"What's it mean?" Venaster asked.

"I don't know," Spock answered honestly. He had little knowledge about the current state of Romulan politics, and therefore little power to do anything about it. "I don't know, but I am concerned about our Movement." Spock handed the data tablet back to D'Tan. "I wish to convene the leadership, but not in the open."

"You want to return to the tunnels beneath the city?" D'Tan asked, but Venaster was already nodding.

"I'll make sure none of us is followed," he said. "When do you want this to happen?"

"Tonight," Spock said. "Two hours past sundown."

"What should I tell everybody this is about?" Venaster asked.

"The future," Spock said. "Tell them it's about our future."

26.

Ben Sisko sat in the command chair on the bridge of U.S.S. Robinson. U.S.S. Robinson. Around him, the crew worked at their stations, the only sounds the chirps and tweets of their controls, mixed atop the low thrum of the warp drive that pervaded the ship. In that silence lurked the truth of Sisko's isolation, identified a month ago by Around him, the crew worked at their stations, the only sounds the chirps and tweets of their controls, mixed atop the low thrum of the warp drive that pervaded the ship. In that silence lurked the truth of Sisko's isolation, identified a month ago by Robinson Robinson's first officer. The captain set the tone for his crew, and most especially for his senior staff.

On the flip-up panel set into the arm of his chair, Sisko studied the continuous sensor readings appearing there. An overlay on the readout of local s.p.a.ce demarcated the boundaries of the Federation and the two Romulan nations, along with the established Neutral Zone. As had been the case for most of the time that the crew of Robinson Robinson had been tasked with patrolling the borders, nothing moved out there. had been tasked with patrolling the borders, nothing moved out there.

How do you know? Sisko asked himself. Sisko asked himself. Maybe there's a fleet of cloaked ships heading your way right now. Maybe there's a fleet of cloaked ships heading your way right now.

Except that he did did know that nothing moved out there. Starfleet had long ago established a host of technologies along the Federation side of the Neutral Zone to unmask cloaked Romulan vessels: subs.p.a.ce listening posts, gravitic sensors, tachyon detection grids. And not only did the crew of know that nothing moved out there. Starfleet had long ago established a host of technologies along the Federation side of the Neutral Zone to unmask cloaked Romulan vessels: subs.p.a.ce listening posts, gravitic sensors, tachyon detection grids. And not only did the crew of Robinson Robinson continually check those monitoring stations for breaches and breakdowns, but during the eight months of their guard duty, they had deployed a new array of probes along the territory they patrolled, and at random intervals, they activated their own tachyon network. continually check those monitoring stations for breaches and breakdowns, but during the eight months of their guard duty, they had deployed a new array of probes along the territory they patrolled, and at random intervals, they activated their own tachyon network.

No, Sisko thought. Nothing's moving out there. Nothing's moving out there.

Which was not to say that there had been no activity at all during their time along the border. Scans had frequently distinguished the warp signatures and impulse wakes of numerous Romulan sentries watching their own side of the Neutral Zone. Additionally, more than a dozen times, the Robinson Robinson crew had identified other starships making their way through Romulan territory, and on a couple of occasions those vessels had been close enough to one or another of the listening posts to capture a visual of them. They'd detected Breen, Gorn, and Tholian ships, and twice they'd actually seen Tzenkethi marauders. crew had identified other starships making their way through Romulan territory, and on a couple of occasions those vessels had been close enough to one or another of the listening posts to capture a visual of them. They'd detected Breen, Gorn, and Tholian ships, and twice they'd actually seen Tzenkethi marauders.

Sisko instinctively glanced up at the main viewscreen. The starfield there remained empty, but he had no difficulty at all imagining the distinctive teardrop-shaped Tzenkethi battleships. When a listening post had first caught sight of a trio of the fearsome vessels a month ago, the image had brought him back to those terrible days fighting in the last Federation-Tzenkethi war. Since then, those memories had invaded his dreams.

Deactivating his display, Sisko folded it back into the arm of his chair. He had enough troubles without fixating on the Tzenkethi. Oddly, though, the nightmares that had become a regular part of his life over the past few weeks somehow comforted him, at least in retrospect. He abhorred reliving in his dreams those horrible days, the experience of jerking awake in the middle of his sleep cycle, with his heart racing and his bedclothes drenched in sweat, more than just a little unpleasant. At the same time, the relief he felt in the moment after waking, in the instant that he realized he had left those experiences far back in his past, always struck him as profound. In some sense, it seemed as though he not only had survived those dark days but had survived the bad dreams of them as well.

It's more than that, though, isn't it? Sisko thought. In a perverse way, the nightmares filled a void in his life. For years, his existence had been punctuated by steady, if irregular, surreal visits from the Bajoran Prophets. Those had vanished from his world, and so the dreams, as ugly and upsetting as they were, subst.i.tuted one set of visions for another. It didn't sound healthy, and he knew that it shouldn't continue, but for the time being, it worked for him. Sisko thought. In a perverse way, the nightmares filled a void in his life. For years, his existence had been punctuated by steady, if irregular, surreal visits from the Bajoran Prophets. Those had vanished from his world, and so the dreams, as ugly and upsetting as they were, subst.i.tuted one set of visions for another. It didn't sound healthy, and he knew that it shouldn't continue, but for the time being, it worked for him.

Sisko rose from his chair and walked to the center of the bridge, his eyes still on the main viewer. It had taken some time for him to become accustomed again to seeing a moving starfield. During his years on Deep s.p.a.ce 9, he had commanded Defiant Defiant on a significant number of missions, but he had spent far more time on the station. And for more than four years after that, he had lived his life planetside, beneath a more or less fixed view of the stars. He could peer up of an evening in Kendra Province and pick out the Bajoran constellations: the Forest, the Temple, the Chalice, the Orb, the Flames. . . . on a significant number of missions, but he had spent far more time on the station. And for more than four years after that, he had lived his life planetside, beneath a more or less fixed view of the stars. He could peer up of an evening in Kendra Province and pick out the Bajoran constellations: the Forest, the Temple, the Chalice, the Orb, the Flames. . . .

Sisko thought to say something to the crew, or maybe just to Commander Rogeiro. Over the course of the past month, ever since his set-to with the ship's first officer, Sisko had made a concerted attempt to spend less time in his ready room during his duty shift. He had also endeavored to appear less remote with the bridge crew, though the pattern had become too well established to break through easily: the captain and the ship's senior staff spoke when necessary and not otherwise. But Sisko thought that Rogeiro saw his efforts, and that truly had been the captain's goal: to a.s.suage the concerns of Robinson Robinson's exec. He neither wanted nor needed to receive questions from some admiral somewhere about the dissatisfaction of the ship's first officer.

Before Sisko could think of something to say, he heard the doors of the upper, portside turbolift whisper open. He glanced up in that direction and saw a crewperson he didn't recognize walking down the ramp to the lower section, a padd in hand. Status report Status report, Sisko thought, and realized that he should complete another entry in his log before the end of the hour.

"Captain Sisko?" The crewperson stepped up to him in the center of the bridge, holding out the padd toward him. "I need your signature for the engineering status report. I've already had it signed off by Commander Relkdahz." Robinson Robinson had inherited the Otevrel chief engineer from had inherited the Otevrel chief engineer from New York. New York.

Sisko reached out and accepted the padd, and as he did so, he noticed two things: the wide smile on the crew-person's face, and the familiar ridges at the top of his nose. "Crewman . . .?" Sisko asked.

"Scalin, sir," said the young man. "Crewman Scalin Resk."

"All right, Mister Scalin," Sisko said as he perused the engineering report. Without looking up from the padd, he said, "Is there a reason for your smile?"

"Oh," said Scalin, lifting a hand up to his mouth before self-consciously dropping it back to his side. "No, sir. I'm sorry, sir," he said, stumbling over his words as he worked to suppress his smile. "I mean, yes, there's a reason, but I didn't mean to, sir."

"I see," Sisko said. He took a moment to read through the rest of the report, then pulled out a stylus from within the padd and used it to append his signature. He handed both back to Scalin. "And what is that reason, Crewman?"

"Well, sir, it's just an honor to be in the presence of the Emissary of the Prophets." The young man's smile returned.

"Crewman," Sisko said sharply, and he paused, pulling himself back before he merited another admonishment from the first officer. "Crewman Scalin, I understand your appreciation, but I am not not the Emissary of the Prophets." the Emissary of the Prophets."

Scalin looked down. "I've heard how humble you are, sir."

"I'm not being humble," Sisko said, knowing that he failed to mask his irritation. More quietly, he said, "I may have been the Emissary at one time, but I no longer am."

Scalin looked back up at Sisko, and though the young man's smile had lessened, it had not completely disappeared. "I've heard that might be how you feel now," he said. "But that's all right; the rest of us still believe."

Sisko's frustration threatened to boil over, but before he could say anything, somebody else did. "Mister Scalin," snapped Commander Rogeiro. The first officer stood from his chair and paced quickly over to Sisko and Scalin. "Mister Scalin, Captain Sisko has informed you that he is not not the Bajoran Emissary. But he the Bajoran Emissary. But he is is the commanding officer of this vessel. You will treat him as such, and the commanding officer of this vessel. You will treat him as such, and only only as such. If you cannot keep your smiles and your beliefs to yourself, then perhaps I can find you another starship where you can. Do I make myself clear, Crewman?" as such. If you cannot keep your smiles and your beliefs to yourself, then perhaps I can find you another starship where you can. Do I make myself clear, Crewman?"

"Yes, sir," Scalin said. No hint of a smile remained on his face. "Very clear, sir."

"Good," Rogeiro told him. "Then carry on with your duties."

"Yes, sir." Scalin looked down at the padd and painstakingly slid the stylus back into storage. He then headed back to the turbolift. Once he'd gone, Sisko turned toward Rogeiro.

"Thank you, Commander," he said.

Rogeiro shrugged, but a bit of a smirk played across his own features. "Just trying to keep the ship running smoothly," he said.

Though Rogeiro had never mentioned it, Sisko knew that he must be aware of his captain's status among the Bajoran people. In his own experience with members of Starfleet, Sisko had run into a great deal of skepticism about his role as a major figure in the religion of Bajor's people. He recognized the expression on Rogeiro's face, but he didn't- "Captain," said Lieutenant Commander Uteln from the tactical station. Sisko peered up at the Deltan security chief. "We're receiving a message from Earth." His brow furrowed as he worked the controls on his panel. "It appears to be in real time."

Sisko and Rogeiro exchanged a look. "Real time?" said the first officer. "They must have ships halfway across the Federation boosting the signal."

"It's eyes-only, Captain," Uteln said.

"All right," Sisko said. "Route it to my ready room."

"Aye, sir."

"You have the bridge, Mister Rogeiro," Sisko said before heading into his ready room. Once he'd sat down behind his desk, he tapped a control on his computer interface to accept the incoming message. The screen blinked to life, revealing the image of the Starfleet commander in chief and a middle-aged, white-haired woman who looked familiar to Sisko.

"Admiral Akaar," Sisko said. Because of the context, it took him a moment to recognize the leader of the Federation. He immediately wondered what could be so important that it required the heads of both Starfleet and the United Federation of Planets to contact him.

"Captain Sisko," Akaar said in his deep voice. Akaar said in his deep voice. "Obviously you recognize President Bacco." "Obviously you recognize President Bacco."

"I do," Sisko said. "It's a pleasure to meet you, ma'am."

"Captain," the president acknowledged. She seemed quite serious, as did Akaar. the president acknowledged. She seemed quite serious, as did Akaar.

"Captain Sisko, you were a.s.signed to the Federation emba.s.sy on Romulus as a junior officer, were you not?" asked Akaar. asked Akaar.

"Yes, I was."

"And I know you had quite a lot of contact with the Romulans during the Dominion War," the admiral added. the admiral added. "In fact, it was you who finally convinced the Empire to join our efforts against the Dominion." "In fact, it was you who finally convinced the Empire to join our efforts against the Dominion."

The statement, though true, recalled the uncomfortable manner in which the Romulans had been brought into the war. To Akaar, though, he simply said, "Yes, Admiral."

"All of that would lead me to believe that you have as good a firsthand understanding of the Romulans as anybody in Starfleet," Akaar said, an a.s.sertion Sisko found almost hyperbolic. Akaar said, an a.s.sertion Sisko found almost hyperbolic.

"I don't know about my experience with the Romulans relative to anybody else," Sisko said, "but yes, sir, I do feel I know something about the Romulan mind-set."

"I'm delighted to hear that, Captain," said the president, said the president, "because we need you to talk to them and try to get some information that could be extremely important to the Federation." "because we need you to talk to them and try to get some information that could be extremely important to the Federation."

Hearing and seeing President Bacco speak to him seemed peculiar to Sisko. He tried to shake off his feeling of awe, though, and respond directly to what she'd said. "You want me to go to Romulus, ma'am?" he asked.

"Not Romulus," the president said. the president said. "Achernar Prime." "Achernar Prime."

27.

Durjik sat in the Senate Chamber and listened with satisfaction as his colleagues argued about the Imperial Romulan State. Ever since the Hundred had re-formed the Senate, Donatra's illegal regime had been a topic of debate. But while n.o.body believed that the Romulan people should live divided into two separate political ent.i.ties, never before that day had the senators come so close to a consensus regarding what to do about it. For so long, with no clear military advantage and no taste for war among the people, the Senate had been content to stay the course.

But circ.u.mstances had changed.

Despite the reluctance of the other Typhon Pact nations to involve themselves in a Romulan civil war, the alliance at least theoretically provided enough firepower to overcome Donatra's forces. Of greater interest to Durjik, the widespread public protests on Romulus and throughout the Empire-and even within Donatra's rogue state-would undoubtedly convince the holdouts among his colleagues to reconsider their resistance to a military option.

Most important of all, the inevitable consensus would ultimately bring about an end not only to the woman who had proclaimed herself empress but also to the one who had proclaimed herself praetor. And once the Romulan people have been united and both leaders deposed And once the Romulan people have been united and both leaders deposed, Durjik knew, a new praetor will rise to renew the Empire. a new praetor will rise to renew the Empire. After that, the time would finally come to take on the hated Federation. With its Typhon Pact allies, Romulus would not be denied. After that, the time would finally come to take on the hated Federation. With its Typhon Pact allies, Romulus would not be denied.

"We cannot take military action against the Imperial Romulan State," said Senator Eleret, the old woman speaking as though her words carried the weight of truth. She stood on the floor of the chamber, addressing her concerns to the rest of the Senate. Behind her, the praetor's chair and the tables that accommodated the Continuing Committee all sat empty. Either when the Senate finally reached agreement on a course of action, or when Tal'Aura ordered it, the full government would meet to decide on a way forward.

"Why can't we attack Donatra?" demanded Mathon Tenv from the first tier of seats. An old ally of Pardek, Tenv thought about galactic politics in much the same way that Durjik did, believing that diplomacy could best be accomplished at the emitter end of a disruptor.

"Donatra might have broken the Empire in two," Eleret said, "but the Romulan people on the worlds she has claimed did not. They are already paying a steep price by being torn from their true government and the rest of their people. We cannot undo that injustice by causing them to part with their lives."

"It's what those people want themselves," contended Tenv. "Haven't you seen the protests? Tens of thousands taking to the streets on Achernar Prime."

Durjik smiled to himself. Rampant public dissent within the Romulan Empire Rampant public dissent within the Romulan Empire, he thought. Unpunished dissent. dissent. It would have amazed him had it not come about as the result of a political calculation. When Tal'Aura had first pushed to decriminalize the Vulcan-Romulan Reunification Movement, Durjik had fought against the idea; the very notion of permitting treasonous ideas into the public discourse seemed not merely foolish but abhorrent. But after the death of Pardek, his friend and political confederate, Durjik had chosen a new ally well, and the chairman of the Tal Shiar had explained the praetor's reasoning in allowing Spock and his followers out of the shadows. Rehaek had kept Tal'Aura under surveillance, and so had learned of her intention to have Vulcan-Romulan reunification drive a call for Romulan unity. Once that had begun to happen, Tal'Aura's minions had spread throughout Romulan s.p.a.ce to organize enormous protests. It would have amazed him had it not come about as the result of a political calculation. When Tal'Aura had first pushed to decriminalize the Vulcan-Romulan Reunification Movement, Durjik had fought against the idea; the very notion of permitting treasonous ideas into the public discourse seemed not merely foolish but abhorrent. But after the death of Pardek, his friend and political confederate, Durjik had chosen a new ally well, and the chairman of the Tal Shiar had explained the praetor's reasoning in allowing Spock and his followers out of the shadows. Rehaek had kept Tal'Aura under surveillance, and so had learned of her intention to have Vulcan-Romulan reunification drive a call for Romulan unity. Once that had begun to happen, Tal'Aura's minions had spread throughout Romulan s.p.a.ce to organize enormous protests.

Soon enough, Durjik believed, the Senate would vote to launch an attack on Donatra's Imperial Romulan State. But they wouldn't need to, because before then, Tal'Aura would continue the second part of her plan to topple Donatra. And once the Empire had been made whole again, the time would come for new leadership on Romulus. Durjik felt more than capable of a.s.suming that mantle. He could then turn whatever bloodl.u.s.t had been directed at the Imperial Romulan State to an even better target: the Federation.

On the floor of the Senate Chamber, Eleret concluded her remarks and returned to her seat. Durjik waited to see if anybody else would rise. Many of the senators, himself included, had already spoken. He couldn't believe that anything new remained unsaid, except possibly for political statements intended to forge new coalitions.

Durjik peered down toward the first tier, to where Senator T'Jen sat. As vice-proconsul, she administered sessions that lacked the presence of the praetor and the Continuing Committee. Durjik waited for her to stand and declare the senatorial a.s.sembly at an end, but then somebody spoke from the last tier.

"I would make my position known."

Durjik turned to see Senator Xarian Dor on his feet. Dor quickly extracted himself from his tier and made his way down to the chamber floor. "My fellow senators," he said, "I think we can all appreciate the differing points of view put forth here today. I cannot imagine anyone sitting in this august body who does not wish the Romulan Star Empire to regain its full power and glory. I also cannot imagine any senator willing to risk the lives of our fellow citizens if there is some other way to achieve our aim of uniting the Romulan people."

Durjik suspected he knew where Dor would take his argument. The young man had been a vocal advocate for peace, when fighting would be hard, but more open to battle when the odds favored his side. In time, Durjik thought, he of the wealthy and powerful Ortikant could make a valuable new ally.

"I have been reluctant to plunge our people into battle against each other," Dor continued. "But the situation has changed for the Empire. We are now part of a major alliance that can bring us prosperity for generations to come, through peaceful means if possible, and through force if necessary. But I fear that unless our people return to a single, strong Empire, we will become subsumed within the Typhon Pact. We welcome new allegiances, but as Romulans, we must always be first among equals."

Yes, thought Durjik. I must get to know this man. I must get to know this man.

"If public protests and pressure fail to move Donatra," Dor said, "then it is inc.u.mbent upon the Senate-"

With no warning, Dor collapsed.

Durjik shot up from his chair, stunned by what he had seen. Dor had not fallen forward or back, or to one side or the other, but had crumpled where he stood. As other senators raced to the chamber floor, Durjik frantically looked around, searching for somebody who might have done this. But the doors remained closed, and Durjik had heard nothing, had seen nothing. Convinced that n.o.body but the members of the Senate had been present, he hurried down to the floor.

In the distance, Durjik heard an alarm signaling a medical emergency, which one of the senators must have initiated. As he stood with his colleagues over the unmoving form of Dor, he saw Vice-proconsul T'Jen hurrying toward the main entrance. Unsealing the chamber, she threw open the doors, allowing a medical team to enter. To get Dor to a hospital, the doctors would have to carry him out on the antigrav stretcher they had brought with them, since shielding prevented transport into or out of the Senate Chamber.

The medical technicians worked on the fallen senator for some time. In the end, they did carry him out of the chamber and transport him to the nearest hospital. But it didn't matter.

Xarian Dor was dead.

28.

The single lighting panel leaned against a stone and battled the darkness of the cavern, winning in part but unable to penetrate into the many crevices lining the walls, or past the rocks and formations littered about the small s.p.a.ce. Spock sat on the uneven ground, his back beginning to ache. The dank air penetrated the cloak he wore, contributing to his discomfort. More than any physical distress, though, what he had witnessed that day in Victory Square troubled him.

"I have called you here because of the many ma.s.sive protests throughout both both Romulan empires," Spock said. The leaders of the Reunification Movement's Ki Baratan cell sat and stood arrayed about him in the cavern: Corthin, Dorlok, Venaster, and Dr. Shalvan. D'Tan had accompanied Spock as well, and remained by his side. "Although I expected that the open discussion and espousal of our cause would likely help focus the attentions of many Romulan citizens on the division within their own empire, it seems extremely unlikely to me that what we saw today can be explained as such a consequence." Romulan empires," Spock said. The leaders of the Reunification Movement's Ki Baratan cell sat and stood arrayed about him in the cavern: Corthin, Dorlok, Venaster, and Dr. Shalvan. D'Tan had accompanied Spock as well, and remained by his side. "Although I expected that the open discussion and espousal of our cause would likely help focus the attentions of many Romulan citizens on the division within their own empire, it seems extremely unlikely to me that what we saw today can be explained as such a consequence."

"We have have seen rallies in support of uniting Tal'Aura's and Donatra's realms," Dorlok said. The former military officer, ever watchful, stood beside the entrance to the cavern. seen rallies in support of uniting Tal'Aura's and Donatra's realms," Dorlok said. The former military officer, ever watchful, stood beside the entrance to the cavern.

"A few few rallies," Corthin noted. "All smaller than ours, and only in a few places on Romulus. Nothing like today." rallies," Corthin noted. "All smaller than ours, and only in a few places on Romulus. Nothing like today."

"What do you think it means?" Venaster asked Spock, just as he had outside Victory Square. He sat across from Spock, seated between Corthin and Shalvan.

"I am not certain," Spock said. "But because I believe it improbable that our rallies sparked the protests today, and because of the obvious organization of those protests, it seems reasonable to conclude that somebody did did organize them." organize them."

"You're talking about somebody other than random citizens, or even a network of citizens," Shalvan said, more a statement than a question.

"Yes," Spock confirmed. "While it is theoretically possible that some Romulan citizen or group of citizens staged the protests, the similarity of all the events and their far-flung distribution suggest a managing force with considerable reach. Because none of the protests met with official resistance, the government itself seems a likely candidate."

"Actually, we have some new information," Corthin said. "Government security did try to shut down one of the protests on Achernar Prime. The one nearest to Donatra's fortress."

"They were not successful?" Spock asked. He felt another section of his back begin to hurt, and so he shifted in his position to relieve it.