"Captain," said O'Brien.

"Chief," said Picard.

A great deal went unspoken in the terse exchange. Their glances said it all: Romulans in control of the Enterprise. This was more than a mere skirmish along the border of the Neutral Zone. This was an open act of war in Federation s.p.a.ce. The Romulans had gone way over the line this time. Picard wondered what had made them take such a risk. Was this merely a first step, a prelude to invasion and all-out war? Were they trying to gain some early advantage by seizing a Federation starship and trying to break into its data banks? But Valak had said that breaking in would not be necessary. What did he mean? Was there something else aboard the Enterprise they really wanted? Or did they believe they could somehow bypa.s.s the computer's safeguard programs? Picard thought furiously as they made their way to the bridge.

"Still weighing strategies and gambits, Captain?" Valak said as they entered the turbolift.

"You may have stopped me from resisting for the moment, Commander Valak," Picard replied brusquely, "but you cannot stop me from thinking."

"Even if I could, I would not dream of it," said Valak with a smile. "That would only spoil the game."

"Is that what this is to you, a game?"

"Some games are more serious than others," Valak said. "And those are the ones I find the most stimulating."

Picard grunted. The turbolift stopped and the doors slid open. They stepped out onto the bridge. Picard quickly glanced around. His bridge officers were all at their posts, but every one of them was covered by at least two Romulan warriors. The tension on the bridge made the air seem electric. Riker stood before him, flanked by two Romulan warriors.

"I'm truly sorry about this, Captain," he said.

"So am I, Number One," Picard replied. "Anything further to report?"

"No, sir. I have been denied communication with other sections of the ship. The Romulans are in complete control." He gave Commander Valak a hard look.

"Watch them both," Valak told his warriors as he crossed the bridge and headed for the main computer console.

Picard was shepherded to stand next to Riker, where the warriors could keep an eye on both of them. "They've got to be out of their minds to try something like this," Riker whispered savagely. "Do you have any idea what they're after?"

"Something in our ship's computer files, apparently," Picard replied, in a soft voice.

"They'll never get past the safeguards," Riker said.

"Oh, but we shall, Mr. Riker," Valak said. He pointed to his ear. "My hearing is excellent, by the way. There is no point in whispering. If I had intended to prevent you from communicating with each other, rest a.s.sured I would have done so." He reached out toward his first officer and snapped his fingers. The man took something out of his jacket pocket and handed it to him. It was an isolinear chip. Picard frowned.

"Observe, Captain," Valak said. He slipped the chip into the computer.

"What the-" Riker began, but Picard shook his head, motioning him to be quiet. They both watched the Romulan commander intently as he began punching commands into the console.

"He's not using voice command," said Riker. He shook his head. "If he thinks that will enable him to bypa.s.s the safeguard codes-"

Suddenly the computer voice responded: "Security access code validated. Priority One-A. Subject: Hermeticus Two."

"Good G.o.d!" Riker said. "He's in!"

"Cla.s.s-H planet, located Delta Quadrant, Sector Thirteen, coordinates four-nine-four-five-"

Picard suddenly called out, "Computer: priority override! Picard, alpha alpha one zero!"

One of the warriors clubbed him down with his disruptor, but he was too late. As Picard fell, Valak stared intently at the screen, saw it go blank, and stabbed vainly at the b.u.t.tons on the console.

"Priority override," said the computer voice, "alpha alpha one zero; authorization confirmed. Command executed."

Valak glanced sharply at Riker, who had started to move when Picard was struck but was immediately grabbed from both sides and a disruptor pressed up beneath his chin. Valak tried to punch in instructions on the console once again, but to no avail. He looked up at Riker, his eyes hard. "I locked out voice command. What did he do?"

Riker stared at him with cold fury. "Priority one, alpha alpha one zero overrides all other instructions, and the computer is programmed to recognize the captain's voice and receive it even during voice command lockout."

Valak stared at him. "Very clever," he said. "I did not know about that. Well, I shall simply have to find another way to retrieve the file."

"You can't," said Riker. "The command has been executed. That file has been erased."

"So." Valak nodded. "Well done. Well done indeed. Fortunately I managed to note the last four digits of the planet coordinates on the screen before it went blank. I did not obtain the full file on Hermeticus Two, Mr. Riker, but at least I now know something I did not know before. I know exactly where the planet is."

Riker glanced down at the captain, who was still lying on the floor. "Captain Picard needs medical attention," he said. "I demand to be allowed to take him to sickbay."

Valak made a dismissive gesture with his hand. "You are in no position to demand anything, Mr. Riker," he said as he stared contemplatively at the blank screen.

"Then I respectfully request that I be allowed to take the captain to sickbay," Riker said through gritted teeth.

Valak glanced up at him, then smiled. "Very well, Mr. Riker. Since you respectfully request it, your request is granted." He gestured to several of his warriors. "Accompany him. And keep a close watch in case he attempts any heroics." He turned back to Riker. "If you try anything foolish, Mr. Riker ..." He turned and glanced around at the bridge crew. His gaze fell on Deanna Troi, and he saw Riker stiffen. "Need I say more?"

"I get the message," Riker said tersely.

"Take him," Valak said. "I hope the injury is not serious. I still have need of him."

Riker bent down and lifted Picard, then carried him to the turbolift, accompanied by the Romulan guards. "Sickbay," he said. The turbolift activated. The guards watched him carefully but did not say a word. Picard moaned softly.

The doors to the sickbay opened, and Riker entered carrying the captain, followed by the guards. Dr. Beverly Crusher's eyes went wide with alarm when she saw them. "Put him on the table," she said. "What happened?"

Riker quickly filled her in. The Romulans remained by the door, watching them carefully, their weapons held ready.

"Are you all right?" asked Riker, as Dr. Crusher bent over the captain.

"Yes," she replied, "but I've been kept prisoner in here. They wouldn't let me leave."

"I know," said Riker. "I saw those two centurions in the companionway."

"He'll be all right," she said after a moment. "He was just knocked unconscious. There are no fractures, but there may be a slight concussion."

Picard groaned again. His eyes flickered open. The first words he said were "Did it work?"

"It worked," said Riker. "The file was erased, but not before Valak got the final digits of the planet's coordinates." He frowned. "Hermeticus Two. I've never even heard of it. And what the h.e.l.l is a cla.s.s-H planet?"

Picard slowly sat up, rubbing his head and wincing. He glanced at the Romulans by the door and spoke softly. "Cla.s.s H stands for Hermeticus, an old cla.s.sification no longer in use. It was once employed as a file designation to signify quarantined planets."

"It's the first I've heard of it," said Riker, puzzled.

"As I said, Number One, the cla.s.sification is no longer in use. Most of the old reasons for imposing quarantines on planets no longer apply. The cla.s.s H-Hermeticus designation was dropped about twenty years ago."

"But it was still active in the files," said Riker, looking confused.

"Yes, it was," Picard replied, as Dr. Crusher sprayed sealant on the wound. "And that can only mean the quarantine is still fully in effect."

"Priority One-A is top secret, Captain's eyes only," Riker said. "How in h.e.l.l did Valak gain access?"

"That chip he had must have contained coded and cla.s.sified command instructions," said Picard. "And there is only one place where he could have obtained it."

"Starfleet Headquarters?" said Riker, with astonishment.

Picard nodded. "Such chips are kept on file to enable specially cleared computer maintenance engineers to gain access in order to effect repairs, under strict clearance and supervision, of course. The chips are used to test and debug priority command instructions in the software. Supposedly they are kept in vaults under top security conditions."

"So how did Valak get his hands on one?" asked Riker.

"Good question, Number One. You recall that spy the Romulans planted at Starfleet Headquarters under cover as a Vulcan amba.s.sador?"

Riker frowned. "Yes, I remember. But even a Vulcan amba.s.sador wouldn't have had access to top secret coded and programmed instruction chips."

"Perhaps not," Picard said, "unless some fool bureaucrat at Starfleet was showing off security procedures in order to impress a high-ranking foreign dignitary. At any rate, that chip is useless to Valak now."

"But he did get the planet coordinates," Riker said grimly. "What is Hermeticus Two?"

"I haven't the faintest idea, Number One," replied Picard. "The fact that it was designated Hermeticus Two means that it was only the second planet to be placed under quarantine. That means no Federation vessel has visited there in over thirty years."

"You mean you don't know anything about it?" said Dr. Crusher.

Picard shook his head. "No, and I never would have, unless we happened to be in that vicinity and I specifically requested the information. However, that would have been extremely unlikely, as those location coordinates place it squarely in the middle of the Neutral Zone."

"Great," said Riker. "And now the file's been erased, so no information is available. The Romulans don't have it, but neither do we. The question is, why did Valak want it?"

"Your guess is as good as mine, Number One," Picard said.

"Bridge to sickbay." It was Ensign Ro.

Riker touched his communicator. "Riker here."

"Ah, Mr. Riker," Valak's voice came on. "I trust Captain Picard has sustained no serious injury?"

Riker glanced back at the Romulan guards. It was pointless to lie with them standing right there, watching and listening to every word. "He's all right, no thanks to you."

"In that case, would you both be so kind as to rejoin me on the bridge? We shall be getting under way shortly."

Picard touched his communicator. "This is Picard. What do you mean, we shall be getting under way?"

"Call it a tandem mission, Captain," Valak said. "Your ship and mine. A sort of cooperative venture. I admit that the cooperation is somewhat forced on your part, but it should be an interesting experience just the same."

"Where do you intend to take my ship?" Picard demanded.

"Why, I should think that would be obvious, Captain," Valak replied. "We are going to Hermeticus Two."

"Hermeticus Two is located at coordinates that place it squarely in the middle of the Neutral Zone," Picard replied.

"On its outer edge, to be exact," said Valak, "in a remote sector that, according to our charts, has no habitable planet. I would be most curious to see why the Federation has an interest in an uninhabited planet that lies so close to Romulan s.p.a.ce."

"The Federation has not visited that planet in over thirty years," Picard replied. "It is a quarantined world."

"So you say," said Valak. "We shall see. Valak out."

Picard shut off his own communicator. "So that's it," he said tensely. "Romulan paranoia. Their agent somehow stumbled upon Federation references to a cla.s.sified planet in the Neutral Zone, and they are convinced that we are hiding something there."

"Are we?" Riker asked.

Picard glanced at him sharply. "I hope you know better than that, Will."

"I know that Starfleet has its share of intelligence officers who just love planning secret missions from the safety of their office desks," Riker said.

Picard frowned. "I suppose that's possible," he said, "but it seems unlikely. Why use a coded designation that has not been current for some twenty years?"

"That could be the reason," Riker said. "It could make for a good way to hide something."

Picard shook his head. "Perhaps, but I simply don't believe it."

"I don't believe it, either," Dr. Crusher said. "Setting aside the danger and the foolhardiness of putting a secret base in the Neutral Zone, the logistics involved in supplying it would risk giving it away."

Riker nodded. "Maybe. But somehow I don't think Valak is going to buy that."

"No, nor would I expect him to," Picard agreed. "If the Romulans thought there was a chance they could get away with it, it is precisely the sort of thing that they would do themselves, and so they attribute the same motivations to us. I fear that no amount of reasoning will convince them. But it's worth a try."

"The question is, what will happen when they find out there isn't a secret Federation base on Hermeticus Two?" asked Dr. Crusher.

"No, that is not the question, Beverly," Picard said. "The question is, what will we find there? The Federation considers planetary quarantine only as a last resort. Somehow we have got to take back control of the ship before we arrive there."

They were speaking in very low voices, and the Romulan guards had become suspicious. "Enough!" one of them said, gesturing with his weapon. "The commander wants you on the bridge. Now!"

Picard rubbed his sore head and winced. "That's twice I've been hit in the head," he said in a surly tone. "I intend to return the compliment to Commander Valak personally."

Picard and Riker were hustled out into the companionway. As they moved down the corridor toward the turbolifts, they saw a number of Romulan warriors herding a group of crew members in the opposite direction.

"Where are you taking those people?" Picard demanded.

"Move on!" said one of the Romulan escorts, giving Picard a shove.

"You push him once again and I'm going to feed you that disruptor," Riker warned him.

The Romulan sneered at him. "Move!"

"They're heading for the shuttle bays," said Riker.

Picard's face was grim. "Valak is transferring his hostages to the warbird and depriving us of our shuttles at the same time."

"What are we going to do?" asked Riker.