Chapter 508

ADMIRAL NOGURA'S OFFICE

STARFLEET COMMAND

EARTH

The door chimed and Nogura said, "Come in."

Lt. Cdr Ressler walked in, Nogura welcomed him, "Mr. Ressler, how goes your project?"

"Some developments." Nogura motioned Ressler to the couch.

The two sat down. Nogura offered, "Tea?"

Ressler nodded, "Please. This may call for some of your cucumber sandwiches."

Nogura tapped a button on the table. A voice came through quickly, "Yes Admiral?"

"Ensign, would you please get me some cucumber sandwiches?"

"Right away Admiral."

Nogura said, "There, on the way. What do you have to report?"

"Rat, I mean Mr. Finch, has managed to catch the intruder while he was copying some files and altering others. Mr. Finch believes that the intruder is somewhere in the Northern Hemisphere of Earth."

Nogura looked surprised. The ensign came in with the sandwiches and left. "How certain is Rat on the location?"

Ressler chuckled at the Admiral's use of the hacker's nickname. "Very certain. He even thinks he knows this guy, sort of."

"How?"

"Rat has recognized some of the code that is being used as the same code that was given to him. He thinks he is very close to finding the hacker. The problem is the intruder is very clever." Ressler sipped some tea.

"That would be my concern. Somebody is not caught until they are caught. I see in your eyes you are thinking of something else."

Ressler nodded. "I am. Can we go totally secure in here?"

Nogura nodded. "Computer, engage cones of silence mode."

The computer's voice replied. "Cones of silence mode engaged. Use keypad entry to re-engage normal mode." Nogura stood up and went to a picture on the wall. He swung it open revealing a hidden lever and a series of indicator lights.

"I never trusted computers saying that they are not listening. You just cannot be too sure." Nogura pulled the lever down. The lever would block the picture from being put back into place. The series of indicator lights changed from green to red. "There, we are now as isolated as we can possibly be in this office. What are you thinking, Mr. Ressler?"

"I agree that Rat may be over optimistic in tracking the intruder down. Even if we find him, there is no guarantee that we will find the next link in the chain."

Nogura nodded while sipping some tea, he had been thinking on that same subject earlier. "What do you propose?"

"We set what was once called a canary-trap. We intercept the messages coming in from the Wisconsin and the Excalibur and change them subtly. We may be able to track the message better than with digital tags. The intruder is looking for digital tags. We delay the entry of the communications data by a few days and hope that the information pops up sooner."

"Sounds like a longshot, but the Wisconsin's present mission will provide a lot of opportunities for that experiment of yours."

Ressler asked, "Where is she now?"

Nogura said, "The Wisconsin is at Organia." He thought for a second. "What do you need?"

Ressler handed a pad over. "I need to intercept the message before it gets into Starfleet computers here on Earth. Best place to do that is the subspace array outside our solar system. I also would like Commander Uhura to accompany me, her expertise is vital. Also, I need the computing power of a starship's computer out at the Subspace array."

Nogura nodded, "Approved. The Grissom is presently in orbit and just about to go off on a survey mission. I'll retask them to you temporarily. When do you leave?"

"Rat and Cdr Uhura are ready to leave now."

Nogura stood up. "Very well Mr. Ressler. Be ready to come up with a message. You will need to make it sufficiently enticing for someone to use it, and quickly too."

Ressler nodded. "I will. What exactly is the status of the Wisconsin?"

"We've received the on-station report. We should be receiving the report that the T'Pal has entered orbit in a few hours. You will need to hurry if you want to intercept that one."

Ressler tapped in a note on his pad. "What do you anticipate the messages will be?"

Nogura chomped on a cucumber sandwich. "Initially, just normal diplomatic messages. Nothing more unusual than that."

Ressler raised an eyebrow, "You're not convinced of that sir."

Nogura nodded, "No I am not. If I thought it was going to be routine, I would have sent somebody else. I sent the Wisconsin because I fully expect trouble."

BRIDGE

USS WISCONSIN

"Time until the Tad is in the center of the minefield?" Jacobs asked.

"Fifteen seconds." Agathon answered.

"Dom, activate the mines in fifteen seconds." Jacobs ordered. He looked at Lt Grimm and said, "Be ready. Order the secondary Bridge to fire after the torpedoes hit."

"Aye aye sir."

Jacobs looked at the clock above the main screen. Just a few seconds more.

BRIDGE

IKV LOMQA

Chuk was watching the progress of the battle. "What's he doing? His evasive maneuvers have been reduced."

Chuk's XO was musing as well. "Is he that damaged?"

Chuk shook his head. "No." Something looked familiar. "It's almost like a wounded animal crawling to safety."

"Or someone using an animal as bait." The XO suggested.

"BAIT! How deep in the debris field are we?" Chuk snapped.

"It extends for about another twenty miles."

"ALL BACK FULL! BACK US AWAY! WE'RE IN A TRAP!"

BRIDGE

IKV TAD

Nirf was looking at the Wisconsin ahead. "How much longer before the disruptors are charged?"

The weapons officer said, "Twenty seconds."

Nirf was salivating. "If he wants to run, we will simply wear down his aft shields. Fire when ready. I am done with trying to out-maneuver him."

The sensors officer exclaimed, "I am getting a large power reading! Port side high!"

"Classify it!"

"Too large for a weapon! It reads like an impulse engine on full power, but there is nothing there!"

Nirf was bewildered. "What?" He had a sudden feeling, "How big of a ship would it be?"

"Scout-sized, almost a destroyer!" The sensors officer said.

The Weapons officer exclaimed, "MINES ACTIVATING, ALL QUADRANTS!"

Nirf jumped out of his seat and yelled, "EVASIVE PORT! FULL IMPULSE POWER!"

The seven mines all were activated by the signal sent from the Wisconsin. The mines were torpedoes in protective cases and were simply drifting with the debris in the area. When activated, the torpedoes went to full power on their propulsion and activated their homing sensors. Because they were floating in space, they took longer to get up to speed than if they were shot out of torpedo tubes. Because of their relatively slow speed, they also could turn better to evade or seek targets.

The mines/torpedoes were also programmed to seek out any hostile target. Santini kept the targeting simple, target Klingons. The torpedoes also would coordinate so as not to have the explosion of one affect another. The coordination would also be to try to inflict the most damage on the opposing target or targets. The torpedoes, if they were able to coordinate with a mother ship or mainframe computer, could be positively brilliant.

Nirf's Weapons officer said, "I count seven in total. They are accelerating and turning toward us!"

Nirf said, "Target and take them out!"

The weapons officer was frantically working the controls, the disruptors started firing on minimal energy, it should not take too much energy to destroy a torpedo. The torpedoes would start dodging as soon as they detected a lock on them. The weapons officer fired twice and hit his panel in frustration. "I cannot. They are too hard to hit!"

"USE MANUAL!"

The weapons officer worked the controls and was able to take two torpedoes out. "I got two, but they are getting faster, impact in five seconds!"

"Keep firing!" Nirf hit the PA, "Warriors! Prepare for impact!"

The weapons officer was able to hit one more torpedo before the others hit the ship. The ship shook violently and there was debris and sparks thrown everywhere on the Bridge. "Return Fire!"

"Disruptors are down to half power!"

"Fire anyway!"

BRIDGE

USS WISCONSIN

"Four hits sir, two on the front shield, one on the aft, and the last on the dorsal shield. It looks like the aft torpedo hit minimal shielding and has done damage to their power grid." Lt Maya reported.

"Aft phasers and torpedo firing." Grimm reported.

Jacobs ordered, "Alan, hard to starboard! Bring Forward tubes to bear! Ben, fire phasers and torpedo as they bear!"

BRIDGE

IKV TAD

"He's turning!"

Nirf ordered, "Full impulse, bring us to his port! Overshoot if necessary!"

"Why sir? Our weapons are not ready yet!" The weapons officer said.

Nirf snapped, "Boarding action! Prepare for boarding action!"

BRIDGE

USS WISCONSIN

"Alan, he's going for our port side!" Jacobs said.

"I can't turn it fast enough!" Carter exclaimed. "I just don't have enough thrusters!"

"Roll if you have to!"

The Tad was prepared for this maneuver, having seen it done. The Tad had anticipated and managed to maneuver to the port shield which was down.

Maya looked up, "They are activating their transporters!"

Jacobs pushed the PA button, "All hands! Repel Boarders! Location…" Jacobs looked at Maya.

Maya had anticipated this question and pointed at the ship's schematic behind her. Jacobs' heart sank, "Hangar Bay and Sickbay!" Jacobs pushed the PA to turn it off. "Jack, get coverage to sickbay!"

Bauer was ahead of the order.

HANGAR BAY

USS WISCONSIN

The Klingons materialized in the center of the landing pad, in the largest open area of the shuttlebay. Crewmen in the shuttlebay started scrambling to get either to cover or out of the bay itself. The Klingons immediately formed a circle and started shooting at anyone they could see. The leader immediately assessed where they were. The aft portion of the bay was where the main door was to the outside, and immediately inside the door were two Raptors. On either side of the bay were various doors and shuttles. There seemed to be an elevator for shuttles toward the forward part of the bay near the bulkhead.

The commander ordered, "To the Starboard side of the ship! Move!" The Klingons were laying down covering fire and moving to the starboard side of the ship.

RAPTOR 1

USS WISCONSIN

Lt Calvin was at the pilot seat and had a full load of Badgers on board in case they were needed to be used. He turned around to Lt Teal'c and said, "Boarders, transporting here!"

"Can you get me a picture?" Teal'c asked.

Calvin pushed a button and they could see the Klingons firing around. "That's right at our tailpipe."

"TC, can you blast them?" Teal'c asked.

Calvin shook his head. "Not right away, sixty seconds."

Teal'c nodded. "Sixty seconds it is. Coordinate with Raptor 2. Badgers! Out and attack! Draw them Port!"

The side hatch popped open and the dozen Badgers in Raptor 1 poured out and aft and started engaging the Klingons. Phasers and disruptor fire was traded back and forth as the Badgers scrambled for cover.

RAPTOR 2

USS WISCONSIN

Lt Bragg described what was going on to Lt Gibbs, and started the engine start procedure. Gibbs briefed his crew who got ready to deplane, but did not, they stood by.

HANGAR BAY

USS WISCONSIN

A couple of Badgers were hit by disruptor fire and dragged to cover. Teal'c ordered, "Smoke! 2 cans."

Two Badgers pulled out a smoke grenade each and looked at each other. On a signal, they tossed the grenades into the center area of the hangar bay, the smoke started billowing out the grenades and before too long, the bay was filled with smoke. Teal'c yelled, "IR!"

All the Badgers flipped down a small eyepiece that was mounted to their helment. The helmet was more than just protection, it was also a sophisticated sensor and communications platform. Teal'c could immediately see the Klingons on the other side as white blobs in the eyepiece. He could see some were advancing, but others were cutting through a door on the starboard side.

Teal'c tapped his earpiece, "Kenn! They are trying to access the starboard access hallway! Get your squad and cut them off!"

"Aye aye sir!" Kenn's voice came through the earpiece.

HANGAR BAY CARGO DOOR

USS WISCONSIN

Ensign Kenn went through the door with his squad and down a short hallway. They went through a door and started running to the starboard side. They got to the starboard hallway in time. Kenn had a smoke grenade ready and tossed it down the hallway toward the door where the Klingons were going to come through. "Claymores here, quickly! Oki, sensors on top!"

Johannsen and Denozzo started setting up claymores while Tadao pulled out a small sensor package and reached up and fixed it to the ceiling of the hallway. Kenn ordered, "Cover!" and his squad went back around the corner and waited.

SICKBAY

USS WISCONSIN

Dr. Mallard was doing meatball surgery when the boarding warning came. Mallard knew where the Klingons would beam in, the only place big enough for a small squad to materialize was the infirmary. Dr. Blake knew it too, because he was running to the port side. Bauer's voice came over the speakers, "A squad of Badgers are on the way, thirty seconds!"

Blake took an expert leap as he went from starboard to port side of sickbay. Entering the port side, he entered the dark and zero gravity portion. There were some portable lights that were fixed around the infirmary, but it was still largely dark. Blake could hear the Klingon transport sequence finish and people started screaming.

Blake pulled out his phaser and saw a Klingon directly ahead. Evidently, the zero gravity took the Klingons by surprise as well. Blake fired and punched a hole through the Klingon's armor and he started bleeding and spinning at the same time. One of the Klingons managed to get a foothold and got stabilized. The Klingon pulled his disruptor out and fired at Dr. Blake. The beam narrowly missed his left arm but hit the bulkhead behind him, causing a small explosion. Blake could feel the pricks of small metal entering his skin.

Blake fired at the Klingon hitting him in the chest. Again, he could see a hole in the chest along with blood but the Klingon kept firing. Blake bounced off a wall again narrowly missing a disruptor beam. He could make out other Klingons shooting some of the patients and some of the staff. The screams were echoing in the dark. Blake also knew the Badgers would be here in a matter of seconds.

The first Klingon that Blake had hit managed to quit spinning and managed to quit bleeding. He was reaching for his disruptor when Blake shot him in the head, killing the Klingon instantly. The door behind Blake was forced open and Blake saw a small cylinder fly through the door. He knew what it was and quickly closed his eyes, he did not have time to cover his ears.

The flash-bang discharged and Blake could not hear anything. He was stunned for a few seconds then could see that the Klingons were reduced to one holding Nurse Griffin up as a shield. The Klingon yelled, "Drop your weapons or she dies!"

Lt Magnum was drifting quietly with his phaser rifle up and sighted in. He fired his rifle, sending a beam right into the Klingon's head, exploding it. Nurse Griffin started screaming at being covered with bits of Klingon brain and flesh. Griffin started screaming uncontrollably. Magnum ordered, "Secure the rest of Sickbay, quickly."

Griffin was frantically trying to wipe herself off, but it just smeared Klingon blood all over her face. Magnum came up to her and helped stabilize her floating, "Nurse, are you alright?"

"Of course I'm not alright! I can't believe you! You could have killed me! Are you crazy?" Griffin pushed Magnum away only to bounce off a bulkhead and hit her head.

Magnum helped stabilize her again. "Come with me nurse, you're no good here."

"What do you mean I'm no good! It's you who are crazy! You tried to kill me!" Magnum grabbed her arm and she tried to struggle free, but had no idea how to grapple in zero gravity. Magnum expertly maneuvered her to the starboard portion of sickbay, despite Griffin's kicking and screaming. Once at the portion where the gravity plates worked, Magnum pushed Griffin into the gravity area and she unceremoniously dropped to the floor.

Dr. Blake was close behind and expertly made the transition from non-gravity to gravity. He helped Griffin up; she was still frantically yelling at anyone. "And you're crazy too! Bringing a phaser into sickbay! What are you thinking of?"

"NURSE GRIFFIN!" Dr. Blake said sternly.

Griffin quieted down. Blake continued, "You are relieved! Report to your quarters and remain there until called for."

Griffin snapped, "And what are you going to do? My station is here! You cannot relieve me!"

Blake said sternly, "You are doing more harm than good here. Lt Magnum!"

Magnum stepped forward. "Yes sir?"

Blake ordered, "Get someone to escort Nurse Griffin to her quarters, she is confined to quarters until this action is complete."

Magnum nodded, "Aye aye sir. Mr. Muldoon!"

Griffin was shocked. One of the Badgers came over and grabbed her and led her to her quarters.

Once Griffin was away, Blake walked to the OR, where Dr. Mallard was working. Mallard looked up from his current surgery. "How bad is it?"

Blake shook his head. "We lost a few patients. I'll have the numbers for you soon." Blake quietly thought for a minute. "I relieved Nurse Griffin."

"We need everybody Simon."

Blake shook his head, "Ducky, she was being held hostage by a Klingon. Lt Magnum shot the Klingon in the head. She caught the splatter. She is broken. She was of marginal use before, now she is a drag on us all."

Mallard nodded, "Very well. Take charge of triage. We are going to have company."

Blake nodded, "Yes sir." Blake turned and walked toward Magnum, "Mr. Magnum! Once you have secured the area, report to the bridge of our status."

BRIDGE

USS WISCONSIN

"Aft Photon torpedo firing." Grimm announced. They watched it track out and hit the Tad amidships. "Good hit, damage to the port warp engine."

Jacobs glanced at the weapon status board, they needed more time to let the forward tubes to load. "Alan, hard nose up, roll to keep our back to them."

"Aye aye sir."

"Status on intruders?" Jacobs inquired.

"Sickbay secured. Hangar bay still reports a Klingon force there, for now they are contained." Bauer reported.

"Ben, what is the assessment on relative strength?"

"Captain, we are still outgunned, the photon torpedoes did bring them down a bit, we've seriously depleted their shields, but insufficient damage to weapons or power systems." Grimm summarized.

Jacobs looked at Leonaidas, who shrugged. "Captain, we have no choice."

"I know. Nirf is not going to accept a surrender. Pastor, you praying for a miracle?"

Octavian nodded, "Constantly."

Jacobs laid out his strategy, "I know it is not much, but it's what we have for now. We can't run, they aren't going to quit unless something forces them. We are dealing with intruders; we have to keep an operable shield facing them to prevent more borders. No immediate terrain that we can use right now. We have limited weapons. We just have to keep in this fight until we win it. Any ideas on giving us an advantage?"

Nobody offered anything. "Can we gain control of the weapons on the lower hull?"

Grimm shook his head, "Not yet."

Jacobs thought aloud, "We have the tractor beam."

Santini asked, "What are you thinking?"

"We can use it to hold the Tad in a position for a short time, to keep it from getting to where our shields are down."

Santini nodded, "It will probably prevent us from using weapons because of the power drain."

"Start throwing mines out. Prepare for the tractor beam. Maybe now that we've drained their shields down, we'll do some real damage. Alan?" Jacobs asked.

"I know, keep them away from the shields that are down."

STARBOARD ACCESS HALLWAY

USS WISCONSIN

Kenn was watching on the tricorder and watched the inevitable breach of the door from the hangar bay. They also could hear the breach as well. Kenn made the sign for 2 smoke grenades and immediately two smoke cans were thrown around the corner. Kenn switched to infrared and watched as the Klingons poured out of the broken door and started moving toward the cross hallway.

Kenn signaled his group to be ready. He touched his earpiece and said, "Kenn, engaged in starboard access hallway."

The first claymore blew and they could hear groans down the hallway. Kenn heard Teal'c's voice over the com, "Kenn, don't let them get past the cross hallway. We're pushing them through that door."

Kenn tapped twice for acknowledgement. "Here they come guys. Get ready with more grenades." Kenn tapped his earpiece and said, "Kenn to Bridge Security."

"Bauer. Report."

"Klingons starting to advance down the Starboard access hallway. Verify all bulkhead doors forward of Frame 47 sealed."

"Verified, they have no place to go." Bauer confirmed.

Another claymore discharged. Kenn motioned and Johanssen and Denozzo went to the corner. They peeked around with their phaser rifles and sighting systems set to infrared. The two started firing at any blob of hot heat they could see. Kenn pointed to Tadao, "Now Oki!"

Tadao had his robot set up on remote control and moved it out into the access hallway. He started firing a phaser at anything that he could see through the screen. Disruptor blasts were returned. Johanssen and Denozzo fell back and waited.

More claymores detonated, and Johanssen said, "That's all of them Mr. Kenn."

"Thanks Swede. Ok, get ready guys."

The Klingons advanced toward the intersection of the two hallways. Kenn made another motion and another smoke grenade was tossed into the intersection, filling everything with smoke. Kenn was looking at the eyepiece on his helmet and saw the first white blob come around the corner. He held up his arm signaling to wait. Soon there were a few blobs in front of him. The Klingons were trading fire with Tadao's robot down the hallway. Now was the time, Kenn swept his hand down and his squad started firing. Kenn tossed a flash-bang grenade at the group of Klingons ahead and signaled, "Intruders at cross-junction."

The fire was withering, and the Klingons were dropping like flies. Lt Teal'c reported over the com and said, "All Klingons are in the hallway now."

Kenn ordered Tadao, "Now Oki!"

The Klingons were in a hallway that intersected with another hallway. They were now at the junction of the two hallways that formed a T. They were now also surrounded by Teal'c to the aft, Kenn to the port, and Tadao's robot to the forward. To avoid the robot shooting Badgers, Tadao drove the robot hard into the remaining group. The Klingons only realized it was a robot when it got close enough through the smoke. Tadao heard "It's a robot!," now the usefulness was in the extremely close proximity of the robot to the Klingons. Tadao detonated the robot.

Soon, the disruptor fire went away. Teal'c in the distance yelled, "CEASE FIRE!"

They could hear groans from the wounded Klingons. Teal'c ordered, "Kenn, cover while we approach."

"Aye aye sir."

In short order, the Badgers led by Teal'c disarmed the remaining surviving Klingons. "Teal'c to Bridge Security."

BRIDGE

USS WISCONSIN

Bauer looked up to the Captain, "Teal'c reports lower hull secure. All borders accounted for, no intruders." The ship lurched from incoming fire.

"Ok, that is one thing off our list. What is next?" Jacobs asked.

Leonaidas said, "Just that bad guy on our nose outside. All you have to do is get him."

"That's all? We've lost our forward photon torpedoes, now I'm down to two phasers and the aft torpedo tube."

Lt Maya added, "Don't forget the cloaked Klingon."

Jacobs gave a thumbs up, "And him too."

Jareau turned around excitedly. "Incoming message!"

"Audio!"

"Ahoy Wisconsin! This is the Christopher Pike! Can we join your party?"

BRIDGE

IKV TAD

"Sir! There is another starship entering the system! It is a destroyer!"

Nirf winced. His ship was badly damaged. He could probably take the Wisconsin out, but now with this ship entering the system, he was outgunned.

"They are hailing us!"

Nirf said, "Onscreen!"

Simmons' image came on the screen. "I am Captain Troy Simmons, commanding the Christopher Pike. Cease fire immediately or you will be destroyed."

Nirf replied, "If you approach, we will fire on you!"

The communication officer said, "Sir! We are getting interstellar communication from our embassy on Earth!"

Nirf wondered briefly at what was so important as to contact him. "Decode! Immediately." Nirf pushed the com button on his chair and answered Simmons. "Captain Simmons, I am Captain Nirf of the IKV Tad. We agree to a temporary cease fire. Do not approach or we will resume firing on the Wisconsin."

"That is not acceptable. You may destroy the Wisconsin before I can help." Simmons said.

"And the two of you may destroy me when you group up." Nirf countered.

"When has the Federation ever gone back on its word of a ceasefire?" Simmons stated. "It is not us that break our word."

Nirf snapped, "When have the Klingons broken our word?"

"Plenty, and you know it to be true. An alternative is us to approach but stop just outside our range."

Nirf nodded. "Acceptable. We need to recall our boarding parties. Nirf out." Nirf pushed the com button. "Order the boarding party to cease fire."

The communications officer had the transmission decoded and handed it to Nirf. Nirf looked at message and sat back down. "Our embassy is warning us that they have information that a third Klingon ship was sent here to Organia." He thought about the battle. "Sensors! Did you detect an energy surge just before we were attacked by their mines?"

"Yes sir."

Nirf thought aloud, "The Starfleet Captain may have been telling the truth. Analyze that event and report to me."

BRIDGE

USS WISCONSIN

"JJ, Hail the Tad."

Jareau pushed a few buttons. Nirf's image came on the screen. "Captain Jacobs."

Jacobs nodded. "Captain Nirf. We are currently securing your boarding party. If your warriors do not show aggression, they will not be harmed." Nirf nodded. Jacobs continued, "Most of your boarding party was killed."

"I know. We will talk later. Inform me when the survivors are ready to be returned."

"Captain Nirf, what of the dead?" Jacobs asked.

"The dead are empty husks, do with them as you wish. Nirf out."

Jacobs breathed a sigh of relief. "I want a thorough damage report and casualty report in fifteen minutes." The officers started working on their tasks.

USS GRISSOM

DOCKED WITH STARFLEET COMMUNICATIONS NODE

EDGE OF EARTH SYSTEM

Commander Uhura and Lt Cdr Ressler had completed their work and now were just waiting. They were waiting for an incoming message from either the Wisconsin or Excalibur. In the meantime, they were talking strategy on how to subtly change a message to make it juicy enough for somebody to use.

A signal sounded and Uhura said, "We have a message. It is sent using normal Starfleet security protocols, it is an…. Oh My!"

"What?" Ressler jumped up and read the message. He sat back down and glanced at the clock. "Our computer trapped the message?"

"Yes, it will not be forwarded to Earth's computer system. What do you want the replacement message to say?"

"It's tougher to make it juicier than what it already is." Ressler stated.

Uhura thought aloud. "Donald, who do you really suspect is the end user other than the Klingons?"

Ressler frowned. "I suspect Senator Jameson."

Uhura shrugged, "So say something so bad that he cannot pass up acting on it immediately. The truth will be heard eventually."

"The question is what?"

Uhura said, "Do you mind playing rough? What about this?" She typed in a paragraph.

Ressler smiled, "This feels like a college prank. Remind me not to get on your bad side. I like it, small but significant changes. Send it."

DENVER PUBLIC LIBRARY

Gobe was copying more files when he received an alert. A message just came in from the Wisconsin. He decoded it with no problem- they were only using the standard Starfleet code. He read the message and just about had a heart attack.

FLASH MESSAGE STARFLEET COMMAND FROM USS WISCONSIN. EXPLOSION MONITORED ON FAR SIDE OF ORGANIA. DEBRIS THAT CAN ONLY BE REMNANTS OF THE T'PAL ARE IN A DECAYING ORBIT TOWARD ORGANIA, NO CHANCE OF SURVIVORS. WE ARE PROCEEDING INTO ORGANIAN ORBIT TO INVESTIGATE AND DESTROY ANY SHIPS THAT WE SUSPECT HAVE ATTACKED THE T'PAL.

Gobe shut down his computer immediately and left. Within an hour he was in San Francisco and picked up his communicator that he left behind. "Gibe to Gold secure channel."

"Gold here. What are you doing calling me at this time?"

"Eli, we need to meet, it's very important."

SENATOR JAMESON'S OFFICE

EARTH

"I can't believe it!" Jameson exclaimed. "This Jacobs is the menace I have predicted! Are you sure on this?"

Gold said, "My contact got it from Starfleet's computers. It is genuine, it has all the right data tags from the Wisconsin. It has the proper trail through the computer system. This is bona fide."

Jameson exclaimed, "We must act now! Get me the President. I need to talk to him, and be ahead of everyone else on this."

ADMIRAL NOGURA'S OFFICE

STARFLEET COMMAND

A beep happened and Nogura picked up his datapad. He keyed in his security code and read the message from Ressler. The actual news from Organia was shocking enough, this was on the order of trouble he expected and why he sent the Wisconsin to escort the T'Pal. He tapped in a few notes on his thoughts on the message. Nogura looked at the clock and did some mental math. Whatever the Wisconsin found out, the information would be still on the way to Earth now.

Nogura chuckled at the fake message that Ressler and Uhura put into the system. That should sufficiently rile up whoever, Klingons included. Nogura was suspecting Jameson was somewhere in the leak, and this should draw him out as well.

Nogura's face turned serious as he thought about his next step. Ok, Jameson most likely is going to go to the President with this information demanding something. It did not take too much imagination to think what he was going to demand, Nogura just wanted to be sure to have the right kind of pressure to push back.