scene opens up in a Starfleet ambassador's office as a Romulan diplomat sits down and the two officials exchange pleasantries, indicating they are old friends
"So, the reason I came to visit..." the Romulan begins.
"I figured this wasn't just a social visit."
"Erm, this is, ah, sensitive."
The human ambassador just stares at the Romulan across from him, the silence broken only by the ticking of a clock.
Therir fidgets, the weight of Tal Shiar's hand upon his shoulders even this far into Federation space, where he wasn't even supposed to be in the first place. "We, um, seem to have misplaced a D'Deridex."
Joran stares at him, not quite sure what he'd just heard. "I'm sorry, you said you lost a D'Deridex?"
Therir glares at this human. They were friends, but sometimes, the man's attitude chafed him. "I said we misplaced it!"
Laughing, he poured his friend some wine--not quite as strong as Romulan stuff, but if a drink was ever needed, it was now. "So, you misplaced a giant war ship, and now, what? You are warning us?"
The Romulan clears his throat, smoothing out the wrinkles in his uniform. "We would like help finding it," he mutters, almost a whisper. His face burns with rage and shame at having to ask a Starfleet human for help, even if it was a friend, and an odd friendship at that.
"Surely, the Tal Shiar--"
"The Tal Shiar do not know!" he snaps, irked by the reminder of their authority. "And I'd like to keep it that way."
"So, you're asking us to keep this quiet."
"No, I'm asking you to keep it silent."
Joran sighs slowly, his mind racing. "What an extraordinary day this has turned out to be."
"This isn't funny. I'm risking war in even coming here."
"Yes, we tracked your stolen Ferengi shuttle all the way here. Very clever, by the way," he said, taking a drink himself.
"My goal is to prevent war. If the Tal Shiar find out--"
"--that you allowed a D'Deridex to be stolen under your command...?"
Therir's eyes narrow. This human was growing more and more difficult to tolerate, and leaving loose ends was not in his nature.
"My friend, relax. Have some wine."
He remains still, his glare never leaving the human.
"Of course, we'll help you find it. We're going to need more information."
"That will be difficult." His glare softens, his gaze becoming hopeful.
"You found your way here. I'm sure providing us with data will be within your capabilities."
"We don't know who took it, and only know their general direction after they warped out of Romulan space."
The human ambassador gapes, his grin suddenly vanishing at the idea of a fully-armed and operational D'Deridex running around the alpha quadrant, doing who knew what. He remains quiet, waiting for the Romulan to drop the other shoe.
"We believe they were headed to the Bajoran Wormhole."
"How long ago did this happen?" he exclaims, clearly startled.
"Two days."
"Flaming stars! They're already there, then, if that was their goal!" This was going to be a diplomatic nightmare.
scene cuts to space as a heavily damaged D'Deridex comes out of warp directly aimed at an unknown planet. It crash lands in the jungle as what look like Borg stripped of their implants begin to emerge and examine the wreckage
One of the Borg humanoids directs the others, and says to another standing nearby, "This can be repaired. Make it so, Number One."
The other Borg echo the words with an almost sacred tone. "Make it so, Number One," they all intone.
The Borg leader nods. It was finally time to go find the Harbinger who planted seeds of liberty in the Collective so long ago.
scene ends with the D'Deridex being pulled out of the bush by thousands of the odd-looking Borg as they free the wreckage from the jungle.
