(Part 3)
Enterprise would soon enter thru Angels Gate. A very odd anomaly... Even among anomalies!
The wormhole glowed in a rainbow of colors that seemed to vibrate... change every few seconds.
As Number One and a few others returned to the bridge, Pike asked Spock to stay a moment,
there in the Ready Room. He had a few thoughts he wanted to share with his Science Officer.
"Yes, Captain... You have a question... Or three?" queried the Vulcan. Also, a friend.
The captain had a bit of a strange facial expression now. 'Unusual' Spock had thought...
"Spock... Since the war with the Romulans ended... and even during it... No human has
ever seen what they actually look like. Is there anything in Vulcan Legends or History
that hints of how they appear in person? Maybe it's not important. But it might be?"
Spock cleared his throat a bit... Pike thought that was a little different: for Spock.
"Well, captain... In our ancient Legends, it is said that they might be distantly related.
But those stories and myths are not held in high regard, with modern Vulcan society.
They might not have any real basis in fact. As a scientist, I only follow facts, Sir."
"Yes... I understand. Just was curious of the Romulans. A 'Human Thing'? But think of it,
Spock. We could be the first of all Starfleet and the Federation of Planets... To see 'Them'!"
###
(Meanwhile, on the bridge of USS Thresher...)
Captain Thomas 'Tommy' Jenkins grew more apprehensive, each long minute.
On his command chair, he received a report now... As the ship went sub-light.
"Captain, the warp core seems to be losing power... It's having odd fluctuations..."
This, from the head engineer onboard... There at his post in Engineering Control.
"Alright... Do whatever you can... To get us back on track... Soon!" replied Jenkins.
Damn... Yet another setback. But then again, it offered the captain some Time...
More time to come up with a measured plan. What to do when/if they found the
stolen Romulan vessel. Still Romulan property, but far outside of the Neutral Zone.
Jenkins took the extra hours soon to go over some ideas with his bright first officer.
###
(Far out and far ahead... On the Romulan ship: 'Vaak-Straya': name means 'The Shining One')
The ship was ultra-fast... And ultra-secret. So, secret that not all of Romulan Command knew
of what this ship, the only one of its kind, could do... Like go thru any wormhole, unharmed.
The Romulan captain consulted alone with the Orion scientists, his Klingon first officer on the bridge.
"Please... Share all you know of our destination planet, that we shall explore... And call 'Home'. Yes!"
Two Orion scientists: a male and his assistant, a female. Another ex-slave onboard. Educated in secret.
The male scientist spoke: "Yes, captain... Our information was obtained at a very high cost. Few know this..."
###
(Enterprise again...)
"Well, here we go..." said Pike, as his ship and crew entered the rainbowed portal of 'Angels Gate'.
Hopefully, they would soon find USS Thresher... and their common Romulan 'quarry' out... Beyond.
(To be continued...)