[snip]

Glen said, “I guess we move on to the next question now, and I think that it is the question that we would all like to know, ‘Why exactly have you come here?’ You wish to learn and study, that is quite obvious, but you already share my memories, so you already know everything about humans. We already have a relationship, you and I, and while I feel some connection to you, it is not one of family, nor will it ever that. My experience with your people was very traumatic, and it does not engender me to you, nor do I have any other secrets that the Ancients did not already forcibly rip from out of me that I could give to you. In Starfleet, we are also curious about the galaxy and wish to travel, but we have a mission statement. It goes, ‘to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no one has gone before.’ Your mission statement must be more like, ‘lather, rinse and repeat, the same old, same old thing.’ Which is why, when I also discover that you have downloaded the last few hundred years of Earth and Starfleet history, I am more than a little puzzled of the reason why. Curiosity is one thing, but such detailed research suggests more hawkish reasons.”

Tinga had been listening intently to the conversation and studying the intonation and body language of Daniel and Captain Glen.

”..I am here Captain, because those in the Council of the Ancients feel that there are too many unresolved threads. Threads which tie back to the events you and your ship were involved in. I am here to see those threads completed and closed. My research into your recent history over the past few hundred years was to satisfy my own curiosity of your Federation. You are in many ways a paradox and chaotic, yet a source of order, and calm. Even now the flow of time ripples through the metal of this ship in ways that defy your understanding if you are even aware of them. To sum my answer to you Captain I am here to provide clarity and resolution, once that is complete my place and purpose would be at an end..” He said.

Hal said, “You’d think that such a technically advanced race of time travelers would naturally have instituted a regulation, much like our own prime directive, which forbids any interference in the time stream.”

Daniel turned to regard Hal, “..I have studied your prime directive, and you would be right we Ancients have something similar both for those we interact with and on a temporal level. But we are also protectors and scientists in our own right to those same institutions. In this case had I not been sent here the fallout on both a physical and temporal level would send ripples back and forward in the time stream in ways even our advanced calculations could not predict..” Daniel said.

Turning back to Glen then. “..I feel I perhaps should simplify my goals here, at least to start. Perhaps then this will provide a better framework towards a better understanding of events.” He said. “..Firstly, the Ancients wish to extend a formal diplomatic overture to you specifically Captain Glen and your crew. Both for the mistake they made in putting you on trial but also explanations of why that trial happened as it did. Secondly, from temporal calculations we have determined that there are residual temporal eddies coming from the Merrimack itself. This must be isolated and contained before these eddies could harm both the physical plane and temporal. For this I will need to work alongside your engineering, medical, and science departments for a joint solution. Lastly, there is a risk albeit small that elements of your own temporal future might intervene, not your Federation but those who would be their enemies, seeking to use the collective knowledge of the near future for nefarious ends. It would be wise for you to move your ship to a more defensible location, and as much information as you deem necessary shared to prepare in the off chance such enemies make seek us out..” He explained.

And it did suddenly become more clear to Glen. John had wondered why the Ancients had sent Daniel to the Merrimack, and to this time, when clearly they did not possess time travel, or were responsible to the Merrimack’s jumps in time, but with the mention of ‘Ripples in Time,’ this struck a chord. “These’Ripples in Time’,” Glen said, “We have experienced such a thing, yes… I didn’t realise but things seem to happen to us that cannot be mere coincidence, and the ship itself seems ‘charged’ against temporal based attacks since our very first journey. We were also carried forward into our future once, where the ship has become a space museum in Black Rock, the headquarters of the sixth fleet, and where we stayed for exactly one day. There was no explanation for that except some weird leftover effects of the earlier journeys. If you can help to rid us of this effect then we would appreciate this.”

“Of course you must understand that under the circumstances of the events of our past, you will be under some form of observation at all times. A precaution so to speak.” Kord pointed out in a matter of fact tone.

“Perhaps an armed guard detail, Sir?” Hal offered. “Also monitoring thru our internal security system would be in order.”

“My officers are correct,” Glen added, “I cannot give you the freedom of the ship. I’m still going to be suspicious of your motives to some degree, because of our previous experiences. What I meant was that we all want to live out our normal lives, but it does appear that since that very first time travel, this ship has been enchanted with something undesirable. None of us wish the Merrimack to be remembered as some freak ship, or worse, the ship that causes some temporal anomaly leading to the destruction of the universe as we know it. If your mission is really to rid the ship of this enchantment, and believe me, to us the science is so advanced that it does seem like magic, then you will have our full support.”

-Glen, CO