"Jim are you crazy? Why would we go back?

Have you forgotten we nearly started war in that space?"

"Doctor, I assure you, the Captain has no such

gaps or deficiencies in recalling that date.

I have already attempted to dissuade the Captain

but he says it's important, therefore not up to debate."

"But why are we planning on sneaking up on the tlhIngans?

It's a bit mad, especially since they hate

us and are jumping for any excuse to start stellar warfare

especially after Marcus tried to use us as bait!

(Sorry Carol.) I was off the ship one bloody day

and the Enterprise was almost a toasted tea plate!"

"That's why we make ourselves not be detected."

"Keptan, I do not think that's a wery feasible plan."

"Pavel's right, sir. The ship isn't exactly made for concealment

she's a big flying saucer with blue glowing warp brands."

"Then give me a solution, Sulu and Chekhov.

I want to hear crazy ideas, possibilities

because like or not, we have to go there

we have to take this chance to find out and see

whatever it is Circqe said we would find."

"You trust her completely?" "With my body, soul, mind."

"Then her honor was true. You never did tell us

what happened to you." "I wrote the report. You looked it over, Nyota."

"Not the same thing as confiding

outside captain's log quotas.

If you trust her, I trust her. The tlhIngan long ranging scanners

can be tricked into seeing-"

"Ah! Yes! Farther away than we are actually being!"

"Chekhov? Nyota?" "It won't hide us completely,

but it gives us a start to the answer you're seeking."

"My father developed a tlhIngan signal jammer

that works in close range so perhaps we could fly

using the long range scanner deception

until we can jam their signals and buy

ourselves some time to slip through their web

of stellar surveillance and safely land in Qo'NoSian tide."

"Are you saying you're going to put my lady starship

at the bottom of the sea one more bloody time?"

"Captain, I don't think for the length of this mission

we can sustain having the Enterprise

submerged in their waters, which might be loaded with mines."

"Sulu's got a point. It's probably best to leave the ship flying

'cause we'll probably need to fly out on a dime.

The question is where will we park her?"

"If I may say something?" "Go for it Mr. 0718."

"If we reappear and then maintain maneuvers

similar to debris trapped in Qo'NoSian orbit

we may evade undue attention by scanners

as their computers will correct for new orbital waste."

"An interesting proposal, and not without merit

however such maneuvers would be difficult to make

and maintain for the extended duration

that this covert mission will likely take.

But you have reminded me of an observation

we on this ship were all able to make

there is an extensive sector of the planet's moon

which was pulverized by Nero's mining freight."

"The debris field there would provide perfect cover-"

"My transporters could easily cover the range-"

"The tlhIngan regime could not possibly hower

and conducting endless patrols in lifeless terrain-"

"Their communication signals would be crippled and buffered-"

"But wait, hold your horses-

before we all congratulate Spock for his eyes-

how do we know there aren't tlhIngans there living

how do we know there aren't criminals who lie

low and make that their base of operations

for exactly the same reasons y'all praise to the skies."

"Len, we don't have anything better. I think that's a risk

we must recognize." "Chris you're a tactician?"

"Dealing with patients is an extended mission

in tactics, cajoling, and strategic compromise."

In all this, Jim was pensive and silent,

turning over and over the words in his mind

"speak to the dead"- this was not literal

of this he was certain (well, more or less certain-

space might find another way to be weird)

but if not the dead in literal meaning

then perhaps she meant those dead in honor so dear

perhaps lhedaS was in this very same sector

which- Bones was right, would hold the queer and the feared

those who did not fit with current culture

and those who would not bow, refused to revere

whether due to true honor or simple survival

Jim thought perhaps they would find answers here.

He made his decision: "We'll park her near Qo'NoS

in that sector that Spock talked about

Now let's review some evasive maneuvers

and plan our ground teams, our objectives, our routes.

I want all of your to be open and honest

I want all of you to voice all your doubts

we have to go into this prepared and all conscious

of the risks going in, and the risks coming out."

Jim looked at each of his crew there gathered

made eye contact to see if he had their assent

he looked straight at Spock who exhaled and nodded

and then a very, very, very long meeting commenced.