Episode 3.4.11: Sons of Cardassia

## S3, E4, Act 1: Meanwhile on Cardassia Prime

Three Days Earlier...

Oran Drajal

Cardassia Prime

Stardate 2104.27

Oran Drajal chose to climb the slope of the hill which had become overgrown with vegetation, trees and tall grass in the nearly twenty years it had been since he’d last been here. His brothers and sister would likely beam in from their respective ships parked in orbit of their homeworld, but he wanted to relive his childhood memories of the now overgrown hilltop he’d once remembered as home.

All signs of the house, the street and any other structures that had occupied this place were long ago erased during the Federation occupation and reconstruction of the Capital City.

The Drajal Estate had been on the outskirts of the city and with so many Cardassians killed during the Dominion War’s final hours, there had not been a need to rebuild the city to its former size.

The Nadraven District, once located here on the outskirts of the Capital City, left burning the night the Jem’Hadar and Breen marched on the city and killed Cardassians wantonly, had simply been bulldozed after the war. There had not been enough Cardassians remaining after the war to justify rebuilding the city to its former glory and thus anything located out this far had been abandoned and later demolished.

Drajal remembered this hill as having a duracrete staircase that wound up the hillside from the district below, leading to the immaculate estate owned by his parents, Gul Naren Drajal and his wife, Veneil.

As he reached the top of the hill, the Cardassian stopped in his tracks and surveyed the now vacant land.

Where a big, two-story home had once stood, there was tall grass and weeds. The structure had been completely demolished by the Federation crews who came after the start of the Occupation to tear down the destroyed buildings and begin the reconstruction efforts.

Drajal swallowed hard as tears welled in his eyes while scanning the place where he’d grown up. He remembered growing up here as a boy, playing with his brothers and sister and he also remembered watching his mother and father as they were shot to death here, the children made to watch as they were both put to death.

The soldiers would have killed them too if it had not been for the troop of resistance fighters who happened onto the scene and killed the Jem’Hadar and Breen. They rescued the children and took them to safety, later into a relief camp set up by Federation, Romulans and Klingon occupying forces.

Drajal, dressed in a long black leather coat, akin to a duster worn on Earth, walked over to the approximate spot where the house once stood and he looked around, the ghosts of the past in his mind as he recognized the terrain and recalled once standing there. The house, the large tree he and his siblings played around, the garden where his mother spent her afternoons tending to her flowers.

“I don’t even remember this place anymore,” a voice came from behind him. He turned to see his brother, Tirlin, standing there as the warm nighttime breeze swept over them. “I only remember watching them die.”

Drajal nodded, “I remember bits and pieces of our lives here before the genocide committed against our people. And yes, I remember our parents dying here. But I also remember the resistance fighters killing the Dominion scum who were about to murder us. When I feel the sadness getting the best of me, I remember them being killed and it gives me a glimmer of satisfaction.”

The sparkling lights of another transporter beam swirled nearby and their brother, Narvath, materialized. With a smile at his siblings, he approached, “Brothers! It has been far too long since we’ve been together.”

“Far too long indeed,” Oran agreed, embracing his brother with a hug. He then turned to Tirlin for the same greeting.

As they finished the exchange, another individual materialized out of a transporter beam and the three brothers turned to see who it was.

“Sister!” Oran called to the female Cardassian who appeared. “I’m so glad you are here.”

“Brothers,” she said, moving to embrace them all. “I would not miss this for anything. It is time for our revenge.”

Another transporter beam interrupted the reunion and the fifth sibling arrived. A male Cardassian, his face horribly disfigured, seated in a hoverchair, his legs useless and limp. The four Cardassians already there all turned toward him and approached the paralyzed individual.

“Basal,” their sister Sakba said, coming to the Cardassian in the chair. “It is so good to see you.”

The scarred Cardassian, badly injured when a Breen soldier shot him as a boy at point blank range, looked up and managed a faint smile at his sister. “You were always a good liar, Sabka.”

“Basal,” Oran said, stepping up and placing a hand on his brother’s shoulder. “The man of the hour. It is time, brother. Are you ready?”

“Indeed,” Basal said in a deep, harsh voice. “I am ready to take my vengeance for what was done to me.”

“Good,” Oran smiled. “We are all here, reunited for the first time in…what has it been?”

“Two years,” said Tirlin.

“Yes,” Oran said. “Far too long. Now, I require a status report from each of you.”

Tirlin went first, “Alpha Cell is ready. We will target Cardassian Central Command, infiltrating the building and taking the Detapa Council hostage.”

“Beta Cell is ready,” said Narvath. “We will hit the Weapons Depot on Torros III and secure the target. Sabka, I trust you have the security codes and technical readouts?”

“I do,” she said with a smile, handing him an isolinear rod.

Sabka then began her report, “Sigma Cell is ready, Gul Drajal. We will travel to the Ayala System in the Beta Quadrant for the infiltration of Facility 4028. There, we will extract the target and return to Forward Base post haste.”

Oran nodded, “I will lead Delta Cell. We will take the bulk of our remaining forces here in the Alpha Quadrant and head to Forward Base to begin preparations for the arrival of the other cells, the weapon and the target.”

Basal looked up from his wheelchair, appearing to have a sudden burst of energy as he began to speak, “Omega Cell will take the weapon currently in our possession and strike our target. I will personally command the operation.”

“You will be a hero and a martyr to our cause, brother,” Oran told his debilitated brother as he gripped his shoulder and squeezed with reaffirmation. “You will be remembered for having taken vengeance against one of those who committed genocide upon our people.”

Basal only nodded, his strength already diminished from the injuries he sustained as a young teenager, 20 years ago on the very spot where he sat today. Stepping from his wheelchair bound brother, Oran turned to Sabka and he smiled.

“How did you get the information I requested?” he asked.

She smiled, “With a little batting of the eyelashes and the sway of my hips. The Torros III data came from a young half Cardassian/Bajoran Starfleet ensign I seduced. He wasn’t as helpful with Facility 4028…not a high enough clearance. That required seducing an admiral. Somewhat harder but nonetheless profitable.  I couldn’t get anything for the Omega Cell mission.”

Tirlin slipped an isolinear rod from his pocket, “I got that covered, sister. A Yridian smuggler had the data we needed to get Basal’s team through their security. He should have no trouble carrying out the mission.”

“I just need to get close enough to the objective and I will be successful,” Basal said in a raspy voice.

Oran nodded and looked out onto the rebuilt Cardassian capital city. He sadly remembered this view being much different when he was a boy. Even the twinkling lights from the buildings in the dark were much different…much more Federation than Cardassian in design.

“On the Day of Reckoning, Alpha Cell starts out the day’s events with its mission at 1000 hours. Omega follows at 1100 hours sharp, then Beta Cell at 1110 hours. Delta will already be en route to Forward Base by the time all this starts and then Sigma Cell launches their op at 1115 hours,” said Oran. The others nodded, confirming their information on a PADD they each carried. “Is everyone clear.”

“Acknowledged,” they all replied, in unison.

“Very well,” Oran said. “The next time we see one another will be at Forward Base. Basal, I will make sure your name is remembered by our people. By this time in 72 hours the Sons of Cardassia will no longer be kept in the shadows.”

Sabka smirked and shook her head, “Such a sexist name. There are women in this organization, brother.”

“I suppose you’d call us the Siblings of Cardassia?” Narvath chuckled. “No offense, sister, but the name was decided when we made the pact all those years ago. You agreed then, if I recall.”

“Reluctantly,” she rolled her eyes. “Well, I have a ship to catch. I have a long trip even with a slipstream drive.”

Oran drew his siblings together around Basal and they each extended an arm, all placing their right hands atop one another. When they had all placed their hands together, Oran said, “For Cardassia!”

“For Cardassia!” the others exclaimed in unison.

“Goodbye brothers and sister,” Oran said. “On to victory!”

Then, just as they had appeared, each beamed out, one by one, returning to their ships so they could make their way on to their missions – and into history.

Back to top

## S3, E4, Act 2: Abduction Aftermath (extended edition)

Captain Quentin Lazarus

*USS Resurrection*

Stardate 2105.01

Lazarus heard from Dahrt at tactical when the runabout carrying Jahkar and Tiri dropped out of warp. He ordered Dahrt to hail them and a moment later Jahkar’s image appeared via hologram on the bridge.

"Something wrong, Captain?” Jakar asked.

"You could say that,” Lazarus replied. "McCulloch, Beckett and Thompson were attacked at a residence home in Massachusetts. The gunmen took Thompson and have fled with him.”

Jahkar scowled, "Why is Daryl always being kidnapped?” He shook his head, "Sorry, who are we dealing with?”

"Uncertain yet, Lazarus responded. "We’re thinking it may be an incursion from the Mirror Universe.”

"Mirror Universe?” he repeated. "Are we talking the parallel universe encountered by the crew of the original *Enterprise*? And by the crew of Deep Space Nine?”

"The same,” Lazarus said. "I want you and Sh’avelith to detour and meet us at Earth.”

"Acknowledged, Captain,” he said. "We’re changing course. *Harmony*, out.”

"Mr. Dahrt,” Lazarus turned to the tactical officer. "Let Commander Vree know Jahkar and Sh’avelith will be joining us shortly.”

Commander Victoria Smith and Commander Mayla Vree

Starfleet Medical, Earth

Stardate 2105.01

Mayla was back in San Francisco again. But this time the weather was much different. Instead of it being sunny and warm, it was chilly and foggy. The atmospheric control systems were set to allow how the City had been for centuries to keep that vintage, organic quality the City historically always had. The entire City was shrouded in the milky white mist with the taller buildings jutting out into the sky. Starfleet Academy and Starfleet Command were just shadowed ethereal constructs in the fog of the present time.

Mayla and Victoria materialized just outside the doors of Starfleet Medical, situated on top of a hill overlooking...what looked like above the clouds. But it was just above the low-lying fog. The large glass atrium entryway spanned 20 meters wide and rose to the height of nearly 30 meters up. It was the early afternoon, but the fog just made the yellow sunlight diffused white almost as if it was created artificially. Medical personnel mixed in with various civilians and Starfleet personnel walked in and out of one of the several doors that led from the expansive forecourt where the local transporter stations were located.

Victoria didn't waste any time looking around. She started walking straight in, past the reception desk and to the turbolifts. She knew where the trauma floor was located, and as of three hours ago, that's where Will should still be. Mayla just followed closely behind, knowing fully well the charged adrenaline was rushing through her veins right now. They entered the lift together and were alone.

"You need to calm down," Mayla said, as she perused McCulloch's current medical status in her eye lenses. "They've patched him up and have already begun to regenerate the damage to his internal organs."

Victoria waved Mayla off as she started to pace in the turbolift. She looked over to Vree who was doing her very best to keep the nurse calm and focused. After a moment of awkward silence, Smith sighed, stopped pacing and spoke to Mayla.

"I won’t forget what you’ve done for me today.”

"That’s what family does for one another.” Vree countered with a soft smile.

Victoria looked over at her and smiled back. "I meant what I said.”

"What was that?”

"You’re my sister, Mayla. You’re my younger, much more successful sister and I’m proud of you.”

"Actually, I'm sort of your cousin," Mayla said, referring to the Jiarin part of her. "But semantics aside, you’ve done well yourself Victoria, in spite of everything you had to endure. You were 2IC of a starship, and you’ve earned the command of Union XII. Your reaction to seeing Will’s body on the floor is understandable.”

"I think the Jiarin side of me helped in that regard. The bold and courageous side of her, that is." Victoria said, recognizing the attribute as something that was new to her in the beginning.

Mayla took a deep breath and let it out. She didn't have any memories of her, only the ones from Kyril. Jiarin was strong and courageous until the very end when her sickness finally took her. "Jiarin was brave, to the end."

The nurse nodded in silence as she felt her eyes again well up with tears. She looked at the turbolift control panel and realized they were only a few floors away from their destination.

"You still love him don’t you?” Vree gently prodded.

Victoria nodded in silence as tears streamed down her cheek. "He has a very long road to hoe to make amends, especially with me, but I want to reconcile with him. I’ve wanted this for some time.”

"If that is the case, I am going to make William McCulloch’s life doubly hard to earn his place with my operative team and with you. And to try to keep himself from getting killed.”

Victoria chuckled slightly and wiped her eyes. She then exhaled loudly as the turbolift came to a halt.

"Are you ready?” Vree asked as she looked at Victoria.

The nurse exhaled twice more, grabbed hold of Mayla’s right arm, briefly leaned into the trill and then nodded she was ready. The turbolift door slid open and the pair stepped onto the trauma floor.

Surprisingly, Victoria pulled Mayla forward as the two proceeded to the nurse’s station directly before them. After conferring with one of the supervising nurses, Victoria and Vree were directed to a tall attending physician who emerged from the Scot’s room.

After a brief introductory conversation, the doctor summed up Will’s current status accurately.

"Honestly? He’s damn lucky to be alive. If that blade had entered his body two to three centimeters diagonally to the left, he would be dead.” The marine colonel who was assigned as McCulloch’s tending physician reported to Mayla and Victoria. "And for all purposes he should have bled out if not for the actions of Commander Smith.”

Victoria nodded in silence and shuddered slightly as she looked past the doctor towards the recovery room Will was in.

"How is he now?” Vree inquired.

"He’ll be fine. He’s drugged up on painkillers right now, but I can bring him back down if you want to talk to him.” The colonel answered before directing his attention towards the Trill. "He’s going to be sore for a few days, so I’d avoid running him through physical simulations for the next 72 hours. Understood, Commander Vree?”

"Thank you for the advice, Colonel.” Vree replied matter-of-factly.

Victoria clung to Vree’s arm as the pair and the doctor entered Will’s room. The Scot was awake but clearly drugged. He looked weakly at Vree and Smith before faintly smiling. He groggily blinked a few times. When he spoke, his voice was tired and slurred.

"I always had a weakness for redheads.” He announced before waving in the general direction of Mayla. "Although don’t get me wrong, Commander Vree, your purple tinted hair and eyes completely compliments that whole brooding thing you have going on. It’s a good look.”

Vree cocked her head to the side and looked at McCulloch in confusion. Victoria fought back both tears and the urge to laugh. She squeezed Mayla’s arm even tighter.

"OK Mr. McCulloch, time for you to depart the happy train.” The marine doctor announced before placing a hypospray against the Scot’s neck. Several minutes later, Will was alert, sober and in pain.

The marine nodded at the two women and then quietly left the room.

"Did I just insult your hair?" He said as his head cleared, blinking a few times at them wondering if that's what he really said earlier.

Victoria let go of Mayla’s arm as she stared at her ex-husband. After a moment of painful silence the Trill muttered softly and pushed the commander gently forward towards McCulloch’s bedside. Victoria smiled before cautiously walking across the recovery room. She stopped at Will’s bedside and looked down at the Scot. He was clearly uncomfortable and occasionally shifted his body to compensate for the pain.

"How are you, Will?” She asked.

McCulloch struggled momentarily before speaking with a hoarse voice. "The doctor told me you saved my life.”

"I was doing my job.” His ex-wife replied as she looked down at the floor and then back up at the Scot. "Besides, I told you only I get to decide why you die.”

"And you saved my life.”

"I saved your life.” Victoria replied, perking up slightly. "So, it is now mine to take away if you cross me."

"I’m sorry for everything Vicky.”

"Victoria.” his ex-wife corrected him.

McCulloch briefly eyed Mayla but returned his attention to the red headed nurse. "Victoria, I’m sorry for everything that I did to you. I ruined everything I had with you and I have to live with that for the rest of my days.”

Smith studied McCulloch for a moment before looking knowingly back at Mayla. "A dear friend told me today that one cannot wallow over what's already been done and can never be changed. You have to look into yourself and find what you've learned and put them to good use. That applies to you as well. I forgive you William McCulloch.”

Will nodded in understanding. Victoria continued.

"And I’m sorry I ummm...throat punched you... and then spent weeks tormenting you. I let my emotions get the better of me.”

"Apology accepted, Commander Smith. I just want to know how the hell you learned to fight like that.”

"So would I.” Vree chimed in. From a surveillance video of that attack she "obtained" from Vulcan after receiving the "other" video, she suspected it was a certain Draconian who Victoria must have been in contact with. After all, Khymas Towens was a doctor at the time, and trained by her husband the same techniques to protect herself when the Bravo Squad families were in danger.

Victoria stood up straight, smiled and glanced between the Scot and the Trill. "Sometimes a girl doesn’t give up her secrets.”

She took Will’s hand and squeezed it for some time. Afterwards she leaned towards the Scot, looked directly at him with her piercing green eyes and whispered softly, "Ask me to dinner Mr. McCulloch.”

Will stammered momentarily, but pretended it was the pain. He felt as awkward as Beckett trying to talk to the opposite sex. Finally, he honored her request. "Victoria, would you join me for dinner? But not tonight. I'm going to be busy tonight. And tomorrow night. And maybe the night after that. But my schedule is wide open after that. I hope.”

"I’ll think about it.” She replied with a wink, before turning around, grabbing a nearby padd that contained his medical data and taking a seat in the corner. She started to peruse through the reports of Will’s treatment and prognosis. After reviewing a summary chart, she looked up at Vree and nodded.

"He’s all yours Commander...for now.”

Mayla smiled briefly, noting that Victoria had not only regained her composure but her confidence as well. And it was clear she was about to successfully leash McCulloch.

The Scot looked over at Vree as he shifted uncomfortably in his bed again. He noticed she looked a little bit tired. She never looked tired. "Are you alright? You look tired."

She gave him a wry smile. "A few hours ago I was drinking bloodwine with Ambassador Worf."

He looked at her to see if she was joking. "No kidding?"

"No kidding."

"Mayla, you don't drink." Victoria said.

"Why does everyone keep saying that?"

"Because you don't." Victoria pressed.

Mayla harrumphed and looked at the both of them sternly. "Let's get back to why I'm here."

Lt. Commander William McCulloch and Commander Mayla Vree

Starfleet Medical, Earth

Stardate 2105.01

McCulloch was laughing in his mind. He dared not laugh out loud in front of the Trill. Actually, he dared not laugh out loud in fear it would hurt, whether from his wounds or inflicted by his CO. "Where would you like me to start?”

Mayla walked over and casually leaned against the raised medical bed. She internally vocalized to Lani to start recording their conversation. "Let's start with the first intruder you encountered at Daryl's residence and you let the incident go. You were the senior officer with two subordinates. Even though you were off duty, you were still responsible for them, and the situation."

"It wasn't our house, we didn't want to alarm Thompson’s sisters or brother-in-law." McCulloch answered. There was a hint of nervousness in his voice as he desperately did not want his commanding officer to start asking about his antics with Sharon and Demi in front of Victoria.

"That is entirely understandable. But you are now a covert operative. Stealth is the key. If it were me, I would have at least investigated it immediately, if not even pursued the intruder. He left in a hurry, so he may have left something behind. Going back to sleep would have been the furthest from my mind."

McCulloch winced with pain as his muscles had clenched up as his CO seemed to be reprimanding him. "I'm not as paranoid as you, I don't see an enemy at every gate, Commander."

"But you should have seen it as a threat to everyone in the house." She folded her arms and continued to look directly at him. "For instance, how did the intruder get into the Thompson house without setting off any alarms? Any residence these days would at least have the limited AI to have the programming to tell the owner that a door had been left open in the middle of the night.

"And then there was the attack at the Pickerings. I investigated the wooded area where the attack originated from. There are perimeter sensors in the ground and the trees all around the property, and around the house itself. I wouldn't think even a retired sergeant major of the Federation Marines would have turned them off for any reason. Marines are a pretty disciplined lot about routines that might save their lives, even after leaving the service. I'll bet he checks them every day to be sure they're in functioning order. He is protecting his family, after all."

McCulloch leaned back into his pillow and reprimanded himself for not thinking about that. "I see your point. Admittedly, Commander, it wasn’t a pleasant experience being caught off guard and having to sprint in full retreat under phaser fire."

"There are some questions that need answering, and I'll leave it to you to find them. For instance, we should look at how the attackers bypass planetary defenses and beam down to the property, let alone beam down with weapons? How did they even know you were at the Pickering house and planned the attack accordingly? The on the spot strategy used tells me these were highly trained operatives. And that's what I'm afraid of. They weren't just some ragtag armed ruffians, not with that type of tactical ordnance. And are the Sergeant Major and his family still in danger?"

McCulloch winced again at the barrage of unanswered questions. "When they took Daryl, they fully withdrew. They got what they came for." He was beginning to feel guilty that this may have been his fault for letting his guard down at the worst possible time. "Do you have any leads?"

Mayla shook her head. "His iso tag isn't registering anywhere. Lazarus had scanned for it as soon as he heard about the kidnapping. Even tried to contact him over the subvocal. Nothing."

The man deflated as he put his hand over where he was stabbed. Mortally wounded and his friend had been kidnapped...again. "What makes Daryl so special that everyone wants to kidnap him?"

"We don't know," Mayla answered. "Right now, any details you remember might help us find out who did this and where we can start looking."

He tried to smile, but it became a grimace through the pain. "What does your paranoia tell you?"

The trill commander gave the question some thought, and remembered the conversation she had with Thompson over the buffalo burger dinner in her quarters. "He told me he thought he saw his old friend, Greg Durham on Vulcan. But Greg Durham is dead."

"Are you sure?"

"Pretty sure." Mayla answered.

"How did they know where Daryl was?" McCulloch asked, more to himself than to her. "We didn't decide to go to Earth until the last minute. And they must have known we were on shore leave. Knowing we might let our guard down." He said with a remorseful tone. "Dammit, if only any of us were a bit more alert and took the first intruder more seriously."

"That's another question. If Daryl saw him on Vulcan, that meant they have been tracking him somehow at least ever since then." She saw the now dejected look on his face. "Shore leave is always in the mind of everyone who has Starfleet duty. It makes people complacent especially when they think it's safe just because they're not on duty. That's the reason the Breen surprise attack on Earth was so successful. Everyone thought the War wouldn't come this close, but it did. I was here when it happened. A few of my friends at the Academy were killed. That was the beginning of my paranoia. There's always something going on somewhere."

"You sure you didn't get that from your father?" He asked, seeing the common trait.

Mayla just shrugged.

"I might tell you the stories someday, but there's a fine line between paranoia and vigilance." Victoria jumped in. "Her 'paranoia' saved our lives more than once." She was hugging herself from the chilling memories that made her hands go cold. "I wouldn't be standing here right now if she wasn't vigilant and alert all the time."

Mayla just glanced at her once before looking back at him. "Look, I don't expect you to live in the life of paranoia. Just live in a life where you are in control of the distractions around you, not the other way around. Be more mindful of it next time especially when something unexpected occurs that may place you and others in danger. It's the vigilant eye that could save lives, and maybe even your own." Mayla took a deep breath and let it out.

"It's hard to live always looking over your shoulder," he said, knowing it was a very weak argument.

"That's the line of work we're in, and we chose it. I guess after a while you start to see shadows everywhere. Especially when you've been burned so many times by people you thought were true and trustworthy. In the past, two of our SO admirals turned out to be Section 31 operatives with the intent on bringing us down. They were our commanding officers! So, with examples like that, how can you NOT see shadows everywhere, even within our own organization?"

"So, you don't trust MacLeod, or Clancy?"

"No," she responded without hesitation. "I trusted Sorvek, and I trust Lazarus. And that's because I've known and worked with both of them almost my whole life. After this last mission, we couldn't even trust our own Federation president."

The Scot shook his head, remembering that. "Point taken. That's some bit of thought to chew on," he said, thinking about all the people he would consider trustworthy, and would give his own life to protect their's. But for just a fleeting moment, what would happen if any one of them turned on him? It was a terrible thought, even to just consider it. But here they live in a universe where their very own Federation president tried to cause galaxy wide chaos.

Mayla allowed the pause to continue for a few seconds before switching back to one of the reasons for her visit. "Anyway, now tell me as much as you can what happened right before and during the attack. Don't leave anything out. I want to hear everything. I will be patient. And by the way, I'm recording everything, unofficially."

The Scot closed his eyes and visualized the scenes again, relating each event as they happened. Victoria listened silently as Mayla prodded and questioned certain details from his memory of the brutal attack. Not just on the attack itself, but of specific details of the attackers; types of weapons, insignias, style of clothing, tactics, the sound of their voices, what they said, how did they communicate with each other, how did the drones distinguish the difference between them and the attackers, type of mortar fire, even as far as did it seem they knew the layout of the house.

"Pickering initially asked me if the attackers were Black Watch and if I was the intended target.” Will noted midway through the conversation. A tense silence fell upon the room as Vree eyed the Scot suspiciously.

"And?” Vree demanded coldly.

"They weren’t. As I told him, the Black Watch is dead and gone. But even if they still existed ….and they don’t … it wasn’t them. There were no thistle markings on their armor.”

"Did you see any markings?”

Will thought long and hard but couldn’t come up with anything except a single marking. "I seem to remember one of them had a downward pointing sword etched into his armor, but I could be wrong.”

Mayla pulled out a small padd from a pocket and accessed a classified file of several emblems from where Lazarus suspected the attackers might be from. Bravo Squad's stay in the Mirror universe for over a year gained them a trove of information about that universe. She turned it around and showed it to him. "Did it look like any of these?"

He looked through them and chose one. "It almost looked like the 4th one down on the right."

Mayla glanced at it and wiped the file away. "Continue."

When the Scot had finished retelling every detail...from their arrival in California to the nightclub to the Thompson house break and brutal firefight at the Pickerings .... he looked over at Victoria. She did not look amused.

McCulloch had no choice but to be up front with Vree, including his time with Demi and Sharon. He did his best to minimize the interaction with the two women but he sensed Victoria was seeing right through him.

"Who the #$%^ are these two floozies?” She demanded as she stood up and  interrupted Mayla. "God, you have become such an immoral man whore.”

"Nothing happened with them beyond some flirting.”

"Did you tell them they reminded you of Highland roses? Yeah, you used that same line on me years ago. I bet you made your brogue even thicker to woo them.”

"Woo?” Mayla asked as she watched the two argue. Her head moved back and forth as if she were observing a tennis match.

"Woo.” Victoria repeated.

"I think I met a Woo once," Mayla said thoughtfully, thinking back to a gentlemen sitting at an outside dining table at Starbase Epsilon Seven's Concourse when she was a young girl. Or was that Kyril seeing him when he first arrived in Australia for Shadow Ops training?

"Nothing happened with them beyond dancing and a bit of flirting.”

"Oh, now it’s dancing and flirting?”

"I didn’t do anything with them because I couldn’t stop thinking about you!” McCulloch announced loudly, his voice weak and raspy.

Victoria blushed slightly, folded her arms and smirked. She knew the Scot was being truthful with her. "Well,” she quipped. "I’m sure I am better looking than them and smarter too. Definitely smarter.”

"Aye.”

"Oh for the love of the Symbiont Pools, will you two stop!” Vree announced loudly. She looked at Victoria. "It was my turn."

Victoria looked over at Mayla and nodded. She eyed the Scot momentarily, returned to her seat and started to peruse through the Scot’s medical files again.

"Is there anything else I should know about the events...either at the Thompson residence or at the Pickering Estate?”

"One more thing and then a request.”

"Go on.” Vree answered, curious what McCulloch was going to say.

"The last assailant I grappled with...he knew me.”

"What?” Mayla exclaimed. "What do you mean he knew you?”

"After he drew his combat knife, he told me...and I quote ‘You Black Watch son of a b\*tch, I’m going to enjoy gutting you.’”

Vree made Will repeat the phrase again before responding. "That last part was the exact same thing the Black Watch operative said to Kindred right before he stabbed her. Did you recognize the person?”

"No, he was covered head to toe in armor. I could barely make out his eyes.”

The Trill nodded in silence. She looked over at Victoria and then back at McCulloch. "You had a request?”

"Aye. Where’s the knife?”

"The knife?” Vree asked in confusion. "We have it. Victoria turned it over to us...why do you ask?”

"I would like it back.”

"What? Why?” The Trill inquired.

"Because someday I intend to return it to its owner...properly.”

Victoria shifted uncomfortably in her chair for a moment before standing up. She smiled at McCulloch before announcing she was going to take a short walk. After she left the room, Vree gazed coldly at the Scot.

Lt. Commander William McCulloch and Commander Mayla Vree

Starfleet Medical, Earth

Stardate 2105.02

"If you and Victoria are going to have another go at a relationship, you will have to earn her trust. And I'm not talking about trusting you with her life. I'm talking about something much more difficult. Trusting you with her heart."

"I understand. I blew it before with her last time, I won't make the same mistake again." He said with a conviction that made even his wound hurt just a little bit more.

"I don't think you quite entirely understand. She is both Victoria and Jiarin now. You will be...woo'ing her all over again. So you should tread carefully as if you were courting her from the beginning. Don't fall back to too many old habits with her and expect her to be the same. She is not. And if she does decide you will become a more permanent part of her life, you'll have me to contend with."

"What the hell does is that supposed to mean?" He asked, now in entirely new territory.

"I get the feeling she is considering liyea'tai," using the trill term for the guardian ritual.

"And what is that?"

"That means she might select me to be her Guardian, and I have to determine if the future husband is worthy of her. It's a Trill tradition, but I will try to talk her out of it. Mainly because she isn't Trill. But she may come up with some other tradition or ritual. I don't know. So I only want to forewarn you, just in case."

The Trill withdrew a padd and tossed it onto McCulloch’s lap. "Speaking of which. Operations Kilroy, River Hawk, Viper, and Shattered Glass.” She announced. "Personally my favorite was Shattered Glass...Assassinating of a pair of Evora dignitaries responsible for the extortion, abuse and torture of local poor. Quite cold and well outside of acceptable Federation norms. Yet very Robin Hood like.”

"How did you get that padd?” The Scot demanded.

"Victoria found it on you when she was treating you. Personally she’s a fan of Operation River Hawk...she always had a soft spot for people helping kids ever since...nevermind. But that is beside the point, how did you access this information?”

"I didn’t, Thompson did.” McCulloch replied as he explained the circumstances behind the hacking incident, including how he told Daryl about how Starfleet destroyed or buried all of his service records post incarceration. "I never knew he was going to hack into Starfleet’s database.”

"I'm beginning to wonder if he can even resist his cavalier attitude about computer hacking. The other Thompson did the same thing, expecting not to get into trouble for it." She glanced down at that padd. "I suggest you get rid of that information before someone catches you with it, or worse, gets a copy and releases it into the wild. Sorvek classified it that way with a reason, and I think it's to keep you from paying the consequences of what you did, and whom you did it for. He may have hidden it away to keep you from being prosecuted, again."

McCulloch knew the missions were questionable, that was the nature of a clandestine unit. But with the current political climate of Starfleet Command and the Security Council, this information seeing light would put him in a really bad way.

"I'll see to it. Um, I think you should take it back with you, and destroy the padd." He suggested.

Mayla looked at the padd and retrieved it. As she thumbed through the reports, she glanced up at Will. "There is one item of note. I noticed your code name for all of your solo missions was ‘The Hunter’.”

"Aye, that was the code name I used on all of my solo missions.”

Mayla sighed softly before speaking again. "About 8 years ago, an urban legend started to trickle out the Kendra Province of Bajor. It told of an ‘avenging angel of the Prophets’ named The Hunter. This ‘angel’ rescued dozens of Kendra Province families from a Cardassian crime ring before slaughtering all of the captors. Curiously, about the same time, cultural reports surfaced in the Andak province of Cardassia of parents warning their children and loved ones to never be alone out of fear that the demon known as The Hunter would murder them as cruelly as he liquidated their compatriots. This...Hunter...both races mention...it’s you, isn’t it?”

"Aye, it has to be me. It was Operation Styx, one of my final freelance missions before I retired.” McCulloch replied, his voice becoming low and cold. "The reports of the mission either don’t exist or are buried somewhere deep in a Starfleet or Bajoran vault”

"If officials from Cardassia ever discovered it was you…”

"I am confident Cardassia would pay a hefty sum for someone to turn me over to them...if they knew it was me.” McCulloch interrupted. "But know this Commander...after what I saw that crime ring do to those families...to those mothers, those children, to the elderly, I’d do it all again without reservation. There are many things, too many to count, that I regret having done wrong in my life. But that mission is not one of them.”

Mayla looked aside thoughtfully. "I have heard worse. I bear no issues with what you did. You did what you did to save innocents. There have been countless other missions that weren't so noble."

They talked for as long as they could until the Colonel doctor knocked and opened the door. Back from her walk, Victoria followed the doctor into the room.

"That's enough for today, he needs rest."

"I need 20 more minutes, then we'll come back tomorrow." Mayla said, not moving from her spot.

The doctor gave her a look, and then nodded. "Ten minutes." He closed the door behind him.

Mayla gave Victoria a look before heading towards the door. "You have 10 minutes, I'll be waiting outside."

The nurse watched as the Trill left the recovery room and waited until the door slid shut. Victoria then leaned up against the door, narrowed her eyes and gazed coyly at Will. He looked exhausted but he was alive and would recover.

"She’s very protective of you.” Will noted.

"As I said, she’s like a sister to me.”

"So someday she could be family.”

"You’re getting well ahead of yourself, WIlliam McCulloch.” Victoria replied with a mock Scottish accent. "And it’s this lass, not the Trill you need to win over. Aye, ya do.”

"That is a terrible, terrible accent.” Will quipped. "I’m pretty sure you just offended half of Manchester, England.”

"Aye, maybe I did.” Victoria giggled as she continued with the accent. "But you need this lass to be your only one. Am I clear, William McCulloch?”

"Yes, Commander.” Will replied with a soft smile before his ex-wife became serious.

"I mean it, William. No more whoring around. If you want this to work, I do not want to hear about further adventures with the Thompson girls, Sarah Pickering or whomever. It is me and only me or nothing. Am I clear?”

"Agreed.”

“Good.” Victoria replied as she crossed the room and sat down on his bed next to him. "Second, I never, ever want to see what I saw at the Pickering residence again.”

"I’ll do my best, but I can’t…” Will started to explain.

"I ...I thought I would never again have a chance to make things right with you, Will.” Victoria stammered as tried to maintain her composure. "I never, ever want to be in that position again, where we are forced to watch opportunities slip away from us.”

McCulloch smiled and nodded. "Agreed.”

Victoria hugged the Scot warmly and then stood up to leave.

"No kiss goodbye?” The Scot demanded.

"You haven’t earned it yet Mr. McCulloch." Victoria replied confidently. "And never before a first date."

"Well, at least promise me when I take you out to dinner you’ll wear green.”

Victoria smiled again as she knew the Scot loved her in green. Yet she continued to toy with him. "I don’t know if you’ve earned that either, Lieutenant Commander.”

"At least wear boots. You still like wearing boots off duty right?”

"I think I’m more of a sneaker girl these days.” Victoria quipped, enjoying the Scot becoming more and more enamored with her. "Get your rest, Mr. McCulloch, you have a lot of work to do.”

"Oh, come on!” Will complained as Victoria left the recovery room. She walked over to Vree, linked arms with her and started giggling. "I have a date with William McCulloch.”

"Why are you talking in an Irish accent?” Mayla asked as Victoria giggled some more. "Maybe this wasn't such a good idea if you're going to act like a silly teenager about it."

Commander Mayla Vree

Holodeck, *USS Resurrection*

Stardate 2105.02

Mayla sat calmly at the console that looked like a complete studio for recording videos for entertainment. After her visit to Starfleet Medical, she reported back to Lazarus with what she learned from his account of the attack, especially the small insignia McCulloch pointed out he thought he saw on the armor of one of the attackers. Lazarus then ordered her to compile all of the information they had and recreate the scene as best as she could in case any recorded visual information may reveal clues where the attackers may have taken Thompson. Hopefully not back to their home where they wouldn't be able to follow.

Fortunately, Lieutenant Stone had quickly ran a visual recorder of all the locations inside and surrounding the Pickering house where the attack had occurred. Along with the scans she took when she was investigating the perimeter, Mayla was able to piece together what the grounds looked like in reference to an extrapolated orbital map. The recordings' resolution wasn't high enough for a full holodeck simulation, but based on the amount of time they had before Starfleet Security showed up, it was better than just images.

She also had the recorded accounts from Robert Pickering, McCulloch, and Beckett, who was also sitting with her to work through the sequence of events from the beginning of the attack. He was the one who started to compile the events together to line it up in chronological order. She created various detailed objects of significance to be represented during the attack. Beckett had just placed the events in order when Jahkar and Sh'avelith walked in.

"What do you have?" Jahkar asked immediately as there's only two reasons his CO would be in the holodeck, and it didn't look like Mayla and Beckett were fighting each other in a training sim.

"Verbal accounts attached to a visual representation of the events on the Pickering estate where the attack and kidnapping occurred." She waved her hand above the large table and a three dimensional model of the retired sergeant major's estate materialized in front of them. "Stone made a visual recording of the house and I of the surrounding wooded area before Starfleet Security kicked everyone out. I want a visual event accounting while the information is still fresh. This attack happened just about five hours ago." She waved another hand that opened up character cards in the air of everyone involved, including the tactical drones. She pulled all the ones representing the attackers into the wooded perimeter of the house. Beckett pulled the cards representing McCulloch, Thompson, and the Pickerings and placed them in their spots.

Mayla was about to say something to Jahkar, then lost her train of thought. She shook her head trying to clear up the muddiness. It seemed the aftereffects of the bloodwine was still impacting some of her cognitive abilities.

"You alright?" Jahkar asked, noticing the slightly confused look on her face. She's usually not confused when she is focused on a task.

"Just some aftereffects of bloodwine. Lieutenant Sh'avelith, can you go to the Infirmary and get me something for it? I need my head on straight."

"Aye, right away."

"Bloodwine?" Jahkar asked. "But you don't drink."

Mayla nearly rolled her eyes at the third time someone's mentioned it today. "Had four hours of drinking bloodwine with Ambassador Worf. Vintage 2309."

Jahkar did a double take. "That's a lot of bloodwine, and a very good year. Ambassador Worf. Really?"

She just gave him a nod. She closed her eyes and took several deep breaths to get her mind in focus. "Robert Pickering is a retired sergeant major of the Federation Marines. He had perimeter sensors set into the ground to cover the surrounding property, including the house. He also had ones in the trees. He had a weapons stash in the house too. From a Marine's perspective, how else would you defend the property in a civilian setting?"

Colonel Jahkar

Holodeck, *USS Resurrection*

Stardate 2105.03

Jahkar pondered the question and considered how he had prepared security at the house on Bajor. Looking over the stats on Pickering’s preparations, he couldn’t see doing anything much different.

“He’s pretty spot on with what I’d have done, and what I’ve done at my house on Bajor,” said Jahkar. “Similar security. I employ a transport inhibitor inside the dwelling to prevent anyone from beaming people in or out. Transport usually takes place 20-30 meters outside the house.

“He could employ drones, equipped with incapacitating weapons. I had considered that on Bajor, but opted not to be too paranoid.”

Jahkar looked to Mayla, “That’s the most I can imagine in a civilian setting.”

Lt. Tiri Sh’avelith

*USS Resurrection*

Stardate 2105.04

Tiri jogged the distance from the holodeck to the medical bay, which didn’t take long because nothing on the Vigilant-escort was a long distance away. When she arrived in the med bay, the holographic doctor was activated, seated at her desk, and she looked up.

“Oh, you’re back,” the doctor said. “Did you have a good shore leave?”

Tiri was rummaging through a cabinet looking for a vial of an anti-inflamminant to help Commander Vree. She nodded, “Yes, it was great. I need something for a hangover, doc.”

“Enjoyed yourself a great deal it sounds like?” the hologram said, with a raised eyebrow.

“It’s not for me,” she said. “It’s for Commander Vree.”

"That's interesting. I thought she didn't drink." The doctor walked over and tapped some commands into the holographic screen at one of the medical stations and a loaded hypospray materialized from the medical replicator. She then walked over and handed it to Tiri.

“You’ll have to fill me in on the details later,” the doctor said. “Here you go.”

Tiri smiled and gave the doc a nod before running back to find Vree and Jahkar. She ran into the holodeck and approached the two with hypo in hand.

“Are you ready for this, Commander?” she asked.

Commander Mayla Vree

Holodeck, *USS Resurrection*

Stardate 2105.04

"Give it to me," Mayla said to Sh'avelith. The Andorian pressed the spray to her neck and pressed the injection stud. The rush of the fast acting drugs entered her neck and her mind cleared quickly. "Thank you."

The small team worked together for the next few hours to piece the events into chronological order. Even when they played through the scenario several times, they could not find anything more than they already had. Occasionally Beckett would add little details to it from what he remembered seeing in the aftermath, in hopes it might be some sort of clue. Even Jahkar agreed, the team of attackers were well trained.

"Captain Lazarus suspects it might be an incursion from the Mirror Universe," he said.

Mayla gave him a slow nod. "I brought back the tactical drone Thompson disabled. Its interior design and workings were derived from a design my father had given to the Terran Resistance a decade ago when they were still fighting the Alliance."

"Your father gave them this design?" Everyone voiced together incredulously.

Mayla held up a hand to halt their disbelief. "It was the Terran Resistance back then. They were fighting against their own extinction by the Alliance. General Lars Naakon was their leader. Everything I'm telling you is classified. My father and Bravo Squad lived in the Mirror Universe for 15 months performing missions with them. But even before that, my father spent over a year with them alone and helped them form a covert operations organization similar to Shadow Operations. So in that time, we've accumulated a lot of data on what that universe was like and its history."

"But why do they want Daryl?" Beckett asked.

"I don't know. But until we get word from the Captain or the Admiral, we can only show them our findings and let them decide our next course of action." She looked around to everyone standing around the holographic display of the Pickering estate centered on the table. They did not outwardly show it, but the concern for Thompson was there. They had to find and rescue him.

"What you see here is everything we have, except for this." She tapped a key on the table and a small emblem appeared. "McCulloch said he saw an insignia similar to this on the man who stabbed him." She applied the emblem to all the character cards of the attackers. "If we discover the quantum signature of the two bodies we brought back, with the drone, and this emblem are from the Mirror Universe, we have to figure out how to track this signature in our own Galaxy to find Thompson. And that's only assuming they are still here."

"And if not?" Jahkar asked.

Mayla didn't want to say it, but it was the truth. "Then we may never see Daryl Thompson again."

Lt. Ryramorl La’an Ra’yral

Ambassador Ryramorl Yarman Delta Ra’yral

Ensign Reepchip Charatetet

Ry’ala’ara Ra’yral

Special Forces Agent Rygaran D’Hronarin

Spacedock

Stardate 2105.04

As the Carnora finished their meal, they discussed how to arrange things. Ry’ala’ara and Ee’an would stay on Earth, as part of Ryramorl Yarman Delta’s aides, which would allow Ryramorl to see them more often when he could.

Rygaran had also been posted on Earth to be the Ambassador’s bodyguard.  The two typed on their PADDs to make arrangements for future contact, leaving them on the table for now.

“I know of a good speech doctor to help Ee’an learn Federation Standard,” said Ambassador Ra’yral.

“Why would I need a speech doctor?” asked Ee’an.

“Carnora are physically incapable of pronouncing the sounds of Federation Standard,” explained Reepchip.  “But with special training, we can come close enough that humanoids can understand us.”

“And for Murans, it slows you down enough so that anyone can understand you,” joked Ryramorl La’an.

“I’ll teach Ee’an in the ways of modern weaponry as well,” said Rygaran.

Ryramorl La’an nodded.  “Don’t look disappointed, Ee’an.  You may not be able to go on this long hunt, but an experience such as the one you’re getting will prepare you better as a La’an than any long hunt could.”

Ry’ala’ara nodded.  “As the saying goes, ‘The leader who starts on the ground stands firmly, he who starts high soon finds himself walking on the wind.’”

Suddenly, a PADD beeped.  “I think that’s mine,” said Rygaran, picking it up.  He switched to Federation Standard.  “Yes?”

Ryramorl suddenly realized Rygaran had picked up the wrong PADD when he heard Mayla on the other end.  “Who is this?”

“...Agent Rygaran D’Hronarin in the Danro Mountains.  I take it you wished to speak with First Elder Name Ryramorl in the La’an Tribe of Ra’yral?”

Lt. Commander William McCulloch

Starfleet Medical, Earth

Stardate 2105.01

After Victoria and Mayla left, the Scot eased himself into his pillow and smiled to himself. He was already starting to feel the effects of the latest dose of painkillers the marine physician had administered to him and he slowly started to nod off.

As he dozed, he dreamt not of Victoria or loved ones but rather the firefight at the Pickering Estate. The images of Daryl lying on the ground, blood oozing out of his ears, repeated over and over in his mind. Similarly, the painful yelp of Ducky as a concussion grenade detonated echoed simultaneously with the grunts and curses of the operative he grappled with on the living room floor just before Thompson was abducted.

But worst of all, the voice of Vree drowned out the never ending nightmare as she criticized and questioned each of his actions during his shore leave.

Will woke up early the next morning with a gasp. Pain shot through his chest as his mind raced to irrational conclusions. As he tried to collect his senses his eyes darted around the room in confusion. He struggled to get out of bed but the pain was simply overwhelming.

After a few minutes of breathing exercises to calm himself, Will came to the inevitable conclusion… Vree was right. The entire firefight at the Pickering Estate, as well as resulting casualties, were all on him. It was all his fault.

Will sighed softly, and sunk his head into his chest. After a moment of sad reflection, he layed back on his bed and simply stared at the ceiling as he dwelled upon his misfortune. It didn’t matter if things were now going well with Victoria because he had allowed his friend to be abducted, retired marines injured and himself stuck like a pin cushion.

He cursed himself over and over again until Will’s doctor entered the recovery room and greeted him with a simple "Good morning.”

McCulloch buried the feelings deep down and focused on the doctor’s initial questions. As the examination continued, the marine physician examined the Scot, checked his wound and entered a few notes onto the padd he was carrying. Afterward he looked up at McCulloch.

"I think you’ll be ready for discharge in the next 36 to 48 hours, Lieutenant Commander. How’s the pain?”

"Better, but still pretty bad.” The Scot conceded as images of shattered glass raining down on him replayed over and over in his mind.

"Alright, I’m going to hit you with another dose of painkillers, but we’re going to start weaning you off of these later today.” The physician replied as he slapped a hypospray against the Scot’s neck. There was a brief hiss followed by McCulloch relaxing.

"Your nurse friend is back this morning and she’s playing dress up for you.” The marine noted with a smile as he again examined McCulloch’s wound. "It’s a cute costume if you ask me.”

As McCulloch started to feel the effects of the hypospray, the images and flashes of the Pickering Estate fight quickly faded away.

Victoria entered the recovery room about five minutes later with a wide smile. McCulloch did a double take as he instantly realized she was clad in black tactical gear. Her red hair was pulled back in a ponytail and a ballistic helmet and goggles hung from her right hip. A medical kit was slung across her back. The only marking on her uniform were three solid pips identifying her rank and a patch on her shoulder armor. The Scot shuddered quietly for a moment as his mind flashed back once again to that final and desperate hand to hand fight he had with the operative before being shot and stabbed.

He quietly swallowed and then smiled at Victoria.

"What do you think?” She asked as she spun around and showed off her field uniform.

"It’s a good look.” McCulloch replied softly.

"I’m running the team through medical extraction drills on a Colorado mountain range today so I wanted to stop by before we moved out.”

McCulloch eyed Victoria’s shoulder patch momentarily before gesturing her to come closer. She turned to the side and leaned in so he could inspect it more closely. Will ran his fingers across the patch and studied it carefully. It was a red cross on a white field. The unit designation "Union-XII” was displayed across the center of the logo. Above and below the design was the motto "To Serve Our Operatives*.*

The Scot smiled. The motto almost had a calming effect. "So we’re YOUR operatives?”

"We’re the angels that are going to keep each of your sorry asses alive Lieutenant Commander.” Victoria replied confidently as she stood up and prepared to leave. "Fun fact, we’ve each been assigned a member of the Phoenix Team to study.”

"Study what?

"Medical history.” The nurse answered. "We’re each rotating through Phoenix Team’s medical profiles over the next few weeks so each member of the Union 12 team knows your health inside and out if we need to treat you in the field.”

"So are you studying me?” Will slurred slightly as the effects of the painkillers ramped up.

"Oh God, no. I picked Jahkar.” Victoria replied before making a purring noise and then snorting with laughter.

McCulloch rolled his eyes. "Who has me?”

"Honestly, no one wanted you….well, except me, of course. But if I selected you first it would have been seen as a conflict of interest.”

"Who picked me?” The Scot repeated.

Victoria ignored Will’s question. "Most of the younger women on the team wanted Reepchip because he’s so gosh darn awesome. But you....”

"Reepchip?” McCulloch interrupted incredulously.

"We think he’s awesome.” She repeated matter-of-factly.

The Scot sighed in defeat as Victoria continued.

"Warrant Officer Hannigan was assigned to you. She’s from Ireland so you two should be able to understand each other perfectly despite the marble gargling accents you both have.”

"Ouch. Tough crowd.”

"Tough crowd.” Victoria repeated. "When you get out of here, you should come by and watch us train. I can ask one of my lieutenants to accompany you so he can answer any questions you may have.”

"I will most certainly do that.”

Victoria rested her hand on Will’s and leaned towards him. "Take it easy today. I told the doctor I would look after you upon discharge so I’m hoping that will convince him to release you tomorrow instead of the next day.”

"Thanks, Victoria.”

"Mayla may be by later today to ask some more questions. Be on your best behavior with her Will.” She warned. The Scot nodded in the affirmative.

As Commander Smith started to exit the recovery room, Will called after her.

"Victoria. It’s a good look.”

The nurse looked down at her tactical uniform, smiled, and then left the room.

Commander Mayla Vree

Starfleet Medical, Earth

Stardate 2105.05

Mayla beamed back down to Starfleet Medical the next day, but this time without Victoria. She had to take her Union XII team on a training outing and wouldn't be back for some time. In her hand was what looked like a briefcase, but it was a much smaller version of a holographic table. She wanted to run through yesterday's events holographically with McCulloch to see if he would remember any additional details.

The weather was much different today in San Francisco; sunny with a slight breeze coming off the ocean. This time from the vantage point on top of the hill at Starfleet Medical, the view of San Francisco showed just how many tall buildings could be crammed into the small 75 square kilometer space. In its history, San Francisco and the Bay Area had been plagued with constant earthquakes for thousands of years, preventing any buildings to be built that were higher than about 350 meters (about 63 levels).

But ever since the creation of the Fault Stabilization Project almost 200 hundred years ago, they had adapted the theories of Vulcan geological scientists and were able to stabilize and control the friction between tectonic plates. Thereby reducing the magnitude and number of earthquakes. Because of the combination of the faults stretching from the ocean to land, the first testbeds used were both the San Andreas and Hayward faults that run beneath San Francisco and throughout the Bay Area. After several years of continued testing and development of the tectonic stabilization technology (tectech), the Great Sumatran Fault was next to be stabilized in the ocean off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. Then the Tohoku Fault in Japan was next. And so on. For the past 200 years, high impact faults around the planet were slowly stabilized, and structures became taller on stable ground.

When Mayla arrived on the trauma floor, she went to the nurse's station and queued in line behind a group of people who seemed to all want to visit the same person. She waited patiently when a shorter betazoid female in a medical vest approached straight to the station to confer with one of the nurses on duty behind the desk.

"Anne, can you please schedule a counseling session for me with William McCulloch before he's discharged?"

Mayla turned to look at the woman and instantly recognized her. She waited for her to finish talking to the nurse before flagging her down. "Counselor?"

The woman turned to look at her with instant recognition. "Oh my, Mayla Vree."

Lieutenant Commander Desiree Klomden looked at her up and down before smiling with a slight somber spark of a memory of experiences shared from her past with Bravo Squad. It had been nearly two decades since she'd seen 'this' version of Mayla Vree.

"Hello, Dee. It's good to see you." Mayla said and gave her a secret smile. There was a tickling in Mayla's mind as Klomden's telepathic mind reached out to her, instantly reconnecting an old familial bond the two once had. "Do I now look like from what you remember?"

Klomden gave her a stern look and grabbed her arm to pull her aside, beyond earshot of anyone. "That, Little One, is classified!" She whispered urgently. But she held the taller Trill at arms length for just a moment before giving her a crushing hug. "Look at you, all grown up."

"And you, a counselor at Starfleet Medical. What would they think if they knew you used to be a covert operative once." Mayla said, returning the hug.

The Betazoid pulled back and kept beaming her smile. "I'm very happy here, so don't mess this up for me!" Then she cocked her head. "How did you-?"

"Let's just say I followed in my father's footsteps."

"Of course. Right." Now Klomden nodded her head remembering more as the flood of memories came back. Commander Mayla Vree and the Bravo Squad from the future had come back in time to protect the timeline of events. They had to enlist the Bravo Squad of the present time for help. Doing some quick calendar math in her head, they hadn't arrived at 'that' Commander Mayla Vree's future of events yet. But she looked at the once little girl and it was hard to reconcile her with this woman standing in front of her. All she can relate her to was the Commander Mayla Vree from that mission. "Well, I see we have another Commander Vree in our midst."

"He's Admiral Vree now."

Klomden chuckled. "I'm sure that went over well with him. The last time I heard about him, my Aunt Kiana was still working with him?"

"They are. I just saw Captain Ammelis last month on Vulcan. At Admiral Sorvek's funeral."

The Betazoid became instantly sad, remembering the moment when she received the news. The two friends continued talking until Klomden's chronometer chimed. "I'm sorry, I have to go. Another appointment. But if you're going to be around, let me know? We can catch up."

Mayla nodded. "I will definitely. But you know, duty calls."

"Aye, that it will. And that it does. Take care of yourself, Little One." Klomden said and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

Mayla watched her hurry away to her appointment. Her childhood memories of the Betazoid was of a somber, sad, woman who kept to herself most of the time. It took Kyril a long time to break her out of the shell, and Mayla remembered it had started at her birthday party.

She shook away the memories and decided to just go straight to McCulloch's room without checking in at the nurse's station. She needed to see if she could jog his memory of any more details of the attack that could turn into a clue.

Lt. Cody Beckett

*USS Resurrection*

Stardate 2105.03

After Beckett had been debriefed by Lazarus and Vree, he had been training, trying to catch some sleep, and train some more. Now he dwelled purposelessly through the ship. He still had to cope with what happened. While he was having a good time with Sarah(which he couldn't stop thinking of),McCulloch and Thompson, along with the Pickerings, had been fighting for their lives.

He felt guilty as hell for that...Daryl was kidnapped and McCulloch was stabbed and had been transferred to Starfleet Medical Facility. The pondering just went on and on.

“Enjoying your dinner alone?” He heard a voice beside him. It was Darva. She looked weary. Beckett didn’t realize he had walked into the mess hall, grabbed a plate of food and sat down to eat.

Beckett smiled sheepishly “Yeah, yeah…" He cleared his throat, to regain his composure…"I didn’t even realize I came here. Pretty much preoccupied with all that happened. He said. He looked at the Scottish redhead.

"May I sit down? " McGuire asked.

"Of course" Beckett said, looking at his plate and realizing that what was on it, wasn't really what he wanted. He shoved the plate aside and looked again at Darva. He couldn't suppress the thought that she really was a beautiful woman, with her lush, thick, curly red hair and her piercing green eyes. Daryl had really pulled the lucky number with her.

"I was thinking to go to Earth and visit Daryl's sisters. They may not even know their brother is kidnapped. I was wondering if you care to join me, maybe we can see McCulloch afterwards. Visitors are allowed, he is getting better."

Beckett nodded, yet he cringed inside as he mentally visualised the reaction of Demi and Sharon, Daryl's sisters, when they heard that McCulloch was injured and hospitalized

"Sure, when do you want to go? Beckett asked.

"We can go now, I already sent a message that we are coming over" Darva replied.

"Ok, then let's go" Beckett said.

Half an hour later, Cody and Darva stepped up the small stairs leading to the entrance of the house where the Thompson sisters lived.

As they reached the door, it opened automatically, and Darva walked in, followed by Cody. Sharon and Demi were both in the kitchen, making dinner.. When they saw Darva and Cody they smiled and both walked around the kitchen block to welcome both SO operatives.

"Hi there, so good to see you. " Demi said.

"What brings you here? " Sharon  added.

"I'm afraid that we don't have good news… " Darva said. "Daryl has been kidnapped" The room felt silent for a few moments.

“Well, that would explain why various Starfleet officers and local authorities wanted to speak with us earlier today.” Jeff announced from the corner he typically sulked in.

“What?” Demi exclaimed as she turned around and glared at her husband. “What do you mean authorities want to speak with us?”

“Well, they had questions about Daryl, Cody and that Scottish jackass…”

“Hey, chooses your words carefully mate.” Darva replied as she eyed Jeff, debating if it would take one or two strikes to drop him.”That jackass was one of Daryl’s friends and he was badly injured trying to protect their brother.”

“Will is injured?” Sharon gasped as she brought her hands up to her mouth. “Is...is he alive?”

All Jeff could do was snicker and mutter to himself “Served the bastard right.”

“Take a walk Jeff.” Demi announced as she leaned into a kitchen counter, her entire body shaking in fear from the news she just received. When Jeff left the house she looked at Darva. “What happened.”

Darva and Cody chose their words carefully, unsure what they could and could not tell the Thompson sisters.

“There was a house break the first night we stayed here.” Beckett started. “Will believed it could have been something significant but we brushed it aside and then lied to the two of you about it so as to not alarm you.”

The two women started to become hysterical as they started to look around the room for signs of entry. Darva successfully calmed them down and then guided them to a couch in the adjacent room. Once the pair was seated, Cody continued.

“The next day we all went to see Sarah Pickering and her family. Long story short…” Beckett trailed off as he searched for the appropriate words.

“There was a firefight.” Darva interrupted. “I can’t tell you much more other than Daryl was the target of the attack and is missing. Will McCulloch was badly wounded and nearly died.”

Demi and Sharon looked at each other and started sobbing. They leaned in to console each other. After a moment of loudly sobbing, Sharon looked up at Darva. “Will, is he alive?”

“Yes we don’t know where Daryl is and he could be dead but hey let’s talk about McCulloch.” The Scottish security chief quipped, annoyed that attention had turned solely towards McCulloch.

The two women simply responded with louder wails and sobs. Eventually, Demi caught her breath and looked at Beckett.

“Why aren’t you injured?” She demanded as she gasped for air.

Cody looked down at the floor and stated softly, “I wasn’t there. I was off with Sarah.”

At first, Thompson’s sisters glared at Beckett but after a moment of awkward silence they relaxed and nodded in understanding.

“Where’s Daryl?” Sharon asked after reflecting upon Darva’s harsh words.

“We don’t know...yet.” The Scot replied. “ We’re looking into it. “Jeff successfully chased away some of the authorities but if anyone contacts you from this point forward, you need to speak with them. Even the littlest, most minor detail may help us find him.”

The Thompson sisters continued to cry and moan for several more minutes before Cody and Darva were able to calm them down. After a few moments of silence, Darva again encouraged the pair to cooperate with the authorities and prepared to leave the residence.

“Where are you two going?” Sharon asked.

“We’re going to visit Will.” Beckett announced.

The two women suddenly perked up and looked at each other. “You’re going to visit Will?”

“Sure, do you want to come?” Cody replied as Darva shot a look at her companion. Instantly, the two women stood up and raced to their respective bedrooms.

“What the bloody hell is wrong with you?” Darva asked as she punched Beckett in the arm. “There’s a rumor going around the Resurrection that McCulloch’s ex-wife tried to reconcile with him. The last thing he needs is this drama on top of Daryl being missing.”

“The throat puncher? Will’s reconciling with her? I had no idea.” Beckett replied with confusion.

“It’s a rumor.”

“She still punched him in the throat.”

“The fact that she throat punched her ex-husband makes me want to hang out with her even more.” Darva countered.

“Actually twice...she throat punched him twice.” Beckett conceded nervously.

Darva smiled for the first time that day. “We’re going to become best friends.”

“McCulloch was all over these two like a hungry bear on meat a few days ago. When did the attempt to reconcile happen?” Cody asked.

“After the attack.”

Beckett winced. “These two were probably a day away from coming to blows over him. Demi kissed McCulloch and Sharon was trying to bed him.”

“Demi is married and Sharon is an idiot.” Darva noted with disgust. As she stood there, the two sisters returned to the living room dressed as if they were going clubbing. Both wore outfits that were too short, exposed too much skin and revealed little to the imagination.

Darva stiffened as her brogue became thicker. “Yer aff yer heid if ya think that will work on McCulloch ya cows.”

Demi and Sharon looked at each other and shrugged their shoulders in confusion. Darva exhaled in frustration.

“We just learned Will’s ex-wife is trying to reconcile with him.” Beckett added. “Darva and I would appreciate it if you would respect Will as he works through this recent development.”

Sharon laughed out loud. “So he’s not married? Fair game!”

“Yeah, like being married is going to be a roadblock.” Demi chimed in sarcastically as she gestured for Sharon to follow her outside.

After the sisters left, Darva looked over at Beckett and punched him hard on the left shoulder. She paused for a moment and then punched him two more times. “I barely know this McCulloch and already I’m cleaning up his mess with women. He is such a man whore and I really don’t need this right now!”

Cody looked agitated while he rubbed his shoulder. Why was everyone mad at him? As if he could help it Daryl was kidnapped… and McCulloch was such a….. Manwhore…

Thirty minutes later, Darva, Beckett and the Thompson sisters materialized outside of Starfleet’s Medical Facility in San Francisco.Beckett had desperately tried to dissuade the sisters from visiting the Scot. Darva even lied and argued that the facility was closed to the public. Unfortunately, the two women were two steps ahead of the officers and already knew the public visiting hours. The sisters adjusted their skirts, checked their hair and started to make their way to the front lobby.

Lt. Commander William McCulloch

Lt. Cody Beckett

Starfleet Medical, Earth

Stardate 2105.03

McCulloch spent most of the day trying to keep his mind off of the fiasco that was the firefight at the Pickering Estate.

Earlier, Mayla had returned to question the Scot once again. Her probing questions, coupled with his own reflection of what transpired before and during the violent exchange left him in a black mood. As a result he found himself once again staring up at the ceiling, replaying the skirmish again and again in his mind.

As he laid in his bed, he heard the “click” and “clack” sound of heels approaching his room. The Scot assumed it was a medical administrator stopping by to start processing his discharge. However, seconds later Demi and Sharon Thompson rounded the corner and entered his room.

“You have to be #&^%ing me.” McCulloch muttered to himself.

Sharon immediately pushed Demi to the side and rushed to his bedside. She hopped onto the bed, pushed herself against the Scot and kissed him right on the lips.

“Oh Will, I heard how you almost died!” She announced before looking scornfully over at her sister and then back at him. “What can I do to help you recover?”

Demi circled the bed, and plopped down on his other side. The bouncing of the bed jarred the Scot and he winced in pain. Where the heck was that marine physician when he needed him?

“I heard you fought like a wolf to protect my brother Will. How can I ever thank you.” Demi cooed as she withdrew a bottle of Pickering whiskey from the bag she was carrying and held it up to show McCulloch

“Did you tell the Thompson sisters anything about the firefight at the Pickering Estate?” Darva demanded of Beckett.

“No, not a word.”

“Well, this is going to be a good show.” she replied as she folded her arms, leaned against a nearby wall and started to watch the events unfold.

“Did you think of your Scottish roses while you were fighting for our brother Daryl?”

“He didn’t use the Scottish rose line on them did he?” Darva looked over at Beckett. She had a look of disappointment on her face. “Bloody hell, every man in Scotland uses that bloody line I tell ya!”

Since the arrival of the Thompson sisters, McCulloch had tried to send every signal possible to the pair that he was not in the mood nor willing to resume the flirtatious cat and mouse game that the trio had played only days earlier.

Admittedly, both of the sisters looked...spectacular and their outfits left little to nothing to the imagination. Yet Will had made a promise to Victoria...and Vree...that he would work doubly hard to win Victoria’s heart again.Nevertheless, Demi and Sharon continued to vie for McCulloch’s attention. Beckett watched the events unfold before him with total fascination.

“These two need to go.” Darva replied with a hint of both disgust and concern as she started to approach the bedside. Beckett grabbed her arm and stopped her from interfering.

“What the bloody hell are you doing?” She hissed at Cody.

Beckett let go of Darva's arm. "Let him work this out himself. "

Beckett ignored the piercing glare. Of Darva as he looked in slight amusement how McCulloch handled the Thompson Sisters.

Finally, McCulloch spoke. “Ladies, I truly appreciate the visit as well as all of the attention each of you has showered upon me. While days ago I would have considered myself quite a fortunate man to have not one but two beautiful lasses like yourselves fighting for my love and attention. Aye, a fortunate man indeed.”

“We can fight for that.” Demi unexpectedly offered as she looked up at McCulloch doe eyed.

“You have to be #$%^ing me.” Darva huffed as something caught her attention over her left shoulder.

McCulloch ignored the sisters’ overture and continued. “You see lasses, since my injury I have had an opportunity to perhaps reconnect the woman I was meant to be with. I have always loved her and God willing given the chance, I will once again be with the most beautiful women I have ever laid eyes upon.”

Demi and Sharon looked at each other in stunned silence. Seconds later Sharon snorted with laughter and poked Will his wound. “You’re so funny!”

“Seriously, if you want we can fight this woman for your attention.” Demi repeated as she batted her eyes.

McCulloch simply groaned in pain and annoyance.

Suddenly, a black gloved hand landed on Sharon’s bare shoulder with a loud thud. The Thompson sister mouthed the word “ow” while Demi sat up and then slowly hopped down from the Scot’s bed.

“What the hell Darva, stop pawing me!” Sharon exclaimed as she turned around. However, instead of Thompson’s girlfriend, she was confronted with a red-headed commander dressed in black operative gear. Her face was stained in random spots with dirt and black camouflage face paint. Her outfit was also soiled from her day in the field.

“Off the bed now.” Victoria hissed at Sharon before letting loose a string of Trill profanities.

“Hey … Victoria!” Will nervously exclaimed. The nurse looked past Thompson’s sister and eyed him suspiciously before pointing directly at him with a gloved hand. “You, shut it. The only thing saving your ass right now is I overheard what you just said.”

“I bet she throat punches one of them.” Beckett whispered to Darva. Darva looked at Cody.

“Shut up Cody.” She said after considering a few seconds what to reply.

Sharon stood up and looked down at Victoria. There was at least a two inch height difference between the two women. The nurse studied the Thompson girl in silence. She estimated it would only take a palm strike to the nose to end this fiasco. Then again, was William McCulloch worth it? He had better be after what she heard him say. The nurse took a step closer towards Sharon and puffed slightly up.

“I’ve spent the day dragging or carrying wounded operatives through the mountains, live firing my weapons and drafting reports. I’ve still got plenty of energy to step outside to discuss this with you if you want.”

Sharon instantly realized that although she had the height and the reach against Victoria, there was no scenario where she would win a cat fight. She looked over at her sister Demi who was slowly backing away from McCulloch’s bed. She then glanced at Darva.

“Don’t look at me.” Darva announced. “I’m on Team Red for this fiasco. I warned you for the two of you not to do this and you ignored my advice. Play with fire, get burned.”

Victoria eyed both sisters before smiling sweetly. “The Thompson sisters, of course.”

“The ex-wife.” Demi nervously replied.

Victoria then looked over at Darva and snapped her fingers at the Scottish security chief to get her attention. “What’s the word I’d be looking for in Scottish for these two ladies?”

“I believe the appropriate word would be ‘hoor’.” Darva replied as she folded her arms and smiled at the nurse. Demi and Sharon looked at their brother’s girlfriend in shock.

“Really?” Victoria asked as she directed her attention back towards Darva. “I honestly thought it would be something more … flowery.”

“I could teach you a few flowery Gaelic words if you’d like.” Beckett nervously announced.

Victoria looked at the lieutenant as if he had two heads before waving away the offer. She then turned her attention back to the Thompson girls and calmly and coldly told the pair in Trill it was time to leave. When they looked at the nurse in confusion, Victoria smiled again and announced “I said it’s time for the hoors to leave before I kick their asses.”

Sharon and Demi quietly gathered their things. Embarrassed, the pair started to walk towards the door. En route, Sharon stopped and turned towards Will.

“Will, if it doesn’t work out…”

“No.” Victoria interrupted as she took the black gloves off her hands and loosened her ponytail. “Keep walking or I promise you’ll end up in a bed at this facility.”

“Holy crap she’s so on Team Red.” Darva quietly announced to Beckett, smiling for the second time today.

Victoria tossed her gloves and the gear strapped to her body onto a nearby chair. She glared angrily at the Scot. “Did you invite these floozies to visit you today? Perhaps a final good by? Because if you did I swear to God William McCulloch I will have your body sent to one of many locations where no one...not even Mayla Vree … will be able to find it.”

“He didn’t.” Darva replied as she interrupted Victoria’s angry rant.

“Good.” The nurse replied as she continued to eye McCulloch before turning her attention back to Darva.

“I’m sorry to hear about Daryl. I hope he’s ok.”

McGuire smiled weakly and nodded in appreciation.

“Victoria.” Smith announced as she held out her hand to Darva.

“Darva.”

“If you need anything Darva, even to talk, you come find me.” Victoria replied with a warm smile.

“I’m going to take you up on that.”

“Good.” The nurse replied before setting her eyes on Beckett. She stared at him momentarily. “And then there is YOU. I saw you at the Pickering residence and with Sarah Pickering at the funeral. Let me guess, you’re the one who invited the Thompson girls to visit today?”

Beckett almost cringed as the fiery redhead looked at him. What was that with these women? He looked at McCulloch, who shrugged and showed a  "sorry, I can't help" face.

He sighed, "Yes I did. But I didn't do it on purpose. Also, these girls are as stubborn as

their brother. They would've come anyway, if not with us, then later"

"He's got a point there" McCulloch came to his aide.

Victoria shook her head, rolling her eyes. "Men! They're all the same! " She

turned towards McCulloch again. "Boy, be glad I heard what you said to them Thompson girls, otherwise I WOULD have throat punched you! Again!"

McCulloch squirmed in his bed momentarily. Victoria was furious. She eyed him suspiciously for a moment. She did want to throat punch him. But, she also heard what he said to the Thompson girls, which meant at the end of the day, she won. William McCulloch chose her over that long legged floozie and her sidekick.

Surprisingly, her memories and experiences of Jiarin urged her to give McCulloch a cautious pass. He said the right things, but it would be his actions in the long run that mattered.

And what about this Beckett fellow? She glanced over at him again and studied him momentarily. It was clear from her brief observations of him at both the funeral and the Pickering Estate that he was enamored with Sarah Pickering...damn her long legs and beautiful eyes. But, Smith did note that Cody seemed not as wild as McCulloch and Thompson and perhaps she was being too tough on him.

“He’s the quiet, shy one isn’t he?” She asked Darva without taking her eyes off the lieutenant.

“He is. Cody is a kind man and a love sick puppy.” Darva assured the nurse.

“Yes, Sarah Pickering, the pop-” Victoria checked herself before continuing. “-ular girl at Inverness. She’s going to eat you alive.”

“I hope so Ma’am.” Cody politely replied.

“Hmmm” The nurse replied before stepping towards Beckett. Cody was almost a foot taller than her, but still she didn’t back down.  She pointed her thumb back towards McCulloch. “You have my back on this one when the boys go out? Because if you do I will praise you to the high heavens with Sarah.”

Cody raised his eyebrow…he was actually getting fed up with these games. If Smith didn't trust McCulloch, then that was her friggin problem.

"Ma'am, with all due respect...I might be kind and gentle, but do not mistake me for a fool. And certainly not a babysitter. If you don't trust Lt. Commander McCulloch when he goes out, then that is not my problem. Nor will I be his babysitter as he is a grown up man. He makes his own decision and can make his own faults. It is not up to me to decide for him. Not when we are on shore leave or on a night out. So, no, I won't have your back. Ma'am"

Victoria sighed and nodded silently. Not only did she take out her anger on him, but she literally tried to turn him into McCulloch’s babysitter. What the hell was she thinking? Did she not trust McCulloch and if so, why the hell was she making overtures towards him?

She realized the stress of everything from the last few days was causing her to crack. Worse, she began to feel as if all of these sudden changes were causing her own feelings as well as that of Jiarin to lead her down a dark road. She checked herself again, closed her eyes and quietly engaged in a breathing exercise. Afterwards, she opened her eyes and looked over at Cody.

“Lieutenant, I truly apologize. I just acted inappropriately and offended you. Worse, I lashed out at you when of all people I had no reason to.”

Victoria took a shallow breath and continued. “For that I am sorry. Please understand that the last few days have been very stressful...as I am sure they have been for you, Darva and the rest of the team. It’s been difficult to process where all of this is going and I haven’t been myself. Regardless, what I just did was inexcusable and all I can say is I’m sorry and I hope you will accept my apology. If you are a friend of Will I hope I can get to know you better.

Beckett looked at Victoria, gauging her response. He actually hadn’t expected this reaction, but he agreed with her that it was quite a stressful time.

“Apologies accepted Commander,“ Cody nodded.

“And yes, I consider myself a friend of Will. In the short time he joined Phoenix Squad, we became quite well acquainted. “Cody thoughts trailed off,  back to the month of hard training for the IronMan competition which only was a few days ago. His thoughts dwelled back to that month, to all the fun they had even thought the training was harsh. And now, Daryl was gone missing, and Will almost died. Luckily he was patched up and would be back in full effect soon. Then his thoughts went back to Daryl. Where was he now ? Why did they take him ? Would he ever see him again….the words of Commander Vree had cut deep. His gaze moved to Darva. He could only imagine so much of what she must be going through. She had ‘lost’ Daryl already once, to find him again and lose him again now...

“Are you ok Lieutenant ?” Commander Smith’s voice rang through his thoughts, and Cody snapped out of his pondering back into reality.

“I’m sorry Ma’am. My thoughts wandered off….I am weary and just don’t know what to do. I know we are all working on the case to see if we can find any leads, but just standing around, either here or on the ship feels useless.” Cody sighed, and leaned back on the unoccupied bed behind him.

McCulloch cleared his throat. “We will find Daryl. Or he’ll find us. He survived 15 years in a real hellhole. And he’s a skilled SO operative. Don’t forget that. His hacking skills are extraordinary, as are his fighting skills. They picked someone who’s not to be messed with. “

Cody nodded.

“You are right Will. Yet, I keep wondering: Why Daryl?”

“Agreed. Once more...we will find out, eventually” McCulloch replied. He looked at Darva.

“He’d better come back, otherwise I feel obliged to take care of that beautiful lass McGuire” he said in his Scottish accent.

Victoria’s head jerked up in a mad glare towards McCulloch, then to Darva who looked as perplexed as Victoria.

“uh-oh…” Cody mumbled

Lt. Commander William McCulloch

Starfleet Medical, Earth

Stardate 2105.05

Victoria eyed the Scot carefully for a moment, regained her composure and looked at Beckett and Darva.

“Will you excuse us for a minute?”

McCulloch watched as Beckett and Darva stepped out of the room. Victoria turned back towards her ex-husband and smiled nervously at him.

“Darva? Really?”

“It was a joke.”

Victoria brushed the comment aside, cleared her throat and looked at the Scot. “I think I owe you an apology as well.”

McCulloch folded his arms across his chest, looked away from Victoria and shook his head with annoyance. The entire fiasco with the Thompson sisters and Victoria’s reaction he could understand. But the lashing out at Beckett as well as her demand that McCulloch be assigned a babysitter crossed the line and implied she had trust issues with the Scot ... but then again, why wouldn’t she? Not only had he betrayed the Federation but he betrayed her as well. Worse, just before their divorce she thought he was DEAD. And after the separation, he completely disappeared from her life once again...forcing her to deal with more than her fair share of ugly hardships alone.

But still, today’s reaction was outside the pale. A babysitter?

“Will?” Victoria softly stated.

The Scot initially chose not to answer as he mulled over his words carefully. After a few minutes he broke the awkward silence.

“This,” he started as he pointed back and forth between himself and Victoria, “will only work if there is mutual respect and trust between us. I know I have multiple hoops to jump through to earn your respect but adding a babysitting service is just bloody demeaning.”

Victoria nodded in understanding before replying. “Put yourself in my shoes when I entered this room. You have a reputation as a man whore and the first thing I see when I enter the room are two floozies fawning all over you.”

“Why do people keep calling me that?” McCulloch demanded.

“Because you are! You’ve bounced from relationship to relationship since our divorce.” Victoria countered.

“I am not a man whore.” The Scot protested.

“You most certainly are.” Beckett called from the hallway.

“You’re not helping.” The Scot replied before turning his attention back towards his ex-wife.

“Taryn Kane?” Victoria announced. “Want me to start there?”

“Really?” You’re going to dredge up a woman I had a relationship with after we got divorced? And besides, she’s dead.” McCulloch hissed.

“You still ran into her arms the first chance you got after we split.” Victoria countered. “What’s even worse is for years you told me you saw her only as a sister.”

“Ewww.” Darva and Beckett exclaimed from the hallway.

“I can’t believe you are dredging up something that happened years ago. Maybe we should talk about the men you were involved with after me.”

“There really wasn’t anyone after you.” Victoria shot back as she became angry again. “I dove into my work and nothing else. Besides, who would want to have a relationship with the woman who had Trill memories implanted in her head without her consent?”

There was an awkward pause before Will muttered “I would have.”

Victoria folded her arms across her chest and quietly replied “That’s because you're a fool in love right now.”

“And you get insanely jealous over me.” McCulloch shot back.

She threw her hands up in exasperation and mouthed “jackass” before collecting her tactical gear. She clipped her helmet and goggles back on her hip and slung her med kit over her shoulder.

“Goodnight Will.” Victoria announced as she started to walk out of the recovery room.

“You get jealous!” Will quipped, intentionally trying to make her angrier.

“I do not!” Victoria shouted over her shoulder. “Keep it up and the only date you’ll have will be of a holographic image of me.”

“You are incredibly cute when you’re angry!”

As she exited the recovery room, she held up her right hand and extended her middle finger back to the Scot. After she rounded the corner, she passed Beckett and Darva and smiled at them. She exchanged a few pleasantries with the pair, apologized again to Beckett for lashing out at him and continued on to the nearest turbolift.

When she stepped onto the turbolift, she ordered the computer to take her down to the lobby. Moments later she contradicted herself and ordered the transport to halt. She slumped against the wall and started to sob. She was mortified at her behavior in front of Will, Cody and Darva. Worse, the experiences of Jiarin reminded her she was quickly letting chaos and conflict get the better of her. She had spent years training and working to overcome the perception that she was a shy nurse who had to rely upon others simply to survive. For the last seven years she fought tooth and nail to get where and what she wanted.

And suddenly she realized what else she wanted.

After a moment of regaining her composure, Victoria stood up straight, wiped her eyes, straightened her tactical uniform and barked new orders to the turbolift computer. Suddenly, the transport reversed direction. Seconds later she emerged on Will’s floor,confidently strode back to his room and entered. She brushed past Beckett and Darva and walked directly towards McCulloch. The Scot looked confused as she forcefully grabbed the lapels of his hospital gown, pulled him towards her and kissed him.

McCulloch winced in pain but offered no resistance. Seconds later, she shoved him back down onto the bed. McCulloch again grunted in pain and slowly turned a bright red as his eyes darted between Victoria, Darva and Beckett. The nurse confidently smirked and stepped back from the Scot’s bed.

“That’s my girl!” Darva exclaimed with an evil smile.

“I thought you didn't kiss before the first date?” Will exclaimed in utter confusion.

“This \*is\* the first date you jackass.” She replied. “And you better charm me on the second.”

“I don’t think your mother Mayla Vree is going to approve of this.” McCulloch sarcastically observed.

“She’s not here is she?” Victoria replied as a memory of Jiarin saying the exact same thing to a Trill boy raced through her head.

She winked at the Scot, nodded once again to Beckett and Darva, spun around and started to catwalk out of the room. As she did, her feet became tangled and she almost tripped over herself. Regaining her composure, she looked back at the Scot and nervously smiled. Afterwards she quickly hustled out of the room.

“Oh honey, no.” Darva exclaimed as she shook her head in disappointment.

“Oh my God.” Beckett exclaimed as he tried to unsee the spectacle that just happened. He turned to McCulloch and started laughing. “She’s a dork! You have the hots for the dorky nurse.”

Back to top

## S3, E4, Act 3: The Day of Reckoning

Three Day of Reckoning, 1000 hours

Alpha Cell, Cardassia Prime

Stardate 2105.06

It was an important day for the Cardassian people. The Federation and its allies had withdrawn from their territory after 20 years of occupation and reconstruction.

Now, firmly in control of their own government, the new Detapa Council was going to be joined by representatives of the Federation, and the Klingon and Romulan empires, to mark the official handing over of the occupied Cardassian Union to its rightful leaders.

The council had been elected by the Cardassian people just months earlier, replacing the council appointed by the occupying forces. There was a president presiding over the government for the first time, rather than a military ruler, also voted into office by the people. It was a time of celebration for Cardassians across the union.

As the leaders gathered in the reconstructed Cardassian Central Command, above the planet a cloaked Keldon-class starship, built more than 20 years ago by the now extinct Obsidian Order, fitted with a cloak by the Romulan Empire for the ill-fated attack on the Founder Homeworld in 2371.

In that incident, a fleet of Keldons, along with another fleet of Romulan ships, amassed in the Gamma Quadrant to attack and destroy the changelings before they could make a move against the Alpha Quadrant. The Dominion, however, knew they were coming and eradicated the fleet before it could attack.

The ever-resourceful Obsidian Order, however, had hidden away several ships and a secret manufacturing facility deep in the Gamma Quadrant. Even though they lost at the Orias system, the Obsidian Order managed to leave behind a secret foothold in Dominion space.

Today, 20 years later, that foothold was a secret base now belonging to the Sons of Cardassia. It had become a base of operations known as Forward Base. From there, the Sons of Cardassia would deal a death blow to the Dominion…once and for all.

The Keldon orbiting Cardassia was sophisticated for a 20-year-old vessel. Refitted with new technology just months earlier, the ship was fitted with a slipstream drive, updated phasers and torpedoes making a match for most starships of 2395.

This Keldon was under the command of Tirlin Drajal who, along with a team of 20 highly trained Cardassian commandos, were in the transporter bay preparing to set out on their mission.

Nerad, Tirlin’s 2IC, approached as the squad finished donning their black armor and armed themselves with phasers.

“The team is ready,” Nerad reported. “Can you explain how we’re going to beam in past the dampening field and security sensors in the Central Command building?”

Tirlin finished strapping a bandolier of grenades on and looked at his 2IC with a grin, “Have faith, Nerad. I have provided for everything.”

“If we beam down and those systems are not shut down, we will be detected,” Nerad said.

“Relax, Nerad. Remember Prefect Radis, the politician we supported in the elections?” Tirlin said. “The one we sunk a fortune into his campaign. Well, we’ve called in that favor. Radis has helped several of our cell members infiltrate the building. They are shutting down the sensor grid and the dampening field to allow us inside.”

Nerad nodded and slowly smiled, “That’s….genius.”

“Democracy has its benefits, wouldn’t you say?” Tirlin laughed. “Before the Dominion, our political leaders were corrupt, but not often would they betray us. They’d be executed. Under this government the Federation pushed for, free elections and such, all you have to do is buy the cooperation of someone and they’ll turn against a government that has no teeth to bite back.”

“Gul Drajal!” the transporter operator called from his station in the huge transport bay, designed for mass deployment of troops. “The bridge says the dampening field and sensors are down.”

Tirlin looked at Nerad. “What did I tell you,” he then stood up and raised his voice, “Everyone, one minute to transport! I repeat, one minute!”

Tirlin and his 20, special forces trained commandos, wearing black body armor and helmets, collected their gear and weapons and moved onto the cargo bay transporter pad. When they put on the helmets, they closed around their faces, two glowing red lenses allowing the wearers to see.

In position, Tirlin looked around at his unit then turned toward the transporter operator. He gave him a nod and a moment later the 21 Cardassians were enveloped in transporter beams and were whisked away from the Keldon-class ship.

A moment later, the band of rebels materialized in three groups of seven, putting them on three sides of the main chamber of Central Command where the Detapa Council and a group of VIPs from the former occupation forces were assembled.

There was instant pandemonium when the squad from the Sons of Cardassia arrived. Immediately, security forces in the chamber drew weapons and fired on the attackers, only to be greeted with a fast, deadly accurate counterattack by Tirlin and his group.

Cardassian soldiers, trained by the Federation and her allies to act as a defense force for the Cardassian Union in the absence of the occupation forces, fell hopelessly throughout the chamber – no match for the Sons of Cardassian who had spent the better part of the last 20 years training, preparing for this day when they would strike back at everything that had been taken from them, everything that had been done to them.

Members of Tirlin’s group moved to secure all entryways into the chamber, while the unit’s tech expert moved to a computer station and began to take over all of the security systems in the building.

As the last defending soldier was killed, Tirlin and his team spread out and trained their weapons on the 21 members of the council and the Cardassian who had been elected the first president of the Cardassian Union, Tola Peltek. She rose from her place at the head of the chamber and glared at the attackers, “How dare you interrupt these proceedings! I don’t know who you are, but you won’t get away with this!”

Tirlin retracted the faceshield of his helmet and pointed a phaser at Peltek, “Madam President…sit down and shut up. This place is under our control now and you are prisoners of the Sons of Cardassia.”

Glinn Vokar spoke up from the computer station used by the sergeant at arms, “Dampening fields are in place. All entrances are sealed.”

“Set up the transport inhibitors,” Tirlin ordered, sending three of his soldiers into action removing equipment from packs they carried. “That will ensure that if they get past the dampening field they won’t be able to beam anyone in our out of the chamber.”

“This is an outrage!” General Kron, the Klingon representative here, shouted from his place beside Federation Ambassador Serok and Romulan Senator Laris. “You cowardly petaQs! My government will not stand…”

Tirlin levelled his phaser at the Klingon and blasted him on stun, sending him toppling out of his chair and sprawled him out on his back.

“Anyone else?” Tirlin asked, stepping forward toward the center of the room. “Everyone, just relax. You are our prisoners. No one is going anywhere and we are here for the long haul.”

The chamber fell silent. Tirlin nodded and then turned toward a couple more of his team, “Initiate Order 1A.”

The two helmeted Cardassians nodded and turned to head out of the chamber. Vokar opened the doors for them and let them loose into the outer ring of the Central Command Building. Once outside the main chamber, the two Sons of Cardassia immediately encountered a handful of security officers who they made short order of in a brief firefight.

Once there was no more resistance, the two terrorists removed their packs and removed what appeared to be a drone from each sack. When they deployed the drones, the units were equipped with self-replicating abilities and immediately reproduced, spawning four smaller drones from each main unit.

The ten drones were then sent off to patrol the other areas of the Central Command Building with the orders to seek and destroy anyone deemed a threat and either corral and detain stragglers, or stun blast them into submission.

Back in the main chamber, the SOC terrorists finished with the transport inhibitors and Tirlin moved to the president’s podium, where he accessed a communications station and opened a general hail using the holographic communicator.

“The Sons of Cardassia have seized control of Cardassian Central Command,” he announced. “Any attempt to enter the building, beam people inside or cut off power to the building will draw a swift and deadly response. We are holding the 21 members of the Detapa Council, President Peltek, the representatives from the Federation, Klingons and Romulans and an array of aides, assistants and political hangers-on who fill these once hallowed chambers.

“We are demanding the release of 237 anti-occupation prisoners held in Cardassian jails and prisons,” Tirlin said. “We are also demanding the return of the 16 former Cardassian colonies along the border with the Federation which were taken during the occupation. If our demands are not met in 16 hours, we will begin killing hostages, starting with the Occupation representatives. Any attempt to stop us and we will kill all of the hostages.”

One of the SOC fighters stepped forward as Tirlin turned the holographic comm-unit toward the approaching soldier and it displayed him carrying a large duffle bag which he set down on a table beside the podium. With the holo-projector trained on the bag, Tirlin reached over and unzipped it, revealing what appeared to be a large explosive device inside.

“It’s a bomb. What type and blast radius we’ll keep to ourselves for the moment,” he said. “Storm the place, we’ll set it off. Try anything to disrupt or attack us, and we’ll detonate it. You have 16 hours…I’d get moving on those demands if I were you.”

Tirlin then ended the transmission…

*USS Resurrection*

Orbiting Earth

Stardate 2105.06

Every member of Shadow Operations received a transmission at the same time. For each person, and on the bridge of *Resurrection* itself, the message was the same.

"Phoenix Squad activated. Assemble in the War Room of the *USS Resurrection* ASAP and prepare to receive orders for immediate rapid deployment," a computerized voice. "Authorization Federation Security Council."

Back to top

## S3, E4, Act 4: Rapid Deployment

Lt. Ryramorl Ra’yral

*USS Resurrection*

Stardate 2105.09

Ryramorl took his PADD from Rygaran and answered the call.  “Yes?”

“We need you back on the Resurrection, Lieutenant.”

“Coming, Commander.”

He and Reepchip headed for the teleporters, the rest of the Carnora in tow.  He, his wife, and his son firmly rubbed faces.  “I WILL be worthy to hunt with you, Father,” said Ee’an.

Ryramorl nuzzled him again.  The two looked into each other’s eyes as Ryramorl was beamed away.

Aboard, the two Carnora saluted Commander Vree.  “Why didn’t either of you answer your subvocs?” she asked.

“...I received nothing on it, commander,” Ryramorl said.  “It may have ceased functioning while on Carnor.”

Reepchip admitted he, too, had heard nothing.

“Report to medical, see what’s going on,” Commander Vree ordered.  “But first, a word, Lieutenant.”

The two Carnora nodded, and Reepchip went on ahead.  Ryramorl remained behind.  “What is it, Commander?”

“Why did you call me Mistress of the Hunt?”

“Ee’an--my son--desired to come on this Long Hunt with me, and I told him it was not up to me, but to the Masters of the Hunt.  I referred to you by that Carnora title so he’d know you were one of them.”

Vree frowned--Ryramorl’s son had no history she knew of with the Federation, and he’d looked quite young--as young as any cadet.  “Did you explain why he couldn’t?”

“Actually, Rygaran set him straight.  He asked my son to identify all the settings of a phaser--but Ee’an is of an Ancient Tribe and has never seen one.  He quickly realized he didn’t know the plains he wished to hunt in at all.”

“And who is Rygaran?”

“Rygaran D’Hronarin is an agent of the Carnora Special Forces, as well as a former member of Shadow Operations himself.  He served with Colonel Jahkar years ago.”

Mayla Vree nodded.  “I see.  Now get to medical, and see what’s going on with your subvoc.”

Lt. Commander William McCulloch

Starfleet Medical, Earth

Stardate 2105.09

It was now Will’s third day in the hospital. Because of the roller coaster ride of the past two days, the Scot was once again in a black mood as he mentally revisited yet again the firefight of the Pickering Estate. The operative’s blade sinking into his chest and the accompanying pain played over and over again in his mind.

Only an hour ago, he had been informed that he would likely be discharged later today or no later than first thing tomorrow morning. However, before he could leave the facility, he had to attend a counseling session. McCulloch scoffed at the notion of having to attend such a meeting but he was firmly told by his attending physician that the meeting was not optional.

Now he sat in his recovery room by himself, staring out the window as he waited for whatever shrink was going to probe his mind and feelings. He studied San Francisco and the East Bay in the distance with a thin layer of ground fog misting the Bay and momentarily noted to himself that if he ever retired he should acquire property in the city.

Then again, as he told Daryl, he was more of a North Atlantic type of person. There was a tranquility there the city that Starfleet made its home lack thereof.

McCulloch’s wandering thoughts were interrupted as the counselor entered the recovery room. Will looked over at her and instantly turned pale. The Betazoid instantly sensed shock, shame and regret from the Scot. She smiled slightly for a very brief moment before sitting down across from McCulloch.

The last time William McCulloch had been with Lieutenant Commander Desiree Klomden, he had just betrayed Bravo Squad and the Federation by joining the Black Watch. It was during that dark time that the Betazoid was brutally stabbed by a Black Watch operative under Will’s command and nearly died. Shortly after that, she retired from Bravo Squad and McCulloch went off to prison.

Now they were seated across from each other. Will felt his stomach cramp up and he swallowed hard. He scanned the room before simply sighing, giving up and looking down at the floor. He knew Desiree could easily read his emotions so he simply chose not to hide them.

“Isn’t this some sort of conflict of interest with you handling my counseling session?” McCulloch asked as he initiated the conversation with Klomden.

“It is good to see you as well, William.” She calmly replied. “Would you like me to find another counselor to handle your evaluation?”

McCulloch eyed the Betazoid for a moment before shaking his head in the negative. Desiree quietly withdrew a padd and activated it.

“Typically, Will, these sessions are designed to assist victims of trauma or violence on the road to recovery, but I think you and I have so much more we should discuss.”

“It was a military engagement, I was wounded, I’ll be fine.”

“Will, let’s not start this session off by lying to me. I can sense your feelings of shame, regret and sadness. Perhaps we should start talking about the elephant in the room.”

“I’m surprised you would want to discuss that.” The Scot countered.

“I think if you truly want to achieve redemption, you and I should discuss what happened to me after you betrayed Bravo Squad.”

Will simply looked down at his lap and nodded in the affirmative. There it was, the elephant trumping thunderously in the room that seemed to echo from his head to the depths of his regret and shame. “I don’t think I have a choice.”

“Oh, you have a choice.” Desiree replied. “I reviewed your full psychological history based on all available information. We could always talk about some of your personality traits that have likely had a negative impact on your life.”

“Such as?”

“You experienced several bouts of alcoholism, you intentionally flirt with death, you have a fierce temper, you are a womanizer and I believe you have struggled with depression for most of your life.”

“I’m not a womanizer.” The Scot answered half heartedly. "And I stopped drinking."

“According to the staff at this hospital as well as your crew mates, you are a womanizer. A cursory review of thirty two crew logs from the Resurrection over the past month alone refer to you as a … ‘man whore’.”

McCulloch muttered quietly to himself.

“Don’t get me wrong Will, I’ve identified multiple traits that also define you as a good man deep inside.” Desiree pressed. “Throughout your personal life and career you have displayed such admirable characteristics as loyalty to close friends, a sense of honor and a desire to protect the weak, especially children. More importantly, I’ve noticed that almost immediately after your incarceration you expressed sincere regret for your actions and a desire to redeem yourself.”

“Redemption will never come to me.” Will sighed.

“Why shouldn’t it? Isn’t everyone entitled to second chances? Why shouldn’t WIlliam McCulloch get a second chance?”

McCulloch stammered and was unable to respond. This was NOT the conversation he expected to have with Desiree.

“I understand you and Victoria recently decided to try and reconcile. That is a positive step forward.”

“Who told you that?” Will asked with a hint of curiosity.

“She did.”

“Oh.”

“I think it’s a good thing.” Klomden noted. “I can sense a fierce loyalty towards her.”

“I’m a fool in love.” McCulloch quipped.

“Perhaps, but both of you still need a lot of work. I understand a public argument happened yesterday between the two of you.” Klomden noted. “We’re going to need to work on that negative behavior if the two of you are going to be successful together.”

The Scot groaned … couples therapy. “I get the feeling we are going to be seeing more of each other.”

“I would like that, Will. Admiral MacLeod believes that for you to redeem yourself and reclaim your marriage, you could benefit from additional sessions with me.”

“Admiral MacLeod?”

“Admiral MacLeod.” Klomden repeated.

Will nodded in understanding before shifting uncomfortably in his chair. Who else did she confer with about his situation?

“I still sense remorse and sadness in you Will.” Desiree announced. “Perhaps it is time to actually talk about that elephant. If it helps you to talk about it, I forgive you Will. I wouldn’t be here if I had not forgiven you.”

“You...forgive me?” McCulloch exclaimed incredulously. “You are a much kinder and noble person that I could ever be.”

“Ah yes, I forgot that trait...William McCulloch often refuses to see himself in anything but a negative light.”

Will simply shrugged his shoulders. “I’m a convicted felon who betrayed the Federation and Bravo Squad. You nearly died because of my actions. How else should I see myself?”

“Will, you should see yourself as a man who has overcome many obstacles on his path to redemption.” Desiree answered. “You still have far to go but you are on the correct path.”

McCulloch didn’t respond.

"And now your CO is Mayla Vree. Has she forgiven you for nearly killing her godmother?"

Well, that answered his internal question as to the depth of her research into him. "I don't know," he said slowly. "I think so. She's allowed me to stay in the team at least." His thoughts went around and around at conversations he's had with her.

"Small steps, Will." She looked at her padd before asking her next question. “Why did you turn to the Black Watch?”

The Scot hesitated for several moments before answering. Klomden studied the Scot carefully. “Victoria was critically wounded in a terrorist attack and I felt Bravo Squad was moving too slow in its response.”

“You’re partially correct. The emotional trauma of your wife nearly dying influenced your decision. Mentally, you were not capable of acting rationally. Ky should have relieved you of duty immediately and assigned a counselor to support you, but he didn’t." She took a brief moment's pause. "Everyone was affected by that terrorist attack. In hindsight, we all should have had some counseling, not only you. But for you, that lack of immediate support exacerbated the situation. Ultimately, your decisions alone led you down a dark path. It was a wrong decision but there was a clinical explanation for your actions. But I should make it clear that it is not an excuse for what you did. What Ky did was immediately reactionary to what was happening to the Team. As Black Watch escalated their actions, therefore he did too because he had a failure of imagination to find a different solution. He felt he had no choice but to end it before it escalated beyond just the Team.”

The Scot shook his head knowing Black Watch wouldn't have stopped with just the team. They would have gone as far as targeting their families. His well of sorrow became deeper at the thought if he hadn't surrendered to Bravo Squad, the blood of their families would stain his hands forever. There is no redemption from that.

McCulloch began to tremble as he was suddenly reminded of the Bravo Squad families, the spouses and children could all have been hunted down and mercilessly killed. And it had all started with his single decision. He leaned forward and buried his hands in his face as tears streamed from his eyes. He kept repeating over and over “I am so sorry Desiree”, “It got completely out of control. All I wanted to do was to avenge Victoria”, and “I never wanted you to be hurt.”

As the Scot sat in his chair and sobbed, Desiree Klomden gave a simple response. “I forgive you, Will. At some point, you will need to forgive yourself. Perhaps we will work on that.”

In between sobs, his heart, no, his soul could not give in nor come to accept what he was hearing. He stuttered his next, painful words. "It's not enough."

Klomden almost gave him a look of sympathy. "Then who do you require redemption and forgiveness from?"

He shook his head. He couldn't answer her.

Lt. Commander William McCulloch

Starfleet Medical, Earth

Stardate 2105.06

“Let’s go!” Victoria announced as she abruptly entered Will’s recovery room. She was dressed in her science uniform and carrying a padd.

After his counseling session with Klomden, the Scot returned to his room exhausted. He worked on the meditation and breathing exercises she taught him before deciding to watch the transmission of the ceremonies on Cardassia. Naturally, he reacted with horror as the events unfolded before him.

Victoria quickly conferred with McCulloch’s attending physician, tapped her padd several times and handed the device to a nurse standing nearby. Afterwards, she turned to Will.

“You’re dressed?” She demanded as she did a once over of him. “Good. Let’s go, you’ve been discharged.”

She quickly pulled the Scot out of his chair and onto his feet. She then led him by the arm out of the recovery room and towards the turbolift. After a brief delay, the pair stepped onto the turbolift.

“Lobby!” Smith barked at the computer before turning to the Scot. “You saw the transmission from Cardassia?”

“Aye.”

“Then you know Phoenix Team has been activated. We need to get you to the Resurrection ASAP.” She announced over the humming of the turbolift.

“What about you and Union 12?” McCulloch asked.

“We’re on alert but haven’t been activated yet. Looks like this will be your show.”

“So no second date today?” The Scot asked after a brief moment of silence.

“Nope.” Victoria replied matter-of-factly. “No until this mission is complete.”

“Shame.” McCulloch noted.

Victoria glanced over at the Scot. “You better keep your damn head on straight while on this mission. You better be not thinking of me or daydreaming. That’s how people end up hurt or killed.”

“I’ll try not to.” Will replied as the turbolift door opened and the pair stepped into the lobby.

“Do you think Mayla will have you serve as team sniper for the mission?”

“I don’t know.”

“I hope so.” Victoria admitted, knowing it was one of the safer assignments for a hostage rescue mission.

The pair silently walked across the lobby floor and then exited through the main entrance. Once outside, Victoria tapped her comm badge. “Resurrection, standby for two to beam up.”

“I’m still in civilian clothing.” Will protested.

“You’ve been activated and you have a mission briefing to attend. What you are wearing is irrelevant.” Victoria replied as she stepped forward, put Will’s hands in hers and squeezed them tightly. “ This is your first operative mission in a long time. Be CAREFUL Will McCulloch.”

“I will. Supposedly I’ve got something to come back to.”

Victoria smirked and tapped her comm badge. “*Resurrection*, Smith. Two to beam up. Transport Lt. Commander McCulloch directly to the war room.”

Commander Mayla Vree

Holodeck team sim, *USS Resurrection*

Stardate 2105.06

Mayla dodged a disruptor blast and fell hard to the deck of the lower level of the Promenade of Terok Nor, just outside the docking port they had made their infiltration. From above on the open upper level, phaser and disruptor fire rained down at them, causing them to scatter to find cover. To use the ancient colloquial term, they were sitting ducks.

"Cloak," she announced over the subvocal, hoping the dim lighting gave them more of an advantage. "And make for shop 23."

The lighting of the mining station was dim and the ambient temperature was hot, which was the most comfortable for Cardassian physiology. With the humidity came the musky smell of Cardassian food, sweat, and armor, mixed in the odors from Bajoran blood, fear, and despair. Even Quark's establishment couldn't compete with the essence of the Cardassian station.

Phoenix Squad activated their personal cloaks. She fired a burst and ducked behind a doorjamb. Activating her own personal cloak. But with the weapons fire still directed towards their last known position. But now that they had stopped returning fire, the barrage eased off. That's when they moved stealthily.

Someone tripped a fallen panel, and weapons fire began again. Mayla sprinted away from the fire and leaped up, grabbing hold of one of the skeletal structural beams, and climbed up to the upper level. There, she saw more than a dozen Cardassians searching for her team below them. She secured her rifle and drew her katana. Without hesitation, she rushed the closest enemy and made a penetrating cut that caused him to tumble over the rail to the Promenade below.

Mayla didn't wait and continued her rush, but this time slid on her knees to take out the legs of another. Leaping back up onto her feet, she made a lunge stab...into the gridded lines of the holodeck wall.

"Phoenix Squad activated. Assemble in the War Room of the *USS Resurrection* ASAP and prepare to receive orders for immediate rapid deployment. Authorization Federation Security Council." A computerized voice announced over the speakers.

Everyone stood up and took their bearing. The holodeck sim ended so abruptly it took them by surprise. Mayla sheathed her katana. "War Room, on the double!" She sprinted for the door with the team quickly following her. Jahkar brought up the rear to be sure everyone was accounted for.

Colonel Jahkar

*USS Resurrection*

Stardate 2105.08

Jahkar checked the holodeck and saw it was empty, then followed behind the crew as they made their way toward the War Room. A momentary rush hit him knowing they were about to be sent into some sort of situation. He wondered where they’d be sent this time? There was always a little rush in that pre-briefing excitement leading up to a mission.

The squad arrived at the War Room and everyone went inside and took their places. Already there was Captain Lazarus, waiting patiently for the briefing to begin…

Admiral Ian MacLeod

Outpost Umbra Prime

Stardate 2105.09

MacLeod rezzed into the War Room aboard *USS Resurrection* as a hologram, appearing beside Captain Lazarus at the head of the table. A moment later another person appeared as a hologram, a Trill male dressed in colorful robes, familiar to some of those at the table.

“Elocin Shea?” Mayla nearly gasped. “What are you doing here?”

“Hello, Mayla,” he said, smiling widely upon seeing the young woman. “It has been a long time.” Then he looked over to the Scotsman, recognizing him immediately. "McCulloch." He said with an icy tone.

“Allow me to introduce Elocin Shea. He is a former Shadow Operations operative and for the past 10 years, he has been a retired civilian who works as an information officer for the Federation Security Council,” said MacLeod. “The Rigelian councilman Cuxtal will not be returning as an intermediary to the team. The Security Council believes Mr. Shea is better suited to be that individual. He will be handling all interaction between the council and Phoenix Squad.”

Considering the cold reaction Cuxtal had received during his one interaction with the team the day the Security Council oversight was announced, it made sense that he didn;t want the job. Shea would be a much better choice.

Shea looked around at the assembled team and began.

“Thirty-seven minutes ago, an armed group of Cardassians seized Central Command on Cardassia Prime taking the Detapa Council and ambassadors from the Federation, Klingon and Romulan empires as hostages,” Shea explained. “It was supposed to be a special day of recognition of the final withdrawal of occupation forces from Cardassian territory.

“The group calls itself the Sons of Cardassia. They have locked down the building, they have taken over the buildings defenses and are demanding the release of brothers-in-arms imprisoned for activities against the occupation and the return of disputed colonies along the Federation/Cardassian border.”

The Trill continued, “A Starfleet liaison in the Cardassian Union will be there when you arrive to brief you further on the threat and act as intermediary with Cardassian security. “We want you to use the coaxial drive to get there as soon as possible, consider this a test of our rapid deployment capability. So, you’ll depart immediately after the briefing and receive further details when you reach Cardassia Prime,” Shea said. “I’ll answer any questions you have that I’m able to.”

Commander Mayla Vree

War Room, *USS Resurrection*

Stardate 2105.09

"Did Cardassia ask for Federation assistance, or will we be unwelcome guests to the operation?"

Shea offered a pained look, “Cardassia lacks any kind of special forces at this moment. Occupation forces rebuilt a modest fleet and trained an army for defense. While special forces are receiving training by Federation Marines, they are not ready for a mission like this. The Federation has informed the Cardassian government they will be receiving assistance with this matter. I don’t know whether they want the assistance or not. Your contact at Cardassia Prime will be able to fill you in better.”

Mayla continued, "What about the Romulans or Klingons? Will they also be sending assets to assist?"

“Unknown,” Shea said. “We are the only occupational force that has a presence in the Cardassian Union. The Klingons withdrew long ago and the Romulans haven’t been involved since their sun went supernova. Based on typical responses from both governments these days and considering the political climates of both powers, they will likely be sending some kind of response force. The advantage we have is Resurrection can be there instantly...the Romulans and Klingons will take hours, if not more than a day.”

Mayla looked at her team and asked the final hard question. "What is our primary objective, sir? Is this a Federation interest only recovery, or are we trying to save everyone?" Questions of priority were usually difficult to discuss, as it sometimes decides who is saved when others must be sacrificed.

“The Federation wants to save everyone held in Central Command,” Elocin said. “The Federation has invested too many years in rebuilding the Cardassian Union, restructuring their military and government to make them less of a threat and more of an ally. If the Detapa Council is destroyed and the president is killed, it will be a major setback for us. Allowing the Klingon and Romulan ambassadors to perish will also bring unwanted negative attention from our allies.

“Once the council and ambassadors are safe, you will then have authorization to hunt down the rest of the Sons of Cardassia and bring them to justice,” said Shea. “Anything else?”

Lt. Commander William McCulloch

War Room, *USS Resurrection*

Stardate 2105.10

Will clenched his jaw, folded his arms across his chest and briefly looked away from Shea. Since his return to the Shadow Operations Program, it seemed as if there was a ongoing Bravo Squad reunion. He wondered if he should look over his shoulder would he see Kin or Bryce standing behind him?

Nevertheless, as he had told Desiree, he had a strong desire for redemption and the path to achieving it apparently included Shea.

Will once again felt shame and remorse...not only for what happened to Shea during the encounter with the Black Watch, but for not remembering it. Perhaps it was the fact that the injuries of Kin overshadowed Shea’s. Or maybe it was because Shea was a bright eyed Ensign and had little interaction with McCulloch prior to the act of betrayal. Regardless, Will knew he would have to make amends with Shea at some point.

Unfortunately, now was not the time to do so.

Lt. Tiri Sh’avelith

*USS Resurrection*/War Room

Stardate 2105.10

Tiri noticed the icy glare Elocin Shea cast at McCulloch. Apparently, another member of the lieutenant commander’s fan club, she surmised, then turned her attention to the Trill.

“Mr. Shea,” the Andorian began. “Do you know how we’re supposed to get inside the building? I’m not completely familiar with specs on the reconstructed Cardassian Central Command, but I’m going to assume we’re not going to be able to just beam in, fight some terrorists, grab the hostages and beam out?”

Elocin Shea

*USS Resurrection*/Hologram

Stardate 2105.10

Shea shook his head, “Can’t say lieutenant. The event occurred 40 minutes ago and your contact at Cardassia Prime will have all those details. Name just came through here, you’ll be making contact with Captain Melfis, head of the Occupational Transition Team. He will be joined by Gul Nidek, head of the Cardassian Security Service.”

“If there’s nothing more, you should probably get underway.”

MacLeod looked around at Phoenix Squad, “Anything else?”

Lt. Cody Beckett

Lt. Commander William McCulloch

*USS Resurrection*, Warroom

Stardate 2105.11

Cody sat right up and cleared his throat.

"What about Thompson, Sir? "

Will cleared his throat, leaned forward and rested his elbows on the conference table. He looked at MacLeod and Shea. “I agree with Lt. Beckett. What about Thompson? I mean I know my opinion doesn’t count, but…”

“You are correct McCulloch.” Shea coldly announced before MacLeod raised his hand and gestured for Shea to calm down.

“Continue Lieutenant Commander.” MacLeod requested.

The Scot grinded his teeth again, smirked slightly and continued. “Shouldn’t Thompson be the priority? He’s a key member of this team and our priority should be rescuing him, not politicians. I don’t understand why the Federation can’t deploy another operative or Starfleet hostage rescue team.”

Elocin Shea

Admiral Ian MacLeod

*USS Resurrection*

Stardate 2105.11

Shea zeroed in on McCulloch, “Head off on an unsanctioned personal mission? Sure, why not? That’s what you’re best at. Do whatever suits Will McCulloch. Orders don’t matter. Peace in the galaxy doesn’t matter, so long as McCulloch can run off and do whatever he wants, when he wants and how he wants!”

“Elocin, enough,” MacLeod warned him.

“No, admiral, didn’t I warn you about this...this...attitude of doing whatever he wants?” Shea hissed. “My objections to his reinstatement stand. You should have never allowed him back.”

“Mr. Shea!” MacLeod barked. “That will be enough! The Security Council may have authority over this unit, but I’m still in command, understood?”

Shea waved his hand, dismissing MacLeod and McCulloch.

“Commander McCulloch, Lt. Beckett, I appreciate your concerns for Commander Thompson, but we don’t have enough information right now to even know where to begin looking for him,” MacLeod said. “Let Starfleet investigate and find some clues and when you’re back from Cardassia, you may get the chance to go find Daryl.”

Lazarus sat up in his chair after taking the exchange in and directed his stare at Will and Cody, “This unit is a rapid deployment special ops team, best suited for this kind of mission,” said Lazarus. “*Resurrection* can have us there in minutes, no one else can deploy that quickly. That is, of course, unless we’re going to sit here and bicker all day.”

MacLeod looked over the squad, “Unless there are further objections, we will carry out our orders, do I make myself clear?”

Ensign Reepchip Charatetet

*USS Resurrection*

Stardate 2105.12

Reepchip chittered a bit--the others were right.  Thompson might be lost, but they needed to find his tracks before they could follow them--haring off after him would only get everyone lost--or eaten, metaphorically.  He looked at Shea.  “Are the Cardassians known to have shamans?  Are they susceptible to the Silent Voice, or deaf to it?”

When the Trill appeared confused, Ryramorl clarified.  “He’s referring to telepathy, sir.  Do they have telepaths of their own, and can they be affected by it?”

Elocin Shea

*USS Resurrection*/Hololgram

Stardate 2105.12

Shea was glad Ryramorl interpreted the question because he had no idea what the diminutive Carnora was saying. He slowly shook his head, “Cardassians aren’t known to be telepaths. As far as being affected by one, they are proven to be able to resist telepathic incursions with very powerful mental discipline. Which includes even a Vulcan mind meld. Empaths are able to get emotional reads on them, but nothing more.”

Ensign Reepchip Charatetet

Lieutenant Ryramorl Ra’yral

*USS Resurrection*

Stardate 2105.12

Reepchip made a note on his PADD with a stylus, and set it down, nodding.  As he thought, the stylus started to spin on the table.  “How does a Cardassian sound to the mind?” he asked.  “You said Empaths could get emotional reads on them, what did they hear?”

Shea stared at Reepchip for several seconds, then glanced at MacLeod who returned the stare and then gave a slight shrug of his shoulders. The Trill looked back at Reepchip and shook his head, “I have no idea, ensign. The attack happened less than an hour ago, I didn’t have time to familiarize myself with any aspects of Cardassian physiology before this briefing. Sorry. Maybe your contact at Cardassia Prime can answer that question.”

He blinked as Ryramorl put his paw on the spinning stylus to stop it and twitched his whiskers.  Reepchip chittered.  “Sorry for fidgeting, sirs.”

Ryramorl spoke up.  “Who are these ambassadors?”

“General Kron is the Klingon ambassador,” Shea said. “Ambassador Serok is the Federation’s ambassador and Senator Laris for the Romulans.”

At the name of the Klingon ambassador, Ryramorl’s ears went flat.  “...Him.”

Shea gave a scowl and MacLeod shifted uncomfortably in his chair. Of course, Ryramorl had to have some sort of grudge with the Klingon ambassador.

“Ryramorl,” MacLeod said sternly. “Save your objections, no one wants to hear them. You all have a mission. Let’s carry it out. Dismissed. Prepare to depart in 15 minutes.”

“Yes, sir,” said Ryramorl.  There were times on Carnor he had to put up with someone he utterly loathed.  He could do it again.

Lt. Tiri Sh’avelith

*USS Resurrection*

Stardate 2105.14

Tiri had a concern that had absolutely nothing to do with the mission, but she decided to stow it for now considering the moods Shea and MacLeod seemed to be in after the Carnora questions and responses.

The Andorian was curious about how the medical bay was going to be handled with the arrival of a real medical staff. She had formed something of a friendship with the EMH and thought they got along pretty well. SHe was curious if that was going to change.

She decided to raise her hand and poise the question. Shea saw her hand go up and nodded toward her, “Sh’avelith.”

“Mr. Shea, admiral,” she began. “Are we going to have a medical bay staff? The EMH was our CMO on the last couple missions and I assisted her, as a field medic. Is that going to change?”

MacLeod nodded, “Sorry, I haven’t really had the chance to announce our plans for medical. A unit of nurses and medics called Union 12 has been assigned to Umbra Prime. There are eight nurses/medics in the unit total. *Resurrection* will be deploying with two nurses assigned to the med bay. The EMH will only be activated when its medical expertise is required. Lt. Sh’avelith will act as Phoenix Team’s field medic and, when she’s aboard the ship, she will assist the Union 12 nurses as needed.

“The other medical staff will be assigned to Umbra Prime and aboard *USS Fearless*, which has also been deployed to Cardassia to act in a support role to Resurrection’s mission there. With her slipstream drive, Fearless should arrive at Cardassian about 16 hours after you arrive.”

Tiri nodded. It wasn’t exactly the news she wanted to hear, but it made sense. The EMH wasn’t meant to be the ship’s doctor, just a substitution when needed. Having Victoria and a team of nurses/medics aboard was practical. She would just miss working with the EMH.

Finished with her questions, Tiri remained silent and waited for the briefing to end.

Lt. Commander William McCulloch

*USS Resurrection*

Stardate 2105.14

McCulloch listened to Tiri’s request. Although he wouldn’t openly say it, he secretly wished someone like the Andorian would be treating the team instead of Victoria and her unit. The last thing he wanted was a repeat of his ex-wife stumbling upon him gutted on the floor.

After Shea and MacLeod answered Tiri’s question, the team was dismissed. The Scot immediately made his way to the ship’s armory with Beckett.

“I hope Daryl is dfaring well.” Cody announced softly as he fell into line with Will.

“I sure as hell hope so as well.” McCulloch answered. “The sooner we deal with these Cardassian amateurs, the sooner we can focus on getting Daryl back.”

“Amateurs?”

“I know, I shouldn’t say that.” The Scot corrected himself as the pair entered the amory. “I trained Cardassian rebels during the Dominion War, I know I shouldn’t underestimate them. But taking hostages at the height of a governmental ceremony seems so...amateurish.”

“We can’t underestimate them.”

“I know, I know.” McCulloch replied as he keyed a series of codes on a nearby panel and watched as a door slid open, revealing a variety of weaponry. The Scotsman grabbed a TR-116 sniper rifle and a Type VI Overwatch rifle. He hefted the two to compare their weights before setting the Overwatch rifle down on a nearby table. He then started to work the magazine on the TR-116 before examining the rifle’s projectile rounds.

“I still don’t understand why you insist on keeping that outdated weapon around.” Jahkar noted as he entered the armory and watched McCulloch.

“It’s the rifle I’m most comfortable with.” The Scot quipped. “Besides, I have been able to hit targets over two kilometers away with it.”

“I heard John Sharpe hit a target over two and a half kilometers away with the same weapon.” the marine countered.

McCulloch eyed Jahkar for a moment before smirking. John Sharpe was the sniper who replaced the Scot after the betrayal of Bravo Squad.

“Pure bull #$%^.” McCulloch answered. “His exploits are exaggerations.”

“I beg to differ.” Jahkar confidently announced.

The Scot shook his head in disagreement. “Sharpe...a bloody hack.” he muttered to himself as he slapped the clip back into the TR-116, brought the rifle to his shoulder and studied the ranging distances through the weapon’s scope.

Once finished calibrating the rifle, McCulloch strapped on his armor and gear and did a quick visual inspection of himself.

His sniper rifle and TR-390 were secured hgh across his back, while a Type II phaser pistol was holstered on his right thigh. Strapped to his right boot was a dirk knife while a set of collapsible batons were fastened to his left hip. He wore a utility belt around his waist that carried an assortment of equipment and tools, including targeting scopes, a rangefinder, micro drones, camera balls and sufficient ammunition.

He adjusted his gear a few times to ensure he could access everything, sighed and then looked around the armory. Afterward, he made his way to the corner of the room, sat down in a chair, stretched out his legs, folded his arms, crossed his ankles and waited for the ship to jump to warp.

After a few seconds, he closed his eyes and braced himself for the coaxial drive to activate. He really...really ... hated this method of transportation.

Commander Mayla Vree and Lieutenant Tiri Sh'avelith

Armory, *USS Resurrection*

Stardate 2105.14

"How can you move around with that katana strapped across your back?" Tiri asked her, closing her locker next to Mayla's. "Even my ushaan-tor is more practical."

Mayla looked in the mirror hanging inside her own locker at her load out which included her Linea made katana. With her TR-390 rifle attached to her right rear hip, she had free movement of her upper body for close quarters combat. And still easy access to the rifle's grip to bring the weapon up to bear as quick as her reflexes could be.

"I've had a lot of practice, it doesn't bother me any." She answered, tapping at the throwing knives in sheaths molded into her chest armor. Even with her small backpack with other various items including pockets for several Sky Eye nanoprobes, several types of ammunition clips, and even KV explosives, her body movements had become accustomed to the load out and had become second nature over a decade ago. Even with the TR-390P pistol at her left thigh, a phaser at her right, her Min fighting stick at her belt, and spring loaders on each wrists. It was all she needed to fight an army if she had to.

"I know you've been in the field for a long time. I can't imagine what it's like to be fighting in the shadows for that long."

"It's a lonely, emotionless duty." She started checking her rifle to be sure the settings for each type of ammunition she was carrying was satisfactory. "If you want a normal life, I say take a standard duty posting. This life isn't for everyone."

"But it is for you." Tiri said, almost feeling sympathy for the Trill.

"This organization saved my life. It is my home. It's what I was meant to do." Mayla closed her locker.

"To work behind the scenes."

"To protect the Federation the best I can, just as those who saved me."

Tiri paused before asking the next question. "You would die for the Federation."

"Not needlessly, I hope." Mayla gave Tiri a smile. "What about you? Why Shadow Operations, and what do you hope to gain from working in the shadows?"

Tiri shrugged, “When I was at Starfleet Academy, I was studying medicine. I had every intention of becoming a doctor. Then I took a class with Professor Nuerig...forensic investigation. That piqued my interest so I took classes in intelligence gathering and covert operations. I loved it.

“Then, one day, about two months before graduation I was approached by Starfleet Intelligence. They recruited me to work with a special ops unit. I was a team medic and they needed my skills in forensic investigations.

“We were assigned to the *USS Pandora*, a Starfleet Intelligence ship. That team...we spent a couple years busting up slave trafficking operations in the Alpha and Beta quadrants. I wanted to be in Starfleet because I wanted adventure in my life...working intel was exactly what I was looking for. Saving people, stopping enemies of the Federation, I gain personal satisfaction from it.”

Mayla looked at the young Andorian and gave her a satisfactory smile. "I know many people who think like you. Sometimes reality doesn't give you that option." She looked off into the distance for just a moment. "But I hope you find your balance, as we all have to sooner or later."

Tiri nodded. She felt like she had just undergone some type of judgment by her commanding officer. Perhaps the commander did not approve of her reasons for joining Shadow Operations? Tiri wondered what it had been like to be raised in this environment. It was likely all Mayla had ever known. Had finding “balance” been difficult for Vree, she wondered to herself as she finished strapping on her phaser rifle and sidearm. She was literally a byproduct of the Shadow Ops organization -- she lived and breathed it through and through.

Sh’avelith wondered what kind of life that had been for the young commander. Certainly not like her own upbringing. Maybe that would be Tiri’s balance...finding the middle ground between her traditional Andorian upbringing and life in the shadows.

Lieutenant Ryramorl Ra’yral

*USS Resurrection*

Stardate 2105.15

Ryramorl left the meeting, firmly calming himself.  General Kron--he remembered that bastard from a time when the three Overkings visited Earth.  Omarenna Zaveron Island Great Ring Sea--son of the Ataran Overking--had offered to Share Water with General Kron.   Not only had the ungrateful Klingon refused the water, not only had he outright Scoffed At Water--literally!--he had the gall to treat this honour as if it were an insult and attacked the Ataran prince!

What made it even worse was that the water had been a blend that represented all Five Races of the Carnora:  rain that fell on the seas and islands of the Atarans, water that collected in the leaves of the Cupleaf Trees so loved by the Murans, the brine of the great oceans ruled by the Yarrowans, and most importantly to Ryramorl, water from the mighty Yarman River that flowed through the Ra’yral plains, with some of its headwaters near the Citadel itself.

It was only due to the intervention of the security forces that had kept a fight from breaking out and someone going home with the Klingon’s head as a prize, but Ryramorl had a personal grudge against Kron ever since.  He wasn’t sure which bothered him more:  that Kron had railed against the Carnora as a whole, or that Kron had all but pissed in the face of the Spirit of the Yarman, to whom all Ra’yrals and many other Carnora gave homage.

As he walked down the corridor, Lt. Commander Carmichael met him.  “I want to thank you for setting Reepchip straight.”

“Oh?” asked Ryramorl, curious.

“Admiral Clancy has a program that translates your sign language.  I now know what you said.”  He glanced around and dropped his voice.  “Yes, we’d like to keep the workings of the Coaxial Drive as big a secret as the workings of the Spirit Crystal Array.”

Ryramorl nodded and smiled, though his teeth were hidden.  “Did she tell you what happened when the Federation tried to study one?”

“She did.  She said she thought your people sent their most powerful telepath to intimidate her.”

“Not quite true, but she’s on the right scent.  I know who they sent.  The Carnora sent a Muran, because they are the only Carnora light enough to levitate.  They sent someone from the Varon Clan because there’s a condition in that clan that causes some Murans to have no eyes whatsoever, and our studies of human legends suggested that humans would find that disturbing.  They sent him specifically because he’s one of the creepiest people I know.  So, no, he is not the most powerful telepath we have, but he was the one we figured would get the admiral’s attention the most.”

“He got her attention, all right.  Anyway, I just wanted to thank you.  We’re deploying soon, so I need to get back to engineering.”

“I’ll remind Reepchip to take his medicine.”

*USS Resurrection*

Earth’s Solar System

Stardate 2105.16

*Resurrection* departed Earth, moved away the planet’s gravity well and then engaged the coaxial drive, sending the ship across the quadrant where it reappeared near the planet Cardassia Prime, arriving at 1110 hours…just more than one hour after the terrorists had seized Cardassia Central Command.

“One hour ten minutes after the incident began,” Lazarus nodded as the ship approached Cardassia. “That’s pretty good.”

The captain’s pride in the team’s first successful rapid deployment was short-lived as an alarm sounded at the tactical station. Lt. Dahrt looked up from his holographic console, the color draining from his face.

Lazarus noted the lieutenant’s silence and scowled, turning toward Dahrt, “What is it, lieutenant?”

“There’s been a major attack,” Dahrt said, bewildered. “It’s the Breen.”

“The Breen are attacking us?” Lazarus asked.

“No,” the Iotian said. “The Breen have been attacked…and it’s bad.”

Breen

Breen Confederacy, 1058 hours

Stardate 2105.16

For years after the Dominion War, the Breen had kept to themselves, conducting trade with some worlds in the Alpha Quadrant, but were generally shunned by the Federation and her allies. They were hated by the Cardassians, who felt the treacherous race had never fully paid for their involvement in the Dominion genocide against the Cardassian people. Though they had paid some reparations, the Breen had paid only a fraction of what the Cardassian people had demanded.

The main system of the Breen Confederacy, location of the Breen homeworld, was a heavily defended piece of intergalactic property. The Breen maintained still maintained a powerful fleet, unfettered by the Federation Alliance after the war. The Breen had simply fled back to their homeworld after the war and rebuilt their navy, where the Federation and its allies had to occupy Cardassian space and helped them rebuild.

Due to the heavy defenses, it came as a major surprise when at 1100 hours sharp, klaxons blared throughout the Breen military command warning of an unidentified vessel suddenly appearing within their space. No one should have been able to bypass their defenses…not unless someone knew how to evade their detection grid. Even cloaked ships should not have been able to get through their sensor grid, but on this morning they had.

Thot Suunek, the military commander in charge of the Breen defense shield, bolted up out of his chair and he looked the holographic display as a Cardassian Keldon-class ship appeared on sensors.

Wearing a Breen refrigeration suit, the military commander stood over two other Breen seated at tactical consoles.

\*Impossible!\* his electronically enhanced voice declared, speaking in Breen. \*They have bypassed our perimeter defenses. They are on course the homeworld.\*

\*Deploying interceptors,\* a Breen technician said. \*Defense platforms activated.\*

The Thot opened a channel, \*Cardassian vessel, you have illegally entered Breen space\* he announced. \*Stop your engine and surrender or you will be destroyed!\*

ncoming transmission, being sent quadrant wide from the Keldon-class ship\* the technician said.

\*On screen.\*

On the holographic screen in the operations center, a badly scarred Cardassian male appeared. He was on the bridge of his ship, two other Cardassians visible with him. What the Breen could not discern was that the ship was rigged to run with just three crew members aboard. It had been running cloaked, but its cloak was taken down by the Breen tachyon detection grid when it dropped out of warp in close proximity to the Breen homeworld.

The Cardassian with the mangled face spoke, “I am Gul Basal Drajal of the Sons of Cardassia. Today is the Day of Reckoning. Today I serve judgment upon the Breen for their betrayal and participation in the genocide committed against the Cardassian people. Today, there will be justice.”

As he spoke, the viewer changed to display a large, shiny black orb sitting in the middle of the Cardassian bridge.

The viewer followed the wheelchair bound Cardassian as he floated across the bridge, arriving at the orb-like device just as the first Breen interceptors began to strafe the Keldon-class ship, rocking the vessel hard with every blast. Drajal looked over to one of his two crew members and he called to him, “Are we within range?”

The Cardassian nodded, “We are within range. Multiple Breen ships converging on us.”

“Long live Cardassia!” Drajal shouted as he pressed a trigger device on the exterior of the orb. At that moment, the transmission ended.

The transmission ended because the Keldon-class ship imploded as a quantum singularity sprang forth from the detonated device. The singularity was a brief event, expanding outward from the Keldon, which ceased to exist, and it created a blast radius several million kilometers in diameter destroying defense platforms, interceptor ships, approaching Breen warships and then it ripped across the frozen wastes of the Breen homeworld, decimating cities and wiping out more than half of the planet’s population.

Then, just as quickly as it appeared, the singularity collapsed back in upon itself and it was gone. Half of Breen was laid to waste, the usually frozen surface set blaze by the massive radiation that had torn through it.

For the Cardassians, the Breen debt from the Dominion War was paid in full.

Back to top

## S3, E4, Act 5: Planning the Raid

Lt. Lieutenant Tiri Sh’avelith

Commander Mayla Vree

Commander Victoria Smith (NPC)

*USS Resurrection*

Stardate 2105.17

The nurse entered the staging area and adjusted the black pouch slung over her shoulder. She briefly looked around the room before walking directly toward Jahkar. She nodded and briefly conferred with the marine. Afterwards, she looked around the room until her eyes first landed on Lt. Commander McCulloch and then on Lt. Sh’avelith.

Victoria muttered to herself as she watched the Scot repeatedly curse to himself and anyone else who was unfortunate enough to listen to him. She made a mental note to chat with him about his repeated use of foul language.

Understandably, Victoria made it a point not to interact with Will as he needed his head on straight for the mission. The last thing the team deserved was a distracted operative who was acting like a love sick puppy immediately before deployment.

After brushing past McCulloch she continued towards the Andorian. But stopped short when she noticed the gloves Vree was wearing. Wordlessly she picked the right hand and examined the glove.

"Are those cartridges regulations?" She eyed the Trill carefully.

"Regulation enough." She responded with a deadpan face, pulling her hypo gloved hand back. "Never had a problem with them before."

"Until you accidentally kill someone with it."

"Hasn't happened yet."

"Kindred give you those? They don't look standard."

Vree smiled at her. "They were a special gift. Along with the replication patterns for what goes into the cartridges."

Victoria shook her head. Having a godmother who specialized in biochemical engineering could be dangerous. But she had no doubt those skills saved Bravo Squad more than once. "Carry on."

"Yes, ma'am."

As she closed the distance with Tiri, she immediately recognized that the lieutenant was at least two inches taller than her. “Why did she have to be so darn short?” she asked herself before brushing the thought aside, Victoria held up the pouch to Tiri, waved her right hand underneath it and then set it down on a nearby table.

“Your new toy.” Victoria announced with a smile as she opened the pouch to reveal a med kit. She quickly withdrew it and snapped the case open to show the contents to Tiri. “It has all the bells and whistles..tricorder, eight preloaded hypo sprays with a variety of medicines, spray applicator, medical scanner, dermal regenerator, some old school bandages and a trauma pack. There’s even a set of isolinear tags you can use for emergency beamouts of patients and a padd with the known medical history of your teammates in case you need to access data quickly.”

Victoria studied Tiri briefly as the Andorian started to examine the contents of the kit. After a moment of silence, the nurse noted “I apologize but the medical data contained on the padd regarding Reepchip and Ra’yral is somewhat thin.”

Tiri nodded in understanding as she continued to rummage through the contents of the kit. As she did, Victoria saw a roll of stickers and a balloon tucked between two hypo sprays. She hurriedly retrieved them, placed them in her pocket and chuckled slightly with embarrassment. “That’s from my warrant officer, Fiadh Hannigan. She has a habit of playing mild pranks on others as a way of introducing herself.”

The nurse continued. “So, the EMH tells me you and her are friends?”

Tiri stared at Victoria with a surprised look. “She...said that?”

The Andorian had come to feel like that about the EMH, but had no idea the hologram felt the same. She was convinced she was merely a nuisance to the doctor, though since she’s returned from Bajor the doctor had seemed more amicable.

“She did.” Victoria replied with a nod. “Personally, I don’t think she likes me but perhaps you can give me some tips to warm up to her?”

Slowly, she nodded, “I suppose we are friends. We’ve spent a lot of time working together.”

Tiri looked over the case again and nodded, “This is great. Thank you so much. It’ll come in handy when we’re in the field. I have a feeling putting McCulloch back together is a full-time routine.”

She laughed and then thought maybe discussing Will was a sensitive subject for Victoria. She knew they had been married and she’d seen how they’d been toward each other at the funeral. She closed the case and looked to Victoria, “Glad to have you here.”

“I’m glad to be here and working with you as well.” The nurse warmly replied. She then glanced towards McCulloch who appeared to be deep in conversation with Beckett. The two men looked...stressed. Victoria sighed and turned her attention back to the Andorian.

“Yeah, you’re going to have your hands full with that one alright.” Victoria announced as she gestured towards the Scot. “But bring him back in one piece because I still have plans to make him earn his keep around here.”

Victoria looked around once again and then leaned towards Tiri. She spoke in a soft voice. “More importantly, YOU be careful out there. You’re the most important member of this team.”

The lieutenant looked curiously at the nurse.

Smith straightened back up, crossed her arms and smiled confidently. “You're an angel of the battlefield lieutenant. The rest of this team doesn’t function if they’re out of commission due to wounds or injuries. They need you to watch over them. And knowing what the EMH has told me about you already, this team has one heck of an angel.”

Tiri was taken back by Victoria’s words. If an Andorian could blush, she probably would have.

“Thank you,” she said. “Now I feel guilty that I never finished my medical degree at Starfleet Academy. Don’t worry, I’ll keep them safe.”

“I trust you will...which means we’ll be bored and standing on the sidelines.” Victoria replied as she brushed aside the Andorian’s comment about not completing her medical degree. “Good luck Lieutenant, I’ll see you on the other side.”

The nurse nodded at Tiri, spun around and started to leave...only to stop in her tracks. She looked back at Sh’avelith and spoke once again. “And when this is over, come on by and hang with the cool kids. I know the team would love to get to know another medic.”

Lt. Commander William McCulloch

*USS Resurrection*

Stardate 2105.17

“Holy #$%^” McCulloch repeated over and over again as the report of the attack on the Breen homeworld flashed across his padd.

Beckett looked over the Scot’s shoulder at the report and then glanced up at Will. “Still think these terrorists are amateurs?”

$%^& no.” Will replied as a wave of embarrassment overcame him. Only an hour earlier he had been mocking the Sons of Cardassia and believed that the organization was nothing more than a speed bump on the road to recovering Daryl Thompson. Now, the organization had easily demonstrated that it was not only a well ordered and perhaps well funded unit, but it also had the capability to eradicate its sworn enemies...en masse... in one fell swoop. A chill ran down the Scot’s spine.

For a brief moment, McCulloch thought about Victoria. After the pair had beamed aboard the *Resurrection*, Will separated from her to attend the mission briefing. Now, oblivious that the nurse was in the armory speaking with Tiri and Mayla, he realized there was a remote possibility Union 12 could be diverted in the near future to the Breen System ... which meant an even longer separation from the woman he was trying to reconcile with.

The Scot’s thoughts also wandered to Inverness as he quickly surmised that his Intelligence firm would make a hefty profit examining and providing interpretive data on the Breen disaster. He knew governments outside of the Federation, as well as third party entities, would be scrambling to hire Inverness to help navigate this new political development.

McCulloch felt dirty upon realization that the organization he created would suddenly be enjoying a sizable profit on the backs of the dead and displaced.

As the Scot contemplated the sudden and very unexpected events, he started to look at the bigger picture and all he could was curse repeatedly.

Beckett once again looked over at McCulloch. “This is bad.”

“It is.” McCulloch agreed. “And it’s about to get worse. Cardassia and the Breen could be going to war and we’re bloody stuck in the middle.”

Lt. Cody Beckett

*USS Resurrection*

Stardate 2105.17

Cody had the words of McCulloch sink in and pondered about the situation once more, a terroristic group had killed millions of innocent lives. It was the second time since he joined SO that a large-scale operation caused so much havoc through the quadrant. Cody wondered why SO hadn’t been reinstated to its full force. They were the only team now. And they could only be in one place at a time. He finished checking his gear for the second time. He exhaled sharply, holstering his phaser and using simple meditation techniques to ease his mind. McCulloch looked at him from the side.

"You ok mate?"

Cody nodded before flexing his shoulders and neck. McCulloch kept staring. "I'm just wondering if I'm suited for these kinds of field trips, that's all," Cody answered, a sheepish grin playing around his mouth.

"Bad moment to contemplate your career move, mate." McCulloch said. His stare became an icy glare. "Don't you $#%^ dare bailing out on me now, Beckett."

Cody didn't miss the cold undertone and gazed back at McCulloch. "I won't bail out on you mate. Don't worry." Cody silenced for a moment, as more images poured in on the paddle McCulloch held in his hand. The view of the Breen homeworld's surface was one of utter destruction. It was unbelievable that this had happened. Cody swallowed visibly, he regained his composure and looked confident at Will. "Let's see what these Cardassians have in store for us."

Lt. Commander William McCulloch

*USS Resurrection*

Stardate 2105.18

"Let's see what these Cardassians have in store for us." Beckett announced.

Will studied Cody in silence for a moment. With the recent development from the Breen System, it was perfectly understandable that the pair were rattled.

Throughout their careers, both Will and Cody had seen enough horrors to last multiple lifetimes. The Scot knew both of them had to keep their heads on straight not only to complete the mission but to survive. An innocent distraction or stray thought could result in a spoonhead gutting either one of them.

McCulloch grabbed Beckett by the straps of his gear and pulled him close to him. “You keep your wits about yourself mate and I’ll keep my head on straight. We are both come ^&\*\*ing home.”

Cody nodded in silence as McCulloch continued.

“We #$%^ing need each other brother!” He hissed. “I have your back and I know you have mine. Let’s keep our bloody heads in the game. We finish the job in front of us and then we #$%^ing bring Daryl Thompson back from whatever mess he bloody got himself sucked into.”

Beckett nodded again as he softly stated, “I know, I understand.”

For a brief moment McCulloch continued to cling to Cody’s straps before releasing his grip. Afterwards, the pair turned their attention towards Commander Vree.

“Commander.” McCulloch asked loudly so that the rest of the team heard him. “Are we going to continue playing dress up in the transporter room or are we going to ‘git to the ground so we can kick these murdering Sons of Cardassia square in the bahookie?”

Lt. Ryramorl Ra’yral

Ensign Reepchip Charatetet

*USS Resurrection*

Stardate 2105.18

The two Carnora looked at the report of the utter devastation in complete silence.  A blast that huge wouldn’t have ravaged just the Breen homeworld, but done a number on the entire system. Everyone around them could feel how rattled the two Carnora were--not because the Carnora had any love for the Breen, but the sheer power of that weapon.  They’d come close to annihilation during the Jem’Hadar war, and it had only been by the blessing of the King of Heaven and the intervention of the Messengers themselves that such a device hadn’t been used in the Antevas System.

Silently, the two headed to the armoury. Reepchip--again--armed himself with a phaser, while Ryramorl got his usual loadout.

Commander Mayla Vree

*USS Resurrection*, Cardassia Prime

Stardate 2105.19

Mayla gave McCulloch and Beckett a stern glare. "You both need to calm the frell down, right now."

Both men looked back at her and nodded, but with a short breath of pent up frustration. And making note this was the first time they heard her using a curse word. First they were helpless as to where to find Thompson, and now they had a crisis to deal with while anything could be happening to their friend. "We need to act!"

"Without a plan or any onsite situational awareness, we'll get the hostages killed. Check your emotions, gentlemen." She took another visual status of the team assembled in the transporter room. She glanced over their gear load out again and felt it was satisfactory. They could always have the Resurrection beam down any additional equipment they needed. She opened a channel to the bridge. "Bridge, we're still standing by for transport. What's the hold up?"

"Authorizations and coordinates are coming through now, stand by."

"Authorization? We're here to help and we have to wait for a bloody authorization?" McCulloch said in a tone he could barely contain. Jahkar put a strong hand on his shoulder to keep him still.

The transporter chief gave Mayla a hand gesture of readiness. "Ready now, Commander."

"Where are we going?"

"They have a base of operations for you at a secured location near the Federation Embassy. It's shielded, so we had to recalibrate a few things to get a transporter beam in."

Mayla gestured to the team to get on the transporter pad. "Then let's go."

The team materialized into a large conference room amidst a dozen people assembling what looked like a command center. A human man quickly stepped up to them.

"Lieutenant Commander Jeremy Hartman, Chief of Operations here, Starfleet Intelligence."

Mayla stepped forward. "Commander Mayla Vree, Starfleet Intelligence," she said, identifying only herself. "You're having us set up here?"

"No, we are setting this up as a secondary command center. You'll be in our Intelligence Ops Center. It's the most secure space on the planet. If you follow me I'll take you there right now." Personnel made way for them as they walked down several corridors, into an empty hall to a singular door at the end. He stood in front of the door for a second before the door opened. They followed him into a large space that looked like a command center on a starbase.

"From here we collect intelligence reports from all over the planet, then report it all back to Starfleet Intelligence. We have a work space over here for the briefing." He led them again, this time to a deployment table in a corner of the large room. On the walls behind the table were monitors that gave them overwatch visual feeds from orbit and from dozens of drones around the Central Command building. On the deployment table was a holographically generated model of the building with various layers showing the interior layout and blueprint. On another monitor was what looked like the remnants of the Breen homeworld. Feed after feed of information continued to flood in.

"What's the situation?" Mayla asked, staring at a feed that actually meant something.

Hartman swiped in the air and a video feed appeared. "This occurred 84 minutes ago."

They watched the events unfold inside the Central Command. The feed had icons that linked to additional feeds from around the entire building. They could even hear what the council members were talking about.

"They transported directly into the chambers," Mayla said, rewinding back to the beginning of the recording after watching it once straight through. "Where did they transport from?"

Hartman shook his head. "We don't know. We don't have any planetary sensors in place; the Cardassians would notice them in an instant."

"What about ships in orbit with their passive scans?" Beckett said. "Maybe some ship picked up something, either a planetary site to site transport, or from a ship."

"We need to especially know if they have a ship supporting them from orbit. That will make things difficult if they could just beam out and get away." In her eyes, she sent a text only message to the Resurrection, requesting they be on a look out for a possible support ship in orbit. She rewound the video to 10 minutes before the raid. "Have you analyzed everyone in the chambers prior to the raid in case there's an infiltrator already in the room?"

Hartman scoffed. "We haven't analyzed it yet. It did just happen 90 minutes ago, Commander. But I'll have someone look at it right away."

"What's the Klingon and Romulan response?"

"We haven't heard anything from them yet."

"They're probably already on their way," Jahkar said, knowing the lack of response didn't mean they weren't taking any action. "They just don't want anyone to know it yet."

"It's going to get messy if they start demanding to send in their own troops to rescue the hostages," Mayla commented offhandedly. They watched through the video again, taking note of the SOC infiltration tactics. They were clean, smooth, and well practiced. This was a highly trained group. There was something vaguely familiar about it.

The feeds suddenly rezzed into static. "And that's when they put up the dampening field and transporter inhibitors that prevent anyone from beaming in or transmissions getting in or out." Hartman said.

The video switched to the general message that was sent out in the clear. Mayla zoomed in on what they claimed was a bomb. "What do we know about that bomb device?"

"It looks like what they said," Beckett said. "But this," he pointed at a module on the side that seemed to be monitoring something. "I've never seen anything like that before." His eyes widened and brought up something from the databanks. "It sort of looks like a quantum space regulator."

"What is that?" Sh'avelith asked, looking at Ra'yral to see if he knew what it was. Several team members shook their heads.

Mayla looked closely at the module too. "That's a magneto-containment regulator," she said with a slight hesitation in her voice as she also accessed the computer databanks and brought up the schematics of a similar device, but larger. She was afraid of what that might mean, and kept quiet about her guesses.

Hartman's eyes widened with alarm. "What does that mean?"

"That means we don't know what sort of bomb that is. A regulator like that is usually used on Romulan warp drives," she said, swiping away the schematic." Mayla put both her hands on the table's edge. "Without knowing the yield of that bomb, to be safe, we need to get that bomb off the planet, or at least to some uninhabited place."

"That's going to be hard to do if they set that up with a deadman's or proximity switch," McCulloch said, keeping his head clear and focused on the task at hand. "Once we kill the wrong Cardassian, or the bomb is outside whatever proximity it's set at, it'll go off. At least that's what I would do."

Mayla gave him a nod. "Agreed. The Sons of Cardassia claimed responsibility for destroying half the Breen homeworld in a suicide bombing of unknown source. I see no reason this could be any different."

"Do we know if anyone has been hurt in there?" Sh'avelith asked.

Hartman's face turned to stone. "Nearly all the guards are dead. The Klingon ambassador was stunned. That's all we can tell from the live feed."

There was silence for a few moments. "You have a live feed?" Mayla asked.

"A small back up contingency if there were any interference with the standard surveillance equipment." He reached over to one side and pulled a virtual screen over. "We have several hardline feeds in the council chambers in case something like this happens. This feed is live."

The team looked at the feed, and then Hartman pressed a key and a small holographic representation of the council chambers appeared on the table extrapolated from the four recorders embedded in the room.

"Nice," Beckett said.

"Do the Cardassians know you have eyes and ears on the Council's every move?" Jahkar asked. "Even if they think they're jamming you?"

Without batting an eye, Hartman gave him a straight answer. "No. Ever since the end of the War, little by little, we have placed the entire planet under surveillance. Especially THAT building. We like to think they think we're not watching."

"So, with the dissolution of the Obsidian Order, the Cardassians are relying on whatever information you give them?"

"If they ask for it. But they don't. They have more pressing matters within Cardassian space than anything outside it. And they haven't been very popular since the War. No one wants to give them anything."

"Can you identify any of the other men Tirlin has with him?" Mayla asked.

"They all have enclosed helmets on them. We're analyzing the voices now." Hartman said. "But it may take a while."

Beckett had his own little screen open tracking devices spread throughout the building. "They've got sentry drones monitoring the halls. They have the whole building secured. It's going to be difficult to get in." He tapped a few keys, probing the transmission feeds the drones were working within.

Each team member studied the scene inside the chambers and the holographic model of Central Command.

"Who else is working this?" Mayla asked.

Starfleet Intelligence Ops Center

Cardassia Prime

Stardate 2105.19

As Lt. Commander Hartman and Mayla spoke, the team stayed grouped nearby watching the video feed with them. As they discussed the situation, the door slid open and a lone individual entered.

A male Benzite in a Starfleet uniform stomped in and looked around. His gaze fell upon Hartman and he glared while taking a puff off his breathing apparatus before stalking across the room toward the Starfleet Intelligence officer.

“Commander Vree,” Hartman said, motioning toward the Benzite. “This is Captain Melfis, head of the Occupational Transition Team.”

“I have Gul Nidek waiting outside this facility, he was not allowed inside,” Melfis barked. “If you want to be briefed by the head of Cardassian Security you may want to allow him inside.”

Hartman bristled slightly and then stepped toward the Benzite, “Sir, I shouldn’t have to remind you that this is a security matter. I can’t have Cardassians wandering around this facility when unknown forces have attacked and seized Central Command. They also apparently just carried out a terror attack on the Breen. So no, sir, with all due respect, Nidek is not allowed inside. I can have him set up with a holographic comm so he can provide input if Commander Vree and her team require it.”

Melfis inhaled deeply from his breathing device, then threw his arms up in defeat. “Very well.”

Hartman turned to Mayla, “You want me to begin briefing you? Do you want input from Gul Nidek?”

Commander Mayla Vree

Starfleet Intelligence Ops Center, Cardassia Prime

Stardate 2105.19

"Yes, please," she answered. "My team is anxious to get their hands into this. Any input from Gul Nidek would be helpful." She switched her subvocal into broadcast mode so the team could hear everything she could hear.

Hartman gestured to someone behind the Benzite to set up a holographic comm link with the Gul in an outer office of the building. He shook his head at the imprudent decision Melfis made in exposing their operations here to the head of Cardassian Security of all people.

"Captain, if you would please escort Gul Nidek to the outer office, I would very much appreciate it." Hartman said in the most pleasant voice he could muster through his irritation.

The Benzite captain took an angry puff from his respirator and stormed out. Within a few minutes, they were notified the comm link had been established.

"No mention of our surveillance inside Central Command, or anywhere else on the planet." Hartman said to everyone as he swiped away the live feed back to the wall monitor. The deployment table, Mayla, and Hartman were the only ones projected to the office where Melfis and Nidek were now at. Hartman made sure he controlled exactly only what he wanted the Cardassian to see.

The tall Cardassian with the trappings of a Gul appeared at the table as if he was there with them. The rest of the team stood not too close but enough to still see everything as they waited to be briefed on the situation from their perspective.

Colonel Jahkar

Starfleet Intelligence Ops Center, Cardassia Prime

Stardate 2105.19

Jakhar looked around at the rest of the team. He motioned for them to move out of the line-of-sight this Gul Nidek would have when he was allowed to enter the briefing via holographic comm. He didn’t want a potential head count of the team, descriptions or types of weapons they were carrying to get back to the terrorists -- in the event Nidek was a bad guy.

When they were clear, but still able to watch, Jahkar whispered in his com to the others, “No one speaks up. Direct all questions through your comms to the commander. I don’t want the Cardassians having any idea of how many of us there are or any other details. Understood?”

The team acknowledged. He then shot McCulloch and Beckett hard stares, reminding them both to watch their mouths. They were prone to going off half-cocked and he didn’t want them mucking things up.

Lieutenant Ryramorl Ra’yral

Ensign Reepchip Charatetet

Starfleet Intelligence Ops Center, Cardassia Prime

Stardate 2105.20

Reepchip’s first instinct was to seek high ground, or some small corner to hide in.  He found what he was looking for in a ledge over the door, scampering up the wall and standing on it.  He kept a close eye on the door, straining his ears, trying to hear as best he could over the racket of everyone breathing.

Ryramorl stood back behind the door, at the ready.  He could have been a strange-looking statue, for all the movement he made.  He had his rifle at the ready.  He heard somewhere that Gul was the Cardassian equivalent of La’an?  Or maybe their power structure worked differently.  He couldn’t quite remember.  Unfortunately, his size made it impossible to hide quite as well as Reepchip.

Lt. Commander William McCulloch

Starfleet Intelligence Ops Center, Cardassia Prime

Stardate 2105.20

As Will studied the video feeds as well as the holographic images of the target building, a series of questions fluttered through his mind. He chose to bypass most of them with the hopes they would be answered during the coming briefing. Nevertheless, as he focused on the layout of the building, he couldn’t help but wonder if he was going to be spending a good part of the day crawling and spelunking through ventilation shafts so as to secure the upper hand on the Sons of Cardasia.

After a moment of further reflection, he decided there were one or two pressing questions that he wanted to be answered sooner rather than later. He spoke through his subvocal to Vree.

“Commander, do they know how many teams of the Sons of Cardassia we are dealing with? If I had to bet, the group we’re seeing on the live feed is probably supported by at least two other teams, one inside the building and one on the perimeter or flanks.”

Gul Nidek

Lt. Commander Jeremy Hartman

Starfleet Intelligence Ops Center, Cardassia Prime

Stardate 2105.20

Nidek looked around and saw what appeared to be a Trill female and Hartman. He thought, briefing, he detected movement to the fringes of his vision and decided there were likely others in the room who did not want to be seen. That was fine. He did not care about their secrets.

“I am Gul Dasen Nidek of the Third Order,” he said. “I was appointed to head up Cardassian security forces by former President Elim Garak and that post was reaffirmed when President Peltek took office five years ago. You may not trust me, but I have the approval of two Cardassian presidents, the Detapa Council and your former occupational forces…” he looked at Hartman and smiled thinly, “I’m sorry...current or former, we are still occupied in one way or another, are we not? But, we are not here to discuss politics. We are here to discuss the situation at Central Command.”

Nidek nodded to Hartman, who pulled up a holographic display of the giant Central Command building and presented it floating above the conference table.

“As you know, an armed force of about 20 beamed into Cardassian Central Command this morning, seized the Detapa Council, the president and visiting dignitaries and issued demands while displaying the image of a massive explosive device they have planted on the floor of the council chambers.

“The leader of the group inside the building is one Tirlin Drajal,” Nidek said as Hartman scrolled up holographic screens displaying Tirlin’s biographical data in front of Mayla and another was raised back where the Shadow Ops team was standing. “He and his family have been sought by Federation and Cardassian forces now for several years. They were all members of the anti-occupation forces and later, their movement developed into the radical Sons of Cardassia who have been a source of trouble for occupation forces now for several years, but more recently intelligence has suggested they are up to something bigger.”

Hartman nodded, “The Sons of Cardassia has been quietly recruiting and building an army for nearly two decades. We believe they have tapped wealthy troves of money hoarded away by the Obsidian Order before it fell more than 20 years ago. You see, the five Drajal siblings are the children of Gul Naren Drajal, a prominent Cardassian military officer with secret ties to the Obsidian Order.

“When the Dominion took over Cardassia, with their alliance with Dukat, the senior Drajal’s involvement with the Obsidian Order and his outspoken opposition to Dukat’s alliance prompted the Dominion to give him an ultimatum. He was told to retire to his home outside the capital and stay out of the Dominion’s business. They suspected, however, that he was secretly aiding and funding Damar’s resistance movement at the end of the war and on the day the Cardassians turned on their Dominion and Breen ‘allies’ the Vorta, Weyoun, sent a squad of soldiers -- both Jem’Hadar and Breen -- to slaughter the Drajal family.

“The parents were killed in front of the children as their home was burned behind them,” Hartman continued. “Basal Drajal, just a child at the time, was shot by a Breen soldier and as the unit prepared to exterminate the rest of the children, a band of resistance fighters arrived and thwarted the killings. Basal was the Drajal sibling who detonated the quantum singularity device a short time ago at Breen.”

Nidek then spoke, “So this is not some angry Cardassian youth movement upset because they don’t like Federation values or politics being forced down their throats. This is a blood feud. The Sons of Cardassia want war with the Breen and Dominion and they appear to have the tools to carry this out.”

Hartman nodded, “We believe they have the Trinity.”

Mayla shook her head, “Trinity?”

“Before the Obsidian Order was destroyed by the Dominion, it was working on plans to eradicate the Founders before they could conquer the Alpha Quadrant,” said Nidek. “While the Federation was attempting diplomacy, the Obsidian Order was preparing for a worse-case scenario. They constructed three quantum singularity devices called the Trinity. These three weapons of mass destruction were going to be used against the Dominion to ensure the destruction of the Founders. But then, two things happened.

“First, the Obsidian Order was defeated at the Omarion Nebula in the Gamma Quadrant as it joined forces with the Romulan Tal Shiar and took a secret fleet to attack the Founder’s homeworld. Then, later, as the remnants of the Order sought to hide the Trinity and prepare for its use against the Dominion, they were taken by surprise when Gul Dukat entered into an alliance with the Founders.”

“This Trinity was hidden by the surviving Obsidian Order, because if the newly allied Dominion were to catch wind of their existence, they would have take the devices for their own use and killed anyone involved with their development,” said Hartman. “When the occupation began, there were whispers that there were three hidden weapons of mass destruction somewhere in the Cardassian Union, but we could never find them. They have...or had...at least one of them considering what just happened at Breen.”

Nidek gave a deep sigh, “So, enough with the background, where would you like us to begin?”

Ensign Reepchip Charatetet

Cardassia Prime

Stardate 2105.20

As Gul Nidek spoke, Reepchip listened closely--not only with his physical ears, but also trying to mentally “hear” the Cardassian’s mind.  He wasn’t trying to actively read it, just eavesdrop, if he could.  He also breathed deeply, trying to take in the Cardassian’s scent.  That was one problem with holodeck simulations--they felt “hollow” to his mind, like a machine.  No mental presence whatsoever.

Commander Mayla Vree

Intelligence Operations Command, Cardassia Prime

Stardate 2105.20

McCulloch's voice came over her subvocal and she gave a click back of acknowledgement that she heard. But at the moment, they were being briefed on Trinity.

"A quantum singularity bomb," she said, looking at the profiled image of the bomb in the Detapa Council chambers. "That's what they used to destroy the Breen homeworld. No amount of firepower from any ship could blow a planet apart like that. And that could be what's sitting in the Council chambers right now."

"How can you be sure?" Hartman asked, almost unsure of himself based on what he had just revealed to them about Trinity.

"The scaled down version of a Romulan magneto-containment regulator," she pointed at the image. "The Romulan warp drive's power source is a quantum singularity contained inside a dynamic quantum magneto containment field. That regulator keeps the singularity stable."

Nidek nodded regretfully. "I have to agree with the Commander's deduction. Destroying the Breen homeworld was a display for our benefit, and a message. Follow their demands, or Cardassia Prime gets destroyed."

"The options of a terrorist," Hartman said. "We need to get that bomb off the planet."

"Or it could be a red herring," Mayla said, relaying what Jahkar had just whispered over the subvocal. "Five siblings, with one who just killed himself at Breen. And Tirlin is here inside Central Command. That could leave us with three other siblings, perhaps each following their own agenda. And any of the four siblings could have the remaining two bombs if they have found them all.

"Gul Nidek, we require all information you have on the siblings," Mayla said. "It might be safe to say the remaining three siblings have already begun their plans and could be exacting their revenge on other parties as we speak as everyone's attention is now focused here."

"I will give you whatever information you need. But right now, my immediate concern is what to do with the Drajal we have here."

"We will also need everything you have on Trinity."

Nidek's face changed. "That will require access to old Obsidian Order data I don't have access to."

"Somebody has access to it." Mayla glared at the taller man. "I suggest you do what you can because if we have to diffuse that bomb here, we have something to go on. Or we run the risk of detonating it ourselves just trying to move it."

Nidek glanced over to Hartman for a moment. "I will do what I can."

"Central Command is your homefront," Mayla said, as the team began asking questions over her subvocal. In her eyes, the text of each question was put on a list for her by her AI. "What are your best recommendations as to gaining entry, or any security measures in the building that could be used to our best advantage? I'm sure there are at least several aspects of the building that not many people would know about. We need to know whatever secrets the building has."

Hartman nodded, “Here’s biographical data on the Drajal siblings. Nidek can go over possible infiltration sites for the Central Command building.”

The lieutenant commander keyed his data padd and a file scrolled up on the holo-screens (OCC: assume it contains detailed bio info, photos and so forth).

*Starfleet Intelligence summary of the Sons of Cardassia*

*The Sons of Cardassia is a terrorist organization formed a few years after the Dominion genocide committed against the Cardassian people at the end of the Dominion War. The organization was founded in 2379 by Oran Drajal and his four siblings, all of whom survived the Dominion genocide after watching their parents killed by Jem’Hadar and their family home burned.*

*Their father, Gul Naren Drajal, was collaborating with the Resistance and during the Dominion assault on the Cardassian people a squad of Jem’Hadar and Breen showed up at their home outside the Capital City the night of the final battle of the war. While the five Drajal children watched, the soldiers killed their parents, burned their house to the ground then, as they prepared to turn their guns on the children, Damar’s resistance fighters happened upon the scene and saved them from certain death.*

*The five children are brothers Oran, Tirlin, Narvath, Basal and sister Sabka.*

*Oran, the eldest, joined the Cardassian military after the war and served under the guidance of the Federation occupational forces. He was intent on helping rebuild his civilization but was displeased with the way the Federation and its allies tried to change the structure of the Cardassian government and military – imposing extreme democratic reforms and allowing only minimal rebuilding of the military.*

*Oran worked his way up in the Cardassian militia and into the inner workings of the new Cardassian government while his siblings worked covertly from their various careers to form an organization that would seek vengeance upon the Breen and Dominion for the war crimes they committed against the Cardassian people.*

*Oran became an aide to then-president Elim Garak and used his political affiliations to secretly further the Sons of Cardassia cause. Eventually, Garak learned of the group’s existence but hesitated telling the occupational forces. Eventually, the occupation found out and Garak was forced from office. By then, Oran had disappeared.*

*Tirlin was also in the new Cardassian militia, Narvath was an arbitrator in the Cardassian legal system, Basal worked at the university in the capital where he taught and Sabka worked with various Cardassian relief organizations aiding refugees and working for various social causes. All four used their position to secretly recruit young Cardassians into the movement, to form alliances with other anti-occupation groups and to funnel money donated by wealthy Cardassians toward the cause.*

*Two years ago, they each dropped out of sight and were never seen again in public, abandoning their careers and disappearing presumably into the SoC organization.*

Nidek then highlighted the holographic model of the Central Command Structure.

“The building is nearly impossible to penetrate using technology. Transport inhibitors, dampening fields and other defenses keep it sealed tight,” the Cardassian explained.

“Then how did a group of armed Cardassian terrorists get inside?” Mayla asked coldly.

Nidek looked at her and gave her a momentary stare, before answering, “I’m convinced they had help. Sensor logs show there was a 10 second fluctuation in the buildings anti-transporter defenses which allowed the Sons of Cardassia assault team to transport in. Someone took those defenses down.”

He rezzed up some surveillance footage from the security command center in the building at the time of the incursion and they saw a Cardassia at one of the stations suddenly input some data on the holographic display before him and the time corresponded to the time on the sensor logs when the security grid fluctuated.

“Who is he?” Mayla asked.

“Trooper Zlin. If he survives, we’ll deal with him afterwards,” Nidek said dryly. “Obviously, we can’t beam you in. When they took over the system, they changed the phase variances in the inhibitors and dampening fields. We could attempt to analyze those variances and try to beam you through...but it would be dangerous.”

He then highlighted the exterior of the structure. “You could perform a HALO jump and land on the surface of the building. There are a couple of access points here and here.” Nidek highlighted those access points. “However, the exterior of the building has sensors built in and those access points are likely guarded.”

The model then zoomed into a portion of the structure beneath the ground. “Then there’s the tunnels.”

“Tunnels?” Vree asked.

“Built by the Obsidian Order before the war, there were a series of tunnels stretching beneath the city leading from Central Command to other important buildings. Many of those tunnels collapsed during the bombing of the city, but those under Central Command remained relatively intact. There are three tunnels which lead directly beneath Central Command. They were all sealed off by Occupation Forces early on to prevent anyone from using them to get inside Central Command. If you could beam into one of the tunnels outside the building’s perimeter, follow that tunnel until it goes under the building and then blast your way through the wall that was put in place there to keep anyone from doing what you’d be trying to do, you might be able to get inside that way, avoiding detection.”

Hartman shook his head, “You might want to tell her that those tunnels were also flooded to keep intruders from trying what you’re suggesting.”

Nidek smiled for the first time, “I was getting to that, but she is special forces, correct? Swimming through a tunnel, blowing up a duracrete wall and sneaking inside a building from underground should be...how do you humans say it...a piece of cake?”

Nidek then stopped and looked to Vree, “Your question about the device. I suppose it’s possible that explosive device is a quantum singularity weapon, but it looks nothing like the device Basal Drajal showed us on his ship. Hartman, can you key up the images from both SoC transmissions?”

Hartman complied and he brought up the video from both the Tirlin transmission and the Basal transmission. “Note the size of the quantum singularity device on Basal’s ship. Larger, orb-like, almost like an over-sized photon torpedo. Then look at the device in the council chambers in Tirlin Drajal’s transmission; it's smaller, looks like parts rigged together. We should probably have someone with knowledge of bomb-making have a look at that, but unless they gutted a quantum singularity device and have used pieces of it -- which would probably make it rather unstable, I’m going to say I think this is a more conventional device meant to kill the council and the other political leaders.”

“We can’t be sure,” Mayla said.

“No,” Nidek shrugged. “But everything I’ve read about the Sons of Cardassia and the Drajal siblings suggests they wouldn’t destroy their home world or kill their own people en masse. But what do I know? I’m just the spoonhead advisor who has to work from a different location for security reasons.”

Hartman scowled, “Nidek, you know why we have to do this.”

“I know,” he smirked. “It’s fine. I just needed to get a little jab in there. I truly don't mind being kept in a separate location.”

Mayla looked at the people surrounding the table. "I'm to assume we are weapons free on all of the terrorists? Or do they need to be captured?"

Commander Mayla Vree

Intelligence Operations Command, Cardassia Prime

Stardate 2105.29

Mayla listened carefully as Phoenix Team discussed their plan of action over the subvocal with Captain Lazarus. Nidek gave her a smug smile as if to defy her to come up with a plan. But Phoenix Squad did come up with a plan. Lazarus had already begun to give orders to retrofit the EMP grenades they had in the armory to be high yield, and a nanotrite substance that will burn through duracrete.

She gave her team a quick glance before expanding the view of one of the three tunnels on the building schematics. "We'll beam into Tunnel 3 here, just outside Central Command's security envelope. The tunnel runs below the environmental hub of the building. From there, we spread out to the four entrances around the Chambers, set up KV explosives with a manual trigger to blow the doors open, and place the EMP grenades there. On a signal, we detonate the grenades."

"You'll lose all of your weapons and equipment, including your comms." Hartman said.

"Yes, we know. Once the grenades are detonated, we blow the doors with the manual trigger. By then the dampening field should go down as would everything else in the building. The Resurrection can lock on to the bomb and beam it out of there to some place else, and then the hostages."

"And the commandos?" Nidek asked.

"Once we blow the doors simultaneously, storm the chambers and take them all out before they can harm any of the hostages."

"With what? Hand to hand combat? Are you that confident you can take them all on?" Nidek said with what almost sounded like a mocking sneer. "Those commandos are wearing armor." He pointed to one of the visuals from the public announcement.

"It's our job. It's what we do." She didn't have to look at the team. They all had already agreed to it. She returned a look to Nidek with a smile and included him on operational responsibility.

"Gul Nidek, you have been with Central Command since the end of the war. I'm sure in your position you must have created several strategic contingency plans in the wings to implement depending on events or situations that may arise here on your homeworld."

Now he looked unsure of what he should say. He slowly gave her an affirmative nod. "What do you need?"

"We need you to stage a fake Breen invasion of Cardassia Prime."

"What?" Hartman said.

"The Breen won't care that it was the Sons of Cardassian who destroyed half their homeworld," she said. "From their perspective, Cardassia just declared war on them. I'm sure they already have ships on their way here." Mayla leaned against the table and gave Nidek a penetrating look. "First we need a protest outside Central Command, Free Cardassia, whatever. When we are in position to breach Central Command, the Breen will begin to 'bombard' the city. All the newsfeeds from all over the planet will report devastation."

"You want to distract them with a greater threat than losing the Detapa Council. With propaganda news." Hartman said, wondering if that would cause a worldwide panic.

"A large scale Breen attack is a much greater threat than losing the Detapa Council." Mayla said, glad that Nidek gave her just a slight nod of his head while tapping on his padd. "We also need you to disable Central Command's security systems without them knowing they've been disabled. We need all of their visual feeds run in a loop so they can't see us coming. And you need to control the information going into the building, especially about the planetary attack."

"It will take me several hours to prepare," Nidek said, looking at his padd with the list.

"You have 90 minutes," Mayla said, after hearing an estimated time it would take for the Resurrection team to get their ordnance ready. "They won't expect a response this swift. The longer we wait, the more they will expect some sort of action. I would suggest you start with the protest outside immediately."

Nidek took a breath before putting on his best military face. "Is that all you need? I have work to do."

"We'll let you know if there's anything else. Good luck, Gul Nidek."

"Good luck to you, Commander." Nidek said without even looking at her and stepped out from the table and from view. The holo-comm shut off.

"Did you have to tell him the whole plan?" Beckett said over the subvoc. "I'm still not sure I trust anyone but us in this room."

Mayla looked at Hartman, but responded to Beckett. "I didn't tell him the whole plan."

"What do you need from me, Commander?" Hartman asked, thinking she was about to ask him something.

"We need you to coordinate with Nidek and make the invasion and protests believable, including information broadcasted on the Federation News Network. You and Nidek are our distraction. Make it look good. Make everyone believe the Breen are attacking."

"Aye."

"We're returning to our ship to prep. Let us know if you have any questions." Mayla made a hand gesture for the team to beam back to the ship. Directly into the *Resurrection*'s War Room.

"So, what's the real plan?" Jahkar asked. They all now stood around the small deployment table with the schematics of the Central Command building on it Mayla had attained and sent to the Resurrection.

"Two teams. I'll take Sh'avelith and McCulloch and go through Tunnel 1. It runs diagonally below the corner of this office here that is just down the corridor from the Council Chambers. You take the rest of the team and go with the said plan with Tunnel 3."

"That's going to take us a while to get to counsel chambers." Ra'yral said, studying the layout.

"You will be our distraction. While the terrorists are hopefully focused on you, we will place all the explosives and emp grenades into position. When you get to the Chambers, all you'll need to do is to attach the detonators to a trigger which you all will be carrying."

"What about those sentry drones?" McCulloch asked.

"Sky Eye nanoprobes," Lazarus said. "Engineering is working on them now. They will have small emp charged launchers in them that can be fired at a drone and take them out one at a time. Or if we're lucky, they can all shadow the drones, and we give them the signal to take out all the drones at the same time."

"Of course, they will be running in stealth mode, so it may take them a while to get to them all." Mayla said. "What about the positioning of the Resurrection?"

"We'll be positioned a kilometer above the building. "Carmichael is going to work some magic and emit a scattering field around us and the building like an umbrella to keep anyone from beaming out." He gave everyone a grin. "Except us, that is."

"And beam down some equipment and weapons to us." McCulloch said.

"If the opportunity arises. We'll be busy with beaming out all the hostages."

"Any hints at a support ship in orbit?" Mayla asked.

"Cardassian Planetary Defense is boarding every ship in orbit for inspection. If a ship is cloaked, that's going to be a bit harder to find."

"What other Starfleet assets do we have?" Jahkar asked. "We can't be the only ones here."

"Not by a long shot. Task Force 74 is assigned to this sector. Fourteen starships patrol Cardassian space in a...policing capacity. Two are already here, another one on the way." He looked around at the team. "You concentrate on the ground, I'll coordinate what's going on in orbit." Lazarus hid his slight concern that his team would be going in without comm or advanced weapons support. He will have Union 12 and the infirmary ready.

Mayla has known Lazarus nearly all her life, and although no one else would notice, she detected his concern. She turned her attention to the holographic model. "So melee weapons only on the ground. Leave the rest of your weapons on the ship, but in a duffel bag in case the Transporter room can beam them down to us."

Sh'avelith gestured with a hand. "What about your nanites?"

Lazarus looked at her too. "I assume the nanites are shielded."

"They are. I've been hit with an emp grenade before without much effect." Mayla answered without hesitation or doubt. "I'll be fine. Thanks for asking." She gave them all a cold look. "Take whatever weapons you need. There are no rules here. These terrorists are willing to die for what they believe is just. We will fight to protect the innocent. That's what we do. If there aren't any other questions, let's get ready. We beam out in about 90 minutes, and hope Gul Nidek gets his invasion set up."

Lt. Ryramorl Ra’yral

*USS Resurrection*

Stardate 2105.29

Ryramorl grunted.  “My spearthrower and spears are in the armoury, as is a chemical-fueled ballistic firearm I got to replace the one I lost, and Reepchip has his blowgun, and assorted specialized darts.  Shall we bring those as well, since they will not be affected by an EMP?” he asked

Colonel Jahkar

*USS Resurrection*

Stardate 2105.30

Jahkar nodded at Ryramorl, “Yes. If you have preferred weapons you’d like to bring, see to it.”

The Marine immediately set about creating an inventory of what they would need. There was diving equipment onboard for underwater operations. Everyone going into the tunnels would require such gear. He knew he’d ordered custom underwater gear for Ryramorl and Reepchip as well, so now they’d have the chance to try it out...for Ryramorl at least.

Standard issue knives for everyone, personal hand-to-hand weapons and grenades -- particularly EMP grenades and possibly some flash-bangers in case. HE grenades would pose a potential danger to the hostages, so those would likely be off the list.

Jahkar then enlisted ensigns Sullivan and Grop from security and assigned them to pull the needed gear from the ship’s stores, providing them with a manifest of what was needed. He decided to place Grop in charge, given that he was a Ferengi, he was eager to please commanding officers and he had the Ferengi gift of being thorough when it came to handling inventories and manifests.

Lt. Commander William McCulloch

*USS Resurrection*

Stardate 2105.30

Will listened to Mayla’s report and mentally asked himself if he should replicate a suit of metal armor, a shield and blade and prepare to fight Orcs. He wasn’t particularly thrilled about the prospects of resorting to melee weapons but he knew they had no other choice.

McCulloch quietly withdrew his padd, pulled up his equipment inventory list and started to tick off the items he would be storing in a duffel bag...his sniper gear, microdrones, tool kits, spare ammunition...just about everything.

He then started to make a list of items he would instead bring with him on the mission on top of what Jahkar was recommending. Once again, he sarcastically asked himself if he should bring his wizard’s cloak.

Refocusing on the task at hand, he seriously contemplated whether he should bring the Scottish broadsword hanging on the wall of his quarters. After a moment of reflection, he quietly shook his head in the negative as the weapon was too cumbersome and admittedly the basket hilt of the weapon was more of a hindrance than anything else. Besides, sword play was so...Vree.

Instead, the Scot chose a trio of collapsible weapons he could strap to his belting or thighs...a quarterstaff, a military fork, and his batons. He also added a second dirk knife to be secured to his other boot and a pair of combat knives to his chest armor. He smiled again as he made a spur of the moment decision to bring the twin strike crossbow he kept in his armory locker in place of his sniper’s rifle. The Scot had only used the weapon for hunting back on Caldos, but in his opinion it was an ideal choice given the circumstances. The weapon was silent, came equipped with a manual targeting scope and had a range of up to 100 yards. Better yet, the weapon could fire up two bolts instead of just one before having to reload.

Finally, he had a pair of antique yet fully functional SIG-Sauer P226 pistols with suppressors he contemplated bringing along for the ride as well.

Satisfied with his choice of weapons, Will returned his attention to the briefing. However, upon further reflection he returned to his padd and tapped it several times before submitting a request to Ensign Grop to find a bolt action sniper’s rifle for his duffle bag.

Once satisfied that the request had gone through, the Scot smiled and focused on the mission at hand.

Lieutenant Ryramorl Ra’yral

Ensign Reepchip Charatetet

*USS Resurrection*

Stardate 2105.30

Ryramorl added his hunting knife and ceremonial bodyguard sword to the manifest, and Reepchip also added his Scorpion Dagger.

The Olvern’s jaw automatically tightened seeing someone outside his tribe--who wasn’t even a Carnora!--handling his tribal weaponry, but he firmly remained calm, knowing that this was out of necessity.  It helped that Ensigns Sullivan and Grop treated the primitive weapons with complete seriousness.  Ryramorl strapped on the weaponry, nodding his thanks to the Ensigns.

Reepchip also took on his own weaponry.  The standard issue fighting knife looked comically large in the tiny Muran’s paws, almost like a short sword.  The long-hilted Scorpion Dagger he strapped to his back, where he could easily pull it out with his tail.  He also fastened on his blowpipe and pouches of darts in his small bandolier.  He wasn’t sure how effective the blowpipe would be against armoured Cardassians, but he wasn’t going into battle without it.

Keldon-class warship

Near Cardassia Prime

Stardate 2106.01

The Cardassian commanding the cloaked Keldon-class warship that had delivered the Sons of Cardassia cell to the surface of Cardassia Prime left orbit immediately after beaming Tirlin and his people down. The invisible ship moved off to a safe distance from Cardassia Prime and waited there for the Cell to call them for beam out.

Gul Narvath Drajal

Beta Cell, Sons of Cardassia

Torros III, 1110 hours

Stardate 2106.01

The Weapons Depot on Torros III was a relic of the past. It was from a time when the Cardassian Union was a highly militarized galactic power bent on stockpiling deadly weapons as they acted as the aggressor against the Federation and other Alpha Quadrant powers. The facility had been used to store all kinds of weapons – from photon torpedoes, tri-cobalt devices, plasma torpedoes and such terrible weapons as biological and metagenic devices.

When the Dominion took over, they placed Jem’Hadar in the Torros III facility and other weapons depots across the Cardassian Union. They kept them just incase the weaponry was someday needed. At the conclusion of the war, the depots were abandoned, and the Federation and her allies took them over during the Occupation.

For 20 years the occupation forces had taken control of such depots and spent those years dismantling them and destroying their contents. The weapons now long gone; a skeleton staff remained at Torros III. It was mostly used to store and distribute supplies – food and medicine – to the locals living on Torros III. Cardassians who had rebuilt in the past 20 years, but who still struggled in the post-genocide Cardassian Union.

When news came that morning that terrorists had taken hostages at Central Command on Cardassia Prime, the facility went to heightened state of alert. The crew of 15 were secured the facility and then they waited to hear more. An hour later, when news came of the attack on Breen, the staff at Torros III watched the news with great surprise while the three Federation starships orbiting the planet immediately were dispatched to the “northern” border of the Cardassian Union – the most likely place a Breen retaliation force would manifest if it were sent.

This left Torros III relatively unguarded, but it was nothing more than a supply depot now, there to aid the residents of the planet and other nearby systems. There was no threat to the Torros facility, so the departure of the starships there did not really seem to matter. In fact, most occupation starships and the new Cardassian fleet were all immediately deployed to the border. If an angry Breen fleet came, they needed to be ready to defend.

With Torros III unprotected, it didn’t take long for a Keldon-class cruiser to warp into the system and assume orbit about the planet, cloaking device engaged. On approach, it had used stolen codes acquired by Sabka Drajal from an unwitting half Cardassian Starfleet officer who supported the Sons of Cardassia’s basic premise – but who had no idea what the group was truly up to.

The codes allowed the cloaked ship to bypass all security coming into the system so the ship could not be detected, adding an additional level of stealth for its approach to Torros III. Aboard that ship, Gul Narvath Drajal and his squad of Cardassian terrorists assembled in the cargo bay for mass transport to the surface. Like the cell that beamed down to Central Command just over and hour earlier, they were all in battle gear and armed to the teeth.

“Beta Cell, prepare for transport,” Narvath told his 20 commandos, who assembled on the transporter pad and readied their weapons. Just before transport, they activated their helmets, which sealed to enclose their heads, and the team was beamed down to Torros III.

Dampening fields and shields removed years ago during the dismantling of the weapons facility, the Sons of Cardassia cell materialized inside the former depot. As Narvath and five of his soldiers headed down a large turbolift into the depths of the depot, the others in the unit spread out and began to hunt down and kill the Starfleet officers manning Torros III.

“Leave no one alive,” Narvath’s orders still echoed in the minds of the terrorists. In orbit, the Keldon-class ship jammed communications from the Torros depot so there would be no call for help.

Narvath and his team arrived at the bottom of the depot. The area was dark and completely cleaned out of weapons. This level had housed the worst weapons of the lot and there had been labs here to create new, more terrible weapons.  Narvath did not seem to care, however, that there was nothing there of apparent interest as he pulled out a tricorder and bean to scan the area.

After a sensor sweep, he locked onto a faint signal in the main chamber of the underground catacombs beneath the depot and then he keyed in a code which caused lights to come on in the room. At the same time, a secret panel in the floor slowly opened and an object began to rise from deep inside.

A Cardassian stepped up next to Narvath and deactivated his helmet, exposing his face and head. “You mean to say it’s been hidden here the whole time?”

Narvath smiled, “You weren’t with us when we recovered the first two warheads, were you?”

“No,” the younger Cardassian said. “I came on at the base on Pentrath III.”

The gul, honorary title bestowed upon him by his brother Oran, smiled and nodded, “They are called the Trinity. There were three of them. This is the last one. We acquired the other two in a similar manner. They were hidden by survivors of the Obsidian Order years ago…right under the noses of the Dominion and the occupation forces of the Federation and its allies.”

“This is the same thing we just used on the Breen?” the young Cardassian gasped. “Is…it safe?”

“Safe until we decide to use it,” Narvath said as he walked around the dusty orb that had risen out of the floor. “Slap an isolinear tag on it and get it beamed to the ship. Let’s go. Get the team out on the double. We have a long trip ahead of us.”

Another Cardassian approached. It was a woman, who bowed to Narvath and gave her report, “Heard from the team above ground. They’ve eliminated the depot staff. No alarms raised. No messages got out.”

“As expected,” Narvath said. He keyed his comm, “Narvath to the Anluth, beam us up.”

A moment later the Cardassians and the orb were transported up to the Anluth and the cloaked ship headed into space, on the long journey to Forward Base.

Back to top

## S3, E4, Act 6: Into the Murky Depths

Lt. Commander William McCulloch

*USS Resurrection*, Armory

Stardate 2106.02

Will opened the metal case and stared at the broadheads. Next to the case on the table were two dozen crossbow bolts without the tips attached. The Scot stared at the broadheads intensely, oblivious as Ensign Grop approached him. McCulloch snapped to attention and looked around as his fellow operatives were re-equipping themselves.

Grop leaned forward and studied the broadheads for a moment. He then looked up at McCulloch.

“May I make a suggestion sir?” He asked.

“Of course.”

“Leave the mechanical broadheads behind. If they puncture the Cardassian’s armor...and that is a big if … they will shatter before puncturing flesh. Personally I’d go with the fixed blade broadheads.”

McCulloch studied Grop in stunned silence. He eventually cleared his throat and smiled slightly. “I see you’ve done your homework on bolts vs. armor.”

“Yes sir. I spent the last hour researching the topic and honestly, I found it quite fascinating. I was somewhat surprised how easily fixed broadheads can pierce armor within a fixed range.”

“The operative word is fixed range.” McCulloch countered as he started to take the fixed broadheads from the case and screw them onto the bolts.

“I also have a surprise for you sir.” The Ferengi announced. “I was able to locate two bolt rifles for your duffle bag as requested.”

“Excellent.” Will replied, as he continued to screw broadheads into his bolts.

“I think you’ll be pleased with one of the rifles I found.” Grop announced as he walked over to a nearby storage case, pulled open the lid and hefted up a bolt rifle to show the Scot. It got his attention.

“Where did you find that?” McCulloch asked, trying hard not to contain his glee as seeing the weapon.

“It wasn’t easy. I heard rumors this rifle was buried in a storage room two decks down. It turned up a deck below that.” Grop replied as he handed the SMLE Number 1 Mark III rifle over to McCulloch.

Will slowly pushed the bolt handle upwards and then pulled it back towards him. He examined the breech and the ten round magazine.

“This is in near mint condition.” McCulloch announced as he studied the armory markings and date stamps.

“It is an excellent weapon if your other rifles fail.” Grop replied with an emphasis on “other weapons fail”. McCulloch nodded in understanding before directing the ensign to store the weapon and ammunition in his duffel bag.

Afterwards he finished attaching the broadheads to his bolts, stripped off all of his previous armor, equipment and gear and put on a wetsuit and his replacement items. Across his back was his crossbow while a quiver of two dozen bolts was strapped to right thigh. On his left hip his SIG-Sauer P226 pistol with a suppressor already attached hung in reverse. His collapsible batons were shifted to his utility belt and rested at the small of his back. The collapsible quarterstaff and military fork were strapped to each of his biceps and a series of grenades and combat knives were attached to his chest armor.

The Scot grumbled silently to himself as he stared in a nearby mirror and reflected upon how foolish he looked carrying a collection of primitive weapons. Afterwards, he did what he did best...he went to a corner of the room, retrieved a nearby chair, sat down, stretched out his legs and tried to nap before the go order was given.

Commander Mayla Vree

Armory, *USS Resurrection* in orbit above Cardassia Prime

Stardate 2106.03

She sat at one of the few computer terminals with a large screen in the Resurrection's armory watching the newsfeeds coming out of Cardassia. Gul Nidek, along with Hartman, had hastily recruited Cardassian and Federation civilians and civilian contractors to begin a protest around the Central Command building within half hour. Anti-rioting barriers were immediately set up to create a defense perimeter once the crowds gained in numbers.

Ra'yral came up beside her and crossed his arms, glancing down at the weapons of choice she had on her. "Where's your plasmium katana? The one you used on Helios to break us out. That could cut through their armor like...what do the terrans call it...jell-o? Let alone duracrete."

"Butter," she responded. "It was decided best to keep Linea technology out from the open. I have it stored safely away."

The Carnora grunted with just a slight hint of disappointment. The katana she used was able to cut through the duranium walls of Bravo Squad's cells when they had been captured by the Linea years ago. "Pity. It would have been useful now." He looked up at the monitor that had half a dozen news feeds all playing at the same time. Someone else came up beside her.

"I wonder how many of those protesters are really protesters." Jahkar said.

"By now, probably half of them. The ones who brought picket signs." She pointed at one monitor that showed one Cardassian yelling at the top of his lungs to people holding signs with standard Federation and Cardassian writing on it. Even though most of the sounds were muted, they could see the charged emotions the protesters had. She looked at both Jahkar and Ra'yral, who had both donned their armor and various weapons. They returned her look. "Don't get too weighed down. We're swimming in the tunnels."

"We'll be fine," Jahkar said. "We have the water scooters."

"If only they had weapons on them," Ra'yral said, thinking back to a holosim they had recently done.

"It's enough that they have a limited AI to go where we want them to go remotely," Mayla said. The small handheld magneto hydrodynamic propulsion units were silent but powerful enough to tow 150kg each. "Is everyone ready for melee?"

"It'll just be like fighting against the Hirogen," Jahkar said. "Aim for the joints, bypass the armor." Then he noticed a phaser and her usual TR-390P pistol in her thigh holsters. "I thought you said we weren't bringing energy weapons?"

"They're disposable enough. Just in case we need them before we set off the EMP."

"Right," Jahkar said. It did make sense, especially when the pistol had no muzzle flash, nor sound when the round was accelerated from the magnetic rail. "That's all the weapons you're bringing?"

"It's enough," she said, without taking her eyes off the monitors.

Colonel Jahkar

*USS Resurrection*

Stardate 2106.03

Grop came from talking to McCulloch to deliver a couple of cases to the Marine. He set them down on the counter in front of Jahkar in the Ready Room where the team was gearing up for the mission.

Jahkar watched the Ferengi closely as he laid out the two cases, arranging them like a shop merchant preparing to show his wares to a would-be customer. The Klingon/Romulan marine smiled slightly as Grop put everything in place.

“Tell me ensign, what did you do before joining Starfleet?” Jahkar asked.

Grop looked up at Jahkar and he gave a slight grin, “I was a salesman in my father’s jewelry store on Ferenginar. I was Employee of the Month three times in one year.”

“I see,” Jahkar said. “I noticed your knowledge of weapons. Apparently you have paid attention to your training.”

Grop nodded and leaned closer to Jahkar, “I have developed an affinity for weapons, colonel. All kinds of weapons. Yours are quite interesting, I might add.”

He opened the first case to reveal Jahkar’s ‘obmaQ, the new twin axes his mother had given him on Bajor. The second case opened to reveal a Mossberg 590A1 Mil Spec combat shotgun. Jahkar had picked it up years ago while at a Marine gathering on Earth. It was from the early 21st century, well maintained and preserved. He’d used it on a few missions before his return to Shadow Ops, but he kept it for ‘special occasions’ like this.

Jahkar took out the weapon and loaded it with buckshot rounds, typically a 70 mm (2 3⁄4 inch) 12-gauge shell loaded with 9 hardened 00 buckshot, with a diameter of about 8.4 mm (.33 inch). He slung a bandolier of additional shells around his shoulder and looked at Grop.

“I’ve read about these, but I’ve never seen one,” Grop said, eyeing the shotgun as if it were delicious steak or a beautiful woman. “Where did you find it?”

“Earth. A marine buddy of mine gave it to me. He had retired and wanted someone else to carry on with it.”

“Very nice,” Grop nodded, rubbing his hand over the barrel affectionately.

Jahkar gave him an odd look, “Grop, you’re worrying me now. I think you like weapons a little too much.”

The Ferengi drew his hand back and straightened his posture, “Sorry sir. Good luck on Cardassia.”

As Grop moved on to finish distributing weapons, Jahkar slung the shotgun and sheathed his axes to either hip.

The marine then looked around and spoke up, “Everyone,suit up and prep your weapons, we transport down in ten minutes.”

Lt. Tiri Sh’aveilth

*USS Resurrection*

Stardate 2106.04

Underwater? In a tunnel? Tiri cringed. She was neither fond of tight spaces nor being underwater. On the bright side, all the swimming she’d done the past month preparing for the Ironman had prepared her well for that aspect of the mission. She’d been through underwater training at the academy and in special operations training with Starfleet Intelligence, but she was never fond of it.

Emerging from the changing room in a specially designed wetsuit, which had armor woven into the skintight fabric, Tiri went over to where her weapons were arranged and finished suiting up. She had her ushan-tor secured in it’s sheath at the small of her back. She’d selected a Shadow Ops issue knife and a crossbow from the armory.

She had little experience with weapons like bows and crossbows, but enough to at least know the basics of how to handle and use one. She secured a pack of 20 bolts to her hip, each fitted with a fixed blade broadhead as Grop had suggested to McCulloch.

The Andorian finished suiting up and waited for the order to head for the transporter….

Lt. Ryramorl Ra’yral

*USS Resurrection*

Stardate 2106.04

“Are you angry with me?” asked Ensign Grop as the team got ready to go.  He could read the tenseness in Ryramorl’s expression and the slight flattening of the Carnora’s ears.

“I should not be,”responded Ryramorl.  “On Carnor, it is taboo to touch weapons that do not belong to your tribe--but in this case, this taboo needs to be set aside for necessity.  If I frightened you, I apologize,” he said calmly.  He made sure to politely take – not snatch – the weapons from the Ferengi. When ready, he also awaited the order to go.

Lt. Cody Beckett

*USS Resurrection*

Stardate 2106.04

Cody zipped up the duffel bag, once he checked everything was there. Probes, mines, charges, grenades, drones, hand phasers and phaser rifles. He placed it in front of his locker, then he started checking his gear for the upcoming mission. He checked his weapons, two Gen4 Glock 19’s and two more, both Glock 30s, the heavier .45 caliber versions. All weapons from the beginning of the 21st century, but overhauled with 24th century tech, like using polymer alloy infused duranium, nano carbon coating and advanced trigger mechanisms. His melee weapons were two small battle axes, each on one hip, a survival knife, 2 sets of throwing knives, concealed in his body armor. On his back he carried the 24th century version of a lochaber axe, with retractable shaft so it was easier to carry. And then there was his utility belt with a set of tools that might come in handy. Like a fusioncutter and a plasmatorch, handy for  burning through walls, doors or bulkheads. Or Cardassian armor, whatever came in it’s way. Satisfyingly nodding, he moved towards McCulloch, who was almost drooling over a crossbow.

“And? Found a new love Will?” Cody teased.

McCulloch looked up. “Oh look, it’s the handyman. Shouldn’t you be fusing bulkheads in some lower deck?” McCulloch replied.

Cody grinned, and slammed McCulloch on the shoulder. "You ready for this?" McCulloch continued, in a more serious tone. Cody nodded confidently, as he slung the crossbow Ensign Grop handed him over his shoulder and tightly secured it. McCulloch checked Cody's gear and saw the lochaber axe. "You know how to handle a lochaber axe? Impressive… didn't know. "

Cody's beard split in a big grin. I learned to handle it from my grandfather. Only recently I started working out again to sharpen my skills. "

McCulloch nodded."Impressive mate, impressive. It's a fierce weapon in the right hands."

Cody grinned. "Thanks. Now, what's so special about this crossbow that you almost drool over it?"

Lt. Commander William McCulloch

*USS Resurrection*

Stardate 2106.06

The Scot took a long deep breath as he woke up from his nap, blinked his eyes and looked around the room. Most of the other team members had arrived in the armory and were in the process of reequipping themselves.

As he scanned the room he noted that Beckett was working his way towards him armed with a lochaber axe and a wide grin. The Scot chuckled to himself, stood up and stretched. When Cody finally reached Will the pair initially exchanged sarcastic comments before examining the axe. Afterwards, the lieutenant pointed at McCulloch’s twin-strike crossbow.

“Now, what's so special about this crossbow that you almost drool over it?”

McCulloch smirked slightly before removing the weapon from across his back and putting it down on a nearby table so he could play show and tell. “It’s a personal hunting weapon of mine.”

“Hunting?” Beckett asked with a slight hint of confusion.

“Yep. I hunted stag and elk with this weapon.”

“And now Cardassians?”

“Perhaps.”

“When the heck did this thing arrive?” There was now a tone of concern in Cody’s voice.

“While we were down on Earth babysitting you and your new girlfriend.”

“Actually I seem to remember we were keeping you in check so the local female population wasn’t violated.” The lieutenant countered.

“Lies, all lies. You just don’t appreciate my skilled abilities to charm the ladies.”

Beckett snorted before gesturing over towards Tiri. “I bet the Andorian’s crossbow is cooler and more reliable than whatever pop gun this is.”

McCulloch dismissed Beckett’s comment. “Mine shoots two bolts before having to reload. It also has an overwatch scope, a folding stirrup, silent charger cranking and a maximum range of 500 yards … Although admittedly to drop a Cardassian I’ll probably need to be under 100 yards.”

Cody studied the weapon silently before looking up McCulloch.

“Tiri’s crossbow is nicer.” He announced matter-of-factly.

The Scot looked over towards the Andorian and studied her weapon. “Mine’s better.”

“No, no it’s not.” Beckett countered, trying his best to suppress the urge to laugh.

McCulloch grumbled to himself before slinging the crossbow across his back. Beckett finally burst out laughing as the pair made their way towards the transporter padd.

“Well, your lochaber axe is stupid.” McCulloch declared.

“No it’s not. And don’t get me started on your collapsible weapons. You couldn’t handle adult size?” Cody pressed.

You’re on a roll today aren’t you?” The Scot quipped.

“Yes...yes I am.”

Ensign Reepchip Charatetet

*USS Resurrection*

Stardate 21.06.07

Reepchip gave a growling chitter at the banter--Beckett was mocking McCulloch for not being able to handle Adult-sized weaponry.  But it brought to mind a time when a shooting simulation with rifles proved to Jahkar that Reepchip had troubles even holding those weapons, never mind actually wielding them.  It almost felt like a roundabout mocking of him for his tiny size

Grop came to Reepchip with his blowpipe and darts.  “I guess your friends didn’t tell you:  they’ve also made some darts that carry mild explosives, so they can penetrate armor.  Also these have drugs specially made for Cardassian physiology.”

Reepchip took them, appreciating Grop’s professional attitude, even for weapons that were usually used by stone-aged civilizations.

Commander Mayla Vree

Transporter Room, *USS Resurrection*

Cardassia Prime

Stardate 2106.07

Mayla stood at the ready with her team, watching Jahkar's team beam out first.

"Transport complete," the chief reported and gave her a nod.

She stepped up onto the pad first and checked one last time that all of her equipment was secured. In one hand she held by the handle the water scooter and checked the charge on it again. Once Sh'avelith and McCulloch were situated on their individual pads, she gave them a gesture to activate their rebreathers. Then with a nod to the transporter chief, he energized the pads.

She instantly felt the pressure of the water around her as she materialized submerged in the dark water. She turned on a light at her wrist and panned around to check on the andorian and human with her. "Status?" she asked over the subvocal.

"Nominal," Sh'avelith responded.

"Ready," McCulloch said.

Mayla shut off her light and brought up the scooter to activate it. With a mental command in her eyes, she linked it to the map she had stored in her AI. She then activated the proximity sensor on her tricorder with a small flashing red beacon for Sh'avelith and McCulloch to visually know where she was. Getting their bearings and with her in the lead, they allowed each of their scooters to tow them silently through the murky darkness.

Lt. Commander William McCulloch

Cardassia Prime

Stardate 2106.08

Will silently fell in behind Mayla and positioned himself along her right flank. As the scooter pulled him through the water, McCulloch noted he was feeling a slight drag from the crossbow strapped across his back. It wasn’t enough to slow him down...more of a slight distraction. The Scot ignored the issue and continued to focus on the small flashing beacon ahead from Mayla.

As the trio continued down the tunnel, Will glanced around him, wondering who or what was just beyond their detection in the ink black darkness. Occasionally, he would let the scooter glide wide towards the tunnel walls. As he closed in he would outstretch his arm and let his hand glance against the wall. On the third occasion he did that, he felt his hand brush against a box shaped device.

Will’s eyes widened as he pulled away from the object. After a moment of silence, he concluded it was likely a nonfunctional electrical box or former light fixture that served some purpose before the tunnel was flooded with water. But as the scooter continued to pull him through the water, a concerned thought crossed his mind. He immediately spoke to Vree over the subvoc.

“One… Eight. Perhaps this is too little too late, but have we taken into consideration proximity sensors or worse...mines?”

"The tricorder hasn't picked anything up yet," Vree said. "And nothing in our initial scans showed anything outside the dampening field. I want to say they didn't have the time to set up something as elaborate as that."

"You hope," Sh'avelith said.

"We'll find out." The Trill commander said.

Lt. Tiri Sh’avelith

Cardassia Prime

Stardate 2106.09

Tiri tried to relax as they moved along the dark, murky water in the tunnels beneath Cardassian Central Command. The young Andoria was admittedly having a little trouble with her perception under the water, her head contained inside the respirator helmet which also concealed her antennae atop her head.

Andorians used their antennae to collect sensory information, including electrical fields, changes in air density and temperature and sub-sonic sounds. With all of that sensory input cut off, it was like a human losing one of their senses. Tiri had learned to adapt to it through her Starfleet zero-g training, when she had too be in an EVA suit sometimes for hours at a time. It still wasn't easy for her.

She guided the scooter along under the water and up ahead she saw the darkness of a wall blocking their route. “That looks like it, dead ahead.”

Colonel Jahkar

Cardassia Prime

Stardate 2106.09

Jahkar, Beckett, Reepchip, and Ryramorl materialized in one of the submerged tunnels deep beneath the Cardassian capital city. Jahkar took a moment to get his bearings and then activated his scooter to begin moving toward the Central Command building.

“Phoenix Seven,” he said to Beckett. “Scan for any anomalies ahead, look for mines, sensors...anything that might be down here that would be bad for us.”

Jahkar then looked to Roar. “Phoenix Five, keep a watch on our flank, just in case.”

Navigating the tunnels reminded him of a Marine mission he had been on about 12 years ago which took him and a five man squad into a submerged starship that had crashed on an ocean-covered world.

The planet was in Gorn territory and the reptilian species would have been undoubtedly upset if they knew a Federation stealth ship had been spying on them when it suffered a malfunction and crashed into the oceans of Taelon V -- home of their shipyards.

Jahkar and his team were dropped in, they went underwater and found the sunken ship. They got aboard and recovered not only the bodies of the crew, but the ship’s sensor logs before being extracted without detection.

“Five,” he called to Ryramorl. “Everything Ok? Have you ever been on an underwater mission?”

Lt. Ryramorl Ra’yral

Cardassia Prime

Stardate 2106.09

“A few times.  I was trained by an Ataran in swimming underwater, and I often swam in the Yarman,” he said, but the tone of his voice made it abundantly clear he wasn’t happy underwater.  The last time was to meet some members of the North Ocean Seawalkers--it wasn’t known they were Yarrowan at the time--about the new Carnora Pentarchy--he still wasn’t sure if he’d met their leader, or just some random messenger.  He did recall the Seawalker being indescribably massive, long enough to stretch across an entire Ra’yral camp end to end.

He activated his scooter, keeping an eye out for anything that might be coming.

Reepchip was on the other side of the group, on a tiny scooter built specially for him; the designers had taken advantage of Reepchip’s small size to build a scooter far smaller than the others.  Unlike Ryramorl, he hadn’t received such training, and being underwater did freak him out a little.  He had to force himself to maintain focus.

(OCC: GG: Special gear has been designed for the team to accommodate differences like with the Carnora and even Tiri and her antennae)

Commander Mayla Vree

Tunnels beneath Central Command, Cardassia Prime

Stardate 2106.12

Mayla studied the map in her eyes to confirm the wall in front of them was the correct one, as Sh'avelith had announced. The Andorian pulled out two lanterns and attached them to the walls to illuminate the ceiling while McCulloch guarded their rear.

The Trill pulled out a pouch from her backpack and began to mould the clay-like nanotrite substance into a circular pattern around the ceiling large enough for one person to go through. Within a few minutes, she had the electronic burning activator attached. With a quick SO hand gesture to Sh'avelith, she shut off the lanterns and they floated in the darkness.

"Havoc, One is in position," she said over the subvocal. Now all they had to do was wait for Jahkar's team to infiltrate their location first.

Lt. Cody Beckett

Tunnels beneath Central Command, Cardassia Prime

Stardate 2106.14

“Phoenix Seven,” Jahkar addressed Beckett “Scan for any anomalies ahead, look for mines, sensors...anything that might be down here that would be bad for us.”

"Aye sir" Beckett replied, activating a full spectrum scan of the tunnels before them. Everything looked quiet up ahead, with the only exception of some fish and other underwater creatures that appeared to live here. Beckett activated his scooter and quietly soared beside Ryramorl, who fell back to guard the rear. In his HUD, Beckett adjusted some parameters to the scan, but for now, all was quiet. "Phoenix Seven to Phoenix Two, all quiet in front of us. Destination 764 meter up ahead.

Lt. Commander William McCulloch

Cardassia Prime

Stardate 2106.14

Will guided his scooter to the left and made a wide turn. He silently cut through the dark water and came to a halt approximately twenty meters behind Vree and Sh'avelith. As he guarded the team’s rear, he repeatedly checked the HUD in his helmet for any signs of movement...there was nothing except an occasional underwater creature that darted back and forth along the tunnel walls.

Below him, a larger creature slowly glided along the floor of the tunnel. It was over two meters in length and a meter and a half wide. Will scanned the creature as it nibbled on a collection of slime on the tunnel floor and quickly concluded the animal was harmless. Nevertheless, from time-to-time McCulloch checked on the creature just to make sure he didn’t ascend towards him with the hope of turning the Scot into a tasty snack.

Over the subvoc, he heard Vree report the nanotrite substance had been set and all was needed was the go order.

(OCC: GG: Justin, I’m going to move you along. Sorry.)

Colonel Jahkar

Beneath Cardassian Central Command

Stardate 2106.15

Jahkar and his team arrived at the barrier that had been placed there by the Federation and her allies when the Occupation of Cardassia began. The thick, duracrete wall would prevent them from traveling further, unless they made a hole in the barrier.

He also noticed the underwater life in the tunnels and wondered where they had come from. There was an ocean within about 100 kilometers of the capital. He remembered Tajel writing to him once to tell him about working with a relief project here to clean up the polluted ocean – caused by years of Cardassian industrial negligence and fallout from the war.

They hadn’t had time to discuss how the tunnels became flooded, but apparently the source was a river or tributary that had brought aquatic life to this unlikely place.

The Klingon/Romulan took out his roll of nanotrite and made a big circle on the wall with the substance. The putty-like substance adhered to the wall, despite the water, and Jahkar proceeded to make the entryway large enough for even Roar to get through. Once the explosive was in place, he heard Mayla on the subvoc indicating her readiness.

“Two is in position,” Jahkar reported back. “Ready to move ahead.”

“Make it so,” Vree responded.

Jahakr then swam back and hit the detonator, causing the circle of nanotrite to begin glowing, then sparking and fizzling beneath the water until it burned straight through the duracrete, which took about a full minute.

Jahkar and Roar then pushed the circled burned through the thick way and slowly they pushed it out the otherside until it dropped to the ground in the tunnel and gave them access through.

“Two is clear. We’re moving ahead,” he responded. He then looked to the others. “Let’s go.”

Back to top

## S3, E4, Act 7: Sneaking Around

Gul Tirlin Drajal

Cardassian Central Command

Stardate 2106.15

Tirlin and his squad had secured the main chamber of Central Command. Once a massive operations center for the Cardassian military, the cavernous room had been converted into a meeting place for the Detapa Council, the president and other leaders to preside over the inner workings of the new government there.

They had assembled all of the Detapa Council members around the explosive device, keeping them all in close proximity to the weapon. Meanwhile, the president and ambassadors had been moved to an adjoining room used by the sergeant-at-arms and his security staff – all of whom were now dead, sans the conspirator who had assisted Tirlin’s cell from infiltrating the building.

In that room, two Sons of Cardassia terrorists stood guard over the four VIP prisoners with orders to kill them at the first sign of a Cardassian, Federation or other response to the hostage situation.

All of the windows in the council chambers were currently covered with armored shutters, the windows added during the refit of the building to make it more open and less dark than it was as a military command center. The doors into the chambers were also sealed and all rigged with explosives, equipped with manual triggers.

Tirlin was taking a scan of the room to make sure the transporter inhibitors and dampening fields were all still functioning normally when the call he’d been expecting came in. One of his soldiers checked the incoming transmission from a security console in the main chamber and he looked to Tirlin.

“Gul Drajal,” he announced. “Incoming transmission from a Gul Nidek, head of Cardassian Security Forces. He wishes to speak with you.”

Tirlin smiled. “By all means, put the gul through.”

Nidek’s holographic image appear standing nearly ten feet tall on the chamber’s holo-projector. The Cardassian looked around and glared at the Sons of Cardassia, his gaze finally settling on Tirlin.

“I am Gul Nidek, head of….”

“I know who you are,” Tirlin smiled. “The collaborator, Nidek. You’ve spent 20 years as a lapdog to the Federation. I’m not sure why you call yourself a gul. You should be a captain or admiral in Starfleet. It’s more suiting.”

Nidek glared, “I am authorized to negotiate with you for the release of the prisoners. What are your demands?”

Tirlin slammed his fists down on the president’s podium, where he’d taken a stance, and he cast a scowl at Nidek, “You know what our demands are, Nidek, the release of 237 anti-occupation prisoners held in Cardassian jails and prisons and the return of the 16 former Cardassian colonies along the border with the Federation which were taken during the occupation.”

He glanced toward the holographic time display on the west wall of the chamber and smiled, “Your have approximately 15 hours to meet our demands,” Tirlin said. “Tell your Federation masters they had been get moving.”

“Drajal!” Nidek barked. “The prisoners are negotiable, but there is no way the Federation is going to return the colonies. This matter was put to rest two decades ago.”

“NO, it wasn’t! The Federation decided it!” Tirlin growled.

“It was war. We lost. We were in no condition to dictate terms,” Nidek responded. “They rebuilt our worlds, saved our people, we owe them a debt.”

“Debt? They’ve changed our culture into some variant of their own,” TIrlin said, a sadness creeping into his voice. “We are no longer Cardassians…we’re just another cog in the Federation machine. One big, happy galactic conglomerate of worlds.”

“Drajal. Surrender now and I will seek leniency for you and your brethren,” Nidek pleaded. “It is not too late to….”

“If you cannot fulfill my demands, I suggest you get someone here who can,” Tirlin said. “I want to speak with someone in charge, not a puppet who serves at the will of his masters. Get me someone with the power to make a deal, Nidek, or I will start by killing the Federation ambassador. Drajal out.”

Commander Mayla Vree

Beneath Central Command, Cardassia Prime

Stardate 2106.15

She waited patiently, waiting for Jahkar's team to burn through the duracrete. She took out one of the sky eyes nanoprobes and detached one of the modular surveillance 'whiskers' that provided an audio-visual feed back to the nanoprobe, and then relayed it to her. Despite all of the nanosized electronics, the nanoprobe also worked in the vacuum of space and underwater.

"Havoc, Two, we're out of the tunnel and have secured Bullseye." Jahkar reported over the subvocal, indicating they were out of the water and inside the environmental hub space. The only way out was an access panel into a corridor according to the map.

"Havoc, One, we are burning." Mayla pressed a switch attached to the nanotrite and it lit up the murky darkness with cloudy light. In a minute, the large slab of duracrete fell to the bottom of the tunnel. She immediately sent the small medallion sized probe through the smoke filled hole that light was now pouring through. She shared the audio-visual feed with Sh'avelith and McCulloch.

"Looks clear. Tricorder still indicates no lifeforms." Sh'avelith said as she had been monitoring for lifesigns above them.

"What about those drones?" McCulloch said.

Mayla gave the command to the probe to circumnavigate the small office looking for what might look like a drone. "I don't see anything. I'm sending in sky eyes." She entered the command for the nanoprobe for full surveillance/monitor mode as she let it go into the hole. Within a few seconds, they were certain the room was secured.

The trill commander went up first, drawing her TR390P pistol as her head broke the surface of the water that was lapping over the lip of the hole onto the floor. With a kick stroke of her legs and one hand, she pulled herself effortlessly up onto her feet but remained in a crouch with her weapon ready. She took her own quick survey of the room and deemed it clear. She immediately went to the single door and took position beside it.

"Four, Eight, clear," she said over the subvocal for Sh'avelith and McCulloch to come through the hole in the floor. She pulled her rebreather off. She gave the nanoprobe the command to leave one surveillance module in the room in monitor mode, and then the probe took a position above the door jamb.

Sh'avelith and McCulloch moved silently out of the water and into the office, shucking their own rebreathers. Mayla looked at her tricorder and it didn't detect any lifesigns outside their door.

"Havoc, One, Maverick is secured." She reported back to the Resurrection, using their own codename for their infiltration point.

"One, Havoc, proceed with mission."

"Affirmative. One, out." She switched her subvocal channels to just the team now, even though Havoc would still monitor their comms. "Two, One, what's your current status? Come across any of the drones yet?" She asked.

"We're working on it," the Colonel said.

"Don't rush it, once the terrorists get wind of anything amiss, we lose." Mayla said, giving Sh'avelith and McCulloch hand signals to take out their own sky eye nanoprobes.

Colonel Jahkar

Beneath Cardiassian Central Command

Stardate 2106.16

They emerged from the water’s of the tunnel and climbed up a shaft into the environmental hub of the building. Beckett made short order of the lock on the hatch at the end of the shaft and opened it into the environmental hub.

Beckett went through first, being he’d been in the lead to handle the lock on the service hatch. Inside the hub, the lieutenant confirmed there was no one there so the others followed him inside.

Once in the hub, Jahkar keyed his subvoc, "Havoc, Two, we're out of the tunnel and have secured Bullseye."

"Havoc, One, we are burning," Mayla replied.

“Acknowledged,” Jahkar responded. He then looked to the rest of his team. “Five, Six and Seven, there are four doors in this hub area. We’ll each take one. Set up KV explosives with a manual trigger to blow them, then place the EMP grenades there. Move out.”

Ensign Reepchip Charatetet

Lieutenant Ryramorl Ra’yral

Cardassia Prime

Stardate 2106.16

Ryramorl nodded, and went towards a door to plant the explosives, placing it near the door jam and set the trigger, then placed the EMP grenades

Reepchip climbed over the large machinery, making for the door on the farthest side.  His boots were specially made to allow him to grip with his feet; he’d insisted on that, just as he’d insisted on a helmets for both he and Ryramorl that didn’t cramp or muffle their ears.  As he made his way over the machinery, his sharp ears pricked up, hearing something in the distance.  Jahkar could see Reepchip perk up, turning his head one way, then another--and then Reepchip made a chirping bark over the subvoc, a sound he’d told Jahkar meant danger.  He couldn’t smell anything amiss, but he could hear it.  Reepchip slipped into hiding, not knowing what was coming.

Ryramorl froze, looking around as he held his Spearthrower.  His own ears strained to hear what Reepchip had.  Then he heard it too, and he pressed against the wall.

Colonel Jahkar

Cardassia Prime

Stardate 2106.22

Jahkar checked the HUD in his helmet, which displayed a tricorder readout, and saw what appeared to be a drone approaching from the west. He cursed under his breath, having just planted his charges.

“Havoc, two, I have two bogies at 10 o’clock,” Jahkar whispered into his subvocal. “You want a distraction, correct? We may have to light them up.”

He moved behind a console near the wall and hunkered down, seeking cover before the drones were upon them.

SOC Drones

Beneath Cardassian Central Command

Stardate 2106.23

Tirlin had ordered two drones to be dropped down into the maintenance hub of the massive structure when the Sons of Cardassia first seized the building more than an hour earlier. The drones had been conducting routine sweeps of the interconnected chambers since they were deployed.

Scanning ahead, the drones were drawing closer to Jahkar’s team. If they made sensor contact, they would alert Tirlin and his cell before attacking the Shadow operatives.

Colonel Jahkar

Beneath Cardassian Central Command

Stardate 2106.23

Jahkar decided against creating a diversion here. It was too close to Mayla’s team’s infiltration of the building. He keyed his subvocal comm, “Two to Six,” he called upon Reepchip. “Get out of your clothing and do the feral animal routine we discussed earlier. That should distract the drones, then the rest of us will head up the shaft 20 meters to the north, that should take us to the administrative level...two floors beneath where the hostages are being held. We’ll begin our distraction there.”

Ensign Reepchip Charatetet

Cardassia Prime, Beneath Cardassian Central Command

Stardate 2106.24

Reepchip could have so happily strangled Ryramorl for bringing up the old dodge of years ago when a group of Muran pretended to be mranrilla, let themselves be sold as pets, and then hijacked a Federation Ship.  But his Dreaming with the warriors of his clan had shown him that a true Muran warrior thought nothing of personal dignity when the lives of their clan was on the line.  He quickly stripped out of his armor and clothes, stashing them away.

He felt very vulnerable as he peeked out from the machinery and climbed a pipe, trying to put himself in the mindset of a mranrilla.  He gave a soft chitter as his claws clicked and scraped on the metal.

The drones spotted him and one started to float upwards to investigate.  Reepchip scrambled further up with a frantic chitter as his mind went through all the swearwords in every language he knew--until a human expletive involving a bodily function gave him a desperate idea.  He hid in the rafters, but the drone floated up directly beneath him, seeking the intruder out--until Reepchip let loose that expletive in its most literal form, using a touch of telekinesis to make sure he hit the drone squarely on top.

Sons of Cardassia

Central Command

Stardate 2106.24

Nerad looked up from a holographic display he’d erected around the Sergeant-at-arms station in the main chamber of the Central Command structure. He located Tirlin Drajal, standing near the doorway to the room where the ambassadors and Cardassian president and gained his superior's attention.

Tirlin crossed the chamber and came to stand beside Nerad’s station. “What is it?”

“Have a look,” Nerad instructed Tirlin. The Sons of Cardassia cell leader looked at the display and saw a video feed from a drone following some sort of feral acting creature.

“What is it?” Tirlin asked. “It’s too big to be a vole.”

“Unknown,” Nerad said. “The drones have taken an interest but have not fired on it because they are programmed to ignore small, non-intelligent life forms.”

“Then why are they pursuing it?” Tirlin asked.

“The drone AI is confused,” Nerad explained. “The creature appears feral, but displays enough signs of being sentient that the AI is evaluating it further.”

Tirlin frowned, “Where is this?”

“The maintenance hub, beneath the building,” Nerad said.

Tirlin sighed and shook his head, “GIve it a few more minutes. If this...thing...continue to interfere with the drones, order them to destroy it and move on.”

“Yes, sir,” Nerad said.

Ensign Reepchip Charatetet

Cardassia Prime

Stardate 2106.25

With the drones investigating Reepchip--or trying to in the case of the one who had Muran waste oozing down over its sensors--Ryramorl, Cody, and Jahkar slipped up the maintenance shaft pointed out by the Colonel.  Reepchip, trying to get away, made a frantic leap from a pipe, landing on another one and kept fleeing, seeking to return to the place he’d hid his weapons.  As he did he whispered over the subvoc, “Six to Two, I don’t think this is working!”

As the one he hadn’t soiled came up in front of him only inches away from his face, Reepchip let loose one of his horrific shrieks, unknowingly blasting Nerad’s ears through the drone’s auditory sensors.  He then fled back to his hole, which he hoped was too small for the drones to enter.

Lieutenant Ryramorl Ra’yral

Cardassia Prime

Stardate 2106.25

Ryramorl knew Reepchip’s time playing chase with the drones was limited--whoever was watching them could likely order them to fry the tiny muran and get on with their day.  He slipped up the maintenance shaft as the drones tried to figure out exactly what had snuck into the maintenance hub.  For a big guy he could move quietly.  His ears flattened as he heard Reepchip scream at one of the probes; he prayed that it wasn’t a death scream.

Main Chamber

Cardassian Central Command

Stardate 2106.26

Nerad shrieked in pain and surprise as the creature he’d been monitoring on the drone cameras released a cry that blasted him through the headset he’d been using to monitor audio coming from the drones. The Cardassian flipped backwards out of his chair and landed on the floor in the sergeant-at-arms post in the Central Command main chamber where he lay with his hands scrambling to get the headset off him.

“What is it?” Dizeran, another Cardassian standing nearby, guarding the prisoners, asked as he turned toward his fallen comrade.

“It…it…blasted me with some sort of…sound attack!” Nerad stammered. As the headphones came off, there were obvious streams of blood oozing from either ear.

Tirlin looked over from his place with the VIP prisoners and scowled, “What in the hell is wrong now?”

A couple of Sons of Cardassia ran over to assist Nerad and to assess what had happened…

Lt. Commander William McCulloch

Cardassia Prime

Stardate 2106.26

Will was the last out of the water and through the hole. He quickly pulled himself up out and onto his feet. With his back towards Vree and Sh'avelith, he unholstered his SIG-Sauer P226, and held it at the 5 o’clock position as he watched to ensure nothing...or no one...followed them into the office from the newly created hole in the floor.

Following a very brief moment of silence. Vree signalled for both Tiri and McCulloch to withdraw and launch their sky eye nanoprobes. The Scot reached behind his back with his left hand and retrieved the device from a pouch in one quick motion. He tossed the device into the air and watched as it quickly activated and silently lowered itself until it hovered half a meter above his left shoulder.

Immediately McCulloch started to receive audio-visual feedback from the probe. He glanced over towards Vree and signalled with his hand that his probe had activated, and he was receiving a live feed.

Lt. Tiri Sh’aveilth

Cardassia Prime

Stardate 2106.26

Tiri released her probe as ordered, just after pulling herself up out of the water and into the access corridor. With the probe deployed, the Andorian checked her HUD and confirmed the probe was functional.

Once she had a feed, Tiri nodded to Vree that her probe was operational. She then awaited orders…

Commander Victoria Smith

USS Resurrection

Stardate 2106.26

“We’ve gone from standing on the sidelines to yellow alert.” Victoria calmly stated to the holographic image of her second in command, Lieutenant Gysyd Riisos. Then a male Orion nurse nodded in understanding.

“What should we be preparing for?”

“Worst case scenario?” Smith answered. “Multiple hostage and operative casualties.”

Gysyd nodded again. All but two of Union 12 were on board the Fearless and that ship was still many hours away, leaving Victoria and her warrant officer as the only two team members capable of providing medical assistance for the time being.

“Thoughts on how we’ll be utilized when your team arrives?” Victoria asked.

“The most hopeful case is we’re not deployed to the ground, and we support the Resurrection and Fearless medical teams.”

The nurse nodded in agreement before cautiously eyeing Gysyd. “Scenarios on how we get down to Cardassia if we're ordered to?”

“We beam into the extraction site, treat the wounded and transport the critically wounded back to our ships.” Riisos announced bluntly.

“And what is the more likely and realistic scenario that’s going to happen?” The commander countered with a slight smirk.

After some hesitation, the Orion answered. “We can’t beam to the surface due to some factor outside of our control so we have Lieutenant Tuso bring us down in the jumpship.”

Victoria contemplated the last scenario for a moment. Lieutenant Tuso and Corporal Pyme were the last two individuals to join Union 12. The Rigelian Tuso was an exceptional shuttle pilot who was specifically recruited for the purpose of getting Union 12 into and their patients extricated from hot zones quickly and with as minimal damage as possible when the team could not beam in. His gunner, Tyvi Pyme, was a Trill marine who had extensive combat experience on dropships. Together the pair were responsible for manning Union 12’s shuttle jumpship, the “Gentle Annie Etheridge”.

Victoria knew damn well if Union 12 was to be deployed to the planet it would be after the proverbial crap hit the fan and the Sons of Cardassia were causing havoc.

After a moment of reflection, Smith made her decision and looked back at the holographic image of her second in command. “The Resurrection is going to be the first line of treatment and it's going to be some time before the rest of the team arrives at the party. So Hannigan and I will stay on board to assist with the wounded.”

“Yes sir.”

“You are to remain on alert in the Gentle Annie’s shuttlebay until we’re told to stand down or deploy. If ordered to, you will deploy to the hot zone with Zalir, Gatc, Mendes and Sis. You and your team get on that shuttle and have Tuso haul ass to the surface and quickly as possible. If they want to beam you to the surface instead, they sure as hell can do it while you're in the shuttle bay.”

“What about Gace?” Gysyd asked

“Ensign Gace is to stay on the Fearless to coordinate between Union 12 and that ship’s medical team if we start transporting patients to them.” Victoria announced.

“And if we’re not deployed?”

“Then it’s just like you said. We split up most of the team and send them to the respective medical bays of the Fearless and Resurrection as quickly as possible.”

“Equipment for my team?” The Orion asked cautiously.

“Full med packs with fluid resuscitation kits, hemorrhage control packs and airway management tools. I also want the team carrying recovery straps, rescue hooks, sidearms and complete tactical gear with ballistic helmets. Make sure there are a pair of portable bio beds and rifles on the Gentle Annie as well."

“Don’t forget the bandaids!” Warrant Officer Hannigan quipped from across the medical bay. Victoria shot a sideways look towards the medic before returning her attention to her second in command.

“Ballistic helmets?” Riisos pleaded with a slight chuckle. “The team hates them.”

“Everyone needs an unobstructed view when treating their patients. If you have a better suggestion than ballistic helmets I’m listening.” Victoria tersely replied.

Riisos held up his hands as a gesture of surrender. “I understand Commander.”

“Thank you.”

“What about Ryramorl?” The Lieutenant asked. “If he gets badly hurt during the mission and we can’t beam him out, we’re going to need at least three team members to drag him to an extraction point.”

“Then you drag him out.” Victoria replied matter-of-factly. “I haven’t been having the team work in groups dragging 450 pounds worth of weights during morning exercises for nothing.”

The Orion officer grunted in understanding. “And Reepchip? From what I understand, all of his medical records are written down rather than in our database. That alone could pose some problems if we have to treat him.”  At least the Muransurak Academy had been nice enough to translate it into Federation Standard.

The commander reflected on Gysyd’s comment.  “After this operation is finished we’re going to need to rectify that. In the meantime let’s hope he doesn’t get hurt.”

“What if he does?” The lieutenant admitted. “I’m not even sure we can properly treat either Reepchip or Ryramorl properly given their biochemistry.”

The commander paused for a moment and mulled over the last comment before addressing the lieutenant. “We extract them as quickly as possible to the Resurrection for treatment with the EMH.”

Victoria exhaled slightly as the Trill voice inside her head repeatedly questioned if Union 12 was ready.

“Are we ready?” She asked hesitantly.

“We are.” The lieutenant answered confidently.

Even under the best of circumstances, Union 12 was no Phoenix Team - nor did they pretend to be. But if this squad of combat medics had to extricate a patient from a hotzone, each of them was sure as hell going to fight, claw and scratch their way out if necessary.

“We’re ready.” Victoria repeated. “Tell Union 12 we’re on yellow alert.”

The holographic image of Riisos disappeared from view. Moments later, Victoria looked around the medical bay, approached a nearby cabinet and began to inventory the supplies. At the same time she started to calculate in her head how long the materials would last in case of a bloody event down on Cardassia.

Commander Mayla Vree

Central Command, Cardassia Prime

Stardate 2106.26

"Phoenix, Havoc, we are in position and have deployed the dampening field," the Resurrection reported over their subvocal.

"Havoc, Phoenix, acknowledged." Mayla responded while watching the video feed from her visual probe situated in a dark corner of the corridor outside. She carefully released the sky eyes probe and gave it commands to secure the corridor in stealth mode. VIsually, and with sensor readings coming in, they could ascertain was it safe enough for them to leave the small office.

She manually opened the door wider and looked down the hallway. With the building now fully evacuated, the only lifesigns should be just those inside the council chambers. "Activate your PCs."

Without hesitation, the three shadow operatives shimmered invisible as they moved outside and reported their positions to each other since they couldn't see each other. McCulloch continued to bring up the rear and quietly closed the door behind him.

"I'm taking point, moving to the T junction." She sent one of the visual probes to the junction to peer around the corner as she followed it. The circular council chambers was surrounded by a wide vestibule to allow free movement of a large amount of people working to govern the Cardassian Union. She was now looking down a corridor that at another junction of offices, led to the vestibule.

She waited for Sh'avelith and McCulloch to catch up to her before sending a visual probe into the corridor. Just then, one of the drones floated out from that very same corridor they needed to get to.

Lt. Commander William McCulloch

Central Command, Cardassia Prime

Stardate 2106.26

Vree reported to Will and Tiri that she spotted a drone. Initially, his back was turned towards his two teammates as he guarded the rear, but when the Trill announced that a drone had been spotted, the Scot turned to face the same direction as his companions.

Over the subvoc, he asked Vree to repeat her observation. After she did, McCulloch cursed softly to himself.

If the drone started towards them, they had two choices - create a distraction to draw it off of hide. Quickly Will scanned their position.

To his left was an access panel that likely led to a ventilation shaft or maintenance tube. He pulled gently on the panel cover and noticed it was not locked. He quietly swung the door open and peered into the dark, narrow tunnel that led to who knows where. He closed the panel and looked towards an office door across the passageway.  He silently walked over and pushed on the door. It was locked.

McCulloch cursed again. The last thing he wanted was an adventure through a ventilation shaft.

“One, Eight” He stated over the subvoc. “Status on the drone?”

Vree reported back to the Scot that the object was still hovering at the corridor entrance.

The Scot continued. “If that thing advances towards us and we’ve got to skedaddle, we have two options from my vantage point...the ventilation shaft to my left or retreat back to the office.”

The Trill didn’t answer.

McCulloch continued as he glanced again towards the ventilation shaft and shuddered. God knows what the hell occupied the dark crevices of the passageway..

“Of course, we can also try to draw it away from us.” He suggested. “Any ideas?”

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## S3, E4, Act 8: Meanwhile, in the Mirror Universe

Lt. Commander Daryl Thompson

ISS Gambit

Stardate 2104.30

Daryl gazed at the man who introduced himself as Greg Durham. The stun effect was slowly wearing off, but the throbbing in his head and the ringing in his ears made it difficult to focus. Yet, he was flabbergasted to see Greg Durham in front of him, alive. "Who are you? Why am I here? " He looked around, but all he got were empty glares. His gaze stopped at Durham. "Would you mind telling me why you abducted me? And why you attacked us while there where children around? " Captain Taryn Kane sighed and looked up at Durham. "There is a lot of work to do. Let's get on with it.

Daryl looked straight at Kane. "A lot of work? Would be nice if someone could explain why the #$&%$! I'm here?

Taryn Kane looked at Thompson first, then at the soldier next to him and nodded. The soldier raised his fist and punched Daryl in the face.

"First, Mr. Thompson, you need to learn to behave. In our universe we do things a bit differently."

Daryl pinched his eyes a few times to regain focus. His head was throbbing and now spinning because of the punch, but he refused to give in.

"What do you want? " Daryl hissed, glaring at the female Captain.

The soldier hit Daryl again with a backfist.

Daryl's head snapped to one side, and.

for a few moments the world turned around.

"Go easy on him! We need him!

Durham intervened, and pushed the soldier back. The soldier grumbled under his breathe, and Durham froze, glaring at the man. The next second, Durham drew his phaser and vaporized the soldier.

Kane looked at Thompson, and a thin, yet evil smile played around her lips.

"Yes, we do need him… " she said.

"Get him out of here. " She followed up.

"We'll deal with him later"

Before the soldiers could execute the task, Durham intervened, again.

"I'll handle this," he said briskly, and pushed them aside. He took Daryl by the arm and together they moved out of the captain's room. Daryl half stumbled forward as his head was still spinning.

"Greg… what the Heck is going on here? " Daryl started as they walked through the dimly lit corridors of the ship that resembled the Resurrection so much.

Durham ignored Daryl's question. Soon, they arrived at the personal quarters deck. Daryl was pushed inside one of them by Durham.

"I'll explain everything later, my friend."

Durham said, almost whispering. "For now, clean up yourself. Take a shower. Get some rest. I have some business to finish, after that, I will explain it to you. Until then, please stay in your quarters. Don't make any problems. Can you do that for me? "

Daryl looked at Greg, the man who used to be his best friend for years in his own universe. He saw a battle-hardened face, much more than the one he remembered.

“What is going on here?” Daryl tried again.

“Later,” Durham replied, as he stepped backwards, out of the quarter. As the door slit close, he tapped in some commands to lock the door from the outside.

Daryl sat down on the bunk and thought of what had happened the last few hours… from a relaxed shoreleave onto being kidnapped. His mind raced through possible scenarios, but he was too tired and unfocused at the moment to make something out of it. He layed down on the bunk and tried to relax.

Some time passed. Daryl slept for nearly three hours when the door to his room opened and a figure walked in. “Lights,” a voice commanded, cuing the computer to activate lighting in the cabin.

Thompson stirred and looked up, eyes squinting as he realized Greg Durham was standing over him. “Rise and shine, sleeping beauty.”

Daryl sat up and rubbed his eyes, his mouth and cheek suddenly hurting, reminding him that he’d been punched and knocked around before lying down to rest. Thompson stood up and stared at Durham, “Y-you're dead.”

Greg smiled, “The Greg Durham you knew? Yeah, he’s dead. But I’m from the Terran Empire...from the place you probably know as the Mirror Universe.”

The stories of Kirk, Spock, Sisko and others who had interacted with their doubles from the Mirror Universe flooded back to Thompson -- including his conversation with Lazarus before he was abducted.

“Lazarus came to that conclusion when I reported seeing you back on Vulcan,” Daryl muttered. “You’ve been following me, why?”

Durham sighed, “What’s the last you knew of the Mirror Universe?”

“I don’t really know much,” he admitted. “I’ve read some reports...my situation in my universe is complicated. I spent almost 20 years working as slave labor in a dylithium mine.”

Durham nodded, “Nice. And your people like to call us the barbarians. OK, well, here’s what you need to know. The original Terran Empire fell some time ago. The Klingon/Cardassian Alliance waged war on us for years. We formed the Terran Resistance and fought back. About 10 years ago, the Alliance was defeated. The Resistance restored the Terran Empire and our leader, Lars Naakon, was named emperor.

“His reign was short lived, however, less than a year into his rule, one of his closest advisors, Erik Jaegar, turned on him and murdered him after leading a coup by the military. Jaegar and his followers considered Naakon weak. He wanted to change the way Terrans ruled. A kinder, gentler empire.

“So, Emperor Jaegar rose to power and at his side was his Hand, Daryl Thompson,” Durham explained. “Daryl spent a decade as the Hand and he was there to oversee countless attacks on the enemies of the empire -- internal and external. But over time, he grew weary of Jaegar’s iron-fisted rule and he began to plot against the emperor.

“Daryl came to me and Captain Kane,” Durham continued. “Greg and I were friends and he knew I served with Taryn Kane aboard the ISS Gambit. We’re part of the emperor’s secret death squad. He came to us, knowing we previously had loyalties to Naakon, and enlisted our aide in his plans against Jaegar. He got himself assigned to our ship which was sent on a series of missions to eliminate the remaining cells of Klingon/Cardassian resistance and we were plotting our effort to overthrow Jaegar when our Daryl Thompson...my friend...got himself killed.

“There was a Naakon loyalist aboard the ship who was just waiting for a chance to kill the Emperor's Hand and when he got that chance, he took it. Stabbed Daryl to death. I killed the assassin and Taryn and I have worked to cover up our Thompson’s death. In order for our plan to succeed, we need Daryl Thompson, the Hand of the Emperor, to get close to Jaegar. That’s why we came to find you.”

Lt. Commander Daryl Thompson.

ISS Gambit

Stardate 2105.25

Daryl looked at Durham, while he processed the information.

"So you just decide to hop over to our universe, find me  hop back and make me work for you, to replace my mirror self. "

Durham grinned.

“Brilliant, isn't it?”

Daryl shook his head.

“It's insane. Even though I am the same person, my life has ran quite in a different way as my alter ego. I can't just fill in for him, for the same reasons he wouldn't be able to replace me: we're too different. "

Durham just kept grinning.

“We thought of that,” he replied, whilehe played with a bioneural datarod.

Daryl raised his eyebrows, as he could guess where this would lead to.

Durham just grinned, and softly touched Daryl's head with the datarod.

“You're right, my friend. We were able to save almost Daryl's entire memory and knowledge.”

“And now you want me to comply so you can erase my mind and replace it with your version of Thompson.”

Durham teased him by just smiling with an amused look on his face, and wobbling with his head from left to right.

"Partly right, my friend. Don't worry. We would have done that if it wasn't for that cute little processor unit in your head. It has enough capacity both in compute and storage to hold Thompson's memory. So you won't lose a quad of data. Not even those nice hacking subroutines stored in it."

Daryl was surprised but didn't show it. He was relieved that at least his memory wouldn't be wiped.

"And what if I refuse to cooperate? "

"Where do you want to go?" Durham countered.

"Without us you can't go back. And if you really refuse, we still wipe your memory and continue anyway. That was Kane's idea initially, so if I were you I wouldn't get in her way,” Durham snickered.

Daryl ignored Durham and thought again about his options. He would probably be able to kill Durham, but chances were big he would end up in a body bag soon after. Against the crew of the whole ship he would have no chance. Best for now was to play along, and perhaps there would be a chance to escape. Then there was still the problem of getting back to his own universe… He sighed and nodded.

"Ok, let's say I comply and play along. When do I get to return to my own universe?"

"All in due time my friend. Let's go to sickbay and implant these memories. Then you have a better idea of the game we are playing. "

Daryl nodded.

“Guess I don't have much choice" and he walked out of the small quarter, followed by Greg.

They walked down the corridor and Daryl noticed Jahkar and two security officers shadowing them about two dozen steps behind. Durham noticed Thompson’s attention pulled toward the security team and grinned.

“Yeah, Jahkar hates you,” Durham grinned. He leaned in closer and lowered his voice to a whisper, “He thinks you’re the real Thompson. He’d be blabbing the whole thing to the emperor if he knew the truth. We concealed Daryl’s murder from him, only Kane and I witnessed the killing and I finished off the assassin and vaporized his body.

“We told the crew you were sent on a secret mission to the Parallel Universe and we had to go retrieve you. Everyone bought it, but Jahkar...he’s always suspicious of everyone.”

Daryl frowned, “What does he have against me?”

Durham smirked, “You...or I should say our Daryl, recommended to Imperial Fleet Command that I get the promotion to first officer on the Gambit over him. As the Hand, your word carried all the weight I needed to get the job. Jahkar has resented you since.”

“If he thinks I’m the real Daryl, what’s with the security detail? And why was he and the other security officers being so rough when I was brought aboard?” Thompson asked.

“We’re taking you to sick bay not only to tend to your injuries, but to run a test to make sure you’re not the Mirror Thompson,” Durham said “Until your identity is confirmed, you are being treated as a potential threat.”

Thompson’s eyes nearly bulged out, “Christ Greg...I am the Mirror Thompson!” he hissed. “I’m going to fail the test!”

Durham smiled, “Seriously, I’ve got everything covered. You’re not going to fail. Everything has been taken care of.”

They entered sick bay and were greeted there by the ship’s doctor, Dr. Victoria Smith. She wasn’t quite the same as the Victoria that Thompson knew. Her hair was cut short and shaved along the right side of her head, most of the length flipped over to the left and hanging down past her ear.

Like many of the Mirror Universe counterparts he’d seen so far, she also had a perpetual sour look on her face.

“Have a seat, Mr. Thompson,” she ordered, getting out a dermal regenerator as Jahkar and his henchmen assumed positions near the door. “I’ll get you patched up and then we’ll determine your true identity.”

Jahkar frowned by the door and cleared his throat loudly, “If he is an imposter then why waste our time healing him? Get to the test, doctor and then treat him...if he’s really this universe’s Thompson.”

Durham shot him a glare, “Silence, let Dr. Smith do what she does.”

Victoria tended to Daryl’s injuries and when he was finished, she administered a hypospray to his neck.

“Just an antibiotic to make sure you aren’t carrying any Mirror Universe bugs,” she said, suddenly leaning down and winking at Daryl, out of Jahkar’s sight. Daryl suddenly felt a little faint and realized whatever she'd given him wasn’t an antibiotic. He was a little dizzy and it felt like a slight burning sensation spreading through his veins.

Whatever she’d given him, he guessed -- or hoped -- it was what they’d planned on to fool the test. Or, Victoria had possibly just poisoned him.

Before he could complain, Victoria got out a medical tricorder and began to scan him, “Let’s see if you’re who you say you are, Mr. Thompson.”

Durham looked at Daryl and gave him a wink, much as Victoria had done when he first sat down. She then proceeded with the scan.

The tricorder did its work, and within

seconds, it was done. Thompson looked at Smith, who smiled.

"Everything is looking good." She

answered, swiping the results with a gesture to a big screen, so Jahkar could see it too.

Jahkar grunted, and without another word, he walked out of the sickbay, followed by his goons. In a flash Thompson recognized the last person leaving the room. It was Darva. He just hadn't recognized her with her dark red hair and a very different haircut.

Durham looked amused once more.

"Shocked to see you girlfriend being in the other camp? I must warn you. She is not very fond of you. Or me for that matter. In fact, she doesn't like a lot of people. At this moment, she tries to become Jahkar's darling. Probably just to irritate us. "

Durham grimaced. "Filth!" He almost spit out.

Daryl once more was dazzled about how much different this universe was and even more about the fact that the woman he loved in his own universe apparently could drink his blood here. He looked at Durham, questioning him with his eyes. Durham laughed.

"You'll find out once we implanted Thompson's memories in your brain. "

Smith piped in.

"Lay down on one of the biobeds and we will attend your wounds and bruises, Mr. Thompson. " She almost purred.

Daryl looked at Smith and she had this hunter like look in her eyes.

"Secure sickbay, protocol

Alfa-Ypsilon-Delta-zero-seven-seven-eight-three-Zetta" Smith continued.

"We don't want any prying eyes do we?"

She continued, while Durham sat down behind the nearest desk, inserted the rod and started preparing the procedure. Smith prepared some kind of device, hanging from the ceiling that she pointed towards Daryl's head.

She then took some kind of brace and put it over Thompsons head, thereby coming intentionally close towards him. She secured the brace behind him and winked once more, as her hand touched him just long enough to make him feel awkward.

"All set," Durham said.

"All right. Daryl, we will put you in a deep sleep. In that way it is easier for your brain to accept the information we are going to upload. When you wake up, you will probably feel a bit disoriented, but that will cease.

"What about my own memories? " Daryl asked, still a bit concerned.

"No worries. Everything will stay intact.

You will not loose a single memory from your own life. "

Without further notice, Smith administered a hypo spray in his neck, and Daryl dozed off into a deep sleep…

The moment he woke up, an avalanche of memories rushed through his mind, but quickly subsided, leaving behind a slight feeling of unrest and nausea

Daryl pinched his eyes to get used to the light again. Everything was a blurry haze, and he felt exhausted.

He felt the pressure of a hypospray being administered and within seconds it cleared up his mind and his view. He still felt a bit odd, as if two sides were fighting to reign his mind.

As his vision returned to normal, he saw that Captain Taryn Kane had joined Durham and Smith at the bedside.

"Hey buddy, how are you feeling? "

Durham asked, while Smith was doing checks with her tricorder.

"Feeling a bit weird. As if there is more than one person inside my head."

Durham grinned.

"Well… technically, you're right, I guess.”

Smith, now looking serious, eyes Thompson.

"Everything went fine Daryl, however, certain areas in your brain show some odd activity. It might be the brain that needs some time to adjust, but I want to keep a close eye on your brain activity and behavior."

Kane rolled her eye and glared at Smith.

"We don't have that much time. We arrive within a day at the Emperor's station. Thompson should be fit by the…and,” she continued, switching her glare from Smith to Thompson "We have to make sure Thompson acts in the right way. I certainly hope he can do it.” After a slight pause, she continued, looking at Durham.

"I'd better make sure he is up to it. "

She gazed from Durham back to Daryl, then turned around and walked out of Sickbay.

Smith watched Kane walking out of sickbay.

"B\*tch… " She mumbled, then looked at Daryl.

"She's got a point though. You should act like 'our' Thompson. So far, we can throw your odd behavior on the switch back and forth to the other universe because of your special mission. But you must act accordingly. How's the memory doing? "

Daryl grimaced.

"Dunno… I'm coping with this new… life of mine. "

Durham chuckled.

"You'll manage. But remember, you are The Hand. And The Hand didn't get that job by being friendly. You take care of business, and you protect the Emperor with your life when you are around him. "

Durham took a padd and threw it to Daryl, who caught it.

"Read through this. Remember it, and you'll do just fine. Since you have a high rank, no one will question you for your actions. In about eight hours we will talk you through the rest of the details. "

Daryl nodded, as he got up, still feeling a bit shaky.

"Oh, one more thing. Actually, two things. First, this is our secret. Outside of this room only Kane knows who you really are… . "

Without hesitation, Daryl grabbed Durham by the throat and slammed him against the wall.

"There is only one Hand… and that's ME! Understood?! "Daryl hissed, a menacing look on his face. . Durham was shocked for a moment, then he regained his composure.

As Daryl let him go again, he rubbed his throat.

"Much better" he stated.

"To repeat myself, you tell no one who you are. And second, make sure you are never alone. This universe is treacherous in EVERY way. Your best chance to survive and get back to your own universe is to never be alone. On the padd is a list of crew and officers of this ship that you can trust. However, as you can see, they all have their price, otherwise you wouldn't be here" Durham continued with a wry look on his face. "Now, I'll walk you back to your quarters. Mine is next to it. If you need anything or if you have questions, let me know. "

Daryl nodded, as they made their way to the personal quarters.

"And Smith… she is to be trusted? " Daryl asked once they were out of Sickbay.

"Yeah. She is. She actually really likes you," Durham answered.

"Oh, I hadn't noticed that" Thompson said sarcastically. "She was all over me."

"Well grab your chance… you're The Hand… " Durham said.

"I'm already involved with someone" Thompson replies.

"I know. McGuire. Though she might love you in your universe, here, that's a different story. "

"I know. " Daryl answered. The memories poured into his thoughts, of the time Mirror Thompson and McGuire were together, quite some time ago. It was strange. In this universe, Thompson never was kidnapped, and never had been a slave for years, fighting for survival. But he did meet Darva, about the same time Daryl's clone had met Darva in his universe. They broke up after a few years, as Daryl chose to follow Jaeger, as McGuire was a vehemently Naakon fanatic. It came that far McGuire had tried to assassinate Daryl, but failed. The mirror Thompson had beaten her up quite good, and inwards, Daryl cringed by those memories. Since then, they were sworn enemies. The memories were bittersweet. Somewhere, deep down, mirror Thompson still had feelings for the Scottish woman, but his ego and pride didn't allow him to pursue these feelings. In this universe, it would mean a sudden death through betrayal.

"So better stay away from her" Durham's voice popped through Daryl's thoughts. Daryl nodded.

“That might be a good piece of advice to follow," Thompson muttered. But it would be hard. Even though the Darva of this universe was different, with facial tattoos, a fitting haircut and a few scars (some inflicted by mirror Thompson), Daryl had a hard time suppressing his feelings for her. It was utterly confusing to have these contradictory memories and accompanying feelings.

Kane was on her way back to the bridge when Jahkar appeared in the corridor ahead of her. “Captain, might I have a word?”

“Walk with me,” she ordered as she passed by him. The half Romulan/Klingon fell into step with Taryn and walked alongside her.

“This entire business with Thompson is...odd. Sent on a mission to the Mirror Universe? It’s unheard of. Interaction with that universe is frowned upon.”

“It helped us win the war, did it not?” the tall, raven-haired woman replied.

“I do not trust him,” Jahkar hissed.

“He is the Hand. Regardless of how you feel, commander, I’d keep your opinions to yourself,” Kane instructed him as they arrived at the turbolift. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to get us home. Carry on.”

As she stepped into the lift, Jahkar frowned and turned to head off for a security sweep of the ship, just to make sure there were no unwanted stowaways from the other universe...

Back to top

## S3, E4, Act 9: Moving Into Position

Commander Mayla Vree

Central Command, Cardassia Prime

Stardate 2106.27

"Eight, get into the shaft in case the drones see through our cloaks. Four and I will remain in position." Mayla slowly drew her TR390P from her holster and set it to load an EMP round by touch. If she had to fire at it, she might get lucky and hit the drone before it could dodge the fast moving round.

"Really?" McCulloch almost groaned.

"Really. These cloaks should shield us from any of its sensors. But just in case they don't."

"Affirmative," he replied grudgingly. " In I go."

Mayla smiled to herself anyway even though no one would see it. "Four, hold position." She ordered her as the drone moved down the corridor their way at a leisurely pace. It was performing a patrol sweep as it continued to search for intruders. She brought up her weapon and aimed it at the corridor junction where the drone should appear.

As it appeared, it stopped for a moment. Mayla and Sh'avelith froze and stared at the drone. It's singular eye rotated once around in a circle and then headed down the other corridor. Mayla and Sh'avelith didn't breathe normal again until it turned the corner out of sight. It was a good thing they weren't dripping wet anymore.

The personal cloaks apparently worked, which was a good sign. In her eyes with the read out and visual feeds, she gave her sky eye probe the command to move forward down the corridor the drone came from. Three additional feeds appeared in her eyes, coming from McCulloch's probes.

"Eight, keep a probe here to cover our rear so we know when that drone comes back," Mayla ordered McCulloch. "Four, you have your probe out?"

"It's out and initializing."

"Good, we're moving forward. I want constant surveillance of the vestibule when we get there." Mayla moved into the corridor carefully keeping watch of the visuals coming in from the probes. "I'm moving up the corridor now."

Lt. Tiri Sh’avelith

Central Command, Cardassia Prime

Stardate 2106.28

Tiri keyed her subvoc, “Copy that,” she told Mayla. She then rezzed up the probe she’d deployed and sent it on ahead to cover the vestibule.

Moving forward, she monitored the HUD watching the feed from the probe she’d sent ahead and she confirmed to Mayla when it reached the location.

“One, Four,” Tiri reported over the subvocal comm. “I have eyes on the vestibule. All clear.”

Ensign Reepchip Charatetet

Maintenance Hub, Cardassia Prime

Stardate 2106.28

Reepchip hid in the hole as the drones floated at the opening.  He curled up in such a way to completely hide his clothes and equipment and prayed the drones couldn’t see them.  “Six to Seven, Five and Two,” he whispered over the subvoc.  “I’m still okay.  Do I destroy the drones, or do I stay hidden here?”  There wasn’t a second way out, to Reepchip’s dismay.

Colonel Jahkar

Cardassia Prime/Central Command

Stardate 2106.29

“Six, two,” Jahkar replied as he, Beckett and Ryramorl made the climb up a service shaft, passing many maintenance tubes which ran throughout the sublevels of the Central Command structure. “Stay put and see how long the drones remain. Unless they suspect you are more than an oversized vole, I doubt they will focus much more attention on you. Two out.”

Jahkar hated leaving Reepchip down in the subterranean level of the structure by himself. He was accomplishing one objective -- keeping the drones occupied. For now, he’d have to tough it out while the three of them made it up to the lowest administrative level of the building.

The climb was lengthy, with Jahkar taking point, Beckett in the middle and Roar bringing up the rear. His biggest concern was the Carnora becoming stuck in the narrow shaft, but after several stories he figured it was a tight fit but he was making it.

Finally, they arrived at a hatch which would open up into an environmental control room. Stopping at the hatch, Jahkar ran a scan with the tricorder and, as far as he could tell, there was no one in the room above.

Jahkar, cloak engaged, pressed the opening key on the hatch and it slid open into the environmental control area. He pulled himself up and into the room and scanned it again with his tricorder as he drew one of his axes from his side.

“Phoenix, two,” Jahkar whispered into his subvocal. “We’ve reached the admin level. Currently all clear. Over.”

He then motioned for Beckett and Ryramorl to follow...

Lieutenant Ryramorl Ra’yral

Cardassia Prime

Stardate 2106.29

Ryramorl was relieved to hear Reepchip was still alive--it had just been one of Reepchip’s defensive shrieks and not a death cry.  He almost felt sorry for whoever had been on the receiving end, though.

Inwardly, he cursed the tightness of the shaft, having to force himself through a couple spots.  Finally, they came up to the admin level.  “Five to Six,” he said over his subvoc.  “Are the drones still spying on you?”

Ensign Reepchip Charatetet

Central Command, Cardassia Prime

Stardate 2107.01

With the Sons of Cardassia tending to Nerad, the drones were receiving no further instructions.  As Reepchip continued to cower in his hiding spot, they reverted back to their previous instructions and continued their patrol.  Reepchip whispered over his subvoc.  “Six to Two and Five.  The drones are back to their patrol rounds.  Shall I rejoin you?”

Colonel Jahkar

Central Command, Cardassia Prime

Stardate 2107.02

Jahkar keyed his subvocal communicator, “Two to six, roger that. Head up to this level. We’re going to search out a good access point to the next level.”

The marine led the two Shadow operators from the service area out through a panel in the wall that led into one of the main corridors. They moved through the corridor, passing offices along the way. The hallways here were dimly lit and there were surveillance sensors mounted on the walls so many yards apart, though with their cloaks engaged they would remain invisible.

Beckett suddenly piped up, “My probe has picked up something. Two lifeforms, Cardassian, moving this way from that direction.” Jahkar looked at Beckett with his HUD display on and his optics were tuned to see the other two cloaked operatives. Beckett was pointing down an adjoining corridor at a T junction.

“Havoc, Phoenix One, this is Two. We have a patrol,” Jahkar reported. “Two Cardassians moving this direction. Evade or neutralize? Over.”

Lt. Commander William McCulloch

Central Command, Cardassia Prime

Stardate 2107.02

Reluctantly, Will remained in the ventilation shaft waiting for Vree to give the all clear. As he waited, he looked about his dark, cramped surroundings and shuddered. The last thing he wanted was to come face to face with an angry Cardassian Vole.

While he waited, the Scot directed his probe to move further down the shaft and watched on his HUD as it scanned the area. He noted approximately 25 meters ahead of his position there was a T-junction where the shaft branched off to the left and right.

Will guided the probe towards the right and had it scan the passageway. Afterward he compared the scans to the existing data he had on the layout of Central Command. The ventilation shaft generally ran parallel to the path the team was moving in before cutting across an unknown pair of rooms towards the vestibule.

Suddenly, Vree ordered McCulloch out from his hiding spot.

"Eight, keep a probe here to cover our rear so we know when that drone comes back," Mayla ordered McCulloch.

Will quickly saved the information that his probe had secured in the event the team needed a quick escape route out of Central Command. He recalled the device and silently crawled backwards until emerged from the ventilation shaft.

Seconds later, he withdrew a second probe and activated it. As the device powered up, Will took one last look at his surroundings and then tossed it into the air. For a brief moment, the probe hung in the air at eye level. However, once he sent a series of instructions to the device it ascended towards the ceiling of the hallway and took up a position adjacent to a light fixture.

Will withdrew his pistol and followed Tiri and Vree as they advanced down the hallway. Because he couldn’t see them, he had to rely upon the pair’s subvoc reports to determine their respective cloaked positions in relation to his.

Moments later, the trio stopped as Tiri sent a probe ahead to scout the vestibule. Seconds later, the Andorian reported her observations.

“One, Four,” Tiri reported over the subvocal comm. “I have eyes on the vestibule. All clear.”

Even though the second drone Will released covered the team’s path of retreat, the Scot continued to protect the rear as the two women studied the vestibule. As he waited, he carefully eyed the opposite passageway of the T junction that led away from the council chambers and watched for any signs of suspicious activity.

Central Command

Sons of Cardassia

Stardate 2107.02

Galan, another soldier in the Sons of Cardassia, had his interest piqued after the sonic blast came through the headset and nearly deafened poor Nerad. Galan, who had some expertise in xenobiology, moved to the sergeant-in-arms console and pulled up recorded video of the creature the drones had encountered in the subterranean portion of the building.

He found the clearest image of the beast and ran in through a computer database. As the computer displayed holographic images of known beasts on Cardassia Prime, it compared each to the projected image of the sewer rat crawling beneath the Central Command building.

“What is it?” Tirlin asked.

“I’m familiar with most rodents living on our homeworld. I’ve studied all sorts of creatures on this and many other worlds in the Cardassian Union,” Galan said, his eyes glued to the holographic projections. “This is not something I recognize.”

“Possibly something that was transplanted here?” Tirlin asked. “The Dominion, the Breen, the Federation...take your choice of occupying forces. Any of them could have brought vermin with them unknowingly aboard their ships.”

Galan nodded, “Perhaps. But that shriek. There’s something unusual about that.”

Nerad was able to hear enough, sitting nearby while the team medic treated his ears, and he directed a glare at Galan, “Whatever that thing was, it’s nothing I’ve ever seen or heard.”

Galan turned from running the database for rodent creatures to sentient species and quickly came back with a match.

“It’s something called a Muran,” Galan muttered. “A sentient life form…”

“Carnora,” Tirlin growled low in his throat. “I’ve heard of them. Beastly creatures. They are allies of the Federation.”

“Correct,” Galan said as he displayed several pages of holographic data on the Carnora and its various species and subspecies. “That thing should not be down there.”

“That thing is not there by chance,” Tirlin said in a disgusted voice. “Send the drones back with orders to kill that thing on sight.”

Nerad stood up, his legs a little wobbly, “Sir, do you think there is an enemy unit infiltrating the building?”

“Quite possibly, yes,” Tirlin said. “Alert all the drones. Put them on alert and order them all to begin a multi-spectral sweep with all sensors. We may have company, and if we do, I would expect more than one lone Muran.”

Ensign Reepchip Charatetet

Central Command, Cardassia Prime

Stardate 2107.03

Reepchip quickly donned his clothes and his armour.  He was now feeling safer, then his ears picked up the hum of the returning drones, and they sounded different.  Quickly he engaged his cloaking device and slipped out.  But the drones were now acting like hungry predators, and he realized his ruse had been discovered.  “Six to Two!  I am being actively hunted!” he said over his subvoc.  As he tried to evade them, they followed his sound, the one he’d blasted having recalibrated its audio sensors.  He sprinted towards the shaft the others had gone to, and the drones fired at him, but missed.

From where Galan was viewing, he couldn’t see the cloaked muran, but he could see his footprints on the dust-covered floor--and wall--and other wall--and the first wall again--and the opposing wall…  From the footprints it was looking like the muran was bounding from wall to wall without touching the floor!

Reepchip found the ladder and raced upwards.  “Six to Two!  I am under attack!  I’m coming up the shaft right nyeeek!”  Another blast had come straight up the shaft, and Reepchip had barely avoided it.  “Do I return fire?!” he yipped, his voice getting higher in fear.  He dashed up the ladder again, hoping to outpace the drones rising beneath him.

Colonel Jahkar

Central Command

Stardate 2107.04

Jahkar was finishing a scan of the ceiling above and determined a good location to do what he was thinking about doing...considering the quickly deteriorating situation.

“Five, seven, do you have any of the explosives we used down in the tunnels left,” Jahkar asked, pulling his last remaining strip of the compound from his satchel.

Beckett shook his head, while Roar pulled another strip out, adding it to Jahkar’s. The Marine looked to Ryramorl, “I need your height. Place the explosive strips in a circle right there,” he indicated a spot on the ceiling. “Make it big enough so all of us can climb up.”

“We’re going through the ceiling?” Roar asked as he set to work.

“Yes. That will put us in a storeroom across the hall from the council chambers,” Jahkar said. “From there we can move quickly to neutralize the threat.”

As Ryramorl worked, the transmission from Reepchip came across their subvocals. Jahkar grimaced. They were still a couple of minutes from breaching the floor of the storage room above.

“Two to One,” Jahkar sent through his subvocal comm. “Six is under attack. Permission to return fire!”

Beckett suddenly looked over at them, “Those two Cardassians are at 10 meters and closing.”

Jahkar moved to Beckett, “You and I will neutralize them while cloaked, silently. Roar, stay on those explosives.”

The Marine pondered Reepchip’s situation and decided he wasn’t going to risk letting him die for the sake of stealth. He keyed his subvocal, “Six, take them out as quietly as you can.”

Lieutenant Ryramorl Ra’yral

Central Command, Cardassia Prime

Stardate 2107.09

Ryramorl grunted in acknowledgement, and took the strips, placing them in a circle so they’d create a hole.  He had to stretch to reach that high and was careful to set them so they’d bring a chunk of the floor down.  He prayed to his gods that Jahkar and Cody would have luck in neutralizing the Cardassians--and Reepchip would have equally good fortune against the drones.  He set the circle, stepped back, and waited for the okay from his superior.

Ensign Reepchip Charatetet

Central Command, Cardassia Prime

Stardate 2107.09

Reepchip slipped down one of the side passages, quickly finding a T Junction.  Looking through his darts, he decided on his explosive ones as the only ones that would do any damage.  Hearing the drones coming after him, he loaded his blowpipe and got ready.  The drones sounded like one was ahead of the other, so he backed up further.

When he heard the first drone about to round the corner, he brought his blowpipe to his lips.  As it turned, he immediately fired the dart.  Bullseye on its optic sensor.  The dart exploded, shattering the sensor’s lens and sending shards into its workings.  The drone spun aimlessly as its circuits malfunctioned.  As it spun, Reepchip reloaded his blowpipe, ready for the second one.  It, too, rounded the corner, colliding with the malfunctioning drone, Reepchip growled, unable to get a good shot.

The damaged drone let loose a shower of sparks and landed on the floor.  Reepchip immediately fired at the second drone, aiming at a hole left by a sensor broken off by the collision.  This dart exploded directly inside the second drone, dropping it in an instant.  He heard another explosion above him, and chittered.  “Six to Two,” he said over the subvoc.  “Is it safe to come up?  Drones have been neutralized.”

Lt. Commander William McCulloch

Central Command, Cardassia Prime

Stardate 2107.09

As Will continued to guard the rear, his attention was drawn to the far end of the corridor he was monitoring. Initially, he observed a shadow dart back and forth near the T-junction. Seconds later, a pair of drones rounded the corner and halted. As they hovered silently in midair, the Scot froze...waiting to see if the devices would reverse course and return to wherever they came from.

Instead, the two drones rose towards the ceiling of the hallway, paused momentarily and then descended again.

Once returning to their original position, the two drones continued down the hallway towards McCulloch and his two companions. It was obvious they were scanning their surroundings for evidence of enemy activity.

“You have to be s%^&&ing me” he cursed to himself before communicating to Vree and Tiri.

“One, Four...this Eight. We have a pair of drones advancing on our rear and they are absolutely looking for something or someone. We need to move NOW.”

The Scot quickly transmitted to Tiri and Vree the schematics of the ventilation shaft that emptied near the vestibule in the event the team needed an escape route, brought his pistol up to the ready and waited for Vree’s orders.

Commander Mayla Vree

Central Command, Cardassia Prime

Stardate 2107.09

With Jahkar's team going into hiding and the drones in search mode, there was no doubt Phoenix Squad was about to be discovered.

"Order the probes into tactical mode and have them draw the drones away from our position. And to keep this area out of visual and sensor range. The Resurrection's dampening field might reduce their range. Let's move and get those explosives and EMP bombs set up quickly." With a flick of a wrist, all of her sky eye probes and each of their three small surveillance nodes went out looking for the drones.

"Moving!" Sh'avelith and McCulloch acknowledged.

"Havoc, One, we need that Breen attack now," she suggested.

"Relaying."

Mayla checked the vestibule again and saw it still clear. "I'm moving to the furthest eastern entry door. Report when you've got your explosives and EMP positioned."

She swiftly moved across the carpeted floor without a sound and began setting the explosives around the door jamb of the door. She ignored the nice ornately decorated door that was going to be reduced to splinters soon. She ran the line a few meters away and connected the manual trigger which she attached with an adhesive to the back of a balustrade.

Lt. Commander William McCulloch

Central Command, Cardassia Prime

Stardate 2107.09

"Order the probes into tactical mode and have them draw the drones away from our position. And to keep this area out of visual and sensor range. The Resurrection's dampening field might reduce their range. Let's move and get those explosives and EMP bombs set up quickly."

McCulloch looked above him as Vree’s three probes sailed past his position, hovered momentarily, changed direction and started down another corridor away from the pair of SOC drones approaching his location.

Will withdrew the last drone from his pouch and tossed it into the air. As the device hovered adjacent to him, he quickly issued a series of codes switching the probe to tactical mode. Surprisingly, the probe shuddered and then released a string of chirps that appeared as a communication on his HUD.

The probe was arguing with him in Gaelic...

“Beckett.” The Scot complained as a brief smirk spread across his face. A second later, the probe quickly danced back and forth, spun 180 degrees, switched to tactical mode and with a burst of energy raced towards the two SOC drones. Meanwhile, the first probe that the Scot had launched after emerging from the water followed in close pursuit.

As the two probes closed in on the SOC devices, one descended to mere centimeters above the floor and zigzagged from side to side as it passed underneath the two drones. The other nano probe rose to the ceiling and raced towards the T-junction the two drones had emerged from.

The two SOC drones instantly detected McCulloch’s toys, halted and changed course in pursuit. The Scot exhaled in relief.

Seconds later, McCulloch's third probe...the device he had positioned near a light fixture ... emerged from its hiding position and reported to McCulloch. After issuing a series of commands instructing it to seek out any enemy drones and lead them away from the team’s position, the probe darted off, passed Tiri’s position and then advanced further into the building until it was out of sight.

After the probe disappeared, the Scot whispered over the subvoc. “One, Four … probes deployed. The two SOC drones have been drawn away...for now.”

Again, Will turned his attention to the team’s rear and watched for any signs of activity.

Colonel Jahkar

Central Command Building

Stardate 2107.15

Jahkar and Beckett stood to either side of the door in the room where they’d chosen to create a passage from the floor, they were on to the floor above where the terrorists and hostages were grouped.

On cue, the door slid open and two armor-suited Cardassians armed with rifles stepped inside and conducted a sweep with their tricorders. They didn’t see the trio of cloaked Shadow operatives, but their sensors did home in on the strip of explosives strung in a circle around the ceiling.

“What the….?” one muttered under his helmet.

Jahkar and Beckett moved instantly. The half-Romulan/Klingon slipped in behind the nearest Cardassian, who he seized in his iron grip around the neck, pulling him back against his own chest-armor.

The marine then jammed the blade of his knife into the Cardassian’s neck, piercing the right side between where the helmet and suit came together. The knife pierced deep and the terrorist made a gasping sound before going limp in Jahkar’s grasp.

Next to him, he hoped Beckett would fare as well as he had.

Captain Quentin Lazarus

*USS Resurrection*

Stardate 2107.15

Lazarus heard Vree’s request and he looked over at Lt. Commander McGuire and Lt. Dahrt who were tediously working on something at the tactical station.

“Tell me you’re ready?” Lazarus asked.

“As we’ll ever be,” Darva frowned. “I wish...I wish Daryl was here. This electronic warfare stuff is more up his alley.”

She wished Thompson was there for other reasons too, especially since she had no idea if he was alive or dead. But she put those fear aside and looked up at the captain. “Let’s do it.”

Lazarus nodded, “Get it done.”

Dahrt nodded, “You got it, boss,” the young Iotian was eager to see if their little ruse would work and forgot the formalities of rank. With an afterthought he added, “sir.”

Dahrt opened a system wide hailing frequency that immediately began broadcasting an alert to all Cardassian and Federation ships indicating the approach of Breen ships.

At the same time, Darva initiated a program that sent false sensor signals to all of the long-range monitoring outposts in the Cardassian central star system fooling them into thinking a 200 ship Breen fleet was minutes away from arrival in the system.

The Starfleet ships had been warned in advance of the ruse. The Cardassians and other races with ships in the system were none the wiser. An immediate panic, both real and improvised, went out throughout the system.

On Cardassia Prime, at Central Command, Tirlin and his men were contemplating a response to whatever had destroyed two of their drones in the sub-levels of the building when alarms went off across the main senate chamber. At the security station, word came that a Breen fleet was on approach.

“I didn’t think they would actually muster a response that quickly,” Tirlin gasped as he reviewed the incoming sensor data. “That many ships...they’ll...obliterate this entire system.”

Left to ponder what he should do now, Tirlin was left oblivious to what was going on in the lower levels of the building…

Ensign Reepchip Charatetet

Central Command, Cardassia Prime

Stardate 2107.16

Reepchip scrambled up the ladder, using his subvoc to let his superiors know he was coming.  He was climbing so fast he actually got some hang time when he popped out the hatch on the floor.  He landed, and Ryramorl motioned him away from where the floor would come down.  Reepchip backed off, and turned to see Jahkar and Cody fighting with the Cardassians.  He quickly readied his blowpipe in case he was needed.

On Cardassia and in space

Stardate 2107.19

Inside the Central Command building, Jahkar and his team detonated the explosives and they lit up in a bright, flaring circle which quickly burned through the ceiling of the room, up through the floor into the maintenance area above.

When the section of floor/ceiling fell down into the room with a loud boom, Reepchip went up through the opening first. Once he declared it clear, Jahkar went up with the help of Ryramorl, followed by Beckett (who had finished off his Cardassian sentry) and then, together, they helped the big Carnora up inside the room.

Cloaked, the group made their way out of the maintenance area and down a narrow corridor until they reached the lobby area outside the main chamber of the Detapa Council, the location of the Sons of Cardassia’s main group and the hostages.

Immediately, they were made aware by their probes there were no less than six Cardassian guarding the lobby area, along with at least two more drones. Everyone appeared to be in a heightened state of alertness.

“Phoenix Two to One,” Jahkar whispered into his subvocal. “We’re in position about 40 meters from the main doors to the council chambers, awaiting your orders.”

Meanwhile, aboard the Cardassian Keldon-class ship parked near Cardassia Prime, a Glinn named Demek was left in command, monitoring the activity in the system, when his crew member manning the tactical council reported in, “I’m having trouble confirming this approaching Breen fleet. I’ve got sensor contact, but it seems weak…almost like an echo.”

Demek looked at the screen and saw the Cardassian fleet assuming a defensive position putting itself between the approaching fleet and the planet. He looked perplexed.

“Keep checking those readings,” he commanded. “I want confirmation!”

Back to top

## S3, E4, Act 10: Heat of Battle

CCommander Alexander “Taz” Tazhenkov

Earth, the Pickering Estate

Stardate 2107.19

Robert Pickering’s household on Earth was still considered a crime scene days after the shootout and subsequent disappearance of Lt. Commander Daryl Thompson. A team of investigators from Starfleet Security were wrapping up, packing away their equipment when two columns of swirling light materialized just inside the main foyer to the house.

Two figures stood there, one a slender human male of average height. The other was a Trill woman, young, with blonde hair. Both wore uniforms denoting their positions within Starfleet Intelligence.

Lt. Leonard McNamara, who was heading the Starfleet Security investigation, stepped away from his colleagues and approached the newcomers. He looked at the pips on their uniforms and found the male was a commander, while the woman was a lieutenant.

“Can I help you?” McNamara asked.

“Commander Alexander Tazhenkov,” the man announced. “This is Lt. Danae Nala. We’re with Starfleet Intelligence, Mirror Task Force.”

McNamara raised an eyebrow. “I thought you guys were some kind of urban legend…stories told to cadets to make them paranoid?”

“No, we’re real,” Nala smiled.

“There’s a theory floating around that what happened here, the shootout and abduction of Lt. Commander Thompson, was the act of perpetrators from the Terran Universe.”

Leonard nodded, “It is one of our working theories right now. Equipment and bodies recovered show variations, both molecular and in DNA that have only been seen in those beings encountered from the Mirror Universe.”

Taz said nothing but extended a hand to McNamara. “I’m going to need all of your notes, scans and any physical evidence you have.”

“But…our investigation here is done,” he responded. “We’re getting ready to beam back to Starfleet Headquarters.”

Alexander smiled before plucking the data PADD from Leonard’s hands, “I’m afraid not. You and your team have been placed on loan to us. You’re going to take us back through all of your findings and then we’re going to figure out if this is related to the Terrans or not.”

McNamara was taken back as he stammered for a response. Just as he was about to protest, Nala handed him another PADD. “Orders from Starfleet Command.” He took them and decided not to argue. He looked back at his team assembled in Pickering’s dining room and sighed, “Break everything back out and set it all back up again.”

Tazhenkov flashed him a smile, “Sorry, hope you understand.”

McNamara sighed and turned to join his team in unpacking their gear as Taz and Nala stepped aside and spoke in hushed tones.

“If they’ve detected the variances, then I’d say this is definitely a Terran incursion,” she whispered.

Taz nodded, “But why? There hasn’t been recorded contact with the Parallel Universe in years. Since Bravo Squad last visited there.”

“Bravo Squ…oh right…the secret outfit you used to work for,” the young Trill said. “You seem to like working for secret, specialized branches of Starfleet?”

He laughed, “It appears so. After I survived the Breen attack on the Shadow Ops training base during the Dominion War, I spent some time at a desk job with Starfleet Intelligence. When the opportunity to join this unit came up, I thought it sounded interesting.”

Nala chuckled, “And we’ve spent years researching all there is to know about the Mirror Universe, and we’ve never encountered anyone from there.”

“That may be changing,” he said.   “From what we’re hearing, this sounds like a full scale Terran incursion. Multiple elements. Possibly a ship too…a ship crossing over from the other side.”

“Why this Thompson? Why would they come here for him?” she asked.

Taz shook his head, “I don’t know. I didn’t really know him when I served in Shadow Operations. I’ve put in a request for his records. Hopefully it will be approved.”

Nala looked around, “So, where do you want me to begin?”

“Get started on their data. I want you to pour through it, look for anything they may have missed and go over the evidence they’ve flagged as being from the Other Side,” he explained, suddenly becoming quite intense about the investigation. “I’ll have McNamara walk me through his team’s investigation and see if they missed anything.”

“Got it,” she replied, breaking out a portable holographic array which she opened around her with multiple virtual screens.

“This is our HQ,” Taz told her. “We’ll meet back here in two hours to compare notes.”

He then walked over and had McNamara walk him through the investigation…

Sergeant Major Robert Pickering (Ret)

Lieutenant Amanda  “Ducky” Düklinqik-Pickering (Ret)

Earth, the Pickering Estate

Stardate 2107.19

Robert seethed as he watched Starfleet security and intelligence officers pour over his property for yet another day. As he studied the spectacle from the back lawn of his estate, another pair of investigators materialized on his patio and entered without permission into his home.

It had been several days since the firefight, yet his family was still unable to return home nor was he able to bring contractors onto the property to repair the damage. Following Will McCulloch and Cody Beckett’s departure, Sarah Pickering agreed to take her brother’s children to New Inverness on Caldos Colony for an extended vacation so as to get the children away from the scene of the fight. Now, Robert and Ducky were left alone to deal with the aftermath….or as the Starfleet officers called it, the “crime scene”.

As the retired marine stared angrily towards the blown out kitchen windows closest to him, he noticed Ducky slowly walking across the lawn towards him, carrying a bottle of whiskey in one hand and two glasses in the other. When she reached her husband, she held out one of the glasses towards Robert. After a moment of hesitation, he accepted it and watched as Ducky poured the alcohol into his cup.

“Homes and belongings can be replaced, Robert.” Ducky stated reassuringly. “Our children can’t. They are safe and our family is safe. That’s all that matters.”

The New Englander nodded in silence and he recounted the firefight again in his mind. His wife continued.

“We weren’t the target and thank God they only used non-lethal force.”

“We could be future targets, Duck.” He countered. She cocked her head to the side and stared at him curiously.

“Go on.”

“Whomever these attackers were, we went toe to toe with them in a firefight and we drew blood. They won’t forget that anytime soon.”

Ducky became serious as a chill ran down her spine. “Do you think they’ll come back?”

“I don’t know. But if they are presented with the opportunity they may.”

“Or they’ll steer clear of us.” Ducky replied as she tried to reassure herself the danger had passed.

“They may and I hope they do. But we have to be prepared.”

“Robert, if you’re thinking of re-enlisting in the Marines I --”

Absolutely not.” Pickering responded as he interrupted his wife. “Those days are behind both of us. No, I’m going to speak to our contact about upgrading our security protocols. I may also ask Sarah if Inverness can recommend a security detail for the foreseeable future.”

Ducky exhaled slightly in relief before nodding in agreement. After a moment of tense silence, she took a large sip from her glass of whiskey and peered towards the Starfleet officers examining the damage to the outside of their home.

“Talk to Jahkar.” She announced. “Marine to marine. See if he can shed some light on who attacked us.”

“Why?”

“You want to be prepared so you can protect your family...right?” Ducky asked.

“Of course.”

“Okee-dokee then. Let’s see what he tells you.”

“It may be some time before I speak to him. And if he refuses?”

Ducky paused for a moment before answering her husband. “Sarah will get the information from Beckett. He’s enamored with her, and Sarah’s fiercely loyal to our family. If it means protecting her nieces and nephews. She will get it out of him one way or the other.”

Robert smirked and nodded in agreement before downing the contents of his glass.

Lt. Commander William McCulloch

Central Command, Cardassia Prime

Stardate 2107.19

As Will continued to scan the rear, his attention was once again drawn towards the far end of the hallway he was monitoring. Suddenly, two of his probes rounded the corner and raced towards him. In pursuit were a trio of Cardassian drones.

“You have to be sh\*tting me.” The Scot cursed to no one in particular. He raised his SIG-Sauer P226 pistol and started to advance towards the drones. He quickly studied his surroundings to see if there were any avenues he could redirect the probes and in turn, draw off the drones. Seeing none, he ordered the probes to double back down the hallway.

The two probes halted, turned 180 degrees and again raced away from the Scot’s position. Two of the Cardassian drones instantly changed course and gave chase.

The remaining drone halted and hovered approximately fifty feet before the Scot...silently scanning its surroundings.

“One, Eight.” McCulloch announced over the subvoc. “Please tell me you're about to blow that door open. Our drone friends are back and I may have to drop one sooner rather than later and I don’t want to interrupt your grand entrance.”

Commander Mayla Vree

Central Command, Cardassia Prime

Stardate 2107.19

"Two, One, advance quickly. We'll activate the EMP as soon as you get here." She said through the static that was cutting in through the dampening field the Resurrection had erected around the building. She took a few steps back from the doors so she could look down the curved vestibule to see if the other explosives have been set.

"On---way," came the garbled reply.

Then an explosion outside rocked the building. Then another. As good as their word, Hartman and Nidek came through with hastily setting up explosions around the city to simulate a planetary bombardment. Even inside the building, she could hear screams of panic outside.

Then came yelling inside the chambers. With one last look around, she turned off her cloak and stood by the manual detonator with a fist in the air. She waited for McCulloch and Sh'avelith to do the same.

The rest of Phoenix team appeared. Jahkar spotted her and gave her a nod. She briskly lowered her fist as the signal and all three of them activated their EMP bombs. She raised her fist into the air again, and brought it down just as fast.

Three sets of doors exploded into shards. Jahkar's team hadn't even stopped running and went straight into the Chamber prepared for battle. With the subvocals and all of their electronic equipment out of commission, they each were on their own. She quickly drew two throwing knives, one in each hand from the brazier on her chest. Without hesitation, she jumped through the smoke filled door and let the knives fly at one target in particular.

Lt. Commander William McCulloch

Central Command, Cardassia Prime

Stardate 2107.20

After the EMP burst, the Scot watched the drone nearest to him go offline and drop to the ground with a loud, metallic thud. He rushed the device and kicked it as if it was a soccer ball. Will watched it as it sailed down the hallway, bounced off a wall and broke apart. Afterward, McCulloch withdrew his other pistol, turned around and rushed to close the gap between himself and Tiri as they followed Vree into the room. The Trill rushed straight forward as the Andorian turned to the left. McCulloch instinctively turned to the right and brought his pistols up to the ready.

A pair of armored soldiers rushed towards the Scot while a third moved to intercept Vree. Will trained the pistol in his left hand on the third Cardassian and quickly squeezed the trigger three times. The pistol let out three quiet “puffs”. Blood squirted from the target’s exposed neck directly below his helmet before he crumpled to the ground dead... mere feet behind Vree. Will returned his attention back to his other two targets and opened fire.

Puff...puff...puff...puff…

The first target crumpled to the ground..

Puff..ding! Puff..ding!

The Scot cursed as the bullets deflected off the second target’s armor.  He fired again as the Cardassian closed the distance, only to be met with the same result. McCulloch quickly dropped his pistols, grabbed his attacker by his chest armor and pulled backwards. Using the Cardassian’s momentum against him, the Scot fell backwards, rolled on his back, pushed upwards with his right leg and tossed the assailant over him. The terrorist landed with a loud thud on his back. Will scrambled to his feet, reached across his chest and retrieved the military fork strapped to his right arm. He stepped to his right to give himself more space and snapped it open. The shaft of the spear expanded to five feet in length. Will spun the shaft of the spear clockwise twice before pointing the fork blades towards his opponent.

The terrorist rose to his feet, removed his helmet, let it fall to the ground and withdrew a pair of combat knives. He smirked slightly, raised his right hand and gestured for McCulloch to advance on him.

As Will cautiously approached a crossbow bolt from Tiri pierced the Cardassian’s skull. The terrorist gurgled his words, stammered and fell to the ground dead. The Andorian nodded at McCulloch and returned to her task at hand.

The Scot quietly nodded in response before turning back around and moving along the outer flank of the room...searching for any nearby hostages or targets.

Commander Mayla Vree

Council Chambers in Central Command, Cardassia Prime

Stardate 2107.20

The primary target she aimed for was the one standing next to the bomb, the one she had assumed was Tirlin based on the visuals she had been watching for an hour. The first thing she noticed were the glowing blue lights on the armor, clearly indicating they were still functional and had withstood the EMP blast.

She didn't expect her knives to cause any damage to the armored helmet he was wearing. It was only to throw him off balance so she can sprint the distance to him. The two knives flew true and struck him square in the face, one after another, toppling him in surprise backwards with such force from the blows. Even with her speed, he had already turned over onto his side and was getting up, bellowing curses until she struck him in the head again from the side with the pommel of her katana.

Letting out a loud curse, he threw an awkward backhanded punch at her as his other hand tried to draw his weapon that was pinned between him and the floor. She grabbed his wrist in mid punch and held it out. With her katana, she ran her sword through the gap in his armor under his arm. She could feel the blade enter into his torso through tendon and muscle. He let out a scream as she coldly ripped the sword quickly to the left and right before pulling it out.

By now there were blue lights shimmering through the thin veil of smoke now. The Resurrection had begun to beam the hostages out. A blue light shimmered behind her as the bomb was also beamed away. With the Resurrection's dampening field still active, it could only go to one place. And hopefully the EMP burst rendered it useless.

"Kill the hostages, now!" a voice echoed in the chamber. The voice came from someone standing by a security station and she recognized the voice as the leader, Tirlin. He thumped the soldier beside him who drew his weapon and tried to fire his inoperable weapon. While he himself brought up his arm and began tapping commands into his wrist computer. No doubt trying to activate the bomb.

Ensign Reepchip Charatetet

Cardassia Prime

Stardate 2107.20

Reepchip tried to get closer to Tirlin in the smoke and reach out with his mind.  The small telepath (telekinetic) tried to mentally grab Tirin’s finger and yank it backwards, intent on breaking it or even ripping it off entirely before the Cardassian could activate the bomb.  He wasn’t taking chances here.

Colonel Jahkar

Cardassian Central Command

Stardate 2107.20

Jahkar led his team into the council chamber as all hell was breaking loose around them. The EMP had gone off, rendering energy weapons and other device inoperable. Much to his chagrin, the Cardassian battle armor was still functional -- undoubtedly fitted with some sort of insulation or power surge protection.

The Marine went in swinging his axes. He took down the first two Cardassians they encountered, splitting helmets open with powerful blows from the Klingon weapons. After dropping two terrorists, he slammed his shoulder into a third, knocking him off his feet before he followed through with a deadly axe strike into the Cardassian’s neck.

Jahkar surveyed the room and saw a Cardassian who appeared to be in charge tapping commands into a wrist computer and he came to the same conclusion McCulloch had.

“That one!” Jahkar barked, pointing at Tirlin. “Stop him!”

Still several dozen meters away, Jahkar took one of his axes and hurled it, spinning it end over end across the room until it slammed into the security console directly in front of Tirlin. The half Klingon/Romulan then broke into a sprint, charging at the leader as he unslung the shotgun and readied it for battle.

Lt. Commander William McCulloch

Central Command, Cardassia Prime

Stardate 2107.20

Will visually followed Jahkar as he closed in on the terrorist leader. Once again another terrorist raced to intercept his teammate.

“Oh come on.” McCulloch muttered to himself as he hefted his military fork above his shoulder, drew his arm back, stepped forward and threw the weapon towards Jahkar’s attacker.

The fork sailed across the room and slammed into the terrorist’s back, easily cutting through his armor. The Cardassian yelped in pain as he was knocked off his feet and thrown to the ground. Jahkar quickly looked back before directing his attention towards his primary target.

McCulloch quietly complimented himself on

“Perhaps you should spend less time licking the boots of your commanders and spend more time watching your own flank.” A voice coldly announced to McCulloch’s right. When the Scot turned towards the sound, an armored Cardassian drove his fist into the Scot’s helmet, sending him reeling backwards head over heels.

As Will attempted to scramble back to his feet, the Cardassian swept his feet from under him. Again McCulloch rose to stand, his opponent tackled him.

“You move like my grandfather.” The Cardassian hissed as he sat on top of the Scot, withdrew a combat knife and attempted to drive it into the Scot’s chest. Fortunately, McCulloch’s armor deflected the weapon. The Cardassian cursed loudly and tried to stab Will again...only to be met with the same result.

Will desperately reached for the combat knife strapped to his chest, but his attacker kept swatting his hands away and punching his helmet. The Scots head rattled and jerked as the Cardassian continued to rain blows down on him.

As the pair struggled, the terrorist started to pull on the Scot’s helmet.

“I’m going to rip your eyes out of your sockets with my bare hands.” He angrily announced.

McCulloch quickly brought his right leg up towards him. He reached down and tried to withdraw the dirk knife strapped to his boot. With his left hand he continued to punch at the terrorist. It took two attempts, but the Scot finally grasped the dirk’s handle, retrieved the weapon and spun the blade in his hand before driving it upwards and underneath the Cardassian’s chest armor. The terrorist stiffened, twitched slightly and gasped for air. McCulloch drove the blade deeper into his attacker before twisting it twice. His opponent shuddered and slumped forward onto him dead.

With some difficulty the Scot pushed the dead Cardassian off of him, exhaled and stared up at the chamber ceiling.

“Yeah,” McCulloch muttered to himself as he raised his right hand into the air and gave a “thumbs up” to no one in particular. “We’re doing great team! Keep up the awesome work!”

After a moment of silence, the Scot rolled over onto his stomach, cursed in Gaelic, pushed himself onto his knees and finally rose onto his feet. He reached across to his left arm, retrieved his collapsible staff and snapped it open with a single quick motion.

Once again he looked around his immediate surroundings for either hostages or assailants.

“Is this the moment when I can ask for a sub?? No?? Anyone?.” He asked loudly before once again advancing along the outer perimeter of the chamber and muttering “$#%^ me” to himself.

Lieutenant Ryramorl Ra’yral

Cardassia Prime

Stardate 2107.20

As Jahkar yelled “Stop Him!”, Ryramorl coldly raised his revolver, stepping aside to avoid hitting Jahkar, but a Cardassian seized him from behind.  Ryramorl twisted around, throwing the Cardassian to the ground.  Coldly, he raised his revolver again, and put a bullet right through the Cardassian’s skull.  He turned to face Tirlin again, but Jahkar was already in the way.  Growling, he followed his superior to help take down the leader.

Ensign Reepchip Charatetet

Cardassia Prime

Stardate 2107.20

Reepchip tried to reposition himself, to stay out of Jahkar’s way while getting in a good shot--when a kick sent him rolling.  The Muran squeaked in pain as he was nailed.  He scrambled to his feet, only to get spun around by a second kick to the head.  He then shrieked as his tail was stepped on.  Looking behind him, he saw Nerad standing on his tail.  The Cardassian was about to avenge his hearing.  Reepchip frantically fired the dart he’d loaded at the Cardassian, but his shot went wild.  Nerad aimed his phaser at Reepchip, but the EMP had rendered it useless.  The furious Cardassian drew his knife and bent down to stab Reepchip, who pulled his own knife.  But Nerad had the reach advantage, and drove his knife down at Reepchip.  Reepchip could only give one of his hellish shrieks at Nerad, as the knife drove through his armour and into his shoulder, where it became stuck.  Angrily, Nerad  ripped the Muran’s helmet off, and drove his fist into Reepchip’s face over and over before getting back up and starting to kick the Muran some more.

Commander Victoria Smith

USS Resurrection

Stardate 2107.21

Warrant Officer Hannigan, Victoria and the EMH quickly examined each hostage as they were beamed directly to sick bay. Fortunately there were no injuries or fatalities… so far. Once medically cleared, a security officer whisked each hostage away to an undisclosed location.

Both Smith and Fiadh were clad in their tactical suits in the event they were deployed to the surface but had unzipped them so the top half hung low around their waists. Their medical packs, upper torso body armor, pistols and ballistic helmets were in piles on a nearby table.

Following the EMP bursts, Hannigan repeatedly checked the Resurrection’s biological scans of Vree and her team for life signs. So far, the operatives were unhurt … but that changed moments later when a scan revealed Reepchip had been injured.

“Commander, Phoenix 6 is down.” Hannigan reported. “Reepchip.”

Victoria cursed. Reepchip was one of the two team members Union 12 had very limited medical data on.  A teenage Trill voice echoed in her head, once again asking if the team was ready. Victoria brushed the negative thought aside and quickly assessed the situation. She cursed again before looking over at her Warrant Officer.

“Lieutenant Sh’avelith is the team's medic and the first responder. It’s her show and her call… if she can’t reach him and we can’t beam him out, you’re going in. Suit up.”

“You’re not coming to the party?” Hannigan asked as she pushed her arms back into the top half of her tactical suit, zipped it up and reached for her body armor.

“There’s no way with hostages pouring into the Resurrection Lazarus is going to let me go out and play...yet.” Victoria countered as the same doubting voice in her mind told her that the Captain probably didn’t want her becoming distracted by McCulloch either.

As Hannigan slung her med packs across her back and holstered a pistol, Victoria activated the second EMH and directed it to retrieve any and all medical data on the Muran. Afterward, she notified Lazarus that her warrant officer was available for medical deployment if needed.

Lieutenant Ryramorl Ra’yral

Cardassia Prime

Stardate 2107.21

Ryramorl heard Reepchip’s cries, and went towards him.  Seeing a Cardassian stepping on Reepchip’s tail and kicking him, Ryramorl raised his revolver and shot at him, hitting Nerad in the arm.  Nerad saw the advancing Carnora, who was readjusting his aim, the monster’s eyes colder than the Sea of Ice.

Lt. Tiri Sh’avelith

Cardassian Central Command

Stardate 2107.21

Tiri was engaged in combat when she heard Reepchip’s cry. The Andorian had just finished reloading the crossbow when she glanced toward the noise and saw a Cardassian kicking the Muran repeatedly, a knife wound obvious on the diminutive creature.

She watched as Ryramorl shot the Cardassian in the arm and then stalked toward him in apparent rage. Tiri considered firing the crossbow at Nerad but decided at the rate Roar was closing, she might shoot him with the bolt instead.

What she really needed to do was get to Reepchip, and quickly. She ran toward the Muran and watched as Ryramorl’s huge body eclipsed Nerad and then she could not see what the Carnora was doing to the Cardassian who stabbed Reepchip.

Indisposed by Roar, the terrorist was no longer a threat to Tiri or Reepchip, so she ran at the fallen Muran full speed , dropped and slid across the floor until she ended up at his side.

She popped open the medkit, setting the bow down at her side, as she set to work trying to assess the Muran’s injuries and stabilize him.

She then realized the fighting was still going on around them so she snagged Reepchip up and dragged him into a row of seats lining the auditorium portion of the council chambers where she could work on him behind cover.

“Are you OK?” she asked him, scanning him with the tricorder. It then occurred to her she left her crossbow behind when she dragged Reepchip aside...and she silently hoped she’d not need it.

Ensign Reepchip Charatetet

Central Command

Stardate 2107.23

Reepchip chittered weakly--that knife had gone nearly right through his shoulder.  Tiri might not have known much about Carnora physiology, but she was well aware of the shuddering breathing of one who had a broken rib or two.  The Muran was clearly a mess.

He weakly admitted he was out of this fight.  Blood oozed from his muzzle and the wound, and one eye was swelling shut from the blows.

Lt. Tiri Sh’avelith

Cardassian Central Command

Stardate 2107.23

Tiri ran a medical tricorder over Reepchip and determined quickly the little Muran had fortunately been wearing his armor, because it likely saved his life. While the knife had penetrated his flesh, it had not done the extent of damage it could have if he’d been unarmored.

Still, he was cut deep and was suffering several broken ribs, one of which had splintered and pierced one of his lungs.

The Andorian worked to stabilize the Muran, using a dermal regenerator to heal his wounds from the inside out, which would immediately stop the bleeding. There was little she could do here for a punctured lung.  She cut the straps on his armor to allow him to breathe as freely as possible and continued to work on his wounds.

Tiri stopped long enough to slap an isolinear tag on him and activated it, allowing Resurrection to lock on quickly and beam him out.

Tirlin Drajal

Central Command

Stardate 2107.23

Drajal ran for the bomb, his remote detonator incapacitated by the EMP blast. He cursed himself silently for not being close to the bomb to use the hard-wired detonator in the event something like this happened. The force attacking them had likely staged the attack outside to distract them, and they had been successful -- along with the use of an EMP to disable their weapons and other electronics.

Closing on the explosive device, the Cardassian could sense the armored soldier closing on him, the same one who’d thrown an axe at him moments earlier. He was almost there and was certain he could successfully achieve his goal.

Meanwhile, one of the Sons of Cardassia charged with guarding the VIP hostages was at first distracted by the attack, and then he collected his wits and decided to do his duty. He pulled a plasma grenade from a bandolier slung around his shoulder and activated it, turning then to toss it in the smaller room where the Federation, Klingon and Romulan ambassadors were being held with the Cardassian president.

Before he could toss the grenade inside the room, all four prisoners were suddenly enveloped in a transporter beam and disappeared before his eyes. The young Cardassian was shocked and forgot he had an active grenade in his hand. Once he realized the grenade was about the explode, he turned to throw it at the attacking soldiers, but wasn’t quick enough. The grenade detonated in his hand and the plasma blast from inside covered him and much of the surrounding area within a three-meter radius with hot, burning plasma.

The Cardassian was quickly consumed and vaporized by the plasma, his screams filling the chamber as the grenade burned the southeast corner of the council chamber and set much of the furnishings on fire. Fortunately, no one else was caught in the blast radius…

Lt. Commander William McCulloch

Central Command, Cardassia Prime

Stardate 2107.23

“Holy #$%^!!!” The Scot exclaimed as molten plasma set a nearby desk on fire.

While most of the team had converged towards the center of the room, McCulloch was sweeping in a wide arc around the outer perimeter of the chamber…. Pulling hostages into the open so the Resurrection’s sensors could lock onto them or incapacitating those Sons of Cardassia who were trying to execute hostages.

McCulloch had been closing in on the Cardassian with the bandoleer of plasma grenades when he blew himself up.

He knew the terrorist was on the younger side based upon his awkward gait and his lack of control with explosives. Now, the boy had been reduced to ashes. Will stopped for a moment and gaped at the burning scene ...the loss of what may have been a child or young adult horrified him.

McCulloch looked around the chamber. Most of the fighting had converged towards the center of the room. Behind him several Cardassians lay dead or wounded. Most of the hostages had been evacuated. Will briefly leaned on his staff and tried to collect his thoughts before returning to the fight.

Suddenly, an armored Cardassian emerged from a nearby alcove with his hands up in the air as a gesture of surrender. Will recognized the age-old tactic of deception, dropped his staff, unslung his crossbow, aimed it at the terrorist and started to squeeze the trigger.

The Cardassian began to gesture wildly with his hands before ripping off his helmet. He quickly threw it to the ground and stared at the Scot in complete and utter fear.

“I surrender! I surrender!” He nervously stammered.

McCulloch studied his newly acquired prisoner intently. He was a boy….a teenager at best. The Cardassian violently shook with fear as tears ran down his face. The boy kept looking past the Scot towards the scene of the plasma explosion. Instinctively Will knew the Cardassian who blew himself up was somehow related to or was close with this boy in front of him.

Will kept his crossbow aimed at his prisoner.

“Weapons! Any f^&\*ing weapons you have anywhere on your damn body you better drop them to the ground….NOW!!!” The Scot barked.

The boy quickly began to strip off all of his gear...armor, knives, pistols….everything. He shook before the Scot as he looked wildly around the room.

“Anything else?” McCulloch demanded coldly.

“Nothing.” The boy stammered. “I’m your prisoner. I just want to go home and see my mother.”

“Your name!”

“Ged Khit.” The Cardassian quickly blurted out. “My name...my name is Ged Khit.”

Will slung his crossbow across his back, closed the distance, grabbed the boy by the throat and slammed him violently against a chamber wall. Afterwards, McCulloch removed his own helmet.

He studied the boy in silence for several seconds before speaking in a low, cold and menacing tone. He was determined to get a message across to the child.

“Ged, do you know who I am?”

“I...I have no idea.” He exclaimed.

“I’m the f\*&^ing Hunter. I know you and your Cardassian ilk have heard that name before”

The boy went white with fear, stammered for a second and finally spoke. “No, the Hunter is an old wives tale to scare children.”

“No, it’s not. I’m the f\*&^ing Hunter. I’ve done more things to your people than I care to admit. Do you want to try me boy? I’ve turned men twice your age and talent into table lamps for my office on Caldos.”

Ged continued to stammer as McCulloch gestured towards the trail of dead and wounded Cardassians behind him.

“Do you want to join your brethren Ged? Because I can arrange it...right...now.”

The Cardassian teen quickly shook his head in the negative before pleading for mercy.

“No, I want to live! I made a mistake!”

A cold smile spread across the Scot’s face. He withdrew the combat knife strapped to his chest, pulled Ged forward by his neck before slamming him against the wall again. After a loud thud, McCulloch plunged the knife blade deep into the Cardassian’s shoulder. The teen yelped in pain. Will continued to push hard on the blade handle until he was convinced he had pinned the Cardassian to the chamber wall.

As Ged started to sob, Will frisked him. Once assured the Cardassian had no additional weapons, he got within inches of the teen’s face.

“You’re my prisoner Ged. You move or try to unpin yourself from this damn wall, I promise you not only will I kill you, I will find and kill your entire f\*&^&ing family. Am I clear?”

“Yes...yes!” Ged exclaimed in complete fear.

“Don’t move!” Will warned as he stepped back and waved his index finger at the Cardassian. He picked up his helmet, put it back on and turned his attention to the fight in the center of the room.

As he walked away from the Cardassian teen...The Scot felt vile and dirty for what he had just done. Yet, perhaps there was a slim chance...a very slim chance... that this child, if spared, could eventually have a life free of the Sons of Cardassia.

Will felt that was a chance worth taking.

Commander Mayla Vree

Council Chambers, Cardassia Prime

Stardate 2107.23

The explosion filled the room with noise and flesh melting heat. The Cardassian she was fighting with took some of the blast, shielding her from the deadliest destructive force of the plasma grenade. But the Cardassian died anyway, skewered by a piece of shrapnel.

A scream not two meters away made her turn her sword in that direction. One of the terrorists had a Cardassian woman by the arm. She fought against him as strong as any Cardassian could. But the highly trained commando's skills superceded anything she tried to break away from him. With his focus only on killing her with his drawn knife, Mayla leapt behind him and swept his legs from him with her full body weight. The attacker went down dragging the woman with him. Mayla grabbed her arm and with a strength surprising to the much taller woman, pulled her out of the way like a chair. Before the Son of Cardassia could get his bearing, she kicked him viciously in the head, then ran her sword through the exposed neck.

By the time she turned to check on the woman, a transporter beam had taken her away. She looked around for more targets as the dust in the air began to filter clear. She identified Tirin for certain this time, staggering towards a door in hopes to escape when he realized the bomb was already gone. Mayla didn't hesitate and bolted towards him. With the grenade still ringing in his ears, he didn't hear her coming and was completely surprised when she jumpkicked him just below his neck.

Tirlin flew forward head first and landed hard on his face as Mayla rolled back onto her feet. Sheathing her sword, she was immediately on his back and yanked his helmet off. Placing a fist to the back of his neck in between the two bones that protected it.

"Tirlin Drajal, it's over. Surrender or die." She said, making sure her weight kept his head pinned to the floor.

"I will NOT surrender." He said defiantly. "Do you think stopping me will stop the Sons of Cardassia? Plans are already in motion." He laughed.

"I have a spring loaded projectile aimed at your neck. Once released, it will coil inside you. It is very painful."

"Kill me then. For Cardassia."

"Very well, your life is forfeited."

Instead of activating the spring loader, she pressed a finger to his neck and injected him with a strong sedative from her hypoglove. Kindred Dakota designed the weapon perfectly to not rely on electronics to be used.

Lieutenant Ryramorl Ra’yral

Central Command

Stardate 2107.23

Ryramorl did not feel the Fires of Agavan; the tremendous strength that gave him would not serve him here.  Instead he filled his heart with The Ice of Taneait to help himself focus.  He fired again at Nerad, the bullet ricocheting off the Cardassian’s armour.  Nerad made a grab for the revolver, but Ryramorl was able to throw him off and into the monitoring console.

Out of the corner of his eye, Ryramorl saw Tirlin sprinting towards the bomb.  “Beware!  He nears the bomb!” he called out, but in the heat of battle, he made it in the Ra’yral Calling Language, a howling speech used to call across endless miles of the plains.  Here, the howls reverberated in the chamber.  It wasn’t nearly as piercing as Reepchip’s defensive shriek, but still--what was it with Carnora and all the bloody racket they made?!

His howls were interrupted by the screams of a Cardassian burning to death.  He pulled his Spearthrower and a spear from its quiver, ready to hurl it at Tirlin, but he saw Mayla approaching, and relented, not wanting to risk hurting her.  Instead, he turned his gaze back to Nerad, who’d gotten back up.  Ryramorl brought the spear and spearthrower up in one practiced move and hurled the spear.  The next thing Nerad knew, the spear was through his side, pinning him to the console.

Ryramorl caught a sound from nearby and turned to see Galan with some sort of polearm coming up behind him.  Ryramorl immediately swung the spearthrower like a club, but Galan parried it with his polearm.  Ryramorl drew a spear and came towards Galan, letting loose a ferocious roar, but the Cardassian was unphased.  The two warriors battled each other fiercely, Ryramorl seeking to drive his spear into a chink in the armour, Galan seeking to simply take Ryramorl’s head off.  Ryramorl swung his foot, taking Galan off his own feet, then moved to stomp on Galan’s neck, feeling a ‘crack’ as he did so.  Some species could survive with a broken neck.  He didn’t bother to see whether Cardassians were amongst them.  Seeing Tiri’s crossbow, he quickly picked it up, and slung it across his back.  He would growl at her later for leaving her weapons laying around.

Lt. Cody Beckett

Central Command, Cardassia Prima

Stardate 2107.23

Until the plasma grenade went off, it was only a mess. After the detonation, it became utter chaos. Beckett had swept to the right after entering the large central room, and had killed 5  of the Cardassian terrorists and in between he had opened several room with scared hostages. Once the Resurrection got their lock, they beamed out. Suddenly, three more Cardassians blocked his way. He raised his weapons, and started firing, but most of the bullets ricocheted off the armor. One of the Cardassian was hit in his arm, making him curse.

Cody quickly realized this was of no use, so he holstered his weapons and grabbed behind his back for his lochaber. As soon as he grabbed the hilt, the device was triggered and within a split second, the lochaber grew in size. The hilt became a thicker and longer, and the blade tripled in size, decorated with ancient runes and other ornaments, topping it off with a large  pike on the top. Cody quickly made a few moves to check it’s balance and to possibly intimidate the Cardassians, but they didn’t flinch and  kept closing in without a second to loose, each grabbing their own bladed weapons, as all energy weapons were useless due to the EMP burst.

Cody got ready, as the first Cardassian attacked with what looked like katanas. The flurry of blades was easily blocked by Cody. He countered the attack and the Cardassian was forced back as he hadn’t expected Cody to be so fast with such a large weapon. The first attack almost decapitated the Cardassian, who cursed in Cardassian as he was caught by surprise. Cody kept attacking relentlessly.

The other two Cardassians also attacked,  trying to give the first Cardassian a moment of breathing room. They flanked Cody. Beckett had already noticed them, and with the axeblade in midair, he rotated around, the axeblade following, and it cleanly cutoff the helmed head of the nearest Cardassian, who was too late to block the attack. The head spun around through the air and landed on the floor with a plopping sound, as the body sank also to the floor, covering the floor in dark red blood. Cody made an impressive flurry of moves with his axe and stood ready, checking the situation. The third Cardassian attacked. He too had a set of blades, looking like katanas. These were longer and smaller, so Cody had to adjust his defense against it. The Cardassian was fast, but Cody was able to block all the attacks and as the Cardassian retreated, Cody set in a blow with his axe. The Cardassian reacted, but in that split second, Cody changed his stance, rotated once more and kicked the Cardassian in the chest with a back kick. His axe, rotating around him in a large circle, hit the first Cardassian with the pike, just between the pieces of armor around the shoulder. The Cardassian yelped and pulled back, as the third Cardassian reeled over the floor from Cody’s kick. Cody immediately reacted again, jumped up, swung the axe behind him, then in full force to the front, and hit the Cardassian on the floor full in it’s chest with the axe. The axe went through the armor, and buried itself deep into the ribcage of the Cardassian, who screamed, then gurgled as blood filled his lungs and he passed out for pain. Cody tried to get the axe but it was stuck in the armor. He saw the first Cardassian lunging towards him, and another one popping up from behind a pillar, so he left the lochaber for what it was and grabbed his battle axes from his hips. He threw one of the axes in the direction of the two approaching Cardassians. The first one ducked away, but the second one was hit in his head. Pieces of armor from the helmet flew around, as the Cardassian slammed onto the floor, dead. The first got up and attacked. He unsheathed two knives and attacked. Cody blocked the attacks and pummeled the helmet of the Cardassian with the axe, both with the blade and the hilt. The Cardassian staggered backwards, and after several hits, he threw away the helmet. Probably Beckett hit it hard enough to malfunction. The Cardassian cursed at Cody and swung around with his knives, faking some attacks. Cody didnt’t fall for it. Then, as the Cardassian attacked, Cody blocked the attacks, grabbed on of the knives and thrust it into the leg of the Cardassian and pulled back. The Cardassian grunted and pulled the knife out. Blood gushed out of the wound. Cody just stood there, calm, as the Cardassian, in blind rage attacked again. Cody easily blocked the attacks, then first unarmed the right hand of the Cardassian, the knife clattering to the ground, then blocked some more attacks, grabbed the arm with the remaining knife in a block, and took the knife from the Cardassian’s hand, breaking a few fingers in the process. Once more the Cardassian groaned, but the next moment, Cody turned around again, and thrust the knife in the side of the Cardassian’s head. The Cardassian shook once, then slumped to the floor. Cody quickly assessed the situation, and looked were his team mates were….

Medical Bay

USS Resurrection

Stardate 2107.23

When the EMH brought up what information it had on Reepchip’s medical files, and one of the medical aids brought down the scrolls, it immediately became clear that Muran medical files weren’t just cut-and-dried information about their physiology, what was normal, and what was abberrant.  His medical files also ascribed astrological aspects to various portions of the body, which way a bed should be oriented, which prayers should be said to which spirit (each bone and organ in the body was assigned to its own spirit).  The records were an absolute mishmash of anatomy, mysticism, herbology, alchemy, astrology, homeopathy, shamanism, and pseudoscience the Federation had left behind centuries ago, but the Carnora evidently still believed whole-heartedly.  At least the records and scrolls did have detailed diagrams of a Muran’s organs and skeleton, even if they did contain more hocus-pocus than a medieval apothecary’s grimoire..

Commander Victoria Smith

USS Resurrection

Stardate 2107.23

The hostages kept coming in…sometimes individually, sometimes in groups. Fortunately, none were injured except for a sole Cardassian woman who had some minor abrasions following a brief scuffle with a member of the Sons of Cardassia.

As Victoria cleared the woman, the Resurrection’s EMH approached with a padd and handed it to her. The nurse studied the download of the scrolls in stunned silence, looked up at the EMH and then started scratching her head in confusion.

“You have to be sh\*\*ing me.” She exclaimed.

“You sound like that foul mouth Scottish man from Commander Vree’s team.” The EMH quipped in response. Victoria briefly blushed as she knew the doctor was referencing McCulloch.

“Have you read these scrolls?” Victoria demanded.

“What is the status of Ensign Charatetet?” The EMH inquired, ignoring Smith’s question.

“Communications from the team are unavailable due to the EMP burst. We know Reepchip is injured but we don’t know the extent of his injuries.” The nurse replied.

“ETA of the Fearless?” Fiadh Hannigan asked.

The EMH remained silent for a moment as she scanned her database for the answer. Seconds later, she looked up at the Warrant Officer. “The ship is at least six hours out.”

Smith cursed again, knowing the Fearless had a more advanced medical bay. Unfortunately the availability of that ship was not a current option.

“We’re going to need eyes on Reepchip to determine treatment.” She announced.

The holographic doctor nodded in agreement before looking over at Warrant Officer Hannigan, who was fully equipped and waiting for the order to beam to the surface. She was staring off into space while chewing gum and occasionally blowing bubbles. The EMH rolled her eyes before returning her attention to Victoria.

“She’s one of yours?”

“Yep,” Victoria replied. “She’s a bit goofy but when given a task, she sets her mind to it.”

“Let’s hope so.”

“She’ll be fine.” Victoria firmly announced before turning her attention to her Warrant Officer. “Hannigan, get to the transporter bay, now. You'll beam down on my order”

Fiadh nodded in understanding.  As she started to leave, Victoria stopped her momentarily and handed her a padd with Reepchip’s medical information contained on it.

“When you get to the surface, you go directly to Lt. Sh’avelith. It’s still her show and her call, but you share this information with her. You help her out in any capacity she orders you to, but if necessary, you beam that Muran’s ass back to this bay for treatment. Understood?”

“Yes Ma’am.” Hannigan replied, purposely choosing “ma’am” over “sir” as a sign of additional deference to her team commander.

“Go.”

Hannigan sprinted out of the medical bay and raced for the nearest transporter room.

“I’ll upload the religious and ceremonial protocols to my database in preparation for treatment.” The EMH announced as she turned away from Victoria.

Seconds later Commander Smith tapped her comm badge. “Bridge, this is Smith. Requesting permission to beam Warrant Officer Hannigan to the surface to assist in the treatment of Ensign Charatetet.”

As she waited for the bridge to respond, a Trill voice assured her that she would be up for the challenge if she had to assist the EMH with emergency surgery of Reepchip.

As the EMH downloaded the protocols, she quickly discovered that most of the rituals were beyond any medical staff on the USS Resurrection, for they required training and certificates that the staff simply did not have, especially the more esoteric and mystical rituals.  Luckily, the scrolls specified that these could be dispensed with in the field, where time and equipment might be lacking.

The Rituals of Purification, however, were described as being VERY important.  Amongst other things, these required a healer and any assistants to shave off all fur and bathe in scalding hot water with several mildly caustic herbs, and for the bed and any tools to be cleaned with boiling water and more herbs.  The description of these protocols stated that not only were these important for ritual purification for the holy task of healing, but also for literal sanitization.

Lt. Commander William McCulloch

Central Command, Cardassia Prime

Stardate 2107.24

As Will watched the fight wind down, he looked to his right and saw Beckett approaching him. The Scot nodded to Cody as he stopped to speak with him.

“This was a bloody, nasty fight.” Beckett observed.

McCulloch silently nodded in agreement. He had gotten sloppy just before his hand to hand fight with the larger Cardassian and but for his armor, he’d be dead right now.

Beckett examined the gouge marks on the Scot’s armor. “Someone had a close call.”

“That’s an understatement.” Will replied. “Damn terrorist nearly got the better of me.

“You’re one lucky son of a bitch.”

“Not a word to Vree or Victoria.”

“Code of silence.” Cody assured before looking past the Scot to the Cardassian teen pinned against the wall. “A new friend of yours?”

McCulloch looked back at Ged before returning his attention to Beckett. He sighed in frustration. “Cody, he’s a bloody kid. He’s got to be no more than 14 or 15 years old.”

Holy #$%^.” Cody blurted out.

“I think the Cardassian who blew himself up was a child as well. You know what that means.” Will asserted.

“The Sons of Cardassia are recruiting children.” Beckett noted grimly.

“Possibly. The kid was completely unprepared for this entire adventure and I have no idea why he was part of this attack. He surrendered himself to me on sight.”

“And then you pinned him to a wall with a knife.”

“And I pinned him to a wall with a knife.” McCulloch repeated. “I wanted to put the fear of Holy Hell in him and make sure he didn’t do anything stupid.”

“Is he talking?”

“Nothing beyond pleas of mercy and asking for his mother.” Will reported as he intentionally glared at the boy. Ged eyed Beckett and McCulloch wildly and shook with fear.

“You’re going to put the fear of God in him again aren’t you?”

“Perhaps. We’re going to need this kid for intelligence against the Sons of Cardassia.”

“And then?” Beckett asked cautiously.

“If possible, I’m going to help this kid.”

McCulloch and Beckett walked over towards Ged. The teen held up his left hand as a gesture of surrender and mercy. The Scot swatted the handle of the combat knife protruding from Ged’s shoulder and watched it bound back and forth. “How are we doing Ged? Are you ready to come down off the wall?”

“Yes! Please!” he sobbed. “I just want to see my mother!”

“Stop crying lad.” Beckett warned Ged in a low voice. “The best thing you can do right now is stop bloody crying.”

“Wha---wha---what are you going to do to me?” Ged asked nervously, as he gasped for air.

“Oh, you’re going to meet our boss, Commander Vree.” Will sarcastically answered as he forcefully pulled the blade from the wall and Ged’s shoulder. “You’re going to love her Ged...she’s always brooding and very dark.”

Once free from the blade, the teen yelped again in pain and slumped to the ground.

McCulloch withdrew a set of zipties from a pouch on his belt and secured Ged’s wrists. Afterwards, Beckett seized the teen by his left arm.

“Up you go lad. That’s it.” Cody gently instructed as he slowly hoisted the boy to his feet.

McCulloch surveyed the chambers again. It appeared that most of the fighting had come to an end. The Scot nodded in approval and gestured for Cody and Ged to follow him as they sought out the other members of the team.

As they moved towards the center of the room, a passing thought caused McCulloch to stiffen slightly. He looked back again at Ged, questioning whether his initial assessment of the teen was accurate. Deep down, he felt he was right...but what if Ged had been ordered to surrender so he could cause havoc against those who disrupted the Sons of Cardassia’s plans?

Colonel Jahkar

Cardassian Central Command

Stardate 2107.25

Jahkar was almost on Tirlin when Mayla interceded and brought the terrorist leader down. As Mayla spoke with Tirlin, weapon pointed at his head, Jahkar was on the spot to stop another Sons of Cardassia terrorist who was moving to stop Vree. The marine ended the Cardassian with a blast from his shotgun, which blew through the helmet of his armor and dropped him on the spot.

Jahkar covered Vree as she injected a sedative into Tirlin’s neck and allowed him to slump unconscious to the floor.

“I’ll cover the bomb until the rest of these fools are contained,” he told Mayla. “I’ll make sure no one else tries to detonate it manually.”

Keldon-class ship

In space near Cardassia Prime

Stardate 2107.27

Aboard the Cardassian Keldon-class ship parked near Cardassia Prime, Glinn Demek grunted in anger as he finished listening to his tactical officer’s assessment.

“So there isn’t a Breen fleet approaching?” Demek asked.

Varal, the tactical officer, shook his head, “Negative, sir. It’s some sort of ruse. We’re also picking up disturbances on the planet, around the Central Command building, explosions and such. There appears to be something dampening communications and other electronics in the building.”

Demek sighed, “The Federation...they are attacking Gul Drajal and his team.”

The Cardassian turned to his helmsman, “Set course for Prime. As soon as we are in orbit, lock onto any Cardassian lifesigns inside Central Command and beam them aboard.”

“What if the Cardassians in the building are in league with the Federation? Or if Cardassian security forces are responsible for the raid?” Varal asked.

“It’s a chance we’ll have to take,” the Glinn muttered. “Beam everyone to the cargo bay, lock it up tight and prepare to open the airlock if we find ourselves with a force of unfriendly Cardassians.”

Varal, not pleased with the order to kill countrymen, accepted the command regardless and gave a nod, “Yes, sir.”

The cloaked Keldon-class ship did a near lightspeed jump and stopped in orbit of Cardassia Prime, then began to scan the Central Command structure below.

Meanwhile, aboard USS Resurrection…

“Captain,” Lt. Dahrt called from tactical. “Someone is runnin’ a sensa sweep of the Central Command Building.  It ain’t us, dat’s for sure!”

Lazarus briefly struggled not to say something about Dahrt’s Iotian accent and his butchery of the English language and instead focused on the information the lieutenant was providing.

“Scan for any tachyon surges, any anomalies in transporter range of the surface,” said Lazarus as he stood and looked toward the holographic main viewer. “There must be a cloaked ship out there, probably the same ship that delivered the Sons of Cardassia team to the surface.”

Aboard the Keldon-class ship, Varal went over scans of the Central Command structure and came back with a report for Glinn Demek.

“I’ve detected 21 Cardassian lifesigns, Nine appear to match up with our team’s bio-signs,” Varal reported.

“Nine?” Demek gasped. “That was a 20 member team.”

Varal did not respond, but continued his report, “The other Cardassian lifesigns are disappearing. Appears to be transporter activity.”

Demek scowled, “They are beaming out the hostages.”

“There are also human, Trill, Andorian, Carnora and possibly Klingon lifesigns,” the tactical officer continued. “There also appears to be residual effects of an EMP blast. While it is no longer affecting sensors, comms are likely inoperative as well as weapons.”

“The powered armor Drajal’s team is wearing. It is shielded from electromagnetic pulses. That armor has a specific energy signature, lock onto anyone wearing it and start beaming them out,” Demek muttered.

“Yes sir,” Varal said.

In the Central Command building the Shadow operatives noticed members of the Sons of Cardassia disappearing as they were transported out.

Aboard Resurrection, Dahrt continued scanning for tachyon emissions, but was funding nothing, “I’m not reading anything out there, captain.”

Lazarus frowned, “Keep scanning.”

Commander Sornax stepped up beside Lazarus and spoke, “It is possible they are using improved cloaking devices. If it is a Romulan cloak they are eploying, it is very difficult to detect.”

“I know,” Lazarus admitted. “Do you have another option?”

“Not currently, captain,” the Denobulan stated. “However, I am working on several in my head.”

“Well when you're ready to share, let me know,” the captain muttered.

Lt. Commander William McCulloch

Central Command, Cardassia Prime

Stardate 2107.27

As Will, Cody and their prisoner continued crossing the chamber, the Scot noticed one of the surviving Sons of Cardassia became enveloped in a blue light. Seconds later, he disappeared. Will looked about the chamber and noticed two more terrorists also being transported out of the large room.

“No, no no!” He repeated to himself as he futilely rushed towards a nearby wounded Cardassian, only to see him disappear from sight.

McCulloch stopped in his tracks and cursed repeatedly. The surviving Sons of Cardassia had escaped.

After taking a moment to collect his thoughts, he turned to face Cody. To his surprise, Ged was still present.

McCulloch eyed the boy for a moment and tried to understand why his prisoner was not among the terrorists evacuated from the fight. Will closed the distance, seized Ged and pulled him close. The Cardassian boy was again shaking wildly.

“Why are you still here?” He growled.

“I don’t know!” Ged pleaded. “Please! I don’t know why I wasn’t beamed out!”

“Maybe his bio signs were tied to the equipment he’s no longer carrying?” Cody speculated.

McCulloch nodded in agreement before releasing Ged from his grip. Once again he waved his finger at the Cardassian.

“You better get ready to tell us everything you know or I swear to God I will personally feed you to the overly large and not-as-nice-as-me member of our team over there.” The Scot announced as he gestured across the room towards Ryramorl.

Ged gulped loudly as he studied the Carnora before quickly nodding that he understood.

Without saying a word, Will seized Ged by his bounded wrists and began to lead him as the Scot and Cody maneuvered towards the center of the chamber. Quickly, McCulloch scanned the room looking for Vree or Jahkar.

Commander Victoria Smith

USS Resurrection

Stardate 2107.27

Victoria’s attention was drawn to the comm panel as it alerted her that an isolinear tag had been activated. Immediately she knew Reepchip had been marked by Tiri for transport.

The nurse nodded at the EMH and then tapped her comm badge. “Transporter room, this is Smith. Lock onto that isolinear tag and transport it and whatever is attached to it to the medical bay now.”

“Acknowledged.”

Victoria tapped her comm badge again. “Hannigan, report back to the medical bay immediately.”

Warrant Officer Hannigan quietly cursed over the comm and reported she was en route back to assist.

Seconds later there was a blue flash followed by Reepchip materializing on a biobed. Victoria did a brief double take as she visually scanned the injured Muran. It was obvious the poor ensign had been brutally attacked and beaten  The primary EMH, a secondary EMH and Smith quickly surrounded the Muran.

Victoria withdrew her medical tricorder and began to scan the ensign. Meanwhile the EMH and her holographic assistant quickly retrieved necessary medical devices before displaying the scrolls as a reference guide.

The commander struggled as she cross checked Muran’s physiology that was displayed on a padd mounted next to her. After approximately 30 seconds of scanning, she was finally able to report Reepchip’s condition to the Doctor.

“Talk to me Commander Smith.” The EMH asked with a tone of slight impatience.

“The ensign has a concussion, a fractured orbital bone, multiple broken or cracked ribs, one shattered rib, a punctured lung, minor internal bleeding and his tail has been fractured near the base. There is also possible nerve damage.”

“Thank you Commander.” The EMH stated matter of factly as she examined the stab wound Lieutenant Sh’avelith has treated with a dermal regenerator. “The Lieutenant did a very good job treating the wound in the field.”

“Course of treatment?” Victoria asked as she rested her right hand gently on the side of Reepchip’s face.

The EMH remained silent for a moment but finally spoke. “Most of the injuries should be treatable with a bone knitting laser or regenerator. It’s the punctured lung I’m concerned about.”

“Surgery?”

“Possibly. However, his small size is going to make things more...challenging.” The EMH replied as Warrant Officer Hannigan entered the medical bay, removed her med kit and helmet and approached the group with her armor and tactical suit still on.

“Well?” She asked Victoria as she looked down at Reepchip, who was in significant pain and discomfort.

“I’ll brief you in a moment, in the meantime, start preparing a surgical support frame.” Smith ordered as she glanced over towards the EMH. She looked down again at Reepchip, her hand still resting against his face in an effort to provide some comfort. After a brief moment, Victoria leaned down towards the Muran and quietly whispered to him “You’re going to be ok Ensign. Look at me Reepchip. You take it easy and let us do our job. When this is all over, I want to hear all about some of your pranks, understand?”

Victoria straightened up and moved her hand to rest on Reepship’s shoulder. She looked over at the EMH and quietly whispered “Do the scrolls say anything about what pain killers we can and can’t administer?”

Ensign Reepchip Charatetet

EMH

USS Resurrection

Stardate 2107.28

Instinctively, Reepchip pulled away from Victoria’s hand and tried to curl up and pull the blankets over and around him.  It was simply how Murans were; if they were seriously hurt or sick, they tried to curl up into a little nest.

The EMH frowned at his movement before answering Victoria “Yes.  In fact, some of their remedies were programmed into the replicators when they first came aboard,” said the EMH.  She turned to the replicator and called for a mixture of Regarwood sap, Ranjaro juice, and powdered Yanagar Woodvine leaves.

“Warning:  this mixture contains substances known to be hallucinogenic or highly toxic to humanoids.  Please enter the authorization codes,” came the reply.

“First code:” said the EMH, then spoke in a squeaking, rapid chatter.   [[The Healer shall bathe in a bath with the Valsan flower, stem, leaf, and root, with the Dorega root, and the Balagar Leaf, and shall on entry place in the water a Mallaran Root, nor shall the healer exit until the Mallaran Root has taken in all their impurities of heart and soul whereupon it will turn red.  This is to be done, for the Inner Healing is most holy, and the Healer must be purified.]]

“First code accepted.”

“Second code:”  This time, the EMH spoke in a gutteral, growling language.  Never trust a Healer who has lost no fur.

“Second code accepted.”  A tiny clay beaker filled with some pungent concoction appeared in the aperture, whereupon the EMH brought it to Reepchip and helped him drink it.  At Victoria’s surprised expression, the EMH explained: “Carnora medicines can be dangerous to humanoids if ingested, so Ensign Reepchip and Lieutenant Ryramorl set access codes that humans cannot pronounce.”  Of course, a hologram had none of the phonemic limitations that a human would.

The combined painkiller and sedative soon took effect, and the battered Muran fell into a deep sleep.

Lieutenant Ryramorl Ra’yral

Cardassia Prime

Stardate 2107.28

At Jahkar’s gesture, Ryramorl had guarded the bomb with him so the two could guard either side.  He heard McCulloch warn some terrified Cardassian cub of his fate should the youngster be uncooperative, and Ryramorl obliged him by glaring at the Cardassian and giving him a deep growl.

And then, as his people would say, his prey was snatched from his jaws as the Sons of Cardassia began disappearing in blue hazes.  Galan--who was apparently still alive as he was moaning--vanished before Ryramorl’s disbelieving eyes.  Then Nerad--who had fallen away from the console but still had the spear through him, was gone.  Ryramorl growled harshly.  “Fires of Agavan,” he snarled in his own language, then roared, “HE STOLE MY SPEAR!”

He then turned to Tirlin, the leader.  If he had a clear shot--and if his superiors didn’t stop him--he’d bring up another spear and try to finish Tirlin off before he could be retrieved by his compatriots.

Keldon-class ship

Orbiting Cardassia Prime

Stardate 2107.28

Nerad fell to the deck of the cloaked Cardassian ship with a Carnora spear sticking out of his back. A couple of medics ran to assist him as the eight remaining members of the team materialized in the cargo bay of the ship. Sprawled on the deck was the unconscious body of Tirlin, who was quickly tended to by another medic who confirmed he was alive – just sedated.

“We’ve got them…what’s left. Gul Drajal is among them, but unconscious,” an SOC terrorist named Faren reported by comm to the bridge.

“Ackowledged,” Demek responded overt the comm. He then turned to his bridge crew. “Get us out of here. Lay in a course for the Badlands.”

Varal looked surprised, “Why the Badlands. That’s out of our way.”

“To throw them off in case they are tracking us,” Demek said. “Once we are certain we haven’t been followed, we’ll make for Secondary Base.”

Varal shook his head, “We’ll be disgraced. We failed.”

Demek looked up from his holographic display wrapped around the captain’s chair and grinned, “Failed? No Varal, we were mostly successful. The diversion we created bought us enough time to finish our other missions. Let’s just hope the other cells were able to call their missions a success.”

Back to top

## S3, E4, Act 11: The Plot Thickens

Commander Mayla Vree

Council Chambers, Cardassian Central Command

Stardate 2107.29

"Bomb's already gone," Mayla said offhandedly while glancing towards where the bomb was. "I saw it beam out."

Jahkar looked at her and then looked back at where the bomb was at the center of the room. In its place was a pile of mechanical debris that had piled up on top of each other after the grenade went off. It was just by coincidence the debris piled up to look like something purposefully built.

Then at that moment Tirlin was beamed away, as were several other members of the SOC.

"What the hell?" Jahkar exclaimed just as a spear whizzed by them and impaled a terrorist in the chest right before he was beamed out.

"What we need is comms with the ship." Mayla said. And as if she wished it, a standard equipment container materialized in front of them. The Resurrection must have been watching the visual feeds fed to them from Hartman's Intelligence Ops Center. She opened the container and inside were several hand phasers, pulse rifles, and comm badges. She took a hand phaser and a comm badge.

"Havoc, this is One, the SOC are being beamed out."

"We know," came the voice of the ship's comm officer. "We're working on it."

"What's the status on Six?"

"He's being tended to in the medical bay." There was a pause. "Are you secured?"

"Send down a security team." She looked around and made note of everyone present. "We will secure it and the building."

"When you're done, let Cardassian Security take over down there and standby."

"Affirmative. Vree, out." She picked up a rifle and checked the charged pack. While Jahkar did the same, she looked around the room to any of the Phoenix Squad members to give them SO hand signals to equip themselves and secure the room. McCulloch walked over and peered into the container.

"Let's make certain the chambers and building are secured. Send out the probes to take down all of the drones before we let Cardassian Security in and to look for any SOC who may have slipped out. It looks like we're done for now." She looked around and it was just her team and a handful of hostages left. The assault had lasted maybe five or six minutes at most. The dust was only now beginning to settle. The light beams streamed in through the windows in the upper balcony.

"Are you hurt?" Jahkar asked, seeing blood dripping from her back. "You're dripping blood."

Mayla worked her back and felt around the best she could. "Not from what I can tell."

"Nevermind," the marine said as he followed the dripping blood to its source. "It's dripping from your scabbard."

She took a deep breath and let it out before reaching into the container to pull out a padd and a high-resolution three-dimensional mapping camera. The Resurrection had thought of everything. Not only were they to start the gruesome job of cataloguing all of the dead, they're to record everything in the room as it stood now. Collecting their own intelligence was always a crucial task after the action was over. With Tirlin mentioning that other plans were already in motion, this skirmish most certainly wouldn't be the last time they meet up with the Sons of Cardassia.

Lt. Commander William McCulloch

Council Chambers, Cardassian Central Command

Stardate 2107.29

Will pulled Ged along as he closed in and rejoined the team. He guided the Cardassian teen towards the right, spun him 180 degrees and then pushed him into a nearby seat. Afterward, he walked over to the storage case, eyed its contents, and dropped his crossbow to the ground. He then retrieved a phaser rifle, power cell, a side arm and comm badge. He forcefully slapped the power cell into the rifle, activated the targeting scope and slung it over his shoulder. Once his comm badge and pistol were secured, he pulled Ged Khit to his feet and led him over to Vree.

The Trill was slightly confused as to why McCulloch had a Cardassian boy bound at the wrists and bleeding from his shoulder. Before she could ask, the Scot addressed her.

“Commander, meet Ged Khit of the Sons of Cardassia.” Will announced as he pushed the boy into another chair and rested his hand heavily on Ged’s shoulder. “This young idiot not only surrendered to me right after the plasma explosion, but he was left behind by his comrades who apparently forgot to beam him out.”

Ged looked about his immediate surroundings, trying to avoid eye contact with Jahkar and Vree.

“He’s a Son of Cardassia?” Jahkar asked with concern as he joined the conversation.

“He dropped all of his weapons and stripped all of his armor off when he surrendered to me.” McCulloch reported as he gestured in the direction of the Cardassian’s abandoned gear.

The marine let out a low whistle. “A bit young, isn’t he?”

“He is.” The Scot replied as he leaned down and studied Ged silently. After a moment he brought his face within inches of the boy and addressed him. “And you are going to tell us everything you know about the Sons of Cardassia or I’m going to pin you back to the wall and let Cardassian security have a crack at you.”

After a brief moment of hesitation, Ged nodded silently in agreement.

“Don’t move.” McCulloch warned as he turned towards Vree and Jahkar. As Beckett stepped forward to watch over the Scot’s prisoner, Will motioned for Vree and Jahkar to join him in a private conversation.

“I nearly killed this boy.” Will admitted with reluctance. “He came up on my flank right after the plasma explosion and as I was about to drop him, he surrendered. It was the strangest thing I had ever seen.”

“How did he get the shoulder wound? *the marine calmly asked.*

“I bloody nailed him to the chamber wall with my combat knife.” McCulloch quietly admitted. “At first I was convinced he was feigning weakness to lure me into a sense of false confidence, but now I’m not so sure.”

Jahkar looked over at the boy before looking back at the Scot. “What if anything has he said to you so far?”

“Not much other than he made a mistake and he wants his mother.”

“How old is he?” The marine pressed.

“Not old enough.” McCulloch quietly answered as he too glanced over at the boy. Tiri was examining the boy’s shoulder wound and preparing it for treatment. Will continued speaking. “Either he’s one hell of an actor trying to gain our confidence or he has no training as an operative. If it’s the latter, I have no idea what the hell he was doing here.”

“Child of one of the terrorists?” Vree speculated.

“Perhaps … or a sibling.” The Scot countered as he turned his attention back towards his superior officers. “Either way, he’s all yours for a little chat.”

“He looks absolutely terrified of you.” Vree noted. “What did you say to him?”

“We had a little chat about his current mistakes in life.” The Scot answered cryptically. After a moment of reflection his demeanor changed and a look of concern spread across his face. He eyed Vree and Jahkar carefully before speaking again. “I still don’t know what to make of this boy, but after we’re done speaking with him if he can be saved...even remotely...I am going to ask that we try. No child should see combat, let alone be recruited by fanatical terrorist organization.”

The Scot looked away for a moment as he tried to regain his composure.

Lieutenant Ryramorl Ra’yral

Cardassia Prime

Stardate 21.07.30

Ryramorl came over, removing his helmet so he could get a better idea of the youth’s scent.  He did not quite agree with McCulloch; the Ancient Tribes often vied--or had vied, since those tribes had been hit the worst during the Dominion War--over territory, and adulthood came early to his race.  That being said, rarely did actual cubs fight unless the battle came to their very tents or dens, and they would fight alongside their mothers.

He stared at the young Cardassian, saying nothing.  He judged the young male to be on the cusp of adulthood--or already an adult, not a child as McCulloch said. But right now, he would not gainsay his superior--especially since he could smell genuine terror on this Ged Khit.

Commander Mayla Vree

Council Chambers, Cardassian Central Command

Stardate 2107.30

Mayla looked at Jahkar and gave him a few SO hand gestures to take charge of securing the building and recovering the drones and their nanoprobes when two Resurrection security teams beamed in. Then she looked at McCulloch.

"These SOC were supposed to be highly trained. I can't see why Tirlin would have brought him with his commando team." She glanced over at the nervous boy holding his shoulder. "Did you check him for traps?"

McCulloch returned a tight lipped frown that told her he didn't. She walked over to the container and pulled out a tricorder and scanned the boy slowly, making a few affirmation grunts as she panned it from head to toe three times. The grunts were just for the boy's benefit. She gave McCulloch a gesture to indicate the boy was clean. They had learned a hard lesson from Legion.

"Your name is Ged Khit?" She asked, pulling out her still bloodied sword, reversed the hold on it, and squatted in front of him. "Why are you with the SOC?"

The boy whimpered pretty convincingly with a fearful glance at Ra'yral, then shook his head. "I just want to see my mother!"

She took a squatted step closer and put the point of her katana on top of his foot with every intention forcing it through his foot. "What is your mother's name?"

"J-jiral," he stammered, trying to ever so slightly move his foot away from the point that was sitting on his boot.

"Jiral Khit?" She said. "Was your father Legate Zotem Khit?"

The boy didn't tear his gaze away from her katana on his foot. He gave a slow nod.

"Who's Zotem Khit?" McCulloch asked.

Mayla disregarded the question with a wave, this wasn't the time nor the place. The boy was a valuable source of intelligence, and they needed to get it out of him. She stood up and sheathed her sword. She whispered into McCulloch's ear. "Take him back to the ship and inform the Captain we have an SOC prisoner. Maybe we can get the information before we have to turn him over to Cardassian security. It would be good for us to gain some information before a shroud is pulled over him."

McCulloch nodded.

"Have Four tend to his wounds," she said out loud. "Then let's look for his mother."

Lt. Commander William McCulloch

Council Chambers, Cardassian Central Command

Stardate 2107.30

McCulloch nodded to Vree in understanding. He spun around and walked quickly over to Ged. As he closed the distance, he signaled with his hand to Tiri to accompany him back to the Resurrection. The Andorian quickly nodded in understanding, snapped her med kit shut and stood up.

The Scot seized the Cardassian boy by the front of his shirt and hauled him to his feet. Ged looked wildly between McCulloch, Vree and Ra'yral and started to slightly resist. The Scot grasped the boy's arm firmly, pulled him close to him and simply whispered “Stop.”

After coldly glaring at the Cardassian, the Scot tapped his comm badge. “Resurrection, Eight. Three to beam directly to the brig.”

As a blue light started to surround McCulloch, Sh’avelith and Ged, the boy looked over at Vree and quickly blurted out “Don’t leave me alone with the hu---”

The trio disappeared from sight and materialized in the Resurrection’s brig. The Scot led Ged over to a nearby bench as Tiri started to retrieve the contents of her med kit to treat the boy’s wound.

“Do anything stupid while the lieutenant is treating you and I promise you I will find your mother. We know her name now.” McCulloch warned.

“You really are him aren’t you?” Ged asked as he started to hyperventilate. Will ignored the question, stepped away from the boy and tapped his comm badge.

“Bridge, McCulloch.” He announced once out of ear shot from the boy. “Commander Vree wanted me to report once we arrived on board. We have a Sons of Cardassia prisoner.”

There was a moment of silence before Lazarus simply responded. “Acknowledged. A security detail is en route. Bridge out.”

Will turned back and saw that Ged was doing his best not to break down. The Scot sighed, briefly looked down at the floor and decided it was time to lighten up slightly on the boy. He walked over to a nearby replicator and studied the control panel.

Without looking over, he asked “Are you hungry Ged?”

He was met with silence. As the Scot started to turn around, Tiri announced “He nodded yes.”

”What do you want to eat?” McCulloch continued. Again there was a pause.

“Ged, he’s not going to poison you.” Tiri assured the boy. “It’s a replicator for food. Nothing else.”

Ged nodded silently. After eying the Scot suspiciously, he softly asked “I’ll...I’ll have rokassa juice and canka nuts please.”

“Canka nuts, good choice.” The Scot mused briefly. Seconds later, a bowl of nuts and a glass of juice materialized in the replicator bay. Will carried the items over to Ged and set them down on the bench next to him. The Scot stepped back, retrieved a chair and sat down across from Tiri and Ged. He watched the Andorian as she continued to repair the knife wound with a dermal regenerator.

“Eat Ged.” Will asked as he leaned forward, retrieved a few canka nuts and tossed them into his mouth. The boy watched McCulloch swallow the treat and waited a moment before grabbing a handful for himself.

“Where did you learn to like canka nuts?” Ged asked with slight curiosity

“Here and there.” Will answered, purposely avoiding that he had first discovered the snack in the Andak Province of Cardassia during Operation Styx.

“What happens next?” Ged asked as Tiri pulled away and nodded that she had finished treating the Cardassian.

“That’s up to you.” He replied as a security detail entered the room.

Medical Bay

USS Resurrection

Stardate 2108.01

Reepchip lay in the biobed as the EMH scanned in both the scrolls and looked up what body scans had been made by Starfleet Academy.  The EMH had to be careful with the medicines she gave Reepchip, as the medicine that put him in a torpor had fumes that could prove fatal to humans.

His signals dropped significantly, and his breathing slowed to a near-crawl.  As she worked, the EMH talked to Victoria.  “It’s the nerve damage that worries me the most.  The scans from Starfleet aren’t complete on his nervous system, and there’s a reference to a source called the Scrolls of the Khyrrians that I haven’t been provided with.”

Commander Victoria Smith

USS Resurrection

Stardate 2108.01

Victoria nodded in agreement.

“Course of action commander?” The EMH asked the nurse.

Victoria glanced sideways at the hologram, curious why the program was asking for her medical opinion when she was in a lower position of authority on the “medical battlefield”.

The EMH noted her slight hesitation. “I’m asking because at some point you and I both know that Union 12 will be rendering medical aid in the midst of a hostile situation and I will not be available to assist.”

The Trill voice inside Victoria’s head chastised her for hesitating. Victoria pushed the disparaging thoughts aside, straightened up and answered.

“We repair the lung, heal the broken and shattered bones and then we begin testing on his nervous system.” She announced with a tone of authority.

“Go on.” The hologram pressed. There was a tone in her voice as if she was encouraging Victoria. “Tell me about the treatment of the lung.”

“We insert a chest tube into what is likely the Muran’s pleural space to draw the excess air out and allow the lung tissue to start to expand again. If the lung has not totally collapsed, we can remove the tube once Reepchip’s lung pressure had been stabilized.”

“Good.” The EMH nodded in agreement. “I concur. Are you ready to perform it?”

“What?” Fiadh exclaimed, clearly eavesdropping on the conversation.

The EMH smiled slightly. “I’m in charge but Commander Smith is going to assist. She needs to train Union 12 on the treatment of Murans in the field. You never know if and when our young friend will get hurt again.”

Victoria nodded silently in agreement. Surprisingly, the Trill voice in her head kept telling her she was up for the challenge and if successful, Union 12 would gain even more credibility. But if she and the EMH failed…

She looked over at Warrant Officer Hannigan. The Irish nurse had a look of concern on her face. No one from the combat medical team had extensively trained or studied Muran physiology. The nurses of Union 12 had hoped to interview and conduct a routine checkup of Reepchip so as to have a baseline to work from...yet the terrorist attack disrupted those plans.

After a moment of reflection, Fiadh steeled herself, seized a variety of medical instruments and walked over to the Reepchip’s biobed. Victoria and the EMH had already moved a surgical support frame over the Muran’s chest and established a sterile field. Hannigan passed the various devices to Victoria and the EMH and stood at the ready to assist. The commander leaned forward to study the bio readings displayed on the frame while the EMH pulled up a holographic display of the scrolls as a reference guide.

Victoria looked up at her Warrant Officer, who simply nodded back and announced “Let’s do this ma’am.”

Lt. Tiri Sh’avelith

USS Resurrection

Stardate 2108.01

Tiri finished with Ged and went over to the biobed where Reepchip was being cared for. He looked tiny on the big bed, various devices attached to him as they worked to further stabilize and treat his injuries.

She overheard the conversation between the EMH, Victoria and other medical staff from Union 12 and then looked around at the Carnora texts they were working from.

“Seriously? That’s what we have to work from on Reepchip?” she stammered.

Victoria shot her a grin, “There’s more scrolls for Ryramorl, though we have a better database on him since has prior Shadow Ops and Starfleet experience.”

Tiri shook her head, “It’s like they come with their own owners manuals. Is there anything I can do?”

Colonel Jahkar

Cardassian Central Command

Stardate 2108.01

Jahkar left the conversation between Vree and McCulloch and set about mopping up the Cardassian drones and retrieving their nanoprobes.The remaining two drones were quickly neutralized and the nanoprobes were recalled -- the marine collecting them all for return to the ship.

Afterwards, he walked over to the console where one of his axes was still buried and ripped it out of the sparking access terminal. Jahkar then had Beckett assist him with gathering up all of the weapons dropped by the Cardassians and piled them up in the center of the room.

“These are Dominion weapons,” Jahkar noted. “They appear to be surplus from the war, with some more recent upgrades.”

He pointed to an improved powerpack inserted in the grip of the weapon as well as some barrel modifications the Marine recognized as extensions to the rifle’s range and accuracy.

Jahkar then looked for the power-armor McCulloch stripped off the boy, but realized it had been beamed out with the escaping Cardassian team. “Would have been nice to have that armor, see where they got it and what sorts of modifications were made to it.”

“Where did they get Jem’Hadar weapons?” Beckett asked.

Jahkar shrugged, “There was likely an abundance of them on Cardassia worlds after the war. I know Starfleet and its allies scooped a lot of them up and secured them. They must have missed some.”

“Those energy blasts they fire...they have some sort of anticoagulant properties, don’t they?” Beckett asked.

“Copy that,” Jahkar affirmed. “You get shot by one you could quickly bleed out without medical attention. These guns, if they were purchased on the black market or modified by someone we can connect to the workmanship done on them, they might help provide a lead.”

Lieutenant Ryramorl Ra’yral

USS Resurrection

Stardate 2108.01

Ryramorl grunted in agreement.  “There were such weapons left behind in the Antevas System after the Jem’Hadar Invasion,” he said.  “Also in the nearby Arko system.”  He rumbled softly, wondering if his CO would allow him to box these up and ship them to his home systems, in preparation for what many back home considered an inevitable Klingon invasion.

Captain Quentin Lazarus

Near Cardassia Prime

Stardate 2108.03

“I’ve lost it,” Dahrt gave a deep sigh and admitted as he went over the holographic display one last time. He had been reading a brief tachyon disruption near orbit of the planet and was attempting to lock onto it when it suddenly disappeared.

Lazarus slammed a fist down on the armrest of his chair, “Dammit! Two to one they went to warp.”

Dahrt nodded, “That’s my guess too, captain.”

“Keep at it,” Lazarus ordered as he got up and started toward the turbolift. “I’m going to check on the team.”

Commander Victoria Smith

USS Resurrection

Stardate 2108.04

Victoria smiled again as she studied the Andorian. After a brief moment, she gestured for the lieutenant to stand with her. “Sure lieutenant. Join me so we can share in the glory of performing Muran surgery together.”

“Or share the blame.” The EMH wryly noted as she stepped around the biobed and monitored Reepchip from the otherside.

Sh’avelith moved next to the commander and studied the readings on the surgical support frame. The EMH and VIctoria had successfully reinflated Reepchip’s lung.

“He’s doing better.” The lieutenant noted.

“Slightly.” The nurse countered as she pointed to a plastic tube protruding from the Muran’s side. “We had to go old school to remove excess air from his lungs. His physiology has been quite...challenging so far.”

Sh’avelith let out a low whistle as she examined the tube.

“Are you ready to extract it?” Victoria asked.

“What...me?” The lieutenant replied.

“Why not you? Extract it and close the wound.” The commander replied with a grin as she handed the Andorian a surgical tool. “If the EMH is going to make my warrant officer and I attend class on Muran anatomy, I’m ordering you along for the ride.”

“Be sure to carve your initials on the Ensign’s rib cage before you close the wound.” Hannigan quipped without looking up from repairing Reepchip’s orbital bone.

“No Fiadh.” Victoria replied with slight exasperation. “His ribcage is not a brick wall for your artwork.”

“Yes ma’am.” Hannigan replied with a slight tone of disappointment.

Smith looked towards the EMH as Tiri leaned in and examined the chest tube more closely. “I suppose we should start evaluating the extent of Reepchip’s nerve damage?”

The holograph nodded in agreement. “I am most concerned about the potential nerve damage around the base of his tail and up into his spine. If I have interpreted the scrolls correctly, any neurological damage in that area could have repercussions throughout large segments of his body.”

“Paralysis?” Victoria asked, her demeanor becoming grim.

“I don’t believe so … but his military service could be at an end depending how far up his spinal cord the damage extends.”

What are you suggesting?” Victoria asked. She shifted slightly as she tried to conceal her uneasiness over advancing even further into unknown medical territory.

The EMH looked over at Reepchip and studied his medical readings before returning her attention to the nurse. “A second surgery. It won’t be easy and anything we do may require follow up treatment once we return to base. But our best course of action right now is to remove the damaged nerves and either connect healthy nerve ends together or perform a nerve graft so we can hopefully stem permanent injury.”

“You’re kidding me.”

“I am not.”

“We’re combat medics, not a neurological surgical team.”

“Your service records indicate you have extensive experience as a surgical nurse. Lieutenant Sh’avelith and Warrant Officer Hannigan both received sufficient training to provide support services to a surgical procedure. Besides commander, both I and the other EMH will lead this surgery. However as the senior nurse you will need to help.”

Victoria looked down at the floor and then around the room. Fiadh and Tiri had stopped treating Reepchip and were watching Victoria, waiting for her response. After a moment of contemplation, she cleared her throat.

“We break every rule to save one of them...right?.” Victoria announced, citing the age old combat medic’s motto as she gestured towards the Muran.

“We do.” Fiadh replied, the sarcastic tone in her voice had disappeared. “We can do this ma’am”

“I sure as hell hope so.” Victoria replied as she nodded at the EMH that she was ready to assist.

“Finish repairing the ensign’s orbital bone and broken ribs.” The EMH ordered Fiadh and Tiri as it scanned the scrolls for core information on Muran neurology. “Once that is complete we will flip Reepchip onto his stomach and prepare for a second surgery.”

Sickbay

USS Resurrection

Stardate 2108.04

In the scrolls was indeed a map of the nervous system of a Muran, and how the Life Force flowed through it, collecting in points throughout the system on a well-defined grid.  It reminded Victoria of an ancient Acupuncture chart.  Even so, it did have good information on the Muran nervous system, even if there were many references to these elusive Scrolls of the Khyrrians.  But even with the mystical aspects to their healing, the information did give them a lot to work with.  One thing was made abundantly clear:  Paralysis of the tail made it all but impossible for a Muran to walk upright, since they used their tails for balance.

Sabka Drajal

Sons of Cardassia, Sigma Cell

Approaching the Ayala system

Stardate 2108.04

The USS Remington was an old Miranda-class starship that had ended up captured and placed into service by Orion Pirates more than 20 years earlier. The Remington had been hunted for years by the Federation after it fell into Orion hands, but one day disappeared and was not heard from again, eventually to become forgotten by Starfleet and remained lost to the depths of space.

Many assumed she had been destroyed, last seen trying to evade a Starfleet patrol by ducking into the Thibeus asteroid belt in Orion space. By all accounts, the captured ship never came out of the asteroids and was presumed lost.

What actually happened to the old Miranda-class ship is she was abandoned in the asteroids by the Orion pirates who decided the vessel was too high profile to continue using. The pirates knew Starfleet would never leave them alone as long as they were plundering the border using the Remington.

Left adrift in the asteroid belt, Remington had survived, relatively intact until three years ago when Orion traders led a team of Cardassians to the large asteroid where the ship was left in a massive cave. The Cardassians, who were clearly not working for the Cardassian government, undertook an extensive operation to salvage the Remington.

In a matter of weeks they made the ship spaceworthy again and soon managed to fly it out of the asteroid field and into the depths of space. The Orions were paid well for their cooperation…and their silence.

The Remington ended up on a backwater world somewhere on the fringes of known space. For the next two years the Sons of Cardassia, using their ample supply of latinum obtained through generous Cardassian patriots who supported their cause and from the lost coffers of the long extinct Obsidian Order the SOC had gotten its hands on, put the ship through an extensive refit.

In the end, the Remington resembled another Miranda-class starship still in use by Starfleet, the USS Madrid, a ship that had been converted from a frigate to a vessel used to deliver equipment, food, personnel and supplies to a Federation prison.

The prison was known only as Facility 4028, located in the Ayala system in the Beta Quadrant. Facility 4028 was a prison that housed the Federation’s most dangerous, but now long forgotten prisoners. There were only a handful of inmates, guarded by holographic jailers and a small team of living individuals. No one had ever broken out of Facility 4028 in the more than 20 years it had been in service and as tightly as it was constructed, no one ever would…in theory.

Few outside Starfleet Command and the Federation Council knew of the facility and the prisoners it housed. There was little staff at the prison, so few who could reveal where it was, who it housed and how it was guarded. Even the Madrid and its crew knew little about their business on Facility 4028. They delivered supplies and occasionally people, nothing more. Most on the supply ship believed it to be a science outpost, a place of little interest in the depths of space.

The crew of the Remington, however, were there for one prisoner, in particular. The ship, posing as the USS Madrid, was crewed entirely by Cardassians, commanded by one Gul Sabka Drajal, a high-ranking member of the Sons of Cardassia. She and the team aboard the Miranda-refit had one purpose at Facility 4028 – retrieval of Prisoner No.1. And they would stop at nothing to complete that task.

“Are you sure this will work, Gul Drajal?” Tosan Brenk asked from his post at the helm of the Remington. “This place is supposed to be very high security.”

Sabka sat in the captain’s chair and slowly the young Cardassian woman turned and look at Brenk with a smile. “We’ve spent three years refitting this ship. It is supposed to be an exact match of the USS Madrid. We’ve even stolen the ship’s responder codes and we’ve obtained detailed image sof the exterior of Madrid so this ship will match it exactly.”

“What about the crew?” Brenk asked.

“That expensive holographic comm system that we installed with generate a bridge full of familiar faces,” she gloated. “It will replicate the bridge crew of Madrid precisely. Trust me Tosan, we have seen to every detail.”

“What about….” Brenk started but was shot down by a cold stare from Sabka.

“We have the identification code Madrid is supposed to transmit when it arrives at the facility,” she said. “Again…three years of planning and preparing for every contingency.”

Brenk laughed, “You got all this from that half-Bajoran Starfleet ensign you were messing around with?”

“Please!” Sabka laughed. “He didn’t even know what Facility 4028 was. When he looked it up with his limited access, he was told it was a science outpost. He was only helpful with intel on some of the Breen border defenses and more so with the codes and defenses at the old Weapons Depot.”

Brenk checked his readings on his holographic screen, then looked back at Sabka, “Still, you managed to get a lot out of him. You made quite a sacrifice for the cause.”

She shrugged, “It wasn’t so bad. He was…sweet. A nice, but very gullible young man. Thought he was helping the movement to end the Occupation. Not an organization Starfleet would consider a terrorist group.”

“Coming up on the outer defenses in the Ayala system,” Storsen reported from tactical.

Sabka exhaled sharply and looked around at her crew, “Showtime everyone. Let the holographic display do all the talking. Everyone else just stay calm”

The speakers on the bridge suddenly crackled to life and a voice came through the silence of the void. “USS Madrid, transmit identification code.”

“Outpost 4028, this is USS Madrid,” a voice replied from the holographic comm-system, all pre-programmed before the mission to respond this way. “Transmitting the code.”

A few tense moments passed as the captured ship inched closer to the metal skeletal array orbiting a dead planetoid in the Ayala system. Sabka was the only member of the crew who seemed confident as they continued on toward the prison.

“I’m detecting all sorts of automated defense platforms and other weapons trained on us,” Storsen said softly, knowing the bridge chatter wouldn’t transmit, but still not wanting to risk speaking too loudly. “If they don’t buy this, they’ll light us up like the Romulan sun.”

Sabkra gritted her teeth and frowned, “Relax. This is going to work.”

“USS Madrid, code accepted. Welcome back Captain Martin and crew,” the voice responded. “You are cleared for approach. Prepare to dock with the station.”

“Acknowledged Outpost 4028,” the voice of Captain Martin replied. “See you shortly.”

When the transmission ended, the entire crew breathed a sigh of relief. Sabka stood up and looked to Brenk, “You have the conn. Storsen with me. We’ll join Sigma Cell at the airlock.”

A short time later the team assembled at the airlock, armed with Jem’Hadar rifles and powered armor like the team on Cardassia had sported. Sabkra looked to a Cardassian in regular clothing, working feverishly at a holographic display.

“Larek, tell me you have good news?” she asked.

“I do, Mistress Drajal,” the young Cardassian confirmed. “I’ve managed to break into their holographic emitters. When the airlock opens you and those accompanying you will appear as Starfleet officers. It will be convincing, and their computer won’t even detect the simulation.”

Sabka smiled, “How long before you can shut down their holographic guards?”

“Maybe five minutes after you go aboard,” Larek said. “Once I do, it’ll be up to you to neutralize any real guards.”

“Oh, we will,” she said. “As soon as those holograms are terminated, move on to the hack of the internal security systems.”

Larek grinned and waved his hand to his left side, calling up another screen, “The subroutines are already working. They think we’re friendly. They’re computer is allowing ours to access their system. It won’t be long now.”

She nodded and joined three other Cardassians at the airlock, the rest of the unit staying out of sight, weapons ready in case the ruse failed.

Sabka led the way, bringing the other three with her as they stepped out of the airlock and into Outpost 4028’s upper docking pylons. There, they were greeted by Warden Teris, a Bolian, and four guards, two of whom were holograms according to the ocular pieces Sabka and her team wore so they could identify who was living and who wasn’t.

“Captain Martin, it is so good to see you,” Teris smiled, stepping forward and extending a hand to Sabka. Whether the hologram of Terrance Martin would pass muster with the Bolian remained to be seen, but Sabka was hopeful.

Teris gripped the holographic hand of Martin and noticed nothing out of the ordinary. It appeared to be the human male captain of Madrid. Beneath her holographic exterior, Sabka gave a thrilled grin. It worked.

“Good to see you warden,” she said, her voice sounding to the others like Martin.

“You’re about an hour behind schedule,” Teris said as he led them down the corridor of the docking gantry. “I heard you had some sort of delay while enroute?”

“Malfunctioning warp coil, engineering got it fixed quickly,” Martin/Sabka said. That was a lie, however. The delay was the ambush the Sons of Cardassia had set in which they jammed the real Madrid’s communications and then hit the Miranda-class starship with two of it’s cloaked Keldon-class cruisers. The battle was short, and the real Madrid had been destroyed, allowing the fake Miranda-class ship to assume its place.

“Good. We’ll begin transferring the cargo over,” Teris remarked as they arrived at the command center. “Do you have time for a game of Tri-Dimensional Chess?”

Stepping through the doors into the command center, all of the holographic personnel suddenly disappeared in a shimmering flicker of light.

Remaining were Teris’ two guards and of the staff in the ops center, only three real living officers remained.

“What happened?” Teris demanded.

“Holographic personnel buffering,” a human at one station called out. “No…wait…they are…gone! Their data files have been wiped.”

At that moment, the holograms concealing Sabka and her three fellow terrorists all dropped and the SOC team drew weapons and began shooting. They gunned down everyone in ops, except for Teris, who Sabka grabbed and stuck a gun to his head.

“W-what is the meaning of this?” the Bolian demanded. “Y-you’re not Captain Martin!”

“So glad you noticed!” she laughed. She keyed her comm-unit. “Larek, how are we looking?”

“I’m in. I have control of all their systems,” the young computer hacker chuckled. “They never even noticed my incursion.”

“Good work. Where are the remaining live staff members?” she asked.

The was a pause, then Larek responded. “Two in the infirmary. Three in the habitat section and two in the cellblock.”

“Lock down the infirmary and the habitat section,” Sabka ordered. “Send the rest of the team in, I’ll join them, and we’ll take the cellblock.”

“Acknowledged,” Larek said.

Sabka turned to Teris, who was staring in disbelief as the ops staff was killed before his eyes. She grabbed his arm and jerked it hard, “I need to know where the transport container for Prisoner No. 1 is kept.”

“Prisoner No. 1?” Teris gasped. “That’s what this is all about?”

“Tell me,” she hissed. “I don’t want to kill you too.”

Teris looked adequately intimidate and quickly nodded, “Yes, yes…the transport container is kept in a panel outside the door to her cell.”

“Let’s go,” she said, shoving the Bolian to one of her subordinates. “You’ll come with us.”

The team met up in the corridor outside and then headed into the prison facility. After a long walk through Facility 4028’s winding corridors, they arrived at the cellblock and came to stand outside the door.

“Larek, what’s the sitrep inside the cellblock?” she asked, keying the comm.

“The two guards inside are trying to determine where the holographic guards disappeared to,” the young hacker responded, apparently watching a video feed from inside the cellblock. “I’ve managed to convince them it is a localized failure in the cellblock area and that a maintenance team is on the way at assist.”

“Well then,” she said with a wry grin. “Looks like we’re here to make repairs. Open the door for us, please.”

A moment later the door slid open, and the team strolled in, weapons raised, Warden Teris held out in front of them to let the guards know they were in control.

As they entered the cellblock, one of the two guards came out of an adjoining room. “About time you got here, the holo-emitters are….”

The guard attempted to raise his phaser, but was immediately surrounded by four SOC gunmen, leaving him staring down the barrels of four rifles. The guard lowered the gun and had it snatched out of his hands by one of the heavily armed Cardassians. They then secured him and shoved him over with Teris.

A team of three SOC made their way over to the guard post where the first guard had emerged and found the other human guard working on a holo-screen there, trying to figure out what the problem with the emitters was. When he looked up to see three Cardassians, he nearly fell out of his chair.

Surrounded, he also surrendered and joined the other prisoners. Sabka and two Cardassians had Teris take them to Prisoner No. 1’s cell and then they looked inside through the forcefield. The interior of the cell was outfitted with various oddly shaped sculptures – some tall and other squat, closer to the floor.

Sabka looked around inside and scowled, “Where is she?”

“She is probably on one of those sculptures,” Teris said. “She uses them to assume different shapes.”

One of the SOC terrorists with Sabkra sneered, “Filthy Changeling.”

At that moment, a liquid metallic looking blob rose up off one of the sculptures in the cell and oozed off onto the floor where it began to manifest into a humanoid shape. Slowly it took the form of what the Cardassians recognized as the female Changeling who had led the war against the Alpha Quadrant and had given the order to murder their people.

Sabkra surged forward and slammed a fist on the wall outside the cell. The Changeling looked at her with amusement, then glanced over to the Cardassian who had made the “filthy Changeling” comment.

“Cardassians,” the Founder said, a tone of disgust to her voice. “I had hoped to never see another of your kind. Treacherous, untrustworthy, and malicious…that’s what your kind is. It’s a shame we weren’t able to finish the extermination of your people before the war came to an end.”

Morav, the SOC fighter who had cursed the Changeling, stepped forward and gripped his weapon in his hands, “Mistress…let me kill her. Her ultimate fate is to die, why not make it now and get it over with?”

Sabka held up a hand, “Because Oran Drajal has sent us to bring her back to Forward Base alive. She is to witness our final action against the Dominion. Only then can she be put to death.”

“Ah,” the Founder said as a sudden realization fell over her. “This is about revenge? You’re here to kill me for what was done to your people? Well, if your intention is to kill me, frankly my dear, you’d be doing me a favor. I have spent 20 years locked up in this wretched place with no hope of ever returning to the Great Link…my penance for what was done to your people and the Alpha Quadrant. So, he’s right, go ahead and get it over with.”

Sabka’s upper lip curled back in contempt as she leaned close to the forcefield, “Spare me your pitiful story. I could care less if you rot here, maybe that would be best for you. But my brother has other plans for you Changeling. You’ll be coming with us.”

“Drajal, did you say your brother’s name was? That would also make you a Drajal,” the Founder mused. “I remember Legate Drajal, your father no doubt. I gave the order to have him, and his family killed for his betrayal. Apparently, the Breen I sent with a detachment of Jem’Hadar to carry out the executions were unsuccessful in killing you all.”

Sabka stepped away from the doorway, fists clenched at her sides. She went over to the containment device which was in a nook next to the cell door. The Cardassian woman studied the alcove the device was situation in and tapped a command into the keypad.

The bucket-like container in the alcove suddenly was enveloped in a transporter beam and reappeared inside the cell on the floor next to the Founder.

“Get inside,” Sabka ordered.

The Founder’s wax-like face managed a smile and she laughed softly. “You realize, Sabka, I will kill all of you the first chance I get.”

Morav smirked, “I hope you try, Changeling.”

The Founder chuckled softly and then turned toward the containment device. “Oh, I do enjoy traveling. I can’t wait to see where we’re going. I do hope it won’t take long.”

With that, the Founder transformed into a liquid appearing substance and seemingly melted into the open bucket. Once inside, Sabka tapped another command into the keypad outside the cell and the lid sealed and changed from a red light on top to a green one signalling it was sealed and locked. She then had it beamed out to the alcove again.

Two SOC fighters came forward and placed the bucket into a small cargo-container and locked it up before carting it off and out of the cellblock. Sabka and her team then followed with Warden Teris in tow.

When they got outside the cellblock, Sabka turned to the master controls for the cells in the detention area and studied the holographic display there. She could see inside five other cells and pondered the data scrolled on the screen beside each.

“These other prisoners, they are all very dangerous?” Sabka asked.

Teris looked at the display and nodded, “The worst.”

“These remaining five prisoners, tell me about them,” she said. “But keep it short.”

“Well, the prison was built for the Founder. But after she was placed here five more inmates joined her over time,” the warden explained. “To the far left on the monitor is Amar Khatri, a human scientist who wants to use a combination of Klingon, Augment and Gorn DNA to create a master race. He was arrested, tried and found guilty of this plot seven years ago and has been housed here since.

“Next to him is his colleague, Toran Anders, he is an Augment who was working alongside Khatri on his plan,” Teris said.

“Augment?” Sabka asked. “What is that?”

“He appears human, but he has improved genes…genetic manipulation at its finest since the Eugenics Wars on Earth,” Teris said. “He has super-strength, improved speed, intelligence and he heals five times faster than an average human.”

Sabka nodded, “Continue.”

“In the next cell is N’sur Taketh,” Teris said. “He is an Orion. N’sur was once the head of the Orion Syndicate. He was arrested 12 years ago, tried and convicted of a litany of crimes, and sentenced to life in prison here.

“Beside Taketh is Rakalis, he was the leader of a Reman terrorist organization who was captured and sent here 11 years ago after he tried to assassinate the entire Federation Council,” Teris said.

“Last, but not least, is Valen Sar. She is a Romulan Tal Shiar agent who was captured after she tried to infect Memory Alpha with a virus,” Teris said. “She was also found guilty of many other crimes against the Federation and sent here after her conviction.”

Sabkra looked over the images on the feeds from each cell and slowly a grin spread across her face. She reached up to the holographic screen and tapped an icon there that opened all of the cells, sending an alarm throughout the cellblock as the forcefields all dropped.

“What are you doing?” Teris demanded. “They’ll all escape!”

“Nice diversion, wouldn’t you say warden?” the Cardassian woman smiled. She then opened a comm-channel. “All of you are free. There is a Federation starship parked at the upper docking pylon. Your free to take it and go wherever you please. Just remember, if we ever call upon you for help, it was the Sons of Cardassia who let you go.”

The prisoners each began to step out of their cells and Sabka turned to her team. “Let’s go. The other ships are likely transferring everyone from the Remington. Warden, I’m afraid this is the end of the line for you.”

Sabkra raised her phaser and fired a shot into Teris leg, badly injuring his knee. The warden collapsed, grasping his damaged leg and crying out in pain as he hit the floor. “I’m sure your former prisoners will have some use for you. Thank you for your help.”

She and her team then took the imprisoned Founder and headed up to the upper pylon where two Keldon-class starships had decloaked and were transferring the Cardassians on the USS Remington over to their ships.

Sabka and the SOC team beamed over to one of the Keldon-class ships and once everyone was aboard, they cloaked, and both went to warp – making their way from there to the place known as Forward Base.

Captain Melfis

Gul Nidek

Lt. Commander Jeremy Hartman

Starfleet Intelligence Ops Center, Cardassia Prime

Stardate 2108.04

The three commanding officers who had initially met with Shadow Ops when it arrived at Cardassia Prime assembled after the successful rescue of the hostages in Central Command at the Starfleet Intelligence Ops Center on Cardassia Prime.

Nidek was allowed limited access to the facility, having been transported into the briefing room by Hartman’s people just before the meeting.

They went over incoming data from the attack on the Breen, from the incident at the weapons depot on Torros III and now a report of the kidnapping of the female Founder from her prison. All three incidents were the work of the same terrorist group that had seized the Central Command building.

After reviewing the intel from all three incidents that happened earlier that day, the three men decided it was time to contact their team of specialists who were in orbit aboard their ship. They were going to need their help…considering all that was happening.

It was Hartman who opened a channel to the USS Resurrection.

“Captain Lazarus,” Hartman said as Lazarus appeared on his holographic screen. “We need to speak with your team, here on Cardassia. There has been a lot happening while they were in Central Command and we’d like to brief them.”

Back to top

## S3, E4, Act 12: Trouble for Tajel

Commander Mayla Vree

Council Chambers, Cardassian Central Command

Stardate 2108.04

Jahkar and his team returned and gave Mayla the all clear signal just as she finished 'processing' the 11 dead SOC terrorists. He and Beckett began to collect the SOC's weapons. She gestured to him to come over.

"Jem'hadar weapons," Jahkar announced.

"I don't like the looks of that," Mayla said. "I've already taken skin and DNA samples from all of them. Let's take some of their armor and weapons back to the ship and have them analyzed. They may reveal where they came from, even whatever residue the armor may have."

"Why not just take everything?" Beckett said.

"We need to leave something for the Cardassians," Mayla said, then tapping her comm badge. "Vree to Resurrection, inform Cardassian security that the building is secured."

"Affirmative. Standby to return to the ship."

Within a few minutes, just as the Cardassians began surveying the damage done, the three remaining members of Phoenix Squad beamed back to the ship with a cache of SOC armor and weapons.

"Beckett, get a team together to have these things analyzed. And take every necessary precaution in case they're boobytrapped or tracked." Mayla ordered. Then out of habit, she looked up a bit towards the ceiling. "Computer, relay orders from Commander Mayla Vree to Phoenix Squad. All members are to get cleaned up and report to sickbay for subvocal replacement."

"Affirmative. Relaying."

Beckett was already giving orders to a team of ensigns what to do with the SOC armor and weapons. Mayla looked at Jahkar, whose hair was still all matted from the swim. He gave her the same look back as he followed her out of the transporter room to the armory.

"Pretty good for no energy weapons. All that CQC training helped." He said. But Mayla didn't respond and remained silent. "What, you don't agree? Or approve?"

Mayla waved a hand at him. "It's not that. They did fine. Reepchip was still seriously injured. I'm having some concerns about having a Muran in the team who can get seriously hurt in a skirmish like this. It becomes an achilles heel for us."

Jahkar shook his head slightly at the expectations the young Trill woman had. "His advantage is his size. He's not meant to be in a prolonged fist fight."

They reached the armory quickly and immediately stripped off their gear in silence. Then Mayla closed her locker and headed for one of the small sonic showers. "When he returns to active duty, I want you to set up a sim so we can see exactly what he can do autonomously. I want to know exactly how far his skill set goes so I can use them to the team's advantage."

Jahkar grabbed two towels and tossed one to her. "Let's see how long it takes him to recover first. Then we can talk about rehabilitation if he needs it.”

Lieutenant Ryramorl Ra’yral

*USS Resurrection*

Stardate 2108.05

Ryramorl entered sickbay, and the first thing he did was check on his small friend.  He was unable to get close, due to them doing surgery on Reepchip, but still he watched, his face unreadable.

“Please sit down,” said an orderly.  Ryramorl did so, allowing a new subvoc to be implanted.  “How is he?” he asked, calmly.

“He’ll survive, but he’s been badly injured.  Maybe even disabled.”

Ryramorl sighed, looking at the small Muran.

As the repairs to Reepchip’s ribs and orbital bones were finished, the EMH saw Ryramorl.  “Just the one I wanted to see,” she said, coming over.  “Lieutenant Ra’yral, the medical information on Reepchip made a number of references to data in something called the Scrolls of the Khyrrians.  Do you know what that is?”

Ryramorl blinked and took a deep breath.  He could refuse to answer, and endanger a teammate, or he could answer and everyone in Sickbay would hear him.  On the other hand, the Federation had failed to keep the existence of the Citadel a secret (and may their bones rot for that), so he decided he’d answer honestly.  “Their design notes,” said Ryramorl.  “In this context, the Scrolls of the Khyrrians are the blueprints to the Five Carnora Races.”

“How highly classified are they?”

“The Teachers may allow us part of them, if I ask nicely.  Just understand if I do, Starfleet’s going to deafen me with the Roar of Agavan.”  He smiled wryly.  “And if I find you’re trying to procure a mranrilla birthing sack, I’ll do the same to you.”  He became more serious.  “Please--while he’s resting, make sure someone is with him at all times.  Preferably someone with some capacity for telepathy.  Whoever is with him may experience hallucinations; Reepchip will simply be sharing his dreams with anyone nearby.  It’s part of the Muran psyche; forcing one to dream alone is one of the cruellest things you can do to a Muran.  A lone Muran will eventually go insane.”

Commander Victoria Smith

*USS Resurrection*

Stardate 2108.05

Victoria exhaled loudly and nodded towards Tiri and Fiadh at the completion of Reepchip’s neurological surgery.

For the past two hours, the EMH, with the assistance of Sh’avelith and Union 12, struggled to navigate through the Muran’s complex nervous system. On more than one occasion the team had to halt the procedure, consult the scrolls, debate various interpretations and finally resume their work. Once finished, multiple dead and damaged nodes around the base of his tail and up into his spine had been removed so healthy nodes could be connected. On three occasions, the EMH had removed healthy working nerves from Reepchip’s neck and shoulder to graft over injured nerves in his tail to force them to work.

Once the surgery had finished, Reepchip was moved to a fresh bio bed for recovery. Acting on Ra’yral’s advice, Victoria scanned the crew list for a telepath and found a Haliian petty officer assigned to communications. She quickly ordered him to the medical bay to brief him on his role in relation to Reepchip’s recovery. Hannigan was more direct. She made it clear to the petty officer that if he left the bedside of her operative without permission, there would be hell to pay.

After Reepchip was made as comfortable as possible. Victoria approached Ra’yral. The lieutenant stood up and nodded at the nurse. Victoria instantly noticed the foot and a half height difference between the two and muttered quietly to herself. She hated being short.

“Lieutenant.” She greeted the officer as she closed the distance with Ra’yral. Once next to him she quietly explained Reepchip’s condition and required surgeries.

“Will he improve?”

“It is too soon to say, but we hope so.” Victoria replied sympathetically. “He is going to need follow up treatment and therapy, but if the neurosurgery was successful, then there is a good chance he will be back in action in due time.”

The Canora nodded and contemplated Victoria's report for a moment. “And if the surgery failed?”

“Then his military career may be over.” She sadly admitted.

Petty Officer Alaran Rown

Lieutenant Ryramorl Ra’yral

Stardate 2108.05

*USS Resurrection*

Petty Officer Alaran Rown usually avoided Lieutenant Ryramorl Ra’yral, as he found the Carnora’s mind intimidating.  But now he stood there as he was briefed by Ryramorl what to expect, as the big Carnora could explain it better than Victoria. “Consider it like lucid dreaming,” said Ryramorl.  “You may pick up speech patterns from him, he WILL try to learn your language.  You may see visions of places you have never seen in person; it’s where he’s lived or been.  This is normal.   If you can, share dreams of your own experiences as well.”

Alaran Rown nodded, and sat by Reepchip’s biobed and relaxed.

Commander Mayla Vree

*USS Resurrection*, in orbit around Cardassia Prime

Stardate 2108.05

Mayla sat in her quarters alone. It was all quiet except for the low hum of the ship's engines through the deck flooring. It was even quiet in her mind as the EMP burst had also destroyed her AI implant along with the interface in her eyes. She was waiting for a member of Union 12 to be freed up to come to replace her subvocal and have it recalibrated with a new controller. She took this time of quiet to meditate her center. It wasn't often she was in this state of...quietude.

The desk console beeped at her. She sighed and got up from her bunk and sat at her desk. Tapping a few keys for access, the screen showed her schematics for her new AI interface implant. The new specs were identical to the ones she saw at Blackthorn Base. She wondered, if only for a brief second, why this classified data suddenly showed up on her computer screen.

Then Lani's voice suddenly came over the small speaker on the console, but it sounded like she was sitting there with her in the room. "The interface module in your head is still intact. Only the AI core module needs to be replaced."

"How do you know that? I haven't even been to the infirmary yet." Mayla asked, perusing through the schematics.

"I looked at your pattern in the transporter pattern buffer."

Simple enough answer, for Lani, that is. "Anyone here capable of performing the surgery? And is the module here?"

"I can send detailed instructions to the EMH and guide her to do it. It will take 10 minutes." Lani said. "I had already commandeered and isolated your replicator temporarily from the rest of the ship to replicate the module. It started working on it as soon as your module ceased to function while you were on the surface. It is already completed. And I can also replace your subvocal while we're at it."

"Alright, do it then."

"Very well. Please lie face down on your bunk. You'll be sedated."

Mayla shut off her computer and laid down in her bunk. The EMH appeared, but she spoke in a tone that was Lani's. "I'll be done in no time."

A hypo was pressed to her neck and she was out.

Dreams play out even when we don't know it. The subconscious samples various scenarios to bring understanding and acceptance of events that occur in our lives. In Mayla's sense, her dreams swirled in nearly a millennia of memories crossed over between the dozens of highly decorated Linea soldiers' lives and the Vree symbiote's lives. The most recent was the over a century of memories of a certain Vulcan. These new memories were still integrating with what was existing, causing tiny aspects of her personality and thought processes to change subtly. Her personality would continue to grow and evolve as each day passed. This wasn't like when she had absorbed all of Kyril's and Vree's memories when her own symbiote had begun to develop to maturity. She went from a 10 year old girl with 10 year old sensibilities and thoughts to a 10 year old girl with hundreds of years of memories of experience in a day.

But this time, the process was more gradual. This was the first time she had this particular dream. Not that she would remember them all. Although it entailed events and people in her lives mingling together in the fashion of fiction or fantasy, this particular one involved her as a Vulcan boy. Or some part of her was a Vulcan boy, at some point in time.

The dream played out on Vulcan. He was standing alone trying to resist joining in play with two young Trill children playing Tobbie in a soft grassy meadow filled with blooming purple flowers. A meadow like this didn't exist on the arid planet of Vulcan. But the three children were indifferent to the non-existent environment. All they cared about was the play. SHE was all three children at some point in her life, and knew what each one of them were thinking.

A little girl's squeal of delight pierced the air. The Trill blonde girl of about six was running from a dark haired boy of the same age playing the children's game of Tobbie. The two trill children could not exist at the same time either. Both lives spanned nearly fifty years apart, let alone the Vulcan boy who was also out of his own time.

He watched the play closely, figuring out the rules and the strategy that would give him the best advantage to chase either of the two other children. Or to run from them in the game play. The two Trill continued playing, occasionally glancing over to the Vulcan boy, eyes gleaming with hope he would join them.

And join them he did, when he figured out the best way to win.

Then she heard a voice. "I knew you were up to no good."

Mayla opened her eyes to discover she was now lying on her back with Victoria hunched over her. The nurse looked away while comparing the readings on her tricorder with the wall monitor that showed her vital signs. "I saw the EMH routine running in your quarters performing SURGERY!?"

The Trill tried to sit up, but Victoria pushed her back down. "Don't you dare move. I have to double check to be sure what the EMH did is really finished."

"It is," the EMH said in a slightly different tone of voice she normally had. Mayla could instantly tell Lani was still in control. "As you can see, the procedure went without any complications. And I also replaced her subvocal and eye lenses, including the nerve modulators to her hands."

She eyed the middle aged woman hologram first, then Mayla. "What else did you do exactly?"

Mayla waved the question away. "That's classified."

"Classified my ass, young lady. You can't tell me you had the EMH perform some unknown surgical procedure on you? As the CO of Union XII, I need to know." Victoria pointed at the EMH. "And she won't tell me."

"It IS classified, Commander Smith." The EMH reiterated.

This time, Mayla did sit up despite Victoria's protests. "It's an AI interface. That's all you need to know."

"You should have let the ship's doctor perform the procedure," Victoria complained. "What if something went wrong?"

The EMH feigned a look of shock. "Excuse me? I AM the Emergency Medical Hologram."

"For in cases of an EMERGENCY," Victoria fired back, too upset to notice the EMH had just made a joke. One Mayla knew that came straight from Lani.

"Victoria, please calm down," Mayla said. "It's alright, she's done the procedure before. And the doctor was trying to save Reepchip's life. So I would categorize this as an emergency."

Victoria gave her and the EMH a suspicious look, not believing a word of it even though it made practical sense.

"EMH, you are dismissed." Mayla said quickly before Lani revealed too much of herself in the program.

"Affirmative." She rezzed out. In her eyes she received confirmation that Lani had left the EMH and restored her and the replicator back to their normal programming. Another confirmation came to indicate the logs were also purged.

"You had me a bit worried." Victoria said.

In Mayla's eyes, status reports came in from a queue, including Reepchip's status. "Is the Muran alright?"

"He'll recover. We have to wait and see. As soon as we did all we could, I noticed the EMH was running in your quarters. I came straight away suspecting foul play on your part."

"You know me too well." She managed to give her a wry smile.

"And sometimes it's a curse." Victoria grumbled. "Alright, at least let me give you a physical to make sure you're alright after this last mission. I'm glad you're pretty much unscathed."

"This time," Mayla quietly said, acquiescing to her scans.

Then they were interrupted by the gruff voice of their captain. "Commander Vree, have the team report to the transporter room in standard uniforms. We're transporting down to the planet to be debriefed."

Mayla acknowledged the order and gave Victoria a smile. "Duty calls."

"Wait! I'm not finished!"

"I feel fine."

The Trill ignored any further protest and walked out of the quarters with Victoria following her, still scanning her with the tricorder.

Lieutenant Ryramorl Ra’yral

*USS Resurrection*

Stardate 2108.05

As Ryramorl walked back towards the teleporter room, he saw Tiri Sh’avelith.  He gave a short, soft growl to get her attention.  “Your crossbow is in the armoury,” he said calmly.  “You left it on the battlefield.”  He simply left it at that; they were equal in rank, so he could not give her a lecture.  Besides, she was the one who’d gotten Reepchip out of that fight.

As he walked, he considered the mess Reepchip had been left in.  Perhaps he, and everyone else, had been approaching Reepchip’s role all wrong.  Murans usually attacked like the Crawling Hunger, in great numbers.  As he walked, he pondered the issue.  As the rest of the team gathered around, suddenly a thought occurred to him:  “...Khassa!   ..  Or Dar Szen!” he said aloud.

Lt. Tiri Sh’avelith

*USS Resurrection*

Stardate 2108.06

Tiri had assisted in the medical bay as long as she was needed. In all honesty her medical skills paled in comparison to the nurses of Union 12. She knew the basics of how to stabilize a patient on the battlefield. Beyond that, she lacked the abilities Victoria and her team possessed.

But the young Andorian was good with that. She was a better intelligence operative and fighter than she was a medic and she definitely lacked the training to be a nurse.

Back in her Shadow Ops uniform, Tiri arrived in the transporter room as ordered, walking in right after Ryramorl had gotten there. He notified her that he’d recovered her crossbow from the scene of the battle and said nothing more about it.

Tiri sensed some level of disappointment in her from the Carnora. It wasn’t good policy to leave a loaded weapon behind, but at that particular moment the lieutenant had needed both hands free to tend to the Muran. She nodded to him, “Thanks,” she told him. “Hopefully I won’t need it again. I prefer a good phaser in hand rather than a bow.”

Tiri looked to Ryramorl again, “Reepchip made it through surgery OK. Victoria and her team are very good.”

Lieutenant Ryramorl Ra’yral

*USS Resurrection*

Stardate 2108.07

“I am unsure about Victoria’s abilities as a healer,” Ryramorl said calmly, knowing full well Commander Smith could hear him.  “She has lost no hair, and her skin is soft.  A sign of one who takes Cleansing far too lightly.  When one takes Cleansing lightly, what of her other skills?”  Victoria could not see Ryramorl’s face, but Tiri could see the twitch of Ryramorl’s whiskers that showed he was joking.

Commander Victoria Smith

*USS Resurrection*

Stardate 2108.07

Victoria had continued to pursue Vree as she tried to complete the medical checkup. The pursuit continued into the transporter room where the nurse hoped she could finish her review. Unfortunately, Vree kept moving and ignoring her.

“Don’t be so stubborn!” Victoria complained to the Trill. Vree simply waved her friend away, which frustrated the nurse even more. Finally she threw her hands up in the air, put away her tricorder and started to leave the room.

“We’re not done.” She promised.

As she neared the door, Victoria overheard Ryramorl’s comment. The commander sensed he was joking but she wasn’t going to let the opportunity to interact with him pass.

The fact that the lieutenant’s first action once back on board the Resurrection was to check in on Reepchip’s well-being impressed her.

She saw a nearby chair. She seized it and pushed it with her foot. Victoria watched as it glided across the room and came to a stop directly next to Ryramorl. She walked over to the seat and hopped up on it. She was now eye to eye with the Canora.

“You think my skin is too soft?” She asked before a smirk spread across her face. “That is the nicest thing I’ve heard all day.”

Victoria leaned in toward Ryramorl, looked around her immediate surroundings and then whispered loud enough so only Tiri and Ryramorl could only hear her. “I’m really not a nurse. Technically I was supposed to be assigned to waste extraction to clean up the mess of various species on board but here I am.”

The nurse folded her arms, cocked her head slightly and smiled at Ryramorl as she waited for his response.

Lieutenant Ryramorl Ra’yral

*USS Resurrection*

Stardate 2108.07

“I doubt that,” said Ryramorl, calmly.  “I was more thinking you’d been brought aboard as a concubine to our captain.”  His whiskers twitched harder.  “It is well known amongst my people that you Federation space travellers are dismayingly soft--so soft that no-one wishes to cook for the ship, so soft you refuse to trust a pilot with a shuttle to take you from ship to surface, and so shockingly soft that you can’t even open your own doors.”  It was a jab at the automatic doors on the ship.  “A proper healer is devoid of all fur, and her skin like old leather.  Her wisdom runs deep, there is no end to her knowledge to the scrapes youth and hunters get into, and she has no patience for the foolish.  I will tell you more later, but I am being called away.”

Colonel Jahkar

*USS Resurrection*

Stardate 2108.07

Jahkar was back in his Marine uniform as he made his way to the transporter room. He walked in and found Tiri there talking to Ryramorl. He caught the conversation about the dropped crossbow and then heard the Andorian’s update on Reepchip.

Jahkar had noticed the crossbow in the minutes after the fighting stopped, when he was busy collecting the team’s probes and securing the council chambers. While it was never a good practice for someone to lay down a weapon and leave it behind in a battle, he understood Sh’avelith was tending to Reepchip, so it was something he would allow her to slide on...as long as it didn't become a habit.

“Both of you did well down there today,” Jahkar told them. “This debrief with Hartman and his gang, I’m a little surprised. I wonder if there’s new information to share?”

Lt. Commander William McCulloch

*USS Resurrection*

Stardate 2108.07

Will watched as Ged devoured his second bowl of canka nuts. Once finished, he gulped down a glass of juice and loudly exhaled. The two security personnel with the Scot cautiously eyed the Cardassian from across the brig. McCulloch watched as the teen shifted uncomfortably on the metal bench for several seconds before finally giving up and slumping against the wall behind him. Finally the Scot broke the awkward silence.

“How old are you Ged?”

“Are you really the Hunter?” The boy countered with a tone of hesitation in his voice.

“That’s a question for another time Ged.”

“Will you at least let me see my mother?”

“In due time I will help you speak with your mother. But right now you don’t get to ask the questions.

“How many Cardassians have you killed Hunter?” The teen nervously pressed, concerned for his own life and his family’s.

“Again Ged, we’re not going to talk about that.” McCulloch answered firmly as he eyed the teen. “How old are you?”

Ged hesitated and was reluctant to speak...until the Scot banged his fist against the metal bench the boy was seated on and shouted. “Age!!!”

“Fifteen! I’m fifteen.” He replied.

“Why were you with the Sons of Cardassia? You’re clearly too stupid and unskilled to serve in any military capacity. What were you doing there?” Will demanded … his patience had ended when Ged addressed him by his former code name.... “The Hunter”.

The boy started shaking again and looked towards the guards for help. The one closest to him simply shrugged his shoulders and looked away. The Cardassian looked back at McCulloch who was now inches away from his face. Ged gulped and his heart began to race. If there was any hesitation in the boy’s mind as to who the Scot was, it quickly disappeared.

The teenager started talking.

“I was part of a cyber hacking team. Two of us were assigned to the team that took the hostages down on the planet. My partner’s job was to hack into the Central Command’s mainframe to retrieve information. My job was on the back end...I was to conceal his data breach and throw off any investigation into the hack.”

“What happened to your partner?” McCulloch asked, already knowing the answer.

“He blew himself up with a plasma grenade.”

“How old?”

“Seventeen.”

“Have you met other hackers with the Sons of Cardassia?”

“I have. There’s at least twenty of us.”

“How old are each of them?” McCulloch asked again, fearful of the answer.

“The youngest I met was twelve. The oldest was nineteen.”

“Why children?” Will asked.

“I don’t know. I was only recruited six months ago.”

“You clearly had some talent that caught the attention of the Sons. How long have you been hacking?” Will asked.

“Since I was ten.”

“Who introduced you to hacking?” McCulloch pressed.

“My teacher.”

“Who recruited you to the Sons of Cardassia?”

“The same teacher.”

“The teacher’s name.”

Ged hesitated briefly before naming his mentor. “Sharr Ghaik.”

The Scot remained silent for a moment. While at Inverness his intelligence analysts had reported an increase by criminal organizations and terrorist cells in the use of minors for illicit activities as children were less likely to be detected and subjected to harsher penalties that their adult counterparts would face. It appeared the Sons of Cardassia were utilizing the same tactic.

However, before Will could continue his conversation with the boy, he received orders that he was to first have his subvocal replaced and then attend a debriefing down on the Cardassian surface.

Will stood up straight, eyed the Cardassian in silence and turned his attention to the two guards.

“You are to ensure Ged is comfortable and his requests are honored. Keep him out of a containment cell unless he acts up.”

“Yes sir.” Both guards replied.

“Best behavior Ged...or else.” McCulloch coldly warned.

The Scot quietly exited the brig and made his way directly to the armory. He quickly took  a sonic shower and changed into a uniform.

As he exited the armory, he saw Vree dash past him with Victoria in hot pursuit. The nurse was desperately trying to conduct a medical scan of the Trill. She occasionally chastised her friend as the pair continued down the hallway. Will watched with amusement as Victoria’s red pony tail bobbed back and forth as she desperately tried to keep up with Vree.

As the Scot quietly snickered to himself, he heard a voice behind him. “And what are you so daff about Commander?”

Will turned around to see Warrant Officer Hannigan staring back at him. She held up a pair of medical tools and announced she was to work on his subvoc.

“There’s no time.” Will announced with a wave and started to walk away from the Union 12 nurse. “When I return from the briefing.”

“Commander Smith told me you would try to avoid this procedure.” The warrant officer replied as she advanced and stepped in front of him... preventing Will from escaping. “The commander read your medical records and said you were quite difficult when it came to implanting your original sub voc. She told me to tackle you if necessary.”

“Are you mad?” Will demanded in shock.

“Back to sickbay!” She demanded as she led a frustrated McCulloch by the arm. Upon arrival, she directed him to a biobed and gestured to get comfortable. Moments later she was working on a subvoc replacement.

Unfortunately, the Scot kept squirming.

“Hold still you damn’d Scot!” She chastised.

“Hold still yourself you damn’d Irish woman!” Will retorted.

“Where are you from Commander?” Hannigan asked as she stepped back and eyed McCulloch.

“Falkirk.”

“My mother always told me to flush the loo twice because it's a long way to Falkirk.” She retorted before resuming her work.

“You’re insane...ouch! This isn’t supposed to hurt!” McCulloch protested as Fiadh continued the procedure.

“Hold still commander. I don’t want to accidentally remove your vocal cords.”

“What?”

“You heard me.” She nagged. “So, tell me sir, are you still trying to woo Commander Smith?”

“That’s none of your...ouch! Damnit! That’s none of your business.” Will protested.

“Perhaps but it's my job to be nosy and look out for the commander.”

“I’m pretty sure that’s Commander Vree’s job.”

A few moments later Hannigan put down her device and smiled. “All done. That wasn’t so bad was it?”

Will eyed the Warrant Officer suspiciously as he rubbed his neck. As Will hopped off the biobed, Fiadh handed him a bright yellow band aid and a balloon. The Scot looked at the items with confusion.

“What am I supposed to do with these?”

“Whatever you like, it’s kind of my thing. I try to bring humor to what can be a dark job.”

Will nodded in understanding. “You’re still insane.”

“Perhaps, but rest assured, I’ll make your future treatments even more uncomfortable if you hurt Commander Smith. To Union 12 she is quickly becoming our mother, aunt and older sister. Tread carefully sir because Union 12 has her back.”

McCulloch eyed the nurse cautiously for a moment before speaking. “Where are you from Hannigan?”

“Cork, sir.”

“Explains everything. Thanks for the unsolicited tip.” He sarcastically replied as he left sickbay with his complimentary balloon and band aid and made his way to the transporter room, where he reported directly to Jahkar and Vree.

“The boy has given me a name.” He announced.

“Why do you have a bandaid and balloon?” Jahkar asked with a hint of confusion.

“Nothing.” Will replied as he stuffed the pair of items into his pocket and quietly cursed. He cleared his throat and continued. “Ged was a hacker for the Sons. His partner was the one who accidentally blew himself up. Ged was groomed, trained and recruited into the organization by his teacher, one Sharr Ghaik.”

Colonel Jahkar

*USS Resurrection*

Stardate 2108.09

“Sharr Ghaik?” Jahkar asked. “Should I know him?”

He found it offensive that the Cardassians had chosen to send children to do their dirty work. There was nothing wrong with a child striving to become an adult, to prove themselves, but to serve a group of terrorists like the Sons of Cardassia? That was loathsome in and of itself.

Lt . Commander William McCulloch

*USS Resurrection*

Stardate 2108.10

Vree remained silent as she contemplated Ged’s fate. After a moment, she addressed Jahkar and McCulloch.

“We have to get to the debrief on Cardassia. When we return McCulloch and Colonel Jahkar will complete the interrogation of the prisoner,” the commander ordered. “We need every piece of intelligence out of him.”

“What is going to happen to Ged?” McCulloch asked.

“That’s not our concern at the moment.” Vree countered. “However, in all likelihood, he’ll be turned over to Cardassian authorities once we notify them about him.”

“So he can be returned to the Sons for torture and execution?” Will pressed.

“If I recall correctly, you pinned that boy to a wall with a combat knife.” Mayla noted matter-of-factly. “And, we don’t know for certain that would be his fate.”

“He’s still alive,” Will argued. “and after this crap show is over, he and his family should be relocated to a safe haven.”

“If his family is alive.” Jahkar somberly announced.

“Commander McCulloch, he is a terrorist who attempted to murder everyone in the council chambers that would have impacted more than just Cardassia. And now after what happened on the Breen homeworld, he will most likely be implicated to have taken part in that too."

She looked at McCulloch's face and shook her head. "Wrap up your questioning of Ged when we return from the surface. Now let’s beam down before we’re late,” Vree curtly announced.

With that, Phoenix Squad, minus Reepchip, beamed down to Starfleet Intelligence HQ on Cardassia Prime.

Ensign Reepchip Charatetet

Petty Officer Alaran Rown

*USS Resurrection* Sickbay/Muran Dreamscape

Stardate 2108.13

Alaran dozed off in a cot, unsure what to expect.  As he dreamed, he found himself in a bare room.  On the other side was Reepchip, looking at him shyly.  “...sorry for the bare room, but I don’t know you very well,” said Reepchip.

Alaran had never felt so tall in his life, like he was 10 or even 20 feet tall.  “That’s okay--” he said, then stopped, startled at the deep rumble of his voice.

“You’re experiencing yourself through my eyes,” said Reepchip.  “Concentrate on how you know yourself, and that should help.  Think of what you had for lunch.”

Alaran concentrated on that, and felt the feeling of immensity slip away.  Reepchip approached the center of the room, and a table was there.  “Do you play 3-d Chess?” he asked.

“Some…” said Alaran.

Reepchip gestured to the set that appeared on the table.  “Shall we?”

Alaran sat down, becoming more at ease with what was happening--it made sense that a telepathic creature would dream with others.

Captain Melfis

Gul Nidek

Lt. Commander Jeremy Hartman

Starfleet Intelligence Ops Center, Cardassia Prime

Stardate 2108.15

The team was ushered into the briefing room in the Starfleet Intelligence Ops Center on Cardassia Prime. They were immediately greeted by Hartman and Melfis, who showed them inside the conference room, which was sealed behind them once they stepped inside.

Gul Nidek was there, however, he was projected into the room as a hologram – one who could be rendered blind and deaf with some commands typed into a keypad on the table at Hartman’s fingertips.

Once assembled, another hologram rezzed in. It was Admiral MacLeod. He looked around at his Shadow operatives and frowned, “How’s Ensign Charatetet?”

“Improving,” Lt. Sh’avelith stepped in and added. “Union 12 is still monitoring his progress. We won’t know more until he’s had time to come around.”

MacLeod nodded, “Fearless is still two hours out. I’ve spoken with Commander Hartman and he’s brought me up to speed, so I’ll let him explain what’s been happening since you began your assault on the Central Command building.”

Vree looked from MacLeod to Hartman, “There’s been more?”

Hartman sighed, “When you arrived the Breen attack was carried out. As you went down to the surface and began your op, we were anticipating a Breen response. However, it never came. They have sealed off their borders and have refused assistance. We are estimating nearly a half billion Breen were killed in that attack.”

“We know it was the Sons of Cardassia?” Jahkar asked.

“Confirmed,” Hartman said. “The op you were dealing with on Cardassia, we think that was a diversion. They timed the Breen attack and two more operations to correspond with that hostage taking on Prime.”

“What else did they hit?” McCulloch asked.

Hartman brought up a holographic starchart. A system across the Cardassian Union called Torros appeared and was zoomed in upon.

“When the hostage incident began, there were six Cardassian ships and two Starfleet vessels in the Torros system. The Starfleet ships were diverted to Cardassia Prime in response to attack, leaving the Cardassian ships,” Hartman explained, showing light blips on the holographic display that moved in correspondence with his narrative.

“A short time later, news of the Breen attack came and all six Cardassian ships were sent to guard the border,” he said. “Not longer after, an armed force of Cardassians transported down to the weapons depot on Torros III.”

Mayla studied the data scrolling beside the image of Torros III, “A former Cardassian weapons lab, pre-Dominion.”

“The site had been decommissioned. Starfleet spent the past 20 years dismantling and neutralizing the stockpile of weapons there – most of them being metagenic and biological in nature,” Hartman said. “There was nothing there, we had a small contingent of people there who were due to be sent home in about two weeks. But the Cardassians who beamed in there knew there was something hidden under the facility. They killed the Starfleet personnel stationed there, 14 or the 15 stationed there are dead. The fifteenth was recovered a short time ago, alive, and she reported they opened some kind of hidden vault under the structure and removed a large oval shaped device from the secret compartment, then beamed out with it.”

Jahkar scowled, “A weapon unaccounted for?”

“It is likely one of the Trinity,” Nidek said gruffly. “One of the three devices like the one that exploded near the Breen homeworld.”

“That is our theory at this point,” Hartman confirmed.

“So, was there more that took place?” Vree asked.

Hartman gave a somber nod, “A short time ago Starfleet Command lost contact with Outpost 4028 in the Ayala system, Beta Quadrant.”

“How is this significant? That’s not near here,” Tiri asked.

“It is significant, lieutenant, because that is the secret prison where the Federation has held the Founder who surrendered at the end of the Dominion War,” MacLeod bristled. “She’s been there 20 years. The site was kept secret so no one would attempt to break her out or seek revenge on her.”

“Do they know if she’s been taken or killed?” Jahkar asked.

“Unknown,” Hartman said. “There is no contact with the facility. The USS Francis Drake is close, she’s been dispatched to find out what happened. At this point we’re assuming the Founder is dead or is in the hands of the Sons of Cardassia.”

The room was silent. Finally, it was MacLeod who spoke, “This thing has grown…it is a much larger plot than just the taking of Central Command. We need some sort of direction to take with this investigation if my team is to continue on from here.”

Melfis suddenly bolted up out of his chair, unable to contain himself. The Benzite captain puffed slowly on his respirator and looked around, almost as if he was enjoying the suspense. “Oh, I think we may have a possible lead for you to follow. We have a prisoner.”

All eyes went from Melfis to Hartman, who was truly the brains of the operation. The commander looked slightly annoyed at the Benzite captain, but collected himself before he spoke, “It seems the Sons of Cardassia had an accomplice here in the Starfleet Occupation Headquarters.”

Hartman continued, “One of the Drajal siblings, the female, Sabka, apparently seduced and acquired codes and other information from a young Starfleet officer. That information was used by the SOC unit that attacked Torros III and stormed the old weapons depot.”

“He gave them access codes to get past the facility’s shields and other defenses,” Melfis said sternly. “He also provided them with some very basic information about border defenses along the Breen/Cardassia border. Fortunately, he was relatively new and had little clearance for anything more.”

With that, Melfis tapped some commands into the table keypad and a holographic image of a young half-Cardassian/half-Bajoran male locked in a security cell was projected above the table. There was almost an audible grunt from Jahkar, causing Mayla to take a closer look at the image. She too nearly gasped aloud.

“Is that….”

Jahkar’s eyes were filled with rage and sadness at the same time. Slowly he nodded and through gritted teeth he whispered, “It’s Tajel.”

Melfis puffed on his breathing device, and he looked at Mayla and Jahkar. “I’m sorry…do you know this man? Ensign Dara Tajel?”

Jahkar sat up stiffly, “He is my stepson.”

“What?” Hartman stammered.

“I see,” said Melfis. His smugness suddenly clued the entire team into the likelihood Melfis already knew this fact, since Tajel’s service record was scrolling beside the holographic surveillance images from his cell.

“Ensign Dara has agreed to assist us with our investigation,” Hartman said, attempting to return to some sense of decorum. “Starfleet JAG said it will take that into consideration at his court martial.”

Jahkar stared at the tabletop as Hartman spoke. His devastation was obvious as he completely began to zone out of the meeting, only to be snapped back to attention by Melfis’ next statement.

“Take it into consideration? He is a traitor, under my command, I intend to see him prosecuted to the maximum extent of Starfleet regulations,” Melfis said, nose upturned as he spoke with contempt.

Jahkar, seated beside him, turned his head slowly toward the captain and uttered a deep growl, “With all due respect, captain, he is my stepson and he has the right to trial before you or anyone else brands him a traitor!” Jahkar growled. “Call him a traitor one more time and…”

“Colonel!” Admiral MacLeod said sternly. “That will be enough.”

Melfis looked toward the half Klingon-Romulan and considered saying something but decided against it.

Vree also shook her head slightly at the revelation. Was Tajel's conversation with her a few months ago a precursor to what he was going to do, or was it something he had already done before calling his father?

"Captain Melfis, I've known Tajel for nearly my entire life. If he did this, it wouldn't have been on purpose. He would not knowingly betray Starfleet or the Federation."

She didn't even give Jahkar a glance as she said that. She knew Tajel had some sympathies for the Free Cardassia movement, but he knew better than to take matters in his own hands while he was still part of the Starfleet. She even told him so. But she wondered how much did Jahkar know about it?

Melfis glared at the young Trill commander. "Be that as it may, it still doesn't explain away his actions to reveal confidential information on our planetary security!"

"And all of that will be, and should be, revealed during his trial. If he is now under arrest and cooperating, I see no reason to use whatever information he has to stop the SOC before another planet is destroyed."

This time, she did give Jahkar the briefest glance. "Calling him a traitor before a tribunal has given final judgement is an...emotional reaction to the situation. It's happened, let's move forward and not let it bog us down on planning what we're going to do now."

"You're out of line, Commander." Melfis said with a growl.

"Be that as it may, Captain," MacLeod interjected, "our main focus now is what to do next to stop the SOC."

"Let me interrogate the Ensign," Vree blurted out quickly.

Melfis now let out a forceful puff of air that signified his discontentment of the situation. "We've already interrogated him, and he told us everything he knows. It's in the report."

"I still want to talk with him and go over the report." The Trill insisted as she accessed the report in her eyes.

Melfis nearly sneered at her. "You won't get anything more out of him."

"If my team is going to be tasked with continued pursuit of the SOC, I need to be sure we have all of our bases covered, and all intelligence reports verified."

Melfis gave an annoyed sigh then waved his hand toward Mayla, “Do as you will.”

She then looked from McCulloch and then to MacLeod. "We also have an SOC prisoner on board the Resurrection."

Now the Benzite exploded. "What?! From Central Command? Why hasn't he been turned over into our custody?"

"We pulled everyone out before all of the SOC beamed out," she explained. "He surrendered to us. I decided it was necessary to get him away from Central Command as quickly as possible before we had secured the building; in case there was a deadman's trap."

"When were you going to tell us this?" Hartman asked.

"I was waiting to be debriefed, and after we've interrogated him."

"Admiral," Melfis continued in his tone of agitation. "I must protest the methods the Commander is using to undermine my position here as-"

"She made a judgment call in the field," Lazarus interrupted him, becoming fed up with the Benzite. "The prisoner will be released into your custody when we are done here."

MacLeod cleared his throat, drawing attention to himself. The admiral then spoke, his glare directed at Melfis, “Excuse me, captain, but you are in charge of Starfleet forces operating in Cardassian space at this moment, correct?”

Melfis sat back in his chair, looked around with an air of superiority and drew a breath from the breathing apparatus, “Correct, admiral.”

“Oh, forgive me, I mean you are in command of withdrawing forces from Cardassian space. You are seeing to the end of the Occupation,” MacLeod said further. “You have little to say about Starfleet Intelligence operations here, and certainly nothing to say about directives from the Federation Council?”

Melfis became very quiet and stared at MacLeod’s hologram with an astonished look on his face, “Well, no, but Ensign Dara is under my command…”

“Was…under your command,” MacLeod said. “He is now a prisoner who is being remanded over to the custody of Shadow Operations.”

“What? But you….” Melfis gasped.

“I have the authority of the Federation Security Council, Captain Melfis,” MacLeod said, transmitting his orders to the conference room where the team was assembled. “Have your officers turn Dara Tajel over to my people for further interrogation. Commander Hartman, you may still have access to the prisoner as you are assisting in this investigation. Captain Melfis, thank you for your cooperation. You are dismissed.”

Melfis looked absolutely baffled and he stammered, seeking the words to express his displeasure at the order.

MacLeod gave him a smirk, “Come now, captain, don’t you have some serious work to do? Those Federation forces won’t withdraw themselves from Cardassian space…and you have to keep an eye on that border with the Breen.”

“I….you…” Melfis appeared confused.

“Get at it, captain,” MacLeod barked. “You are dismissed!”

Captain Melfis stood up, indignantly pulling his uniform down to straighten it, before turning and exiting the room without another word…

Jahkar was mostly consumed with his own thoughts at the moment, pondering how his stepson had somehow turned to these terrorists and had helped them with their nefarious plans. But when he heard MacLeod giving Melfis a hard time, he rejoined the session and watched at Melfis stood and started toward the door.

“Goodbye, captain,” Jahkar said, his eyes moving from the tabletop to send a glare in Melfis’ direction as the Benzite reached the door and walked out of the room.

MacLeod waited for the air to clear and continued. “Our focus has to be on what the Sons of Cardassia are planning next. We are not going to chase this thing in multiple directions. This has to all be leading toward one event. One place. What are they going to do next? They have at least one, possibly two powerful quantum singularity weapons. Where are they going to use them?

“They purposely went to this Outpost 4028 and either killed or kidnapped the Founder incarcerated there. Why? Hartman, how long before we know something from Outpost 4028?”

“Two, maybe three hours,” the commander reported.

“I have a couple thoughts. One, get these prisoners interrogated...the boy on Resurrection and Tajel. See what they know. See if they can give us names, locations, plans...anything,” MacLeod said. He then looked to Mayla, “I noticed in the bio information on Oran Drajal, the leader of the SOC, that he was once an aide to ex-President Elim Garak.”

“The tailor on DS9?” Tiri asked, summoning information from her memory on the Bajoran outpost.

“He was always much more than a tailor, and he led the Cardassian Union through several years of the Occupation, before he walked away from it all,” MacLeod said. “He may have insights into what the Drajals are up to.”

The admiral looked at the time and grimaced, “Fearless will be there in one hour, 55 minutes. Is there anything else?”

Vree looked over to Hartman and Nidek. "Do you know where Garak is presently? We could pay him a visit."

Lazarus looked at her. "Starfleet Intelligence can't just pay a visit to the former president of Cardassia without going through the proper channels."

She looked over at her team. "It doesn't have to be an...official visit. Just some old friends visiting from offplanet."

MacLeod looked at her sternly. "Just spit it out, Commander."

"Jahkar and McCulloch both know Garak. And I've met him a few times on DS9 when I was younger. It will just be a friendly visit." The Trill looked at Nidek with a keen eye. "Assuming we can find where he is."

Lieutenant Ryramorl Ra’yral

Central Command, Cardassia Prime

Stardate 2108.15

Ryramorl growled under his breath.  Tajel…  Ryramorl had known him years ago, or at least known of him.  How Reepchip, who knew him from Starfleet Academy, would react to this was anyone’s guess.  He listened silently as Hartman outlined what was going on.  “The Founder…  the one behind the Jem’Hadar Invasion of the Antevas System?” he asked.

“Yes,” said the MacLeod hologram. “She surrendered at the end of the Dominion War and stood trial for war crimes. She was sentenced to life in prison.”

“One thing is on my mind, sir,” said Ryramorl.  “The fate of Ensign Charatetet, if he fails to fully recover.  You know that cybernetics and prosthetics are...” he paused, thinking of the right phrase.

“A bloody can of worms when it comes to the Carnora,” finished MacLeod.  “If Reepchip recovers, he’ll be back on Phoenix Squad.  If Reepchip is physically disabled, I’ll assign him to the Madcaps.  If he’s permanently incapaciated then he’ll receive a medical discharge and get sent back home,” responded the Admiral. “At that point he would require your people’s medicine. There would be nothing more we could do for him.”

Lt. Commander William McCulloch

Central Command, Cardassia Prime

Stardate 2108.18

Will’s head spun as he tried to digest everything that had just been disclosed. He had briefly met Tajel while serving with Bravo Squad before his fall from grace. Jahkar’s son was now facing a court-martial… a process McCulloch was intimately familiar with. He bristled at Melfis’ casually referring to the young officer as a “traitor” without knowing all the facts and circumstances. The Scot was keenly aware that Bravo Squad had branded him with the same title years earlier.

And rightfully so.

He only hoped there were mitigating circumstances that would make Tajel’s alleged crime far less serious than McCulloch’s.

As the conversation turned towards visiting Garak, McCulloch smiled slightly. Early in his career with the Shadow Operations program, he had developed a friendship with the Cardassian. In fact, the then tailor had offered to make Victoria’s wedding dress when the two became engaged.

What Mayla didn’t know...yet ... was Garak had remained in contact with Will in the years after his incarceration. Prior to the commencement of Operation Styx, Garak provided the Scot with potential leads on the location of the Cardassian criminal syndicate responsible for kidnapping Bajoran families before selling them to the highest bidder. Following the creation of Inverness, Garak quietly hired McCulloch’s firm to provide intelligence and economic assessments on several trade confederacies on the planet of Tiburon.

Will didn’t know where Garak was presently, but he wouldn’t be surprised if the former tailor was somewhere right under their noses.

Lt. Commander Jeremy Hartman

Central Command, Cardassia Prime

Stardate 2108.19

Hartman listened to Vree and her team and after she questioned where Elim Garak may be. The intel officer smiled, “Actually, his location is no secret. He owns a tailor shop in the western province city of Culat. He has been there since his resignation as president. He generally refuses to speak to anyone regarding political matters…but he’ll fit you for a suit if you ask.”

Commander Victoria Smith

*USS Resurrection*

Stardate 2108.19

Victoria returned to the medical bay to check on Reepchip. The Haliian petty officer was still seated near the Muran. Based upon the confused expressions on his face, it was obvious he had established a telepathic link with the injured ensign. Warrant Officer Hannigan stood over Reepchip checking his vital signs.

“How is he?” The nurse asked as she neared the biobed and began to visually examine the unconscious Reepchip.

“He’s improving.” Hannigan hesitated. “Well, he’s stabilized.”

“It’s his nervous system you’re concerned about,” Victoria noted as she picked up a padd and began to review the notes the EMH made following her last exam of the Muran. “It’s mine as well. Unfortunately, it’s too soon to say whether he’ll make a full recovery or not.”

“What do we do now?”

“We continue to monitor him and keep him as comfortable as possible.”

“If he wakes up?” Fiadh asked, there was a tone of concern in her voice.

“We start preliminary testing to determine whether the surgery was successful or not.”

“Yes ma’am.”

“Regardless of whether he is awake or not,” the nurse continued, “we need to prepare him for transfer to the Fearless. Their doctors are much better equipped for follow-up treatment of the ensign.”

“How far out are they?”

“Approximately two hours,” Victoria announced.

Fiadh nodded in understanding. “And then?”

“Union 12 is going to have a debriefing on Reepchip’s surgery. The medical data we obtained from the procedure is going to be quite helpful if we ever have to treat him in the field.”

“You’re holding class?” Fiadh groaned.

“I’m holding class.” Victoria repeated.

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