Q2 wandered the tunnels of the sewer system, listening for signs of humans. He tried to be alert for any ambush by mudfoot gangs. The gangs had a lookout that alerted the groups to any intruders. Q2 was confronted by one of these lookouts who was wielding a rifle.
"State your name and business kid," the lookout ordered.
"I'm here to see the leader. Tell him I have a proposition for him," Q2 instructed with a pasted on grin. It wouldn't do any good to show fear.
The lookout eyed Q2 briefly, trying to get a read on the teenager. "Why do want to see the leader?"
"I'm here to make a deal," Q2 answered.
"Alright come with me then," the lookout ordered as he trained the rifle on Q2.
After walking down the tunnel a few hundred yards the lookout stopped and called out for somebody named Irish. Moments later a redheaded woman stepped out from the shadows faced Q2.
"Well now who do we have here?' Irish asked with disdain.
Q2 held up the bag of food stuff for the woman to see. "I have a business proposition for you. I'll trade the food in this bag for your help."
Irish snorted looked over at the sentry. "He wants our help Mike. Now why would a collaborator come around here asking for our help?"
"I'm not a collaborator. I came by this food honestly, by trading it for some CDs I found at a dump," Q2 shot back.
"Maybe we don't feel like trading for the food. Maybe we'll just take it," Irish sneered as she grabbed the bag of food out of Q2's hand.
Q2 kept his composure and let Irish and Mike rummage through the pack of food. "Don't you even want to know what my proposition is? I need your help to rescue a friend of mine from the Nietzscheans."
That was enough to get Mike and Irish's attention. Irish looked up at Q2 and studied the teenager momentarily. "So who do the Ubers got that you want?"
"Seamus Harper," Q2 stated nonchalantly.
Irish grabbed Q2's jacket and pulled the teenager closer to her so he was nose to nose with the redhead. "You better not be lying kid or we'll feed you to the magog."
"So you know Harper? I guess he's got a reputation around here then," Q2 surmised.
"Aye that he does, laddie," Mike piped up.
Q2 relaxed as Irish released her grip on his jacket. "So do we have a deal?"
Irish smiled at Q2 and patted him on the back. "Sure kid. But if we're gonna spring Seamus Harper from the Ubers we're gonna have to plan the operation just right so it goes like clockwork."
Irish and Mike led Q2 through the labyrinth of tunnels that made up the sewer system until they arrived at Irish's gang's hideout.
Q2 didn't believe that Irish or any of the other Kludges his story, but Q2 had to play along so he could gain their trust.
"So how is Seamus?" a short skinny young man asked as he stepped forward from the group.
Q2 sized up the skinny man and imagined Harper must have looked like this malnourished young man. "He was fine last time I saw him before the Nietzscheans got to him."
The skinny man nodded in understanding. "Yeah I'm sure the Ubers are busy trying to change that. What is Seamus doing here on Earth? He was supposed to be riding around in some High Guard warship."
"He was on a ship but he had some business down here. Now he needs your help," Q2 explained.
Irish stepped forward and addressed the group of mudfoots. "Anybody who wants to volunteer for a mission to help get Shay out of the Ubers' clutches, speak up. We'll need to work fast to plan the mission."
Several of the Kludges volunteered for the mission, including a young girl of about 12. Irish looked down at the young girl. "Angela I'm not going to let you go on the mission. I need you help us from here. You know by now what to do"
"How do we know you aren't just saying Seamus Harper is being held by the Ubers just to lead us into a trap?" Mike asked thoughtfully.
"You don't know you can trust me anymore than I know I can trust you," Q2 answered as he sat down on an old filthy couch.
Irish chuckled at the teenager's forthrightness. "You have a point there kid. What's your name anyway?"
"My name's Simon. So how about we get to work on coming up with a rescue plan?" Q2 replied.
Irish was intrigued Q2's attitude. He acted more like a Nietzschean than a Kludge. "There's no time like the present so why not?"
Captain Kathryn Janeway called Commander Chakotay to her ready room for a meeting to discuss the information Q had told her.
"Q didn't give you much to go on, as usual," Chakotay observed.
Janeway leaned back in her chair and cradled her mug of coffee in her hands. "No we don't have much to go on. We know nothing of this Spirit of the Abyss being. I'll contact Andromeda and inform them that we heard from Q."
Chakotay was still seething at the thought of a saboteur being on board. "How much do you want me to tell the rest of the crew about this Spirit of the Abyss?"
"Nothing for now," Janeway instructed. "We don't want to tip our hand. The saboteur knows we found evidence of sabotage. He or she most likely either didn't care if we found the evidence or wanted us to find the evidence."
Chakotay rubbed his jaw and took a deep breath. "Then you think we'll find the identity of the saboteur rather easily."
"No, I believe the saboteur merely wants to keep us busy looking. I believe the saboteur will cover his or her tracks," Janeway reasoned.
"Are you sure we're not giving the saboteur too much credit?" the Native American questioned
"I'd rather give a saboteur too much credit than too little," Janeway said as she walked the commander to the door.
In the morning Harper woke up on the floor in his cell. He lay there waiting for his mind to clear. When that happened Harper's body hurt even more. He couldn't take a breath without intense pain shooting through his chest. Harper didn't have to be a genius to figure he might have at least some bruised ribs. More than likely the ribs were broken.
A guard entered the small cell and unlocked the chain embedded in the concrete floor. Harper just now realized the other end of the chain was shackled to his wrist. The guard led Harper back to the interrogation room. When Harper didn't walk fast enough the guard took his rifle and shoved into the engineer's back. Harper stumbled and fell to the floor. The guard then grabbed the Earther's shirt and pulled Harper up.
Harper was shoved inside the same interrogation he had been in the night before. Once again Pavlov was sitting behind a table with another Nietzschean. "Now that you have had time alone to think Kludge Harper have you come to your senses and decided to tell me what I want to know?"
"If you mean will I tell you the name of the kid that was with me and where he is then the answer is no," Harper answered in a monotone. Harper put a blank look on his face as Pavlov glared at the Earther.
"You are being unreasonably stubborn Kludge Harper. I intend to change that." Pavlov vowed as he motioned to the guard. The guard grabbed Harper and took the engineer to a room with a large table. Harper nearly flinched when he saw it. This table was different than the one that Pavlov sat behind. This table had restraints attached.
The guard shoved Harper up onto the table and held the engineer down. Harper let out a low moan as his ribs and muscles protested the movement.
Pavlov had brought with him a small metal rod and gleefully showed it to Harper. The Engineer swallowed hard as he guessed what would happen once bound to the table. Harper watched helplessly as Pavlov reached for the shackles when an explosion shook the building.
Pavlov started shouting orders to his men as shrillers began whining in the background. The Nietzscheans covered their ears in obvious agony. Harper used the diversion to bolt for the door. Pavlov's reflexes were too fast and the Nietzschean grabbed Harper by the back of the collar and pulled the Earther behind him as they left the room.
Harper was led down the hall behind Pavlov when a rifle shot rang out. Harper looked up in time to see Pavlov fall to the floor.
"You weren't thinking of leaving me to hang out in this city by myself were you?" a young voice asked from behind Harper. The voice was music to Harper's ears.
"Simon?" Harper asked as he turned around. He was greeted by Simon sporting a wide grin.
"You ready to get out of here?" Irish asked as she put Harper's arm around her shoulder. Harper allowed Irish to help him walk.
"I've been ready since I got here," Harper proclaimed. The engineer let Irish help him walk as they headed for the nearest exit.