Chapter 6
by Travis Anderson

Derrico's fortunes changed radically as his team rounded the last corner before they would have reached the power core. His point man died as pulsar bursts ripped through her. The only good thing to have come from her death was that their ambushers had given away their positions. Not that it did Derrico or his unit any good. The opposition was dug in while the Starfleet "Marines" were fairly exposed.

Derrico heard a cry as another of his men went down. He thought it had been Hubert. He quick sweep verified that theory. He glanced towards Jansen as she returned fire at their opponents. Derrico wracked his brain for a solution to their "little" problem.

An explosion echoed throughout the corridors of the massive Gulag complex. The violent tremor that followed threw Macen, Danan, and P'Ris from their feet. Macen sprang to his feet swiftly. Danan retrieved her rifle as she stood. P'Ris looked indignant as she rose from the floor.

"What, may I ask, was that?" P'Ris asked sharply.

"That was the sound of a detonation near a power core," Macen informed her.

"The explosion was too small for the core itself to have exploded," Danan commented. "I would guess that the power mains were detonated instead."

"That was the plan," Macen replied archly.

The sound of pulsar fire caught their attention. Macen and Danan darted out of the Archives room and down the hallway. They reached a "T" junction and stopped. Before them lay a balcony with tow guards firing down towards the ground. Screams could be heard form below. Macen shot one the guards. Danan followed suit. They stepped warily out onto the balcony. Prisoners were running across the open courtyard. More pulsar bolts lanced into the crowd. On a balcony across from where Macen and Danan stood, another guard had a heavy blaster set up and was firing. The tripod-mounted weapon was far more powerful than anything the Starfleet officers had brought with them. It was punching holes a half-metre in diameter into the ground. The effect it had upon living beings was horrifying.

"Cover me," Macen ordered. Danan gave him a puzzled glance. Macen grew agitated. "I'm going to deal with him. I need you to distract him so that he stops firing into the crowd."

Danan's expression was that of a person dealing with a lunatic. "His weapon can punch holes in walls. There's no way I'll be able to hold his attention for long."

"Just do it!" Macen yelled as he re-entered the corridor.

Danan took a deep breath and stepped back into the doorway. She raised the rifle to her shoulder, her lips twisting into a wry expression. She let out the breath and squeezed the trigger. Her shots lanced out at the gunner across the courtyard. The distance was great enough that she could not make out his features. A remote part of her mind was amused that she automatically assumed her target was male. Her shots pocked the walls around the gunner. He ceased fire and Danan hoped beyond hope that she had killed him. When the blaster pivoted up towards her, she knew better.

Danan turned and started to run down the corridor Macen had just sprinted down. Blazing yellow bolts seared holes on the wall behind her. She dove to the floor, holding her breath as sections of the wall rained down around her. The firestorm halted several metres before her. She paused a moment longer while the dust and acrid smoke cleared. She cautiously pushed herself off the floor. Crouched on one knee, she peered through one of the holes blasted through the wall. She could see the gunner traversing his weapon, seeking new victims for his bloodlust.

Danan's bangs clung to her sweaty face. She swiped her brow as she backed slightly away from the wall. She rested her rifle barrel in the hole she had peered through and aimed at the gunner. She squeezed the trigger and released a volley at the man's position. As soon as she'd fired, Danan sprang to her feet and began running down the hall. A torrent of return fire cascaded through the space behind her as she ran. The flying shards of debris and superheated gasses licked at her heels. She stumbled, falling to the floor.

Oh Gods, she thought as she fell, this is it! The world flashed white as she hit the metal deck plating. She knew she should try and crawl further before the searing blast enveloped her. The throbbing in her head was too disorienting and she remained immobile for several moments before she realised that her fiery demise had not occurred.

She tried to stand, but her knees were still too wobbly. She groped for her rifle. Finding it, she crawled closer to the perforated wall. She ignored the minor burns she received from pieces of slag lying in her path.

The gunner had ceased fire because he had a new opponent. P'Ris had realised what was occurring and had opened fire just in time to spare Danan's life. She could see green disrupter bursts lancing out towards the gunner. He turned the blaster in P'Ris' direction and unleashed the deadly maelstrom of its wrath.

Danan brought her own rifle up. Her vision blurred and her hands shook. She couldn't hold the weapon steady. She cursed at herself. She had to try, P'Ris had revealed herself trying to save her. She could do no less.

She pulled the trigger once again. The familiar throb of the weapon's discharge vibrated throughout her body. All of her anger, outrage, and desperation were poured out in that discharge. Her finger slid of the trigger. Her head slumped against the butt of the rifle. There was no escape. She did not have the strength left to move. She would die here, alone, without Brin's arms holding her.

Macen had run the length of the corridor until he hit a second "T" junction. He came around the corner with his pistol ready. Seeing that the way ahead was clear, he approached at a jog. He could hear the muffled explosions from the gunner's assault against Danan.

Macen surprised himself by feeling concern over the erstwhile Lieutenant. It was the only emotion that seemed to penetrate his rage. Her decision to endorse his revisions of the Marine modus operandi garnered her his support. Trust would have to be earned later.

He reached the next intersection. It only went to his left. He peered around the corner cautiously. It served him well. The gunner had an accomplice in the hallway entrance of the balcony.

Macen holstered his sidearm and jogged purposefully forward. He was halfway to the balcony before the "guard" noticed him. Amateur, Macen thought derisively. The guard unslung his rifle and challenged Macen.

"I'm here to see if you require assistance," Macen informed the guard, walking towards him all the while.

"We are fine," the guard replied suspiciously. "Who sent you?"

"I received Captain Carrase's orders through Lieutenant Qek," Macen replied easily.

Macen was almost at arm's length from him. He could here the distinctive whine of a disrupter. P'Ris must have joined the battle. The guard turned his head for a second to see what was occurring as his comrade swore viscously.

Macen's hand snapped the pistol out of the holster. He fired two shots point blank into the man's chest. He turned to the balcony's entrance. The gunner was pivoting his weapon to his left. Macen fired several shots into the man.

Danan woke up, finding her upper torso supported by someone else. She jerked reflexively, trying to recall how she had arrived at this position. Strong arms held her shoulders from behind, restraining her struggles. She wanted to shout a warning but found her throat too raw to utter anything beyond a strangled cry.

"Take it easy," she heard Macen say softly into her ear. "You had a concussion and were going into shock. This was the easiest way to keep you guarded and warm while P'Ris sought medical equipment."

Danan relaxed. She slid her feet further under her. Their two bodies had been tucked into a corner. She used her change of position to lean forward and allow Macen to stand. The world tilted on its axis as she moved forward. She placed a stabilising arm out and caught herself from falling. Her other hand went to her temple. The throbbing she experienced made her nauseous.

"Are you all right?" Macen asked. She glanced upwards. The concern in his eyes belied the stern expression he wore on his face. She nodded. "What about the symbiot?"

"We'll be fine," she said as convincingly as she could. She tried to rise and found her knees still a tad shaky. Her eyebrows rose. "Although I could use a hand in getting up."

A ghost of a smile flittered across Macen's stony visage. He thrust out his hand. He glanced towards the door of the room they were in. "P'Ris should have returned by now." His voice went as cold as his expression. "Something's wrong."

"Then let's solve the problem," Danan suggested.

Macen nodded his approval. He removed her pistol from where he had held in the small of his back and handed it to her butt first. Her expression was one of wry amusement as she returned the pistol to her holster. She gave him an expectant stare.

He shrugged and moved to where he had placed the rifle. He picked it up and handed it to her. She smiled and patted the gun indulgently. She noticed his scrutiny and gave him an embarrassed smile. Macen pulled his pistol out and readied it in a two-handed grip. He took a last glance towards Danan. She held her rifle levelled at her hip. She still appeared shaken, but her eyes still shone with fierce determination.

"Let's go," he said quietly.

His grim certainty was something of a comfort to her. She knew Macen would walk through the bowels of Hell if he felt it was necessary. His willingness to do so for an ally they barely knew was an example of why she loved him.

Macen exited the room. Danan followed. They proceeded down the corridor. No one appeared before or behind them.

"Where are they?" Macen muttered.

An explosion ripped through the complex. Another power core had been destroyed. A shriek filled the air as tremendously brilliant streaks of light surged into the sky.

"They've activated the anti-ship batteries," Danan informed him.

"They're firing on the T'Kut," Macen commented dispassionately. "That's what distracted P'Ris." He turned his full attention to Danan. "How do we stop them?"

She pondered the question momentarily. Her expression hardened. "We proceed to Command Centre. We can deactivate the system from there."

Macen's eyebrow quirked upward. "Lead the way, Commander."

Danan nodded, then reversed course and went they way that they had come. They passed the section of wall mutilated during Danan's duel with the gunner. They proceeded further, passing the Archive that had become a tomb. Macen and Danan reached the Command Centre several minutes later. The double doors were sealed and locked. Danan punched a code sequence into a console to the doors' left.

"I hope the codes still work," she murmured.

A blue beam projected form the ceiling, enveloping her body. "Code clearance accepted," a mechanical voice announced.

The doors opened and Macen and Danan stepped through. A worried looking tech noticed them and turned and rose from his seat. Danan unleashed a pulsar burst into him. Macen snapped into action, shooting seated techs one by one down the sequence of chairs on his side of the room. Danan did likewise down her side. Danan slung her rifle over her shoulder and approached one of the consoles. She manipulated several controls. Half of the displays in the Centre went lifeless.

She turned to Macen with a satisfied smile on her face. "I've deactivated the defense system," she informed him proudly. "All systems are now locked down and cannot be reinitialised without my clearance."

"What about internal sensors?" Macen asked.

"At our disposal," Danan answered.

Macen nodded in approval. "Find our people." And then as an afterthought, "And find out if the Odyssey is here yet."

"We've achieved standard orbit," Ensign Killian, the acting helmsman reported.

"Understood," T'Kir acknowledged. "Contact the T'Kut. See if she needs assistance." She turned towards Ensign Grace, the acting Ops officer. "Any signals from Captain Macen?"

"Negative, sir," Grace answered, her voice taut with worry.

T'Kir's face was a frozen masque. "Do not worry too much, Ensign Grace. Such distractions will make less efficient."

Grace and Killian both turned to face the acting captain. T'Kir shook her head, as though clearing out another's thoughts. She noticed the ensigns' scrutiny.

"What?" she asked defensively.

Both junior officers hurriedly returned their focus to their consoles.

"She's here." Danan reported, "Right on schedule."

"That's amazing," Macen replied.

Lisea chuckled. Neither of them had believed T'Kir would get the ship here on time. She looked up with a stricken expression on her face. "The ship's unstable."

Macen's face fell. "What?"

"The warp core, the structural integrity field...everything! She's destabilising," Danan explained. "The ship is breaking down at the quantum level."

Macen sighed. "Can you determine the source of the breakdown?"

Danan returned her attention to the scanner read-out. "It appears that the engines are putting out a low level transwarp signature. The resulting dimensional stress is breaking down the ship's atomic cohesion."

"The Federation doesn't have transwarp technology," Macen muttered. "They louse it up every time."

He glanced up at Danan. "Is there any way to recalibrate the warp engines to avoid creating the transwarp effect?"

"Not from what I'm reading here," she replied grimly, then met his gaze. "I may be able to re-evaluate that determination with a first-hand examination of the engines."

"That's what I thought," he replied in resignation. "How long until the ship falls apart?"

Danan shrugged. "Another day, maybe two."

"Focus on finding our Starfleet personnel. They're our first priority," Macen decided.

"What about the ship?" Danan asked quietly.

Macen looked slightly pained as he answered, "She's a good ship. She'll understand if we have to sacrifice her."

Danan nodded and returned to the sensor sweeps.

"The ship's what?" Tarrik asked incredulously.

"She's falling apart, Chief," Macen informed over the comm link Danan had established. "She's dissolving on the sub-atomic level."

"We'll fix that right up," Tarrik announced.

"No." Macen's reply was bitter even to his own ears. "No, we won't. Just try and stabilise the effect for as long as you can. Any attempt at eliminating the problem would require the shutting down of the warp core. We don't have time for that."

"And why not?" Tarrik demanded in outrage.

"This base is a symptom, Chief," Macen responded calmly, feeling his engineer's pain. "We need to get to Earth so we can deal with the disease."

There was a long pause, followed by a reluctant, "Aye, aye sir." Another pause, "She's too young and vital to go this way."

Macen closed his eyes, pinching the bridge if his nose between his thumb and forefinger. "They both were, Chief."

"What?"

Macen shook himself. "Never mind, Chief. Just get to work on slowing down the dissolution of the bonds."

"Understood. Tarrik out."

Derrico and Jansen were still pinned down. They could hear the Marine defenders moving about around the power core. A disrupter beam went down the corridor between them. Derrico turned and barely restrained himself from killing Commander P'Ris.

"Commander," his deep bass rumbled. "I almost killed you."

"I could have killed you if I had so desired," she reminded him archly.

Derrico's face wound up in an expression of reprehension. She could have killed them, all because he'd been too focused on the obvious enemy. That did not settle well with him.

"Too true," he admitted tightly. "Why are you here? You are supposed to be with Captain Macen and Commander Danan."

"They are fine," P'Ris replied coldly. "Commander Danan was injured, but your Captain was tending her."

"How have the others done?" Derrico asked.

P'Ris' gaze turned sad. "One core has been disabled, another destroyed."

"What about our people?"

P'Ris knew the pain he would feel when he heard what he knew was coming. "The entire team was destroyed with the core. No one has heard from the second."

Derrico's knees nearly buckled. He shook his head, as if clearing away thoughts he didn't want to have. "No." The word was a growl on the back of his throat. "We're not finished."

P'Ris was astounded by the feral quality in Derrico's voice. There was a bloodlust there she'd never heard form him before. The Security Chief had struck her as being moribund by Starfleet rules and traditions. He had never appeared the type to succumb to murderous rage.

Derrico turned the corner and unleashed a volley of continuous fire. A bellow that would have struck fear into the soul of a Klingon loosed itself from his lips. Jansen aided his efforts. Several shots passed by him before he returned to his shelter.

"Feeling better?" P'Ris asked sardonically.

"I have a firefight occurring in Core Centre Three," Danan reported to Macen. "I also have an unknown party of three moving away from Core One."

Macen nodded expressionlessly. "That'll be our people," he commented, then asked, "Is there any opposition between them and the group at Core Three?"

Danan shook her head. "No. All Marine personnel seemed to be involved in the holding action at Core Three." She ran another series of scans, her brow furrowing. She squinted as she concentrated on the read-outs. "They seem to be...damn!"

"What?" Macen asked in sudden alarm at the frustrated concern in Danan's voice.

"They're trying to overload the core," she answered testily. "They've opened the regulators and are unbalancing the matter/anti-matter ratios."

"Meaning 'boom'?" Macen asked dryly.

Her eyes went wide for a moment. Her jaw closed as she realised that he was joking. Her mouth twisted into a grim smile. "Meaning big boom."

"How do we stop it?"

"From here?" she asked in disgust. "We can't."

"How do we stop it there?" Macen asked pointedly.

Danan debated options, then determinedly replied, "Follow me."

"Sir!" Grace called out excitedly. "I'm detecting a warp core imbalance on the surface."

T'Kir leaned forward in her chair. "Can we beam down?"

Grace nodded. "We can, but the area surrounding the core seems to be experiencing energy discharges."

"What kind of discharges?"

"Weapons fire," Grace replied sombrely.

"Can we contact our teams?"

"No, sir," the ensign manning Tactical answered. "A subspace disturbance is forming around the core. It is blanketing the vicinity of the core for a radius of seven kilometres."

T'Kir slammed her fist against the arm of the seat. "I need solutions, people! What can we do?"

The only replies she received were blank stares.

Danan and Macen raced down corridors until they reached an access panel. Danan read the panel's designation and nodded. She keyed in an operational code into the panel's hatch. It opened with a hiss of escaping air.

"This inspection tunnel leads all the way to the core," she informed Macen. "We can use it to flank the Marine team."

"Good thinking," he commended, then motioned towards the hatch. "Once again, after you."

A resonant hum throbbed outward from the core. Derrico noted the change and glanced towards P'Ris. "Is that what I think it is?"

P'Ris nodded in resignation. "Yes. They are creating a matter/anti-matter fusion imbalance. Soon, we shall all be sub-atomic particles spread across the quadrant."

Derrico took a deep breath and drew his pulsar rifle close to his chest. "Not if I kill them before they finish."

P'Ris smiled approvingly. "Spoken like a true warrior." She checked the power pack of her disrupter. Satisfied, she nodded in the direction of their opponents. "Shall we?"

"We're almost there," Danan assured Macen.

They reached the bottom of the ladders and she saw the hatch she was seeking. She took a final glance towards Macen. He was fine, and looking to her for an indication of where to go next. She nodded towards the hatch. She keyed the hatch. It opened outwardly. She crouched behind it, weapon trained on the opening. Although weapons fire could be heard, none of it was in the hatch's direction.

Danan slowly moved her way through the hatch. Macen followed. They found themselves on a catwalk above and behind the power core. Several Marine techs were hurriedly making adjustments on multiple panels. Armed Marines were flanking them and firing at unseen opponents on the other side of the core.

"Well, we seem to have maintained the element of surprise," Danan commented optimistically.

"You move further to the left," Macen ordered. "I'll take the right. When I start shooting, kill the techs."

"What about the guards?" Danan asked.

"Use your own discretion," Macen replied blandly.

They separated. Macen edged down the catwalk. He crouched low when he found a nexus of pipes and coolant hoses that offered some cover at least. He glanced in Danan's direction. She gave him a thumbs up. Her facial expression was as impassive as his own was. There was no joy or satisfaction in this duty. It simply had to be done.

Macen took careful aim and fired his first shot into the back of the closest tech. The man lurched forward, his back a smoking ruin. It took two shots to hit and kill the next tech. The third had noticed the demise of the second and started to move. Macen fired off three rapid shots. The tech fell to the ground.

Danan lined up her sights on the innermost tech, much as Macen had. Her pulsar rifle was set on rapid fire. She depressed the trigger and cut a swath to her left. The streaming flashes of energy cut through the ranks of the hapless techs without care or mercy. One of the armed guards was cut down as well.

The final tech had been harder to hit, as one of the guards had began an exchange of fire with Macen. The tech had made an abortive run at a control panel. That effort cost him his life. The guard threw caution to the wind and stormed towards Macen.

Derrico's shout alarmed his companions more than his foes. That changed as he charged towards them firing his pulsar pistol with frighteningly inhuman accuracy. Jansen and P'Ris were laying down cover fire with lethal effect.

Derrico made for the cluster of guards to his left. As he came barrelling towards them, he realised he wasn't their only going concern. As he reached the first positioned formerly occupied by a formerly living guard, he heard the cries of death and the sound of weapons fire from behind the power core. The stench of burnt flesh hung thickly in the air as Derrico peered around the core towards the remaining guards.

There were two of them left, pinned down by fire being poured down form an overhead catwalk. He decided to settle that issue and promptly shot the guards. The shooter on the catwalk wavered for a moment, then threw an acknowledging wave and went towards Derrico's left. He continued to skirt around the core.

As he came around the backside, he saw the female shooter drop into a crouch and open fire on a Marine charging towards a ladder leading up to the catwalk. Derrico could also see Macen as he continued to exchange fire with the remaining guards. After a moment's consideration, Derrico continued creeping around the core. When he was within sight of the first Marine, he shot her. She fell to the ground. He could hear an anxious exchange between the remaining forces.

Derrico felt it was time for a new tactic. "Surrender!" he shouted.

Macen and Danan heard Derrico's shout and ceased fire. Macen stood at his position and yelled to those below, "I am Captain Brin Macen of Starfleet Intelligence. Surrender now. You are surrounded and have no hope of victory." He paused, then continued, "You have fought valiantly and there is no dishonour in yielding."

There was a drawn out silence, then the sound of weapons clattering to the floor. Four bedraggled men and women walked out form their refuge with their hands raised.

Derrico quickly herded them into a corner while keeping his weapon trained on them. Jansen and P'Ris ran to join him as Macen and Danan scrambled down the ladder.

"Can you stabilise the conversion ratios?" Macen asked.

Danan nodded, her face drawn and distant. Macen realised this was a sign of concentration, not concern. He waved her towards the consoles.

"Then get to it." He met P'Ris where she stood by the prisoners. "Glad to see you're still alive, Commander."

She raised a speculative eyebrow. "Really? I would have thought you would be quite upset with me for abandoning you to your vigil over Commander Danan."

Macen nodded. "I am, but I understand your motivation."

P'Ris laughed. "That is good, for I will never understand yours, Captain Macen."

Macen shrugged. "Keep them guessing."

Her mouth quirked into a cynical smile. "And you were able to avoid using the term 'enemies'. I am quite impressed."

He turned to her. His face was a stoic masque, his eyes fierce. "Don't be." Macen turned away and strode towards Danan.

"The weapons fire seems to have stopped," Grace reported.

"Have a team comprised of Security and Medical beam to the site immediately," T'Kir ordered.

"Aye, sir."

"Everything has been stabilised," Danan reported wearily as she draped across a handrail.

Macen looked mildly amused. "Good job, Lieutenant."

Transporter shimmers appeared near the core. A dozen Security and Medical personnel from the Odyssey joined their comrades. One of the Security men conferred briefly with Derrico. Derrico then reported to Macen.

"Sir, two teams have been sent down. The second team is with Insertion Team One. They are now inspecting the prisoners," he reported crisply, then after a moments hesitation, "Lieutenant T'Kir also sends word of Ensign D'art's arrest on charges of mutiny."

"Bloody hell," Macen snarled. He walked away with his hands on his hips and paced for a moment. After a moment, he returned to the others. "Have the prisoners beamed directly to the brig. Commander Danan will provide you with the location of the Archives Library. Send a Medical team there to remove the bodies from it. Also, try and locate a representative for the prisoners. I want to personally talk to some of the detainees."

Derrico nodded sombrely. His apprehensions regarding deadly force had been resolved after testing his enemies' mettle. Derrico had seen some of the most brutal fighting during the Dominion War. He felt that the Marines would have made a good counter-measure to the Jem'Hadar.

"Aye, sir," he replied crisply, betraying none of the fatigue he felt.

"And Lieutenant?" Macen called after him. Derrico turned, still trying to hide his weariness. Macen smiled. "Have the Insertion Team members relieved as soon as possible."

"Aye, sir!" Derrico replied with real enthusiasm.

Macen stood with his back to the data crystal. His arms were folded across his chest and he was oblivious to the motion of the scanning arms running up and down the length of the crystal. He'd been retrieving the history of the prison and a partial list of its inmates. Macen ignored all of that. He was looking for the originators of this operation. Macen's success as an intelligence analyst stemmed from his ability to step into his opponents' minds.

In this case, it was the minds of those raised in an idealistic culture that abandoned all pretenses of idealism. They felt that action, quiet and direct, was the best solution to any mounting crisis. The prisoners had been brought here because they fought on a battlefield Section 31 refused to engage in, the battle for people's hearts and minds.

Macen met with Valdrin, the designated representative of the Gulag's prisoners. The man was a Vulcan, and was on of the installations first inmates. He had the serene air that typified virtually every Vulcan, except for T'Kir. Macen wondered, not for the first time, why he'd rescued the lunatic Vulcan.

Valdrin offered Macen the split fingered salute of his people. "Greetings, Captain Macen."

Macen returned it. "Greetings, Representative Valdrin."

"I see you have perused my file," Valdrin replied dryly.

Macen gave the Vulcan a wry smile. When Valdrin's name had come to him as the prisoners' choice for a representative, he'd felt compelled to look up the Vulcan's "crimes". Valdrin's crime had consisted of was endorsing a philosophical system that urged emotional releases between the seven year Ponn Farr cycle. Valdrin had conjecture that it would lessen the potential health risks for couple's that were unable to reunite if they partook of his system. For that, he'd been sent to Gulag.

"I'm afraid I don't have a great deal of time here," Macen told Valdrin with regret. "I would, however, like to assure you that other vessels will be here shortly and inquire as to any requests you may have before we depart."

Valdrin's gaze remained level and placid as he spoke one word. "Justice."

Macen's eyebrows rose, but he remained silent as Valdrin explained the nature of that sole request.

"We are quite well provisioned. We do, however, request that the perpetrators of this...hypocrisy be brought before the law."

Macen's smile was predatory. "That I can guarantee you."

Macen and Danan stopped by the office P'Ris had taken as her own.

"We're leaving now," Macen informed her. "I just wanted to thank you for your help."

P'Ris smiled in bemusement. "As I recall, you bribed me."

Macen nodded. "That's true, but you didn't have to honour our arrangement."

P'Ris shook her head. "No, I could not live with myself if I did not honour it. What is more, I still owe you a debt." Macen raised a hand in protest, but P'Ris persisted. "It is true. I will watch over these souls until your Starfleet returned for them."

Macen's smile turned mischievous. "That also guarantees that Starfleet, and hence the Federation, will have to talk with you."

"So much the better," P'Ris shrugged. "We all win."

The two commanders shook hands and then Macen commed his crew and requested transport. Macen stepped off the tranporter pad and turned to Danan.

"Report to Sickbay. I want Kort to have a look at you."

"I'm fine," she protested.

"When's the last time you had your symbiot examined?" he asked.

"When's the last time time you had your head examined? she asked sarcastically, then her expression softened. "I'm fine, really."  

"Uh huh."

Skepticism permeated his words. His wry expression told her what he thought of her assurances. She sighed and trudged off sullenly to the Klingon's house of horrors.

Macen stepped onto the bridge and immediately began giving orders. "Helm, set course for Earth. Plot your course through Klingon territory. T'Kir, contact the Klingons and inform them we are invoking the Zed protocol and direct transit through their territories. We also request a welcoming committee at Zed's table. Got that?"

T'Kir nodded and hitting his comm badge, he continued, "Tarrik, I need maximum warp for as long as you can give it to me. Any problems and you talk to me."

"Aye, sir." Tarrik's guttural reply came over clearly.

"Get underway," Macen ordered. "I'll be in my Ready Room. Join me there in fifteen minutes."

"Aye, aye." Tarrik sounded as weary as Macen felt.

"What the problem with the engines?" Macen asked evenly.

Tarrik squinted at him, then shrugged in resignation. "The Hydra-class has a few...problems. That's why it was never put into production. Six prototypes were made before the decision was made to pursue other avenues."

"What kind of problems?" Macen asked, voice still chillingly level.

"It has to due with the impulse reactor," Tarrik answered, sounding like an Academy lecturer. "The reactor can't maintain integrity. It's mounted too close to the main warp drive. The first Hydra was destroyed when its reactor lost containment."

"So why are we flying this one half-way across the galaxy?" Macen asked dryly.

Tarrik took a deep breath. "We thought we'd put a lid on the problem. We installed a new type of containment field. It uses adaptive field modulation to counter the shifts in the reactor core. It's ties directly into the warp core so that it impulse reactor is shielded most heavily when we're at warp. That's when the imbalance usually occurs. Has something to do with the warp signature."

"Maybe it has something to do with the fact that pieces of the failed transwarp drive were implemented into the engines?" Macen suggested sardonically.

Tarrik looked as sheepish as his porcine features allowed. "Well, that too."

Macen leaned forward on his desk and rubbed his forehead. "Didn't anyone think about this before we left?"

"It worked in simulation," Tarrik assured him.

"I'm sure it did, Chief," Macen replied wearily. "You'd better get back to it. Just hold us together as long as you can."

"Aye, sir."