A week had passed, a week of hard work and exams, friendships and hardships, but it had passed nonetheless.
Charles was stood twiddling his thumbs, outside the head office. He had sat down a few minutes ago, but felt too giddy, to overwhelmed. He had sighed and got to his feet. He exhaled again, then sat back down. He closed his eyes and waited.
As soon as he had made contact with the chair, he heard someone call his name. He followed the American accent and swallowed.
"Cadet Garfield," the head called.
Charles stood to attention, saluting his senior. "Here, Sir." The silence was cause for Charles to think up something to say. "Sorry, I think I might be a bit late. I did set my alarm..."
Admiral Tuckersmiled softly. "You're not late, cadet. Come to my office." He gestured his hand and Charles followed.
Charles' eyes widened when he entered the room. There were four chairs. Two of them were occupied. Lara. Seb. He frowned, worried, concerned, but a little relieved that he wasn't alone.
Seb caught his eye and smiled. Lara waved slightly, her hand barely moving.
Charles was struck by a wave of nerves when he took his seat in front of the man's desk. They know, he thought, his mood darkening. That we know. They know that Data hacked into the computer mainframe and uncovered the conspiracy. His pupils widened, his face blanched.
Admiral Tuckerwatched his worried cadet. "Garfield, this is most unlike you. Pull yourself together and prepare yourself for what I have to say."
"I'm sorry, sir," he said quickly, sincerely.
"Not to worry," he said curtly, spreading his hands on the desk before him. "As you know, you three have been selected for the Planetary Sociology experiment."
Seb looked gormless. "What?" He caught himself. "I mean, pardon, Sir? I received my test score. It wasn't good enough."
Admiral Tuckersmiled comfortably. "Your papers were re-marked. Last night, our computer system detected a foreign body."
Charles grinned. Data.
"It seems that your test score was unfairly mediated. Your final grade was more than enough to give us cause for accepting you on this mission. Does that clear up any problems?"
Seb blanched and smiled weakly. He nodded thankfully. "I suppose I had better thank what ever that foreign body was, for bringing the error to attention."
Tuckernodded. "MissGarfield," he said, looking over at Lara. "Your score was admirable. I will say one thing, though, one bit of advice: Take care with your grammar; it lost you five marks."
She blushed and nodded. "Yes, Sir. I shall try."
Next, Tuckerturned to Charles. "You scored full marks, Cadet. But there is always room for improvement."
"Sir, why is Cadet Data not with us?" Charles asked.
"As he is to join the expedition based on necessity, as opposed to performance, he will attend a meeting this afternoon."
Charles frowned. Data had never said so, but perhaps he wasn't yet made aware of the meeting.
"Sir, permission to ask a question regarding the expedition?" When she had received permission, Lara asked, "Why Romulus? I mean, out of all the possible humanitarian options, why choose that planet, those people?"
Admiral Tuckersmiled understandingly. "Without disclosing too much, I shall say that the Federation has heard nothing from the Romulan Star Empire for nearlyeighty years. They seem to have been scared off by Captain James T. Kirk's little manoeuvre almost a century ago. We have judged them a minor threat, but a threat nonetheless."
"And that's why you want us to investigate?" Charles finished. He would have bet his future Starfleet career on saying that the Academy would never send them to Romulus.
The Admiral nodded. "Indeed. Now, to business. What you were called herefor is to make you aware of the checks and examinations that must be carried out before you disembark... medical, clerical and other such checks. To prepare you."
"Sir, when will we be going to Romulus?"
"You will not be going to Romulus," he said cryptically.
"What, you said- I was told-" Charles spluttered.
Tuckersmiled. "To investigate Romulans,not Romulus.To go to their home planet would be far too dangerous, and you and your friend are only first year cadets. You will be going to a Romulan-owned planet."
Charles nodded slowly, taking it in. "If I may, why was it made clear that we wereto go to Romulus then, ifwe arenot?"
"To see, simply, if you were up for embarking on such a hostile mission. Call it a test."
Charles frowned. Another test. He felt cheated, but he partially understood their reasoning.
"You are booked on a transport to the Neutral Zone this coming Friday."
Charles counted down the days. It was Tuesday now. That gave them three days to prepare. Three days was hardly enough time to prepare for an exam, let alone launching oneself onto a planet owned by one of the Federation's most threatening enemies.
He continued. "Today and the days in between will be training sessions, to get you prepared for the expedition." He turned his computer screen around and Charles leant forward, squinting.
On the screen was a map of the Neutral Zone; Charles recognised the coordinates. Admiral Tuckercalled up the data file on one star in particular. Its Starfleet designation was Sigma 238, but the name that came up were the Romulan words kilhra'eri euhre.
"I don't speak much Romulan," Charles admitted.
Lara stepped forward. "I do. Passed Foundation with flying colours."
"And Higher?" Seb asked.
She made a face. "Not so well." She studied the alien words then made a face of understanding. "It means hidden planet."
"Very good, Cadet," Admiral Tuckeracknowledged. "Your mission is relatively simple, but that does not mean that it will be without risk. We have people already on the inside, whohave enrolled you in a Romulan military academy on kilhra'eri euhre, and there you will observe the Romulan way of life."
"Romulan way of life… Sir?" Charles interjected, confused.
Admiral Tucker smiled briefly. "I'm glad you asked. I want you to observe how they live, how they pass their time. What is a hobby for the Romulans? How are their families arranged? What specific rituals do they have? Our hope is that once we have a better understanding of Romulan people, we will be better equipped to deal with them should we encounter them again. We have been without contact for many decades now. And who knows what sorts of advancements they have made in that time. Of course, we are not assuming that they will welcome us with open arms and we can be heart friends. But… one can hope."
"We will observethe Romulans?" Lara asked, and Tucker nodded. "So, we are meant to ingratiate ourselves tothem? Sort of, integrate ourselves into their society?"
"Undercover, you mean?" Seb suggested, his facial expression suddenly hopeful and excited.
Tucker gave him a short smile, amused at the cadet's drive. Then his tone of voice darkened slightly. "But what I can tell you now is what you can expect to happen in preparation for this expedition."
Unconsciously, Charles found himself swallowing heavily. Seb cast him a curious look, but he couldn't help but understand the nervousness that Charles was no doubt feeling. Lara, however, seemed as excited as anyone could be.
Admiral Tucker tapped his fingers briefly on the table; the room was so silent that the air seemed to welcome what should have been a quiet sound, and it resonated around them all. "It would be far too dangerous to have four Starfleetcadets on a Roman-owned planet." He eyed the cadets carefully, as he tried to gauge whether they were anxious or excited or a combination of both. "Therefore, you'll have to be surgically altered to appear Romulan."
"We'll need operations, sir?" Charles queried, his hand absent-mindedly reaching up to touch his face, wondering what it would look like in a few days' time. It made him shiver, as much as he tried to hide it.
The admiral nodded nonchalantly. "Nothing major, of course. A bit of synthetic skin here and there, and it should look rather impressive. Data, of course, you'll be rather easy to manage. It's just important that you remember that you'll be on a mission. A very important one, as well. Don't get carried away, because I know what it's like to be young, believe it or not." He smiled briefly. "Romulans are hostile even to their own kind – or at least who they perceiveto be their own kind – so be careful."