Chapter Five

'Reverse course, full speed back to the moon.'

Barret didn't try to comprehend her captain's orders, she just did as she had been told. The Augustus swung in a tight arc and rushed back to the prison.

'Tell the others to follow.'

'Where?' asked Sia Singh.

'The prison.' Colimo tried to sound neutral and unconcerned, but he thought he probably failed.

'Do it then.'

Tambecki did. The Caesar made a turn that was awkward compared to that taken by the Augustus but they were heading away from the battleship. And towards a bomb, thought Mc Sorley, I hope Marcus has a plan.

'Target the hub of the building, one torpedo, as soon as you can. Explode it underground.' Ohlson sat down. There was nothing to do now but wait, and count on Yeoman Kausler's skill.

Gretchen Kausler was doing what she was best at.

'Twenty seconds to ignition.' d'Amatsu wondered to whom he was bothering to pass on the news. The others were staring at the viewscreen, which showed a moon getting closer and the two ships in front of them.

Silence reigned on the Augustus.

Ohlson fidgeted, Kausler was working, and he did not want to say anything. He kept reminding himself of the woman's exemplary record. She'll do it right; he hoped.

Smith watched the moon. He didn't need his console to tell him that when the bomb exploded they were already within range of being damaged or destroyed. He licked his lips.

Hope Barret said a silent prayer and maintained course.

Gretchen tapped her console. They felt the slight tremor that occurred each time that a torpedo was launched. 'It's fired sir.' She didn't even have a bead of sweat on her forehead.

'Fifteen seconds... the Augustus has fired a torpedo.'

That's his plan? Mc Sorley took a deep breath.

'Thirteen seconds to go.'

Sia considered telling T'sella to quit with the countdown. Then thought what the heck, it would probably take him as long to give the order as it would to implement.

'Ten...'

The torpedo struck the center of the hub of the three-winged barrack complex with eight seconds to go. The device ploughed through the building's superstructure and twenty-five meters into the moon on which it was built.

With seven seconds to go the torpedo ignited. It vaporized its immediate surroundings and caused a large section of the hub to explode outwards.

The hub's roof either vaporized or twisted, the section adjoining the rest of the complex protested the violence and sent ripples throughout the building. Debris, rubble and dust filled the interior of the surviving edifice. Emergency bulkheads closed as the compromised environmental controls sought to return to their previous status.

The explosion ripped the housing of the self-destruct device to shreds, severing detonator from bomb.

The device was dead.

Eight of the fifty-one Jem'Hadar and one of the ten surviving Vorta perished in the explosion.

'What now Captain?' asked Barret.

Ohlson stood as the ship closed in on the prison. He ran his hand through his hair. 'Bring us into the docking bay. Put the Caesar on screen, patch the signal in audio to the Gaunt.'

Hope Barret wondered what it would have been like to be a lawyer. The word 'safer' sprung to mind.

'We'll dock first and establish a bridgehead, then the Caesar can follow us in. Try to find someone from the Hawaii to act as guide. It's just possible someone on the Caesar knows the layout of the prison. But be wary of trusting anyone from the Shoeman or any other crew that may have been located there.

Collect as much weaponry and items of use that you can find, include spare combadges, there will be a small collection in the captain's quarters of the Gaunt. Then make a strong point; we may have to withstand a siege. Use the shields from the ship to link with ours and then the Gaunt's. That may prevent us being destroyed by a quick salvo of torpedoes, and should act against their sensors.

Sia will act as rearguard, until we are in some sort of order then he can bring his ship down too.

The Shoeman is on the bottom of the six docking bays, we'll take the next from the base then the Caesar, then you Sia.'

Deborah Mc Sorley was digesting the plan.

'It's the best we have to offer short of surrendering. Remember to lock out the controls excepting from your own voice, we may have use of the ships again. I know you haven't got the captain's command codes Sia, but do you're best to keep us in control of the Gaunt's functions.' Ohlson was watching the redhead in the viewscreen, she seemed about to ask a question.

She didn't ask whatever had been on her mind. 'Okay Captain, we'll be right behind you. Let's hope my next command is of a longer duration.'

Sia Singh took the news with a sigh. He had already worked out that Ohlson intended to hold up at the prison and await reinforcements, or... Or what, thought the Indian, another prison for all of them?

'They will be here in five minutes.' Colimo glanced up from his console to the ominous figure in the viewscreen. The sleek dark battleship of the Dominion, he tried to remember had he heard of anything, even a Galaxy class destroying one, he couldn't,

'Keep position. Maintain weapons' readiness.' He settled into the captain's chair and waited.

'Where are the Jem'Hadar in the prison, and give me a quick rundown on the geography?'

Smith had been working on mapping the interior of the building as well as isolating the current inhabitants.

'The prison is basically two buildings connected by the semi-circular hub, the hub is gone, the other section is the base of the docking pylon, it would appear to be a reception area that leads to a corridor and the three wings. The Jem'Hadar are on all wings. Apart from the docking ring there were five emergency airlock entrances on the ground floor of the complex, they're small, one- and two-men, and sited at the end of each block, the hub, and the bottom of the pylon. The hub exit is no longer there the rest would appear to be fully operational.

Each of the three wings did contain prisoners, and all about equal in numbers, but there does appear to be a functionality difference for some of the wing. As we look at it, the docking pylon is alongside the main dormitory block, eighteen Jem'Hadar and two Vorta are there. The middle block, probably storage and kitchen going by the readings I have, eleven Jem'Hadar and three Vorta, the furthest block I have no idea of what its function is, contains ten Jem'Hadar and one Vorta, the rest - eight Jem'Hadar and three Vorta are still on or around the Shoeman.'

That means the bulk of their forces are near were we'd be docking, thought the captain. 'Okay Lieutenant Smith collect the environment suits and as much weaponry and medical kits as you can find, leave them by the door. There are ten combadges in my desk fetch them too.'

Smith rose from his console and headed to search the ship.

Deborah Mc Sorley was back at the force field talking to the escapees. 'We have had to retreat back to the prison, we've sent Starfleet a distress message and we have weapons.

Is Commodore Nilis and Captain Devereaux here?'

'We are.' The speaker was out of sight but those nearest Deborah parted to reveal a small balding man in the red uniform of command. 'I am Captain John Devereaux.'

'And I am Commodore Veton Nilis.'

Nilis emerged from the throng, she was tall, even for a Vulcan, and Deborah had the urge to take a step back to speak to her.

'Who are you and what is happening?'

'Long story sirs, at the minute we're being pursued by a battleship and six fighters, so we're heading back to the prison to await... developments.'

'Drop the force field Commander.'

'Sorry sir, can't do that until we are better organized.' She hoped that the 'visiting brass' did not wish to flex muscles. They must know that she was in charge, as long as the force field was up anyway.

Devereaux's mouth made a turn as he thought about what he should do. Then he decided. He turned to Nilis. 'Commodore, is it okay if I start to form my crew into units to assist in this resistance? Notify me as soon as we dock.'

'That would be an appropriate response Captain, go ahead.'

'Commander we can give your team only a limited assistance in the prison if we have no weapons and communications.'

Mc Sorley nodded. 'We have some combadges and a few weapons, very few weapons I'm afraid. We will distribute them once we dock.'

'Won't docking at the prison be expected to be resisted from the occupants?'

'We have inflicted some damage and a lot of confusion among the troops stationed there. It should give us some advantage.'

Nilis looked like she was digesting that news. 'Then we must proceed as quickly as possible.'

Devereaux turned and started barking out instructions, gone were the murmuring complainers and arguers that had confronted Mc Sorley. In their place men and women started milling about and searching for others as they formed themselves into units. Devereaux was telling them to assemble with the section they had served with while on the ship.

'Have you any of the crew of the Shoeman?'

Nilis showed no emotion. 'No Commander, all here were on board the U.S.S. Hawaii.

Perhaps, seeing as the crew is being organized it would also be appropriate if the force field was dropped at this stage.'

Mc Sorley looked at the Vulcan. 'Yes sir.'

'Then you might tell me what happened to have you seeking sanctuary in the prison you have just liberated us from.'

'Computer, maintain shields as instructed and initiate lockout of all personnel, this is Commander Marcus Ohlson gamma gamma zero three nine theta.'

Immediately the lights on all the consoles died, then the viewscreen went blank.

The Augustus had successfully docked at the lowest free spot of the pylon, the crew stood at the exit ramp.

'There is a breathable atmosphere and temperature, the environmental controls must not have been damaged in the fighting.' Smith was beside the hatch holding a phaser.

'If we have been lucky enough to destroy their communications with the torpedo we'll probably have the element of surprise. I'd doubt they would be expecting us back so soon.' Hope Barret lifted the rucksack on to her shoulders, it contained communication devices, medical kits and tricorders. The phaser rifle she held was heavier than she imagined from basic training.

The hatch opened. Ohlson led the four on to the docking pylon of the prison. His phaser rifle turned to cover the corridor.

Benko Tambecki maneuvered the long ship to the nearest dock above the Augustus. 'We're there, docking clamps have engaged.'

'I hope that's an automatic response,' murmured d'Amatsu.

Alongside the engineer was Commodore Nilis. 'Yes, the docking pylon was built before the current establishment became militarized. Landings and take-off are fully independent functions of this section of the station.'

Mc Sorley was wondering should she add something when Ben spoke again.

'Commander Ohlson is communicating with us,' she tapped her console, 'it's from his combadge.'

'Put him on.'

Ohlson rounded the airlock corridor. He knew this was the weak point in the landing, if the enemy held here then no one would be disembarking, and that would mean no one was preparing for an attack. They had also lost an advantage when they shut the ships off. They now had no access to the sensor array, and only limited use of the ship's proximity alarms.

The tricorders were next to useless in the building, they weren't powerful enough. The metallic alloys that comprised the walls and floors were making readings of life signs and anything over ten meters away as unreliable - they were in effect blind. Unless what force was left of the garrison inside the building had access to a high-powered system of sensors, then they were blind too. This, he thought, would not be the time to start worrying whether or not the battleship had direct communications with the ground troops.

It was deserted. From the small three by three meters room that served as first defense against atmospheric leaks, they emerged into a larger room with two lifts facing the airlocks. At each end of this room were large windows that overlooked the prison complex. Ohlson made for the nearest.

The view was breathtaking, the outside was dark, shadows cascaded over shale and basalt canyons that outlined the gray buildings.

He was looking away from the prison; he glanced up and saw the long tubular figure of the Caesar making its descent. 'Come on,' he turned back to the others, 'we need to secure the base of this structure before the rest arrive.'

He led Barret, Kausler and Smith into the nearest lift. There were no stairs. They entered.

'Ground floor.'

Nothing happened.

Ohlson repeated the instruction.

Hope scanned the interior of the lift; it was not like the standard lift used by Starfleet on its bases and ships. It had a panel on the wall adjacent to the closed door.

'Computer...' started the commander.

'Wait a minute sir, I think I know what's wrong.' Hope walked to the panel and tapped the lower of the many coloured sections.

There was a hum and the lift commenced to move. Down, I hope, thought Barret, or I may have inadvertently lost us the campaign before we've even encountered the enemy.

It went down.

'Thank you Ensign.' Ohlson's weapon pointed directly ahead.

Kausler leveled her phaser rifle at the doors.

The lift stopped moving.

The doors whished apart, the trio all had their rifles trained to meet any potential threat. There was none.

Ohlson was out first, the doors had opened into a larger room, and this one had no windows but two large corridors going off at ninety degrees to the lifts.

This was the large open-planned reception area. It was dimly lit in the immediate vicinity from still activated consoles sited on pillars around the large hall-like structure. Further along the hall and the darkness ruled.

There was a slight hint of dust motes in the air.

The hall had a dual row of six pillars running down its length.

If memory served him right, the left side of the hall went only a short distance, but the right one went straight up to a large corridor that would lead into the prison and then the hub. It was obvious that although they had done great damage to the hub - enough to knock out a protected system - they had not done enough to compromise the environment controls. The air was fresh and clean. The dust was the only clue to there having been a major explosion in the vicinity.

He took up a position facing the section of the corridor leading to the bulk of the complex. 'Okay Smith, where's the Shoeman, and the rest of the garrison to where we are?'

The Shoeman was in the docking alcove directly above where we are now. There was no sizable troop concentration here after they managed to get out of the ship. They moved that way,' he indicated their right, 'seemed to converge in the next block. Last scans reported eleven above us and twenty in front.'

'Barret?'

'Yes sir.'

'Check the other corridor, make sure there's no route down for the ones at the Shoeman. There probably is a service duct or passageway.'

She moved quickly away from the others and headed into the darkness of the short corridor.

Ohlson turned to Smith. 'Use the sight and tell me what's in front of us.'

They took up positions behind one of the pillars to their right. One of the large consoles was sited on each side of the four-sided pillar it had a continuous stream of snow on the screen. It gave the place an eerie ambience.

Smith knelt beside the commander. He touched his rifle and initiated the heat scanners. He glanced into the firing aperture.

The square seemed dull until his eyes got adjusted to the low-level illumination. Green lines silhouetted all objects, but left them relatively dark. Life signs would appear as yellow or blue depending on the amount of heat they would generate. 'There's nothing as far as the sensor can see.' He adjusted the range finder on the sight, numbers tippled into focus on the right side of the view square. They stopped as the scope reached the focal limit of the beam it had emitted. 'One hundred and fifty meters to the far wall.'

'Yeoman, have a look at the far end of that corridor, but don't leave our line of vision.'

Kausler said nothing, just turned and headed into the darkened corridor.

'Keep an eye on her Alex.'

Smith focused on the crouching figure.

'Sia, I hope is approaching the pylon at this stage. ' No use worrying about that now, he brought his mind back to the prison. He tapped his combadge. 'Ohlson to Caesar.'

'What is it Commander?'

We have secured the base of the docking pylon, but there is a sizable - eleven-man - troop in the bottom docking bay; that's the floor above our position. The lifts bring you past them, but be careful, I don't know if they can intercept the lifts from where they are, or even if they are aware of our presence.

Oh, to get here press the lowest button in the panel beside the door. It isn't voice activated.'

Mc Sorley thought for a moment. 'We'll come down ten at a time, just in case they have a plan to intercept us.

See you soon, over.'

Commodore Nilis was watching her as she had spoken to Ohlson. 'What do you suggest doing now Commander Mc Sorley?'

'Getting out of the ship sir, and as quickly as we can.'

She opened the door to the main section of the ship. Weapons were scarce. She, Ben and d'Amatsu had a rifle and a hand phaser each. She gave the other two a choice of which to keep and which to hand over. Ben kept the hand phaser, Mc Sorley and d'Amatsu took the rifles.

'Here Captain,' said Mc Sorley handing a rifle and two hand phasers to Devereaux, 'give them to whomever you think could best use them.'

He put one of the pistols in his own hand and then called forward another officer. 'Commander Shirer.'

The commander, a tall athletically built blond man in his thirties walked out of the closest group of escapees. 'Yes sir?'

'Take a rifle, and give Lieutenant Overend the phaser. Form the men into groups of...' he was looking at Mc Sorley.

She wondered why she was getting the stare, and then it came to her. 'Oh, ah ten, groups of ten.'

'I'll take the first ten down, if you don't mind Commander?'

She shook her head to signify that she didn't mind. Mentally she pondered the wisdom of them with six weapons, and one hundred and twenty-one people; she shook her head again.

That was when a blast rocked the Caesar and all on board her.

'Open the hatch, secure the immediate area and start the evacuation.'

Mc Sorley's order electrified those stunned by the unexpected explosion. Tambecki led the way; d'Amatsu was right behind her.

Shirer was the lead man in the ex-prisoner group; he started to form them into tens for the trip in the lifts. 'Goodwin, you have the first batch, I'll go down with the second, Overend you take the rear.' All those so informed nodded that they had received and understood the order. No one mentioned that those who were in the other groups to descend to the pylon's base would do so without the benefit of armed escorts. 'Sir,' Shirer addressed Devereaux, who was standing alongside Mc Sorley and Nilis. 'You should go with Commander Mc Sorley, it'll be the best armed group.'

Devereaux nodded, although Mc Sorley noted the reluctance.

'Right then, Commodore, Captain, would you follow Lieutenants Tambecki and d'Amatsu.'

'What about you Commander?' asked the Vulcan.

'I'll lock up the Caesar and take the third group down.'

Devereaux smiled, and then turned and left the ship. Tambecki had already summonsed the lift and stood watching for the doors to open. She wondered what had caused the explosion; it had sounded to be close and large.

It had indeed been close, or relatively close for a torpedo.

'Damage report!' Sia picked himself up and struggled into the captain's chair.

Colimo had managed to stay in his chair. 'Shields are down to thirty percent, there is one hull breech in engineering. That's everything.'

Surprisingly little considering, thought the captain.

'We're being hailed, from Commander Ohlson.'

'On screen.'

'It's only audio sir.'

'Then let's hear it.'

Ohlson got straight to the point. 'What was the explosion Sia?'

'Two torpedoes exploding twenty kilometers above the station, we hit the fighter wave as it attempted to intercept us.

They weren't prepared to use heavy weapons for some reason, they've stuck exclusively to disruptor shots. It would appear that they want us crippled but not dead. That said they were all getting very close, too close.

Anyway, we jettisoned a large transit container with some scrap phasered to its side to give the idea that it had came off us, then as it neared their position we fired a couple of torpedoes at it.

They didn't heed it as much as they should have but then again how where they to know the container had another two torpedoes inside. They should have scanned it instead of presuming it fell off us.

The quadruple blast caught two of the Jem'Hadar, not fatally I fear, but they were rattled and have moved back a bit. That should give everyone some time to consolidate positions.

How's everything else going?'

'We have yet to encounter the locals, and so far it's only us in the prison, so hurry and join us, over.'

'You heard the man, Chief dock us,' Sia turned and walked over to T'sella, 'I'll take the console you go and ready the weapons and materials that we can take with us.'

The Vulcan left the post and hurried left the bridge on her way to collect and pack the stores that they could take. Sia prepared the program that would deactivate the Gaunt.

'Computer this is Lieutenant Singh, code clearance sigma alpha five eight two omega. Initiate routine diagnostics check Singh one on my instruction.' If he wasn't able to lock out the computer using his ersatz code clearance then he had to employ a trick or two to do the same job.

He rerouted the engineering self-diagnostic program, a method that engineers employed to test each of the systems that comprised the complex that was the engines of the ship.

Then he gave a priority request for the computer to test itself and route the results to Lieutenant Singh.

That meant the results would be fed to his combadge. He added that the test was to continue until he told the computer otherwise. That would result in continuous contact between Sia and the ship, and no one else.

If someone attempted to gain access then Sia would have as much as three minutes in which to stop him or her. He wondered if he would be able to stop them.

Colimo had the docking pylon in his sights, he checked that no enemy craft was about to disrupt the procedure. None where - which was something that struck him as unusual, after all this was the most vulnerable that they had been. He wondered what the Dominion was protecting. He dismissed further speculation on the topic and concentrated on getting close enough to the clamps so they would auto activate.

He heard the muffled clang as they caught and held. He killed the engine. All he, or anyone, would have to do to leave the pylon was apply a moderate thrust and the clamps would then disengage.

He turned to where Sia was working. 'We've docked sir.'

Mc Sorley nodded as Devereaux's group departed. The lift doors shut and the sound of the engine was the only clue that they had moved. They had used the lift to the right of the airlock exit for the first group. The other lift had a crowd of people outside the open doors waiting.

'Next batch get ready.' Shirer moved the phaser about in his hand. 'You can go in the second lift as soon as we know the first group has arrived below.'

Mc Sorley wondered was he nervous or just itching to get some action against his one-time gaolers.

Hope Barret had inched down the short corridor. It was almost forty meters in depth and dark. She kept a finger on the trigger and after debating about whether or not to engage the safety, she had disengaged it. If something happened that called for her to use the gun then the safety would cost precious seconds. If nothing happened then there would be nothing lost. She walked slowly, trying to be as quiet as she could be. The shadows seemed still.

She was halfway into the space, and had started to wonder what the purpose of this corridor had been. Perhaps, it was just the extra space needed to support the towering pylon that soared above where she was.

She saw a door, it was to her right, and it was open.

'Barret to Commander Ohlson.'

'Come in Ensign.'

'I have an open door, I think its either a storeroom or a service station, permission to explore sir.'

'Granted, be careful.'

Be careful! If she had have been really careful she'd be working on some corporate legal problem at this stage.

She glanced nervously behind her in the direction of her crewmates. She couldn't even see them as anything more than moving shadows through this gloom. She looked back at the open door and walked towards it. She stifled a cough as mini clouds of dust rose from the floor.

'Still nothing,' Smith lowered the scope and looked at Ohlson. 'She's taking her time and advancing slowly.' He looked back into the scope. 'It doesn't make a lot of sense that they haven't made a move to stop us, either from the Shoeman or the main building. They MUST know we're here.'

Ohlson looked into the darkness. He nodded. 'Yes, I've been wondering why they been so reluctant to fight.

What military grounds would there be not to attack an enemy at their weakest point?'

Smith considered whether the question was a rhetorical one or not, then decided to answer it anyway. Even if he got the answer wrong, maybe he could get some idea from Ohlson. 'They could be afraid they'd kill someone in our group.'

Marcus nodded again.

'Or they are weaker than we think they are.'

No nod this time, the commander appeared lost in thought.

'Maybe they don't even know we're here.'

'That is a possibility, although I'd think they must have some communications system that would allow the battleship and fighters to inform them of developments they themselves could not see.'

They heard it together, a slight hum and then hush. They looked around for the source. The doors of the lifts opened. Out walked a small man in the uniform of a Starfleet captain, nine others quickly followed him. They stood near the lift. The captain looked around him, spied the duo and approached them.

The lift doors closed again.

Ohlson tapped his combadge. 'Ohlson to Mc Sorley, the arrivals are safe, the lift is on its way back.'

Mc Sorley's voice answered. 'Affirmative.'

Captain Devereaux knelt on one knee beside the two men. 'I am Captain John Devereaux of the U.S.S. Hawaii, I believe I owe my short-lived freedom to you Commander Ohlson?'

'Yes Captain, that would be accurate.

Tell me, what was it like here, before our arrival?'

'Ready?

Colimo nodded. T'sella bowed.

Sia touched the command key and the door of the Gaunt opened. Colimo had his rifle trained at the center of the panels.

There was no one outside the ship.

T'sella and Singh ran to the lift doors and scanned for Jem'Hadar. There was nothing, there were only the three Starfleet personnel on this level of the pylon, although they were on the uppermost level.

'Tricorders are useless,' T'sella was adjusting the sensitivity, 'too much shielding and interference from the structure.'

'The structure?'

'Yes, Lieutenant, the composites of the walls and floors are confusing the readings.' She put the device away.

He tapped his badge, ' Sia here, we're in the pylon.'

Mc Sorley heard the lieutenant's message. 'Sia, I'm letting the lift go all the way to your position. Come down as far as us and reinforce this position.'

'Will do, Commander.'

'That'll let us put some further escorts in the lifts.' She had addressed the information to Commander Shirer, but she wasn't certain that he had heard her or not. He seemed about to let the second lift depart from the ground.

'Commander Shirer!'

He turned to her. 'Yes... Commander?'

'That lift is going up, we can collect some firepower and combadges as well as consolidate our numbers in one go.'

He paused, and then he turned to those in the lift. 'Out, but get ready to get back inside.'

The ten that had been allocated the lift disembarked, they must have been annoyed but no one said a word in protest. Mc Sorley wondered was she making enemies.

The lift doors closed.

'Sia,' she said, 'the lift is on its way.'

Devereaux had not answered Ohlson's query about prison conditions, instead he had asked for and received a complete rundown on the name and rank of all those involved in bringing them back to the prison.

Marcus glanced over at the lifts, there was a crowd forming and they had no cover to speak about. 'Get your people to move away from the lift. I'm afraid they'll just have to take cover until we acquire further weapons, but we have a lot more to do to ensure no more get killed.'

Devereaux nodded. 'Commander, please bear in mind that you are not the ranking officer here, among those you rescued is one captain, one commodore and three or more other commanders. You look after the perimeter security and use your own people to do so. Is that clear?'

Ohlson paused before speaking.

Smith thought for a moment that he was going to refuse to accept orders from Devereaux or any other of the former prisoners, but when he answered the captain his tone was neutral.

'Yes sir, that would be what I was expecting. We are in the process of securing this part of the building, as well as those sections directly adjacent. There are maintenance airlocks to the right at the bottom of this corridor, we will be checking them shortly.' He stopped speaking and watched Devereaux.

'Very good Commander, those service airlocks can only accommodate two people at a time. I saw them in use while they held us. They are not a priority at this time.' He stopped speaking to catch a breath. 'Let me know if anything changes.' With that he rose and returned to the others near the lift. He stopped and spoke to a tall figure.

'That, I presume, would be Commodore Nilis.'

Smith felt uncomfortable at being present as the minor confrontation between Devereaux and Ohlson. He didn't know if he was supposed to say something about the incident, or to pretend it hadn't happened. Ohlson brought up the subject straight away.

'I have little option but to follow his orders, but I still know that something is not right in all this, and I do want answers.' He turned to Smith. 'I will not be asking you to do anything against regulations, but do keep me informed of any developments, especially things that you don't quite follow or seem odd.'

Smith nodded. 'Why isn't Nilis the one giving orders?'

'Another question for which I have no answer at this time. Could be that the commodore is delegating all operational matters to the starship captain. Devereaux has more experience than Nilis at that.'

'How come?'

'Nilis is, or was, attached to Starfleet Intelligence. She analysed, she was never a filed commander.' He dismissed any further contemplation on the topic.

Let's get back to scanning for the enemy, how's Gretchen doing?'

'Fine she's almost at the far wall.'

'I wonder what's keeping young Barret?' Ohlson glanced back to where Barret had gone.

Young Barret was in some difficulty. She had walked into the open door that she had found and discovered that it was a service area. In one corner it had a ladder leading up, and down, and while she could not see where it went in either direction, she had climbed up some distance. She passed a hatch in the middle of the conduit and to the left of the ladder.

She thought she had not climbed enough to reach the next level up, she was in another recess, this one without a door, she wondered was she between floors.

She rested for a moment in the darkened niche. She had been about to communicate to Ohlson her whereabouts and that she was returning when she had heard something.

She poked her head out over the top of the ladder and looked up at where she thought the noise had originated. She froze as she caught sight of the back of a Jem'Hadar soldier.

She inched back into the recess' darkness, and waited. Her rifle was ready, her mind raced with questions about what the soldier - another sound, soldiers - were doing in the service conduits, readying for an attack, or hiding. She was too close to the enemy to risk tapping her combadge, she hoped no one was about to attempt to communicate with her.

'I'll give her a call and see what's the matter,' Ohlson's hand went to his combadge.

'The lieutenant commander is here.'

Smith's observation stopped Ohlson as he glanced around to see the figure of Deborah Mc Sorley approaching, Benko Tambecki was alongside her.

'Sia and his team are at the Caesar, they'll act as escort or rearguard, depending on what happens here.' She looked around her. 'Where are Kausler and Barret?'

'Kausler is down there.' He indicated the darkened corridor in front of them. As for Ensign Barret.' Ohlson stood. 'Tell Gretchen to give the airlock storerooms a scan and delay the inspection until further notice. Keep an eye on the newly freed, and our own people, I'm going to find her.' He checked his phaser, even though it didn't need checked. 'Alex will fill you in. With that he was off heading into the corridor opposite. 'Where have you gotten to my lost ensign?' he mumbled to no one in particular.

She risked another look. The soldier was gone, or at least that portion of his body that she had seen earlier was. She debated whether or not to go further up the ladder and see if he, and the others, where still there.

There was the soft sound of a boot shuffling on the metal floor. Well, that was her question answered, she thought. Time to get out of here. She moved as quietly as she could and placed one foot on the ladder, then she carefully moved the rifle until it was on her back. All the while she was looking into the spot where the enemy had been moments before.

Then she was on the ladder and slowly descending.

It was the slowest ladder descent she had ever made. She hoped the rifle would not dislodge itself from the relative quiet of her cushioned back, she hoped the Jem'Hadar was on a tea break or whatever it was they went on - probably nothing. Most of all she hoped she would get out of this alive. Her foot reached another rung.

He was in the corridor, it looked more ominous than he had first realized. Then he saw the door. Would an academy-fresh ensign go alone to investigate that? He thought back to his post academy days. He sighed, and started walking carefully towards the door, his phaser was no longer hanging aimlessly at his side.

Gretchen Kausler was holding her phaser rifle steady. She was in the middle of the corridor, kneeling behind another of the consoles that dotted the large space. She thought that Smith should still be perfectly capable of seeing her. She hoped that the Jem'Hadar that was crawling towards the lifts could not.

The corridor branched at the end, and even in the darkness with a sight, she was unable to make out what was at the limits of the building. She had seen the map. The hub should be to the left and along the wall. That was believable as she had seen debris along that corridor and most seemed to be coming from the left side. It looked like their torpedo had destroyed that section with ease. It had also provided enough debris to confuse the internal geography of the building.

She had heard Ohlson's instruction to delay investigation of the airlocks. That sounded okay to her, there would have been no time for the Dominion to have gotten a party around to that spot... not for a while yet did she believe that the airlocks were a serious threat to their position.

Apart from the hub, the first block in the establishment should start opposite the bombed hub and to her right, approximately twenty meters away from her current position. She had no time to investigate that further, she had caught the soldier as he crawled from the rubble and rounded the corner. He must have missed her as she had been scanning the other side - a short hall with what appeared to be small storerooms at the bottom. She would have been sheltered by the console at her back as he had came along the area between blocks..

She moved her legs to make kneeling more comfortable and then she aimed the rifle at the intruder.

Another batch of the ex-Hawaiian crew departed as the lift doors closed, Lieutenant Overend shepherded the second to last group to the next lift.

Sia walked to the large windows at the end of the hall, there was little to do while they waited for the lift's arrival. He looked up into the sky. There was little visible except the stars. The Gaunt was a hundred meters or so above and to his left. The Jem'Hadar, yes he wondered where they were, and why they had not attempted to stop them. A flicker of a shadow crossed the sky, and then it was gone.

'What was that?'

The speaker was a small oriental woman. She wore the blue of a science officer she looked grimy, tired and very nervous.

'A Jem'Hadar fighter.'

The news didn't seem to surprise her, or worry her any more. She just made a face.

'Were you on the Hawaii?'

'Yes, I'm Ensign Lockhead, Samantha Lockhead.' She glanced out into the shadows. 'I'm a medic, it would appear that there will be need for my services before long.'

I'm Lieutenant Sia Singh, of the,' he was going to say the Augustus, but paused, ' of the Gaunt.' Which was technically true, he was still the commander of the Gaunt, at least until he was relieved or it was destroyed or captured.

'Pleased to meet you Lieutenant Sia Singh.' Sam Lockhead smiled, it was a pretty smile.

'What happened with the Hawaii?'

She shrugged. 'I was asleep, I woke to hear the alarms, and feel the disruptors or whatever was hitting us, and rushed to Sickbay. I'd only started to give some aid to a lieutenant who had arrived with severe plasma burns when...' she shivered at the memory, 'Jem'Hadar entered and imprisoned us all.' She stopped and looked back at her crewmates.

'What of the ship?'

'The ship?'

He nodded. 'The Hawaii, what happened to it?'

She looked blank for a moment. 'I don't know, I suppose they destroyed it. We were moved into a large ship, transported, and then after an hour or so we were here.'

'What happened here?' He tried his best to sound sympathetic and not interrogatory.

She didn't seem to mind talking. 'We were over two hundred when we arrived. They killed some and then killed some more. The ones who had been badly injured were never removed from the Hawaii. They never reached here.'

He didn't know what he could say to make her feel better.

'Thanks for coming and trying to rescue us.'

'Don't thank us yet, thank us when we reach Starbase 283.' He smiled.

She smiled at that comment too.

He took another glance out of the window and into the sky, there was no sign of any Dominion activity. He shifted the rifle's position slightly just to remind himself where it was.

Mc Sorley had listened without comment as Smith told her of the meeting between Ohlson and Devereaux. He also told her of the voiced misgivings that he and the commander had shared.

He finished speaking and waited.

Tambecki had listened too. 'He's right you know.'

'What do you mean?' Mc Sorley was looking directly at the lieutenant.

'There is something fishy about what we've seen. More questions than answers, and the questions keep pointing us towards some sort of duplicity and treachery among some, at least, of our own folk.

As for the enemy, they act, or don't, as the case may be, like they know something very important that we don't.'

Mc Sorley nodded. 'I do agree that we don't appear to be in procession of all the relevant facts. But apart from the behaviour of the Shoeman, I'd be loath to describe it as treachery.

By the way, where are the two officers that were beamed from the Shoeman?'

Tambecki had been wondering that too.

Smith looked uncomfortable.

'Didn't Devereaux or Nilis ask about Lu?'

'No,' he was still uncomfortable, 'they don't appear to know, yet.' He licked his lips and avoided eye contact. 'They don't seem to be aware of the Shoeman's survival, and that it's docked just below where they disembarked.'

Mc Sorley looked like she was having difficulty digesting and using the information that she had been given. 'Didn't the commander tell them he took the mission leader off his own ship and then shot him?'

Smith looked at Mc Sorley liked she'd asked a very unfair question.

'I take it that you would rather I didn't ask such a question as where they might be?'

Smith nodded.

She sighed, it was beginning to look like imprisonment in a Dominion prison might be the best way her future could go. She made a mental note to have a chat with Ohlson when he put in an appearance.

Smith returned to scanning for Kausler. He found her again. 'Why's she pointing this way with the rifle?'

Sia tapped his badge. 'Computer, report on ship's status.'

'Conducting a diagnostic routine as per the instructions of Chief Engineer Singh.'

'Has anyone attempted to gain access to the vessel or to any of its parts?'

'No.'

'Carry on with the diagnostics check.' Then as an afterthought he added. 'Computer, where are the Jem'Hadar ships and personnel to your position?'

A pause. 'Two fighters are fifty-one and fifty-four thousand kilometers above this position. The battleship's position is unknown. Four Jem'Hadar are outside the entrance ramp, they have just left the vicinity.'

The last piece of news made the engineer glance out the window again. He could see nothing other than the tranquillity of the gray lunar surface. There were no shadows moving, it was very still.

He glanced back at the lifts. Sam Lockhead was there, she was talking to another blue uniform.

The last two batches were ready for departure. He walked towards the nearest. d'Amatsu was standing watching him, he walked over as he neared the lift. 'The Chief and T'sella are down, he took that last one, its our turn next.' He looked at the engineer's face. 'Is anything the matter?'

'Yes,' he spoke low so that his voice carried no further than the other man, 'there is something wrong. I just don't know what it is.'

d'Amatsu looked back at the lifts. A small Chinese looking woman was smiling in their direction. He was puzzled for a moment, and then he saw Sia nod towards her.

'Why don't you go down in that lift?' d'Amatsu walked to the nearest of the lifts. Sia strolled to the other. He went to the one with Sam Lockhead outside the doors.

'Ready?'

There was a scattering of nods. Shirer stood in the middle. Lieutenant Overend touched the controls and the lift doors closed. The last of the escapees and the escorts heard the hum of the engine and then the lift commenced its descent. Sia stood in front of Samantha Lockhead, Overend stood in the middle of the doors. Another lieutenant stood at his right carrying a phaser than had been given to him by Sia. They had managed to bring five rifles and five phasers from the Gaunt, Sia, d'Amatsu and Colimo all kept their rifles from the Augustus, the extras from Gaunt had all been distributed to the Hawaii personnel.

In the last of the lifts were one rifle and three phasers.

Barret was still moving slowly down the ladder when she heard a scrapping sound. Then a figure glanced down from above. Her heart stopped, she knew the blood had drained from her face. Then the face was gone. There was no searing blast of a disrupter, no angry yell of discovery - nothing.

She kept moving back, then she noticed that she was in darkness. While that would explain why the figure above had failed to see her hanging thirty or forty feet below them in pitch darkness, it did pose another question.

Why was she in darkness? The door to the lifts should, and did, let enough light in to illuminate her background. But it wasn't... She made a move to the rifle.

A figure emerged from behind her and clamped a powerful hand across her mouth, a body - bigger than her own - made movement in the confined space all but impossible. She almost had the rifle.

'It's me Ensign, quiet or you'll get us both killed.' The voice was low and whispered.

The voice belonged to Ohlson. Barret relaxed, Ohlson's hand remained were it was.

She tapped his right arm with her left hand.

He slowly released her. She turned and saw that his attention was focused on the top of the ladder,

'How many?' he whispered

She held up one finger, then she shrugged. She was about to clarify what she had meant just in case it hadn't been clear. But Ohlson, pointed up.

'I'll go first, until I get to the next level you stay where you can aim that thing at any possible threats.'

She nodded and positioned the rifle for action. She was wondering what he intended doing, then he was climbing.

Marcus climbed slowly and skillfully, he had been an amateur mountaineer in his academy days. Only an amateur put it made a lot of difference at times like these.

He kept his eyes on the opening above. He pulled himself up at the first level recess. The phaser was back in his hand and pointing up. He beckoned for Barret to follow.

She was slower, but apart from a rustle that nearly passed as background noise she made it.

Marcus smiled encouragement. He leant close to her and whispered. 'If anything happens tap to warn Mc Sorley.'

Hope nodded, not taking her eyes of the space above. There had been no movements, no noise, perhaps they had gone.

Ohlson was climbing again. They were entering the recess were Hope had seen the Jem'Hadar.

Marcus inched forward he hoped the ensign had the rifle aimed slightly away from him. His hand reached the top rung, he pulled himself up slowly.

Colimo and T'sella had arrived at the location of Mc Sorley, Smith and Tambecki. 'Is everyone all right?'

'Yes, why do you ask?'

The Bolian gave a slight shake of the head. 'Nothing I can put my finger on. This just doesn't feel right.'

T'sella made no comment, she knelt beside Smith and readied her rifle.

Mc Sorley grimaced. She looked into the darkness where Kausler was. 'Chief, go and see what's keeping Yeoman Kausler, she's at the bottom of the corridor. I don't want to use the combadge until I know it's safe to do so.'

Colimo nodded, and started of in a crouch into the darkness.

'Should you have asked Devereaux's permission first?' Benko was watching the Bolian as he vanished into the shadows.

'Probably, but I'm taking it that when Commander Ohlson is absent then I can deal with perimeter security as I see fit.'

'Sounds right to me,' Ben looked over to the lifts.

'What's keeping them?' Mc Sorley was impatient to have a discussion with Ohlson.

'Never mind them, what's keeping the last lift load?' Tambecki was looking at the group of Hawaii personnel around the lifts. A murmur was rising that was audible even where the bulk of the Augustus' crew was. She had seen the lift with Mico arrive, he had waved in their direction, but he was waiting for the last and Sia.

Tambecki was noting the increased agitation from those around the lift, she could make out Nilis imposing order.

'Come on Ben,' said Mc Sorley as she started to walk towards the lifts, 'let's go see what the fuss is about.'

Sia had settled a little as the doors whished close. A couple behind him had started a conversation about retrieving food from the prison kitchens, Sam had said nothing but smiled whenever the Chief was caught looking at her.

Overend started straight ahead, his phaser down by his side.

The lift stopped.

The couple ceased talking, Overend looked puzzled.

Sia started to say something, and then realized that the doors were opening.

He glanced over the edge of the ladder.

In front of him he could see the backs of two Jem'Hadar soldiers, they were being talked to by a Vorta. The words were low but he could hear them.

'When they stop you know what to do, but do not enter the lifts.'

One of the soldiers nodded.

The Vorta moved out of the way, Ohlson then saw the door, it led to a larger area. They would be in one of the lift areas. Another docking bay, the one where the Shoeman was. He wondered why only the ground floor and here had doorways into the lift section, then he remembered the small hatches that they had climbed past. They must be the service conduits that led to the lifts themselves. The service area alternated lift hatch and docking bay exits.

The Vorta was speaking again. 'Now go back to covering the ladder.'

The Jem'Hadar turned.

Ohlson ducked down.

'What the...'

A sudden shock hit the lift. Everyone was rocked.

Sia leant against the wall, it was either that or fall.

Then he noticed that the doors were opening. A small gap appeared, in that gap was clearly visible the uniform of a Jem'Hadar soldier.

Colimo had not gotten used to the darkness. He was staying as best he could in the middle. He planned to start scanning the surrounding area in the scope as soon as he reached the next console pillar - there were six in all from where Ohlson had set up his impromptu camp to the end of the corridor where Kausler was. He could still see nothing of Kausler, he squinted into the gloom and hoped he did not trip over anything, or anyone.

He had his phaser in hand as the Jem'Hadar soldier looked over the edge.

Below Ohlson, Barret had watched as her commander ducked back and drew his phaser. She aimed to his right.

The Dominion soldier didn't know what hit him, or to be more accurate, shoot him full in the face. He was thrown back and crumpled against the wall.

Ohlson rose as fast as he was able, trying to get out of the ladderway before any other Dominion troops arrived. He noted that the second soldier and the Vorta were not in the service way, the odds were that they were outside the door, just outside the door. He hurried to ready himself.

As soon as he had cleared the gap, Barret started to follow, she was slower as she had no intention of putting the rifle away this time.

Sia heard a phaser blast, it was low but unmistakably a phaser blast. It seemed to come from outside the immediate area in front of the lift.

The doors were centimeters apart and opening.

Sia's rifle sent a pulse of energy through the gap, he had no idea whether he had hit the uniform, or anyone else.

A blast came into the lift, someone screamed and Sia felt the weight of bodies as people tried to escape by pushing into the corners. He kept his balance and his finger on the trigger.

The doors kept opening. Lieutenant Overend was firing with his hand-held pistol. Someone in the lift screamed again.

Ohlson crouched and kept his aim on the door to the lifts. He heard a scream coming from that direction. He waited.

Barret was a meter below him when she remembered to tap her combadge. 'Barret here, we are...' she wondered how to phrase it, 'under attack.' Sounded about right. 'We are in the service tunnel on level one. The enemy is there.' She grimaced as she thought the last part did not exactly carry any information, or even make sense. After all, if the enemy wasn't there, then who was doing the attacking. She shrugged that away. A grunt escaped her as she started to pull herself unto the room's floor.

'Mc Sorley here, how many and where are they going?'

Barret huffed as she strained to clear the parapet. She heard Ohlson fire again.

'Move out!' Sia dived for the door, there was no point in staying inside the confines of the lift it would only make killing them easier. As he cleared the lift he saw four figures to his left, they had been the ones opening the door, he fired. One fell, the others dived for cover. One was caught in the open, Overend shot him in the chest.

'You heard him, move it!' Overend was kneeling alongside Singh and spraying the general area where the Jem'Hadar had been. In front of him lay the body of another Dominion trooper.

'Look out!' The other lieutenant was firing to their right. Sia turned to see two Jem'Hadar and a Vorta standing there, they were taking cover or firing into another side room.

Sia fired, someone fired from the room, it was a phaser rifle. The Vorta fell, as did one of the others.

There were six or seven further blasts, mostly phasers with only one or two disruptor pulses. Then it was over.

'Casualties?' yelled Shirer.

Sia stood and scanned the vicinity to see what they had done. It looked like seven Jem'Hadar and a Vorta, all had been killed. No, the Vorta was alive.

He looked to the lift, he couldn't see Sam Lockhead. He did see the body of the young lieutenant that had been armed - a medic, no it was Sam - she was beside him. She looked up and caught his eye. She shook her head. Two others were kneeling beside another Starfleet officer, by the looks they were exchanging she was dead too.

'Report Lieutenant Singh?'

Sia was surprised to hear the voice, for a second or two he had the urge to tap his combadge and reply. But, Ohlson was walking from the doorway where the Vorta had been Behind the commander was the more tense figure of Ensign Barret. Despite everything, Sia couldn't help but smile.

'They were attempting to gain access to the lift, I take it that it was your intervention that caused the distraction.'

'Probably,' he was looking at one of the dead Starfleet men.

'Who are you?'

Ohlson looked up at Commander Shirer. 'I'm Commander Ohlson of the U.S.S. Augustus.'

Ohlson's arrival seemed to put Shirer off, for a moment. 'What do you think you're doing Ohlson, you could have gotten us killed, or wasn't that a consideration in your plan? Whose orders were you following when you initiated that attack?'

Marcus glanced past the irate officer to Sia. 'Yes Lieutenant, they weren't going to do anything sinister except kill you all.

Unfortunately,' this bit was addressed to Shirer, 'we interrupted them.'

'You don't know that...'

'Yes, I do, I was listening as they got their orders.'

Barret came up to Ohlson's side she was flushed and still high on adrenaline. 'Perhaps we should have let them kill or capture you -again - sir.' The 'sir' was thrown in as an afterthought. She stared at Shirer.

Shirer turned away from the new comers and started barking orders to the rest of the party.

Ohlson and Singh were both looking down at Barret.

'What?' She shrugged, 'he's an...'

'Ensign!' Ohlson's tone was authoritative, but he was grinning. 'Enough Ensign, I'd rather you didn't give Commander Shirer grounds for reprimanding you.

Even if he is a...'

His combadge beeped.

'Ohlson!'

'What's happened?' It was Deborah's voice and she was whispering.

'The Jem'Hadar from the Shoeman were attempting to attack the last batch in the lifts. We have killed them all, but two of our own have been killed,' he glanced back to the doorway, 'oh, we killed all but one. We have a Vorta prisoner.

Now why whisper?'

'Devereaux is livid, he's talking to his man up there.'

Ohlson watched as Shirer talked into his combadge.

'Marcus speak to me as soon as you get here, we'll have to synchronize our reports.'

Ohlson took that to mean get their stories straight. 'As soon as I can,' he looked at the dead men, 'as soon as I can.'