"In range for photon torpedoes, captain!" Spock remarked. "Open fire!" Kirk ordered. Their torpedoes began to hammer the ship ahead of them. It began to take evasive action.
Finally a shimmering glow appeared ahead of it and it hurried towards it. "Fire into the time portal!" Commander Jehovah ordered. "Disrupt their passage. If we damage them it may keep them away for a while."
The Enterprise's crew quickly followed orders, but finally the effect collapsed and the ship was gone.
"Well!" Jehovah sighed, "They're persistent, I have to admit that! But contacting The Borg? That was rather foolish! Well, let's see if we can find Ambassador Spock!"
"Already have, sir!" Sulu put in. "Coming up on us. Should be in visible range right about now!"
He pointed to the main screen. The little shuttle they had captured from the Klingons was visible, approaching.
"Hailing frequency!" Commander Jehovah ordered.
"Ambassador Spock!" he began, "This is Commander Jehovah. You have been given inaccurate data. You do not have time to stop the nova wave before it reaches Romulus. We are here to take you two days into the past where you will be able to accomplish your mission. Trying to time travel with your own ship could be too dangerous with the material you are carrying."
"Ah!" came Spock's voice, "It's been a long time, Commander! I was wondering if you were going to show up! I was beginning to be concerned about those calculations. I will head immediately for your shuttle bay. The nearest sun is Remus. Might as well be in the vicinity."
"Might as well!" Jehovah agreed. "Ambassador, it would probably be best while on board if you stay in the standby quarters by the shuttle bay. The less contact you have with the crew the better."
"Quite agreed!" Spock's voice answered. "But am I there on the bridge?"
"Yes," Jehovah answered.
"Spock," Spock's voice came back, "the next time you see your mother ask her to acquire three and two. And to keep them for you. It will be a while before she needs to present them but they will be needed."
Kirk looked at Spock who was looking at Uhura when he remarked, "I understand."
Uhura smiled, and Kirk grinned, too.
"Captain!" Sulu snapped, "I'm picking something else up, a small metallic object following Spock's vessel, too small to be a ship, but putting out very high energy levels."
Jehovah came over and studied the readings. "Hmm!" he muttered. "It will follow Ambassador Spock's ship into the shuttle bay. Do not hinder it. It means no harm. It merely wishes to observe."
"Yes sir!" Sulu answered.
As Jehovah went to check Spock's instruments Chekov looked at Captain Kirk. "Spock's mother," he mentioned in low tones, "was killed."
"If we succeed," Kirk answered, "that will never have happened. It wasn't supposed to happen."
"Oh!" Chekov managed. "Oh!"
Kirk was tempted to go down to the shuttle bay. There were a thousand questions he'd like to ask the Ambassador, but he was sure that was a very bad idea. So he busied himself until the end of his shift. There would be three more hours before the next time slip, and Kirk wanted a little rest. He was eating when Captain North came in.
"Should you be up and around?" Kirk asked.
Captain North smiled. "With your doctor's excellent work and the ladies to help I'm almost completely mended now. Most excellent man, by the way. He'll serve you very well!"
Kirk nodded. "I'm unfamiliar with your race," he remarked.
"That's understandable!" Captain North answered, "We've been extinct for over a million years. But you've probably heard of one of my earthly forms, the star children?"
"Oh!" Kirk sighed, "Oh!"

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