"Survival Instinct"

Ensign Keldan, Operations Officer

Kor’A’Thus – Jem’Hadar Security Officer

Deck 12
Holodeck 2

A steady stream of sweat dripped into Keldan’s eyes. He squinted hard to stave off the salty, burning sensation and refocused his attention at the task at hand. Lying flat against the incline board, he pulled down slowly on the bar, clenching his teeth in satisfaction as the strain passed from his biceps to his triceps and back again.

He let the bar retract so slowly an observer would have thought it a scene being played in slow-motion. But the pace was forcing every muscle to work its full range and potential. Five more repetitions and he would move to his next exercise.

He’d set the weights perfectly for a maintenance routine. The last thing he needed was to bulk up. They’d transfer him to security and he was enjoying the challenges of his new role at ops. He also liked actually fitting in his uniform. The only drawback to his stint as an operations office thusfar had been its sedentary nature. His physique would suffer if he didn’t maintain his regular schedule of exercise.

He wiped the sweat from his face with his forearm. He stepped to the side and lowered the board to a horizontal position for a bench press routine. If his timing was on, and it usually was, he had another 20 minutes reserved in the holodeck. He’d head to 10-Forward to grab some dinner and relax for a bit before heading back to his quarters to grab what sleep he could. He’d become so accustomed to eating dinner at five in the morning he didn’t even think about it. But that was gamma shift for you.

The night had been uneventful, as it usually was. The Galaxy would be arriving at ch’Rihan during today's alpha shift and he would have to be ready to go on duty at a moment’s notice if called.

He loaded a 50-kg weight on each end of a barbell and secured it. He could certainly go higher if he’d wanted, and he was certainly in no danger with the holodeck safety protocols in place. But trying to lift more weight than you could *easily* handle without a spotter was simply stupid.

He grabbed the barbell and began the exercise, one set with arms spread, the next close together. He closed his eyes and imagined the muscles of his arms and chest, machine-like, moving with precision and purpose.

After ten repetitions, he opened his eyes. He was more than a little startled to look up and see someone staring down at him. Especially since the person staring down at him wasn’t one of the characters in the holodeck simulation.

“Am I disturbing you, Ensign?”

Keldan stared for a moment into the eyes of Kor’A’Thus, the Jem’Hadar security officer he had met on Tru’Haran during his visit there. No, the warrior’s presence wasn’t disturbing him, though he was a bit disturbed that he hadn’t heard him approach. Then again, the room was filled with holo-characters moving about various exercise equipment, and there was the constant din of spectators and passersby along the nearby boardwalk. He also didn’t expect anyone to be just strolling in at a quarter to five in the morning.

“Not at all, Kor’A’Thus.” Keldan continued with his next set. “I just didn’t expect anyone at this hour would want to use the holodeck if it wasn’t an emergency.”

“The door was not locked. I was told if such was the case anyone may enter freely.”

Keldan half-smiled. “True enough.”

“What is this place,” he inquired, gesturing to the holographic simulation.

“It is a re-creation of an open-air gymnasium I once visited. On Earth. Usually I do my lifting in one of the gymnasium facilities…but it is late,” or rather early, he corrected himself, “and they are usually empty at this hour. Sometimes it’s just better to be around a lot of people, even if they are just holographic projections.”

The security officer was busy looking at the various elements in the simulation. Touching a wall or post to verify the realness of it all. “Your vision has improved, I take it. Have you have had problems since your injury on the planet?”

“I was on restricted duty for several weeks. My eyesight took its time returning to normal, much to my annoyance and Dr. Burton’s dismay. It is fortunate that none of the damage was permanent.” When Kor’A’Thus didn’t respond immediately, Keldan added, “Did you want to see me for something, or were you just interested in the holodeck?”

“A little of both, actually. Your counsel would be…appreciated.”

Keldan indicated for him to continue.

“The survivors of the colony are having great difficulties adjusting to this new situation, although it is not as problematic for those of us who are accustomed to space travel. But for many, especially our young and those born at the colony, things are… complicated. We are especially grateful to Captain Henderson and the Federation for their assistance thusfar, but right now our futures are very uncertain. Now we are deep in Rihannsu territory.” There was a long pause. “I thought that perhaps *you* might have some insight into how we might allay some of our fears.”

Well, Keldan thought to himself. Someone’s been doing his research. Finishing his set, he pushed the barbell onto the stand, his exercise complete, albeit a little prematurely. He sat up on the bench, unfastening his gloves. He wasn’t sure exactly where to start.

“Well, I cannot tell you that the path you and your people are on is going to be an easy one, Kor’A’Thus. The Federation will make a good show of putting on a friendly face to you and your people. But you can’t forget that they are just people, like everyone else. Everyone has their own agenda, even if they don't realize it. Some of them do genuinely want to help you. But some of them will only do so because they’ve been ordered to. Being able to ‘forgive and forget’ as the humans say, is not quite as easy as it sounds, even for them.”

The big Jem’Hadar stood, unblinking, so Keldan continued. “Unfortunately, there is no good way to tell them apart. Of course these two examples are just the black and white on a scale of many, many shades of grey.”

“So you think asking the Federation for assistance would be a waste of time.”

Keldan stood, leaning against a nearby concrete pillar. “No, that’s not what I’m saying at all.” Keldan wasn’t sure if he was making much sense, or if what he was saying was being of much use. Perhaps he should try a different angle.

“Tell me, Kor’A’Thus. What do you want?”

The Jem’Hadar snapped himself out of some internal discussion he was having. “What do you mean?”

“Well, I know what you want, personally. You want to ensure the safety and survival of your group. So what is it, exactly that ‘the group’ wants? What’s the most important thing? I’m assuming that you would like an opportunity to start a new colony.”

“The desires of my people are many, but I would agree that that, above all else, is what my people want. To find a new home where we can focus on a peaceful existence. Far away from the interference of others.”

Keldan smiled. “Ah, but you see, that’s not *one* thing. That’s *three* things. Finding a new home. Having a peaceful existence. And being far away from everyone.”

Keldan continued, “Our two races are not so unalike, you know. We both come from races that have been at war with the Federation; we share a common interest in wanting other races to just leave us alone to our own internal affairs.”

“When I first served on board a Federation starship, it was during the Dominion War. I realized for the first time that I had a unique opportunity to make a name for myself in a way no other member of my species ever had.” He laughed at himself. “I suppose you could say that ambition runs like a rampant disease through my species. Customs and codes of honor and conduct that constantly keep everyone striving in an eternal game of one-upsmanship.”

“I guess what I am trying to say is that if you want to make your own way in the universe, you have to figure out what you want most and then situate yourself so you can get it. I’ve never put much stock in others’ help, because no one has ever had as much a vested interest in what was best for me except for me. Having an association with Starfleet has worked for me…but only because I have made it work. They offer me opportunities I never would have had on my own. But I would be lying if I said there wasn’t a cost attached.”

Kor’A’Thus looked a bit perplexed, if Keldan was reading his expression correctly. “So you think we may have to sacrifice some of the things we want in order to get what we think is most important.”

Keldan smiled. “I honestly don’t know. I’m sure the Federation would be more than willing to aid you in resettlement. I don’t know what all that would entail, though. The only way you are going to find out is if you ask them.”

Kor’A’Thus stood silently. Keldan allowed his attention to be drawn away from the Jem’Hadar as a holographic Trill and human female, both scantily clad in their beach-going attire, waltzed through his line of vision. They looked briefly in his direction, but he didn’t have time for a swim right now.

The Jem’Hadar’s deep voice resonated. “I will make my recommendations to Goran’Agar. Thank you, Ensign. You have been quite helpful. Might I offer a suggestion of my own?”

Well that was unexpected, Keldan though. Quid-pro-quo was the last thing he’d expected. Maybe the Jem’Hadar and the Federation *could* come to terms on something that would be beneficial for both. “Of course.”

“I was told that you used to be an instructor.”

“That’s right. Survival training. Before I was first assigned to a starship.”

“Several of my people have expressed an interest in attaining such training. Have you considered resuming your instruction here aboard the Galaxy?”

Keldan stood stunned for a moment. That was not something that he had ever really given much thought. He could surely program the holodeck for survival exercises the Galaxy crew would find…challenging. And with the Jem’Hadar involved, it might serve to bring them and the Starfleet personnel onboard closer and foster some genuine amity between them. And best of all, it would give him the chance to do something genuinely and uniquely useful.

“I think that is a superb idea. I’ll talk to my superiors about setting it up. I’m heading to 10-Forward for a meal, Kor’A’Thus. Would you care to join me to continue our discussion?”

“A superb idea.”

off: takes place two days before Galaxy arrives

"Late in the Evening"

J. Andrus Suder (apc)

===============

Capitol City, Romulus

===============

When Lelok brought him dinner that evening, Andrus couldn't help commenting that it was never a good idea to stick your Uhlan where it didn't belong, especially if it was in a sub-commander's wife.

Sure it was a bad joke, Andy thought to himself as the Romulan officer practically slammed the plate of food down upon the table and stormed out of the room, but did he really deserve Lelok's glare of death?

Andy smirked as he set aside his work for his food. All of his defectors, save the ambassador's added guest, were taken care of so supposed that he could take a moment to refuel. The member of the Tal Shiar and the sub-commander had their exits confirmed on their separate freighters, that asshole t'Noir had re-committed himself to helping the minister, and the fourth and most important cargo, the lowly centurion Maec, was leaving via another ambassador's ship.

He supposed that arranging all of this just so Maec could leave Romulus and be with his girlfriend was a long way to go about apologizing to Tekkie but Andrus had always found greeting cards so obnoxiously sentimental.

Andrus returned to his informant's latest intel, eating the Romulan food mechanically and deleting rejected candidates as he read. He was back to the beginning again, trying to secure passage for both the fifth defector and himself onboard the Galaxy, and once again the ship wasn't giving him anything to work with. And it was due to arrive in two days.

Oh, there was the general conduct unbecoming a Starfleet officer intel- which officers like this Lt. Hunter seemed to excel at- and they even had their own walking, talking version of the devil, but things like bad conduct (unless it was in the form of "really bad conduct") or needing an excorcism were not solid enough to use as blackmail.

That was the thing about secrets, he reminded himself again, they liked to stay hidden.

The closest thing he had was some info that linked a Lt. Grey to one Daro Cole, a known alias of the Betazoid assassin Fana. Or at least that was how Andy had heard of him; the man probably had a dozen aliases. The problem again arose that the lieutenant just didn't rank high enough to be able to put the information to good use, not to mention that Fana (and Andy was both amused and a bit disgusted at the assassin taking the name of the Betazoid deity of Faith as his alias) probably didn't take to kindly to being ratted on. Andy had enough trouble sleeping at night without having to worry about a vengeful assassin.

Andy sighed, wondering if he was going to have to scrap the whole Galaxy thing and mail himself home, when Ambassador Grax entered surrounded by a halo of busy emotions, chiefly smugness. Andy looked up sharply.

"What is it?" Andrus asked quickly, forgetting in that moment to communicate telepathically.

:: You must be favored by the Gods :: the Ambassador though at him.

:: It's my rugged good looks and boyish charm :: Andy thought back with irritation. :: What is it? ::

:: I think I have the solution to your problem, Andrus my boy. :: Grax replied with a large grin. :: My informant- yes, I have connections too, Andrus, just related this to me... ::

The ambassador related the intel in under a minute.

"Oh, that will work." Andy breathed, almost overcome by a feeling of giddiness and relief. That would most certainly work. He would have to make sure that it seemed as if he knew more than he really did but it was enough to get him onboard the Galaxy and out of Romulan space.

He had to fight the sudden urge to jump upon the desk and start doing a victory dance. That was unprofessional for both a junior aide and a smuggler.

:: There's a catch though, Andrus. :: The ambassador warned suddenly.

The moment of happiness was abruptly forgotten.

"There always is." Andy growled. :: What?::

:: He's not onboard the Galaxy right now and he might not be re-instated as Captain if some people in the Federation get their way ::

"Trials of the Soul"

aka a look into what's happening to Marcus..
by Ensign Marcus A. Slayton Engineering Officer, USS Galaxy

with a special appearence by
Morgana Slayton Civilian Painter
and Marc's mother.

Location: Slayton's quarters, USS Galaxy

======================

Marcus sat in his quarters and reflected on everything that had happened over the course of the last few months to quarter of a year that he had served on the Galaxy, the constant problems ranging from the murder of the romulan ambassador that had lead to Anna suddenly turning out to be a traitor to the federation to the numerous injuries that he had been dealt while doing his duty as an engineer.

But these were not the main things that was on his mind, but the simple fact that "honor" as it was went to his choices in his life, sure he was a good officer and a good engineer but after what had happened in the last several months, he really needed a change among other things, while sure the Officer Exchange Program that had been offered to him was an incrediblly good thing but it wasn't his cup of tea at the moment because he could not in any form of good nature accept it because of his connection to Anna..or the connection that he HAD with Anna...

Marcus looked over at the hologram of the two at the academy's senior prom and he glared at it for several moments before he finally picked up a PADD and tossed it as hard as he could at it which then made it suddenly fall over and slam to the floor as he finally started to let his emotions break down as he realized for the first time in his life, he realized just how fucked up he was at that time and point, but it was time that he finally put things up and changed his life.

"Ensign Slayton, this is Dionne Lannow in communications. You have a message from Rhodes Colony." a voice said through the ship's communications system which caused Slayton to jump just a little bit then he reached over an activated the ship's comm-system. "This is Slayton, patch it through to my quarters."

A few moments later, the view screen built into the terminal on his desk had a "Please Wait" message followed by the appearence of his mother who had a very concerned look on her face. "Alex, are you okay?" she asked him

"Yeah, let me guess. Dad's division has been told about what happened with Anna?" he asked and his mother simply nodded. "I'm...okay for the moment, mom."

Morgana Slayton nodded, she knew that her first born knew how to hide his pain very well. "Alex, listen to me. You are going to be okay and you'll heal. Besides, thirty is the new twenty now true?" she said, a slight smile appearing on her face.

Now this made Marcus chuckle just a little bit, "I hear you mom. I think I just need to get away for a while you know?"

"I know, that is why I have the perfect way for you to get away for a bit, hun. Your sister Alexa is getting married next month and she was wanting me to ask you since I apparentally talk more to you, to officer on the USS Alabama in the form of a Lieutenant Commander Andrew Hagen-Umbervind, on his homeworld of New Avalon." Morgana said with a smile on her face.

Marcus nodded and thought about his kid sister, how she had grown from an ackward and long limbed child into an impressively talented and beautiful young reporter for the Interstellar News Network and it was kind of hard for him not to chuckle. "So, did this kid pass you and dad's inspection of him, does he meet dad's approval for marrying his youngest daughter?" Marcus asked as he leaned back in his chair.

"Of course, however Alexa has asked me that you meet and talk with him on New Avalon before the wedding, she really wants you to approve of him too because she looks up to you, Alex." Morgana said as she chuckled. "It's kind of like a two step approval process because of all those times that you beat up those kids for picking on Alexa when she was growning up."

"I didn't beat up anyone when I was a child, mom. That was a popular urban myth." Marcus retorted.

"Oh, I tend to recall a young man who once tried to force Alexa to go out with him because he thought she was an easy target to break by the name of Mike Carpenter and I tend to also recall that you beat him pretty soundly when you found out what he had tried to do to little Alexa..."

//////////////////////

<Flashback>

Location: New Caprica, Rhodes Colony
Date: May 10th, 2370

"Come on, how long does it take for her to get down here?" uttered a handsome young man as he knocked again politly on the front door of the Slayton homestead with a slight irriatated look on his face.

A little while ago, he had spotted Alexa walked through the New Caprica Galleria mall when she spotted him and took off like a bat out of hell along with her older sister Jessica-Marie and some tall man who seemed to be rather confused about what was going on but that was besides the point now, he had come to spend time with his girlfriend and nothing was going to stop him from it.

Suddenly, the door opened and Mike got ready to walk inside when he saw an unfamiliar looking six foot one man standing there with a rather cross look on his face which without breaking his stride, rammed his shoulder into Mike's chest and slamming the self-locking door behind him, thrown off-balance, Mike stumbled backwards and ended up sort of hop-dancing all the way down to the bottom of the steps.

Mike was a fairly big fellow, long arms and legs, sturdily built, looked like he might know what to do with himself in a fight. He was also well-dressed in a dress shirt, letterman's jacket, clean jeans, handsome, a particular sort of smmoth, refined, smug handsomeness that helped Mike get what ever he wanted out of life. "Who're you?" Mike asked the other man.

The tall man that Mike faced was wearing a black shirt with a pair of black old-style MACO combat pants and boots and he seemed to raidate somekind of anger as he descended the steps and as he came down each one, Mike backed away until he had him halfway to the street.

"Mike Carpenter, I presume." the man said, keeping his voice even.

"That's right," Mike said calmly. "I think I asked you a question."

"You don't get to know my name...not yet." said the other man. "You'd only get it dirty. What the hell do you think you're doing here?"

Carpenter looked irritated, folding his arms across his chest. "I came here to talk to my girlfriend, if that's any of your business." he said.

"Your girlfriend doesn't live here," the other man told him flatly. "Beat it."

"-You- don't live here," Mike replied. "Maybe -you- should be the one who beats it."

"I'm going to beat -something- if you don't get away from this house." the other man said.

"I don't know what side of whose bed you got up on this morning, punk." Carpenter replied with a tone of arrogant dismissal, "but if you're bent on making trouble, I can oblige. You want to wrestle and see who's stronger?"

The other man took another step toward him, but this time Mike didn't back away. So much the better. "It's not about stronger," the other man said calmly, "it's about smarter. Now go on. Alexa doesn't want to 'talk' to you , you son of a bitch. She never wants to see you again in her life, and if I have anything to say about it she never will. Get out of here before you get hurt." I'm through warning you."

Carpenter looked the other man up and down, from angry eyes to black boots and back again, then threw his head and laughed at him.

"Buddy, you're out of your fraking little mind." he said. "C'mere and let Uncle Mike teach you some manners."

Mike then reached out to grab the other man to do a judo throw so that he could easily get inside to Alexa and Mike was surprisingly fast, but the other man was faster. His left foot flicked over and then stomped down on the scoop of the snow shovel that someone had left sitting by the side of the walk. The shovel levered up, straight into the man's outstretched left hand and then he whirled it and clobbered him with a great resounding BLONG! Mike then staggered back, his hair knocked askew and shook his head.

Mike Carpenter's calm, languigd charm didn't survive the transition to mussed hair, bloody face and murderous eyes. "You shouldn't have done that, bitch," he murmured, wiping at his bloody nose with his sleeve. "Now I'm gonna have to take you apart. Teach you a -real- lesson.."

But the other man didn't give Mike a chance to say anything when he made to hit Mike again with the shovel in his left hand only to suddenly deck him across the face with his right and then the two started to trade blows back and forth before finally Mike had enough and pulled a small knife out of his pocket, it was a knife and held it out in front of him.

"Now what'cha gonna do, bitch? Now, nothing is going to stop me from seeing my girlfriend, not even you her fuck buddy or whatever!" Mike roared at him and at this, the other man simply threw back his head and started laughing. "What's so fucking funny!?" Mike said as he pointed at the other man with the knife.

The man simply looked at Mike with a look of scorn and said, "Alexa never mentioned me to you? You know that she's the second youngest of six children right?"

Mike simply snorted as Alexa had mentioned it once to him, "Yeah, what about it, bitch?" Mike said and then the man reached behind his back and pulled out a bigger knife and did something that caused two smaller "outrider" blades to appear from the hilt.

"Allow me to finally introduce myself, my name is Marcus Alexander SLAYTON...Alexa's older brother." Marcus said as he brought his d'tak into a guard position with a evil smile on his face. "Now, since you brought the knives into this, shall we finish it with your blood on the sidewalk?"

Mike simply looked at the other man and then his knife at which point Mike decided that he knew how to fight with a knife and charged at Marcus but instead Slayton whirled around and slammed the spiked bottom of the hilt hard into Mike's face, causing a gash to appear on his face...

A little while later, a couple members of colony security had shown up at the front door wanting to talk with Marcus and Alexa, while Marcus had only beaten Mike Carpenter into a bloody pulp-Carpenter's father wa s a poltical figure of some import or another which brought the security officers to the Slayton's front door and the truth about the "relationship" that Mike had with Alexa came up which lead to Mike being arrested and sentinced to twenty years for his crimes and Marcus simply went back to Starfleet a few days later. ////////////////////////////////

Marcus smirked, "Yeah, I did do that. I guess news travels huh?" he said as the memory of his fight with Mike Carpenter came back to him.

"Yeah, see my point. Andrew wants to meet with you so that you can judge him for yourself and besides, Alexa really wants you to meet your future brother in law." Morgana Slayton said with a smile on her face.

"Alright, after we get back to federation space, I'll take some of that ungodly amount of shoreleave that I've got built up and I'll go and visit this Hagen-Umbervind kid and see what's what. But I will be at the wedding, trust me." Marcus said and this made his mother smile.

"Alright, I'll talk to you later. My first class of the day has finally shown up and I need to get teaching, I love you son." his mother said.

"I love you too, Mom. Tell Dad and the others hi for me." Marcus said before he terminated the connection on his end and leaned back in his chair for a few moments before he turned and activated the terminal and sent a request in to the ship's computer bank. "Computer, search for the application process to the Starfleet Tactical School and look up information on standard departmental transfers."

"Primal Instincts"

Lt. Cmdr Brianna O'Shea
Julie (wrote by Stuart)

:: 'Vaden' ::

Anna had found some water but it wasn't much. Finally she convinced herself to see a place to rest some, the days had turned into weeks of constant moving. Now she needed a place just to rest, at least for a little while. Moving through the volcanic rock, she spotted place where she could rest. But something stopped her and she saw a single clone, possibility the one she saw earlier, he was watching something. Following his sight Anna could see he was watching a girl, she looked to be about ten years old, brown hair or could've just looked brown from dirt and grime.

Her tattered and torn shirt was more holes then fabric, her jeans was missing one leg at the thigh and her skin was almost as dark as Anna's own dirty and dried blood covered skin. ~Don't get involved.~ Anna's internal bitching voice said, the same one that had scolded her about being weak earlier. Turning Anna wasn't going to get involved, but then she looked back and knew that clone would do ungodly acts, but what if the child was a clone, what if all this was a game to catch her?

What if...

That's what kept resonating inside Anna's head. Until finally she sat her things down quietly, pulled her strip of metal she had honed as sharp as a knife. Moving quietly she began to stalk her prey, as if she were some beast of the night. Each step was taken with ease and assurance, each thought that came through her mind was fueled with anger and vengeance, for when she came up behind the cloned man her actions were so swift and sure, he didn't even know her knife had slit his throat until she had done so. His screams were never heard as his warm blood flowed over her hand as she held him. When he fell to the ground she knelt down and picked up a stone and with malice, pain and sorrow she smashed his face in as if he was the embodiment of everything that she had survived, yes, she had survived.

Wiping her knife on his clothing Anna's eyes glanced up toward the girl who had witnessed this. Anna looked at her with eyes without fear, for if the girl was a clone, she would just as easy kill her. "Go... this is no place for a child... find your mother or father or at least a place far from here." Anna said, her voice raspy and hoarse. Anna then got up and moved to get her things, she had to move and find a place where she could work on the transmitter.

"Hi!" Julie said with a wave. "Thank you for saving me. Are you new here? I haven't seen you around here before, so you must be new. Can you teach me to kill? Like you did to him? I've lost my mommy, have you seen her? You got anything to eat? I'm starved."

Anna just looked at her. Unable to say anything as the child seemed to run on some form on alien energy. ~Kill her... she'll only slow you down. Killing her would be a mercy for her in the long run and you know it.~ The voice said, Anna's hand held the strip of metal. Even from here she could almost see the girl's blood veins in her neck pulse with the beat of her heart.

"Oh, I'm sorry," She giggled, "I tend to get like that when I'm nervous. I'll try and ask one thing at a time." Julie smiled up at the dark haired woman. "I'm Julie."

"Shh.." Was all Anna finally said.

Julie sat on a rock for a moment. It had been too long since she had seen anyone out here in the wasteland. Too long. Her mother had gone out one day to look for food and hadn't come home. And she had been looking for her, with no luck, ever since. She missed her mommy very much. She missed the company of others, but especially mommy. "I've lived out here for all my life. Have never known anything else. There's a small cave nearby if you want to have a rest. You look a little tired. It's just over there." She pointed towards an outcropping of rock.

Looking toward the out cropping of rock Anna then looked back to the girl. "Go... build a fire." Anna said, not saying anything else. Once the girl left Anna turned back to the clone and then began to get some food off him. Then stopped cause they might know she was feeding off them, he could be tainted. Looking around she then saw there was nothing around she could give the girl to eat. Moving she followed behind the girl. ~Fraking kill her, she's only going to slow you down or betray you... she's working with them.~ The voice told her as she walked.

~No one is this trusting on this planet... wake up, Anna!~ The voice yelled.

"Wait!" Anna snapped at the girl, again her hand held her knife. Approaching the girl she looked her, never breaking their eye contact. "No fire..." She said then walked past the girl into the cave.

Julie stood there for a moment shaking. The woman had looked like she was going to attack with that weapon. But, as she moved past her, and into the cave, she breathed a sigh of relief.

It was very seldom that she met anyone out here. And she wasn't going to let the opportunity pass. Smiling with glee, she skipped into the cave.

Her cave was small, big enough for herself and her new friend, but there wasn't much more space after that. The rocky walls once held a think layer of moss, but over time Julie's rumbling stomach had seen off most of it, and the rest, she had left to see if it might grow bigger, providing more food. Alas, so far it hadn't done so. The floor of the cave was relatively flat, and covered in sand.

As she entered, Julie past the remnants of the fire she had made the night before, and the now clean bone structure of the rat she had eaten. Giving it a little kick, she moved over to the older woman. Weary of the knife she was still holding, Julie cautiously sat down. When the woman didn't lower the weapon, Julie decided that she would try and be as friendly as possible. "Hi. Are you hungry?"

"I'm fine." Anna said, not ready to eat anything this girl could offer her. Her eyes continued to watch her as the internal battle over if she should kill this girl out of mercy to help her get out of this hell, or if she was a traitor.

"I've got a little food, but not enough for a long time. Here," she said as she reached to the crack in the wall at the back of the cave, and pulled her hand back with a handful of moss. "It isn't that tasty, but it is edible."

Anna just watched her.

Seeing that the woman was even more weary of her, she broke it in half and started munching on one half while offering the other. "You look hungry to me."

"I said I'm fine." Anna said, as she opened her makeshift pouch and then looked at the girl. "I'm laying this down," Anna said showing her the metal 'knife'. "You try to touch it I will kill you.." Anna said, the look in her eyes showed she was telling the truth. Pulling out the transmitter she began to use her shaking and raw hands to try and get it up and running again.

"Where... where is your mother... father?" Anna asked, having not heard what she'd said earlier about her mother.

Julie scratched at the slight Klingon ridges that graced her forehead, a parting gift from her Klingon father, not that she had ever met him. "Never met daddy - and mommy never talked about him." She said. "An' as I said before, my mommy went out a long ago and didn't come back. I be looking for her ever since. You haven't seen her have you?" She munched on the moss. It still tasted foul after this long time of eating the stuff, but she ate it anyway.

"What's that?" she asked, nodding towards the device the woman had been playing with. "Looks like fun. Can I play with it?"

Looking at her for a moment. "NO!" Anna snapped. "You don't touch this." She said as she looked back down at the device. "Just a transmitter." Anna said, not mentioning anything about how she was using it to get off this rock. Cause they might not be room for the child. "Are you always... this cheerful?" Anna asked, as she looked over at her.

Julie looked up at the woman. "Cheerful... you are the first person I see in many moons. Does it bother you?"

"Yes... it's distracting." Anna said, about her personality.

"Oh..." Julie's smile faded slightly. "I'll try and not be so cheerful."

Looking back down she then switched the device on and let it run for a little bit. "You have water?" Anna asked, her mouth was so dry right now.

"It hasn't rained here for ages. And the moss is pretty dry." Julie responded. She was happy that she had found a new friend, but wasn't sure about sharing the last of her supplies. It was a tough choice. The woman could easily drink the three mouthfuls that were left and then leave. But then again she might be trying to get out of the hell hole that was this world, perhaps she might have room for a little child. After a minute of thought she decided on what she was going to do. she turned from the woman and using the palms of her hands, started digging in the soft sand at the back of the cave.

She paused slightly when she sensed the woman getting agitated and no doubt picking up the weapon. "I'm digging something up." Was all she said.

~Something up, she's getting her weapon! Kill her now! Kill her!~ The voice screamed in Anna's head. Moving her hand slowly down to her side, Anna, picked up the metal 'knife' and got ready to strike.

Her hands met the edges of the object and she cleared the sand from the sides and top. Gently pulling it from the sand, she cleaned the sand from the top with a strong deep breath. Turning back, she presented the can for inspection, trying to placate the look the woman had in her eyes. "It's just a can, a rusty old can."

Relaxing a little, seeing it was just a can.

She lifted the lid of the can, its sharp edges having been dulled over the last few years of use. The thin slip of metal that still held the lid to the can was almost gone, but that didn't matter, she had another one in a cave a few hours walk away and could always use that.

Liquid sloshed about the can as she turned it towards the woman. A little rust and a fair bit of dirt could be seen settled on the bottom, and the sides of the can showed their age, but it was water none the less.

"Water?" Anna asked, cautiously. She then paused and reached out for the can and took it into her worn hands and looked at it for a minute.

"Yes, it's water. It is all I have." It was a lie, for she had two other caves that she sometimes made her home in, but the woman didn't need to know that. They were a little distance away from this one, so there wasn't much point mentioning them. At least not until she got to know the woman better.

Anna took a small sip and then handed it back to the girl. "That's all I need." Anna said, truth of it was she could have drank it all, then wanted more. She didn't. "Save it for..."

Julie interrupted the woman. "Shhh... I hear voices out there." She pointed towards the entrance to the cave. They sounded a way away but the rocky area was good at echoing sounds.

Still holding her weapon she clicked off the transmitter and slid it back into the makeshift back. "Is there a another way out of this cave?" Anna asked.

"The Game is on"

1st Lt. 1st Lt. Jebidiah Baile
Raschek & Szekely (Wrote by Trey)

Raschek laughed as Baile hit the floor. "Warden just doesn't know how to handle your kind." He said then spat on Baile. "That's alright though, sure the Hydrans will have a nice little place for you." he said standing there for a moment as he looked at Baile.

He remained on the ground for nearly a minute. It wasn't as much the pain as he didn't want the stupid guards to see the prod didn't really affect him. His body kept throwing one surprise after the other at him. He didn't really want to get into a heavy fight until he understood what had happened to him.

"He doesn't even know he's going to be fixed by his creators." Raschek said to the Godsmen, turning his back now to Baile. "He's not even worth my attention... close it up, he's broken." Raschek stated as he holstered the prod on his belt.

Getting back up on his feet Baile stumbled a little, seemingly affected by the electric charge. It felt strange. His mind told him he should be laying down in spasms, but his body had already shaken off the effects. It would take some getting used to, that was for sure.

Szekely was in for murder. Or rather murders. He wasn't sure of how many he had killed. A bounty-hunter had found him more than 30 years ago and he was still here. Now he belonged to the veterans. His skills as a doctor made sure Raschek didn't put him on the heavy duty rotation.

Szekely was one way for Raschek to meet the weekly quotas and with the Hydrans crawling all over the planet the Warden didn't want to fail meeting those quotas. He looked at the newcomer and found it quite surprising to see him standing up shortly after being introduced to Raschek's Painstick. Not many could do that. Certainly not humans. "Take a few deep breaths my friend. It will help."

The newcomer looked at him, but he was unable to see his eyes due to the goggles the newcomer wore. Szekely could already see how the Vultures prepared to strip the newcomer of any valuables. Goggles like that would be a nice prize for one of the gang leaders.

Szekely approached Baile and looked at him, he then shook his head. "You've certainly caused little up roar with our gracious warden." He said, his voice could hear the sarcasm drenched within the words. Wasn't a question why a person was here, it was more, who did you kill. "Let me look at that wound." Szekely said to Baile as he moved to cheek where Baile was bleeding from his side.

Touching the cheek Baile looked at the blood on his fingertips. "Don't worry.. it'll stop soon." Strangely enough he sounded amused. He didn't know why but a part of him enjoyed it all. Enjoyed the danger, the threat. "I'm Baile.. "

"Szekely... though I'm known as Doc... welcome to our little holiday." Szekely said as he sat back down, since Baile didn't want help. "Since you arrived the Warden has taken time off everyone else... you must be a favored one."

"Oh yeah.. he loves me.. " the marine grinned. He rolled his neck until the tension left it with a few loud cracks. "Who's loverboy?" he asked and motioned back to where Rascheck had left.

"Raschek... the man in real control around here. Warden is just propaganda..... the one to be careful of is Raschek." Szekely stated as he brought a hand up and ran it over his graying hair. "I've seen him do things I wouldn't even think of doing to another living being."

The marine chuckled, something which sounded very out of place in a prison where the inmates died on a regularly basis. "Guess I'll have to pay him a visit before I leave.."

"You'll not be leaving here, son." Szekely said, addressing the man as if he was younger, truth Baile was, but a good thirty years. "I've been here probably longer then you've been alive, I've not seen a way off this rock."

This time Baile smiled. It was most definitely not a nice smile. "You're not me, old man.. I already know the way out.. " He looked at the older man in front of him. "You aren't tagged. No markings, no color. No crew... a fixer.. "

"Long time ago, I was a doctor... who tried for perfection and failed...." He said then shrugged. "Lives had to be lost for perfection.... now I'm just waiting for hell to welcome me." Szekely said then stood up. "You get off this place will take a act of God and a few hundred miracles."

"I don't give a fuck if you had to butcher an entire planet to perfect breast implants.. God and me aren't on speaking terms anyway." Baile replied and finally stretched his back. It was weird. He couldn't remember his arms being that... big.. Had he gained mass? "Besides.. I create my own miracles.. but for that I need a shiv and some information.."

"Both could be arranged... one condition." Szekely stated as he looked at Baile. "Take me with you." He said.

"You can't keep up, old man.. no one can.."

Szekely nodded he didn't think the man would. "I've got a shiv in my belongs..... what information do you need?" Szekely asked, only reason he was helping Baile was cause he was the personification of perfection, that for Szekely's scientific mind was something that shouldn't be contained in a prison.

"How do I get Fatty's Loverboy out here? He's has access to information I need.. "

"Well there is one thing I can think of that would get him out here..." Szekely said, then turned slightly and came back around and punched Baile hard in the face, once Baile took a step back, Szekely brought his foot up and kicked Baile in the side of the torso and then turned into him and give him a series of hits into the kidney's and groin. The guards started yelling and

Raschek stepped out of another building and began to quickly head for the 'cell' area.

The fighter inside Baile woke up and it took a few seconds before he had suppressed it sufficiently not to hunt down the old man and break his spine. He slipped past a punch from Szekely and grabbed him by the collar. "Cell?" he whispered and was awarded with a slight nod with the head from Szekely.

He pushed the old man towards the cell and finally tackled him inside before the guards could reach them. He could hear Raschyk bellow outside, ordering the prisoners to stand clear. Several prisoners stood in the opening to the tiny cell that was Szeleky's home, blocking the way for the guards.

Baile had to give Szekely credit for possessing a fast mind. It took no more than a few seconds before he had slipped the shiv to Baile. Quickly he hid it just in time to turn around and dodge a blow from a guard. He elbowed the guard in the face, breaking the guard's nose in the process. Then Raschyk entered the cell.

Raschek kicked Szekely in the face and then looked toward Baile, as if blaming him for all this. Noticing something in Baile hand he shoved him against the wall and saw the shiv at that point. "Drag'm from here!" He yelled to the guards. "Put Szekely in isolation!"

Baile dropped into a combat stance. Killing Raschyk would be easy. The man was slow, complacent and relied on fear to do his work for him. But he wasn't here to kill Raschyk. Just get out of the prison. Killing Raschyk would be a bonus.

"Take him to my office." Raschek said as he turned and said something's to the guards moving Szekely. After a few moments he followed after the two guards moving baile into the private office.

The guards landed a few blows with their batons and Baile was more than happy to play along. How the hell could his body take the kind of beating he had submitted it to for the last 24 hours? And what would happen once he hit the limit? Death? Collapse?

Once they were inside Raschek's office, the guards left him in the able care of Raschek and took a place outside the room. Raschek didn't say anything as he back handed Baile and then looked at him. "I don't care who you are, what you worth to the Hydrans or if you are the prized object that shits golden eggs... I'll kill you."

The backhand snapped Baile's head to the side and he slowly turned it back until he faced Raschek again. "And here I thought we could be friends..." Not yet, he reminded himself.

"All I want to know is why you are so important to the warden... want to answer that before I send you to one of the thousand hells you'll be spending the rest of your life in?" Raschek asked as he stood there, arms doubled over his chest.

"Wouldn't you like to know.." Baile replied as his pulse calmed down and the adrenaline started flowing. He felt his senses sharpen and his entire body felt like it was ready to explode into motion. "Tell me.. how tough are you?"

"Beat your ass, didn't I?" Raschek asked as he moved now to sit down. "Going to be fun when you are fixed by the hydrans, who knows, in time we could even be on the same side of the coming war."

Baile's face went neutral. It took effort to simply stand still. All his body wanted to do was move. To fight. "Same side? Sparky.. there's two sides in a war.. my side and then there's dead people.."

"Wrong..." Raschek replied. "There is your side, my side and then there is dead side.... you don't have a side any more, you are just prisoner."

"Let's put that theory to the test then.."

Raschek stood up. "Choose your words carefully, Mr. Baile... for I can have your tongue cut out."

"So far you're doing all the talking.."

With that, Raschek back handed baile again, this time the blow twisted Baile's head to the side. "Sit down!"

Straightening his head again Baile just smiled. Death smiled. "Brianna O'Shea.. " Baile said but remained standing.

Raschek looked at him and knew who he was talking about. It never showed on his face. "What?" he asked, as if he didn't understand. "I want to know why the warden hates you."

"Brianna O'Shea." Baile repeated. "Where is she?"

"She's dead..." He replied, course she wasn't she was an even bigger pain in his ass this Baile was being. She had remained elusive and had killed more of his men then he would ever admit to anyone. "Lovely little bitch.... quiet pleasurable to." He said, cause he had in fact had his way with her when he had her in custody.

"Pleasurable?" Raschek still had his balls where they were supposed to be so Anna wasn't dead. This is the last time I'll ask nicely." Baile said, completely ignoring the fact the Raschek was both heavier, armed and wore body armor. The marine practically oozed self-confidence now. There was no sense in maintaining the illusion any more.

"Dead...." He said sitting back down, he wasn't concerned with Baile. "Should have heard her screams... like music, must be the flavor of where she comes from on the human world. She called for everyone that she could think of... no one came for her... in time... her screams left and she just laid there," he said pausing to look at Baile. "I think I rather liked it more when she was screaming.."

Baile looked at the man sitting in front of him. "You'll wish you'd told me."

"Why is that?" Raschek asked.

"Cause in about thirty seconds you'll be laying on the ground with a broken legs and both your hands will be nailed to the floor with that knife you're packing on your thigh. Roughly three minutes after that the guards you left outside will be dead and two minutes after that a riot will start."

Funny... think that's how I frelled the O'Shea woman the first time." Raschek said then grinned. "No shit... you on meth?" He asked, grinning once more as he shook his head.

Baile didn't respond. Instead he moved. Fast. He grabbed the man by the collar and practically threw him across the desk into the wall behind them. It wasn't without some degree of satisfaction he let loose all of the energy that had built up inside of him. Reschak was a strong man, working out as often as he could and enhancing that effect with steroids. But compared to the prisoner he was weak. Baile hit Raschek on the throat with a kick. Not enough to choke him, but certainly enough to keep him from screaming.

As Raschek's hands went up to his throat by instinct Baile grabbed Raschek's ankle in a leghold and carried the movement through, snapping the lower leg in two. "Five seconds." Baile whispered to Raschek as his eyes opened wide in pain.

Raschek groaned but was unable to say anything, so instead his answer to Baile was one of moving his hand down to his side. Taking the knife from his thigh and jamming it into Baile's side and twisting it slightly as he struggled not to subcome to the pain that was coursing through his body by the damage Baile had given.

"Now look what you did.. " Baile said and placed his hand over Raschek's. He had been able to move somewhat to the side but the blade had still buried itself a good two inches in. Baile's hand squeezed down on Raschek's and the cracking of bones started to sound. Slowly he pulled the knife out as Raschek's fingers snapped one by one from the sheer pressure Baile put on them.

The blade exited Baile's body and much to Raschek's horror Baile started twisting the blade towards Raschek's good hand. With a movement so fast his hand became a blur he caught Raschek's free hand and held it almost as hard across the wrist. The bones in Raschek's wrist started developing fine hairline fractures almost instantly.

The floor in Raschek's office was made of metal but it sported several large holes for easy cleaning. Disciplining inmates could be a messy sport. The marine placed Raschek's hand over one of those holes and forced the now useless hand holding the knife over to it. Slowly, ever so slowly he placed the tip of the knife in Raschek's palm until he was certain the chief of Security could feel the pain. As soon as he could feel Raschek start to struggle he pressed the knife through the hand and as soon as the knife was through he repeated the process with the other hand. "You should have told me when I asked..."

Raschek was unable to move. From his one hand searing in pain and the other now the focus of Baile's venom, there was nothing he could do cause of his leg. He couldn't say anything, so even if he could tell Baile what he wanted to know there was no way he could with his bruised throat. Raschek knew there was a good chance he was going to die this day, but the thing that he took great joy in was he had spent the better part of six months looking for the bitch that had stabbed him, there wasn't a place he hadn't looked so he knew Baile wouldn't find her either.

"Don't worry.. I'll keep you alive long enough for you to see all of this come down around you.." He grabbed the cattleprod from Raschek and stood up. Looking around he soon found what he was looking for. Fuses. Lots of them. A few seconds later he jammed the cattleprod into the fuses and pressed the discharge button on the prod. A shower of sparks lit up the room like a Christmas tree while the rest of the lights went offline.

Satisfied with the result and the surprised voices outside he removed the goggles and once more the darkness inside the room vanished. Darkness had settled and that was his domain.

Raschek could hear the sounds of chaos outside his door. It was the sound of death moving around the complex. He could hear guards calling for help, then in the end an eerie silence..... in his last breath he looked up toward the darkened ceiling thinking who in hell had created this Pandemic Monster as he took his last breath...

"Thin Line"

Pilot Paulo DiMillo
Lt(jg) Cora Dobryin

*****

Paulo sat in his quarters, alone, staring at a pair of pictures. One held him and Anna and the other was him as a kid with his younger brother and sister. He had nothing to do anymore. He was suspended from SFI and that meant he had nothing to do now. He had no hobbies really. He had very few friends. So, he just sat there, staring at the pictures.

This was one of those times Cora hated having a super busy schedule. During a free moment she went to just spend time with Paulo. Signaling her presence she waited.

He looked up setting the pictures down. "Come," he ordered.

"Paulo," Cora began after she entered, "I thought I'd stop by and see how you're doing."

"I'm dandy," he said sarcastically. "I have so much free time now, I don't know what to do with it all."

For a moment she looked at him, "I'm worried about you."

He looked up at her and stood up walking towards her with his arms outstretched. He walked up to her and wrapped his arms around her. "Don't worry," he said. "I will get through this... somehow."

"I didn't know if you'd be up to having me here or not," Cora responded as her tone got quieter.

"It's not your fault I am in the situation I am in," he told her. "It's my fault."

She looked at him comforted by his embrace yet fully aware she reminded him of what he'd lost, "So what can I do for you?"

"I don't know," he told her. "I truly don't even know what I have to do for myself."

She looked at him comforted by his embrace yet fully aware she reminded him of what he'd lost, "So what can I do for you?"

"Just be here," he said heading for the couch. "I guess I am just a mess. I joined SFI for all the wrong reasons, and it's affected how I have done things. It has held me back."

Cora just let him voice his thoughts as she followed Paulo to the couch. "I love you don't forget that."

He smiled and hugged her again. After a moment he broke it. "So, where do we go from here?" He asked,

"For now how about dinner and some quiet time together," She was off duty at the moment but knew that could change with the Intelligence department being ultra busy currently. "I need a break but was more than serious about just wanting to spend time with you."

Paulo smiled. "In or out?"

"I'll leave that decision up to you," Cora smiled, "Since I believe I cooked last time."

"In it is," he said standing up and heading towards the replicator. "Any requests? I may not be able to cook anything fresh, but I can get this thing to make a few good things."

Cora simply smiled, "Good I like having you all to myself and I'm in a mood for something with beef."

He smiled, "oh?" He said tapping in a few things and headed back to the couch and took her in his arms planting a kiss.

She just smiled hoping it wasn't a complete surprise to him. It was also a factor in why Cora worried about Paulo as well.

"I think dinner can wait."

"Smeg...I think we have a problem!"

Joe's monthly audit time foray into the lives of the Bhrode Bunch!

With Fleet Admiral John Q. Bhrode, former Captain of the USS GALAXY, and current commanding officer of the Olympic Fleet.

Also appearing: Director Nowlan Phall, Director of PROJECT: NARNIA at the K57 research and development facility
And sundry members of Bhrode's command crew.

Location: The Observation Deck of K-57 (a classified research instillation on the fringes of Federation space in the Beta Quadrant.)

Previously: Realizing that the infamous treaty between the Borg and the Federation will soon come to an end, Fleet Admiral John Q Bhrode and his Olympus fleet set sail for the K57 research facility where an unsanctioned prototype of a transwarp gate has been built in the hopes of advanced recon of Borg activities. That prototype is now ready for testing and Commander Lysander Hawksley has taken the USS HERMES through...

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"Surround yourself with the best people you can find. Delegate authority and don't interfere." - Ronald Reagan.

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"I'm getting something." the normally cavalier Commander Hawksley called across the comm channel with a hint of tension, causing Fleet Admiral John Q. Bhrode's eyes to narrow even further. Director Phall began to blot his forehead with his shirt sleeve as their attention focused on the giant viewscreen before them, currently transmitting a real time video feed from the HERMES, an image of Hawksley from the Bridge of the Hermes and an image of Commander Von Ernst onboard the ZEUS.

On the screen, images in the center slowly began to come into focus. One by one, Borg cubes could be seen winking into the starscape, until the screen was filled with them.

"I'll be damned." Brhode uttered, then ordered data streams and sensors to begin recordings - an unnessicary order as his crew was no doubt doing that even as they spoke, but one he felt compelled to call out.

The station's army of scientists didn't waste time celebrating. Instead they began processing the information they were receiving. The veteran Admiral silently acknowledged their readiness as Hawksley's next transmission came across.

"I sure hope Phall is right." Lysander broadcast as a Borg cube swooped past his position. "I feel like a little worm on a big fraggin hook right now."

No sooner had the Commander spoken then one of the Borg Cubes nearest to the conduit opening slowed it's speed.

"Oh, smeg!" Hawksley spat. "I think we have a problem!"

"OLYMPUS FLEET! RED ALERT!! EXECUTE FORMATION ALPHA" Bhrode ordered.

Outside of the K-57 station, the eight other starships that comprised the Fleet Admiral's personal force took up a two tiered defense with the first wave, spearheaded by the Admiral's flagship, positioned themselves at the maw of the gate, hopefully to allow Commander Hawksley to escape, failing that they were ready to collapse the gate itself.

The second tier flanked the station, weapons armed and trained on the station itself ready to destroy it should things escalate too far.

"Telemetry projections say that we've been discovered." a slightly balding technician announced from Bhrode's left. "It looks as though the cube is turning around and coming back."

"IMPOSSIBLE!" Director Phall yelled as the Cube maneuvered exactly as had been announced.

It was now moving in a direct line towards where the USS HERMES was hiding.

"Number Two, get out of there now." Bhrode ordered to his second officer.

"Sensors are skewed. We're looking at a ghosting of some sort. Hold on." Hawksley transmitted as he was seen digesting what his crew was telling him.

"COMMANDER, I DONT GIVE A GODDAMN IF YOU WANT TO OFFER YOUR ASS TO AN ALIEN RECTAL PROBE! JUMP IN AN ESCAPE POD, PRESS HAM AGAINST THE WINDOW PANE AND BITE YOUR BOTTOM LIP!!! YOU GET MY SHIP OUT OF THERE YESTERDAY!!!" the old man thundered.

"Admiral, I have a priority incoming message from Ambassador Streely." Commander Rebecca Von Ernst announced from the ZEUS.

"TAKE A MESSAGE!" Bhrode barked. "HAWKSLEY WHY HAVEN'T THIS OLD MAN'S EYES SEEN YOU BEGIN TO GET THE HELL OUT OF THERE YET?"

"Borg cube is powering up their weapons array." Phall announced. "You have to get them out of there now!"

"Number Two, did you hear happen to catch that? Or are you going to ignore that fact like you did to my previous two orders - acts that are career limiting by the way?"

"I got it. I don't think we've been seen. There's something else going on. I'm sure of it. " Hawksley said. "Trust me on this one."

"Admiral, Ambassador Streely is claiming that Lt. Darkstar has shot him in the posterior with a phaser." Von Ernst called out. "Shall I beam you aboard the ZEUS now, Sir?"

Bhrode weighed his options. In the years he had spent serving with Lysander Hawksley, the Centurian had shown flares of tactical brilliance that very few could match. He was reckless, daring and headstrong in a way that was reminiscent of James Kirk. The kid knew his shit, plain and simple. If he thought he was needlessly endangering the crew of the Hermes, he would have exited the gate long before now. He also believed that the more a general is accustomed to place heavy demands on his soldiers, the more he can depend on their response.

"Issue an order to Henderson to give Darkstar a medal. Stand by to transport on my order. Number Two, stand your ground. Don't fire unless fired upon. If they mean to have war, let it begin here."

"The Borg are firing at the gate..." the tech announced as a brilliant green beam shot out from the Borg cube, singed it's way through space and connected with a ship that had been out of sight only meters behind the opening of the transwarp gate.

The assembled aboard the station breathed a collective (no pun intended) sigh of relief as the small alien craft was reeled in with the Borg Cube's tractor beam. They watched as the ship was held in the Borg's grip knowing that the drones were stripping all of men, women and children from the unknown craft to subject them to the painful horrors of assimilation. Moments later, the craft was destroyed and the cube returned to it's original heading.

"I think I deserve a bump in rank for that call. Showed a little balls on my part, I think." Hawksley said draping a leg over the arm of the Captain's Chair, visibly relieved yet still determined to act as though he was his usual self.

"You are correct. Congratulations, Number Two. You are hereby promoted to Captain. Commander Von Ernst, please log the record as such." Bhrode ordered, clasping both hands behind his back and watching the final sparks from the destroyed craft fade from space.

"Sir?" Commander Rebecca Von Ernst paused, her amazingly accurate analytical mind unable to suddenly wrap itself around this new revelation and the no doubt smug look of celebration that she knew was on the Centurian's face".

"You heard me Number One." Bhrode barked. "Also, please note that due to disobeying not one, but two direct orders, Captain Hawksley has just has his brevet rank rescinded."

Aboard the USS Zeus, the diminutive Von Ernst suppressed a grin.

"Aye, Sir. Congratulations and my condolences, Cap..I mean Commander Hawksley." she broadcast.

"Olympus Fleet, stand down and return to your previous positions. Number Two, if you are now so inclined, I think we have had enough excitement for one day. Return to the station." Brhode ordered.

Hawksley acknowledged with a nod and ordered the HERMES to plot a coarse out of the conduit. He paused when Bhrode's voice once again broke across the comm channel.

"And your right. That did take balls. There may be a place for you in this man's Navy yet."

"On This Eve of Passion"

Nara & Saul

*****Holodeck 3*****

Nara sat on the edge of the cliff as the mist at her feet lazily drifted. She held her knees comfortably, smiling at the holographic village below. She hadn't added people, partly to keep herself reminded it was just a projection. This was one of her favorite spots of Sakaria and both times Saul had come with her, she had not yet brought him to it.

So this is where she waited for him as she thought of the cryptic message she sent only saying to meet her at this holodeck on this day at this time. She tried to make it sound official. As if Engineering discovered some information Tactical would like. She chuckled thinking how interested he would be. She did hope he was in good humor today and not get upset at the misleading.

At the exact same moment, Saul was just two decks away, the turbolift carrying him hastily toward his destination. As Nara intended, he was quite curious about the way she phrased her invitation. Even ignoring the fact that they were lovers, Saul wasn't a fan of officiality. Anyone on Tactical who called him 'Lieutenant' or 'sir' when not in strictly official circumstances won a glare, or a sly comment. So having this from Nara?"

Soon, he was at the holodeck door, pressing the panel. 'She's probably just trying to get back at me for leaving her that note before departing to Vaden', he told himself.

Her smile widened as she heard the chime. She called out the command to allow him access.

Interesting and intriqueing thing about holodecks is how two people could be there, in the same small room, but they never really knew where the other person was in the illusion of the hologram.

When the door opened, Saul was looking into a forest. There was a clear path that subtly hinted where the person entering was intended to go.

But he didn't saw hide or hair of Nara.

"Princess!", He called out, but all he heard was echoes of his voice. The truth was that Saul quite disliked holodecks. As much as they simulated reality, there was no replacement in his opinion for the real thing. Holodecks always felt... artificial. That's also why he never went sailing in the holodecks, but always waited to shoreleaves for a chance to sail into the open sea.

He began paced forward, following the clear path.

It wasn't long until the trees thinned out and it was obvious the ground stopped ahead and the grass gave way to a graggly rock outcropping. On this outcropping, he could see soft flowing linen slightly flowing in simulated wind. The linen was covering the back of someone he would likely recognize right away.

"May I please speak with Lieutenant J.G. Naranda S. Roswell regarding a holodeck session which might be of interest for the Tactical department head?", He asked.

She wiped the smile off her face and stood to face him, revealing that the white linen continued down into a long flowing skirt. Only a belt revealed her curves and her arms were exposed as long as a good part of her neckline where a thin silver chain was worn.

She looked very somber as she answered, "Yes. I thought you would be interested in knowing some important information that may concern a woman he knows."

"A woman who looks stunningly beautiful today, perhaps?", Saul suggested.

The smiled returned and she giggled, "You figured me out."

He took a step forward and kissed her on the cheek. "A nice program... what's the plan?"

She took his hands, "A walk maybe." She looked serious a moment, "And I think...I am ready to try again." She tensed at the idea, but also looked stubborn to get past that.

Saul inhaled sharpy, surprised. "Here? At the holodeck? I... I would love to, but it's a public place."

Intelligence officers don't blush, he reminded himself. Then he recalled that he was in Tactical now, and his face began matching colors with his uniform's collar.

She let out a chuckle, "No, not here." She looked up into his eyes again, smiling, "I just wanted to meet you here, be together with you here awhile. Well sort of here. As close to this place as we could get. Or as close as my programming skills can get us."

She shook her head realizing she was rambling. "When we go back to Sakaria, I want to show it to you and you can get the full effect."

She took his hand and started to pace to a path that would lead to the stream that watered the village.

"It may take a while... we were lucky to have such a long leave.", Saul told her softly. What he didn't tell was that in the next shoreleave he'll have, his destination will be quite different. "So this is Sakaria, isn't it? I should've guessed..."

She smiled, settling comfortably into the stride and conversation with him.

However--and it seemed too soon--her reserved time was over and the chime meant the next person was waiting outside. She called for the command to end the program and the beautiful landscape disappeared and she frowned at reality a moment.

"What's with the face?", Saul asked.

She shrugged, "Just almost got lost in the illusion and sad to see it go." She turned and smiled at him, "At least you're real." She looked down shyly, "Maybe we need to leave before the person outside gets ansy."

"Shall we.", Saul agreed, and offered her his arm, then poked her nose with his free hand. "Hey! You're real, too."

After they had started down the hall she suggested, "Maybe your quarters? Not sure if Bran is home or not..." She tapered off, hating to mention her roomate for the fact it was a bit awkward with the past situations still lingering. Perhaps this was another reason to get her and Saia a place of their own eventually.

"Yea, sure thing.", Saul's voice trailed as he thought of his recent incident with Bran, which no one knew about except for the Welsh marine and Dr. Burton.

Then, he realized what he was agreeing to.

"Eh, Nara? I told you I have a guest, right?"

She nodded, "As I recall. I'd like to meet her actually." The words had no hint of jealousy. Basically she was curious. She would be surprised about bringing home someone from a mission, but she had Saia. But Saia was a young girl who needed a guardian. Nara didn't know how old this girl was, but she was interested in at least meeting her if not know how or why she ended up in Saul's quarters.

Saul murmured something in Hebrew. The direct translation would be 'Hear me god', and the last time he said it he was sure that his death by the hand of the Dithparu was iminent.

* * *

Eve turned her head sharply when the door to Saul's quarters opened. She was sitting by the table, which was loaded with food from the replicator, and holding a soft sponge ball which she tossed at the wall about eight hundred times since Saul left the room that morning.

"I can get used to it.", She said, leaping to her feet with an almost feline smirk spread on her mouth. The, she noticed Nara. With a few quick steps she closed the gap between her and Saul, and wrapped an arm around the poor Tactical chief's shoulder.

"Hi! I'm Eve. So YOU are the girl from the bathroom!", She proclaimed.

Watching the woman with intrique wondering what she could get used to. Then she turned to Saul, almost laughing at not understanding what in the universe this woman was talking about. She raised an eyebrow, "Bathroom? It wasn't her." She turned to the girl, answering, "It wasn't me." She looked back at Saul, a small smirk curving on her lips, "Got someone hidden in the Bathroom?"

"Not quite."

"Yesterday good ole' Shaul here was speaking with someone while he was in the bathroom. I assumed it was a girl.", Eve explained, tapping on Saul's cheek as he mentioned his name.

Nara laughed, "He was likely talking to himself." Something flashed in her eyes a moment, starting to dislike this woman all over Saul. She tried to ignore it.

"So you know.", Eve started, more than a hint of mischief in her tone, "If you're his girlfriend, then I can share a few ti--"

Saul hissed something in a foreign language into Eve's ear.

"You think she'd tell anyone?", Eve protested.

"It doesn't matter.", Saul insisted, then whispered again.

"You're right, I suppose.", She signed. "But if Starfleet won't kill me, boredom will. Didn't your life become much more boring when you left home?"

Nara was watching the exchange with a bit less laughter and a tad more unease. She could handle secrets behind her back, but when they were wispered to another woman in front of her, something primal had to be kept back.

"On the contrary, they became more interesting.", Saul told Eve. "And...we've got good food.". He turned to face Nara, gently removing Eve's arm.

"I know Eve from my homeplanet. Other than that, it would be better if you won't ask any questions."

Nara just looked at him a moment, feeling a bit put off suddenly.

"I promise not to steal him.", Eve added, and returned to the waiting piles of food..

Nara kept looking at Saul and answered defensively, "If I have any questions about you, I ask you."

"All right then.", said Saul.

"You know, if you guys need some privacy, you can just let me out to wander around for a bit.", Eve offered innocently.

"You know I can't.". Saul said, gently leading Nara toward the door leading to the bedroom. "I'm sorry.", He said, and Nara couldn't tell if it was meant for her or for the guest.

"Why?" Nara crossed her arms showing him she wasn't feeling too affectionate anymore.

"Why what?"

"Why can't you let her out? We let the Jem'Hadar wander about here like it's not a big deal, why the hell can't Eve?" She shook her head, knowing already he wouldn't tell her, "Just tell me this. Is she even supposed to be here? People know I know you. Tell me the lies so I know what to say." It was said with a bit of bitterness, her tolerance suddenly growing thin.

Saul gazed at the door solemnly. "It was decided that we should minimize her contact with officers as much as possible. She's--"

So he was going to lie to Nara, too. Again. Saul quickly thought of a way to phrase things and make them less of a lie, and more of a half truth.

"Eve is a friend, from Utrecht III. I found her in enemy territory, and needed to get her back. She provided me with some information, so as far as Starfleet concerned she's my agent and thus I'm responsible for her. So I'm keeping her here not because I'm afraid of what SHE may find out - but because I'm afraid of what the others may find out. Satisfied?"

The glare softened, and she tried to push aside the unease of his secrets. She did uncross her arms as she answered, "She does seem a bit ... extroverted." She sighed and added, "I'll keep my distance." She would keep her word no matter how she wished to know an old friend of Saul's. Get another's view of him. Another who was around when he was a child.

"She's just a little rough around the edges. Like all of us were, back home in the streets. You pretended to be strong and have lots of friends, so goon won't pick on you. I had it easy since the smarters goons prefered not to mess with a Bental. Not that their was justified, but I used it to keep myself safe."

Saul hesitated for a moment before he spoke again. "When I left home, to the stars... she stalked me to the spaceport. I didn't turn around to make sure that it was her, because, because... because I thought it would undermine my resolution to leave home. I haven't seen her since. She wanted to tell me that she knows I'll- ah, never mind, where were we?"

Nara tilted her head looking at him giving a sad smile. He was finally telling her more, but it was sad story. She reached her hands out to hug him, "It's ok."

Saul's fingers dug into Nara's hair. There was a long silence, which meant more to them than words.

Finally, Saul asked. "I suppose you're no longer into 'trying again', are you?"

Nara stood still a moment, her arms still around his shoulders. Then she backed a bit, "I don't know." Then she gave him a mischevious, but shy smile and wink, "We'll see how far your charm will go."

"Sounds tempting.", Saul caressed her cheek, and ordered the computer to dim the lights to 50 percent, and play a soft tune that Nara never heard in her life.

She smiled as she said, "Music and lights. Nice." She had a glint in her eye, "Anything else?"

"Do you have any special requests?"

She shook her head, "None come to mind." Her smile faded a bit as nervousnes filled her eyes.

Saul took a cautious step forwards, and gently pulled her toward him. His fingers began to form the most inexplicable patterns on her back, while lips left moist marks on her cheek, then her neck, and advancing downward...

She had her arms around his shoulders, gripping them as she concentrated on his scent, his touch, even his emotional presense she's learned to recognize. It wasn't the same as exploring someone's mind and she figured it was something non-telepaths had as well. Just the aura of a loved one. The sense you could trust them.

She concentrated on Saul to keep memories from haunting this moment. It wasn't too hard as Saul touched her far more gently than Marks had.

His hands now slipped under her shirt, their sudden chilly touch on her skin making her shudder at first, but within seconds she got used to it and it was the most natural thing in the whole universe. He began to shift slightly, and she realized he was leading her toward the bed, without breaking contact.

His lips touched hers briefly, and then he whispered into her ear. "I know what you're thinking about... the second you want to stop, say. And remember that you ARE safe, here."

She wispered back, "I know." But the way she nervously held him and the shake in her voice betrayed her. She knew it was just a wall to climb over. Her body wanted to, she just had to get her mind to follow along. She put a hand on the back of his neck and placed her lips on his for a passionate kiss.

He responded. With fire. And before Nara knew what was happenning, the two of them were rolling on the bed, drunk with passion. She could feel Saul's lust like a slow explosion, both in her mind and physically.

"I want you.", He said in a tone halfway between a whisper and a moan.

In the midst of it, in the place between reality and passion, her mind was empty of everything but him and what he did to her.

Somewhere in this realm of exquisite existence, the memory came to haunt. She could almost hear the birds that chirped outside the window at the Academy. It suddenly all felt like a nightmare.

"Please no." The plea was a soft wimper, as if not believing he would leave her be. He didn't before.

Saul froze. "Did I do something wrong?", He asked.

She was trembling, her eyes closed tightly, trapped in the memory a moment until his voice brought her to the present. She took a shaky breath and opened her eyes to look at him.

She just looked at him a moment before sighing, "No. Sorry." She didn't move away from him.

He kissed her on the nose, ever so lightly, then broke away from the embrace and paced through the door leading to the bathroom.

She sat up, hugging a sheet around herself and watched after him, concerned, "Saul?" She hugged her legs waiting for him to answer. She wondered why he left.

It took a long while before his voice emerged from behind the closed door. "Yes princess?"

When he finally answered, she called back, "Are you alright?"

Again that ominous pause. "Yes, of course."

The door slid open, and she saw that Saul washed his face, and now his hair was dripping water.

"I'm very sorry. I wanted to, but..." She sighed as she paused. Her body still very much wanted him, needed to feel his touch again. The memories of Mark still held her mind back. Anger grew in her face as she gripped the sheets tightly, "Curse him!"

"If you let him influence your life, then he won.", Saul said simply as he sprawled on the bed. Then, trying to lighten things up, he added, "You know, a guy can be quite offended if his girlfriend think of another man while the two of them are together..."

She shook her head still angry, "Life was better when that memory was repressed."

"You know, the girl in the other r-- ah, never mind."

Nara looked at him as she started to calm down, "Eve? What about her?"

Saul sighed. He shouldn't have brought it up, but he may as well finished. "She's dealing with a trauma that's as bad as yours right now. She's fighting it. So should you. Don't let HIM destory your life. If he succeeds in that, if he's still a relevant issue after all those years, then you let him win."

She felt a bit put off at his preaching, "I'm not her."

"True. And I don't claim to understand what you're going through, either. But you're letting him win. Don't."

She let her anger spill out toward him as she seethed at him, "If you could tell me HOW, I would appreciate it!"

He opened one eye. "Counselor Dallas can tell you that better than me. All I can ask, as someone who cares, is that you'll give it a fight."

She was infuriated at this point, "What do you think I just did! I'm trying Saul. I..." She let out a defeated sigh, "I don't know how to push the memories away. I think that's the furthest we got before..." She shook her head. "I really thought I was ok."

"Never mind.", Saul mumbled. It just got too complex for him. He was exahusted, and disappointed in more than one way. Arguing with Nara won't improve things, and will require too much energy.

"Do you want to spend the night here?", He asked.

She nodded, "If you want." She did, but she wasn't sure he would let her after she had pulled away so far into what they were doing.

"Good."

He snatched the blanket, and rolled away from Nara. leaving her just enough space to squeeze in.

Knowing Chava, she'll probably say something about 'being left in the living room like a pet dog.'. Too bad for her.

Nara lay back and thought forlonely for a few moments. She tossed the idea of snuggling to him back and forth in her mind. She wanted to feel the comfort of his arms around her, but feared his rejection. She wondered what the point of even staying was. Then she realized he hadn't left much blanket. Hoping it was a hint and not some childish way of showing he was upset about something, she moved closer to him, tense for a moment waiting how he would recieve her.

A moment later, both the blanket and Saul's arm were wrapped around her.

"Post Mortem"

Ensign Robert J. Mathieson
Lieutenant jg Jack Slen (NPC)

In Galaxy's main Sickbay, six white sheets covered six dead bodies. A seventh biobed bore the weight of a portly, bald, older doctor who was only too acutely feeling his age.

Despite the casualties and the relative inexperience of many of Galaxy's medical staff, Mathieson had to admit that they had performed well. Very well. The volume of wounded and the variety of injuries pressed them to the point of breaking, but not beyond. For hours, doctors, nurses and orderlies pressed that limit barrier. They bore the weight of every phaser wound, every disruptor wound - every injury caused by shrapnel, fist, knife or teeth. Bones were set, wounds sealed, limbs amputated, organs replaced - even a baby was delivered - amongst the most chaotic environment the old physician had seen in years. Still, the medical staff gad "gutted" it out, and of the one-hundred and forty-four patients sent to their ward, only six had died. Kio in particular had performed some of the most difficult work during some of the more hectic moments. ~Damn fine work, all said.~

Even with the unruly Kelvan, the ward has performed well. ~The Kelvan - that's not right~, Mathieson thought with a shudder. ~It's Chief Fekking Liason Kylar Bloody Curran.~ He snorted. ~Prickly pear like that in the Liason Corps? What's this bloody fleet comin' to?~

The doctor had no fear of Curran's many loud and creative threats, but had a sickly feeling when he thought of his incident with the Kelvan in Sickbay. He had to remember the Oath of Hippocrates more than once, tempted to apply a Klingon laxative to the patient; the effect would have been six months of boiling diarrhea which would have punctuated CL Curran's demeanor nicely. If course, Hippocrates never had a snotty, unruly Kelvan to treat - all he had were Greeks, Persians and the occasional Macedonian; what a picnic.

~That boy Curran'll be the death 'o me, I swear!~

Mathieson was dwelling on his meeting (and future meetings) with Galaxy's Chief Liason Officer when the door to Sickbay hissed open. He didn't bother to look up to see who had entered. "A'llo Jack! Ready to check if things 'r kosher?"

The tall Trill pathologist smiled at the prone doctor, but was quite prepared for Robert Mathieson - Jack Slen and Galaxy's newest medical officer had met before. "That's *Lieutenant Slen* to you, Ensign - and aren't you supposed to be saluting a superior officer?"

"Sorry Lieutenant Jack - where are me manners?" A stubby middle finger extended from Mathieson's left fist. "Glad to see you're still a fleet man, Jack. Was worried you'd be CMO of a Tellarite prostate clinic by now."

"Thought you'd be drummed out entirely, Bob. From Lieutenant Commander to Ensign in fifteen years, that's quite an accomplishment." Jack looked down Mathieson's prone figure. "Any career advice you'd like to offer?"

Bob poked an eye open and looked at an old friend and colleague. "Yeah - quit the amateur hour and stop crappin' on Admirals. If you *really* want to send yer prospects to hell in a handbasket, tell a politician to take his head out of his ass. That's when the *real* fireworks start."

Both physicians chuckled at the concept, and Mathieson slowly rose to a sitting position on the biobed. "Heh, good to see you again, Smilin' Jack."

Shaking the older man's hand , Jack continued to grin. "You too, you miserable old man. It'll be good to have someone around who's not so 'sunshine and rainbows' around here. But I *am* curious as to why you're here, Bob. Last I heard you were doing fine on the Anchorage."

"Was. Anchorage was a real good spot and Summers is a good bloke, but I had a chance to teach again at Starbase 13 - or at least I thought it was a chance." Mathieson cringed at the memory. "Cor, Jack - they put me pushin' paper for the 12th Fleet. Made me sick inside a week. Bloody paper-pushers. Vampires the lot of 'em. Ghouls! I'll spare you the details, but when a 'statesman' from Deneva comes to see how wonderful his colony's contributions are workin' for the welfare of Starfleet, take my advice and *don't tell him*!"

Slen's grin broke into laughter - the image of the short doctor yelling at some politician from behind a tall stock of PADDS was too rich. Recovering somewhat, he wiped the tears from his eyes and nodded. "Sage advice, my friend. I'll keep it in mind."

Mathieson too recovered from thoughts of his most recent demotion and reprimand. "See you do. Though, by the looks of it you could use all the career advice you can get. CMO to Pathologist in a year still beats my stellar fall from grace." Looking the tall doctor squarely in the face, he asked "What happened, Jack?"

As much as he tried, Slen couldn't look his friend in the eye. "Well, you know the kind of slip up where you apply the wrong remedy despite the right diagnosis and you have to work like hell to save the patient?"

"Yeah?"

"Well, this wasn't one of those slips." Slen rubbed the bridge of his nose awkwardly. "A patient died on my table. At my hands."

A deathlike silence blanketed Sickbay as the two doctors looked at the shroud covered bodies.

"At's shitty, Jack. I don' know what to say." Mathieson rubbed his bald bate near the back of his neck.

Slen slowly shook his head. "Nothing to say, Bob. Let's leave it for later over a drink at Ten Forward. Sound like a good idea?"

Nodding, Mathieson grinned. "Sure, as long as we're not drinking that pisswater you Harvard types were weaned on. I've got a nice 25 year old single-malt Dalwhinnie we should crack open and give a try."

"It's called Tennessee sipping bourbon, you old curmudgeon, and if I didn't know you were the product of some London slum school, I'd swear you were a Yale man!" Slen's lopsided grin returned, goaded by Mathieson's verbal prodding. Still, the business that brought him to Sickbay couldn't be avoided as the six shrouded figures bore a silent witness to their verbal sparring. "So, what do be have here Bob?"

Mathieson looked at the dead, suddenly sober in his thoughts. "Bad business, Jack. The worst."

OOC: This post puts us in orbit. I'll be posting again shortly to get people down to the planet. In the meantime, enjoy the view of the Imperial Capitol.

"Unforgiven"

by Frank Byrne

Captain Cassius Henderson, Commanding Officer

with... Ambassador Katsuye Takeda, Acting Federation Ambassador to the RSE Lieutenant
Tarin Iniara, Chief Operations Officer
Lieutenant Miramon Terrik, Chief Flight Controller

****

Main Bridge,
Deck 1,
USS Galaxy

"Six hours to arrival in orbit of ch'Rihan," Miramon Terrik stated for the benefit of the bridge crew. Now that they were inside the 26 hour mark, en-route to the capitol world of a major interstellar power, the CFC was responsible for giving an update on their position. Of course, it was largely a formality. Most of the crew were watching the clock with a nervousness that only the Rihannsu Star Empire could inspire.

"Thank you, Mr. Terrik," Cassius replied, as he had for the past twenty hours and three flight controllers. The waiting was the worst part. As they hurtled toward ch'Rihan at Warp 5, he couldn't help but remember the events leading up to the Battle of Havras, particularly the fake request to open normalized relations with the Breen Confederacy. Given the RSE's history of treachery and shaky governing coalitions, were they flying into a trap?

The current RSE government was, by all accounts, divided on the subject of their relationship with the Federation. Praetor Hitan had commanded a warbird alongside the Federation's 74th Battle Group during the Dominion War. After being installed as Praetor after the fall of Tal'Aura, Hitan became the most prominent Rihannsu voice for the continuing alliance with the UFP. The Praetor was the head of the government, and as such had been instrumental in preventing

His opposite number, Proconsul Lhaerrh Omar, could not have been more different in his view. Omar was a former officer of the Tal Shiar, and the years of fighting in the never ending shadow war against SFI translated into isolationist foreign policy and rabidly anti-Federation stances on foreign policy questions. As head of the famous Rihannsu Senate, Omar had produced dozens of resolutions and legislations designed to damage the Star Empire's relationship with the Federation, often bringing him into conflict with Praetor Hitan.

Making things more complicated, Empress Kaidalin t'Vriesu went back and forth between supporting one and then the other. Because her own position carried little formal power beyond appointing the Praetor and Proconsul, political theorists posited that her own positions remained hidden in favor of keeping Hitan and Omar at each other's throats.

Between fielding calls from the Starfleet Foreign Affairs Office and keeping up with Ella Grey's progress in hunting down all of O'Shea's sabotage attempts, he would be grateful to arrive at ch'Rihan and begin feeling useful again.

"Captain, we're receiving a mail packet from the Federation Embassy in Ki Baratan, courtesy of Ambassador Takeda," Lieutenant Tarin reported. The normal seat at the operations console had been put into storage, replaced by Tarin's hoverchair. Cassius watched her work with no small amount of concern. According to Doctor Burton, her inability to walk was psychosomatic - and thus far more difficult to treat than any physical condition. Even two thousand years after the advent of psychology as a science, and the mind was still a mystery to the peoples of the Federation.

"What're the contents?" he asked.

"The first item is a pamphlet on basic Rihannsu law, to be distributed to the crew, with a notation that they'll be tested by Rihannsu foreign service officials before they're allowed on the surface," Tarin read aloud. "The second is a request from Ambassador Takeda for a conference call."

"Hmmm..." Cassius thought for a moment. "Number One, you have bridge. Tarin, I'll take it in my Ready Room. Distribute the pamphlet and notice to the crew. If the Rihannsu are willing to allow us to the surface, we owe it to them to respect their laws."

"Aye, Sir," Iniara responded as he vacated his seat in favor of Commander Kol.

****

Captain's Ready Room,
Deck 1,
USS Galaxy

[Turn your holonet to any one of the Rihannsu News Channels and you'll see what I'm talking about, Captain.]

The image gracing Captain Henderson's monitor screen was that of Ambassador Katsuye Takeda, the tiny Japanese woman currently acting as envoy to the RSE for the duration of Ambassador Spock's lengthy absence on Vulcan. Takeda was standing on the balcony of her apartment at the peak of the Federation Embassy in Ki Baratan, looking out over the shadowed cityscape.

Cassius irritably punched in a few commands and watched as the screen split, with Takeda on the left and a new window on the right, connecting with his favorite (and most reliably truthful) Rihannsu news source.

[... Hannam Tafv, reporting from the Mhr'vaat District of Ki Baratan. Anti-Federation protests, which in the past month had died to a dull roar, are intensifying in the home district of Proconsul Lhaerrh Omar," one of the station's field reporters shouted into the camera, over the din of what was approaching a full blown riot. "Carrying images of the Proconsul's murdered son, the protestors are calling for suspension of all relations with the Federation government. Proconsul Omar, when asked to comment...]

Cassius switched it off, and returned Takeda to full screen. "I see what you mean," he said, his frown beginning to feel etched into his face. His sister, Elisa, would no doubt tease him about stress lines next time they talked. "Are you safe, Ambassador?"

[For now, I think so,] she replied, peering over the balcony. [If you thought that crowd in Mhr'vaat was bad, you should look outside my front door. The embassy is continually being surrounded, but the Uhlans have been diligent in keeping a safe passage out of the building. Praetor Hitan's hand, I suspect.]

"You know the situation better than I do," Cassius asked, "Would you advise me to keep my people onboard?"

[If this were any other time, I would say yes,] the Ambassador shook her head. [We cannot let Omar's cronies and rabble rousers intimidate us. Not with Praetor Hitan counting on us for a good showing at the funeral.]

"Of course," Cassius nodded, then paused to think. There was something more going on that he couldn't quite grasp. "Ambassador, what game are the Rihannsu playing, asking my staff to appear at the funeral of the man who died on their ship?"

The small Japanese woman laughed. [Welcome to samurai theatre, Captain. The Rihannsu live in a more or less feudal society, where often the role of noble men is to be caught between their lords. In this case, you are the pawn of both the vengeful Proconsul and the calculating Praetor. Omar invited you to the funeral of his son because he believes that you will humiliate the Federation in a highly public setting. Hitan allowed you to come because he believes that you won't.]

"I see," Cassius frowned, and not for the first time cursed the Rihannsu leaders. He was normally a proponent of politics as means to achieving solutions and justice, but the way that the Rihannsu did it had bothered him since he was a student at the Academy. There just weren't any ethics in it. "What would you do in my position?"

[I would hold my head high, and speak with the authority of the representative of the Federation. You and your liaison officer need to sit down and talk about how you want to frame this,] Takeda said, wrapping her cloak tighter against the night air of Ki Baratan. [You've entered the game late, Captain, but not too late to give it your own spin. Talk to Legate Curran. He can help you. And meet with me when you get here. There are several things that we need to talk about in a place more secure than this.]

"I'll take that under consideration, Ambassador," Cassius replied, glancing back at the door. It had been several hours since he'd gotten her message. "I'll have to get back to my crew, now. We arrive in around four hours. Can I expect to see you?"

[Yes, Captain. You'll be arriving in the dead of night here, but I'll be awake,] Katsuye bowed. [Sayonara, Taisa Henderson.]

The channel was quickly replaced by the seal of the United Federation of Planets Foreign Service.

Cassius rubbed his neck. They weren't even in orbit yet.

****

Main Bridge,
Deck 1,
USS Galaxy

"We are now in stationkeeping orbit over the Federation Embassy, Captain Henderson," Lieutenant Terrik reported as the great bird eased to a halt. After a week of transit, they had finally arrived in orbit of ch'Rihan.

"Open a shipwide channel, Tarin," Cassius said, eyes locked on the so called Planet of Secrets. The next few days would make or break several careers on both sides of the recently demilitarized Federation/Rihannsu border. He wondered if his would be one of them, and at what cost his success or failure would come. There were, as was normal when dealing with the Rihanha, all too many questions.

"Done."

"This is Captain Henderson speaking," he stated, as was becoming his custom. "We've entered orbit over Ki Baratan, the capitol city of the Rihannsu Star Empire. In the likely event that we are invited to travel to the surface in the days before the state funeral of Ambassador Omar, you will all be administered a Rihannsu law test by state officials. A brief has been distributed to your messages, for your use in brushing up. Remember that we are the guests of the Praetor, and we have to behave as such."

"We are the first starship to be invited to ch'Rihan since the USS Titan in 2379. The eyes of two great nations are upon us. We will open them to who we are, and what we do. What those two things are is up to you."

"As soon as I receive details from the Rihannsu government, I'll pass them on to you. Henderson clear."

And there they were, in orbit.

Sitting for the moment, but at least they were there.

"Leopards and Their Spots"

Ensign Robert Mathieson

==Sickbay, USS Galaxy==

"This is Captain Henderson speaking. We've entered orbit over Ki Baratan, the capitol city of the Rihannsu Star Empire. In the likely event that we are invited to travel to the surface in the days before the state funeral of Ambassador Omar, you will all be administered a Rihannsu law test by state officials. A brief has been distributed to your messages, for your use in brushing up. Remember that we are the guests of the Praetor, and we have to behave as such."

"We are the first starship to be invited to ch'Rihan since the USS Titan in 2379. The eyes of two great nations are upon us. We will open them to who we are, and what we do. What those two things are is up to you."

"As soon as I receive details from the Rihannsu government, I'll pass them on to you. Henderson clear."

**

Robert Mathieson grunted as he reviewed treatment techniques for Romulan disruptor fire; not wishing to perform the treatment but wanting to be prepared for any possible scenario. ~And they're ROMULANS. We're orbiting fekking ROMULUS.~ The politically correct wave currently sweeping the Federation 'requested' that Starfleet personnel refer to the Romulans with the names they call themselves, but Mathieson couldn't bring himself to do it. He was an old dog unaccustomed, and unwilling, to learn new tricks. And Romulans were as tricky as they come.

~Goin' to Romulus with a green Captain. This place's going to be busy soon.~ Looking at the vacant biobeds, he reflected on the only-too recent events with the Jem'Hadar. As bad as the experience was, it pointed out some weaknesses and some strengths. Mathieson thanked Hippocrates himself that Kimberly Burton, Galaxy's CMO, was willing to listen to what he had to say and put into effect those recommendations. ~And she did all the administrative crap behind it too, bless 'er.~ The short Englishman now had opportunity to prepare for what casualties might come, and his experiences on the Centaur, Cheyenne and Anchorage gave him a good idea what might be dealt with.

In addition to disruptor tissue damage, Mathieson reviewed a number of biological and synthetic toxins the Romulans were known to use in the past, as well as those of various former Romulan allies. Feeling edgy about a possible set up, he reviewed the various weapons and methods of assassination used by the current set of anti-Federation antagonists - the Breen, the Hydrans, and the T'Kith'Kin.

~The Romulans were wound up tighter than a cheap watch at the moment - any one of these jokers could easily prod the 'em into a pissin' match with the Federation~, he thought. ~Mus' keep the new Captain awake at nights - thank God I've only got to deal with th' wounded."

Compiling the readouts to a master file, Mathieson downloaded the information for his next presentation to the medical staff. Lieutenant Burton - no, Doctor Burton - had given him the opportunity to teach once more and he seized the chance with gusto. In addition to the department, he also corralled some of the medics from the marine battalion into attending. He also put forward a proposal to upgrade the first-aid training of the entire crew, but the proposal was at the usual logjam at senior-officer level; still, the idea had merit, and would bear fruit if given the right conditions.

Finishing, the short physician stood and stretched his spine with an audible 'krick'. He walked over to Sickbay's viewing window and took a long look at the planet below. Oceans, seas and large lakes riddled the various land masses, making the alien world a blue pearl similar to Mathieson's homeworld, earth. He reflected on his experiences with this planet's people, and assured himself that he didn't have anything against Romulans per se, just *ambitious* Romulans, and unfortunately the planet below seemed to birth more than its fair share. Given the political turmoil that boiled on the surface, he wondered how the planet could project such a beautiful, peaceful - even serene veneer.

~But the, the Romulans 've always been about what's seen and what's not~, he reminded himself.

Turning from the window, he looked at the empty b