FedNews

[silent video of Captain Janeway promoting starfleet values in captivity]

voice-over: In a dramatic turn around to recent events in the peace talk on Chin'toka and Dorvan, Captain Janeway and the missing starfleet team have been rescued by the USS Mariner under the command of Captain Jack Gardner

[silent stock image of Captain Gardner released from starfleet]

He is usually part of deep space missions, but his ship has been a new refurb, and was on a test flight to DS9 when diverted to help with the unfolding civilian casualties on Chin'toka after terrorist explosions.

[silent video of explosions of Chin'toka moving to images of starfleet officers setting up emergency facilities and helping injured cardassians]

In a daring rescue mission, which is currently classified, the Mariner extracted the captain and her crew as well as Gul Emen and the cardassian captors.

[still image of the diplomatic team from the original FedNews report]

Whilst the Mariner stays on Chin'toka to continue the humanitarian aid, and works with the Cardassian administration there, our Voyager heroes have been transported to the Enterprise, who will take them to DS9. Our reporter waits there for further word and an interview with some of the key personnel. Now, live from stafleet headquarters we have a prepared statement from Admiral Paris.

[image of Paris at Headquarters briefing room flanked by Admiral Nechayev and Lt Cmmdr Barclay to the other side]

'Thankyou for your attendance. We have received information of the daring rescue of Captain Janeway and the missing members of the Chin'toka delegations from a Cardassian splinter group holding. The rescue was effected by the deep space vessel USS Mariner under the command of Captain Gardner. This vessel had been on a test flight following a refit and was able to divert to Chin'toka. The Enterprise continued the very successful mission of peace and rebuilding bridges both with Cardassia and the free worlds of the DMZ centred on Dorvan. It is important for the stability of the federation that we can develop peace, work in harmony and rebuild the agricultural and economic viability of this sector.

It is also important that after a protracted and difficult period of war, loss and adjustment that we reassert our nature desire for peace. It is too easy to fall into the trap of mistrust, to expect betrayal and hence encourage it. We must listen to the voice of one of our most experienced officers as she makes a clarion call for peace. '

[Paris pauses as Janeway's transmission is shown on the screen behind him, and then we move it to full screen with subtitles]

We will continue to promote peaceful cooperation, friendship and strength in diversity, cohesion across the peoples of the federation and allies. Rebuilding a firm future between federation and Cardassia, the free worlds in the DMZ and any other species that wish to ally closely or seek union with the federation.

In trust and faith with Cardassia, the Cardassian emissary Glinn Dmak will take responsibility for the investigation into the capture of our team, and the actions of Gul Emen subsequently. We will continue to work jointly to create stability and prosperity in the area, and hope for closer relationships in the future.

Our team are all at full health, and on the Enterprise making their way to DS9 for debrief and at that time, Captain Janeway and Glinn Dmak will make appropriate statements. All families have been contacted. Apart from the official statements, we hope that after this stressful time, that the Starfleet team can be allowed some privacy.

We are unable to take questions at this time until debrief has occurred. thankyou'

[The starfleet team leave the briefing room to shouted questions]

-0-0-0-

Adversary

The nets I have quickly realised that the story breaking was something I would require to see, and the alert brought me into consciousness to acquire the information. My cardassian agitators had been phaser stunned by Janeway before the explosion and eliminted from play. My nano-agents blocked the federation transporters, but clearly i hadn't considered those of the dominion might still be active on Chin'toka. Nor had I anticipated that there would be an entirely secret faction who would snatch away my victory. Not just snatch, but claim as their own.

However, the game was acceptably played, and a diversion. The alternates are still prepared. I believe after the federation success of this mission, that it is statistically significant that there will be an emissary to at least one of the prepared scenarios. I review the reports and scan automatically for my family member. Perhaps for the next game, I will attempt to entice him into the game more fully. After all, Paris is not my only person of interest in this game. Yes, this option is acceptable to me. I have new work for my agents. I have a process to accelerate.

Interestingly, there is also evidence of significant data load on the system in and out of starfleet. I will aim to introduce an agent to the Daystrom Institute where all such metadata inevitably is analysed. It will be a complex procedure, far harder than the inflitration of DS9 or the planets that I have corrupted systems to date. A new element of challenge to the game.

-0-0-0-

Commander Data

Intriguing. With Torres, I have analysed the remains of the nanobot that Captain Janeway believes hindered the federation transport attempt. We have done computational scans for each of the elemental isotopes identified, with the aim to have identified the origin of manufacture. All the elemental components appear to originate on Chin'toka apart from the iridium, whose isotope ratios are non Chin'tokan.

I place the iridium in the computational database to see if the isotopic signature is recognised.

Meanwhile Torres scans the Chin'toka field debris for the same iridium isotopes signature with cross confirmation via radiometric decay ratios. Since the escape pod deception, the constant barrage of attack stopped prior to our original departure to complete the diplomatic mission. Picard had requested samples to be obtained with the busard collectors. Initial analysis was incomplete and inconclusive. From the quite comprehensive overview of Klingon expletives, I assume that Torres is not making the headway anticipated in finding further examples. The elusive iridium signatures are microscopically present, and filtering will be complex.

Whilst the programme for this is running, Torres moves onto analysis of the microspectral sensor data transferred from the delta flyer with Geordi and Kim. Cross referencing against all variables, but again isolating and highlighting the iridium tag when it appears, including the specification of all elements and compounds in close association. This 4D analysis is computationally intense, and Torres suggests it may require an alternative by either using the metacomputer facilities at the Institute of Cosmology on Orion 1 or potentially the Daystrom institute.

Captain Janeway also scanned and imaged the device before the destruction sequence was activated. An adequate demonstration of her command prudence. It is this that I am now analysing. A micronalysis is suboptimal due to the optical limitation of the PADD device. Extrapolating from the variance gives degradation of quality. however, initial findings are intriguing. It is clearly not of nanite or nanite extrapolated technology, although certain structural components have some similarities. It is less easy to exclude Borg origins. I require confirmation from Seven Janeway. Utilising our encoding proclivities to request further information on Borg nanoprobe usage and configurations, especially within the parameters of the very small rather than microsopic objects, a compressed data stream has returned.

There is a carefully worded treatise on sub and supra microscopic nanoprobes as well as a cautious consideration of the small visible. The Borg have made negligible use of this extrapolation of nanoprobe technology due the the success of their direct method of assimilation. However, very small devices have on occasion been used in self replication and reintegration of remote or difficult to access ship processes. They also were a consideration in combat with a species that is currently classified. Using a complicated regression log encoding requiring knowledge of atypical fourier based encryption algorhythms, I finally release the compressed data, which also requires a further safety feature of both Kim's speech recognition pattern and Miral Torres DNA sample to unlock. Within the information carried is the resonant frequency for what I conclude is her regeneration cycle, and a mitochondrial DNA fragment pattern, unnamed but from its mitochondrial origin, so clearly will not be human. I return the images and the information regarding the iridium to Seven with appropriate quantum level fractal encryption, with secondary requirements as stipulated. It will be very difficult for any third party to access and analyse our data.

It will be 5 days before the Enterprise returns to earth, when Seven and I will make comparative study of our findings. I relish the opportunity to complete this puzzle first.