The Complication

When Time Runs Out

Author's Note: Thank you so much for your ongoing support of this series. ­­­

The next few chapters are a significant departure from TNG canon, though my intention remains to 'weave' this into the story as a whole.

This will be a longer arc with several chapters dedicated to this storyline.

The focus is split between Data & Tasha's relationship and the growing Romulan threat. There's a bit of deviation from our regular cast at the start.

Please know they return to the spotlight soon after a brief interlude necessary for the conspiracy plot and backstory.

This arc has ramifications for several key parts of the series: Data & Tasha's relationship, the Romulan conspiracy, Captain Picard's burden of command, and the larger long-term relationship between the Romulans, Klingons, and the Federation.

It sets the foundation for storylines we won't see fully play out for quite some time as this arc is an intersection between the broader, long-standing storylines for the series for the Borg, Klingons, and Romulans.

They are three distinct arcs. But this is one of the moments where they overlap, and I hope you will enjoy it!

-X-

A note on time/Sela: In TNG, the attack on Khitomer took place in 2346. In this story, it occurs in 2344 in the 'broken' timeline and 2346 in the restored timeline.

And speaking of time, we know from Redemption that Sela was allegedly born a year later after her father made his 'arrangement' with Tasha.

Presuming that this was within a year or so (at the earliest) following the loss of the Enterprise-C, that would make Sela around 22 at the time of Redemption & Unification. That puts her at 19 at the time of this chapter.

So please don't be shocked at her youth, it's in sticking with canon! (And it plays a role in her mental state for this series.) You'll notice some parallels between Sela and her mother – this is intended and key to their story.

We'll see more of Sela's story in separate fics - The Crease In the Fabric of Time and The Consequence.

-X-

Influence: The spark for the Coyote legend in this story is influenced by the stories of the Secwépemc First Nations people as well as Ojibwe and Lakota influences.

The cult of the Imperial Family is based on Michael Chabon's notes on Romulan culture. However, I've expanded on that. For this series, I am basing the most prominent Romulan religion on a mix of that theory as well as the ancient Roman imperial cults and 'god-emperors.'

Chabon uses the term 'Demon Child.' I didn't like that, so I came up with 'Shadow' instead.

-X-

Please be advised this portion of the story is a dark turn. I want to assure you – this series has a happy ending. But this part is filled with pain and loss.

Content Warning: Strong language, violence, abuse, child abuse, sexual assault, torture, pregnancy/childbirth, miscarriage, abortion, self-harm, suicide, character death, murder.

-X-

And we'll recall when time runs out that it only took a moment to be loved a whole life long. 

- Hello, Dolly!

-X-

It was cold.