Overtime

Chapter 8 - The Answer

There was little to do but wait for the rendezvous. Mack, not knowing what Rick was really planning, dutifully sent her list to him. He smiled to himself. Yi'imspi was on the list. So, he could maintain what may or may not have been a good idea – that is, not telling Mack the absolute, God's honest truth about who the perpetrator was, until the last possible moment.

Her list was a short one. There was Yi'imspi, of course. The other people on the list were the Imvari, Grosk; Tag Shaw; the Jem'Hadar Xochar'inif; a female Witannen named Adeel; M'Belle the Caitian; and a female Klingon named Cilla – six in all. Once he'd perused the list, he sent her a short note. It just said: she's on your list.

He turned over the idea in his head. And when he was alone and certain no one could see or hear him, he contacted Carmen. "I think it's a rather reckless plan," she scolded. "However, since nothing else has worked, I imagine it's all right to give it the old college try, as it were. But if it all goes pear-shaped, we could have even more unraveling to do."

"Probably. I'll let you know how it goes."

"If I see that I'm suddenly in the Mirror again or some such, I'll know before you will."

"I suppose so. Gotta go." He tapped his left ear to close the connection.

"You talk to yourself?" It was M'Belle, the Caitian.

"Only a little. But didn't curiosity kill the cat?"

"Good thing I'm not a cat, then."

"Touché. Can I ask you a seriousish question?"

"I'll give you a seriousish answer."

"Fair enough. Do you like working here?"

"I do, very much. Mack has always been good about making us all feel comfortable and competent. There have been any number of sports that I really can't do, but she still makes me feel that I'm making an important contribution. Why do you ask? Are you thinking of joining our team, or something?"

"I'm just curious. I suppose you could say I'm a bit professionally curious. Do you think anyone is, I don't know, disgruntled at all?"

"Not that I can see. But they don't all confide in me or anything. Majira would know better than I."

"Got it. And thanks."

=/\=

Mack sent out three notes. The first one was to everyone on the Cookie, even Rick.

For anyone who doesn't know for some reason, and even for those of you who do, we are going to be rendezvousing with the Enterprise-E tomorrow. They are the flagship of the Federation fleet so the protocols are going to be off the charts. We're all adults here. I don't think I have to remind anyone to clean up and dress up and generally be on your best behavior.

For me, it's family visiting. I will try to be available, but you all know how that is.

Thank you,

Coach Mack

Then she just wrote to her inner circle: Wes, Majira, Daniya, and Crita.

The Enterprise-E's arrival of course has to do with Rick Daniels, or at least it did. But he's told me a few things. There's a lot I can't say as it's in confidence. But I do want all of you to know that he, a time traveler, isn't here by some accident or freakish coincidence. Instead, he's here deliberately. There is something very specific that he has to fix.

I am bcc'ing you all on a note I'm sending to some very specific people. Rick has made it clear they are all trustworthy except for one of the women. He can't tell me who it is yet. It's not him being coy; it's that he has to catch her in the act of doing something to alter time, but he can't let her complete the attempt. By not giving me specifics, the idea is to keep me from even unconsciously preventing her attempt. I've got to say I agree with his reasoning, weird as it may seem.