Conference Room, Kazara, orbiting Hawkhaven, Limbo.

Tomalak and Torreth were discussing what should be done.  "Well," said Torreth, "why not cloak?"

            "If they have sufficient technology," said Tomalak, "they will be able to track us through the cloak.  No, Commander, we must resort to strength."

            "That brain-shaped vessel has demonstrated that it can knock us out of orbit!" said Torreth.  "It may have the firepower to blow us to smithereens."

            "Well," said Tomalak, "we won't get out of this by sitting here."

            "Yes, that much is true," said Torreth.  "All right.  But, if we get destroyed, it's your fault!"

            "Understood perfectly, Commander."  They withdrew to the Bridge.  Torreth took her central command seat.  Tomalak took a standing position to her right with his hands behind his back.

            "Fully charge all disruptor arrays," ordered Torreth.  "Aim at that brain-shaped world."

            "Yes, sir," said the weapons officer, tapping a multitude of buttons.  "All disruptor-ray blasters charged; aimed full at the brain-shaped world."

            "Fire!"  The weapons officer tapped the fire button.  All the disruptors that could fired beam-rays and hit Metroid full on.  It knocked Metroid back a good megametre.  Metroid turned away and cloaked.  The Romulan Warbird's next shot bounced off Metroid's shields just before it recloaked; the shot after that fired into nothingness.  Tomalak smiled.

            "Very good," said Tomalak.  "There will be yet another good mention for you in my report, Commander."

            "Thank you," said Torreth.  "Now, do the shields have full power?"

            "Yes, they do," said the weapons officer.  "One hundred one percent power."

            "Good.  Let's see what those others are like.  Be prepared to engage the cloaking device in case they prove to be hostile to us."

            "Yes, sir."  Tomalak turned to Torreth.

            "Do you remember that I was going to introduce you to your other guest?" asked Tomalak.

            "Yes, but you never had the chance," said Torreth.

            "You may wait in your conference chambers," said Tomalak.  "I shall bring her to you."  Torreth nodded and went to her conference chambers while Tomalak left the Bridge to get the 'other guest.'

            * * *

            Command Centre, Hawkhaven.

            "And," said Moonstriker, "as soon as it had cloaked, Metroid turned toward its normal position and jumped to high-warp."

            "It would appear that these Romulans might be rather aggressive," said Steelheart.  "However, Metroid initiated the first move.  The Romulans were justified in using their ship's searing disruptor energy to smack Metroid."

            "I'd say that they damned well were," said Stargazer.  "However, according to many encounters between the Federation and the Romulans, the Romulans are not to be trusted."

            "Oh, come now," said Steelheart.  "There is nothing to be gained by distrust."

            "If you always trust everyone, Steelheart, you may be smacked across the galaxy.  You require a good façade.  Show trust, but be somewhat suspicious underneath.  We should really be seeing if those Romulans are willing to talk to us."

            "Right," said Steelheart.  "Moonstriker, hail them.  And don't say, 'Romulan vessel.'  Say something more like 'powerful, green bird,' or something like that."

            "Right-o, Commander," said Moonstriker before turning back to his station and activating the communicator.  "Large, powerful bird-shaped vessel, this is Hawkhaven, the structure which the brain-shaped planet, Metroid, hit before you.  Please respond.  If you do not understand English, please send us a copy of your language codes so that our devices may translate what you say."

            * * *

            Conference Room, Kazara.

            Torreth stood behind her chair, her arms behind her back, patiently waiting for Tomalak to bring the guest.  The door-signal chimed.  "Enter," she said.  The doors slid open quietly.  Tomalak came in.

            "Commander Torreth," said Tomalak, "may I present our guest:. . ."  A lady came in.  Tasha Yar!  No, it was not.  It was Commander Sela {sé-lah}, who was half-human, half-Romulan.  ". . .Commander Sela of the Imperial Fleet."

            "Commander Sela," said Torreth, approaching Sela.  Sela looked both human and Romulan.  If one considered her forehead one way, she looked human; another, and she looked Romulan.  She had the same blond hair as Tasha Yar, who had been her mother because of a messy time-warp accident.  Sela, however, was a Romulan in spirit and strength.  She was a brilliant commander.  She had almost brought the great Picard to his very knees twice.  The only one person in the galaxy to match that was Tomalak, with the exception of the audacious Ferengi DaiMon whose son had rid the captain of his ship Stargazer and who used a device in a gross attempt to destroy the captain several years later.  Sela had gained respect throughout the Romulan Empire for her expert work.  The Romulo-human had attempted to reunite the Romulan and Klingon Empires, and then to force Vulcan under Romulan control.  Either would have been hazardous to the Federation had it succeeded.

            "That is I," replied Sela in a voice very, very similar to her mother's.  "I assume that you are Commander Torreth?"

            "I am," said Torreth.  "I regret that I was not able to greet you aboard personally."

            "I realise that other things were occupying your attention, Commander.  I have never been on such a huge ship.  As it is new, I'm certain that you realised your responsibility in making sure that the ship and crew were safe."

            "Yes."  A comm-chime sounded.  "Yes?"

            Narak's voice said, "Commander, this is Sub-Commander Narak.  We are being hailed by the hawk-like satellite."

            "Thank you, Sub-Commander Narak.  I shall take it in here."  She sat down at the head of the table.  "Please, have a seat Admiral, Commander."  Sela sat to Torreth's right, while Tomalak sat to her left.  Torreth pressed a button.

            Over a comm-link came Moonstriker's voice clearly, saying, "Large, powerful bird-shaped vessel, this is Hawkhaven, the structure which the brain-shaped planet, Metroid, hit before you.  Please respond.  If you do not understand English, please send us a copy of your language codes so that our devices may translate what you say."

            As it was such a simpler language to learn than most other humanoid races' native languages, English was utilised by a great many humanoid races:  Betazoids, Vulcans, Romulans, Klingons, Cardassians, Ferengi, you-name-it.  The Romulans had adopted English as an official language, second only to the Romulan language, eight years ago.  Torreth tapped a button, and Commander Steelheart's face appeared on the screen.  Torreth said, "This is the ship you are calling, Hawkhaven.  This is the Imperial Warbird Kazara, and I am Commander Torreth."

            "Greetings," said Steelheart invitingly.  "I am Commander Steelheart, commander of the Silver Hawks.  The enormous brain that you have chased away is the Planet of SR388, more simply known as Planet Metroid.  It is the present seat of power of the leader of the evil force in our part of the galaxy, Prince Ludwig von(Bowser)Koopa.  He himself made a wrong move and landed in the Enterprise's brig."

            "Excuse me," said Torreth.  "Have you an alliance with the Federation?"

            "Not officially as yet."

            "This prince you just mentioned attempted to attack this very vessel near the border between the Neutral Zone and Romulan Space, on the Neutral Zone side.  I mean to say that he would have attacked if the Enterprise had not come.  That prince made a huge duplicate of a Romulan Warbird, which the Acting Captain of the Enterprise said was entitled the Warbird, and probably could have destroyed this vessel if two people from the Enterprise had not gone over to that prince's Warbird and 'trashed' his systems."

            "Ah, yes," said Steelheart.  "Well, if you would not mind coming over here, we can exchange some information.  We can send co-ordinates."

            "Very well," said Torreth.  Tomalak fought the urge to argue.  "We shall be over there quickly after you send the co-ordinates."

            "Very well," said Steelheart.  "You may beam over after we have lowered our Warp-Shield.  Hawkhaven out."  The Hawk's-Head flashed onto the screen.

            "Do you realise what you are saying?" demanded Tomalak.  "What if they are being deceitful?"

            "Then, Narak will pull us out," said Torreth.  "I think that this requires diplomacy, Tomalak."

            "Have it your way, Commander," said Tomalak.  He got up.  "I only hope that the Enterprise does not come to take, as Earthers may say, a 'pot-shot' at us."  The three got up and left the conference chamber.

            * * *

            Bridge, Ludwig's Warbird.

            "WHAT?!?" exclaimed MotherBrain.

            "We beat it," said Steelbeak on the radio.  "The Romulans hit Metroid full-on.  We knew what that would do to you if it happened again."

            "Oh, all right," said MotherBrain.  "You are excused, but only by the skin of your beak!  Get Metroid where it belongs, and don't stop to take pot-shots at the Enterprise or anything else on the way!  Got it?"

            "Got it.  Like, over and under, MawBraino babe!"  The comm-line cut off.

            "An idiot!" exclaimed MotherBrain.  "What a moron!  I should never have put that bird-brain in charge of Metroid!  What is the Mirage doing now?"

            "It's still circling the planet," said Larry.

            "Damn them!  We're going to whack it to them. . . now!  Roy, drop cloak and raise shields, please!"

            "Right," said Roy.  He hit several buttons.  The Warbird faded into view and raised its shields.  "Fully decloaked; shields up."

            "Good.  Larry, get us to Earth."

            "Right, ma'am," said Larry.  The Warbird approached Earth.  As it did, the Mirage changed course to intercept.  "Hee, hee!  Target approaching!"

            "Lock phasers on it and whack it out of the sky!" ordered MotherBrain.

            "You've got it, mah main brain!" said Roy.  He programmed the phasers.  The forward disruptor array smacked the Mirage on the back with phaser-fire.  "Ha, ha!  That knocked out their primary power!"

            * * *

            Mirage.

            "Hey!" said Bluegrass, attempting several command functions.  "Them bad boys done knocked our power out!"

            "Should we go after them, Quick?" asked Steelwill.

            Quicksilver said, "No, Steelwill.  Those phasers may finish us.  Call the commander."  Bluegrass pressed a button, but it exploded.

            "Yah!  Nothin' doin', guys!  We're up the creek."

            "No, we're not," said Quicksilver.  He tapped his communicator.  "N-Team Transporter, transport the entire Mirage and everything and everyone in it to the Hawkhaven hangar!"  The N-Team Transporter easily performed this task, removing the four Silver Hawks from danger.

            * * *

            Bridge, Warbird.

            "Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!" laughed MotherBrain.  "The idiots!!  That was exactly what I wanted them to do!!  Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!!"

            "Why?" asked Bowser.

            "Do you not see it, Dad?" asked Larry.  "Hee, hee, hee!  With the Mirage and the Silver Hawks therein out of the way, we can swipe those whom we came to swipe!  Only, I have a little twist.  Why do we not go down there?"

            "I see!" said MotherBrain.  "That way, we can subdue them before they can get their hands on this ship's equipment and mess it up!"

            "Exactly!  Hee, hee!  MotherBrain and Dad, you and I should go.  The rest of you should stay here.  Yes?"

            "Yes!" said MotherBrain.  "It's an excellent plan!"  Bowser took his magical sceptre.

            "Darn!" said Bowser.  "It has not been completely recharged!"

            "Mine, neither," said Larry, checking his own sceptre.  "We must wait until our sceptres have recharged."

            "Darn!" exclaimed MotherBrain.  "Roy, while their sceptres recharge, cloak the ship."

            "Yes!" said Roy.  He pressed a button, and the Warbird faded out of view.  "The N-Team cannot track us.  We are safe for now."  MotherBrain sighed.

            "Hurry, please," she said.

            Bowser checked the recharge time.  "Two minutes," he said.

            "Same here," said Larry.

            "Quick enough."

            * * *

            Observation Lounge, Deck 1, Enterprise.

            Wilykit described the situation to everyone else.  She had her right hand over her left arm in a natural position that would prevent revealing her scratch to the others in the room.  Still, it was hard.  Everything she did, that arm just began hurting worse and worse.  The only thing she left out of her report to the others was that she had been wounded.  "That is very interesting," said Wilykat, sitting across from his sister, completely aware she was in pain.  To watch her stand up against pain like that. . . he did feel proud of her, but he wanted her to let him comfort her.  If this were any other setting, he would have told her, forced her, to let it all out.  He would not have her do so if anyone were around, though.

            "Very," said Picard.  "And you fought them all off by yourself?"

            "Yes, Captain," said Wilykit.  If this were anywhere else, Wilykat would have made fun of her honesty.  Not here.  "I wonder what happened in regard to the Romulans.  Do you mind if I call Commander Steelheart, Captain?"

            "Go ahead," said Picard.  Wilykit tapped her communicator while keeping her scratch hidden.

            Wilykit said, "Wilykit to Commander Steelheart.  Please come in."

            Steelheart responded, "Hello, Wilykit.  Guess what?  Bluegrass and the others beamed back with a battered Mirage.  You can tell by that that I'm in a real good mood."

            "Oh, yes," said Wilykit sarcastically.  "What happened to them?"

            "MotherBrain," said Steelheart.  "The Warbird decloaked, it attacked the Mirage, and, just before the Warbird recloaked, the Silver Hawks in the Mirage had themselves and the Mirage beamed back to Hawkhaven.  Fortunately, there is some good news.

            "Over here, the Romulans knocked away Metroid.  The Enterprise crew may term our interaction as uncharacteristically smooth.  The commander of the Romulan Warbird is rather nice, yet cautious.  She and two other officers from the ship came down and are looking around."  This rather surprised most of the Enterprise officers in the room.

            "Who is this Romulan commander?" asked Wilykit.

            "She is named Commander Torreth, and her ship is the Kazara," said Steelheart.

            "They're the ones the Hawks and I met earlier with the Star*Drive," said Wilykit.  "Kevin?"

            "Still on that planet's surface," said Steelheart.  She irritably added, "We still can't track Ludwig's damned Warbird.  I can't know where it is.  It is invisible to the cloak detection grid again.  Will and I are working on it.  What is Ludwig's status, anyway?"

            Wilykit smiled.  "Still in safe storage," said she.

            "Ha, ha," said Steelheart without humour.  "Like the Fearsome Five and he who relieved the galaxy of all of its bandage?"

            "Yes.  Even 'the Blob' is safely locked away."  She meant Liquidator.

            "Good.  Keeping your little brother in line?"  This angered Wilykat.

            "Who says he needs anyone to keep him in line?" asked Wilykit, defending her brother.  "He's well-behaved.  He just acts like a kid when he has the chance.  Somewhat like me, actually."

            "Very well, 'Kit.  You and your bro keep up the good work.  Steelheart out."  The communicator beeped.

            " 'Somewhat like me, actually,' " said Wilykat mockingly.

            "Please, brother?" said Wilykit.  "No one asked you to act up."

            "Ah. . . right," said Wilykat.  He got the hint.  "Well, I'm going to introduce the Enterprise crew to the 'the terror that flaps in the night,' Darkwing Duck.  He is the terror that flaps in the night.  He is that warp engine on criminals' ships that fails when the criminals are in a really big hurry.  He is Darkwing Duck, the one who easily irritates you with his absolutely insipid entrances."

            "I see," said Picard.  "Will, I'm leading this Away-Team."

            Riker said, "Sir, there could be danger down there."

            "No more than out here, I'm sure," said Picard.  "I know we've been through this a million times, but I have more experience, and I represent the United Federation of Planets."

            "Aye, sir," said Riker respectfully.  Picard indicated Troi, Worf, and Data.

            "You'll accompany me, as, I'm sure, Wilykat will, to the surface, Commander Data, Counsellor Troi, and Lieutenant Worf.  We shall be going as soon as we leave this conference.  Are there any questions?"  None.  "Good.  Dismissed."  Everyone stood and went to the transporter room.

            * * *

            Transporter Room 2, Deck 6.

            Picard got up on the platform next to Wilykat.  Behind them were Worf, Data, and Troi.  " 'Kit," said Wilykat, "I suggest that you read Captain N's report.  It's interesting."

            "I shall," said she.  Wesley, too, was down there, to Wilykit's right.

            "Energise," ordered Picard.  The transporter operator activated the transporter, which transported the Away-Team to the previously acquired co-ordinates in Darkwing Tower.  Riker left to the Bridge.  Wilykit and Wesley simply left the transporter room.

            That pain was growing greater now.  It was as though her arm were on fire.  She found it harder and harder to resist the pain, to keep from screaming or crying because of it.  She was aware that the cut had gone deep.  Wesley turned to her and she appeared all right.  But something from her - some telepathic stream, perhaps - was quietly drawing his attention to her.  "Wilykit," asked Wesley softly, "are you all right?"

            "I'm fine, thank you," said Wilykit.  "I just have a deep cut."  Wesley knelt on his left knee in front of her.

            "Wilykit," said Wesley, "doesn't it hurt?"

            "Just a bit."  She almost buckled from another surge of pain.  "O-. . . okay, Wes."  She showed him her scratch.  "I didn't tell you guys that Vultureman scratched me with his claw device."

            "It must hurt badly," said Wesley compassionately.  "This is a slightly more-than-shallow yet clean three-slit cut.  Doesn't it hurt?"

            "Not too much," said Wilykit.  "I was going to go to Sickbay to get it healed."

            " 'Not too much.'  Don't play that pride game with me, Wilykit," snapped Wesley, getting back up.  "It hurts very, very badly."

            "It doesn't hurt too much," said Wilykit.

            "Pardon my choice of words, but pride can be damned stupid because it can prevent you from doing certain things which keep you from hurting and which keep you safe.  It's good, as long as you do not go too far with it, but it's foolishness when carried too far.  Wilykit, my respect for you would not come from how well you handle unbearable pain.  It comes from your deeds and your personality and your abilities to neutralise the enemy.  So, please, get that arm healed."  Wilykit smiled.

            "You're right, Wesley," she said.  "This really hurts."  They entered a turbolift.

            "Deck 12, Sickbay," ordered Wesley.  The lift began moving toward that deck.  He looked at Wilykit.  She had her head so that her eyes were pointing to the floor, but her eyelids were closed.  "Wilykit?"

            "I'm all right," she said.  "This arm hurts like heck."  Wesley put his left hand on her right arm and his right hand on her left shoulder.  Tears began forming in Wilykit's eyes as she looked at Wesley.  Wesley relinquished her and stepped back a pace.  "I'm glad I'm not doing this in front of my brother.  He might make fun of me."

            "I don't think so," said Wesley.  "He probably would do a better job at comforting you than I'm doing."  Wilykit could not avoid smiling.

            "Ow, does this arm hurt," she said.  When the lift had reached the proper deck, the two went to Sickbay, where Beverly healed Wilykit's arm.

            * * *

            Thunder Kittens' Quarters, Deck 13.

            Wilykit and Wesley entered the Kittens' Quarters on the ship.  "Sure feels better," said Wilykit.  "Your mom's good."

            "Thank you," said Wesley.  The two kissed each other.  "Mm.  Wilykat mentioned some report by. . . by. . ."

            "Oh, by Captain N.  Second-in-command of the Extended N-Team.  Right.  Thank you."  She sat at the desk and activated the computer terminal on it.  "Computer," she said, "recognise N-Team access name Thunder-5-B, Wilykit."  The terminal beeped.

            "Access name recognised."

            "Recognise hexa-memberal access code 903 T 437 W KI."

            "Access code recognised.  Voiceprint recognised as Wilykit."

            "Access the Report of Captain N; Videodate: 11 July 1993."

            "Access granted.  Do you wish a vocal or textual version?"

            "Textual, please," said Wilykit.  The beginning of some text appeared on the screen.  "I'd better read quickly."  She did.  Wesley barely had time to read before Wilykit had already scrolled down.  He realised that this moved more quickly than would a vocal version because Wilykit read so quickly.  When they were finished, Wilykit said, "Okay, computer.  Please close file."  The text disappeared from the screen.  She turned off the computer.  "Unless I miss my guess,. . ." she began.  She got up and quickly left, Wesley close behind.

            "Wait, 'Kit!" said Wesley.  "What is it?"

            "Wesley," said Wilykit, "I cannot say exactly why now, but I think we are in great danger.  Not from the Romulans, not from the Cardassians, not from the Borg, not even from Ludwig, but from MotherBrain.  C'mon!"  They went quickly into the nearest turbolift.  "Observation Lounge, Deck 1."

            "Emergency!" added Wesley.  Wilykit smiled and nodded.  The turbolift ascended quickly but not too quickly.  On deck 1, they went to the Observation Lounge, where Wilykit activated the screen.  An overview of the galaxy was shown.  There was a large, green symbol of the Romulan Empire - a threatening bird-of-prey about to lunge forward and attack set against an upside-down triangle - where Hawkhaven was.  A red Federation symbol, slightly smaller than the Romulan Empire's, appeared where Darkwing's Earth was.  A brain symbol with 'B' embossed on it appeared somewhere in VideoLand.

            "The symbol of the Romulan Empire represents the Romulan Warbird," explained Wilykit.  "The Federation symbol represents the Enterprise.  The brain symbol with the 'B' emblazoned upon it represents Metroid.  Now, watch this.  After I screen out a little interference. . ."  An enormous brain symbol similar to that representing Metroid, only much larger, appeared in the 'unexplored' territory of VideoLand.  ". . .Ludwig's Warbird, orbiting the planet from which MotherBrain hopes to kidnap Kevin, or Captain N."  Wesley let out a low whistle.

            "Some lady!" he said.  "How do you know?"

            "I compared Kevin's report with typical MotherBrain strategy," said Wilykit.  "This fits.  I found it, thanks to Kevin's tips.  MotherBrain, if I am right, intends to go down to the planet where Kevin is and grab him.  With King Bowser Koopa and Larry 'Cheatsy' (Bowser)Koopa helping, she will have ample force, probably, to subdue Kevin.  The two latter would recharge their sceptres first.  They grossly underestimate the recharge time.  If their devices say two minutes, it's probably ten minutes.  I've got to. . ."  She hit her communicator.  "This is Wilykit to Captain N.  Come in, please."

            Captain N's voice came over the comm-link.  "Hi, Wilykit," said Kevin.  "How are you?"

            "Listen, please!  MotherBrain, King Bowser, and Larry may go down there any second from the Warbird!  I just picked it up above that planet!  You should be on your guard!  Do you understand?"

            "I do.  I hope that you understand that I only have to take orders from Commander Steelheart."  He was joking.  However, Wilykit was too excited to realise that at the moment.

            "You have to take mine to keep MotherBrain from surprising the heck out of you, Kevin!" said Wilykit.  "Keep your guard up!  Don't let it down for an instant!"

            "Right, 'Kit."  The communicator beeped.

            Wesley smiled and shook his head.  "Is something funny, Cadet Wesley Crusher?"

            "Yeah; you!  Someone wound you up too tightly this morning, Wilykit."

            "It was what happened between us this morning," she said.  "I'm still on edge because of it."

            "Did you call him Kevin?" asked Wesley, faking jealousy.

            "Yes, I did.  He and I are friends."

            "Ooh!"

            "Wesley!  He already has a girlfriend:  Princess Lana of VideoLand!"

            "Oh.  I see.  Glad she didn't hear you talking to him like that.  She might've become jealous."

            "Stop it.  All right, Wesley?"  It was a warning.

            "Very well, Wilykit.  Why, in fact, did you and he refer to each other by first name?"

            "Like I said, we're friends.  In fact, Kevin lacks some of the Thunderian imperfections I find in my brother.  He also lacks some human imperfections.  He contains both passionate and compassionate love for Princess Lana, and he wouldn't even produce the slightest shadow of a thought to engage in sexual activity with anyone else."

            "I see.  Not that I wish to talk about others' relationships, but, ah, has he made love with her?"

            "Not that I know of.  Of course, Steelheart said they went to Hyrule.  A very romantic world.

            "Now, what to do about the Romulans.  Torreth, Tomalak, and Sela.  You've told me about Torreth and Tomalak.  How about Sela?"

            "I don't know too much about her," said Wesley.  "What I know comes from the senior officers aboard this ship.  She claims to be Tasha Yar's daughter.  Guinan told me that Picard ordered Tasha Yar onto the Enterprise C, the Enterprise which came before this one, during a temporal disturbance, and the Enterprise C went to the Khitomer Outpost, where the Romulans attacked the Klingons.  The Romulans won that battle, and, therefore, dissolved political relations with the Klingons, but the Enterprise C was obviously the thing that made the Klingon Empire ally itself to the Federation years ago.  According to what Picard said Sela said, Yar and the remaining crew of the E-C were to be executed on Romulus when a Romulan soldier became enamoured with Yar.  There was an agreement stating that the crew of the E-C go free when Yar agreed to become that Romulan's wife. . . or something.  The Romulan equivalent.  Anyway, they had Sela a year later.  Four years after that, Yar obviously took Sela and tried to escape from their living compound when Sela called out.  Yar had been given her life back by that Romulan soldier, but she tried to escape.  It was futile, and she was executed.  Probably by one of those Romulan hand-disruptors set on low disruption.  You know, that's drawn-out and painful.  Shoot the target, and the molecules slowly disassociate."

            "Ew!" said Wilykit.

            "It has something to do with the anti-matter of the Romulan disruptor.  Anyway, at full-intensity, the person is dematerialised in one or two seconds.  It is still painful.  By the by, all of Sela's human mental qualities died with Yar, and Sela is now a Romulan.  She is mostly human physically.  Her will is just Romulan.  She is a commander.  She tried fruitlessly to aid the Duras family in the short war that occurred when Gowron came to power.  See, Captain Picard was given the idea that a tachyon detection grid would pick up a cloaked Romulan ship if it tried to enter Klingon territory.  In the end, the winners were those who supported Gowron, and the Romulans could not help the Duras family because they were discovered.  Be that as it may, Sela's next attempt was when Vulcan Ambassador Spock went to Romulus to aid in the Romulan Underground Movement, originally intended to re-unite Romulus and Vulcan.  It turned out that Picard and Data went to Romulus to see what Spock was up to.  Sela caught Spock, Picard, and Data.  In the end, they escaped, Spock remaining on Romulus to continue his work.  Picard and Data left.  I think that we have had no further encounters with Sela since.  Sela seems to have something against Picard."

            "Hm," said Wilykit.  "It might have involved a universe with an alternate timeline.  The Enterprise D in that one could have been during a war with the Klingon Empire.  That Enterprise D would have had Tasha Yar.  Also, the C could have come there.  Yar could have transferred onto the C and gone back to help the Klingons defend Khitomer from the Romulans.  Then, Yar and the remaining C-crew could have been captured by Romulans. . ."

            ". . .in this very timeline!  Oh, Wilykit, you're a genius!  Of course, there's no way to prove your theory.  I. . ."

            "Uh, oh!" said Wilykit.  "Ludwig's Warbird is decloaking!"  Wesley whirled around to the screen.  The huge Brain-Team symbol had a 'C' beside it, and that 'C' was turning counter-clockwise to become a 'U.'  " 'C' means cloaked; 'U' means uncloaked, or decloaked.  Once decloaked, the Warbird becomes able to use its weapons, shields, and transporters."

            "Hm," said Wesley.  "Not good."  (None of this was what he had expected.  He suspected a powerful force, but it was no longer within the Warbird.)

            "Heh, heh," laughed Wilykit nervously.  "Not good at all."  She considered something.  "I've got to talk to Commander Riker, Wes.  Be back in a moment."  She left the Observation Lounge.

            * * *

            Batcave, Batman's Earth.

            "Hm," said Kevin, checking his tricorder.  "Heh, heh.  They've decloaked."

            "What's with that?" asked Zan.

            "Ah, well, Zan, that means that they have deactivated the device capable of rendering them invisible to sensors of electromagnetic radiation and almost anything else.  Thanks to the Silver Hawks' and Thunder Cats' efforts, the N-Team now has a cloak detection grid in operation.  Unfortunately, every time we think we can detect Ludwig's Warbird, the Brain-Team improves its cloak so that it can again be rendered invisible to our sensors.  The only problem they have with being cloaked is that they cannot fire, have up shields, nor transport molecularly with the cloak up.  They have to lower the cloak, and they are completely vulnerable for only a half-second after the cloak is deactivated."

            "Hm," said Batman.  "Looks like we can expect some unfriendly visitors any moment."  Three forms materialised in the room.  One was MotherBrain; one was Bowser; and one was Larry (Bowser)Koopa.  "Hm.  These are your enemies?"

            "Just three of 'em," said Kevin, drawing his Zapper.  Before he could aim his Zapper at anything, however, MotherBrain zapped it out of his hand with a laser.  "Ya!  Hey!"

            "Oh, quit talkin' about horse-food, Captain N!" said MotherBrain.  "You should have beaten it while you had the chance.  But now?  Mm, mm, mm!  Y'all're plum out of luck!  MotherBrain, King Bowser, and Prince Larry are here to take you guys out!"

            "That may be what you think," said Jayna.  "Come on, Zan.  Let's whomp these three uglies!"  She held out her right fist, and Zan held out his left fist at about three centimetres from hers.

            The two said, "Wondertwin powers, activate!"  MotherBrain tried to do something.  However, before she could do anything, the Wondertwins had hit their fists together.  They both glowed with energy.

            "Uh, oh!" said Bowser.  "We're too late!"

            "You're right about that!" said Jayna.  She thought for a moment about that into which to transform.

            Meanwhile, Zan said, "Form of a blizzard!"  He turned into currents and a cloud.  He froze Bowser solid.

            Shivering, Bowser said, "Brr!  This is cold!  Brr!"

            "Oh?  You must think you're a hot-shot!" said Larry.  "I have something about which you should think!"  He aimed his sceptre at the cloud.  He chanted: