"The President never was assassinated," Yilaan replied. "Not in my universe anyway. After heated debate on breaking up the UAAW, the vote failed, and the isolationists lost their fervor and disbanded. Further talks revealed that the governmental structure was too loose and too weak, and that's why it was ineffective. The UAAW was given more powers and a streamlined system of operations. The name was changed to the United Federation of Planets late in your year 2171."
Silence filled the room, as the three brooded over what had been discovered. "Anything in your history books about the assassins themselves?"
"Let's see," Freeman replied, checking the computer. "Their identities were unknown, as they were all killed. 'A group of Vulcan males,' is all it says."
"Vulcans? That doesn't make much sense," Yilaan said.
"Well, it was probably some sort of cover-up, but no one really felt the need to delve into it once the Union was disbanded," Bradley suggested.
All at once, Yilaan remembered Q's hint. "It was probably the Romulans!" she said excitedly. "I'd bet on it!"
"The Romulans? But we didn't made contact with them until over a hundred years later! How could they have gotten there?" Freeman protested.
"The same way we'll get there; by going back in time. Q gave me a hint as to the cause of all of this; the Romulans. It would make more sense if they were responsible."
"Q? Oh yes, this entity of yours," Freeman said, looking doubtful.
"Well, it's a decent enough working theory anyway," Yilaan added. Freeman nodded and Yilaan relaxed; the success or failure of her mission increasingly lay in his support, and she was willing to bend the truth a bit for his palate.
"Very well, so we need to go back in time and stop them. How do we accomplish such a feat?" Bradley asked. "Slingshot around a star?"
"You've done that, Captain? That might be best. The other option is to find the time rift my ship was caught in and use it to go back in time, with a little help from Q," Yilaan suggested.
"I don't like either of those ideas, but I like dealing with this Q the least, so let's slingshot around a star. At least we'll be able to somewhat control when and where we end up. We'll use Sol, since that will be the easiest; assuming anything about this is easy," Freeman said.
Yilaan smiled at him, "It sounds like you've made up your mind to help me."
Freeman blinked at her, and then smiled back. "So it would seem. I'll need to have a discussion with Captains Kurn and Mitchell, and I'll tell my engineers to prepare the ship for extreme speeds. We'll then set a course for Earth, and pray."
As it turned out, Captains Kurn and Mitchell were less than enthusiastic about Freeman's plan. Captain Freeman thoroughly briefed the other captains on all of the things reported to him by Jevor and Yilaan. He had allowed Valen and Yilaan to sit in on the meeting, and they were all now getting an earful.
"You'd abandon our resistance group on this suicidal mission? Are you out of your mind?" Kurn was yelling at Freeman. "All on the word of this Human female? This stranger?"
"Really, Mark," Captain Laura Mitchell added, "Shouldn't you give this more consideration?"
"I've given it all the consideration I need to, thank you. I'm not seeking your consent, in so much as briefing you as to my plans. You're to escort us back to the Sol system, and then wish us well." The other captains looked doubtful, so Freeman continued, "Look, it's not as if you'll be losing much if this doesn't work; one washed up Resistance captain with a battered ship won't make too much difference now, but think of the lives that I could save and the future I could build if this turns out to be the right course of action. I've decided that the consequences of inaction are too great to ignore. I'm also going to make this a volunteer mission for most of my crew; those that bow out can join your ships and continue our cause." He paused, "There are intangibles that I just can't make you understand. I've been a captain for some time now, and during that time, a captain learns to trust in themselves more than they trust others and even their own ship. A captain has to trust in themselves, because everything rests on them. You know all of this already."
"So, all you want from us is an escort?" Mitchell asked after a pause in which she and Kurn exchanged looks.
"That, and your blessing. I've fought at your side for years, and I want you to at least respect me and what I'm doing, even if you can't understand."
Kurn stepped forward and grimly placed his hand on Freeman's shoulder. "You are a brave warrior and honorable man. You will be remembered in this manner." With that, Kurn left the room to return to his ship, the R.S. Moscow.
Mitchell followed suit, coming forward and taking Freeman's hand in her own. "You will be missed Mark. Good luck to you. I really hope you're right." She smiled warmly and then left for the bridge of her own ship.
Freeman sighed and nodded as his fellow captains exited. "Commander Valen, get us to the Sol system," he ordered.
The Vulcan Valen nodded, "Aye captain." He hurried out of the meeting room to carry out the captain's instructions.
"Would you care to join me for a bit of relaxation in one of our mess halls, Cecilia?"
"I would indeed captain."
The two ordered food and drink at one of the Bonaventure's mess halls, similar in function to the Bristol's Deck Nine Port and Starboard rooms. They sat together near a window with a good view of space as the ship sped along at high warp speed. "I'm sure everyone's been asking you about this, but have we met before in your universe? The way you act towards me seems to indicate such, and I must admit I feel a certain familiarity with you a well."
"Yessir, you're the captain of the ship I serve on as First Officer. But," Yilaan continued, her voice choking slightly, "you died shortly before I was brought here."
"Ah," Freeman said somberly. "I guess I'm sorry, though it feels strange to be offering consolation for my own death." Freeman sighed, "The whole idea that everything that I've experienced, everything I've known will not even exist. It's a little overwhelming, you know?"
"I don't, truly, but I can imagine it would," Yilaan replied. "At least you know you have a good life in the other time line."
"You just said I was dead," Freeman objected.
"Since it was an action by the U.S.S. Bristol, our ship in the my time, that started this whole chain of events in motion, hopefully when time is set right again, we'll have the opportunity to avoid the action and stop the rip in space and time from altering history," Yilaan responded.
The two were silent for awhile, consuming their food and drink, before Captain Freeman spoke again. "Cecilia? If you don't mind, tell me something of our relationship, and our adventures on that ship of yours in that other time."
Yilaan beamed at him. "I'd be happy to Mark."
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