... Outweigh the needs of the few ...

"Report!"

"Shields are down to 53%, hull integrity has fallen to 75%, power levels have dropped by 43%.  Engineering has reported several warp core micro-fractures.  Crews are in place and working to contain them.  There is a hull breech on deck 5. Emergency force fields are in place and holding and emergency crews are en-route."

"Sir, a quantum singularity has formed immediately port of the Iconian ship.  That jolt we just felt, it was the formation of the singularity."

"I wouldn't really call that a jolt, Commander. Reroute auxiliary power to shields and life support to inertial dampeners."

"Yes, sir." 

"Helm, all ahead full. Course, zero zero two mark four, Engage!

"Aye sir!"

"Tactical, distance to weapons range on that Iconian vessel?"

"Twenty thousand kilometers"

"Where's my inverse tachyon beam?!"

"Almost ready, sir. I am about ready to charge the main deflector with anti-protons.  Once that happens we'll be able to emit the tachyon beam through the main deflector dish."

"Tactical, prepare to fire phaser cannons and quantum torpedoes the moment we reach optimal weapons range.  Polarize our ablative armor hull plating, that should give us an extra few minutes against their weapons"

"Aye sir"

"Helm, prepare that collision course... We may need it if this plan goes south."

"Aye sir"

"Sir, main deflector has been charged with anti-protons. The inverse tachyon beam is ready on your go."

"Excellent!"

The sound of the bosun's whistle suddenly echoed through the bridge and the corridors of the mighty little ship.

"Ladies and gentlemen of the valiant Albion.  We are about to embark on a great undertaking, one that may see us to our end.  But remember our duty to the Federation and to the Alpha quadrant.  Trillions of lives will rely on what we do today, right now.  I know you all will fulfill your duty to the very end.  It has been my distinct honor to serve with each of you."

"Optimal weapons range reached, Captain."

"Thank you tactical, fire at will. Commander Lishen, fire the inverse tachyon beam. All hands brace for impact and wide scale breeches."

 "Captain Sobrik"

"Commander Gratten, did you say something?"

"No, Sir." Commander Gratten's voice became distant, like trying to hear someone's voice from the other side of a tunnel.

"Captain Sobrik"

"Is no one hearing that?"  The bridge started to fade away.  The sights and sounds of the surrounding battle become a distant background until they were suddenly white washed away and nothing but an empty white space remained.

"What is this?  Where am I?"

"Captain Sobrik, please, do not be alarmed.  I have taken you out of your time.  A nano second of your time, to be exact.  As far as your crew knows, you're still on the bridge of the Albion."

"Why have you brought me here?"

"I am here to stop you from destroying yourself and your crew."

"Who are you?"

"We are known as temporal "agents".  We are responsible for protecting the integrity of the timeline."

"I've heard of you people before.  Captain Archer's reports about "Crewman Daniels" are required reading for any new ship commanders."

"Captain, you and your crew have a large part to play in events that are still to come."

"Yes, I've heard you guys like to say stuff like that. Let me tell you something.  Time is fluid, it corrects itself.  My part in events to come can easily be done by others."

"Our projections indicate an 85.67% probability that..."

"I'll stop you right there.  I'm not in the business of making decisions based upon what an unwritten future may hold.  My job... my DUTY is to the people of the Federation and the countless innocent lives that inhabit this galaxy.  I will not abandon it because a man with parlor tricks tells me I should.  Logic dictates that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.  Now, send me back to my ship!"

The bridge of the Albion immediately flashed back into Captain Sobrik's view.

"SIR! We've lost our forward cannons!  Torpedo tubes one through four are jammed and cannot fire!"

"Sir, we still need another 45 seconds before the singularity has collapsed on the Iconian ship!"

“Hull integrity has fallen another 25%.  The Albion cannot handle another hit from a gravimetric eddy.”

"Options!"

"Sir, I believe that the singularity will collapse on itself if we are able to initiate a matter/ anti matter reaction within the singularity.  We'll still need to destroy that ship though."

“Sir, I can create a static warp bubble. That should insulate us from the gravimetric sheer we keep experiencing and allow us to make it to the Location of the Iconian ship."

"Make it so, Commander Lishen. Tactical, arm all remaining quantum torpedoes, they should detonate the moment we impact that ship.  Engineering, rig the warp core to go critical the moment we impact the Iconian ship.  We are taking that ship down."

"Aye sir!"

"Engage!"

To be concluded in "... Or the one."