the other ships?" Archer asked, hoping to get this over with.

"Well, the second Earth ship is called Voyager," Forrest said, tapping the icon again and reading off of the padd. "She's from the 24th century."

As Archer listened to the admiral, taking in Voyager's more aerodynamic ship with the curious and small nacelles located at the back of the secondary hull he wondered why Noys Lambent had chosen this ship.