"This will defeat any eavesdropping," Slask said.

"It seems improbable that the praetor or the Tal Shiar would have any listening devices in this establishment," Spock said.

"Maybe, but I've always found it's good policy to trust neither of them," Slask said. "Besides, this place is run by a Ferengi. There's a good chance he's got his own microphones hidden around the room, listening for any information on which he could turn a profit." The Gorn looked over at the bartender, who had returned to wiping down gla.s.ses behind the bar. Turning back to Spock, Slask said, "So what's this all about?"

"I have information and a recommendation I need conveyed to our mutual acquaintance," Spock said. He knew that Slask had a personal relationship with Federation President Nanietta Bacco, established back when she had served as governor of Cestus III, which bordered Gorn s.p.a.ce. At one time, the Gorn Hegemony had claimed the Cestus system for their own, although the Federation had not known that before colonizing the third planet.

"This is obviously information you do not feel comfortable sending by subs.p.a.ce, or putting down in writing," Slask said.

"Indeed, I am exercising a great deal of caution." After Spock had learned of the prior affiliation of R'Jul-the Romulan Security protector-with Donatra, he had sent an unencrypted message to the Federation's Bureau of Interplanetary Affairs. In it, he had detailed the growing success of the Reunification Movement within the Star Empire, in the guise of keeping the UFP informed of his situation. He had also included his upcoming schedule. Knowing that the BIA as a matter of course pa.s.sed on all of his communications to the office of the president, Spock included a trigger word in the doc.u.ment. The president's staff understood that word to mean that he possessed information potentially vital to the security of the Federation, but that he could deliver it neither personally nor via subs.p.a.ce transmission.

Spock had soon after that received a brief response from the BIA director, ostensibly acknowledging receipt of Spock's message and congratulating him on the success of the Movement. But that reply also contained a trigger word, indicating after which of the events on Spock's itinerary somebody would meet him to act as a messenger. On the major worlds within the Empire, Spock had prearranged with the president's staff the locations for such meetings. The trigger word also distinguished the ident.i.ty of the messenger, one of half a dozen possibilities preselected by the presidential staff.

"Very well," Slask said. "What do you wish me to tell our mutual friend?"

Although Spock had never before met Slask, he knew of him. The Gorn had also uttered specific phrases to identify himself, which Spock had responded to with specific phrases of his own. Slask had been deemed suited to such an a.s.signment not only because of his friendship with the Federation president, but because that relationship remained unknown to most people. Slask also remained a loyal citizen of the Gorn Hegemony, one a.s.sociated with neither their government nor their military. There existed essentially no reason that a seemingly random meeting between Spock and Slask should raise the suspicions of anybody who might be watching, nor could any connection reasonably be made between the two men.

Spock explained the attempt on his life eight months earlier, and the circ.u.mstances surrounding the subsequent death of the Reman a.s.sa.s.sin, including R'Jul's prior service on Donatra's starship. "It remains unclear to me whether the Reman killed himself in order to avoid being handed over to the Romulan authorities, or whether Protector R'Jul or somebody else killed him. It is possible, though by no means a.s.sured, that Donatra might be involved, either as instigator or as victim."

"Victim?" Slask said.

"If Donatra did try to have me killed, and then eliminated her a.s.sa.s.sin, she would have done the latter in order to prevent her actions from becoming public knowledge," Spock explained. "But since public knowledge of a murder attempt would hurt Donatra's cause among the Romulan people, perhaps all of this has been done not by by Donatra, but in order to implicate her." Donatra, but in order to implicate her."

Slask shook his head slowly. "The machinations of the Romulans," he said. "It's difficult to know who's hiding behind which door."

"That is why we need more information," Spock said. "We need to know what has happened and what is is happening, so that we may determine what likely happening, so that we may determine what likely will will happen-and if necessary, change what will happen. If there is a concerted effort, or efforts, to undermine either Donatra's government or Tal'Aura's, it could lead to a shifting of the balance of power, which could adversely impact the security of the Federation. That is why I believe it is vital that our mutual acquaintance send an envoy to speak with Donatra." happen-and if necessary, change what will happen. If there is a concerted effort, or efforts, to undermine either Donatra's government or Tal'Aura's, it could lead to a shifting of the balance of power, which could adversely impact the security of the Federation. That is why I believe it is vital that our mutual acquaintance send an envoy to speak with Donatra."

"I understand," Slask said. "Is there anything else?

"No," Spock said.

Slask immediately closed the anti-eavesdropping device with a touch, then swiped it from behind the gla.s.s and tucked it back into his belt. He stood up and, a bit loudly, said, "I still think you're a fool, Mister Spock, to expect the Romulans to let you run your Movement."

"They are already allowing me to do so," Spock said.

"For now," Slask said. "I'm just not sure that they're going to keep letting you run it. But good luck."

"And safe travels to you," Spock said.

Slask headed for the door, and Spock returned his attention to his meal. As he ate his plomeek plomeek soup and soup and kreyla kreyla, he wondered whether President Bacco would accede to his recommendation, and if so, whether Donatra would agree to meet another Federation representative. Given her tenuous position and her need for allies like the UFP and the Klingon Empire, he doubted that she would turn down such a request. The real issue was whether or not she knew anything about the attempt on Spock's life and the murder of the Reman, and if she did, whether she would reveal anything about the situation. That would likely depend, at least in part, on whomever the Federation sent to meet with Donatra.

As Spock finished the last of his soup, he wondered who President Bacco would choose as her emissary.

23.

"Tzenkethi marauders."

Lieutenant Commander Benjamin Sisko spun toward his starboard station on the Okinawa Okinawa bridge and punched at the controls. As quickly as he could, Sisko called up a sensor readout to replace the engineering data spread across his screen. He immediately saw the ships that Lieutenant Snowden had identified. bridge and punched at the controls. As quickly as he could, Sisko called up a sensor readout to replace the engineering data spread across his screen. He immediately saw the ships that Lieutenant Snowden had identified.

"Two heavies," Snowden added, her voice steady in the face of the threat. "They're on a heading for M'kemas Three."

"Have they spotted us?" Sisko asked, and he felt relieved that the question had occurred to him. Although he had drawn a promotion out of engineering and into the command division nearly a year earlier, he still hadn't grown entirely accustomed to his role as the ship's executive officer. Even so many months later, he found that his duties on the bridge did not come naturally to him, and he often had to consciously think through what queries to make, what orders to give, what actions to take. In quiet moments, of late, he'd begun reviewing Okinawa Okinawa's drive performance at his station, more than once thinking that a return to engineering might be best for him.

"I don't think they do see us," Snowden replied, and Sisko glanced over to where she crewed her side of the combined tactical-and-communications console. "They're making no alterations to their course and speed."

"All right," Captain Leyton said, rising from the command chair. "Let's lay low then. If we're lucky-"

"Captain," said Ensign Orr, "we're being hailed by the a.s.surance. a.s.surance."

Leyton looked over at Sisko. "d.a.m.n," the captain said.

Sisko stood up and strode along the raised periphery of the bridge toward Orr at communications. "Ensign," he told him, "do not answer the hail. Transmit a standard silent-running protocol to the a.s.surance. a.s.surance." Sisko peered forward to the main viewscreen, as though he could see the Amba.s.sador Amba.s.sador-cla.s.s starship, but it only offered the seeming constancy of the starfield it presented.

On the lower, central section of the bridge, Leyton paced aft, toward Sisko. "Captain Walter's crew must not have detected the marauders," Leyton said. "He wouldn't have made a mistake like that."

Sisko went around Orr to the tactical portion of the console, where he studied its displays. "Captain Walter's got a gas giant between the a.s.surance a.s.surance and the Tzenkethi vessels," he said. "There's no way the marauders showed up on their sensors." and the Tzenkethi vessels," he said. "There's no way the marauders showed up on their sensors."

"No more hails, Captain," Orr reported. "And no response to the silent-running protocol."

Sisko peered down into the central well of the bridge, where he saw Leyton nod in his direction and motion him forward. Sisko skirted the railing between the upper and lower sections and stepped down to join the captain. "We need a plan, Ben," Leyton said. "There's just too much traffic in this area. This system's too close to the lanes the Tzenkethi use to travel from their s.p.a.ce to their settlements on M'kemas and Rodon. It's a wonder that they haven't scouted these planets yet."

"If they had, we'd know about it," Sisko observed. While patrolling near the Tzenkethi border, the crew of Okinawa Okinawa had taken the time to survey the Entelior system, where on several of its worlds, they'd discovered a significant deposit of bilitrium, a rare, crystalline element valuable as both a power source and in the manufacture of certain weapons. With the system's proximity to Tzenkethi s.p.a.ce, the Federation couldn't set up a mining operation-at least not during a time of war-but they needed to keep it out of the hands of their adversaries. "Reinforcements will be here in five days," Sisko said. "We just need to hold Entelior until then." had taken the time to survey the Entelior system, where on several of its worlds, they'd discovered a significant deposit of bilitrium, a rare, crystalline element valuable as both a power source and in the manufacture of certain weapons. With the system's proximity to Tzenkethi s.p.a.ce, the Federation couldn't set up a mining operation-at least not during a time of war-but they needed to keep it out of the hands of their adversaries. "Reinforcements will be here in five days," Sisko said. "We just need to hold Entelior until then."

Leyton nodded, then took an elbow in one hand and held a knuckle up to his mouth, a nervous habit Sisko had noticed once he'd become a member of the bridge crew. "I'm just concerned that they'll detect us here, find the bilitrium, and bring back their own reinforcements," the captain said. "Maybe we should just leave the system and hope that they don't stumble across the deposits."

"They're going to stumble across them at some point, sir," Sisko said. "Those settlements on M'kemas and Rodon are new. Sooner or later, the Tzenkethi are going to come looking here."

"And if it's sooner and we're not here to stop them," Leyton said, "then we're giving them a valuable resource to use against us."

"Yes, sir," Sisko said, but then another possible solution struck him-an engineering solution. "Unless there's a way we can mask the sensor signature of-"

"Captain, the Tzenkethi vessels have altered course," said Snowden. She worked the controls at tactical, then added, "They're now heading directly toward us."

"How long?" Leyton wanted to know. He took the command chair, and Sisko moved to stand by his side.

"Estimating three minutes, thirty seconds," Snowden said.

Sisko ran the variables through his head, then told Ensign Orr, "Signal the a.s.surance. a.s.surance. Let them know we've got company." The Tzenkethi had obviously detected Captain Walter's hail, obviating the need for silent running. Let them know we've got company." The Tzenkethi had obviously detected Captain Walter's hail, obviating the need for silent running.

"Aye, sir," said Orr. "Transmitting our sensor logs of the marauders."

"Shields up full," Sisko said. "Ready all weapons."

"Shields up," Snowden said. "Charging main phaser banks, loading photon torpedoes."

"Hail the a.s.surance, a.s.surance," Leyton said.

After a moment, Orr said, "I have Captain Walter." On the main viewscreen, Sisko saw the field of stars replaced with the image of the a.s.surance a.s.surance captain. Not very tall, with close-cropped brown hair and hazel eyes, Walter appeared younger than his actual years, looking as though he couldn't possibly have ascended to the command of a starship in so short a life. But Sisko knew the captain by reputation and their wartime acquaintance. Walter had led the crew of captain. Not very tall, with close-cropped brown hair and hazel eyes, Walter appeared younger than his actual years, looking as though he couldn't possibly have ascended to the command of a starship in so short a life. But Sisko knew the captain by reputation and their wartime acquaintance. Walter had led the crew of a.s.surance a.s.surance for a decade, and he owned numerous citations and an impressive record of accomplishment to show for it. for a decade, and he owned numerous citations and an impressive record of accomplishment to show for it.

"George," Leyton said, "we've got a pair of type-A marauders bearing down on us."

"We have them on sensors now," Walter said. Walter said. "Attack sequence epsilon-three. We need to make short work of them." "Attack sequence epsilon-three. We need to make short work of them." Of the two starship captains, Walter held seniority and therefore headed the patrol. Of the two starship captains, Walter held seniority and therefore headed the patrol.

"Two on two," Leyton said. "We should have the advantage."

"Because of our vast wealth of combat experience and keen minds for tactics?" Walter said dryly. To Sisko, it felt too much like whistling past the graveyard. Walter said dryly. To Sisko, it felt too much like whistling past the graveyard.

"Exactly," Leyton said with a half-smile.

"Type-A marauders," Walter said, his tone becoming serious. Walter said, his tone becoming serious. "Be careful." "Be careful."

"Yes, sir."

"a.s.surance out," out," Walter said. The stars replaced the captain's image on the viewer. Walter said. The stars replaced the captain's image on the viewer.

"The Tzenkethi are within visual range," announced Lieutenant Thiemann from the operations station.

"Let's see them," Leyton ordered.

On the screen, the starfield shifted and the two marauders became visible. From the vantage of the Okinawa Okinawa crew, they appeared spherical, but Sisko knew them to be shaped like great teardrops, their structures' graceful curves tapering out behind them to points. With virtually no surface details, they looked less like starships and more like some peculiar astronomical phenomena. crew, they appeared spherical, but Sisko knew them to be shaped like great teardrops, their structures' graceful curves tapering out behind them to points. With virtually no surface details, they looked less like starships and more like some peculiar astronomical phenomena.

"The a.s.surance a.s.surance is beginning its attack run," Thiemann reported. is beginning its attack run," Thiemann reported.

"Full impulse," Leyton said. "Implement attack sequence epsilon-three."

"Aye, sir," replied Ensign Lafleur from the conn, her fingers translating the captain's orders into action.

Sisko felt the power of the impulse drive surge through the ship, heard its low hum conveyed through the decking and bulkheads. Okinawa Okinawa leaped forward, trailing behind leaped forward, trailing behind a.s.surance a.s.surance and off to port. and off to port.

Sixty seconds later, a.s.surance a.s.surance and and Okinawa Okinawa engaged the Tzenkethi marauders. engaged the Tzenkethi marauders.

Sisko waved away the smoke that filled the Okinawa Okinawa bridge, the gray clouds tinted red by emergency lighting. An unfamiliar whine, keyed low, betrayed the strain of the impulse engines. Flames licked at the top of a bulkhead where one of the port science stations had exploded, until a damage-control team a.s.saulted the fire with a chemical r.e.t.a.r.dant. Pandemonium flooded the bridge, but within the turbulent waters of disarray, the captain maintained the high ground of order. bridge, the gray clouds tinted red by emergency lighting. An unfamiliar whine, keyed low, betrayed the strain of the impulse engines. Flames licked at the top of a bulkhead where one of the port science stations had exploded, until a damage-control team a.s.saulted the fire with a chemical r.e.t.a.r.dant. Pandemonium flooded the bridge, but within the turbulent waters of disarray, the captain maintained the high ground of order.

Still in his command chair, Leyton called for pursuit. On the viewscreen, Sisko saw one of the marauders veer off to port, its bulbous forward end venting plasma into the void.

"Following Ship One," called Lafleur. Because the Tzenkethi vessels admitted of no distinctions, no visibly different markings or features, the Okinawa Okinawa crew had a.s.signed them the most basic of ident.i.ties. crew had a.s.signed them the most basic of ident.i.ties.

From his starboard station, Sisko watched as a plasma cannon, its emitter revealed by an open hatch on the Tzenkethi hull, fired on Okinawa. Okinawa. The superheated band of filaments slammed into the shields of the primary hull. The ship shuddered beneath the onslaught. The superheated band of filaments slammed into the shields of the primary hull. The ship shuddered beneath the onslaught.

"Deflectors down to fifty-seven percent," Snowden called out.

"Target that cannon!" Sisko yelled.

A pair of phaser beams leaped from Okinawa Okinawa and found their objective. A brilliant nimbus of white light erupted around the plasma emitter, the energy of and found their objective. A brilliant nimbus of white light erupted around the plasma emitter, the energy of Okinawa Okinawa's weapons redirected to the Tzenkethi ship's deflectors. The plasma cannon continued firing.

"Photon torpedoes, now!" Sisko yelled. "Wide spread."

For a moment that seemed to stretch interminably, nothing happened, but then Sisko saw a series of red flashes scream toward the marauder. At the last instant, the Tzenkethi ship swung around, making a turn that should have been too tight for so large a vessel. Okinawa Okinawa's phasers streaked past it, off into s.p.a.ce, before ceasing. The solar-hot beam of the plasma cannon broke off as the marauder's flight carried the weapon's emitter out of sight. The first photon torpedo went wide, and the second, but the next three traced a dotted line across the teardrop hull. The Tzenkethi deflectors flared, then faded.

"Their shields are down," announced Snowden.

Offer your surrender, Sisko thought, but he knew that the Tzenkethi could do that in only one way: by standing down completely. There could be no subs.p.a.ce contact, as the first attacks of Okinawa Okinawa and and a.s.surance a.s.surance had successfully taken out the communications arrays of the marauders. The Tzenkethi couldn't be permitted to bring more ships to the Entelior system before Starfleet's reinforcements arrived. had successfully taken out the communications arrays of the marauders. The Tzenkethi couldn't be permitted to bring more ships to the Entelior system before Starfleet's reinforcements arrived.

As Sisko watched, another dark square appeared on the hull of the marauder as a panel slid clear of whatever it protected. He hoped to see escape pods, but then a collection of white-hot strands shot toward Okinawa. Okinawa. Sisko felt the ship shake violently beneath him. Sisko felt the ship shake violently beneath him.

"Shields down to forty-five percent," Snowden called. Okinawa Okinawa jolted suddenly, and Sisko turned to his console. He raised the schematics for the ship's active power matrix, and saw that they'd lost one of the impulse reactors. "Shields down to thirty-seven percent," Snowden said, and Sisko realized that the reactor must have exploded, taking out part of the hull and attacking jolted suddenly, and Sisko turned to his console. He raised the schematics for the ship's active power matrix, and saw that they'd lost one of the impulse reactors. "Shields down to thirty-seven percent," Snowden said, and Sisko realized that the reactor must have exploded, taking out part of the hull and attacking Okinawa Okinawa's deflectors from within.

"All weapons, fire!" cried Captain Leyton. "Maximum spread."

Sisko heard the sounds of the ship's phasers being fired, and felt the almost imperceptible rattle of photon torpedoes being launched. On the viewer, the marauder veered sharply again, but it could not escape the ma.s.sive onslaught of Okinawa Okinawa's weaponry. The plasma cannon halted as the phaser blasts landed, dark patches erupting on the Tzenkethi hull. The first photon torpedo sailed past the marauder, but the second exploded near the plasma cannon. The detonation ripped a hole in the ship, sending a shower of fragments spinning off into s.p.a.ce.

The third torpedo did the same, and the fourth started a chain reaction. Explosions bloomed seemingly everywhere on what remained of the marauder's hull, until the intense light of destruction hid the ship from view. When it cleared, the Tzenkethi vessel was gone.

For a few seconds, Sisko stared at the area where a ship had just been. Where a Where a crew crew had been had been, he thought. He had come to fear and despise the Tzenkethi, who had destroyed the Starship Lewis & Clark Starship Lewis & Clark, who had wiped out the colony on Raville II, who had instigated yet another unprovoked campaign against the Federation. He understood and agreed with the need to defend against the Tzenkethi Coalition, to battle them and prevent them from sowing destruction across the quadrant. But he didn't have to enjoy being a part of that defense, being a part of the effort that took lives, even those of hostiles.

"Damage report," Sisko said, so quietly that n.o.body on the bridge could have heard him. He waved away the smoke again, cleared his throat, then repeated his order.

"Checking," said Snowden. "Weapons and warp drive intact. Shields at thirty-five percent. One impulse reactor down. Tractor beam and secondary sensor array offline. Hull breaches on decks seventeen through nineteen aft, structural integrity fields in place. Radiation leaks on the primary hull aft, damage-control teams responding." She tapped at her controls, and then, in a quieter voice, said, "Eleven dead, thirty-nine wounded."

Captain Leyton got up from the command chair and stepped forward, to where Thiemann and Lafleur crewed ops and the conn, respectively. Leyton put a hand atop Thiemann's shoulder. "Show me the a.s.surance. a.s.surance."

The lieutenant worked her panel, and the a.s.surance a.s.surance came into view. Irregular black patches marred several locations on its hull. It hung in s.p.a.ce not far from the second Tzenkethi marauder. The reddish form of a barren, ringed planet, the fourth world in the Entelior system, afforded the panorama a vivid background. came into view. Irregular black patches marred several locations on its hull. It hung in s.p.a.ce not far from the second Tzenkethi marauder. The reddish form of a barren, ringed planet, the fourth world in the Entelior system, afforded the panorama a vivid background.

"Take us there," ordered the captain, and Ensign Lafleur complied. Then, to Snowden, he said, "What's their status?"

"The second Tzenkethi ship has lost shields and weapons, and their life support is functioning at minimal levels," Snowden said. "The a.s.surance a.s.surance has lost its impulse engines, and their shields are completely down, but otherwise they're not in bad shape." has lost its impulse engines, and their shields are completely down, but otherwise they're not in bad shape."

Leyton glanced over at Sisko, and the first officer left his station and joined the captain at the center of the bridge. "We're going to be hard-pressed to accommodate hundreds of Tzenkethi prisoners," the captain said.

Sis...o...b..inked, unsure of the implication of Leyton's statement. "We can't fire on an unarmed crew," he said, declaring the obvious.

"No," Leyton said, though he did not sound completely convinced. "Recommendations?"

"The third planet in the system is Cla.s.s L," Sisko said. "Marginally habitable. We could-"

"Captain!" Thiemann cried, and Sisko and Leyton both looked at the lieutenant, who pointed forward. Sisko peered up at the main viewscreen, where the Tzenkethi marauder darted toward a.s.surance a.s.surance on what seemed like a weapons run. on what seemed like a weapons run.

"I thought you said the marauder's weapons systems were down," Sisko said to Snowden.

The lieutenant checked her panel. "Verified," she said.

"They're going to ram the a.s.surance, a.s.surance," Leyton said.