Commander Tomarah stared at a blank viewscreen in front of her. Then, entering commands into her console, she confirmed, “The human ship is moving off in the direction of Earth, and I can confirm that the cloak is not of our design.  It operates on a phasing technology.”

Sukitha sat in the central chair, her gaze fixed on the viewscreen, trying with all her might to spot any change in the stars that would indicate she had spoken with someone she knew was dead. She had not betrayed that knowledge while speaking with Ethan, and she was relieved to know that none of her crew was aware of Ethan.

“Phase Technology,” she said absentmindedly, still unsure how Ethan was still alive or if he was a ghost sent to remind her of the only time a human had ever saved her.

Tomarah approached her superior with her hands clasped behind her. “Do you believe this human?”

“That is still unknown, Commander Tomarah, but we will find out soon enough,” Sukitha said, looking at her Commander. “In the meantime, keep an eye on that ship and try to break through that Phasing cloak. So that we can be sure of the actual size of the prey we are hunting.”

“I will do what I can. Unfortunately, phase cloak technology is notoriously unpredictable and theoretical at best for starships.   We lost three ships during initial tests, and it was banned.  And forgive me, history is not my best, but wasn’t that a Narlin on that ship?  Didn’t we eradicate their empire and make their home planet a Reman colony decades ago?”

Sukitha looked at Tomarah, at the mentioning of a Narlin. “Are you certain, Commander?” she asked as she looked directly into her second in command. “I don’t want a repeat of history that nearly wiped us out.”

“Very certain,” Tomhara replied.

Sukitha stood up and walked over to the nearest console to replay the conversation that had just taken place, and sure enough, a Narlin stood on the bridge of that ship. Then, turning back toward her second, she motioned with her head to her office.

Tomarah followed Sukitha into her office and stood at attention before her superior officer.  “I don’t know what it means with that Narlin on their ship, but it seems to put into question the rest of the human’s story. If he is bluffing about his backstory, he is likely bluffing about the size of his ship as well, and it is likely inferior  to our ship.”

Sukitha ignored Tomarah’s warnings about the Narlin and the bluffing. Instead, she walked over to her desk and sat down. “Have a seat, Commander,” she said, pulling up a sealed file that was locked behind a personal code. A file containing a record of a human was seen on a monitor near the two of them a moment later.

“Tomarah, no one knows about this file, not even the Romulan High Council or Command,” she said, looking over at her second in command. “I’m letting you know because you’ve seen,” she paused and tapped on an icon on her desk’s console. An image of Ethan appeared on the screen as she continued, “this man right here,” she said, indicating the photo of Ethan. “he’s supposed to be dead in an action that nearly ten years ago saved my life and the lives of my crew.”

Tomarah raised an eyebrow at that, “Saved your life? A human?  Not likely. Or at least it wasn’t some noble effort. He probably did it to save himself.   So, now we know he’s lying and capable of elaborate hoaxes. You should notify the fleet, hunt him down and eliminate him before he does whatever it is that he’s planning.”

“Tomarah,” Sukitha said in a tone that demanded that her second in command listen. She then tossed the woman a Starfleet badge, charged and almost unidentifiable, but a single name and part of some code were on the back. “There is no way that he could have survived a warp core detonation.”

Tomarah picked up the badge and examined it, “I do not recognize the style and construction of the ornamentation.  What is it?”  She then extended it to her commanding officer,  “This survived.  Why couldn’t the man who had also survived?  But okay, let’s play out this scenario.   This Commander Talon we just met, and the Commander Talon that had this device is indeed the same person.   And let’s say that he died as you have said.  What does that mean?  He traveled forward in time or back in time?  Possible,  but in truth, unlikely.   Did he emerge from that rift from some alternate universe?  Again, possible, but that seems even more ludicrous than the first scenario.   No, the simplest explanation is that he faked his death, and you were misled.  So, the question remains; what are you going to do about it?”

“That is indeed the only question that remains,” Sukitha stated as she looked at Tomarah. “What am I going to do about this?”

She sat there for a moment and then looked at Tomarah with a grin on her lips. “I am going to order the total surrender of that ship and force it out of its cloak.”

Tomarah grinned. That was the Commodore Sukitha that she was accustomed to.  “Yes, ma’am.”

Sukitha stood up and moved back onto the bridge, “Helm find that ship, and I don’t care how you go about doing it. Tactical once that ship is located,” she paused for a moment and, in a dark tone, continued, “fire on it.”