Chapter 6 In Library Complex

John watched as several beings used a terminal he had picked. It was in a secluded, shaded area of the building, yet offered clear lines of sight to both the front entrance and the emergency exit located near the back. He was now simply watching to learn the proper way to go about using the the terminal, incase there was a card or something that he would need to gain access to the interface. Once he determined that there was nothing of the sort necessary, he moved towards it.

He carefully set his compact case on the desk and studied the console. He took another look around, but didn't notice anyone paying any attention to him. In fact, several of the other people using the facilities were very obviously avoiding him. This was a trend he had noticed on several other worlds as well, as most of the aliens mistook him for a Peacekeeper.

Today, it was a minor deceit that he was grateful for. As long as he didn't make a fuss, everyone here would leave him to his work, afraid to risk Peacekeeper wrath. Though it had recently become common knowledge, the rift in the PK forces was not trusted. Most assumed that it was a trick they were playing on their enemies to lull them into a trap or that it was simply Scarren propaganda to frighten other races into giving up without a fight.

He worked quickly, sliding his jurry-rigged leech into the crystal data port and using the libraries connections to hack into Planet communications. He scanned through several systems, being careful not to trigger any of the traps and alarms he found. It didn't take him long to find the message he was looking for, and he scanned it for viruses or trace programs.

Finding nothing, he downloaded it into a spare crystal. He also took a moment to download a few other encrypted PK and Nebari messages he found. Finishing his role, he took a second crystal and downloaded a few of the more interesting bits of knowledge he found on the library system, including a few files on history and some medical data about species of his crew. Jool could use the medical data as a backup to her own knowledge, and he could study a little more about the races he found himself simultaneously fighting and trying to save.

Making his way to the entrance, he commed his allies. "Hey babe, what's going on with our friendly neighborhood PK's? Has the big shot left yet?"

"Not yet, John. In fact, Dargo's diversion was as effective as you wanted. There is only one peacekeeper across from me. He seems to be in command of the others. He sent the others back to the ships and went inside. He was out a microt later. No one else has returned from the ships, or left the building." Aeryn reported, waiting impatiently for her lover to return, so they could leave.

"How much longer will it take?" she asked.

"Already done. I'm just downloading some extra info that might come in handy later. I saw a small group of Sebecceans, looked like they're from the Royal Colonies, judging from the clothes. I didn't want to risk it though, so I duck backed into the cubicle and started leafing through the library systems. Found some neat stuff we could use, so I started downloading. Should be another 2 microts."

"Be carefull. They could be disrupters." Aeryn stated, watched the sebeccean across the road. He received a comm signal, spoke into it, and looking around, he re-entered the building he was guarding. "Just a microt. Something's happening." She moved from her position to circle the building shielding her and came around a few buildings closer to the one she was watching.

"Aeryn? What's going on out there?"

"Not sure. Maybe D'argo's distraction was spotted as that?"she replied, listening and watching as carefully as she could.

"Be ready for anything babe. I'm going to try and sneak out the back way." He turned off his comm and looked around the complex. Everyone was still avoiding him. 'Good. Time to go'. he thought to himself. He planted the eraser program which would wipe any tracks his hacking had made in the system.

************************************************************ Enterprise

"Well, Deanna? Is it Tinman?" Jean-Luc Picard asked as he took a sip of his tea. He had convened the senior staff in his ready room for a briefing. He had sent invitations for Worf and Riker to join them. It had been some time since they were all together. Though many people had worked the Enterprise over the years, Picard still missed the days of it's original crew.

Deanna Troi, soon Riker, smiled and nodded. "It is and Tam is still onboard. He has blocked me out though, so I can't really get a read on him. I do sense that he is no threat and wishes our help for something."

Lt. Com. Borene Loqualm, an Andorian who had joined the crew as tactical officer not long after Worf was given command of his own ship after finishing his tour at DS9, spoke next. "Captain, I'm sorry to interupt, but perhaps a little background information would be usefull? While I have read the official reports, I am well aware that there are often things that do not get placed in those reports for either personal reasons or because there is no actual proof. What exactly is Tinman and what is his relation to the Betazed Tam Eldrin?"

Picard looked to Deanna and nodded. He finished his tea while Deanna explained the personal side of the previous encounter with Tinman and her relationship to Tam. Geordi added his own comments as did Beverly. He was glad that most of his crew was still intact and was proud of Riker and Worf for reaching their goals of captaincy. 'Now if only Data were here.' he thought to himself. 'Not that Loshey is an inferior officer, but not even a Vulcan is a replacement for him.'

"What about weapons? Did the ship have weapons?" the Andorian asked.

"Not really. It could convert it's drive into a slingshot, sending enemy ships careening out of control for light years. But no conventional offensive weapons we could find." Geordi stated. He turned his eyes, glad not to wear the bulky VISOR any more. "It was a peaceful exploration vessel, from what we could get out of Tam. It was brought too close to a sun that was going nova, and a radiation leak killed the entire crew.

"Intriguing." stated Loshey. "Has anyone thought of trying to duplicate such a feat using the warp engine?"

"Data and I had a short discussion about it during off hours a few years ago. We didn't think we could get the energy levels you'd need to be able to direct it to an enemy vessel without destroying both. It never came up after that." Geordi replied, drinking from his coffee mug.

"Perhaps when we get a moment, we can go over the data and see if it is more feasible with the new hybrid technologies." Loshey asked, her grey eyes staring into Geordi's artificial blue eyes.

"If you'd like, Commander." Geordi replied.

"Captain, scans of the vessel report that there are what we asume are ports for energy weapons of some type." Borene stated, reading a display off a pad an ensign had passed him. "Sensors are unable to verify if the weapons are a threat to us."

Picard frowned. "How is it possible? Tinman had none that we were able to find."

"Perhaps the ship is evolving?" Berverly said. "It could be at a stage in it's life were it need the weapons, where before, it didn't? After all, we don't know anything about how they evolved."

"Sort of like on Earth with caterpillers turning into butterflies, and tadpoles into frogs?" asked Geordi.

"Something like that. I was thinking more along the lines of the Yespera warthogs, which are born without any defenses and grow small horns as they grow to sexual maturity, but after giving birth they lose the horns and grow spine like a porcupine. Each cycle of birthing changes the defenses with which they are equiped. Each change differs from individual to individual." Beverly replied. She poured herself another cup of tea and passed the pot to the captain with a gentle smile. He returned the smile and also poured another cup.

A soft beeping from his commbadge interrupted the discussion. He tapped the badge to activate the transponder. "Yes ensign?"

"Sir, Captain's Riker and Worf have just beamed over. The Kahlar's Vengeance has cloaked and dropped into a defensive position. The Alaskan Frontier has also dropped into a defensive triangular position and activated shields. Both have armed weapons. Shall we follow suite?"

"Raise shields ensign, but do not arm weapons until and unless the vessel makes an aggressive maneuver. Picard out." He looked around his crew. "We will continue when Riker and Worf arrive." He stood and moved to face out the porthole of the ready room.

He had been standing there less then a minute before the door swooshed open and the large forms of Will Riker and Worf Roshenkyo entered the room. Both were large men, Riker a few inches taller while Worf was more solidly built. As impressive as they were physically, it paled in comparison to the presence both men projected as easily as other lesser men breathed.

Riker was a naturally outgoing man, born to a career StarFleet father and gentle Alaskan mother. His mother died while he was young, leaving his father to try and raise him on his own. The two had had their fair share of scrapes over the years. They had grown closer in recent years, until the senior Riker's death during the Dominion Wars. He had the ability to engender respect in other's because of his easy going nature.

Worf was the opposite in demeanor to Riker, being a surly and gruff individual, even for a Klingon. Picard had had many dealings with Worf's people over the years and knew that while they were always eager for a fight, they were also a joyful people who took great pleasure in their agressive nature. Worf, an orphan due to a treacherous Klingon commander and a Romulan plot, had been rescued and raised by a Starfleet engineer on various outposts, before they settled on Earth. At the time of his childhood, relations between the Klingon's and Humans were not very good, resulting in much youthful mischief being perpatruted on the young Klingon. Worf, unlike Riker, demanded respect of those under him and gave his respect grudgingly to those he deemed worthy. Picard thought himself very fortunate that he was one of the handful of people Worf trully liked and respected.

He smiled as he moved forward. "Greetings, Captains. It's good of you to join us."

Riker laughed, and Worf's lip twitched. "Thank you sir, it's always good to be back on the old ship."

Worf grunted as he spoke. "It is indeed good to be here. Although perhaps the situation could be better." He handed a padd to Picard and sat down next to Geordi. He nodded to those he knew and scowled at the crew he didn't.

Picard palmed the padd and moved to his seat, motioning Riker to take the second chair on his left, facing Beverly, and next to Deanna. He watched with a smile as Riker leaned in to kiss Deanna's cheek before sitting in the chair that was rightfully her's as first officer.

"So is it Tinman?" asked Riker, gettign straight to the point.

"As far as our sensors can tell, yes. Although there are some differences." replied Jean-Luc.

"The weapons and the shape?" asked Worf, also happy to skip the small talk and get on with business. Though he had an equal number of Klingon and Federation crew, the Klingon members thought nothing of the traditional means of career advancement, though they had been warned not to interfere with Federation personnel. There had already been some . . . discussion between him and some of the crew regarding the command structure and he hated to be away from the ship at this time.

"Exactly. Those of us who encountered Tinman know that there were no real weapons. The device used to catapult us was simply a defensive manuever to allow Tinman to escape should it ever be attacked. Judging from the ports that have .. . grown, it's now capable of energy projectile weaponry and possible some type of probe or torpedo. As for the shape, Dr. Crusher theorized that Tinman is evolving, growing and the shape is simply a new stage in it's development."

"Has StarFleet sent any warning to the bases and planets in its path?" asked Loshey.

"The original probe and beacon data that recorded it's arrival in this sector of space and calculated its trajectory as being bound for Daystrom was sent ahead. No one could figure out why it was going there, though." Picard replied.

"Data!" Deanna stated in excitement.

"What do you mean?" aksed Beverly.

"Of course." Riker exclaimed. "Data is the only person Tam can be around without being driven insane. His telepathic abilities are too advanced to be able to hold a normal conversation with someone, even over subspace."

"But Data isn't emotionless now. He has the chip." Geordi added. "And Tam doesn't know it."

Deanna frowned. "I wonder if Tam will be able to pick up on Data's emotions? I can now, after a few years and knowing what to look for, but Tam is much stronger than I am."

"And Data has the ability to turn off his chip." Beverly reminded them.

"He must be going to Data. But why? Why did he come half way across a galaxy to find Data when he could have reached him over subspace."

"Perhaps he needs Data's help with something, Worf." Riker put it. He leaned forward on the table, steepleing his hands. "Maybe he's lonely and learned about Data's sabbatical and came to see if Data wanted to go on a trip with him."

Everyone looked at Riker like he was growing a second head.

Riker shrugged. "Just a thought." ************************************************************