ACT II

Runabout Deleware

"Long live the-"

"Shut your face," McGawan barked. "At leat... the part that's speaking... I accept your terms."

Wesker and Kim shot glances at McGawan.

McGawan continued, putting a hand on Kim's shoulder. "Under three more conditions."

"You ask too much!" the Omega said.

"How can you know that if you haven't even heard my conditions?" McGawan proposed.

Quickly, taking the cue from McGawan, Kim went to work, while the Omega was preoccupied. From that, Wesker went to work on a tactical console.

A muffled sigh came through and the Omega gave in. "Fine. State them."

"Condition one: take your men off the Mushorian transport. Conditions two and three: let the transport and my runabout go, unharmed, back to Federation space."

"We do not agree to your terms," Omega said. "You will surrender, unconditionally, or we will destroy the transport."

"At least take your men off the transport," McGawan demanded. "They can't do anything. They're defenseless!"

"Prepare yourself for transport!"

"Mister Kim, Shields up."

Kim did so without question. "Shields are up."

"You have condemned these people to death," the Omega said.

"Actually," McGawan said, leaning back. "You just condemned yourself to death."

"What heresy you speak!"

"Actually, it's not," McGawan said to the Omega. "While we were talking, my science and tactical officers hacked your ship's database through the commlink using a type-twelve scrambling method. It was totally undetectable. Through it, we were able to download part of your database, as well as your ship's schematics. We also have our weapons locked onto your..." McGawan took a look at the data on a screen, "primary energy flow matrix? Yeah, I think that's what you call it."

The Omega didn't bother to terminate the communication. He began shouting orders to destroy the Mushorian transport. Kim reported it.

"Take 'em out!" McGawan ordered.

The runabout, just sitting there, fired at the Negarani warship. They hit a vital spot on the top of the ship, which sent energy surging all around the ship. When the warship discharged its weapons at the transport, the firing chambers backfired, causing explosions to erupt on the Negarani's hull. Within moments, the ship was destroyed. Kim flew the runabout around the debris, so they wouldn't be hit. The deflector took care of the rest.

"Good work gentlemen," McGawan addressed. "Mister Kim, take us to within range of the Mushorian Transport. The Negs just lost their ability to transport or do anything useful, because they got stubborn. Also, Mister Wesker, scan the transport's structural integrety. All of us need to come up with a good plan. Need I remind you where we are?"

"I could get a condition report from the transport," Kim said. "That is, if the Negs allow for a—"A change in sensor readings. "Captain, sensors have just recorded the loss of another thirty Mushorian lives."

"They must've tried to contact the ship, or they saw the battle outside," Wesker surmised.

"One of them lead to thirty more deaths," McGawan said. "We don't have time to sit and plan. Mister Kim, get your condition report now."

Kim hailed the transport. "Mushorian Transport, this is the Federation Ship Deleware. Please acknowledge."

On a screen, a bloodied face appeared. A scar ran down the strong-looking man's face, which was still dripping in blood. However, he was still able to speak. "I am Pax Gul, Second Commander of the Mushorian United Armies."

"Lieutenant Commander Harry Kim of the United Federation of Planets." The exchange was going well. "How are your people holding up?"

"Not well," Pax Gul said. "They came aboard... they didn't even state any demands. They just started taking lives. The worse part about it... they're only killing the children."

That stunned the trio on the runabout.

McGawan entered into view. "Captain Bruce McGawan here. I need to know everything about the situation aboard your vessel."

"I can't give you much," Pax Gul said. "I am only able to talk to you under armed guard at this time. If I mess up, I'll lose my head."

"I believe you," McGawan said. "Who is the Alpha over there?"

"I don't know," Pax Gul said. He pointed to his scar. "I got this trying to get some answers, myself. Captain, we are a people of love and compassion. We cannot begin to fathom what has been happening to us over the last few days, alone. Wars and things of this such are not in our daily vocabulary. If you can do anything to help us, I ask that you come aboard and help negotiate for the release of the children, at least. They are our future."

McGawan and Kim exchanged glances. Then, McGawan simply said: "Ask your...guardian...if we are authorized to speak with you in," checking a chronometer, "thirty minutes."

Pax Gul did as he was told. The militant in the background, classically covered in a black mask with red trip, simply nodded. Then, Pax Gul came back to the screen. "I am allowed."

McGawan nodded. "We will resume these talks in thirty minutes. Deleware out." The screen went out. "Mister Kim, what have you found out?"

"Pax Gul is right," Kim said. "They are a people known for their love and compassion. Their most violent wars have been to deal with a deadly plegue that has sent entire cultures on their planet into extinction. They shared their planet with five other humanoid species, and the Mushorians have developed a close, friendly relationship with each of them. Wars between the other species have lead the Mushorians to create their armies, and they unified their planet.

"Plagues have killed off everyone but the Mushorians. For the last thousand years, the Mushorians have begun to reach out into space. They recently joined the Federation, and have contributed their phase-transition technology to Starfleet for research and testing. It doesn't show promise, hense Starfleet nearly abandoned the project."

"'Nearly?'" Wesker wondered.

"Starfleet still has an interest in PT Tech," Kim said. "It's just not applicable at the present time."

"It's probable that the Mushorians created the plagues to conquor their world, while delivering messages of 'love' and 'peace,'" Wesker snipped. "I can't trust them so much."

"Regardless, they are in need," McGawan said. "Mister Kim and I will board the Mushorian transport and assess the situation withour own eyes. And we'll get to the bottom of it, one way or another. Your job, Mister Wesker, is to be our eyes on the outside. If anything goes down, get out of range and wait for support to arrive."

Wesker nodded. "Understood, Captain."

"Harry, hail the transport again."

"That was a fast thirty minutes," Wesker said as Kim complied.

"Channel open."

On the screen, Pax Gul reappeared. "That was quick, Captain."

"Will the Negarani allow for me and my science officer to beam aboard?"

Pax Gul checked the question with his guardian. Finally, he turned back to the screen and said: "They will allow."

"We'll be right over," McGawan said. "Deleware out." When the screen went blank, McGawan and Kim got up. "Med kit and phasers."

Wesker supplied Kim and McGawan with what they had asked for. Then, Kim and McGawan stepped inside the small transporter cubical. "Good luck," Wesker said.

"To you too," McGawan said, sincerely. "Set us down on the bridge of the transport. We can address the Alpha from there."

"Stay safe," Wesker wished. "We have transport coordinates for the destination."

McGawan nodded. "Energize."

With the tweaking of a few buttons, McGawan and Kim disappeared off of the runabout in a haze of transporter beams.

The moment McGawan and Kim materialized onto the transport, the sound of arming weapons caught the Starfleeters' attention. A militant, wearing a traditional red and gold-trim mask, stepped forward, raising his Starfleet-issue phaser rifle, ready to fire it at any moment. "Weapons and scanning devices," he demanded.

Kim and McGawan slowly gave them what they wanted.

"Your combadges."

The Starfleet officers slowly gave them their badges.

The militant stepped back, taking out a personal communicator. "Destroy them."

Suddenly, a comm signal came through on McGawan's combadge. "Deleware to away team! I'm under attack up here! I can't...." The comm went dead.

The militant nodded to a guy with a green hood. "Take them below with the others."

As the militants shuffled McGawan and Kim down belowdecks, McGawan could catch a first-hand glympse as to what the Negarani were doing to the Mushorians.

The people were starving. They looked up to McGawan and Kim with some hope. However, when they saw the armed guards behind them, hope quickly faded. A few militants were beating an old woman, and a small child – about six earth years old.

"Do they have no compassion for anyone?" Kim wondered aloud.

One of the guards kicked Kim in the square of his back. Kim went down, pathetically. As he tried to get up, the guard stepped on his back, burrying the rifle barrel into his back. "If you ever say another word again, you will die, more painfully than this. Now, get up!" The guard pulled Kim to his feet, and pushed him ahead.

The guards threw McGawan and Kim into a cargo bay, where three members of the Mushroian Army were being held, including Pax Gul. Once Kim and McGawan were inside, the guards stepped out, and locked the door.

Kim collapsed suddenly.

At that moment, a female soldier rushed to Kim. Her short, blond hair and soft, blue eyes made her seem almost angelic. So did her voice. She helped Kim up to an upright position, and lifted the back of his shirt. She saw the kick mark, and the mark of the barrel. "It doesn't look serious."

"Thanks," Kim said, sarcastically. "But it hurts like hell."

"Lean forward and relax," the woman said. She began to massage Kim's back.

Through the pain, and the warm touch, Kim could actually begin to relax.

Meanwhile, McGawan met with Pax Gul.

"I'm so very sorry, Captain. They used our communique to trap you here," Pax Gul said.

"What happened?"

"They bombed our planet," Pax Gul said. "Murdered our children. That's what happened."

"Do you have any idea what they wanted?"

Pax Gul shook his head. "After they learned that you were coming, their motives changed. They sought nothing but capturing you."

"They did all of this... just to get me?"

"No," Pax Gul said. "You were just a bonus."

McGawan glanced down at Kim, who was now sleeping. The woman had, then, stood up, and was coming towards McGawan. "Will he make it?"

The woman nodded. "He'll be okay. He's in a lot of pain, but he'll be fine."

"This is Mer Ila, Sargent at Arms, and our finest medic," Pax Gul introduced. "You won't find a more compassionate medic anywhere."

McGawan glanced at Mer Ila's face. She couldn't have been more than 16, 17 earth years old. "It's an honor to meet you, Captain." The two shook hands.

"Mer Ila was going to be the first Mushorian to be admitted to Starfleet Academy," Pax Gul said. "Now that our home is destroyed..."

At that, McGawan's glanced turned more serious. "I wonder why you were attacked so fiercly..." McGawan quickly advanced for the door, and knocked on it.

"What are you doing?" Mer Ila wondered.

"I'm a negotiator," McGawan said. "Trust me. I'm going to get to the bottom of this."

The door openned. A black-hodded nothing militant stepped through, arming himself. "No, you will not get food, water, medical provisions—"

"I wish to speak with your Alpha," McGawan said.

"We do not negotiate."

"No?" McGawan didn't even blink. "Right now, there is a Federation attack cruiser on her way here. When she gets here, she will strike this vessel—"

"And we will kill everyone aboard her if she enters sensor range," the militant said.

That kind of put a damper on McGawan's plan. However, McGawan slowly advanced on the militant. "If you do not do as I say..." Suddenly, McGawan grabbed the phaser rifle, with one swift motion, he removed the power cell, took the militant's knife, and held it right at the militant's neck. "I will behead you."

The other militants stopped, cold, and stared at the situation.

"Oh? I see I hit a nerve," McGawan discovered.

"For a Negarani to lose his head... is to lose his honor."

"You have no honor to begin with," McGawan said. "Now, I want to speak to your Alpha. Have him come here. If he does not come here in the next minute, I will behead this... man."

When the militants tried to call McGawan's bluff, McGawan pressed the knife closer to his captive's neck. Some blood began to draw a little as the blade lightly broke the skin.

"I would advise you not to put me to the test," McGawan said. "Get your Alpha or he dies."

END OF ACT II