Kirza's fingers itched for the trigger of her disruptor, and her face was set in a snarl. The expression in Luga's red eyes, though, was avid, and she leaned forward in her chair, eager to catch any word from their - guest.
"What brought you to this world?" the Na'kuhl asked.
"The temporal anomalies offer... certain advantages," said Thyvesh. "The fabric of space-time itself is slightly worn, here - as a result of the Nhandessons' activities, of course."
"The who?" Kirza demanded.
"The original inhabitants of Priyanapari," said Thyvesh.
"We have wondered." Luga licked her lips. "What became of these - these -"
"The Nhandessons? They built a destructive anti-time weapon, and temporal shielding to protect themselves from it. One research project was rather more successful than the other." Thyvesh smiled.
"They... obliterated themselves?" asked Kirza doubtfully.
"All except the weapon itself, and a few nearby buildings whose structure was quantum-entangled with it."
Kirza's scowl deepened. "Then how is it you know their name?" Inwardly, she shivered. Temporal obliteration... would even Gre'thor receive the souls of these Nhandessons, or would they just be... gone?
"Because," said Thyvesh, "it is my business to know these things - to see possibilities, pasts, futures , might-have-beens and never-weres. The temporal fractures on this planet make that easier, of course."
"Your neural structure is pervaded with chronitons," said Luga. She stared at him. "What does it feel like?"
"Ah," said Thyvesh, "if only the language existed that was capable of describing it.... However. Your Klingon associate is clearly restive, so perhaps we should turn our conversation to more practical matters."
Luga shot Kirza a sharp look, and received a glare in return. "Very well," the Na'kuhl said. "Practicalities."
"We both desire changes to the current timestream," said Thyvesh. "Extensive ones. I do not think our goals need be incompatible, though. The elimination of details such as the Federation... we can all agree on that one, I think."
"Formidable, though," said Luga.
Kirza's lip curled. "And why should we believe you can help us?" she demanded. "You step through a door from nowhere with nothing more than the clothes you are wearing -"
"You need to think," said Thyvesh, "about what is on the other side of that door."
"I do not need to think, only to see for myself. It opened for J4 Red, it will open for others. Or do you think we could hire only one skilled technician?"
Thyvesh smiled, a benevolent, tolerant smile. Kirza ached to punch it off his face. "Your technician attracted my attention. The door can only be opened from my side." He tapped one temple with a long finger. "It requires a certain unique insight."
"Which only you possess, of course," said Kirza sourly. "So what is on the other side of the door?"
"Various... projects... that we thought it best to keep in a state of temporal shift. Our enemies can hardly steal things that do not, technically, exist." Thyvesh beamed at Kirza. "I sense that you would welcome more specific information. So. Let me provide you with an example. Do you have such a thing as a data cart about your person?" He reached into a pocket in his tunic and drew out a small device.
Kirza had a data cart in her own pocket - it held reports on the Hov'etlh's spares and consumables, the sort of detail she usually left to her staff. She pulled it out and handed it to Thyvesh with some reluctance. His fingers brushed against hers; they were rough, dry, cool and repulsive to her. "What is this about?" she demanded.
Thyvesh fitted the device onto the data cart, and tapped rapidly on its command interface. Incomprehensible symbols flickered in the air as a holo-display engaged. "Let me put you a question for a question," said the Suliban. "What would happen if you overrode your safeties, opened all the vents on your warp coils, and flooded your warp core with antimatter?"
"My ship would explode," said Kirza. "Obviously."
"Suppose you also speeded up the power cycles on the EPS grid, to transfer the overload out as fast as it could build up?"
"Then my ship would have a prodigious power output," said Kirza, "for the few minutes before she shook herself apart under the strain."
"Suppose you were to synchronize your structural integrity field to the harmonic frequencies of the EPS grid?"
Despite herself, Kirza's eyes widened at that. "Is that even theoretically possible?"
"Oh," said Thyvesh, "warp drive was theoretically impossible, once." He pulled the data cart off the device and flipped it back to Kirza. She caught it by reflex. "Full details are now stored on that data cart. You will want to check it for viruses and so forth, of course - security is always a good habit to have - but, once you have done so, you will find it will quite significantly increase the power output and overall capabilities of your ship. At least six times your current firepower, for instance."
"The coolant for the disruptor banks -"
"A new formulation is included on the cart. You'll find you can fire your disruptors more than adequately."
Kirza stared at the little square shape in her hand. "If this is true -"
"It's true." Thyvesh cocked his head to one side. "You should probably check it out sooner rather than later. I believe we have potentially annoying visitors on their way."
"Hostiles?" Kirza rose to her feet. "We cannot challenge the Federation -"
"But this will not be the Federation, I think," said Thyvesh. "Or, at least, it will look sufficiently unlike the Federation that you will have - plausible deniability, I think is the phrase."
Kirza turned the data cart over and over in her fingers. "I will check this," she said, and left the shelter at a brisk trot.
---
"Klingons," said Thyvesh, as he and Luga watched Kirza go. "Easily placated with nice shiny guns."
"Are you sure about the consequences of this?" Luga asked. "The disruption to the timeline from a significant Klingon weapons advance -"
"I took the liberty of scanning her ship's warp signature, earlier," said Thyvesh. "The software package is rather specific to her ship. I'm sure the Imperial Corps of Engineers will work out how to generalize from it. Eventually. Perhaps in a couple of hundred years."
"Ah." Luga relaxed. "That is probably wise. Best not to introduce any random variations to the time stream, in case the ones we plan do not succeed."
"Yes.... Of course, the changes I hope to make will render the Klingon Empire an amusing irrelevance in the decades to come. I trust you do not object?"
"They are allies of the Federation for much of their history. As such I would welcome their extinction - but I will settle for amusing irrelevance."
"Mmm." Thyvesh sipped his raktajino. "The Federation remains the primary target. If both our species are to flourish as they should."
"We must consult with my superior officer. I warn you, he is not in favour of alliances with other species. He will need persuading - and with more than simple shiny weapons."
"That is only to be expected. Fortunately, I have a great deal more than that to offer." Thyvesh smiled at her.
"So... what is behind your temporal door?"
"The principal research and development efforts of my people. An armamentarium that is by no means to be despised. We were never content simply to accept the gifts of our... future associate, you know. We engaged in quite substantial research on our own account." Thyvesh's smile broadened. "And, of course, if you have studied our history... you know what was always my people's main weapon."
"I... see," said Luga, slowly.
"You must understand why I am so parsimonious with the details, when it comes to your Klingon friend. She would want more than is safe to have. At least, more than is safe for her to have."
"Quite." Luga's face grew pensive. "But we must keep her satisfied, I think. She is, after all, an ally."
"Oh, yes. For the moment." Thyvesh took another sip of raktajino. "You and I both know that nothing is immutable."
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