Tom Riker oversaw the repairs of his small fleet of couriers and ex-Maquis raiders supported by his own Bonaventure-class SS Iron Boots. The diminutive starship class had been the first human vessel class to break the Warp 7 barrier. Essentially a smaller Mercury-class frigate, it was classified as an early model destroyer. The culmination of everything learned from the NX-class and the Romulan War. It would lead to the development of the NX-class Warp 7 refit, then the Mercury- and Asia-class starships which in turn would yield the infamous Constitution-class starships. Twelve of those had originally been built and all went on to legendary status. Two ships of the class resided at the Starfleet Starship Museum. The pre-refit NCC-1975 New Jersey and the post-refit NCC-1701 Enterprise-A. That Enterprise joining the NX-01 Enterprise.
Riker had avoided time on a penal colony and received his starship thanks to the intercession of Starfleet Intelligence Commander Brin Macen and Bajoran Militia Lieutenant Ro Laren. Riker understood Ro had agreed to surrender to Starfleet as part of the deal once the war ended. She'd be resigning her commission with the Bajoran Militia and face a Starfleet court-martial again.
Riker was grateful, of course, but he didn't understand why he rated the sacrifice. Especially given her turbulent relationship with his twin. She'd even pulled a phaser on Commander Will Riker during her formal defection to the Maquis. Riker knew Will wouldn't forget that. Neither would Jean-Luc Picard forget her personal betrayal of his ideals and faith in Starfleet.
Riker's company dealt with clientele of questionable legality as were their cargo and items to be delivered. Sometimes the courier jobs involved passengers and other items sealed in cargo containers. All of Riker's crews were ex-Maquis and awed by his theft of the USS Defiant and subsequent choice to endure Cardassian prison rather than let his crew die or be captured by Cardassians. Of course they faced Federation criminal charges instead. But that was an easy life compared to Lazon II or when he ended up at Kodosh II. That's where the hard luck cases and likely escapees ended up at.
Kodosh II is where he met his First Officer, Sito Jaxa. Riker had been badly beaten en route to the prison. Sito, confusing him for Will, took care of him and protected him from other prisoners while he was vulnerable. For the most part, Kodosh II served as the landing zone for Starfleet POWs, Maquis, ad ex-Bajoran Resistance fighters as well as hardened criminals and foreign agents. Which is how Riker befriended Sela's mentor and got a ride off world when she mounted a rescue
Sela wanted a price in the form of services rendered but the old man told her that the rescue was repayment for Riker saving his life from an angry Starfleet crowd. Riker and Sito protected him from that point on. Unfortunately, Sito had been on a separate work detail when Riker was extracted. He'd demanded that the privateer ship turn around and retrieve her. Its commander and Sela flatly refused. Her mentor promised to keep Riker apprised of Sito's status so that he could mount his own rescue attempt.
Which he managed to make over a year later when Ro and Macen masterminded a breakout attempt. Riker participated along with two Bajoran agents, Major Anara and an ex-convict named Neela. Neela turned out to be Kai Winn Adami's personal agent. Riker didn't know Neela's particulars but Macen and Ro held her in high regard and her Bajoran Militia partner-in-crime looked ready to phaser anyone who said a cross word against the pardoned murderer.
Macen had shared that Neela was an important Bajoran foreign affairs agent teamed with the Special Forces major. Shakaar had personally selected her for an anti-terrorist mission in the DMZ to end the threat of the True Way. Afterwards, Winn restored Neela to her position as her personal agent. A position that Neela had never acknowledged having during her trial and prison term. She still wouldn't admit anything. But Neela had met her gods while in prison and been found wanting.
The Prophets tapped her to be their Hand in the affairs of Bajor's security. They frequently sent her flashes of unique insight of the past, present, and/or future. Something Riker hadn't witnessed yet so he was still skeptical. It didn't help her standing in Riker's eyes that Sito was happily agnostic
She agreed with the Federation's position that the aliens within the Wormhole they'd constructed and maintained were potentially benign at best and clueless at worst despite their translinear nature. After all, they'd allowed Bajor to be occupied for over sixty years by the Cardassians. Something their Emissaries had prophesied about without anyone understanding the cryptic messages until after the surrender. But the religiously factionalized Bajorans united under the Occupation.
They'd united under the banner of their religion. Their tenacity and faith rewarded by the Cardassian withdrawal. The transformation in the culture was profound. A people renowned for culture and arts became expert terrorists. But the terrorism wore down the Cardassian resolve to remain in the face of continued aggression with the Federation. The Cardassian public tired of mounting losses on both fronts. But the territorial demands made by the Cardassians in the peace process with the Federation earned them a new band of resistance.
The Maquis united to attempt to replicate Bajor's success. During Cardassia's punishing war with the Klingons, the Maquis enjoyed relative success and peace. No one anticipated Dukat negotiating in secret with the Dominion or the Jem'Hadar's purge of the DMZ. Hundreds of Maquis were slaughtered and over a million colonists enslaved, put to work mining, growing crops, and manufacturing for their new "masters", and so the DMZ colonists cursed the Federation.
Their liberation didn't make for a happy reunion with the Federation. The DMZ colonies were simply ceded over as Cardassian territory as a gesture of goodwill by the Federation Council. The former colonists forcibly relocated this time. But that tragedy was yet to happen though Neela had warned Macen and Ro about it.
Ro had no standing with Starfleet but Macen had the ear of Vice Admiral Alynna Nechayev and Commander Elias Vaughn. Two of Starfleet's most influential officers. Sadly even their agitating for the cause would bear little fruit.
Riker was anxious about the repairs that were underway. Their estimated completion date might put him behind schedule to assist Ro and Macen. Recent clients had brought him disturbing news. Orion privateers had sensor logs proving the Odyssey and Asimov were behind a recent raid on a Cardassian munitions plant in the Dorvan Sector.
They were bartering the data wih the Vorta named Kilana who was tasked with security and production within the Dorvan Sector. They wanted access to Cardassian territory for their associated Orion Syndicate ships to be allowed in to serve as traveling "embassies" within which casino gaming, prostitution, and narcotics and liquor trafficking could take place. The Jem'Hadar and Vorta might not partake but the Cardassians were a proven market. A lost market since the outbreak of hostilities and the Orions out of the Founder's favor. Kilana was also Macen and Ro's supposed patron in hiring them to work for the Dominion. The revelation that the pair were double agents would warrant a death sentence despite their status as such was what made them appealing to Kilana's interests. But losing access to Dominion space would undermine their value to Starfleet and the Militia and possibly end the program they operated under.
Riker didn't care much about Starfleet's opinion but the Militia was sheltering the Maquis crews of the Odyssey and Asimov. If the Bajorans withdrew their amnesties, those crews faced potential prosecution. Despite their year of services to the Federation's cause in the war, Officially, Ro and Macen were renegades with renegade Angosian and Maquis crews. This played well to the Dominion audience.
The Cardassians still wanted Ro's hide tacked to a wall along with any Maquis crewmen she still had. Macen's cover as a freelance information broker went back to his Maquis days. But by the end, the Cardassians began to suspect he was Maquis or Starfleet. Never dreaming he was both. Macen had been a "guest" of Cardassian "hospitality" twice before, escaping both times. Once with Commander Elias Vaughn and the second thanks to Glinn Lyoti Mariska, a sympathetic Cardassian royalist. Mariska aided in the escape of the prophesied Chrysalis Child with Macen and Ro's assistance. An escape that ended them all up at DS9 and forced Macen to reveal his assignment with the Maquis and allegiance to Starfleet Intelligence to Captain Benjamin Sisko, Major Kira Nerys, and Constable Odo. He did so by invoking the Avalon Protocol which reeled in Vice Admiral Alynna Nechayev.
After the death of brought out of retirement Rear Admiral Elijah Waters, Nechayev was Macen's immediate superior officer. She ordered the release of Macen's Odyssey crew and Ro Laren and Aric Tulley. Sisko was infuriated to be left out of the details of Macen's assignment and the release of the Maquis and a notorious Starfleet deserter. Technically, the Odyssey crew weren't officially Maquis though in spirit and practice they were. They'd attached themselves as Ro's intelligence gathering unit.
Lt. Commander Lisea Danan, a Joined Trill, was Macen's XO and collaborator in the mad mission to try and install Ro as Maquis Commander in the wake of Cal Hudson's untimely death. An effort thwarted by the defection of Michael Eddington. Eddington became the Maquis' white knight while at DS9 and the takeover of the industrial replicator drones meant for Cardassia Prime and her colonies. His advocation of "total warfare" rang true with many Maquis cell leaders and members.
Ro being a rare abstainer. She believed in only striking legitimate military targets such as Cardassian military, constabulary, and paramilitary units and individuals as well as planetary officials who collaborated with Cardassian aims and policy makers. Not civilians, husbands, wives, and children. For Eddington, any Cardassian was a target regardless of role or place in society. Marking the distinction between a terrorist and a guerrilla fighter.
Though a voice of opposition, Ro's input on strategic and tactical matters still carried great weight, especially after the capture of the Architect. Sveta Korepanova and her strategic planning partners were arrested on DS9 by Kira and Odo in a sting operation that revealed the Militia's complicity with the Maquis and radical groups such as the Kohn Ma. The Militia hired the Architect to plan missions for the Kohn Ma and other outstanding Bajoran terror groups as well as in-house interstellar affairs missions for Major Anara and Neela. The latter always proving easier because of Neela's special relationship with the Prophets. Now all of the sacrifices made to maintain the cover were in jeopardy
But Riker had a personal stake in this. Macen had sought him out and befriended him before setting him up with his own starship and company assets and employees. They'd only met before during the planning sessions to steal the Defiant. Ro had avoided him. But Macen brought in the necessary intelligence to sell the idea to Ro and get the Ronaran cell to back him under Kalita's responsibility to the cell. Macen even assisted in the planning.
So when Riker was liberated and cut loose by Sela, Macen found him and didn't treat him like damaged goods. He'd helped turn Riker's life around and then sought out the location of Kolosh II, bringing Riker into the operation to make good on his promise to liberate Sito. Ro and Macen had backed Riker at his lowest ebb after being kicked loose by the Romulans. They'd earned his friendship and loyalty.
Sito arrived at his office to deliver a status report on the Iron Boots. The company owned a small dockyard that served as repair and replenishment as well corporate offices. Riker had taken on members of the old Architect team to handle logistics for the company as well scheduling and vetting of clients. Korepanova herself, along with Kristiana Liu of Elijah Waters' old concern, was established as the Architect running Ro and Macen's missions as well as Anara and Neela's. Liu had experience from assigning cargoes to Maquis cells to legitimize their having raiders near target areas and develop income streams for the different cells on different colony worlds.
"Repairs will be completed in two hours. Deuterium and antimatter refueling will be completed in six," the young Bajoran crisply reported.
"That's not soon enough. I can't reach them on subspace which means they're in Cardassian territory. Or at least outside the Federation comm network. I can't transmit a general warning without risking it being intercepted," Riker complained.
"So what's the play?" Sito inquired.
"Ro keeps an open Maquis channel. It's specially encrypted by a former member of Macen's crew. It's cipher is supposedly unbreakable," Riker told her, "Frankly, such a thing doesn't exist. But it's my best chance."
"Why 'former crew member'?" Sito wondered.
"T'Kir is locked away in a mental institute on Earth after trying to kill Macen. Damn near succeeded too," Riker explained, "And before you ask, she felt jilted. So she decided no one could have him."
"Ulp," Sito swallowed hard.
"The Maquis definitely weren't Starfleet," Riker chuckled, "But Ronara Prime produced the best cell anyone could ask for."
"All of Ro and Macen's volunteers are from that group?" Sito asked.
"They didn't trust anyone else's training and general competence from those still liberated," Riker told her.
"That include you?" Sito wondered
"I was still a prisoner when they formed their groups. And they've included us on their escapades since liberating you," Riker stated, "At least as much as they dare."
"Dare?" she felt insulted.
"And still give us plausible deniability," Riker told her, "In case the Dominion should find out about Ro and Macen."
"But you want to throw that away," Sito grinned.
"Of course," Riker grinned back.
"Good for us," Sito smirked
"Good guys never go out of fashion, just cowards," Riker opined.
"So let's do this," Sito agreed.
"I don't believe it," Elfi Hendryks said from the OPS station of the Newton-class SS Asimov.
"Believe what?" Ro Laren asked from the decommissioned Starfleet science vessel's CONN.
"Tom Riker is contacting us on one of our old Maquis distress channels," Hendryks explained.
"Damn. I gave him that cipher and encryption in case of an emergency," Ro grimaced, "On screen."
"Ro, thank god," Riker breathed a sigh of relief, "I have news."
He described the situation.
"Where's the meet?" Ro asked.
"Here, in the Kalendra Sector. The Breen are accepting the data and paying off the Orions," Riker told her.
"When?" Ro asked.
"Fourteen hours from now," Riker answered her.
"We can make it," Ro told him, "We were in Iotian Federation space buying ordnance, We're close enough now to intercept the Orions."
"And we can help," Riker informed her, "My entire compliment of ships is at your disposal, The Maquis never surrender one of their own."
"Except the Maquis were slaughtered in their own warrens," Ro sniped.
"So long as one of us yet lives, the Maquis live on," Riker said confidently.
"Maybe I should have stepped aside and let you lead," Ro seriously pondered that thought.+
"No one could have led better than you, Laren, Not even Macius or Hudson himself," Riker told her.
"Thanks for the late vote of confidence," Ro snarked.
"It's genuine," Riker promised, "Look at what you've accomplished during the war."
"He has a point," Rab Daggit, the Angosian lieutenant in charge of the platoon of commandos added. Though equal in rank, Daggit easily deferred to her. It seemed people always did. If they weren't trying to imprison her not to mention those actively trying to kill her. Ro was a forceful personality akin to a force of nature as was her closest friend, Macen. The very reason they'd never become intimate was because they both were larger than life. That didn't lend itself to emotional stability.
Lisea Danan had been Macen's lover for a time but T'Kir's unwanted presence distracted Macen. Danan finally figured out Macen loved T'Kir but wouldn't involve himself with her while she was so mentally unbalanced. Macen had enough issues of his own after serving for twenty years on the front lines of the Border Wars with the Cardassians.
Ro had many of the same issues. They were too alike to ever be lovers but they were uniquely qualified to be professional partners. While Ro commanded the Asimov, Macen commanded the decommissioned Starfleet Blackbird-class scoutship, the SS Odyssey. Cardassians feared the ship class. In appearance it resembled a hybrid of the Ambassador-class and the Excelsior-class but it was a small ship intended for a crew of 22. Currently, with the Angosians aboard it had a crew of 13. Ro merely had 11.
With her from the Maquis were the Bolian engineer, Emjin Thool and the human OPS wizard, Elfi Hendryks. Macen had four humans. They were the engineering duo of Tom Eckles and Heidi Darcy, the transgender weapons officer, Christine Lacey and the teenage pilot, Tracy Ebert. Each brought their own baggage and traumas into the mix. But Macen had made a crew of them including Danan and T'Kir.
Command Master Chief Varglas commanded the half platoon aboard the Odyssey just as Daggit was responsible for the entire unit and directly in command of those aboard the Asimov. The Angosians filling in as crewmen as best they could. They were commandos first and received remedial starship operations training prior to deploying on their assignment. An assignment a year in the planning before being executed in 2374 after the re-taking of DS9.
Ro had already worked out her amnesty deals for her cell in exchange for her participation and Ro's eventual surrender to Starfleet. Expecting to be returned to Jaros II for a decade or more, her reinstatement as a counter-terrorist expert surprised her more than anyone else.
But that was yet to come. First she had to survive the Dominion threat unscathed.
"What kind of Orion ship are we dealing with?" Ro inquired.
"A 23rd Century scoutship," Riker told her, "These Orions are down on their luck."
"We would have detected an old Orion scout. This smells more like a trap to get us to reveal ourselves," Ro opined.
"Can you take that risk?" Riker asked.
"No, and the Orions know it apparently," Ro complained. Though not built in the numbers the Oberth-class had enjoyed, a Newton-class had further sensor range and clarity. But they were seen as inferior by Starfleet Command because of the low hull orders and longer build times. So they were decommissioned while many Oberth-class starships stayed active.
More than likely this was a revenge ploy from some Orions who lost family in one of Macen and Ro's "investigations" into their own handiwork. That or competitors seeking to displace them as Kilana's premier mercenary intelligence team. The Orions were always sniffing around Cardassian space so there was no shortfall of scapegoats. Especially plunderers that tried to profit from the wreckage of whatever target remained behind. Ro looked to Hendryks way to confirm Macen was receiving the feed even if he was remaining silent. She received a curt nod in reply.
Macen's silence meant he was trusting her as the tactical commander to make a decision. He was the mission commander but largely deferred to her leadership role. Just like in the Maquis when he was an independent command but followed her lead and supplied her intelligence needs. Macen had been officially neutral but the Maquis knew he was on Ro's side. Something Eddington had a hard time coping with. But strategically the Ronaran cell was the most successful Maquis cell. Which was why Riker had approached them with his mad scheme. A scheme that proved successful to a degree.
"I put it to my crews and they're all in," Riker told her, "Not a single dissenter."
"God help them," Ro grumbled, "This could involve a Breen warship."
"Or just a privateer," Riker grinned, "Therefore the Confederacy can say they're still respecting neutrality."
"I honestly hadn't considered that point," Ro admitted.
"You just don't don't spend enough time in the Kalendra Sector," Riker chuckled.
Seeing Tom still pained Ro. She and Will had been intimate when their memories had been wiped clean. She still remembered the look on his face when she pulled a phaser on him. Memories she'd rather bury. Facing them hurt too much. Yet here was Tom, innocently making her relive those moments. This was why she'd avoided him when he and the others planned the Defiant mission. She'd undertaken a scouting mission that almost got her killed instead. But it had been better than facing Tom Riker and the twin she had memories of.
They'd been the same person until twelve years ago. Now, in 2375, there were major personality differences from their divergent histories. Ro kept tabs on Picard and the other Riker. Fortunately she'd been spared a reunion. Unlike with Worf. While Worf despised the illegality of the Maquis, he admired their fighting spirit. So she'd been able to patch things up with him.
Chief of Operations Miles Edward O'Brien had been a soft touch. Captain Benjamin Sisko, the Bajor Sector commander had been the hard line in the concrete. Colonel Kira Nerys, his Bajoran first officer, understood all too well. She'd even privately congratulated Ro on her successes. Constable Odo blew the way Kira went because of his associations with Cardassians on Bajor and Terok Nor. Odo regretted that Ro had broken Federation law but she had a Bajoran amnesty for now. He'd let her be. Besides, he respected her current endeavors.
Sisko took issue with Riker and Macen as well. Riker for stealing his ship and nearly starting a war between the Federation and the Cardassian Union. Macen because, under secret orders or not, Macen had assisted the Maquis for three years. Despite Macen and Ro siding against Eddington, they were still traitors in his estimation. But war caused one to work with former traitors on occasion, as Nechayev had so firmly imprinted in Sisko's mind with Vice Admiral Bill Ross' help
Ro respected Macen's confidence in her but at times like these it was aggravating. She looked to Hendryks again, who nodded Macen's assent.
"We'll spring the trap," Ro finally declared.
"They won't know what hit them," Riker pledged. He'd said the same thing about the Defiant mission as well
"Commander Macen says we can lay it off as curiosity as to why the Orions are trying to frame us if the Dominion sends an official presence," Hendryks informed the two leaders.
"Thank him for his eventual input," Ro's tone was full of pique.
"He says 'you're welcome' among other things,' Hendryks was enjoying herself immensely.
"Bastard," Ro said for everyone listening in. Macen and the bridge crew chuckled aboard the Odyssey. He'd had the conversation played throughout the ship to prep the crew and Angosian platoon for what was coming next.
At the Lagrange point between the tidally locked Kalendra II and Kalendra III, Riker's maintenance port and home office lay. Riker would sell out to Tom Eckles, Heidi Darcy, and Chris Lacey after the war ended and Macen began Outbound Ventures, a private security contracting corporation using his proceeds from his time undercover with the Maquis and the Dominion. Riker went to work for Macen,
Becoming captain of the SS Eclipse before moving onward and upward to the Solstice and then then the Obsidian before assuming command of the newly constructed space station he christened Serenity. So Riker's survival was guaranteed as was Ro's and Macen's. Members of their crew weren't so lucky.
But that survival only went so far before they were killed in action and replaced by doppelgangers from alternate universes by the Prophets themselves using the power of the Nexus Ribbon. Their role to defend Bajor from threats not yet transpired. Revolving around a new branch of Starfleet: the Special Investigations Division. One of those returned was also present that day as Major Anara of the Bajoran Militia Special Forces brought her lifelong friend, Neela, along to the gathering of forces.
Ro was displeased, "You could reveal to the Dominion that Bajor is involved in clandestine warfare against them."
"That razorcat is out of the pen," Anara warned her, "A Special Forces group was identified by Kilana's Jem'Hadar attempting to free Maquis slaves in the former DMZ."
"Bajor is officially in the war now taking up station defense postures around DS9," the Major finished explaining. Both engineers had served as Chief O'Brien's deputies. Anara quickly requested a transfer back to Bajor. Neela was convicted of murder. Only to have her sentence commuted by First Minister Shakaar Edon at the behest of Kai Winn Adami. Before this mission though, Neela had revealed to the Kai how she'd spared all of those Bajorans Winn sent her to kill on trumped up charges and personal animosities. The spiritual leader of Bajor swore vengeance and retribution as Neela set out to meet Anara at the Ark of the Prophets. A Karemma designed and license built troop transport.
She resembled a simple freighter yet boasted military grade weapons and a rarity for Bajoran military vessels: a warp drive. She could be flown by a single pilot but Anara was glad to have Neela aboard. Anara was a good maintenance engineer but Neela was brilliant with machinery and she was touched by the Prophets themselves.
"We need every edge we can get and Neela's unique relationship with Bajor's gods makes her uniquely qualified for this mission," Riker argued,
"I am where the Prophets want me," Neela promised.
"I'm happy that you're happy," Ro said sternly, "That still doesn't make it a good idea."
"It's where I'm meant to be," Neela ground the words out.
"Why?" Ro asked.
"I don't know," Neela answered but Ro could tell she was lying. But it was obvious she wouldn't get an honest answer.
"Fine, You two can come," Ro conceded. It was a rare concession so the Bajorans shut up and took it.
"I've narrowed down our suspect list," Macen reported after consulting with criminals and Starfleet Intelligence, "One scouting crew stands the most to gain by revealing our true loyalties."
"Do they have actual proof?" Ro asked.
"They claim to but my Orion Syndicate contacts say its pure conjecture. But strong enough a case to make Kilana question certain calls we made regarding the culpability of the Orions in our handiwork," Macen told them all.
"So a bluff but a damn good one," Riker stated.
"'Circumstantial but persuasive' was a direct quote," Macen warned them.
"Great, Kodosh II already put doubts in the Vorta's feverish brain," Ro bitched, "Not that it wasn't worth it but they sent bounty-killers after us without knowing it was us. Who knows how much the killers figured out and reported before we killed them all?"
"Assisting Starfleet at Nimbus III didn't help our case," Riker reminded her.
"Then there's that," Ro sighed.
"Maintaining cover as an undercover agent is hard when you have a conscience," Macen reminded her.
"It keeps getting me in trouble," Ro lamented.
"Starfleet is making a major push for Cardassia Prime from DS9 in few hours when the meet is happening," Macen revealed, "I doubt an official Breen warship will be involved but a privateer warship is a difficult enough target."
"As Nimbus III proved," Riker agreed.
"So we send the Iron Boots in first to assess the situation?" Macen asked
"Yes," Ro replied.
Riker was intrigued, "Really?"
"With the Ark of the Prophets entering from a different direction," Ro added.
"Won't that send the Breen into a paranoid frenzy?" Riker wondered.
"I'm hoping it will," Ro confessed, "Especially with the rest of us arriving on their heels from every vector we can come from. Then we'll see how they play it out."
"Without us getting blown up or captured," Sito advised.
"All part of the plan," Ro tapped her temple with her forefinger.
"Really?" Riker was impressed.
"No. I'm making this up as I go. But I have a good track record," Ro confessed.
"Ask the Maquis survivors if they'll follow a Ro Laren plan and see what they say," Macen suggested
"I did. They all volunteered without a question being raised," Riker grinned.
"Especially knowing you three would work on it together," Neela guessed.
"I'll proudly agree," Riker chuckled.
"May I make a few suggestions regarding our role?" Anara inquired.
"That's why you're here," Ro hated waiting on formality. Anara made her recommendations.
"Those are damn fine points," Ro conceded again.
"I'm happy you approve," Anara confessed.
"So let's get the gangs together and plan this through," Ro had learned the value of counsel during planning. It was times like these she sorely missed Aric Tulley and regretted handing him over to Starfleet. But he'd gone rogue with genocidal ambitions. Her greatest regret from these days was the number of her former cell members that volunteered to follow Tulley and Eddington's biogenic weapons plans.
Tulley took a third of the cell with him. They were the newer members, untested under Ro's leadership and filled with hate. Though the veterans stayed, having her lieutenant lead of the latest recruits and newer cell members hurt Ro personally. To stop them from participating in Eddington's scheme, Ro gave them up to Starfleet. Technically Macen made the arrangements but with Ro's consent. She secretly wondered if Tulley would ever forgive her or if she would forgive herself. She'd collaborated with a near-enemy.
The Cardassians were out to exterminate the Maquis. The Federation just wanted to incarcerate them and rehabilitate them into mindless drones that bought the official line. Ro, the perennial outsider, had seen through the lies of propaganda. But she'd also seen the Federation and Starfleet at its best. Such as the DS9 mission. And at its worst consigning the Valo system to the DMZ without first consulting Bajor's Provisional Government. The Federation and Cardassia considered Valo to be neutral space.
Bajor considered it Bajoran colonial territory. Bajor's colonies of Prophet's Landing, Golana, Free Haven, Dreon VIII, Bajor VIII, and the Valo colonies had been largely spared Cardassian attention during the Occupation that consumed Bajor. Though Cardassians charted the Free Haven, Golana, and Dreon VII systems for future mining exploitation. But it would require investment on the scale of Terok Nor and Cardassia was hardly willing to go there with Bajor itself so unsettled. The colonies didn't have the necessary populations to enslave to construct such stations or ground based refineries and work the mines to meet maximum quotas anyway. So the colonies were spared.
Prophet's Landing and the Valo colonies were subsistence only farming collectives. Hardly worth bothering with. Making them valuable Maquis gathering points for conferencing and planning sessions after the liberation arrived. The Federation felt the same way about the colonies to a lesser degree. Bajor's Militia helped covertly disguise the Maquis conferencing. Elements of the Bajoran Republic's Ministry were still supportive of the Maquis and Kohn Ma and other outstanding terror groups. The Militia even concealing and contracting a Maquis strategist group based in DS9.
The Architect Program planned Maquis and Militia strategic missions. The Militia missions were foreign affairs interventions. Anara and Neela were frequent players in these adventures. The Architect leader had been returned to DS9 from New Zealand to resume her activities. Joining her was Kristiana Liu, the Maquis' logistics contracting officer from the DMZ freight and courier contracting company founded by Rear Admiral J.G. Elijah Waters as Macen's handler/cutout.
Macen's freelance jobs came from Waters as did his Maquis assignments coordinating with the Architect, Svetlana Korepanova. Sveta Korepanova having recruited Chakotay into the Maquis amongst other Starfleet officers. Chakotay and his crew "lost" to the Badlands. Along with Gul Evek and his Galor-class cruiser. Followed subsequently by the Intrepid-class USS Voyager. Starfleet took little note of Chakotay's crew's demise, some note of Evek's passing, but scrambled a squadron of ships to scan for signs of Voyager within the Badlands.
Gal Maret took command of the Dorvan Sector and the DMZ. Effective immediately. He was still in unofficial command thanks to high priced favors after a catastrophic defeat at Ro and Macen's hands. Publicly he was reviled but unofficially rewarded. Such was life at the Central Command.
The Iron Boots arrived at the rendezvous coordinates after the Orions and before the Breen. If a Breen presence would even arrive. Everyone forced to assume one would.
"They're hailing and sound pissed," Mathis, the comm tech reported.
"Wouldn't you be?" Sito chortled.
"They're warning us off," Mathis reported now.
"On screen," Riker ordered. The most porcine Orion any of the crew had ever seen appeared. Of course he easily weighed in at 500 kilos.
"It's impolite to stare, Captain…?" the jowly Orion said menacingly.
"Captain Thomas Riker of the SS Iron Boots," Riker said proudly.
"And I thought my ship was old," the Orion sneered.
"We could exchange insults all day or try to make a chance encounter profitable," Riker suggested.
"Why did you stop in this system?" the Orion asked, voice laced with suspicion.
"You were just sitting here as I was passing through on my way to Kalendra and I wanted to know if you needed repairs. Repairs I could bill you for," Riker followed the official story.
"My ship isn't that decrepit yet," the Orion began to relax slightly.
"So what about other trade?" Riker inquired.
"My holds are empty," the Orion lied, "Officially that is."
"I'm no Starfleet, Run my name through their register and you'll find I'm a Maquis deserter," Riker offered.
The rotund Orion nodded to his left and someone began to carry out the unspoken order. After a brief pause, a muscular Orion female whispered into the captain's ear and he gave Riker a toothless smile, "So you are. I would love to trade with you but as your sensors can verify, my holds are empty."
"Good. Fire!" Riker ordered. Manually targeted photon torpedoes armed as they ejected and detonated on the scout's unshielded bridge module. A Breen privateer warped into the system as the Orion ship exploded in spectacular fashion.
"Oh, boy," Riker grimaced.
"They're hailing and ordering us to surrender," Mathis told Riker.
"Which means they either enslave us or kill us outright, Sito recalled stories.
"I'm betting on capture since the haven't blown us away," Riker said grimly.
"They're powering weapons and shields," Sito told him.
"Did you send the emergency comm pulse?" Riker asked of Mathis.
"You bet your ass," came the reply.
"Multiple vessels warping into the system. All friendlies," Sito said with a smile.
"Thank God," Riker breathed a sigh of relief. The Asimov, Odyssey, Ark of the Prophets, along with Riker's support crews, all arrived. They set up a jamming field to block the Breen from transmitting an SOS. The Breen lashed out at the least capable ships first with disruptor fire and photon torpedoes. One by one a Ju'day-, Ma'jel-, and two Peregrine-class raiders were disabled.
"Put us between the Breen and our crippled ships," Riker ordered. A Peregrine- exploded.
"Hurry!" Riker demanded.
Next the Breen focused on the Ark. Every system on the Bajoran transport died all at once.
"What the frinx?" Anara asked.
"Sabotage," Neela managed to say before the bridge compartment took a hit. Anara watched in horror as Neela was sucked out into the void. A transporter grabbed her and pulled her aboard the Asimov.
"Where's Neela?" a grief stricken Anara asked.
"I couldn't locate her life signs," the Angosian commando at the controls told her.
"She had to be out there!" Anara insisted.
"I'm sorry. I detected a neutrino surge and then she vanished," the soldier informed her.
"Neutrino? Like a wormhole?" Anara asked.
"Too small and focused to be a wormhole," the Angosian guessed. Still it gave Anara hope that Neela really had joined the Prophets in the Celestial Temple. A hope she'd never really had before.
Blinking through her tears, she asked, "How can I help?"
"Thool could really use help in Engineering, If you're able to," the crewman stated, "We're mostly foot soldiers."
"So were most of our Resistance cell," Anara offered him a tear streaked wan smile, "Point the way."
After getting directions to he nearest turbolift and a deck destination, Anara headed out. Emjin Thool was a talented ex-Starfleet enlisted maintenance engineer but hardly a creative mind. Neela had been an engineering genius but Anara couldn't go there yet. The past and present tenses were still too close together. Anara couldn't shake the impression Neela truly was with the Prophets.
Hard for a pragmatist like Anara to admit. She was one of the few Bajorans on Bajor that viewed the Prophets simply as wormhole aliens. An unpopular position to be sure but now she was convinced a wormhole had swallowed her dearest friend. After all, Neela was clearly touched by the Prophets and their faithful servant. What better fate could she have, Anara was forced to ask herself.
"Shields back up," Rab Daggit reported in to Ro.
"Damage?" Ro asked Hendryks.
"Hull breaches on Decks 3 and 4," Hendryks replied, "Emergency force fields in place."
"Seal pressure doors. Clear the space and lock it down," Ro ordered, "The Odyssey and Iron Boots sheltered us but hey need our help now."
"They're both taking a pounding," Hendryks admitted.
"Then let's rejoin this fight and take some of the pressure off," Ro insisted.
"Transporter room reports beaming Major Anara aboard. There was no trace of Neela," Hendryks said softly, "She reported in to Engineering and took over Thool's team."
"Neela's dead?" Ro was stunned.
"More like disintegrated. There wasn't even a trace of a body," Hendryks reported to her.
"Any explanation for their sudden power loss?" Ro inquired.
"Our sensors recorded an internal explosion in the primary EPS conduits. It looks like sabotage," Hendryks reviewed her sensor logs.
"No one tell Anara. I'll fill in that detail when this is over and we've towed the Ark back to port," Ro instructed.
"Odds are she knows already," Hendryks pointed out, "She and Neela knew every inch of that ship."
"But the Militia had just serviced it and they're not in the habit of killing fellow Bajorans," Ro argued.
"Unless they have clear orders from a highest authority," Daggit was already targeting the Breen while Ro flew the ship.
"It's not Shakaar's style anymore," Ro defended the First Minister.
"But Neela confessed to Kai Winn that she'd circumvented her revenge plans for the past three years," Hendryks reminded Ro.
"Now that I can see," Ro admitted.
"You don't have to be so frinxing close to the Breen," Lacey complained.
"It fouls their targeting sensors," Ebert replied.
"It fouls mine too!" Lacey snapped.
"You're doing fine manually," Macen told her.
"Don't encourage the little maniac," Lacey grumbled.
"Riker brought the Iron Boots into close range as well and Sito seems to be dong fine with it," Ebert challenged Lacey.
"Bring it," Lacey growled. Now her personal pride was involved.
"Elfi reports Anara was recovered but there's no trace of Neela," Macen sadly informed them.
"Maybe the Breen recovered her through one of the holes on their shields," Ebert hoped beyond hope.
"There are only Breen life signs aboard their ship," Lacey duly informed her.
"But Neela was touched by her gods. She can't be dead!" Ebert shouted in rage. Ebert who'd lost her family to the Cardassians didn't take loss well. Lisea Danan and T'Kir's absences had nearly traumatized her for a few weeks. Especially learning T'Kir had been committed to a psychiatric facility.
Danan had returned to Starfleet but was using her specialty as a stellar cartographer to spy on on enemy movements using Starfleet's long range observatories. She'd even been promoted to commander to oversee the multi-site operation. Nechayev knowing that Macen had been a true believer of the Maquis cause despite his Starfleet affiliation didn't promote him as well. Instead she gave him the most dangerous mission she could imagine. Pardons for his crew were part of the package. The charges compiled against Darcy, Eckles, Ebert, Lacey, and T'Kir would vanish when the mission concluded. Thool and Hendryks had the same pardon agreement thanks to Ro's offer to surrender when the war ended or the assignment ended.
General Krim offered to keep Ro's commission active for when Starfleet released her from the stockade. By placing her in the inactive reserves she'd still be eligible for promotions based on her record as a Militia officer. The Joint Chiefs and Special Forces Command senior officers would have access to her sealed records and blanket promote her during her time imprisoned by Starfleet. Ro wasn't given a choice in the matter. Someday she'd find herself grateful for Krim's machinations.
Ebert barrel rolled the Odyssey away from oncoming Asimov as she continued her wild maneuvering around the Breen privateer. The Iron Boots was similarly evaded to avoid collisions. Neither vessel daring to take the chances the Odyssey was pitted into. Then again, neither was she as damaged as either of those two starships. Something Ebert would proudly take credit for. Only Lacey's intimate experience with Ebert's flair for flying erratically could keep up and accurately target the heavily armed Breen scout/raider.
Riker had taken over at the helm after the helmswoman was injured by a falling and overloaded EPS line. Sito continued to fire at the Breen from the Navigation and Weapons station. Visual was out and they were flying and targeting by sensors only. The Tactical display had also been disabled by the loss of the EPS line.
"Give me good news," Riker breathed again after holding his breath as the Odyssey narrowly avoided colliding with the Iron Boots, "Damn, that's a nimble ship."
"Ebert's good. She could've joined Nova Squad," Sito opined.
Riker knew Sito was an accomplished pilot who'd been banned from flying spacecraft by Starfleet Command after Nova Squad doctored a report concerning the death of a member during a training exercise. Sito had to redo her third year in the Academy with a newly established focus on Security/Tactical. She graduated with top marks and was assigned to the Enterprise. From there she was drafted into a secret infiltration mission into Cardassian space only to be captured and presumed dead. The Enterprise under strict orders not enter Cardassian space ot conduct a search for her, Sito was abandoned to her fate by Starfleet. But not by Tom Riker.
Top marks students with specific aptitudes were assigned to specialized squads in Starfleet Academy. Nova Squad had been comprised of piloting specialists. Wesley Crusher had been the very first first-year cadet to join Nova Squad in its history at the Academy. Sito had earned her membership in her second year, typical amongst cadet assignees. Nick Lucarno had been the squad leader by virtue of his fourth-year status. Seeing how the pressure to perform for the Academy reviews and peer reviews caused Lucarno to propose that Red Squad perform a banned maneuver during its demonstration during an Academy celebration, Starfleet's Academy Commandant disbanded Nova Squad and deactivated it from the eligibility rolls. Red Squad would take its place and broaden its range to being composed of the elite ranks of cadets eligible for special training and exercises.
Added to the allure was that Red Squad was known to exist amongst cadets but its rolls were secret. Admiral Leyton used Red Squad as an unofficial army during the build-up towards his expected coup attempt. Instead, Red Squad was reassigned with new officer overseers and given the Defiant-class USS Valiant for a training cruise that placed them behind enemy lines after the Dominion invaded the Federation. All five supervising Starfleet officers were killed in skirmishes with Dominion forces, leaving the cadets in command of a Starfleet capital ship.
The first Starfleet vessel type strictly built for combat. Its new CO, Sam Waters, grew so infatuated with their continued successes at defeating Jem'Hadar and Cardassian warships, that he led them on a final, suicidal run at a Dominion battleship. The sole surviving cadet, Dorian Collins, returned to Starfleet Academy to face review of Red Squad's actions during the year behind enemy lines. Ensign Nog's testimony bearing particular weight as being the only actual officer among the cadets during Waters' abortive attempt to destroy the battleship assigned to the sector rather than set course for re-established borders and return to Earth as their last supervisor had instructed them to do before his death. The Red Squad program was also dismantled afterwards following the review.
Sito was still proud of having earned membership in Nova Squad and ashamed that her actions had contributed to its demise. But it still set a benchmark in her mind of how capable pilots should be able to perform. Riker was one of the best pilots Sito had ever worked with but she knew she was better. But he was better at using the Iron Boots' antiquated helm controls. Given a LCARS interface, she could fly circles around him. But most Maquis and Riker were better acquainted with the manual controls found aboard the Bonaventure-class and her cousin starships from that era and civilian craft up until thirty years ago. Similar control interfaces were to be fund aboard the now destroyed Ju'day- and Ma'jel-class courier/raiders that Riker had lost today. Both LCARS system controlled Peregrine-class courier/raiders had also been lost.
One Peregrine-class courier had been a total loss of both personnel and craft. Both pilot and weapons/OPS officer had been killed. Scores of other crewmen aboard her sister ship and cousins had been injured as a result of the conflict with the Breen. They'd been recovered by the Asimov but seven of the injured had died afterwards due to a lack of medical professionals aboard the embattled science vessel. The battle waged as Ro and Macen couldn't be identified by the Dominion as being here to destroy purported witnesses of their "crimes" against the Dominion. It would only serve to confirm the Orions' claims were true. Which they unmistakeably were. But Kilana couldn't be allowed to confirm her growing suspicions.
"Report!" Riker requested as the ship shook violently from the latest torpedo strike.
"Shields down to thirty-six percent," Sito called out.
"Structural damage and hull breaches on multiple decks," Mathis was receiving the internal damage reports, "Twenty casualties and four fatalities so far."
"Main energizer is fluctuating," Scoles from the Engineering station called out, "Chief Bucceli is bypassing it now."
"So we can't go to warp?" Riker asked.
"Not at present," Scoles confirmed it.
"Warp is overrated," Sito grinned.
"Whoa!" Riker yelped as the Odyssey intercepted two torpedoes meant for the Iron Boots, "They took the shot intended for us."
"They're out of torpedoes. That was their last hurrah!" Sito grew excited, "Their shields are also offline."
"Fire for effect," Riker ordered.
The Iron Boots, Asimov and Odyssey each fired two torpedoes from their forward tubes. As the Breen privateer was exploding, the Odyssey swept by and launched another aft torpedo to insure the job was done.
Mathis grew excited, "I'm receiving a repeated message across subspace bands. The signal is being rebroadcast across every sector within range of a Federation comm buoy. The war's over! Starfleet and the allies were joined by the Cardassians and they took Cardassia Prime. The Dominion surrendered. It's over! It's finally over!"
"Hail Captain Ro. Ascertain the condition of our crews," Riker instructed.
The casualty and fatality report was delivered over audio by Ro herself, "I'm sorry. The Angosians know combat medicine but your people were too badly off for them to make a difference."
"I understand," a subdued Riker replied, "What's the status of Major Anara and Neela?"
"Anara is aboard and running Engineering. She and Thool are overseeing the repair efforts. We need some patching up to get back to Deep Space Nine," Ro stated, "Neela was lost and presumed dead."
"No chance of survival?" Sito asked.
"Vacuum is hard to survive without an EVA suit," Ro told her, "We barely locked onto Anara in time."
"What's Macen's status?" Riker inquired.
"They took some damage and Eckles and Darcy recruited Ebert and Lacey to assist in repairs. Macen is in conference with Vice Admiral Nechayev," Ro's distaste for Nechayev was clear in her transmission. After all, it had been Nechayev's decision to send Ro undercover and infiltrate the Maquis with the purpose of rounding them up and detaining them all. Captain Jean-Luc Picard had been all in on that plan. He'd even threatened Ro with court-martial and likely imprisonment if she didn't follow through with the baiting the trap when her conscience caused her to waver.
Ro baited the trap but also made her choice and revealed it before it could be sprung. Joining the Maquis for real in that fateful moment. She even inherited he leadership of the Ronara Prime cell after Santos' death. Ro was installed as cell commander with Kalita's unwavering support. Ro regretted sending Kalita in with the volunteers that accompanied Tom Riker to DS9 to steal the Defiant. Ro missed her friend's sage wisdom and unwavering support after Kalita's capture by Starfleet.
"I take it the news is grim," Riker caught Ro's mood.
"An emergency call from Nechayev at the moment the war ends can't be good for any of us," Ro shared her opinion, "Fortunately, you're just volunteers so you and your people will be safe from whatever orders Nechayev is doling out right now."
"We'll need an escort back to our drydock. You're welcome to stay on with us if you don't want to return to DS9 to surrender yourself," Riker offered.
"Thanks. But I struck a bargain with the devil and now I have to pay for it," Ro reminded him.
"At least Hendryks and Thool will be able to go wherever they like after you do," Riker offered scant comfort.
"That was the point of the bargain," Ro did take comfort in it after all.
"Captain, we're getting a message from Macen. We're to make way as soon as we complete makeshift repairs to restore warp drive. The Odyssey and Asimov will escort us to the repair station. He says he's transferred enough latinum into the corporate account to cover our expenses and provide medical treatment for the wounded on Kalendra II," Mathis interrupted, "He's including bonuses for everyone involved."
"Thank him and ask why he's being to formal," Riker didn't like the subdued implications.
"He wants you to come aboard the Odyssey while we all conduct repairs. He said he has a lot to discuss with you personally," Mathis told him.
"Tell him to stand by the transporter and I'll come aboard straightaway," Riker agreed.
"Leaving me behind to supervise repairs again? How typical," Sito snarked.
"You shouldn't have proven to be so capable at it," Riker teased back.
"Life's hard when you incredible," Sito grumped.
"That's the spirit," Riker rose from his station, "I'll swing by Sickbay on my way to the transporter room."
"I'm sure the wounded will appreciate it," Sito voiced encouragement over that idea.
"To bad it's too late for some," Riker said mournfully, "We just need to be able to get underway. I'm not expecting miracles by the time I get back."
"Good. Because they're in short supply," Sito turned serious, "This ship is good enough to ward off the usual brand of raiders and makeshift Q-ships but we can't continue to go up against near-warship class vessels and expect to win."
"I hear and understand," Riker told her, "I also agree with you. But the war is over. We did our part. Now we can run a normal business."
"Is anything 'normal' in our quasi-legal business?" Sito asked.
"It has to be," Riker replied grimly, "Take it away and what do we have left?"
"Point taken," Sito understood all too well as Riker departed the bridge.
Riker re-materialized atop a transporter pad inside the Odyssey's transporter room. Macen himself was at the controls, "A transfer from the ship's captain himself?"
"The news we have to discuss isn't good," Macen warned him.
"I could tell by your expression. Is Ro aboard?" Riker asked.
"She's already in the ship's briefing room off of the bridge," Macen confirmed it.
"Lead on to our mutual doom," Riker grimaced.
"All too true," Macen sourly agreed.
The briefing room was accessed through the bridge and made up the rear of the module. The bridge itself was a forerunner in layout to the Galaxy-class' Battle Bridge. When they entered, they found Ro already nursing a hot cup of coffee.
"I started without you," she said evenly.
"Name your poison," Macen went to the protein synthesizer food slot.
"Bourbon, straight up," Riker requested.
Macen delivered the requested drink in a full tumbler, "I thought quantity might help ease the pain."
"That bad, huh?" Riker couldn't help but ask as Macen sat down with latte in hand.
"Starfleet is going to look the other way when it comes to your liberation but they want Sito back in uniform. If she doesn't report in, she'll be classified as a deserter," Macen warned Riker.
"And if she transmits her resignation?" Riker asked.
"They want this by the book. First, a medical evaluation followed by a psych eval. She can formally resign after a debriefing is conducted. I was able to skip these steps for you but they negotiated Jaxa's disposition," Macen told him, "All she hss to do is follow these protocols and she can do whatever she wants...including resign from Starfleet and return to Kalendra and your company."
"Not much of a company left," Riker snorted, "We'll be lucky to make it to drydock."
"I've invested more capital in your endeavor. You can afford to purchase new ships. You can even arm them. But you'll have to run things past your crews. Some of them will want to stand down after decades of fighting the Cardassians and now the Dominion. The Maquis rebellion is over. They'll face forced relocation if they return to their home colonies and they face intermittent strife under your corporate banner. Some of them will be tired of even the prospect of conflict and wish to resign and make a new life out there somewhere. Inside the Federation or not. Bajor is accepting colonists under their amnesty program. They won't face any Federation charges if they relocate to a Bajoran colony. I'm sorry I couldn't manage to get your crews pardons as well but that's the Federation Council's official policy line now," Macen advised him.
"They'll never let it go will they?" Riker was embittered, "The overseers of 'paradise' are unwilling to look past their own prejudices to see the harsh realities on the Federations border with Cardassia."
"Those unwilling to relocate face arrest and prosecution. This is a blanket policy for every DMZ colonist left alive," Macen said direly, "Bajor's offer will look very good to most of them."
"I'll inform everyone," Riker was hardly pacified.
"At least you're not facing court-martial and the stockade," Ro said bitterly, "But that was the price of getting my cell members released from penal colonies."
"Waitaminute! I thought the pardons only applied to Hendryks and Thool," Riker confessed.
"Their participation earned them their own pardons. My surrender gets every imprisoned Maquis that ever served in my cell liberated and pardons for those the Cardassians will release as part of the peace treaty," Ro informed him, "But they'll still face forced relocation since the Federation Council is abandoning the DMZ as a policy and granting full territorial control over to the Cardassians. Who want them gone."
"Nechayev warned me of the policy shift decision that was made even before the war was over," Macen said grimly. Things had not settled well enough for him. His twenty years on the front lines of the Border Wars as an analyst and covert operations agent shifted his loyalties towards the colonists rather Federation policies as they developed. Nechayev's stroke of genius, or her greatest regret, was placing Macen in the DMZ to work with the Maquis and guide them towards protecting mutual security goals shared by both the Maquis and the Federation.
"What about you?" Riker inquired of Macen, "What's your destiny?"
"I've been reassigned," Macen told him, "They're not putting me back on the Cardassia Desk at Starfleet Intelligence. Apparently my reports are tainted by personal bias. So they're assigning me a one-man scout and sending me off to the Tzenkethi border to assess security concerns there."
Ro snorted, "What do you know about the Tzenkethi?"
"Only what the average Starfleet officer knows," Macen told her, "Apparently the Coalition has been waving the flag along the border. So Starfleet wants a quick assessment to determine where and how we're vulnerable. My job is to assess Starfleet's ability to adequately respond, not the Tzenkethi forces themselves."
"That should be simple after doing that for three years with the Maquis," Ro opined.
"Nechayev mentioned that I was 'uniquely qualified' for the job," Macen managed a wan smile.
"And afterwards?" Riker asked.
"I don't think Starfleet rightly knows," Macen answered.
"Who would?" Ro wanted to know.
"I think that's a very crucial question," Macen admitted.
"For all of us," Riker confessed.
"My future pretty well locked in," Ro toasted them, unaware of just how wrong she was.
Macen's answer would come in the form of the Special Investigations Division and his creating security contracting corporation to service it. Riker would join up and become a powerful voice within its confines. Ro would go on to serve Starfleet for many years as a counter-terrorist expert for Starfleet Intelligence. Meanwhile she advanced in rank and position while doing so. Eventually Commander Ro Laren of Starfleet Intelligence would give her life for the future of the entire Federation. A future she saw threatened and rested her hopes once more with Jean-Luc Picard and her former crewmates from the Enterprise.
Hendryks and Thool would part company. Hendryks would relocate to Izar where a chance meeting would alert to her to the fact Aric Tulley was living in seclusion on that Federation member world. Thool visited his ancestral home of Bolia before accepting a place on the Bajoran colony of Dreon VII where he reunited with many Maquis colonists. Most of the Maquis settlers ended up on a Bajoran colony world where they enclaves that co-existed alongside native Bajoran colonists and made firm and fast friends of them.
Eckles and Darcy would buy Riker's station and converted it into a starship modification facility where they installed new, upgraded drive systems and weapons packages. Lacey stayed on with them, supervising and advising on the weapons and shielding upgrades. Ebert, shaken by the breakup of the crew, went her own way and became a freelance smuggler with a Peregrine-class courier as her personal vessel.
Macen would be reunited with Danan, T'Kir, Riker, Daggit, and Sito within a few months time. Over the course of the following decade, Macen managed to hire on and recruit most of the surviving Ronara Prime cell members under his Outbound Ventures Incorporated banner. Ebert would personally be invited to join him in his SID team after Riker, Daggit, Danan, T'Kir, and others had already joined it. From there, their adventures together continued to span worlds and universes.
