Elle and Jetta finished their presentation and resued their seats and shared a discreet high-five.

Elle's PADD buzzed, so quietly that only Elle could hear it. She tapped at the screen. 'Romulans' was the only thing on it.

Elle tapped out a question mark in the reply box to Alexa.

Alexa popped up another meesage. "One injured Romulan in sickbay, La Forge missing on-planet, more Romulans possible."

Elle frowned. It didn't sound familiar but she hoped Geordi would be okay. She could go to the bridge after classes, see if she could help. "I really need to study up on Klingon and Romulan politics," she murmured.

"Why?" Jetta whispered back.

"Because things are changing," Elle whispered back. "This year is going to be highly political and I need to know where things stand."

Jetta eyed her. "You have a very strange consultancy."

Elle grinned. "You could say that."

The teacher gave them a sharp look.

Elle stifled a laugh and turned to pay attention to the next presentation.

-/\-

Elle finished her day of classes and met Satel for their next couple chapters. They'd finished the Iliad and were going through the Odyssey.

"Okay, after this I really should go to the bridge, there's a-"

The Red Alert sounded.

Satel froze.

Elle glanced down at her tablet. "Romulans crossed the Neutral Zone," was the status update from the computer.

"Uhhhh, I have to go," Elle said.

"You can't. It's a Red Alert," Satel said. "Civilians stay where they are."

Elle was about to protest, but it died on her lips. She couldn't really help. She didn't know if this was an episode, and if it wasn't, who was better at negotiating with the Romulans than Captain Picard? Nobody. She huffed under her breath and picked up The Odyssey again. She couldn't concentrate.

The Red Alert continued. The Romulan ship was an hour away. This was starting to feel more and more like an episode, but Elle couldn't remember anything, and if she didn't have anything-

"Elle to the bridge," came Commander Riker's voice.

Elle jumped out of the chair. "On my way," she replied instantly, and grabbed her PADD. "Thanks, Satel see you tomorrow, bye T'Sirin thank you!" She bolted out of their quarters and ran for the turbolift which would take her directly to Deck 1.

"Civilian minors stay in their quarters!" an adult hollered after her.

"Consulting, been requested!" Elle hollered back cheerfully, not slowing down. Is this what it's like like to be in regular high school? Hall passes? She got in the turbolift- "Bridge" - and bounced impatiently on her toes.

She reached the bridge and stepped into the tension. "Reporting, Commander," she said, going up to Riker.

"Elle." He stopped pacing behind Worf and faced her. "Geordi is missing on that planet, we have a Romulan in custody, and a Romulan warship is about to reach us forty minutes. Do you have any ideas about preventing a war?"

She grimaced. "I'm assuming that the Romulans aren't on a mission of mercy?"

"They were probably scouting this planet as a staging area for an incursion," Riker said. "The officer we have in custody won't talk."

"Who's coming for them?" Elle asked.

"A commander named Tomalak," Riker said.

Elle's eyes widened. "Oh this is definitely an episode. He shows up a few times."

"His ship is on patrol on their side of the Neutral Zone, I'm not surprised," Riker said.

Elle racked her brains desperately. "Nobody's tried to defect, have they?" she asked, the name Tomalak ringing a bell about defection.

"No," Riker said, startled.

"Oh. Uhhhhhh," she chewed at her lip. "What are Tomalak's alliegances? What kind of Romulan is he? Is he Old Guard? Is he honorable? Is he not? Is he in the pocket of the Tal Shiar or is he loyal to the empress? Is he gunning for a senate spot or is he a career officer?"

Riker stared at her.

"Well we have to know so we can negotiate," Elle said. The Spock-logic in her head reminded her, Search for the logical explanations. Deductions. "Okay. If he's willing to cross the Neutral Zone and start a war, he's obviously not with Ael's point of view. But Ael is still in power. So he can't actually do anything... The captain's definitely gonna have to bluff him all the way."

"Who's Ael?" Riker asked.

"Oh. Commander Ael t'Rllaillieu," Elle replied. "I met her last year. And I think Geordi's fine, we just have to wait for his signal."

The captain stopped pretending he wasn't listening and turned around to face her. "Did you just say Ael t'Rllaillieu?" he demanded.

"Yeah..."

They stared at her in horror. "You're on a first-name basis with the Empress of the Romulan Star Empire?" Picard asked, his voice rising in disbelief.

Elle grinned. "I know right, that's so cool." She frowned. "But I think Spock was right and she's on her way out. Too 'old-fashioned' for these new Romulans. Unfortunately for us. Then again, Romulans aren't exactly united in their ideals. Which is very pre-Reformation Vulcan of them, come to think of it."

They kept staring at her.

"Pre-Reform Vulcans were very backstabby," Elle said.

"Okay, we're gonna keep that little name drop in our back pocket," Riker said. "In case we need an ace. You have anything else to add?"

"Geordi's gonna be fine?" Elle said. "If this isn't the defector episode, then him and the other Romulan should be fine. I think."

"Your confidence is reassuring," Picard said dryly.

Data spoke up. "Sir we are receiving a signal from the beacon-"

Elle checked the chrono. Twenty minutes still, till the Romulan warbird crossed the Neutral Zone. Maybe, not driven by an episodic need for tension or plot, there wouldn't even be an epic standoff?

They beamed Geordi and the other Romulan directly to Sickbay, and Picard ordered the Romulan ship hailed. "We have recovered our away team, as well as another Romulan survivor, from your one-person craft," Picard said.

Tomalak feigned surprise.

Picard frowned at him. "Tomalak, how is it possible you didn't know of the second Romulan on Galorndon Core?"

"A simple misunderstanding, Captain Picard," the commander assured him. "I was obviously misinformed as to the size of the craft. I assure you I intended no deception."

"Of course not," Picard said dryly.

"You doubt my good faith?"

"Let's just say my faith would be strengthened by a gesture from you, such as not entering Federation space," Picard said calmly. "We will meet you at the border and send back both your officers."

Tomalak resisted a scowl and gave a curt nod to someone off-screen. The Romulan ship slowed down and came to a stop. "Very well," he said. "But if you do not arrive in twenty minutes, we will cross the Neutral Zone."

"You will not," Picard said calmly, and cut the channel. "Data, get us to the border, immediately."

"Aye, sir."

Picard sat down and tapped at his armchair console. "Picard to Sickbay. How is Commander La Forge and our guest?"

"They'll be fine once we reverse the effects of exposure on the planet," Dr. Crusher reported. "Centurion Bochra may need more extensive neurosurgery."

"He'll be able to get it when we transfer him and his crewmate back to the Romulans," Picard said briskly. "Thank you, Doctor. Picard out."

Elle gave him a thumbs-up. "That went pretty good."

"It's not over yet," Picard warned.

The ten minutes to the Neutral Zone seemed interminable. Elle must've paced a good half-mile around the back of the bridge, and then suddenly there they were. The Neutral Zone. And across from them, a Romulan warbird. "Wow, once they stopped letting the Klingons build for them they really upped the intimidation factor," Elle mused, and added, belatedly, "No offense."

Worf bristled. "As much I would wish to disagree, none taken." He spoke up. "Captain, they have lowered their shields."

"Mr. Worf, escort our two guests to the transporter room," Picard said. "It wouldn't do to keep them waiting."

"Yes, sir." Worf left.

Elle stepped aside to let his replacement take the board, and went to sit in her designated chair.

"Energizing," Worf's voice reported a couple minutes later. "They are aboard the Romulan vessel."

"As you can see, Commander, we have kept our word," Picard said, over the comm.

Tomalak's ship turned and went back towards Romulan space without a word.

"Friendly guy," Riker said sardonically.

"Stand down Red Alert," Picard ordered. "We'll patrol the border for a little while before resuming our mission. Just to make sure they get back to their side."

Elle heaved a sigh of relief. "I really need to get ahold of the political situation," she muttered to herself.