The Point of No Return

Posted on Jun 11, 2014 @ 5:30pm by Captain Michael Turlogh Kane
Edited on on Jun 11, 2014 @ 5:33pm

Mission: All Our Yesterdays

"THE POINT OF NO RETURN"

(Continued from "14-4")

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"There is a point at which everything becomes simple and there is no longer any question of choice, because all you have staked will be lost if you look back."
- Dag Hammerskjold

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Captain's Log, Supplemental - Following Lieutenant BaShen's confession to me, I am in more of a quandary than ever. It feels like there is something rotten on this ship. I would like nothing more than to turn us around and head for home, but we have come too far for that. In the meantime, we are on the verge of accessing the CENTURY's main computer. Whatever endgame we are moving towards, we must stay the course.

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Location: USS CENTURY, orbiting K-60-Alpha-Twelve
Stardate: [2.14]0610.0005
Scene: Main Engineering


Cindy Rochemonte was high up on a gantry overlooking the CENTURY's warp core. The ship's heartbeat was dead, but it could be resusitated with a jump-start of power from the impulse engine. It wouldn't be much, but even one per cent of warp power would activate the systems on the entire Engineering deck, and might even access the main computer.

Up here in the gloom of the second level of Engineering, there was some measure of peace. Kassandra and her marines, milling around some fifteen feet below, were still gathering corpses together for beam-up to the DISCOVERY. So far, they had found over fifty cadavers. It was enough to run the ship's engines, but it was only the fraction of the Engineering crew complement a Century-class battleship was supposed to have. The Neo-Essentialists mumst have had a relatively small number of people here.

Plugging a portable power pack into a local generator, Cindy ran a final check on the ODN relays. They were degraded, but she had replaced several nodes and installed a couple of surge protectors inside the system to try to control the power flow. These ODN relays fed directly into the main computer - once she activated the generator, she could partially access the main computer itself. If there were no power fluctuations. If the network didn't overload and burn itself out. If the main computer could even be accessed. If. If. If.

Hearing light conversation from below, she shot a glance over the railing of the gantry. Kassandra was chatting to one of her marines. Anger flared in Cindy - the bitch was being perfectly nice to him, so what had she got against Cindy Rochemonte? Marines were all idiots anyway. They only threw their weight around because they had pulse rifles.

Her tricorder chimed. The diagnostic of the ODN relays was complete. Green lines all the way.

Cindy moved to the generator, ready to activate the portable power pack. For a moment, she thought about calling down to Kassandra to let her know she was turning something on, but why should she? Kassandra knew nothing about how hard Cindy had worked repairing these relays. Having a marine standing around watching her every move was bullshit - she was sure that there had been some mistake in sending them aboard anyway. No need for them to be around at all, and no need for her to tell Kassandra anything. Payback, bitch.

Cindy touched the power regulator and the generator kicked on with a hum. Its lights sparkled, throwing a rainbow of colour through the gloom of the upper gantry. She watched as each node in the network activated, following the chain until the moment of truth - with delight, she saw a green light appeared at the very end of the chain. Touching the control to activate the main computer made her heart leap with joy - the panel activated instantly.

"Qui et l'homme?" Cindy chuckled to herself. On the computer panel, a data stream was running like a river as the computer rebooted itself. It finished quickly and settled into waiting mode.

"Computer?" said Cindy.

Nothing. No voice interface. But the touch-screen was working fine. Quickly, Cindy inputted a series of commands accessing the memory banks. Her face was eerily underlit by the screen's shine as she peered at the raw data that appeared.

"Princess!" called Kassandra from down below. "What's going on up there? You've gone quiet on us!"

Cindy ignored her. The data was reverting to its last known date of entry - almost nine years ago. Working quickly, Cindy accessed the memory banks directly, seeking the last smatterings of information fed into the computer logs. There was a short delay, but that data appeared too. Brow creased, Cindy began reading the last computer log of the USS CENTURY.

"Hey!" yelled Kassandra. "I asked you what you're doing?"

Cindy heard Kass's footsteps as the marine came to the foot of the ladder that led up onto the gantry. She glanced away from the scrolling sea of data, but only for a second. She couldn't believe what she was reading. Wide-eyed, her mouth dropped open as the final computer log displayed. "Mon dieu..." she breathed. If this was right, and it *was* right, then the DISCOVERY, and everyone aboard her was in terrible danger.

"That's it, princess, I'm coming up!" called Kass. "Going to see what the hell you think you're doing up there!"

Panic flooded Cindy's veins like ice water, snapping her from her fear and focusing her mind. Quickly, she transferred the computer logs into her tricorder, keying as quickly as she dared, praying to all the gods of luck and fate that she could transmit the logs back to the DISCOVERY before Kassandra made the top of the ladder.

The gods ignored her.

Kassandra's hands made the top of the ladder. "Don't know what the hell your problem is, princess," she said nonchalantly, "but if you want me to knock some sense into you, I'll be - hey!!"

Cindy got to her feet and ran like hell.

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Location: USS DISCOVERY, high above
Scene: Bridge


Michael Turlogh Kane strode on the bridge of his ship, jaw set in determination. After thinking it over - no, brooding it over - it was time to find out what was going on. Russ's complaint against Stonn could not be ignored. Insubordination was one thing, but threatening senior officers was something else. Then there was the bizarre sequence of events that led them out here - the DISCOVERY's too-smooth reactivation, the sabotage of the Suvin listening post, Stonn's constant recommendations that they proceed no further with the mission.

The ship shuddered again. Kane wondered if the turbulence was getting stronger. The DISCOVERY was coming up on twenty years in service now - it had been a long time since she was tested in heavy atmospheric conditions like these. So far, her systems were all online, but the earlier asteroid strike had worried him. Twenty years was a long time.

He made it to the centre seat and looked around at the familiar bridge. This was home, no matter how many times they refitted it. You'd never let us down, he thought to the ship. You're our mother and our home. You'd never hurt us. The thought gave him comfort, warmed his heart.

"Bridge to Commander Stonn," he said in a voice as authoritatve as he could muster.

[[Stonn here,]] came the cool reply. Inscrutable as ever.

Kane took a breath. "Commander Stonn, this is Captain Kane. I want you to return to the ship. Stop whatever you're doing over there and report to me directly."

There was no answer. The silence was mocking. Nearby, Russ gritted his teeth, guessing what this was about.

Kane's jaw set. "Do you read me, Commander?"

[[Captain, my work is not complete. Request permission to rema - ]]

"I've given you an order, Commander. I expect you to obey it."

Another silence. I wish I could see his face, Kane thought. Stonn's features might be carved in stone, but his eyes would betray something. They'd give something away, even if his words didn't. Vulcans do not lie - Stonn had said that often enough.

[[Very well, Captain. Beaming back now.]]

"Kane out." Relief swept through him as the ship shuddered again.

{{Captain,}} said Byte suddenly, {{we are receiving a transmission from the CENTURY.}}

"So put it through," Kane said.

{{It is not a voice transmission, sir,}} said the android. {{It is a data stream. I believe it is being transmitted by Lieutenant Rochemonte.}}

"The engineer?" Kane frowned and turned to Tactical.

"Confirmed," nodded Lex Calvari. "Data only."

Kane turned back to Byte. "What does it say?"

Byte's brow was furrowed like a well-ploughed field. The android was mimicking Human mannerisms perfectly. {{I cannot tell, Captain. They appear to be computer logs, but several parts of the data are incomplete.}}

Kane moved to his shoulder. "The CENTURY's computer logs?"

{{It appears so, sir.}}

Kane frowned. "I wasn't aware we had accessed the CENTURY's main computer."

[[Transporter room to the bridge. Commander Stonn has beamed back aboard.]] Ensign Orion's voice filtered up through the decks.

Distracted, Kane shook his head. "Try and clear up the data, Mister Byte. Transfer it to me the moment you succeed. Have Commander Stonn report to me in my ready room." He walked away from them, preparing himself for the upcoming confrontation.

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Scene: Chief Engineer's quarters


Jake had been working solidly on the Exocomp for the last half-hour, but was no closer to getting the thing up and running again. He wasn't sure what the hell the little machine was doing - it was like its own internal power regulators were refusing to send anything to non-essential processors, like the landers or external servos - even the miniature materialiser that was the Exocomp's toolhead was offline.

"Come on, little guy," murmured Jake. "Help me help you, huh?"

He opened its ventral dataport to check the subsystems. To his surprise, he found a steady, flashing amber light. A quick scan showed him the problem - the Exocomp was devoting all its own internal power to protect a hardware file. It had set up a firewall and multiple redundancy routes to keep any unwarranted interference with something it was desperately trying to contain.

"What are you trying to hold on to?" Jake said aloud.

The Exocomp made a series of beeps and chimes.

"Hey, come on. It's me, Jake. Remember me? I switched you on again. You have to remember me, right?" On a weird whim, Jake scanned himself with his tricorder. Interfacing with the Exocomp, he uploaded the data to the little machine's hard drive. "See? Just me. I'm not going to hurt you, buddy."

Something happened. The Exocomp processed the data, and as it did, it chimed musically. All its systems came online again. Despite the damage to its lander, it tried to activate its thrusters to stand upright.

"Here you go." Jake picked it up and set it down on his work table.

The Exocomp burped electronically. From its holo-emitter, it beamed an image onto the tabletop - a holographic image. With a shock, Jake recognised the scene - it was the CENTURY's deflector control room moments before he had been injured. Frozen in time, he saw Commander Stonn kneeling at the viewing port, saw himself working on the control panel, all from the point of view of the Exocomp which was hovering near his head.

"You recorded everything?" asked Jake in amazement. "I didn't know you could do that. Show me."

The holographic image moved. He saw himself put down the helmet of his environment suit and run a scan on the control panel in the room. "... tricorder's showing a residue of power in this unit and a clean ODN network," he heard himself saying. "Someone's remotely connected this console to the main deflector dish and programmed it to - Commander Stonn! This console was where the original signal was sent from!"

Jake watched Stonn raise an eyebrow behind him. Deliberately, the Vulcan stood up and began removing the gloves of his own environment suit. "How is that possible?" he said, placing them primly on his belt. "The atmosphere was vented. Everyone was dead."

Jake watched himself open his toolbox. Stonn was slowly approaching him from behind, while the Exocomp hung in the air, watching everything with its inorganic eyes. "I'll bet I can jury rig a local connection to the nearest main computer processor," he saw himself saying. The console powered up with a hum.

Stonn came up behind him and lifted up his right hand. Jake watched in fear, reliving the moment.

Jake saw the happy smile on his own face even as Stonn's hand reached for him. He had been so close - that console had showed everything green. He was so sure that he could have connected it to the main computer. "We can access local power through this," he saw himself say, "send signals into the main network. Hell, we might even be able to access the memory banks directly. This is great! I'll just -"

Stonn's hand descended on his neck like a claw. Through the unblinking eye of the Exocomp, Jake watched as Stonn seized him at the base of his neck, where his spine met his shoulder. His stomach heaved, remembering the sensation now. The holographic Jake convulsed, making an awful choking sound, whole body seizing up in a rictus freeze of agony. He watched his own eyes roll back up into his skull, saw himself collapse in a heap on the floor, unconscious.

Shocked, Jake absently put his hand to where Stonn had nerve-pinched him. He'd heard of that Vulcan technique but had never seen it done before. No wonder he hadn't remembered anything - it had happened so quickly that it was like a blink. He thought as hard as he could, but couldn't remember a thing until waking up in sickbay.

His mind whirled. Stonn had attacked him. Why? What possible reason could be there be to lay him low like that?

The holographic Stonn knelt down to check Jake. Then he looked up and affixed the Exocomp a demonic glare. "I think you have seen too much," the holo-Stonn said, seizing the Exocomp. In a blur of movement, the Exocomp was smashed against the wall, shattering its shell into pieces that fell onto the deckplate like rattling rain. The camera came to a sudden halt, fading out as it focused on Jake's unconscious face.

In the here and now, Jake shook his head in disbelief. The Exocomp chimed mournfully as it terminated the playback. "He wanted to stop me accessing the memory banks," Jake murmured to himself. A hand of fear seized him. Stonn was a traitor, and this holo-recording proved it. He was actively working against the DISCOVERY's crew. The Captain had to be informed.

Jake picked up the Exocomp and held it in his arms like it was a child. "Come on, buddy," he said, heading for the door. "We've got to show this to Captain Kane."

The doors hissed open onto a new world.

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Location: USS CENTURY, as before
Scene: Main Engineering


Cindy Rochemonte was running for her life, only there was nowhere for her to go.

The upper gantry was semi-circular. It ran around the top of the warp core, giving the working engineering crew a view of what was happening in the upper part of the reactor chamber. Up here was where the mag-locks that held the dilithium crystals were controlled from, where several monitoring stations could be configured to watch over whatever aspect of the engines' performance that her Chief Engineer saw fit.

What she had seen on the computer logs, what it meant for their mission, it didn't bear thinking about. The CENTURY's last hours alive had been spent in this system, rendevousing with another starship. Its name and its commander were etched inside her brain forever.

Behind her, Kassandra Thytos had reached to top of the ladder. She unslung her pulse rifle, looking around for Cindy. "Princess?" she called. "Where the hell are - " She stopped when she saw the active computer console.

Cindy froze. She was on the other side of the gantry from Kassandra, and desperately looked around for a place to hide. She crouched down in the shadow of one of the monitoring stations, trying hard to control her breathing.

Kassandra leaned over the active computer console, frowning as she read the data stream. Slowly, she looked up and turned around, sensor nets blinking a rainbow of colour as she searched the dark of the gantry for any sign of Cindy. "Looks like you've seen too much, Princess," she said in a hard voice.

Cindy closed her eyes in fear.

Kassandra activated her pulse rifle and cocked it. The noise echoed around the top of the gantry. "Since you've seen what you've seen," she said, "I'll give you one chance to come out. Come out now and I promise you won't be harmed. Make me work for it, and I swear I'll carve you into fucking pieces."

Cindy didn't move.

With a scream, Kassandra turned and pulled the trigger of her rifle. Explosive pulse rounds chattered from the weapon, shredding the computer console in a shower of sparks. She turned on her heel as her HUD came down from her helmet to cover her eyes.

Cindy was four alarm crazy with fear. As the green beams of Kassandra's helmet HUD began to sweep the gantry, interfacing with the marine's sensor nets, she saw the top of the other ladder. It was just a couple of strides away. There might be other marines at the bottom of it, but at least for her, for now, she could escape Kassandra's murderous intent. One thing was for sure - she couldn't stay here. When Kassandra looked her way, she would be revealed, a cowering mess shrunken up in fear in the shadows.

Taking a deep breath, Cindy leaped forward for the top of the ladder. Stretching her fingers out to grasp the hand-holds, she moved faster than she had ever done in her life. Desperation gave her legs the strength to pump her across the distance in three strides.

She nearly made it.

As soon as she moved, Kass zeroed her. A burst of automatic pulse fire spattered the wall behind Cindy, riddling her shadow with holes.

Shocked and terrified at the sudden violence, Cindy's fingers slipped from the hand-holds of the ladder. Tipping forward, she lost her balance. Flailing wildly, a scream emitting from her mouth, Cindy Rochemonte pitched forward over the edge of the gantry and fell into space.

It was a long fall.

With a sickening crunch, she slammed her head against the side of the warp core on the way down. Her right leg snapped like a twig when she impacted the deck plating. She lay there, a pool of blood forming around her head like a thought bubble.

Kassandra reached the top of the ladder as PFC Trebond arrived. She watched as Trebond knelt down beside Cindy and checked her for a pulse. He looked back up, and shook his head with a grim expression on his face.

Cindy Rochemonte was dead.

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Location: USS DISCOVERY
Scene: Captain's Ready Room


The doors didn't chime. They hissed open angrily, and Stonn marched straight into the ready room where Kane was seated at his desk waiting for him. The outside view was just as garishly spectacular - the sea-green moon rolling in the foreground contrasted starkly with the enormous bulk of the orange gas giant behind.

Kane had his desktop terminal switched on, and was reading through a data stream when the Vulcan came in.

Stonn came right up to the desk. He had taken off his environment suit and was back in his uniform, but he smelled of sweat from having been in the suit too long. There was a pouch on each hip and his hair was wild. "Reporting as ordered, Captain."

Kane didn't look up immediately. Never let them think you're anxious to see them. Give them a second to wonder what is going on, then you can turn your attention to them. He finished reading what was on his screen, then turned it around so it faced Stonn. "Do you know what this is?"

Stonn looked at the data. "It appears to be a computer log, Captain."

"It is a computer log. Mister Byte has just finished enhancing it. There were several missing fragments thanks to the years it was sitting in a ship battered by the gravity well of the gas giant outside. The is a computer log of the USS CENTURY. To be more specific, it is the very last computer log of the USS CENTURY."

"I was not aware the CENTURY's main computer had been accessed, Captain."

"It wasn't, until a few minutes ago. Commander, I called you in here because I wanted to discuss a personnel matter with you, but that can wait now. Something much more important has come to light." Kane leaned forward, steepling his fingers in front of him. "I don't suppose you want to hazard a guess as to what that might be?"

Stonn's gaze was steady, his voice even. "I do not know, Captain."

"Are you sure, Commander?"

"Captain Kane, Vulcans do not -"

"Lie?" Kane said, standing up. His anger was plain, his voice hard. "How much of a fool do you take me for? Vulcans might not lie, but they're more than capable of not telling the whole truth - like you, Commander Stonn!"

"Captain, I -"

"Be quiet!" Kane roared. "You do not have permission to speak, Commander! Instead, I'm going to talk to you, and you're going to listen! Is that clear!" He pointed to the desktop terminal screen. "This computer log is the final piece in the puzzle, isn't it? You've led us a merry dance, but now the show's over!"

Stonn's face was like granite.

"First, you come to me with an offer of reinstatement into the fleet, an offer you knew I'd likely jump at. You omit to mention that you've already been assigned as the DISCOVERY's First Officer, that her refit is nearing completion, and that there is a mission already waiting for us - a mission out in the Beta Quadrant, where a missing Federation starship has sent a distress call home." Kane jabbed his finger at Stonn. "But there's a saboteur aboard the Suvin listening post where we're supposed to receive a full data analysis on this mysterious signal. There are a bunch of marines waiting there to come aboard with orders straight from Admiral Edgerton himself. And now that we've come here and found the CENTURY, and downloaded her last computer logs, we find something just an interesting."

Kane got up and came around the table to stand in front of Stonn. "The CENTURY's last computer logs show that Admiral Dupree brought her here to system K-60 almost nine years ago, for a secret meeting with another Federation starship far away from any Starfleet eyes. Do you know what the other starship was, Mister Stonn?"

The Vulcan said nothing.

"I'll tell you. It was the USS VALHALLA, under the command of the then-Captain Richard Edgerton. He was supposed to be patrolling the Gorn border but his ship disappeared for almost a week. Turns out he was here in this system, having a secret meeting with Admiral Dupree, the leader of the Neo-Essentialist movement. Now, what do you think that says about now-Admiral Edgerton, given that no record of this meeting exists anywhere in Starfleet records?"

The Vulcan said nothing.

"Still nothing to say?" Kane gestured to the display screen again. "What if I was to tell you that I knew that the VALHALLA's Operations Officer was a Vulcan named Stonn? Or that the very last thing recorded by the CENTURY's computer logs was her own command override codes being used to shut down the main computer safeguards and vent the ship's atmosphere into space?"

Stonn reached to his hip, opening one of his pouches.

"This is why the Edgerton assigned you to the DISCOVERY, isn't it Stonn?" said Kane. "You are here to stop us finding out about this clandestine meeting between Dupree and Edgerton, isn't that right? Why did they meet up - was it to swap ideas? Is Admiral Edgerton a Neo-Essentialist?"

The Vulcan said nothing.

"But the VALHALLA didn't finish the job, did she?" said Kane. "Some of the CENTURY's escape pods fired as the atmosphere was being vented. The very last sensor readings record these pods as landing on the surface of the moon below us. There were *survivors*, Stonn. It's been nine years, but maybe they've escaped off-planet by now. Is that what you came here to find out? Answer me!"

Stonn calmly produced a hand phaser and pointed it at Kane.

"What," said Kane dangerously, "do you think you're doing?"

Stonn pressed the trigger. An orange lance of energy erupted from the phaser, hitting Kane full square in the chest, lifting him off his feet and launching him into the air. His leg caught the desktop terminal and sent it flying into the viewport where it shattered into pieces. Catapulted over the desk, Kane slammed hard into the wall before collapsing in a heap, a large burn in the centre of his chest.

Stonn pressed the buttons on the phaser, increasing the setting. "You are lucky, Captain, that that was just a stun shot," he said, before turning back to the bridge.

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Scene: Bridge


The senior officers on the bridge were rising from their stations. The whine of the phaser shot followed by the heavy thump on the floor had sent a wave of alarm around the bridge.

"Was that a phaser shot?" asked Russ incredulously.

Lex Calvari nodded. "I think it was." He reached underneath his console for his own phaser, but the doors to the ready room hissed spitefully open.

Stonn came onto the bridge, a phaser in his hand. Everybody froze. Byte, Lex and Russ all exchanged glances as Stonn slowly panned the phaser around. "Do not move," the Vulcan said. "This weapon is set to kill, and I will not hesitate to use it. Put your hands in the air."

Everyone on the bridge raised their hands.

Stonn lifted his head and spoke into the air. "Computer, shipwide broadcast."

[[Open,]] came the computer's voice.

Stonn's voice was hard and even. As he spoke, his words echoed around the ship, on every deck, in every room. "This is Stonn. Initiate Operation No Return."

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Scene: Inside a turbolift


Jake was still cradling the Exocomp in his arms. He had just gotten on board the turbolift heading for the bridge, when Stonn's shocking message came over the comnet.

In his arms, the Exocomp chimed worriedly.

"What's going on?" said Jake aloud.

The turbolift abruptly slowed, then came to a stop. When the doors opened, it wasn't the bridge. Two marines were standing outside the turbolift with their pulse rifles trained on him. One of them, with his name written on his chest tag, reached in to the turbolift and hauled him out onto the deck, shoving him to his knees.

"Commander Crichton," said PFC Trebond, looking at Jake down the barrel of his gun. "You're under arrest."

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Scene: Sickbay


Cindy Rochemonte's corpse had just been beamed aboard, and the full medical emergency trauma team was waiting to meet her. Bonnie, Ensign S'Tanu, Adriana Wolsey and several of the nurses were standing by as Cindy materialised on the biobed in a shimmering pillar of light.

As S'Tanu lowered the sensor unit over Cindy to begin computer-aided respiration, Bonnie was analysing the readings. "No pulse. Haemotoma on anterior cerebral artery. Blood pressure forty over ten. Right leg's broken."

Ensign Wolsey injected Tri-Ox into Cindy's neck to try to oxygenate her blood. "It's been about a minute since she fell," she said.

"That is a long time," said S'Tanu.

"We need to repair that artery," said Bonnie. "Give me a cellular regenerator."

Adriana handed her the device, and Bonnie laid it carefully across Cindy's forehead. She interfaced the device with the biobed. Within seconds, the technology had pin-pointed the location of Cindy's head injury. "Activating now," said Bonnie, and Cindy's head was bathed in the soft pink light of the regenerator.

The three medical officers stood around and watched. Finally, a series of beeps came from the biobed as Cindy's heartbeat started up again, regular and clear. S'Tanu looked at them. "Blood pressure returning to normal," he reported. "Anterior cerebral artery repaired."

Bonnie nodded. Cindy would be comatose for a time, while they worked on ridding her body of the blood that had been spilled inside her own head. "That's good news," she smiled. "When she's strong enough, stop computer-aided respiration. We'll let her recover normally."

"Well done, Doctor," said Adriana.

A voice crackled over the internal comnet. [[This is Stonn. Initiate Operation No Return.]]

Adriana looked at S'Tanu. "What does that mean?" she asked.

"I do not know," said her Vulcan colleague. He raised an eyebrow. "And why has it been broadcast all over the ship?"

"So that we would know when the time was right to take over," said Bonnie Reardon.

Adrianna and S'Tanu looked, and Bonnie had a phaser in her hand. So did some of the other nurses. "Please," said Bonnie, "I don't want to have to kill anyone." She motioned them in the direction of her office. "Get inside. You're all being detained."

Shocked and amazed, S'Tanu, Adriana and the other medical personnel were herded into Bonnie's office. The doors hissed shut, and locked.

Bonnie Reardon and her fellow Neo-Essentialists made sure there was nobody else to interfere, then Bonnie tapped her communicator. "This is Reardon. Sickbay is secure."

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Scene: Science Centre, Deck 9


In his office, Solomon Arn was poring over data from stellar cartography and trying not to let the outside turbulence interfere with his concentration, but it was hard. The DISCOVERY was naturally taking in as much data from this system as it could while it was here in orbit of this moon, but it all had to be collated, and that collating had to be done by the ship's scientists.

His wasn't the only work going on, of course. Various experiments, calculations and cross-referencing administrative work was going on at a variety of science stations.

He checked the chronometer. Off-duty in ninety minutes. Today was dragging.

[[ This is Stonn.]] Solomon looked up in confusion as he realised that the First Officer was broadcasting throughout the ship. [[Initiate Operation No Return.]]

"Now what the hell does that mean?" Solomon muttered to himself. Then a shadow fell across his doorway.

Ensign Ibrahim Abdullah, his second-in-command, was standing there, pointing a phaser at him.

Solomon's mouth dropped open in shock. "Ibrahim, what's going on?"

"You are being detained," said the Arab, beckoning him forward at phaser-point.

Solomon walked out onto the main floor of the science centre. All around, half of his staff were pointing phasers at the other half. One of the lab techs - Crewman Tazell - had obviously offered some sort of resistance, but had been shot down by a stun shot for her trouble.

Solomon stood in the midst of the captives, placing his hands on his head. Behind him, Ensign Abdullah tapped his communicator.

"Science Centre is secure."

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Scene: Deck 5


Security guards David Croft and Bill Morrow had their hand phasers out and approached the door cautiously. It had been a few minutes since Commander Stonn's call to arms and they were moving to accomplish their mission. Behind this door was one of the most enigmatic members of the DISCOVERY's crew, one they had been ordered to secure or kill.

They paused outside the door. David looked at Bill. "Ready?"

Bill nodded.

David pushed the door chime. There was no answer for a moment, but then they heard footsteps approach. The doors opened, and there standing several inches in height below them, was the alien Preserver.

"Can I help you?" she asked.

David and Bill levelled their phasers at her. "You're being detained," said David. "Please come with us."

"Don't make us shoot you," said Bill.

The alien cocked her head. "Do these orders come from Captain Kane?"

"He's not in command any longer," said David.

"Come with us," said Bill. "Hands up."

Isador pursed her lips, digested the information, then nonchalantly raised her hands above her head and was led away down the corridor.

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Scene: Bridge


On the bridge, the marines were beaming in. While Stonn held the bridge hostage, half a dozen pillars of cobalt light shimmered into existence as Kassandra and her marines materialised on the bridge. They trained their pulse rifles on their bridge crew.

Kassandra checked the Tactical station. "All decks are reporting in, Commander. We've secured the ship."

Stonn nodded. "Well done, Major. Take the command crew to the brig and keep them under guard. Lock the rest of the crew in their quarters. If anyone resists, take appropriate action."

The marines gestured to Lex and Russ. Byte stepped forward too, but Stonn held out a hand. "Not you, Lieutenant Byte. As an android, you are too problematic for us to handle."

{{I see,}} said Byte. {{Then, Commander, may I suggest that you use your phaser on maximum setting against my cranial unit. That will be most efficient in terminating my existence.}}

Stonn holstered his weapon. "That will not be necessary," he said, striding over to Byte. Before anyone could stop him, he reached into the android's right arm-pit, activating a switch. Like a puppet with its strings cut, Byte collapsed in a heap on the deck plate.

Stonn gestured to two marines. "Get it out of here. And put Lieutenants BaShen and Calvari in the brig."

Hands above their head, Russ and Lex were led into the turbolift. When the doors closed, the marines were already moving to secure the bridge.

**************************************************

Captain's Log, Supplemental, Commander Stonn reporting - Operation No Return has been a complete success. We are in total control of the DISCOVERY. Her main computer has been locked out to ensure only we have access to it. It seems that none of the command crew had any indication that we are so many. Nevertheless, the remaining Starfleet crew is being rounded up and interned in either their own quarters or in the brig. Once they are secure, we will be able to deal with them at our leisure. My compliments to Captain Thytos and her marines. They provided the cutting edge of our blade today. Admiral Edgerton will be pleased.... Federation first!

**************************************************

Michael Turlogh Kane came to.The first thing he heard was a buzzing in his ears, then a white light appeared, rapidly coalescing into colours and shapes. Dreams fled away, reality asserted itself - he was alive, he was in sickbay, he was awake.

With a start, he remembered that Stonn had shot him with a phaser. He tried to sit up, but couldn't move. A forcefield was holding him down. He was naked from the waist up, and on the centre of his chest he could see an ugly purple bruise the size of a fist. It throbbed dully, and deep breaths hurt.

He looked around. In the biobed next to him, underneath the large sensor unit, lay Cindy Rochemonte, one of the assistant chief engineers. She was as pale as death, and a cellular regenerator lay on her forehead. He glanced at the biobed's diagnostic signs - she was alive, although comatose.

There was nobody else in the room. Sickbay was deserted - he cast his eyes around, finally seeing someone behind the glass inside Dr. Reardon's office. No, not someone - it looked like there were half-a-dozen people in there. They were all peering back out through the glass, faces creased up into masks of worry.

His vision swam, and he closed his eyes. When the sensation passed and he opened them again, Bonnie Reardon was standing over him. She was checking his vital signs. "Doctor Reardon," said Kane through dry lips.

She looked down at him. "Ah, the Kraken awakens," she deadpanned.

"What's happening, Doctor? Commander Stonn tried to kill me - "

"No, Captain. Stonn was protecting the secrets of the CENTURY."

Kane tried to sit up again. "What the hell are you talking about? Why can't I move?"

Bonnie looked down at him with the sympathy of a victor. "You can't move because there is a stasis field holding you down. It seems I have to bring you up to date, Captain Kane - very well. Just under half of your crew are Neo-Essentialists and we have taken over the ship because you found out what happened in this system nine years ago. Clear enough?"

Kane lay there as the shock from what she was saying washed over him. "Then, you're a - "

"Federation first," said Bonnie pointedly.

Kane shot a glance at Cindy. "What about her?"

"Lieutenant Rochemonte fell off a gantry in the CENTURY's engineering deck while Major Thytos was trying to apprehend her. All of the marines are with us, you see. Don't worry, Lieutenant Rochemonte is alive and will wake up in a day or two. Medical technology is amazing."

Angrily, Kane turned his head to face her. "You saved her? Why bother?"

Bonnie laughed at him. "We don't want to kill anyone, Captain! I assure you that, aside from one or two sporadic incidents, this mutiny has been bloodless. That's how it is going to stay, unless you give us any trouble."

Kane shook his head. "How in hell did over a hundred Neo-Essentialists get assigned to the DISCOVERY?" he wondered aloud, but the answer came to him quickly. "Edgerton. So, he's your leader now. What did he do, murder Dupree? I know the CENTURY's own command codes were used to vent her atmosphere."

Bonnie shrugged. "I only joined the movement a couple of years ago. As far as I remember, Dupree lost the favour of the higher echelons, and paid the price. Admiral Edgerton has been a breath of fresh air. Unlike you, he's a real leader. A born organiser too." She leaned in close to Kane, dropping her voice conspiratorially. "You wouldn't believe how many of us there are now, Captain. We're everywhere."

Kane looked away. "I'm going to figure a way out of here. Then I'm going to kill every last one of you sons-of-bitches."

Bonnie chuckled. "Good luck with that." She checked the stasis field settings. "Your own health is fine. If Stonn had aimed that stun shot at your head your brains would be all over your ready room wall. I suggest you spend some time thinking about that."

She moved away, leaving him alone.

*************************************************

Scene: Deck 2, senior officers' quarters


Kassandra Thytos had come down for the bridge when the report came in that Jake Crichton had been apprehended. When the turbolift doors opens, she found her two marines holding him at gunpoint even as he held on to his Exocomp like a baby.

Let's take a walk, Commander," she said. "You'll go back to your quarters, and you'll stay there until we figure out what to do with you."

Jake fell into step as one of the marines prodded him with the barrel of his pulse rifle. "Why are you doing this, Major? Why has Commander Stonn taken over the ship?"

"You don't need to know," said Kass evenly. "Just do as you're told and you won't get hurt."

"Listen to me, please!" said Jake. "Stonn attacked me on the CENTURY. He nerve-pinched me when I was about to access the ship's main computer. There's something aboard the CENTURY that he doesn't want anyone finding out about."

"I know."

"You know?" They turned the corner to Jake's quarters. "But he's prepared to use violence to keep us finding out about it. This is a mutiny, it's more than a mutiny Major, can't you see that?"

Kass rounded on him. "Of course I see that, Commander Crichton! Something bigger than you realise is going on! We're all under orders from Starfleet here!"

Jake shook his head frantically, his words tumbling over each other. "Starfleet? No, no, Major, that's bullshit. You don't follow orders blindly, nobody does! Look, the Exocomp recorded the whole scene when Stonn attacked me. Let me play it for you." He opened the door to his quarters and stepped inside, setting the Exocomp down on a table. "Come on, little guy, play it again."

"I really don't have time for this - "

"Just thirty seconds, that's all I'm asking!" said Jake. "Look, here it is."

The Exocomp activated the holographic memory it was carrying. Kassandra stepped into his quarters and approached the table to watch. She saw the whole thing play out - Stonn stalking up behind Jake, then nerve-pinching him and shattering the Exocomp against the wall. "You see that?" said Jake. "What's so important that Stonn wants to stop us finding out about it? Why have we come all this way only for him to try to sabotage the mission now?"

Kass frowned. "Look, Commander, I - "

"Please, Major, think for a minute! If you don't know what's going on, then maybe Stonn knows more than he's telling you! Are you prepared to work under that sort of situation?"

"We all have to follow orders - "

"Yes, but in good faith!" Jake gestured at the frozen holographic close-up of his unconscious face. "That's not good faith, Major, is it! This mutiny proves that it's all already gone too far!"

Kass looked confused. "Shut up!" she shouted. "The main computer's been locked down. You can't access it. Keep your mouth shut and don't give us any trouble." She slapped the door panel and backed out into the corridor. A moment later Jake heard the distinctive sound of the door's maglock activating.

He looked down at the Exocomp. "Well, I tried," he said.

The Exocomp trilled sadly.

*********************************************

Scene: Deck 20, near the brig


Russ BaShen and Lex Calvari exited the turbolift with their marine escorts close behind. Russ's mind was whirling. Stonn and the marines had started some sort of mutiny, and as they were being led away from the bridge, reports had started to come in from other mutineers reporting that various parts of the ship were secure. The marines were obviously all on Stonn's side, but they weren't enough to take over the ship by themselves, elite or not. At least some of the crew had to be working with them. Maybe there was just a handful, or maybe there were dozens.

He looked across at Lex. The young Xenexian was looking at him. With a start, Russ realised that Lex was trying to give him a look to know that he was about to make a break for it. His eyes widened and he glanced back at the two marines. The one behind him prodded him with the barrel of his pulse rifle to keep him moving. It was now or never.

"Quit pushing!" snapped Russ, drawing their attention. "We're moving, okay?"

"So move faster," grated the marine behind him.

That was it. Lex moved like lightning, leaning forward on his left foot while sweeping his right up in a high kick. His boot connected with the jaw of the marine behind Russ, breaking it with a dull crunch and snapping the man's head backwards against the wall.

The other marine frantically brought his pulse rifle up. "You're dead meat!" he yelled, cocking the weapon, but it was too big for close quarters. Lex was on him in a flash, using one hand to sweep away the barrel of the gun while delivering a chop to the throat with his other hand. The marine reeled backwards, his pulse rifle clattering to the deck, putting his hands up for a fight, but Lex ducked down and kicked him hard to the side of the knee, making the marine lose his balance and collapse on the floor.

Out of the corner of his eye, Russ saw the other marine move. His jaw was horribly distended, but the man was still awake. His breath hissed in and out of his mouth in pain. Adrenalin flooded through Russ's body - quickly, the grabbed the fallen marine's pulse rifle. Reversing his hold on the weapon, Russ swung it like a club, crunching the stock into the marine's head. The marine went down and didn't get back up again, slumping into an awkward position on the floor. A pool of blood was forming around his head.

Russ looked up to see that Lex had seized the other marine in a sleeper hold. The man was frantically trying to pull Lex over his shoulders to reverse the hold, but Lex was pulling down to the floor with all his might, using every pound of his weight to cut off the marine's air supply. The marine gasped hard, trying to breathe, but his struggles became weaker and weaker, his arms flapping like the useless wings of a broken bird. He sank down onto his knees, passing out, and Lex let him fall to the floor.

The Xenexian looked at Russ. "You got the other one?"

Russ was looking at the blood on the man's head. "Do you think I killed him?"

Lex picked up the other pulse rifle. "It was them or us," he said. "Listen,we have to split up. You heard them on the bridge, they're in control of the whole ship."

Russ nodded.

"Let's split up. The Captain's in sickbay. I'll go there and get him out."

Russ thought hard. "I'll head for the shuttlebay."

Lex checked the settings on his new rifle. "We're not running from this fight, Lieutenant."

"That's not what I mean." Russ was thinking quickly now. "You heard what they were saying on the bridge. The main computer's been locked out. We won't be able to do anything."

"So how's the shuttlebay going to help?"

"The DISCOVERY is carrying three Runabouts, two shuttlecraft, and half a dozen smaller embarked craft," said Russ. "The Runabouts all have their own main computers, their own on-board transporters. If I can activate one of them, I can start doing site-to-site beam-outs for the whole command crew."

Lex was nodding. "That would be great. Be careful, Lieutenant. There's no way of knowing who's a friend or foe. I suggest you treat anyone you meet as hostile. Since we can't use the turbolifts we'll have to stick to the access tunnels. Good luck."

"You too."

Russ went one way, Lex went the other.

**********************************************

Scene: Deck 2, Chief Engineer's Quarters


Jake had tried the door to his quarters dozens of times, but couldn't make any headway. The main computer had locked him out. None of his voice commands were working, and when he tried to use his tools to pick the lock, the computer had erected a temporary forcefield to stymie his efforts. He was pacing up and down his quarters like a caged lion, thinking furiously.

"There's got to be a way out of here," he said to himself. "Can't leave by the door, too big for the vent. Can't go out the window. But how?"

The Exocomp chirped.

"I know, but there must be a way," said Jake.

The Exocomp chirruped again, louder.

Jake looked at it. "Wait a minute. Could you override the computer's lockout?" He scanned the machine with his tricorder. "You're completely self-contained, aren't you? No voice command to lock out, and as a fellow machine you'd be able to interface with the computer without triggering any sensor alarms." He grinned. "You're coming in very handy, you know that?"

He quickly connected a portable power pack to the Exocomp. Thirstily, the little machine drank up the energy and fired its thrusters, rising into the air and floating over to the door panel. Materialising an interface probe in its toolhead, the Exocomp plugged itself into the door panel, lighting a rainbow of colours as it struggled to override the computer's lockout.

Just a few seconds later, it disengaged from the door panel. The door hissed open. The Exocomp turned to Jake, still floating in the air. It trilled happily.

"Well done, little guy," said Jake, sticking his head out into the corridor. It was deserted. "What say we get out of here, huh?"

Together, they picked a direction and headed that way.

**********************************************

Scene: Main Shuttlebay


Russ carefully extricated his hands from the grille of the access tunnel, leaving it wedged carefully back in the wall as he stepped into the corridor. On his climb up through twelve decks of the ship he had passed through several areas, but the ship's corridors were deserted. Occasionally he passed someone moving around, but they were armed with a phaser and Russ immediately assumed they were hostile, which was shocking because one of them was his own number two, William Burke. The mutineers had done a thorough and complete job of locking everyone in their quarters, Journey's End, or other areas.

The doors to the main shuttlebay hauled open and the lights winked on, illuminating the three Runabouts parked in their pads. Named after the great rivers of Earth, the Runabouts were an ageing design now, having been in service for fifty years.

The NILE was the closest, and although Russ crossed the hangar floor gingerly, it was as deserted as the rest of the ship's corridors. The NILE's boarding ramp lowered automatically as he approached it, and once in the pilot's seat Russ wasted no time in activating its main computer.

[[Working,]] intoned the voice of the computer.

Russ thought for a moment. "Computer, is the NILE's transporter online?"

[[Affirmative.]]

"Could I beam someone from the DISCOVERY aboard?"

[[Affirmative. Warning. Site-to-site transporter carries higher risk of malfunction in transporter process.]] The computer was referring to a small but elevated chance of a transporter accident. Transporter-to-transporter was almost one hundred per cent safe these days, but transports were only one transporter was involved were always that little bit more dodgy.

Russ thought hard. Who should he beam aboard first? The Captain? Much as he would like to, he wasn't sure that would be advisable right now. The computer had locked out all members of the DISCOVERY's crew, and there was no reason to suspect that it would act any differently for the Captain.

He snapped his fingers. "Computer, where is Lieutenant Byte?"

[[Lieutenant Byte is in quarters on Deck Five.]]

"Beam him here." Russ turned around to face the transporter pad at the rear of the Runabout as the transporter activated with its distinctive hum. Instead of materialising standing up, the android was lying in a crumpled heap.

Russ immediately got up and went to Byte. Lifting his right arm, Russ felt around for the switch that Stonn had used to deactivate him. His questing fingers found it quickly, and when it clicked Byte's eyes shot open and it sat bolt upright like there was a spring in its spine.

{{Processing,}} said the android, looking around. {{Lieutenant BaShen. Greetings. I am aboard the NILE. Explanation please?}}

Russ stood back as Byte got to its feet. "Commander Stonn, the marines, and a bunch of the crew have mutinied and taken over the ship. They've locked everyone out of the main computer. I escaped and came to the shuttlebay to use its transporter. You were the first person I thought to beam out."

They sat down in the cockpit and Byte turned to Russ. {{Thank you, Lieutenant.}}

"For beaming you here?"

The android cocked its head. {{For referring to me as a person.}}

"Oh. You're welcome. What's our next move?"

Byte's hands were flying over the NILE's controls like wind on water. {{I am inputting an algorithm into the NILE's computer to begin scanning the ship for the bio-signs of the command crew, and to beam them aboard one by one. We should have everyone assembled here shortly.}}

"Including Stonn?"

{{That would not be... appropriate,}} said Byte.

"We should beam him out into space," said Russ angrily.

{{That would accomplish nothing, since, as you say, he is only one of many mutineers. Active scan initiated.}} Byte turned around to the transporter as it activated.

In a shimmering cobalt pillar of light, Isador materialised on the pad. She blinked in confusion before her black eyes focused on them. "I was in the brig," said the Preserver. "Now I am here."

Russ took her by the hand and led her to the cockpit. "We're beaming everyone aboard this shuttlecraft," he explained. "Please, take a seat."

Isador sat down as Byte turned back to the controls. {{Resuming active scan.}}

***********************************************

Scene: Sickbay


Lex Calvari was moving cautiously through the ship. He had climbed up through fourteen decks with a pulse rifle slung on his back and his limbs were aching. He had once free-climbed up Mount Galana on Xenex and thought that was an ordeal. While he climbed, he thought of home.

The corridors were deserted. The mutineers were holding everyone in their quarters or in a collective area, like Journey's End. Lex unslung the rifle as he cautiously approached the main door to sickbay. Last he knew, Captain Kane had been transferred here following his shooting by Stonn.

He stopped for a breath before he moved in. Then, with a silent prayer to his ancestors, he barged in through the sickbay doors, rifle held up to his shoulder, looking straight down the barrel, finger curled around the trigger.

Bonnie Reardon was standing over by a biobed that housed Cindy Rochemonte. Beside them under a stasis field lay Captain Kane. There was nobody else in sickbay, but through the glass to Bonnie's spacious office, Lex saw half a dozen medical personnel all watching him.

Bonnie turned around with a start.

Lex pointed the pulse rifle at her. "Don't move!" he said. "Are you one of the mutineers?"

"No," said Bonnie, shaking her head.

On the biobed beside her, Kane lifted his head. "She's lying, Lieutenant. Keep your weapon trained on her at all times."

"Yes Captain!" Lex advanced on Bonnie. "Rest assure I have no qualms about pulling this trigger, Doctor. I don't think that even your medical skills would be enough to save you with one of these pulse rounds ricocheting around inside your skull. Back up and stand against the wall, if you please."

Bonnie held up her hands and moved away. Lex glanced at Cindy's insensate form, but quickly moved to Kane's side and deactivated the stasis field. "Can you walk, Captain?"

"If I'd no legs I'd drag myself," Kane grunted, but when he got vertical, a wave of dizziness washed over him. "I'm still a bit groggy."

"Lieutenant BaShen will be in the main shuttlebay by now," said Lex. "We need to make our way there. The mutineers have taken over the ship and locked everyone in their quarters."

"They're not mutineers," said Kane, staggering across to where several hypos were laid out on a tray. "They're Neo-Essentialists. Half the damn crew is." He picked up a hypo. "My first aid is rusty, but I think this contains enough ambizine to knock someone out for about a day." Kane picked it up and approached Bonnie grimly.

"What are you doing with that?" she asked, but she already knew the answer. She held up her hands to protect herself, but Kane swatted them aside, grabbed her roughly by the hair, and thrust the hypo as hard as he could into her neck. The ambizine sedative within hissed into her bloodstream, and in seconds Bonnie Reardon was lying unconscious on the floor.

Lex watched uneasily as Kane stood up. His face was as hard as stone.

"One down," said Kane. He moved to the office and looked in at the various officers and nurses behind the glass. "I'm sorry, but we can't get any of you out of there until we regain computer control. You'd all be unarmed and I'm not willing to risk your lives yet. Rest assured that this is not over. Stay alive. We'll be back."

He turned to Lex. "Lead on, Lieutenant."

Together, they left sickbay and headed out into the corridor.

**********************************************

Scene: Bridge


Kassandra had returned to the bridge. She had pushed Jake's words out of her mind, focusing on the task at hand. Checking the tactical station, she saw that Stonn's people were in command of all main systems and all decks were secure. The DISCOVERY's crew had been locked up in their quarters or in various larger rooms around the ship.

"Nothing to report, Major?" Stonn was sitting in the centre seat, analysing Kane's previous logs.

"No, sir. No, Captain," she corrected herself. "How are you faring?"

"I have successfully purged the CENTURY files from the DISCOVERY's computer. There is now no record of the events that occured here nine years ago."

What events, wondered Kass. She pushed the thought away. "What's to be done with the crew?" she asked.

"I am considering my options," said Stonn. "Perhaps we will transport them en masse aboard the CENTURY."

"There's no power on the CENTURY," said Kass. "What life support there is won't last long without engine activation. You'd be sentencing them to death."

Stonn raised an eyebrow. "I would be allowing nature to take its course. We are under orders, Major."

Kass could not meet Stonn's gaze. "Yes, sir. Under orders."

[[Trebond to bridge.]] One of Kass's marines was calling in.

"Stonn here. Go ahead."

[[Just got a report from the brig, sir. It seems the alien Isador was beamed out of there a minute ago. I checked with the other teams, and the squad in the Science centre has reported that Lieutenant Arn was just beamed out too.]]

"They are trying to escape! Red alert!" called Stonn, standing up. The klaxons blare into life. "Computer, locate Isador and Lieutenant Solomon Arn!"

[[Isador and Lieutenant Arn are in Main Shuttlebay.]]

"All marines, converge on Main Shuttlebay!" ordered Stonn, pulling his phaser from its holster. As the acknowledgments came in from around the ship, Stonn beckoned to Kassandra. "Follow me. We are not going to allow them to escape."

Together, they entered the turbolift grimly.

***************************************

Scene: Deck 4


Jake and the Exocomp had made it up one deck through the access tunnels. Several weapons locked were located on the fourth deck, and Jake had determined that he was going to try to use the Exocomp to break them open. Armed, he stood a much greater chance of survival.

As he approached the first weapons locker, two marines jogged around the corner. Everybody froze. The marines looked startled to see him. The Exocomp chimed out a warning.

Jake held up his hands. "Don't shoot, I'm not armed!"

The two marines - both Humans - raised their rifles. "Reckon you should've armed yourself then," one said. "Open fire!"

Panic flared through Jake as he realised they were going to kill him. "Get out of here!" he yelled at the Exocomp. With an electronic screech, the litle machine dived into the nearest access tunnel at speed, flying for its life.

Jake looked up as the marines pulled their triggers. He tried to remember Xana's face, but it happened too quickly. The last thing he heard was the sound of the pulse rifles chattering -

- then he materialised inside one of the Runabouts.

Shocked, he grasped his own body, expecting to see multiple bloody wounds. There was nothing. He looked up - staring back at him were Russ, Byte, Solomon Arn, and Isador.

"WHAT THE FUCKING HELL!" he screamed as the adrenaline kicked in.

Russ grasped his shoulders. "It's alright. We beamed you out. Are you okay?"

Adrenaline pumping through his blood, Jake felt like he was going to explode in all directions. He nodded dumbly. "I'm fine."

In the cockpit, Byte went back to the controls. {{Then I suggest you find a seat, Commander. We are scanning for the Captain and Mister Calvari. I am also attempting to open direct communications with them.}}

Jake slumped into a seat beside Isador. The enigmatic Preserver was looking at him.

"There is no need for cursing," she said primly.

Jake opened his mouth. "FUC - "

******************************************

Scene: Deck 6


Kane and Lex Calvari were moving as quickly as they could, which was not very fast. Kane was doing his best, but breathing deeply was still painful, so he was panting in short, jerky breaths. For the first time, he realised that the years were catching up with him. He saw the ugly scars across his midriff from Targon's knife, saw the shrivelled skin patches from his burns from the Taramp sun, and was now truly realising that he was no longer young.

Lex Calvari was, though. He was like a man possessed, moving up to every corner to reconnoitre the path ahead, covering Kane with his pulse rifle whenever he lagged behind. Kane watched him with admiration. Lex Calvari was going to be a superb SecTac. Best of all, he was still enthusiastic, his spirit still buoyant.

They approached the grille that led into the access tunnel at the opposite end of a corridor from the turbolift. Lex pried the grille away from the wall. "Will you be able to make the climb, Captain?"

"It's a two-deck climb," wheezed Kane. "I can handle it. Lead on."

The turbolift doors hissed open. Four marines spilled out of it.

"Get down, Captain!" Lex grabbed Kane's arm and shoved him to the ground. He swung up his pulse rifle and pulled the trigger, sending a hail of pulse rounds spattering down the corridor. The marines scattered, ducking down corridors and around corners, but one of them was hit in the arm. His armour took the damage - the plasteel plate shattered like glass.

Kane crawled on his belly towards the grille. Unarmed, he had no chance against the marines.

The turbolift doors opened again. Stonn and Kassandra emerged, quickly moving to join the marines in the side corridors.

There was nowhere for cover. Lex kept firing in short, controlled bursts, keeping their enemies in cover as Kane climbed into the grille and grasped hold of the ladder. "Come on!" Kane yelled.

Lex turned for the entrace to the access tunnel. The marines, seeing their chance, emerged from cover and opened fire. The corridor was flooded with pulse rounds, but Lex was moving fast. He dived for the tunnel.

A pulse round ripped through his left thigh, making a hole an inch across. The shot exited the other side, impacting the wall behind him with a spatter of blood. Lex grunted in pain, hitting the floor.

From inside the access tunnel, Kane looked out as Lex's face, creased with pain, caught his eye. "Go, Captain!" the Xenexian yelled, lifting up the pulse rifle again. "I'll cover you! Get out of here!" He leaned up as best he could and keept firing, but his magazine clicked empty.

Booted feet thumped up the corridor as Kane started to descend the lader. "Stay alive, Lieutenant!" he shouted. "We'll be back for you!"

Stonn, Kassandra and the marines approached the downed Security Chief. Stonn turned to PFC Trebond and took his rifle off him. "You have led us a merry chase, Lieutenant Calvari," he said, aiming the rifle at the Xenexian's head. "But it is over now."

"We'll take him to sickbay," said Kass.

"Go to hell," spat Lex, blood pooling around his smashed leg.

Stonn looked down the sights of the pulse rifle. The laser sight bored right between Lex's eyes. "I do not believe in the Xenexian hell," he said. "So you will be there alone."

He pulled the trigger, putting a pulse round through Lex's skull. The exit wound blew out the back of the Xenexian's skull and splattered his brains all over the wall in a shower of blood and gobbets of bone.

Inside the tunnel, Kane looked up in horror when he heard the shot. Then the world disappeared in a haze of blue light.

**********************************************

Scene: Inside the USS NILE


Kane materialised on the transporter pad. Frantic, it took him a moment to reorient himself. "What's going on?" he grated, looking around at everyone.

"We're getting you out," said Russ, settling into the pilot's chair.

{{Initiating engine start-up,}} said Byte.

Isador handed Kane a grey Starfleet vest she replicated. "I see you have managed to lose your shirt," she said.

Kane wrestled his way into the vest as the NILE's thrusters hummed into life. The Runabout rose off the pad and turned to face the shuttlebay doors.

{{I am unable to override computer control,}} reported Byte.

"Destroy the doors!" said Kane.

Russ activated phasers. Twin lances of orange energy incincerated the shuttlebay doors. Space yawned away outside. Far below, the CENTURY orbited the sea-green moon.

"Where are we going?" asked Jake.

"The CENTURY?" asked Russ.

"There's no power!" said Jake. "If we boarded her we'd be sitting ducks!"

"We're not going to the CENTURY," said Kane, leaning over Russ, holding onto the bulkhead. "The last computer logs from the CENTURY showed that some of their survivors launched escape pods to the surface of the moon. Where they went, we'll follow."

The NILE emerged into space. The bulk of the DISCOVERY's hull fell away as she turned for the green moon.

*******************************************

Location: USS DISCOVERY
Scene: Deck 6


"He was beamed out, sir!" PFC Trebond emerged from the access tunnel. "He dematerialised right in front of me!"

Stonn's face did not betray anything. He shared a glance with Kassandra before tapping his communicator. "Stonn to bridge."

[[Bridge here. Captain, the NILE has been launched from the shuttlebay! Am reading shipboard phaser fire on that deck!]]

Stonn's jaw set. "They must not be allowed to escape. Arm phasers. Target the NILE and destroy her."

Kassandra gasped. "Sir, they're our crew!"

Stonn motioned for her to be quiet. "Did you hear me, marine? Destroy that ship!"

[[Aye sir! Engaging now!]]

***********************************************

Location: USS NILE
Scene: Interior



{{The DISCOVERY has armed phasers,}} reported Byte.

"Shields!" yelled Kane.

"We don't stand a chance against her firepower!" said Jake.

In the rear, Solomon and Isador watched fearfully.

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Location: Space


The DISCOVERY turned on her axis slowly, trying to bring her main phaser array to bear on the fleeing Runabout as it sped down through the moon's atmosphere. The arrays churned with power - bright orange phaser lances bored onto the stern of the Runabout, shaking her like a dog with