July 12.

            "Thank you," said Veral.  He was getting rather jumpy.  Barging into Cardassian space when the Cardassians had declared war on the Romulan Empire was something.  If they did not watch it, it could be something dangerous.  "Ready the silent surveillance cameras.  I want to tap into Cardassian security and find out what Head Councillor Be Sek is up to."

            "Yes, Commander," said the subcommander.  He began to set up everything.  This was supposed to work while the ship was cloaked to keep from being discovered.  Veral had used the silent surveillance cameras in the past, and they worked every time.

            * * *

            Main Bridge, U.S.S. Enterprise.

            "Shields up, Red-Alert!" cried Riker.  "All hands to battle stations!"  Admiral Kirk stepped onto the Bridge from the Observation Lounge.  He had the same attire, except that his former insignia had been replaced with the modern commbadge.  "Admiral, there's Metroid."  The officer at Ops put a section of space on the screen.  Metroid decloaked in the centre of the screen.

            "I see," said Kirk.  "I trust you know some useful tricks, Commander?"

            "Call me 'Will,' " said Riker.

            "All right, Will," said Kirk.  "You may call me 'Jim.' "

            "Very well, Jim.  What'll we do about this?  You're the ranking officer here."

            "I don't know all the specs yet, Will.  Captain Picard left you in command."

            "Okay.  Have a seat, then, please."  Kirk took a seat in the first officer's seat.  "Lieutenant, lock onto Metroid with the phasers and knock her for a. . ."

            "Pardon me, sir," said the lieutenant at Tactical.  "That is not Metroid.  Metroid's sight-cloaked."

            "Damn!" whispered Riker.  "Can you find the real Metroid?"

            "No, I cannot."  A hit delivered by the cloaked Metroid smacked the Enterprise so hard that all of the inertial dampers failed temporarily.

            * * *

            Bridge, IWB Kazara.

            The Bridge shook violently, but the officers managed to keep a grip on their stations.  "Everyone all right?" asked Sub-Commander Narak.  Nods came from everyone.  "Whence came that shot?"

            "We could not track it, sir," said the pilot's temporary replacement.  "We do not know where they are."

            "Damage to the Enterprise?"

            "Reparable damage to their secondary hull; inertial dampers temporarily inactive.  We are in slightly better condition than they."

            "Cover their backs.  As soon as Metroid fires, fire."

            "Yes, sir."  The next hit shook the Bridge so violently that everyone fell over onto the floor.

            * * *

            Bridge, Romulan Bird of Prey Othello.

            Sub-Commander Movard surveyed the Bridge.  With Commander Sela being an operative, Movard was usually placed in command of the powerful vessel when she had intelligence missions elsewhere.  He had helped Sela since Lursa and Betor asked for their help in gaining control of the Klingon High Council.  Thanks to the Federation, the Romulans did not succeed in re-allying with the Klingon Empire.  So, what?  The Duras family was traitorous. . . dishonourable.  Movard much preferred an alliance with a family that obeyed the customs of the lands to which the Romulans should ally.  The alliance with the Federation should go smoothly, but he was worried about this unprovoked war with the Cardassians.

            The Othello was leading two Romulan Warbirds to Cardassia in order to gain intelligence and to conquer the Cardassian empire from the source.  The latter was impossible.  He had to try, though.

            "Sir!" called the pilot.  "A cloaked ship is heading toward us.  The cloak is, as humans say, 'out of whack.'  It is not working properly."

            "Hail them!"  The pilot tried.  Movard knew what the answer would be. . .

            "No response, sir."  Movard knew that this was going to be an awful evening.  Rats.

            * * *

            Darkwing Duck's Restaurant, on Darkwing Duck's Earth.

            "Who dares face the Liquidator?" demanded Liquidator, staring angrily at Wilykit.  "Is it you, Thunder Kit?"

            "Yes, Liquie, it is I!" said Wilykit.  "A blast from a disruptor-pistol set on medium-stun."  She hooked the disruptor-pistol onto her belt.  "Where are Worf and DW?"

            "Metroid."

            "Blast you!  Impersonation of an officer, Romulan or otherwise, carries a heavy punishment, Waterhead!"

            "Don't call me that!"  He began to smile. . . wickedly.  "Do you know what happens when you mix Thunderians and Thundrainium compounds?"

            "That won't work on a Wilykat, blob!"

            "Oh?  How about diThundrainium monoheliide?"  He formed his right hand into a two-inch cubed sized cube of the stuff.  Quite to the contrary of what she had thought would happen, Wilykit felt some energy - albeit just some - being taken from her.  Because he was not very close to the Tu₂He, Wilykat was not weakened so much, but the other Thunder Cats' energy, since the other Thunder Cats were physically inferior to Wilykats, was drained quickly and all but completely.  "How about the more generic name. . . like super-Thundrainium?  Ha, ha, ha!"

            "You won't be so smug when I show you that that does not work well enough for you to defeat me, Waterhead!"

            "Ooh!  I hate you, Thunder Kitten!"

            "So what?  I am not too fond of you, either, Mr. Waterhead!"  Liquidator turned his cheeks red in anger.

            "That's all she wrote, Thunder Kitten!" screamed Liquidator.  He tried to charge her, but she had already tossed a cement capsule into him.  "Yaah!"  He tapped his communicator.  "Wilykit has foiled our plan, MotherBrain!  Transport me back to Metroid before I harden!"  Just before he hardened completely, he was transported to Metroid.  The Romulans recovered, for there was no telepathic crusher around, and the Thunder Cats recovered as well, because of the absence of Tu₂He.

            "Is everyone all right?" called Steelheart from the centre table.  Sela had informed her of Liquidator's activities and his possible involvement in the disappearance of Worf and Darkwing, and Steelheart had thought it very likely.  Wilykit hurried up to Steelheart.  "Yes, 'Kit?"

            "Liquie's gone," said Wilykit.  "Ol' Waterhead is up to a new trick."  She got out and activated her data-padd and showed it to Steelheart.  "His molecular structure had been altered through some process.  Not only could he change shape, but could he also control the subatomic particles one-by-one in his body if he wished.  He could consciously rearrange the protons, electrons, and neutrons in the H₂O molecules in his body into the patterns of other elements or compounds.  Consciously.  It would revert back to H₂O if he released his conscious control.  With a disruptor blast at 0.5, or medium-stun, I was able to release the molecules from Liquidator's conscious control and, thus, turn them back to dihydrogen monoxide molecules.  It appears that I also ended, at least temporarily, his molecule-alteration ability with my cement.  It ruined the separability of the electrons, neutrons, and protons in his body."

            "I understand," said Steelheart.  "Thank you very much, Wilykit.  What happened to the other Thunder Cats?  With the exception of your brother, they were very substantially weakened."

            "That," said Wilykit.  "Yeah.  Liquie formed his hand into a substance he called diThundrainium monoheliide.  Even I was affected, slightly."

            Wilykat exclaimed, "You were!?"  He severely startled her, since she was not aware that he had come to her.  He saw her surprise.  "Sorry."

            "That's fine," said Wilykit.  "Yes, I was affected."  Wilykat took out his portable laptop computer, set it on the table, activated it, and called up the chapter in the book on the Wilykat Race that compares weaknesses.

            "Here," said he, pointing to the proper location on the screen.  Wilykit looked there.  "Nothing but Tu₂He and its compounds weaken Wilykats.  Tu₂He, called diThundrainium monoheliide or, more commonly, super-Thundrainium, behaves as an anion in terms of chemical reactivity.  It becomes the super-Thundrainide ion with a charge of -2 and is more reactive than chlorine; however, it only combines naturally with the metals in groups IA, IIA, IIIA, and IVA.  Super-Thundrainium drains only a maximum of 20% of an average Wilykat's energy, implying that it affects us two even less.  Also, it only works on us at close range.  Combined with any of the nonradioactive alkali and alkaline earth metals, however,. . ."  He stopped intentionally.

            "I see," said Wilykit, reading the data.  She gulped.  "Ludwig could easily look this up."  Wilykat nodded, and Wilykit pressed a button on the terminal and said, "Computer, put the file entitled 'The Thunderian Wilykat Race' under level two access."  Level two access meant that no one but N-Team members and certain others whom an N-Team member chose could read the file or the parts of the file specified.  Obviously, the Ludwig about whom they were talking did not have level two access, and a code was not all that was needed to grant access.

            The computer replied, " 'The Thunderian Wilykat Race' is now secured under level two access."  Wilykat's computer screen flashed to the following message:  'Type in N-Team member access code to continue.'

            "Nah," said Wilykat, deactivating the computer.  "I've seen enough."  He folded up the laptop and carried it in his right hand by the handle.

            "Pardon us, please," said Wilykit.  Steelheart nodded.  The Kittens returned to their table, where Wesley still was.  Sela had moved on, and Jayna had returned to her table with Robin.  "We are not invulnerable."

            "Who is?" asked Wesley.  Wilykit shrugged.

            "Tu₂He," said Wilykat.  "Super-Thundrainium, the one substance that affects Wilykats.  Correction:  its compounds do, too, actually.  Better not get Li₂Tu₂He close to us."  Wilykit nodded.

            "The compound's base molecule acts as a six-electron-valence atom where representative metals are concerned," said Wilykit.  "Thundrainium itself is more reactive than any other known halogen and can combine with at least one noble gas."

            "Helium," said Wesley.  "DiThundrainium monoheliide, labelled super-Thundrainium.  How does it work?"

            "Chemically?" asked Wilykit.  Wesley nodded.  "It is very stable unless it meets lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, caesium, beryllium, magnesium, calcium, strontium, barium, aluminium, gallium, indium, thallium, tin, lead, or bismuth.  It strips any of those atoms of their valence electrons, forming itself into a negative polyatomic ion with a -2 charge.  In a list of reactivity for nonmetals, Thundrainium-234 is at the top, then fluorine, then super-Thundrainium, then chlorine, bromine after that, and, finally, iodine."  Wesley nodded.

            "What about Thundrainium-234 weakens Thunderians?"

            "I'm not certain about everything about it that does that, but one reason is its electron structure.  The element's stability makes it worse for Thunderians.  That nonmetal interferes with our physiological ability to resist radioactivity.  The 117 protons combined in the nucleus is also a factor.  Are also a factor; excuse me."  She and her brother sat down.

            Wesley said, "I see.  Why don't we get what we want to eat?"

            "Sounds good to me," said Wilykat.  He tapped a key on the table, and a holographic menu appeared at three locations, each one being in front of one of the trio.  They each chose something, and they talked while waiting for their food to be delivered.

            * * *

            Bridge, IWB Kazara.

            Narak clasped onto the sides of the command chair to keep from being thrust onto the floor again.  "Engage the cloaking device!" he ordered.  The person at the pilot's position held on tightly to the console and keyed in the drop-shields-and-cloak sequence.  The Kazara cloaked.  Just as it disappeared completely, its shields dropped.

            "We are cloaked, sir," reported the pilot.

            "Good," said Narak.  He opened a channel with the button on the command chair.  "Kazara to Cmdr. Torreth.  Come in, please."

            "Yes, Sub-Cmdr. Narak, this is Cmdr. Torreth," replied Torreth's voice patiently.  "What is it?"

            "Metroid is sight-cloaked up here, sir, and it is attempting an attack on the Enterprise and us.  We are cloaked."

            "Cloaked?  Decloak!  Metroid has the ability to track cloaked ships, and you know what happens to the defences while the ship is cloaked!"

            "Yes, Commander," said Narak.  "Please forgive me."

            "Certainly."

            "Pilot, decloak and raise shields."  The pilot engaged the decloak-and-raise-shields sequence.  Just as the Kazara appeared, its shields rose.

            "There was a little stir down here, Sub-Commander," said Torreth.  "Seems this Liquidator fellow, the first officer to Ludwig von(Bowser)Koopa, came down; he captured one of our officers, whom he sent to Metroid up there; and he impersonated that officer.  Liquidator has been, shall we say, taken care of, but he seems to have sent Lieutenant Worf of the Federation ship and Darkwing Duck of the N-Team to Metroid as well.  Liquidator himself left for Metroid."

            "Very well, Commander.  What should be done?"

            "Retaliate if necessary.  Treat the Federation as allies."  A month ago, she would have said to let the Federation fight its own battles.  However, that Acting Captain Crusher had done something subconscious to the entire Empire, it seemed.  When news spread through the Romulan Empire that he had come to stop the prodigious mockery of a Romulan Warbird from taking its deadly tolls, well! that sent something through the spine of the entire Empire that attracted it more towards the Federation, in a peaceful manner.  The Empire needed the Federation, and it was estimated that the Federation would need the Empire sooner or later. . . especially if the Cardassian empire were to declare war on the Federation as well.

            "Yes.  That we shall do, Commander.  Kazara out."  He closed the channel.  On the monitor, it was shown that one of Metroid's shots was smacking the Enterprise's aft shields.

            "Sir, Metroid is decloaking," said the acting pilot.

            "On-screen."  Metroid decloaked above and to the left of the Enterprise on the viewscreen.  "Scan to make sure this isn't another shadow."  The acting pilot did so.

            "It is not," said the acting pilot.

            "You are certain?"

            "Yes."

            "Lock all disruptors on Metroid; fire on my command."

            "Yes, sir," said the acting pilot.  He did as ordered.  "Disruptor cannons locked on target."

            "Fire a warning shot," said Narak.  "Forward disruptor array only.  Hit Metroid's right hemisphere."

            "Yes."  The disruptor array on the front of the Kazara's 'head' blasted Metroid in the right hemisphere.  "Minimal damage."  Metroid then turned so that, on the viewscreen, they could see the frontal lobe and the narrow gap separating the two Metroidian hemispheres.  "They are firing!"  Metroid's blast hit the shields; very little trembling.

            "Return fire; half power, all disruptor arrays."

            "Returning fire."  The Kazara shot a blast out of every molecular disassociator it held.  It smacked Metroid back a few kilometres.  "Metroid has been damaged, sir."

            "Fire on them again."  The Kazara hit Metroid with another disruptor blast.  Metroid became even more badly damaged.

            * * *

            Control Room, Metroid.

            MotherBrain screamed with pain.  "Yaaah!  Cloak!  Cloak!"  Quacker Jack engaged the cloaking device, and Metroid cloaked.  "Take us to where the galactic map says we are supposed to be and move it!"  Negaduck set the course and engaged the engines at warp 11.

            "We are going at warp 11, Your Highness," said Negaduck.

            "Good," said MotherBrain.  "The pain is subsiding.  What of Liquie?"

            "Dr. Wily's almost finished with - ah - fixing him, MB," said Mega Volt.

            "Good.  Tell Doctor Wily and Liquidator to come here to the Control Room when they have finished down there."

            "Yes, MotherBrain, I'll tell them that," said Mega Volt.  He did so.

            "Darn those F-wording Romulans!" exclaimed MotherBrain.  "Constantly in the way, just like those Thunder Cats!"

            * * *

            Bridge, Romulan Bird of Prey Othello.

            Sub-Commander Movard could not help but pace the ship's bridge.  Trying to attack those hideous Cardassians was like leading an attack on Lord Hades himself.  They had the Klingons' hot tempers but the Romulans' thinking prowess.  Hotheaded thinkers.  Too awful to be true.  "Sir!" shouted the pilot.  Movard snapped to face the pilot.

            "What is it?" asked Movard.

            "A. . . an enormous Romulan Warbird is decloaking in front of us!  If we don't stop in about thirty seconds, it and we will be destroyed!"

            "Order the other two ships that all three of us are going to decloak and raise shields and to stop three hundred kilometres from the large ship."

            "Yes, sir."

            "Also order that all weapons are to be ready."

            "Yes, Sub-Commander."  He relayed the orders.  All three Romulan warships decloaked at the same time and rose their shields.  The Bird of Prey was leading two D'Deridex Warbirds toward Cardassia.  The three ships stopped three hundred kilometres in front of the Warbird.

            "Put the ship on-screen; get an analysis of their defensive systems."  The order was carried out.  On the screen appeared the enormous Warbird, which, though more immense and, overall, darker than a Romulan Warbird, appeared to be just like a Romulan Warbird.  "The other ship's shields are inactive, as are its weapons systems."

            "Hm.  Hail them."  The pilot performed the order.

            "They are responding."  Onto the screen flashed not a Romulan but Prince Larry Koopa.

            Larry said, "I am Prince Larry Koopa of the Evil Koopa Kingdom, presently allied to the Cardassian Union.  I am also the sub-commander of this ship.  Whom do I have the - ahem - honour of addressing?"

            "I am Sub-Commander Movard, sub-commander of the Romulan Bird of Prey Othello and leader of this group of three ships."

            "Ah, how nice," said Larry.  "What is your purpose here?"

            "Would you mind expressing yours?"  Larry smiled.

            "We are here to make sure that you aren't invading Cardassia."

            "We were just here to study gaseous anomalies."

            Larry's smile grew.  "Wrong answer," said the evil Koopa prince.  His smile turned to an evil, menacing grin.  "You lose this game!  Roy, raise shields, and hit those Rommies hard!"  The screen quickly flipped off, and the Warbird fired on the three Romulan ships very hard.  The Bridge shook.

            "Return fire, and order the other Romulan ships to do so!" said Movard.

            "Yes, sir," said the pilot.  The Bird of Prey and Warbirds blasted the Warbird with disruptor fire, but the Warbird withstood their attacks.  "Their shields are only down to 90%.  Our shields are down to 40%."  Another hit, and the Bridge shook again.  "Our shields are now out altogether!  We are being boarded!"  Onto the Bridge in front of Movard materialised Roy, wielding a disruptor pistol.

            "Don't move, anyone!  Don't move a centimetre!" said Roy.  Three Koopa-Troopas and a Moblin materialised on the Bridge.  These troops had phaser pistols.  "Not unless you want to die painfully, that is."  The pilot's eyes turned to the control panel.  If he could just set the ship to self-destruct. . .

            "Hey, Prince Roy!" said the red Troopa.  "The pilot's eyes are on the control panel."

            "Knock him away before he sets the self-destruct," said Roy.  The Troopa stunned the pilot with the phaser pistol before the pilot could enter the self-destruct sequence.  "Hee, hee, ha, ha!  You think to stop us, eh?  Well, I know how to deal with Romulans!"  He got an evil grin.  "Boy, do I know how to deal with Romulans!  Hee, hee!"  He mashed a device on his disruptor pistol.  It emitted a hyper sound to which Romulans were sensitive. . . something like a dog whistle for Romulans.  The Romulans were subdued by the sound because they could not stand it, and they became unconscious.  [For the record, Thunderians could hear this sound, too.  However, it had no detrimental effect on Thunderians.]  "Ha, ha, ha!  Take no prisoners, boys. . . except for Movard here."  He tapped a comm-insignia on the left side of his chest.  "Koopa-teams, how did it go?"  All responses were that the Romulans had been subdued by the hyper sound.  "Good.  Ludwig wants no - repeat, NO - prisoners taken, other than Movard.  Transport all of the Romulans you see into deep space."  His evil grin increased in size.  "Roy to Larry."

            "Larry here," replied Larry.  "Go ahead, bro."

            "The Rommies've been subdued, 'Cheatsy.' "

            "Good work, 'Bully'!  Now, bring me Movard, and have all of the other Romulans terminally dealt with however you like."

            "On it, Cheatster!  Roy out."  He tapped his communicator and went over to Movard.  "Warbird transporter room, this is Prince Roy Koopa.  Two to beam back."  They two were transported to the Warbird's transporter room.

            "All right," said the green Troopa.  "Get to the transporter controls."  The Moblin found them on the pilot's station.

            "Over here!" said the Moblin.  He keyed in several sequences.  "This'll transport the Romulans out from underneath our feet!  Heh, heh!"  He engaged the transporter.  All the Romulans on all three ships were transported into deep space.

            "Good work, pals!" said the yellow Troopa.  "Now, let's inform Prince Larry."

            * * *

            Bridge, Warbird.

            "Hee, hee, hee!" said Larry.  "Deposit him over there."  He pointed to a wall corner.  Roy took Movard over there and set him there roughly.  "Exactly the way I wanted.  Heh, heh, heh!  Now, take command of the Bird of Prey, have Lemmy take command of the Romulan War-tweet to the right, and have Iggy take command of the Romulan War-squawk on the left."

            "Got it, big bro!" said Roy.  He left the Bridge.

            "Wendy, set course for Cardassia."

            "Yep," said Wendy, who had taken Larry's position at conn.  Morton had been chosen to take Roy's position at security.

            "Ooh, will Ludwig be pleased!" exclaimed Morton.  "Yes, indeedie, he will, he will!  Yup!  He'll be so darned pleased, he'll. . ."

            "Knock it off, Big Mouth!" said Bowser.

            "Oops!  Yep, King Dad!  I'll knock it off.  I will, certainly."  He shut up.

            "Good."

            "Thanks, Dad," said Larry.

            "Hang on!" said Morton.  "A Romulan Warbird, under cloak, is headed for Cardassia!  Oh, my gosh!  Oh, my gosh!  Could this be the end of Cardassian civilisation as we know it?"

            "Shut the bloody hell up!  Now, what's this about the Romulans and Cardassia?"

            "I said that a Romulan D'Deridex Warbird is cloaked and is heading for Cardassia.  I would guess that it would be used for some form of covert surveillance."

            "You can be intelligent when you shut up and think, you know," said Larry.  "That is an excellent suspicion about their presence, dear bro.  As soon as Roy, Lemmy, and Iggy have beamed to the Romulan ships, we'll head back for Cardassia at max."

            "I'll tell them that they should head to Cardassia as well," said Morton.  Larry nodded.  Cloaking, the Warbird headed back towards Cardassia at maximum warp as soon as Roy, Lemmy, and Iggy had departed for the three captured Romulan ships.

            * * *

            Bridge, Cassius.

            "What happened?" asked Tebok.

            Kares said, "The three Romulan vessels heading for Cardassia were attacked by a gargantuan Warbird.  I noticed that the entire crew complement of each of them, minus one from the command ship, was beamed outside into deep-space."

            "Oh, darn it!" exclaimed Tebok.

            "The enormous Warbird," added Kares, "is on its way toward Cardassia, from the look of the way it was turning when it was recloaking.  Should I warn Commander Veral of the Marcus?  The Marcus had altered course to take some intelligence tests at Cardassia, but the enormous Warbird seems capable of tracking our ships while cloaked."

            "Warn them, Kares," said Tebok.  "Tell them to power up every last bit of disruptor energy their ship has got and to fire it at any disturbance large enough to be that blasted ship."

            "Yes, sir."  She did so.

            "Damn," said Tebok to himself.  He sat back in his chair.  "It seems as though the Cardassians have an ally with a ship like ours.  That could create serious repercussions."  He spoke up.  "Call Reshal when you've finished warning Veral, Kares."

            "Yes, sir."  She finished the message to be relayed to the Marcus and relayed it.  She then opened a channel to the Cæsarus.  "Responding."

            "On-screen."  Commander Reshal appeared on the viewscreen.  Tebok nodded slightly.  "Commander Reshal."

            "Sub-Admiral Tebok," said Reshal, also nodding slightly.  "What is it, sir?"

            "I want you to keep one thing in mind during this conference, Reshal," said Tebok.  "Commend the Federation extensively on their phasing-cloaking device.  Express the truth that the Romulan Empire does not view its creation as a hostile action."

            "Right."

            * * *

            Darkwing Duck's Restaurant, Darkwing Duck's Earth.

            "One missing in action," said Data to Picard.  "Lieutenant Worf.  Also not present is Darkwing Duck."

            "How about Centurion Kranos?" asked Torreth.  "I do not see him around; yet, he is supposed to be here.  He told me he was coming."

            "I have not encountered anyone with that name," said Data.

            "I think that that Liquidator was disguised as Kranos, Torreth," said Sela.  "Yes.  I'm certain that that was he."

            "I see a pattern," said Steelheart.  "One Romulan, one Starfleet officer, and one N-Team member.  I guess that the Thunder Kittens were too close to one of the SuperFriends for Liquidator to want to attempt anything."

            "This might also have something to do with Metroid," said Data.  "Remember that both the Kazara and the Enterprise called and reported about an unprovoked attack from Metroid."

            "It would be logical to conclude that MotherBrain is responsible," said Picard.

            Lion-O added, "And with Ludwig at Cardassia?  If you ask me, this is one undesirable situation.  Not a circumstance.  Ludwig's got a sense of timing, that's for sure."

            "True," said Tomalak.  "I believe, though, that Starfleet would have the upper hand over this Brain-Team.  We've heard about the phasing-cloaking device, Captain."

            "However," added Picard, "since it was created in violation of the Treaty of Algeron, signed by the Federation in good faith, the Enterprise only used it to get out of an asteroid in which it had been locked after we found it on the U.S.S. Pegasus."

            "I'm certain that the Federation signed that Treaty of Algeron in good faith, Captain," said Tomalak seriously, "but, so far as we know, the Brain-Team does not have a phasing-cloaking device.  The Federation should use that means of defence."

            "We will not disobey the Treaty of Algeron, Admiral," said Picard.

            "Torreth, Sela, and I have some friends in very high places, Captain.  I'm certain that we could persuade the Romulan government to tell its negotiators going to the Federation to agree to let the Federation continue manufacture and usage of the Federation cloaking device.  After all, this Ludwig is planning to give a cloaking device to the Cardassian Union.  He also has the ability to track cloaked vessels.  The Federation's best defence would be the phased cloaking device."  Picard took as much a glance as he dared to Beverly.  Beverly nodded, saying that Tomalak was telling the truth.

            "Very well, Admiral," said Picard.  "I shall ask the Federation to take this under advisement."  Tomalak smiled pleasantly.

            "I knew you'd make the correct choice, Captain," said Tomalak.

            "Doctor," said Picard, "I must return to the Enterprise for a moment."

            "Very well, Captain," said Beverly.

            Picard asked, "Would you please accompany me, Commander Data?"

            "Yes, sir," said Data.  Picard got beside Data as Data tapped his communicator and said, "Cmdr. Data to Enterprise."

            "Commander Riker here," replied Riker's voice.

            "The captain and I are beaming up to the Main Bridge."

            "Very well.  We're ready."  Data tapped his communicator.

            "If you please, Commander?" Data asked Steelheart.

            "Certainly," said Steelheart.  She tapped her communicator.  "N-Team Transporter, transport Captain Picard and Lt. Cmdr. Data to the Main Bridge of the Enterprise."  The two were transported there.

            * * *

            "The captain just left," said Wesley.  "He and Data just shimmered out of sight."

            "I see," said Wilykit.  She frowned thoughtfully.  "I have the sneaking suspicion that something terribly wrong has just happened."

            "Weren't there three Romulan warships heading for Cardassia?" asked Wilykat.

            "Yes," said Wilykit.

            Wesley said, "Ludwig's Warbird could probably overpower all of them."  Wilykat already had the terminal out and working. . . working on finding out what was going on with the three Romulan warships which were heading for Cardassia.

            "They are several minutes behind where they should be," said Wilykat.  "And there's the Warbird, speeding toward Cardassia.  Oh, Jaga.  There are about twenty-four hundred dead Romulan bodies scattered about Cardassian space!  It looks as though they simply materialised there as if from transport!"

            "Do you know whether the number of bodies equals the total complement of all three Romulan ships?" asked Wesley.  "Because, if it does, that means that Ludwig took over those ships and took no prisoners."

            "I don't know," said Wilykat.  "I'll check the three ships' computers."  The N-Team computer's versatility and compatibility could not be equalled.  It could enter just about any computer network, including the Romulans'.  "Got it.  Hm.  One minus the total.  That means that they either destroyed one of them. . ."

            ". . .or took the other one prisoner!" said Wilykit.  "Probably the leader of all three ships."

            "Yeah.  One of those ships is the Romulan Bird of Prey Othello.  I've overheard Sela talking about that; it's her ship."

            "Great Jaga."

            "It's worse.  There is one powerful Romulan Warbird entering orbit around Cardassia.  However, it just received a transmission from another highly-powered Romulan Warbird tailing the three that are going to Federation space."

            "There's a fully-armed Romulan Warbird following the three unarmed ones going to Betazed?" asked Wesley, surprised.  "Oh, wait a minute.  I think I understand why it is there."  He thought.  "The Federation is involved in this affair, even if it may be indirect.  We have an informal alliance with you, the N-Team.  Your direct enemy, the Brain-Team, has formally allied with the Cardassian Union, which is hostile toward us.  It has declared war on the Romulan Empire, which is attempting to begin diplomatic relations with the Federation.  The Cardassians have attacked three Klingon battle-cruisers; also, the Romulans came to the Klingons' aid.  Hm.  Very interesting.  I don't think that the Prime Directive is binding the Federations' hands in this affair, at least not any longer."

            Wilykit said, "Hm.  Why not?"

            "Well, the Brain-Team and the Cardassians have been hostile toward the Federation and those who have supported it.  The Romulans, the Klingons, the N-Team, the Federation, and the Ferengi have all been victims in this circumstance. . . victims of the Cardassians, of the Brain-Team, or of both.  Furthermore, the Brain-Team and the Cardassians are allies.  Formally, the Federation and the Klingons are also allies.  Now, as to the Romulans.  The Romulans have done several helpful things.  Number one, they stopped the Cardassians when the latter attempted to capture a Ferengi Marauder.  Number two, they stopped the Cardassians when the Cardassians attempted to destroy three Klingon warships.  Number three, the Romulans stopped Metroid before Metroid knocked the Enterprise out of commission.  Number four, the Romulans are going to Betazed to attempt negotiating an alliance with the Federation.  I believe that the Romulans' presence here can be considered an extension of that.  Also, the Cardassians have declared war on the Romulans.  The Romulans obviously are in need of assistance.  Well, there's this planet out there you call SR388.  My admittedly hasty impression is that it has the design charts for the Warbird in its computer banks.

            "Also, Captain Picard never formally ended my captaincy.  He told me that I was an acting captain; however, he never stated in his log that that position was temporary, neither did he state when it would terminate.  In Starfleet, there's this rule that people acting in a certain position who also have gotten through at least their first three years at Starfleet Academy irrevocably gain the rank in which they are acting after a certain period of time. . . say, one and a half days."  Wilykit grew a smile.

            "Wesley, you little devil!" she said approvingly.  "A captain, in Starfleet Academy."

            "I think I might get it knocked down to lieutenant commander," said Wesley.  A waiter came with their orders.  A dog-person with a particular French air about him. . . as well as a definite French accent.

            "Three orders of Romulan viinerine, each with one Thunderian mashed potato, one Earth steak, and one serving of Thunderian wine, vintage 1705.  It's yours, yes?"  All these went together quite well.

            "Yes, it's ours, waiter," said Wilykat.

            "For the young lady,. . ."  He gave one dish to Wilykit.  ". . .for the gentlemen."  He gave one dish to Wilykat and then to Wesley.  He then removed a jug of Thunderian wine in an ice bucket on a stand near the table, removed the cork, and poured the wine into Wilykit's glass, into Wilykat's glass, and into Wesley's glass.  "And the wine.  Have a good meal!"  He left the table.  Wilykit lifted her glass in a toast.

            "To us and to our friends," she said.  "The N-Team, the Federation, the Romulan Empire, the Klingon Empire, and the SuperFriends.  May we all live long and prosper."

            "Yes," agreed Wesley.

            "Agreed," said Wilykat.  They brought their three glasses together and then drank a short swallow.  "One-glass limit, said Tygra."  That first swallow almost sent Wesley reeling.

            "Gosh!  That's powerful stuff!" exclaimed Wesley.  He set down his glass.  "It's good.  I think I see why Tygra suggested a one-glass limit.  It tastes wonderful, but. . . certainly alcoholic!"

            "I don't understand," said Wilykit.  "I guess it affected you so readily because humans absorb alcohol into their bloodstreams more readily."

            "As I said, that is powerful stuff."  They began to eat.

            "Remember how it sent Bengali reeling?" Wilykat asked his sister.

            "Yes," said Wilykit.  "I am acutely aware of what it did to Bengali.  He drank so much of it at his Coming of Age ceremony that he had a hangover for almost an entire year.  I'm not kidding.  That '05 vintage is very Thundrainolic.  Thundraine is carbon tetraThundrainide, CTu₄.  Thundrainol, or Thundrainyl alcohol, is CTu₃-OH.  It is Thunderian alcohol.  There are several Thundrainium molecular and ionic compounds that take away Thundrainium's harmful effects on Thunderians.  For the record, the classical name for Thundrainium is tuonoanine, like natrium for sodium, kalium for potassium, stibium for antimony, cuprum for copper, plumbum for lead, hydrargyrum for mercury, and stannum for tin.  Thunderians called iron and silver ferum and argentum.  Element 79, aurum, or gold, did not exist on Thundera, and we could not produce it artificially.  We first discovered it on third-Earth when we found that Thundrillium had come to third-Earth in a meteor and joined with it.  We also found out that aurum, or gold, was very valuable on third-Earth because it was very rare.  We thought it was junk.  Thundrillium behaves as a metal, even when chemical reactivity is concerned.  It is a vital compound of Thundrainium that we found in abundance on Thundera and which we use to power our devices.  No Thundrillium, no power.  Sodium Thundrainide, NaTu, is the formula for Thundrillium.  Thundrainium is so powerful that no nonmetal can displace it from a metal, so there exists a group of metalo-tuonium ions.  The natrio-tuonium ion has a charge of +1.  The calcio-tuonium ion has a charge of +2.  The cupro-tuonious ion has a charge of +1, the cupro-tuonic ion a charge of +2."

            "A pattern," remarked Wesley.

            "Yes," said Wilykit.  "The metalo-tuonium group does not harm Thunderians.  However, most metal Thundrainides, with the exception of sodium Thundrainide, are very harmful to most Thunderians.  Carbon-Thundrainium compounds aren't harmful to Thunderians."

            "Wilykit, you know it's impolite to talk with your mouth full," said Wilykat.

            "Oh, spare me the niceties, li'l bro!"

            "Don't call me 'li'l bro'!  I hate it!"

            "Oh, all right.  I won't call you 'li'l bro.' "

            "Good."

            "Wilykat, 'Kit," said Wesley.  "Look.  Your little disagreements are humorous, but you've really got to refrain from them while you're in public.  Think what would be said if you hit each other with pies in here."

            "Okay, Wes," said Wilykit.

            "Yeah," said Wilykat ruelessly.

            "I thank you two very much."  They continued eating.

            * * *

            The Prætor's Office, Citadel, Romulus.

            "God," said Darok, communicating with Sub-Admiral Tebok.  "Well, Tebok, keep alert.  If the Cardassians attempt in any way to interfere with our attempts to ally with the Federation, I want you to stop them."

            "Yes, my lord," said Tebok.

            "I sincerely want the Romulan Empire allied with the Federation, Tebok," said Darok.  "I don't want it ruined by the Cardassians.  I want the hatchet with the Federation buried, as it were.  Do you understand?  The era for distrusting the Federation is over."

            "I understand, my lord.  I shall try my best to do your will."

            "Thank you, Tebok.  Prætor Darok out."  He deactivated the terminal, and Tebok disappeared from the screen.  At that moment, Proconsul Ranott of the Romulan Solar System and Proconsul Neral of the Planet of Romulus entered the room.  They saluted the Prætor.  "Thank you for being so prompt."  The Prætor was very disturbed these last few hours.  With a war just starting and the Cardassians just allied to a powerful enemy of those to whom the Romulans aspired to ally, the responsibilities placed upon him were tremendous.  He was the most powerful member of the Romulan government, though third in rank.  His health was not excellent.  Then again, neither was that of many other inhabitants of Romulus and Remus after the discovery of dreaded element 119.  Romulum.  It began the periodic sequence from the top; it was like hydrogen in chemical reactivity.  It was also the most reactive when it behaved as a metal, even above lithium.  It could gain or lose an electron, making it very versatile.  It weakened the average Romulan.  Romulum-238 was the isotope discovered first, and it was one of the worst, as it was not radioactive.  If it were radioactive, it would not be romulum for very long.  However, all experiments to make it radioactive, to make it perform fission were useless.  Romulum-239 was even worse.  It was just as stable; in fact, the added neutron had even more adverse effects on Romulans.  The average atomic mass for romulum was 238.55.  Romulum-239 was the most common isotope, romulum-238 right under it.  Romulum was not discovered until about a month ago, when it was found to be practically everywhere on Romulus and Remus:  buildings, ground, atmosphere (combined to helium in the gas helium monoromulide, HeRo, and to fluorine in the gas fluorine diromulide, FRo).  Lithium romulide and romulum fluoride were the worst fates any Romulan could suffer.  Worse, no known means could separate a metal from a romulide.  A metal romulide acts as an atom in its own right, with too high a boiling point to be produced.  The noble gas right after romulum was romulon-240, with an atomic number of 120 and a symbol of Rm.  It had the same effect on Romulans.  The two elements very adversely affected Romulans.  They were awful.  "Has there been found any way to get rid of our romulum and romulon problem?"

            "None so far, I'm afraid, my lord," said Proconsul Ranott.  "There are no ways to do it without causing even more danger, that is."  The Prætor sighed.  He would not try anything to worsen the problem for Romulus.  "Romulum is more reactive metallically than lithium and nonmetallically than fluorine.  Its reactions are erratic.  If we start to play around with it, our problem could be compounded by multiple explosions.  If lithium and fluorine are in the same area as romulum, there would be a powerful triangle of reactions which could destroy Remus."

            If this were a less dangerous circumstance, Darok would have refrained from saying this.  "A very undesirable situation."  The proconsuls understood.  "How about Torreth?  How is her progress?"

            "Her ship has been reporting to me regularly," said Neral.  "They are making progress very well, my lord."

            "What is Commander Veral's present activity?"

            "He is gaining intelligence from Cardassia."

            "And Sub-Commander Movard?"

            "His scheduled report did not come, my lord."  The Prætor's eyes asked if an investigation on the map would clear things up, and the proconsul's eyes replied that it was worth a shot.  Neral went to a nearby computer and called up a map of Cardassian territory.  He gasped when he saw how many Romulan bodies were counted scattered through the Cardassian empire.  "Prætor, the entire complement of all three ships he led, minus Movard himself, is floating in deep-space."