Disclaimer: CBS/Paramount own Star Trek, only the original characters and story are mine.

Maluse and her immediate subordinate Sharlot were walking at as rapid a pace as possible towards their ship's transporter room. "Maluse, are you sure you want to do this? It is a breach of protocol."

The chief healer from Adigeon Prime was livid, "Protocol be damned, of course I want to do this. We have to make the humans aware that we are not like the other aliens. We would never allow one of our subjects to die."

"Perhaps they are unaware the other aliens let their subjects die as a result of their procedures."

Maluse stopped in her tracks and Sharlot had to stop quickly to avoid bumping into her. "Are you serious? Lindbergh has the same access to Starfleet records we have. I'd wager they have more in depth access than we have. There is no doubt whatsoever in my mind they know the Srivani not only let their subjects die, but have threatened to terminate an entire ship of beings because they were discovered. It's an abomination, how can they call themselves serious researchers and have so little regard for sentient life forms?" She started moving again, and arrived at the transporter room in seconds. She stepped on the transporter pad and addressed Sharlot in a kinder voice, "Sharlot, I have to do this, I just have to."

Sharlot nodded his head in resignation, he knew nothing he could say would possibly deter Maluse once she had her mind made up.

She spoke to the officer who had been called to operate the transporter, "You have the coordinates?"

"Yes Chief, and the Captain of the Lindbergh is alone."

"Good, begin transport sequence." Maluse materialized, fully visible because she had taken off her phase shifting device, in Ezri's ready room.

The sound of the Adigeon transporter was loud enough to startle Ezri, who had been talking to Julian via her computer. When she saw the intruder appear, Ezri shot out of her chair, "You! What are you doing here? Are you now going to begin experiments on my crew?"

From her desktop Julian's clearly agitated voice could be heard, "Ezri, what's happening?"

Ezri tapped her commbadge, "Security to my ready room, now! Julian, one of the aliens who have been experimenting on you just transported into my ready room."

Maluse had expected this reaction and wasn't surprised when two gold clad security officers sprang into the room with their phase pistols drawn. She made her voice as calm and placating as possible, "Please, hear me out. I bear you no ill will."

Ezri squinted at the woman, obviously trying to determine if she believed the newcomer. She addressed her Tactical Officer, a human named Hugh Irving, "Hugh, I think you can handle this without help." She waited for the junior security officer to leave the room before she continued, "However, if she makes a move or tries to use any sort of device…"

She let Hugh finish her sentence, "Shoot her, no problem Captain."

Seeing that the situation seemed to be diffused somewhat, Maluse continued, "Captain Dax, I am Maluse, Chief Healer from Adigeon Prime."

Before Maluse could say anything else, the tiny Trill Captain started shouting, "Chief HEALER, you call yourself a healer? Wouldn't the term mad scientist or perhaps vivisectionist be more accurate? You turned my husband into a guinea pig, for what purpose? Why him, why here, why now? What could possibly justify all of the pain and misery you've caused not only my husband, but me as well?" Dax' breath was ragged, she was seething with anger at this woman, anger she had kept bottled up since the first moment her husband had fallen ill.

Hugh Irving was backed up against wall next to the door of the ready room in order to prevent Maluse from walking out, but he began to think it might be safer if he took the alien out of the Captain's line of fire. He watched the Captain take a large breath, no doubt in order to continue her tirade but Ezri suddenly had a look of comprehension cross her face. "Wait, Adigeon Prime? That's what you said, right?" She paused barely long enough for Maluse to nod her head indicating that Ezri had understood. "This isn't about research in general is it? It's about a specific project, right? It's about Julian and only Julian, isn't it?"

Starfleet security officers were well trained to keep an air of stern concentration and confidence about them at all times, but he had to work very hard not to let his confusion show. What was Captain Dax talking about? Why would the alien being from Adigeon Prime mean they were there to deal only with Dr. Bashir?