Chapter 8: Truth, Deceit, and the Right Thing to Do
Jordan woke up quick, as if from a nightmare. What he was met with was much worse. He was laying on a platform at a steep inclined, with his hands shackled above his head. In front of him was something more horrible than any dream. Covered in leathery grey scales, standing six and a half feet tall with a rifle at port arms, the First stood before the Starfleet Ensign.
Jordan struggled against his restraints. "I saw you die!"
The imposing Jem'Hadar butted the stock of hit rifle into the human's stomach. Jordan would have fallen on the deck from the blow, but he was suspended by his wrists, cuffed to the platform. The grey scales around the First's mouth contorted into a sneer.
"Actually Ensign Singer," a new voice said, "the Jem'Hadar you saw die was from the same Genome as this soldier. But like his deceased clone, this one also holds the rank of First." The man spoke slow and deliberately, as if uninterested by all that occurred around him. The stare from his faded blue eyes was hollow, but piercing, as if he was consumed by a single purpose, driven to a single end. The high rising ears and the flamboyant tuft of black hair gave away the man's species. He was Vorta, one of the genetically engineered diplomats and generals of the Dominion. "My name is Yelgrun. I have been perusing your ship for sometime. I must commend your piloting skills. You presented most unexpected difficulties."
"I can't take all the credit. Your Jem'Hadar are pretty lousy at the helm." Jordan's words prompted the First to delivery another blow to the Ensign's already tender stomach.
Yelgrun sighed. "I have interrogated my fair share of Starfleet junior officers. Trust me when I tell you it will not take long to rid you of your arrogant defiance. The methods employed are quite unpleasant. It would be much easier on both of use if you cooperated." The Vorta stepped closer to Jordan. "Now, tell me everything you recall about the Nevlian going by the name of Esco. And tell me, where is the canister?"
Jordan spit in the Vorta's face. Yelgrun wiped his face with his hand and turned to the First and nodded. This time the stock of the rifle came down on Jordan's head. The world went black.
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Clark Franks stood up groggily. He was in a spacious room near a bench built into the wall. Three of the four walls had a series of columns arranged in a square horseshoe. The only door in the room was on the fourth wall. A few feet in front of the door there was a freestanding control console. The display on the console was unmistakably Federation in origin, although Nightingale had no rooms or spaces that resembled this one.
The room was crowded, part of it at least. The space between the walls and columns teemed with people Franks recognized as Nightingale's medical staff and engineering technicians, but the rest of the room was empty.
Franks approached one of the columns. It was square, and the sides paralleling the near wall were lighted from the deck to the overhead. All of a sudden the air began to glow and he felt a tingling sensation that caused him to jump back. "Force field." He muttered to himself. He was in a cell, a Federation cell.
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Hudson stared at Yelgrun as coldly as he could, trying to compress the fear he felt coursing through his body into a ball in the pit of his stomach. "You're wasting your time, I'm not telling you anything."
The interrogator easily detected the fear the ensign was futilely trying to hide. "You have already told me so much." Yelgrun held up a PADD. "Your engineering logs. Impressive, you repaired your vessel using parts from a Dominion vessel, you altered your power signature to match that of a Jem'Hadar Assault ship, and my personal favorite, you calibrated your sensors to better detect trilithium." Yelgrun looked up from the PADD. "You'll be glad to know that all Dominion ships have corrected the flaw in their warp system. Our ships no longer vent trilithium and they can no longer be tracked by Starfleet, and all thanks to you, Ensign."
Hudson shrank a bit at the realization his logs had given up oun of the Federation's few advantages in a war they were loosing. Seeing the pleased looked on Yelgrun's face, Hudson steeled himself again.
"As renowned as the ingenuity of Starfleet engineers is, I believe you had help. Tell me everything you discussed with Esco."
"He didn't tell me anything." Hudson said.
"I doubt that, Humans by their nature are quite chatty as you say. What did Esco tell you?"
Hudson said nothing.
"I will get my answers Mr. Hudson." Yelgrun said. "Perhaps I should press Mr. Singer for more information."
"He doesn't know anything. He only even met Esco once."
"I know, he spoke with him in the shuttle bay when you were leaving the Badlands. Perhaps my euphemism did not convey what I intended. I will kill Ensign Singer if you do not tell me what I want to know."
All of Hudson's attempts to hide his fear broke down. His terror could be seen plainly by the expression on his face.
"I'm giving you a rare opportunity Ensign Hudson. I am giving you a second chance, a chance to save the life of one of your crewmates." Yelgrun's voice was calm, almost understanding. "Or will you choose to let Mr. Singer die, like you let Crewman Adkins die?"
All the information Yelgrun wanted to know begged to pass Hudson's lips. The desire to save his friend was overwhelming, and the engineer didn't know if he had the strength to resist.
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Franks was walking around the edge of the cell. Most of his fellow prisoners were either asleep or groggily waking up, wondering where they were and how they had gotten there.
"Lieutenant Franks." Someone called. It was a young man in engineering coveralls.
"Crewman?" Franks asked as he turned to face the young man.
"Doral, sir. Am I glad to see you!"
"What's happened, Doral? Where are we?"
"I was hoping you would know, sir. You're the only officer I've seen."
"You haven't seen anyone else from the senior staff?"
"I saw the Chief on the other side of the cell, but he was asleep. I wasn't about to wake a sleeping Chief." Doral forced a chuckle at his own joke.
Franks was feeling very alone. Doral was expecting something from him, something that Franks doubted he had. "Why don't you try to find out who is here, and who is missing. I'll go talk to Chief Reilly." He finally said.
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"Where is the logic in resisting me Doctor Sovek?" Yelgrun asked. "Do Vulcans not value their lives?"
"You are at war with my sovereignty. I can only assume that any answers I provide to you would be used against the Federation. Vulcans hold life in the highest regard, but it would be illogical to save my own by giving you information that could assist you in killing my countrymen." Hanging on the Dominion interrogation table left the Vulcan in a less than dignified position than he was accustom too, but his steady words signaled no discomfort.
"I have to admit I am somewhat surprised at your answer. I read a log from Nightingale's executive officer; it says you suggested the Nightingale surrender to the Dominion."
"My logic was flawed in that instance."
"A rare occurrence in Vulcans."
"However infrequent an occurrence none the less."
"Perhaps your logic is flawed now too. You have not yet heard my questions. If you did you would realize the information I seek is about one man, the Nevlain Esco. What you tell me will not hurt your fellow Federation citizens."
"It will be used to hurt one."
"You believe Esco is a Federation citizen? Nothing could be farther from the truth. He is from the Gamma quadrant. His people's home world is one of the core planets of the Dominion."
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"Who's there?" The Chief asked. "I can hear you breathing."
Franks inhaled a bit more sharply, not expecting the chief to respond. "It's me, Chief. I thought you were asleep."
"Franks? I'm not asleep. Just got my eyes closed, don't have much used for leaving 'em open." The Chief sat up. His eyelids opened halfway and his pupils stared blankly ahead. "So, who rescued us?"
"You think we were rescued?" Franks asked.
"Listen to the power pulsing through the EPS conduits. We're on a Federation ship, but it isn't Nightingale, sounds a lot more powerful."
Franks sat down on the bench next to Reilly. "We haven't been rescued Chief, we're in a cell. I don't know how we got here, I don't know where here is, and the rest of the senior staff doesn't seem to be here."
"Well that doesn't make sense." The Chief muttered.
"Sir!" Doral called running up to the two of them. His report came spilling out of his mouth in one breath. "I haven't found anymore officers, the engineering team is all accounted for, the nurses are all here, but two doctors are missing, and only the fully recovered patients are here as far as we can tell."
"Which doctors?" Reilly asked.
"Doctor Kizmet and Doctor, uh…. The Vulcan doctor." Doral said.
"Sovek and Kizmet, what do they have to do with any of this?" Franks asked.
"Maybe they were lucky enough to escape, or unlucky enough to get themselves killed." Reilly said.
"What are we going to do, sir?" Doral asked Franks.
Franks looked back in bewilderment. Me? He thought. "Chief?" He asked turning to Reilly.
"We'll find you if we need you Doral, good work." Reilly said to the crewman. He listened as Doral's footsteps became more distant before turning back to Franks. "Listen Lieutenant, you are in charge here. You're the ranking officer and more people than Doral are going to be looking to you for leadership."
"I don't know what to do Chief. I don't know what to tell them." Franks admitted.
The Chief sighed. "You think I can tell you? I'm a blind old fool. You're an officer, you signed on for this. You wanted command, well this is it."
Just then every face in the cell turned in the same direction as the door behind the console swooshed open. A man in an all black uniform stepped through. Some of the prisoners hollered at the man, demanding to know what was happening. Others hit their fists against the force fields, but most just stared. The man ignored the actions of the prisoners. He walked to the console and spoke over the other voices. "Lieutenant Junior Grade Clark Franks, please step forward."
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"This should be easy. She is a civilian, she has no formal resistance training, and she is an intellectual. The profile on such people indicates that the threat on pain is actually more effective than the application of pain." Yelgrun explained to the Jem'Hadar guard while reviewing the information on the PADD. He then turned to his subject. "Threat or application, I can not make up my mind Doctor Kizmet. I think we will try both methods, and see which is more effective."
Kizzy's heart beat faster and faster as Yelgrun walked towards her. The Vorta circled around to the back of the interrogation table. He pressed a control and a brace restrained Kizmet's head, holding it firmly against the table forcing her to stare at straight ahead. Two probes then rose from beneath the table. The tips glowed red with some sort of energy as they settled in on either side of her head approximately ten centimeters away, centered on her temples.
"I've been through all the logs and reports from your ship, but I still have some unanswered questions." Yelgrun said.
"I don't know anything, I'm just a doctor." Kizzy pleaded.
Yelgrun pressed a control and the probes clicked a centimeter closer. "Are you familiar with Klingon pain sticks? They are a ceremonial staff used in their barbaric rituals. They emit a special type of energy that causes the neurons that sense pain to fire. The probes I am moving towards your temples emit that same energy, but where the Klingon pain sticks only cause pain in a localized area, these probes will fire every pain receptor in your body. They will cause you to feel the maximum amount of pain your body is capable of." There was no threat in Yelgrun's voice. The description was cold and clinical. "You were the first member of the Nightingale's crew to make contact with Esco. You saved his life. Surely you would have noticed if he had anything with him. Where is the canister?"
Kizzy was beginning to hyperventilate. She didn't know how she had been captured, and she hoped she was the only one. She prayed he hadn't been captured. "I don't know anything about a canister."
"Are you sure?" Yelgrun asked, clicking the probes closer. "Think very hard."
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Franks had been led to a small room and left sitting alone at a table. There were no computer consoles or even door controls inside the room. The chamber was clearly designed for interrogations. Franks wasn't sure how long he had been waiting when the door finally hissed open. The man that entered had neatly comb brown hair and wore the same black uniform as the guard that had taken him from the cell. The man sat down on the other side of the table. He reviewed the information on a PADD he had with him before setting it down and looking at Franks.
"Clark Franks, Lieutenant Junior Grade, graduated in the top third of your Academy class, served at Starfleet Personnel Command, then assigned to the Nightingale as lead helmsman and second officer." The man said.
"That's all right, but I missed your name." Franks said.
"I didn't give it." The man replied. "I am Starfleet Intelligence's Deputy Director of Internal Affairs, my title should suffice."
"Sir, is there any chance of finding out what this is all about?" Franks asked.
"I'm the one asking questions here Lieutenant." The Director snapped. "If you know what's good for your career you will be completely forth coming."
Franks got the hint and did not respond.
"Your ship treated a patient named Esco. What do you know about him?" The Director asked.
"We picked him up on MN-1375. He's a Nevlian, he can change the color of his skin and spit some sort stomach acid. He's an intelligence agent. The Dominion is chasing him, but he wouldn't tell us why." Franks thought for a moment. "That's all I know."
"What about the canister? Esco had a canister with him. What happened to it?"
"I don't know anything about a canister. Nobody mentioned it."
"Do you know where the rest of Nightingale's senior staff is?"
"No, sir. I was on Nightingale, we had completed repairs and were heading back to Federation space. Then I woke up here, I don't know what happened."
The Director studied Franks. "I believe you." He finally said. "Now tell me truthfully, is there any question in your mind about the loyalty of your fellow officers on Nightingale?"
"I don't understand. Loyalty to what, Starfleet?" Franks asked.
The Director leaned forward and talked softly. "Esco is not, nor ever has been a Starfleet intelligence agent. He is working for the Dominion. He has created a biological weapon. His mission is to release it at the heart of the Federation."
"What does that have to with the loyalty of Nightingale's crew? Why would you lock us in a cell for something Esco did?" Franks asked.
"Ten hours ago a Dominion Battleship briefly rendezvoused with the Nightingale. By the time we arrived the Battleship was gone, we found everyone on your ship unconscious, key personnel were missing, along with Esco, and there was no sign of a struggle."
"What are you saying? You don't think that…"
"That the command crew of USS Nightingale has defected to the Dominion?" The Director finished the thought. "I'm not sure. Until we find out I must consider everyone from your ship a security risk."
"I see." Franks said meekly. His head was spinning with the new information.
"Thank you for your cooperation Mr. Franks, it will go far towards clearing all this up." As the Director spoke the guard that had brought Franks to the interrogation room reappeared. Franks stood and turned towards the door, but the Director stopped him. "One more thing Mr. Franks, what happened to Chief Reilly?"
"The console he was at exploded when the first time the battleship attacked us." He said no more, he couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"My condolences." The Director said. He then nodded for the guard to take Franks away. After the door hissed shut the Director pulled out a small comm. unit and spoke into it. "We've obtained all the information we will through these methods, begin interrogation level two."
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The probes clicked closer to Kizmet's temples. "I already told you, he's got dynamic pigmentation, he has three stomachs, he was a biochemist, he has some secret he won't share."
"Are you sure you don't know anything else?" Yelgrun asked clicking the probes even closer.
Kizzy could barely talk hear she was breathing in out so quickly. She could feel the heat of the ends of the probes, she searched her mind for anything that might stop them from coming any closer. "He can projectile vomit on command, he eats wood, I don't know anything else." She cried.
"He eats wood?" Yelgrun asked. "How odd."
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"Move faster." The first punctuated his command by striking Jordan in the back of the head with the butt of his rifle. The blow sent Jordan reeling forward onto the deck of the corridor. "Get up."
Jordan stood up awkwardly, the binders holding his wrists together made it hard to pick himself up off the floor and his body throbbed from the painful beatings he had endured. He stood up in front of a door. Sensing his presence, it swooshed open. He couldn't believe what he saw. "Kizzy!" He yelled.
"Jordan, help me!" She screamed from the interrogation table.
"Get him out of here!" Yelgrun commanded the First.
The First pushed Jordan on and the door hissed shut. Jordan took a few more steps then he turned suddenly. He threw his shoulder into the First and reached for the Jem'Hadar's waist with his bound hands. The First did not loose and inch of ground. As Jordan flew towards him the First drew back his right arm and met Jordan's face with a clenched fist. Jordan's body twisted and fell forward back onto the ground.
"Try that again and I will shoot you." The First promised.
Jordan rolled over and leveled a disruptor pistol at the Jem'Hadar. "Not if I shoot you first." He said.
Before the First could look to his hip to find his side arm holster empty, Jordan fired. The massive frame of the soldier fell back onto the deck.
Jordan stepped over the dead body, and busted through the door he had seen Kizzy behind. He fired and hit the Jem'Hadar in the room before the guard even had a chance to raise his rifle. He then turned to Yelgrun and shot the gaping Vorta in the head.
"Jordan!" Kizzy exclaimed. Jordan moved towards the interrogation table. He set the pistol down, shut off the probes, and released the restraints. Kizzy jumped up and hugged him. "Thank god. I thought maybe… I mean, I couldn't stand to loose… Not again." She held him tighter sobbed into his shoulder.
For a moment Jordan forgot that they were still in the belly of a Dominion warship. "It's alright, you're not alone." He tried to hug her back and realized his wrists were still locked together. He remembered where they were.
He told Kizzy to pick the pistol up off the floor. She released Jordan from her embrace and did as he said. She pressed the muzzle of the disruptor pistol to the binders around Jordan's wrists. She squeezed the trigger and a blue beam lanced through the binders and into the floor. The restraints fell away. Jordan rubbed his wrists then picked up the assault rifle the Jem'Hadar corpse was holding. He checked the hall to make sure it was empty.
"We're getting out of here." He said.
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Hudson sat alone in a Dominion cell. He couldn't believe what he had done, the betrayal he had committed. His thoughts wondered back to a conversation he had had with Esco. In the end, everyone gets hurt, Esco had said, the dilemma that is at the forefront of my mind is the right thing to do in such times. Hudson wondered if he had done the right thing, or if he had abandoned one of the trusts he had held in the highest regard. And he wondered what was making that noise.
Hudson stood up, the engineer's obsession for mechanical order taking over. It was a creek or a rattle. Something was moving that wasn't supposed to. The interior of the cell was smooth. There was the bench that also served as a bed, but every surface was perfectly smooth, machined to fit precisely in its place. In one corner of the small room, the rattle and creek was clearly louder. He looked up to see an air vet. He stepped up on the bench and reached up towards the vent. He had to stand on his toes. The tip of his finger touched the corner of the vent, a shock coursed through his body, and he found himself lying on the floor with completely soar and with a burned finger tip. However, he was sure about one thing, the grate over the vent had moved.
Hudson stepped up onto the bench again. He braced himself, and then leapt for the vent. His fingers looped through the grate. The shock was much more intense this time. He wasn't sure how long he was out, but when he came to there was a grate in his hands and a hole in the ceiling.
With the grate gone the circuit was broken. The third time Hudson leapt for the vent he caught the edge and pulled himself up. With no frame of reference as to where he was, Hudson picked a direction and began crawling on his belly.
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"His condolences?" Reilly didn't understand it. "Did he think I was dead?"
"I'm not sure." Franks admitted. "I was distracted. I couldn't stop thinking about what the Director had told me about Esco, about the others."
"It doesn't make sense, Lieutenant. Why would he ask you about me and no one else? Why wouldn't he assume I defected with the rest of the command staff?"
"You really think they defected, chief?"
"Hell no, how many defectors do you know that destroy three Jem'Hadar assault ships? If they did go aboard that Dominion ship it wasn't of their own accord."
Franks stood up and paced in frustration. "But why? Why take them?"
The Chief looked back through all they had been through since MN-1375. One his last memories of sight struck him: everyone in the command staff, save Franks, and two doctors standing in Nightingale's sickbay arguing over what to do with an injure Jem'Hadar soldier. He also remembered seeing one fully recovered patient with them. "Esco." Reilly muttered.
Franks stopped his pacing. "What was that chief?"
"Have you ever met Esco? Ever talked with him?" Reilly asked.
Franks sat back down on the bench and thought. "No, everything I know about him comes from filing the ship's official reports."
Reilly nodded. "I know for a fact that everyone taken has met him."
"Then why weren't you taken?" Franks wondered.
"I don't know, sir. Maybe because I'm a patient, maybe they just didn't have enough time to find me."
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Crawling through the cramp ventilation shaft Hudson was reminded of a popular joke at Starfleet's Advanced Engineering School, the Federation's best engineers are less than 5'9". There were a surprisingly high number of short instructors at the school. It was rumored that a former student quantified the phenomenon, as engineers often do, by calculating the mean height of Starfleet engineers holding the rank of lieutenant commander of above. The story goes that the average was slightly below five feet nine inches, and it was found that the majority personnel to transfer out of engineering upon reaching the rank were above the mean. While no specific reason was ever determined, every engineer since their first time in a Jefferies tube, or a ventilation shaft like Hudson, knew exactly why the job was better suited for shorter people.
At present it was not the size of the space that made Hudson uncomfortable. His apprehension came from that space being inside an enemy ship. He continued crawling along on his belly. He looked through a vent and saw an empty corridor. He was about open the vent until he heard something. It was a voice. He recognized it. He carefully inched forward, trying to minimize the noise he made. He rounded a ninety degree bend in the shaft. There was another vent, and he could hear the voice much clearer.
"What have you done with my patients, with my ship?" The voice asked. Hudson peaked thought the grating. It was Lieutenant Commander Marion.
Then another voice came, one that sent chills down the Ensign's spine. "Please Doctor, lets try to stay on topic, where is the canister?" The low calm voice came from Yelgrun.
Hudson thought back to his own interrogation, and his betrayal. Seeing another vent slightly further down the shaft, Hudson quietly moved on.
"I don't know about a canister. Where is my medical staff? What have you done with my crew?" Hudson heard Marion saying as he moved on.
Peering through the next vent Hudson saw another cell. There was a white haired man sitting in the middle of the cell looking down at the floor. The engineer might not have known who it was if it were not for the two blue antennas that poking through the white hair. "Lieutenant Rosh." Hudson called quietly to him.
The Andorian jumped to his feet and looked around. Hudson could see the blue skin of his superior's face had been purpled with bruised. "Ensign Hudson?" Rosh was looking back and forth from empty wall to empty wall.
"Up here, in the vent." Hudson said.
"Are you all right?" Rosh asked.
"Yes, sir."
"Have you seen anyone else from the Nightingale?"
"The CO is one room over being interrogated."
"Can you get these doors open?"
"I passed a vent to the corridor; I can open tem from there."
Rosh nodded. "Excellent, wait until Yelgrun and the guards leave Commander Marion's cell, then drop down to the corridor and let us out."
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"Where are we going?" Kizzy asked as they continued down the corridor.
"The shuttle bay." Jordan said.
"Are you sure you know where it is?"
"No idea." Jordan said while motioning for her to get against the bulkhead. Jordan cautiously peeked around the corner. He jerked his head back as he saw a Jem'Hadar soldier walking down the passageway. "One's coming." He whispered.
"Who's there?" The Jem'Hadar called.
Took a deep breath and looke at Kizmet.
"No." She mouthed, knowing instantly what he was planning.
Jordan raised the rifle so he was staring down the bore. He spun around the corner and aimed his weapon at the Jem'Hadar, who was now laying motionless, face down on the deck.
"Ensign Singer, what are you doing here?" Esco seemed to materialize out of thin air as his skin changed from the color of the corridor to flesh tones.
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In the Federation cell it seemed that everywhere Franks looked someone was just looking away. "It's weird Chief, I get the feeling everyone is staring at me."
"They are." Reilly said. "The engineering techs all know who you are. The doctors have seen you with Lieutenant Rosh and the skipper around the ship. They're all waiting for you."
"To do what?" Franks asked.
"Anything. With skip and the XO gone, like it or not, you are commanding officer, USS Nightingale. These people, they're your crew, they're locked in a cell, and they're waiting for you to tell them what to do." Reilly answered.
Franks stood up and slowly paced across the cell. He crossed his arms and stared at the ground. He felt eyes boring into him. He looked up and immediately pupils scattered, but kept peaking back at him. He recognized the owner of one pair of eyes that kept stealing glances at him. "Crewman Doral." He called.
Doral snapped straight and hurried up to Franks. "Yes, sir."
"Do you think you and the engineering technicians could figure out a way to shut down these force fields?"
Doral smiled. "We can sure try, sir."
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Hudson's hand hovered above the door control. He thought back to sickbay days ago. He remembered how he couldn't bring himself to vent the atmosphere and kill his roommate. He had chosen Jordan over the ship. Luckily Rosh had been there to save them all. He thought back to his interrogation by Yelgrun, his great betrayal. Could Rosh save him again? Hudson pressed the control.
The Andorian on the other side was obviously beaten severely, but he moved as if nothing had happened. "Where is Lieutenant Commander Marion?" Rosh asked.
"Next door, sir." Hudson replied. "I wanted to speak with you first, sir."
Rosh studied Hudson for a moment. "Quickly."
Hudson drew a deep breath. He had to confess. "When I was being interrogated, Yelgrun, the Vorta, he said he would kill Ensign Singer if I didn't talk."
"Our main concern is escape. The faster we can return to Federation space and be debriefed, the less damaging any information you shared will be." Rosh said curtly, emphasizing the conversation was over.
Hudson shook his head and looked at the ground. "You don't understand, sir. I let Jordan die."
Rosh grabbed Hudson by the shoulders, and locked eyes with the engineer. "Listen to me. You did not kill Ensign Singer, the Dominion did. Do you understand? It's not your fault."
Hudson nodded. It did make it easier, hearing Rosh's words.
"Now, let's go get Commander Marion." Rosh left no doubt that it was an order.
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"We were looking for the shuttle bay." Kizmet told Esco. The Nevlian had led her and Jordan into a nearby room. It was very large, housing a series of tanks, and it was flavored with an odd smell.
A small smile crossed Esco's face. "You're pretty far from there. You've managed to find waster reclamation." He said, pointing to a small sign printed in Dominionese.
Jordan's face reddened a bit. "What is all this about a canister?" He asked, changing the subject.
"Excuse me?" All the humor left Esco's face.
"They kept asking me about that too." Kizzy said.
"And The First said something about a canister. When I was with you in Nightingale's shuttle bay back in the Badlands." Jordan added.
Esco felt himself locking up like a reflex to interrogation. But when he looked at the town young humans, he saw no malice in their faces, just confusion and fear of a situation he was the cause of. Esco did not want to cause anymore pain to the Federation or its citizens. He seemed to relax as if he was dropping a large weight. He looked at the humans and spoke. "A horrible weapon has been created, one that will destroy the very soul of the Federation. A biological weapon designed to eradicate a race."
"That's what's in the canister." Kizzy gasped.
"No! Not the disease, the cure." Esco explained. "I have created a cure."
"Where is it now?" Jordan asked.
Esco was quiet for a moment. "The canister," he finally said, "I left it on MN-1375."
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"Something just picked up." Reilly muttered.
"What was that Chief?" Franks asked. He had been listening to Doral explain how if they could get someone to drop the force field, just for a second, it would be easy to keep it from coming up again. But for that they needed a communicator, and everyone's communicators had been confiscated while they were knocked out.
"Can't you hear that? The EPS conduits, the power just kicked up something fierce. Only two things would require that much power. Either they just powered up weapons, or this ship has gone to warp." Reilly said.
Franks listened for a moment, but was unable to hear any difference in the ambient noise. He was about to ask exactly what he was supposed to be hearing, but a hand gruffly grabbed his shoulder and spun him around.
Standing before Franks was an imposing figure. The man was tall and lean. He looked hard, like all weakness had been sheered off his body. His face had the uneven flesh of a poorly healed burn creeping up the right side of his face from his neck to just below his cheek bone. "You're Franks?" It hardly sounded like a question. It was more like the man was commanding the young officer to assume the name. "You're the one they came for?"
Franks had an overwhelming urge to step backwards, and he probably would have if he wasn't already so close to the wall. "Uh… um, yeah." He stammered. "I'm afraid I don't know who you are."
"Major Riggs." He barked. He then snapped his head to the right and stared down the engineering crewman standing next to him. Doral had been gawking at the Major's burn. "Close shave with a disruptor bolt from a Jem'Hadar rifle." Riggs said, running his fingers over the scar.
"I apologize, sir. I didn't realize your rank." Franks motioned to the two small circular pips on his collar, one gold and one black glass, indicating he held the rank of Lieutenant Junior Grade. The three pips that should have been on the Major's collar, two gold and one black glass, were missing.
"I don't wear uniform devices. On a clear day, light reflecting off a comm. badge or rank insignia can be seen for miles. Those pips make and especially good targets for Jem'Hadar to aim for." Major Riggs cocked his head slightly to the left exposing his deformed patch of skin to the junior officer. "I learned that the hard way."
"Is there anything I can help you with, Major?" Franks asked.
"Why did they take you? What did you talk about?"
Franks briefly recounted his conversation with the Director, making sure to end each sentence in Major or sir.
"They'll be back in here eventually. And I think they'll want to talk to you again." Riggs said. "I found a couple of my boys around here. When they come to get you again, we'll be ready to make our move."
"Your move, sir?" Franks asked.
"When the guard lets you out we're going to rush him. You have a better idea?" The tone of the question did not ask for a response.
"Lieutenant, what about bringing down force fields?" Doral asked Franks.
"The decision has been made, crewman!" Riggs snapped. He then shot a piercing glance at Franks. Franks said nothing; he just sat down on the bench next to the Chief. Riggs turned to collect his men.
"I guess that's it. Pressure is off you, the crew can look to Riggs for leadership." The Chief said to Franks under his breath.
Franks looked around the cell. The crew had obviously noticed the confrontation, or lack of it. They moved out of Riggs' way and looked towards Franks as the Major passed. Franks recognized the doctors and nurses and technicians. He saw Doral. The crewman was looking helplessly back at him. Franks stood and inhaled deeply. "Major." He called.
Riggs stopped and turned.
"Have you been medically cleared for duty?" Franks asked.
Riggs covered the ground between himself and the junior officer at a surprising pace. "What?"
"You were a patient on the Nightingale, sir. Have you been medically cleared for duty?"
"What the hell are you doing Lieutenant Junior Grade? Look at where we are! We're in a cell, put here by our own government, and you are making a power play!"
"Sir, these people are my crew. I cannot in good conscience turn over their welfare to an officer who has been taken off of active duty for medical reasons." Franks felt like his knees were about to buckle, but he stood his ground and stared straight back at the Major.
"And what do you suggest we do?" Riggs asked.
"Crewman Doral has a plan to disable the force fields." Franks motioned towards the technical. Doral was unsuccessfully trying to hide an ear to ear grin.
"And then?" Riggs was actually asking a question.
"Well…" Franks said. "Then you and your men rush the guard."
Riggs didn't smile, but his grimace was momentarily gone. "Can I do anything else to help?"
"Not now, unless you happen to have a communicator." Franks couldn't believe he had just stared down a Major and was now making a joke.
Riggs reached into his pocket and pulled out a comm. badge. "Doesn't work, there's some sort of dampening field around the cell." He said holding out the silver and gold badge. Doral stepped forward and took the device. Both Franks and the Crewman stared at the Major a bit perplexed. "I told you I don't wear uniform devices. I guess our captors forgot to check our pockets."
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"They certainly did a number on you." Marion said. Rosh grunted as his superior pressed on his ribs. "Does it hurt when you inhale?"
"Sir, we really must get moving." Rosh protested.
"Don't be proud. I'm a doctor and I want to know if you are going to aggravate an injury in our flight that I will have to deal with."
The Andorian acquiesced. "Whenever I move I feel discomfort where I was hit."
"Good. You have some nice contusions, but nothing terribly serious." Marion took his hands off the XO and moved past him towards the door of the cell. He turned back and looked quizzically at Rosh. "Aren't you coming? I thought we had to get moving."
The passageway outside Marion's cell was at the corner of a T-intersection of corridors. Rosh checked each direction then turned to Hudson. "Which way did Yelgrun go?"
"To the left." Hudson pointed down one corridors of the T.
"Then we're going right." Rosh said.
"Wait." Marion said. The two other officers stopped. "What's down the hall behind us?"
"Looks like more cells, sir." Hudson said.
"It is unlikely that there is an avenue for escape in that direction, and Jem'Hadar guards could very well be patrolling those passageways." Rosh said.
"But there may be more prisoners from the Nightingale down there. Don't we own it to them to at least take a look?" Marion asked.
"Aye, sir." Rosh started down the corridor behind them.
"That was easy." Marion said quietly to Hudson.
"You're the Skipper, sir." Hudson said, and followed Rosh down the corridor. And Marion took up the rear.
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"Something wrong?" Franks asked. Doral and another technician had been exchanging frustrated whispers.
Doral looked up from the bench he sat at with the communicator in front of him and his friend. The badge's cover had been removed and the isolinear circuitry was exposed. "Sir, we've almost got it set right, butt…"
"Franks squatted down next to the bench. He was a bit lower than Doral and had to look up to talk to him. "But what?"
"We need a couple of pieces of metal. Small pieces, just long enough to make contact with the force field and keep the circuit away from it. But we don't have anything like that." Doral dropped his head in defeat.
Franks shifted on his haunches when he heard someone step towards him. He turned to be faced with a pair of knees. He stood again to greet the newcomer. "Nurse Haas? Can I help you?"
The woman put her hands behind her head. When her arms came back down she shook her head from side to side and her tightly wound bun of hair fell loose and free. Franks felt slightly uncomfortable until she handed him two thin, straight, metal hairpins.
"Thanks." Franks handed the pins to Doral who immediately went back to work.
"Problem?" A gruff voice asked.
"Not anymore, Major." Franks assured him. "We just have to be ready when for when they drop that force field again."
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Sovek considered the room he was in. It did not have a computer terminal or a replicator, and the bed was hard metal, but the Vulcan did not think it an overly cruel place to be kept. Vulcans usually choose such Spartan quarters voluntarily, although a computer terminal was deemed quite valuable. Had he possessed a sense of humor, he might think it amusing that other species were so distressed by a room that simply lacked the luxuries Federation citizens had come to expect.
Even though Sovek did not think the cell inhospitable, he did welcome his door opening to reveal Doctor Marion, Lieutenant Rosh, and Ensign Hudson. The well being of other possible prisoners on the Dominion ship had been of concern.
"Doctor Sovek!" Marion exclaimed. "Are you ok? Did those beasts harm you?"
"I am in good health, Doctor Marion." The Vulcan responded. "Our captures attempted to use logic to draw out information from me. However, their reasoning was flawed, and their attempts failed."
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"But we came from this direction." Jordan protested. "We could be heading straight towards Jem'Hadar following the trail of bodies we left."
"Possibly, but this is the way to the shuttle bay." Esco explained. "I know of no other route."
"Do you really think we can get away?" Kizzy asked. "Will a shuttle be able to escape from a warship?"
"I got a pretty good feel for their firing arcs when this ship attacked Nightingale. I know where the holes are and shuttles are pretty agile." Jordan assured her.
"You're not going to have to worry about their firing arcs Ensign. They won't destroy the shuttle, not with me on it." Esco said.
"Why not you? Wouldn't they want to stop the man with cure to their weapon?" Jordan asked.
"No. They're first goal is recovering the canister. It is all that they care about." Esco said.
"The weapon, what race will it effect?" Kizzy asked.
Esco looked at Kizmet. He could not tell if the fear on her face was at the possibility the answer to her question might be Humans or if she was just frightened being on an enemy ship. Either way he knew his answer would not quell any fears. "I can tell you no more. It would compromise my mission and put your lives in even greater danger than I already have."
Esco suddenly stopped walking and his skin changed to match the passageway's colors. "Quiet." He whispered. "Someone is coming."
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Rosh was shoving his shipmates into a cell. He hadn't heard anything, but Vulcan's hearing was renowned, and Rosh was going to trust Sovek in this instance. He was about to follow them in when he saw the glint of a rifle barrel come around the corner. He pressed the door control, shutting his people inside. He then stepped away from the door, and did not dare look back at it.
With a rifle being pointed at his heart, Rosh could look at little more. It was not until the barrel went down and hung loosely at its bearer's side that Rosh realized he had no reason to fear. "Ensign Singer?"
"Sorry, sir." Jordan said sheepishly. "I thought you were a Jem'Hadar."
"Likewise." Rosh replied, pressing the lock release on the cell door. Marion, Hudson, and Sovek came out into the passageway and Kizmet cam around the corner. Esco was already standing near Jordan, unnoticed, until he changed his skin to the flesh tones the crew had become used to.
"This is a happy coincidence." Marion said. "I wish there was someway of telling if there anyone else from the crew was here."
"Possibly Chief Reilly, but I doubt any others would be useful prospects to our captures." Sovek said.
"Why the Chief?" Hudson asked.
"With the exception of Chief Reilly and the Jem'Hadar First, all that were present in the Nightingale's sickbay when were escaped the Badlands are present here now."
"Damn." Rosh muttered under his breath, causing everyone to turn towards him, their looks demanding a response. "I just realized I forgot to switch Chief Reilly's status from active duty to medically inactive in the ship's official log."
Marion patted the XO on the shoulder. "I'll overlook it this time Mr. Rosh." He joked.
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They had been standing ready since Doral had finished modifying the communicator, but the alertness and excitement of the first twenty minutes of waiting had worn on everyone involved in the plan. When the door to the cell did open it was completely unexpected, yet still more of a relief than a surprise.
Franks stood at the force field and stared at the guard. Major Riggs and his two men sat behind Franks on the bench, their muscles tight, but looking as nonchalant as war hardened men could. Doral tried his best to stand as if he didn't have a comm. badge under the toe of his boot.
"You need to talk to me again?" Franks hollered at the guard.
The man walked over to the force field Franks was standing behind. "The Deputy Director wants to know why you lied to him."
"Lied?" Franks asked.
"Chief Reilly is alive. You told the Director he was killed in when your vessel encountered the Battleship." The guard said.
"I told him the panel the Chief was sitting at exploded, and then your director ordered you to lock me up in here again." Franks said. "He wasn't killed, he was injured."
"I'll be back." The guard said and began to walk away.
"Would you like to talk to him? He's right here." Franks held his breath and willed the guard to turn around.
The guard did not turn around, but he did stop. He brought his wrist to his mouth and muttered into a wrist communicator. He waited for a reply. He then went over to the console standing in the middle of the room. "Chief Reilly, please step forward." The guard called.
"I'm not moving for you." Reilly muttered to himself.
"Stay where you are and keep quiet." Franks whispered to the Chief as he passed where he was sitting on the bench. Franks stopped in front of Major Riggs. He grabbed him by the arm and whispered "Remember you're blind." Into his ear.
Franks looked at the Major's collar, grateful he wasn't wearing his insignia. As they slowly walked to the force field Franks stole a glance at Doral. The crewman was staring back intently, waiting for his moment. The guard pressed a control on the console and the force field in front of Franks and Riggs was deactivated. The junior officer led the Major across the threshold of the cell.
"You stand back!" The guard ordered Franks.
"The Chief was blinded from his injuries. He can't get around on his own." Franks explained. He gestured to the Major's neck. "He got a pretty nasty scare too."
"Stand back, I will tend to Chief Reilly!" As the guard hollered back he was complete oblivious to the foot of an engineering technician sliding a comm. badge just to the edge of the force field's threshold.
Franks reluctantly acquiesced to the guard's demands. As soon as he was behind the threshold again, the guard pressed a control to raise the force field again. The air in front of Franks briefly glowed blue as it had before, then it was clear again.
Franks looked at Doral again, shrugging ever so slightly. Had it worked? Doral leaned up against a column and let one of his arms swing loosely to his side. Franks watched as the crewman's hand swung slowly across the force field threshold and back again. Nothing stopped it.
The guard was now grabbing Major Riggs by the arm. "Let's go Chief." He commanded. He felt someone tap him on the shoulder. He reeled around and looked at Franks in bewilderment. "What the…" The guard's words were cut short as Major Rigg's trained hand came down hard across his captor's neck. The guard collapsed unconscious on the floor and the Major relieved him of his side arm.
A small cheer went up from the rest of the prisoners, but Franks gestured for them all to be quiet. "Get the rest of the force fields down, and see if you can shut off that comms damping field." Franks ordered Doral, motioning to the console. "And see if you can find out anything about this ship."
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"Curious." Sovek said after everyone had recounted their experiences since waking up aboard the Dominion ship.
"What's that Doctor Sovek?" Marion asked.
"I have been attempting to construct a timeline of events in my mind, and it appears Ensign Singer shot Yelgrun before Ensign Hudson observed the Vorta questioning you in your cell." Sovek explained.
"That doesn't make sense." Jordan said. "I must have shot Yelgrun just after Hud saw him."
"I don't understand why I was the only one they used the pain probes on." Kizmet said. "Not that I'd wish it on anyone else."
Esco put a hand on Kizzy's shoulder. "They created physiological profiles of us all. Based on those profiles they used the method of interrogation most likely to yield information." He turned back to the rest of the group. "However they are pressed for time. Friendly questioning, if you can call it that, pitting us against one another, or more elaborate non-interrogator questioning are more effective interrogation techniques, but they take far longer."
"It's over now; Yelgrun is dead and won't be conducting any more interrogations." Hudson said. He turned to Esco. "It looks like you won't have to worry about the Devil anymore, now we just have to get out of this hell."
"Yelgrun is not whom I was referring to in our previous conversation Ensign." Esco said. "And while unpleasant a Dominion ship is not the Devil's domain. Hell is a place where truths you are certain of are twisted into lies until your entire world is nothing but deception."
"Twisted truths? Deception? The Vulcan's timeline isn't the only thing that doesn't make sense." Rosh said. "Esco is lying to us. He's lied to us since we picked him up."
"What are you talking about Andorian?" Esco asked.
"You don't have a cure to any disease. If that's what you were being perused for you would have told us immediately, not now. Not here, after we've been captured." Rosh said.
"There was no reason for you to know. If this information gets out it could cause mass panic across the Federation." Esco shot back.
"The Federation is in the middle of a war it is loosing, there already is mass panic. You say you have the cure to a devastating weapon, if anything it would boost moral across the Federation. It would show that we aren't vulnerable to every line of Dominion attack." Rosh's professional exterior was beginning to crack under the immense anger he was trying to suppress.
"I dared not say anything. The cure is not yet complete." Esco said.
"I thought an intelligence officer was trained to use all assets available. You were on board a hospital ship, with access to all kinds of doctors and medical equipment, and you didn't dare mention you were working on a cure to a disease that could wipe out an entire race?" Rosh was fuming.
"He doesn't have the canister anymore." Jordan said.
"He told us he left it on MN-1375." Kizmet added.
Rosh inhaled. His chest cavity expanded as if it were about to blow, but Marion stopped him with a look. "Lieutenant," The CO said calmly, "this isn't helping our present situation." Marion turned to Esco. "Is there anyway we can use this information? Maybe tell the Dominion were the canister is in exchange for our freedom. Then we could help you synthesize and complete the cure after we return to starbase."
"The canister is on MN-1375, but it is empty." Esco replied. "Do you honestly think I would leave the salvation of the Federation on some rock in space?"
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"We're still in Dominion space. We're at warp but I'm not sure where we're going." Doral said as he operated the console. "The good news is this ship has the Nightingale in tow."
"What ship are we on?" Franks asked.
"It's odd, sir. This ship doesn't seem to have a name, or even a registry number." Doral said.
"How can a Federation ship not have a registry number?' Franks wondered to himself. "What about the Nightingale? It there anyway we can get aboard her?"
"I can isolate one of the ship's transporters, shut down the dampening field, and beam a few people over, but it's an extremely dangerous operation at high warp." Doral answered.
Franks nodded. "Then beam me over, and I'll see what I can do."
"Sir, we just dropped out of warp." Doral reported.
"Where are we? Where did we stop?" Franks asked.
"Nowhere, sir. They just stopped, like they didn't want to go in that direction any more."
"Then beam me over." Franks ordered.
"Wait." Major Riggs interrupted. "I'll go too. You have the command Lieutenant, but you don't have to go alone."
Franks nodded to the Major, glad to have some company. The JO turned back to Doral. "Beam us directly to sickbay. Energize."
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"Get down!" Rosh yelled as the blue bolts of energy impacted all around them. The Jem'Hadar had come out of nowhere. They had already downed one, but there were still two slowly and methodically fighting their way down the corridor.
Jordan and Esco fired back furiously with their weapons while the rest of the group tried to find any stitch of cover in the empty passageway. Jordan caught one soldier squarely in the chest with a bolt from his rifle. The other was dispatched by Esco's pistol after the Nevlian had used his shifting skin color to move unnoticed towards the assailants.
"Is everyone alright?" Marion asked, coming out from a slight indentation in the bulkhead he had used for cover.
"Kizzy!" Jordan yelled. He dropped his rifle on the deck and ran to young girl's side. Kizmet was lying on the floor, blood slowly being absorbed by the fabric of her clothes from the wound in her shoulder.
"Jordan." Kizzy gasped, leaning back into his arms. "Somehow, I thought it would hurt more." Her knees then buckled beneath her and Jordan eased to the ground, resting her head in his lap.
Jordan could feel the warm blood soaking through his pant leg, making it sticky against his skin. He saw Kizzy's chest rising and falling in shallow breaths. He felt himself being jostled from the right and then the left as Doctor Marion and Doctor Sovek went to work. He heard the sound of tearing fabric as Marion exposed the wound. His gaze locked with Kizzy's. Her eyes were wide and glistened with forming tears. "I'm here." Is all Jordan managed to squeak out of his tightening throat, as he gently caressed her cheek.
With her good arm Kizzy found the hand stroking her cheek and grasped it with her own. She held Jordan's hand with all the strength she had in her. "I'm glad." She said, and even though two of her colleagues were treating her shoulder, Kizzy felt as if she was alone with Jordan. She looked up into his concerned gaze and huddle in his eyes for warmth.
"It's a lot of bleeding." Marion said to Sovek. He was using the fabric he had torn from Kizmet's sleeve to wipe away the blood. The skin was only clearly visible for a moment before more the wound covered itself in blood again, but a moment was all it took for Marion to take note of something very strange.
"We do not have the means to treat the internal damage the shot has caused. The best we can do is dress the wound, and hopefully slow the bleeding." Sovek had already torn his own sleeves off to dress the wound. The Vulcan knew slowing the bleeding was the best they could do. He had seen enough wounds on MN-1375 caused by Jem'Hadar disruptors to know the energy had an anti-coagulant effect.
Marion wiped the blood away from the wound again. "Does this look right to you?" He asked Sovek.
"The wound does not resemble the blast pattern of a Jem'Hadar disruptor." The Vulcan replied.
"Very strange." Marion said. "Dress the wound before she loses anymore blood."
A few feet away Rosh picked up the rifle Jordan had dropped. He checked the charge, put the stock against his should, and leveled the weapon Esco's face. "No more lies Nevlian." He said. "You will tell us what this is all about."
"You're mad." Esco said, his eyes widening and his skin paling in color a bit.
"You bet I'm mad." Rosh replied coolly. "You've endangered my ship, its crew, and someone I hold in higher regard than you is bleeding to death because of it. Tell my why I shouldn't present you to the Dominion myself. Tell them of your cure, of where it is or where it isn't. Tell me why your life is worth more than the life of Doctor Kizmet."
Esco looked at Kizmet, the three men covered in her pooling blood, and he remembered the first time he met her, the time she had saved his life. "You're right." He said. "I am truly sorry for all the suffering I have caused. But I wouldn't go telling Dominion agents about the cure or the disease."
"Why?" Rosh demanded.
"They know nothing of it." Esco replied.
"Then what was in the canister? What is the Dominion after?"
Esco breathed deeply. He again looked to Kizmet, whose skin had paled even behind her dark tan. "Are you familiar with the Founders Mr. Rosh?"
"The race that rules the Dominion? The Shapeshifters?" Rosh asked.
Esco nodded. "They have a unique way of exploring space. They sent out a number of there young to all different parts of the galaxy. The young ones develop, and return to the Founders with a lifetime of experience living among other culture. However, sometimes, before the infant changelings even realize what they are, they are found by someone who realizes their significance."
Rosh was caught between awe and disbelief. "Not a disease, not a cure, a Changeling, that's what was in the canister."
"There is a disease that will destroy the Federation. The changeling is part of the cure." Esco explained.
"Lieutenant!" Hudson yelled. All heads snapped to the Engineer to see him pointing down the other end of the corridor. Standing opposite Hudson's pointing finger was a familiar Vorta flanked by a group of four Jem'Hadar soldiers.
"Don't mind me, please continue with your interrogation Lieutenant Rosh. If you could, ask Esco where the Changeling is now." Yelgrun said in his usual monotonous tone. "Oh, and drop your weapons."
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The hiss of a nearby door caused Franks looked up from the console in Nightingale's sickbay.
"The ship looks clear. I checked all the operations spaces and a few of the patient and crew quarters. It looks like the only ones onboard are you me and the rest of the patients, but they're under sedation." Major Riggs reported.
"The internal sensors agree." Franks said. "I'm bringing the transporters back online. You might want to stand over here, this room is about to get a little crowded." As he energized the transporter sickbay was bathed in blue shimmering light. The signature whine echoed in the large space as the liberated prisoners materialized. When the lights subsided the whine was replaced with murmurs that soon erupted into cheers. "Now for the tractor beam." Franks said reminding himself it wasn't over yet.
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"I killed you!" Jordan exclaimed. "I saw you die!"
"Honestly Ensign Singer, we already went through this with the Jem'Hadar." Yelgrun answered. "I am a clone of the man you murdered. But unlike the Jem'Hadar, only one Vorta per genome is activated at a time."
"Awfully quick activation. From your banter with the Ensign it seems your downloaded memories have even been updated as early as this morning. That is incredibly efficient by Starfleet intelligence's estimates." Esco said.
"We are at war, efficiency is a top priority." Yelgrun replied. "Tell me Esco, do they actually believe you work for Starfleet Intelligence?"
While no one moved from where they stood Esco could feel the growing distance between him and Nightingale's crewmembers. And while no one spoke the air grew thick with tension.
Yelgrun continued. "The Nevlian race is native to the Gamma Quadrant. They were one of the first alien races the Founders encountered. Esco is no Federation loyalist. His loyalties are to none but himself."
"The Founders have nearly exterminated my people." Esco hollered at the Vorta. He turned back to Nightingale's crew. "The Dominion is our common enemy. I will not let my race's fate befall another."
"And tell them what you are doing with the changeling." Yelgrun urged.
Esco opened his mouth to speak, but stopped himself. He looked back towards Yelgrun with a sort of horror across his face, his skin turned to a pasty grayish white.
"Curious." Sovek said to Marion. "The entire exchange since even before Doctor Kizmet was shot seem strikingly like some of the alternative interrogation techniques Esco mentioned earlier."
"And Esco has volunteered more information in the past minutes than he has since we've known him." Marion agreed.
The quiet exchange between the two doctors might have gone unheard by others if the corridor had not been so silent, but in the silence the words carried and Esco heard the entire conversation. "Doctor Marion, what was it you found odd about Doctor Kizmet's wound."
"It is unlike any wound I have seen from a Jem'Hadar disruptor." Marion answered.
"Concentrate on the question in front of you Esco, or are you too much of a coward to tell them what you have done?" Yelgrun asked.
"Our escapes were too convenient. The timing of the attack that injured Doctor Kizmet and your appearance here were too convenient. The Vulcan says Ensign Singer shot you shortly before you spoke with Doctor Marion. Doctor Marion says that Doctor Kizmet's wound is not from a Jem'Hadar weapon. And there is no way a Vorta would know what my plans are for the changeling." As he spoke Esco's posture straightened and his skin turned to a dark steely gray. "End this charade. Take off you mask Sloan.
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"You did a fine job, sir. I just thought you should know." With a little help from one of the technicians, Chief Reilly had navigated his way through the crowd to find Franks.
"I appreciate it Chief, but we're not finished yet." Franks replied. "We can disable the tractor beam with a phaser blast, but then the ship could still chase us."
"Then we have a simple choice, after we take out the tractor beam we target their engines or we target their weapons. Knocking out either of those systems will make it impossible for them to stop up." The Chief offered.
"Let's see which one is more vulnerable." Franks turned Nightingale's sensors on the other ship. "You know, it doesn't even seem like they're aware we escaped. The ship is just sitting there." The console beeped indicating the full scan was complete. "All twelve of the people left onboard are in the same room, but it isn't the bridge."
"They shouldn't have known I wasn't taken by the Dominion." Reilly muttered. "If they didn't know whether I was alive or not, if they couldn't tell the difference between me and the Major, they shouldn't have known that I wasn't taken by the Dominion."
"What are you talking about Chief?" Franks asked.
"We need to clear out this bay and arm some of our people." Reilly said.
"Chief?"
"Sir, we need to beam all those people over here, all of them." Reilly was certain of it.
Yelgrun's calm demeanor was gone, he was laughing out loud. "I was wondering if you would put it together Esco." The Vorta pressed a control on a bracelet he was wearing. When he did the skin and cloths of the Vorta dissolved to reveal a human with neatly comb brown hair and self assured smirk on his face. Likewise the facades of Jem'Hadar soldiers dissolved to reveal four men holding Federation phaser rifles. Next the very corridor they were standing in vanished and the group was left in a huge empty room. The walls, floor, and ceiling were all covered with the same grid pattern of electronics.
"A holodeck." Hudson gasped.
"Let me introduce you all to the Devil himself. This man is Sloan, the Deputy Director of my intelligence section." Esco said.
"This is a Federation ship?" Marion asked. "I demand access to your medical facilities, this girl needs treatment."
"Doctor Kizmet still has time Commander Marion. If Esco cooperates this will all be over shortly." Sloan said, the tone of hinted he delighted in the power he wielded in the situation.
Suddenly the room shuttered violently, and the lights flickered. "What's happening?" Sloan demanded.
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The scan had indicated four of the twelve men were armed. At Franks' request Major Riggs had found eight of his men among the patients and armed them with the Jem'Hadar weapons the Nightingale had recently acquired. Riggs and his squad now formed a perimeter in sickbay and waited.
Franks fired the first phaser volley from the sickbay console, and then energized the transporter. Moments later the Nightingale's missing crewmembers appeared along with five other men, the group surrounded and covered by the Major's squad.
"Your weapons have been disabled during transport, drop them now!" Riggs commanded.
"Our weapons are shielded from such things." Sloan said.
One of Sloan's men lowered the barrel of his phaser rifle momentarily and fired a brilliant orange beam into the deck. He then rejoined his comrades in leveling the barrel of his rifle at the Nightingale Crewmembers.
"We are only here for the criminal Esco." Sloan said. "Commander Marion, please do what you need to help Doctor Kizmet."
Kizzy was barely conscious now, and her blood had thoroughly soaked through the dressing. Marion directed Sovek and Jordan to move her to a medical table and went to work.
"What crime did Esco commit?" Rosh demanded, not in defense of the Nevlian, but he did not trust Sloan either.
"Attempted genocide." Sloan said. "Esco never told you why his people were all but wiped out by the Shapeshifters. You see, when the Nevlians made first contact with the Founders they grew suspicious and distrustful of a species able to change its appearance at will. Ironic when you think about it, considering the way Nevlians can change their skin."
"You cannot hold a man responsible for the sins of his ancestors." Rosh retorted.
"I was merely attempting to provide you with some perspective Lieutenant Rosh. Esco is attempting to succeed where his ancestors failed. Esco has engineered a disease to destroy the Founders." Sloan smiled. "Ask him if he denies it."
All attention in the room shifted to Esco. "I do not deny it." He said meekly.
"Now do you see why it was necessary to go to such great lengths to capture this man?" Sloan asked. "I must find where the changeling he is experimenting on before he can commit genocide."
"I created the disease at Sloan's instruction. I worked on Earth, and I learned about your Federation." Esco pleaded. "I grew to love your Federation, its goal to unite races and have them coexist in peace was something I had never known living under Dominion rule. Unfortunately, it was not until after completing the disease that I realized wiping out a race, even one as malevolent as the Founders, would destroy the very principles the Federation stood for. What would the Galaxy think when they realized the Federation was responsible? How could any species trust the Federation again? Not even Starfleet could protect the soul of the Federation from crumbling if such an atrocity were committed. I am trying to do the right thing now. I am very close to a cure, a cure Sloan wishes to destroy."
"Do you expect them to believe that Esco? That the Dominion nearly destroyed this ship when it was carrying a cure that would save their Founders?" Sloan asked. "Except responsibility for what you have done. Surrender yourself and the changeling."
"I must complete my mission. I must finish the cure; it is the right thing to do." Esco said.
Rosh did not know who believe, but he cared little who was being truthful now. Now he only wished to protect his crew from further deceit. "Sloan, you, your men, and Esco will surrender to me. When Nightingale returns to Federation space we will turn the lot of you over to the proper autorities and let them sort this out."
Sloan laughed. "I am the proper authority Lieutenant."
"The proper authorities would not shoot an innocent Federation citizen!" Rosh yelled.
"I am sorry about Doctor Kizmet, but…." Sloan's voice trailed off for a moment and he stared at the girl on the operating table being attended to by two doctors and saw a young Ensign glaring back. His self assured smirk turned into a broad smile. "But I am sure she will be fine." Sloan took a few leisurely steps towards Esco. He casually grasped one of his wrists as he did so.
"Stay where you are!" Major Riggs commanded.
Sloan ignored him. "It is a shame Doctor Kizmet was dragged into this, isn't it Esco? I understand she saved your life, and you became good friends. You would even eat together sometimes." The movement was so swift it took a moment before anyone but Sloan and Esco were aware of it. It did not take long to realize that Sloan had pulled the knife sticking in Esco's belly from his sleeve. "She told me you ate wood." Sloan whispered into Esco's ear. "I remember you telling me once your race only used your third stomach in a survival situation, like long winters when food is scarce. You also told me, during such times, you could horde food in another stomach."
"Back away Sloan!" Riggs yelled.
Sloan twisted the knife, making Esco's wound larger. "I wonder if you could horde anything else in your stomach."
Esco dropped to his knees, but Sloan grabbed him to keep him from falling to the ground.
Riggs fired and the rest of his squad followed suite, there was a symphony of loud cracks, but no bolts were fired.
"I took the liberty of activating a small energy dispersion field around me and my men." Sloan explained. "But I assure you the weapons my men carry are still operational." He gestured to one of his men who grabbed an empty beaker of a nearby table. A thick viscous liquid flowed out of Esco's wound into the beaker. Not a single drop was lost as the liquid clung stubbornly to itself until its full volume was in the beaker.
"I deserve this fate, Sloan." Esco force the words out. "But you are condemning the Federation."
Sloan looked at the infuriated Rosh. "Don't look so grim Lieutenant, justice is done. It is a good day for the Federation."
Sloan then stepped aside and one of his men fired at Esco, completely vaporizing the Nevlian. Sloan and his men then beamed away.
"Singer, Franks, bridge, now!" Rosh hollered, taking off in a dead sprint. Franks followed close on the XO's heels.
Jordan hesitated, not able to pull himself from Kizmet's side until Marion slapped him on the shoulder. "Go son, you'll be helping her more up there." Jordan was off in an instant.
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"Their tractor beam should be disabled." Franks said as he too the left station. "I also got some good shots in on there weapons systems."
"Shields up. Fire at will Lieutenant." Rosh ordered. "Gets us in there close Ensign."
Jordan jumped into his chair behind the helm. "Aye, sir."
"Sir, I can't get a lock." Franks reported. The three stared at the ship on the viewscreen. The outline of the vessel became blurry, and then the entire image faded.
"It's cloaked." Rosh said.
"But Federation ships aren't supposed to have cloaking devices." Jordan said.
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Nearby in the space surrounding the Nightingale a ship sat behind its cloak. On the bridge Sloan sat in the center chair. "Did we retrieve the idiot that let the prisoners out of the holding cell?" He asked.
"He is onboard, Director." The second in command answered. "Orders?"
"Make sure the standard counter intelligence is broadcasted, Dominion ships masquerading as Federation ships and the like." Sloan said. "We were exposed today far more than I anticipated. Rumors of a rouge section of Starfleet Intelligence will only be dismissed so many times."
"Section 31's survival depends on the deniability of its existence." The other agreed.
Sloan nodded his head. "And the Federation depends on us doing whatever is needed to ensure its survival. Esco's vision became clouded. He dwelled far too much on inconsequential laws and principles."
"Esco is a great lost, his talents were quite valuable."
"Quite valuable," Sloan granted, "but replaceable. Call up our files on Doctor Julian Bashir. Perhaps he will have the stomach for our work."
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"Here is Mr. Franks' report on his captivity. He had the pleasure of a one on one chat with Sloan." Rosh said, placing the PADD on Marion's desk.
"How did this happen? Are we really that vulnerable?" Marion asked. He was seated in his chair staring out the window.
"The sensor logs have been erased. There is no record of how we were captured, even the scans when Sloan was on the ship are gone, probably thanks to his dispersion field. Ensign Hudson believes initially the command prefix code was used to seize control of ship functions. And we have detected trace amounts of an anesthetic gas in the ventilation." Rosh reported. "We estimate a loss less than forty hours to the ordeal. It could have been much worse."
"A man is dead." Marion sighed. "But what kind of man? Who do we believe, Esco or Sloan? Who do you think was telling the truth?"
"I wouldn't trust either of them. I think the real question is, after going through this violation and after hearing this ever-changing story about diseases, cures, and changelings, where do we go from here?"
Marion stood and turned to Rosh. "The only place we can go Lieutenant, home."