The grand hall of the Krenim colony on Kyanna Prime was a breathtaking display of elegance, a sight that inspired awe. It seamlessly blended modern design with historical homage, and the warm, golden light from crystal chandeliers bathed the elegantly dressed guests, infusing the air with a sense of cautious optimism. The soft music, akin to violins and cellos, added to the event’s formality steeped in pomp and circumstance. 

Cambil moved gracefully through the crowd, her every step commanding respect and attention in her Starfleet dress uniform, starkly contrasting to the more formal attire of the Krenim delegates. As she navigated the crowd, she exchanged pleasantries with diplomats and officials. Her host, Ambassador Drayne, guided her in this formal function that had been organised with such speed since the Themis arrived in orbit of Kyanna Prime only yesterday evening. 

The group she had brought with her included T’Rani, Lenjir, Samris, and Abbej. Only an hour after leaving Perez in command of the ship, they had beamed down to join the party. 

From what Cambil could understand, Drayne had invited several influential people who lived on Kyanna Prime, from the colony’s leader and cabinet members to other key people in the science community and diplomatic sphere of influence. Drayne introduced them to Cambil individually, as she was taken around the room. 

“Captain Cambil, please meet Director Obrinst, head of Operations for the Krenim Temporal Defence Force here on Kyanna Prime,” Drayne said towards a man who appeared to be relatively young to hold quite a senior position.

“A pleasure to meet you, Director,” Cambil said, smiling.

Obrinst was striking in appearance. He was a tall and muscular figure who seemed to be in his early thirties. His crystal blue eyes sparkled with intelligence and warmth, and deep dimples appeared on his cheeks as he smiled at her. His jet-black hair was meticulously styled with a centre parting and short sides, lending him an air of sharp professionalism. Despite his charm and good looks, Cambil’s thoughts remained steadfast with her spouse back on the Themis.

“Captain Cambil, a pleasure to finally meet you,” Obrinst greeted her, his voice resonant and confident. “I’ve heard much about your work in this region.”

“Well, we were happy to respond to the distress call and help Doctor Irlina and her team,” Cambil stated. She had said that phrase more than once this evening to other delegates. 

“We were fortunate enough that your ships were nearby; otherwise, there would have been no way we would have been aware of the accident,” Orbinst stated. “The attachment from our T-D-F on Onitha was overwhelmed by the explosion from the Paradox Machine, and it would have been my team who would have had to visit to help.”

“As I said, we were happy to lend a hand,” Cambil said as she sipped from her glass. “So what does the Krenim Temporal Defence Force do?”

“We monitor the space-time continuum to ensure that if there are any temporal incursions that could affect the security of the Krenim Imperium, we deal with them appropriately. Protecting the timeline in this region of Krenim space is a responsibility I take very seriously. Does the Federation have anything similar in place?”

“Yes, we do,” Cambil confirmed, her tone both professional and cordial. “We have the Department of Temporal Investigations, which is tasked with monitoring and managing temporal incidents across Federation space.”

Obrinst’s interest was clearly piqued. “And I understand your Federation invites species to join its alliance. Your people, the Bajorans, have they ever had to deal with temporal matters before joining the Federation?”

Cambil nodded thoughtfully, her expression shifting as she recounted the past. “We had the Orb of Time, sent by the Prophets. It’s now under careful guard by the Department of Temporal Investigations and the Vedek Assembly. The Orb once sent a starship to the past, so we take its safekeeping very seriously.”

“Fascinating,” Obrinst replied, genuinely intrigued. “These Prophets, are they sentient lifeforms?”

Cambil chuckled. “You could say that,” She briefly explained the Bajoran faith and how the Prophets are connected to Bajor and their gifts via the orbs. “We know from our Emissary that the Prophets don’t exist in the same linear timeframe as we do.”

“I am speechless to hear that such an advanced and rich civilisation like yours has such a strong faith in aliens that reside in a wormhole,” Obrinst paused. “Oh my, captain, I didn’t mean to insult your faith.” 

Waving it off, Cambil showed she was not offended. “Do not worry, director; it takes a lot of faith for anyone to understand my people’s spiritual connection with the Prophets.”

“I’m very interested in learning more about the Federation’s approach to safeguarding the timeline,” Obrinst continued. “What processes do you have in place to protect it?”

Cambil considered his request, recognising the potential benefits and sensitivities of sharing such information. “I’d be happy to discuss this further, Director. Let me introduce my first officer, Commander T’Rani, who can offer additional insights.”

With a nod of agreement, Cambil motioned for Commander T’Rani to join them. T’Rani approached with her usual calm demeanour, her Vulcan composure adding a layer of depth to the discussion.

“Commander T’Rani, Director Obrinst,” Cambil introduced them. “We were just discussing the Federation’s policies on temporal mechanics.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Director Obrinst,” T’Rani said with a slight nod, her voice even and precise. “The Federation’s philosophy on time travel is one of caution and responsibility. We prioritise ethical considerations and scientific rigour to minimise potential disruptions to the timeline. The Temporal Prime Directive is there to ensure that we all prevent meddling with anything that has happened and that which could happen.”

Obrinst listened intently, his expression deep and focused as he absorbed T’Rani’s words. “And how do you ensure these policies are effectively implemented?”

“We conduct rigorous oversight through the Department of Temporal Investigations,” T’Rani explained. “They are tasked with monitoring time-related activities and responding to any anomalies. Starfleet also trains its officers to recognise and report potential temporal incursions.”

“Temporal Mechanics is a mandatory course at Starfleet Academy,” Cambil added.

“Fascinating,” Obrinst stated. “Our young learn temporal mechanics in their primary education.”

Cambil observed the interaction, noting Obrinst’s genuine curiosity and how T’Rani’s logical explanations resonated with him. She felt relieved having her first officer join the conversation, confident that T’Rani’s perspective would help bridge the cultural and scientific exchange.

She wanted to bring this evening to an end sooner rather than later. 

“Is it me, or is the captain not looking like she’s enjoying this?” Abbej quietly said as she enjoyed a refreshen drink that tasted like a cross between Klingon bloodwine and pink lemonade.  

Standing beside her, Samris was holding the same drink. He wasn’t looking at the captain initially but then looked over at his shoulder. “You’re right; she seems unamused being dragged around like a prized possession of Admiral Drayne’s.”

“I feel like we should do something,” Abbej remarked. 

Samris shook his head. “No, let the captain deal with this. She needs to show a sign of willingness with the Krenim.”

“Really?” Abbej challenged, unimpressed with Samris’ response, before sipping her drink. She really did feel for the captain, but that empathy changed when another Krenim scientist approached her to discuss temporal mechanics more. 

Later, as the reception continued, Cambil found herself outside in the gardens, needing a moment of reflection. The gardens were beautifully landscaped, with vibrant alien flora and softly glowing paths that wound through them. The night sky was clear, with stars twinkling brightly above—a view she often admired from the bridge of the Themis but which felt different here on the ground.

Drayne joined her, the crisp night air refreshing after the warmth of the reception hall. “Kyanna Prime has always been a place where we Krenim feels connected to the universe,” he said thoughtfully. “There’s something about the night sky here that inspires hope.”

Cambil turned to Drayne, sensing the deeper meaning behind his words. “Hope is a powerful force,” she replied. “It’s what brought us here tonight. Our peoples have so much to gain by working together.”

“That I agree,” Drayne confirmed. He gestured for them to walk through the garden. 

They walked along the garden path, the sound of their footsteps softened by the lush grass. Cambil appreciated the quiet strength in Drayne’s demeanour, and the two exchanged stories of their backgrounds, finding common ground in shared experiences.

“Captain, what drives you to serve in Starfleet?” Telan asked, his curiosity genuine. “To be so far from home, exploring unknown regions?”

Cambil paused, considering the question. “The motto of my ship, I think it sums it up well: Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known,” she said earnestly. “It’s exploring what lies beyond our understanding and the journey it takes you along. To me, it’s about making a difference, no matter how small, and knowing that what we do today can shape a better tomorrow.”

Drayne nodded, clearly impressed by her sincerity. “I went into politics to ensure my people could live peacefully and harmoniously with our neighbours. It’s vital there’s more cooperation than conflict.”

‘On that, I also agree,’ Cambil said with a nod before Obrinst’s sudden arrival stopped them in their walk across the garden.

“Obrinst, is everything okay?” Drayne asked.

Shaking his head, Obrinst answered quickly. “One of our prototype time ships from the Annorax University has been stolen.”

“Stolen? By whom?” Drayne probed. 

 “The Chrono Supremacists,” Obrinst’s tone appeared to change when he answered Drayne’s question. 

“Who are they?” Cambil asked, trying to avoid asking too many questions without violating the Prime Directive or even the Temporal Prime Directive by interfering in a civilisation’s development.

“They’re a small group of radical scientists, philosophers and ex-members of our military who believe that we should use our advanced knowledge and technology in temporal mechanics to make the Krenim Imperium the dominant power in the Delta Quadrant,” Drayne said with almost gritted teeth. 

“They are the bane of the Krenim Temporal Defence Force,” Obrinst added.

“I understand,” Cambil said. “Can we help in any shape or form?”

Orbinst shook his head. “Thank you, captain, but this is a matter my department must deal with. I suggest you and your people return to your ship and begin breaking orbit for your safety. I’ll have one of our ships escort you to a safer location.”

“Of course, we will follow your suggestion if you think that’s wise,” Cambil replied courteously. 

Drayne apologised to her for what was happening, and Cambi told him he didn’t need to say sorry for anything. After re-entering the grand hall, she found her team and quickly briefed them on what was happening.

“We’re leaving,” Cambil said with insistence.

“Is our diplomatic attempt with the Krenim over?” Samris asked as they assembled closer to be ready to beam back to the ship.

“I don’t know, but I think we need to leave to avoid getting involved,” Cambil responded before she tapped her combadge and asked the Themis to beam them back at once. She was keen to get out of there and away from any danger this heist could bring them. As the transporter beam effect captured them all, Cambil took one more glance around the room and saw the chaos that was now sweeping across those who, mere moments ago, were enjoying a peaceful evening. Whoever these Chrono Supremacists were, they certainly seemed dangerous by the response they evoked in the Kyanna Prime’s leadership. She knew the moment she was safe on the Themis; she would call for red alert and ensure the ship’s new temporal shields were raised and at full power. If this prototype timeship was in the hands of radicals who wanted the Krenim to be powerful and mighty, she feared they could be the first target in an attack against non-Krenim. This was not how she wanted this mission to go, and she was now certainly cursing Commodore McCallister for sending her this way. How did he always end up with easier missions than she did? She would have words with him.