Chapter 2

2381

The day of the Hyper-Subspace transport test.

The Daystrom Institute, Earth.

"Shut down the MIDAS array!" Reg shouted over the chaos, his grip on her hand becoming more tenuous. "Shut it down now!" his eyes met hers as her hand slipped from his. "NO!" he screamed as she vanished into the void a fraction of a second before the link was severed and he dropped to the floor, his body shaking with wracking sobs. The room was silent apart from that sound for several minutes as they all stood in shock, processing the situation.

"Daystrom this is the Enterprise. Do you have Commander's Data and La Forge?" A transmission came over the com channel. "Come in Daystrom." It was Picard's voice.

Admiral Janeway broke the silence and responded. "Captain Picard this is Admiral Janeway. We don't have them, do you have Professor Barclay?"

"Negative Admiral. We'll analyze our sensor data and get back to you shortly."

"We'll do likewise Captain. Daystrom out."

"Reg." Dan whispered. "Reg? REG, for God's sake LISTEN!?" he shouted. "I got chroniton readings from the cylinder before we broke the link. Chronitons."

Reg sniffed and looked up. "So what?" he wailed. "She's gone, she's dead, floating somewhere in space." he sobbed. "What does when matter?"

"That felt like suction from a vortex of some sort, not decompression Reg." Janeway told him.

"I tracked her combadge up to the shutdown." Barsha stated, examining her readout. "It happened fast but I believe she exited on this planet."

"I think they may be right Reg." Admiral Janeway stated, looking at their consoles. "I think you built a time machine."

"Mr Barclay?" Admiral Paris moved closer as Reg was still unresponsive. "I know how it feels to lose a wife son." he put his hand on his shoulder, "If there's a chance she's alive, you have to grab it." Reg nodded. "Because there are few of us who get that opportunity."

"Okay, okay you're right." he sniffed. "The Enterprise lost Data and La Forge?" Reg asked and wiped his eyes on his sleeve. "Did I hear right that there was a ship in the Bajoran wormhole?" He stood and began to pace.

"That's what La Forge said but the transmission broke up." Janeway replied.

"If you were in a wormhole, and it went unstable, what would you do?" he asked Janeway still sniffing.

She looked at the others in the room. "I'd try and break out, hope the shearing force did less damage than the collapsing wormhole."

"Right, but we're talking about two intersecting wormholes." Reg stated.

"I don't see what you're driving at Reg?" Pete asked.

"We formed a…a subspace nexus maybe? Temporal mechanics aren't really my field." Reg suggested.

"It's feasible," Admiral Janeway reasoned. "I'm sorry, I don't know your names… Apart from Dan, everyone knows him." she smirked.

"Barsha." the Grey Orion nodded in greeting.

"The Doctor's Barsha?" Janeway asked and got a nod. "Don't take this the wrong way but I expected you to be green."

"So do most people when they hear I'm Orion." Barsha smiled, her cybernetic eyes glinting.

"David Barclay, Admiral." the young man stated.

"Any relation?"

"Step-brother." Reg said distractedly. David hated the fact he had his father's surname and planned to change it to Prior, but chose Barclay after their parents got married. "And Taryn's cousin."

"Keeping it in the family eh Reg?" Janeway stated. "Okay, Mr Barclay the younger, you were monitoring the subspace corridor?"

"Yes Admiral. I widened the sensor field when I noticed activity in the wormhole." he replied.

"I'm glad to see initiative runs in the family. Let's have a look?" Janeway stated.

"Dear God." Admiral Paris stated.

"I'd call that a nexus alright," Janeway breathed, "but it doesn't make any sense."

Red looked at the screen with a frown and turned his head sideways. "No it doesn't." The image showed two intersecting wormholes. One large, clearly the Bajoran wormhole, one narrow, the one they had created but instead of four openings to the anomaly and one tear, there were another two branches heading away from the nexus on a perfect parallel course in a straight line, one larger than the other that was very close to their end of the singularity. "I was expecting maybe a partial wormhole caused by the ship, but…" he looked at Barsha. "Can you overlay the telemetry from Taryn's combadge please?"

They watched as a line followed the path of the micro-singularity, then it changed course and came back along the new narrow passageway.

"Where does her signal terminate?" Pete asked.

"London, Highgate Semetary." Admiral Paris stated looking at the readout. Reg blanched, hoping it wasn't an omen.

"She's not there now. As soon as the link was severed we lost her signal." Barsha stated.

"Because we were connected to another time perhaps?" Janeway theorized.

"Do we know where the larger branch terminates?" Reg asked.

"Space, somewhere in the Sol System." David stated. "I can't be more specific."

"Did we pick up any other combadges in transit?" Reg asked.

"No, I locked on to both of yours when I thought…" Barsha stopped.

Reg nodded. "Dan," Reg started, "where did the test cylinder go?"

"I have the telemetry. Overlaying it now." Dan replied and the line travelled from the other end of the micro-wormhole and also terminated at Highgate Cemetery.

"Did it pick up anything other than chroniton particles?" Janeway asked.

"The stress messed up a lot of its readings Admiral. Its positron emissions spiked, so did its mass."

Reg looked up. "How much mass? 100 kilos or so?"

"About that…" Dan froze. "Data." he realized. "It picked up Data but read him as part of itself."

"So whenever they are, they're probably all together." Pete reasoned.

"Maybe the Prophets spat them out?" David whispered.

"What did you say?" Janeway snapped.

"I'm sorry Admiral, I spoke out of turn." the young man apologized.

"No son, you may be right." Admiral Paris stated. "We can't rule out the possibility that the wormhole aliens intervened in some way. I'm no expert on subspace phenomena but that corridor looks artificial to me."

"Let's get a com channel to the Enterprise." Janeway ordered. "We need to see any sensor logs they have from the event and share what we have." She placed her hand on Reg's shoulder. "We'll find a way to get them back."

"Get them back? How?" Pete asked.

"We got close to Hyper-subspace beaming with one transporter on the simulations but we lost the signal because it was just too far." Reg explained. "If we can recreate the subspace nexus all three of them are wearing combadges. We should get a lock."

"Yes, but we'll have to resolve the time differential." Janeway stated. "We need at least some idea of when."

"Time travel…" Reg whispered. "I need to go home and get something. Can I use someone's authority to direct transport from Daystrom station and back?" he asked.

"Take your pick." Janeway stated and Paris nodded.

"Thank you" he flapped. "If the nursery calls while I'm gone can you handle it David?" he asked as he left the room.

"Of course." David replied and began transmitting the telemetry.

"So tell me son, how far did you get at the Academy?" Admiral Paris asked him.

"Sir?" David replied.

"You carry yourself like a cadet, I'm guessing Upperclassman." Janeway arched a brow. "What happened?"

"There was a family situation." David replied.

"I see." she replied.

"With all due respect Admiral, you don't." David stated.

"Maybe not, but I know you wouldn't be here if you weren't bright, and Reg must trust you if he leaves you as contact for his children." she smiled. "He doesn't trust easily."

"I know how easy it is to get off track, and how hard it can be to find your way again. It took my son seven years in the Delta Quadrant to find the right path." Admiral Paris smiled. "If you ever need a reference to rejoin the Academy and don't want to ask your Uncle Iestyn just let me know."

"Thank you sir." David replied with a smile.

Reg returned to the lab carrying a large painting. He rested it on the console and looked at it carefully.

"Reg, is there a reason why you you've brought a boudoir painting of your wife in to show us? Aside from bragging rights?" Pete asked as they all stood around it with arched brows.

"It isn't her, I mean… clearly it's her but it's from the nineteenth century." Reg stated. "It's called The Dryad of Windspirit Glade. Someone gave it to my grandfather I think. I know Data did some research, but Taryn always thought he was holding something back." Reg began to remove the frame from the canvas. "It's unsigned but maybe he painted it and that's why it looks so much like her. Perhaps he recognized it as his style and if he did..."

"He'd have dated it." Janeway breathed. Reg frowned and looked disappointed, there was no sign of a date on the margins covered by the frame.

"Let me try something." Dan stated and looked along the edge of the canvas and then examined the reverse. "Dealers used to stick the provenance to the back." he looked up at the surprised faces. "My Dad is a museum curator." he explained. "There are a lot of dealers' labels on here. This painting has had a chequered past. London, Rome, Warsaw, Berlin…this has even been in the hands of the Nazi's at some point." Dan told them then smiled as his eyes lit on something. "You've never looked at the back of this painting have you?" he asked Reg who shook his head.

"I think that's understandable," Owen Paris smirked, "given the subject."

Dan turned the painting and pointed to a small faded dealers mark. "Barclay, La Forge & Soong. Timepiece and Clock Repairs. Highgate. 1891."

…

1891

Highgate, London.

Her expression was one of rapt concentration as she delicately replaced the pinion in the clock that lay in pieces in front of her. This was more her kind of thing, working on delicate, finely tuned precision instruments, not fighting like a feral hellcat in front of a gang of horny men baying for blood. The shop bell rang and she stopped. She laid down her tools, covered her face with a veil and pulled on a pair of gloves.

"Can I help you sir?" she asked as she entered the front of the shop.

"Yes, I hope you can, I have a half-hunter in need of repair. It has great sentimental value." The man was well-dressed and looked concerned. It looked an old watch, possibly an heirloom, it certainly had been well loved but it was in a sorry state, the glass was cracked and it wasn't running. "Do you think one of your fellows may be able to repair it?"

Taryn smirked under her veil, she was the 'fellow' that did most of the repairs. "Certainly sir, I'll just ask one of our horologists to take a look before I give you a price for the repair." She went out the back, slipped off her gloves and popped the watch open to look at the mechanism. As she suspected it looked as though it had been dropped from a great height. She replaced her gloves and took it back into the shop. "It's quite badly damaged sir, the glass, hair-spring, balance wheel and fork will need to be replaced but it's certainly not beyond repair. Whether it's economical is the question..."

"Money is no object, it was my father's. Will you contact me when the repair is complete?" he stated.

"Of course sir, I'll just write a receipt."

This was their bread and butter, not as exciting as building androids or roaming the galaxy but they had somewhere to live and food on the table. They employed a shop-boy whom they paid in advance, ostensibly to ensure everyone got their property back should they have to depart in a hurry. They still hadn't abandoned hope of rescue. The one thing that surprised her was how attached people in this era were to their watches and clocks. They were not only prized possessions, they were symbols of status and class, heirlooms passed from parent to child, gifts given to sons leaving to join the army. The British Empire currently spanned the globe and the Second Anglo-Afghan war was still firmly in the memories of many, the war during which the fictional Dr Watson was injured. Data was very much in his element in this era, his study of Sherlock Holmes stood him in good stead but the…for want of a better word, ethnicity of their party was causing them some difficulties.

"If you don't mind my asking, isn't it difficult writing in gloves?"

"I was caught in a fire sir, my hands look…unpleasant." she replied softly.

"My apologies." he said curtly, eying the veil. It was pretty much the standard response she got whenever she made excuses for covering her hands and face. She didn't normally man the shop but it was Scott, the shop-boy's afternoon off. The clocks chimed as she handed him the receipt. It was closing time at last. She was about to lock the door behind their last customer as Data and Geordi returned.

"Well?" she said as she locked the door and turned the sign. "Did you get in? What did you see?" she asked excitedly as they walked to the back room and she lifted her veil. They had gone to the Royal Greenwich Observatory to investigate strange chroniton readings they suspected were emanating from orbit.

"We did, but it is not what we hoped." Data said sadly. "The temporal anomalies we have been sensing are occurring in orbit as we suspected. But…"

"Taryn, we don't think they're originating from the Daystrom Institute in the future." Geordi explained.

"Well, where else would they be from?" she frowned.

"There is a Jem'Hadar Fighter orbiting the planet. It may be the ship we picked up in the Wormhole at the time of the event." Data explained.

"Jem'Hadar? How is that possible?" she asked. "I mean it's possible they came through like we did but I thought the Dominion stood down the Jem'Hadar as part of the treaty?"

"There have been rumours of rogue platoons stealing ketracel white from…" Data began then noticed Taryn was in tears.

"I'm sorry, I didn't really think Reg would be daft enough to miss the bloody planet, but I wondered if it was a test or they sent a ship." she sobbed. "It's been so long, my babies won't even remember me, my milk has dried up, Gala will think I just left her…" she wailed on Data's shoulder and he looked at Geordi helplessly. "They aren't looking for us. They think were dead!"

"Don't look at me, you're the one with a girlfriend." Geordi said and headed to the kitchen. "You're better qualified than I am to deal with a wailing woman."

"Taryn." Data said, grasping her by the upper arms and looking into her hysterical face. "I know this is difficult for you but we need you to stay focussed. Why would a Jem'Hadar ship be getting contact from the future? How does anyone know they are here?"

Taryn gibbered a little more and then stopped as she considered his words. "So you're sure they aren't originating the signal from this time?"

"I am certain." Data replied.

"Well…" Taryn looked confused. "What are we supposed to do about it? We can't even get into orbit."

"That's what I said." Geordi stated, holding a cup of tea.

"Has there been anything in the papers? Reports of horny lizard men or anything?" Taryn asked.

"That's a good question." Geordi commented.

"Do you have a plan?" she asked.

"Another good question." Geordi smirked.

"Geordi." Data gave him a look.

"Well so far we only have problems and no ideas let alone solutions Data." Geordi stated. "This isn't how I like to work."

"I don't like it either." Taryn added. "This sucks Data."

"When I was in 19th century San Francisco…" Data began.

"Here we go." Taryn rolled her eyes.

"I learned all I could and waited for the right time to take action." Data continued.

"Yeah, well you had Guinan, Jack London and Mark Twain. We've got a kid called Scott who thinks she got caught in a fire in a dye works, you're an albino and I'm your manservant. Massa Data." Geordi said derisively.

"I resolved that misunderstanding when I explained we were from New Orleans, you are an educated craftsman and my business partner and certainly not a slave."

"Yeah, but I get to be the widow of an old business partner that you've taken pity on." Taryn moaned. "I hate telling people Reg is dead. He isn't even born yet and I'm wishing him away."

"I am not responsible for the mores of this society." Data argued.

"Are you calling me a Blackamoor?" Geordi snapped.

"I meant moral attitudes, mores nor Moors." Data argued. "Why are you both being so belligerent?"

"Belligerent?" Geordi snapped. "You don't get half the crap I do because you can pass. Neither of us know what it's like to be a woman in this era and she can't even show her face. It's awful here. I thought San Francisco was bad when a cop snatched a cane from my hand despite my being blind and well dressed and said that it was a gentleman's cane…"

"It could be worse Geordi. No-one is burning a cross outside the shop and dancing around it in a sheet. There was never segregation in the British Isles and the status of slavery was never recognised under English law…Wait? Is there a chance we could find Guinan?" Taryn suggested.

"When I met her in 1893, she did not say 'Hello, we met two years ago.'" Data argued.

"Yes, but she never told Captain Picard she'd met him before." Geordi pointed out.

"Wasn't she holding literary soirees? I could try and find out if there are any literary groups and ask if they've heard of her?" Taryn suggested.

"I will look through the newspapers at the library tomorrow. You could make enquiries there." Data said to Taryn.

"Well it looks like I'm minding the store." Geordi sighed.

"There's not much on. I'm nearly finished with the Seth Thomas and I took in this half hunter. The bloke said money no object as it's an heirloom, he wasn't interested in the price for the job and said to contact him when it's fixed. His address is on the label and in the receipt book." Taryn stated.

Geordi popped it open. "Ouch. Okay." he said looking at it. "Looks like a horse trod on it."

"That was my second guess. I also sold a painting. The one with the wild flowers." she stated and returned to work on the clock.

"I don't suppose you fixed dinner?" Geordi asked and got a withering stare for his trouble.

"One more comment and I'm joining the suffragettes." she hissed.

…

"No, I'm not doing it." Taryn hissed from beneath her veil.

"But I am escorting you." Data argued. "It is the appropriate etiquette."

"Where's your sword then?" she snapped and at his puzzled expression added, "If you're escorting me you're supposed to use your left arm to keep your sword arm free to defend my honour. Not to mention the fact you're left-handed…"

Data grabbed her arm and clamped it under his with her hand resting on his forearm. "If you do not stop behaving like an obstinate child I shall spank you."

"Ooooh." Taryn said sarcastically. "That wouldn't be very gentlemanly."

"Are you deliberately trying to antagonize me?" Data asked.

"Yes." Taryn replied as they entered the Library of the British Museum.

Data sat in a quiet corner of the library flicking through the newspapers when Taryn came to find him. "You won't believe this," she whispered, "I have her address."

"Where?"

"Ladbroke Grove. She's renting a house there."

"This cannot be a coincidence." Data whispered and someone shushed.

"I've been thinking." Taryn signed, "Do you think we passed through the Celestial Temple?"

"I do not know. You suspect the Prophets are somehow involved in us being here?" he signed back.

"Why now? Why here? Why us?" she asked.

"Perhaps we were just nearest to the vortex." Data suggested.

"Perhaps." she paused thoughtfully. "What are the odds of a Jem'Hadar ship entering the Bajoran Wormhole during the test? Don't answer that. It was a rhetorical question."

"But it is a good question. I have only found this article." Data told her. "Someone reported seeing a female demon with ears that went from their jaw to their temple and purple eyes at a churchyard in Hammersmith."

"Sounds like a Vorta. We should check it out." Taryn agreed as she read the article.

"We should see Guinan first." Data signed.

…

"Can I help you sir?" The young man said as he opened the door and let the three of them into the hall. Geordi had left Scott in charge and joined them on hearing they found Guinan's address. Data stepped aside and Taryn stepped forward.

"We'd like to speak to Madam Guinan please." she asked earnestly from beneath her veil.

"Madam Guinan isn't receiving visitors today miss." he replied nervously, he was beginning to sweat. Her pheromones were clearly having an effect on him.

"Are you sure? I think she'd want to see us." Taryn suggested.

"Do you?" he asked her, blushing and smiling shyly. "Who shall I say it is?"

"Tell her we're… fellow travellers and lovers of literature." Geordi smiled. "People she'll want to listen to."

"Please wait in the salon and I'll let her know." he told them and showed them into a sunlit, beautifully furnished living room.

"How does she do it?" Geordi asked incredulously. "She has a salon and servants and we live over a shop and eat bread and dripping. It's…just not fair. We had that crappy boarding house with that mad landlady in San Francisco too."

"Her house there was quite palatial." Data stated, checking the mantelpiece for dust and finding none. "Will be quite palatial." he corrected.

"She's wooing the Bohemian literati. It's all about image." Taryn mused as she looked at a painting. "And I happen to like bread and dripping."

The door flew open. "Look, I don't know how you talked your way in here…" Guinan began and Taryn lifted her veil. "Alright, I know how you talked your way in here but you need to go back and tell my father that I am staying here until I've finished listening…"

"We didn't come from your father." Geordi stated.

"Alright, well take your slave girl and get out of my house." Guinan ordered.

"Guinan, we need your help, you do not know us but we know you. We were accidentally sent here from four hundred and ninety years in the future and we are stranded. There is an alien ship in orbit of unknown intent and…" Data explained.

"You're from the future?" Guinan stated and they all nodded. "And you know me?" They nodded again. "And there's an alien ship."

"A Jem'Hadar Fighter, we believe it came through the vortex with us." Geordi stated.

"What's a Jem'Hadar and what vortex?"

"A Jem'Hadar is a genetically engineered warrior race from the Gamma Quadrant and the vortex was accidentally created by her husband." Data explained.

"Your husband? An Orion man created a vortex in time?" she snorted. "Must've been one hell of a fart."

"My husband is Human." Taryn replied with a giggle.

"A Human and an Orion?" Guinan asked. "From the effect you had on Johnnie that must be a pretty one-sided relationship."

"I'm not entirely Orion. She removed her hat and showed Guinan her ears. "I'm father is Human and my mother is a Vulcan Orion hybrid. I'm Professor Taryn Barclay." she pulled off her glove and offered her hand.

Guinan's eyes widened as she shook her hand. "Obviously things are going to change in the future, so what are you two?"

"I'm human, the peepers are cybernetic." Geordi stated pointing to his eyes. "Geordi La Forge." he shook her hand.

"I am Data. An artificial life form." he also offered his hand.

"Alright," Guinan said as she sat decorously in a high backed chair. "You'd better have a seat and start at the beginning."

…

"So is Orion and Vulcan interbreeding common in the future?" Guinan asked Geordi as they stood and watched Taryn work her magic on the elderly verger who saw the demon with Data at her side.

"Far from it. Her grandmother is a progressive Tahedri with a taste in alien men. She has a twin brother but Taryn is unique." Geordi smiled.

"The mind boggles at what her husband must be like. She clearly worships him. Some kind of paradigm of manly beauty?"

Geordi laughed. "Not exactly, he's another one of a kind." Geordi grinned. "A brilliant engineer… It was you that convinced me to take the time and effort to get to know him. It was worth it, he went from someone five minutes away from either a transfer in disgrace or a dishonourable discharge to one of my top engineers and a pioneer in subspace communications and a good friend besides. He'll be beside himself that he lost her. They have three children. They adopted a little girl, a Grey Green Orion hybrid and have six month old twins, a boy and a girl."

"She had twins six months ago? With that figure?" Guinan shook her head. "If it wasn't for corsetry I'd hate her."

"It's not the corsetry." Geordi stated. "It's the genes."

"Did you say Grey Green?" Guinan asked with a frown. "An Orion Half-breed?

"Uh huh, Galatea. Very precocious. She's nearly seven. Bright as a button." Geordi stated.

"Is she…ill?" Guinan asked.

"She has brittle bones and had a rough start, but she's getting stronger with good nutrition and a lot of love. They love her like she was their own."

"It's a tragedy about the Grey's." Guinan stated. "They were remarkable."

"Do you know what happened to them?" Geordi asked.

"Only what my grandmother told me." she stopped as Data and Taryn returned.

"It was definitely a Vorta and she was looking at gravestones belonging to a Matthews family. She asked to see the parish records but the verger was afraid and chased her off believing she was a demon. The Vicar did not believe him because he had been drinking the communion wine. It was reported because the man told his friends at his local public house." Data explained.

"The following night someone forced the lock on cupboard where the records are kept but they didn't steal anything." Taryn stated. "We need to ask the vicar to see the records but he's out making housecalls. He'll be back by mid-afternoon."

"Well then, let's find a tea shop. It looks like rain." Guinan stated and swept away down the path.

"See? She doesn't have to be escorted." Taryn told Data and followed her.

"The worst part is she's right. Women have it rough in this era." Geordi stated. "Most of them work like dogs and get a fraction of the recognition or pay. Housework is gruelling. I saw her doing the laundry in the yard the other day, it made me sweat just watching, and she was wearing a corset. I don't know how they even breathe in those things." They both followed the ladies.

"Prejudice and inequality is a theme throughout human history. Taryn has had to face intolerance due to the colour of her skin, much as you have found in this era, but never because she was female and that has made her sensitive to the issues the Suffrage movement are raising. Orion females have long been dominant in their society despite the outward appearances they project although previously the Green sub-species were herded like farm animals by the Ruddy Orions. Perhaps indignation at being subjugated is part of their racial memory?" Data reasoned.

"It's simpler than that Data. She's pissed off because it's unfair."

…

2381

"What do you mean we can't try again?" Admiral Maddox asked as Reg paled and turned away, his hand over his mouth.

"The Kai feels we have violated the sanctity of the Celestial Temple and has forbidden us from undertaking any further experiments." Picard explained via the viewscreen. "The Bajoran Government have also lodged an objection."

"We have missing people and a Jem'Hadar ship in the vicinity of Earth in the 19th Century." Janeway stated. "One false move in the past and they could alter the course of history. The Bajorans could find themselves still in the hands of the Cardassians or the Dominion. Are they aware of that?"

"The Vedek Assembly feel that if that is what the Prophets intend then that is meant to be." Picard intoned. "I have an audience with the Bajoran Government in an hour and I will argue our case, but without the support of the Kai…" he shook his head.

"Thank you Jean-Luc." Janeway said softly and the channel closed.

"It's all my fault, I should have realised…" Reg stated, leaning on a console. "I've orphaned my children because I didn't consider all the variables."

"Reg, the Bajoran Wormhole has never been mapped in subspace. There's no way you could have known." Admiral Maddox stated.

"I should have known. I'm supposed to be the expert, isn't that why you hired me?" he shouted at Bruce and stormed towards the door.

"Reg?" Dan called. "Try and chill Boss. We just need to find another way."

"I need a whizz. Okay?" Reg blurted as he stepped through the door.

He found himself back in the lab, a strange golden glow lit the room.

"You are Barclay." David stated.

"You know I am." he replied with a frown.

"You are the one who made the new threshold." Barsha stated.

"You are the one who has lost the most of all." Dan intoned.

"You are the one who must plead your case to the Kai." Admiral Paris. "Show her your motherless children. Explain what the three mean to all."

"You are the one who must plead your case to the government." Janeway stated.

"Not Picard." Maddox stated. "Picard speaks diplomacy, not from his soul as you can."

"You are needed here." Dan advised him.

"You must come through the portal you have created." Barsha urged.

"You will be safe." Dan stated.

"The Kai will listen." Admiral Paris.

"Too much is at stake for your world and ours for you to falter." Janeway told him.

He found himself in the corridor, turned unsteadily and walked back into the lab.

"That was the fastest slash in history." Dan smirked then his face fell on seeing Reg's expression.

"Are you alright Reg? You look white as a sheet." Janeway stated.

"I think I've just had a religious experience." Reg stated. "I have to transport to Bajor, but I really need to pee first."

…

"Are you sure about this Reg?" Dan asked.

"No." he replied as he stood on the transporter platform, sweating and pale. "I think I'm going to faint or throw up so can we do this now?" he blurted and fidgeted with the padd he was holding.

"Engaging system interlock, pattern buffers synchronised, phase transition coils at standby." Barsha stated and hesitated then shook her head. "I'm going to run a test cycle first. Sorry, but I need to be sure." Reg nodded and swallowed hard.

"Good luck pal." Dan said and offered his hand. Reg shook it, not even bothering to hide the fact it was shaking. "Give us a call when you need a ride home."

"You'd better stand back." Reg told him. They had erected a force field around the transporter as a precaution and Pete and the three Admirals were standing back to let the team work.

"Nah." Dan said, realising he was standing inside the field circumference. "I trust this system. It was your idea." he grinned and folded his arms. "Activate the field Dave."

"I don't know if you're brave or an idiot Dan." Reg whispered as the force field flashed momentarily when it engaged.

Dan tilted his head, "Probably both." he smiled.

"Stand by Reg." Barsha stated and Reg nodded again. "Engaging system interlock, pattern buffers synchronised, phase transition coils at standby."

"Energise." Reg squeaked and winced, closing his eyes tightly.