Deck fourteen in the stardrive section housed two of Odyssey’s transporter rooms and the modifications needed to bring the ship back into sync required a bit of extra care. After knowing every system on the Odyssey after a long and illustrious career, Vice Admiral Max Duncan was confident that he and Captain Tomaz could complete this part of their mission quickly and quietly. The latter was quite apparent as they made their way down deck fourteen. They had just passed through a time barrier and entered another timeframe. At that moment no-one had appeared out of nowhere, so both men had wondered if they had entered a day where the ship may have been docked at a particular station and a majority crew were off the ship. That said, the ship was massive, so it could also mean that for the moment they were alone. Their holographic camouflage had changed to make them still look a bit younger than before, but both were now in the uniforms they had worn over twenty five years ago. Max wore his blue counsellor’s uniform with the rank of lieutenant commander while Tomaz wore the rank of ensign. His still young, fresh appearance from before being apparent. The emitters they were using were using some sort of temporal scanner combined with the ability to run a quantum scan of their surrounding area and adapt to the changes. Every emitter had been carefully designed and tailored for each of its wearers. 

While they had a moment, Tomaz had checked the emitter to determine when they were. “Mid-twenty-three-ninety-six.” He shared to Duncan. “Around stardate seven-three-five-nine-seven-point three-six. Sound familiar to you?”

Duncan shook his head. “It doesn’t ring any bells for me, yet. You?”

“I was still on Starbase One-Eight-Five, by the fact I’m still an ensign means I’ve not been made assistant chief strategic operations there, yet.” Tomaz answered with a sigh.

“You don’t seem that happy with recalling that time?” Duncan said looking at his former first officer. “I thought you once told me you enjoyed being on One-Eight-Five?”

 “I did, but it was just the fact that during that time most of the missions I led involved us saving refugees coming across the border.” Tomaz said. “The scenes we encountered weren’t the cheeriest.”

“I know the feeling, the amount we saw when Odyssey was assigned to the border. It was immense.” Duncan replied. He took his tricorder out and scanned the corridor ahead of them. “Our next panel to work on is in that room.” He pointed to the door. 

The door read: TRANSPORTER ROOM FIVE, so both men quickly entered it. To their surprise this room was not empty and before them they encountered a small group of agitated Tamarians. Trying to calm the whole situation down was one Lieutenant junior grade Craigen Flemen. 

“Oh damn.” Duncan muttered which caused Tomaz to look at him with concern.

The Barzan man didn’t have a chance to ask why his superior quietly said what he said as they were both quickly approached by the young fresh faced Flemen. The diplomatic officer looked relieved at their arrival. 

“Lieutenant Commander Duncan, I am so glad you’ve arrived.” Flemen said and then he looked at Tomaz. He didn’t recognise him straight away. “Ensign?”

“Tomaz, sir.” He replied as he shook the Lumerian male’s hand. 

“Another face I’ll need to learn, I’ve just joined Odyssey.” Flemen explained before he turned to Duncan. “I’m so sorry sir, but the Tamerians are becoming quite a handful and I’m not sure what to say or do. I think some of their group got lost and I found them wandering the corridor.”

Knowing where and when he was, Duncan soon recalled the whole incident. Odyssey was patrolling the Klingon-Federation border when they found a disabled Tamarian frigate. After rescuing them their ship exploded. All of the transporters were used to bring them on board before their warp core breach. This group of Tamerians must have been brought on board but somehow with the temporal differences were now stuck and couldn’t find a way off. Looking to Tomaz, Duncan issued out his orders. “Ensign,” He said using the rank that Tomaz had, “why don’t you proceed with that work you were sent to do while I assist Mister Flemen.”

Tomaz nodded and took the kit that Duncan had in his hands as he walked around the edge of the transporter room, avoiding the Tamerians like the plague and made his way over to the control panels. 

Duncan then turned his attention back to Flemen and their guests. “Let me guess, their speech doesn’t make sense?”

Nodding, Flemen shared what had happened so far. “I know the Tamarians speak in metaphors but I’m struggling as the universal translator isn’t completely working either. I am so sorry. I called up to the bridge and heard nothing, so I was able to get them to come in here and I tried to calm them down.”

Placing a reassuring hand on Flemen, Duncan felt like he had done this a million times with this young man. From his perspective, Craigen Flemen was no longer this young officer that grew to become the confident diplomatic officer that succeeded him but instead the man he knew now had been recently elected by his people to represent their interests on the Federation Council. “Do not worry lieutenant, we’ll get through this together.” He said and then placed his focus on the Tamarians in the room. Their leader appeared to be a female who wore the rank of lieutenant on her sash. Her entire demeanour appeared hostile, agitated and angry. Straight away Duncan was able to remember who she was, Lieutenant Julion. She was the chief engineer.  

“Rapunki, when he joined the Seven.” Duncan said immediately. 

Julion’s entire disposition changed as she looked at Duncan with some sort of reservation at first. “Kadir beneath Mo Moteh.”

Nodding, Duncan showed he understood that she was referring to their inability to fully understand and communicate with one another. “Sokath, his eyes uncovered.

“Zima at Anzo.” She said quickly. 

“Yes, Zima at Anzo. Zima and Bakor.” Duncan said before shaking his head. “Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra.”

Julion then looked at her comrades before looking back at Duncan. She smiled. “Picard and Dathon at El-Adrel.”

Copying her smile back, Duncan knew he was getting somewhere with her. The reference to the first successful first contact between the Federation and the Children of Tama was an indicator they were going in the right place. “Kiazi’s children, their faces burnt.”

Shaking her head, Julion responded. “Kiazi’s children, their faces wet.”

Knowing she was telling him their injuries were minor, Duncan turned to Flemen. “Craigen, go get the medkit from the locker.” He ordered the lieutenant. He turned back to Julion. “Zinda, his face blue, not black. Zinda his arms open.”

“Temba, at rest.” She replied by raising her left hand to Duncan and shaking her head in a peaceful manner just as Flemen returned with the medical kit. 

“Kiazi’s children, their head’s cloudy?” Duncan asked as he took out the medical tricorder. He could see they had a few injuries among them all and he wanted to help them. 

Shaking her head again, Julion repeated the same metaphor again. “Temba, at rest.” Showing her declining his offer. 

Nodding once, Duncan showed he understood. He then needed to explain to her how important it was for them to stay where they were. “The beast at Tanagra. The beast at El-Adrel.” He gestured with his hands to the room and ship around them. 

Julion then looked concerned at hearing that. “Arnock at the race of Natara.” She said, pointing towards the door. 

“The river Temarc in winter.” Duncan started showing he had to tell her to stay where they were. “Darmok and Jalad on the ocean.” He then looked at Flemen, pointed to him. “Flemen and Julion on the ocean.” He indicated to her, showing he knew her identity. “Flemen and Julion on the Odyssey. Eyes open, arms wide open, together on Odyssey.”

She smiled and looked at Flemen. “Flemen and Julion on the ocean, eyes open, arms wide open on the Odyssey.”

Pleased she understood him, Duncan placed his hand on his chest. “Duncan and Tomaz,” He said, indicating to his comrade who had returned after doing his work, “on the race for Tanagra.”

“Duncan and Tomaz, on the race for Tanagra. Mirab, with sails unfurled. ” Julion stated, showing she understood that he and Tomaz were working quickly and they needed to move on. “Sokath, his eyes uncovered.”

“His eyes uncovered.” Duncan repeated and then turned to Tomaz. “It’s time we went.”

“Umm, sir, what do I do with the Tamarians?” Flemen interjected before his superior left. 

Realising that he needed to explain to him what was going on, Duncan took him outside the transporter room and briefed him. “What I’m about to tell you is going to only add to the craziness to what you just witnessed, but I’m going to leave you with something that will help you.” 

“Oh?” Flemen questioned.

Duncan deactivated his camouflage and told Flemen everything before injecting the chroniton infused serum into him. He then handed him his combadge. “I’m ordering you lieutenant to destroy this combadge after we’ve completed our work here. If it does not disappear from the timeframe then you need to destroy it. The universal translator in this combadge is able to translate everything you need to know in communicating with the Tamarians. From my time period we’ve been able to work out the translation perfectly.”

Flemen nodded, still dazed and impressed by what he had just been told about Duncan and Tomaz’s mission through time. “This is certainly something I never expected to deal with when I joined the Odyssey.”

“And a lot more will happen lieutenant, but you’ll be amazing in every situation.” Duncan said with a reassuring smile. “I promise you that.”

“Why do I feel my new department head knows a lot more about me than I know about myself?” Flemen asked and then looked to Tomaz who had just joined them.

“Because he is one of the best mentors you and I will ever have.” Tomaz said and then looked to Duncan. “Sir, we need to move on.”

“Yes, time is not waiting for us.” Duncan answered and then looked at Flemen. “We’ll be in touch if we need anything, Craigen. The beast at Tanagra does not wait for anyone.”

“Then Darmok and Jalad on the ocean with eyes wide open.” Flemen stated with a smirk.

Duncan chuckled and then indicated for him and Tomaz to leave as they passed through the next time barrier.