Chapter Eighteen

Marina slowly opened her eyes. She was lying on her stomach in a patch of dirt. There was dust all over the ground, and the air was thick with it. Her throat itched with it. She cleared her throat and pushed herself up to her elbows, peering through the settling dust. "Julian? Miles?" She suddenly felt a slight pressure on her hand.

"I'm beside you." It was Julian's voice, distinct and very British.

Marina squeezed his hand. "Are you all right?"

"As well as can be expected." He coughed hoarsely. "Are you?"

Marina nodded, then realized that he probably could not see her through the dust. "Yes. Fine. Where are Miles and Harris?"

"I'm over here," Miles groaned. "This ground is really hard."

"And really cold," whined Harris.

"What happened?" Marina asked. She got to her knees, still clutching Julian's hand.

"There was some sort of blast, an explosion," Miles explained. "The force of it threw us a good ways from the tunnel entrance."

The dust was finally clearing. Marina glanced over her shoulder. She could see the entrance to the tunnels. It was a cave, a small opening in a wall of rock. "We're in the mountains?" she asked.

"As far as I can tell," Miles said.

"So we're near the weather control devices!" Marina exclaimed. "Excellent!"

"Wait. Have you noticed it yet?" Julian spoke up.

"Noticed what?" Miles asked. He, too, had made it to his knees and was looking down curiously at his friend.

"Something's different," Julian said. His voice cracked, and he paused to get his breath. "Do you feel it? It doesn't even feel like Catronis anymore."

"The wind," Marina said quickly. "It's--it's gone."

And it was. The air was still and cold.

Marina batted at the clearing dust around her face. "I wish this stuff would settle so I--" And then she saw it. She gasped in shock. "L--look at the clouds! Just look!"

Miles saw it, and his mouth dropped open. "Julian, look!" He reached down to help Julian to his knees.

The clouds were yellow and swirling, spinning in a wide diameter around the cave site and the Federation officers.

"We're in the eye of the storm," Julian whispered, excitement and worry combined in his voice.

"Let's go back in the tunnels!" Harris cried.

"No!" the others all shouted in unison.

"Well what do we do?" Harris asked, his eyes wide and panicky.

Marina moved closer to Julian, looping her arm around his. "He has a point," she whispered. "That storm is moving--slowly, but… It's moving. We can't just sit here and wait for it to blow us away. And we can't get past all that wind either. It's far to strong--probably more than two hundred miles an hour, from the look of those clouds."

Julian turned his face to hers. "We can't go back in the tunnels. It's too dangerous."

"I know." She glanced anxiously at the storm. Was it just her imagination, or had it already moved closer? "Maybe… maybe we can move with it."

Julian frowned. "What? Marina, you are a scientist. You know how unpredictable storms are. And besides, it might not even move toward our destination. And look how slow it's moving!"

"Wait! Both of you!" Miles exclaimed. He pointed ahead. "We're already there! Do you see that building over there?"

Marina jumped to her feet. "Yes! You're a Godsend, Miles! That looks like the building for weather control!"

"We'd better move fast, then," Julian spoke up worriedly. "It's on the very edge of the eye!"

(LINE)

"Where do you think you're going?" Garak asked Odo, matching his pace to that of the changeling.

"I'm taking a shuttle and catching up with the Defiant," Odo explained, not slowing down and not looking at the Cardassian. "What you just told me about Gentanar is valuable information. I must get to the captain with it--and to the party already on Catronis. They are in far graver danger than they know!"

"Then let me go with you," Garak said quickly. "In case you forget everything I told you."

Odo glanced at him. "All right. I'll take you along. But you must follow my orders. Is that clear?"

Garak gave him a mock salute.

The two men hurried into the shuttle bay and approached the shuttle that Odo had gotten permission to take. Standing in front of it was Quark, carrying a load of weapons in his arms.

Odo stopped walking and rolled his eyes. "What are you doing here, Quark? Do I even want to know?"

"I'm coming along, constable," Quark said proudly. "I thought you might need some of these, as well." He held up the weapons. "Don't even say it. I know they're illegal. You can thank me later."

"Thank you?" Odo cried incredulously. "I'm going to have you arrested instead!"

"Hold on just a minute, Odo," Garak spoke up, standing between the changeling and the Ferengi. "Those are very powerful weapons. They will be of great use against someone like Reetan Gentanar. I think you should reconsider Quark's offer. If not for the sake of justice and peace and all that, for the sake of your friends. Such as Major Kira."

Odo was quiet for a moment, pondering. "Well, all right!" he finally relented, stepping past Quark into the shuttle. "But first I must ask one thing." He closed the doors right behind Quark, making the Ferengi jump. That gave him satisfaction.

"Ask away."

"Why exactly are you doing this?"

"Some of my most loyal patrons are down there. Losing their lives would mean losing business." He sighed at Odo's unbelieving expression. "And they're my friends, too, all right? Satisfied?"

Odo gave a rare smile, albeit a dry one. "Very."

(LINE)

"Captain, a Federation shuttle has joined the battle from behind," Kira said quickly, bracing herself as the pilot turned the Defiant sharply to avoid phaser fire from the Cardassians. "They wish to speak with you." She blinked. "It's a shuttle from the station!"

"Return fire!" Sisko called out. "And Major, open frequencies!"

The com system crackled, then a very familiar voice said, "Captain Sisko, we have received valuable information about Reetan Gentanar. We must break through enemy lines and get to the planet immediately!"

"We're working on that, Odo," Sisko replied. "Send the information to the Defiant's computers. And follow us in."

(LINE)

The four Starfleet officers ran together toward the weather control building of Catronis 6. The storm wall was moving slowly closer.

Julian suddenly stumbled, dizzy and in pain. Miles grabbed him around the waist and practically hauled him the rest of the way to the door.

Once they reached the door, Marina punched in her scientist's pass code, and the door slid open. They all rushed inside.

"We have to fix this weather before the weather fixes us," Marina said quickly, dropping her pack beside the door and looking around. The interior of the building was sleek, its walls covered in control panels and flashing computer screens. "There!" Marina pointed to the far wall. "That looks like the storm control center. Let's get to it!"

"Just--just leave me here," Julian panted. "I'll sit by the door. I won't be of much use to you anyway." He slid to the floor, his back against the wall. His eyes looked glassy, his cheeks flushed. "Go on. I'll be all right."

Marina nodded to him. "I'll be right back, Julian," she said softly, following Miles toward the control panel.

"Harris, you coming?" Miles called over his shoulder.

The big ensign quickly shook his head. "No. I'm just a security guard. I'll just stand here and… guard."

Marina and Miles hurried to the far wall. Marina's sharp eyes quickly took in the weather readings. "Oh dear. This isn't good."

"What?"

"The controls are set, sort of like auto pilot. They aren't on manual."

Miles frowned. "Can you fix that?"

Marina stepped forward and began punching buttons, trying to log into the main computer so she could change the weather settings. She shook her head, worry apparent in her green eyes. "Miles, I should be able to, but… I can't!" She frowned, examining the controls closely. "These controls have been tampered with from the inside out! See that engine light blinking?" She turned to the engineer. "Miles, you need to get into the engine room and fix the storm controller engines."

"Where's the engine room?" he asked quickly.

"There!" Marina pointed to a small door to the right. "Hurry!"

Miles adjusted his pack on his shoulder and gave Marina a salute as he rushed through the door.

"Let me know when you've fixed the problem, and I'll change the settings!" Marina called to him.

"Aye, aye!" he replied.

Something suddenly registered in Marina's mind. Another presence was nearby… No, make that two…

Suddenly, a door on the left whooshed open, and Dax and Worf rushed out.

"Marina! How did you get here?" Dax exclaimed.

"I should ask you the same thing!" Marina cried.

"We found our way out of the tunnels and came here, hoping to fix the problem." Dax shook her head, her ponytail swishing. "But we couldn't quite figure it out. Good thing you and Miles know what you're doing!"

There was a sudden clanking noise, and the two women could here Miles muttering angrily to himself on the other side of the engine room door.

"Well, at least you know what you're doing," Dax said.

"But I can't fix these settings until Miles fixes the problem back there," Marina said quietly. "Someone has done something to the engines to keep these control settings frozen in place."

"Is that Ensign Harris?" Worf asked suddenly, his voice low and intense like a growl.

Marina nodded.

Worf started toward him, snarling.

Marina quickly stepped in front of the Klingon. "He's on our side now. Gentanar had hold of his mind. He's pretty rotten, anyway, but… Not that rotten. Julian stunned him, and when he woke up, I think he had forgotten being under Gentanar's control."

Worf glared at Harris, who quickly looked down at the ground.

"What happened to Julian?" Dax asked suddenly.

"He had to fight Harris while Harris was in Gentanar's power," Marina exclaimed. She eyed the young doctor with worry. Julian appeared to be barely conscious, slumped against the wall, his eyes half closed, his breathing labored. Her heart skipped a beat. "Dax, stay here. I need to go to him."

"But Marina--"

"I'll tell you what to do. He needs me." She could feel it in her mind. She ran across the floor and knelt beside Julian, quickly taking his hand in hers. "Julian! Are you with me?"

Julian nodded wearily. "Yes. Barely." He closed his eyes and leaned his head against the wall, swallowing hard. "I can't--I don't think I can stay awake much longer."

Marina wasn't sure what to say. She sat down next to him and slid her arm gently around his shoulders, drawing his head to her shoulder. "Are you going to make it?" she whispered intensely.

Suddenly, there was a loud roar, like the rushing of wind. It was the rushing of wind.

Dax glanced quickly at one of the screens on the wall. "The storm wall is closing in!" she cried. "Hurry, Chief!"

"I'm working on it! Someone has jammed the controls with a Jem'Hadar phaser, and I'm trying to get it out!" Miles called back. "It's a very primitive tactic, but it sure is working!"

"Worf, go help him," Dax said quickly.

Worf nodded and looked to Marina. "Where is the engine room?"

Marina pointed to the door and turned back to Julian. "Julian? Are you all right? What can I do?"

"I don't know!" he exclaimed, sounding frustrated. "I can't think straight through this pain… Don't think I've felt anything like this before." He wrapped an arm around himself. "Can't hardly breathe."

The roar was getting louder.

"Julian! Are you going to make it?" Marina cried, touching his face.

Julian nodded. "I think so… I hope so… I think it's just the pain that's getting to me, and the weakness."

So… the poor boy is dying, is he? The voice entered Marina's mind subtly, smoothly.

Shut up, Gentanar. He's not dying. He said he thinks he's going to make it. And he's a doctor, for crying out loud.

You sure he's not just saying that so you won't worry about him?

Marina blinked.

"Marina, what's going on?" Julian asked.

"Gentanar," Marina whispered. She looked at Julian closely, wondering for a split second if he really had lied to her to make her feel better. Then she dismissed the thought. She would have been able to sense it if he had been lying.

I can stop the storm, Marina. All you have to do is agree to join me.

There was a loud tearing sound, then a clang and a whoosh.

"There went a piece of the roof!" Harris wailed.

I don't believe you, Gentanar. Our gifts are with minds, not matter.

Indeed.

I am the one who can stop the storm, not you.

So you called my bluff. But the question is, will you be able to stop the storm in time?

"I've got it!" Miles' voice boomed over the roaring of the wind.

"Marina, what do I do?" Dax called from the control panel.

"Push the blinking green button," Marina called.

"And then?"

"Hit the 'initiate' key on the middle panel. Instructions should appear on the middle screen. Follow them to program the weather. Use the codes on the screen on the upper right for wind speed and temperature."

"Got it."

I can transport people with my mind, you know. If I get a fix on your mind, I can bring you to me.

Then why haven't you done that already?

You were too far away. Just ask and I'll get you out of there--and your precious doctor, as well, if you so wish.

Suddenly afraid that Gentanar would transport her against her will, Marina concentrated on shielding her mind from his--and the minds of her friends. She felt as if a weight had physically lifted from her. And suddenly, there was no voice in her mind.

"I felt something coming from you," Julian said quietly, his voice heavy with weariness and pain. "Did you force him back?"

"I did," Marina said incredulously. "He can't break through my shields."

Suddenly, the roaring of the wind died down, and all was still.

"We've done it!" Dax cried triumphantly.

Marina and Julian sighed and leaned against each other, relieved.

"I'm proud of you, Marina," Julian said quietly. "You are far stronger than Gentanar believes."

"And far weaker than you believe," she replied.

"I don't think so," Julian said. He frowned suddenly. "I think I'll sleep now. I can't stay awake." His eyes closed.