The doors of the turbolift opened and the group of senior officers spilled out onto the bridge. Without hesitation, Kehlan headed straight for the science console. That was where she could do the most good right now. Her knowledge of Endeavour's systems was still limited but there were only so many ways to present scientific data. Fingers flying over the panel, she began to pull up information from the ship's sensors. As she worked, she observed the easy way the crew worked together and listened carefully to the ebb and flow of information between the captain and his officers. It was evident that they had been working together for a long time.

She scanned the data on her console. It was not good enough, she decided, focusing all her concentration on the task at hand. She was aware that the sensor system she was using was more advanced than Klingon sensors, but whoever had programmed them had not made the fullest use of their capabilities.

"Commander Kehlan?"

With a start, she realised the captain was addressing her and she did not yet have all the information he needed. "I'll have the information in a moment, Captain" she answered, not looking up as she continued to re-programme the computer. Entering the final command, she slipped around the blockage and found what she needed.

"It is a level six ion storm," she reported, sending the technical data to the captain's console as she spoke. "The signs indicate it will increase in intensity to level seven, possibly even level eight although it should dissipate in a few hours. It should be no danger to the Endeavour provided we keep our shields up."

"What about the freighter?"

"The Orinoco's shields are in poor condition," Kehlan said, "They are not strong enough to protect the ship. I would suggest that we move closer and extend our shields around it."

"Very well," Captain Mackenzie said, "Do it."

"Aye sir," the helm officer acknowledged as he obeyed the captain's order, bringing the Endeavour closer to the damaged freighter. "We are now in position"

"Extending shields, sir," The officer at the operations console said, "The Orinoco is now fully shielded."

The communications officer looked up from his console. "Captain, a message is coming through from the Orinoco. The engineering team are requesting permission to beam back on board."

Reading through the technical data that was continuing to come through to her console, Kehlan frowned. "Sir, it would not be a good idea to use the transporters during the storm."

Captain Mackenzie gave a nod of agreement. "Send a message to the away team," he said, "Tell them they'll have to stay on the Orinoco until the storm is over."

Outside the ship, the intensity of the ion storm was increasing and the shuddering was almost constant. Occasionally a stronger gust hit the ship, causing it to shake more violently.

Endeavour's bridge crew were quiet now. They would all remain on duty until the storm was over and the danger was past. There was nothing to do now, but wait it out.

The ion storm raged for several hours before dying down in the early hours of the morning. Finally Captain Mackenzie was able to send his tired bridge officers off duty to get some rest. The juniors had had an easy night of it, they could hold the fort for a while.

Almost a week after the ion storm, Kehlan was sitting in the captain's chair on the bridge of the Endeavour. It had been a very busy week, each day filled with intensive training. But today was different. Today she had taken her first duty shift on the bridge without the captain's presence. It seemed strange to be sitting in his chair. On a Klingon ship, the captain's chair would remain empty if the commanding officer were not present, no-one else would ever use it. But there were many things Kehlan found strange about serving on a Federation ship. The Endeavour was cooler and much more brightly lit than the Hegh'Ta, in fact the whole feel of the ship was different. Her red and black commander's uniform was ridiculously comfortable compared to the armour she was accustomed to, but she felt naked without her d'k'tahg. It hadn't seemed appropriate though, to wear it with her Federation uniform. Not that she really needed it, she consoled herself, she could defend herself without it and it wasn't as if anyone on this ship was any threat to her.

She glanced at the time. Nothing of interest had happened in the last few hours. Only ten more minutes and the gamma shift would come on duty, she would hand over to Major Speares, the marines commander and acting second officer and her first solo shift would be over.

"Commander Kehlan," One of the officers, an Andorian, named if she remembered correctly, Lieutenant Ch'Pesh, attracted her attention, "I'm detecting something on long range scanners."

"What is it, Ch'Pesh?"

"I'm not sure, sir," the lieutenant responded, "It's too far out to show up clearly, but I think it may be a ship."

"Magnify the image."

"It's already at full magnification," the Andorian told her.

Kehlan got up and moved over to the tactical station, looking over Ch'Pesh's shoulder at the display. "Try tightening the focal array… ah, that's a little better." The picture sharpened, but it still wasn't quite enough to interpret the image on the screen. The Andorian officer moved out of the way, allowing Kehlan access as she made further adjustments to the system. She watched, satisfied as the image became clearer and finally came into focus.

"It's Jem'Hadar," she said, "Not really surprising out here, I suppose."

Turning to the Terran lieutenant seated at the communications panel, she was about to address him when she realised she had forgotten his name. Pale… no that wasn't quite right. She tried again. Palin. That was it, Samuel Palin. Relieved, she instructed him, "Lieutenant Palin, open a channel to the captain."

Both Krang and Captain Mackenzie were on board the damaged freighter when the signal from Endeavour came through. The Terran captain was deliberately keeping himself busy to take his mind off his new first officer. Kehlan was settling in well and adapting to life on a Federation starship, but knowing it was her first shift alone, he had to restrain himself from calling to see how she was getting on – that would send a message to his crew that he did not trust her. And he did trust her - she had proved herself to be a good officer. If something happened that required his attention, she would call him. Nevertheless, he found himself continuing to think about her as he inspected the repairs the engineers were still carrying out. The Orinoco was fit for towing and the ships were once again under way, but there was still a lot of work left to be done while they were travelling. His combadge bleeped and he touched it, in acknowledgement.

"Sir, we have picked up signs of a Jem'Hadar attack ship on long range scanners," Kehlan informed her captain.

"Have they detected us?" Captain Mackenzie asked.

"Not yet, sir," Kehlan replied, "We are still at extreme sensor range."

"Well done Commander," the Captain said. "I'll beam back in a few minutes. Let me know if there's any change." Closing the comm. link, he looked at his fellow captain. "A single Jem'Hadar ship. I doubt it'll come close enough for us to take it though. Pity."

"A damaged freighter and lone starship should lure it in closer," Krang said thoughtfully, "Make it look as though Endeavour is in trouble. I'll cloak Hegh'Ta and drop back a little."

Mackenzie considered the idea. "Didn't Defiant try something similar with the Rotarran? I seem to remember reading the mission report. It worked well as I recall."

"Correct," Krang said, "Let's see if it proves equally successful for us."

"Understood," The Terran captain said, "We'd better get back to our ships."

Beaming back to Endeavour, Captain Mackenzie headed straight to the bridge. Switching the main screen to the aft view, he watched in satisfaction as the Hegh'Ta began to drop back and then as the cloaking device took effect, the image flickered and disappeared, leaving only the stars visible on the screen.

Sending the ship to yellow alert Captain Mackenzie began to give orders, putting his part of the plan into motion. "Weaken the tractor beam," he instructed, "and drop the power supply to half. I want us to appear vulnerable."

Kehlan glanced at her panel. "The Jem'Hadar vessel has detected us, Captain," she reported. "It's moving closer. At current velocity it should reach us in thirty two minutes."

"So far so good," Captain Mackenzie said, "Be ready to bring the power and weapons systems back on line on my command."

The next thirty minutes crawled by, seeming impossibly slow. Both alpha and gamma shift officers had made an appearance by now – as the ship prepared for combat nobody remained off duty. Inexorably the enemy vessel grew larger and larger on the viewscreen as it approached the seemingly helpless starship and the captain gave the order to go from yellow to red alert.

"Enemy ship is charging weapons," Ch'Pesh said, his voice tense. "They are preparing to fire."

"Just a little longer," Captain Mackenzie said, holding up a hand, "Wait for it…"

Where was Hegh'Ta, the captain wondered as the enemy gun-ports opened? He couldn't afford to wait any longer. Dropping his hand, he gave the signal his crew were waiting for. "NOW!"

Instantly there was a flurry of activity as the powered down systems came back on line. "Full power to shields," Kehlan growled, "Opening fire."

Glancing at the viewscreen, Captain Mackenzie saw the Hegh'Ta decloak directly above the Jem'Hadar cruiser, wings lowered into the attack position, its disrupter cannons spitting green death at the enemy ship.

The massive cruiser shook violently, soundless explosions blooming along its flank as both Federation and Klingon weapons tore into it. But the Jem'Hadar were no cowards and the ship kept coming. Moments later, it was Endeavour's turn to shake as a volley of torpedoes crashed into it.

"Initiating evasive manoeuvres," Kehlan said, knowing as she spoke, that any such manoeuvres must by necessity, be limited. There was still the damaged freighter to protect – the Jem'Hadar could not be allowed to get near it.

Another volley smashed into the saucer section and this time, the ship lurched heavily, throwing them violently to the floor, alarms sounding as consoles exploded in a shower of sparks.

Captain Mackenzie got to his feet, and looking around to survey the damage, he saw Kehlan doing the same. She was cradling one arm to her body.

"I think I've broken my wrist" she said tersely, seeing the captain's look of enquiry. "I'm all right" Seating herself at a damaged console, she began, with only her left hand, to re-route power, trying to bring the systems back up to full strength.

The communications officer hadn't been so lucky. He lay motionless on the floor where he had fallen. Checking on the stricken lieutenant, Captain Mackenzie was pleased to find that the man was still breathing. Touching his combadge, he called, "Bridge to sickbay. We need a medical team up here."

"We'll have someone with you as soon as possible." T'lia's voice, calm and reassuring came over the intercom.

Captain Mackenzie felt something warm trickling down the side of his face. Reaching up, he touched it and was surprised to see blood on his fingers. He must have hit his head when he fell, he thought, funny that he hadn't even felt it. Wiping the blood out of his eyes, he checked the tactical display on screen, and saw Hegh'Ta come swooping gracefully between Endeavour and the enemy cruiser, its disruptors firing again and again. Every shot hit its mark. The Jem'Hadar ship was in trouble now, although still dangerous. Giving orders, he sent Endeavour in a tight turn, simultaneously firing both phasers and photon torpedoes at the enemy vessel. The weapons of the two ships found their target and the cruiser's shields flickered heavily before going down completely. Vulnerable now, the enemy ship turned to flee. Too late. Sending one last volley, the crew gave a ragged cheer as the Jem'Hadar vessel exploded.