A slick silvery starship appeared on the screen. Starfire gasped. "That ship is Tamaranian!"
The entire bridge fell silent. Chekov and Sulu exchanged glances, but said nothing about why the ship should not be on the screen. Kirk leaned over to Spock.
"We have a problem" He whispered to his first officer.
"Indeed, we now know beyond a shadow of doubt that the timeline has been damaged." Spock quietly replied.
The Titans all looked stunned. Gar was about to blurt something before Raven grabbed his elbow, her way if telling him that it was a good idea to remain silent. Arella frowned, clearly understanding what was going on. Cyborg slowly shook his head. Nightwing glanced at his wife, who looked amazed.
"Captain, we are being hailed." Uhura broke the silence.
"On screen, Lieutenant."
The alien vessel was replaced by an orange skinned male, clearly a Tamaranian, who was standing in his own bridge, surrounded by Tamaranian warriors who manned their stations. Spock looked through his console viewer, pushing buttons and turning knobs as he analyzed the silver ship.
"Alien vessel, I am Captain Karlend'r of the Tamaranian Imperial Navy. You are trespassing. Identify yourselves!"
Kirk stepped into the view. "I am James T. Kirk, captain of the Federation starship Enterprise."
The Tamaranian captain gave him a jaundiced look. "I have never heard of any Federation. I can also see that you are Terrans. You are ordered to leave Tamaranian space immediately."
Kirk gestured to Uhure to mute the connection. He turned to his first officer. "Spock?"
"The alien vessel is no match for the Enterprise, but there are six more similar ships approaching. It would be prudent to retreat."
Kirk nodded and gestured to Uhura to unmute the connection.
"Our intrusion was unintentional; we will retreat per your request."
"Good. And do not forget, Terrans are banned from the Vega system, until penalty of death. Be glad I was feeling merciful today. And tell your leaders on Terra to stay away from Vega, as next time we will open fire on any intruders. Especially Terran scum."
Starfire frowned as she stepped into the view. The Tamaranian captain looked surprised.
"You will not call my friends the scum."
After recovering his composure he spoke.
"You are one of us. Who are you and why are you on this alien ship? Are you their prisoner?"
"My name is Koriand'r of the Royal Family of Tamaran."
He laughed. "You claim to be the legendary Princess Koriand'r? What nonsense is this? The Princess lived over two hundred years ago, until she vanished … when she lived on Terra."
"We have traveled through a wormhole. I can supply DNA to prove my claim."
A Tamaranian officer approached his captain and whispered to him. The captain frowned.
"My intelligence officer says that you look like the long lost princess."
"I will come over to your ship and allow your ship's doctor to examine me. My identity will be confirmed."
He crossed his arms. "You could be a clone. I won't allow a shuttle to bring you here."
She formed a starbolt in her hand. "Clones cannot create starbolts. And I do not require transport, as I can fly through the vacuum, as can all members of the royal family."
The captain still looked skeptical.
"I will send a shuttle over with the doctor. She will examine you on your vessel, which is of a type we have not seen before. "
"Your proposal is acceptable." She replied.
"And no treachery. I have more ships on the way; you won't be able to escape."
Arella approached her mother. "Mom, are you sensing what I am?"
Raven nodded. "Hatred. These 23rd century Tamaranians hate humans with a passion I have never felt."
Arella sighed. "OK, so it wasn't just me."
"Keptin, the alien wessel has launched a shuttle. No weapons detected." Chekov announced.
Kirk nodded and glanced at his guests. "Please accompany me to the shuttle bay."
-(-)-
The Tamaranian shuttle had already landed in the Enterprise's shuttle bay when Kirk and his party arrived. A hatch on the silvery shuttle opened and a young Tamaranian woman, who was wearing what looked like a bikini emerged. She was carrying a large case which she placed on a nearby work bench and opened it. She seemed clearly ill at ease as she unpacked it, casting furtive glances at the humans present. She turned to face Starfire when she saw Mar'I standing next to her husband and pointed at her.
"You are half Tamaranian and half Terran? Who are you?"
"I am. My name is Mar'i Wayne. And you are?" She replied.
"I am … there is a foul legend that Princess Starfire had a child with a human. If you are what you say you are, then you are an abomination."
"You can call me Princess Mar'i." She replied smugly. Holfire frowned.
"We will see about that." The medic replied as she approached Starfire while holding an odd looking implement.
"I will need a sample of you blood, 'Koriand'r', if you do not mind." She hissed, with an emphasis on Starfire's Tamaranian name.
"You may proceed.
The alien physician promptly took a blood sample from Starfire's arm and quickly walked back to the work bench.
"This will take a few minutes."
She poured a few drops of the blood into a strange device with several tubes. She typed at a keyboard while the device made whirring sounds. After a few minutes it fell silent. The doctor frowned, and then walked up to Mar'i.
"I will also need a sample from you."
Mar'I looked her mother, who nodded, then offered her arm. The doctor repeated the process and her frown intensified after the machine fell silent a second time. She quickly proceeded to pack her gear back into the case and stomped off to her shuttle.
"Well?" Nightwing broke the silence.
"Silence, human cur. My captain will contact you."
Mar'i levitated and formed a Starbolt in her hand.
"You will not speak to my father that way."
The doctor became wide eyed. She had never actually seen a Tamaranian royal in person form a starbolt before, only in old videos. One of her favorites was the duel between Starfire aand her sister Blackfire.
Mar'i's ire increased until Nightwing place a hand on his daughter's shoulder.
"It's OK, pumpkin,let it go."
"But she insulted you, dad."
"I know, but right now we need every friend we can get."
The starbolt evaporated in her hand.
"Some friend she is."
The doctor entered the shuttle, the hatch closed and the craft departed.
-(-)-
Back on the Tamarian starship …
"Are you certain of this!?" The captain thundered at the doctor.
"Yes sir, the one who claims to be Koriand'r has royal DNA, more than enough to back her claim. And …"
She paused, looking anxious over what she was about to say.
"And!?"
"There is also a half breed aboard, the princess's daughter, who is half Terran."
"Are you sure she is her daughter?"
"Beyond a shadow of doubt. She even conjured a starbolt."
The captain looked flummoxed. "The last time a royal formed a starbolt was over 100 years ago."
"That is because our rulers are not truly royals, captain. Their DNA has been diluted over the generations."
He glared at her. "Watch your tongue if you wish to keep it, doctor."
"Forgive me, sir. So, what are we to do?"
The captain frowned. "I will contact the alien ship. Have you seen the tactical analysis on it."
"No sir, I have not."
"Our intelligence officer has determined that it exceeds anything in our fleet. Shields, weapons array, speed, it eclipses anything we have."
"I don't understand sir."
"Of course you don't. You're a healer, not a warrior. Just how many of those ships do you think the Noonien-Singh dynasty has?"
"I have no idea, sir."
"Neither do I, doctor."
-(-)-
About an hour later …
"Captain, the Tamaranian ship is hailing us." Uhura reported.
"I wonder what they want now? .. On screen Lieutenant"
The Tamaranian captain appeared on the screen.
"May I speak to the Princess?"
"I am here." Starfire replied as she stepped into the view.
The alien captain bowed deeply.
"My apologies, your highness. But you must understand that we had to verify your identity first, which we have confirmed beyond a shadow of a doubt."
"Thank you, Captain Karlend'r."
"And you and the crew of the Enterprise are invited to approach Tamaran. His Royal Majesty Emperor Ryand'r wishes to meet you."
"Ryand'r, my brother, lives?" She gasped.
The captain shook his head. "Not your brother Ryand'r, your highness, but one of his descendents. You are related."
Starfire turned to Kirk. "Captain, the Enterprise is your ship. What do you wish to do?"
"Well, right now a friendly port would be nice, plus any intel Tamaran has regarding Earth would be helpful."
"Captain, I can transfer that information to your ship, so you can study it as we travel to Tamaran. We of course will escort you."
"That would be most helpful, Captain."
"We can leave as soon as you are ready." Karlend'r replied.
-(-)-
Back on Tamaran, a little earlier …
The Emperor paced around his throne room, clearly agitated.
"Are you certain of this, Karlend'r? She is my long lost aunt?"
"The ship's doctor says that there is no doubt."
Ryand'r was an imposing man. He stood at two meters tall and had a perfect physique. He wore a royal purple colored tunic and the crown adorned his face. He was the perfect Tamaranian royal, except for two things: he lacked eye lasers and could not conjure star bolts.
"Are you certain she can wield star bolts?"
"Yes, your majesty. I saw it myself."
"And what about her half breed daughter?"
"She too has the ability."
This troubled Ryand'r. His lack of powers weakened his claim n the throne, a claim that was only sustained by political subterfuge. But now, two princesses from the past had shown up at his door, on a ship full of Terrans, a ship that was more powerful than their spies on Terra had ever reported. And the princesses could form star bolts.
"Could we destroy their ship?"
"If they stayed and fought our entire fleet, yes. But our analysis shows that they could outrun us and escape."
"And then it would be next to impossible to eliminate her."
"Agreed, your Majesty. What are your orders?"
Ryand'r sighed unhappily.
"Escort them, slowly to Tamaran. I will declare a holiday in her honor and we will have a feast."
"Yes your majesty. As you command."
The link was cut, and Ryand'r resumed pacing.