Vaughn and Ezri had been trying to reach Lieutenant Nog since collecting themselves and formulating a plan in the turbolift a few minutes ago. The failure to raise his com they'd asked the computer his location and were headed now to the transporter room to get an update on his research into the cylinder and whether they gave any indication to their guest's motivations.

Whilst still unconfirmed both Commanding and Executive Officers were working under the assumption that the former occupant of that cylinder was an augmented Human from the era of Earth's Eugenics Wars. That was their working theory, and they'd stick to it unless they discovered otherwise. They were hostile, as assessed by her treatment of Doctor Bashir a man who was caring for her health, but her motives remained unknown as did the explanation of how a lifepod from a sub-light Earth vessel had reached the Gamma Quadrant.

The doors to the transporter room were open as the two approaches. Vaughn slowed his pace as a pre-caution, those century old senses he'd relied on heavily during his covert days, were fair working overtime now. Ezri's movement also petered out to mirror her CO.

With their steps quietened voices, previously muted, began to become audible.

"Okay - I'm coming out." It was Nog's voice, his tone distressed.

"Are all aliens as unattractive as this?" it was a voice neither Ezri nor Vaughn had heard before, and given the size of the Defiant's crew compliment that was very suspicious indeed. Both put two and two together and decided the voice must belong to their rampaging guest.

"Most!" another voice, female. Vaughn was struggling to place this one, but Ezri knew it instantly after having been delegated the thankless last of babysitting the jouranlists for the last few days since leaving Karemma space.

"That's Laura Cartwright," Ezri whispered, filling in the blanks for Vaughn. Clearly the two were in cahoots. Vaughn made a mental note, and he was very good at that, to follow up with whomever had assigned that particular journalist on this expedition.

"Enter these coordinates," Cartwright was saying, "Into the transporter and beam us out on my command."

It sounded as if Cartwright was the one with the plan, the one with the means of escape and the unfrozen augment was along for the ride... for the time being.

The two eavesdroppers had gotten tantalisingly close to the open transporter room door. Their phasers now drawn, and their muscle wound tight ready to uncoil into a swift motion that would disable their enemies and free Lieutenant Nog.

Right on the border between safety and risk they both came to a halt when Nog spoke; "And what of Ensign Long? Will you let her go?"

It was the first mention of a hostage and it gave Vaughn and Ezri cause for immediate pause. Their original plan, which had been formulated between the two with nothing more than a few exchanged looks and a drawing of their phasers, was now null and void. They couldn't risk Ensign Long being caught in whatever cross-fire may occur if, as they assumed, Cartwright and the intruder were armed.

Sometimes the universe can be cruel. They'd only needed perhaps another moment or two to rethink their strategy, but they weren't even granted that.

Loud as can be came Lieutenant Bowers' voice through Vaughn's com.

"Bowers to Vaughn, Commander I've called a full stop. A Jem'Hadar vessel had just decloaked over the starboard bow."

And just as if that hadn't been loud enough to give the game away; when Vaughn failed to response Bowers insistence grew louder and louder at each attempt; "BOWERS TO VAUGHN."

Vaughn closed his eyes, resigned to the fact he and Ezri were about to be discovered. And not wanting to disappoint the intruder appeared. Her green tunic reminiscent of fashionable casual wear on Romulus circa 2350 when Vaughn had spent some time there, undercover of course. That nostalgia did little to stifle Vaughn's displeasure at being captured.

"You are both now prisoners of the New Boudican Empire," Boudica announced with a grandeous twist to her tone. She was brandishing a type 2 phaser and was aiming it directly at Vaughn's face. "Hand over your weapons and move inside," Boudica ordered gesturing the phaser in the direction they were to take.

"Ensign Tenmei." Bowers wasn't accustomed to this long as bridge Duty Officer, and even though he'd been decorated for various reasons across various campaigns during the war none of them had played out with him in command of the ship. And now he couldn't reach Commander Vaughn.

"Any movement from that vessel?" he asked.

"Negative," Tenmei responded, her uniform and hair were a little wild... she'd been asleep when red alert had been sounded and had dressed and reported for duty on auto pilot. Staring at a viewscreen at a Jem'Hadar vessel however had woken her up good enough. It was a sight she hoped she'd never see again.

"Why would a Jem'Hadar ship make such an entrance, then simply sit there... ignoring our hails..."

"I don't like this," Tenmei said, speaking for pretty much everyone on the bridge.

"They can't mean us too much harm," Bowers said, trying to play the reassuring leader. "They haven't raised shields, and remember this is 2376... now 2374, we're at peace with our Gamma Quadrant neighbours."

A particular nervous looking Ensign at the Science Station, his voice noticeably wavering, said; "We shouldn't even be out this far, we've got our yard and they've got theirs. Why did we have to come all this way..."

"Hysterics, and questioning our orders achieving nothing," Bowers said, although the same thoughts had crossed his mind. God I wish Commander Vaughn was here Bowers thought and he strummed his fingers on the arm of the Defiant's Captain's chair.

Bashir came around, the faces of Nurse Juarez and Richter were there to greet him. Unfortunately so was Gregory Charles.

"Doctor!" Richter said. Her relief made it sound almost as though Bashir's recovery had been touch and go, when in reality it had merely been a simple "Lights out" scenario.

Bashir swung his legs off the side of the biobed and sat up. The speed, and residual damage to his head sent his eyes rolling back. The only thing that saved him from another bout of unconsciousness was Charles stepping over from where he'd been casually leaning against a biobed waiting for Bashir to awaken and grabbing the Doctor by the shoulders to keep him upright.

As the light headedness dissipated Bashir decided to try his feet. Richter wouldn't let go of his arm at first. "Yes I can still walk," Bashir confirmed, feeling his faculties returning to him in swift successions.

"Doctor, if I may have a moment," Charles began saying, the man's timing was impeccable.

"Mr. Charles," Bashir said, it was intended to sound harsh and off-putting... the beginning of a barrage of "Reasons for Not Now" but his still slightly unsteady stature meant it came out closer to a salutation. Either that or Charles just ignored any harsh undertone and took it on face value.

"I wondered if you were up to answering a few questions..."

Bashir, his head pounding, looked to his nurses for assistance. They immediately understood his look and escorted the journalist from Sickbay.

"Another time then!" Charles called back as the doors closed behind him.

"He's been talking none stop about Trill symbiotes..." Juarez said shaking his head.

Not seeing how this in any way involved him Bashir sat back down on the biobed; "Where is our guest now?" he asked, the memories of the ordeal that lead to his current situation finally drifted back to him.

Both nurses hadn't an answer for him, offering him their very own version of; "Dammit Julian, we're Doctors not Bridge Officers".

"Bashir to bridge."

Bowers voice came through, sounding relieved that another senior staff members was alive and kicking.

"Doctor?"

"What the status of our intruder?"

"You'd better get up here," was all Bowers would say.