内容简介：
The countdown had begun on the Bridge. Less than thirty seconds ticked away at the digital clock over the view screen at the front of the Bridge. The Captain, with as much calm as she could muster, sat quietly in her chair. Behind her near the single entry door, Ambassador Del'Ambora stood, breathing in out of his diaphragm to control his mind and body. Lieutenant Levitt had silently brought up a tactical display on his station, ready to keep his promise to the man with whom he was not ready to admit he was in love. Commander Erickson shifted around at his station, feeling the anticipation of the Captain. The moment seemed to slow within an entire eternity. The Captain stood up from her chair. She drew in yet another deep breath, "Red alert. All hands to their stations. Mr. Levitt, I want all information from the sensor array on the main viewer as soon as we come out of hyperspace." "Aye, Captain." "I want everyone to be alert. If anything arises from here, I want to know about it." She continued to face the view screen. "Lt. Cmdr. Harts, is everything ready down in Engineering?" The reply came with no reluctance, "Aye, Captain. Everything is in ship-shape." The seconds ticked toward that final moment. Everyone waited with baited breath. Silence rattled the Bridge with the force of an F-5 twister. The moment passed in tremendous anxiety. The clock stretched to zero, and suddenly; nothing happened.