Rone hurried Enid around the corner and away from the diner. Periodically, he turned to check if the Romulan was following them. He didn't see him in the thinning crowd but he figured the Tal Shiar operative was trained to be discrete. He reckoned that there were probably several Tal Shiar operatives following them. Perhaps Enid had round the clock surveillance. Damn Missy for bringing that man around Enid. What the hell had she been thinking? And where was Missy? Enid wanted to go home, wait for her Papa and check her remaining notebooks in case any more were missing. He shook his head, as much to indicate to Enid that he wasn't taking her home as it was to clear his thoughts. No, the remote residence was a bad idea, he felt it was safer to be in the settlements center. The Federation News service would be there at least till tomorrow. The rectory was a safer place for Enid right now. He briefly considered his small apartment above the unit that his mother and sister shared in the bakery building but didn't want the Tal Shiar near them either. There were always more people at the Rectory.

When the pair passed the pub, Missy popped her head out the door, "Hey!" she called. Enid hung back tugging on Rone's arm. Rone pulled her along. "Hey!" Missy trotted after them, "Hey!" Rone couldn't stop, he was too mad to face Missy right now but Enid was dragging on his arm. If he didn't stop she would break free so he stood and let Missy catch them. Frustration stung his eyes and he wiped eyes and nose with his sleeve. He could only glare at Missy.

"Ena," Missy judged that Rone needed distance. She had been vaguely aware of her friend's distress. The full force was blunted both by Missy's engagement in the rally as well as Enid's focus on the missing notebook. Something had happened today but Enid's mind had quickly ambushed the event. It was hidden either hidden deep in the ocean or locked up in the castle. Missy hoped it was the former since items thrown in the ocean could be retrieved but Missy had never been to the castle. She tried to make eye contact with her friend but Enid kept moving her head to view her out of her peripheral vision.

"She had a waking nightmare," Rone stated, his voice inimical, "She's overwhelmed."

Missy snorted, "Who had her looking at wedding dresses today?" Enid had wanted her there, she knew.

"Fuck you!" Rone's response stunned Missy, "Who introduced her to a Tal Shiar operative? What were you thinking?"

"If someone had shared that she was Romulan," Missy hissed.

"Oh come on!" Rone's face contorted in amazed anger, "You know what she can do. Damn it Missy, you know S'ril has always been paranoid about the Romulans…"

"Xenophobic..."

"You're deflecting!" Rone struggled to contain himself. Missy never took responsibility for her actions. He could see Enid's condition further deteriorate as the conflict between her two most beloved people intensified. Her expression vacant, Enid traced lines in the brickwork of the building next to her. She was not going to her internal landscape but someplace from which it would be more difficult for him to retrieve her.

"This is my fault?," Missy was high off the attention and accolades she had been receiving the past few days. "I've been gone for two years!"

"And in two days, look what you've done!" He gestured towards Enid. "That Romulan was in her mind!" His face was a mask of fury and hurt at what he perceived as an infidelity. Rone had never forgiven Missy for pursuing Enid while he was off world studying to be a medic so she was the natural outlet for his feelings, besides, blaming Enid was complicated, "He was in her fucking head!"

"It was your day with her!" Missy froze as she saw two more large humanoids approaching from across the street. Rone had been called into work because of the rally which was another reason to be pissed at Missy. The influx of people attracted to the small colony had changed the computer models for scheduling. They expected more people in the infirmary so they cancelled personal days. When the increased traffic did not materialize, he convinced his supervisor to let him leave. It hadn't been in time to stop the damage though. He was going to say something when Rone noticed the large humanoid approaching from behind Missy. It could be coincidence, there were still more people than usual milling about the settlements main street at this time, remnants of the rally, but this figure was moving quickly with purpose. They were in front of the dress shop which was closed so they could not duck in there. The route to the pub was blocked by the approaching humanoid. Both young people instinctively looked around for Enid only to find she had followed her brick path around the edge of the building. They watched in horror as she rounded the corner into the alley.

Narek also watched the events unfold from across the street. He had operatives positioned at key points but ordered them to stand by. "Let's see what lover boy does when Enid is in real danger," he thought. Narek was no stranger to risk, in his line of work risk was ever present. In this case he understood that Enid might be hurt, even killed, but if things went well, he might be able to resolve this situation this evening. Timing was everything, now that the synths were in place he needed to bring this mission to a close. Narek hoped to convince the pair that Enid was in danger from both the syndicate bounty hunters as well as S'ril and his Vulcan colleges while driving home the fact that Rone and Missy could not protect Enid. He would then convince them that the only safe place for Enid was with her biological father. Advancing his position was worth what he considered a small risk.

When Enid rounded the corner she was vaguely aware of the Nausicaan as a potential problem to be solved. More importantly though the brick facade gave way to the smooth grey siding that clad the side of the building. Her neat path through the brick was interrupted and she wasn't quite sure what to do next. She studied the seamless grey surface indecisively. There was nothing to do about it, she considered her options, she'd have to back track and follow another path.

The Nausicaan was initially confused by her lack of reaction. He did not expect his quarry to walk straight into his arms. He watched her pace the wall with curiosity. The Orions wanted her unharmed but she was a delicate looking creature, soft even, and he wondered how stringently they defined harm? He liked to play with live cargo. She was so pale, he wondered if she had sun lines.

Rone and Missy turned the corner. The Nausicaan had his arm around Enid's neck.

"She's mine," he said pointing the disrupter to the three Klingons that had entered the ally.

"You are outnumbered" one Klingon said slowly as the other two fanned out.

The Naucacaan threw his quarry against the side of the building counting on the impact to injure the girl enough so at least she would not get away while he dealt with these pests. Rone and Missy both rushed towards Enid as she hit the wall like a rag doll and slumped to the ground. One Klingon broke off from attacking the Nausicaan, lunging at Rone with a knife. Rone managed to avoid the blade but the Klingon did land a punch to his midsection. While Rone fought to catch his breath the Klingon then turned his attention to Missy who was trying to pull Enid from the alley into the street.

Narek decided now was the time to move. He jump kicked the Klingon attacking Missy. The Nausicaan, seeing his quarry about to be pulled away, charged towards Missy and Enid. This was met with a low kick that sent the Nausicaan flying face forward. The sturdy being rolled over and righted himself. There was a loud crack, and all the attackers fell. Narek approached the Nausicaan cautiously. The man's neck was not just broken, his head was completely turned backwards. All the attackers heads had been turned backwards.

"You alright?" Narek offered his arm to Missy then Rone. The three of them turned to Enid who sat cross legged in the middle of the alley. Her face was swollen and purple where she had hit the wall and she rocked her body back and forth. Missy knelt to speak with her friend but Enid waved her away. Enid vigorously smacked the uninjured side of her head with a pale fist. Rone caught her fist in his hand and fell to his knees to whisper in her ear. There was no effect. Rone and Missy exchanged helpless glances.

"Hey!" an armed security officer entered the alley shining his light on Missy, Rone, Narek, then resting on Enid. "Sis, we've been looking for you." He said closing the gap between them. He paused when he saw the first Klingon. "What's this about?" He asked, his brow furrowed.

"These men attacked Miss O'Dare and her friends," Narek offered smoothly.

"You're that Tal Shiar that Missy interviewed?" the officer surveyed the Romulan.

"Yes," Narek managed a self-effacing smile. It was unnerving to be outed, another reason to finish this mission.

"You do this?" Officer O'Dare gestured to the bodies.

"I did," he gambled that Rone and Missy were too stunned to contradict him. He felt it best to hide that Enid had this sort of power.

"They attacked us," Missy said hurriedly, "We were quite lucky." Rone shot a questioning look that Missy ignored, "You were looking for me?"

"Enid really," the officer scratched his head before turning back to Narek, "You're on record that this was in defense of Missy, Rone, and Enid?"

"Yes," Narek reviewed Federation law in the back of his mind. This was a justified killing. If he had done this he had acted in the defense of Federation citizens. Three Klingons and a Nausacaan were a deadly threat.

"Can I ask you to stay on the planet for a few days?" Tim O'Dare felt silly asking this knowing what the man did for a living, "just to wrap up the investigation."

"Definitely," Narek lied.

"Good then," Tim turned to his sister and gestured to Enid, "She alright?"

"She's bruised," Rone interjected. "I think we can handle it."

Still looking at his sister Tim asked, "You good with this?" He remembered the last time Missy and Rone were together. His sister nodded. He forced out half a smile and nodded back, "Ok, but you have to get her off the street."

"Why were you looking for Enid?" Missy asked.

"I'll tell later sis," he looked nervously at Narek then pulled his sister aside and whispered, "Get her to the rectory. Take care of her. I'm sending over some officers." Stunned at her brother's secretiveness, Missy agreed.

"What was that about?" Rone had managed to get Enid to stand and walk a bit. She was badly bruised on the entire side that had contacted the wall and she had a limp. Her face remained expressionless.

"Come, on," Missy took Rone by the arm, "Let's go!" Rone guided Enid.

"The Orion Syndicate has put out a reward for Enid!" Narek needed to go with them.

"You knew about this!" Missy lunged at Narek's chest pushing him back. "What do you know?" She raised her hand to smack the smug Romulan. He caught her arm and held it.

"Just who do you think you're dealing with?' he leaned in close and whispered in her ear before letting go of her arm.

Missy turned, "Let's go." She strode over to Enid and took her arm.

"I have information you need!" Narek called, "You can't keep her safe!" Rone hesitated but Missy kept going.

"Don't listen to him,' she whispered, "They use dark psychology…"

"Now you decide that the Tal Shiar is dark!" Rone said icily.

"I represent her biological father," Narek needed to up the ante and he was rewarded. Both Rone and Missy turned. "He wants to help her." He could see in their eyes that he was winning, "Let me come with. We all want the same thing here, we all want Enid to be safe."

"Fine," Missy said after she and Rone exchanged looks, "But you don't get to go near her." Narek knew he'd be setting the terms soon enough. The young people were out of their league.

Rynar drank Vulcan coffee while studying a tablet on the promenade waiting for S'ril. It would have been easier on the man, he thought, if they had been able to take the girl in his absence as planned. They hadn't counted on the amount of interest there was in Enid. What was S'ril thinking affording the girl so much freedom? She had no discipline so certainly word of her abilities had reached unsavory ears. Now, S'ril would spend his last days watching the girl suffer for his lack of judgement.