DISCLAIMER: The following is fan fiction utilizing events and characters from the "Star Trek" television series. It is fan fiction only… there is NO intent here to collect income or infringe on the trademarks, copyrights, or patented work of others. Please DO NOT use this material for anything other than pure reading enjoyment. If you have been missing at least occasional new "Star Trek" episodes in your life, this is the place to come.

Star Trek: Reign Of Terror

I have not kept up with the "Star Trek" novels the past few years. Since many of the book plots have at times varied from what we see on screen anyway, this storyline is based primarily upon the episodes that we have viewed at home on TV and the movies we've watched while munching popcorn in the movie theatres.

If you haven't read my other stories yet, I strongly urge you to do so BEFORE reading this one. Although I have tried to write stand-alone episodes, there are some common characters involved in each that relate to the sequence in which they were written. As an example, Lt. Commander Patrick Hazelton appears briefly in this story. In my version of the Trekiverse, he eventually takes over command of DS9 after Sisko joins the prophets in the Celestial Temple. The correct reading order is: Absolution, Eternal Soul, Dark Archon, & Reign Of Terror.

Each time I do a "Trek" story (and there is an actual list now!), I try to add something unique and different to the mix and yet stay true to the original heart and soul that is "Star Trek". As part of my ongoing effort to tip my cap to my favorite Science Fiction series of all time, each Chapter in THIS story is named after one of the 79 episodes from the original television show. (And NO that doesn't mean there will be 79 chapters… just the precise number of them that I need to properly tell this tale. Somehow I just don't think I would be able to work 'Miri' into the storyline!)

Chapter I: The Devil In The Dark

Deep Space Nine, Commander's Office

Station Log, Stardate 48244.6. Starfleet Command has made it quite clear to me that they believe our hostile encounters with the Dominion will continue to escalate. Having recently escaped destruction at the hands of the ferocious Jem'Hadar during our recent peace mission into the Gamma Quadrant, my command staff and I are deeply troubled. Despite placing the Defiant permanently at our disposal, Vice Admiral Nechayev has additionally ordered the deployment of hundreds of new personnel aboard DS9. Along with their assistance, Chief O'Brien is extremely optimistic that we will finally upgrade this station's firepower with the resources necessary to defend our side of the wormhole.

Still, the temporary assignment of extra Starfleet and Bajoran technicians on board does present a heightened security risk. With so many people moving back and forth both outside and inside the station, along with the normal commercial traffic that continues flowing to and from the Gamma Quadrant, there are admittedly more loopholes and opportunities for dishonesty than ever before. Odo has assured me that – although his relationship with the newly assigned Lt. Commander Michael Eddington remains tenuous – he will continue to fulfill his duties as Chief of Security to the best of his ability. I really don't care if those two like each other, or the situation… only that they work together and minimize trouble.

Sitting comfortably in his dimly lit office adjacent to and overlooking main Operations, Commander Benjamin Sisko folded the fingers of both hands together and set them on the surface of his desk. He eyed the baseball that he kept sitting in its stand in front of him and considered tossing it idly back and forth from one hand to the other. Occasionally he did so while deep in thought and pausing to think before speaking, but this time he decided that the log summary he had recorded would suffice for now. An instant later he rose from his seat and headed back out into the main Ops command center to assist Jadzia Dax and Major Kira Nerys with monitoring the ongoing progress of the station upgrades.

As he joined the rest of his senior staff, Sisko was quite surprised to see a sleek new Federation runabout prominently displayed on the central, oval-shaped viewscreen. It was obviously drifting steadily toward them at reduced impulse velocity. "That's not one of ours," he commented idly, glancing at Kira as the small vessel continued to move steadily toward them. "Are we expecting anyone today Major?"

She smirked at his subtle prod, glancing up just long enough to chuckle in reply. "That is one of yours Commander," she replied coolly. "Perhaps not a Deep Space Nine runabout, but it's definitely Starfleet."

Chief Miles Edward O'Brien was standing between Kira and the similarly dark-haired Jadzia Dax, busily using one of the Operations sensor consoles to study incoming telemetry on the shuttle. "It looks to be a brand new design," he pointed out, whistling softly and sounding more than a bit awestruck. "And a pretty good one too – that ship is a Knighthawk-Class runabout. Rumor has it they can outrun just about anything warp capable. Its identification beacon reads as the U.S.S. Yellowjacket."

"We're being hailed Commander," Jadzia noted crisply.

Sisko harrumphed at her in response and shrugged his broad shoulders. "On screen please."

He recognized the android 2nd officer from the Enterprise the instant the display switched to an interior visual of the Yellowjacket's cockpit. Two additional people were sitting directly behind Lt. Commander Data – a man and a woman. Neither face was immediately recognizable to Sisko, but the red-haired female wore a Starfleet uniform and sat calmly with a quiet confidence and body language generally associated with someone of high rank and considerable experience. The male was dark-haired and – although very youthful looking in appearance – almost certainly closer to age thirty than twenty. His expression was unreadable, and Sisko noticed that this third member of Data's party wore civilian garb.

"Captain Sisko, it is an honor to finally make your acquaintance," Data said politely. "Unfortunately, I did not have the opportunity to do so during previous Enterprise visits to Deep Space Nine."

"The honor is mutual," replied Sisko, moving casually toward the center of Ops. "Your reputation in Starfleet is quite an impressive one. Forgive my obvious interest, Commander, but I am extremely curious – what brings you out this far?"

"Business, as you might have guessed," the android replied quickly. "I am carrying special encrypted orders for you that were routed to me via Captain Picard directly from Starfleet Intelligence. No one other than the senior members of your command staff must know about the details of this mission… complete secrecy regarding this matter is of the utmost importance." Data's gaze shifted from Sisko to the Bajoran technicians working at various consoles throughout Ops. His eyes finally came to a rest on Chief O'Brien, a non-commissioned member of Starfleet.

"It's good to see you again Data," nodded O'Brien with his usual wry smile.

Sisko stroked his chin thoughtfully with his right hand as he mentally processed the news. "And Captain Picard? What does he think about all of this?"

"Both Captain Picard and Commander Riker are fully aware of the situation," responded Data. "They have agreed to temporarily reassign me to Deep Space Nine until my new mission is completed."

"Okay then," acknowledged Sisko. He turned his head sharply to Jadzia. "Dax… grant them clearance to land in runabout pad 'D'.

"Aye sir," Jadzia Dax replied as she initiated the docking clearances needed.

Sisko redirected his attention back to the oval viewscreen. "I'll meet your group at the landing bay," he stated briskly. "I must confess that I'm very eager to read those new orders of yours."

Flanked by Miles O'Brien and Michael Eddington, Benjamin Sisko waited patiently at the entrance to runabout pad 'D' as its interior pressurized with a normal, breathable atmosphere. It didn't take long before the doors snapped open and Data emerged with the other two people following close behind. The red-headed female had four bright pips on the collar of her uniform and Sisko nodded with genuine respect as he recognized a senior officer.

"I'm Captain Kathryn Janeway," the red-headed female stated confidently and with a warm smile, extending her hand to shake Sisko's. She gestured to the tall, gangly man next to her. "And this is my associate, Mr. Tom Paris."

Data promptly entered a decryption sequence authorization on a data padd that he was holding and then handed the small device to Sisko. "These are your new orders," he stated honestly. "You and your security team are instructed to assist us as we attempt to smuggle Mr. Paris into one of the colonies along the demilitarized zone near the Cardassian border. Tom is a very resourceful man, and we have high hopes that he will be able to infiltrate the renegade Maquis who still cause trouble there from time to time and serve as a valuable source of intelligence."

Eddington raised an eyebrow in surprise at the unexpected announcement. "Doesn't Starfleet already have plenty of double agents working within the ranks of the Maquis?"

The android shrugged his shoulders in a reaction that appeared very human-like. "I have my orders."

"Then so do we," Sisko agreed with a smile as he completed his initial review of the official authorization listed on the padd. "Chief O'Brien will assign and escort you to quarters in the habitat ring, and if you need to meet with my senior staff…"

Commander Data held up a cautioning hand. "It is better if only those present know the full details of the mission," he decided instantly. "The presence of Captain Janeway aboard Deep Space Nine will draw lots of attention to her, allowing Mr. Paris to move among the regular ship Captains who frequent the businesses on your Promenade. We will distract everyone away from him and allow him the time he needs to book passage on a ship bound for the DMZ."

Eddington's eyes shifted back and forth between Data and Sisko. "That does make the most sense Commander," he agreed with a dry smile.

"Then that's exactly what we'll do," replied Sisko.

Chief O'Brien glanced longingly through the window at the sleek form of the Yellowjacket setting inside the hangar bay. "I was looking forward to getting a closer look at your new runabout," he admitted sheepishly. "You don't suppose…"

"How are the repairs coming on the Defiant?" asked Sisko curiously, interrupting O'Brien before he could finish his statement.

His unexpected question snapped O'Brien to attention. "We're ahead of schedule sir," he replied briskly. "In two more days we should have her back to one hundred percent."

"Show these people to their quarters as instructed," ordered the Commander firmly. "Then you can come back and take a few minutes to have a look at the Yellowjacket."

O'Brien smiled delightedly. "Sir. Yes sir," he acknowledged with a cheerful nod. Turning to the newcomers, he gestured for Data, Janeway and Paris to follow him. "Right this way everyone," he declared enthusiastically. As the three runabout passengers began following him down the corridor, the Chief put a reassuring hand on Data's shoulder. "How is everyone aboard the Enterprise these days?" he asked curiously. "Are you still keeping the Federation safe from 'Q'?"

"Of course," Data replied brusquely. "'Q' management remains one of our number one priorities."

The Chief chuckled and shook his head at the unanticipated comeback. Of all the wonders he had observed over the years while working with the sophisticated android, O'Brien had always loved the way Data could inadvertently make people laugh when he least intended to but completely botch a real joke on the rare occasions when he intentionally tried telling one. "It's good to see you again sir," grinned O'Brien, unsuccessfully trying to stifle his amusement.

Quark's Bar, 2nd Level

Quark had reached the top of the winding stairs and was nearing the entrance to one of his holosuites when he heard Rom cussing loudly from below. Gritting his sharpened teeth with frustration, the Ferengi bartender cast a fierce gaze down the stairwell in the general direction of his clumsy brother. "Rom, you sack of rotten tube grubs," he growled with more than mild irritation, "don't you dare drop any of that food!" Expertly steadying his own tray of fine cuisine with his left hand, he shifted a bottle of expensive wine to the crook of his elbow so that he could open the door in front of him.

"Don't worry brother," Rom cooed reassuringly in reply. "I stumbled but I didn't fall." Taking another step upward, he noticed the fresh browned biscuits in the center of a selection of an array of fine meats tumble awkwardly toward the edge of one of the two platters he held. Using his large, ridged nose he quickly stopped them from dropping all the way to the floor and edged them back toward their former position next to a laden gravy boat.

"If you wreck this expensive meal, the cost is coming out of your share of our profits," promised Quark with a last look of disdain. As the doors in front of him parted with a soft hiss he stepped into the holosuite with his most enthusiastic smile leaping instantly into action. "Captain Keyoun," he purred respectfully. "What an honor it is to see you again."

Gasping for breath, Rom entered the room close behind him with his own pair of hot, steaming food trays barely balanced in his hands. "I made it!" Quark's brother declared proudly, sighing heavily with relief. "For a moment there, brother, things didn't look all that gooood."

In the center of the room was a large, extravagantly decorated table covered in gold cloth. The cups, plates and silverware arranged on its surface were all brightly colored silver and inlaid with various colored gemstones. The entire holosuite had been programmed to appear as a sunlit-day next to a frothing waterfall, and birds could be heard chittering among the trees in the background. The table was sitting on a lush, grassy field near the base of the waterfall with the gradually subsiding current flowing casually past the person seated there. The water was fresh and clear and mesmerizing to watch… it was a very beautifully designed holographic setting.

Keyoun was a tall humanoid Bajoran with a wide smile and an unusually large crinkle at the top of his nose. His long dark hair was tied in a pony tail at the base of his neck, and the Bajoran earring attached to his right ear was obviously a very expensive one. The freighter Captain was also Quark's latest partner in the pursuit of profit… always a high priority, ongoing mission with the Ferengi bartender.

"It is also my honor to see you again Quark," Keyoun grinned, standing and thumbing his signature on a data padd as he handed it over. Both Quark and Rom hastily set their trays of food and the bottle of wine in the center of the table as a frothy mist from the waterfall drifted past them on a cool breeze. The Bajoran freighter Captain breathed in the fresh air with appreciation and sighed deeply, continuing to smile broadly at the two Ferengi.

"We agreed on thirty percent for my trouble," Quark reminded Keyoun as he expertly popped the cork out of the bottle. It landed somewhere in the stream behind him and he poured the Captain a glass of pale amber liquid. "I sincerely hope you haven't disappointed me."

The Captain laughed uproariously in response. "My good friend Quark," he said with more than a little amusement. "You have found me so many new, reliable customers lately that I have transferred thirty-two percent into your account. And I have also brought you this as a major token of my appreciation." Reaching down beneath the table he brought out a large briefcase and handed it over to the Ferengi. As Quark accepted it, he almost dropped it.

"This is heavy. What did you bring me Keyoun, a suitcase full of lead?" Quark tried to lift it one more time, finally giving up and gesturing for Rom to pick up the luggage.

"That briefcase contains your bonus," chuckled Keyoun with a wicked smirk. "It's full of latinum." He briefly sniffed the aroma drifting up from the wine glass and then sipped lightly at the liquid inside. "Ahh, this is truly the nectar of the Prophets."

Quark frowned briefly as he watched Rom struggle to drag the briefcase out of the holosuite before returning his attention to the Bajoran. "That's a lot of latinum," he pointed out. "Who in the galaxy could possibly want simple deck plating and gravity generators that badly?"

Keyoun shrugged, drained the glass of wine completely and quickly poured himself another round. "I have no idea Quark, my friend, and I really do not care." He reseated himself at the table and directed his attention toward the three laden food platters, picking out several samplers to munch on as they continued their conversation. "All I know is that the merchandise is easy enough to replicate, it's not illegal, and it's even easier to sell to someone who wants the equipment badly enough to pay three times the normal market price."

Despite the Captain's comments, Quark shook his head. "It's not supposed to be this easy Keyoun… my highly developed lobes are sounding warning bells every time we complete one of these transactions." He stood quietly for a moment, carefully thinking the matter over. "Nevertheless, if it's that easy to snow people out of their money with merchandise that they could acquire cheaper elsewhere, I might have to invest in an industry-sized replicator or two for myself."

The slim, dark-haired Keyoun's good mood persisted as he sampled more steaming offerings from the appetizer tray. "Why would you want to do that my old friend, when I already have access to several of them and you're making thirty percent off of everything I rake in?" He drank more of the wine and smiled. "Fortunately, our customers want their product fast and they're willing to pay extra to get it."

Despite years of business expertise and an instinct telling him otherwise, Quark decided to agree. "I guess you're right," he nodded. Retreating back toward the still open doorway leading away from the outdoor nature setting and back to the Deep Space Nine corridor and its stairwell to the lower level, the Ferengi paused next to a computer access panel. Removing an isolinear rod from the pocket of his jacket, he carefully inserted it into one of the open slots and smiled at Keyoun. "Since you decided to give me a little extra bonus, I might as well return the favor." Quark's grin was particularly wicked as he paused one last moment in the doorway. "Enjoy your meal," he said softly before taking a step back into the corridor and allowing the door to close.

Keyoun declined to respond and returned his attention to the meal. He had just dipped a hot biscuit in dark brown gravy and taken a bite out of it when an electronic whir caught his attention. In front of him, a whirl of photons coalesced into the slim, enticing figure of an attractive blonde female. A very scant pink and yellow outfit hid just enough of her to make the freighter Captain smile appreciatively. "My name is Shaliya," she said softly, pursing her lips just enough for Keyoun to raise an eyebrow. "Quark programmed me specifically to be your host for tonight."

"I hope he programmed you to be a whole lot more than just a host," grinned the Captain mischievously.

Shaliya crossed the short distance between them and bent over to offer him a nice view of her ample cleavage. She put an index finger confidently under his chin and lifted his face toward hers. "Of course," she said with an alluring smile. An exotic aroma of perfumed flowers drifted down toward the Bajoran and he inhaled the intoxicating vapors deeply. "I am programmed to do whatever you wish." As she continued beaming down at him, the loud snap of the exit door locking was briefly audible above the rush of the waterfall. "It's going to be just the two of us for the remainder of the evening."

"That's a neat trick," decided Keyoun cheerfully, pushing his plate in and wiping his lips with a napkin. "I really like that locking the door thing. Perhaps we should save dinner for later."

Shaliya was barefoot and stepped casually into the shallow waters of the stream running away from the waterfall, playfully kicking sunlit droplets in his direction. "Perhaps we should save dinner for breakfast…" she suggested seductively, tempting him to stand up and approach her.

Then Shaliya simply disappeared into thin air.

"What in the name of…?" Captain Keyoun rose suspiciously to his feet as the entire holographic simulation surrounding him flickered erratically, lost power and suddenly vanished. Even the table and his chair disappeared, causing all three trays of food along with the bottle of wine to drop noisily to the floor below. Instinctively the Bajoran freighter commander reached for his weapon, but of course the "no weapons" policy on the Promenade had prevailed as always. Angrily he walked across the small holosuite toward the door and activated the exit mechanism. He received only an angry, electronic beeping in response. Growing angrier by the minute, Keyoun removed a Bajoran comm-badge from his pocket and activated it. "Keyoun to Quark," he snapped angrily. "This isn't funny you little fireworm… next time you're getting thirty percent of our profits and not a fraction more!"

There was no response, and the Captain weighed his options as his ire rose even further. He was about to locate and begin tampering with the central control panel when the lights in the room dimmed to a level so low he could barely see. The hair under the ponytail on the back of his neck prickled as the room's temperature dropped noticeably and an eerie quiet settled over the room. With the door still locked and the nature setting shut down there was a sudden sense of danger in the air. It had grown so cold that Keyoun could see white wisps of vapor each time he exhaled.

"YOU HAVE BETRAYED ME."

Keyoun heard the words in his mind as well as the spoken sound. Sighing with relief he turned toward the origin of the voice and chuckled. "Oh," he said with relief. "It's you. How did you get here? This station is a long way from our usual meeting place."

"YOU HAVE BETRAYED ME."

The Bajoran fought back a surge of defensive anger. "I did nothing of the sort. I temporarily diverted some of the equipment and profits to people who can open up all kinds of new markets for us. It may take a while longer, but trust me – we're all going to get rich. Very rich."

"YOU DIVERTED MY EQUIPMENT."

The center of the room was shimmering and rippling as something began to appear there in the dimly lit holosuite. It was humanoid shaped, but robed completely in black with a hood shrouding its face. As the newcomer raised its hidden features toward Keyoun, two eyes that were red as burning coals flashed angrily in his direction. The Bajoran held up his hands with growing frustration as he studied the unexpected visitor closely. "If you give me two more weeks I can arrange to double my deliveries," the Captain promised. "After that, the sky's the limit. Quark and I will be able to fill any sized order. Any size." His voice had become a bit nervous as the unknown entity drifted slowly toward him, gliding gracefully across the floor instead of walking.

"I DO NOT WANT MORE. I WANT WHAT WAS PROMISED IMMEDIATELY."

The creature halted just inches away from him, and even with it standing so close that he could smell its fetid breath Keyoun still could not see any facial features. Its burning crimson eyes, however, held his attention almost hypnotically and he felt a cold, empty knot form in the pit of his stomach.

"I don't have it," the freighter Captain stated honestly. "I took the liberty of making the arrangements that will be necessary to supply you with whatever you need on a long term basis. In the meantime a small fraction of your merchandise deliveries will be delayed. Now what in the name of the Prophets is wrong with that?"

"I AM ON A TIMELINE. YOU HAVE BETRAYED ME."

Keyoun backed away from the alien creature, holding up his hands defensively and fervently wishing that he had found a way to keep a weapon with him. "I simply diverted some of the gravity generators to other vendors who work with Quark," he admitted. "All we need is a few more weeks." There was a sudden tremor of unbridled fear in his voice that Keyoun didn't like, a subtle loss of control that betrayed his growing discomfort. "The Ferengi will make all the arrangements, and when he's done a lot of that merchandise will have changed hands many times with a great deal of profit added to its selling price at each stage of the transfer."

"I DON'T WANT TO BE RICH. I WANT MY EQUIPMENT."

"You'll get it the instant it arrives. I will warp it directly into your sector," the Bajoran promised. "I swear it won't be long before…"

"I WILL GET IT FROM SOMEONE ELSE."

Once again the black robed creature began gliding forward and it raised its arms straight outward, seizing Keyoun by the shoulders. He tried to pull away from the thing that held him but its strength was iron firm. Snarling in anger, he swung a punch directed toward the other's mid-section and his fist struck something so hard that his knuckles began bleeding. The skin on them had split instantly upon impact. Ignoring the shock and pain he continued hammering away at the creature, but his blows became less and less fierce as it slowly pulled him closer in a gigantic hug. Standing well over seven feet tall, most of Keyoun's body vanished inside the soft, dark fabric of the alien creature's robes.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhgggggggg!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Keyoun screamed in agony, his voice shattering the silence of the holosuite.

Seconds later the freighter Captain's body exploded into thousands of tiny fragments.

The creature vanished soon after.

"…and then I came back here, several hours later," Quark said to Odo. They were both standing in the center of the holosuite examining the colossal mess that had been left behind. "Captain Keyoun wasn't answering my pages and his holosuite time was up. I found the door locked, and after Rom brought me the equipment necessary to override the lockout we entered and found all of this…"

Several armed Bajoran security officers stood in the doorway watching the entire affair. Odo continued a careful survey of the room, picking up the half empty wine bottle and examining the amber fluid that still remained unspilled inside of it. "You found everything exactly the way it is now," asked Odo suspiciously. "You didn't tamper with anything?"

As eager to help as always when shady deals went awry, Quark shook his head. "Certainly not," he said firmly. "Did you check all of the transporter logs?"

"Yes," Odo replied tersely. "I haven't had an opportunity to review the sensor data from main Ops yet, but I think it's safe to conclude that no one entered this room after you left Keyoun in here. Not by using a conventional transporter anyway. The locked door therefore leaves us with a bit of a mystery." He tapped his Bajoran comm-badge, continuing to scowl at the scene in front of him. "Odo to Sisko."

The pause was a lot briefer than Odo expected so late in the evening. "Sisko here."

"We've had some trouble at Quark's tonight," the shapeshifter said briskly in reply. "A Bajoran freighter Captain named Keyoun was murdered in one of the holosuites."

"Another killing?"

Odo sighed. "Affirmative. That makes three unexplained deaths on the station in five days Commander."

"Give me five minutes to dress, and I'll be over to have a look," declared Sisko with his usual candor.

"Acknowledged." Odo closed the transmission and shook his head while watching Rom pick up a small chunk of what looked like burned insulation.

"We worked so hard, brother, preparing this celebration feast for Keyoun," the Ferengi told his brother. "And now it's all ruined… even my Katarrian layer cake has fallen. Look… it's gone all soft and spongy." He held up the brownish orange piece of debris so that Quark could have a closer look. Puzzlement crossed Rom's face as his brother instantly turned away with a look of complete disgust.

"That's not a piece of Katarrian layer cake Rom," said Odo sternly. "It's a piece of Keyoun."

Rom shrieked and dropped the object, noting suddenly that there were thousands of various sized, similar pieces scattered around the area where Keyoun had last been standing. Both he and Quark backed away from the mess and hovered near the protection of the armed Bajoran security officers.

"What could have done this?" asked Quark curiously.

"I don't know," Odo replied honestly. "However, I think it would be wise at this point for us to wake Dr. Bashir too. Perhaps he can shed some light on what has happened here tonight."

"I hope so," agreed Quark. "But if he had to go, at least Captain Keyoun paid me first."

The sharp look of rebuke that Odo directed toward the Ferengi caused him to retreat even farther behind one of the security guards for protection.