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The Entity did not know if it, too, would disappear if all the universes were destroyed. There were questions left still, it would seem. But it knew that people it loved would vanish, and for that it grieved, and feared, and hoped that it would not occur.

Tialin straightened. "I do not agree with Lhiau that what we did was wrong. And I certainly do not think that destroying what exists can possibly do any good. But perhaps it is time to cease our intervention. We, the Shepherds, will retire to that hole you spoke of, Jekri. We will lock ourselves in our own universe, and interfere with yours no longer. Natural chaos, not artificial order, will dictate your futures from this moment on."

She stepped back. Lhiau rose, and Tialin reached for his hand. "Let us go, old friend," she said. "Let us leave the beings of this universe alone, at last."

Lhiau nodded. They embraced, and then their forms shimmered into purple light.

They were gone, forever.

CHAPTER 19

THE EMPRESS STOOD FOR A MOMENT, THEN TURNED AND faced the screen. Commander Stahl stared back at her, his mouth open slightly.

"You will stand down," she said. "The invasion fleet is to disperse. Who else witnessed what transpired?"

"Only my bridge crew," stammered Stahl.

"That is good. This was a drill, a practice run. You shall not deviate from that story. What of the Shepherd technology?"

"It is still installed in Engineering, but it now seems to be completely inoperable."

"You will remove them from all the vessels and return them to the Praetor within two days. Give a day's leave to the crew of all the ships who participated. Thank them for an exercise completed smoothly." She narrowed her eyes. "Do you understand, Stahl?"

"Aye, Excellency." His face blipped off the screen.

The Empress turned to her guards. "I do not believe I need tell you to say nothing."

"Of what, Excellency?" the head centurion replied.

"Good. Dismissed." They left quietly. The room was in shambles from the energy fire, but Jekri knew that within a day there would be no signs of the desperate fight that had ensued.

There was no one left now but the Empress, Jekri, the Praetor, Telek, and Verrak. She turned and faced them, and Jekri grew cold inside.

"Well, well. What do I do with you? My little band of traitors." The Empress walked around them, looking them up and down. Her arm must have been causing her terrible pain, but she gave no sign of it other than to cradle it carefully.

"My Praetor, who rules this Empire perhaps even more than I do. The chairman of my Tal Shiar, who commands thousands of shadowy figures. My best scientist. All admitted traitors. It seems I must either kill all of you and invite in the unknown in many key positions... or pardon you."

For a moment, her regal mien slipped. "And it is not as if I, too, have not betrayed my subjects, albeit unwittingly. I cannot condemn you when you are the ones who have saved this Empire. You are pardoned. Praetor, meet me here in one hour. We have much to discuss. Dismissed."

He bowed, and left He did not look back.

'Telek R'Mor. Why did you flee to the Federation ship?"

"I was taken against my will, Excellency. I admit I did contact them to warn them, but only to preserve the true timeline. In that timeline, the Romulan Empire is alive and well. I did not wish to risk harming it."

"I see. And your time aboard that vessel?"

"Was spent in helping stop Lhiau's spread of dark matter."

She nodded. "Your wormholes will not operate without Shepherd technology." It was a statement, not a question. "But clearly, you understand more about dark matter than anyone else in this Empire."

Telek looked uncomfortable. 'True, but have we not seen the dangers dark matter can pose?"

"It was my understanding that Lhiau used mutated dark matter. Surely such power can be harvested and put to good use without damaging the vessels and those who