151

Amanda Drake sat down behind her desk and sipped at her steaming mug of coffee that her aide, Ambril Delori, had left for her. She picked up the topmost padd from the stack Ambril had arranged for and began reading field reports and situation analyses. She'd barely managed to finish the first end of mission report when Ambril buzzed her.

"Admiral," Ambril's tone was all business, "you have an incoming message marked as 'urgent'."

"Transfer it to my screen." Drake ordered. Her desktop viewer's image shifted from the UFP symbol to that of an inordinately smug Orion.

"Attention Admiral Drake of the Special Investigations Division." the Orion rumbled, "I have two of your agents. I think you may want them back. Before you decide, let me show who we are discussing."

The Orion stepped aside to reveal Macen and T'Kir bound and strapped to metal body moulds. Drake could only image what those were used for in a culture as decadent as the Orions'. Drake stabbed a finger to a button on her desk.

"Ambril, have this transmission traced to its source."

"Yes, ma'am." came Ambril's reply.

"As you can see," the Orion resumed as he stepped in front of the imager, "I have your best. I suggest you meet my demands or they will surely die. Who knows?" The Orion grinned evilly, "They may die anyway."

The transmission terminated and her screen instantly reverted to the UFP symbol.

Drake stabbed at her intercom, "Tell me we got that."

"The comm centre reports the transmission came out of Rigel X." Ambril informed her.

"Prep a team and dispatch them to Rigel X." Drake ordered, "I'll prepare their orders and transmit them en route."

"Yes, ma'am."

"And Ambril?"

"Ma'am?"

"Find me Tom Riker."

"Yes, ma'am!"

Seven hours later, the SID's Chief Intelligence Analyst and the Chief of Operations sat before Drake.

"Report gentlemen." Drake commanded.

The CIA spoke first, "Our action team tracked down the source of the transmission. It was a communications relay array orbiting Rigel X. The message was a 'canned' message, pre-recorded and transmitted to the relay for delivery to its final destination."

"I know what a canned message is, Captain." Drake said irritably, "What I want to know is can we trace the message any further?"

The CIA shook his head sadly, "Judging by the subspace bandwidths and harmonics of the transceiver, it was a ship mounted model of Benzite manufacture. They could have been anywhere when they transmitted the message."

"Could they have been headed for the Orion Confederacy?" Drake inquired.

"They very well could have been." The CIA agreed, "It would make sense since it would throw up jurisdictional barriers to our retrieving the hostages. Have we received a set of demands yet?"

"No." Drake answered sourly, "And I don't expect any. I suspect that bit was for our benefit, to rattle our chain."

"But why?" the CO asked.

"Outbound Ventures, Inc levelled Adrya Jeklan's organisation." The CIA answered, "One ship's crew in particular. Brin Macen's ship and crew. This could be a reprisal for that action."

"Do you really think so Harj?" Drake asked sarcastically, "This is an execution, pure and simple and we are its intended audience."

Drake turned to the CO, "Mirk, what response options do we have?"

"We have a covert ops team that's used to operating within the Confederacy's borders." the CO replied, "I must point out two potential problems. First, there are 38 habitable worlds in the Orion Confederacy and the prisoners could be on any one of them. That's if they're there at all and if they are they'll be heavily guarded. The second difficulty is that any persistent inquiries into the situation will expose our agents and get them killed."

"Frankly," the CO concluded, "I don't consider the loss of time and manpower worth it over two individuals that are no longer part off this organisation."

"They are still Federation citizens." Drake proclaimed coldly, "Does this mean you want to forsake the oath you swore to protect them?"

Chastised, the CO relented, "No. Of course not."

"Good." Drake said and stood. The CIA and CO jumped to their feet, "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll be putting option B into play."

"Yes, ma'am." the two executive officers said and exited Drake's office. After they'd gone, Drake commed Ambril.

"Have you got Riker's location yet?"

"Yes, ma'am. He's in Valdez, Alaska. In Kyle Riker's house."

"Intriguing. Patch me through."

"Right away." Ambril happily replied.

The Rikers, and soon to be family, had just sat down to dinner when the comm unit in Kyle's office began chiming. Kyle excused himself and went to answer whomever was calling. Decades with the Federation Diplomatic Corps had taught him never to ignore your secure comm.

When Kyle returned he placed a strong hand on Tom's shoulder, "Its for you."

Tom looked befuddled but rose and proceeded to the office. He sat down behind the desk and looked into the view screen. A grave looking Amanda Drake looked back.

"Hello, Tom." Drake said pleasantly.

"Whatever you may think, Admiral," Tom growled, "we are not on a first name basis."

"Very well, Lieutenant," Drake replied coolly, "and before you object, you signed on to the Starfleet Reserves at your former ranks when you originally signed on with Outbound Ventures. That still holds. As of right now, I'm reactivating your commission. The same holds true for your crew."

"What about Radil and Parva?" Riker asked.

"Both hold brevet ranks as chief petty officers." Drake answered, "Those are reactivated as well."

"So," Riker's eyes narrowed, "what act of God is so desperate for you to call us out of retirement?"

"I'm about to relay to you a transmission my office received eight hours ago." Drake said and disappeared only to be replaced by a smug looking Orion. After the Orion's statement was concluded, the screen reverted to Drake and Riker was fuming.

"God damned bastard!" Riker snarled, "Who does he think he is?"

"His name is Daveed B'nner." Drake supplied, "He's the godfather of the Syndicate's operations in the Alpha Quadrant. Adrya Jeklan was a favoured lieutenant and this his response to your neutralising him and his operation."

"So now you want us to take out this sick sonovabitch?"

"I'm giving you a shot it." Drake nodded, "You and your entire operation. The SID will hire you to conduct a search and rescue mission."

"I thought that was taboo."

"As I told Macen, times change." Drake replied, "And you won't be in there alone. I have teams going in as well. We need to apply a full court press and root these frinxers out into the daylight."

"And when we do?" Riker avoided the "if".

"Then we eliminate as many of them as we can." Drake's voice went cold.

"All right, we're in. I'll alert the other ship captains. I'm sure they'll jump at a contract as lucrative as ours used to be." Riker responded flatly, "I'll need some time to gather up my crew."

"Already taken care of." Drake gave him a thin smile, "Courier ships are already en route to Pacifica and Trill. There's one standing by at Spacedock for you."

Riker shook his head, wearing a wry smile, "I've been manipulated from the start."

"You were given a choice." Drake said dryly, "You chose the option you were predicted to."

"You were lucky." Riker informed her, "If it weren't Macen and T'Kir, I would have turned you down out of sheer spite."

"I expected as much." Drake acknowledged and ended the transmission. Riker stared at the screen for several moments and then sighed. Time to break the news to Jamie. he thought bitterly.

The time spent on Pacifica had altered the social landscape of the Solstice crew. Parva had warmed to Dracas in light of his counsel to both her and Daggit. Radil had noticeably cooled towards Daggit but maintained civility. Grace was Radil's comforter and Daggit's supporter simultaneously. This turn of events had softened Radil's opinion of Grace.

Dracas was breakfasting with a fortysomething Trill. They'd met slightly after Dracas' arrival on Pacifica. The unjoined Trill, named Kiv Rever, was a flight engineer for a commercial pleasure liner. He was halfway through a month long stay on Pacifica when he and Dracas had joined one another's company. So far, their union had been satisfying for both of them.

Two Starfleet officers approached their table, one Command and one Security.

The Command officer, an ensign, spoke, "Master Chief, you've been recalled. We have transportation standing by."

Dracas chuckled, "I think you've got the wrong person, Sonny."

The ensign thrust a padd towards Dracas, "Your reserve commission has been reactivated. Your orders are all here and in order."

Dracas took the padd and began reviewing the scrolling text. Finally he set the padd on the table and scratched his head, "I'll be damned."

"I can't comment on that, Chief." the ensign replied smartly, "All I know is we have a ship waiting for you and your crewmates."

"My crewmates?"

The ensign nodded, "They're being contacted as we speak."

Dracas looked to Kiv, "I'm sorry. It looks like duty calls."

"I'll be fine…as long as you call."

Dracas smiled warmly, "That's a promise."

Lisea Danan had been surprised to find two Starfleet officers chiming the door of her family's home. Danan listened to the young ensign's explanation and read her orders. She then nodded, packed her things and said her goodbyes to her family. She then followed the two Starfleet officers to the middle of the yard. The ensign tapped her comm badge and they were whisked away by the transporter to the USS Corazon, a Pathfinder-class courier.

The last time Danan had been aboard a similar courier vessel, Macen had destroyed it and its crew. That decision had never sat well with Danan. Macen's highhanded ruthlessness was disturbing at the very least. Truth be told, she often wondered why Starfleet hadn't had him jailed or committed.

All that being said, she was still deeply attracted to him. She knew they were bad for each other. That had been thoroughly proven. Yet when it was all said in done, she'd never stopped being attracted to him.

Three years ago, in a moment weakness, Danan had considered re-igniting her relationship with Macen. Fortunately, T'Kir had warned her, rather forcefully at that. That warning had sobered Danan and since then she'd kept her lust under control and sought more stable relationships.

Danan found her current circumstance exhilarating. She'd only left Starfleet out of loyalty to the team. The chance to be a part of it again thrilled her beyond measure. She was part of something, something grander than herself, again.

The mission profile also appealed to her. A search and rescue in the Orion Confederacy of all places. It was little wonder they were taking the Solstice in. A starship would be far too visible.

She wondered how Macen would react to being reactivated. He was still rather angry with Starfleet for letting them go in the first place. That made her wonder how long their return to Starfleet would last. She hoped it was permanent.

Macen opened his eyes and clenched them shut again as his migraine lanced a blinding pain through his brain. Tentatively, he opened his eyes again. The pain was horrible, but he could endure it. He tried to move his arms from their upright position but found them restrained. He looked down and saw his waist strapped down as well. His feet were also bound and judging by the positions of his legs and arms, he was on an X shaped frame.

Macen looked to his left and saw T'Kir strapped to an identical framework. She was beginning to stir. His brain suddenly felt ripped apart and he realised that T'Kir's torment was infinitely greater than his.

"Frinx." she rasped, "We're in deep shuk."

Macen felt the same way, but tried to remain reassuring, "At least we're alive."

"Doesn't mean we'll stay that way." T'Kir said through gritted teeth as she clenched her eyes shut.

Macen couldn't deny their situation was grim. He didn't know what mysterious weapon had been used against T'Kir, but it had nearly torn her apart. It hadn't done him any good either. Between his telepathic rapport with T'Kir and his own empathic abilities, he'd felt like his mind had been dropped into a plasma manifold.

To his right, a door slid open and an Orion squeezed through. The hulking brute was the largest sentient Macen had ever seen. Like the Syndicate hit men on Midgard, the Orion wore a helmet. Seeing Macen studying it, The Orion smirked and tapped the side of the helmet's "temple".

"This keeps her from getting in here." the Orion rumbled.

"Why are we here?" Macen managed to say, "What do you want with us?"

"Let me begin at the beginning." The Orion said with far more respectability and civility than your average Orion, "My name is Daveed B'nner."

Macen thought he'd heard that name before then it dawned on him, "Bruis." he said, remembering the albino giant that had sacrificed himself trying to save the ill-fated Eclipse.

"Ah," B'nner smiled, "I see you remember my younger brother."

"Is that why we're here? Because your brother died?"

B'nner chuckled, "No. I ought to be thanking you. You saved me the trouble of killing him myself."

B'nner could see Macen was confused and proceeded to explain, "You're here because Adrya Jeklan was my lieutenant, my very right hand, and a valuable asset at that. Losing him was devastating enough but the loss of the hub of his operation has disrupted a very large portion of my position within the Orion Triad."

The Orion Triad were the three gangsters that ruled the Syndicate's operations in the Alpha, Gamma, and Beta Quadrants. The Alpha Quadrant was the largest fiefdom and also had the most to lose. B'nner's recent losses would pit the other bosses against him. The resultant power struggle could tear the Syndicate apart. Only a vote of confidence from the Syndicate's Don could stave off disaster. In order to do that, B'nner would have to prove he could still effectively deal with his enemies.

"We're here so you can prove to the Don you can still run your operation." Macen ventured and B'nner nodded, "So what now? D'you expect us to beg?"

"No, Captain Macen." B'nner laughed, "I expect you to die."

Macen wondered where he'd heard those words before as B'nner left.

"People!" Riker shouted over the tumult filling the Solstice's briefing room, "I'll be breaking down the situation succinctly in just a moment. Let me begin by informing you that this recall into Starfleet service was not unique to us. Every ship under the Outbound Ventures flag that used to operate under the auspices of the SID had been similarly pressed into active duty. Jamie is here to assist us as a temporary member of the crew"

"What about the crew of the George Kelly?" Daggit asked pensively.

Riker broke into a wry, lopsided grin, "They aren't included because they haven't been vetted by Starfleet Security and Starfleet Intelligence."

"I can tell you how I'm reacting to that." Kirk fumed.

Daggit chuckled appreciatively. Kirk was a fighter. She'd hate being left out of the action as badly as he would. Still there was another matter…

"I hear congratulations are in order." Daggit offered.

Riker's smile warmed and Kirk blushed, "Thanks. I hear the same about you."

Daggit looked over to Parva and smiled. She offered a coy smile in return. Riker noticed Radil's discomfort but refrained from comment. It wasn't his concern, unless if and when it interfered with the crew's proficiency.

"Okay," Grace spoke up, "We were drug here. Kort's here. Where are the Captain and T'Kir?"

Riker's expression grew grave, "Watch the main viewer and you'll get you answer."

The view screen went blank and Riker assessed the varied mood of the room. The expressed emotion ranged from outrage to apoplectic rage. Daggit looked as though he could wipe out the Orion Syndicate single handidly. Parva and Radil felt much the same way.

"What an intergalactic…prick!" Grace said harshly, "Get me close enough to this bastard and I'll turn him into a jellyfish."

Riker looked pained at the reminder of the awesome power at Grace's disposal but remained subdued, "It may come to that, Hannah."

Grace looked even more shocked by that statement then she had at the news Macen and T'Kir had been taken prisoner.

"What's the plan?" Daggit growled through clenched teeth.

"Admiral Drake's plan is that we slip into the Orion Confederacy posing as smugglers and mercenaries and canvas the Confederacy looking for Macen and T'Kir."

"And once we find them?" Radil asked.

"Officially, we extract them." Riker said, and then added, "Unofficially, we kill every frinxing one of them that stands in our way."

"Good." Radil said flatly. Daggit and Parva agreed with forceful nods.

"Now our Orion's name is…" Riker began.

"Daveed B'nner." Parva finished in a cold tone, "He's the Syndicate Triad Boss in charge of the Alpha Quadrant. Eliminate him and the Syndicate's operations in the quadrant will be thrown into chaos as a power struggle erupts."

"B'nner himself is cold, calculating, utterly devoid of humour or mercy. The only 'emotion' he feels is lust." Parva spat, "He is not to be underestimated and if encountered, not to be left alive."

"You sound is if you personally know him." Riker observed.

Parva gave him a cold smile; "He was my last 'master' before I escaped the Confederacy. He put a bounty of ten thousand bars of latinum on my head. That's what originally drove me to be a consultant for the Starfleet Corps of Engineers. Having every bounty hunter across two quadrants gunning for my head made me a little paranoid."

"I know the feeling." Radil murmured.

"Which is why we should be friends, or at least allies, rather than enemies." Parva observed dryly.

Radil looked taken aback, then her expression softened, "I'll have to think about that."

"Take your time." Parva smiled.

"How are we inserting?" Daggit asked, getting back to operational details.

"By using our alternate ID transponder. We'll fly under the name Eclipse in memory of the ship of the same name."

"Can't we just assume the identity of that ship?" Grace asked, "After all she was our ship when she got destroyed."

"The odds are too great that the Syndicate knows about the destruction of the original Eclipse as well as her being a Ju'day-class raider rather than a Blackbird-class scout." Riker explained, "Jamie, you'll have to play big chief to my little Indian. It's a good bet that the Syndicate has my brother's face on file and my name being tied in to Outbound Ventures."

"Gotcha." Kirk replied sombrely.

"Before that, we're going to pick up the Corsair." Riker announced.

"Why?" Dracas broke his silence.

"The assault phase will be two pronged." Riker answered, "Starfleet Intelligence has information indicating B'nner's base is protected by transport inhibitors. That requires a surface landing and our shuttle pods are too small to carry the rescue team."

"Which will be?" Daggit quietly asked.

"Grace will fly the Corsair while I helm the Solstice." Riker explained, "Rab, you Radil, Kort and Parva, since she presumably knows the layout of the place…" Parva nodded and spoke.

According to Parva, B'nner was most likely at his fortress styled mansion on Gryphynx, "It's an ancient castle with modern weaponry. Two centuries ago, the Orions conquered the native Gryphynxers. They were a relatively barbaric people, which is saying a lot when compared to Orions. The Gryphynxers hadn't progressed beyond swords and bows and arrows. The Orions had crude disruptors and basic warp capable craft. The natives never stood a chance. The indigs are slaves now."

"You'll all comprise the rescue crew team." Riker said then sobered.

"This is going to take subtlety and cracker-jack timing." Riker informed them, "But I know you, and the other captains I've conferred with, are up to the task so let's man our stations and prepare to get underway."

The crew instantly responded, snapping into action. Riker was pleased. Between the crew of the Solstice and the crews of the other Outbound Ventures ships, Macen and T'Kir were being sought by some of the finest covert operatives in the quadrant. He was confident they'd reach them before they were executed.