Diclaimer: It's all Paramount's, cept for Verla, T'Valk, and Rachel. Maybe a few Maquis.

A/N: "He says gods like to see an atheist around. Gives them something to aim at."



Chapter 9 – Clues to the Mystery



"Admiral, you've got to let us go back! They're still alive! We can't let them die!" Picard pleaded.

"Picard," Admiral Blackmann said, sighing. "I know starship captains get rather attached to their first officers, but-"

"Sir, please! I know he's alive out there!" Picard interrupted.

Admiral Blackmann shook his head. "I'm sorry, Picard, but it's just too dangerous."

Picard thought about what the Federation was currently doing. "Sir, if we could retrieve Commander Sela, the Romulan Empire would be very grateful."

"You won't stop, will you!" Blackmann exclaimed. "I'll ask the Fleet Admiral to grant you passage. But it may take a while," he warned.

"Thank you, Admiral! But I need to hurry. They may not have very much time-"

"Picard, I know how much you value your first officer, and I also know that you have reasons to make sure Sela survives - but I can only do my best! Starfleet out." The Federation logo appeared on the screen and Picard leaned back in his chair with a sigh of relief.

He glanced around his ready room, and smiled as he saw his Dixon Hill novel resting on the table. He stood and walked out onto the bridge. "Mr. Worf, inform me immediately if you receive a message from Starfleet, or if you sight any movement in the Neutral Zone. I'll be in Holodeck 2." He made a dash to the turbolift, not even hearing Worf's reply.

He could use an old-fashioned mystery right now, he decided. Especially one he could solve.

Lieutenant Kovalev and Lieutenant Larson were talking in Engineering. Actually, gossiping would've been a better word for it, but (supposedly) Engineers don't gossip.

"I heard from Christy who heard from Nurse Michaels that Salak tried to kill you! And now he's missing?" Linda Larson asked.

Sasha stole a glance in Geordi's direction, assuring herself that he wasn't watching them. "That's right. Commander Riker, Ensign Bower and even Sela are all missing too. Simon said Picard's trying to get back into the Neutral Zone to find them. I wonder if we'll be able to go back."

"I don't think Riker's even still alive. I mean, if the Enterprise left, and I was holding one of their officers for ransom, they'd be of no use to me anymore. I wouldn't go so far as to kill them, but who knows what type of people are holding them captive."

"I seriously doubt we'll be allowed to go back to the Neutral Zone. We weren't even supposed to be here in the first place," Sasha said.

"I know." Linda glanced over to make sure Geordi was still in his office. "How's

Simon?"

Lieutenant Kovalev smiled brightly. "When we found out that I was pregnant, we decided right away to get married. We decided that little Junior will be a two parent child."

"That's great," Linda said with a smile. Geordi started heading over, and she quickly changed the subject. "So nothing was damaged by Salak?"

"No," Sasha said to both Geordi and Linda. "All the circuitry in the transporter console is just fine. Unfortunately, I can't trace the file that'll tell where they transported to."

Geordi sighed. "They could've gone over to the Khazara. Maybe it was a trap, and Salak was actually a Romulan."

Sasha shook her head. "Simon would've known if he was one. He's an excellent judge of character." Sasha blushed when she realized Lieutenant Commander LaForge was staring at her oddly. They all stood there for a couple minutes, each deep in thought. Then Sasha glanced up with a smile. "The planet! They beamed to a cloaked base on the planet!"

"That's it!" LaForge exclaimed. "How come we didn't think of that earlier?! It's so obvious!"

Kovalev hit her combadge, grinning from ear to ear. "Lieutenant Kovalev to Captain

Picard."

"What?" Picard grumbled.

"Captain, we've discovered where Commander Riker and the others are being held . . ."

Sela was shoved into the cell again, knocking into Commander Riker. The guard left, and she breathed a sigh of relief. Today had been worse than yesterday. She was afraid she would be unable to resist if the Maquis' methods of 'persuasion' grew much harsher.

She turned around and attempted to smile at Riker, but she didn't have enough strength. It was then that Will noticed the ugly rash on her neck.

"Sela, what's-"

"Don't touch me!" she snapped. He backed up in surprise. Sela sat down on her cot with a sigh. "I'm sorry. I . . . I'm just realizing how helpless we actually are. And I guess I've finally figured out the Enterprise isn't coming back - at least not while I'm alive."

"The rash?" Riker asked quietly.

"Oh, that," Sela grumbled. She reached up and ran her finger over the greenish-red area. She shuddered in disgust. "They've been using a Romulan drug to try to make me more helpful."

"So?"

"I'm half-Human! The drug is completely incompatible with Human anatomy. I heard that the Tal Shiar once used it on a Human prisoner. He got rashes all over, and was found dead four days later." She looked down at the floor. "I'm guessing I might have a week to live."

"I'm not going to let that happen!" Riker exclaimed, heading toward the force field.

"Will, don't!" Sela exclaimed, jumping up from her seat on the cot. "I need you to live, so you can go home and tell the Empire what happened!"

"You're not dead yet!" He rapped on the wall next to the force field barrier. "Guard! I really need some help!"

A Bajoran man walked up to the opening. "What?"

"She's dying, can't you see that?! We need to help her!"

The guard glanced back at Sela with a sneer. "I'm no doctor."

Riker tried his best to look pleading. "Please! If you don't help me, she'll die within a few days, we think."

He eyed Riker suspiciously. "I don't think Thomas would like-"

"Please," Will asked quietly.

The guard sighed. "Fine. But only really fast. I'll get the doctor if it looks like a real threat to her health. I don't know how to handle medical stuff like this."

Taking down the force field, the Bajoran entered the cell. Suddenly, Riker had a hypospray, and the Maquis was sprawled on the floor. Riker shoved him out into the hallway. Grabbing Sela's hand, he said, "I'll be back soon," and was gone down the hallway, after putting the field back up.

For several minutes, Sela thought that he had escaped. But then, she heard a yelp from down the corridor. Moments later, Will was dragged past the cell. As he was brought by, their eyes met. She saw fear in his eyes, fear of death, and regret. Then, he was gone.

She backed up against the wall, beside the forcefield, and slid down to the ground. A scream echoed down the halls.

Sela put her head in her hands. The Enterprise was too late. Much too late. Now Sela was the only one left alive. She had to survive. She had to tell the Enterprise crew that their first officer had died trying to save her life.

She had tried to stop him, but she had known it was useless. Will Riker was a strong-willed man - and that quality had been his undoing. And now, Sela was alone.