187
On the bridge of the Obsidian Riker and Forger were galvanised into action. The security alert had been issued ten minutes ago and there still hadn't been a sign of Mudd. Danan had returned to the bridge and was guiding the gamma shift OPS officer utilise the internal sensors in an effort to trace Mudd's transporter beam. The work had been engrossing until an alarm sounded at the OPS station.
"Commander," the OPS watch officer began to report, "someone has activated a lifepod on deck six, section five."
The ship lurched out of warp and everyone took hold of something.
"The computer has overridden helm control in order to facilitate a lifepod launch." Rhiann reported.
"Lifepods across deck six, sections four and five have been primed for launch!" Danan reported, shoving the OPS officer out of the way.
"Alert security." Riker growled, "And prepare the tractor beam. I don't want a single pod escaping our net."
"Commander," Danan said urgently, "Someone is trying to override the lockdown on the main shuttlebay."
"Redirect Security there!" Riker ordered, "Insure that the lockdown stays in effect."
"We need T'Kir." Danan replied, "This guy's too good. His abilities surpass mine."
"Can't you encrypt the control files?" Riker asked.
"I can try and activate one of T'Kir's encryption protocols." Danan said.
Forger was standing by the Tactical station, "Security reports that they already have a man down in the shuttlebay but that he's not responding to hails."
"Inform Security that Mudd is considered armed and dangerous." Riker commanded.
"Security acknowledges and is en route to the shuttlebay." Forger acknowledged.
"Good." Riker shifted in his seat, "I want this bastard caught."
Harry Mudd sat in the cockpit of the Corsair desperately trying to override the computer's lockout of the shuttlebay's control system. He was all too aware of the ticking minutes and seconds displayed on the runabout's chronometer. Sweat poured from every pore. Mudd wiped his eyes and glanced over at the centrally located clock again.
Too long, his frenetic brain thought, Too long, they'll be here any second from now.
Harry knew he still had the phaser he'd taken from the guard outside of the shuttlebay. He also realised that he'd probably never get a chance to use it. He wasn't a violent man by temperament. Despite being a gunrunner, Mudd had never fired a phaser in his life.
He'd crept up on the guard and hit him over the head several times with his synthetic arm. Unlike proper Federation biosynthetics, Mudd's arm was of Ferengi manufacture and possessed more weight than a natural limb. With the neural sensors deactivated his clubbing of the guard was akin to bludgeoning him with a truncheon.
Suddenly, his probes penetrated the computer's security routines. He quickly began inputting commands and the bay depressurised. He put his own encryption matrix around the bay's tractor beam controls. Opening the bay doors, he activated the runabout's manoeuvring thrusters.
The runabout sailed out of the bay and its impulse engines flared. Mudd swore upon seeing the squadron of Roman vessels surrounding the Obsidian but quickly realised that he had to escape. He couldn't prevent the strange ships from pursuing but that was a chance Mudd was willing to take. He cleared the Roman ships and activated the warp engines. He slipped into subspace and was away.
"Dammit!" Danan snarled, "He locked me out of the bay's tractor controls."
"Can you access the runabout's computers and shut it down?" Riker quickly asked.
"He's disabled the subspace transceiver." Danan answered, "He's a communications black hole."
Riker turned to Forger, "Can you disable his engines?"
Forger shook her head, "He's travelling too close to the Nova Roman ships. We'll risk hitting them."
"Damn." Riker swore under his breath, "What about the ID transponder can we get a lock on that?"
"If we're in the same system, sure." Danan replied.
"Commander, the Commander of the Roman forces would like to speak with you." the Tactical rating announced.
"Put it on screen." Riker said wearily.
"It's my fault." Collins miserably reported.
Macen, his sight restored, shook his head, "It's more my fault than yours Abby. I should have had Mudd locked in the brig from the moment he stepped foot on the ship. I also should have had the forcefield to his cell reactivated and interviewed him from the room's security desk."
Collins blushed, "I didn't mean to impugn you, sir."
"You didn't." Macen assured her, "My own mistakes did."
The Sickbay door opened and admitted T'Kir, "I don't believe it." she muttered, shaking her head, "He beat one of my encryption protocols. Sure, it was one of my more elementary codes but still…"
"This means I'll have to revise all the simpler codes across every system." T'Kir whined.
Macen put an arm around her waist, "Buck up little trooper, it'll be a challenge. Someone somewhere was bound to crack one of your codes eventually."
"They could'a waited `till I was dead." T'Kir bitterly replied.
Collins looked perplexed so Macen explained, "Her encryption codes are her babies. She takes violating one of them very seriously."
Collins nodded, "That's how I feel about my security protocols."
"So you understand the self flagellating aspect of the whole ordeal." Macen surmised.
"Don't worry, ma'am." Collins urged, "We can both get through this."
Macen was gratified to hear the confidence in Collins' voice but T'Kir's ire was piqued, "Did you just call me 'ma'am'?"
"Yes, ma…yes, I did." Collins stammered.
"I'm…not…a…ma'am!" T'Kir grated, "Got it?"
Collins' head bobbed, "Yessir!"
T'Kir snorted, "That's a little better. 'T'Kir' works best."
Collins looked shell-shocked as she stammered, "Yes, ma…yes, si…I mean, yes, T'Kir."
T'Kir beamed, "Has a musical quality don'cha think?"
"Stop torturing poor Abigail." Macen instructed T'Kir and then he returned his focus to Collins, "I look forward to your after action report, Deputy. Just make sure it's not full of self-recrimination. If you need help being objective, have Radil help you out."
"Damn straight." Radil said from the biobed where Kort was regenerating her optic nerves.
"Hold still." Kort commanded, "Or you'll stay blind."
Radil subsided and Kort turned off his equipment, "Your vision should return in a moment. I'll check on you in a few minutes and take a few readings." He released his hold on Radil's shoulder and returned to Macen. He waved a tricorder in front of Macen's eyes.
"How's your vision?" Kort asked.
"It started off blurry but it's come back to normal." Macen remarked.
"Look into this." Kort handed Macen an opaque pair of goggles.
Macen put them on. He saw a series of red and blue dots light up followed by a purple light that seemed to penetrate his eye.
"Keep looking straight ahead." Kort said as he monitored the goggle's readings from a panel behind his diagnostic station, "All right, you can remove the device now."
Macen removed the goggles and widened his eyes before blinking a few times, "I always hate those tests. How's my vision?"
"Better than before your exposure to the flash bomb." Kort revealed, "That may be temporary or it may be permanent. Cases can go either way. Either way, you'll at least have normal vision."
"Thanks." Macen said gratefully, "Can I go now?"
"Yes." Kort replied, "It would be best if you rested your eyes for the rest of the evening. You shouldn't have any trouble with your following duty shift. Call me if you have any problems."
"You got it." Macen grinned.
"I mean it." Kort stressed.
"I know." Macen said, "Good night. Hang in there Jenrya. The worst is past you."
Radil blinked in the direction of his voice, "I'll believe it when I see it…literally."
There was a chorus of chuckles at that and Radil smiled, "I'll be fine. Go take care of yourself."
"Aye, aye Captain." Macen retorted and he and T'Kir exited Sickbay. Collins stayed behind to hear Radil's opinion Mudd's escape. Kort clucked his tongue.
"When I discharge you, you have to go straight to your quarters. I'll escort you personally."
"Will you stay?" Radil asked.
"Of course." Kort gently affirmed, "Someone has to care for you. You won't do it for yourself."
"That's not true!" Radil protested.
"Yes, it is and we both know it." Kort's bass was low and soothing in its gentleness, "Jenrya, my love, you are my worst patient."
"Hey, you're kind of blurry now." Radil suddenly remarked, "Can I go now?"
"Case in point." Kort chuckled, "You aren't going anywhere until I see how the nerves have regrown themselves and then I shall have to test your visual acuity."
"Oh, very well." Radil huffed.
Kort lifted her chin and softly kissed her on the lips, "I'm glad you've opted to cooperate. I'd hate to sedate you."
"You wouldn't dare!" Radil exclaimed.
"Try me." came Kort's rejoinder.
"Oh." Radil's mouth formed a perfect "O", "I see."
"I'm glad." Kort admitted.
"I love it when you're stern." Radil confessed, "It's sexy."
"Aren't I though?" Kort teased.
"Watch it mister." Radil warned, "When I can see clearly again I might have to kick your backside."
"Of course you will." Kort rumbled, "How is your vision?"
"Blurry but I can make out general shapes and sizes now." Radil reported.
"Excellent." Kort smiled, "We're almost out of here."
"What do you mean 'we'?" Radil asked, "I'm revoking my invitation."
"I'm the CMO of this ship." Kort replied, "I can go into any cabin that I deem there's a medical emergency."
"I see." Radil said pensively, "And my case qualifies as a medical emergency?"
"It does to me."
Radil smiled despite herself, "I think you need to work on your objectivity, Doctor."
"That's why we have an EMH." Kort responded, "So I can handle the house calls."
"My 'house' better be the only one you're calling on." Radil growled.
"Assuredly." Kort took her hand and pressed it up to his chest, "How are you doing?"
"Vision's almost back to perfect." Radil happily informed him.
"Good." Kort activated his tricorder, "It means the neurons are reintegrating nicely." He waved the device over Radil's eyes. She frowned.
"Watch it with that thing buster."
"You should be ready for the final set of tests in another…five minutes or so."
"So what do I do until then?" Radil complained.
"Reassure young Abigail here that her efforts were not in vain." Kort suggested and stepped away.
"Abby, I swear, if you ever utter the words 'it's my fault' in connection to this incident again I will skin you and tan your hide into a leather coat for T'Kir to wear." Radil clutched the air in front of her.
"No, ma'am." Collins fired off.
"That sounded a tad rehearsed to me." Radil chastised her, "Try it now…with conviction."
"Yes ma'am, I mean no ma'am…I don't know what I mean. All I know is he got away and I'm confused as to who's at fault."
Radil squeezed Collins' arm, "We all are, Abby. We got overconfident. We were so certain that no one could escape that we let a prisoner, a fairly dangerous prisoner as that it turns out, escape. Besides you only had six Security officers on duty and eight decks and 180 metres of ship length to patrol."
"The Captain already admitted he shouldn't have been in the cell with Mudd. I shouldn't have let that situation develop and T'Kir relied too heavily on her techno wizardry." Radil continued, "You and the others probably thought, 'He's just a podgy middle-aged man. He can't evade us forever.' Was it something like that?"
Radil heard a sniffle and caught the bobbing of Collins' head, "I thought so. All the earlier mistakes outweighed your natural reaction. We got careless, the entire ship's company, that is. I have a few drills in mind that I think will rattle a few cages."
Radil could almost make out Collins' wan smile, "Now, off with you. Prepare your after action report but don't file it until I've signed off on it."
"Yes ma'am." Collins replied with some of her usual confidence, "Have a good night."
As the doors closed behind the departing Collins, Radil leaned back onto her bed and yelled out, "So, Loverboy, what are your plans for this evening?"
"I thought I would hold you in my arms until we both fell asleep." Kort said as he walked up behind Radil and wrapped his arms around her.
"This is nice." she purred, "Tonight sounds a little tame compared with some of your recent exploits."
"There is a time for fervour and a time for tenderness." Kort replied.
"And this is?"
"A time for fervent tenderness." Kort kissed the back of her head.
"Yeah." Radil smiled, "That's what I thought too."
On the bridge, Riker had just fended off the last of Titus Scipio's questions and he leaned back in his chair. Danan joined him by sitting in the XO's chair. Forger was still assisting the Tactical rating's attempts to track the rapidly departing Corsair.
"Tough day." Danan remarked.
"Losing a prisoner and lying to an ally over what actually happened?" Riker asked scornfully, "Nah, happens every day around this time."
"Sarcasm notwithstanding," Danan replied, "you did a good thing. The Romans wouldn't understand the reality of the situation and the last thing we need right now is for them to pack up and go home."
"That's what I thought." Riker mumbled miserably.
"Tom, look at me." Danan commanded and Riker complied, "Deceptions and half truths are our stock in trade. We handle the cases no one wants to know about. The SID invents cover stories to explain our proximity to events and then spindoctors the entire affair so it appears no Federation forces were involved."
"I know our job Lees." Riker whispered, "I'm just not entirely comfortable with it. Starfleet is above this type of secrecy and sleight of hand."
"You're not in Starfleet any more." Danan reminded him, "You work for Outbound Ventures, Inc.. Starfleet hires us to do jobs they'd rather not be involved in but that commission you're sporting is purely ceremonial. They'll only drag that out to crucify you in case of a foul up. Your reserve commission carried far more weight."
Riker looked on the verge of becoming upset and then his anger subsided, "You're right. I know you're right. It just galls me."
"Then you need to find a berth on another ship. Preferably a command slot." Danan advised.
"Now you sound like Macen." Riker bemoaned.
"Great minds sometimes think alike." Danan shrugged, "Just think about it, okay?"
Riker nodded, "All right. I will."
"In the meantime, support your crew." Danan rose and made to leave.
"Will you still be up when I get off duty?" Riker asked.
"I think so." Danan smirked, "Why?"
"I'd like to finish our conversation in private."
Danan's smirk became a consoling smile, "I'll be waiting with dinner."
"Thanks." Riker gratefully smiled in return.
After Danan stepped into the turbolift and departed, Riker stroked his beard and mused to himself, How'd I get so lucky to get a friend like that?
Joachim Kohl sat reading in his quarters. He'd shucked his armour and had transferred from the desk to the bed. It had taken some time to adjust to the padds, but now that he had, he enjoyed them. He could adjust the font, bookmark favourite passages, and run topical searches. It was so much easier than reading a book.
It was also less rewarding. Reading a padd was a lot like doing research or searching a database. It lacked the intimacy of a bound manuscript. In the end, Kohl couldn't decide which he liked better.
He'd started with the technical manuals assigned to him by Comm…no, Captain Macen. He'd soon tired of these and switched to the topic that had been nagging at him ever since he'd encountered these aliens: the life of Hal Dracas. The chance to study his progenitor, in the man's own words, was a golden opportunity that shouldn't be missed.
Kohl was hesitant. What if Dracas turned out to be a reprobate or some other kind of lout? What if he was a coward? Kohl could handle anything but that. If his progenitor was a coward, who was to say that wasn't part of his genetic make up?"
Kohl began with Dracas' service jacket. It showed him to be an exceptional officer with a rare gift for understanding theoretical and practical engineering. The bulk of his career had been spent in a dockyard but the last few years had been spent with Macen and company. It was with them that his talents came out into the forefront.
He'd displayed, and been cited for, personal courage on several occasions during his tenure with the SID team. Macen's report outlining Dracas' death was testament to his commitment to his comrades and his utter lack of fear in the face of mortal danger. He'd known he was about to die when he gave himself to the mob and yet did it anyway. This was a moment Kohl was proud of and it struck a resonant chord with him.
After finishing Dracas' official records, Kohl turned to Hal's personal logs. Kohl was already beginning to feel a great affinity for Dracas but the personal logs were the capstone. Dracas' struggle to come to terms with his sexuality in the face of his people's violent condemnation of his lifestyle gripped Kohl. He too struggled with his identity. He'd been forced to hide the fact that he was a clone most of his short life.
When the truth was revealed, Kohl would lose his friends and the respect of his superior officers. Dracas lost his life. Kohl would merely lose his freedom and his rights as an individual. Dracas had faced his persecutors and shamed them with his courage and resolve. Kohl could only wish that he could meet a similar fate.
Looking at the chronometer on the nightstand, Kohl realised that he'd read throughout the nigh and he only had fifteen minutes to report for duty on the bridge. As he bustled about and learned the intricacies of the sonic shower, Kohl came to a startling realisation. It was as Alaric had suggested. Kohl no longer wished to bear his "stepfather's" name. From this day forward, he would be known as Joachim Dracas and he would carry on the proud tradition set forth by his predecessor.