Chapter 18

"Daimon Kad—" Commander Obi began, and paused as one of Kad's guards snickered nearby.

Kad whirled on his subordinate angrily. "Your insolence has been duly noted Bardo," he shouted.

"Dissent among the ranks, Kad?" Riker asked.

"More likely he doesn't actually possess the rank of Daimon," said Beverly. "He'll do anything to appear more than he really is."

Kad's jaw worked angrily as he regarded Beverly, but he said nothing.

"Daimon Kad," Obi began again overemphasizing the title this time. More snickering. "You have two options. I arrest you under Security Directive 33 for aiding and abetting Bok and bring you into custody on board the Aldrin…or you take your chances with Captain Riker."

Kad was appalled. "How are these choices? These are not fair choices!"

Obi smiled. "Maybe not, but I'm not sure you want to hear the third choice…it's even worse."

"I choose Riker then," Kad blurted out. At least escape was possible where he hadn't simply turned himself in.

"Good choice," said Riker, grabbing Kad roughly by the arm. "Now, you are going to do everything in your power to get us between Bok and Picard. I'm sorry to be so direct, Kad, but it seems you've run out of choices."


In Orbit Around Earth 2367 Altered Timeline

The first thing they saw when they stepped onto the bridge was the now familiar Malkatan weapon they had faced on Earth. A black globe of energy hung over the command center. As it spun, it resembled a miniature black hole. Aside from the floating singularity, the bridge was empty save for one person. A slender man with blondish greying hair sat at the helm, facing a blank view screen. His shoulders sagged as he sat there silently. A thin zigzagging line of electric extended from the floating singularity into the side of the man's head. It appeared to be the same type of energy that they had seen connecting each of the nine starships.

Worf slowly scanned the jet black circle of energy with his tricorder, while both men clutched their phasers in hand. Mary held her phaser rifle loosely, staring open-mouthed at the floating disc. Worf suddenly moved away and shut off his tricorder. He grabbed for Mary's arm and pulled her with him.

"What is it?" Picard asked Worf, but training his phaser on the still human figure seated at the front of the bridge.

"The closer we are to this object, the more likely it is that we will be susceptible to its influence," said Worf. "I believe it is similar to the other weapons used by the Malkatans, and as such it has mind control properties."

"And other more destructive effects which we have seen firsthand," added Picard. Picard looked at Mary who blinked. "Don't stare at it, Mary," he warned. "Be careful."

Slowly Picard walked forward, closer to the man at the helm. Worf and Mary followed behind him and soon they stood watching him, unsure of what to do next.

"Captain Jellico," said Worf, kneeling down to look at the man's face. Jellico's pale eyes were open, staring into the console. His mouth moved, but his words were almost a whisper.

Suddenly there was a flurry of alien voices emitting from the console, making demands.

Jellico suddenly began speaking in a clear voice. "Malkatan Vessel 1701-D reporting." The alien voices rattled off several other sentences and then Jellico slumped forward, once again in a zombie-like state, seemingly held up only by a thin strand of energy attached to his head.

"Captain," said Picard. "If you can hear me, where are the other members of your crew?"

Jellico's lips moved, but if he said anything, it was too low to make out.

"We're here to help you. Where is your crew?"

"Near…Malkatan base…alive."

"And the crews of the other ships here in orbit? Are they alive and in the same place?"

Jellico nodded almost imperceptibly. "Yes," he whispered.

"Where is the Malkatan base?" Picard asked.

"Island…South Pacific…prisoners—must save them!" Jellico suddenly blinked rapidly. "Here! You must hide!"


Picard stared at the man in confusion and horror. "Hide? From what?"

Worf's eyes widened in realization. "There are Malkatans on the Enterprise."

"They're coming now," Jellico whispered. Picard glanced in alarm at Worf. Grabbing Mary, they rushed back to the command area and crouched down out of the line of sight of anyone who entered the bridge.

The approaching voices were harsh and guttural, and they sounded so familiar to Picard, that for a minute he thought he was somewhere else…in the past. But they were on the bridge of the Enterprise with him. He looked at Mary and for the first time she appeared terrified. He put his index finger to his lips to signal silence. She shut her eyes and shrunk into Picard's body. He held her tightly, trying to keep her calm and quiet as the Malkatan voices grew louder.

He couldn't understand what they were saying…or could he? Something about retrieving the orb. The ships were now ready for transfer…the Starfleet prisoners down on the planet could soon be eliminated. The General was demanding a report from his base on Earth…General Unh. Picard felt the name like a knife twisting.

The footsteps halted. Peering up through the back of the command center Picard could see that there were two Malkatans…unsuspecting of his presence, he hoped. One of the Malkatans pointed at Jellico's captive form and let out a rolling laugh. He felt an almost uncontrollable fury boiling inside.

The other Malkatan held his arm out straight and the floating singularity in the center of the bridge shot immediately into his hand closing up, encased in a metallic ball in the alien's palm. The energy stream extinguished, Jellico's neck snapped backward and he fell limply to the deck. He was either dead or unconscious now.

As the footsteps grew closer, he felt a steely resolve settle inside him. He lifted his chin to Worf, and Worf jumped up and out, firing at the first Malkatan. As they struggled, he ran around from the opposite direction, and tackled the second Malkatan, sending the deactivated singularity weapon out of his hand. The Malkatan fired, and Picard felt the beam pierce his right shoulder.

He screamed in pain and rage, thrusting his phaser into the Malkatan's large gut, and fired. It was the Malkatan's turn to scream as they both fell to the deck. Dimly he was aware of Mary grabbing the singularity weapon in her hands, and firing on the Malkatan, as Picard desperately rolled out of the way. Mary fired again and the Malkatan disappeared. Worf growled something over and over in Klingon, and finally dropped the Malkatan he was fighting from his grip. The alien made a gurgling sound and then his eyes slowly turned a lifeless grey.


Picard dragged himself over to the tactical station and pulled himself to his feet. He leaned against the station breathing heavily and looked at Mary and Worf who were each standing upright against the wall, resting.

Picard coughed and clutched at his burned shoulder. "They're keeping the rest of the Starfleet officers on an island in the South Pacific. General Unh, and his base are there." He took a deep breath in through his nose. "We've got our ship back now, we've got one of their weapons…and it's time we gave the Malkatans a taste of their own medicine."


Riker shoved Kad ahead of him into Bok's room, and Beverly followed behind him. They saw the drab brown pedestal immediately as they walked into Bok's lavish bedroom. It looked plain and unassuming, but now they knew better. "Let's go, Kad," Riker said gruffly.

"Wait!" Kad looked up at Riker and Beverly with a certain amount of fear, and an equal amount of cunning. "Are you certain you want to do this? You never know what you will find on the other side," he warned them.

"I have a feeling that if we take you with us," Beverly said. "You'll be the perfect guide."

"It's going to hurt like og! I am warning you," exclaimed Kad.

Riker glared at Kad. "What do we have to do?"

Kad glanced around nervously. "Just put one hand on the pedestal and lean in." He licked his lips. "I'll go first," he offered and almost sounded generous.

"No," said Beverly. "We all go at once," she said suspiciously. She grabbed Riker's hand in hers and stepped toward the pedestal. Riker held one of Kad's arms behind his back tightly, then shoved him toward the pedestal again. As the Ferengi instinctively reached out to break his fall, his small hand landed on the pedestal, and Riker and Crusher quickly followed him. For all of them there was a rushing sound, a high pitched noise in their ears, and the room disappeared.