Star Trek: Augustus

by DavidMc

Set in the Star Trek universe, amid the Dominion wars, Star Fleet is still reeling from the invasion from the Delta Quadrant and the influx of Jem'Hadar soldiers. The U.S.S Augustus is a newly commissioned ship on its first mission under the command of Commander Marcus Ohlson

6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

Colimo was kneeling at the pillar. He raised his rifle and turned the scope on. The pulse of a phaser rifle came from a region of darkness only meters in front of him. He started to ready a retaliatory shot. Then he realized that the shot had not been aimed at his position.

Mc Sorley heard the shot, and turned drawing her phaser. She was aiming into the corridor unable to see anything of note. 'What's out there lieutenant?'

Tambecki was beside her phaser aimed steadily into the shadows. Her eyes were adjusting to the change in illumination.

Smith was quicker. 'The Chief is okay, I can see him moving.' He moved the rifle slightly. 'I can't see the Yeoman, the chief is blocking my view.'

'I can't see them either,' said T'sella, 'but the blast was directed away from the Chief.'

Mc Sorley was counting to ten, she was giving Colimo and Kausler that long to make contact, then she was going to do the talking.

'What happened?' It was Colimo's voice, he sounded unhurt but confused.

'I was hoping you could tell us?'

Kausler's voice was unhurried and neutral. 'I was the one who fired. Chief?'

'Yes.'

'There's a Jem'Hadar soldier about three meters to your left - when you face my direction. He was crawling towards you.'

Colimo rose from his position to go and investigate, he paused as he considered the possibility of others in the darkness. He shrugged, if there had been others Gretchen would have said. He was at the dead soldier in five seconds.

'He's dead all right.' He picked up the bag the man had been carrying. He opened it. 'He had plans. I've five,' he rummaged inside the carrier, 'or six explosive devices. And...' he gingerly picked up a small round canister,' I do believe a communications listening device. He was going to blow us up and listen to the results, perhaps?'

'Report!'

Mc Sorley turned at the sound of the anxious command. It was Devereaux, he had the phaser in his hand and looked edgy.

'One of my people encountered a Jem'Hadar soldier carrying explosives and a listening device. She killed him.'

Devereaux looked into the corridor. 'Where is this person?'

Mc Sorley pointed. 'Down there.'

'Get her back here, we haven't enough personnel to have them strung out all over the building.' He lowered his weapon but still looked edgy.

No, thought Mc Sorley, he isn't edgy he's angry.

'I believe I am going to have to speak to you and your commander about just how flexible you think my instructions can be interpreted. Keep your people at this point, go no further without my express permission. Do you understand that Lieutenant Commander?'

A pause. 'Yes sir, I do.'

He turned away and walked back to the rest of the Hawaii's crew near the lifts.. He passed d'Amatsu as the engineer approached the rest of the Augustus' crew.

'He didn't look happy.' Mico was grinning.

'No he isn't.' She taped her badge. 'This is Mc Sorley, Chief Colimo and Yeoman Kausler, report to me at the console.' She considered saying something to Mico but resisted the urge. 'Where the hell is Ohlson?'

Ohlson was with Sia and Barret, they were readying to move the last of the lift's occupants to the bottom of the pylon. He coaxed the last ensign inside the lift. That left himself, Sia Singh, Hope Barret, Shirer and another ensign on the level where the attack occurred. That and the dead, who Ohlson had insisted be left. Shirer had been about to make an issue of moving the corpses, but Ohlson's people had appeared very intimidatory to Shirer. He had left mumbling about telling Devereaux.

Before leaving Shirer had collected the weaponry from the dead Jem'Hadar, and he also supervised the removal of the unconscious Vorta.

As he left Ohlson called after him. 'They have a suicide implant, remember to get a medic or a doctor to remove it soon, if he wakes up and its still in place-'

'I do know my job Commander,' Shirer didn't even attempt to hide his contempt for Ohlson, 'I was the security officer on the Hawaii, not a pocket runabout.'

The obvious jib at the Augustus went unanswered. 'Ohlson smiled. 'Then I'll leave it all in your capable hands.' He stood and watched as Shirer and the ensign got in the lift. They were looking at the Augustus' personnel.

'Are you getting in Commander?'

Ohlson shook his head. 'That would be too cramp, we'll follow down the service conduit.' He was still smiling.

Shirer's hand went to the lift panel. The doors closed and then they heard the hum as it commenced to descend,

'Okay,' asked Barret when the hum had deceased, 'what are we doing here, sir?'

Marcus saw Sia counting the bodies. 'What is it Lieutenant?'

'I was in touch with the Gaunt, the computer told me that four Jem'Hadar had just left it.

I'm hoping that they are among this lot.'

Ohlson was turning and heading to the central airlock. 'I know we killed or injured eight Dominion personnel, seven Jem'Hadar and one Vorta, I also remember from our own scans that there was eight Jem'Hadar and three Vorta in or around the Shoeman. That would tell us the four the Gaunt mentioned is here. That said, ' he turned to the Shoeman. 'There is still more to do. So,' he was still smiling, 'we're going to find the missing threesome.' He started to work on the airlock's mechanism. 'Get ready in case they aren't in the ship, but waiting.'

Waiting? Hope had the rifle aimed at the center of the airlock doors.

Sia took up position on the opposite side to Ohlson's.

'Ready?' The commander glanced to Sia, the Indian nodded without taking his eyes from the doors.

Barret licked her lips. 'Ready.'

There was a hum and then the airlock doors started to open.

As Shirer and the others left the lift Devereaux and Nilis met them. There was a discussion that Mc Sorley had no wish to partake in. She looked back as the figure of Chief Colimo emerged from the shadows, he carried a rucksack and rifle in his arms that were not Starfleet issue.

Seconds later they were joined by Gretchen Kausler. 'He came from the next block across, I saw no one else. Those airlocks will have to be checked within the hour in case the enemy uses them to infiltrate another bomber.' She closed the scope on her rifle and switched the power gauge to off.

Mc Sorley nodded. 'At the first opportunity. Bear in mind, that we have few enough without stretching them the length and breadth of the ground level.'

Colimo had opened the bag to show the others the weaponry that the dead man had carried. Kausler bent and picked up one of the bombs, then she replaced it with the listening device. She turned it in her hand and nodded. 'It hasn't been activated yet.' She placed a finger near a small button. 'That's the activator.'

'I wonder where in the block the listening post is?'

'Nowhere.'

Mc Sorley was frowning at the yeoman. 'What do you mean nowhere?'

She held the device high for all to see. 'These are not for short-range eavesdropping. My guess is the listening point is on the battleship.' She set the bug into the rucksack.

'She is correct,' T'sella had given the device a long hard look, 'the only platform, that we are aware of with the capacity to use this device is in the skies above. It could be one of the fighters, but more likely to be as Yeoman Kausler says, the battleship.'

Mc Sorley digested the news. She scratched her head. 'The battleship?'

Kausler was looking at the explosives. 'These are unusual too.

They can be programmed for to explode as proximity devices, mines, magnetic, timer, or remote.' She pointed to a small panel with four coloured keys. 'This one is set on remote.' She tapped a key and a yellow light blinked twice then went off. She then repeated the action with the others - five in total. 'They're safe now.'

'You mean they weren't?' Tambecki's mouth was hanging open as she looked at the mines that had been lying in front of her. If someone on the battleship had flicked a switch...

The doors to the airlock serving the U.S.S. Shoeman opened.

There was no enemy present in the small space.

Ohlson moved into the airlock and over to the doors that led to the Shoeman. He did not bother readying his team. He tapped the panel - nothing happened. 'It's locked.'

He took a step back, drew his phaser, aimed, and fired. There was a shower of sparks, and a small piece of the paneling spun into the wall. There was a hum, and the thick doors that led to the spaceship started to move.

The side hatch to the Shoeman was open. Ohlson waited. Nothing happened. He moved slowly into the ship. The short entrance hall opened into the corridor that led, to the right to engineering and the briefing room, and to the left and the bridge.

He pointed to the left. Sia and Barret followed. Sia nudged Barret to stay behind and watch the rear.

He turned into the bridge quickly ready to shot any of the three enemy he knew where still on the ship. He didn't have to.

The two Vorta lay on each side of the captain's chair. The Jem'Hadar was slumped near the tactical station. Each of them had perished by a disrupter blast, it seemed that the Jem'Hadar had killed the two Vorta and then shot himself. Ohlson was kneeling beside one of the Vorta seeking an answer or two to some of the questions that bothered him.

'Over here sir.'

He turned to where Sia was standing at the tactical station. He was looking at the console.

Barret followed as Ohlson walked over and looked at what Sia was indicating.

The self-destruct had been activated.

The momentary urge to escape vanished as he read the console. The self-destruct had been initiated, but it had failed.

He inspected the console to see why the program had malfunctioned.

Barret explained. She was scanning the operations console. 'The phaser fire we directed at the ship when it killed the engines, it fused some of the secondary power conduits. When the main power failed the ship they must have switched to auxiliary, but that would have been Lu. The Vorta must not have known that the secondary relays were employed so when they turned the self-destruct on it was too much for the weakened system. It overloaded.

There's something else.'

'What's that Ensign?'

'The self-destruct was initiated prior to our docking.'

He thought a moment. 'If the ship had exploded what would be the state of the docking bay?'

Barret shrugged. Sia was calculating. 'It would probably be enough to destroy the tower.'

'So they were probably planning on stopping our return.' He hummed for a few seconds. 'Can you turn the thing off?'

'Easy,' said Barret, 'but that'd mean doing a complete system's shutdown and then reinitializing the lot. It'd take ten or fifteen minutes.' She paused. 'Do you want me to continue?'

Ohlson thought about it. 'No, not yet. Collect any weapons combadges or anything else that may be useful. Search the ship while you are doing that.'

'What for? asked Sia.

'I have no idea. but I'd like to know why they wanted to destroy this ship, wouldn't you?'

Sia moved off into the engine room and the other sections at the rear of the ship. Hope went to the ops console and started to open files and read them into her tricorder. As a sensor it was next to useless, but it could still be utilized as a data storage device.

Ohlson opened all the latest log entries, there were seven. He then downloaded them to his tricorder. He thought about what to do next, then he had an idea.

He walked from the bridge past Barret. I'm heading to check the transporter logs, and collect some munitions, let me know if you find anything.

The ops station collected the data of all ship movements and communications, she was reading the transmission data, expecting little to none since the Shoeman had kept radio silence and been reticent at other communications prior to the operation. But, apparently the Shoeman had been more talkative than she had let on. Combined with a subspace carrier wave that emanated from the deflector dish, was a signal.

She enhanced the signal, she didn't recognize it as other than a homing beckon. But, why would the Shoeman be transmitting a homing signal.

She checked the signal's wavelength. The computer informed her that Starfleet did not normally use that particular wavelength. It must be a Dominion wavelength, she thought. Since before they had entered the nebula., the Shoeman had been letting all Dominion traffic know where they were. She looked for Ohlson but he was gone.

Sia was in Engineering. He had found two bodies, both ensigns in Starfleet uniforms, and both killed by disrupter blasts. The engines were sound but would require a little shielding as the Augustus' attacks seemed to have loosened something. Singh felt a smile cross his face. His ship had beaten the supposed better Shoeman. Never mind that he now had to get the thing spaceworthy again. Still... he checked around for weapons and found the engine room's supply of rifles and phasers, four of each. He looked for and got a workbag and collected the four environment suits that were stored.

'Computer. Initiate the transporters.'

There was a blinking of indicator lights as the console was activated.

'Transfer all logs to the tricorder.'

'There are no log entries for transportation on this voyage.'

He hadn't expected any. 'Open a link to the U.S.S. Augustus' transporters, authorization Commander Marcus Ohlson, gamma, gamma, zero, three, nine ,theta.'

'Link open.'

'Transfer the program Ohlson eighteen, to the U.S.S. Shoeman's buffers.'

There was a hum. 'Transfer complete.'

'Computer what is the status of the two individuals currently contained in the pattern buffers?'

'Both patterns are stable, although it is inadvisable to keep humans in the transporter pattern buffers for longer than two hours.'

He mentally calculated that they were still inside the two hours, he expected that Lu and the ensign would be kept disembodied in the pattern buffers for a lot longer than the two hours. He had better be correct in his assessment that Lu was one of the baddies in whatever was going on here, if he was wrong... Well, he could always become a librarian like his brother Lars, which would be after they released him from prison.

'Computer, maintain this program until further notice, and limit access to Ohlson and above.' There was no way he could place security limitations on a ship that was not his, but he was counting on the fact that no one else knew where Lu and the ensign were. 'Stay in shutdown mode.'

The lights on the console blinked off. It would take an examination of the currently running programs or the ship's energy usage to determine that someone was using the transporters. Ohlson left the transportation pad and walked to the bridge.

'So they were attracting the Jem'Hadar while we hid on the demon.'

Ohlson had listened as Barret showed him what she had found.

'I inspected the console, and found this.' She pointed out a small round piece of metal attached to the inner workings of the machine. 'It was what was transmitting the signal, and it was doing so via the Shoeman's sensor array.

It was a trap, although why they captured the Shoeman and destroyed or tried to destroy the rest of us I don't know.'

'Can you remove it?'

'Yes, but this was only the apparatus to camouflage the signal the signal itself is reproducible by any of the ships.'

'Take a note of what it transmits then.'

'Already done that sir.'

'Very good ensign, did you recover anything else of worth?'

She picked up the tricorder and scanned the data. 'Some mapping information of this region, a scan of the system - probably made as they entered the vicinity - other than that... nothing.'

'Okay go and help Sia, there should be a good collection of weapons and assorted useful stuff on the ship to bring back.'

'Sir?'

'Yes.'

'Why are we collecting weapons, medikits, dermal regenerators and other medical equipment and environment suits if we expect Starfleet to come and get us?'

Ohlson looked at the earnestness of the blue eyes. 'I don't think Starfleet will get here before the Dominion mounts some serious challenges to our presence.

I don't know what we've tumbled into ensign, but there is something, or someone, among our people that is worth enough to prevent them smashing us from the battleship. I want to know who or what that is, and I want to know the reason it is worth all our lives.'

'Is it this ship?'

Ordinarily Ohlson would not have discussed his thoughts with either one of his crew and especially not an ensign, or stood talking while there was so much to do, but Barret, he felt, needed the reasons so she could give all she could. She needed something to aim at, an enemy to identify, and a cause to follow. 'There is something about the ship, I don't think its being carried in the ship, because we would have found it, but it might be the ship itself.

Remember, I think it was Tambecki, well whoever it was, someone suggested that if they captured our fleet they could use them to get close enough to Starbase 283 to attack and allow a follow-up with a stronger Dominion fleet. And the fall of 283, would be potentially disastrous,' she nodded that she was following the scenario, 'well, I think that something like that was... or is, planned.

And we are in the way.'

She looked thoughtful. 'Thank you sir.'

'What for Ensign?'

'Taking the time to explain to me, I appreciate it.'

He smiled. 'Take that transmitter with you and then show me how much you appreciate it by helping Lieutenant Singh.'

'Aye aye sir.' She walked quickly toward engineering.

She'll make a fine officer one day, if she survives this, he thought.

At the base of the docking pylon, Devereaux was with Mc Sorley. 'Where is your commander?'

'I have no idea, other than he is taking up the rearguard of the last lift evacuees, sir.'

The captain was pacing. They were standing apart from the others. Shirer was forming three squads and arming them with the recovered weaponry. Mc Sorley was listening to him as he gave instructions to the squad leaders. It seemed that Shirer, presumably from Devereaux, had been given overall control of the defense of the Starfleet personnel. 'His recklessness will get us all killed. Commander Shirer reports that your Commander Ohlson initiated an attack on a weak enemy position that resulted in them counterattacking where we were weakest.' Devereaux had ceased his pacing and was facing Deborah. 'If he continues to act defiantly and dangerously I will have no option but to relieve him of his command.'

Mc Sorley said nothing, she was acutely aware of Devereaux's eyes on her. 'Let's hope it doesn't come to that.

Now, tell me about this operation to free us, leave nothing out and tell the whole story up until the point where we are standing here.

Begin.'

She licked her lips. 'Four ships, under the command of Captain Lu, left Starbase 283...' She was wondering which parts to skip over and which to just... have an attack of amnesia about. 'The mission was to rescue you. We were the reserves and based on the Demon class planet near here.

We discovered that large numbers of Jem'Hadar were hidden on the planet and went to warn the rest. They had already engaged the enemy.

All were destroyed, we escaped to the Demon where we found several wrecks and used them to...' she waved one hand, 'do this.

Unfortunately, while retreating we ran into more fighters, twenty-eight we believe, and a battleship. And we would have no possibility of defeating that size of enemy contingent.' She slowed. 'Which brought us back here.'

'What should we do with...' Colimo was with Kausler, T'sella, d'Amatsu, Tambecki and Smith. They had remained at the console. The Bolian was starting to raise his hands with the rucksack that contained the devices they had recovered from the dead Jem'Hadar. Mc Sorley had given the rifle he carried to the Hawaii's security officer and was currently deep in talk with its captain.

Kausler put her hand out and took the rucksack. She was already carrying a well-laden one on her back, but she pulled the new one onto her right shoulder. Colimo and Smith looked at her, she said nothing.

'Are you going to tell Shirer about it?' Smith glanced around to ensure that they were not being eavesdropped upon.

'No.'

'Is there any reason why not?' asked Colimo.

'I think we may have use for it.' That was all she said. The three men and Tambecki looked at each other. Alex shrugged.

Colimo made his own rifle more comfortable. If Gretchen was thinking they would have cause to use explosives, then they probably would. He looked into the corridor with his scope. There was nothing out there that he could see. He noticed that since Kausler's answer they all had adopted a more alert pose than earlier.

'Okay let's go people!'

Barret was the first out of the Shoeman, Singh at her shoulders, Ohlson took the rear. He closed the hatch to the airlock.

'Right, down the ladder that was where we told Shirer we were descending. Ensign you go first, then you lieutenant. '

It took them five minutes to get down the ladder. they were carrying more, and were careful in case of further ambush - although their tricorders told them they had nothing to fear.

Another two minutes and the trio were walking past the lifts. Sia caught sight of Tambecki, she waved him over. He also caught sight of Mc Sorley with Devereaux. 'The Lieutenant Commander seems to be into something heavy with Captain D.'

'I see it.' Ohlson thought he'd better get this bit over with, if he confronted Devereaux now he might be able to maintain some independent function in this operation, which was of course under Devereaux's command seeing as Nilis didn't seem to be getting too involved. 'Join the others, I'll try to keep us together during our time here.

Sia, bring the weapons, first aid equipment and combadges to Commander Shirer.'

Singh took the weapons that Barret had been carrying and started to walk to the lifts.

'Good luck, sir.' Barret said to Ohlson's back.

Sia was scanning the people in and around the lifts. Shirer had gotten a lot of movement going. People appeared to be organizing. Weapons were visible, in around twenty hands. Combadges could be seen on a minority of individuals. Then he saw her, she was in a group of blue uniformed people, and they all were sorting out equipment, which was obviously medical in nature. She was busy, he would get back to her later.

He walked to Commander Shirer. 'These may come in useful.' He put the weapons on the ground, and then unloaded the extra rucksack he was carrying. 'Who will I give the medical equipment to?' Shirer was looking at the handful of weapons. 'Hmm, oh bring them over to Doctor Rolands.' He indicated the group where in which Sia had seen Sam Lockhead.

The Indian left the weapons and walked towards the group of medics.

'Report.' Devereaux looked through Ohlson.

'We recovered disrupters and phasers from the dead Jem'Hadar that attacked the lift. We also found the rest of the Dominion squad, they had apparently committed suicide. That means the pylon is now clean of Dominion troops, sir.' He chose not to elaborate on the whereabouts of the suicides. If he asked, he would tell him... If he didn't - then...

He was looking around the group that had gathered around the lifts. He saw Nilis and he saw lots of Starfleet uniforms. 'Where is the Vorta?'

'Dead.'

'Dead?'

Commodore Nilis was questioning him when he started some suicide procedure. We think it was a cranial implant initiated by a verbal command.'

Ohlson was staring in disbelief. 'I told him, the commander, to check the...'

'Enough,' Devereaux's voice had risen, 'Commander Shirer is an able officer Ohlson, and he certainly needs no lessons from you. The prisoner was searched, and scanned. Whatever the device was we didn't see it.'

Ohlson fumed. 'Where is the body?'

'Eh, it was vaporized by phaser. In case it had some further risk element that we were unaware of.'

'The commodore's idea?'

A pause. 'Are you trying to suggest something Commander?'

Ohlson knew he had said too much. 'No sir, I was wondering if the commodore had been in charge then had he gotten any information from the Vorta at all prior to his death?'

Devereaux looked unconvinced but ignored it, for the time being. 'No, he died before even telling his name.'

'Some of those in the lift say you lot saved their lives.'

Barret wasn't sure how to respond.

Tambecki smiled at her. 'Told you you'd do okay.'

Hope smiled nervously and agreed.

'Did you get into the Shoeman?'

Barret was surprised, what surprised her most was that the question had come from Kausler. 'Yes.'

'What did you find?' asked Smith.

'Two dead Vorta and a Jem'Hadar.'

Devereaux turned away from Ohlson and Mc Sorley. 'Shirer?'

The commander walked over purposively gripping his phaser and fiddling with the power gauge. 'Sir.'

'Ohlson your team will take your orders from Commander Shirer,' he paused like he expected Ohlson to protest.

Marcus blinked like he had been expecting more instructions than that.

'How many have we got armed?' The question was to Shirer.

'Forty-six weapons, twenty from the Augustus' arsenal, ten from the Gaunt, and seven more from the Shoeman, of the thirty-seven weapons, eighteen are phaser rifles., the remainder are nine disrupter rifles from the Dominion troops.'

'What about combadges?'

'Less, we have thirty-two working badges. The Augustus' personnel account for ten, you and the commodore have one each and I have distributed the others to the higher ranks.'

Devereaux seemed satisfied at that. 'Good.'

The tall figure of Commodore Nilis approached the four. 'Have you a plan yet, Captain?'

'Yes, Commodore, join us. I am about to tell the others.'

Nilis joined Devereaux, Ohlson, Shirer and a Commander Schellinger - an engineer from the Hawaii - to hear the plan.

'We have three ships, all spaceworthy, docked above us. That is our way out.'

Mc Sorley glanced at Ohlson, she didn't like how Devereaux was starting the plan, and she would bet neither was Ohlson, but he wasn't saying anything, so neither did she.

The captain continued. 'There is, according to the crew of the Augustus, a battleship and several, perhaps as many as twenty-nine...'

'Twenty-eight, sir,' corrected Mc Sorley.

'Twenty-eight, then, twenty-eight attack fighters patrolling off the station. Most, at the last reckoning were still on the planet and outside sensor range.

That means, we have to make a break for it before they amass and destroy us.' He paused to let that bit sink in.

'Sir?'

'What is it Commander?' Devereaux faced Ohlson.

'Just a few points sir, we still haven't the ability to outrun or outshoot the battleship, never mind the fighters. That vessel could take the three ships even if they broke up and went in different directions.

Why not dig in here, and await Starfleet?'

'Because Starfleet won't be coming.'

Ohlson turned to face the speaker, Commodore Nilis.

'We both know Commander, that even if a vessel picks up the distress messages that you sent, they would be unwise to immediately enter the area. It would take too long for them to mount a well-armed response. Whatever plan we adopt will have to include only those materials and personnel that are present.' Nilis nodded to Devereaux. 'Although we might have to elaborate on your plan Captain.'

'What is your suggestions Commodore?'

The Vulcan thought for only a moment before speaking. 'There is still a small garrison in the prison, and probably a series of underground bunkers for storage. I suggest we repair to there and cease whatever munitions and equipment we can. From that secure location we can refine how to use the three ships and escape. Instead of thinking of making a dash to Federation space perhaps taking cover in the planet's atmosphere and using the planet as shield and weapon would increase the chances of us getting away.' She stopped.

Devereaux was nodding. 'Yes, the planet would be good cover, and the battleship would not be able to cover the whole surface area, one or two of the ships might be able to slip away.' He nodded again.

'The planet is not safe.' Marcus watched as the nodding stopped.

'What did you say Ohlson?'

Not even the rank this time, thought Mc Sorley.

'It isn't safe sir. We took cover there, the atmosphere is highly corrosive and the place is coming down with Jem'Hadar.

Oh, and one other thing. The Hawaii is there.'

Devereaux was open-mouthed. 'What?'

'The U.S.S. Hawaii, it is still in one piece, it is surrounded by Dominion force fields and fighters. So, you see the planet isn't as safe a place as you might imagine sir.'

'Are you sure that the Hawaii is still operational and on the planet Commander Ohlson?'

Operational? Who mentioned operational? thought Mc Sorley, looking at the commodore.

'I have no idea if she is 'operational' sir...'

Nilis nodded. 'My mistake, I made an assumption based on the bareness of your report. Please proceed.'

'We found sensor logs on some of the downed ships that came on the initial rescue. Those logs pinpointed the Hawaii, and the range of security measures that is in place around it.'

'I see, and do you believe Commander, based on those reports, that we could make it to the planet and either hide or recapture the Hawaii?'

'No sir, I do not, and that is without even knowing the condition of the Hawaii.'

'Do you have a plan?'

Ohlson looked around him. Nilis seemed neutral, Mc Sorley looked like she didn't want to be here, and Shirer and Devereaux looked decidedly hostile. 'We have a limited protection at this end of the prison with the combined shielding afforded by the ships. We have some advantage from sending out the distress message. There is a time limit on how long the enemy can keep us - it might be weeks or months - but they still have a time limit. We have arms, we outnumber the current garrison, and we have something else.'

'What would that be Commander?'

'I don't know Commodore, but there is something here that is stopping that battleship from pounding us to dust. And as long as we keep -whatever that is - we have the advantage of making the enemy use less force than he could to shift us.'

Devereaux seemed lost for words, then he found his voice. 'Ohlson, what are you trying to imply?'

'Nothing sir, but something is preventing the battleship from ending this situation with a few well-aimed torpedoes.'

'Nonsense,' hissed Shirer, 'they can't use torpedoes they'd kill their own men and destroy this building. They'd lose a valuable outpost. Why would they do that? They are just waiting until we dig in and then they will attack us with troops.'

Ohlson shrugged. 'Perhaps you're correct.'

Devereaux was looking from Ohlson to Nilis then Shirer. 'I think the commodore's idea is the best.'

The commodore made no comment.

'Commander Shirer take twenty people and move into the building find where the enemy are hid and find any underground passageways or storerooms.'

'Very good sir.'

'Ohlson.'

'Yes sir?'

'You and your people split into two groups, you take care of perimeter security in this general area. You,' he addressed Mc Sorley, 'will secure the docking bay and the three ships. I want them to be utilized at the earliest possibility. When we arm and secure the station I still want those ships to be part of the escape.'

Mc Sorley nodded.

'I have an idea too,' Nilis looked thoughtful. 'There must be conduits in and around here that link the base's communications array. I will take Commander Schellinger and we can search for them. If we are successful we may be able to tap them and know what the garrison is planning.'

'We might even get a hook on their off-base communications,' offered Schellinger, 'which could provide us with some very useful intelligence in the event that we do get to make a run for it.'

'Okay, you do that,' said Devereaux. 'Commander Shirer, ready your people for departure in ten minutes.'

Shirer nodded then he was gone.

'Mc Sorley move your people into position and keep an open communications link with me.'

Deborah bit back a comment. She glanced at Marcus he was stern faced and gave her a small nod of encouragement. 'I'll get right on it sir.' Then she was gone and walking towards the pillar where the Augustus' crew had gathered.

'Commander Ohlson.'

Marcus looked at him. 'Secure the perimeter, make sure you are aware of Commander Shirer's plans for departure, and arrange a signal for his return. I'd rather we lost nobody to friendly fire. Get to it, and keep an open communication link as well.'

'Yes sir.' With that he turned and followed Deborah. She had slowed to allow him to catch up.

'What did you say about what we found out and suspected?'

'I told him everything.'

He looked to her. 'Everything?'

She pulled a face. 'Not exactly everything. I told him of the initial attack, of us going to the Cicero's aid. Of taking shelter on the planet...'

'And?'

'And, of using the wrecks we found to make up the three we arrived here in.'

'What else?'

'I didn't tell him that we found the Shoeman and that you shot,' she lowered her voice, 'and did something,' he arms waved as she spoke, 'to the captain.'

'And an ensign.'

'And an ensign. Or that we have a detailed map of the prison, or that Gretchen has five bombs she has not bothered to hand in, or...' she was thinking. 'Or, I don't know what else.'

He was smiling. 'Thank you, you did right. We do know that Lu is up to his tonsils in whatever is going on. And I thing Nilis is too.'

'Commodore Nilis. I know she made that mistake about the operationally of the Hawaii, but...'

'But nothing, she was correct. The Hawaii is fully operational.

I saw the reports on the Shoeman's sensors. They are repairing the ship as we speak.' He glanced back at the figures of Nilis and Devereaux. He couldn't be certain but he thought Nilis was looking at them. 'Her plan was to drive us deeper into the building, away from the shields. I don't think they are particularly concerned with our fleet. But I do think they want to find out the whereabouts of someone. And if they succeed in isolating that someone then I think they'll paste this place with torpedoes.'

'Then why is she going along with Devereaux's plan.

'She has to agree with some plan. At least this way she gets the people here to separate and that'll allow the Jem'Hadar to pick off the parties that leave the lifts.

I'd bet that she is very successful in finding a Dominion communications port, and she will be the one to use it.' He glanced around him again. 'Very smart, now she is still at the center of anything we do, and can even start feeding us misinformation all at the same time.'

She saw the look of concern on his face.

'The Dominion knows that their people will stay put. As soon as they see that we are dividing up into smaller groups surrounding a center, then they'll know that their men are in the middle. They will attack.'

'That means Shirer's group is doomed.'

'I don't know about doomed, but yes, they will meet trouble. I don't believe he'd even take any advice that could save him.' She spoke a little lower. 'let's hope he's a good man in a firefight, for his people's sake.'

'What do you intend doing, just sitting and waiting for the Dominion to overrun us?'

'No, we will be leaving here, and...' he smiled at his first officer, 'I want you to work out how to get rid of that battleship.'

They had reached the pillar. Mc Sorley was staring at him.

'I've been thinking about that problem too sir.' They turned and looked at Hope Barret. 'I have an idea of how to get rid of the battleship, but it needs a lot of refining.'

'Go on,' prompted Ohlson after there had been an elongated pause, 'what is it?'

Hope looked at the faces around her, then she gave them her idea. 'We haven't the firepower to destroy it with any one, or even all, of the ships docked at this base.' She paused. The faces were giving her their undivided attention. 'Well?'

Mc Sorley pulled a face. 'Okay, no we don't have the necessary firepower.'

That seemed to satisfy the ensign. 'But the planet does.'

Tambecki looked at Smith to see if there had been something said that she had missed. He shrugged at her.

'Yes,' T'sella was nodding her head. 'That is a good observation, and I see what you mean by it needing refining.'

Colimo glanced between the two women. 'What? Please explain it for my limited intelligence.'

Hope blushed. She was about to apologize for not being clear enough.

'That's right,' Smith did everything except click his fingers together to signal that he understood. 'The planet, it is geologically unsound. If we lure the battleship close enough and ignite one of the thin spots on the crust then a volcanic eruption would certainly do more damage to it than we ever could.'

'A volcanic eruption under it.' Mc Sorley was teasing the notion in her head.

Ohlson smiled. 'Very good Ensign, now find me a way to lure that ship that close to the demon.'

Hope blinked. She was going to say something but stopped. She would think up a way of getting the battleship close enough to be hit by any eruption they could cause, she would, or she hoped that she would.

'Until then,' continued Ohlson, 'Deborah, you Mico, Gretchen, T'sella and Ben secure the perimeter from here. Don't go any further that the bottom of the corridor and do keep in touch, when you can check out those airlocks, it'd be nice if they weren't operational.

The rest of you come with me. We'll check out the upper levels of the docking pylon and the ships we do have at our disposal.'

A combadge bleeped.

Mc Sorley looked at Marcus. 'It's you.'

He touched the device. 'Ohlson here.'

Devereaux's voice tumbled into the gathering. 'Have you arranged for the security details yet Commander?'

'Yes sir, the people have been allocated and briefed. We are about to take up our positions now.

Is Commander Shirer ready to leave?'

There was a slight delay before the reply was forthcoming. 'He will be approaching your current position at any moment.'

'Very good sir, you can tell him that Commander Mc Sorley will be ready to escort him and his people as far as the edge of the corridor.'

Another delay. 'Very good commander, over.'

Deborah sighed. 'Okay, Yeoman,' she addressed Kausler, 'you and Lieutenant d'Amatsu take up positions at the last pillar. Make sure Shirer and co. get that far without mishap. The rest of us will lead them to you.'

Kausler nodded once and then she was off. They could hear the small click as she activated the scope. Mico headed hurriedly after her.

'Here he comes.'

Ohlson turned to see where Deborah was looking. Twenty of the survivors of the Hawaii were coming in their direction. Shirer was in front.

'Good luck Marcus.'

Marcus nodded at Deborah and walked past Shirer, he nodded as they crossed, Shirer returned the greeting. They walked to the lift. Devereaux and Nilis were off to one side. They were deep in conversation and paid no heed to Ohlson's pose as they reached the lifts and pressed the call button.

Sia had scanned the armed group as they passed. He had been looking for one person in particular. He wasn't certain whether or not to be relieved when he didn't see her. She must have remained with the people that were now gathered to the side of the lift lobby. But he couldn't make her out. He brought his attention back to Ohlson's team.

The lift door opened. The Shoeman was docked on level one, the Augustus was on level three, level four was where the Caesar was, and level five the Gaunt.

They entered and Ohlson pushed the button marked as the top, the sixth level. I hope its empty, thought Colimo. He tensed and released his fingers, just to ready himself, just in case the sixth level was not empty.

'I have two people at the end of this corridor.' Mc Sorley was speaking, and she was unsure if Shirer was listening. 'They will ensure that you can get as far as that without fear of ambush.'

'Keep them there until we get back. And tell them not to be too nervous and try not to shoot us on our return.' He smiled to show he wasn't serious.

'Then you had better warn us that you will be coming back then, won't you?'

Shirer was finished with the small talk. 'Move out, two abreast as far as the last pillar, then split into five groups of four like I showed you.

Move into the tunnel in silence, and keep ten meters apart from the group in front - have you got that?'

Mc Sorley tapped Ben's shoulder. 'Led them in.'

The tall stately figure started into the corridor.

There were a few nods of heads from Shirer's patrol. Some were watching the black woman as she moved away from them. The nods seemed to satisfy Shirer.

'Move out.'

Two started the crouched walk into the dark tunnel after Ben, then another two followed.

Shirer was in the last group, Mc Sorley and T'sella stooped and went beside them as they headed towards Kausler and d'Amatsu.

It took them only a minute or so to reach the large collection of people that collected around the kneeling figure of Gretchen Kausler. The yeoman had her scoped rifle pointed into the direction that Shirer and his group intended going. d'Amatsu was nowhere to be seen.

'Where's d'Amatsu?'

'He's by the wall,' answered Kausler.

The answer satisfied Mc Sorley. 'Any movements Yeoman?'

Shirer looked angry that he hadn't been the one to ask that question.

'No, there has been no movement or sound coming from the corridor leading past the hub. But I'd bet there is at least one Jem'Hadar watching the approaches.'

Shirer looked like he was about to make a comment about Gretchen's remark, one glance at Mc Sorley's face made him hesitate.

'Very good,' Mc Sorley kept an eye on Shirer. 'Good luck Commander.'

Shirer didn't look like he knew how to react to the 'good luck', so he ignored it. 'Let's go, group one move out with me.' There was a shuffle as the five moved to the front of the group. 'Franklin,' Shirer addressed a lieutenant, 'you take up the rear and ensure that those moving behind us remain ten meters behind.'

'Yes sir.' Franklin was a young looking man wearing the beige of security or engineering.

Mc Sorley watched as the groups set off.

The lift doors opened. They were on the sixth floor.

Ohlson was out first, Sia and Colimo next. Those three searched and covered the immediate area. Barret and Smith headed directly to the airlock.

'Clear!' Sia was standing at the window to the left of the area outside the lifts.

'Clear!' echoed Colimo from the right side.

'Check the airlock.' Ohlson was in the middle keeping as much of his group visible at all times.

Smith and Barret had taken up positions on either side of the airlock controls, on hearing Ohlson's order they turned and removed the panels of the controls.

Alex Smith was the one who tapped into the computer linkage with the controls, he tapped his tricorder and watched as the data transferred to his device. 'It's clear, there's nothing docked here, nor has there been for thirty-one hours. A Jem'Hadar fighter,' he added to complete the story.

'Right everyone,' said Ohlson, 'back into the lifts, fifth floor.' They were going to the docking bay where the Gaunt was left. The lift doors closed behind them. Ohlson touched his combadge. 'Ohlson to Devereaux.'

There was no immediate response.

'Ohlson to Devereaux.'

'Devereaux here.'

'Sixth floor searched and checked, sir. We are progressing to the fifth.'

A pause. 'Keep me informed.' Nothing else.

Ohlson sighed, this was going to be a difficult few hours.

Mico d'Amatsu, half-Italian and half-Japanese junior lieutenant of the U.S.S. Augustus, knelt and watched the last of Shirer's people go out of his sight. He had watched the corridor and the debris therein, he had noticed the shadows that came from the right about thirty meters inside the corridor and he had watched Shirer led his people into that area. It was more than likely the next wing - the first of three - in the prison. He couldn't recall how many Jem'Hadar they had found to be there in their last sensor sweep. He didn't think it mattered, Shirer had led a mixed bunch. Some were technicians, one - he had heard her speaking about it - was an archeologist, the rest science officers and ship security. None where soldiers, all where trying hard to fill that job description.

He could do little to help them other than be at his position when they needed him, if they needed him.

'Kausler to Mc Sorley.'

Deborah resisted the urge to express surprise at the communication. 'Yes?'

'Permission to move further into the corridor to cover Commander Shirer's party?'

The voice of Captain John Devereaux cut into the discussion. 'Denied. Keep your positions.'

'Very good sir,' was the sole response to the instruction. It was impossible to tell from her voice how she gauged the wisdom of Devereaux's orders.

They were on the fifth level. Each had the same positions as they had on the floor above.

Smith checked. 'It's still here.' He looked back at Ohlson.

Marcus nodded at Sia.

'Gaunt this is Chief Engineer Singh, report.'

A momentary pause was all the indication they had that the Gaunt's computer was verifying the intrusion's propriety.

'Diagnostic check in progress, shield generators at sixty-three percent...'

'Has anyone attempted or actually boarded you since I left?' Sia's question interrupted what would have been a lengthy and boring report.

'Yes..'

'Who?' The computer's answer had been a surprise for Sia.

'You.'

He breathed a sigh of relief. Then he thought about what the computer had said. 'Computer how many times have I tried to gain access in the last twenty minutes?'

'Twice.'

Sia looked at Ohlson. 'Someone has tried to gain entry by pretending to be me.'

Marcus had come to the same conclusion. 'No use worrying about that for the time being, let's find out why that person wanted into the Gaunt.

Okay Lieutenant,' Ohlson addressed Smith. 'Open the airlock.'

There was a slight metallic clink as the doors opened. Then they were at the side entrance to the Gaunt.

'Take us in Lieutenant Singh.'

The tall Indian approached the door.

Mico blinked to give his eye something to do other than stare at a deeply shadowed and unmoving landscape.

'Scan it at irregular intervals,' the voice came from his combadge and belonged to Kausler, 'that'll allow the eye to keep busy and alert.'

Mico nodded. He believed she was behind him and would see his gesture of acknowledgment. He started scanning the area as Gretchen had suggested.

'I'm moving back a bit.' Kausler was speaking for Mc Sorley's benefit.

'What's she doing?' Mc Sorley whispered the question to T'sella.

The Vulcan was looking into the corridor's darkness with the aid of the scoped phaser rifle.

Mc Sorley waited.

'She's moving crouched, to the right.'

'The right?' Tambecki was staring into the corridor. She could make nothing out.

Mc Sorley was thinking. 'She's checking out the airlocks.'

'Yeoman?'

'Yes sir.' Came back Gretchen's steady voice.

'I'm sending Lieutenant Tambecki up to your position.' She left the rest unsaid. Kausler would know that Mc Sorley knew where Kausler's position was - heading to the storerooms and the dual set of small airlocks that they contained, and she was telling the Yeoman that backup was on its way.

'Go, cover her, and check out those airlocks. There were two single-man ones in the rooms where she is going. Tell her to take no risks, just in case Shirer's party needs us.'

Ben nodded and then she was stooped and walking into the gloom and towards where she believed Gretchen Kausler was to be found.

He tapped the console. The machine was busy and that made the operations sluggish.

'Is everything as you left it?'

Sia nodded in answer to Ohlson's question.

'Then let's get down to the Caesar.

Ohlson to Devereaux.'

There was no hesitation this time. 'Yes?'

'Level five is clear, sir.'

'Proceed to level four.'

'Yes sir, over.'

The group of five headed back to the lifts. Ohlson was wondering who had, or could have came up here to try to get on the Gaunt. He had an uneasy feeling about what the searches might uncover.

Mc Sorley had followed Ohlson's reports., they - Marcus and herself - had left several channels free. They monitored the one's that each had to Devereaux, and they had kept one channel for their own use. She used it.

'Mc Sorley here.'

'What is it Deborah?'

'Shirer is out of visual, I'm readying for incoming. And Gretchen and Ben are checking out the service airlocks to the right of the pylon base.'

As the lift doors opened on to level four and the Caesar, Ohlson suppressed a sigh. He had discussed with his first officer that Shirer, even knowing the information that the Augustus had gotten from the prison, would walk into a trap. The arrangement was that when that trap seemed close to being sprung they would stretch the orders given by Devereaux that little bit more, in order to keep as many of them alive as was possible. It would be safer for all if they weren't so spread out. His own party would be better positioned in the main corridor, or even behind Shirer, anywhere rather than stuck floors above the others in a large docking pylon.

They took up their allocated positions again. The sooner they checked the pylon the sooner they could get closer to the main group.

She was at the doors to the annex alongside the corridor and adjacent to the lifts when Ben joined her.

Kausler looked neither surprised nor annoyed at having Tambecki foisted on to her. She acknowledged Ben's arrival by indicating that she was about to open the doors and Ben should cover her.

Tambecki raised her rifle and waited.

Kausler had already checked - twice actually - that the tricorder was useless at penetrating the shielding in the walls. She held her weapon in her right hand and tapped the locking mechanism's panel with her left. No response.

She tapped the largest of the six coloured panels.

No response.

The second largest was at the bottom of the panels, she touched that one. There was a whirl and then the door slide open.

'Clear!' Sia was the last to acknowledge.

Ohlson scanned his troops, then nodded. Barret entered the codes and the airlock to the Caesar opened.

The room was dark. The ambient lighting had been cut here as in the rest of the complex by the Augustus' torpedo, but unlike elsewhere the room had not maintained the background lighting of work consoles.

Even with her eyes being accustomed to the dimness of the main area Tambecki squinted into the dark, she could make nothing out. She initiated the scope. The viewfinder blossomed into life, in the place of the dark a light green glow filled the room. It remained light, there was no life in the room. She raised her left hand and made a chopping motion in the room's direction.

Kausler entered with her scope already activated. She moved into the darkness quickly and quietly. She turned right and took up a defensive crouch to the side of the door. She scanned the room. It was empty. She beckoned Tambecki to follow her.

Ben was inside the room and scanning it inside of five seconds. The room was rectangular, lockers or cabinets of some sort lined the walls. Tambecki's scope had circumnavigated the room, Kausler was walking around looking for anything... She found it.

It took him only a few minutes to check the state of the old tanker. It was empty. Sia was at the console.

'No one has attempted to gain access to the ship or the computer.' Sia switched the console back to how he had found it.

'I wonder why they didn't try to get on to the Caesar?' No one answered the commander's question. They waited. Ohlson was at the exit. 'Okay let's see how level three and the Augustus are doing.'

The lockers were containers.. Each were locked electronically, Ben had not seen anything like it before. They were particularly heavy containers, she wondered what they could be concealing.

'They are genetic locks,' said Kausler. 'They react to whoever or whatever touches them.' She put her hand to the small handle on the side and pulled. Nothing happened. 'So it isn't programmed for human.' She thought for a moment. 'Wait here.' She walked from the room purposively.

Ben closed her eyes, she had a good idea of what was coming next. She hoped that Devereaux was busy.

He was, he was talking to Nilis and in the recess by the lifts. Mc Sorley had seen the two officers leave the main group to speak. Near by two others appeared to be in the process of removing panels from the flooring.

'What's she doing?'

T'sella's question brought her mind back to pillar. 'Explain?'

'Yeoman Kausler is walking up the corridor.'

'Is she coming here?'

'No, she is walking to where Lieutenant d'Amatsu is... No, she's not.' A pause. 'She's at the dead Jem'Hadar.

She is picking him up.'

Mc Sorley wondered had she been following T'sella's commentary correctly.

'She's going back where she came from.'

'With the body?'

'Yes.'

Mc Sorley choose not to ask any further questions, she knew that there'd be a good reason for Kausler's actions, she couldn't imagine what that reason would be, but... She hoped Gretchen would get back to her soon and tell her.

It was as Ben had suspected. Gretchen brought back the Jem'Hadar's body and used his limp and lifeless hand on the container lock. Nothing happened.

'So what we need now is a Vorta's hand.'

Ben looked at her colleague and wondered if Gretchen had a plan to go get one. She wouldn't have put the idea out of the reach of Kausler.

The Yeoman left the corpse where it was and continued the search. She found the airlock door in seconds. 'Kausler to Mc Sorley.'

'Mc Sorley here.'

'We've found an airlock.'

'Is it working?'

She tapped the activation panel. 'Yes, it is.'

'Can you lock it from your side?'

Tambecki was checking the mechanism. 'No, it's an emergency exit, it'll have an override command that can be activated from both sides.'

Mc Sorley deactivated her combadge and turned to T'sella. 'Go to them see if Kausler can booby-trap that door with the explosives she took from the dead Jem'Hadar? If she can tell her to do so.'

T'sella stood. 'Is Captain Devereaux or Commodore Nilis to be told?'

'No. Devereaux doesn't even know we have the explosives. Let's just put this down to us, and one of the measures we have utilized to ensure perimeter security.'

T'sella nodded then she was off and walking to Kausler and Tambecki's locations.

Mc Sorley looked over to the lifts. Devereaux had finished his discussion with Nilis, and he was walking towards her.

They had entered the Augustus with ease. He had followed Kausler and Mc Sorley's exchange and was wondering what Mc Sorley would do next. It was her call, he had no notion of interfering, she was an able officer. He was standing beside his captain's chair.

The initial check had verified what Ohlson had suspected. Someone had tried to get into the Augustus, worse than that, they had succeeded.

Sia checked Engineering, Ohlson had the notion that the engineer wanted to make certain no one had done anything to HIS ship since he had left. Barret checked the sensors and reported back that all was as it should be. Smith and Colimo remained outside to cover the others. The rest were wondering what the intruder had been about.

Ohlson had an idea, but it was not one he was going to share with the others just yet. He was about to vacate the ship when he had an idea. 'Computer, this is Commander Marcus Ohlson, clearance code gamma, gamma, zero, three nine theta. Reinitialize the sensors and the computer.'

There was the slightest of pauses and then the computer complied.

'How many Jem'Hadar ships are within sensor range?'

'Two.'

'Where and what are they?'

'Twenty-one and twenty thousand kilometers above the surface, two Jem'Hadar attack fighters.'

'No sign of the battleship,' he murmured to himself.

'No,' agreed the computer.

'Where are the Starfleet personnel in relation to the Dominion forces at the building?'

'Three hundred and ten meters, eighty meters, twenty-one meters...'

Close, that was the three wings and their troop complements, but how could he warn Shirer?

'And,' continued the computer, 'six meters.'

'Six?' He was thrown off his train of thought momentarily. 'Four groups of Jem'Hadar in the prison.'

'Correction, ' answered the computer to Ohlson's pondering. 'Three groups of Jem'Hadar are inside the prison, one is outside.'

Outside? 'Where is the outside group? and what is their distance from Starfleet personnel?'

'At the entrance to the emergency airlock, six meters.'

He banged his combadge. 'Come in Kausler this is Ohlson.'

T'sella had reached Kausler and informed her of Mc Sorley's order. Gretchen was putting the charge inside the panel of the airlock controls when Ohlson's voice interrupted her. 'Kausler here.'

'Gretchen, you have visitors waiting outside to come in.'

The woman stopped for a few seconds as she took in the import of what her commander was saying. 'Thank you Commander.'

She had yet to commence the activation of the device.

Another voice came from the badge. 'This is Devereaux, what the hell is going on there?'

He was standing beside Mc Sorley a vein at his temple throbbed from anger. He turned from looking into the gloom to Mc Sorley. 'You tell me?'

'I-er.'

Gretchen's voice came clearly from the badge. 'Kausler here Captain, we have found some crates and cannot open them. They appear to be genetically locked and don't respond to human, or Jem'Hadar...'

'Or Vulcan,' piped in T'sella from behind Kausler.

'What has that got to do with Ohlson's message?'

The Yeoman continued. 'We were to examine each crate, but now - from Commander Ohlson's orders - we have to return to ensure that Commander Shirer's return is guarded. Commander Shirer's people are 'the visitors'. It's in case the Dominion is able to listen to our communications. He- the commander - has been timing us.' She paused. 'We're on our way.'

Devereaux was puzzled, how would the yeoman know the locks didn't respond to Jem'Hadar genes? He was distracted as Shirer made a report. All was well, so far.

Tambecki was looking at T'sella. 'Impressive.'

'Most inventive,' agreed the Vulcan.

'That,' said Mc Sorley, 'was what I was going to say.' Silently, she wondered at the resourcefulness of Kausler, and the audacity of the woman. She was grateful that they were on the same side.

Devereaux was trying, with some success, to get rid of his temper. 'Have one of the crates brought to me. I'll be with Commodore Nilis at the lifts.'

'Yes sir.'

The captain marched off. Mc Sorley bet that he wasn't certain about whether or not to believe what he had heard. But what other course of action was open to him but act as if it mattered not.

He was at the lift. 'Mc Sorley here, can you carry one of the crates back?'

'Yes,' it was Kausler who answered.

'Do so, the captain wants to see one.'

Tambecki and T'sella carried it between them. When they left the room Kausler resumed working on the bomb.

Ohlson had the Augustus locked out and vacated in under three minutes. The rest were in the lift waiting. He went to the window overlooking the side of the building where the airlock was. He looked down.

It was dark, shadows from the complex's lights threw long and deep shadows over the gray environment.

He could make out nothing. It didn't help that part of the pylon itself obscured the area immediately in front of the airlock. He was about to return to the others when a movement caught his eye.

It wasn't near the airlock, or even on the ground. It was small, it moved slowly and then it was out of sight.

He stood looking into the dim outside for a few more seconds, then he turned and slowly walked to the lift. If someone was outside then they would be more able to see him than he would be to see them. And he had no wish for them to suspect that he had seen a Dominion shuttlecraft landing. It wasn't further than a kilometer, but he did know that such a vehicle would be capable of carrying up to thirty people.

He thought it safe to assume that the only ship capable of using shuttlecrafts in the area was the battleship. It would seem that the Dominion was sending troops from the battleship to ready for an assault on the station.

He tapped his combadge and opened the private channel he had with Mc Sorley.

'Mc Sorley here.'

'Prepare our people, the Dominion have landed troops outside and they are at the airlock where Gretchen is, I'd say an attack is imminent.'

There was a pause as she digested the news. 'What do we tell Devereaux and Nilis?'

'I'd guess at least one of them already knows, but I'll be telling him as soon as we finish that I've seen a Dominion shuttlecraft land near by, and that I believe they are preparing to come by way of the airlock. Probably have it coordinated with the troops still in the building to have a two-pronged assault. Anyway, ' he added, 'just make sure our people are ready.'

Mc Sorley looked at where 'our people' had gone. She'd have to wait until Ohlson told Devereaux before she could act on the information. 'Looks like you were correct, as soon as we split up they would attack.'

There was no reason for Ohlson to reply, being correct on this occasion gave him no pleasure.

Ohlson had finished reporting his sightings and beliefs to Devereaux.

'A Dominion shuttle?'

'Yes sir.'

'Okay Commander, keep your position and continue with the search, over.'

Colimo shook his head. They were still in the lift. The doors opened. They took up their positions outside level two. There was no ship docked here, Sia looked out into the gray and dusty moon, he could see nothing of note. On the opposite side of the room, Ohlson scanned for movement. There was none, or at least none that registered with him. He gave the signal to return to the lift, they still had the Shoeman to search.

'Mc Sorley to Tambecki.'

'Yes?'

'Move back to your original positions as soon as you can.'

Ben looked at the others. 'Why does she sound like there's more to tell?' Her and T'sella were out of the room and turning to face Mc Sorley's position. The container was heavy but manageable.

In the room, and alone, Kausler was having trouble connecting the bomb's arming mechanism to the airlock's. She was about to try it again, when she heard a noise.

She froze for a second, then the bomb was ignored and the rifle was in her arms. There was the sound again. It was coming from the airlock.

Kausler edged over to the solid door and waited. It was unmistakable.

The outside entrance to the airlock was being opened, slowly. Gretchen had heard the messages exchanged between Mc Sorley and Tambecki, she knew now what it was that the lieutenant-commander wanted to tell them.

She grabbed another of the explosive devices from her bag. She would only have a few moments before the airlock was opened and she would be facing heavily armed Dominion troops or the vacuum of space. She had no wish to face any of those just yet.

What she had in mind would only take a few seconds to do, she started tapping at the bomb's control panel.

They were around the airlock leading to the Shoeman.

Smith and Barret bypassed the lock and the airlock opened. The door to the Shoeman was closed.

Barret tapped the locking mechanism.

Ohlson was watching Colimo, the Bolian was at the large window overlooking the side of the building nearest the airlocks. He made no signal to say that he saw anything. Marcus heard Barret put in the 'open' command for the second time. He glanced to where the ensign was.

She looked puzzled.

'What is it?'

'It's jammed, it won't open.'

Ohlson was beside her. She tapped in the correct codes. Nothing happened.

Marcus took over. Instead of instructing the door to open, he initiated the ship's computer. He got a vocal response. 'You have no clearance for this system.' The voice was the computer's.

'I don't understand this...' Ensign Barret genuinely looked nonplused.

'I do,' Ohlson looked at the closed door. 'I don't know how, but Captain Lu and the unknown ensign would appear to have escaped their confines and are in control of the Shoeman.'

'Captain Lu?' Barret did still not fully comprehend. Then the penny dropped. 'Oh.' She took a step back and unshouldered her weapon. 'What will we do sir?'

Ohlson had been wondering the same thing. He was also wondering how they had escaped, there was no way they could have escaped unaided. Okay, so how to neutralize the threat from the Shoeman?

It was then that the Dominion started their attack.