The Hour of The Wolf
Chapter Twenty-Six

Apollo watched as the Captain of the Thunderchild took a handful of shots at the target down the holographic firing range. The Thunderchild was the Akira's sister-ship and it's Vulcan Captain was getting used to the laser pistol. His name was Nurock and Apollo got the feeling he was going to have to prove the Laser pistol to every Captain from here to Earth before they accepted it. The Federation Captain has been practicing for nearly half an hour and he was getting better. He was hitting the target four out of every five times. 'Your opinion Captain?' Apollo asked.

He gave a very un-Vulcan shrug before holstering the weapon. 'It seems to be very effective against stationary targets, but what about a moving one.'

Apollo had gone through this with both the Admiral and Captain Annabelle. They had both quickly programmed a scenario to test the results. The Admiral's was a combat mission against a green skinned race called Orion Pirates and Annabelle's was against Klingon criminals. Both had been interesting and Apollo had begun reading up on the history of the two species.

In the mock battles the laser pistol had proven, again, to be slightly more efficient than the Federation hand phaser. Just enough to be noticeable. Captain Nurock had seen the recordings, but was still doubtful. Which was why they were doing it again. 'You have a test planned, or do you want to replay one of the scenarios you've already seen?'

'No. Not a test and not a scenario. A game.' The Captain corrected. Drawing the pistol and firing from the hip. He missed the target down range, but not by much. With a raised eyebrow he holstered it again. He tried once again and this time scored a solid hit. 'I over compensated the first time.'

Apollo drew his own pistol and matched the Vulcan's shot. He had more practice with the fast draw technique and hit the centre of the target that exploded. 'Do I win?'

The Vulcan actually chuckled at that. 'No, I was just practicing.' He put the pistol down on the weapons table and headed to the controls. The table, holographic weapons and even the firing range disappeared. Replaced by a flying disk in the centre of the now otherwise empty room. 'The game's called Velocity. The goal is to shoot the disk so that it changes course and hits your opponent. That gets you a point. First to five wins the match.'

'And if it hits the walls?' Apollo asked, curious.

'It bounces. The disk gains speed with each shot, so the longer you go between scoring the harder it gets. Just about everything's allowed, only penalties if you shoot your opponent.' He explained. Without changing expression the Captain pressed a button on the controls and a Federation phaser, or at least a recreation of one, appeared in his hand. He fired and the disk flew straight into Apollo.

He wasn't ready and the disk vanished as it touched him. 'One point.' The computer announced dispassionately.

'Any questions?' The Vulcan smirked, again out of character for what Apollo knew of his emotionless race. The disk re-appeared in the middle of the room. 'Here's what I suggest; three matches. First match we both use hand phasers, second with your pistols and third whichever we chose. After the game we look at the overall results.'

Taking off his jacket and gun belt Apollo put them in the corner and loosened up his shoulders. 'Sounds fair, on one condition.'

'Which is?'

'That last point doesn't count.'

'Agreed. Computer, new match. Perimeters, first to five.' The Captain said to the ceiling and programmed in another hand phaser for Apollo. While he still didn't like the overly complicated weapon, over the last few sectons Apollo had been getting enough experience with them to know how they handled. 'You have the first move.'

Taking a few steps back Apollo aimed at the glowing edge across the centre of the disk and fired, sending it spinning off into the wall and bouncing towards the Vulcan.

'Ready to beam over the Admiral's party Captain.' O'Brian told him. Will wasn't very happy with this visit, but it was going to have to be endured. With a glance to his First Officer he straightened his uniform. The Enterprise had been ordered to change course and meet with Admiral Nechayev on the Bellerophon in the middle of deep space.

They had arrived at the co-ordinates to find the Bellerophon already waiting, The Enterprise had barely dropped out of Warp before Nechayev hailed and ordered Will to greet her in the transporter room. If she wanted rattle her sabre and let him know she was watching, that was fine but all this was going a little too far.

Still Will wasn't that worried. He'd already seen a copy of Eddings' original report regarding the events with the Pegasus and Cardassians. While it was overly critical in some places in the end it supported Will and his decisions at the time. It recognised he'd done everything he could to maintain the peace. Even bringing back information that could be used as leverage in the treaty with the Cardassians.

Since then the Enterprise had engaged in about half a dozen minor encounters. From a standard repair of a sensor array, that was anything but standard when an alien probe gave the otherwise neurotic Lieutenant Barclay super-human intelligence. To rescuing a stranded space creature that mistook the ship for it's own mother. In someways this was going to be a much needed break for the crew.

'Energise.' He ordered and the transporter glowed and the pad was quickly full of people. A lot more than Will expected. He recognised Captain Eddings, Nechayev and Admiral Haden, a flag officer and Nechayev's immediate superior. There was also another Captain Will didn't know and three civilians. 'Admirals, Captains. Welcome to the Enterprise.' He nodded respectfully. 'This this is my First Officer Elizabeth Shelby and Chief O'Brian, transporter operator. If I had known so many were coming I'd have brought all my senior staff.'

'Understandable Captain, but we didn't want to concern you.' Admiral Nechayev said as she stepped down and introduced the civilians. 'This is retied Admiral Satie and her staff. She's here to help conduct our review.'

'Review Admiral?' Will asked. He wasn't sure what she was getting at, but from Eddings badly disguised wince it couldn't be good.

'Yes review. You have to admit your promotion to Captain of this ship was under, shall we say, unusual circumstances.' The elderly retired Admiral said politely. 'Starfleet Command feels a review is necessary. To confirm the correct choice was made. I will be reviewing your logs and ships records while my staff will be interviewing you and the rest of your crew over the next few days.' She turned to the unknown Captain. 'I understand arrangements will be made.'

'This is Captain Edward Jellico.' Nechayev introduced the man, neatly sidestepping the immediate question. 'It might be best if we continued this with your senior staff in the Observation Lounge.'

Slipping onto his best poker face Will nodded and tapped his comm badge. After giving the order he stepped to one side. 'Commander Shelby, if you can show our guests the way.'

'Yes Captain.' She gave a textbook salute and lead them out of the room. As Will had guessed Eddings hung around for a moment.

'What's going on John?' he asked quietly.

'I don't know Will. She's frozen me out. Be careful, I think she's going to do the same to you.' He wanted to ask more, but they couldn't afford to wait any longer. With a nod to O'Brian Will caught up with the Admiral and her party.

There was a tense silence in the turbolift, Will felt like he was straining something not demanding answers to just what was going on. But if the Admiral wasn't willing to offer any she'd just deflect him.

Stepping out on to the Observation Lounge he saw the rest of his crew file in from the other side of the room. Last to come in was Wesley, who looked just as surprised as Will at the dignitaries onboard, but didn't have the experience to hide it.

'This will just be a short meeting. As many of you know I am Admiral Nechayev.' She introduced herself quickly, before Will had the chance. 'This is Admiral Haden. We are in charge of fleet operations for this sector of space. For the next few weeks we are going to be conducting a review of the Enterprise and her command structure.'

She turned to face Will. 'Now, unfortunately, for the duration of this review Captain Riker will be asked to step down from his position as Captain of this ship.' she turned back to the Crew. 'Captain Jellico will be in command. You will report to him for ship operations.'

Will didn't have to be betazoid to feel the shock in the room. Ship board reviews weren't unheard of, but they were still rare and never like this. 'Admiral, I understand you feel that we need a review. However, I shouldn't be asked to step down unless I'm being personally investigated for criminal actions.'

'That may be the case Captain.' The retired Admiral announced. 'As part of the review we intend to investigate the murder of a member of the Klingon High Council by one of your officers. That would be Lieutenant Worf.' She turned to Will's Klingon security officer. 'I must inform you, Lieutenant, that accordingly you are also relieved of your position.'

'Worf stand fast.' Will warned his friend. 'Admiral, you have no right to come aboard this ship and accuse myself and my crew of being murders. Those events have already been investigated, Mr Worf has been cleared under Klingon Law.'

Nechayev stood up to him. 'Klingon Law is not Starfleet's Captain. As long as Lieutenant Worf wares that uniform he is subject to our laws. Some members of Starfleet are concerned that has been forgotten.'

Will shook his head, 'If you are questioning my command of this ship I welcome a review. My record should speak for itself, but if you are here to insult me and my crew, admiral or not, I will have you thrown of this ship. Commander Shelby take command while I talk to the Admirals in private. Data, please escort Captain Jellico and the review staff to suitable quarters.'

'You are disobeying a direct order Captain. You are no longer in command of this ship and you have no authority.' Nechayev announced and Will realised she had him over a barrel. If he did officially disobey it wouldn't matter if the current charges were rejected. She could still have his commission for intended mutiny. If he didn't she was going to oust him from command anyway and Jellico would be next to impossible to remove. Whatever Will did he'd lost command of the Enterprise.

'Until I officially receive my written orders no, I am still in command Admiral.' He played the only card he had left. 'And until then my orders stand. I am also allowed to officially voice my objection to theses orders. Admiral Haden, these accusations are frankly insulting to myself and my crew. If you do not recognise that I will present my objection to the highest level of Starfleet Command.'

'If that is your choice Captain you are welcome to do so. However I must insist you follow your orders, as they are written here.' He raised a PADD and handed it over.

Will took the PADD. 'I assume the charges against myself and Lieutenant Worf are also on here?'

'Indeed they are Captain.'

He had no choice, and he didn't trust how quickly they had just accepted his official protest. Being a good poker player meant reading your opponent. He knew they not only had all the cards, but they had also measured what he had. He needed to come up with a new strategy they hadn't thought of and that needed time. 'Then, Admirals, Captain Jellico I will read them in the Ready Room. I will meet you on the bridge in one hour, to officially transfer command. Is that acceptable?'

'Yes, Captain I feel so.' Jellico stepped up.

'Mr Worf, ready room now.' With that Will left. He had find a loop hole somewhere or his career, and that of Worf, wouldn't be worth a thing.

Apollo grunted as he put all his weight on his bruised knee. 'I shouldn't have tried that jump.' He groaned as they limped out of the holodeck.

'It won you the round, and that match.'

He shook his head 'Yes, but it still hurts like Hades.'

Nurock laughed and then pulled at his shoulder with a wince. 'I guess neither of us are as young as we were. I've got to stop playing like a fifty year old.'

'Same here.' Apollo agreed.

'That's right, I forgot your people age slower than most humans. If you don't mind me asking…?'

'A hundred and seventeen. Yarens that is.' Apollo admitted. 'Still not sure what that is in Stardate's, or your years.'

'I'm a hundred and twenty six myself.' The other Captain admitted easily. 'Most humans find being our age embarrassing. I must admit I find that amusing.'

'Age, for us, is something to be proud of as well.' Apollo shrugged and limped on. 'Mind if I ask you a question, it's just that you're not like other Vulcans I've met.'

Nurock shook his head, as if it was something he was asked often and come to expect it. 'I would be surprised if you had. I belong to a small faction of Vulcans that don't completely suppress our emotions. You see most people believe Vulcans are totally emotionless, we're not. Traditionally we just spend most of our time suppressing our emotions, in favour of pure logic.'

'I see.' Apollo frowned, seeing a large hole in that.

'Let me guess, what use is logic if you can't stop and smell the flowers?'

'No, I just don't see the logic in ignoring a part of yourself.' He admitted.

Nurock laughed. 'That's true, in fact it's the core of those that follow the same outlook as me. The common belief is that Vulcan emotions are too strong. That their influence on our decision making process adversely effects both us and the choices we make. Not unreasonable, on first glance that is.'

'How do you mean?'

The Vulcan smirked. 'I wouldn't have thought you heard. We Vulcans pay a price for suppressing our emotions. Every seven years or so those emotions erupt, often violently. We call it the pon'far, the time of madness. We lose control, become nothing more than violent savages. Driven to either mate or kill.'

'I see.' Apollo said dubiously.

'Don't worry Captain. Those that follow my philosophy of accepting our emotions hardly ever experience the pon'far. When we do it's much more civilised, I can still control my actions, where my fellow Vulcans can not.'

'So why don't all Vulcans follow that discipline?' he asked genuinely curious.

Nurock shrugged. 'Social pressure mostly. My parents have disowned me, my arranged marriage was annulled and I have no place in Vulcan society. There are other reasons as well. We must at all times walk a knife's edge between order and chaos. Sometimes our emotions can still get the better of us. If we're not careful the results could be… unpleasant.'

'Well if you want my opinion I think it's a risk worth taking. As for your family…'

'Starfleet is my family Captain.' Nurock interrupted. 'I can do more good for them and my Vulcan kin here than I ever could in the monastery, or the science directorate. Ahh Sickbay, I think we both need it my friend.'

'If my wife finds out I injured myself playing a holographic game about this she'll never let me hear the end of it.' Apollo laughed back and went inside.

Will read the orders over and over again. They were very direct. He was to turn over command entirely to Jellico and sit on his hands until questioned about this farce of a review. He wasn't entirely frozen out of command of course, he was authorised to be briefed on ships functions at least, but the Enterprise wasn't going anywhere. While the review was ongoing they were going to hold position in the middle of deep space.

'Worf, what's your take on this?'

'I have committed no crime.' The big Klingon rumbled in a voice that came from between clenched teeth.

'Not according to Klingon Law, not according to me and the Federation has no jurisdiction on what is an internal matter.' He pointed out. 'The Admiral is just using it as an excuse. Pushing our buttons. Even if they did decide you'd done something out of line they can't do anything more than put a note in your file. No something more is going on here.'

Before Worf could answer the door chimed. 'Captain it's me, John.'

Will gave his security officer a guarded look and then called for the other Captain to come in. He wasn't sure which side of this Eddings was on, and he wasn't going to fully trust him until he did. On the other hand they needed all the help they could get. 'Will. Lieutenant.' Eddings said as he came in

'John. Is there anything you can tell me?'

He just threw his arms up in defeat. 'I wish I could. That was completely out of line. You already know she was doing it to get a reaction from you, I just can't think why.'

'It's obvious she wants something, but if it was just me off this ship she could have transferred me off.' Will pointed out. 'Why go after the Lieutenant on such trumped up charges?'

'I'm not sure they are, she thinks she can get them to stick.' Eddings told them. 'Is there any truth to them.'

'I killed Duras in a fair challenge.' Worf said proudly.

'That's leaving out the fact that Duras attacked a Federation Ambassador, murdered Worf's son and then fled to his ship before we could arrest him.' Will pointed out, 'And I strongly doubt that was the limit of his crimes. The man was a snake, both the Federation and the Klingon Empire is better off with him dead.'

Eddings took that onboard. 'I'm sorry about your son Mr Worf. While I don't approve of vengeance personally I can understand how you were justified.'

'You cannot begin to understand.' Worf said pointedly.

'Its a Klingon thing, don't take it personally.' Will stood up. 'What did she tell you after we last met.'

'Nothing, Alynna didn't tell me a thing. She was asking all the questions, practically interrogated me. She didn't pay that much attention to me when we were engaged.' Will turned to see Eddings wince again. 'That was a lifetime ago.' he admitted quietly. 'A lot's happened since then.'

'She's obviously digging for something, but what.' Will picked up the PADD only to throw it back down again. 'What I don't understand is why she's pushing Jellico for command. Standard operations state that if the Captain has to stand down, for a limited time, it's the ship's XO that takes charge. There's no reason for Jellico to be assigned. Unless she doesn't trust Shelby, but they've never even met as far as I know.'

'Oh hell.' Eddings whispered. 'I think I know what's going on.'

'What?' Will asked

'Hanson, Shelby was Hanson's right hand leading up to Three-Five-Nine.' Eddings slapped his hands down on the desk. 'This could be a real problem. She's after the Colonials, she just doesn't know it.'

'I do not understand.' Worf rumbled, but Will caught on:-

'Admiral Nechayev's not got clearance to know about the Galactica and Colonial Fleet, only a handful do. If she isn't buying the cover story about what happened to the Borg and suspects something more is going on…'

'This review of your command is exactly how she'd do it. Make a lot of noise and see what comes crawling out of the woodwork to protect you.' Eddings finished. 'Damn.'

'Then we must contact Admiral Hanson and have him correct the problem.' Worf suggested.

'We can't, not with civilians involved in a supposed criminal investigation. All the records are public.' Will pointed out. 'If Hanson, or Jean-Luc, do step in the cover's blown and the whole Galaxy will find out about the Battlestars.'

'And that's why she's doing this. I'm betting she can't track Hanson down, so she makes a big song and dance to force him to come to her.' Eddings said, but Will could tell Worf wasn't used to this sort of political game.

'She's attacking what she thinks it a vulnerable target to draw out her real prey. It's a good tactic but she has no idea what she's doing. Can you imagine what the Cardassians or even the Romulans would do knowing we're building a military fleet with that sort of firepower? They'll attack before the Colonies can defend themselves.'

'Sparking off a galactic war. The Borg or the Cylons wouldn't have to attack. We'd destroy ourselves.' Eddings agreed. 'Captain we need to beat this review and derail the investigation, soon before all this spins out of control.'

End Chapter Twenty-Six