Totality’s realm of dark matter and our own normal space-time.”
Kirk could see that Picard was building to a moment of truth. “And that’s valuable because…?”
“The dimensional energy signature is unique, and… it’s been seen before.”
Kirk waited.
“The Monitor’s deflector systems automatically went to full power as the Distortion closed in,” Picard said.
“Which means the Distortion registered as having a physical presence.”
Picard agreed, then added, “But the main sensors made no sense of what was before them. In fact, the bulk of the data we’ve recovered comes from analysis of the Distortion’s optical properties only-how it appeared to ripple the light of galaxies behind it, how it appeared visually on the viewscreen…. At first, the crew thought they were seeing a cloaking device in action.”
Kirk looked down at his espresso, trying to understand why what Picard was saying sounded familiar.
Picard continued as if prompting Kirk. “Other than the deflectors being triggered and recordings of the Distortion’s visual appearance, every sensor scan reported density negative, radiation negative, and energy negative.”
Kirk looked up with those words playing back in his mind, so tantalizingly familiar. “It’s been a long time… but I’m sure I’ve heard those readings before.” But he couldn’t place the memory.
“I actually looked them up,” Picard said, “almost three years ago.”
Now Kirk was truly confused. “That’s before any of this happened.”
“But after you told me about your first run-in with Norinda.”
Kirk nodded. “I remember. When we were in the desert on Bajor.”
Picard nodded. “On vacation.”
“What’s the connection?”
“You told me how Starfleet had ordered you to locate Norinda’s ship after they’d tracked it traveling at an impossible velocity.”
“That’s right. It was off the warp scale we used back then. Factor fifteen, I think.”
“At that factor, where did they think it had come from?”
Kirk shrugged. This was all so long ago. “They were afraid to say it at the time, but it seems they were right. It was extragalactic. From– ” And then as if he had been hit by a phaser beam, Kirk remembered where he had heard those readings for the first time.
“The galactic barrier.”
In the early days of faster-than-light exploration, a handful of ships had tried to penetrate the mysterious energy barrier that surrounded the galaxy, and they had failed.
But after Starfleet had confirmed that Norinda’s ship had indeed arrived on a trajectory from outside the galaxy, Kirk had been ordered to retrace her route. So it was that in the first year of his original five-year mission on the Enterprise, Kirk had reached the barrier and attempted to pass through it.
The effort had cost him the lives of three crew, including his best friend, Gary Mitchell.
And yet, in subsequent years and subsequent attempts, the Enterprise had managed to penetrate the barrier and survive without ill effects.
In debriefings, one theory raised by Starfleet Command suggested that the barrier had somehow “recognized” the Enterprise from its first attempt, and so had allowed it to pass.
Another theory held that the galactic barrier was weakening. Though at the time, since no mechanism had ever been found to explain its existence, whatever might be causing it to fade away also defied analysis.
Kirk saw the puzzle pieces fall into place, even though the picture they formed wasn’t yet complete. “Starfleet thinks there’s a connection between the Totality and the galactic barrier?”
Again Picard nodded. “From the ongoing research into the phenomenon, there’ve been several compelling theories advanced that suggest the barrier is an artificial construct, perhaps put in place as much as four billion years ago.”
Four billion, Kirk thought. That span of time was also something he had heard before.
Picard continued. “About six years ago, my crew took part in an experiment to penetrate the barrier by means of an artificial wormhole.”
Kirk wasn’t aware of that attempt. “Did you succeed?”
Picard’s reply was enigmatic. “It’s a long story, and by order of Command, off the record.”
Kirk knew better than to try to get Picard to defy orders. “Where does that leave us?”
Picard took a sip of his tea, as if trying to put off what he had to say next as long as possible.
But time was up.
“Jim, this is extremely difficult for me.”
Kirk went on alert. Nothing good ever came from a conversation that began with those words.
“Go on,” he said.
“Starfleet Intelligence has identified a pattern which concerns them.”
Kirk pushed ahead. “I take it I’m part of the pattern.”
Picard nodded. “You were the first to make contact with Norinda. A few months later, you passed through the galactic barrier, something that had been impossible up to that time. Then you made contact with Norinda on Remus.”
“I stopped a civil war between Romulus and Remus that could’ve spread to two quadrants. And it wasn’t all my doing, Jean-Luc. You were part of it, too.”
Picard didn’t respond to Kirk’s interruption. He continued as if what he was saying had been rehearsed.
“And now, you’ve had contact with Norinda again, this time on Vulcan-a planet which Command believes is as you described it: under Totality control.”
Kirk didn’t like where this was going, and he could see Picard didn’t either. “What’s the final conclusion, Jean-Luc?”
“The Totality has demonstrated the ability to kidnap and absorb whoever they want, whenever they want. What seems to connect their victims is a victim’s perceived ability to counteract the Totality’s actions-as if they set out to eliminate potential enemies before launching their main attack.
“They’ve also demonstrated their ability to replace virtually anyone with a precise duplicate, again to undercut our ability to fight back.”
Kirk didn’t understand what Picard was trying to say. “What’s your point?”
“Jim,” Picard said bluntly, “this is what concerns Command: Why haven’t they taken you?”
Kirk sat back on the galley bench, almost knocking over his small cup of espresso. “They’ve tried. Norinda’s tried. On Remus. At the Gateway. On the Vulcan space station.”
Picard studied Kirk with a skeptical expression. “And yet you, of all the hundreds, perhaps thousands, of individuals whom the Totality’s gone after, are the only one who’s managed to evade them.”
Kirk shook his head, couldn’t believe what Picard was implying. “Jean-Luc, I escaped on the space station because Vulcan security guards rushed in and used their phasers against Norinda.”
“Vulcan authorities,” Picard said somberly, “whom you’ve already suggested are Totality projections.”
“A setup?” Kirk asked. “Is that what Command thinks?”
“Truthfully,” Picard answered, “Command doesn’t know what to think. But they are concerned that you’ve had extensive interactions with the Totality, yet have been left in peace. They need an answer, Jim.”
Kirk stared at his friend in open disbelief. “I’ve fought Norinda and the Totality each time our paths have crossed. I risked my life, and the lives of my friends, to bring Starfleet the information they need to fight the Totality. I am not a collaborator.”
Picard wasn’t swayed, repeated the question. “Then why do they leave you alone?”
Kirk had had enough. He jumped to his feet, using action to burn off his sudden frustrated anger. “I don’t know and I don’t care. I’ve done my duty. I’ve got the information and the equipment I came for. And now all I want to do is go back to Vulcan and get my son.”
Picard rose calmly.
“I’m sorry. I can’t let you do that.”
Kirk was incredulous. “You have to.”
“Jim, you’d do anything to save your son, wouldn’t you?”
