Previously…

"Hopefully, it won't come to a fight, but if it does, the ISS Leviathan has a few weakpoints." t'Rashad continued. "Their shields prevent them from seeing us if we keep to just within our sensor range. Also in the event of an engagement their shields are strong, but they regenerate slower than flowing molasses. They also lack ablative armour and remember they have sustained damage," t'Rashad finished.

Now…

As the mirror universe advisor finished her briefing about the ISS Leviathan, another Romulan centurion arrived with a Romulan datapad, passing it to Tribune Kanlid.

"I have all the sensor data you asked for ?" Kanlid announced, passing the data pad to Lt. Commander Barker.

Taking a quick look at the Padd, he passed it to ASHER. He didn't want to admit it, but his Romulan was almost non-existent.

"We should be able to tune the Hellcat's sensors to detect the mirror vessel." ASHER announced.

"Would you also be able to do the same with our sensors ?" Kreull enquired.

"With time yes." ASHER replied.

"Tribune, we may not have time to modify your sensors. The modifications to the Hellcat sensors took weeks to perfect. We'd be far better working together in devising a way of 'tagging' the ISS Leviathan." Chu announced, remembering that Starfleet had specifically ordered to restrict access to any of the enhancements to Federation technology provided by the mirror advisors.

"Commander, I'm puzzled." Kreull announced. "Exactly how did this mirror vessel arrive in our universe ?"

"That's a long story." Chu replied. "In short it is equipped with a device that has been designed to puncture the barriers between different universes. Their intention is to invade another universe, this one. Don't underestimate this foe, in their universe they are king. They've defeated and enslaved both the Klingon Empire and the Cardassian Union. They have fought off the Borg and the Dominion and have been at war with the Romulans for over three centuries."
"How do you know all this ?" Kanlid asked.

"Ensign ASHER and Advisor t'Rashad are experts in this field." Chu replied, not wanting to tell these Romulans that t'Rashad was infact from the mirror universe.

"Advisor t'Rashad. What is a Romulan doing working for the Federation ?" Kreull enquired.

She looked at Chu for a second before answering. They'd been working on a cover story over the two days it had taken to traverse the distance between the Leviathan and the rendezvous point.

"I was born at the research station near the Typhon expanse. The station was attacked by the Son'a and most of the staff were killed. I was lucky, my parents mananged to get me into one of the last escape pods. Unfortunately the station exploded moments after my pod was launched and was severly damages. When the USS Monroe responded to my distress signal, I had drifted well into Federation space. I was a teenage at the time and although I am Romulan, I felt that my own people had deserted me, allowed my parents and everyone aboard the station to die. I remained aboard the Monroe for over six months before it arrived at a Starbase. There I left and attempted to make a new life for myself. I got into science and joined a Trill science vessel that was investigating a micro-wormhole. When I discovered that the wormhole was inter-dimensional, I was immediately brought into a special section of the Federation studying alternative realities." t'Rashad told Kreull. "Sometime later, ASHER joined the research project and that is where we started to work on 'surveillance' missions and discovered the intentions of the Terran Empire."

"Interesting story." Kreull stated, almost as if he was suspicious of the Romulan.

[Tribune Kanlid. The frigate and the scout are both reporting that all repairs have been completed.] A comm message said.

"Understood. Prepare to get underway." Kanlid announced. "I guess it's time we went and looked for this mirror vessel of yours."

"Agreed." Chu announced. "Ensign ASHER, how long do you think the modifications will take ?"

"About an hour I would say." ASHER replied.
"How long will it take us to reach the area where your vessels were attacked ?" Chu enquired of Kanlid.

"This vessel and the frigate could make the trip in about three hours, but the scout vessels warp drive is still damaged, it can't make more than warp six. At that speed we're looking at six to seven." Kreull replied.

"That could be a problem." ASHER stated. "The longer we take reaching the co-ordinates, the less likely we are to be able to detect the ISS Leviathan's trail."

"Mister Shale, how long will it take the Hellcat." Chu asked, nodding at his helm officer.

"We could easily cover the distance in about an hour." Shale replied.

"An hour. No vessel can cover that distance in such a short time." Kreull replied.

"Tribune, we'll return to our vessel and launch. As soon as we do set course for the last known position of the ISS Leviathan." Chu stated. "We'll take the Scout vessel with us, I assume it is equipped with a cloaking device."

Kanlid was quite for a moment, thinking things over.

"Yes, the scout is equipped with a cloak." He confirmed. "But how will that help ?. What if you run into the vessel, you won't stand a chance against it."

"The Hellcat can hold it's own and with the scout vessel cloaked, they'll never know that it's there. Another weakness of the ISS Leviathan is the fact that the Terran Empire has never had access to cloaking technology, which means that their ability to detect cloaked vessels is basic. The scout should be able to make an escape, whilst we defend it, before we make our own escape." Chu replied. "Are we all agreed ?"

Kanlid nodded, then looked across to Kreull. He reluctantly agreed with a nod and a grunt. The briefing was over and the Hellcat crew returned to their vessel. Once inside they all took up their positions.

"USS Hellcat to Tribune Kanlid, we are ready to launch." Chu announced.

[Acknowledge. We'll set off as soon as you are away. Good luck.] Kanlid replied over the comm.

The cargo bay doors opened and Shale slowly moved the Hellcat out into open space.

"Move us towards the Romulan scout." Chu ordered.