A Role In History

The Expanse

Malcolm reed was fumbling with his hands in the briefing room. "It must be something pretty serious."

Just that moment, Commander Tucker entered. He pulled a confused face. "What's going on?"

"The Captain wishes to talk to all of us, but we do not know about what." Velekh told the engineer.

"He's speaking to Admiral Forrest. It's the third time in the last hour." miss Sato told.

"Well, something's obviously up."

The First Officer did a Vulcan version of the eye-roll. "Quite obviously."

"I can't remember the last time he asked me to join the senior staff for a briefing." the Denobulan doctor said.

Then, Archer entered the room. All senior officers stood up.

"There's been an attack on Earth." he informed them.

Tucker rose an eyebrow. "What do you mean, attack?"

"A probe. They don't know where it came from. It fired a weapon that cut a swath four thousand kilometers long from Florida to Venezuela. There may have been a million casualties."

Malcolm's eyes wided. "A million?"

"We've already been recalled."

*//*

The doorbell of the ready room chimed.

"Come in." the Captain spoke.

It was T'Pol who walked in "I spoke with Ambassador Soval. A Vulcan transport located the pod in central Asia. They retrieved it and brought it to Starfleet Headquarters."

"Anything known about it?" Archer asked.

"There was a pilot, killed on impact."

Hvaid looked out of the window, seeing the deep rift in the Earth.

"Something you wish to tell us?" the human asked, his blue eyes looking into his XO's hazel ones. "After all, you are from the future."

"There are things I may tell and things I may not tell. My knowledge could possibly endanger us as well as other species." the half-Romulan told.

"Tell us what you can tell." Archer was slightly agitated now.

Hvaid sighed. "The probe was sent by the Xindi. They learned that their world would be destroyed by humans in four hundred years. They were told by people from the future. People who can communicate through time."

"And you know this how? You said you were from the year 2320!"

"Your missions and voyages are well documented in Starfleet records. The Xindi-mission still is part of the Starfleet training program for Command cadets. Even though I am a medical officer, I have taken command classes."

"Any more information I should know?"

The half-Romulan's lips twitched. "This probe was only a test. The Xindi are building a far more powerful weapon. When it is completed, they will use it to destroy Earth."

The human nodded. "Annihilate us before we can annihilate them."

"The Xindi were not supposed to learn of their future. If they deploy this weapon, it will contaminate the timeline. You must not let that happen."

"As if."

*//*

"A vessel's dropping out of warp." Reed told as Hvaid entered the bridge. The Captain had gone talking to Ambassador Soval.