"Time Squared" is one of those kinky AU-time warp episodes that confuses the heck out of me. But in a nutshell the Enterprise finds a duplicate copy of the El-Baz with a catatonic Captain Picard aboard. Later they find themselves trapped in an energy vortex that will destroy the ship and send Picard back in time six hours to again appear to the unknowing crew.
Investigate Vortex Endicor System: Explain strange appearance of a shuttlecraft near large energy vortex.
Astrophysics x2 + Navigation + (Shuttlecraft OR 1 Personnel) CUNNING>40 40 points, span 4
The choice of affiliations in this segment are based more on the mission requirements than anything else. Each of the affiliations on this mission have both shuttles and alternate universe personnel available to them even without non-aligned help. There are plenty of Romulans to choose from and the others have Garak and Grand Nagus Gint. And each of their shuttles even have matching commanders making them even more desirable. The reasoning behind those requirements is that the Enterprise found a shuttle with an "AU" version of Picard aboard and that led to their solution of the problem. Astrophysics is needed in duplicate to understand the nature of the giant whirlpool (making this mission ideal for the AU Astro x2 Dr. R'Mor). Navigation is to keep your ship from getting sucked in and the CUNNING requirement is because it took the best and brightest on the Enterprise to figure this one out. All of this stuff amounts to quite a prize of fourty points making it very desirable. This is a fun mission making use of some of the lesser used cards. Unfortunately the Feds have no way to get at this mission as it would make use of their multitude of AU personnel and wimpy shuttles.
Thanks,
Endicor System: Explain strange appearance of a shuttlecraft near large energy vortex.
Personnel) CUNNING>40
40 points, span 4