About twenty minutes later, a soothed and satisfied Deanna emerged from the bathroom, one bath towel wrapped around her and the other around her hair. She heard the once-familiar sound of Will's determined snoring coming from just beyond the bed. Not quite like the old days, she thought kindly, but close enough. Deanna smiled at the gentle memory as she killed the room lights, dropped one of the towels close by the nightstand, clipped her communicator to the remaining towel, and got into bed. She was asleep within minutes. Will's snoring had never bothered her in the old days, and it did not bother her now.

Chapter Seventeen.

"ASTONISHING," PRESIDER HEKSAID some hours later. "They're still aboard the flagship, Graff. Why is that?"

"Their captain has ordered them to remain here for the present," his attache told him. "Captain Picard wants them to be on board with us at the time our initial attack force reaches Nem Ma'ak Bratuna and to report to him on what is going on aboard the ship."

"How do you know all this?" Hek asked. "I thought you told me yesterwatch that we were unable to monitor their communications."

"Yes, Presider, but I had their room bugged. We recorded their half of the conversation and easily extrapolated the rest of it from context."

Hek grinned. "Now that's what I like," he said jovially. "Initiative. I thought they'd stymied us."

"They may have, in a way," Graff said.

"Eh? I don't like hearing that kind of thing, Graff."

"And I don't like reporting it to you. However, I had thought that they would return to their ship shortly after Deanna Troi rejoined Commander Riker outside Bay Fourteen, and both returned to the unshielded part of the flagship."

"Oh, is that all?" Hek waved a hand. "Well, we can get rid of them easily enough. As long as they're back where they belong by T-Time, I'll be satisfied."

"Then that's the way it shall be, Presider."

"Good enough."

"Good morning," Deanna called.

"Umph," Will replied from the floor. He roused and, after a moment, blinked and sat up. His hair was spiky and his mouth tasted like soap. "I'll bet there isn't a cup of coffee within a million kilometers."

"You're probably right about that," Deanna told him. She was adjusting the buckles on her Krann clothing. "The bathroom's all yours this morning, Will. I'm done with it."

"Oh. Well, thanks. One of those hot showers of yours sounds like a great idea right now."

Deanna tossed him a towel. "Thanks," he said. "See you in a bit."

"Will?" she called. "Do you want me to check in with the ship?"

The water was running now, and steam was spilling through the door and into the bedroom. "Just call in," Will shouted back. "Let whoever answers know that we're all right. The captain's got enough going on right now without our interrupting him to say 'good morning.' If he needs to talk with us, he can always call us back. Oh, dammit!"

"What's the matter, Will?"

"Nothing much," he called back. "I forgot to take the stupid pickup bug out of my ear before I got water in it, that's all. Anyway, go ahead and make the call to the ship, all right?"

"Will do," Deanna said, and she did.

About five minutes later, Will emerged from the bathroom in significantly improved condition. He dressed quickly.

"My," Deanna said. "You clean up really well, Commander."

"Well, thank you," Will replied. "The day is looking better and brighter, after all." He glanced at the chrono he'd brought along. "Well, it's about that time. The captain should be about ready to leave the Enterprise for this ship, so we're on duty. You hungry?"

"Now that you mention it, no. I usually skip breakfast anyway."

"Good. I'm not hungry, either." He looked around to see if they'd left anything. "As I understand it, we don't have to check out. Let's just get back on the concourse, and see what we can see."

"Fine. Uh, Will?"

"Yes?"

"Thanks for the use of the bed. It was kind of you."

Will bowed in perfect Krann fashion. "My pleasure."

Together, Riker and Troi left their room and walked down a short hallway to the lobby of the pension. They were a little surprised to find that no one was around, not even the lobby security guard. "I don't like this," Riker said. "It's as if the place has been cleared out on purpose."

"Let's go, Will," said Troi. "If you're right, we're sitting ducks here."

They left the pension and walked down the concourse, heading away from the gray zone.

"There are a lot fewer people out and about today," Troi observed.

"This might be more like what a normal day is like," Riker said. "Things seem calm enough-whoops!"

Lights everywhere were blinking again-four-four-four, over and over again.

"I wonder what that means?" Troi wondered.

"I don't know," Riker replied, "but this is the third time in two days that the Krann have dragged one of these alerts out of mothb.a.l.l.s. It's got to mean trouble."

Troi turned around and looked the other way up the concourse, in the general direction of the gray zone. "Will? Look."

"Eh?" Riker swung around. In the far distance, he could see a swarm of black-garbed people running down the concourse right toward them. He could also see that their pursuers were armed, as the blinking alert lights glinted madly off the silver barrels of their weapons.

"I think four-four-four might mean 'let's go chase the Federation spies,'" Troi said.

"Fat chance," Riker said, tapping his communicator buckle.

There was no response. He tapped it again.

"Mine doesn't work either," Troi said.

"They've expanded the gray zone," Riker said tersely. "Let's move." He grabbed Troi's arm and, together, they quickly headed down a narrow pa.s.sage that opened up onto another concourse. Riker took a moment to try the communicator again. This time, he heard a faint buzzing in his ear.

He threw a glance behind him and saw that other Krann were coming after them. Some of them were drawing fairly close.

"Let's keep going in this direction," he told Troi. "The interference seems to be weaker this way." They zipped down a pa.s.sage toward another concourse, always heading away from the original boundary of the gray zone.

Captain Picard and Worf were in the main shuttlebay and were about to board Justman for their return to the Krann flagship when a call came through for Picard. "La Forge to Captain."

"Go ahead."

"Commander Riker and the counselor seem to be in trouble."

"What kind of trouble?" Picard snapped.

"They're trying to contact us via the subs.p.a.ce communicator, but the Krann are jamming the signal with whatever it is they've been using to establish the gray zone. We're getting only intermittent contact. The transporter lock we've been maintaining on them is gone, too."

"Can you reestablish the lock?"

"Not without more signal, Captain. They're moving around the flagship-running is more like it, with the sketchy speed readings I'm getting. I think they're being pursued."

"Stand by, Mr. La Forge. Captain to Transporter Room Two."

"Aye, sir. Dodson here."

"Dodson, confer with Chief Engineer La Forge about getting Commander Riker and Counselor Troi off the Krann flagship. I want you two working hand in glove."

"Yes, sir!"

"Picard out." He turned to Worf. "Mr. Worf, please return to the bridge. Kindly send my apologies to Presider Hek and inform him that our arrival aboard the flagship will be delayed indefinitely."

"I'm sure he already knows that, sir."

"I'm certain he does, too, Lieutenant. Nevertheless, let's play the hand out. I also think I know why we haven't been able to locate Commander Data and Ensign Ro. I'll bet the capital's been 'gray-zoned' by the Krann, everywhere but Government House, in order to distract us. Mr. Worf, I want a search party to go down and look for the two of them on a line between the bomb shelter and Government House."

"Government House, sir?"

"Yes. If I know Data, he'll reason that Government House is probably the safest place to be in the entire city. I just hope he and Ro evaded harm on their way there."

Worf braced. "Permission to lead the search party, Captain," he said formally.

"Granted. Use a shuttlecraft, Mr. Worf. This one's ready to go. We have to a.s.sume that all our communication frequencies are subject to jamming at will by the Krann, which makes the transporter nearly useless. I'll have the bridge advise the Lethanta that someone's coming down. Don't take too long at this." Picard smiled slightly. "This is one of those times when I really do need you to be in two places at once. I'll be in Transporter Room Two if you need me."

The Klingon nodded. "Aye, sir." He turned and quickly left the shuttlebay to organize his team.

"d.a.m.n!" Riker exclaimed as he and Troi came to a sudden stop. "Dead end." He looked around quickly. There was one door, which proved to be securely locked.

Their pursuers were about a hundred meters away and getting closer quickly.

"Will!" Troi cried. "I think I can hear something!" She cupped her hand to her left ear and tapped her communicator again.

"-stand with- -Riker-combine-" came a familiar voice through heavy static. "Emerg-signal- -lock-"

"Will!" she cried. "Come over here and hold on to me! We both have to send our recall signals at the same time so they can get a lock on us!"

Riker hurried over and put an arm around her. "One, two, three, now!" Riker said as one of the Krann security guards drew close enough to leap at him. They both tapped their communicators at the same time.

And they disappeared.

And they reappeared.

"Man, are we glad to see you!" Riker said. "That was pretty close."

"Welcome aboard, Number One, Counselor-" Picard began.

The transporter suddenly began complaining loudly.

"Captain," Dodson reported, "the transporter has detected biological contamination involving the commander and the counselor. I've established a containment field."

"Dr. Crusher to Transporter Room Two, on the double," Picard called.

"On my way, sir."

"Ops to Captain Picard."

"Picard here."

"Sir, the leading elements of the Krann fleet have opened fire on several Lethantan facilities in orbit around their planet. Lethantan forces are rushing to engage the attacking Krann ships."

"I'll be right there. Open a channel to Presider Hek and keep it open. I intend to talk to that-person. Will, Deanna, we'll soon get to the bottom of all this. I suspect I know what was going on now."

"So do I," Riker said, his teeth clenched. "A pretty gutsy gambit on their part."

"And it will cost them dearly. See you later." With that, Captain Picard left the transporter room and headed at a brisk pace for the turbolift, which the bridge had already thoughtfully sent down for him. He entered it and fumed quietly as the 'lift made its quick, nonstop way to the bridge.

There they were. At last.

"Worf to landing party," the Klingon said into the air. "I've located the commander and the ensign. Report back to the shuttlecraft immediately."

"About time you got here," Ro managed through bloodied lips.

"You have been wounded," Worf said. He had a medical kit in hand. "Allow me to a.s.sist you."

"I guess I could use a pain pill," Ro allowed. "It's been a long night."

"Ensign Ro was shot by the police on our way here," Data reported. "We were violating a local regulation by being on the street during an attack. I did not feel comfortable moving the ensign in her condition, so we did not continue to Government House. I remained with her here, discouraging pa.s.sersby from inflicting more harm on her."

"You'll find some used-up Lethanta here and there," Ro said. "Thanks, Commander."

"Why did you leave safety?" Worf asked.

"The building we were in was on fire and about to collapse," Data said. "We took a chance. I was shot at while I retrieved the ensign from where she had fallen."