Aboard the Enterprise, Kirk stepped onto the bridge and met Spock. "You're back," he said quickly. "How was Dakota?"

"I have been back for some time, sir. Dakota was most intriguing. My mother seems to favor it." Spock said flatly.

"Do you favor it?" Kirk tried.

"I do not favor one place over another. Each place has its unique characteristics."

"Of course," Kirk nodded. "What do you think of this assignment? Carting a crew of spies halfway across the galaxy," he trailed off.

"As I understand it, our primary assignment is to deliver medical supplies. The intelligence agents will function largely independent of us." Spock said.

"Where have we heard that before?" Kirk turned to the helm.

McCoy stepped onto the bridge from the turbolift. "Spock!" he said quickly. "When did you get here?"

"I have been here since yesterday," Spock's calm belied his frustration at his crewmate's shock and awe at his return. "As the ship's repairs are complete, I have been aboard for the past 48 hours."

"Of course you have," McCoy stepped down to Kirk. "Sickbay seems ready as she'll ever be. When do we ship out?"

"Wednesday morning, 0800 hours." Kirk sighed. "Right at rush hour. I requested an earlier departure, but apparently the spies need the extra time."

"And we still don't know who they are?" McCoy asked.

"The crew roster has been declassified to us, and available for viewing," Spock interjected.

"You knew all this time?" Kirk said in mock anger. "Well, put it on main viewer!"

They faced the viewer as a list of names faded into view.

Kirk pointed harshly. "Lieutenant Commander Addy Carter! I knew it!"

"Jim," McCoy said, shaking his head.

"Request a transfer," Kirk stepped to his chair and sat down. He looked at McCoy and there was a pause. "Anything you want to tell me, Bones? Because I know the two of you met up that night."

"Jim, she couldn't tell me much. But I can practically guarantee that she didn't know much about this, because all she said to me was that they were planning an investigative mission within the next few months. I'll be she's as surprised as we are."

"Tomorrow?" Fisher shouted into the comm.. "We can't possibly have this done by tomorrow!"

The once peaceful office had been thrown into chaos. Open trunks were everywhere, spilling clothes and equipment onto the floor. Carter sat at her station and typed in silent anger. The trainees padded quietly around them, trying to pack and follow orders to continue correspondence with the leading suspects.

"Ah, sir?" a trainee came up to Carter.

"Hm?" she didn't look up.

"Suspect eight is asking me to send a credit transfer before he'll agree to a meeting. He's being very adamant."

"How much does he want?"

"400 credits."

"That's a lot. Tell him we talk first, or no deal. Stay in control. Okay?" Carter did her best to be patient with them, but it was difficult. "Tell him we talk first, and to get his lawyer to contact us about the meeting. I want everyone there."

"Yes, sir," the trainee stepped away and back to his station.

Carter stopped and rubbed her eyes.

Fisher looked over. "You all right, Ad?"

"Yup. Think we'll make the deadline?"

Fisher shook his head. "No. We'll be wrapping some of these up en route. I've asked that the Enterprise be given access to our communication channels."

"Oh, God," Carter laid her head on her desk.

"It's the only way," Fisher shrugged.

The door chimed, and with her head buried in her arms Carter began to shout. "What now? What could possibly happen now?" She didn't notice Fisher and the trainees snap to attention.

She looked up to see Admiral Richards stroll into the office. She stood quickly, hoping that her comments would blow over, but Richards stepped to her desk sternly.

"Lieutenant," he barked. "I know that you are not happy about these events, but you have no option in this matter. I will hear of no further complaints from you. Understood?"

"Yes, sir!"

"Hm," Richards stepped away. "I came by to give you all a few final words. To wish you luck."

"Permission to speak, sir," Carter said quickly.

"Denied!" Richards shot back. "Especially after that little outburst just now. What if I had been Ambassador Sarek? How embarrassing," Richards clucked his tongue.

"Permission to speak, sir," Fisher tried his hand.

"No!" Richards flustered. "I can't give you any more time! The schedules are the way they are and there's nothing that anyone can do about it! If I could give you another hour, I could, but I can't!"

Carter and Fisher glanced at each other.

Richards stepped back and sighed. "I know you'll do good work. Come home safely. That is all," he said it quickly, as though he didn't want any further interruptions from them. He turned on his heel and walked quickly out of the office without another word.

"He knows that we're struggling to get on that boat on time," Fisher shook his head. "He knows that we wanted another two weeks to do this."

"I don't want to talk about it any more," Carter sat back down and went back to work.

Kirk looked over the cargo bay as the boxes and antigrav units were being loaded in. The officers worked quickly and efficiently, for a crew that had spent the past two weeks loafing.

He sighed and turned to the comm. Panel. "Spock, how soon can we expect the cargo transfer to be complete?"

Spock's voice came over the panel. "The final shuttle of supplies is awaiting deployment. Estimating completion of cargo transfer within three hours."

"So, we'll be ready to go a full eight hours ahead of our scheduled departure?"

"Affirmative."

"And still no word from our passengers?"

"Negative. None of the officers have checked in," Spock said calmly. "And none have scheduled arrival times."

"Of course," Kirk started to press the button to close the communication, but Uhura piped over.

"Pardon me, sir, but I couldn't help but overhear,"

"Go ahead, Lieutenant. Have you heard anything?"

"Yes, sir. The Enterprise has been given access to ten previously secure channels for use during this mission. The name on the Access Request was a Lieutenant Jonathan Fisher."

"Sir," Spock said. "Lieutenant Fisher is one of the commanding partners of the intelligence gathering mission."

"Understood," Kirk blinked. "I think. I'm on my way back up."

He turned to leave, when there was a commotion on the deck. He turned and saw, through the protective barrier between the cargo bay doors and the vastness of space, what appeared to be a civilian scout hovering as though she were waiting for access.

He jumped for the lift and slid down the rails in his haste. He jumped on the comm. Between his ship and the stranger, and barked, "This is a Starfleet ship! What in the hell are you doing?"

"This is Ensign Karen Battaglia of the Office of Starfleet Intelligence," came a female voice. "I'm reporting for duty, and I have some cargo to drop off."

Kirk flustered. "Reporting for duty? Don't they teach you any protocol in that office?"

Uhura's calm voice came over the comm. "Ensign Battaglia, this is Enterprise. We do not have you scheduled for arrival. Please explain."

"I'm sorry, ma'am," Battaglia's voice did not waver. "Lieutenant Fisher should have called and scheduled my arrival."

There was a brief pause as Kirk tried to contain his anger and Uhura was sifting through communications. "I have no record of that," Uhura seemed to smile through it all. "But I think we can accommodate you in the Shuttle Bay. Please prepare for Tractor Beam, we can take you in from where you are."

"Thank you."

Kirk clenched his fists and headed for the lift.

Once back on the bridge, he went to Uhura. "What in the hell happened out there? Why was she in a civilian scout, of all things?"

Spock looked up. "Intelligence officers are routinely given civilian class scouts. We are ordered to accommodate the scouts of Ensign Battaglia, Lieutenant Fisher, and Lieutenant Commander Carter in our cargo bay, so they may continue their work."

Kirk flustered briefly, searching for words. "Then where are my shuttlecraft? My Starfleet shuttlecraft?" He emphasized the word Starfleet.

Before Spock could answer, a black haired ensign in the black trim of the OSFI arrived on the bridge. "Good evening, sirs," she chirruped. "Ensign Battaglia, requesting permission to come aboard."

"You are aboard, or haven't you noticed?" Kirk looked her over.

"No one met me on the shuttlebay floor, so I came here, sir," she explained briefly.

"Spock," Kirk turned quickly. "Make a note. From now on, all the intelligence officers will be met on the shuttlebay floor. No more unexpected visits to the bridge," he glared, and then turned to Battaglia. "Your quarters have been assigned, but I'll have my yeoman show you." He then stepped to his conn and sat without another word.

Uhura cleared her throat. "You're on deck ten. I know where they are. Captain," she looked over. "May I show the ensign to her quarters?"

"Assuming you have no other duties to attend to, yes." Kirk didn't turn. He secretly hoped she had a mountainous workload to attend to, but it was spacedock after all.

Uhura stood and shook the Ensign's hand. "Good evening, Ensign. I'm Lieutenant Uhura. I'll show you to your quarters."

"Wonderful. Thank you, " the ensign smiled warmly.

Uhura guided the young ensign out, and Kirk stared straight ahead in his frustration.

"Sir," Spock turned.

"What is it, Spock?" Kirk rubbed his brow.

"A schedule of arrivals has just arrived from OSFI headquarters. The remaining Ensign and the two trainees are scheduled to arrive within the hour. Lieutenant Commander Carter is to arrive at 2200 hours. Lieutenant Fisher is to arrive no later than 2400 hours."

"I guess they're trying to get a good night's sleep in," Kirk stood. "What time is it now?"

"1730 hours," Spock glanced at the chronometer.

"Well," Kirk glanced around. "I'm going to catch some dinner. Care to join me?"

Spock nodded an affirmative and the two of them stepped off the bridge.

Fisher closed the last Pelican case and flipped the latches. "Ok, Ad. I've told them you'll be there by 2200." He handed her the case and she stowed it in the last remaining space between her passenger seat and the console.

They paused and looked at each other. Carter sighed and glanced around the empty bay. All of the staff had gone home, and their footsteps and voices had been echoing all evening. "You ready for this?" she asked.

Fisher shrugged. "We can just hope for the best. You hungry? Or do you just want to go?"

"I think I'll just go." She pursed her lips and straightened her jacket. "I don't think I could eat if I wanted to."

"All right. I'll be right behind you." He started to turn and then quickly looked back. "You didn't hear anything about cabin assignments, did you?"

"No, but gauging from the attitudes coming off the Enterprise crew, we may just have a tent in the shuttlebay," she smiled. She gave a final wave and closed her scout door. The engine hummed, and she lifted vertically off the bay floor and into the night sky.

Fisher sighed and looked at his own scout. He glanced underneath, and saw a slow drip of coolant onto the spotless floor. He swore silently, and reached for the tool case.