Didn't realize Martok was a Harvard man.   See 1 other reply

Admiral Al is in the future. He lives in the future and doesn't shift through time. He can however project himself as an image back in time to help Dr. Beckket. Only Beckket can see him and Al cannot interact with any objects in the past. That is why doesn't change faces. he is just the same guy in the future projecting the same face.The reason he knows some things and not others is part fo the philosophy of the show. Life is not predestined. Free will can and does change history. Al has an associate Ziggy. Pretend Ziggy is in an office with stacks of newpapers and Google. ALl he does is look up what already happened. If it can be known through archival research, Ziggy can relay that information to Dr. Beckket. Ziggy knows Names, dates of birth, and any other information you would find in a newspaper. He does not know the exact sequence of events, or the emotion behind actions. Ziggy can also predict what will happen in a given situation if free will doesn't intervene. It is expressed through percentages of outcomes. The only purpose of that is a dramatic tool telling the audience that Dr. Beckket has to change something or bad things happen. Things are net set in stone. There is no predestiny. Free will can change history.   See 1 other reply