"Have you lost your mind?" Cullen asked, barely waiting until he and Black had stepped out of earshot of the guards positioned outside sickbay. He was mindful to keep his voice low so that it would not carry down the narrow corridor. Though Black had taken a moment to compose himself, Cullen still saw the harnessed fury burning in his eyes.

"She was insolent and in front of subordinates. They both were. I cannot allow that sort of challenge to my authority."

"I witnessed the exchange." Cullen said. "It was an excellent demonstration of articulating your position."

Bristling, Black released a sharp exhalation. "She's definitely not a nurse."

"Of course she's not." Cullen replied, unable to help the small laugh that escaped his lips. "She's the Alexandria's chief of security. I'm not surprised you did not consult the intelligence briefings once they identified themselves prior to landing. I had no doubt Captain Allensworth would send someone capable of protecting Doctor Plumley." He had expected no less from the captain. Jermaine Allensworth, a well respected officer by all accounts, was renowned in Terran Empire intelligence circles for his military prowess as well as diplomatic accomplishments. For him to allow his chief medical officer to venture into enemy territory spoke volumes of the trust he placed in her.

"All the more reason to keep them both under watch." Black said. "A security chief makes for a capable spy."

"They're not here to spy." Cullen said. "And if they were, there is nothing here for them to learn. We are a single base in the middle of a nearly inhabitable planet."

Grunting more in acknowledgement than approval, Black said, "If our leaders decide as much, then I'll obey. Until then, are we not better served by maintaining our vigilance, seizing every advantage and allowing no quarter until an accord is reached?" He nodded toward the sickbay doors. "They may possess valuable information about their ship and its orders, something we can exploit."

"I granted them safe passage." Cullen said. "I gave my word to Nivek. They will be allowed to treat their patients and leave in peace."

"And what of Command? You have no authorization for this action. How do you think they'll react when they learn of this? What of the crew? Many will see this as treason."

"I will see to Command." Cullen snapped. "As for the crew, they will follow my orders. Your concern is seeing that they do so." Black began to walk away. "Black, we have a duty to act in the best interests of the Terran Empire. Bringing the Federation here is consistent with that duty, even if you don't realize it at this moment."

Though he may not have been satisfied with that answer, Black offered a formal nod. "Very well, sir. I only hope you've not made a grave mistake."

"Should that be the case, then I will endure the consequences." Cullen said, tiring of the conversation and deciding that he had indulged his subordinate long enough. "Return to your post."

Black said nothing else before leaving. Cullen looked at the security guards, he saw their expressions unreadable, though he sensed their doubt, the same doubt that Black had voiced.

"Doctor!"

Plumley looked away from her patient toward the new call of alarm. She saw one of Nivek's assistants turning Lieutenant Zofchak's head to one side as foamy vomit sputtered from the woman's mouth.

"She's seizing." Plumley said, rushing to Amanda's side and using her fingers to clear the quivering woman's airway. Eyeing the portable diagnostic scanner positioned at the head of her bed she shook her head. "The swelling in her brain isn't subsiding. Damn!"

"I thought your drugs were working." Nivek said from where he stood.

"The cortical regenerator isn't stabilizing her like I'd hoped." Plumley said as she grabbed a hypospray and pressed it to Amanda's neck. Within moments, the woman's spasms subsided, but Plumley knew it was a temporary respite. Until she could arrest the swelling of Zofchak's brain tissue, she did not dare risk moving her. "As much as I hate the idea we're going ot have to drain the excess fluid physically. I'll have to bore into her skull." The very idea turned her stomach. Such procedures had long ago fallen out of everyday use, thanks to modern technology advances, but when those seemingly miraculous methods failed, even obsolete practices still proved useful.

"I'm more accustomed to such procedure than you are." Nivek said crossing the room.

Plumley nodded. "Absolutely. I"ll need your help pinpointing where to drill." Handing him a medical tricorder, she added. You can guide me through the subarachnoid space with this."

Sudden movement at the sickbay door caught Plumley's eye, as she turned to see Commander Cullen enter at a brisk pace.

"How are things progressing, Doctor?" He asked maintaining a respectful distance from the operating table. Plumley could not help but notice the tinge of anxiety in his voice.

"This isn't a good time." She snapped, returning her attention to Zofchak. "We may lose her if we don't act quickly."

"My concern, Doctor, is that each of you may be at greater risk than you realize. I suggest you do what you can to get everyone aboard your shuttle and out of here as quickly as possible."

Plumley sensed the warning underlying the commander's words, but there was nothing to be done about that now. "I can't move her until she's stabilized."

Cullen shook his head. "Doctor, I don't think you appreciate the gravity of the situation. If you choose to remain here, I don't know that I can guarantee your safety."

"It's not a wager I'd make." Another voice said.

The new voice came from behind Cullen, and Plumley recognized it as belonging to Black. Looking past the commander, she saw Black flanked by a pair of guards, each of them holding weapons to Cullen's back.

"What is this?" Cullen demanded.

"Consider it my refusal to stand by and watch you subvert Command's authority." Black replied. "I'm taking command of the base and placing you and everyone in this room under arrest."

"On what grounds?" Cullen asked.

"Dereliction of duty with respect to the treatment of spies and prisoners of war." Black answered. "You've had ample opportunity to take the correct course of action, but instead you've chosen to follow this other path. That cannot be allowed to go unchallenged."

"The crew will never support this." Cullen hissed.

Black smiled. "I think you'll find that a sufficient number of the crew are behind me. After all, they have no desire to be executed as traitors, as their commander will be."

Plumley exchanged looks with McKenzie, and she noted the way the lieutenant's body seemed to tense in anticipation. She mouthed a silent "no" to her, hoping to keep McKenzie out of the deteriorating situation. Beneath Plumley's hands, Lieutenant Zofchak still demanded her attention.

We don't have time for this idiocy! She thought to herself.

Then everything went to hell as Cullen made the choice for everyone in the room. With no warning, he lunged for Black's phaser. Black was faster, swinging his sidearm toward the commander and firing. The weapon's discharge howled in the sickbay's confines as the orange energy bolt struck Cullen in the midsection, and he fell backward to the deck with a heavy thud.

"NO!" Plumley shouted as Nivek rushed to the fallen commander's side. "NOT IN HERE!" By then it was too late, as McKenzie took advantage of one guard's distraction. Lashing out with her right foot, she kicked the guard's throat, forcing him back as he coughed and sputtered. The lieutenant followed that vicious strike with an elbow to the side of his head, dropping him to the deck where he released his grip on his phaser. McKenzie wasted no time, scooping up the weapon and firing toward the already retreating Black.

Finding himself in the middle of a firefight, the other guard was confused, and he hesitated. Plumley saw the look in his eyes as he backpedaled away from the melee, the muzzle of his weapon swinging dangerously close to where Lieutenant Nave lay defenseless. Without thinking, Plumley thumbed the exoscapel in her hand to highest setting and aimed it at the guard's weapon hand.

The guard shrieked in pain, dropping his phaser and clutching his wounded hand. He staggered away from the doctor and Plumley again heard weapons fire as McKenzie targeted the guard with her own phaser, the energy pulse striking the guard in the chest and pushing him into a freestanding surgical tray. Instruments and other equipment scattered as he fell unconscious to the deck.

More shots echoed in sickbay and Plumley glimpsed Black crouching near the door. When McKenzie swung her weapon in his direction and fired another barrage, he pushed the control to open the door and scrambled outside in search of cover.

"Seal the room!" Nivek yelled from where he knelt next to Cullen. "That large orange button near the door, it will initiate a containment field around the entire sickbay."

McKenzie slammed the button with the heel of her hand, and an adjacent indicator illuminated at the same time a low resonance hum flared into existence. "Quarantine procedures are now in effect." The computer said. "Entry to sickbay restricted to medical personnel only."

"That won't hold Black for long." Nivek said. "However, it will give us some time." He rolled Cullen onto his back and for the first time, Plumley could see the ghastly wound in the commander's left side.

"Can't you alert the crew to what Black did?" McKenzie asked.

Nivek shook his head. "Assassinations are a common thing in the Terran Empire. That's how people move up in rank. The crew isn't really going to think much of it if they believe Commander Cullen was in the wrong. This is my fault. I should never have brought you into this."

"Too late for that now." Plumley said still hovering over Zofchak, her attention split between her own patient and the one Nivek now served. "How is he?"

"He's dying. The phaser beam ruptured his liver. The organ's destroyed. I can keep him alive only a short time without a replacement or a bypass of some sort, and I don't have that type of equipment here."

Plumley considered the diagnosis. "We might have something that can help." She recalled how she had overseen the packing of the cargo containers they had brought with them, instructing her staff to include a number of items as a contingency. Jules, on the shuttle, there is what's called a portable dynamic organ stimulator. You'll have to get it. Transport over and bring it back."

"Understood." McKenzie replied.

"Wait," Nivek said. "Assuming internal security hasn't already blocked your ability to communicate with your shuttle, they will the moment they detect any signal. You may have time for one transport before they react, but that will be all."

Shaking her head, Plumley exhaled in growing irritation. It's always something.

"Take him with you." She said. "Treat him aboard the shuttle." Looking at McKenzie, the doctor was not surprised to see the startled expression on the young lieutenant's face.

"Me?" McKenzie asked. "I've only received basic medic training." She glanced to Cullen's unconscious form. "I can't do this."

"It's a simple procedure." Plumley countered. "Nivek, go with her. I can talk you through it if necessary, but you need to go now."

McKenzie seemed to relax, if only slightly, perhaps buoyed by Plumley's crisp, decisive manner. Drawing a deep breath, she offered a single nod. "Let's do this." She said reaching up to tap her combadge. "McKenzie to shuttlecraft Taylor. Activate emergency transporter and lock on." Kneeling beside Cullen and Nivek, she looked to Plumley, who turned toward her and offered an encouraging smile.

There was a brief pause before the feminine voice of the shuttle's onboard computer replied. "Acknowledged. Transporter standing by."

McKenzie waited for Nivek to indicate that he had deactivated the quarantine fields surrounding sickbay before nodding to Plumley one last time. "Three to beam to the Taylor." She said, gripping her phaser in her right hand. "Energize."