D'jalel, followed by her trusted lieutenant, Toldol, entered the bridge of a warship crewed by officers of the Imperial Navy of the Romulan Star Empire. Several screens displayed the ferengi vessel as it hovered next to the cardassian freighter, as well as the klingon battlecruiser, IKS HaH'vat.

"Commander" a male romulan said, wearing the uniform and insignias of admiral. "Two klingon warships have entered the system. A K'tinga-class cruiser, and a Bird-of-Prey class of destroyer. The Bird-of-Prey has cloaked."

"Heading?" D'jalel asked.

"For the ferengi" the admiral said. "The klingon cruiser has charged weapons and redirected power to their forward shields, leaving their aft vulnerable. No doubt, they are trying to lure us to attack, allowing the Bird-of-Prey to open fire on us as we decloak."

"You will comply with their wishes, admiral."

The admirals expression clearly indicated his reluctance, but also his disdain. "Commander, you may be a valued member of the Tal Shiar, but this is a vessel of the Imperial Navy. And I am in command. The ferengi have done their part and drawn attention to themselves, and we will continue as planned and distance ourselves from these klingons, under cloak and without revealing our position."

"I do not argue your tactical expertise, admiral" D'jalel assured her superior officer. "However, that Bird-of-Prey carries a weapon that we must secure. With it, the empire will be unstoppable."

"A weapon?" the admiral said, not entirely convinced. "What sort of weapon?"

"A weapon more powerful than the Genesis-device. More powerful than a trilithium-warhead, admiral" D'jalel explained, and it was clear that the admiral was more than just hesitant at the explanation. "The prisoner I brought with me, the young lieutenant of Starfleet Intelligence, is the source of this information. The Bird-of-Prey, the IKS Klothos, carries a torpedo that has been modified using knowledge provided by Spock Prime. I suspect you have heard of him, admiral."

"Do not insult me, commander" the admiral frowned, his facial tattoos twisting with the frown. "I am well aware of who Spock Prime was and where he came from."

D'jalel nodded. "Then you know he possessed a great deal of information that could alter history. That could change the balance of power forever. Well, admiral, the balance of power has shifted."

The admiral realized the magnitude of what the Tal Shiar agent was telling him, and it showed on his face.

D'jalel knew she had the admirals attention. "Fifty-five years from now, four romulan warships will engage a Federation starship in orbit of Narendra 3, a klingon colony. During this engagement, a phenomenon will occur that seemed to phase the Federation ship in and out of our space-time continuum. Somehow, Spock Prime came into the possession of the romulan files that documented the battle, and came to the conclusion that the mysterious anomaly was a rift in space and time. A rift made possible as a romulan and a Starfleet torpedo collided head on, the resulting release of energy tearing at the very fabric of the universe."

The admiral caught on quickly enough. "Another incident of time-travel?"

"Yes, admiral" D'jalel said, quite satisfied. "But unlike the great disaster that sent the Narada back in time, this has the possibility of being a controlled event. The Starfleet officer in our custody believes the klingon torpedo can be used to recreate that exact same rift in space and time. And the reason is simple… The modifications on that torpedo were provided by Sybok, Spock Primes brother."

The admiral gave it some thought as he took it all in. Then, he turned to D'jalel once more. "What do you have in mind?"

XXX XXX

Mogh, First among Warriors onboard the IKS HaH'vat, stood next to the pilot of the klingon warship, studying the controls and displays at the pilots disposal as the klingon steering the powerful battlecruiser took pursuit of the ferengi vessel.

"The ferengi are moving away, increasing velocity" Mogh reported and turned to face his lord and captain. "They have raised shields and are charging phasers."

Kang of House Ansara sat in his captains chair, looking grim and fierce as he stroked his bearded chin. "Launch a torpedo at the cardassian freighter. Then fire at will at the ferengi and prepare boarding parties."

Mogh hit his chest with his fist as a salute. "At once, my lord" he said and then turned to the pilot and issued the command to fire.

It was with a satisfied growl that the pilot acknowledged the order and fired a torpedo as instructed. As the ferengi ship moved away from the abandoned cardassian freighter, the klingon torpedo slammed into its unshielded hull and literally split the cardassian ship in two as the sudden release of energy cracked the freighter wide open.

"Minor damage to the ferengi shields" Mogh reported. "We will be in range for disruptors in thirty seconds. The ferengi have begun evasive maneuvers."

"But they have not powered up their warp-drive" Kang concluded. They are drawing us away, but from what?" The warlord then pressed several keys on the computer attached to his armrest. "They are drawing us away from the sun. The gravimetric output of the star is enough to hide the warp-signature of a ship leaving the system."

Mogh nodded in agreement as he himself came to the same conclusion, standing by the station manned by the ships chief science officer, the Main Advisor. "The romulans are without a doubt already heading for the far side of the sun. Shall we instruct the Klothos to intercept the miserable cowards?"

"No" Kang growled. "We will go after them. Ignore the ferengi and set a course for the sun. It will force the romulans to react."

"As you wish, my lord."

XXX XXX

"Kang has found something" Kor said as he adjusted heading to maintain his position behind the IKS HaH'vat.

Tuvok, sitting by one of the stations on the klingon bridge, agreed. "The HaH'vat has plotted a course taking it into orbit at a distance of one light-minute of the star. Abandoning the pursuit of the ferengi suggests that Kang has found a more worthy target."

"So what's so interesting about that sun?" Dax wondered.

"I suspect" Tuvok said, "that it could be hiding something from our sensors on its far side."

"No matter" Kor said with a typical klingon growl. "Kang will find them, and when he does, they will be destroyed."

Dax worriedly turned to Kor. "I hope you have not forgotten about Emelie."

"The romulans will not willingly hand her over, Curzon" Kor said, adjusting his position behind the HaH'vat. "Once the shooting starts, the romulans will either flee like cowards, or die like the dogs they are. In either case, Emelie will be lost."

"I thought we came here to rescue her?" Dax countered.

"And I thought you would never lie to me!" Kor snarled. "You lied to me, so that I would convince Kang to follow your wishes… Such treachery is not easily forgotten, Curzon of Dax."

"Would you rather see the romulans victorious?" Dax inquired. "Or was that treachery necessary to not only secure honor, but also our friendship. Do you think I would have forgiven you, Kor of Rynar, had you let Emelie, daughter of Kirk, die?"

Kor turned the pilots seat around, letting go of the controls momentarily. "I suppose not" the klingon noble then said as he eyed the trill on his bridge. "But the situation remains the same. There is no way to free Emelie from the romulans."

Tuvok turned his chair to face Kor and Dax. "There is a possibility" he said which, not surprisingly, had everyone focused on his suggestion. "Should the romulans be forced to engage us, they will have to drop their cloak in order to raise shields and fire their weapons. While doing so, they will be unshielded for two to three seconds. If we are prepared, we could exploit this to beam a boarding-party directly onboard the romulan vessel."

Kor chuckled at the vulcans plan. "Bold! But two or three seconds is not enough to get enough warriors onboard to challenge the romulans on their own ship."

"We need not challenge them" Tuvok said. "Only free lieutenant Marcus-Kirk from captivity."

"Sounds like our best bet" Dax said and turned to Kor. "A small boarding-party, hit and run. A daring rescue, Kor; one worthy of a song, don't you agree?"

A smile slowly grew on Kors lips, a smile that soon was accompanied by a chuckle, a chuckle that grew into a roaring laugh. "I like it!"

XXX XXX

The romulan tactical-officer conveyed the readings provided by her station on the romulan vessels bridge. "IKS HaH'vat directly ahead, their aft shields are still deactivated. Disruptors manually aimed at target and ready to fire. Torpedo-bays loaded, ready to lock on."

"And the IKS Klothos is without a doubt waiting a few light-seconds behind us" the admiral said and turned to D'jalel. "The moment we decloak, so will they, and we will be unshielded as they begin their attack."

"A necessity I fear" D'jalel replied as she watched the HaH'vat displayed on the large main screen at the fore of the bridge. "It is the only way we can force them to decloak on our terms. As they decloak, their shields will be down; which will give us time to beam onboard the Klothos and secure the torpedo."

"If you succeed with this, commander, you will be remembered as a hero of the empire."

"As will we both, admiral."

The admiral simply nodded and then turned to his crew. "Prime the isolytic-burst warheads… Prepare to fire."

XXX XXX

The saucer-section of the USS Excelsior slowly moved into orbit over Korvat Four, a myriad of rescue-vessels and tow-barges coming to its aid. Shuttles were already transporting the wounded to the surface to receive medical attention.

Hikaru Sulu stood next to Nathalie Gars where she lay on a stretcher, her eyes closed. Sulu sighed as medical personnel pulled a blanket up over her torso and head, covering her entire body beneath the cloth. As the lifeless body of commander Gars was moved away, Eckenwald walked up to his captain.

"She was a remarkable woman."

Sulu nodded and then rubbed his face to try and rid himself of some of the strain and exhaustion. It had little effect. "That she was" he then said as he took a look around. "They all were remarkable men and women" he added. "How many… How many did…"

"How many survived?" Eckenwald said and sighed. "Eighty-nine crewmembers will survive this mission, captain. The others are either already dead, or will die within the next few hours. Only eighty-nine of our crew will make it out of this alive, captain." Eckenwald turned to look at the dead that were being transported away on stretchers. "Klingons" he then said and slowly shook his head, "how could there ever be peace with them?"

"Perhaps…" Sulu stopped to breathe before finishing the sentence. "Perhaps Curzon will find a way."

At that moment, Shrav supported a badly limping chief of security Atl over towards Sulu and Eckenwald. Sulu was slightly taken off guard as Atl had bloody bandages covering his left eye, but it was only momentarily.

"Captain" Atl said, his voice strained and hoarse, "we have established a link with Starfleet." Atl then handed over a small palm-sized datapad. "The officers that have earned a special commendation, as you requested, sir."

"Thank you, lieutenant commander" Sulu said as he received the datapad.

"We gave them hell, didn't we, sir?" Atl then asked his captain.

Sulu simply let out a sigh. "No, mister Atl… They gave us hell. They gave us every piece of it."

And with that, Sulu left his fellow officers as he headed to contact Starfleet. Behind him, Eckenwald, Shrav and Atl stood disheartened and fatigued, exhausted by the clash with the klingons.

XXX XXX

Sulu sat himself down by the desk in his personal quarters and activated the computer that his engineers had managed to salvage and get operational. Within a few minutes, he had established a link beyond the system.

"Hikaru, are you alright?!"

"I'm fine, Nyota" Sulu told his old friend, her image unstable and flickering. "The ship and the crew, however…"

He paused and found himself unable to finish the sentence.

"I'm onboard the USS Excalibur" major U'hura said. "We are heading for you at maximum warp, but we are still thirty-six hours away. The USS Farragut has been ordered to leave Bajor to come to your aid as well. Captain Aster is only some hours away from Korvat as we speak."

"We are fine. But Emelie has been abducted by romulans."

"Romulans?!"

"Two klingon ships are in pursuit" Sulu explained. "The Farragut should be able to spot them with long-range sensors. Have the Farragut join the klingons as soon as possible, before the romulans manage to escape."

"But why is Emelie kidnapped by romulans? What has happened?"

"Damn it, instruct the Farragut to aid the klingons!"

"Alright, Hikaru!" Nyota U'hura quickly tapped keys on a console out of view. "There, the order has been sent to the Farragut. But I still need to know what the hell is going on, captain. I need a debriefing."

Sulu let out a sigh. "It all began when the Excelsior received a transmission from the IKS Gr'oth."