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 <BOOKMARK:Chapter23>
 <fs x-large>**Chapter 23: Enter The Spooks**</fs><wrap lo right>[[archives:den_of_lions#top|Top]]</wrap>\\ \\
+**Location: promenade, Deep Space Nine**
+Mixed in the intense crowd on the famous DS9 Promenade, an Ensign dressed in Operations gold and an odd female engaged in a conversation.
+Ensign Christopher Jenkins, with one look by most females from any races, his charisma instantly attracted all. "Intriguing to see you here Admiral, and I must say you're looking lovely outside your uniform," he rumored.
+The Admiral, trying to blend in the crowd, however she couldn't help feel like she was sticking out like a sore thumb. "Save the flattery for someone else Ensign . . . You will be receiving your new assignment orders soon . . . to be transferred to the starship Republic . . . " She paused for a minute to catch her breath and to make sure no one was listening in " . . . I want you to keep an eye on a Ensign Kuga for us," she conveyed.
+Chris moved in a little closer towards to the Admiral and began to whisper in her ear. "Any preferred reason on how I should handle this?"
+The Admiral gave a weak smile and whispers back, "I don't care how keep an eye on her, for all I care you could become her lover . . . Just make sure she doesn't speak about us."
+"And if she does?" Chris implied
+The Admiral turns to face Chris giving him a kiss on the cheek, “Protect the Organization at all cost.” She walks off slowly blending into the crowd; Chris just gave a nod in agreement and proceeds to Quarks.
+When the meeting came to a close, a ghost-like figure hid in the shadows finishing its watch over the two.
+----
+**Location: Quark's Bar, lower level promenade, Deep Space Nine**
+The Bar was buzzing with noise, as crews from various Starfleet vessels enjoy themselves at the dabo tables. Reia and what was left of the crew of the Livingston sat at the same table they have been at for the pass several weeks. Quark approached the group of young Starfleet Officers.
+"Can't Starfleet give you something else to do, besides take up space in my bar?" he said rudely.
+"Quark, we're waiting for our orders from Starfleet. Until then . . . they told us to wait and relax," said a nearby ensign.
+"You could wait over at the Dabo tables, or how about renting some holosuite time . . . I have quite a collection of programs you might be interested in," implied Quark.
+"Sorry Quark, we're just here to relax."
+"Well, try doing other relaxing things . . . " He turned to Reia. "What about you Lieutenant? I have quite a collection of holo programs from Trill," Offered the Ferengi bartender.
+Reia was about to respond when she noticed a familiar face entering the room. "Maybe another time Quark . . . " she said, walking towards the bar, trying to intercept the newcomer who was an older looking gentleman.
+At about the same time, Chris Jenkins walked into the room, bumping into Lieutenant Merrick. "Hey Reia . . . " After giving him a blank stare, she ignored him and continued to walk towards the old man.
+Quark looked at them both, and shook his head mumbling "Hue-mans"
+"Who is that old guy Reia is taking too?" the nearby Ensign asked, but before Quark could respond, he was shocked when Reia gave the old geezer a kiss on the cheek. "What the . . . Did she just kiss that guy?"
+Chris sat down at a nearby table with his shipmates from the Livingston, watching Reia out of the corner of his eye. "Oh no . . . He can't be back!?" added Chris.
+"Who is that?" questioned the Ensign even more puzzled than before.
+"That is Captain James Merrick . . . I thought he was retired," replied Chris
+The Ensign, looking dumbfounded, asked, "are you saying that old man is Reia's father?"
+"Well duh, detective! Reia Merrick?! You don't see the connection there . . . " replied Chris sarcastically.
+"I thought she was Trill . . . " began the Ensign has he was interrupt.
+"She's half Trill you moron," said Chris as he tried to drink out of an empty glass.
+"Oh . . . So what is so bad about her father?" questioned the Ensign.
+"Let's just say he is not a favorite in Starfleet . . . " commented Chris.
+----
+"It's nice to see you again dad," said Reia as she took a seat on a bar stool.
+Jim looked at his daughter and gave a smile, "You've grown a little since the last time I saw you."
+"Speak of the devil you've gone grey," she replied.
+"It's only to charm the younger generation," said Jim as he took a drink of his root beer.
+Reia felt a little sick to her stomach. "Dad, I would think of hearing that from mom, but from you it's rather disgusting . . . anyway so how were you able to get your command back?"
+Jim let out a small laugh, "I still have some friends in Starfleet, but honestly I think it was time for me to get back into saddle."
+"So what is your ship like?" questions Reia gleaming with excitement.
+Jim just smiled and shook his head, "The Expedition . . . Oh she is an . . . interesting ship . . . "
+"Interesting?! Come on dad . . . I want details . . . Details!" demanded Reia.
+Jim looked at Reia with a sad face replying, "I'm sorry Reia, but I can't hand out classified information in a place like this."
+"Can you at least tell me what class she is?" questioned Reia as her excitement went down the drain.
+"Excelsior mark three . . . " began Jim, when another person interrupted them.
+A woman walked up to them and looked between the two. In a heavy French accent, she stated, "Sorry, I didn't realize that you had company, Sir." She started to turn to walk away when she got stopped.
+"It's ok Doc, I want you to meet someone." replied Jim chuckling a little.
+She turned back around to face the two of them. "Jéanne-Thérèse Marsol, nice to meet you . . . ?"
+"This is my daughter, Lieutenant Reia Merrick," said Jim.
+Reia extends her hand "A pleasure to meet you Ma’am."
+Marsol almost reached up and slapped him until she restrained herself and bit her tongue. She replaced the smile on her face and looked at the woman. "Very nice to meet you, Reia. I see that your father's colorful past show true tonight. I apologize for my near fatal reaction."
+Reia return the smile, "Don't worry about it . . . Well I guess since I'm not going to get a tour of his ship I might as well be going." she says constructively trying to beg her way onto the Expedition.
+Jim looked at Reia with a grin on his face, “I know what you’re trying to pull here missy, and don’t . . . ” he began to say.
+"Eh, don't fear, there are parts of the ship that I still haven't seen," she replied smiling.
+Reia’s gave her infamous 'sad puppy' face to her father, “Daddy, please can I have a tour on your ship?” she asked.
+Marsol snickered as she heard her request.
+Jim tried to toughen up by replying, “Look I can’t let you on right now, its just policy . . . ”
+"Jim, I think that you should honor the request of your third child, that I know of. After all, if you don't, I'll find a way for her. Don't make me go rogue on you," she replied pointing a finger at him.
+Jim sat in silence for a few seconds, then mumbling “Women . . . ”
+"Apparently you love us women-folk, Jim. After all, there's three children now . . . do you have any others you want to fess up to?"
+Jim's face gave a slight smile as he replies, "Well I'm not too sure about those Orion women in . . . ."
+Marsol reached her hand behind his head and smacked him hard. "I hope that teaches you some common sense there, but then again, that would be asking for a miracle. However, miracles happen, look at me."
+Reia looks at her father blankly trying to understand what she just heard.
+Just as Jim was about to reply, a voice came over his commbadge.
+//”Captain, there is a priority two message from Starfleet Command”//
+”Roger that, I’ll be on the ship in a few minutes . . . ” said Jim, as he stood up from the bar commenting. “Sometimes it’s good to be the Captain,” winking towards the ladies as he walked off.
+Marsol just stood there in disbelief. "Men. Can't live with them and can't live without them. And he's one of the worse," she mocked.
+“Well obviously, he did something right in his life, or he wouldn’t be in the position he his in today,” commented Reia as she sighed with Marsol.
+"That can be debatable," she replied. "He's got more of an attitude than I do, and I nearly got kicked out of Starfleet for mine. It's a nice little curse I got myself."
+“Oh I take it you didn’t know what happen to him during the war?” questioned Reia
+"I know bits and pieces. He may have fought in the present war, but I have been through another one, myself. It created much havoc, let me tell you," she replied trying to push the horrible memories of that war out of her mind. "It was a long time ago, in your standards, but it just feels like yesterday to me."
+“Well with any war, it was bad for all of us . . . ” Reia commented, hoping to switch to a different subject.
+"Agreed. So, tell me, Reia, what's your area of specialty?" she asked quickly changing the subject.
+“Operations . . . I was the Chief of Operations on the USS Livingston . . . ” as her voice choked a little “ . . . before she went up in smoke.”
+"Ahh okay. He never properly introduced me. Chief Medical Officer on the Expedition. If he fails to get you aboard, there are ways around that," Marsol replied allowing herself a devious smile in the process.
+A friend of Reia’s walked up behind her and tapped her on the shoulder. As Reia turned around, the newcomer addressed her. “Reia, the brass wants to see us again, I think it’s something about new orders.”
+Reia gave a nod and watched her friend walk out of the bar. At that moment, she swore that she could hear Quark mumbling ‘About time they leave'.
+“Well, I’m sorry to cut this short, but I got to go as well.”
+"Take care of yourself, Reia Merrick. I hope to see you again one day soon. Let me know if you want that tour and he fails for you. I got my womanly charms and devious intentions," she replied shaking hands. "Good luck with the Brass . . . I have a tendency to avoid them at all costs, nowadays."
+Reia gave a smile as she stood up, “You too, and try to take of my father if you could please.”
+"Farewell for now," she said as she herself was about to head back to the ship. She reminded herself while she was walking back to the dock that she was going to have to have a word with that man.
+----
+**Location: promenade, Deep Space Nine**
+The Vulcan female walked the decks of DS9. Her feet remembered their old stomping grounds and she fell back into habit of station living. The sounds and smells made it all the better. Albeit the smells sometime repulsed her, she had gotten used to it when she served aboard here as a Security officer all those years ago. She watched people go as they walked passed her. Her eyes caught a few people sitting down. One of them looked too familiar, but she didn't want to believe it. Lowering her sight, she hoped to distract herself enough so that attention was not drawn.
+Chris Jenkins, walking out of Quark's, bumped into the Vulcan lieutenant commander. Looking directly at her, the ensign noticed that she was somewhat familiar. “I’m sorry Ma’am,” he apologized with an odd look on his face.
+She looked at him, deep in his eyes, analyzing him quickly. "My apologies, I must not have been watching where I was going," she replied before she started to walk off again. Her suspicions were correct. He was one of them. Seeing that she was ordered not to do anything, she filed the information for later, but was still willing to take matters into her own hands if anything came of it. After all, she had to protect herself and she had to protect the organization.
+Chris walked away, shaking his head and thinking, ‘That can’t be her . . . she’s dead?’
+The Vulcan, ignoring Jenkins, continued walking throughout the familiar part of the station. It had changed very little in some respects since she used to serve aboard the station before the War. Nothing would be home like the Ma'at, her own personal ship. Unfortunately, it never survived the battle that ended up too many people dead. She longed for what she had before she enlisted in core. There is no running around, there was no fear of death lingering over her head, and she didn't have to always carry small weapons around on her body, even though she was the weapon herself.
+She was the one that cleaned out the dirty, gather information, and not be caught. Holding no regrets about the past, she looked forward to what the future would bring to her. A finger made it past the blue of her uniform. She hadn't worn a real one in such a long time, she found the fabric irritating to her neckline.
+Even though she was technically on leave from her real assignment, she never had to wear a real uniform with the department designations on it. Not knowing how long she was going to be on this assignment, she had made arrangements for someone to take her place if she were not to return when her leave was technically over. There was always an excuse to get off of the station that she was currently serving on.
+Now walking these decks made her realize how big the station she was on truly was. The difference was by many many decks. Risks were something that came with the job, day in and day out. She understood what she was getting into when she switched out of a regular job.
+At one of the windows, she stopped and started to analyze all the information about the crew of the USS Republic, the assignment of being a science officer, and the ship herself. The one thing she never regretted was spending too much time as a Borg. The internal cybernetics allowed her to increase her proficiency as well as it allowed to put a front on. Anyone who looked at her would assume that she was looking out the window to see the wormhole in action. Upon closer inspection, they still wouldn't be able to see that she was doing anything but looking at the stars and the wormhole.
+A security officer walked by her and then turned around. He tapped her on the shoulder and said, "I'm sorry, Ma'am. I thought that you were someone else." It had looked exactly like the security officer that he used to do rounds with.
+"That is fine. Most people assume that I am someone else, and I only disappoint."
+"Sorry," he said as he walked away. She was too old to be his former friend. He had seen the reports that she was dead, but didn't believe them. There was no funeral. He had only found out that she had died due to the Killed in Action report that he got on a weekly basis. 'Oh well,' he thought to himself as he continued his rounds.
+She hated having to lie to her former friend. She immediately recognized him when he distracted her from her current task. She had grown many years since she had worked with him. She was a different person in many different respects than her younger self. This assignment irked her. It wasn't really the fact that she knew that she could do it, or that it was really out of her specialty. What really irked her and sent chills down her Vulcan spine was the fact that most of the Starfleet Intelligence core was either in hiding or dead.
+Now to just wait for the Republic to dock.
 ----
 <BOOKMARK:Chapter24>
 <fs x-large>**Chapter 24: Vicious Circles**</fs><wrap lo right>[[archives:den_of_lions#top|Top]]</wrap>\\ \\
+**Location: Reactor Tower 4, Sigma Omicron Terraforming Station**
+In an instant, Hawk was face down upon the surface of the fourth reactor tower, his vision blurred as blood trickled from a cut on his lip. He literally hadn't seen it coming, or rather, hadn't seen him coming. Now, the previously unconscious Hranok was standing over him, slamming his booted foot into Hawk's ribs with overwhelming force and speed. Only as the Helmsman's mind cleared from the decisive blow to the head he must have received did the fierce shooting pain finally register across his body. His instincts told him to fight, to strike back, but he had no strength left. All he had was the excruciating pain and the taste of blood in his mouth.
+So, he did as he had done dozens, maybe hundreds of times before, and he used that which he had, and focused on that pain. Going deeper, he focused on the pain that had followed him always, in the back of his mind, eating away at him for nearly two decades now. The rage that boiled within him, the fury that had driven him in other desperate situations, now did so once more. As a brutal roar overcame him, straining his vocal chords, he summoned every last iota of strength he had left and struck back with sudden defiance. With exquisite force, he slammed his elbow back and into Hranok's left knee, shattering the joint like glass.
+As it gave way, bending out and away from Hranok in an exceedingly unnatural way, it was the assassin-turned-saboteur's turn to cry out as he toppled over. The brutal sound was like fuel to Hawk's fire of rage, giving him much needed strength to push himself up from the warm metal surface. Seeing his enemies leg bent, bleeding, and broken at such an awkward angle fed the dark depths of Nathan Hawk even more. This was barely a glimmer of the justice - of the vengeance - that he had envisioned delivering upon men like Keevan Faro since he was only a boy. It was what he had craved more than anything, what had tempted him so often during his time undercover with the Syndicate.
+As he stood over Hranok, the Bolian writhing in agony, all he wanted in that moment was to continue on this course. To make the traitor feel physically what he had felt emotionally every day of his life for nearly eighteen years. To be consumed by his own hate, to fade darker from his current shade of gray, to embrace his thirst for revenge. Taking a firm grip on the collar of Hranok's uniform, he pulled the Bolian up, forcing him to his feet. Grimacing in pain, Hranok caught sight of something in Hawk's eyes, and for the first time, felt fear as to what lay buried deep beneath the depths of Hawk's soul.
+Pushing Hranok back with each step forward, Hawk moved towards the edge of the fourth reactor tower, never taking his eyes from Hranok's own as he did. He wanted the Bolian to see what he was up against, to fear him, to recognize the fierce determination and hate that ate away at him day after day. Above all else, he wanted the Bolian to understand just what a fool he had been to come after him, to threaten him, try to kill him, to betray him on a mission he lead. To realize just how futile the entire mission to assassinate him had been from the start. To understand that no one, not Keevan Faro, not Starfleet, not even the entire Orion Syndicate, could stop him.
+"This s'how it's gonna work ya sorry sonuvabitch!" Hawk spat through gritted teeth at the broken Bolian. "Yer gonna tell me everythin' I wanna know, n'if fer one second I think yer hidin' somethin' 'er tellin' me a tale? I'm gonna break another body part 'ntil yer beggin' me ta kill yer sorry ass!"
+"Okay, okay! I'll tell you whatever you want to know! Just don't kill me!" Hranok whimpered, a pale reflection of the experienced assassin he had initially appeared to be.
+Jerking the Bolian forward swiftly, Hawk got in his face as he bellowed, "I make the rules, asshole! Ya wanna get outta this, ya shut yer damn mouth 'ntil I tell ya otherwise!"
+"Alright, alright! I'm sorry!" Hranok sniveled apologetically, seeming less like a trained operative and more like a lackey.
+"How do I save the Republic?" the Helmsman questioned without delay, even as a dozen different questions began to form in Hawk's mind as to just who the hell Hranok really was.
+"Non-symmetrical warp field, just generate one, it'll push the 'subspace termites' out of the g-band, neutralize them!" Hranok answered, promptly, a tremor of fear evident in his voice.
+"Who sent ya? How'd they find me?" Hawk asked next, adjusting his grip on the Bolian's collar. He hadn't expected such an easy time of questioning the Bolian, whose pathetic display was throwing Hawk for a loop.
+"The Syndicate, someone saw the news feed, they recognized you!" Hranok explained.
+"I wanna name!" Hawk demanded, leaning Hranok out further over the edge to make his point.
+"Dresdan! It was Dresdan! Faro contacted him, Faro saw the transmission himself!" Hranok replied.
+"Faro hates Dresdan!" Hawk shot back, leaning the Bolian out further, "Why would they work t'gether?!" he demanded.
+"Because of me!" Hranok answered quickly, "Faro knew Dresdan had someone who could get inside Starfleet, but only for a little while! That was me, that's why I was selected!"
+"What the frinx s'special 'bout you?!" Hawk inquired, pulling the Bolian in a bit, his own strength faltering as his injuries finally caught up with him, his adrenaline levels decreasing.
+"Nothing! I swear! Please! Pleeease! Don't kill me!" begged Hranok as he erupted in whimpering sobs.
+Of everything he had expected of a Syndicate assassin, the pathetic, sniveling, whimpering routine wasn't even on the list. It just didn't make any sense! Hranok had pulled the wool over everyone's eyes for the last few weeks. He had teamed up with Beckett, he had been responsible for the subspace termites that now - unknown to the crew - threatened to destroy the Republic. He had even taunted Hawk during their captivity in sickbay. How could he now be nothing more than a shell of a man, sobbing and pleading for his life?
+"Who'n the hell r'ya?" Hawk finally asked.
+"Nobody, I'm nobody," Hranok replied, "I'm just a con-man who took the wrong people's money, I swear!" Hranok proclaimed. "I'm not even the real Hranok, I've never even met the guy . . . "
+Everything driving Hawk suddenly evaporated. The hate, the anger, the rage, the quest for vengeance - everything that had been brought to the surface in desperation to survive was gone again, in an instant. Buried back deep within him at the realization that nothing would come from killing the Bolian. In one quick movement, he pulled the Bolian in from the edge and released him, the blue-skinned alien collapsing into a heap like a marionette with the strings cut.
+"Who'r ya?" Hawk asked, as he leaned back against the console for support.
+It took the Bolian a moment to compose himself to the point where he could reply. "My names Evok," he finally muttered, as he stopped sobbing, "I'm a two-bit con-man from New Sydney." he continued, without prodding, "I made some really bad calls, took some money from the wrong people. Ended up in to Dresdan for nearly ten-thousand bricks of latinum. I couldn't pay it off . . . he was going to kill me, kill my family . . . I didn't know what else to do . . . " Evok explained, sorrowfully. "He came to me a few weeks ago, told me . . . told me if I did this for him, if I killed you, he'd call it even. I didn't have a choice, I never meant for anybody to get hurt. I never meant for any of this to happen . . . " the Bolian admitted.
+Hawk had expected to feel little less than hate for this man, this coward who had betrayed them. As he looked upon the Bolian - broken, defeated, exposed, remorseful - he couldn't help but feel sorry for him, though. Evok was no saint; he was a thief and a con, and that had caught up to him. He deserved to be punished for his crimes, that was for sure. No one deserved this though. To be at the whim of the Syndicate, to live in fear, not just for yourself, but for your family. To know that you owed your life to the changing mood of a crime lord who would just as soon kill you as spit on you.
+Battered, bruised, bloodied and broken himself, Lieutenant Nathan Hawk did something that surprised even himself. Pushing off from the console, he steadied himself, before stepping over to Evok, the man he had known for the past few weeks as Hranok, and held his hand out. At first, the Bolian had winced and braced himself for a beating. When that didn't come though, he had opened his clenched eyes and looked up at Hawk expectantly, fearfully, and been surprised by the outstretched hand. trepetitiously, he took it, as Hawk helped him to his feet, and held him up. As Evok put his arm around Hawk's neck, allowing him to stand on his one good leg, he looked at the Human and asked a question without ever saying the words.
+"'Cause ya ain't one a them," Hawk stated simply.
+Tapping his communicator, Hawk issued the command, and a moment later, he and the man who had been sent here to kill him disappeared from atop the coolant towers.
 ----
 <BOOKMARK:Chapter25>
 <fs x-large>**Chapter 25: Crowd Control**</fs><wrap lo right>[[archives:den_of_lions#top|Top]]</wrap>\\ \\
+**Location: Tholian Ship, in orbit around Sigma Omicron Five**
+"Damn it!" a station crewmember exclaimed with vehemence. "They've had us in here for HOURS! No food! No water! Not even a damn place to piss!"
+"Relax, lieutenant," Leon ordered. "If you have business to do, do it in the corner. As far as food and water . . . well, just be glad you're still alive. That's more than you'd be if they hadn't beamed us up.
+Imprisoned in the translucent walls of the Tholian brig, all the survivors from Sigma Omicron Five could do was wait for their captors' next move. The fiery dance of red, orange, and yellow plasma reflected through the barriers giving the Spartan room the appearance of a cauldron of molten steel. Fortunately, the occupants did not experience the heat and pressure of the environment beyond.
+"What do you think?" Leon turned to Reittan with frustration. "Can you detect any thought patterns?
+"They're not so much thoughts as a complex mix of multiple emotions," the counselor explained. "And vague emotions at that."
+"What do you mean?"
+"If I had to guess, I'd say that the Tholians are communicating with each other through a free-roaming network of mental telepathy. Only, I can't discriminate between individuals."
+"You mean they're a hive mind?" Leon questioned, putting his hands on his hips. "Like the Borg?"
+"No," Reittan answered confidently. "Borg drones have no free will. There is definitely individuality here, only the thought- response frequency is so fast, I can't hone in on any one individual. All I get is the a resonating effect of emotional echoes from whatever thought was communicated among them before another one is transmitted. The Tholians seem to 'think' on a higher level than we've ever experienced. It's as if they perceive, interpret, and respond all at once with no time interval in-between."
+"That must be convenient," Leon replied with both sarcasm and awe. "Being able to interact with the universe without that pesky little thing called 'time' in order to make a decision. Can you discriminate what their intensions are with us?"
+"Hard to say," the counselor replied calmly, closing his eyes in concentration. "They're perceiving a threat outside of themselves, and they're responding with anger, frustration, and confusion, with a combined determination to . . ."
+Reittan's expression turned to a grimace, and his forehead wrinkled in distress.
+"What?" Leon asked with concern. "What are they determined to do?"
+Counselor Tolkath knelt down, and took a deep breath, exhaling slowly to gain control of his own emotions before responding.
+". . . exterminate," he whispered to Leon, not wanting to alarm the rest of the station personnel around him.
+"Hey!" the doctor immediately shouted towards the unknown realm beyond the wall. The other prisoners only watched him silently with confusion. "Do you hear me? Talk to us!" he demanded. "What's happening? What's happening to our people?"
+A moment passed where no response was given. Leon was about to yell again when an area on the wall in which he was facing shimmered and revealed a shocking scene. It was the Republic in an energy web, surrounded by Tholian ships with the scarlet-gray disk of Sigma Omicron Five glowing in the background. The web itself was closely hugging the Republic's hull at the bow and stern, and an orange lance of phaser energy emanated from her forward weapons in a futile attempt to cut out of the matrix-like net. It was not an image in motion, however. It was frozen like a photograph; a moment captured in time.
+In response to the image, Doctor Cromwell's eyes grew wide with trepidation. In an instant where he reacted before thinking, he threw himself towards the wall and began pounding and kicking it with an almost panicked fervor.
+"Stop!" he shouted, continuing with his relentless punching of the translucent barrier. "Stop what you're doing! We're NOT your enemy!"
+With a voice that resonated throughout the room, an alien voice addressed the doctor.
+*"You are the non. You must be removed."*
+"We're a sentient species!" Leon bellowed. "Just like you! You're committing murder!"
+*"We react only to what the non have brought upon our fractals in the cradle."*
+"Hold on!" the doctor shouted. "We didn't know this planet was claimed by your species! You can't hold us accountable for these deaths!"
+*"That is not correct."* the bodiless voice continued. *"The non has visited this world during the before."*
+"Before?" Leon asked with confusion. "What do you mean 'before'? Before what?"
+*"The before is the arrival. Our fractals slept. Your species pierced the veil, exposing their cradle."*
+"What?" the doctor shook his head. "Are you telling me that humans knew about this place before the station was built?"
+*"You are the non. You cannot understand."*
+"There's no point in trying to reason with them, doctor." A cold and familiar female voice interrupted Leon's tirade. Turning to face his inquisitor, Doctor Samuel Beckett sat on a stretcher after quietly waking from her phaser-induced slumber, compliments of Nat Hawk. "They're a dangerous species. A threat to the Federation."
+Staring at her, Leon started to put two-and-two together: Beckett worked for Kostya, and kept the terraforming going despite the mysterious deaths. Kostya, on the other hand, was the admiral responsible for the Cestus Three incident; an attempt to provoke a war with the Gorns by using Leon's homeworld as the excuse. The admiral lost that battle, yet it suddenly occurred to the Doctor that Kostya may have turned his sights towards another empire in an attempts to invoke conflict and expand Federation borders: The Tholians.
+"What happened here?" Leon gritted his teeth, marching towards Beckett with fire in his eyes. Seeming to forget that she was a patient in his care, the doctor grabbed Beckett by the front of her shirt, picking her up off the stretcher. With a viscous glare, he asked "what did Kostya have planned here?"
+"You wouldn't understand, Doctor Cromwell," she spat back. "While you would have us lie down at the feet of our enemies, Vladimir Kostya is SAVING the Federation."
+"He's trying to start a WAR!" Leon shook her.
+With a fanatically defiant look on her face, she pushed Leon away and scowled at him.
+"We're already at war!" Beckett replied angrily. "We're always at war! Everyday! Everywhere! There are empires all around our borders who are just waiting for us to show a weakness! The Dominion was just the beginning! We NEED strong leaders like Kostya to protect us!"
+"You're crazy!" Leon concluded with astonishment. "You know that?"
+"And you're a fool!" she shot back, unrepentant.
+Seemingly out of nowhere, a hand reached out and pinched Beckett on the lower neck near the shoulder. As she slumped down, Counselor Tolkath caught her, and laid the unconscious body back down on the stretcher.
+"I should have known that bastard was going to pull something again," Doctor Cromwell muttered with spite, referring to Kostya.
+"This was a terrible mistake," Leon turned back to disembodied voice. "Our leaders would never have allowed anyone to come here if they knew your children . . . your fractals . . . were on the surface."
+Looking back at the picture of Republic's life-or-death dilemma, Leon continued to plea his case.
+"We will leave this place and not trouble you again . . . please, let our people go."
+*"We cannot allow this to happen again. The non must be punished."*
+"If you destroy us, and our ship you have trapped in your web, our leaders WILL be back, and in much greater numbers. When they find out what has happened, they will declare war. Many more of your fractals will die.
+*"No! The fractals must survive!"*
+"Then let us go, and they will. Our leaders will declare this place off-limits, and we will never return. Your fractals will prosper."
+*"The words on the non mean little to us. We cannot trust you."*
+"Then your fractals will perish."
+A moment of silence ensured where the unmoving picture of the Republic, caught in the Tholian web, turned Leon's stomach in knots.
+"If we're to avoid war," the doctor finally said. "And keep your fractals safe, you have to trust me . . . Please."
+----
+Tensions on the bridge of the Republic were at an all-time high as consoles erupted into a shower of sparks and smoke permeated the air. Crewmen were frantically running to either stabilize a wounded comrade, or to secure a control station, or call for a damage team. Bathed in the pulsating red light, it seemed only those in the command pit were in control of the chaos, as Captain Roth and Commander Carter looked intently at the monitor ahead.
+"Transfer all auxiliary power to shields!" shouted Carter, as a rear science station exploded.
+"Stabilize energy reserves!" Roth followed. "I want all available power routed to the auxiliary batteries!"
+"Decompression on forward decks eight and thirteen!" Lieutenant Zoe announced from tactical.
+"Integrity fields on both nacelles failing!" Snyder said with a shaky voice at the helm. "The housings are beginning to buckle!"
+"They're crushing us like a tin can . . ." Carter said ominously.
+"Doctor," Roth turned to Virtus in the counselor's seat. "I need a solution NOW!"
+For his part, Victor Virtus did not remove his eyes from the console to his left. Dialing frantically, he replied, "we could try rotating the phaser frequencies, but I estimate only a 12.3 percent chance of being able to interrupt the Tholian web."
+"Tactical!" Roth turned her attention to Lieutenant Zoe. "Modulate forward phaser banks and cut this damned web loose!"
+"Aye, captain," came the response, and an orange beam shot towards the web matrix on the monitor. After a moment, the lieutenant shook her head, "no effect."
+"Again!" Roth ordered frantically, and another stream of fiery plasma erupted towards the shrinking energy net.
+Without warning, the bridge stopped shaking, and the pulsating web on the monitor disappeared. Everyone on the bridge froze in place, confused at the sudden halt of destructive activity. The captain opened her mouth to speak, but before a word came out, the bridge exploded with multiple flashes of brilliant white light. As the blinding illumination subsided, the bridge crew gawked at the sudden appearance of nearly a hundred Starfleet personnel packing the now very crowded command center.
+Carter didn't move. He only sat in his chair, staring at the people standing shoulder-to-shoulder directly in front of him. The commander turned his head slowly to his left to see an equally flummoxed captain, then reversed direction towards the science station, but found several more standing bodies blocking his view. The closest, who was actually in the command pit pinned between Carter's chair and the tactical arch anchored to the floor, wore a light-blue medical jumpsuit. Slowly, Carter's head tilted upward in controlled disbelief, and his eyes fell upon Leon Cromwell's face that bore an expression of mild yet surrendered irritation.
+"Leon," Carter greeted the doctor, as if they had casually met in the corridors of the ship.
+"John," the doctor returned the calm greeting, acting as if his sudden appearance and immediate standing location was the most normal situation in the galaxy. "You might want to think about leaving orbit."
+"Chief!" Carter turned to find himself shouting into the torsos of people standing directly in front of him.
+"Aye sir?" came the muffled voice of Chief Rainier, far away at the ops station.
+"Is everyone off the surface?"
+"Aye sir."
+"Helm, set course 085. Best speed."
+"Engines engaged," returned Snyder's strained voice, who had barely any elbow room to execute the command.
+As the ship swerved away from Sigma Omicron and straightened to make a direct line towards Federation space, Carter turned back to Leon, who, out of no will of his own, remained exactly where he was.
+"Care to explain this?" John asked Leon cautiously.
+"All in good time," the doctor replied. "First, I need a drink . . ."
 ----
 <BOOKMARK:Chapter26>
 <fs x-large>**Chapter 26: Second Star To The Right**</fs><wrap lo right>[[archives:den_of_lions#top|Top]]</wrap>\\ \\
+**Location: main bridge, USS Republic**
+The confusion on Republic's bridge was slowly reaching epidemic proportions when Kim Roth stood up to address the newly arrived guests. At the Ops position, Brad Rainier caught a wave from Roth out of the corner of his eye. "Attention on Deck!" he bellowed in his best `scare-the-hell-out-of-the-middies' voice. An instant later, the bridge was silent, save for the regular beeps, chirps and hum that came from a starship's normal functions.
+"Thank you, Chief." Roth surveyed the assembled group, nodding with approval. "It's good to see you again, and for those of you who were part of the station's compliment," Roth again looked over the Chief, "We'll do our best to accommodate you." She looked at the crowd again. "Where's Commander Madhava?" she asked, with an arched eyebrow.
+"He's dead Captain," Counselor Tolkath said matter of factly. Tolkath looked to his feet, at the still unconscious Dr. Samantha Beckett. "It seems Doctor Beckett had her own agenda."
+Roth nodded grimly. "I see," the captain offered. "Everyone here get to Sickbay ASAP." Roth looked at the clearly relieved Doctor Cromwell, "If we can prevail upon you, Doctor?"
+Despite the ordeal of the last few hours, Leon felt an easy smile cross his face. "Permission to pass out afterwards, Captain?"
+"Granted, Doctor," she said, then turned to look at Rainier. "Chief? Lieutenant Snyder?" She asked the two crewmembers at the ops and helm consoles. "Can you get our guests squared away please?"
+As Snyder stood up from the helm station, the COB was already in motion before the captain finished the order. "Leave it to us Captain," he said, as they both headed to the turbolift and the crowd parted for him.
+"Mister Carter," Roth said, scanning the fast emptying bridge, "Take the helm please. We seem to have misplaced Mister Hawk."
+----
+**Location: Cargo Bay 2, USS Republic**
+The cargo bay's stillness was broken by the telltale whine of a transporter matter stream. An instant later, two space-suited forms hit the deck with an uncomfortable sounding thud.
+"Sonuvabitch!" Nat Hawk yelled, rubbing the shoulder that had just slammed into the deck. "Jesus Burke!" Hawk cursed, looking back at his companion who was in a heap on the floor. "I thought you were the smart one! How did you get the transporters to hurt?"
+"Wasn't easy . . . " Burke coughed, then clawed at the helmet release for his environment suit. "Get me outta this thing, will ya?"
+"Sure thing, Bruce," Hawk commented as he knelt down to unlatch the engineer's helmet. In a flash, Hawk was twisting the helmet counter-clockwise, lifting it away from Burke's face. "So whaddid ya do?"
+Burke coughed as he gulped fresh, albeit recycled air. "I set the station's transporters to send us out the minute Republic's shields were down. Didn't count on her moving though; hence the rough landing."
+Seeing Burke's greenish coloring, Hawk grimaced as he unfastened his own helmet. "So . . . we could have materialized in the middle of an explosion? Assumin' that's what mighta brought the shields down?"
+"Could have, but didn't," Burke said weakly. "Calculated risk." The engineer's breathing was labored.
+"Right. I'm never playing poker with you Brucey," he quipped, then tapped Burke's comm badge. "Hawk ta Sickbay! Lock on for immediate transport!"
+Burke was confused as he felt the tingle of a newly forming transporter field around him. "Wait . . . where are you . . . "
+Nat Hawk shook his head. "Can't believe I'm gonna say this, but I got a ship to save."
+----
+**Location: Starfleet Headquarters, San Francisco, Sol III**
+In the richly appointed halls of Starfleet HQ, Vladimir Kostya was weighing his options. He'd hoped that Kim Roth would play ball. Why wouldn't she? He'd offered her a chance to revive her career, to be instrumental in the defense of the Federation, to be a hero, but she'd thrown all that away with one simple word. `No one says no to me,' Kostya mused inwardly. `She'll learn that the hard way now'.
+The next move would be crucial, Kostya knew. He'd have to play things closer to the vest then he had with the Cestus III affair. In that case, he'd relied too much on outside agencies. `Too many variables', he thought, `but this time I've got people I know I can trust.'
+A chirp from the comm. system brought Kostya back to reality. Annoyed, he leaned forward and angrily stabbed at the control to take the call. "This better be important, Purvis!" he chided the Yeoman not five meters away in the office's receiving area.
+//"Yes, Admiral. Sorry to intrude sir, but we've just received word from Operations Control. They've lost contact with Allegiance, sir."//
+Kostya went ashen. "What?"
+//"Operations confirms the loss of her transponder from the Intel grid at . . . . 1646 local."//
+"1640 . . . that's over two hours ago! You're just telling me this now?"
+//"Apologies Admiral, but I wanted to be sure, and I wanted to go through proper . . . channels, sir."//
+`Good', Kostya hissed silently. `At least the useless cow knows how to keep things quiet. That's something.' The head of Starship Operations cleared his throat. "What's the status of Republic?"
+//"Last report had her damaged, but functional. Intel's still got her signal on the plot."//
+Kostya slammed his fist to the desktop. "How?" he blurted aloud. "How does that damned ship manage to slip away, every time?"
+//"Not sure Sir. I'll look into that for you."//
+Rather than answer, Kostya simply punched the channel closed and fumed while the sun from a beautiful San Francisco day flooded through his office windows. The light didn't improve his dark mood.
+----
+**Location: main engineering, USS Republic**
+Nat Hawk couldn't wait as the heavy doors leading to Republic's main engineering section. He anxiously squirmed through the doors and took off at a sprint for the vertical intermix chamber. As the central landmark for the room, it was impossible to miss. Hawk ignored a handful of questioning looks from the engineering staff as he walked toward the towering column.
+"I don't want excuses, damn it!" Maria Pikita yelled from the upper observation platform, "just get those crystals re-aligned." Maria huffed a long lock of hair out of her face and braced herself against the safety rail, surveying the lower portion of engineering's cavernous space.
+She blinked in surprise. "Lieutenant Hawk? Is that you?" she called from above.
+"The one and only, darlin'" Hawk said with a mock tip of the hat. "Lemme ask ya somethin'." Hawk took a few steps around the intermix chamber, closer to the dilithium crystal armature. "How bad is an asymmetrical warp field?"
+Pikita blinked. "Why do you want to know? And . . . " she looked Hawk over again, "why are you wearing an environment suit?"
+"No reason really," Hawk said, as he pulled his phaser and pointed it at the crystal armature. "Jes' gotta few a bugs ta exterminate . . ."
+**Location: USS Republic, Main Bridge**
+John Carter, after relieving Lieutenant Snyder to help Chief Rainier with their guests, was pleased that he hadn't lost his edge as a helmsman. It had been months since he'd actually had to use the controls to steer Republic, but he always wanted to believe that he never stopped thinking like a helmsman. Apparently, he still was one. He checked the conn station's sensor plot, then looked back at the main viewer. "We'll clear the planet's subspace footprint in 45 seconds, Captain. Engineering has us cleared to warp out after then. Shall I set a course?"
+Kim Roth waved her hand casually toward the main viewer. Set course for DS9. Maybe we can hide there for a while, seeing as how I just told our boss to go to hell."
+"I hear there's a future in piracy," Carter offered casually.
+Roth laughed out loud, an emotion she was surprisingly grateful for, considering the last few days. "You might be right XO," she said. "After all, you're already dressed for it."
+Carter smiled. "Course set for DS9, Captain."
+"Engage."
+**Location: Captain's Ready Room, USS Republic**
+Kim Roth sipped at her cup of mocha. It was late in the afternoon, ship time, and normally she limited her use of caffeine, to say nothing of chocolate, but she was a woman without a career, and damn it, she was entitled to treat herself. Republic's Captain looked down briefly at the lithe form resting on the arm of her chair, and scratched the small creature under its chin. "I guess you needed the rest too, eh stinker?"
+Smoke bleaked in the affirmative.
+"Is that all, XO?"
+Across the table, John Carter rubbed the back of his neck, a clear sign that, even though Republic was out of danger for the time being, he was still finding it hard to relax. "Well, I'm still waiting for Hawk's official report on what went on down in Engineering, but Pakita's own account of things was actually pretty even-handed." Carter shook his head. "I still can't believe he did it, but according to Pikita and Vic, it did the trick; unorthodox or not."
+Kim closed her eyes and enjoyed the warmth of her drink, allowing herself to smile. "I think you just summed up the man himself."
+"I suppose so, Carter agreed. Then he mentally brushed the thought aside as his face turned more serious. "In all seriousness Captain, what's our next move? I have to tell you, I don't like the idea of `hiding' as you put it, even if DS9 is the best port in the storm." Carter forced himself to straighten up, making his family's `Old Man Noise' in the process. "This little nightmare makes twice that Kostya's tried to pull the Federation into a war, and he was using us to do it. Now, don't get me wrong Captain," Carter said wrapping his fingers around the back of his chair, "I'm glad you told him off, gods know, but he's got connections, and criminal or not, he's still an Admiral! Whatever we're going to do," he urged the brunette across from him, " we can't do it alone, no matter how much I want to snap the sprocking weasel's neck. "
+Roth calmly set her china cup down beside her, on the desktop. "Point taken, Number One, and we're not going to be alone when we do move against Kostya, but we have to get our own house in order first. That means fixing the ship and getting the crew squared, and DS9 is the best place to do that. I signaled them to expect us just after my conversation with Kostya during our Tholian engagement. After that fiasco, there's no way I'm taking us back to 39 Sierra." Roth looked the tall Martian who was her second-in-command in the eye. "Carter," she said, with the barest hint of motherliness in her voice, "This isn't the time to strap on the six guns and ride for justice. We've got to be smart."
+Carter nodded. He knew she was right, but the thought of inaction made part of him want to scream.
+Meanwhile, Roth continued. "I've been in contact with other members of the Flag Staff. "We're not the only one's Kostya's managed to leave twisting. We've got friends. I just have to FIND them."
+"Speaking of finding," Carter said, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "We've still got a missing Ops Chief and a stolen shuttle to track down."
+Again, Roth nodded. She noted that she seemed to do that a lot in her First Officer's presence. "I've had a thought or two on that, but I want to run something by you first?"
+Roth's explanation was cut short by the door chime.
+"Come," Roth answered. A second later, the hatch slid open and Zoë Beauvais, late of the USS Allegiance entered.
+Zoë looked at Carter, giving the monocular officer a polite nod. "Sorry to intrude ma'am," she offered, "I can come back later if you like?" She took a half step back toward the hatch.
+Instead, Roth waved the young Lieutenant in. "Not at all, Lieutenant," she offered warmly. "Have a seat. We were just talking about you."
+Zoë put that information at the back of her mind. The wound on her forehead was itching, but tolerable. The medics had enough on their hands with everyone else mysteriously showing up on the bridge all at once. "Ma'am," she explained, I've got Dr. Beckett secured in the brig. She's still demanding counsel. I felt I had no choice but to pass on her request to HQ."
+Roth rolled her eyes. Much as she disliked the political state of the Federation at the moment, and despite the fact that she'd ignored orders from her immediate superior, Republic's captain couldn't bring herself to deny Samantha Beckett rights that were guaranteed to her by the Articles of Federation. Roth shot Carter a sympathetic look. "Wonderful," she said woefully, "more lawyers."
+"Not for a while, Ma'am," Zoë explained. "It was the oddest thing . . . the subspace array was down for repair, so I had to settle for carrier wave."
+Carter laughed out loud. "You used the radio?"
+"Yes, Sir," Zoë smiled.
+"Well that should buy us a couple of centuries."
+Roth nodded. "That sorts Doctor Beckett until we can transfer her DS9. I think it's best if we keep that particular ace up our sleeve for now." Captain Roth gave the young Tactical Officer an appraising look. "Lieutenant, have you thought much about your future?"
+"Always thinking about it Ma'am, in order to get the job done properly. I was thinking about heading back to the London, seeing that I am technically on vacation right now when I got pulled into a side assignment that would have me back before the London would miss me. It was a poor choice, in my opinion, to take it. I don't like to go against the orders given me, Captain," Zoë continued, "but that woman, Captain MacDonald, was hard to work with in the first place. It was either do the job or get kicked out of the Fleet. I didn't have much choice but to moonlight that assignment."
+Roth nodded. "Fair enough," she commented, "but I'd like you to consider making your assignment on Republic permanent."
+"Ma'am?" Zoë stammered.
+"What?" Carter returned. The tall man's face flushed. "Now wait a minute, Captain," he protested, looking over toward Zoë. "No offense to Lieutenant Beauvais, but we just lost Dazing, and I don't know that putting another stranger at Tactical is what the crew needs right now."
+Carter pivoted to look the Lieutenant in the eye. "I swear Lieutenant, this isn't personal. You did a hell of a thing, stepping up when you came aboard, and I do want to thank you for that."
+"But?" Captain Roth commented.
+"But we've had nothing but trouble getting anyone other than myself and McTaggart up to speed at Tactical, and frankly, the kid deserves a shot."
+Roth nodded. "I agree," she said coolly, "but not aboard this ship."
+"Why the hell not!? . . . Ma'am?" he added awkwardly.
+"Aside from Doctors Cromwell and Virtus, is there anyone onboard you trust more than McTaggart?" Roth asked pointedly.
+"No, Captain. Which is why I want him at Tac."
+"I understand that," the captain affirmed, "but since we can agree that Lieutenant McTaggart is above reproach, and given how fond you are of Mister Forrest, it seems to me that McTaggart is the perfect choice to watch over your favorite Black Shirt."
+Carter nodded, seeing the logic of Roth's position. "So you're figuring?"
+"I'm figuring to let Forrest do what he does best." She paused, taking another sip of mocha. "Once we get to DS9, I'll turn Forrest and McTaggart over to Captain Kira so that Forrest can find our lost sheep. If McTaggart is there, then it allows me two things. First," Roth explained, holding up a finger, "we'll know what's happened to Kuga, and our own people can keep it quiet."
+Carter nodded, exchanging glances with Zoë, who felt a little like a fly on the wall. Meanwhile, the Captain continued.
+"Second, if McTaggart does the job you and I both think he will, then it will only help his career."
+Carter once again folded his arms across his chest. "So, you've already made your mind up about this?"
+"Not at all," Roth shook her head. "I'll leave it up to McTaggart of course. It's his decision, but I think he'll take the opportunity. For now, I just wanted you to understand where I was coming from."
+Carter smirked. "Well, I do appreciate that." The XO added.
+"I thought you might." Roth pivoted in her chair, looking again at the young Lieutenant. "So what do you say, Lieutenant Beauvais? Can we put you to work?"
+"Sounds good. I think right now the best place for me would be here. There are many different people upset by our course of action and I can only imagine it getting worse with the destruction of the Allegiance. I was left out of the loop for it all you understand, but I have seen, no matter what, the ripple effects stretch to the deepest part of space. I'm your woman," she said with a heavy heart. It displeased her the course of action that her career had taken, but now she had to do what she had to do to salvage it.
+"Good," Roth said to the pair, pleased that she'd managed to diffuse what could have been a tricky situation. "I'll let the two of you sort out the details, but there's no rush. We've still got a few days before we put in at DS9."
+Carter turned to Zoë. "I'm due to meet Doctor Harris on the Hill in 20 mics, Lieutenant. Why don't you join us? No time like the present."
+"The Hill, sir?" she asked quite curious. Through all the years of battle, she had seen many different uses for the term, 'The Hill'.
+"It's our lounge, Lieutenant," Carter corrected, "A hold-over from the ship's days as the Saratoga."
+"This ship was the Saratoga?" Zoë said in surprise. "I had no idea." With new appreciation for her surroundings, Zoë looked the Ready Room over. "There's a lot of history on this ship."
+"I hope you're up to making some, Lieutenant." Captain Roth offered.
+"I can do that. Just let me stop by sickbay first and get myself attended to, Commander. Shall we say, 1700?"
+"Sure," John nodded. "See you then."

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