Chapter X
Picard stared for a moment at the android, stunned beyond his capacity for thought. Data tapped his commbadge. `Data to Hedly. I've found the captain.'
`I'm on my way,' replied the security chief's voice.
`Data, you don't know how glad I am to see you again,' said Picard faintly.
The android nodded unemotionally. `Captain, can you walk?'
Picard smiled, suddenly feeling the world, which had been spinning, come back under his feet. `Data, I could run anywhere at this moment.'
`Good,' said Data. He turned his gaze onto Serisa. `Is your companion coming with us?'
`I am,' said Serisa shortly, looking slightly dazed. She looked at Picard. `You know each other?'
Picard's smile widened. `We do indeed.'
Hedly appeared at the doorway, and her smile of sheer relief told Picard that he was back among friends at last. `Captain –'
`We have no time, Commander,' said Picard. `Let us reserve celebrations for when we return to the Enterprise.'
Hedly couldn't suppress a smile, but she handed out a pair of phasers to Serisa and Picard. `We think we've discovered a way off the ship, sir, but it's some distance away.'
Picard hefted the weapon in his hand. `Let's go.'
The quartet made their way out of the erstwhile cell, Data and Picard leading the way. `How did you find us?' asked the captain.
`We locked on to your position using the Brisbane's scanners; the Enterprise herself would have attracted too much attention,' replied Data. `Originally, the Enterprise and the taskforce was to have distracted this ship, whilst we stole in and beamed you away. However, we came under attack shortly after we discovered an intense bioelectrical field surrounding your position. We could not beam you through it.'
`We were attacked by their fighters, sir,' added Hedly, casting anxious glances behind her. `But the field didn't prevent us from beaming onto here. So I got us away just before the Brisbane was destroyed.'
`Commander Hedly's quick thinking saved both of our lives,' confirmed Data.
`We had your location, and it was a simple case to track you down with our tricorders,' finished Hedly.
`How do you plan to get off?' asked Serisa candidly, her tone sceptical.
`We haven't formulated a plan as yet,' replied Data calmly. Picard fought to hide a smile, even in such a dark situation, knowing his friend was hiding his emotions behind the wall of his emotion chip.
`We need to get in contact with the Enterprise,' said Picard, halting at a junction of corridors.
`Our commbadges don't have the range,' replied Data. We would need to find a communications centre.'
`How have we not been caught yet?' asked Serisa suddenly, her tone impatient. She stood at the back of the group, frustration rising off her like mist on a sea. `I don't know if anyone's noticed, but we are on a hostile vessel, in the middle of a battle situation. Is it maybe possible that this is all just one big trap?'
`She's got a point,' said Picard to Data.
Serisa's temper broke. `You don't get it! I don't know what's happening! I want to get out of here as much as any of you, but I don't know where I am, or what I'm doing here or even how I got here! I don't know who any of you are! I don't trust any of you – I only worked with you -' she pointed at Picard - `so I could get out of that damned cell!'
Picard knew he was seeing the famous Romulan paranoia in action. The citizens of the Star Empire, even some of the most intelligent and rational amongst them, nevertheless shared a mass group paranoia and xenophobia about other races. Serisa had kept that suppressed ruthlessly, but now she was forced to trust people she didn't know – humans, even worse – and that paranoia was causing her problems, even in this situation. If they didn't resolve this now, it could lead to their recapture.
Picard turned to face Serisa, eyeing her nervous face and darting eyes, trying to make eye contact with her. `Serisa, please look at me.' Her eyes focussed on his. `Please believe me, I have only one intention here – I want to get off this ship as much as you do. Data and Hedly are my friends, and they are here to help us. You've believed me this far, just a little further will make all the difference.'
Serisa's breathing slowed slightly, and she tried to relax herself. She nodded jerkily, once. Picard smiled reassuringly. `I need you and Commander Hedly to watch our backs. Feel up to it?'
Serisa hefted the phaser in her hand. `I do.'
Picard nodded, and turned to Hedly. `Commander, if you see anything suspicious at all, tell me. We need to watch our backs very carefully.'
`Understood, sir,' replied his security chief.
Picard turned to Data. `Was this your plan?'
`Sir,' replied Data, `I have no plan. We're making it up as we go along.'
Picard realised that Data had reactivated his emotions, as he heard the nerves in the android's voice. Data had a long way to go before he learned how to control his feelings in the way Picard and Riker were so adept at. That said, Data was a full thirty years of training in emotions behind them, and was doing a good job of it. `I understand. We need to know what we're doing, however.'
`Understood,' was all Data said.
Picard took his first good look at where they were. They had run a short distance from the cells along a badly lit corridor, but this junction obviously led to a power-filled area, as light shone from it's far end. `Data,' said Picard quietly, `we're onboard an Aralla city destroyer.'
Data's eyes widened. `An Aralla ship? Commander Riker seemed to think so as well.'
`Will hasn't seen one of these for real yet,' said Picard. `Starfleet didn't believe him?'
`He didn't share his concerns with Starfleet,' replied Data.
Picard nodded, unsurprised. `Captain Harris would never have believed him. Or me,' he added.
`Is there any possibility of destroying this ship now?'
Picard shook his head. `They're too large and too redundant in too many areas. You'd have to plant several photon torpedoes inside this thing to do any real damage.'
`Could we possibly capture a fighter and pilot it out of this ship?'
Picard's smiled widened, and he suppressed a laugh. `Data, I have heard you make that suggestion before.'
Data frowned. `You have?'
`It's as good a suggestion now as it was then,' added Picard. `I think I know where they have their hangar bays. Come on.'
`How does he know so much about this ship?' asked Serisa of Hedly, as the group set off.
Hedly winced. `It's a very long and complicated story,' she said. `I'll explain if we get to the Enterprise.'
`Don't you mean when?' asked Serisa.
`I know what I said.'
The quartet made it's way along the darkened corridors, pausing at every intersection, watching for the enemy. The eeriest thing about that journey, Picard reflected, was that there was no sound. All of his trips aboard Aralla vessels had been marked out by the strange noises heard throughout the ships – the deep caverns inside the mother ships, the clanks and groans of incredible machinery just out of sight in the darkness.
He knew something was wrong – it was not normal for any ship to be so shrouded in darkness and silent, not even the Aralla.
Then, with a start, he noticed something else. There was light emanating from one of the larger corridors which adjoined this particular one. He brought the party to a halt. Taking his phaser more firmly in his hand, he signalled silently for Hedly to join him, and the pair sidled cautiously towards the corridor.
Picard slowly put his head around the corridor's corner, and his eyes narrowed in triumph. He had seen exactly what he expected to see.
He leaned back, and glanced at the others. `We need to go this way,' he said quietly.
`But?' prompted Serisa.
`There are four Aralla in the corridor between us and the hangar bay,' said Picard simply.
No-one reacted; in truth, he had expected little else. None of them had truly faced the Aralla yet. `What are your orders?' asked Data.
Picard thought for a moment, and then said, `Data, on my signal, take Serisa and get to the other side of the door. There are four, and we'll need to take them straight away. Then we fire at the same time. Set phasers to kill.'
Data looked into Picard's eyes, and then nodded. `Aye, sir.'
They adjusted their phasers, and then moved back to the intersection. Picard poked his head around again, tense in case he was spotted. Then he signalled for the android and the Romulan to make their dash.
After they did so, he held up his hand, indicating a count of three, and then lowered them. One finger, two fingers, three.
They all leaned simultaneously into position, lining up their targets and fired.
Four phaser beams lanced out, stabbing down three of the Aralla. Unfortunately, Picard and Hedly had both fired on the same one. The fourth turned, and lashed out with a tentacle at Picard, slamming the captain against a wall and the phaser skittering from his grasp. Another shot, from Serisa, caught it in the head, sending it crashing to the deck, still.
Data rushed to Picard's side as the captain levered himself into a sitting position, shaking his head from the force of the impact. `Learn to duck, Jean-Luc,' he said to himself.
`Captain?' Picard turned a slightly dazed expression onto Hedly. `Are you okay?'
`Yes, Commander,' said Picard, as he got to his feet, only leaning slightly on Data. It was important to show strength in this situation. `Come on.'
The bodies of the Aralla were strewn about the corridor in their attitudes of death, forcing the group to pick their way through them, watching in case any of them lived still. Curiously, Serisa and Hedly stared at the carcasses for a long moment before moving on. Picard and Data's attention was focussed more on what was before them.
The giant fighter hangar bay lay behind three huge windows, which allowed the group an unrivalled view of the huge bay, and to see the hundreds of attack fighters spread out before them.
All except Picard's eyes widened in shock at the sheer magnitude of what was before them. Light blue mist hung in the air, obscuring the view in the distance. From the deck of the bay, far, far below them, giant pillars twisted up into the mists above, lights shining dimly from their flanks, meeting a far off ceiling that remained tantalisingly out of view. Indeed, from their vantage point, they could see that they themselves were within one of those giant pillars.
Data had taken his tricorder from his holster, scanning, taking readings of as much data as he could before they made their escape. Picard could not repress a smile at this, an act that said so much about Data's character, but also one that the alternate Data, embittered by death and warfare, had never considered. It refreshed Picard to see it.
`Do you know what the mist in the hangar bay is composed of?' asked Serisa.
Picard shook his head. `We never stopped to find out.'
`I thought Starfleet's mission was one of scientific exploration.'
Picard nodded slowly, sadly. `It is.'
`Can we steal one of these ships?' asked Hedly suddenly.
`That was the plan,' replied Picard, turning to face her.
`It's just that the hangar bays don't seem to be active either,' said the security chief. She pointed.
Picard turned to look. Indeed, as she had said, the hangar bay was mostly deserted. There were a few lights still shining, and some figures moving about in the dim light, but it was mostly dark and silent. `It looks like they've cut the power here as well,' commented Picard, his voice worried.
`I don't see a problem,' said Data. `If those ships have their own power –'
`They don't,' said Picard. `They draw power directly from this ship. If they are cutting power to sections, for whatever reason, that means that we can't fly them out. We need to contact the Enterprise.'
`Our commbadges don't have the range,' said Hedly.
`Otherwise you would have done so by now, I know,' finished Picard. `We need to gain access to a communications facility, or find some way of boosting the commbadge's range.'
`I have an idea,' said Data. `We may be able to boost the power of these commbadges by siphoning off energy from the main grid. But it would be noticed.'
`I think they probably already know about us,' said Serisa.
`Agreed,' said Picard. `Data, set your tricorder to scan for heavy computer activity. I think I know where there might be a computer access point. Follow me.'
`Commander!' The call came from the Ops officer, Ensign Gyra.
`What is it, ensign?' asked Riker.
`I've picked up lifeforms aboard the unidentified ship!'
Riker was on his feet and beside the Ops console in an instant. `Any way of identifying it?'
`Two human signs, one Romulan and –' Gyra turned a delighted smile onto Riker. `One artificial lifeform.'
`Data,' murmured Troi, as a palpable feeling of relief swept through the bridge.
`Can you give me a location?' asked Riker. `We can try and beam them out.'
`They're quite deep inside the ship, sir, but I can't give you specific co-ordinates. There's a very strong bio-electrical field scrambling our pinpoint sensors. If they can communicate with us, we can lock onto the transponders on their commbadges.'
`Keep working on it, and well done,' said Riker. `Keep a close eye on them.'
`Aye, sir,' replied Gyra.
Riker strode to his chair and pressed a key. `This is Commander Riker to taskforce. Cease fire and fall back. I repeat, cease fire, and fall back.'
All of the ships immediately acknowledged his order, and a moment later, he could see the taskforce pulling away from the giant ship.
Riker turned to face the engineering console. `Geordi, get down to the transporters – see if you can break through that interference.'
`Aye, sir,' said La Forge, jumping up and making for the turbolift as Riker turned back to the screen.
`All ships, this is the Enterprise. Set course to shadow the unidentified ship.'
The Enterprise swung gracefully around, and settled in just astern of the giant vessel. Astern of the Starfleet ship, the rest of the taskforce also moved into formation and tailed them.
A phaser beam lanced into one of the bulkheads, forcing Picard to drop his head down again. He winced as sparks rained down from the bulkhead, showering his position. He turned and faced Data. `Can we get out another way?' he shouted over the noise of the firefight.
Data shook his head as another blast sizzled over his head. `No, sir! The computers I detected are that way! We'd have to take a five mile detour to get there and by that time -!'
He ducked a phaser beam, and Serisa said, `We'd be caught again!'
`I know,' said Picard, voice angry and frustrated. He raised his phaser over the mini barricade they had erected and fired on the Aralla facing them, missing by some distance.
The quartet had run into stiff opposition from the Aralla, who had cornered them on one of the ship's myriad corridors. They had not realised that they had been tracked down until the Aralla appeared and immediately opened fire, using the weapons Picard remembered so well.
Quickly, they had retreated, hoping to find another way, but at every turn the Aralla had hunted them down. And now they were cornered in a final corridor that led directly to one of the main computer chambers, but which was almost completely sealed off by the Aralla.
And now they had been forced back into a junction, with Aralla approaching from every side. Despite managing to find a piece of heavy conduit to use as a makeshift barricade, it was only a matter of time before they were caught or killed.
Even as he thought this, another blast ripped over his head and caught Hedly a glancing blow on the arm. She cried out in pain, and dropped her weapon, collapsing behind the barricade. Data leapt to her aid, but she shook him off, picking up her phaser in her left hand and lancing a shot into an advancing Aralla. Her face was bone white with shock, and Picard knew she was in serious pain.
`The phasers are starting to lose power,' said Serisa, indicating the charge on her weapon.
`We'll only have about ten more shots, sir,' added Data.
`Let's make them count,' replied Picard grimly, unwilling to surrender.
Serisa stared at him for a moment, and then nodded, turning her attention back to the battle.
Data, however, suddenly dropped down again, and levered open the access port on his phaser. Whilst the others opened up on the Aralla, hoping to make them think twice with their last shots, Data linked his phaser to his tricorder using the universal port on the tricorder, and then removed his badge and attached that to the assemblage.
Picard finally noticed what he was doing. `Data, what are you doing?'
`I've had an idea, sir,' he said. He flipped open an access point on his arm, and linked himself into the hodgepodge of circuitry. He keyed in a few commands to the tricorder and then looked up at Picard. `If I route all of the phaser's power through the tricorder and the commbadge, and then open a commsignal, I can route that signal into my positronic relay and turn my body into a transponder.'
`You thought of this just now?' asked Picard, bemused. `What happens if something goes wrong?'
`My head will probably explode,' replied Data absurdly calmly.
`Ah,' replied Picard, hesitant. `Are you sure?'
Another phaser blast slashed by Picard, causing him to duck. `Yes, sir,' said Data. `We won't be able to get through to the computer rooms, and I can't see any other way of getting the boost to our badges!'
`Make it so,' ordered Picard.
Data triggered the tricorder and immediately a low whining sound came from it. Picard stared at him, worried. `How long?'
`Any time in the next few seconds,' replied Data.
`La Forge to bridge!'
`Go ahead Geordi,' replied Riker.
`I've picked up a strong transponder reading from the alien ship!'
`Can you beam them out?'
`We need to be a bit closer,' replied Geordi.
`Stand by,' said Riker. He leapt to his feet. `Riker to Delphi, the Enterprise is going in close to the alien ship and dropping our shields in order to beam out the away team. We'll need you to create a diversion and to get us out if it goes wrong.'
`Understood,' replied Gastrovicz. `We'll cover you, Enterprise.'
`Lieutenant Truper, lay in a course for the alien ship, full impulse power. Prepare to lower shields,' ordered Riker. `Geordi, you'll get one shot at this.'
`Acknowledged,' said Geordi.
The Enterprise lunged for the giant ship abruptly, whilst the taskforce opened up again, carefully arranging their fire so as to avoid hitting the starship. Phaser blasts pulsed against the green shields, but this time there was a response.
A blast of blue fire lanced out of the giant ship into the USS Lance, sending it spinning wildly. More followed, forcing the taskforce to split, with only the Delphi herself catching a glancing blow.
`The Lance is badly damaged,' said Truper.
`Ten seconds to transporter range,' added Gyra, betraying her inexperience with the quaver in her voice. Truper, by comparison, sounded like a veteran.
`Ready on shields,' ordered Riker calmly.
The fire was getting more intense around Picard and the others, who were down to the last few shots. What was more, the whining from Data's creation was getting worse and Picard was now worried about his friend.
`What's he doing?' shouted Serisa over the scream of another phaser blast.
`Risking his life for us,' replied Picard angrily. He glanced up and shot down another Aralla that had ventured out too far from its cover. But they had only killed three of their enemies, and Picard knew they would be overwhelmed in the next minute or so.
`I don't intend to be recaptured,' said Serisa. She held the phaser up. `I'm saving one more shot for myself.'
Picard glanced at Hedly who grinned, although she was definitely suffering. `I won't last much longer either anyway,' she replied.
Picard raised his eyebrow. `We will all lead long, fruitful lives,' he said. `That's an order.'
He threw a glance at Data. `You too.'
`In range!' shouted Truper.
`Lower shields! Geordi, they're all yours,' called Riker.
`Energising -!'
The alien ship unleashed a giant ball of plasma into the Enterprise's flank. An enormous explosion erupted from the starship.
The transporter room reeled crazily, and Geordi heard the detonation crash through the superstructure. He was thrown from the console into the bulkhead, hitting the deck hard.
Undeterred, the engineer pulled himself grimly back to his position, even as the Enterprise screamed around him, her hull subjected to incredible stresses beyond even her strenuous design tolerances. He pulled himself upright, and hammered in an execute command.
`That's my last shot!' shouted Serisa.
`Mine too!' yelled Hedly. The storm of phaser fire increased as the Aralla realised that there was nothing being thrown at them.
Picard swore, fury coursing through his veins. Anger at the Aralla defeating him at last, blind rage at the failure of the taskforce to rescue him and his crewmates, who had risked their lives to recover him needlessly.
And most of all, anger at himself for putting himself in such a useless position that his own crew had to die in order to rescue him from an impossible position.
And he stood up, fury written across his face, and faced the final Aralla assault with empty phaser in hand.
And energy encased him, and whisked him away.
`Got them!' yelled Geordi ecstatically into the comm.
`Shields up!' ordered Riker. `Get us out of here!'
Truper hammered the engage key before Riker closed his mouth.
The Enterprise, still trailing fire from her flanks into the now erected shields, creating a play of orange light against the energy fields, powered away from the Aralla vessel, with the rest of the taskforce still harrying the giant ship.
Picard staggered from the transporter pad, stunned by his last second rescue. He turned to see Geordi already leaning over Data, detaching the strange concoction of machinery from his friend's arm. As soon as he did so, the loud whining sound stopped. Serisa herself lowered the phaser from where she held it at her temple, a similarly astonished expression on her face. Hedly collapsed onto the pad, letting go of hard-fought consciousness.
`Beam Ghia to Sickbay now!' ordered Picard, acting purely on instinct.
Geordi complied silently. Hedly's body vanished in a shimmer of blue light.
The Enterprise shook again, as another blast hit its shields. Geordi caught Picard as he stumbled and nearly fell. `Captain, I need to get you to sickbay.'
Picard shook his head and forced himself upright. `Take care of Data. I want to get to the bridge.' He got himself upright on his own terms, feeling stronger than he had for days, just by being aboard his own ship. `I'll be okay.'
He turned, and kept his feet even as the Enterprise rocked beneath his feet, and strode quickly from the transporter room.
The Enterprise swung away from the Aralla vessel, but the giant ship turned ponderously on it's own axis, opening up on the Federation flagship with all of its weapons.
The taskforce opened fire in return, trying to draw fire away from the escaping Enterprise. But the Aralla ship would not respond to the decoy, chasing after the Enterprise, gaining speed all the time as its momentum increased.
Riker stared grimly at the main screen, now showing the reverse view from the Enterprise, watching in silence as the black ship pursued.
Behind him, the tactical officer reported, `Shields at seventy-two percent, Commander.'
`Ready quantum torpedoes,' ordered Riker. `Full spread and prepare to come hard to starboard.'
`Aye, sir,' chorused Truper and the tactical officer together.
The turbolift doors hissed open, and Riker heard a gasp from Troi, before he turned to see what had disturbed his concentration.
`I wouldn't fire those torpedoes if I were you, Will,' said Picard, making his way slowly down the bridge to where Riker was stood. He stood in front of his first officer and looked up at him. `You'll probably only make them madder.'
`And what would you suggest, Captain?' asked Riker, smiling, relieved to see his old friend once again, but professional enough to leave his celebrations until later.
Picard turned and walked to the captain's chair. `What's our situation,' he asked, not sitting down but facing the screen.
`We've got a hull breach on four decks, and the enemy ship is ignoring the taskforce in favour of us. Our shields are holding, but won't last a lot longer.'
`Can we go to warp?'
`The stress on our hull would be too great,' said Riker.
Picard stared at the screen, at the black Aralla vessel that loomed over his command. His eyes were cold. `They're after me.'
`Sir?' Troi felt Picard's mind become closed, angry.
`They want me dead,' said Picard calmly. `They want me to pay for what I have done to them.'
Riker threw a glance at Troi and then said, `What are your orders, Captain?'
Picard remained staring at the screen for a moment and then seemed to come back into himself. `Lieutenant Truper, alter course towards DS9. Full impulse power. Get me Captain Harris. Continue evasive manoeuvres.'
`What's your plan?' asked Riker.
Picard sat slowly in his chair, luxuriating in the feel of being in the right place again. He smiled up at Riker. `Let's find out.'
Captain Harris stared at the battle erupting before him. Every few moments, one of the starships would unleash another bright salvo into the shields of the giant vessel, which continued on it's way unabated, uninterested, even with fire rolling from it's flanks. Instead, it concentrated it's fire on the Enterprise, which dodged agilely, but still could not avoid the occasional hit, given the amount of fire being directed towards it.
Despite the bizarre feel to the battle, Kira watched Harris' face, rather than the conflict, noting that there was none of the usual unease which she would have expected, given that his reputation was on the line. Sisko had always gone through paroxysms of frustration whenever he was forced to sit back and watch something he felt he should be participating in. Kira herself always felt that way too.
But Harris' face was serenely confident, as if he didn't fear the consequences that might come, given the distinct possibility of the loss of another starship.
Kira was rapidly coming to the conclusion that Harris simply didn't care.
Harris turned to Stent, who watched the battle with a similarly detached expression. `Commander, give me an update on the battle.'
`The Enterprise has received significant damage,' replied Stent, glancing quickly at his displays. `The rest of the taskforce is attempting to draw fire, but the alien ship is concentrating on the Enterprise.'
`Does Riker know what he's doing?' asked Harris, his voice thoughtful.
Kira frowned at that comment, and opened her mouth to speak, but Stent spoke first, `Captain, the Enterprise is changing course towards us!'
The command crew of the station all turned again to look at the screen. The Enterprise had begun to turn away from it's course and head towards the station. Harris frowned, surprised by the turn of events.
Kira's temper, held in so manfully, finally snapped. She whirled on Harris, who regarded her with a cool look. `Sir, let me take the Defiant out! Its firepower might make a difference in that battle.'
`Permission denied, Colonel,' replied Harris, his tone as calm as Kira's was angry. `I'm not risking another ship to that attack. If Riker wants to betray Starfleet and lose the Enterprise, I won't get in his way.'
Kira stared for a moment, aghast by what he had just said. `Sir, that fleet is your responsibility!'
Harris stepped down from the upper level, and stared into Kira's eyes from less than half a metre away and spoke softly. `One more word from you on this matter, Colonel, and I will confine you to quarters.'
Kira had faced more terrifying things than Harris, but she shut her mouth and nodded tightly. She knew when someone held the upper hand – Sisko had taught her patience.
`Sir! We're receiving a transmission from the Enterprise!' Ezri's voice was shocked.
`Put it through,' ordered Harris. `Main viewer.'
The screen flashed into life, and the assembled crew gasped.
`Captain Harris,' said Picard's face, smiling benevolently. `You might want to think about lending me a hand.'
Harris stared at the viewer in shock for a moment, losing his composure for the first time since Kira had met him. Then he rallied. `Captain Picard, it's good to see you.'
`Same here,' replied Picard, his voice warm, but his eyes glittering with anger. `We'll be within range of your phaser banks in three minutes. I recommend that you get prepared to defend yourselves.'
`Captain, you have to lead that ship away,' said Harris urgently. `We have to keep the Romulans out of this.'
Picard leaned forward slightly. `Believe me, Captain, I want to get the Romulans as involved with this as I can. Stand ready for battle. Enterprise out.'
Riker threw a glance at Picard, who settled back in his seat, a small smile on his face. `You were pretty hard on him.'
`He's moved my chair,' said Picard, his voice mock-petulant.
The Enterprise swooped towards Deep Space Nine, and the stand-off between the Romulan and Starfleet forces, dragging the Aralla vessel in it's wake, unwilling to stand back.
From the bridge of the G'gerithau, Ratek watched uneasily as the Enterprise closed with their position, black ship in it's wake. `That's an interesting tactic,' he muttered.
`Commander,' said the comm officer, `the rest of the fleet is requesting orders.'
`Prepare to raise shields, on my order only,' replied Ratek. `I don't want to provoke Starfleet into doing anything rash.'
`This is Captain Harris to taskforce. Come about and engage the enemy ship.' Harris grimaced as he gave the order, knowing his hand had been forced.
Kira smiled grimly, knowing her moment had come. `All hands to battle stations, red alert. Activate phasers and photon torpedo launchers. Shields up.'
The Texas, Livingston, Kyoto and Magnum all turned away from the Romulan fleet, bringing their weapons to bear on the giant ship. Similarly, the taskforce pursuing the Aralla all readied themselves to begin firing again.
The Enterprise powered into position over the station, taking refuge amongst its friends which surged past it in the opposite direction, ready to fight.
And the Aralla ship itself suddenly turned away, banking to port in a move which surprised all who watched it, and vanished into warp.
Picard stared at the screen of the Enterprise, his face shocked. `I didn't expect that.'
`Can we track them?' asked Riker.
Ensign Gyra nodded. `Their heading is 447 mark 012.'
`Back to the Neutral Zone,' said Picard quietly.
La Forge's voice broke the silence. `Engineering to bridge.'
`Picard here.'
`Captain, we can't take any more of the acceleration. The Enterprise is on the verge of breaking apart. I've got the Structural Integrity Field at full power, but the hull is still buckling under the stress.'
`Understood,' said Picard. `Lieutenant Truper, bring us to all stop. Carefully.'
`Aye sir,' replied Truper.
`How long do you estimate for repairs, Commander?' asked Picard.
`At least two days,' replied La Forge. `But I can shorten that if I can use DS9's repair facilities.'
Picard sighed, frustrated. `You'll get them, Geordi. Picard out.'
`So we just wait?' asked Riker.
`We can't do anything else, Number One,' replied Picard.
He turned to his first officer and held out his hand. `I didn't get a chance, Will, to thank you for rescuing me.'
Riker shook his hand. `Anytime, sir.'
In that handshake, that quiet moment, was hidden many years of strong, deep friendship the two men had, great affection and respect. Troi smiled, her eyes misting slightly, as she sensed the depth of the gratitude Picard felt, and the relief and pleasure at having his captain back from Riker.
`Thank you all,' said Picard, his voice slightly choked with emotion. `I couldn't wish for a better crew.'
And with that, the crew burst into applause, cheering the return of their captain and friend.
`The unidentified ship has set course for the Neutral Zone at warp five,' said Relesi.
`Any indication that the Starfleet force is pursuing?' asked Ratek.
`None,' replied his first officer. She turned a worried face onto Ratek. `What are your orders?'
Ratek paused, knowing what duty and standing procedure would have him do next. He was obliged to report to the Continuing Committee for further orders, and he knew that they would immediately order him to pursue and attempt to destroy the enemy vessel.
But part of him rebelled against that approach, and he knew, deep inside, that the answers to the puzzle, and to the saving of the Romulan Empire, lay here at DS9. He turned to face Relesi. `Contact Captain Harris again. I wish to speak to him.'
Relesi nodded once, but her face was puzzled. She knew procedure as well as Ratek. The rest of the crew decided not to say anything. After a moment, Harris' face appeared on screen. `This is Captain Harris. Commander Ratek, please be brief –'
`I wish to beam aboard the station,' said Ratek, cutting Harris off.
Harris paused, taking in the shocked looks from the other officers on Ratek's bridge. `May I ask why?'
`I may have some information on the mysterious ship,' answered the Romulan, inventing madly. `Information I would like to share privately.'
Harris paused, and then said, `Very well, Commander.'
`I will beam over in two hours,' stated Ratek. `G'gerithau out.'
`Commander,' said Relesi, her voice and tone slightly outraged, `is this a wise course to take?'
Ratek stood and stretched, feeling the tension in his body. He walked over to Relesi's station and leaned down towards her. As was proper with military discipline, the other officers on the bridge studiously ignored their conversation. `Relesi, we know nothing about this ship. If I go over there, I may be able to learn what Starfleet knows.'
`But what if they find out that we know nothing?'
Ratek smiled. `The important thing is to get over to the station, and to speak to their commanders. Once I'm there, then we can plan.'
`I'm going with you,' replied Relesi. A statement, not a question.
Ratek's smiled widened. `Of course.'
Harris stared at the blank screen for a moment, pondering over the Romulan's unusual request.
`I'd have thought they'd have made back for the Neutral Zone,' commented Lieutenant Nog.
`Yeah,' said Harris vaguely, his mind whirling.
Kira shot him a glance but said nothing. Instead, she turned to Nog and asked, `Lieutenant, what's the strategic situation?'
Nog responded perfectly. `Colonel, the unidentified ship is heading for Romulan space at warp five, ETA at the Neutral Zone border, one week. The taskforce has stood down from red alert, and is assuming a patrol formation near the Romulan fleet. The Romulan fleet is running shields down, weapons off. The Enterprise has requested use of the repair facilities around upper docking pylon four.'
`Granted,' said Kira straightaway.
`Captain Picard wants to come onboard and speak with the taskforce commanders,' added Nog.
`Very well,' said Harris suddenly. He turned to face the others. `We'll convene a meeting between ourselves, the Romulans, and Captain Picard at 1500 hours. See to it, Colonel,' he added, before walking to the turbolift and disappearing down the shaft.
`What's wrong with him?' asked Stent quietly.
Kira shrugged. `Get me Commander Ratek.'
Picard stared from the window of his ready room, watching the Romulan fleet that lay slightly astern of them. The door chime sounded. `Come in.'
Riker came through the door. `Captain, I thought you might like a situation report.'
Picard nodded, not turning. `Thank you, Number One.'
Riker set the padd down on the desk and waited for a moment. Sometimes, the two men didn't need to speak in order to communicate. He knew Picard wanted to say something.
`Will,' said Picard. Riker smirked to himself. `How's Data?'
`Geordi had him taken to Engineering as soon as you were beamed aboard,' answered Riker. `Data's been kept deactivated while Geordi works on his positronic net.'
`Keep me informed,' replied Picard. `He and Hedly deserve the highest plaudits for what they did.'
`Agreed,' was all Riker said.
`What's the situation?' asked Picard, still not facing his friend.
Riker sighed and relaxed his shoulders from the attention pose he had been stood in for the last couple of minutes. Now, he and Picard were two friends in the same room. `Difficult to say,' he replied. `Captain Harris is hiding out on DS9 for some reason. Technically, this is still his flagship, but I haven't physically spoken to him for nearly two days.'
Picard turned, eyebrow raised, surprise on his face. `That long?'
Riker nodded affirmatively. `The taskforce commanders are loyal to him, even though they decided to help with our rescue attempt.'
`I know Gastrovicz,' said Picard thoughtfully. `He's a good man.'
`If I might ask,' said Riker, `what do you intend to do now?'
Picard smiled to himself, his expression enigmatic. `Have you spoken to Admiral Drayton lately?'
Riker frowned. `Yes, sir,' he said, knowing that he had been ordered to keep the conversation with Data and Dr Bashir a secret.
`When?'
Riker paused guiltily, feeling that Picard already knew what he was likely to say. `Captain, I –'
`It's okay,' said Picard, finally fully turning to face him. `I've been speaking to Admiral Drayton too. I just finished giving him my overview report, and he told me everything that's happened. Well, that is, everything I didn't already know about.'
Picard moved to his desk, sat down and pressed a key. `Picard to bridge.'
`Bridge here.'
`I don't want anyone disturbing me for the next hour. Understood?'
`Aye, sir,' answered the voice. `Captain, we've received a message from Deep Space Nine. Captain Harris has convened a meeting for 1500 hours. He wants you to be there.'
`Acknowledged,' replied Picard. `Picard out.' He turned to face Riker. `I want you there with me, Number One,' he added.
`Yes, sir,' replied Riker.
`Computer, set up a level-two force field at the entrance of this room,' said Picard.
The computer bleeped, and Riker heard the forcefield hum into action behind him. Suddenly, he realised what Picard was about. `You know.'
Picard smiled again. `Of course, Number One, I was in on it from the beginning. Admiral Drayton filled me in with all of the missing details that I lost while I was captured.'
`What's going to happen?' asked Riker faintly.
`Section 31 isn't going to know what's hit it. We're going to clean out Starfleet, top down.' Picard's eyes glinted in anticipation, and Riker reflected that he'd never seen his captain in such a mood before. `And you're going to be at the centre of it.'