VIII

Two Hours Later

"Admiral", Ops said in an excited voice, "incoming message from Phantom, it's marked urgent."

"Let me have it at the Conn".

Admiral Elizabeth Shelby read the message from the cloaked ship that was now only about half a day ahead of Voyager.

Seven was sitting in the First Officer's chair. It had taken Seven a long time to simply accept sitting, as it had been foreign to her for most her life up until Janeway had severed her from The Collective. It had become simply part of her life over the years, but for some reason, it still had never felt quite "natural. Had I been given a chair like this to sit in from the beginning, I would have enjoyed sitting a lot more, she thought to herself with a smirk.

She was startled out of that thought a moment later, as Shelby stood.

"Red Alert! Helm, on my authority, increase to Warp 6, current course!"

"Aye Admiral!"

"What is it, Admiral?"

Shelby indicated for Seven to sit for a moment at the Conn, reading over the message. "Good God", Seven breathed, looking up at Shelby, then coming to her feet.

"That's about the size of it", Shelby said crisply. "Ops, let me talk to the ship." Shelby gave it a second then spoke to her crew. "Attention all hands, this is the Admiral. We have just received word from Phantom that a Romulan Warbird de-cloaked in front of them several hours ago. Earlier, they advised me that they had found debris consistent with that of the freighter Numeri."

Shelby glanced over at Seven, who became pale. Now wasn't a time to hold back what she was telling her crew. "Phantom advises they believe that Admiral Janeway is now aboard the Warbird, as that ship has apparently not left the area. We've increased to Warp 6. Estimated time to coordinates now four hours and seventeen minutes. We are at battle stations until further notice. Shelby out."

"Admiral", Seven advised her, now back in her chair, "I have the information ready to send to Starfleet Command on your orders."

"Do it, Number One", Shelby said without missing a beat.

"Tactical, I want a full check on all weapons systems, Ops same with communications. I want to make sure we're ready when we arrive."

Shelby finally sat back down. "When you asked me earlier, Seven, if Phantom had any news, it was about the Numeri. I didn't want to unduly frighten you. I just wanted to see if another ship was spotted before advising you."

"In your shoes, I'd have done the same thing, Admiral. If that Warbird had fled, I'd be more worried than I already am."

"We'll get her back, Seven", Shelby said without flinching.

Seven could only nod.

It was 0300 Federation Standard time in San Francisco, when Admiral Patterson was awaken in his home by his communicator.

I'm getting too damn old to be waken in the middle of the night, the Starfleet C-in-C thought wryly. He didn't plan to be C-in-C for long, hopefully just long enough to get The Federation back on the right course, then he would take a very deserved retirement.

"Patterson here."

"Admiral, Flags here, sir, we've received a High Priority message from Admiral Shelby that you contact her immediately."

"Route her transmission to me in about three minutes. I just need a moment to get up."

"Aye, sir. Flags out."

Three minutes later, on the dot, Shelby's face appeared on his desktop screen.

"Admiral Shelby", Mike Patterson said with a raised eyebrow, "I'm sure you wouldn't wake me at 0300 simply to pass the time?"

"No Admiral", she said, ignoring the humor. "We have a problem. Phantom has reported that the Numeri apparently was destroyed. They also advise that a Romulan Warbird de-cloaked near their position, then re-cloaked a short time later."

"Goddammit", Patterson swore. "So you're assuming that Sloan has, to put it mildly, returned home?"

"That's what we believe, Admiral, and we're pretty sure Janeway is with. The ship de-cloaked a second time, and it seems they're the ship we're gonna rendezvous with."

"That I didn't expect", he said bitterly. He sighed, which was about as much excitement as he showed at the moment, knowing he had to play the hand dealt. "Very well, Admiral, I shall get my team together here. I'm heading into Starfleet Command in a few moments. How far are you from the coordinates?"

"I increased our speed after the report, and we should be there in just over two hours, sir."

"Very well, let me get moving. Until I get those I want to hear this together, I'm ordering you to stop-just long enough so we can flesh out a few things here."

"I understand, Admiral. I'll wait for your transmission."

"Thank you, Elizabeth, Patterson out."

Twenty minutes later, he was at Starfleet Headquarters, calling in the Alpha shift, as it were, and summoning Admirals Jellico, Paris, Riker and Picard.

"Just great", groused Admiral Owen Paris. "Can we throw any more variables into this?"

"Calm down, Owen", Admiral Mike Patterson said, not without some humor. "It makes some sense if you think about it."

"I'm sure he's seen his share of Romulan warships", Ed Jellico offered. "Question is, whose he in league with that would still have a Romulan Warbird?"

"According to the last transmission from Voyager, Phantom was able to identify the ship as the Qeh, a bird that's going on fifty Earth years in age."

"Have we been able to pull up any information on that ship?"

"More than you might imagine, Will", Patterson nodded. "She fought for the Quadrant Alliance during the Dominion War, and has been noted in numerous instances involving us, the Klingons, and the Cardassians. She was once considered the flagship of that fleet."

That caught Picard's attention. "Mike, when was she considered as such?"

Patterson tapped some information on his PADD. About twenty five or thirty years ago. Why?"

"Do we have any information on who commanded her?"

Patterson continued to scan the information. His eyes grew wide. "The most notable name on here is Commander Sela, Jean-Luc."

That quieted the room.

"You don't think she's on that ship, Jean-Luc", Will Riker said. "We don't know what happened to any of the Romulan bigwigs after the destruction of Romulus. Tomalak, Sela, Nerel. It's a blank slate."

"I understand that, Number One", Picard responded, not even realizing what he had called Will just then. "But surely I can't imagine a surviving Warbird being in just anyone's hands. If Sloan knew about it-and obviously he did, someone of importance is probably attached to it. I doubt Tomalak is even alive now, but Nerel and Sela were both very young when we met them."

"Why destroy the Numeri? That makes no sense", Jellico inquired.

Patterson shrugged. "Too many people on there who know too much, perhaps?"

"Or Sloan just doesn't give a damn about anyone", Paris added.

"Probably some of both", Will Riker offered. "Be that as it may, if Maxwell is on there, he knows how to handle any ship, even a Romulan one. Even an old Romulan one. I don't think he was on the Numeri when they destroyed it."

"Agreed", Picard nodded intently. "He's as cunning and as resourceful as any Captain I ever encountered."

"Have you informed The Klingons, Mike?"

"I sent a brief communique to Chancellor Worf, just before you arrived, Ed. I believe the appearance of a Romulan ship in Federation space isn't going to make the Klingons feel all warm and fuzzy. I wouldn't be surprised if Worf shifted some assets to the border with the RFS, or even into RFS territory."

Riker whistled. "Sloan may yet get his Quadrant-wide war, gentlemen."

"Right now, there's not a helluva lot we can do. The mission, right now, is to free Janeway, hopefully without Seven ending up on that ship", Patterson advised them all. "One step at a time, gentlemen. I will put more ships on alert, just in case."

The five men continued to discuss the situation, but as Patterson said, it was pretty much out of their hands at the moment, which frustrated them. One part of commanding was knowing when to simply let your subordinates run with their best judgment. That mean, at the moment, Admiral Elizabeth Shelby currently was the most important person within Starfleet.

"Commander", a Human Ops officer onboard Qeh advised. "We have a contact, four million kilometers off our starboard, bearing 177 mark 232. Matching to a Federation Intrepid Class ship."

Commander Sela glanced down at her information screen at the Conn. "Remain cloaked, Lieutenant, advise Sloan and Maxwell. They'll want to be here", she said through tight lips. She loathed both men, even though she and Sloan, at one time, had served the same cause. But she had made a deal, and it was something that she wouldn't break.

"I hear we have guests", Sloan commented, as Sela ceded command to Maxwell. Benjamin Maxwell didn't like the idea of being on a Romulan ship-he had faced more than a few in his career-but even as old as the ship was, it's capabilities-and it's massive size-greatly impressed the man.

"Do we have an ID on which ship it is?" Maxwell scanned the readings at his station.

"No, Captain", the same Ops officer stated. "Only can tell it's an Intrepid."

Maxwell turned to Sloan and Sela. "If I had anything to bet, Sloan, I would say it's Voyager."

"Janeway's old ship?" Sela gave a small smile, thinking if that was the case, she could appreciate the symbol being sent by bringing Janeway's ship to rescue her.

Sloan smiled as well. "I won't bet against you, Maxwell", Sloan nodded, "but that ship was under command of Shelby and she was working for us."

"You mean until you killed Necheyav?"

"Yes, until then", Sloan said crossly. "If it is Voyager, I doubt she's in command."

"Be that as it may, Gentlemen", Sela interrupted the wagering among the two men, "it doesn't matter. An Intrepid is a formidable adversary, even if it is nowhere near as massive as this ship. I would suggest, Captain", she said, turning to Maxwell, with a hard look on her face, "that we remained cloaked until the appointed minute of the meeting."

"Only makes sense, Commander", he said with his own, hard voice. We have five hours until that time. Everyone, just relax for a while."

Sela had never liked the laid-back attitude of Humans. It was time to harden oneself for possible battle, not take a coffee break then wait developments. She kept that thought to herself.

Patterson had informed Shelby that Voyager could continue its course, as her mission parameters had not changed. Phantom had stopped any communication with Shelby and her ship, which was expected as they approached. The Admiral was well aware that both the Warbird and Phantom could see them on sensors, even though she could see neither on of them.

After meandering for a while, Shelby had delivered Voyager where it was requested at the time requested, and she waited.

"I'll bet you Sloan is thinking we're in for some huge surprise when he de-cloaks", Seven told Shelby wryly.

"Another reason I'm glad we have Phantom out here", she replied. "We would have been shaking in our boots, perhaps, if a Warbird were here unknown to us."

"I don't know, Admiral, maybe 'pee our pants' would have been more accurate."

Despite the tension, Shelby couldn't help laugh at the statement from Seven. In a very short time, Elizabeth Shelby had become very impressed with Seven. She knew how frightened the woman was, with the love of her life being held prisoner on a Romulan ship, but Seven had been as professional, as steady as any seasoned Starfleet officer. Janeway and the others trained her well on this ship, she thought with admiration.

"Don't say that much louder, Seven, you might scare the younger ones", she said in a quiet, conspiratorial tone.

After about forty minutes, Shelby thinking Sloan must like being fashionably late, the Warbird shimmered into their visual field. They were already at Red Alert, with shields up, so no one did more than blink at seeing the large ship.

"Let's see what he has to say", Shelby said sotto voce, only Seven hearing her.

An image appeared on screen. "Attention Federation ship, this is Captain Benjamin Maxwell, commanding the Warbird Qeh. Please send out the code identifying yourself, per the instructions given to Admiral Patterson."

Shelby nodded at Seven, who sent out the code. Only then did Shelby allow her visage to be seen, and to answer the man.

"Captain Maxwell, this is Admiral Elizabeth Shelby of the Federation Starship Voyager. I can tell you, Captain, that as of a few days ago, you are no longer a Captain in Starfleet, so pardon me if I don't give you much in the way of the time of day."

I'll be damned, Sloan thought with some surprise and anger, Maxwell, that son-of-a-bitch, was right.

"Admiral Shelby", Ben Maxwell continued, "are you prepared to make the prisoner exchange, as instructed?"

Shelby gave a thin smile. "No, Mr. Maxwell, we are not. We are here, right now, to demand the immediate release of Admiral Kathryn Janeway, whom you are holding illegally."

"So you didn't even bother to bring Seven of Nine", Sloan interjected, showing himself on screen. "I'm disappointed in you Elizabeth."

As if it were a game of chess, Seven made herself seen. "You can take your disappointment, and suppositions, Mr. Sloan, and shove them up your ass."

Sloan's eyes went wide, but both Maxwell and Sela, who was in the room, both wanted to smirk at the verbal lashing Seven had just given the arrogant man.

"You know, drone, I could go down and order Janeway's execution, simply because of your outburst? I wouldn't even think twice about it."

"Since that would mean the destruction of your vessel, Mr. Sloan", Shelby shot back, "I'm quite sure your shipmates, whoever they are, wouldn't be happy with you for that. You want everyone to go home happy? Release Janeway. I'll give you four hours. Shelby out."

Those two ladies have balls, Benjamin Maxwell said to himself with wry humor. And from the look on Sloan's face, he felt the same way.

"Those two bitches", Sloan cursed. "How fuckin' dare they."

"Chill a little, Sloan", Maxwell said with a tired voice. "They obviously are buying time to mount a rescue." He turned to Tactical. "Any indication of other Starfleet ships in the area?"

"No, sir", the Romulan woman at that post responded. "The next closest vessel is just at the outermost area of long-range sensors, more than a day away at Warp 6."

Maxwell nodded. "So, Sloan, this is your ballgame, what next?"

"We make them wait." Then he had a better idea. "Actually, I understand, Commander Sela, that there are two former Tal Shiar on the ship's roster?"

She nodded. "There are, but they have no idea..."

"If they were in the Tal Shiar when I was", he added coldly, "they'll know who I am. I think they and I need to visit Kathryn Janeway."