"This isn't how I wanted things to go, you know." Vash's voice echoed in the chamber where they were sat, guarded by four Romulans.

For some reason, Picard and Vash had been separated from the others, who were being kept in the adjacent chamber.

Picard grinned wryly. "I'm sure that you had it all planned out as usual. What I don't understand was why you needed to involve me at all. I mean why not simply have the cylinder yourself?"

Vash smiled. "It's complicated. You see, I'm wanted on quite a few Federation and non- Federation worlds. Impersonating a professor being a minor crime."

"I take it that some of the races involved have severe penalties awaiting you?"

"You could say that and when I saw that you were on Kimayl, I thought you'd be my best bet to get the cylinder away from the Rigellians, who have promised me a thousand years in suspension for taking artifacts from the Temple of Nuel."

"So, what went wrong?"

"My deliverer never arrived to meet you. It took me over year to track her down and convince her to give it to you at Boconn."

Picard shook his head and then eyed their stoic captors. "What I dont understand is why you went into business with the Romulans. Just what are they hoping to gain from this?"

"Advantage," said Cenita, entering the chamber. "Do you really think we are interested in ruins or dead civilisations?" She met Picard's eye. "The great Jean Luc Picard, captain, admiral, ambassador and apparently archaeologist."

"Archeology is only a hobby," said Picard.

"Oh excuse me," said Cenita. "What a marvellous mind though. At the centre of some of the most important events in galactic history. Clever doesn't do you justice, Picard. You've triumphed over so many forbiddable foes and circumstances. Gowron's saviour during the Klingon civil war, you aided us to foil Shinzon's attempt to take over the Romulan empire. You even out manoeuvred the Borg Queen."

Picard gave Vash a quizzical look and turned back to Cenita.

"Listen, this is all very flattering but I fail to see..."

"And that's my point," said Cenita. " The great Picard. I expected so much more from you. I really thought that you would have worked it out. Must be your age, its muddled you brain."

"Translation," said Picard, suddenly. "You're after the Translation technology. This was never about anything else."

Cenita grinned, which looked wrong on her face. She turned to her subordinates. "You see. Well, you got there eventually." She crouched down next to them. "Just imagine. A galaxy ruled from Romulus. Her armies appearing on every habitable planet with no warning. No starships battling it out among the stars. In fact, starships will become a thing of the past. Romulans able to step onto any world they wish. Conquest of all major powers inevitable; especially the Federation. The Romulan Empire will surpass all previous achievements. We will be the dominant race in a new galactic dawn, maybe then in other galaxies."

Vash burst into hysterics; laughing uncontrollably. "That's the funniest thing I've heard in years. 'A new galactic dawn', there should have been music playing behind that marvellous speech."

"Silence," said Cenita, snatching a gun from one of the guards and pointing it at Vash's head. "Or I will make you silent."

This didn't deter Vash in the slightest, if anything, she laughed even harder.

"There is not one Romulan with either the intelligence or understanding to make Translation work," said Vash, defiantly.

Cenita aimed the gun.

"Wait," said Picard.

"Don't worry Jean Luc," said Vash. "She won't fire. At least, not unless she wants to lose how Translation works for good." Vash glared at Cenita. "You see, it was me who sabotaged the wall." She stopped laughing and glared at the Romulan Commander. "But not before commiting the patterns to memory. You understand that Cenita? Only I know how it works. So fire away but if you kill me or any of my friends, you'll never know the secret."

Cenita stared at her for a very long minute then, lowered her weapon.

"Very well, Vash, it would appear that you still have your uses." She turned to the guards. "Get them up and bring them to the mosaic."

"Untie us," said Picard. "Or we're not going anywhere."

Cenita's mouth grimaced. "Very well. Untie them but if there is any trouble. Shoot Picard."

The guard freed them both and gestured for them to follow Cenita. As they entered the main chamber, Picard was relieved to see that Niata appeared to be unharmed; although there was no sign of Molly, Lumi or Glav.

Picard turned to Cenita. "Where are the rest of my team?"

"They are unharmed," she replied. "For now."

Niata was on his knees in front of the mosaic and weeping openly. As Vash and Picard reached him, he looked up at them, grief written all over his face.

"The imbalance is getting worse," he cried. "This will be the end for us all."

Vash knelt down next to him and took his hand.

"Niata, listen to me," she said. "There is a way. Trust me."

Niata's eyes widened. "What way?"

"I know the missing pattern," she said, tapping the side of her head.

The ground shook, even more violently than before. Pieces of the ceiling rained down in a dusty shower. Once it had subsided, Picard helped Niata to his feet.

"Help us," he said.

As they moved over to the device, Picard whispered to Vash.

"I hope you know what you're doing."

"Me too," she said, with an uncharacteristic uncertainty.

"You still haven't explained how this works."

"Short version," she said, tapping a sequence into a padd. "It's a modified scanner, based on the Triathian Translation Matrix. It can seperate and identify biological matter. I have a a sample of pure Othallian DNA, courtesy of our deliverer, and I can use it as a sort of filter."

"To separate the two races."

"Within the Separation and then using the pattern I memorised, I can return both races to their own universes."

"But the passage will still be open," said Niata.

Vash shook her head. "I'm afraid not, Niata. Once done, this will seal the breach in space-time."

"No, you can't do that," he screamed. "You will unmake us. You cannot reverse the new birth." He leapt at a nearby guard and grabbed a weapon. The disruptor activated in his hand, vaporising the guard and another next to him. He stood, waving the weapon around like someone insane. "I won't let you do it. Just bring everyone out into this universe."

Picard put himself in front of Vash. "Keep working," he whispered. He walked forward toward Niata, his hands raised. "Niata, let's just calm down. Maybe there is another way, there is no need for anyone else to get killed. Please, this is not the Triathian way, is it?"

"What would you know of Triathian ways? Am I not just a curiosity to you? A puzzle? You know nothing about us."

"I know you," said Lumi, as she was escorted into the chamber, with Glav and Molly.

"Silence, Betazoid," said one of guards.

"No," said Cenita. "Let her speak."

The ground shook and Picard saw several cracks open across the ceiling. A statue in the corner toppled over, hitting the ground with a loud crash. The shaking subsided again.

Vash looked at Picard, she nodded slightly. She was ready.

Picard turned to Lumi. "Whatever you have to say, make it quick."

"Niata," said Lumi, in her calming voice. "I know how precious new birth is to your people. It is the way you have perpetuated your species."

"We cannot reproduce," said Niata, tears in his eyes. "Triathians only exist as a joined race. Once there were joining ceremonies every month but over time there were no more Othallians, no more Skrahl."

"If you can't propergate yourselves, then surely your race would've died out eventually," said Picard.

"Triathians do not grow old or wear out. We exist," said Niata.

"But the Separation," said Picard.

"Was an accident," said Lumi. "It was meant to open up more avenues into the other universe."

"Some of our scientists suggested that the Joining wasn't exclusive to two races and it would be possible to join with other races. We meant to break the barrier down not make it stronger." Niata was becoming more unstable. "Instead of being removed, The Separation became stronger and so big that it encompassed the planet and entombed what remained of my people in one terrible night." Niata waved the gun in Cenita's direction. "Translation is responsible for this, my deluded Romulan friend. You cannot use it."

"We'll see," said Cenita, and shot something from the back of her hand that struck Niata on the side of his head. There was a momentary expression of surprise before he dropped to the ground.

Lumi and Molly rushed over to see if he could be helped. After checking his inert form, Molly glared up at Cenita.

"You animal," she cried, turning to Picard. "He's dead Jean Luc."

Picard rounded on the Romulan Commander, only to come face to face with a disruptor.

"There was no need to kill him," he spat.

Cenita looked bored. "Nonsense, he had served his purpose. Now, I suggest that you and your friend continue with your work before everyone is destroyed."

"I'm ready," said Vash. "The only thing I'm not certain about is what will happen once the Triathians have separated. There are going to be at least two hundred and fifty thousand Othallians streaming back onto a dead world."

Cenita smiled, coldly. "Don't concern yourself. There is a contingency plan in place for that."

Picard looked up at her. "What plan?"

"Why don't you call your ship?"

"Picard to Proxima," said Picard. "Sebi, are you receiving?"

"Jean Luc, I'm so glad you are alive. Are the others with you?"

"Yes, Sebi, we are all here," said Picard. "You sound stressed my friend."

"Communications have been disrupted, so I haven't been able to contact you. There are more Romulan ships. There has to be five at least."

"Contingency plan," said Lumi. "What's the plan Commander?"

"You misunderstand our intentions, my Betazoid friend," said Cenita. "They are science vessels, come to investigate the subspace disturbance."

"Maybe you would let me call the Federation, to come and help out," said Picard, wryly.

Cenita seemed to suddenly lose patience. She looked at Vash whilst pointing the disruptor at Lumi's head. "Enough. Begin now, or I start killing the others."

"Ok," said Vash. "But you might want to stand away from the mosaic wall." Her fingers danced across her padd and then pressed an icon to activate the device. There was a loud droning noise and the device rocked slightly in its support cradle. "Ok," said Vash, getting to her feet. "We need to get out of this chamber, now."

Everyone made their way to the main entrance and turned to see what would happen.

The device had started to visibly shudder and Picard noticed the one end of the cylinder began to glow red. There was no noise, just the rattle of the cylinder as it continued to shake. The rattling became louder and the illuminated end was now white. Several small hatches opened all over the device and bright white light shot into the mosaic causing the design to light up. Picard couldn't decide if his eyes were deceiving him but the patterns on the wall began to move and reform into a different configuration. The device stopped shuddering and multiple doors opened in the wall, at least thirty.

Vash tapped on her padd. "Here we go," she said. "I'm sending the filter program now."

As soon as she sent it, the whole room became do bright that it was impossible to see anything. Everyone retreated further back into the darker recesses.

Suddenly, Lumi cried out, Picard turned to see her crumple to the ground, holding her head. Molly and Glav rushed to her side.

"It's deafening," she screamed.

Picard was about to ask, but then the sound reached him too. Crowds of people, all crying out in anguish and despair. The painful cries caused him to hold his own head.

"What's happening?" Picard knew he wouldn't cope with too much more.

"It's working," said Vash.

"But it's painful," shouted Lumi. "Those are cries of grief."

"Here they come," said Molly.

As she spoke, the first group of people stepped out of the mosaic doorways. Immediately, two squads of Romulans appeared and began escorting them away.

Cenita turned to Vash. "Well done, Vash. The answer to our quest seems to be at hand."

People continued to pour out of the doorways, until it was becoming crowded. To combat this, the Romulans started blanket transports, with thirty or more vanishing at a time.

Molly glare at Cenita. "Don't you know how dangerous that is?"

Cenita didn't reply, just ordered for the pace to be quickened. More Romulans appeared and other buildings began to be used as overflows.

That's when Picard heard it. That familiar sound.

"Disruptor fire," said Glav, turning to Cenita. "What have done?"

The Romulan Commander was expressionless. "What has to be done. I would advise you not to make any sudden moves if you don't want to meet the same fate.

Picard was enraged. "Cenita, in the name of all that's civilised, stop this. Those people are innocent, this is barbaric."

Cenita turned to face Picard and then levelled her weapon at Glav and fired. They all watched in horror as the beam vaporised him.

They all moved toward Cenita but two other Romulans appeared and targeted each of them.

Cenita moved the weapon between them.

"Now, who will it be next? You, Picard? Or little Molly? What about your lover?"

"Stop this," said Picard. "If you want someone to kill, then kill me. But please leave these alone."

Cenita had reached Lumi. Roughly, Cenita grabbed her arm and pulled her close; pushing the barrel into the side of her head.

"I think this one." Her face contorted in another unnerving smile. "After all. Who needs a Betazoid?"

"If you let me into you mind, I'll show you," said Lumi.

"No thank you," she said, and fired. With a surprised scream, Lumi vanished.

Molly cried out, tears streaking her face.

"No."

Cenita aimed the weapon in her direction but Picard stood in the way.

"That's enough," he spat, shaking with anger. He was about to move towards her, but Vash grabbed his arm.

"Jean Luc," she said, gently. "What's the plan? Are you going to wrestle her to the ground?"

Picard stopped, tears filled his eyes. "All those people, murdered." He glared at Cenita. "And all for the glory of the empire."

Cenita sneered. "I've no time for this." She turned to the nearest guard. "Watch them."

After she had gone, Picard turned to Vash and Molly. Molly ran into his arms and sobbed. Even Vash had tears and the three of them stood in the entrance to the chamber, as wave after wave of Othallians exited the Separation, only to be led away to their deaths. Picard felt helpless.

After a while, Molly looked up at him. "The blanket transport wasn't to a destination, was it?"

"I don't know," said Picard, grimly. "But I don't think so."

"They were beamed into oblivion, that's horrible."

She searched his face. "Jean Luc, we have to stop this."

Picard looked at Vash, who also nodded.

"I know."