"What the h.e.l.l ... !" Gruzinov said. "That wasn't us!"

A ship came swooping in at a steep angle, raking the other Warbird with phaser fire as it pa.s.sed so close to it that they almost brushed. Picard recognized the familiar lines of a Const.i.tution-cla.s.s vessel.

"I'll be d.a.m.ned," he said. "It's the Glory!"

"Starboard helm, bearing one-point-three mark four!" said Blaze.

"Cutting it a little close there, weren't you?" Riker said, looking up and wincing with pain as the ship banked sharply enough to make him grab the weapons console for support.

"She's still not responding very well," said Blaze. "Blame your friend, La Forge."

"He got this bucket running, didn't he?"

"Yes, if she doesn't shake herself apart," said Blaze. "Full about! Let's see if you can't shoot a little better this time, gunner. Engineering, I need more power on starboard engines!"

"I'm giving you all I've got?' La Forge replied, over the intercom. "One more maneuver like that and the entire nacelle's liable to give from the stress!"

The ship rocked as it was grazed by disruptor fire.

"Damage to Decks 4 and 5!" Communications Mate T'gahl shouted. "Hull integrity breached!"

"Seal off Decks 4 and 5! d.a.m.n you, La Forge, I need more power to the shields!" Blaze shouted.

"What shields?" La Forge replied.

"We don't have shields?" Riker said.

"La Forge!" Blaze shouted.

"What the h.e.l.l do you expect?" Geordie replied. "It was all I could do to get these d.a.m.ned Romulan drives operative! You want miracles?"

"Right now, it wouldn't hurt," said Blaze. "Engage cloaking device!"

"Cloaking device engaged," said Helmsman D'karr.

"Port helm, bearing three-point-five mark two! Stand by phasers!"

"Phasers standing by," said Riker.

"She's cloaked!" Gruzinov said.

"Full about, Mr. Data!" Picard said. "Stand by photon torpedoes!"

"Sir, if we fire now, we could hit the Glory," Worf said.

"Not if Blaze does what I think he's going to do," Picard replied. "Fire!"

Worf fired as they lined up on the ship Blaze had just attacked. It was coming about to meet the new threat, but instead wound up exposing its flank to the Enterprise. The torpedo slammed into its aft section and exploded.

"Direct hit!" Gruzinov said.

"Enemy is withdrawing, Captain," Worf said.

"Let them go, Mr. Worf," Picard said. "Let's see to our friend, Kronak. Stand by phasers!"

"The Warbird is coming about to fire, Captain," Data said.

"Maintain heading," said Picard. "Stand by ..."

As the Warbird's forward disruptors came to bear, the Glory suddenly uncloaked, directly behind Kronak's ship.

"Fire!" said Picard.

Both the Enterprise and the Glory fired simultaneously. Caught in the deadly crossfire, the Warbird's shields gave way and the ship exploded into a giant fireball.

"We got him!" Gruzinov shouted.

"Secure from battle stations," said Picard, exhaling heavily. "Maintain yellow alert. I want a full report from Damage Control as soon as possible."

"Message coming in from the Glory, Captain," said Gruzinov.

"Onscreen," Picard said.

Blaze appeared on the screen, sitting casually kicked back in his captain's chair, as if he were merely taking his ease instead of just having fought a pitched battle. "Nicely done, Captain," he said. "We got that b.a.s.t.a.r.d trapped between the hammer and the anvil. But tell me, how did you manage to antic.i.p.ate my move? Or was it merely luck?"

Picard smiled. "I seemed to recall that you had a tendency for putting other ships between us."

Blaze grinned. "Touche, Captain." He gave Picard a cavalier salute. "I shall remember that in the future. But for the present, I was pleased to be of a.s.sistance."

"I must admit to being curious," Picard said, with a puzzled frown. "You had no stake in this, and you stood to lose everything. Why take the risk?"

Blaze shrugged elaborately. "Life without risk is merely existence, Captain. I never trusted Kronak, anyway. I knew that he considered me expendable, and that I would be expended, so to speak, as soon as he had no further use for me. Besides, the odds against you were three to one, hardly a fair fight. And I always did have a weakness for the underdog."

"Well, my compliments to your weapons officer," Picard said, ignoring the dig. "I owe the survival of my ship to his superb gunnery skills."

Blaze smiled. "I am sure he would be delighted to hear that, Captain. Why don't you thank him yourself?"

"I would be happy to," Picard said. "Where is he?"

"Right here," said Riker, stepping out of the turbolift.

Picard turned around, an expression of astonishment and delight on his features. "Will!" he said.

The others on the bridge looked equally delighted and relieved to see him, but were concerned at his appearance. His face was badly bruised and cut, and his uniform shirt had been cut away, revealing his taped ribs.

"It's good to be back, sir," Riker said. "I sent Geordi to his quarters to get some badly needed sleep. He was absolutely exhausted. He was working round the clock trying to get the Glory operational in time for us to get here. We just barely made it."

"You were aboard the Glory all this time?" Picard said, with astonishment.

"You mean you didn't get my message?" Riker asked, with a frown.

"We received no message," said Picard, looking puzzled.

"Hmm," said Blaze. "Apparently, my long-range communication equipment is not in proper working order, either. You really did cause an annoying amount of damage to my ship, Picard. All things considered, it was a miracle we managed to arrive at all, much less partic.i.p.ate in the engagement."

"Well, I am very grateful that you did," Picard said.

"Don't be so quick to thank me. We were already committed when your man La Forge informed me that aside from handling like a lopsided asteroid, my ship had no shields. Had I known that, I might have just laid off and watched those Warbirds batter you to pieces. Which is doubtless why La Forge failed to inform me of that pertinent little detail. Still, I suppose I shouldn't complain. He did manage to get my ship operational in record time, even if he did cut a few corners. A pity I couldn't induce him to remain with me. He is an absolutely brilliant engineer."

"What about Lieutenant Dorn?" Gruzinov said. Riker looked grim. "I'm afraid she didn't make it, sir. She died saving my life. But for what it's worth, Blaze got the one who killed her. It was a Romulan agent."

"I regret the loss of your comrade, Captain Gruzinov," Blaze said. "It may not mean very much coming from me, but I am truly sorry, just the same."

"Well ... this puts me in a somewhat awkward position," said Picard. "By rights, I should be taking you into custody, but I am in debt to you for coming to our aid. And at the moment, neither of our ships is truly fit for another battle. In fact," he added, pointedly, "I am not at all convinced that our engagement with the Romulans renders my ship capable of giving pursuit until the damage is fully repaired. However, if a certain freebooter continues to hara.s.s Federation shipping, I will be obliged to pick up where we left off."

Blaze grinned. "I was thinking that things have become a bit too hot for me in this sector, anyway. I hear that Romulan merchant vessels often carry a rich cargo. And I do have rather expensive tastes. However, there is still the matter of some unfinished business."

"What do you mean?" asked Picard, warily.

"I was referring to J'drahn," said Blaze. "I do not imagine that he will give up his position easily. And correct me if I'm wrong, Captain, but as I understand Federation law, you would be legally unable to a.s.sist General H'druhn in removing his son from power."

"What are you getting at?" Picard asked, with a frown.

"Well, I was merely thinking that my ship is still in need of some repair," said Blaze. "And I do so admire Chief Engineer La Forge's skills. For General H'druhn to depose his son without your a.s.sistance, he would need to raise troops, and that would take time, even for a hero of the K'tralli revolution. It could easily result in civil war, and a great many lives would be lost. On the other hand, if we moved quickly, my crew could a.s.sist the general in setting matters right, and you could be present merely as observers, so to speak."

"And in return, I lend you La Forge and the a.s.sistance of our engineering crews to finish repairing your ship," Picard said.

"Something like that," said Blaze. "Of course, none of this need show up in any official reports. And, technically speaking, I am still a K'tralli citizen. I would merely be doing my patriotic duty in supporting General H'druhn. In return for certain considerations, of course."

"Do you believe this?" Gruzinov said, with astonishment. "What colossal nerve!"

"An interesting offer," said Picard. "I will pa.s.s it on to General H'druhn."

"You're not serious!" said Gruzinov. "The man's a criminal!"

"I will not dispute that," replied Picard. "However, as a K'tralli citizen, he must be held accountable under K'tralli law. Mr. Worf, will you ask General H'druhn and Colonel Z'grat to come to the bridge, please? And Mr. Riker, you report to sickbay and have Dr. Crusher see to those wounds."

"Where the h.e.l.l is Blaze?" J'drahn asked.

T'grayn's face on the screen looked worried. "I do not know, Your Excellency," he replied.

"What do you mean, you do not know? Have you been in communication with him or not?"

"I have not spoken with him in over twenty-four hours," T'grayn replied, anxiously. "At that time, he was still trying to complete the repairs on his ship."

J'drahn angrily struck the console with his fist. "Well, have you tried to raise him?"

"Repeatedly, Your Excellency. However, it is possible that he is unable to respond. If it was necessary for him to shut down his power in order to effect repairs, then he may not be capable of receiving any signals."

"How very convenient for him," said J'drahn, with disgust.

"What about Tribune Kronak? Surely, he should have arrived by now and-"

"Kronak's dead," J'drahn said. "Or else he's fled back across the Neutral Zone. There was an engagement, that's all I know, and since then I have heard nothing from him."

"The Enterprise?" T'grayn asked, anxiously.

"Ominously silent," said J'drahn, tensely. "They managed to get to my father before my men could take the Summer Palace."

T'grayn's face registered dismay. "Then it is over."

"Nothing is over!" said J'drahn. "They may have my father and they may have Z'gral, but if Picard attempts to help them overthrow me, he violates the Federation's Prime Directive and destroys his own career."

"But with H'druhn safe aboard the Enterprise, Z'gral can return to N'trahn or any of the colony worlds and raise troops against you," said T'grayn.

"Perhaps," J'drahn agreed, "but that will take time. And in that time, I could prepare. My protest could be registered with the Federation Council, and the Romulans would have time to return with more ships. Picard may have the upper hand for now, but he shall not retain it long."

"I wouldn't be too sure about that, Your Excellency," said Picard.

J'drahn spun around and saw Picard seated in a chair across the room."You!" he said, with shock. "You dare transport into my own private quarters? Guards!"

"I think you will find that your guards are rather busy at the moment," said Picard, sitting casually with his legs crossed and his hands folded in his lap.

J'drahn simply stared at him with disbelief; then the sounds of shouting and weapons firing erupted from downstairs, in the main hall.

"Your Excellency! Your Excellency, what's happening?" T'grayn asked anxiously, from the screen.

"I believe the proper term for what is happening, Governor, is coup d'etat," Picard replied. "A violent change in government. Although it is my hope that the violence, in this case, will be minimal. In any event, it will be much less violent than a full-scale civil war. The K'tralli Empire does not really need another b.l.o.o.d.y revolution."

J'drahn reached for his sidearm.

"Careful," said Picard, revealing the phaser he was holding in his lap. "If my life is threatened, I can still defend myself without violating the Prime Directive."

J'drahn stopped in the act of reaching for his weapon, staring at Picard uncertainly. "You have already violated the Prime Directive," he said. "If you think that you can get away with an a.s.sault upon the palace-"

"There is not a single crew member of the Enterprise involved in what is happening," Picard said. "I am here merely as an interested observer. I felt it inc.u.mbent upon me, as a Starfleet officer, to be present so that I could report upon the incident to my superiors. However, as you quite correctly pointed out, I cannot become personally involved."

"What sort of double-talk is this?" J'drahn demanded. "You expect me to believe that you had nothing to do this?"

Picard simply shrugged. "What you choose to believe or disbelieve is none of my concern," he said. "However, for the record, I will state again that no Starfleet personnel are involved in what is going on in any way."

"You're lying! If not your people, then who ... ?"

"Me," said Blaze from the doorway, where he stood leaning casually against the doorframe, a disruptor held loosely at his side.

"Blaze!"

"It really is a pity your palace guards are not equipped with Romulan disruptors," he said. "I suppose Kronak did not trust you enough to supply them. Not that he trusted me, particularly, but then again, he didn't really see me as a threat. Unfortunately for him."