Once everyone was seated, the Andorian stood.  “I’m Lieutenant Commander Aes’let, with the base science division.  Since the original briefing packet, we’ve discovered a little more about the alternate timeline you’ll be going to,” she said.  “We do know that you will be going back in time relative to our present, and while we are not sure of the exact point of divergence yet we do know that in this other timeline Starfleet is vastly reduced from what they were at that time in our timeline.  Accordingly, other powers will likely be more prominent, both politically and spatially.”

“How far back?” Temoris asked.

“Late 2258,” Aes’let replied.

“An important year here in our reality. That was the year after our war with you concluded was it not?” Kerak asked. What was truly remarkable was how he was even able to comprehend the notion of participating in interdimensional and temporal tenek in his state.

Aes’let nodded.  “Yes, Captain,” she replied.  “And from what we can tell, the Klingon Empire is one of the powers that is more expansive in this alternate timeline.”

The news saw the Starfleet and Romulan duos exchange glances.  After a moment, Aes’let continued.  “Unfortunately, we haven’t yet had any further news about the Goldfinch.  However, other timelines have shown evidence of Loom presence, so I must recommend both speed and caution.”

Lotharys’s brow furrowed, the young Trill trying to remember something.  “The Loom…?  Like the species that Admiral Janeway once had to deal with, the one that likes to erase other timelines?”

“That’s correct,” Aes’let replied.  “The longer things take, the more likely that the Loom find you and the Displaced, and the more likely that they might erase one or both, or even the whole timeline if it’s been too heavily impacted, either by the Displaced or by you.”

The drunk CO of the Slivin, who was uninhibited at the best of times, pounded his fist on the conference table, “Excellent, the greater the stakes, the greater the glory.”

Aes’let looked to her companion, then quizzically to K’lev, who made a hand motion as if to say just go with it.  She nodded, then turned back to Kerak.  “The Loom may be unlike any enemy you’ve faced before, Captain,” she cautioned, though in her mind she doubted he’d listen.  “They are notoriously tough and hard to injure, and their touch can wipe people – or ships, or even entire timelines – from existence.  Fortunately, they tend to focus on temporal paradoxes, so if you can rescue the Goldfinch without causing any damage to the timeline then they should leave you alone.  In theory,” she hastened to clarify.

“No need to try and build up my interest with a more powerful, dangerous, and worthy foe. It matters not, we will succeed in our mission or we shall perish in a manner befitting of song and sagas.” Kerak was just riffing now, pulling out the greatest hits of Klingon boasting. Bamet on the other hand was having to repeatedly swallow down a pesky portion of bloodwine that seemed quite determined to escape her stomach via the same route it had entered.

Temoris gave the two Klingons a look – not hostile or mocking, merely bemused at their coming to a briefing drunk – then turned to Aes’let.  “If we do encounter these Loom, we will need to have full details of their capabilities; does such data exist?”

Aes’let shook her head.  “I wouldn’t call it full details, but we’ll forward to your ships everything we have,” she replied as she nodded to her companion, who immediately set about doing just that.

Temoris nodded, satisfied.  K’lev then looked at his two fellow commanding officers.  “Any other questions either of you can think of before we go?” he asked, speaking more to Kerak than to Temoris as she had been at the staff meeting held on Appalachia while Kormoran and the Starfleet vessel were in transit to Starbase 80.

“We are ready to embark on our mission whenever you are Commander.” Kerak replied.

K’lev stood.  “Then let’s get moving,” he said.

With that, the meeting came to an end.  The two base staffers gathered their supplies and left the room, followed quickly by K’lev, Lotharys, Temoris, and Sovikruk.  The quartet, rather than leaving on foot, beamed out, returning directly to their ships as both Appalachia and Kormoran continued to hold in orbit of the station.

Kerak insisted that they should walk back to their ship to Bamet, who grudgingly followed her Uncle. Or rather, followed all three versions of him that she was seeing.