The three arrived shortly at a meeting room of sorts, wherein Bradley and Yilaan were seated. Freeman went over to a console, "Computer, apple juice, three degrees Celsius." The computer produced the beverage. "Can I offer either of you anything?"
"Coffee," Yilaan said simply, trying to hide a certain level of weary glee. Bradley noticed of course, her being partially empathic and all, but said nothing.
Freeman brought Yilaan's coffee and sat with the two women. "My name is Captain Mark Freeman, and this is the R.S. Bonaventure. You're Yilaan, I hope?" he asked, looking at her.
"I am," Yilaan replied. "How did you know my name?"
"Jevor and I spoke early this morning. He briefed me on you, Yilaan, about this attractive young woman who had come in and befriended one of his operatives with some wild stories about an alternate universe." Yilaan smiled at the compliment while he continued, "His main reason for contacting me, however, was that he was worried that the Andorian Internal Security was on to him. We were going to try and pull him and his loyalists out, but obviously we're too late for that. My ship received a brief distress signal from one of his warriors when the attack started," Freeman explained. "As it is, we lost two ships just pulling you two out. By the way," he continued, turning to face Bradley. "You're Bradley right? I think we've met once before." Freeman paused, "I assume he's dead?"
"Yes to both questions. Jevor and his men died trying to protect us." Bradley replied somberly.
Freeman nodded grimly, "If there were more Andorians like him, none of this waste would be necessary. Of course," he glanced at Yilaan, "it doesn't have to be like this, does it?"
"Captain?"
"Jevor told me of your alternate reality," Freeman replied, pausing to drink some of his apple juice. "What makes your reality any more proper or right than ours?"
"Nothing, I suppose," Yilaan said quietly. She then looked Freeman directly in the eye, "Except that it is. Period."
Freeman smiled at her. "You're a strong woman Yilaan; I like that."
Suddenly the ship lurched violently to one side, and the alert klaxon sounded. "Captain to the Bridge," a young man's voice called out over the intercom. "We're under attack by an Andorian fleet."
"On my way," Freeman said, getting up. He looked at Yilaan, "I'd tell you to stay here, but something tells me you wouldn't. Come along, but stay out of the way, okay?" She nodded, and along with Bradley, followed the captain to the bridge.
The ship lurched again as the captain and company arrived on the bridge, "Status, Commander Valen!"
A Vulcan who suspiciously resembled the Lieutenant who once served at the helm on the Bristol, replied, "Shields down to 70 percent. Minor damage to the secondary hull. Two patrol ships are attacking, both off the starboard bow. The R.S. Moscow and the R.S. Demetrius have scored multiple hits on one of our enemies, in addition to two hits by our own ship."
"Continual fire, all weapons. Bring us around to 134, Mark 278 and send to R.S. Moscow and R.S. Demetrius to come around on their port sides; we'll flank them sure enough! Use scrambler code Freeman Two."
His orders were carried out by a speedy and efficient crew, while Yilaan looked about the Bridge. She was startled to see a Klingon at the helm, and a Romulan at the Engineering panel on the Bridge. The man referred to as Commander Valen appeared to be Freeman's first officer.
"Commander R'lanna, report," Freeman barked to the Romulan at the Engineering console.
"Captain, engines as yet unaffected; we have full power," R'lanna replied.
Suddenly the ship lurched and the screen filled with a blinding light. "One enemy target destroyed, Captain," Commander Valen commented.
The Klingon at the helm turned to face Freeman. "The other is turning to flee; shall we pursue, Captain?"
"Negative Lt. Klagg; we have more important things to worry about," Freeman replied, then turning to his first officer, who, by Yilaan's estimation, was also tactical officer. "Commander, get me Captain Kurn and Captain Laura Mitchell on split-view; scrambler code Freeman Four."
"Freeman Four, aye," Valen replied. A moment later, both captains appeared on the screen.
"How are your ships?" Freeman inquired of the other captains.
Captain Mitchell, a caucasian Human with long red hair, replied, "Fine, Captain. Little appreciable damage."
The other, a burly Klingon, smiled viciously, showing teeth, "No damage to report Captain Freeman."
"Are you certain, Captain Kurn? Our sensors showed that your ship took three direct hits during the battle," Commander Valen interjected.
Captain Kurn growled at the Vulcan. "I am Kurn, son of Moag! Are you calling me a liar, Vulcan?"
"I'm not," Valen replied simply. "I was just...."
"We can move," Kurn interrupted, "and we can fight. Let's get on with our mission." His image then disappeared from the screen.
"Indeed," Freeman replied. "Let us get on with our mission." Freeman nodded at the image of Captain Mitchell, which then disappeared from the screen. "Helm, resume course and speed. I'll be below having a very interesting conversation with our guests," he said, nodding at Bradley and Yilaan. As he made his way to a turbolift off the bridge, he stopped, "Oh, and Commander Valen? We don't want any more surprises; if an encounter can be avoided through the use of our cloaking device, then do it."
"Aye sir," Valen replied, moving to sit in the command chair. The captain nodded at him and left the bridge along with Yilaan and Bradley.
The three went back to the meeting room and sat down. "Now I wonder," Freeman said with a glint in his eye, "which of us has the most questions, Yilaan?"
She smiled at him, "I'd say it's probably a toss-up."
"Well then, since you're the guest, by all means go first."
Yilaan sat back in her chair, "Romulans on the Bridge?"
"Sure! Romulans, Klingons, Cardassians, you name it. Funny how a common threat makes allies of old adversaries. Many people from other governments have joined our resistance. I take it it's not the same in your universe?"
"We're allied with the Klingons, and have an uneasy peace with the Cardassians and the Romulans," Yilaan replied. "There isn't any resistance, and our Federation isn't an oppressive one." She cocked her head and eyed Freeman speculatively, "You actually believe me, don't you?"
"I do," he said slowly. "I don't know why, but I feel like I've known you for years, Yilaan. Something's telling me to trust you."
"Like Bradley's telepathic verification that I'm telling the truth?" Yilaan chided.
"Well, Admiral Jevor did brief me on that, but there's something more here I think," Freeman answered good-naturedly.
"If you believe me, are you willing to help me set things right again?" Yilaan asked.
"Tell me what's involved, and I'll make the decision one way or the other, Yilaan," Freeman said.
"First, call me Cecilia, please. Second, I need an overview of your history as you know it. Something in your past, in our past, has caused this to happen, and my goal will be to go back in time and stop it before it does."
"Very well, Cecilia," Freeman replied. He got up and began pacing back and forth in front of the windows in the meeting room as he picked his brain for major historical data. "About two hundred years ago, Vulcan surrendered to the Andorians. They being a passive people, their planet's native inhabitants were all but exterminated, and a large series of Andorian colonies were set up. Shortly after that, Earth..."
Yilaan made a face and interrupted, "No, no, go further back. By that time the contamination had already taken its toll. Start with the advent of space travel on Earth and work from there."
Freeman nodded. "Five hundred years ago, two geopolitical factions vied for control of the Earth. They each competed on every level, which included sending primitive space craft into their solar system. Eventually one collapsed, but the other wasn't able to exert its control, and the world fell into chaos. The Eugenics Wars of the late 1990's were a result of this. So far so good?"
"Yes, that jives with what I learned in school. Keep going," Yilaan replied.
"Rebuilding in the early 21st century, the planet came together and formed a United Earth council. First contact was made with Alpha Centauri shortly thereafter. Late in the 21st century, contact was made with Vulcan, Tellar, and Andora. Andora attacked the first Earth ships sent to make contact, but peace was temporarily brought about with Vulcan as an intermediate. When Earth underwent a series of violent natural disasters, the United Earth council collapsed, and the world momentarily slumped into chaos. World government was restored in, ah......hold on." Freeman switched on a nearby computer interface and called up the appropriate information. "Here we go. It was 2098. Anyway, shortly thereafter, the loose economic alliance between Tellar, Andora, Earth, and Vulcan led to talks about forming a political confederation. In 2131, the Union of Aligned Autonomous Worlds was formed. However, bad governmental structure, and an increasing dissatisfaction with the UAAW congress and court system forced a meeting and a vote on dissolution in 2171. Many extremist groups called for dismantling the organization, after multiple acts of terrorism, and several 'territorial misunderstandings' between member worlds. A day before the vote was to be held, the President of the UAAW was assassinated. The vote was taken and the organization was dissolved. Later, as the years passed, all political and economic ties were cut with Andora, as the latter became more ruthless and more violent. It did, of course, go on to subjugate the other former UAAW partners. What's wrong Cecilia? Did we find a discrepancy?" Freeman asked finally, as he looked up and noted Yilaan had gone rather pale.
"We have indeed, Captain. We have indeed."
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