That night, at 2100 hours sharp, McCoy was in the doors of the Nameless Bar that he and Addy had discovered three years past. They were on a hunt for a bar that wasn't crowded with tourists or "posers" as Addy called them. Beneath her friendly working veneer was a somewhat hostile cynic.

He spotted Addy at the bar, talking with three tellarites. He stepped up, and the three blue tinted fellows quickly nodded and said goodbye to Addy. She turned and faced him with a smile. "What a bunch of losers, coming into my office and demanding information. Just who in the hell do you think you are, anyway?"

"Well, you know me. I think I own the place," he shrugged, grinning.

"And in the end, you probably will." Carter smiled, and waved to the elderly woman behind the bar. "Jack Daniel's, right?" Carter asked.

A few lotto machines chimed in the background, their colored lights flashing softly. The Tellarites and a few other aliens laughed at their luck.

Irene, the stout, white haired waitress brought over a shot glass and a new bottle of beer for Addy. She grinned a toothless smile at McCoy and strode back over to her glass washing.

McCoy pointed. "What, none for you?"

"Nah, I've got places to be," but she drank the beer quickly all the same.

"So, what is the story behind that Compic that Jim got?"

"Well, there's a couple of running theories on the subject, most of the highly classified and some of them I haven't been privy to, myself. One theory is that there's a planet in Romulan space that being subjected to a hostile takeover, there's another theory that it's a bunch of Arcturan terrorists looking to lure a Federation Starship near, and yet another that thinks the messages are just a ploy to wheedle financial assistance out of the Federation or Ambassadors themselves." She sighed quietly and began peeling the sticker off the beer bottle. "I can tell you that I'm on a team to help investigate them and stop them at the source. We're planning an investigative mission within the next few months to check it out. We have some leads in the Arcturan sector."

McCoy smiled. "Then I came to the right place, then!"

She shrugged. "I get ambassadors through my office all the time, wanting to know who is sending them with these crazy messages. I've seen about twenty varieties. Just after you came in was another Admiral, all pissed off that Nogura was gone and that he had to deal with me."

"Addy, what do you really think it is?" McCoy lowered his voice to a more serious tone.

She looked around casually. "I've told you everything I know. We don't really know what they are."

"You had mentioned something earlier about a subspace service provider extending into Romulan space. You don't think the Romulans are involved, do you?" McCoy sipped his whiskey.

"We haven't even approached the Romulan government with the possibility. They don't know that anyone is attempting to contact us. I'd like to keep it that way. My only fear is that one of these messages lands in the lap of the wrong ambassador, and they suddenly stop." She glanced at her watch. "I've got a holodeck appointment. Do you need a ride back into town?"

"It would save me a cab ride."

"Great," she set some money on the bar to pay their tab and grabbed her hat. "I'm parked out front."

The sleek little scout sat in the parking lot, and the doors slid open as Carter pressed her remote control.

"Nice ride," commented McCoy.

"It's not mine," Carter said, tossing her hat in the door. "It's the 'fleet's. I could never afford anything this nice." She started the engines, and they quietly hummed over the parking lot and back towards San Francisco.

"Look, don't take Jim too personally, he was just upset," McCoy began.

"Pffft," she snorted. "Don't worry about it. I understand completely. He got a weird message and wanted an explanation. I had none to give him. I'd be upset, too."

The Comm beeped, and she pressed a button. "Carter," she answered quickly.

"Hey, Addy, where in the hell are you? We can't start until you get here!"

"Piss off, I have twenty minutes," she shot back, glancing at the chronometer.

"No, you're off by a half hour." The voice seemed to laugh.

"Take off, I'll be there as soon as I can. Carter out!" she clicked off the comm. She piloted the little scout down through the clouds, and a pattering rain began hitting the windows. She sighed quietly.

"I haven't had the chance to ask how you're doing," McCoy asked.

"I'm fine. The promotion was a bit of a surprise, but beyond that, I'm fine."

"You seem to be doing well."

"I don't think I was their first choice for the job, I just think they needed someone in the position, if you catch my drift. I'm not really a people person."

"That's crazy. You could take a rabid raccoon and turn it into a housepet," McCoy snorted. "You're good with people."

"Doesn't mean that I like doing it. Where are you staying?"

"I've got a studio I keep on the West Side." It sounded a little sad, "a studio." It was just someplace to sleep while he waited to go back into space.

Carter sighed, and the wipers began flipping across the windshield. They left little trails here and there where the surface was uneven and scarred. A soft light began to flash and a beep began to sound.

"What's that?" McCoy asked.

Carter looked down with mild surprise. "We're being scanned."

"By who?"

"I don't know. Hang on, though. We'll find out." She pressed another button and a manual flight control appeared out of her console. She grabbed the control and kept flying straight. "You may want to buckle up."

The soft light pulsed, and the beeping sound increased. Carter slowed the scout, and drifted to the right. "We'll see if they just want to pass us, but that's no reason to scan us."

McCoy leaned back nervously, and fiddled with his strap buckle. Another scout, an older scout, appeared in the left window, following closely. The soft light on the console went out and was replaced by a steady red light. "What does that one mean?"

"That means they're armed," Carter replied with a forced casual tone.

"Are you?" McCoy raised his brows.

"Oh, yeah," she touched the panel. "We can blow them out of the water if they fire on us. Don't worry."

The second scout slowed and slipped into a close hold on their rear.

"Hang on," Carter said lightly, and flipped the scout to a sharp right. The second followed, but was not as fluid as her movements. "They may think we're civilians. Did you notice anyone following you to the bar?"

"No," McCoy's voice rose.

"How about the cab driver?" Carter's eyes darted from scanners to windows to the second scout.

"I don't know!" McCoy was nearly shouting when a sudden shot shook the scout from the left.

"That's what I needed," Carter smiled. "Thanks, boys." She tapped a button on the console, and flashing blue and red strobes appeared in the front and rear windows. She flipped the scout into a sharp loop, and came up behind the second scout, which was now jerking incoherently. "Probably switching drivers," she grinned.

"What the hell are you doing?" barked McCoy.

"Pulling them over," she said as though it were the most natural thing in the world. "They fired at us. I have every right to fire back, but I'd like to talk to them. So we're pulling them over."

"Shouldn't you ask for backup or something?"

"That shot could be seen for miles, there's probably security on the way now."

As if on cue, sirens began to blare behind them and more lights began to flash behind Carter's scout. Carter's comm began to speak in a heavy order, "OSFI Agent, disengage. We'll take it from here. Repeat, disengage pursuit."

Carter answered quickly. "Hey, I'd like to question the occupants of that scout. I'm not disengaging."

"You have no cause. Disengage."

"Don't you have some kind of authority over," McCoy began.

"No," Carter answered angrily. "Welcome to the rule of Law. I can't question anyone off the street without a good reason."

"But,"

"Conversations I have off the record about existing cases with friends are not a good reason. Especially when those friends aren't supposed to know about those existing cases." Carter pulled back and let the Security Scouts tail the now slowing criminal scout.

She flew quietly for a few moments, an uncomfortable silence between them. "Listen," she said suddenly. "Can you stay with a friend tonight? Captain Kirk, maybe?"

McCoy raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure there's something you don't want to tell me?"

She tapped her finger to her lip in thought. "No," she shook her head. "I just don't feel very comfortable with you being alone after that."

There was a pause. "Jim lives on the north side, near to Starfleet Headquarters." McCoy admitted. "But I don't think,"

"Just humor me, okay?" she sounded exasperated. "You're not going to be planetside for much longer, and when you're back on the Enterprise you'll have photon torpedoes and phasers to keep people like that at bay. I just don't know who they were, or why they fired on us."

Kirk looked out over the water and sipped his brandy. "I think you're both crazy."

"Maybe. Jim, do you know how much longer we'll be here?" McCoy was suddenly anxious to get off the planet, even if it was Earth.

"I don't know." Kirk set down his now empty brandy glass and sat down in a chair facing his fireplace. "But I do know that Admiral Nogura is back, and he wants to speak with me tomorrow morning. I know it's about our assignment."

"They haven't told you anything yet?"

"No, but I've heard rumors that there's some medical runs to be made in the Arcturan sector. The Constellation just came back, and she needs to be reassigned to assist the Vulcan Science teams in the Beta Quadrant. Someone needs to pick up the slack and it's usually us."

McCoy nodded. "But you have to admit, it'd be a gravy job if we do get it."

"A nice change of pace," Kirk nodded. "Well, Mr. Spock is due to get back into San Francisco tomorrow morning."

"Oh?"

"His mother was vacationing in the Dakotas, Spock went to be with her for a few days."

"Get him back in touch with some semblance of humanity," McCoy crossed his arms and looked at the clock.

"It's getting late," Kirk said with a smile. "I suppose you'll want to retire to my guest room."

Kirk's apartment had a second bedroom, but as Kirk had not seen overnight visitors in three years, it was more used for storage than guests. He had tossed the old civilian into a corner and ravaged out a few blankets from a forgotten linen closet.

McCoy, in his undershirt and shorts, slept fitfully in a strange bed and in worry over the events of the evening.

Carter watched the interview recordings that had been made of the pilot who had fired on her scout.

"Did you know that you were firing on a Starfleet officer, and an Intelligence Agent?" asked the Security officer.

"I didn't know," said the suspect, shrugging with indifference. He was Arcturan.

"Did anyone tell you to follow the Starfleet officer to the bar?"

"I didn't know he was 'fleet, okay? We were just gonna rob 'em."

Carter watched silently in the dark as the interview progressed.

"You don't buy it, do you?" Fisher stepped into the room.

"I would if he wasn't Arcturan." Carter leaned back in her chair and pressed a button to stop the playback. "It's too much of a coincidence in my mind."

"Did they charge him with anything?"

Carter shrugged. "Unlawful discharge of a weapon, but they couldn't get him on firing on a Starfleet Officer. He claims he didn't know about that."

"So, he walks, then." Fisher turned a chair around and sat.

"Yup, and I never get to see him." Carter sounded disgusted.

"Well, that bar isn't in the best of neighborhoods Ad. He may be telling the truth." He watched her face and there was no response. He sighed. "Let's watch that recording again, Ad. I may be able to pick him out."

"Do you think he's one of our suspects?"

"No, but he may be working with one of our suspects. Remember, I got invited to lunch the other day by an Arcturan."

"That's right, and you told him you were there, but he must have missed you," she remembered.

"I guess I should have gone!" Fisher smiled.

The following morning Kirk walked alone to Nogura's office. McCoy was sleeping like a stone and he saw no need to wake the doctor.

When he stepped into the office, he saw another man, another Admiral, sitting beside the desk.

"Good morning, Jim," Nogura stood up and shook Jim's hand happily. "May I introduce Admiral Richards," he nodded in the direction of the other man, who stood and reached for Kirk's hand.

Kirk reached out tentatively. "Admiral Richards," he repeated slowly, trying to remember where he had heard the name.

"Chief of the Office of Starfleet Intelligence," Richards stated flatly, shaking Kirk's hand. He was an older gentleman, a little short and gray hair.

Kirk sat down, eyeing the situation suspiciously. Nogura saw the look in his eye and held up his hands. "Now, Jim, relax. It's not what you think."

"You don't know what I'm thinking," Kirk said defensively.

"Jim, the Enterprise is going to be taking over for the Constellation in the medical supply runs to the Arcturan system," Nogura began. "But I think you knew about that."

Kirk nodded. "I had gotten that impression."

Nogura nodded, smiled and knitted his fingers. "Great, so you know about all that. Well, Richards here contacted me about any ships I had running to that sector, and yours popped up. We have a few passengers we need you to carry."

"Passengers?" Kirk cocked his head. "Are we running some kind of tour service these days?"

"There's some unusual activity in the Arcturan system," Richards said quietly. "I'd like to send a small team out to do some talking and find out more about it."

"Small team?" Kirk was suspicious.

"Four officers and two trainees," Nogura said quickly. "And it's all strictly routine."

"I've heard that before." Kirk did not waver.

"Look," Nogura smiled. "You'll deliver your supplies, the intelligence officers will do their jobs, and then when you're all done you'll report to Starbase K4 for your next assignment. They'll remain there and another ship will pick them up. You won't even notice they're there. "

"This is a good team," Richards added. "It won't take them long."

"Admiral," Kirk turned to Nogura. "Did you know that my CMO was fired on as he was leaving a bar with an intelligence agent?" Kirk thumbed towards Richards.

Nogura sat back. "McCoy? No, I didn't know that. Ted, was one of your agents out with a Doctor McCoy last night?"

"I wasn't aware, no," Richards shook his head. "But then again I can't really be expected to keep track of all my officers' whereabouts."

"Jim," Nogura looked back at Kirk. "I'll look into it. But in the meantime, I'll get a roster of names for you as soon as they're declassified. You'll ship out as soon as everyone's packed up and ready to go.

Kirk stood, and paused a moment. "You realize that every time you've told me something is routine, it turns out to be a fiasco?"

"This time," Richards stood and faced him. "You have the Intelligence office to blame for any fiascos."

"Admiral," Kirk lifted his chin. "I look forward to the opportunity."

Kirk remained nonplussed on his way back to his apartment. He now had an inspection scheduled, and the Intelligence Office had promised him a crew roster for their temporary transfer to the Enterprise.

McCoy was up and pacing when he got back. "Well? What's the word?"

"We ship out in two days, delivering Medical Supplies to Starbases in the Arcturan system. And we are carrying a small bevy of spies."

"Spies?"

"Temporary Transfer, and they'll be investigating some unusual activity in the Arcturan System." Kirk stopped and pointed at McCoy. "And I'll bet you dollars to doughnuts that your little friend is involved in this."

"Jim," McCoy laughed. "I hate to break it to you, but she hates Starships. If she got wind that she'd be on a temporary transfer, for any reason, she'd do her best to back out of it. She's happier earthside, trust me."

"Well, nobody in the intelligence office wants to give me a list of names that are on that transfer." Kirk stepped to the servitor and ordered coffee. "I've got an inspection this afternoon. Want to join me?"

McCoy threw his hands up in the air. "Like I have anything better to do?

Carter stepped into her office and surveyed her desk. There were a few new papers there, along with a manilla envelope marked "Classified." She swore quietly and glanced over at Fisher's desk. An identical envelope had been dropped there, too.

She opened it roughly, tearing the top completely off. "Goddamn glue," she swore again.

The trainee behind her glanced over.

"You have been assigned to temporary transfer aboard the Enterprise,'" she read aloud disgustedly. "To investigate an existing case in the Arcturan system. Blah, blah, blah. "

"Isn't that classified material?" the trainee asked sheepishly.

"What, you wouldn't notice I was gone?" she shot back. "Fisher's going with me. It's not going to be classified for long," she hit a button on her comm. "Get me Admiral Richards," she said sharply.

Richards appeared on the screen, holding his hands out in a peaceful gesture. "Addy, I'm sorry. I know that you wanted to do this yourself, but the entire agency felt a lot safer with you having some backup. The Enterprise was being assigned to that sector anyway, so it just made sense."

"I needed more time, sir. The contacts we have made are sketchy at best. If we just show up on their doorstep now, they'll be suspicious. They may tell us to screw off, sir."

"Judging by the correspondence you've shown me, there are at least two that are overeager to get you over there."

"And there are six that aren't. Do you want me to concentrate on those two? Because the two that you're talking about aren't my hottest leads."

Richards sighed. "Try to wrap up your hot leads. Let them know you're coming over in a way that won't arouse suspicion on their part."

"I'll do my best, sir," Carter shook her head. "Carter out." She clicked off the comm. And turned to the trainee. "Okay, pull up all my correspondence with suspects four, eight and twelve."

"Aye, sir," the trainee shifted quickly into business mode.