"Ah, hello again," The commander of the first ship said as she appeared on screen. "I am Captain Janice Mackie, commanding the Federation Battleship Excalibur. Can you tell me if General Gond's ships are going to be all right?" "They just attacked you, and you're worried about them?" Lani asked, amused. "You must understand, Captain Rishman," Mackie said quickly. "This is all just a misunderstanding. The United Federation of Planets and the Klingon Empire are allies." "It's not a misunderstanding, Mackie," A woman cut in. It was the voice of the one identified as Admiral Solana. "It's the latest political stupidity from our President. She has been proven to be a danger, and should be removed like Anra was." "Admiral?" Mackie glanced to her left as the other woman stepped into view. This woman was even more beautiful than Mackie. But where Mackie had short cut black hair, the Admiral's head was shaven, and in the middle of her forehead was a small tattoo. "Yes, I know," Solana replied testily. "I'm being insubordinate! But the Presidents actions have already created a political firestorm back home. Both with the Klingons as well as with the Senate and Starfleet," She then shook her head in disgust. "And Mars is ready to go to war because of the arrest of Joshua Kirk." "It doesn't make any sense!" The voice of the one identified as Ami Lynne cut in, obviously upset. "Joshua did nothing to deserve arrest! At most, he should have been recalled by the President! And what about the arrest of his daughter?" "I am not aware of such an order," Solana said, a puzzled expression on her face. "And now is not the time to discuss this." "Captain!" Leedo said quickly. "Sixteen ships have just appeared out of nowhere! Big ships!" "Captain?" Rishman said after glancing to her right. "I need to talk with the Defiant Battle Group's commander, Admiral Munn. Perhaps we'll speak again." "Very well," Mackie said with a nod. She then turned to Leedo. "Put the new ships on screen." On the main view screen, sixteen ships appeared. Most had an arrowhead shape, with one being much larger than the others. "The largest ship is big," Leedo said, shocked at what her scans showed her. "It's nineteen kilometers in length. The next five are sixteen hundred meters. The rest range from seven hundred, to two hundred meters. They build big, Captain." "Obviously, Lt Leedo," Solana said as she stared in awe at the armada. "Captain?" The lieutenant slowly turned to face her commander. "That largest ship's power plant is putting out more power than anything I've ever seen. I'm talking the equivalent of Sol itself." "What?" Mackie shouted as she leapt from her chair to run to the science station. After glancing over Leedo's findings, she turned to Solana, who now stood at her side. "That is impressive technology!" "Her main weapons seem to be laser based," The science officer said, bringing the ship up on the monitor. "And given the power they have available, our shields would not stand up to them. It also has more of those weapons systems the Easy Hauler used to take out the Klingon ships. About five thousand or so weapons batteries all told." "I get the feeling these are people we want to be on the good side of," Solana muttered as she examined the scans of the other ships. "And war ships like that means they have enemies with ships as powerful." "Captain!" Leedo said quickly as she stared at one of the other monitors. "The wormhole is collapsing!" "Damn it!" Mackie shouted. "Helm, bring us about and reenter the wormhole!" "Belay that order!" Leedo said quickly. "Captain, it will collapse a couple minutes after entering, destroying the ship." "So we're going to be trapped here?" Solana asked the science officer. "Yes, Admiral," Leedo told her. "But sensors showed me that this wormhole is the type that open and close on a regular schedule." "And just how long will we have to wait for it to open?" The Admiral asked. "It looks like anywhere from five to ten years, Sir." "Oh, this is not good," Mackie muttered. "In what way, Jan?" Solana asked, a tone of disbelief in her voice. "This is what I lived for when I cammanded a ship! The chance to explore another galaxy? This is what every man and woman in Starfleet lives for." "I'm thinking of getting my crew home, Admiral," Mackie said as she watched the vortex rapidly shrink. "And you will get them home," Solana replied. "You'll just have some very interesting stories to tell. As well as having accumulated much scientific and technological research." "True," Mackie muttered again, stopping when Leedo interrupted her. "Captain, when we exited the wormhole," The science officer said, pointing to a screen. "I had astrogation begin a thourough sweep of space. They've put us at about seventy four million lightyear from home." "The Easy Hauler is hailing us, Captain," Reed said from her com station. "Put them on the main screen," Mackie said as she sat back in her chair. "Captain Mackie," Rishman said as she nodded to someone off screen. "The space tunnel has collapsed, will that be a problem for you?" "A big problem," Excalibur's commander replied as she shook her head. "We are now seventy four million lightyears from home. Our warp drive has been damaged. And we still have five Klingon ships out there." "Well Admiral Munn says we can escort you the planet of Khatta," She then nodded again as Kilver jogged past her. "He'll have some tugs come in and tow these others to Harradus." "Our warp drive is out like I said. My chief engineer says it'll take two, maybe three day to repair it." "We can magnetically grapple with your ship and tow you there," She said. "But first we're going to let our passengers fly their fighters to Helvish station." "Very well, I look forward to seeing Khatta," Mackie said before ending the call. "Admiral Solana? Does she look like any Earth born Human to you?" "Yes she does," Solana said with a smile. "And have you noticed they speak perfect English?" "Yes I have," Mackie laughed as she shook her head. "You are right Admiral, we will have some very interseting stories to tell when we get back home." "Uncle Jarrin, did you hear that?" Rishman said as she turned to the monitor where Admiral Jerrin Munn smiled at his niece. "Seventy four million lightyears from home? And they speak perfect Galactic Basic!" "Yes Lani, I heard," He said before pausing to think for several seconds. "I think we just found out why we have never been able to find the world Human's evolved on. We've been looking in the wrong galaxy!" "Uncle Admiral," Lani said as she grinned. "I take it all this is classified?" "Yes, for the time being," He then grinned back. "But I have a feeling this will come out eventually. I think this is going to shake the galaxy to it's core."