Stardate 52053.9

	"Hey, do you mind?" Gene said to Zenoz, who was looking over his shoulder
at the computer terminal in front of them.
	"I'm just trying to help.  Creating a better substitute for those herbs 
isn't going to be easy, and if we don't formulate a better one I'm going to end 
up developing a tolerance to the one that hologram's giving me now.  Believe me, 
Ensign, you don't want to see how irritable a pregnant Oblokoni male can get."
	The Acting Ensign nodded, "Yeah, yeah.  Just let me work so I can find 
one, then."
	Gene pulled up all the information the Federation database had on uhciar 
herbs, "They have a pretty complex chemical structure.  We might be able to 
synthesize it using a cordrazine compound as a base.  I'll have to do some tests, 
though."  He noticed something else on the readout, "It says here that it 
sometimes can act as an aphrodisiac, having a powerful effect on females of 
some species.  That explains why you want them so bad, Zenoz."
	Zenoz frowned, "You're mistaken, Ensign.  It doesn't do that to Oblokoni, 
but I suspect that's probably why they were stolen.  If somebody ate or inhaled 
some of them, there'd be a woman or two who'd be all over him."
	Gene smiled, "Now I wish I had some."
	Zenoz allowed himself a smile.  Just then the EMH walked up and handed
a padd to Gene, "Ensign Thomas, prepare these medications.  Based on Doctor 
Wallin's information they may be helpful in treating Ensign Hindman."
	The Oblokoni looked over at the seemingly empty bio bed, "How is
Hindman?"
	The EMH looked over at the bed.  Wallin had successfully tuned the EMH's
visual sensors to be able to detect Hindman, "He's sleeping.  In fact, since this
condition surfaced he's began sleeping much more frequently than an average 
human.  His body temperature has also decreased by 7.4 degrees and his resting 
heart rate is slightly faster."
	"Where is Doctor Wallin?" Zenoz asked.
	"Don't ask me," the EMH said, "I'm a doctor, not a homing beacon."
	After the EMH walked off, Zenoz turned to Gene, "I wish they'd do 
something about that thing's personality."
	Gene said, "I just wish they'd make it nicer to look at.  They should 
have made it a woman.  Maybe an attractive redhead or something."
	Zenoz shook his head, "I just hope we get a permanent CMO soon so we 
can stop using that hologram altogether."

	Meanwhile, in Engineering, Elea was sitting in a chair in Syxx's office. 
She was connected to the main terminal, where Syxx was working.  Commander Ming 
peeked in, "Good morning, Lieutenant."
	Elea sat up straight in her chair.  She was sort of embarrassed that the 
first officer saw her like this, with the panel on the right side of her head 
removed, and a wire going from the exposed circuitry to the Engineering panel.  
She tried not to look embarrassed, to project as good an image as possible, 
"Oh, uh.. good morning, sir."
	Ming turned away quickly, seeming uninterested.  Elea kicked herself 
mentally, thinking maybe she did something wrong.  Ming said good morning to 
Syxx.  Syxx looked up from the console, "Morning, Becky.  We're almost finished 
tuning the ship's sensors and tricorders using Doctor Wallin's specifications 
so we can scan for the Wiansani.  I'm working on tuning the Lieutenant's visual 
sensors to be able to..."
	"Fine, fine," Ming cut him off, "Have either of you seen Reman?"
	Syxx looked at Lieutenant Elea, then back at Ming, "Reman?  You mean 
the Ferengi?  No."
	Ming said, "I looked for him all last night, but he's been eluding me. 
I've got a special surprise for him when I find him."
	Syxx didn't know what to say, he had never seen Becky act this way, 
"Uhh, okay.  Do you want me to have a security team look for him?"
	Commander Ming looked shocked, "No, no!  I want to find him myself.  I'm 
sure he just wants to torture me for a while.  There are only so many places he 
can hide.  Call me right away if you see him!"
	As Ming walked off Syxx looked at Elea, "Did it seem like she was acting 
pretty weird to you?"
	Elea answered, "Her behavior was inconsistent with everything I've 
observed from her so far."
	Syxx nodded, "Yeah.  I guess I can't blame her, though.  It seems like 
none of us have been ourselves lately."

	Doctor Wallin woke up in the quarters he had been given on the Equinox.  
He sat up in his bed, his hair not standing in it's usual smooth, curled wave 
but instead scattered and pointing straight up.  He rubbed the ridge on the 
left side of his face.  He was used to his own bed, and had only gotten a couple 
of hours of sleep.  Most of the night had been spent working with the EMH.
	He got up and smoothed out the wrinkles in his clothes.  He hadn't even 
bothered to change them before going to sleep.  After seeing Jack Hindman, he 
had decided to devote as much time as he could to curing him.  So far, though, 
he had no idea what caused Jack to become invisible and to be able to 
communicate telepathically like the Wiansani.
	The Goulavar Doctor staggered into the bathroom and pushed a button on
the wall, causing the panel containing the sink to slide open.  He splashed some 
cold water on his face and looked groggily at the mirror as he fixed his hair.  
He stammered back out into the bedroom and looked out the window.  Suddenly, 
his eyes widened.  He stood for a moment in shock at what the ship was 
approaching, then darted out of his quarters.

	Enoz yawned.  She was getting tired.  It was almost time for her bridge 
shift to end.  It had been a pretty boring night.  For the most part, the 
Equinox had just followed the Goulavar ship.  There hadn't even been anything 
interesting on long range sensors other than some comets and a small nebula.  
	These were the nights that made Enoz tired.  In a way she liked having 
something unexpected happen during her shift, like the night half the power 
grid failed, or the night she had to locate a lost probe.
	Enoz stood up when she heard the turbolift door open.  In walked 
Captain Mason, Lieutenant Calea, and Lieutenant Commander Mull.  Mull took 
his place at Ops and Calea took tactical, filling in for Beeg who was 
confined to quarters.  The crew members who were manning those posts during the 
third watch exited to the turbolift.
	Captain Mason walked over to where Enoz was standing, "Report, 
Commander."
	"Our status is largely unchanged, sir." the Oblokoni said, "We've 
continued to follow the Goulavar ship.  We've received no communications from 
the Goulavar and haven't picked up anything unusual on sensors."
	"Sir," Mull said as his console started beeping, "We're picking up a 
large structure on sensors.  Very close by."
	The Captain looked at Mull and then turned back to Enoz, "This didn't 
show up on long range sensors?"
	Enoz shook her head, a bit puzzled, "No, sir."
	Mason said, "On screen."
	The image of a large, rusty colored structure appeared on the viewscreen. 
It was in a double pyramid shape, and looked very old.  There were two large 
doors on either side where ships could enter.  "Sir, the Goulavar ship is hailing 
us," said Lieutenant Calea.
	The Captain nodded to her and the image of Antal appeared on the 
viewscreen, "Captain Mason, I'm happy to say we've reached the outpost.  We 
have a reception ready for you and your crew.  Please follow my ship inside."
	As soon as the transmission ended, Enoz stepped toward Mason, "Captain, 
I don't feel right about this.  If that..."
	Mason held up his hand, "This isn't the time, Commander.  Conn, follow 
the Goulavar ship inside."
	A large door opened up on one side of the structure and Antal's ship 
flew in, followed by the Equinox.  However, the other door opened on the other 
side of the structure just long enough for Antal's ship to fly out.  Mason 
narrowed his eyes as he watched the ship leave.  Something was wrong about this.
	The turbolift doors suddenly opened behind him, and Doctor Wallin ran 
out onto the bridge, "Captain, you have to get away from here!"
	Mason spun around and said, "Conn, take us out of here, now!"
	The Ensign at the Conn said, "It's too late, sir, the hatch we entered 
through has already closed."
	Doctor Wallin ran over to where the Captain was standing.  The Captain 
looked at him sharply, "Doctor, what's going on here?"
	Wallin was breathing heavily, "Captain, this is a Wiansani internment 
station."
	"What?" the Captain yelled, "Antal brought us to a Wiansani station?"
	Wallin looked away, "Actually, Captain, it's our station.  The Goulavar 
use the Wiansani as slave labor."
	Everybody on the bridge turned toward Doctor Wallin.
	Enoz was the first to speak up, "Slave labor?  That's not even allowed 
in the Wardyssian system anymore."
	Doctor Wallin shook his head, "We treat them well, better than they'd be 
living if they were on their own."
	"That's what the Cardassians said while they were butchering my people,"
Mull said, glaring at Wallin.
	Doctor Wallin just looked at the floor.  Captain Mason was fuming, 
"Open a channel with Antal, now!"
	Antal once again appeared on the viewscreen, "I guess there's no more 
reason for pretense, Captain.  I lured you here purposely."
	"This has to do with your use of the Wiansani as slaves?", the Captain 
asked.
	Antal nodded, "So you know about that.  You see, our civilization 
depends on the labor of the Wiansani to produce food and energy for our people.  
We used to be able to mine a chemical that could be used to feed the Wiansani, 
but our reserves of it have become depleted.  We can't afford to have the 
Wiansani die.  My orders were to lure your ship here so that the Wiansani may 
use your crew for nourishment."
	Wallin looked up, "Command authorized that?  I never saw those orders!"
	Antal said, "I wasn't allowed to speak to anyone about it, Doctor.  
Anyway, prepare to transport back."
	The doctor shook his head, "I can't be a part of this, of leaving these 
people here to die."
	Antal didn't seem surprised, "If that's the way you feel, Doctor, you 
can stay there with them."
	Mason said, "Antal, think about what you're doing here.  Orders or not, 
you're about to commit murder."
	Antal cocked his head to the side, "The sacrifice of one ship for the 
good of both the Wiansani and the Goulavar.  Captain, that's not a hard choice 
to make."

	Antal cut off the communication and began scanning the Equinox, looking 
for a particular life reading.  As soon as he found it, he activated the 
transporter and Commander Ming materialized on the Goulavar ship.  "What am I 
doing here?" she said.
	Antal turned to her and smiled, "I couldn't bear to let you stay on 
that ship, Becky.  I had to beam you over here, so we could be together."
	Rebecca frowned at the Goulavar, "You can't just abduct people at your 
whim.  Return me to the Equinox."
	Antal took at deep breath, "That's not a good idea.  Everyone on the 
Equinox is about to be killed."
	Commander Ming had a look of shock on her face, "What?  You're going to 
kill them?"
	The Goulavar said, "Actually, the Wiansani are going to kill them, but 
I'm offering you a chance to survive, and for us to be together like I know 
we both want."
	Ming stepped back, "What, I don't want to be with you!  The man of my 
dreams is on the Equinox.  I don't want to leave him."
	"What?  Who is it?"
	"Reman.  He's the most attractive, most wonderful Ferengi I've ever 
known.  I demand you return me to the Equinox.  I'd rather die with Reman than 
live with you."
	Antal spun around to where his console was, "Ferengi.  I know how to 
scan for Ferengi life signs."
	He tapped a few buttons on his console and Reman appeared on the ship.  
The Ferengi looked around, "Huh?  What's going on?"
	Ming ran over to him, hugging him and showering him with kisses, 
"Reman, you're okay."
	Antal glared at the Ferengi, "So you're who's standing between me and 
Becky."
	"Uh.. I.." Reman looked around, having no idea what was going on.

	Enoz worked feverishly at her console.  Captain Mason watched the small
hangar they were stuck in on the viewscreen for a while, then walked over to 
where Enoz was working, "What have your scans come up with so far?"
	The Oblokoni seemed frustrated, "Nothing that can help us.  There are 
only two ways in or out of here, and I can't figure out how to open them 
other than using our phasers, and I estimate it would take over an hour to 
cut through that way."
	"What about our photons?"
	Enoz shook her head, "I wouldn't suggest it.  In here a torpedo 
detonation would damage the Equinox too much."
	The Captain was looking just as frustrated as Enoz, "We need options, 
and soon."
	Doctor Wallin walked over to where Mason and Enoz were, "Captain, I 
want to apologize.  I should have told you about the Wiansani sooner.  I want 
to help you get out of here if I can."
	Mason paused for a moment, then said, "We all have demons we need to 
atone for, doctor.  Any help you can offer would be appreciated."
	Suddenly, Enoz's panel went dead, then the rest of the panels and the 
viewscreen went out.  In sickbay, Ensign Thomas was mixing some chemicals when 
he saw the EMH flicker and go off-line.  In Engineering, Elea was just 
disconnecting herself from the Engineering console when the flowing colors of 
the warp core went gray and came to a stop.  Then the lights began going out all 
over the ship, leaving the Equinox in complete blackness.
	Everyone on the bridge was silent as a low hissing noise began to 
surround them.  Captain Mason reached to his belt and managed to find his 
phaser in the complete blackness.  He tapped his comm badge, "Mason to all 
hands.  Arm yourselves."