According to the date stamp on the file for this story, I finished writing it on Halloween 1995, making this my second Star Trek story after “A Passion For Peace” and my first crack at Captain Picard and his crew. As I once again wrote about Romulans, I must have considered them to be under-served as far as Star Trek antagonists go. They certainly were not afforded the extensive development of the Klingons or, later, the Borg, the Cardassians, and the Ferengi.
In the case of “History Lesson,” the crew of the Enterprise must evacuate a science team from a remote planet near the Neutral Zone before its sun goes nova. Shortly after arrival, Picard learns that the star’s premature destruction might be caused by a Romulan science experiment gone awry.
As I reviewed this story prior to posting it, I recalled exactly where I was when I wrote it—sitting in the lobby of a company in center city Philadelphia waiting to be escorted into a job interview. I started scribbling on a notepad. Once I ran out of paper, I continued on a file folder, filling every inch of it. I might even have concluded the story on the blank sides of one or two copies of my resumé.
And no, I did not get that job, which was fine since I ended up moving out of the city a short time later to work for TV Guide in Radnor, Pennsylvania.
“Star Trek: The Next Generation – History Lesson”
Phil Giunta
At a deserted edge of the Neutral Zone, three Romulan Warbirds soared just above a lonely, wasted planet, their forms wavering momentarily as they decloaked. Anyone observing this would have thought their behavior most unusual. For no sooner had they entered the Neutral Zone than they vanished again, as if swallowed by the very fabric of space itself. Their disappearance was immediate unlike the gradual fading effect of the cloaking device.
This particular observer was curious now. There had been no reports of Romulan activity in this sector for ten years. Perhaps he would be the first to report it. While the Orion captain thought of what to say in his report, two Warbirds decloaked on opposite sides of his ship and fired in unison.
The observer’s disappearance was immediate.
***
Captain’s Log: Stardate 93612.4
The Enterprise has been ordered to evacuate a team of archaeologists from Arkin’s Planet along the Neutral Zone. The planet’s sun, stable until three days ago, is projected to go nova in one week. Federation scientists are at a loss to explain why since the star was expected to remain stable for another four million years. Mister Data has been assigned to study the star’s behavior during the evacuation.
As the turbolift doors parted, Jean-Luc Picard smiled, if only slightly, as the sights and sounds of the bridge confronted his senses.
Two days ago, Doctor Crusher recommended shore leave on Starbase 102 for some of the more overworked personnel, the captain included. As they completed their previous assignment well ahead of schedule and were dropping off several Federation ambassadors at the starbase, Picard had agreed and ordered his first officer, Commander Riker, to reschedule the duty roster accordingly.
Although the captain had been content enough with the opportunity to steal away for a few days with Shakespeare and several cups of Earl Grey tea—not to mention a quiet dinner with Doctor Crusher—he was more than anxious to be back on the bridge after receiving his new orders.
“We are within visual range of Kohinoor VII, Captain,” announced the android at the Ops station.
“On screen, Mister Data,” Picard ordered.
As the dusty orange planet appeared on the main viewscreen, Picard began recalling the briefing he received while on Starbase 102. Kohinoor VII had been nicknamed Arkin’s Planet two years ago after geologist Emmanuel Arkin led a team to the planet’s surface to gather soil samples and other data—only to stumble upon one of the most stunning archaeological finds of the century.
Doctor Arkin and company had discovered the remains of an enormous ancient Vulcan ship. It was later revealed that the vessel was from a fleet used by those who had departed Vulcan thousands of years ago to become who we now know as Romulans.
Federation astronomers had concurred with this possibility. Star charts of the area showed that Kohinoor VII was not terribly far off from what scientists had calculated as the Romulans’ course from Vulcan to their current system.
Archaeologists further speculated that a disease, against which the Vulcan immune system had no defense, had annihilated the colony of dissidents. This theory was later verified after analyzing the skeletal remains discovered near the vessel.
What is most surprising, thought Picard, is the apparent lack of interest the Romulans appear to be showing in this discovery. Their Intelligence must be well aware of it by now.
Of course, if there was one lesson experience had taught Picard about the Romulans, it was that they were as mysterious as they were unpredictable. Which was the main reason why the Enterprise went to yellow alert the second they entered the Kohinoor system.
Picard moved closer to the main screen to get a better look at the planet before stepping back to his command chair.
“Mister Worf, can you hail the settlement?” he asked.
The Klingon towering over the communications console on the upper level of the bridge attempted to comply. “No, sir. Solar radiation is too intense. The high frequency of solar flares is distorting subspace communications.”
Picard tapped his comm badge. “Bridge to engineering.”
“Engineering, LaForge here.”
“Mister LaForge, what are our chances of using the transporters to evacuate the settlement?”
“I wouldn’t risk it, captain,” LaForge replied. “Not with the amount of radiation coming off of that star. I couldn’t guarantee a safe transport.”
“Understood. Thank you, Mister LaForge.”
“Captain, I suggest we take two shuttles down to the planet to begin evacuation.” Commander Riker sat forward in his traditional seat to the captain’s right. He looked as if he would leap out of his chair on a moment’s notice.
“Agreed. Make it so, Number One,” Picard ordered. “Keep me informed. If anything goes wrong, I want to know immediately.”
“Understood, sir.” Riker nodded before hurrying toward the turbolift. “Worf, you’re with me.”
As the duo stepped into the turbolift, Riker tapped his comm badge. “Doctor Crusher, meet me in Shuttlebay Two.”
The captain stood by the Ops station. “Mister Data, begin your investigation into the Kohinoor star. See if you can determine the exact cause of its behavior. When you have an answer, let me know. I’ll be in my ready room.”
“Aye, sir,” Data replied. He left the Ops station immediately and made his way to the Science panel along the back of the bridge.
Picard stood a moment longer and stared at the planet looming large on the main screen. There was a nagging feeling in the back of his mind that there was a variable not accounted for here somewhere. It seemed obvious yet not immediately visible.
He turned to find Counselor Troi, seated silently next to his command chair, staring at him in concern. He gave her a confident grin and hoped that would convince her he was fine. As much as he appreciated the counselor’s concern, he needed to be alone at the moment, to try and solve this variable if just for peace of mind.
“Counselor, you have the bridge,” said Picard.
Troi hesitated for a moment before slowly moving from her chair to the center seat.
“Yes, captain,” she replied uncertainly.
Picard’s grinned widened as the doors to his ready room parted to permit him.
***
From behind his oversized desk in his spacious office, Millek raised a hand to scratch behind his pointed ear, bending it outward while doing so. To anyone who might have walked in at this time, it would have appeared as if the director was straining to listen to a sound he could not quite hear.
But there was no sound, not from the Empire, not from the military, not from anyone. There was, in effect, only silence. The silence of emptiness, of darkness.
The silence of deep space.
The next ones silenced will be us if we’re not out of here soon.
Millek managed a complement of over three hundred on this experimental station, all of them diligent, hard working. “Pioneers in their field,” the Praetor had once called them. They were the first to attempt an experiment such as this. No other scientist in the Empire would even consider it when Millek and his colleagues brought the idea before the Senate to ask—beg to be more appropriate—for support. But the Praetor saw many benefits if the experiment was successful and decided to take a risk. He had given them all the support, military and otherwise, to initiate their project.
When the station was complete and operational, the success of the experiment more than justified the investment. It was a great boost to Millek’s own self-image, not that he was prone to an inflated ego, but he had suffered enough failures in his time to feel exceptional pride in his few noticeable successes.
Although technically, this one wasn’t noticeable, nor was it supposed to be—until three days ago when someone aboard the station sabotaged the project. Unless they could find a way to reverse the damage, the results threatened not only to destroy the station but everything in this sector, reaching far beyond the Neutral Zone into Federation space.
Millek was jarred from his thoughts by the ping of his comm panel indicating an incoming message. He reached over and pressed a button on the console. The symbol of the Romulan Star Empire appeared then was quickly replaced by the image of Fleet Commander Torvath.
A member of the Tal Shiar, an elite group of Romulan Intelligence agents, Torvath was assigned by the Praetor to investigate the sabotage. Millek considered him an arrogant brute who made no effort to hide his contempt for the director and his colleagues. Although Millek realized that distrust was a general trait of the Tal Shiar, this situation was a clear example that soldiers and scientists do not mix.
“Commander Torvath,” Millek began. “I hope you have good news.”
“Unfortunately, Director, I do not,” replied Torvath, frustration evident in his tone. “There is no way to reverse the effect unless we can terminate the program controlling the emitter array and we have been unable to break, not to mention override, the saboteur’s lockout code.”
“And we cannot manually open the emitter array without risk of destroying the station,” Millek nodded his understanding. “I see your dilemma, Commander. Have you made any progress tracking down the responsible party?”
“That is no longer your concern. It is a matter for the Tal Shiar now. Your job is to prepare your staff and equipment to evacuate the station. How much longer will you need?”
Millek paused a moment before answering. “Commander, I appreciate your efforts, however, my staff and I would prefer to stay and assist—”
“Don’t make me order you to leave, Director,” Torvath interrupted.
“Neither my staff nor I are answerable to you, Commander.”
“My orders come from the Praetor himself,” Torvath smirked as he leaned forward closer to the screen, “or don’t you answer to him either, Director Millek?”
Millek exhaled slowly and sat back, admitting defeat.
“Now that we understand each other, Director, I will keep you informed of our progress as I see fit.”
“Looking at the current state of your investigation, Commander,” Millek leaned forward with a smirk, “we all may as well leap out of the nearest airlock.”
The director slapped the button on his console to terminate the conversation. As the image of the Fleet Commander faded from the screen, Millek took satisfaction in seeing him slam his fist on the arm of his chair.
Millek rose from his desk and began pacing. Since the arrival of the Tal Shiar, he suspected they were hiding something. He even considered the possibility that they were involved somehow with the sabotage and this investigation was a facade. He had no proof of such accusations, however. A minor setback, Millek thought. I’ll just have to go out and find the proof.
He snatched his lab coat from atop a nearby chair and strode quickly toward the doors to his office. He barely made it two steps into the corridor when three Tal Shiar agents, standing directly in his path, raised their disrupters.
Millek froze in place. “What is this? What do you think you’re doing?”
“I thought you might need some help, Director.”
Millek turned around to see Torvath strutting confidently towards him from the other end of the hall, weapon leveled at Millek’s chest.
“Help with what?”
“Packing,” Torvath sneered.
Millek was about to protest until the butt of a disrupter connected with the side of his head.
***
The shuttlecrafts Sagan and El Baz set down on the pastel sands just outside the settlement on Kohinoor VII. As the away teams filed out of the vessels, they were greeted by several of the archaeologists.
The oldest of the group was a tall, gaunt man with gray hair whose voice sounded surprisingly young in contrast to his appearance. “You must be the cavalry.”
“You could say that,” Riker answered with a wide grin. “Commander William Riker, Starship Enterprise.” He introduced the rest of the away team and Arkin extended a hand to each of them in turn. “Doctor Emmanuel Arkin, and this is my wife, Doctor Maria Dewes.”
The woman standing beside Arkin nodded her head and smiled, “Welcome to the sand trap, ladies and gentlemen.”
Arkin finished introducing the other members of the welcoming party before leading the Starfleet officers to their settlement. During their walk, the two parties conversed about everything from the unexplained behavior of the planet’s sun to the discoveries Arkin and his colleagues made while excavating around the ancient Vulcan ship.
On their way into the settlement, Riker took the time to observe the layout of the buildings and their architecture. In the center of the campus stood a two story, white structure with a domed roof. Riker estimated it to be approximately the size of the Enterprise main engineering section. Sealed crates were stacked at varying heights around the front of the building.
About one hundred meters to the left were roughly a dozen residential homes spaced evenly in a crescent formation. Although considerably smaller, their design matched that of the central complex. More crates, presumably containing the scientists’ personal wares, were piled around each of the homes.
“We’re almost ready to clear out, Commander,” Arkin said as they approached the main building. “There’s still some heavy equipment that needs to be dismantled and packed.”
“Understood,” Riker replied. “I’ll assign a team to help with that. In the meantime, the rest of us can start loading the shuttles with anything that’s ready to go.”
Just then, a woman stepped out of the building and walked hurriedly up to meet the group. She was rather young, in her mid-twenties with long, deep red hair. The look on her face told them her news was anything but good.
“Doctor Arkin,” the woman began, urgency evident in her tone. “There’s something you need to see in the lab.”
The group followed Arkin and the woman into the central complex. It was dimly lit inside with most of the illumination produced by the few remaining computer screens.
The woman led them to a small console at the back of the lab. She pressed a button on the panel. “Solar flares have become much more intense, occurring at random intervals.” She pointed to the screen. “As you can see, temperatures in the stratosphere have increased by seven degrees just since you’ve been out. Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is dissolving at phenomenal rates. We have to get off this dustball fast.”
Doctor Crusher nodded. “I’ve been picking up similar readings on my tricorder. Radiation levels are becoming dangerously high. I’d say within about twelve hours, they’ll be beyond safety limits.”
“Looks like we got here just in time then,” Riker said. “Worf, you and your team begin helping Doctor Arkin’s people dismantle and pack the equipment. We’ll start loading the shuttles.”
Riker estimated it would take at least three trips per shuttle to remove all the personnel and necessary equipment from the planet. He just hoped they would have enough time.
***
“Captain Picard to the bridge.”
It took a few extra moments for Picard to actually hear Counselor Troi’s voice, so engrossed was he in reading about the history of this particular region of space.
Apparently, there had been no reports of Romulan activity in this sector for over a decade. Even then, Federation reports stated that only one or two Romulan ships were actually spotted.
Somehow, Picard felt there had to be a connection between the destruction of the star and the archaeological finds on Kohinoor VII.
“Troi to Captain Picard.”
Picard tapped his comm badge. “On my way, Counselor.” The captain rose from his seat and went out to the bridge to find Counselor Troi standing over the android seated at the science station.
“Report, Mister Data,” Picard ordered.
“I believe I have found the reason for the star’s unusual behavior, sir,” Data began. “It would appear that an unknown source is directing a beam of anti-matter particles into the center of the star.”
“Anti-matter?” Picard repeated in disbelief. “How is it possible to contain anti-matter particles in a beam?”
“The beam is surrounded by a shield similar to that used by a starship, although the shield modulation in this instance is unique.” As Data spoke, a graphical representation of the beam began playing out on the computer screen.
“The shield and the beam itself contain equal parts matter and anti-matter which allow the beam to remain stable until it draws closer to the star where the intense solar radiation destroys the shielding around the beam leaving only the anti-matter to react with the star itself.”
Picard paused for a moment, observing the computer simulation act out the scenario Data described. “Remarkable. Mister Data, have you discovered the source of the beam?”
“Only that it is originating from the other side of the Neutral Zone.”
“So that’s the variable,” Picard muttered.
“Excuse me, sir?” Troi asked, a look of considerable worry on her face.
“Nothing, Counselor. Just thinking aloud. Thank you, Mister Data.”
Picard turned and made his way to his command chair. “Helm, plot a course to the edge of the Neutral Zone, full impulse. Engage.”
“Captain,” Troi said. “What about the away team?”
“We won’t be that far away, Counselor,” Picard replied. “They should have little trouble locating us. Besides, I suspect this won’t take long.”
Only seconds after the Enterprise left orbit around Kohinoor VII, Data rose from the Science station and stepped over to the communications console overlooking Picard’s chair. “Captain, I have just detected a forty percent increase in the beam’s intensity. At that rate, I project the star will go nova within twelve hours.”
Troi looked over at Picard, barely sensing a noticeable level of tension the captain would never dare to show.
“Mister Data, find a way to stop that beam by any means necessary.”
***
As he regained consciousness, Millek realized he was shaking. When he fully awoke, he came to the more accurate conclusion that he was being shaken.
“Director Millek,” a voice whispered from the darkness above him. “Can you hear me?”
Millek grabbed the arm of the cursed imbecile who was shaking him and yanked it forward. A body fell against a nearby wall.
“I suppose that answers my question,” the voice said.
Then it dawned on Millek as to its source. “Denaal!” The youngest member of Millek’s staff, Denaal was extremely intelligent but undisciplined—a combination that caused many entertaining and infuriating events aboard the station. “Where are we?”
“They put you in a holding cell,” replied Denaal. “Please keep your voice down, Director. I am here to get you out.”
“How did you manage to get in?”
“I created a diversion for the guards, who hopefully are still resting peacefully in the neighboring cell.”
“I am not sure I wish to know the details.”
“No, you do not. Quickly, we must hurry,” Denaal warned as they headed for the door. He held up a hand before they left the cell. “I managed to acquire these.” He removed two disrupters from under his lab coat.
Millek grinned. “For this I may be willing to forget the virus you put in my terminal last week.”
Denaal returned the smile. “Which one?”
“We will talk later, young man.”
The duo held their disrupters at ready and crept out of the cell. The halls were clear as far as they could see.
“I managed also to tap into Torvath’s comm unit in his quarters,” Denaal said as they made their way to the nearest turbolift. “Someone on our staff is a Tal Shiar agent.”
Millek stopped abruptly and glared at Denaal, his voice a strained whisper. “Who?”
“Kattana.”
Millek lowered his eyes to the floor for a moment before putting his hand on Denaal’s shoulder. “I am sorry, Denaal. I know you are quite fond of her.”
“It does not matter now, Director. She is the saboteur, and I know why she did it.”
“Tell me on the way. We must get to central operations.”
The two entered the turbolift. As they ascended, Denaal continued his story. “Apparently, the Federation has been excavating a planet on the other side of the Neutral Zone. Two years ago, they discovered an ancient ship of the type our ancestors used to escape Vulcan and settle on the homeworld. The Praetor refuses to negotiate with the Federation for the artifacts and instead plans to destroy the entire planet using this station.”
Millek stood in shocked silence. It must have been convenient for the Praetor when Millek brought his experiment to him. Looking back now, the only compromise Millek was forced to make was the location of the station. Until now, the director always wondered why the Praetor chose this particular region of space.
Millek punched the button to halt the turbolift. “Do you think you can stop the anti-matter beam?”
Denaal thought for a moment. “Possibly. If I could get past the six or seven Tal Shiar guarding the emitter array.”
“Gather the rest of the staff, anyone you can find to assist you.” Millek placed his hand on Denaal’s disrupter. “And do not be afraid to use this if you must.”
“I understand.”
Millek continued the turbolift’s ascent to the next deck where Denaal stepped off to embark on his mission.
“Good luck, Denaal.” Millek watched the boy hurry away. He hoped it would not be for the final time. The director tucked his disrupter under his lab coat as the turbolift came to a stop. Millek could feel the fear rise in his heart, but there was no turning back now.
The doors parted. Millek took a few cautious steps into the control room. Four Tal Shiar agents manned various consoles around the perimeter. Supervising the entire scene was Kattana.
“Didn’t we meet this way before, Director?” Torvath’s voice inquired from behind.
Millek spun around to find the Fleet Commander leveling a disrupter. “Have you made it a habit to attack from behind, Commander?”
“I take every advantage I can get,” Torvath sneered.
“I know what you’re doing, Commander, but I am not sure why.”
“The Praetor’s orders are reason enough.”
Millek turned to Kattana, glaring at her in anger. “Do you realize your actions will destroy this station and us with it!”
Kattana did not respond but simply looked at Torvath.
“We are all expendable, Director,” Torvath said slowly. “For the good of the Empire.”
“Commander,” a voice beckoned from a console behind Torvath. “We are losing power to the solar generators. The station is decloaking.”
“Explanation!”
“It’s very simple, Commander,” Millek announced. “This station’s purpose was to test the theory of using solar energy to power a cloaking device. Since you have so brilliantly decided to destroy the star, you have successfully diminished the device’s power source.”
Torvath turned back to the Tal Shiar agent at the console. “Initiate redundant systems.”
The officer pressed a sequence of buttons attempting to comply. “No response from redundant backups.”
“Torvath!” Kattana called from the main operations console in the center of the room. “The anti-matter beam is off-line!”
Torvath straightened to his full height, aiming his disrupter at Millek. “You’re doing this.”
“I do not know what you are referring to, Commander.” Millek drew his own disrupter. “I have been standing here the entire time.”
“I should have arrested you and your entire staff. It is a shame you were not smart enough to leave this station when you had the chance.”
Torvath slowly stepped over to the communications console, all the while keeping the director in his sights. He pressed a button on the panel. “Operations to engineering, respond.” There was no reply for several moments. Torvath repeated his call, and again no one answered.
Suddenly, the officer at the comm panel raised her head as she received an incoming message, but it was not the one Torvath expected. “Commander, we are being hailed by a Federation vessel.”
“Ignore them.” Torvath was beginning to show signs of panic as his plan evaporated. “You realize you’ve only delayed the inevitable, Director. You cannot stop it. We’re all going to die, starting with you.”
Torvath fired his disrupter. Millek dove under the main console and returned fire. Although he missed Torvath completely, the beam connected with the Tal Shiar agent at the comm panel. The soldier disintegrated in seconds.
Just then, the turbolift doors opened and several members of Millek’s staff poured out, disrupters firing.
Torvath grabbed Kattana and held her in front of him. “Cease fire!” As Kattana struggled in his arms, a disrupter beam connected with his back. Within moments, the commander was gone.
I take every advantage I can get as well, Torvath. Millek took aim at another Tal Shiar agent.
When the chaos finally came to an end, only Millek and four of his staff remained. The director searched the room and found Denaal unharmed near the turbolift. He exhaled in relief, but there was little time left. It would be only a few hours before the station was destroyed. Millek was forced to make a choice. Though the decision was simple, he and his staff would surely be executed for their actions today. Though due to his age, Denaal may be given another chance.
“Denaal, you are an intelligent, energetic young man with a productive future ahead of you,” Millek said. “That is why I don’t wish to see your life end as a pawn in a political game. I want you off of this station immediately.”
Denaal opened his mouth to protest but Millek cut him off. “Do not argue! Listen to me for once! You have done well today. You represent the future of our Empire and I will not let that future perish.”
He turned to another member of his staff, Arrea. She was the last member of his staff to have worked with Millek since their youth. “Arrea, take the shuttle. See to it that you and Denaal get home safely. Please be careful, I don’t believe I have to tell you what may happen to you upon your return.”
Arrea nodded and made her way into the turbolift with Denaal. As they stepped in, Arrea took one last look at her colleagues. “Goodbye, Millek. May you all find peace in your next journey.” She placed her arm around Denaal as the lift doors closed.
Millek stared a moment longer at the turbolift doors before a flashing yellow light on the communications console caught his eye. He recalled one of the Tal Shiar mentioning a Federation vessel on the other side of the Neutral Zone. Perhaps they were still trying to hail the station.
The director gestured to one of the other scientists to open the channel.
“Federation starship, this is the Romulan station, Zelledrun, please respond.”
The face of a human Starfleet officer appeared on the screen at the front of the room. He had rather sharp features with trimmed gray hair around the sides of an otherwise bald head. He spoke rather crisply for a human.
“I am Jean-Luc Picard of the Starship Enterprise.”
“I am Director Millek and I know why you are calling, Captain. The anti-matter beam.”
“I would like an explanation, Director,” the captain said. “Your actions could be considered prelude to war.”
“Contrary to your belief, Captain, the anti-matter beam was not the result of my actions but that of the Tal Shiar. My staff and I are mere scientists using this station to test a theory of a solar powered cloaking device.”
The human paused for a moment to reflect on the director’s words.
***
Picard was not certain at first whether to believe the Romulan. The weary look on his face and the resignation in his voice, however, were the deciding factors.
“Where are the Tal Shiar now?” Picard inquired.
“Dead, or locked away in holding cells,” the director replied. “Most of my staff were killed in a struggle with their agents. Nevertheless, we were able to shut down the beam—for all the good it will do.”
“Director, I can transport the remainder of your staff onto the Enterprise. We could leave the area before the star goes nova.”
The Romulan turned to the rest of his staff. “Does anyone wish to leave with the Federation ship?”
One by one, the other three shook their heads. They were determined to see this through.
“Although we appreciate your offer, Captain, we must decline.”
“Director, you will all die if you do not leave immediately,” Picard insisted.
“We are all expendable, Captain,” Millek replied. “For the betterment of the Empire. With the destruction of this station, fifteen years of research will also perish. No one but my staff and I have the necessary information to rebuild all of this, and I want to be sure that does not happen for a long time.”
Picard clenched his jaw. He respected their decision to sacrifice themselves, though he did not agree with it. He wondered if this entire incident would even make a difference in the Romulan Empire. Left with nothing else to say, Picard nodded to the director and his staff. Millek returned the gesture and ended the transmission.
“Captain,” said the ensign at the communications panel. “We are being hailed by Commander Riker in the El Baz.”
“On screen.”
As Picard sat down in his command chair, Riker appeared on the screen complete with bewildered expression. “Captain, you have to admit, this is a bad time to play hide and seek.”
Picard grinned. “We were somewhat sidetracked, Number One. How are you progressing with the evacuation? Were there any problems?”
“None, sir, although we need to make at least two more trips down to the surface.”
“Understood, Commander. We’re on our way.”
“Thank you, sir. I’m looking forward to some air conditioning. The heat down there is insufferable.”
The heat up here was even more so, Picard thought.
***
Captain’s Log: Stardate 93614.8
All personnel and equipment have been evacuated from the surface of Kohinoor VII. The Enterprise will soon return to Starbase 102 to discharge the archaeologists. First, however, I have agreed to stay and witness the explosion of the Kohinoor star. Mister Data will be recording the event for Federation records.
With the Enterprise at a safe distance, the bridge crew watched as Kohinoor detonated in white brilliance. The main screen automatically darkened several shades in response to the overload of light. A few minutes later, Data indicated that he had gathered sufficient information to record the event accurately.
Although it was impossible to see from this distance, Picard imagined the destruction of the Romulan station and felt a twinge of sorrow for the deaths of those aboard. He wondered if future scientists in the Romulan Empire would possess the integrity of the group they encountered today.
***
On the other side of the Neutral Zone, a small shuttle bearing two scientists made its way out of the system towards the Romulan homeworld at warp speed.